Artist Review: Former Long Beach student sings with love

Former Long Beach student Vonyse is promoting her debut album, "When Sleeping Giants Wake."

By Angelica de la Pena
On-line Forty-Niner

A bright blue sky and a warm Saturday afternoon were the perfect backdrops to the sounds of Cal State Long Beach alumna, Vonyse, who performed at the Kaleidoscope Festival this past weekend. The crowd swayed their heads side to side enjoying her melodic voice, hypnotized by her passion and emotion in every tune. Arhen Grings, CSULB student and audience member, described her sound to be “refreshing to the ear.”

Rather than placing her style of music into a certain category, one can place it in each. Her music is a fusion of R&B, rock, jazz and funk. Vonyse’s influences growing up ranged from the sounds of Chaka Khan to the early Rolling Stones. Her eclectic sound and bold spirit have given her the chance to open for artists such as India Arie, Erykah Badu, Goapele, The Roots and Chaka Khan.

Growing up, Vonyse knew she wanted to be a singer. She wrote her first song at the age of nine, citing music as her outlet. A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Vonyse moved to Northern California where she finished high school. She continued to express herself through music and was part of an award winning gospel choir.

Vonyse soon attended CSULB where she majored in graphic design. Sylvana Cicero, marketing director of the University Student Union, said she remembers when Vonyse worked at Planet Graph X.

“This is where it all began,” Cicero said. She explained Vonyse and former PGX members met and formed a band here on campus.

Vonyse said the college experience helped her reach many of her goals. She explained that college gave her the guideline on how to seek information. Education helped her to think outside of the box, and she was able to apply those views toward her music. Her music is a compilation of sounds, thoughts, and information, which, extends and crosses beyond expected boundaries. Vonyse described her genre of music as an “altered native soul,” which makes its own path and defines itself.

Vonyse is an independent artist who writes, sings and produces her own music. For her debut album, she did not allow commercially driven producers to interfere with her music.

Instead, with an old acoustic guitar, her laptop and a digital 16-track recorder, her debut album “When Sleeping Giants Wake” was created. Not only is she a talented singer but also a performer, who was recently nominated by the NAACP for her work in the play, “In the Blood.” Vonyse and the cast were nominated for best ensemble.

“It’s been a blessed journey,” Vonyse said. “I am just a vessel trying to stay in the light. But everyday is still a fight.”

Vonyse said it is the love for her family and for life which has kept her pursuing her passion. She explained how pursuing her dream is not always easy. There are a lot of politics in the music industry and it can interfere by tainting true creative art like her music. Vonyse said she knows her music is beyond the politics.

“Music is love,” explains Vonyse, “My love to the world.”