YOOOO!!!! How are all my Kings and Queens?!?!? Yes, I’ve been gone for a while. I had some other responsibilities to tend to, and I got a new gig, but I didn’t forget about you all!! I’m so sorry for the extended leave of absence, but I’m back, so let’s get to it!!!

Photo Courtesy of L'Renee

If you didn’t know by now, I’m a Detroit Girl In A New York World. I love living in New York, but Detroit will always be my first home. I still rep my home teams (yes, including the Detroit Lions) as well as hometown music. I introduced you all to Detroit Rocker Steffanie Christi’an, now meet 313 soul sista L’Renee. Born and raised in Detroit, L’Renee credits heavy weights such as Sade, Stevie Wonder, and Karen Clark-Sheard as being her influences. L’Renee had been writing her own music for sometime, but it was a performance in Columbus, OH that pushed her to the front of the stage. “For the longest time I actually tried to deny music as a career” says L’Renee “The turning point for me was during a show in Columbus, OH that I landed as a fluke and when I came off stage there were so many request for people to purchase the music that they’d just heard. I was floored because at that point I was just writing music for recreational purposes. I’ve been writing and singing professionally ever since.” Even though she may have not been trying to pursue a career professionally, L’Renee has always been one with music. “My first fond memory of music is from a performance I did singing “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” performed by Diana Ross during an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz while in Kindergarten.” L’Renee also recalls how music played an intricate role in her upbringing in Detroit. “I remember many nights that my father would practice with his funk band in the basement. I used to always try and stay up in order to hear the rehearsals and sometimes sneak a peak at what they were doing. I used to think that they were so cool and all I could think about was being like them when I got older. In my neighborhood, the fondest musical memory that I have was during a Brazeal Dennard Youth Chorale performance. The thing that made it so special was being able to sing with people who have become some of the most important women in my life, Angela Birchette, Dr. Lori Hicks, and Yalonda “JD Green” (Davidson)Green.“ It’s those influences that have helped L’Renee become one of Detroit shining stars.

In addition to performing around the globe and opening for the likes of Ledisi, L’Renee is also giving back to young women in Detroit. “Detroit is a very special place. There’s a pulse here that can’t be accurately described simply with words. I don’t even believe that it can be fully understood until you live here. I am exceptionally proud to be from here and just like any other significantly urban area we are going to continue to make mistakes, but we will learn from those mishaps.“ L’Renee started her own non-profit L’Renee GirlPOWer Non-profit which works towards improving the self-esteem of young teenage girls. The organization had its official launch last week (October 28th) in Detroit and included a full concert featuring R&B artists Gwenation, Elle, and L’Renee.

We here at Reclaim Your Queendom salute L’Renee. A beautiful songbird who is using her talent and skills to help educated and uplift women, and doing it damn well. “I always try to remember to ask God to help me change the things I can, accept the things I can’t, and to have the wisdom to know the difference.“ Make sure you visit her website L’Renee.Net and subscribe, follow her on Twitter (@lreneedetroit), like her page on Facebook, and watch her videos/listen to her music on YouTube. “I am releasing a couple more projects over the next couple of months as well as featuring on a couple of great projects.“ We can’t wait.