Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 2000)
Page 2 August 30, 2000_______ ________________ Music Focus A S U P P L E M E N T OP w W-------------- *----------- 'T ill' (D llp iltU ll Mikaila s voice comes on strong CO N TRIBU TED STORY fo r FOCUS T he P ortland O bsekver Entrenched as we are in the Pop Teen Era, it’s not unusual to hear about a young girl with a voice. Mikaila, however, is anything but the typical teen chanteuse. The fact that she’s brunette is just the tip o f the iceberg. • J jJ a r tia n i» E ditor in Chief, Publisher Charles H. W ashington Editor L arry J . Jackson, Sr. Copy Editor Jo y Ramos “I’m not that...sw eet?” M ikaila says, pointing out one personality trait that sets her apart - and helps make her pop music so refreshing. “I love R&B and I love rap, so I want my songs to be a little edgy - to be real, to be cool.” And so they are. Big rumbly drums and quirky-twinkly keyboards set the tone for the first single, “So In Love W ith Two” - a delicious take on indecision served up true diva style. “ Straight to My Face” and “Perfect W orld” drip attitude and demand respect. Mikaila calls upon flu id p h ra sin g and em o tio n al expression for “The Art o f Letting Go,” while “Playground” is pop at its m ost provocative. Even the classic teenage crush song “Talk About Me,” and ballads like “My Heaven” and “My Heart C an’t Let You Go,” which Mikaila co-wrote, have a depth that belies the Dallas- based singer’s youth. M ikaila’s life has always involved music. “ I could sing before I could talk,” she says. “At 3 years old, I’d stand in front o f the mirror, singing into a candlestick, and tell my mother I want to be a star.” Back then, inspiration came from the ruling radio divas - Mariah, Celine and Whitney Houston - as well as c o n te m p o ra ry g o sp e l m usic. Mikaila would sing her heart out in her bedroom and in church, where her mom played piano. When Mikaila was 9, her family left h er in E dm ond, O k lah o m a, hometown for Dallas, where she began showing off her velvety voice ( Please see ‘M ikaila’ page 3) STFUFHIlBUEY»DL.HUBHLEY>CEDRICTHEEmTfllhlER-BERNIEHflC Business Manager G a ry A n n T aylor "TWO THUMBS UP!” Creative Director S haw n S tra h an 4747 NE M artin L uther King, Jr., Blvd. Portland, O R 97211 503-288-0033 Fax 503-288-0015 e-mail: thefocus@portlandobserver.com subscripucxi@portlandfbscrver.axn ads@ portlandobserver.com Articles: Friday by 5 p . m Ads: Monday by Noon Focus welcomes freelance submissions. M anuscripts and S a tu rd a y. S e p*embe r 9 th at P e n in s u la P a r k photographs can be returned if accom panied by a self- addressed stam ped envelope. Registration Begins - 8:00am Walk Begins - 10:00am All created display ads Join us become the sole property of for food, fun the new spaper and cannot be and prizes!!! used in other publications or personal usage w ithout the w ritten consent of th e general manager, unless the client has Sponsors purchased the com position of Adidas, KK JZ, KPTV, NW Natural, Portland Parks & Recreation, Safeway, Sheraton Portland Airport Hotels, Sleep Country USA The Oregon State Lottery, Wells Fargo Bank, WinCo Foods the ad. I W Th* Portland Obwr»»r
