Samantha Siva - Biography

What makes Samantha Siva an unclassifiable artist is her impeccable approach to her career. Unlike many artists, she writes/produces/arranges all her own songs while also handling the business aspects of her international success as a recording artist. This year Siva confidently steps forward with her 3^rd album - Masquerade -  a stylish addition to the ever-changing pop/jazz market,  an album that skillfully blends modern contemporary jazz, R&B soul,  with colorful hints of European and Latin flavors, accentuating Siva's progression as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, vocalist and song-writer, and this time draws more upon a universal and global style of music. An artistic evolution from her release Identity, Siva does not follow one formula on Masquerade, "I've crossed more boundaries and taken risks, not confining myself to what I've done previously as a producer and as a writer". Her direction on this new album, while in keeping with her sound, adds a sentiment/influence of  "color", "passion", and "bonche" which is the Venezuelan word for party and celebration! 

Siva has once again attracted the support of and enlisted some of the hottest contemporary jazz musicians to contribute to her sound and paint her musical landscape. World renowned pianist David Benoit co-produces three tracks, and the album also boasts guest appearances by tenor saxophonist Richard Elliot, guitarist Chieli Minucci, drummer Poogie Bell (Erykah Badu, Marcus Miller), bassist James Genus (Michael Brecker), and post-bop saxophonist legend Bob Berg and fusion instrumentalist David Mann. Pushing the sonic envelope, the album was mixed in close collaboration with long time friend/ engineer Bonzai Jim Caruso (Diana King, Cher, Madonna). 

Siva's journey to where she is today, is in itself an interesting adventure story-tale, rich in cultural and musical experiences while crossing many continents and cultures. Growing up in Manchester, England, and born to parents of Sri Lankan descent, Siva began playing piano at age four. By age seven, she was on her way to the Chethams School of Music on a full scholarship. Later, Siva studied for 11 years at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, primarily as a classical violinist playing first chair in many orchestras. It was this classical training that she attributes to her finding her way into arranging and orchestration, and that paved the way to her ear for producing. She left England in the mid-nineties, called by a trip of soul-searching, that led her to Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and then Australia, where she made home for a year and continued her musical endeavors playing keyboards in local Aussie pop/heavy metal bands, before making the decision to move to New York to pursue a solo artist career. 

Her love for travel and international cultures has stayed with her, and is present on her recording of Masquerade. Siva drew inspiration from her visits to radio stations in Venezuela, with the infectious "Poquito de Paraguana"  - while dipping into and singing in French on the beautiful evocative "Coco La Mer"- an imaginative fantastical song about a chocolate mermaid who emerges out of the sea to bless us with love. The mind wonders further, as we are transported into the hypnotic, ethereal "Clouds" (Siva's personal favorite on the album) - showcasing versatile vocals almost reminiscent of Bjork, and laced with elegant piano playing of David Benoit. Other standouts include the intimate seductive R&B tinged "Sugar" as well as the catchy upbeat "Answer To Your Soul".

Don't categorize her as a conventional artist, though. In keeping with today’s ever-blurring-borders of musical genres, the eclectic and cosmopolitan Siva chooses not to set limits in defining her sound. Combining influences from around the world, she demonstrates seamless versatility in writing and production, blending contemporary jazz, soul, and at times European/Latin flavors to create her signature seductive soulful vibe, with sultry mood-setting vocals, rich textured sonic landscapes, jazzy flares and hypnotic grooves, delivering a universal lyrical message that can touch us all.  

Masquerade, the title track, represents the importance of honesty in a relationship and really looks beneath the surface, under the "veil" and “mask” we so easily choose to wear in our daily lives to disguise what we really feel. Siva doesn't stay long on the darker side of the word Masquerade, quickly tending to the duality of the definition - the more flamboyant and passionate one -  "Masquerade" can also be interpreted / thought of as a "party, celebration, or costume ball", and the album is really a celebration and expression of freedom and sense of totally being able to do what I want creatively and living life as celebration - I was having a lot more fun and taking more risks during this time in my life". 

Siva's vision to start and develop her own label began when she was 23. Driven by her adventurous entrepreneurial spirit, she chose to pioneer a different way to approach the record business and making music. "When I first started recording my own music, I realized that music/ my artistry was so deeply spiritually connected to me I could not imagine anyone else or another company telling me which songs to record and who to record them with. That's like grating against the soul," said Siva.  "To me, if I didn't have creative freedom then I would not want to be an artist. To me, it defeats the purpose of recording music and I never want to compromise myself." 

Her goal was to create a vehicle that would allow her and other artists to make music (in a different way) that encouraged that commitment to stand by your artistic freedom.  Siva had a clear vision of the kind of music she wanted to make and how it should sound. She has independently released two albums Rhythm of the Voices in 1997 and the critically acclaimed Identity in 2000. Her third album, Masquerade, to be released this year has secured distribution for her label, Genie through Lightyear/WEA. In the six short years since she first launched her label, Siva has the success of two well-received contemporary jazz albums, released albums in Europe, Japan and the US and performed in front of many at well-known jazz festivals around the world, including Newport Beach Jazz Festival and Barbados Jazz Festival 2002, further gained airplay on radio stations worldwide, and garnered the attention and support of industry legends and musicians. 

Her refreshing and innovative approach to life shines forward in both her career and her music. As the artist, the manager, the label and the producer, Samantha Siva takes a hands on approach to every aspect of her career. Exuding in her business the same raw passion she feels in her music, Siva's exciting Masquerade embodies her cosmopolitan outlook on life, and showcases an album of sophisticated musicianship, that strives to push the boundaries of many conventional contemporary jazz releases, by the freedom she bestows upon her label to allow creative risk taking. Always quick to challenge convention, artist/entrepreneur Samantha Siva has chosen to live life by her own design and her successes and challenges push her to reach higher and forward and live life to the fullest. Siva’s Masquerade is truly a celebration of that freedom to do as she pleases and the result is an album that is refreshingly not formulaic.