Conya Doss

Conya Doss
Conya Doss performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in February 2003
Background information
Birth name	Conya Doss
Born	Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, funk, neo soul
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer
Instruments	voice, organ
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Orpheus, Conyadosssongs, Dome
Associated acts	Dwele, Eric Roberson, Sy Smith, Rahsaan Patterson, Yahzarah
Website	Conyadoss.com

Conya Doss (born in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter and record producer. She is known as "The Queen of Indie Soul".^[1]

In 2001, Conya Doss started her own recording label Conya Doss Songs and began recording her first album. In 2002, Doss released her first singles "Good Good" and "Coffee" which were followed by the release of her first album, entitled "A Poem About Ms. Doss". Followed in November 2004, she released her sophomore album "Just Because".^[2] In 2006, she released her third album "Love Rain Down". In May 2008, Doss released her lead single "What I'd Do". In April 2008, Doss released her fourth studio album, entitled "Still...".^[3] The album also spawned a second single "It's Over", which listed her for iTunes' "Best R&B Indie Track". In September 2010, Doss released her fifth album "Blu Transition". In April 2012, she released her sixth album "A Pocketful of Purpose".

Early life

Doss has been singing since she was five. She grew up listening to the likes of Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Angela Winbush, Nina Simone, and Jane Child. She attended Cleveland School of the Arts along with Avant and 71 North. She later received her teaching credential and has become a teacher of children with special needs in the Cleveland Public School system. She began using music in her classroom as a way to connect with her students and her debut album “A Poem About Ms. Doss” was inspired by a heartfelt letter from one of her students.^[4]

Musical career

2001-2003: A Poem About Ms. Doss

In 2001, Conya Doss started her own recording label Conya Doss Songs and began recording her first album. In 2002, Doss released her first singles "Good Good" and "Coffee" which were followed by the release of her album, entitled A Poem About Ms. Doss. The album also spawned the singles "Starship" and "You Really Hurt Me". Doss later began performing at several Midwest venues. In February 2003, Doss performed at Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For her debut album she received 3 Stars in USA Today where music critic Steve Jones said "No matter what twists and turns relationships may take, they never seem to make this honey-voiced newcomer from Cleveland lose heart. Doss stirs emotions on her inventive first single, “Coffee”, and takes a loving nod toward her soul/jazz roots with a cover of Norman Connors' Starship. Her poem is a smooth and sexy one worth more than just a cursory reading." ^[5]

2003-2005: Just Because

In 2003, Doss returned to the studio to begin recording for her second album. In 2004, Doss released the single "Missin' You". The single created a buzz for her upcoming album, Just Because which was released in November 2004.^[6]

2005-2007: Love Rain Down

In 2005, Doss began recording sessions for her third album. After a two-year hiatus, she released her third album, Love Rain Down in October 2006.^[7] Shortly after the album's release, Doss began touring and performing at worldwide venues. In 2007, Doss performed the album's lead single "Tell Me Why" on BET J.

2008-2009: Still

In May 2008, Doss released her lead single "What I'd Do". The song received airplay from local radio stations, charted on Billboard and also received airplay from BET J's Soul Sessions. The song earned Doss a nomination for "Best Underground Artist" at the BET J Virtual Awards alongside Eric Roberson, Vikter Duplaix and Rahsaan Patterson...^[8] In April 2008, Doss released her fourth studio album, entitled Still.^[9] The album also spawned a second single "It's Over", which listed her for iTunes' "Best R&B Indie Track". She later appeared on PBS and performed her singles "Tell Me Why", "Message", "It's Over".^[10]

In 2009, Doss began promoting her third single "Can't Stop". She later performed the song in dedication of her late friend at local venues. In June 2009, Doss toured with Yahzarah, Sy Smith, Maya Azucena on the Soulsista Tour.

2010-2011: Blu Transition

In August 2010, Doss revealed the recording sessions for her fifth album entitled Blu Transition. In late August 2010, she released her buzz single "What We Gone Do" to Soultracks as the Free Choice Track Download. It became "Song of the Month" in September 2010 while the single received 4000 digital downloads in one month, setting a new record on Soultracks since Lalah Hathaway in 2008.^[11] In September 2010, Doss released her fifth album "Blu Transition".

2012-present: A Pocketful of Purpose

In January 2012, Doss released the first single "Don't Change" from her sixth album.^[12] In March 2012, she released a song called "Paradise" to Soultracks.^[13] On March 20, 2012, Doss released the music video of "Don't Change" to YouTube.^[14] In April 2012, she released her sixth album "A Pocketful of Purpose".

Style

Doss' stage presence consists of her afro style hair. Doss can be classified as an alto and falsetto. Doss demonstrates her alto range in songs like "Something 2Nite", "It's Over", and "Starship", whereas in songs like "Message", "Good Good", "I Miss You" is where she demonstrates her falsetto range. She cites Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, Chaka Khan, Prince, Steely Dan, Natalie Cole, Sade, Jodeci, Rude Boys, Lauryn Hill, and D'Angelo as her musical inspirations.^[15]

Personal life

In 2010, Doss gave birth to her son named Landon Blu. She named her fifth album after him.^[16]

Discography

Albums

• 2002: A Poem About Ms. Doss
• 2004: Just Because
• 2006: Love Rain Down
• 2008: Still...
• 2010: Blu Transition
• 2012: A Pocketful of Purpose

Singles

• 2002: Coffee
• 2002: Good Good
• 2002: Starship
• 2003: You Really Hurt Me
• 2004: Missin' You
• 2004: Damn That
• 2004: Sweet Love (I Don't Know)
• 2005: Ain't Giving Up
• 2005: Here We Go Again
• 2006: Tell Me Why
• 2006: Let You Know
• 2008: What I'd Do
• 2008: It's Over
• 2009: Can't Stop
• 2010: What We Gone Do
• 2010: All In You
• 2011: Wi-Fi
• 2012: Don't Change

Tours

• 2003: Conya Doss Tour
• 2007: Love Rain Down Tour
• 2008: Still... Tour
• 2009: Soulsista Tour (with Sy Smith, Yahzarah, and Maya Azucena)
• 2011: Blu Transition Tour

Awards and nominations

These are the awards won by American R&B singer Conya Doss.

References

External links

• Official website
• Conya Doss at AllMusic
• Conya Doss at Myspace