Amanda Halsey

Amanda Halsey, born in Bayshore, New York on February 13, 1980. Singer/songwriter of Soul, Hip-hop, and R&B music. Websites: www.amandahalsey.com and www.MySpace.com/amandahalsey Raised on Long Island by a single mother primarily in the Eastern Long Island town of Westhampton, Amanda Halsey grew up listening to soul and the birth of New York hip-hop. As a child, she would oftentimes record music she heard on TV and the radio on a toy tape player and impersonate each artist, note for note. Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and many others popular artists during her childhood provided a template for her musical vision. Amanda performed in singing groups throughout her adolescence, gaining experience in front of audiences. She began writing songs at an early age, one being “Recognize” which she wrote the music and lyrics for right out of high school, an ode to "haters." Over the years she has developed her voice and range and often incorporates her whistle register into songs, inspired by singers Minnie Ripperton, Mariah Carey, and Jill Scott. Currently performing and recording songs in her native New York, Amanda Halsey is poised to self-release her debut EP on S.H.E. records in January 2009. The lead single will be what Amanda calls a "Hip-Hop march." Stay tuned.