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Bella: The Next Tantalizing Trio
I'd heard about Bella through "Marvelous" Marvin McIntyre and his wife Loretta. The three-lady group had gone through
McIntyre's music industry "boot camp." It's where future stars go to learn how to talk to the media, how to dance,
for vocal lessons and even for conditioning sessions so they can handle touring. Bella would follow the likes of New Edition,
Boyz II Men, After 7 and more which had primed their talents under the tutelage of McIntyre.
So I asked if the ladies, who already have a deal with Warner Bros., would perform as a feature act at Atlanta's premiere
talent search, "Who's Got That Vibe?" held every Monday at the legendary Café 290 (where Blu Cantrell and jazz icon
Diane Krall showcased and were ultimately signed).
No, Bella is not a Destiny's Child wanna-be group. Sure Bella is made up of three beautiful and talented young ladies.
But beyond that, the similarities fade. Danah, Kayla and Shannon are stars by themselves... they all sing, write and dance,
and Shannon also raps. They were actually on solo paths when Chris Hicks suggested they go the group route first. Once the
three met, the chemistry kicked in and the result was Bella - a sassy yet sweet,
sexy set of sirens singing soulful songs. The packed house at Cafe 290 loved them - Jazze Pha introduced them and they tore
up the stage with REAL vocals, the coy way they touched each other during their routines and the way their sparkling young
personalities emanated on every note. They were an instant hit.
Currently, Bella's debut single, "Caught Up" featuring Jodi Breeze, is hitting clubs and record pools and mix
shows, and will impact radio in January.
Producers on the album, set for an April 2006 release, include Keys (from Kenny Burns' camp), Don Vito, Bryan Michael
Cox, Adonis, Jazze Pha and Drumma Boy.
So Star sat down with the new belles of the ball one sunny yet crisp Atlanta afternoon. Someone forgot to come open Dirty
South Studios for us to have our chat, so we huddled inside one of the ladies' SUVs... and giggled and chatted and shared
the way ladies do...
Star - How'd you come up with the name?
Danah - We thought it was sexy. It can mean different things. It just seemed to fit our personalities.
Kayla - We see it everywhere - clothing lines, perfumes. It means "beautiful" in Spanish and Italian.
Star - Do you have an album ready?
Danah - Yes. It's tentatively called "Moodswing." It's a blend of soulful melodies. It's real, it's sassy, it's
sexy.
Kayla - It's a mixture of hip hop and R&B. We have a lot of different harmonies. No matter the song, it's always approached
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