Talent

AKIA UWANDA

Raised as an only child in Jacksonville, Florida, “Akia Uwanda” McDaniel wears several hats in the entertainment and business industries.  She is a Singer, Recording Artist, Actress, TV/Music Producer, Creative Director, Event Producer, Serial Entrepreneur, Podcaster, Humanitarian, and Philanthropist. She has opened up for performers such as Earth, Wind and Fire and Avery Sunshine, and has shared the stage with jazz greats such as Ledisi, Gregory Porter and Kamasi Washington. She often performs at music festivals nationally including the JAX Jazz Festival and served as an Emcee as well. Akia is the 2023 Music Excellence Image Awards Winner. Her vocal ability and experiences have granted her the opportunity to wow audiences nationally and internationally. For more info, visit www.akiauwanda.com.

CHE FORREIGN

Che Forreign, of the renowned local hip hop collective LOVE Culture, performs as a solo artist and with other groups, as well. This multi-talented singer, songwriter, and performer is comfortable in a multitude of musical and creative expressions.

RICKOLUS

Northeast Florida singer-songwriter rickoLus digs deep on a roots trip with his new album, Bones. In the 20 years since he formed and fronted raucous garage poppers Julius Airwave, rickoLus (AKA Rick Colado) has released nine well-received EPs and full-length records. rickoLus crafts songs that can seem informed by artists as disparate as Sebadoh and early Springsteen; albeit if the Boss recorded his entire body of work in a small shed in his beach-town backyard. DIY to the core, rickoLus produces all of his albums, playing the bulk of the instruments as well.

JESABEL

Singer-songwriter, Jesabel, is not your norm storybook musician. Only in the depths of losing herself as a new mom, did she find her way to music at the ripe age of 27. And by find, we mean actually sing in front of another person, let alone play guitar yet. What a whirlwind it's been these last couple years. Going from not singing in front of another soul, not even her own husband, to now a full-time gigging musician, songwriter and recording artist. Her latest sixth single, and first holiday tune, "Christmas Mood" released in November 2022. Her sound continuing to blur genre lines. Blending folk and pop with a dash of country roots and the sprinkle of soulful patina only a life well-lived provides. Her mantra is to stay present and just keep bringing to life the songs playing in her head. Free of genre restraints and societal expectations. 

SOULO LYON

Born and raised in St. Augustine fl, Lyon joined the band Be Easy in 2013. He had been known writing, performing and recording prior and has a range of influences from r&b and hiphop to soul, funk and reggae! With a new band in the making, Soulo has a new Reggae album complete and the first single will be released June 21st on all platforms! This is the first album he’s produced, recorded and played everything himself. A singer and songwriter first but he has grown to produce, record, arrange and perform his own music. Acoustic or electric, SouLo is in his own lane!