BIOGRAPHY
Born in South Africa, “KEENIATTA” started singing from a very young
age. She remembers when together with her sisters they would grow
listening and imitating famous singers & Divas. With her voice
ranging from Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklyn, Patti Labelle to Tina
Turner and Diana Ross, when just a young teen, KEENIATTA entered S.
Africa’s biggest talent show winning the 1st price: a record deal with
RPM which led to five records and signed the beginning of her
songwriting career.
After recording her last album in South Africa, she based herself
abroad and spent most of her time in the United States, Europe and
Middle East astounding people with her voice and her high impact live
performances.
Latest release in South Africa is the Album “Round and Round”, under
the artistic alias “KEENIA” (published by Gallo Music and distributed
by POLYGRAM S.A. - now UNIVERSAL S.A.) and while the single “Blue
light” went 3rd on the charts, the title track “Round and Round” was
nominated at the S.A.M.A. (South African Music Awards) for the “Best
Contemporary Dance Music Performance”.
In Italy, where she mostly lives when not performing around the world,
she won the 1st price of the TV Contest "Momenti di Gloria" (show aired
by Mediaset) and also co-wrote and recorded the song “Everybody Come
On” (SONY - S4) which was chosen as signature track for the TV format
“Pop Star” and the Italian female band “Lollypop” did a cover of it,
reaching the top ten of the Italian Top10 Chart. Very famous is her
cover of E. Clapton’s “Change the World” (©CSR-Teal Rec.). Newest Album “REWIND”, her Neo-Psychedelic-Rock Project has just been
released.
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CURRICULUM VITAE
in SOUTH AFRICA
- performs for the first time in public, when she
was only three years old, as new talent at KING SOBHUZA III ’s birthday, at the
city stadium of ‘MBABANE (Swaziland) in front of thousands of
people
· participating as DESIREE BAIRD she won the first price at the
National Singing Contest “SHELL ROAD TO FAME” appearing in numerous TV
transmissions and on the most important press nationwide
- signs a recording
contract with RPM releasing four LP distributed all around South
Africa and performing live throughout the nation; she initially uses DESIREE and
then DESSI B as artistic alias
- enters the acting cast for the outstanding DES
& DANN LINBERG musical production KING AFRICA starring the late H. CELE and
MARA LOUW
- signs a new recording contract with the record label CSR
-
releases several CDs as session artist and tours, with her band around South
Africa and appears very often on several Radio and TV programs on the most
important national Networks and specialized magazines
- chooses KEENIA as her
artistic alias to co-write and records the R&B Album ROUND & ROUND,
released, marketed and licensed by POLYGRAM-SOUTH AFRICA and published by Gallo
Music, which single SLOW DOWN reaches the R&B Top10
- makes a success
with audience and critics taking part to the RAND SHOW and then performs for the
American superstar CHAKA KHAN during her tour in South Africa
- nominated at
the South African Music Awards with her song ROUND & ROUND for the cat. BEST
CONTEMPORARY DANCE MUSIC PERFORMANCE
in the USA
- (Las Vegas - NV) performs for LIONEL RICHIE at
the MGM GRAND
- (Providence - RI) sings for the First Lady H. CLINTON
in the private party thrown in occasion of the Half Time elections;
- (Santa
Monica - CA) performs a show at the famous RICK’S PLACE where she meets with
TONY RENIS
- (Pasadena - CA) performs a show at KEVIN COSTNER & CINDY
CRAWFORD’s Club restaurant TWIN PALMS
- (Malibu - CA) performs for DAVE
FOSTER & TONY RENIS by Foster’s residence
- (Washington - DC) sings for BARBARA SINATRA at
her birthday party, in occasion of the N.I.A.F. (National Italian American
Foundation) Celebration winning the press appreciation (WASHINGTON POST- Font:
The reliable source)
- (Washington - DC) sings for ANDREA BOCELLI, at
Villa Franco
- (Washington - DC) performs for BEN JOHNSON (BET
President) at his Club Restaurant Bet on Jazz
- (Washington - DC) introduced on stage by the
President of the AMERICAN MOTION PICTURE Mr. JACK VALENTI she performs, as guest
artist, at the presentation of ANN HAND’s perfume POWER
- (Washington - DC) performs at the private party
for NIAF held at Cafe Milano
- (Washington - DC) successfully performs at the
fund-raise party entitled FIGHT NIGHT (to aid unprivileged children) among the
veterans boxe world champions JACK LA MOTTA, JOE FRASIER and many others
-
(Washington - DC) performs with and for Superstar PATTI LA BELLE, in occasion
of her being awarded at the BET WALK OF FAME
- (Washington - DC) performs, as the attraction, at
Café Milano where the private dinner of the Living Legend STEVIE WONDER was
held, in occasion of the BET WALK OF FAME he was awarded in honour to his
career
- (Washington - DC) performs for the famous NBA SUPERSTAR MICHAEL
JORDAN
- (Washington - DC) performs as attraction at the N.I.A.F welcoming
gala for the honouree Movie Director LINA WERTMULLER and Hollywood Superstar
SOFIA LOREN
- (Washington - DC) performs for the QUEEN OF THAILAND for her
exclusive birthday party held at Cafe Milano, during her Official Visit to the
U.S. Capitol City
- (Washington - DC) performs at the 1st official party
opening the Celebration for the Inauguration of US President Barack
Obama
in ITALY
- (Porretta Terme - BO) shares the stage at the PORRETTA SOUL FESTIVAL
with PERCY SLEDGE, DUNCAN SISTERS, SWEET INSPIRATION, MENPHIS ALL STARS BAND,
JACKIE JOHNSON and many others
- (Porretta Terme - BO) performs as solo singer in M. TORPEDINE Personal Band at the “PORRETTA
SOUL FESTIVAL” ahring the stage with MACEO PARKER, FONTELLA BASS, THE BLUES
BROTHER BAND, EDDIE FLOYD, LITTLE JIMMY KING and several other big names of the
R&B/SOUL music scene
- (Capri -NA) performs at famous movie producer DINO DE LAURENTIIS 80th
birthday party with multi-awarded writer ROBERT HARRIS among the many VIP
guests
- (Capri -NA) sings with and for the italian famous singer RENATO ZERO, TV
News Director EMILIO FEDE and actress/producer EDWIGE FENECH at the EUROPA
PALACE HOTEL in AnaCapri
- (Bologna - BO) performs as special guest at the
BOLOGNA EUROPEAN SOUL FESTIVAL
- (Bologna - BO) records two songs on Sax player
PIERO ODORICI’s CD for MT BLUES Prod. By MICHELE TORPEDINE
- (Milano - MI) wins the TV contest MOMENTI DI
GLORIA aired by CAN5 (MEDIASET-ITALY)
- (Milano - MI) chooses “KEENIATTA” as her new
artistic alias and co-writes and records the song EVERYBODY COME ON (WANNA BE A
POP STAR) also signature tune of the successful TV program “POP STAR” aired by
national tv channel ITA1 (MEDIASET-ITALY) and supported by WEA
KEENIATTA has also being performing worldwide as Guest
Artist on major cruise lines, gala events, private parties, music festivals,
clubs and 5 star Sheraton Hotels in Egypt and Jordan.
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