Tygressa Sings Natalie…Remembering Natalie Cole, a tribute

Internationally known Indie Recording Artist, Tygressa, was only 11 years old when her musical curiosity was drawn to Natalie Cole’s sultry yet powerful vocal tones and style. She recalls at such a tender age singing “I’m Catching Hell (living here alone)” and feeling every bit of the pain and regret the lyrics aligned with such incredibly orchestrated music would suggest. It was where and when she began to experience the emotional effects of meaningful lyrics. Having claimed the albums of her older brother, Ric, who was a local Deejay at the time, she learned and mimicked every song from Side A to Side B – lyric for lyric, note for note.

Born the fifth of six children, Tygressa attended public schools in the suburbs of Maryland, graduating ahead of her class at the age of 16. The first in her family to attend college, she furthered her education earning a Bachelor of Science, MBA and Juris Doctor degrees, and serves professionally as Chief of Staff on her employer’s executive leadership team.

Tygressa comes from a very talented family where her mom, sisters and brothers either sing and/or play instruments. Her father (deceased) was a percussionist. Music was always in their home and her mom enjoyed joining the children in dance and song. She remembers having very little materially, but recalls having all that really mattered: family, love, food, and of course music.

Tygressa participated in the local area and school talent shows with duet partner and childhood friend, Martin Lawrence (renowned comedian), where they sang and won talent contests with their vocal overlays to Denise Williams and Johnnie Mathis’s – Too Much, Too Little, Too Late; Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway – The Closer I get to You; and Peaches and Herb – Reunited. She also showcased talent with her neighborhood girlfriends to tunes by The Emotions, Sister Sledge, High Energy, and The Jones Girls, just to name a few. Tygressa later competed and won in the local area’s Coors Light Super Talent Showcase, and then auditioned and performed for three consecutive weeks on The World’s Famous Showtime at the Apollo, having been prepped in advance for stage presence by national recording artist, Renee Diggs of the singing group Starpoint.

Tygressa’s intimate exposure to the studio work and backstage preparations of several esteemed Atlantic Records recording artists only fueled her desire to perform in live settings. The love of music and her passion for singing is apparent in her insistence to keep the legacy and music of the incomparable Natalie Cole alive and heard as The Natalie Cole Tribute Band puts “Tygressa Sings Natalie…Remembering Natalie Cole, a tribute” on stage…at Keystone Korner in Baltimore, MD!

::club date/restaurant, Keystone Korner Baltimore::