Vanessa Collier

Vanessa Collier’s album Do It My Own Way was recorded on analog gear with the musicians largely in one room, the album draws heavily from the classic Memphis soul sound of Stax and Hi Records, especially the Staples Singers. Second single “Wild As a Rainstorm,” added to Spotify’s Retro Soul playlist, dives deep into soul territory with a message urging women and anyone who feels left out to ignore naysayers and “be a tapestry of dreams.” The track features legendary Hi Records organist Rev. Charles Hodges, whose presence underscores the album’s warm, vintage feel.

Collier made her Chicago Blues Festival debut this year in front of tens of thousands. A fifteen‑time Blues Music Award nominee and five‑time winner, she has earned recognition in categories including Contemporary Blues Female Artist, Horn Player of the Year, B.B. King Entertainer, and Contemporary Blues Album for Do It My Own Way. Influenced by Mavis Staples, Sharon Jones, James Brown, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Aretha Franklin, Collier continues a meteoric rise. Born in Texas, raised in Maryland, launched in Philadelphia, and now based in South Carolina, she began her career with Joe Louis Walker before going solo at his urging. Blues Blast Magazine calls her “an important part of the future of the blues.”

Artist Website



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