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Artist Bio

Syleena Johnson was born to sing. Her honey-toned, down-home bluesy and soul drenched vocals have always possessed a mysterious richness and maturity well beyond her years. Vibe Magazine has described Syleena’s sound as “ distinctive, sometimes sweet, a little tart and always strong” while USA Today declares she possesses “a gorgeous voice and evocative storytelling.” The highly sought-after, vers...atile and dynamic R&B/soul vocalist, who has collaborated with Kanye West (“All Falls Down,” “Suddenly/Bulls-Eye”), R. Kelly (“Hypnotic,” “I am Your Woman,” “Guess What), Common (“Suddenly/Bulls-Eye”), Jermaine Dupri (“Classic Love Song”), Twista (“Self Destruction”) among numerous others, will release her long-awaited new CD, Chapter V: Underrated on Shanachie Entertainment September 27, 2011. “My fans gave me the name,” shares Syleena about her CD title. “I am currently in a place where I just wanted to go into the studio and record what felt good. When you do this, you begin to bleed the true artistry that is in your heart and soul.”

Chapter V: Underrated features the album’s first single “A Boss,” (produced by Unik who has produced Pitbull and Tyrese) a fiery ‘sista’s doing it for themselves’ anthem that pays tribute to the power of women who are able to provide for themselves even if they have a man. Syleena says “This song empowers women to be strong and demand what they want from a relationship. The lyrics say, ‘He can get it (my heart that is) if he is a Boss like me.’ The meaning is that you want your partner to do all of the things that you are doing to better yourself as a person, career wise or any other way.” Chapter V: Underrated also includes “Speaker Junkie,” another track that proves Syleena Johnson’s undeniable ability to make the crowd move. The songbird shares, “It is the kind of song that makes you want to get on top of the speaker and dance. It takes you back to the times when music was invigorating and its sole purpose was to make you feel good and dance!” Syleena collaborates with several guests on the CD including Toxic, AK of Do or Die, Na’ Tee and Tweet, who is featured on the duet “Angry Girl,” which addresses women who carry negative attitudes that ruin men and love for the next woman who comes along. Syleena shares, “I feel like I have been caged and now I am free to finally look, feel, and sing the way I want and how I want and it feels REALLY good.”

The Renaissance woman, who earned a degree in Nutrition Science and who has acted off Broadway and modeled with the prestigious Wilhelmina Modeling Agency, underscores her talents not only as a singer but as a composer as well on Chapter V: Underrated. “Composing my music lyrically is everything to me. It allows me to tell my story and express myself through song. The daughter of famed blue/R&Bs artist Syl Johnson has been chronicling her life on record since 2001’s Love, Pain, & Forgiveness (her first of three albums with Jive Records that featured R. Kelly and Buddy Guy), which explored the beginning of how God established a relationship and peace within Syleena. He then gave her the Garden of Eden in Chapter 2: The Voice (featuring guest Busta Rhymes and the Flipmode Squad). Around this time Syleena also had a breakthrough collaboration with Kanye West on the song “All Falls Down” which earned both a Grammy and VMA nomination. In 2005, Chapter 3: The Flesh was released and Syleena saw fruitful collaborations with Kanye West, Common, Jermaine Dupri, Twista and Anthony Hamilton. Chapter 4: Labor Pains followed in 2009 on Syleena’s own label Aneelys. With Chapter V: Underrated about to unfold, Syleena shares, “This may not be what you are used to seeing and hearing from me, but it's the TRUE me that you never knew. Thanks to my fans, I have the courage to be me, with no limitations.”