Heather Leigh West…

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Heather Leigh West

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Leigh_West Early life and education Born into a theater family in New York City, West was always surrounded by creative talent. A graduate of Manhattan's La Guardia High School of Music and the Arts - Vocal Department, she developed her style as a member of the school's Gospel Choir. [edit]Career West has written and recorded songs for herself as well as other artists of many genres including: Soul, R&B, Funk, Hip-Hop, Gospel, Dance and House. West's commercial debut came as the featured vocalist, credited under the moniker "She," on the 1995 Urban Discharge release Drop a House. The release peaked at number twenty-one, spending eleven weeks on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart and secured its place as a legendary club anthem. Despite the song's huge club success, Drop a House was unable to cross over to the airplay charts because it contained lyrics that were at the time considered explicit. Not credited by name, and later incorrectly credited as someone else on a subsequent vocal version, West would spend the next decade working to prove who "She" was.[citation needed] [edit]Further releases In 2000, West teamed up with Eddie X for the release of Vibe the Underground. The project was later featured on The Circuit Party Volume 1 compilation. In association with German music producer Da Hool in late 2003, West wrote and recorded Set the Stakes High for Germany's Kosmo Records. The single's early success in Europe led to its inclusion on numerous compilations worldwide. Soon after, Set the Stakes High saw its domestic debut on the American dance label Robbins Entertainment in 2004 where the release climbed to number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales Chart. In 2004, West was asked to take part in a project with FIGJAM Records to benefit the ACLU Foundation’s Lesbian & Gay Rights and AIDS Projects. The album, a double-disc set titled Marry Me, with individual discs dubbed Ceremony and Reception, included West's single Eres Tu, produced by the Bodega Boys. Marry Me, which also included, among others, music by RuPaul and Ari Gold, was celebrated on November 16, 2004 at a record release gala held at XL in New York's Chelsea neighborhood.[1] In 2005, West partnered with New York based producer DJ Dove for her next single, Lift Me. The track, written by West, was released on Catch 22 Recordings and featured additional mixes by DJ Disciple. Though still nurturing her career in dance music, West made a departure of sorts from the genre when she began work on her first full length record in late 2005 with New York based music producer Valentino LaRosa. The album, a marriage of organic instruments, the synthetic sounds familiar to her dance music fans, is perhaps best described as Alternative/Soul. Appropriately titled, One (Valentino's Heather) the records name not only marks the first of many to come, but more importantly is a reference to unity. Forever striving to do something different from what she has before, West decided to reproduce the same material with a more laid back musical vibe to create a double release with One Extra Chilled - HLW On the Rocks. The album is currently available for preview as digital release on iTunes and is planned for official release on CD later in the year. West released a darkly artistic music video for the albums first single Fall Away. The video is available to view on the popular video sharing website, YouTube. In late 2007 West returned the studio with music producer DJ Dove to record a new dance single, Closer, co-written by West and fellow songwriters. The much anticipated single will be her first commercially available dance release since 2005. A big room house anthem, Closer beckoning all to "venga mas cerca (Come closer)," was released digitally through beatport.com on October 26, 2008. [edit]Commercial Releases [edit]Singles 1995 - Drop a House by Urban Discharge featuring She 1999 - Vibe the Underground by Eddie X presents Heather Leigh West 2003 - Set the Stakes High by Da Hool featuring Heather Leigh West 2004 - Eres Tu by The Bodega Boys featuring Heather Leigh West 2005 - Lift Me by DJ Dove featuring Heather Leigh West 2008 - Closer by DJ Dove featuring Heather Leigh West (Tendenzia Records, Italy) 2009 - Drop a House by Dj DeMarko featuring Heather Leigh West (Tommyboy Entertainment, USA) [edit]Albums (digital release) 2008 - One (Valentino's Heather) & One Extra Chilled - HLW On the Rocks [edit]Albums (CD) TBD - One (Valentino's Heather) & One Extra Chilled - HLW On the Rocks

Latest posts by Heather Leigh West (see all)

• HELLO! — ITS ALL ABOUT YOU! - January 1, 1970
• “LOVE IS WORK…” - January 1, 1970
• Heather Leigh West’s European Holiday - January 1, 1970
• Heather Leigh West… - January 1, 1970
• Meet Heather Leigh West ; Fierth contributor - January 1, 1970

HELLO FIERTH-NICITY!!!!!
HAPPY CRAZY END OF THE YEAR HOLIDAY MADNESS!!!!!

I hope you are not all going TOO crazy with the chaos of the holidays! I hope that you are able to enjoy this stretch of time as we wrap up 2009 & send it on its way… I for one AM THRILLED  for 2010 to arrive! 2009 was a very difficult year for so many… we lost so many wonderful people & hard times seem far and wide.  I am also very thankful for 2009 as a lot of wonderful things came to pass as well – we got to meet new fabulous people that are now a part of our lives… we got through this year – and a lot of us even managed to find new ways of being productive. I want to send out encouragement to EVERYONE READING THIS! Please try to be open to the way the universe is asking us to change – to grow… to evolve.  If we allow this in it will bring us smoothly to a new place that we have not yet even imagined, but we have to be OPEN…

Having said that the person I wish to highlight 1st is new up & coming artist: J. Fortino, a Soul/Pop vocalist & songwriter whose self titled album is due out in the Spring of 2010. He hales from the west coast… Seattle, Washington to be more specific, but has been living here in NY for several years now.

He is my 1st highlight for selfish reasons, but I’ll get to that in a bit…  I have to say that he is one of the kindest & most generous souls I have met in many years. His generosity is of spirit as well as of opportunity & of gesture.  A truly honorable man whom I am very pleased to know. I was lucky enough to meet him when NY Scene director/videographerFrancis Legge (whom I also love) included me in J.’s  ” Exclusivity”  video.  This is how J. was 1st brought to my attention. Once I heard his vocals I automatically wanted to sing with him. (***For many musical people when we are moved musically it makes us want to join in… not unlike when anyone wishes to sing along to a song, etc.).  At any rate, I told J. that I wold love to do something together & he took me up on it.  We ended up doing 2 fabulous songs together, both of which will be on his album project.  We did a beautiful duet ballad called “My Love”,which could very well become quite a wedding request… I promise to share with you as soon as it is ready… I am very proud of it…

But the REAL reason I am sharing this is…. (drum roll please) – is to tell you about our other track together – an incredible, uplifting, awe-inspiring dance track with J. Fortino, the incomparable Dawn Tallman & yours truly H-to-the-L-W … <remember y’all – I’m crazy… but I’m having fun!>
This song is mind-blowing! It’s called “Fearless People/Pray for Change”. Predominantly written by J. and then myself, Dawn Tallman & Robert Bella Hernandez each addd our 2 cents to the mix and out came this moving, anthem of a hit waiting to explode…
J. began writing this song right after 9/11 – and it finally manifested almost a decade later!  This song is SO powerful – I cannot express to you how thrilled I am to be part of it.  You know when you have the privilege of being involved with something that you soon realize is super MAJOR?! THAT’S THIS PROJECT!!!!!  There are several remixes being done right now, and I a very pleased to inform you that the EP release will be hot & fresh for you in Jan 2010!!!!! J. has already been nominated for a handful of awards for his videos that seeped out over the course of this year… in my opinion he’s one to watch for & “Fearless People/Pray for Change” is a song you should be looking out for. I’m just sayin’… xoxoxoxoxo

There is a small clip of it the end of Fierth.com‘s own Mike Diamond‘s (who of course is a fav of mine!) recent video: Making It Work!: Fashion Forward 2009 to give you a teeny teaser of a taste – but TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU – THIS SONG MAKES ME GET UP AND JUMP AROUND… AND IT WILL DO THE SAME TO YOU!!!!! I am so excited about this song!  So here I am, putting the little seed into your brain that J. Fortino is someone you should know about.  He is someone that has a lot of beautiful things to say that we can ALL identify with & a sultry ~ soothing vibe that deserves a place in your personal sound track of life.  Mark my words, you will fall in love with“Fearless People/Pray for Change” & it WILL inspire you – just in time!!!!!  You will also fall in love with J. Fortino… it is inevitable… So PLEASE stay tuned for info next month regarding the release of this amazing song & for further details about this wonderful new artist!

Now, I am on my way to Amsterdam to spend Christmas with some of my family – then we are going to Paris for New Years!!!!!
YAY! So I will be sure to keep fun tid-bits from my adventure’s & report back to my FIERCE-NICITY!!!! WHOM I LOVE & ADORE – YOU KNOW I DO!!!!!
HAVE A MAGICAL – SAFE & POSITIVE REST OF THE HOLIDAYS/2009… SEND HER OUT WITH A FIRM SALUTE & TELL THAT B*TCH NOT TO COME BACK EVAHHHHHHHH…. ;o)~
I’VE GOT A HOUSE WITH HER NAME ON IT!!!!!

For more on J. Fortino please see his site here [JFORTINO.com]

CRAZY my loves — remember this about me…. but having FUN!
UNTIL NEXT TIME… SENDING LOVE – HOPE & ETERNAL BLESSINGS
XOXOXOXOXO
1,
HLW aka Halo