Remember the days when artists truly sang sans the vocal tricks and studio manipulation? Remember hearing songs filled with heart felt words from beginning to end? Remember when artists were able to perform with such stage presence that seemingly invited the audience into the world of the artist? These days are upon us again and the leader of this resurrection is Lydia Caesar. Not your typical R&B bombshell, 23 year-old Lydia's soulful vocal ability and sultry voice are a force to be reckoned with especially when placed over live musical tracks.
Born and raised in Hollis, Queens as one of four children to a Jamaican mother and a father with St. Lucian roots, Lydia's strong, musical church-going family consequently lead her to singing. "Music is a way of life, it's in me and I can't help it so that's why it means so much; I write what I live."
At the tender age of four Lydia was singing in front of hundreds of people at the church founded by her grandfather and where her father serves as the bishop, Bethel Gospel Tabernacle. "God blessed me with a gift, and now it's my time to turn around and bless the world." Aside from gospel greats like the Clark Sisters and Andre Crouch, secular artists such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Lauryn Hill, and Brandy further inspired Lydia's desire to not only sing, but to perform. By the time Lydia was seven she had acted in elementary school musicals displaying both her singing and acting abilities. Once in high school, 16 year old Lydia was writing, directing, and starring in musical theatre shows, but it was a few years later that marked the turning point in Lydia's career. Out of roughly 10,000 people, Lydia was one of the final 15 singers who auditioned for the first season of P. Diddy's Making the Band 2 on MTV. "It was at this point when I decided to start writing my own music at the suggestion of people working on the show. I became inspired at how far that I had made it so I bought a notebook and began to write."
"Melody Love," Lydia's favorite self-penned song and a dedication to her three year old daughter, metaphorically ties love with music over an acoustic track by producer MotesArt. Also touching on the heartaches of relationships, Lydia pleads for a distant lover to remember better times shared in between doo wop filled "ooh's" and "la la la's" on "Love is Hard." Never afraid to be different or pressured to succumb to conformities of the music industry, "Original" is simply about celebrating one's wonderful self. Lydia's star power has garnered the crown of several New York City showcases, the recognition of Vibe.com for her answer to Musiq Souldchild's "Buddy," and most recently a 2007 Underground Music Award nomination for best R&B female. Lydia explains, "I want people to hear my music and say 'wow, I've gone through that or I feel like that'... people relating to the music is key."
Although highly focused on her music, Lydia is also headed towards her BA in Theatre at Hofstra University having already made huge impressions in Hamlet and The Birds off Broadway. Not just a double threat, Ms. Caesar's vibrant, neck turning sense of style effortlessly gels vintage with Vogue's latest. She is often seen wearing her own line of accessories, Ceasarwest Designs and never with the same hair style twice. Possessing a personality that reflects her appearance Lydia has the ability to sustain career longevity in a fickle entertainment industry. "Everyone has a purpose, everybody has a time, and I believe that mine is coming soon." Daughter, sister, mother, singer, writer, actress, designer, soul flower...introducing Lydia Caesar.
Tags: Lydia Caesar Motesart Rock&B Blessed Cafe Melody love Tweek Muzik Entertainment
