Music From The Heart

People You Should Know — By on June 14, 2010 at 12:54 pm

Neshia Brathwaite Farhangi.

Neshia has plenty of reason to be excited these days. The multi-talented comedian and actress is embarking on a new journey- a singing career.

Her pure performance of raw emotion was on display at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, June 19th 2010. Many singers feel the need to use an endless array of vocal gymnastics in their shows. Neshia’s vocal style can be described as pure and simple. “My music is from the heart, ” said Neshia Brathwaite Farhangi. “It’s soulful, a reality check. It doesn’t sugar coat things in life. My music tells the truth, I don’t create a new truth so I can seem palatable.”

Neshia, born in Los Angeles, has always been a singer and performer since she was a little girl. “Me and my sister used to put on little shows in the house to entertain the family,” she laughed.  “I remember I also used to sing in the car with my mom and her friend Gloria. I used to sing ‘Killing Me Softly.'”  She sang also in nursing homes as a teenager. But she first realized she had a knack for it later in life after she excelled in a talent contest in junior college. “I sang ‘Love Can Move Mountains’ (a Celine Dion song) at College of  The Canyons and I won a talent show with that. I won $100. And there were bands, people had come out there and set up equipment, all kinds of people were out there and I just sang to a little karaoke track.” Artists that Neshia have admired growing up were Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone. ” I love Nina Simone,” she said. “If I can be like that, I would be happy, she kind of does her own thing, she has her own voice, that is the kind of singer I think I would like to be. She’s one of my inspirations.” She also loves Eminem and personally relates to his movie 8 Mile, as her story ran similar parallels. “One of the songs I sing is called ‘I Am The Reason,'” she explained. “That song reminds me of Eminem.”

As a performer, Neshia started her career as a comedian after she realized she had aspirations to be a television icon. She’s appeared at The Comedy Store and The Ice House, among other venues. Her talent led her to excel in several areas of entertainment, including voiceovers, red carpet hosting, dancing (she was a featured dancer in a video for Mary  J. Blige) and modeling.

On her current unreleased project, she wrote several songs that reflect her unique and special perspective on life. “I wrote a song called ‘Springtime’ and its about how I get depressed every season and how I use faith and prayer to pull myself out of it,” said Farhangi. “My faith has allowed me to be able to understand right from wrong and understand how to process grief and how to process anger and resentment-whatever we humans go through.” Her  show at The House of Blues, an acoustic set, featured Wali Ali on guitar, Kristen Barnes on vocals, My-key Bellamy. It also was hosted by Dominika Bacinsky, who hosted the show’s after party. What did she hope the audience received from her show? “I wanted them to see their own lives and feel okay about grieving, and some of the things that they’re grieving about in their lives,” said the beautiful singer.

Visit Neshia Brathwaite Farhangi’s website at: www.neshiabrathwaitefarhangi.com

Photo credits: Hair by Pure Elegance and Make Up by Hollywood Faces.

Neshia performed Saturday, June 19th, 2010 at the House of Blues in West Hollywood.

Neshia’s talent as a performer, beauty, music from the heart and raw emotion makes her one of the People You Should Know.

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