For singer/songwriter Dionne Blaize, the release of her first album ?Rise Up? a compilation of Reggae Love songs, represents the high point of a singing career which began before she could talk. According to her mother, Dionne began imitating every song her mother sang to her at the age of 6 months old, and Dionne has been singing ever since. Dionne's enduring spirit is a gift from her parents and her confidence comes from knowing that she has ?people? around her, watching her back. The songs on her debut CD, ?Rise Up?, are expressions of likes, love, lust and hurts she has been through.
Dionne is confident that "Rise Up" will take her in new directions; geographically, emotionally and career-wise. She looks forward to touring, collaborating with other artists and putting out another reggae album.
Dionne credits her love of reggae music to an Uncle, a bass player for a local band, who introduced the music to her when she was five years old. Her uncle, who lived with Dionne and her family when she was a little girl, used to play music by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Marcia Griffith, and Cynthia Schloss. Although Dionne was too young to understand the lyrical content, she loved the pulsating beats and enjoyed the happy mood the music created within her. However, her determination to make good music regardless of life's obstacles stems from her father's dedication to a self-taught musical career. Not having the money to pay for music lessons, he taught himself how to sing and play the piano.
Dionne's formal introduction to music was through the gospel choir at her Church. Starting in the junior choir, she quickly graduated to singing with the adult group, where her tiny, but strong voice, brought an Angelic sound to Sunday morning praise. During her teenage years, Dionne wrote, composed, and sang with continued enthusiasm; with Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, Patti Labelle, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey and Judy Boucher serving as her sources of inspiration. She also credits reggae singers, Bob Marley, Marcia Griffith and Cynthia Schloss as her role models in Caribbean music. Her recently completed music video for a single on her CD - ?I'm In Love With You Baby?, which is currently airing on major caribbean televisions worldwide, highlights Dionne's acting abilities; a skill she learned from her performing arts classes while in High School
After emigrating from the Caribbean island of Grenada, Dionne's parents raised her and three siblings in Brooklyn, New York, an area whose cultural diversity continues to inspire her work. Critics and enthusiastic listeners alike have commented on Dionne's strong musicality and dedication to her craft. More important to Dionne however, is her desire to not just make great music, but to also have her music touch people's hearts. She also hopes to realize her dream of collaborating with musical greats such as Timbaland, Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam, Sean Paul, Sizzla, Luciano, Beenie man, Buju Banton, Kanye West, Missy Elliot, and other talented musicians.