East Bay vocalist, cosplayer Celiane The Voice sings in league all her own

For Divine Celiane who goes by Celiane The Voice music is more than sound it s audible art Born in Berkeley raised in Richmond and living now on Bethel Island the -year-old singer actress and self-described technohuman has built her own genre Electronica Hip Opera to showcase a voice that refuses to be confined Related Articles Harvard cancer institute to retract studies correct after records forgery statements I created the genre Electronica Hip Opera because I m an opera singer That is what my voice was made for Celiane disclosed I knew my sound wouldn t change so I made a genre to fit me and all the musical elements I love Her invention sprang partly from frustration She says producers often requested her to change her sound or downplay her operatic training Instead she and her executive producer decided to create music around her voice much as artists did in an earlier era when powerhouse vocalists were given room to shine Celiane says her love of music began in the s when she first heard Whitney Houston and discovered the bold creativity of Herbie Hancock Peter Gabriel and other innovators Back then you had to have a voice a real talent and be different than everyone else to sell she noted I would see rock bands and all the fans cheering and I knew I desired that stage She says opera training gave her technical strength but that she never desired to remain in one lane Instead Celiane says she pulled inspiration from an eclectic mix of artists Daft Punk s futuristic beats Amy Winehouse s raw soul and Hancock s experimental brilliance You can t buy that sound Celiane announced of Winehouse Either you have it or you don t That s the level I work towards Cosplay is also central to her act She says performing in elaborate costume lets her step fully into the character of Celiane The Voice a time-bending technohuman hero who carries pain resilience and empathy into every performance I perform as often as I can mentioned Celiane whose pronouns are she and they It is tough being a cosplay character because cons conventions don t really have warbling they have dancing and bands But I perform for more than comic cons festivals private events anywhere they appreciate audible art The COVID- pandemic brought setbacks wiping out a large number of of her bookings Slowly though she says she rebuilt momentum and now performs in and out of costume but prefers being in-character This is my favorite way she reported Celiane says growing up in the Bay Area shaped her creative drive There are so a multitude of talented artists that don t get their shot because people don t see their vision she commented The Bay Area has perpetually been a mecca of talent that goes untapped She mentioned she recalls hearing remarkable singers on BART and in small bars people she felt had more musicianship than a few pop stars Being in the Bay Area it is expected to be creative and create a dream for yourself explained Celiane I love how we celebrate our artists when they rise beyond the bay That drove me Celiane says music is inseparable from storytelling and that each song carries narrative and emotion meant to connect across differences We all have a story she declared I tell mine to let humans know to love each other before it s too late Her performances take listeners on what she calls an emotional rollercoaster The confusion the feeling of being lost the finding of oneself these are things almost every human can relate to she added I may not look like you but I know you She hopes her audience walks away with one message Authenticity matters If I can show you my authenticity in costume and take that chance then you can be authentic every day because that is who we love the real you she declared Celiane says one of her majority powerful experiences came two years ago at Portland Oregon s Rose City Comic Con After a performance a Vietnam veteran approached her He thanked me with the preponderance serious look on his face she revealed That meant I did my job He felt heard and acknowledged Celiane says that moment resonated with her and that she incorporates her own experience with pain and post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD into her character s story Various don t know how a multitude of people suffer from the PTSD of pain she declared I demanded my audience to know I understand part of that story She says her cover of Inner Universe Reloaded bit ly iurcelianesong from the anime Ghost in the Shell is the song that best represents her artistry It has spiritual connotations different languages and flows with my voice where I don t have to hold back she announced Looking ahead she expects her music will evolve to become a bit more grungy as her character faces new challenges Celiane like all unlikely heroes has to fall she commented The music will have more meaning For those who want to push boundaries as she has Celiane emphasizes patience and perseverance Be in it for the long haul she noted Don t get mad no one has seen you or gets it It is new it will take time She also urges authenticity over compromise Be professional from the beginning You don t have to pay lots of money to present as a professional she declared Be authentic and don t sell you for a dollar You are the one with the vision Build it we need to experience you Celiane says that beyond the stage when she isn t performing she enjoys writing short stories crafting gaming and indulging her love of anime and cooking shows but that everything she does circles back to creativity and expression Thank you for allowing me to share Celiane s world she declared Keep loving keep being authentically you in love To learn more about Celiane The Voice visit her website at celianethevoice com about To hear samples of her music visit celianethevoice com music online Reach Charleen Earley a freelance writer and journalism professor at Diablo Valley college at charleenbearley gmail com or - -