WHITNEY SHAY – A WOMAN RULES THE WORLD

A  two-time  San  Diego  Music  Award  winner  for  “Best  Blues  Artist,”  vivacious  young  vocal  phenom  Whitney  Shay  sings  with  a  commanding  authority  that’s  usually  associated  with  artists  twice  her  age.  No  less  an  authority  than  soul  legend  Candi  Staton  called  Shay  “one  heck  of  a  singer”  and  asserted  “She  really  has  heart.”    The  Beach  and  Bay  Press  further  stated,  “Shay  is  one  of  San  Diego’s  most  electrifying  artists,  with  a  sassy,  brassy  stage  presence  that  makes  her  one  of  the  area’s  top  performers  to  watch.”

The  excitement  that  Shay  is  currently  generating,  through  her  live  performances  and  her  new  album,  A  Woman  Rules  the  World,  has  its  roots  in  the  artist’s  lifelong  love  for  music  and  performance.  After  witnessing  a  performance  by  the  Royal  Shakespeare  Company  at  the  age  of  three,  she  immediately  joined  a  theatre  company  upon  returning  home.  She’s  been  performing  ever  since.  In  2009,  Shay  made  the  leap  from  performing  in  theatrical  productions  to  fronting  a  band  and  belting  blues,  jazz  and  swing  material.  By  then,  she’d  developed  a  singularly  powerful  voice  and  a  riveting  stage  presence.  Those  assets  have  won  her  an  enthusiastic  audience  on  her  home  turf,  where  she  performs  more  than  200  shows  per  year.
Shay’s  talent  and  charisma  are  on  display  throughout  A  Woman  Rules  the  World,  her  first  new  album  in  six  years  and  her  first  to  showcase  her  original  songwriting.  The  album  is  a  smart  mix  of  original  tunes  and  covers  of  classics  by  the  likes  of  Little  Richard  and  Dinah  Washington,  with  a  compelling  undercurrent  of  female  empowerment.
“The  album  mirrors  my  journey,  and  this  year  it  really  seems  like  a  lot  of  things  are  coming  to  fruition  with  the  women’s  rights  movement,”  says  Shay.  “It  really  resonates  right  now,  because  people  are  sick  of  the  status  quo.
”In  addition  to  her  popularity  with  club  audiences,  Shay  has  also  become  a  welcome  presence  at  West  Coast  music  festivals,  including  the  Doheny  Blues  Festival,  the  Gator  by  the  Bay  Festival,  the  San  Diego  Blues  Festival  and  the  San  Diego  Music  Awards.  She’s  toured  internationally,  including  many  acclaimed  visits  to  Brazil.  Her  music  has  also  been  heard  in  numerous  films  and  commercials,  as  well  as  on  the  NBC  TV  show  Timeless.

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