Terisa Griffin is a promising new singer, songwriter and performer—promising only in the widespread public sense!
Audiences in her adopted home of Chicago as well as that city’s lucrative, behind-the-scenes, jingle industry are already in a passionate love affair with the gifts she has to offer. She sells out local nightspots with her one-of-a-kind show, warms up (make that, heats up!) concerts for the biggest names in Black music from Isaac Hayes, Ashford & Simpson and Roberta Flack, to Jerry Butler, Patti Labelle and Rhassan Patterson, and is a first-call for powerful players such as Congressman Jesse Jackson, not to mention the prestigious Urban League. Terisa Griffin is poised—like a gathering hurricane—at the cusp of major break out stardom.
Terisa reflects of her accomplishments, “I’ve been blessed, I don’t believe in luck. God is always there making things happen and giving me the strength and talent to fulfill my dreams and for that I am grateful.”
Terisa began to write her first songs by writing poems in a journal about love and life. It was also in college that Terisa discovered other music—R&B and Rock n’ Roll. “I’ve always loved male artists,” Terisa confesses, “the rawness in their voices, as opposed to the pretty, female sound. Luther Vandross’ voice is like an instrument to me, very sensual.” But of both the men and women that influence her, Terisa says this: “I appreciate Aretha Franklin for her strength and soul, Tina Turner for her zest for life and rough classiness, and Patti Labelle for her gospel edge. You could get over on my stern minister father with a Patti album! And oh my God, got to love the Rolling Stones.”
After tossing a coin on a map Terisa landed in Chicago, and landed national exposure, singing back-up for Diana Ross on an “Oprah” telecast. Ms. Ross pulled her out of the background to sing her anthem, “Love Conquers All”, a gesture that moved Terisa to tears…but only after she wore the audience out with her performance!
Terisa also performed in a series of “One Woman” shows partnered with the DuSable Museum. Revealing her multi-faceted persona, Terisa wrote and produced as well as starred in her three-part series, “One Voice, One Woman” shows. Through her production company, Griffin Productions, Terisa has successfully staged the following production series: “Fantasy, A Tribute to the Divas of Song and Stage” (Josephine Baker, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughn), “Queens of R&B, A Tribute to the Queens of Rhythm and Blues” (Dinah Washington, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summers, and Tina Turner) and finally, “Song’s Divas” A Tribute to Famous Song Divas (Nina Simone, Phyllis Hyman, Gladys Knight, Anita Baker, Natalie Cole, and Patti Labelle).
Now, it’s all about her long awaited full-length album, one that promises to be a very personal and confessional affair. Terisa discloses that each song is a reflection of a time in her life. “After writing my first Maxi-album, “Songbird”, I wrote the song, “I Can’t Stop Loving You”. I knew then that I couldn’t write anything but what I honestly feel in the moment, and that is ever changing.” “For my new album My Naked Soul, I wrote “Anymore”, which is about being in love with someone who suddenly doesn’t love you anymore. But it was during one of my happiest moments I wrote a song called “Alright” to remind me that no matter what happens, life is about experience and through it all, everything is going to be alright.” Terisa pinpoints her writing process in a singular statement, “Living in the moment and writing and singing about those moments are the best way to share my artistry with the world.”
My Naked Soul debuts in stores August 8, 2006. The first single, “Sunshine” has already seen success on the UK charts with Producer-DJ Terry Hunter’s house remix—included as a bonus track on “My Naked Soul”.
Terisa’s goal is to have a career as distinguished as the Divas and Queens she often pays tribute to when she performs. One day, a promising young super talent will be doing a SRO one-woman tribute to Ms. Terisa Griffin.
Rising Star………..Terisa Griffin…A Talent, A Voice, An Entertainer.
