SHEKINAH 13 ARTISTS COMPILED BY HEAVY ROTATION RECORDS, THE BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC STUDENT-RUN RECORD LABEL

The album title Shekinah (shuh-KEE-nah) has its origins from ancient teachings. The feminine presence of the divine, the name was chosen to symbolize the creative power and vision of these female artists.

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New York, NY — Epic Records, in conjunction with Berklee College of Music's student-run label, Heavy Rotation Records, is proud to announce the February 5 release of SHEKINAH 13 ARTISTS. This thirteen-track, all-female compilation features students from the internationally acclaimed Berklee College of Music. SHEKINAH 13 ARTISTS marks the first commercial recording to be jointly released by a major record company and a college label.

Heavy Rotation Records is operated for musicians, and by musicians, expanding careers and offering opportunities in all aspects of the music industry. Developed specifically for students to receive experience in running a record company, Heavy Rotation Records provides hands-on opportunities in, among other areas, A&R, Marketing, Publicity, and Sales. The students of Berklee's Heavy Rotation Records have been involved in every step of the process in bringing this collection to the public.

Inspired by these efforts, Epic Records Group, a division of Sony Music, donated an endowment of $100,000 to Berklee, the proceeds of which are to be awarded as scholarships in the college's Music Business/Management major. The student-run label chose to compile all-female artists for the project because of the strong female legacy that Berklee alumnae such as Melissa Etheridge (1980), Paula Cole (1990), and Diana Krall (1983) have already created. The alumni of Berklee, the world's leading college of contemporary music, have already contributed to the sales of over 100 million records.

SHEKINAH 13 ARTISTS features an array of original songs from all genres of music including rock, hip-hop, folk and metal; the album's music reflects the breadth of artistry at Berklee as well as Epic's commitment to talent and excellence in popular music. The musicians on the album were educated at an institute known for its focus on studying all genres of contemporary music. The artists were chosen by Heavy Rotation Records students.

Among the artists on this compilation: Clare Muldaur ("Bus to You"), daughter of singer/producer Geoff Muldaur, combines folk and blues creating a unique music style; Polina, daughter of Russian pop diva Anka, recorded her track ("Out of my Mind") in her father's studio in Moscow; and Amanda Williams ("Low") recently co-wrote the new Garth Brooks/George Jones hit "Beer Run." Together, the women on SHEKINAH 13 ARTISTS make up an eclectic, international group of singer/songwriters who demonstrate the capabilities of tomorrow's music.

The Artists of Shekinah

Clare Muldaur ("Bus to You") is the daughter of singer/arranger/producer Geoff Muldaur (Jim Kweskin Jug Band) and combines her appreciation of blues and folk music to create a unique, contemporary style. She grew up on Martha's Vineyard, and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Rhea ("With or Without You") is proficient in both classical and contemporary music. She has performed all over the United States including at the Emerging Artists in Talent and Music Conference in Las Vegas. She has appeared on recent CD releases by Walter Beasley and Lawrence Watson. Rhea was raised in Ajax, Canada, and currently lives in New York.

Polina ("Out of My Mind"), the only child of Russian pop diva Anka, recorded her song in her father's studio in Moscow. Originally from Moscow, Polina entered Berklee at the age of 16.

Mancain ("Please the Devil"), is led by Mariam's lead vocals, that range from sublime to horrific to create some of the most innovative sounds since hard rock's creation.

Cami ("Another Lullaby") wrote her first song on the piano at age 16. Her music combines early influences of classical music and the hard edges of metal rock. Cami grew up in Austin, TX and currently lives in Boston.

Anne Chandler ("Last Day in May") composed her first musical piece at age six. She was the Grand Prize Winner of the 1999 BMI John Lennon Songwriting Competition. Anne grew up in Mt. Vernon, WA and now lives in Nashville.

Kristin Cifelli ("Martyr") independently released her EP "Silver Bowl" upon graduation. She was nominated for a Boston Music Award in 2000. In 2001, Kristin, originally from Florham Park, NJ, joined the Berklee College of Music faculty as a Voice Department instructor.

Adrianne ("Feel You Breaking") has independently released two albums, receiving the Grand Prize of the 1999 USA Songwriting Competition and a Boston Music Award for Best New Singer/Songwriter 2000. Adrianne grew up in Miami and currently lives in Los Angeles.

Valerie Brinker ("Into Me") trained in classical voice and musical theater growing up. At Berklee, Valerie collaborated with SunMoon Productions and other Berklee musicians to create a unique style of trip-hop. Valerie grew up in Atlanta and now lives in Boston.

Kyler ("Stronger") was nominated for a Boston Music Award in early 2000. She recently released her second independent album, "If The World Would Just End." Kyler grew up in Raleigh, NC and now lives in Brooklyn.

Antje Zumbansen ("Without an End") is a four-time winner of a Berklee Singer/Songwriter Award and received the Vince Gill Award for Songwriting and Outstanding Musicianship. She was raised in Geutersloh, Germany, and currently lives in New York.

One Elle ("Say When") aka Alison Notkin has been writing and performing songs for over ten years and has toured Canada as a solo artist. Raised in Canada, she now lives in Boston.

Amanda Williams ("Low"), who graduated with honors from Berklee in 1999, recently co-wrote the new Garth Brooks/George Jones hit "Beer Run." She grew up in Nashville where she now lives.

EPIC CONTACT: TOM MUZQUIZ
PHONE: (212) 833-8156
E-MAIL: tom_muzquiz@sonymusic.com

BERKLEE CONTACT: EMILY SINGER
PHONE: (617) 747-2567
E-MAIL: esinger@berklee.edu