When I first stumbled across songstress Shannone Holte's myspace page, I was totally thrown back. Her voice is so full of strength, soul, and beauty, that any person sensing her tone will immediately want to pick up her album. Her voice takes you back to the soul of the days of Aretha, mixed with acoustic sultryness, a splash of modern and contemorary rhythm, and a whole lot of her beauty of her tone on life. The 20 something classically trained vocalist discovered her instrument at age 2 in her father's church. Her father, a doo-wop singer turned pastor and mother, a piano/English teacher began teaching her classical piano at te tender age of 6, and then enrolled her into violin lessons shortly after. Shannone indeed does it all - singer, songwriter, producer, and arranger. Gospel, Jazz, The Blues, African Rhythms, Reggae, Hip-Hop, R&B, Classic Soul, Pop, Folk Music, and even Opera into a musical experience that is magical, sonically eclectic, socially relevant, and spiritually empowering. Her song "Look What They DOne is spiritually shaking and vocally beautiful. The Shannone Holt EP combines her amazing voice with an eclectic style that is both socially conscious and culturally connected. "Most of the songs were co-written by myself and Kevin Powell and are inspired by conversations about things going on in our lives and in the world. Songwriting for me is about releasing an emotion through melody." When we started writing songs for this EP, I was listening to so many types of music, from Ani Di Franco to Carole King, from Miriam Makeba to Dennis Brown and Peter Tosh, so The Shannone Holt EP has so many musical influences inspired from these artists and also from the band I'm working with." Her song "Respect Me" written and performed by Shannone herself, appears on the soundtrack of the film AMERICAN GUN, starring Forest Whitaker and Donald Sutherland. Shannone takes a moment to chat with us about beauty, inspiration, and of course her music.

ymib: What is your mission/purpose in life?

Shannone: My mission/purpose in life is to share my artistic voice with whomever will listen.

ymib: We celebrate natural beauty here at ymib...and you have a beautiful natural glow. With that said, what sort of things do you try to do to keep your skin and hair healthy, any favorite products?

Shannone: Well, thank you!  FACE. Firstly, I get regular facials. I try for at least once a month. At home, for face wash, I swear by Kiehl’s Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser. The moisture in the wash is great for my skin which tends to be very dry, especially in the winter. For an alternate/deeper wash, I use YonKa’s Gel Nettoyant with Iris Extract. For moisturizer, I use Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer. To tone, I use YonKa’s Lotion/Spray. HAIR. For shampoo/conditioner, I use Devachan’s Devacurl and Devacure shampoo and conditioner. To maintain style, I use Miss Jessie’s Curly Buttercreme.

ymib: What are some of your current/future projects that you would like to achieve?

Shannone: Right now I’m working on new music and I’m elated about that. I finally have the freedom to do exactly what I want to do musically and it’s priceless. So, I’ve been going crazy doing lots of writing and creating with the new instruments I’ve just taken up (acoustic guitar and electric bass guitar). So I’m having a great time playing around with those, yet still being able to create good music from getting to know those instruments more intimately. For the near future, I’m getting back into modeling a bit of acting. I’ve done both since I was very young, but after deciding I wanted music to come first, put them both down for a few years. Now I’m finding that my artistic voice involves all of these art forms, so it’s important I don’t shut any one out. Partial expression is not expression at all.

ymib: Could you tell us the inspiration behind your songs One Nation Under and Respect Me?

Shannone: Good question! The inspiration behind One Nation Under initially stemmed from my frustration with the political environment following the events of 9/11. I felt I was in a twilight zone, not only where governments insulted their citizens’ intelligence and misled them, but also where the masses of citizens did not have more of a public outcry about it. Where those who did protest, were either ignored or ostracized. I really felt, “This CAN’T be happening!” I didn’t feel the music industry was living up to its purpose/history. Music has served as a social voice for as long as I can think back and for it to be generally silent at a time like that, disappointed me greatly. I felt too many artists were “playing it safe” in not even addressing the glaring issues, and instead singing about much “lighter” topics. So, I got the opportunity to voice those frustrations when the door opened for me to do some music for Aishah Shahidah Simmons’ NO! The Rape Documentary film (http://www.notherapedocumentary.org). I came up with a title I felt was an accurate description of our state, and a business partner and I penned the lyrics. The guitarist and I created the music/chords for it right in the studio less than an hour before recording it. We were recording other songs with an 11-piece band, but we chose to leave this song bare, very raw and naked so that the tone of the song could really come through without competition. Though the deal with the documentary later fell through, the song has become a favorite among fans. Respect Me is probably the most interesting song I’ve recorded thus far, to me, because it’s one song I didn’t at all contemplate before recording it. I was sleeping in the studio after a loooong day of recording, while the producers of the project were working on additional sounds/music clips for the documentary. They woke me up and told me to go in the booth and ad lib over this track they had and wanted to put in the portion of the film where blacks were fighting for respect and equality during the Civil Rights era, I believe. They told me to sing something about respect, and, half sleep, that’s exactly what I did! They ran the track one time, and kept the first take, initially intending to use only snippets of it. But, somehow, someone from the American Gun movie camp heard it and requested it for that movie. So, it ended up being in that film instead. Go figure!

ymib: What message would you like for the women you effect to always get from you?

Shannone: A message of strength. Often women, especially women or color, are discouraged from being strong and maintaining dignity and self respect, especially young women. And far too often, this discouragement comes from our own. To see so many images of women being disrespected in this generation through so many modes of media, in and of itself, discourages self pride and dignity, and I’m just so fearful of the generations to come. So, I want to always be that example, no matter what. It’s so important.

ymib: What has been your most memorable moment in your career thus far?

Shannone: I think, sharing the stage with MC Lyte! It was euphoric to share and rock the stage with a living legend, especially one who has been and continues to be such a remarkable example of a strong, self-respecting, accomplished woman of color.

ymib: What is your favorite affirmation or inspirational quote?

Shannone: “Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.” I cannot pretend to have made it this far without my higher power. I have seen miracles that only God could do. So this, my favorite quote reminds me that I am not here alone, making it by myself. I have company at ALL times and I need to acknowledge and involve that company at ALL times!

ymib: Other than music, in what other ways do you express your creativity or expression on life?

Shannone: Other than music, I express my creativity thru FREEDOM! My freedoms can include dancing, acting, yoga, fashion, a new hairstyle, or doing a cartwheel! My expression is that freedom, whatever it may be at any given time!

"All the musical parts of me are going to define my sound, not just one thing. All of it matters to me, everything that has ever influenced me."

ymib: How do you want people to feel after hearing your music?

Shannone: I feel it’s so important for people to feel a weight has been lifted off of them in some form or fashion. I want that. Not so much that all of my music is completely uplifting, because it’s not. But, it’s real. And in being real, I believe you can touch so many people. To know that someone else is going through, or has gone through what you’re going though, or something close, is a burden release in and of itself, you know? That, maybe we’re not so isolated in this world after all!

Though Shannone majors in "all things music," she has also dabbled in modeling - a pastime she enjoys, but explains that, "Aside from being respected as a musician and a songwriter, I'd like the world to see my inner beauty. Everything on the outside is temporary. It will all pass away. And while I love fashion, and enjoy different styles, at the end of the day, when I come home, I've got to come out of these clothes and shoes, lose the hair and make-up, and see my soul through those eyes in the mirror. It's my spirit I want people to remember and the emotion my music evokes. I want always my spirit to be felt.", and one can only agree, you can definately not only see Shannone's inner beauty, but can hear it loud and clear through her sweet sweet music. She is a pure example of how music should feel, sound, compliment, and effect our lives.

Listen to Shannone's songs One Nation Under, Manny, and Respect me on ymib's Positive Soul NOW!