KeShena the Artist

With over thirty years in the music business, it is Keshena The Artist’s staying power and vocal prowess that has sustained her. The trained musician - who got her start in the church like most legendary singers do - is a self-taught instrumentalist and soul singer at heart. And better believe, she is as versatile as she is soulful. Keshena The Artist has sung everything from folk to blues and rock n’roll, and has studied music theory and performance, and jazz vocals under the tutelage of Adekola Adedapo and graduated from MATC’s music occupations program.

Raised in the church and surrounded by singers all of her life, Keshena The Artist has always been connected to music and performing. She knew from a young age that she wanted to be a singer just like the elders in her family who sang gospel music.

Growing up she watched her family travel extensively working as musicians, and she wanted to do the same thing. Keshena’s father taught her how to play the C major scale on an organ as a child. This eventually led to her playing violin and teaching herself how to play the drums and keyboard. By the time she was a teenager Keshena was playing the organ and directing the choir during Sunday church services.

Now as an adult, when Keshena The Artist performs, her goal is to honor the legends who came before her (including her father). “When a person comes to my shows I want them to not just hear the music, but have an experience. Whether there are 4 people or 4,000 [people] in the crowd, I give all of me, and even in the hardest shows, my love for the music somehow comes across as food for the soul.”

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