Beautifully texturing her pure, sultry, and smoky vocals with a sensual, soulful, and cool retro-jazzy vibe, Nigerian-born, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter
Douyé broadens her base of passionate fans all over the world with the highly anticipated release of her appropriately titled independent debut album. A largely autobiographical 11-song collection reflecting the multi-talented artist's vast array of musical and life experiences,
Journey showcases her seductive, emotional voice in a dreamy, easy-grooving landscape that draws inspiration from the many creative influences that have touched her life. While growing up with the rhythmic blues and jazz-driven music of her home country,
Douyé was also inspired by American jazz and soul legends
Billie Holiday,
Ray Charles,
Marvin Gaye,
Peggy Lee, and
Stevie Wonder, and Nigerian-born contemporary jazz vocalist
Sade. A more recent influence on her development as a songwriter is famed pop writer Terry Shaddick, who co-penned
Olivia Newton-John's era-defining 1981 classic "Physical," among other hits.
Douyé and Shaddick collaborated on each of the tracks, which are filled with both lyrical depth and soulful, flowing melodies, from the beautifully haunting, retro R&B-flavored "Still Hurting" to the dreamy and inspirational "Fly Away" and the sweetly melancholy acoustic track "Cold Wind Blows." Her social consciousness is showcased on the cool grooving, hypnotic, and trumpet-laced "Wicked World," whose lyrics tell a hard-hitting emotional tale of a parent abandoning a child due to drug addiction. But the emotional heart and soul of the set is the cool bluesy jazz-flavored title track, which reflects upon her destiny as an artist sharing her vast musical gifts with the world. These charms and her flair for sensual ambience make her a surefire hit with adult contemporary and urban jazz audiences. ~ Jonathan Widran