VENITIA SEKEMA
Venitia Sekema
"The title track to Venitia Sekema's CD, Hell on High Heels, is the most frightening foot apparel tune since Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots Are Made For Walkin'." Not what you'd expect to be said about performing songwriters these days, but Venitia has gotten used to being the exception to the rule. She has been steadily winning over audiences around the midwest with her straight forward, sometimes funny, always emotionally moving lyrics.
"Hell on High Heels", her second full length album released May 2007, has been met with critical success and radio and internet airplay in the US, Canada and
Europe. "Like a cooling thunder storm on a prairie-hot day her voice soothes the soul."
The CD was named one of the top 30 albums of the year by 88.1 WVPE, as did her 1st studio effort, "Lucky Numbers" in 2005. She was a featured artist on the Michiana musician’s compilation CD "Brand New Day, and has worked as a studio vocalist for recording sessions in Nashville, Tennessee. Venitia was selected as a Featured Showcase Artist at the 2007 FARM Conference.
Venitia is currently working on her 3rd full length album, "Boomland" due out in 2010.
Here's what others are saying:
"Her sound is at once sparse and amazingly full. No more is needed: a ringing acoustic guitar and her sultry voice...that is all I needed to be a fan." Vince DeFarbo, CD Baby
"A solid record that's got spunk and a sense of humor. As for this more soulful vibe, it's a hat -- or rather, a pair of high heels -- that she wears well." Karen Rivers, South Bend Tribune.
Sekema tours mostly through the great lakes area, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, but have recently included some of the north and south eastern states. To maintain her local exposure, she hosts a successful open stage at The Livery, a micro brew and concert hall in Benton Harbor Michigan, a favorite stop of many national musicians. She has also been asked to open for many well known and up and coming performers on the international circuit today, such as Jeff Lang, Corinne West, Robin and Linda Williams, and Chris Thele, Jill Jack, Annie & Rod Capps, Allison Downey, Mary Cutrufello and Canadian, James Gordon of the Juno Award Winning folk group, Tamarack.
Venitia's style is hard to pin down, a typical performance includes songs that range from a Delta Blues to Uptown Jazz, Down Home Country to the most Modern Folk. Even with so much variety, the audience connects with what she has to say, since deep down she has the heart of a storyteller, and each person can find something in her songs that relates to their own life.
As the saying goes, She's a lil' bit blues, a lil' bit folk and a whole lotta soul!