Artist Feature: Andy Allo
Every so often, an artist comes along that transcends the norm. An artist who is truly paving her own path with a sound and vibe that
is uniquely her own and connects to fans on a deeper level. Such an artist isn't bound by genre and is intent on creating a unique musical expression of herself. Cameroon-born singer and songwriter Andy Allo is that artist.
Andy was first introduced to a musical instrument at age seven when her mother taught her to play the piano. The youngest of five children, Andy soon found her voice, harmonizing with her older sisters. Andy recounts, "Growing up in Cameroon, Africa, I was surrounded by music. Every morning there would be records playing, likeDolly Parton and Miriam Makeba; my father and I would listen to Fleetwood Mac."
In her first album, UnFresh (2009), Andy created a genre called Alter.Hip.Soul. Two years later, in 2011, Andy joined Prince's New Power Generation as a singer/guitarist and worked with the legend on her sophomore album, Superconductor. This album featured a funk/soul sound. Andy noted, "Collaborating with Prince was such a blessing. He created an environment that was open to all ideas. It was exciting to bring him an acoustic song, which is how most of my songs began, and see him turn it into an epic masterpiece."
Now on the verge of releasing her third project, Andy is exploring her love for pop and rock. Her new EP, Hello, is an introduction into the next chapter of her story. Of her new direction, Andy explains, "When I moved to the US, I spent endless summers listening to Grateful Dead, Chuck Berry and Arctic Monkeys. My new music feels like a reconnection to the music that was such a big part of my musical upbringing. It's pop with a rock edge. I'm in such a happy place in my life, and what I'm creating captures that. I feel like this is just the beginning of my story. There's a lot I want to share with the world."
"We knew she'd be leading her own revolution soon," adds Prince. Indeed, that soon is now.
