Erika Fatale

One of your fellow HitPredictor members (and past guest blogger, DJ Lilly) was gracious enough to suggest this awesome breakout artist, and future star to us. We did a small interview with Erika Fatale and her songs will be in the jukebox all weekend. Celebrate the Fourth with some awesome music by Fatale.

1. How/when did you get your start in music?
I’ve been singing and performing for a really, really long time now. Apparently I was singing before I was even talking, so it’s not a huge surprise that music became my career. At 11-12 years old was when I proclaimed to all my family and friends that I wanted to be a pop recording artist and I’ve never looked back. It’s so rare to have that strong of a passion for something from such a young age and to never outgrow it. I got my start singing in church doing solos and ensemble things. I sang in choir and performed in show choir and then that quickly escalated to becoming the “National Anthem girl” singing for all the major Chicago sports teams. Then I had the amazing opportunity of being handpicked by David Foster to perform in concert with him in Chicago. That was really the turning point for me in finally making the move to Los Angeles and having people in the industry really start to take notice of what I can do. It’s definitely been a long and difficult road but I’m doing what I love to do more than anything and my passion overrides everything else.

2. How did you pick your “name” Erika Fatale?
After writing and recording my demo, I knew I wanted to change my name from Erika Rodger to a different last name to reflect the powerful, confident, sassy attitude I have on stage and in my songs. Fatale, which means “fatal” in french fit me perfectly. I want to be “fatal” in every sense: my voice, the tone of my songs, as a performer. I want to be a true force to be reckoned with and hopefully ultimately irresistible too ;-)

3. Do you write your own music? What inspires you to do so?
Yes I do co-write all of my music and I love it. My songs end up meaning so much more to me knowing that I’m drawing from my own experiences or telling my own stories. I hope that emotion is something that the listeners hear and that it draws them in even more so. I knew I wanted to be so much more than just a vocalist up on stage in beautiful gowns singing other peoples’ songs. I grew up singing covers but always knew my goal was to be an artist, writing my own songs, and sharing my own story. Music is the one place where I can fully express myself and my true feelings and I’m inspired to write knowing that the end result can be a song that will go on to inspire other people. I’m not interested in writing “fluff.” I want my songs to empower, inspire, be something you want to listen to during your highest-highs and to help you through your lowest-lows.

4. What’s next for you: album? tour? etc…
I’m going to be working with so many talented songwriters and producers in the weeks and months ahead on new music and I cannot wait to share the final result with everyone once it’s completed. My focus right now is just getting back into the studio, collaborating with talented musicians, and further establishing my unique sound and niche. Hopefully that leads to creating hit songs and then we’ll see what opportunities present themselves after that!

Now that you’ve seen how awesome Erika is, don’t forget to check out her music in the jukebox and tell us what you think! Thank you DJ Lilly for hooking us up with Erika Fatale!

Check out Erika and Facebook and follow her on Twitter! - Hit Predictor

“It’s in her voice, it’s in her eyes, one look you’re hypnotized. One thing is guaranteed, she’ll bring you to your knees, she’s a femme fatale.”

By: Dan Kupper

It didn’t take long for rising singer and songwriter Erika Fatale to find her calling in life. As soon as she could make noise, she was belting out notes.

“Apparently I was singing before I was even talking so it’s been a part of me since the beginning,” she said. “I grew up putting on shows with my cousins and sister during family gatherings, so singing and performing was something I started doing at a really young age.”

Erika was born and raised in Frankfort, Illinois, a small suburb just south of Chicago. Here, she had access to the best of both worlds; while she was surrounded by all of the art, culture, and personality that Chicago had to offer, she was also a part of a small-town community where everyone knew her name. As an aspiring singer and performer, growing up in a small town such as Frankfort was difficult for Erika.

“My dreams seemed impossible to achieve in their [the community's] eyes despite their belief in my talent,” she said.

Still, Erika wouldn’t settle for mediocrity. She never wanted to just fit in and refused to follow the all-too-familiar path that everyone around her took.

As an aspiring artist, Erika has always been a risk taker and the doubt that people inflicted on her simply ignited her desire for success even further. Her passion that has gotten her this far will certainly be the catalyst to success in the future.

“The road isn’t going to be easy, and my past has been anything but,” she said. “However, all of my experiences have shaped the person that I am. Now, I get to put all of those stories into my music, and I’m excited to share and hopefully inspire others with my experiences.”

It wasn’t until Erika was 11 or 12 years old that she knew she wanted to be a pop recording artist. She feels blessed to have found her calling so early in life and has always called music her “safe haven.”

As for Erika’s inspirations, she cited some of the greatest solo performers of all time.

“Whitney Houston was my first and greatest inspiration growing up,” she said. “I’ve been inspired by the big diva vocalists since the beginning and was always striving to be as great as Whitney, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Yolanda Adams and Aretha Franklin.”

Erika also credits Michael Jackson as having a significant influence on her youth. Her ultimate dream is to connect with the rest of the world through her music. To her, it’s not about the money or fame. Music is her passion, and this is what she was meant to do. She wants to inspire, entertain and help others throughout her career.

Perhaps Erika’s most resonating attributes are her unique sound and style, which are different from other pop artists right now. The tone of her voice is a bit deeper and smokey, which she says gives her music a sultry vibe. Stylistically, Erika likes to mix a sort of 1940s elegant glamour with an aggressive modern edge. This combination gives her a rather seductive presence on stage.

Said her manager James Auger: “Erika brings many unique things to the table and she wants to be very different from other successful female pop artists right now. She is the epitome of what women aspire to be and men love. She is a modern day femme fatale; she knows who she is, what she wants and how to get it.”

Be prepared to see Erika sliding into the spotlight as her career begins to take flight. Her exclusive and unprecedented approach to performing will surely grab the attention of viewers all over the world and thrust her into a reality that at one point was just a dream.

You can follow Erika on Twitter @erikafatale, YouTube, Facebook and Myspace.

Of Note: Erika has performed both locally and nationally, including performances with music legend David Foster during his “Davis Foster and Friends 2009 Tour” and a performance live on Chicago Fox News. Erika made the move to Los Angeles last April where she recently completed writing and recording a six-song demo with major producer and songwriter Peter Stengaard. - UndertheCover.org

I got the chance to interview the wonderful and very talented Erika Fatale and ask her a few questions for Only Way Is Music. If you haven't heard of Erika I suggest you go check out her songs because she is an amazing vocalist. I will be featuring some of her songs very soon! I would like to thank Erika for agreeing to answer these questions and for her very insightful responses and wish her well for the future. In addition to the interview she also agreed to record a shout out for the blog which you can watch below! Enjoy :)


Onlywayismusic: Firstly, I would like to say that the demo songs I have heard of yours are amazing and thank you for taking the time to answer these questions for my site. For my readers who may not have heard of you, could you tell us a little about yourself.

Erika: Hello Only Way Is Music readers! My name is Erika Fatale (formally Rodger) and I am a pop/r&b/soul singer and songwriter originally from Chicago and now living in Los Angeles. I’ve recently finished writing and recording a 6-song demo here in LA and I’m busy performing all around the city, writing, and gearing up to record more new material soon!

Onlywayismusic:I know Erika Fatale isn't your real name, how did this name come about?

Erika: I’ve used my given name Erika Rodger up until moving from my hometown of Chicago to Los Angeles to record this current demo. This material is the introduction of myself as an artist and I knew going in exactly what I wanted that to be. “Femme Fatale” was the first song that I wrote for the demo and it really set the stage for the feel I am going for with my music as well as the look that coincides with it. It’s a little darker, sultry, but very powerful and in-control. That sassy, powerful swagger just bursts out of me when I step on stage as well, so I wanted a name that reflected who I am as an artist and performer, so Erika Fatale just felt right. It’s still Erika but a little more aggressive. And a bit dangerous if she doesn’t get what she wants… ;-)

Onlywayismusic: How did you get into the music industry and what has your music journey been like so far?

Erika: I’ve been singing and performing for a really, really long time now. I knew since the age of 11-12 years old that I wanted to be a pop recording artist and I’ve never wanted to do anything else. It’s so rare to have that strong of a passion for something from such a young age and to never outgrow it. I got my start singing in church doing solos and ensemble things. I sang in choir and performed in show choir and then that quickly escalated to becoming the “National Anthem girl” singing for all the major Chicago sports teams. I made all the callbacks for the reboot of “Star Search” and was going to perform on the upcoming season before it was cancelled. I performed in tons of Chicago Idol competitions and was lucky enough to be judged by Jennifer Hudson (one of my favorite vocalists!) and open for Richard Street from The Temptations. The first major label attention I received was based off of Whitney Houston covers I’d recorded at sixteen years old. That ended up falling through after the A&R who was interested in me left the label before a deal was signed. I really wanted to move to LA right out of high school but my parents were firm on me going to college first, so I actually was a soprano opera major at Northwestern University (I’d never sung opera before!). Then I had the amazing opportunity of being handpicked by David Foster to perform in concert with him in Chicago. That was really the turning point for me in finally making the move to Los Angeles. It’s definitely been a difficult process filled with lots of disappointments, shady music industry people, the list goes on and on but I have learned SO much over the years and I’m actually so glad that I’m a little older and wiser at this point and know exactly who I am and what I want to do. If it were easy to “make it” then everybody would be doing it!

Onlywayismusic: When did you realise that singing was your passion?

Erika: It really was a passion since the beginning. I remember being 3 or 4 years old and being glued to my microphone & tape recorder set and making up my own songs. Obsessively listening to Whitney Houston tapes and singing along and trying to mimic every vocal run. Looking back, obviously that wasn’t something normal for a really young child, but as I got a little older around 11 or 12 years old is when it really clicked that I wanted to be a recording artist and that was that. There was no going back!

Onlywayismusic: I was sent your demos and were really impressed, could you tell us about these demos and which song is your favourite?

Erika: Thank you! I wrote this demo with Peter Stengaard who is a very talented producer/songwriter here in Los Angeles. Going into recording this demo, I knew I wanted the songs to have a mainstream pop feel, but also have flavors from all my different influences. I grew up in Chicago, one of the soul, gospel and blues capitals of the world so I’m heavily influenced by those genres. No matter what I’m singing, I can’t help but have that soul come through! The demo is a conglomeration of everything I love: the big diva voices such as Whitney Houston who was my idol growing up, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, but still very pop with fresh synth sounds and even experimentation into a more pop/dance style which was new for me. My voice is very loud and powerful, that’s for sure and I wanted that to personify the bold, empowered, and confident messages in my music. I want my music to encourage people to stand up for themselves, what they want, and what they believe in.
I love each song on the demo for different reasons, but I would say my favorite is “Femme Fatale.” It’s the one I’m most proud of since it was the first song I wrote. I was really influenced by the idea of Femme Fatales during the recording of this demo because to me a femme fatale signifies a woman who is sexy, confident, smart, glamorous and mysterious. She knows who she is, what she wants, and how to get it. That’s how I feel at this current stage in my life taking on the music business and trying to make it. I know what I want and I’m slowly but surely making it happen despite the odds being against me. I want to inspire others to follow their passions in the same way despite what others think or say. A femme fatale is very aggressive in getting what she wants but she’s always classy and fabulous!

Onlywayismusic: How would you describe the sound of your music?

Erika: It’s pop/r&b/soul. Pop at the heart of it, but with all of my other influences mixed in.

Onlywayismusic: What do you hope people will get from listening to your music?

Erika: I hope it inspires confidence in those that listen to it and that it urges people to speak up for themselves and others. It’s also very playful and tongue-and-cheek in areas, such as in “Whipped.” Yes it’s about being in-control and speaking up for yourself and what you deserve but it’s a playful spin on it. People joke that a boyfriend is “whipped” if he’s carrying his girlfriend’s purse or doting on her in various ways. But behind every good man is a good woman, right? So the least he can do is hold her purse when she asks. ;-)

Onlywayismusic: Since you have recorded demos, can we expect an album or your first single soon?

Erika: I hope a full album will be right around the corner, but in the meantime, yes we have just released “Femme Fatale” and “Whipped” as singles on iTunes, Amazon, etc! Now is the perfect time since the songs have been placed on the upcoming 2nd season of the Showtime series “The Real L Word” so we wanted to have the songs available for download. So please make sure to get them!!

Onlywayismusic: You have been compared to artists such as Christina Aguilera, what do you think of these comparisons?

Erika: It’s definitely a great compliment to be compared to someone like Christina Aguilera since she’s viewed as one of the greatest voices. But I also want people to see me as my own unique artist which will come with the more music I record and people get to know me better I think.

Onlywayismusic: Who inspires you to do what you do?

Erika: Whitney Houston was my biggest inspiration growing up. All the big diva vocalists like Whitney, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Yolanda Adams, and Cece Winans inspired me to try and be the best vocalist I can be. As a performer, Michael Jackson is unparalleled and he hugely inspired me growing up as he did with almost every single artist out there. Currently I’m a big fan of Beyoncé. I think she’s the perfect pop diva to aspire to.

Onlywayismusic: Who would be your dream collaboration?

Erika: Beyoncé. It could make for very sassy pop diva collaboration I think!

Onlywayismusic: Finally is there a message you would like to give to my readers?

Erika: Thank you so much for reading and for all your support. I hope you enjoy the music and I can’t wait to share more with you as it’s recorded. Please make sure to join the Erika Fatale Facebook page: facebook.com/erikafatale. It’s always being updated with the latest info. Thank you Daniel for featuring me. I’m really excited to be featured on your new blog!

Erika Fatale xo

Facebook.com/erikafatale
Twitter.com/erikafatale
Youtube.com/erikafatale
Myspace.com/erikafatale - Only Way Is Music

“It’s in her voice it’s in her eyes, one look you’re hypnotized, one thing is guaranteed, she’ll bring you to your knees, she’s a femme fatale…”

Just like the lyrics from one of the breakout songs off her latest demo, Erika Fatale is just that, a modern femme fatale. Looks to kill, combined with vocal power, soul and emotion way beyond her years, make Erika Fatale a force to be reckoned with! This up-and-coming pop artist is based in LA and is working with different producers to hone in on her sound. I am not sure how much honing needs to be done as her songs are stellar pop confections that perfectly show off her amazing vocals.

Check out the great interview I had with the lovely Erika where we talk about her artist journey, her life in LA, her current position in the industry, and her hopes for the future!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AljkUb8GMQs - The Listener Label

I wanted to include the email she sent me too - that way you can give your opinion yourself! You can find Erika on Twitter, MySpace, or Facebook. Let me tell you right now, this girl is going to be a huge star! She has the voice of an angel and looks like a goddess (you can even reverse those and it's still true)!

Have you always wanted to be a singer? How long have you been singing?
EF: Pretty much! I have known I wanted to be a recording artist since I was about 11 years old and I’ve never looked back. My family tells me I was humming and singing before I was even talking so it’s always been in me! My voice has always been as loud and booming as it is now. As much as it surprises people now, you can imagine how it REALLY did at the beginning!

Which song is your favorite (so far)?
EF: I would say “Femme Fatale” is my favorite (which I hear is also a Resolution Radio favorite!) because it was the first song I wrote for the demo. I wanted the song to set the stage for the sound, look, and feel I was going for. Femme fatales are sexy, smart, confident and mysterious. They’re women who know who they are, what they want and how to get it. That’s where I’m at in this point of my life now able to fully devote myself to breaking into the music business (now that I completed college graduating from Northwestern University). I’m actually thankful that I was “forced” to finish college first because now I really know who I am and what I want to achieve and I’m slowly but surely making it happen despite all the obstacles. The vibe of “Femme Fatale” is a bit darker, dramatic, and sultry which is exactly what I wanted, but still very pop.

Can we expect a full album in 2011 or 2012?
*EF: That is the plan! I’m getting prepared to head back into the studio soon to work with more producers and songwriters to better myself as a songwriter and hone in on creating my own unique sound and niche and record some smash hits!!


What do you like to do in your spare time?
EF: I pretty much eat, sleep and breathe music and I’m constantly working on bettering myself as a vocalist, writer, performer, everything! I really could not be happier than when I’m singing, BUT when I do have some spare time, I love hiking in Los Angeles, catching up with family and friends on Skype and being outdoors and taking advantage of the amazing LA weather.

Every time I play one of your songs, I get a comparison with Christina Aguilera. Are you a fan of hers? What other musicians do you like?
EF: I have heard that comparison quite a few times and I take it as a huge compliment. Christina Aguilera’s viewed as one of the greatest voices so I’m very privileged to be compared to that and I’ve been a big fan of hers over the years. My biggest influence has been Whitney Houston. I feel like she pretty much taught me how to sing since I would listen to her CDs over and over as a child and try to replicate her. I’ve grown up loving the big diva vocalists like Whitney, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Yolanda Adams, etc. Also, I’m from Chicago, one of the biggest soul, blues, and gospel capitals of the world and I got my start singing in church so that soul is just inherent I guess. No matter what type of music I sing I can’t help but have that soul come out! Michael Jackson has also of course been one of my favorites since the beginning. Also, I love James Morrison, Adele, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Edith Piaf, the list goes on and on!

If you could work with anyone, who would it be?
EF: Since Whitney Houston really was my inspiration for becoming a singer, having the opportunity to sing with her would make my life complete! Also, Beyonce is fabulous. I think that we could do some damage together and that would make for one sassy pop diva collaboration for sure!

If you weren't singing, what would you be doing?
EF: As cliché as it sounds, I really cannot imagine doing anything else. Singing, performing, and creating music is where I’m the happiest. If I didn’t want to be an artist myself, I would still be singing and performing in some capacity. Otherwise, if I lost my singing voice, I speak French and studied in Paris and I absolutely love France and plan on moving back down the road. So at that point you could probably find me prancing along the Seine.


So, why did you decide to use Erika Fatale, instead of your real last name?
EF: My real name is Erika Rodger, which is the name I have used up until recording this new demo. But when I perform, I feel like a completely different person. All of a sudden I transform into this confident, in-control woman with this “swagger” I’ve been told, which is very different from “Erika Rodger” on a day-to-day basis. I wanted a name that was still me but more aggressive like my music and like my stage persona so Erika Fatale fit perfectly.


What is your current fave album? (I will go buy it right now :P)
EF: My current favorite is the new Adele record. Love it!


Do you want to be an actress someday too? (seems to be a trend)
EF: Right now, I’m so focused on music, but I think all performers like to challenge themselves and become performers in every sense of the word so acting is definitely something I’m interested in tackling in the future. I took some performance studies classes in college so I have some acting under my belt but I’m looking forward to testing my acting chops further down the road! (And I would love to host Saturday Night Live at some point. I’ve been acting out and quoting SNL skits for years so I think that would definitely be in my future!)


Do you write all your songs?
EF: This demo was my first time writing. I have been writing song ideas for years but this was my first time working with a producer/songwriter and really developing my ideas into actual songs. So I ended up writing Femme Fatale, Whipped, Liquid, and That Naïve with my producer Peter Stengaard. “Too Lost In You” was a remake of Diane Warren’s song originally recorded by the Sugababes so I did not write that one but I absolutely love writing and cannot wait to get back in the studio and bring some of my new ideas to life! - Resolution Radio

Erika Fatale an upcoming beautiful songstress was kind enough to answer six exclusive questions with us along with an amazing video shout-out! Erika Fatale is an amazingly talented songwriter/singer/dancer who loves Beyonce, is currently into Adele's album, & Whitney Houston is her main inspiration. Also, if you like Britney Spears, so does Erika & she has seen Britney in concert multiple times! This girl will be huge one day, and that is a promise. Erika I know your reading, so thanks once again for your time!

Q - Describe your sound, aka the vibe coming from your music?
A - I would say my sound is best described as pop/r&b/soul. Going into recording this demo, I knew I wanted the songs to have a mainstream pop feel, but also have flavors from all my different influences. I grew up in Chicago, one of the soul, gospel and blues capitals of the world so I’m heavily influenced by those genres. No matter what I’m singing, I can’t help but have that soul come through! The demo is a conglomeration of everything I love: the big diva voices such as Whitney Houston who was my idol growing up, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, but still very pop with fresh synth sounds and even experimentation into a more pop/dance style which was new for me. My voice is very loud and powerful, that’s for sure and I wanted that to personify the bold, empowered, and confident messages in my music. I want my music to encourage people to stand up for themselves, what they want, and what they believe in.

Q - What artist would you like to work with in the future?
A - Like I said, Whitney Houston was my idol as a child (still is!). I feel like she was pretty much my voice teacher growing up, as I would listen to her music over and over and try to replicate her technique. I got my start singing Whitney Houston songs for talent competitions. If I had the opportunity to sing with her one day, I could die happy. I also think Beyonce is the queen as far as female pop artists right now. She’s definitely at the top of her game and someone I aspire to be like so getting the opportunity to work with her would be incredible.

Q - Your fan favorite "Femme Fatale" is also the name of Britney Spears's 7th studio album, are you a fan of Britney? If so, what's your favorite Britney track?
A - Yes I’m a big Britney fan and have been since the beginning. I’ve seen her in concert many times and she puts on amazing shows. My favorite Britney song I think would have to be “Toxic.” That seductive, darker vibe is obviously something I love with my song “Femme Fatale” being in that same vein.

Q - What artist do you like listening too when your not making your own music?
A - Right now I’m loving the new Adele album. She’s a girl after my own heart with the pop/soul vibe of her album and she has a great voice. I listen to a lot of James Morrison too who isn’t so big here in the US but I love both of his albums. He has a really unique soulful voice and great melodies and lyrics. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Michael Jackson lately who of course is the King!

Q - What is your favorite song of yours?
A - I feel like it changes every day but I would say my favorite is “Femme Fatale.” It’s the one I’m most proud of since it was the first song I wrote. I was really influenced by the idea of Femme Fatales during the recording of this demo because to me a femme fatale signifies a woman who is sexy, confident, smart, glamorous and mysterious. She knows who she is, what she wants, and how to get it. That’s how I feel at this current stage in my life taking on the music business and trying to make it. I know what I want and I’m slowly but surely making it happen despite the odds being against me. I want to inspire others to follow their passions in the same way despite what others think or say. A femme fatale is very aggressive in getting what she wants but she’s always classy and fabulous!

Q - Who inspires you in the music world the most?
A - I think Beyonce is doing an incredible job. She’s someone that seems to work incredibly hard to always be the best that she can be, has a great work ethic and business sense, and puts on amazing shows. That hard work, determination (and talent of course!) is inspiring to me as I climb that ladder to eventually reach the level that she is at now. - Flop of the Pops

Having been championed for her remarkable singing abilities by none other than David Foster – the producer and composer who discovered Celine Dion, Josh Groban and Michael Buble amongst others – our artist diarist found herself faced with the very real prospect of a promising career as a ballad queen. But simply wowing audiences with her voice wasn’t enough for Erika Fatale, she wanted artistic fulfilment, and so chose a much harder road of establishing herself as a totally individual artist. It has proven to be a rough route fraught with devious collaborators, dodgy ‘record label executives’ and disappearing savings, but as this Artist Diary reveals, it’s ultimately a very rewarding one …

by Erika Fatale

The greatest turning point for me in pursuing my goal of becoming a major pop recording artist came with the extraordinary opportunity of performing in concert with David Foster during his 2009 David Foster & Friends Tour.

Namedrop.com, a new social media company that creates opportunities for fans to connect with celebrities, sponsored the opportunity. I submitted an audition video performing ‘And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going’ from Dreamgirls acappella and a few weeks later received a phone call from CEO of the company, Ted Foxman, to say that I had been handpicked by David Foster himself to perform with him the next night at Chicago’s Rosemont Theatre. I would be performing alongside other artists such as Deborah Cox, Charice, Ruben Studdard, Richard Marx, and Peter Cetera in front of an audience of over four thousand.

David Foster is someone I always hoped to one day have the chance to work with and so it was an absolute dream come true, as well as an opportunity that led to immediate legitimacy within the music industry. The experience also made me realize that I could have a genuine chance of making it as a singer if I followed this path of being the ‘ballad queen', displaying my abilities by singing songs by David Foster and other artists.

But did I really want this or did I instead want to distinguish myself as an artist; write my own material, display who I am, my personality and tell my stories through my music? Ultimately the impact that I could potentially have on the public as an artist displaying who I really am and what I stand for seemed to me much greater than what I could achieve as simply as a vocalist.

It is thanks to the amazing David Foster experience that I was able to see my future in much greater clarity; able to see those obstacles that lay ahead, but with a firm end goal in mind.

Misadventures in Co-Writing

My first venture into co-writing and collaborating was a rocky one. Coming from Chicago, where there isn’t a great pop music scene, I began searching for Los Angeles-based pop music writers and collaborators. It proved extremely difficult to find someone willing to work with me who would not charge an exorbitant amount of money for the privilege.

“It is important to take your time to find a collaborator who understands you and your vision. Unfortunately I had to find that out the hard way.”
Eventually I did find someone, but it was not the collaborative working experience I had hoped for. It is extremely important to take your time to find a collaborator who understands you and your vision and builds upon it. Unfortunately I had to find that out the hard way. I worked with someone who tried to tear me down, who was not receptive to my ideas and who attempted to preach to me from an authoritative position of having worked with multi-platinum pop recording artists – something that turned out to be false.

After all the money spent flying back-and-forth between Chicago and L.A. and working with her, she also tried to enforce an excessive amount of rules and regulations over where and when I could use the songs that we had written and recorded together. This is where the importance of having a good entertainment lawyer comes in.

The Importance of a Good Entertainment Lawyer

I submitted a song I wrote with my previous collaborator (‘Perfect Imperfections’) to a New York City music artist showcase event called Pure Pop and as a result was chosen to be one of thirty performers to perform at the event at Webster Hall in NYC in November 2009.

The event invited representatives from such labels as Universal, Sony, Jive, and Atlantic, management companies like Nettwerk and TC Music Management, and also Disney, MTV, Fuse TV and Nickelodeon. It was wonderful to be able to perform with other young artists from all around the country for my first show in New York and for that first performance to be at such a well-known music venue.

After my performance I was approached by a ‘record label executive’ who expressed great interest in working with me and was keen to speak to me further. Upon returning home to Chicago, we had several phone conversations where he told me he was interested in signing me to his new independent label. He explained that he had been influential in the signings of Rihanna and Kat DeLuna and felt certain he could get me signed with major distribution - most likely Epic Records since he claimed to be very good friends with then president Amanda Ghost.

With very little information available on this ‘executive’ and investor, I was doubtful, but not wanting to pass up a possible opportunity, we met again in New York for a meeting and brief recording session at Quad Studios. What’s more, I did like him and with no other viable prospects at the time, I felt a sense of urgency in not passing up any opportunity that presented itself to me.

However, when my lawyer - William Archer of Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard and Smith LLP in Los Angeles - got hold of the recording contract, he put on the brakes and stopped me from making a very big and costly mistake.

The experience made me realize that you cannot force an opportunity to be something that it is not; you cannot let your desire for success get the best of you so that it blinds you from making rational decisions.

As One Door Closes Another Opens

On the positive side, when one door closes, another door tend to open, and that’s precisely what happened to me. This circumstance luckily led me to my current collaborator and demo project.

My lawyer also represents pop/R&B artist Ashanti and Ashanti recorded a Diane Warren song for her last album, which was produced by Peter Stengaard, one of Warren’s main producers. William Archer met Peter in the studio during the recording of that song and was greatly impressed with Peter’s work and musicianship and thought he would be a great collaborator for me.

After meeting Peter during a trip to L.A., he agreed to do a 6-song demo project with me. Although demo recording would prove quite costly, I knew the importance of this one-shot opportunity and felt strongly that I’d finally met the right collaborator to make several standout songs with that would hopefully propel my career.

My boyfriend, James Auger, was working as a consultant in Chicago at the time. Faced with this incredible opportunity to work on material with Peter and in possession of the utmost belief in my talent, he decided to quit his job in Chicago and become my manager full-time. The two of us then made the decision to move to Los Angeles and drive cross-country to make our combined dreams a reality.

Although the demo project meant having to use up all my savings and seek financial help from my parents, it was the best decision I’ve made. What’s more the process has turned me into a true artist. Unlike my previous collaborator, Peter proved extremely receptive to my lyrics and melodies, and our ideas synched perfectly so that we were able to collaborate successfully in writing four songs that were very much me: dark and sultry with a modern, more aggressive, soulful edge.

James researched his new role as manager in the music business, reading such helpful books as Paul Allen’s ‘Artist Management for the Music Business’, Darren Wilsey’s ‘The Musician’s Guide to Music Licensing’, and Donald Passman’s ‘All You Need to Know About the Music Business’. Nevertheless, no amount of groundwork can truly prepare you for the music business – you just have to be thrust into its world. The pace at which it moves is either excruciatingly slow or exceptionally fast, with no happy medium - something we learned very quickly.

Becoming Erika Fatale

Once the demo was complete, it was extremely important for me to have a name that truly personified the confident and empowering tone of the music, and the powerful tone of my voice. I wanted a strong name that showed I was in control and knew exactly what I wanted. Who better sums up these qualities than a femme fatale? Since ‘Femme Fatale’ is also the name of one of the songs I wrote for my demo, I decided to change my name from Erika Rodger to Erika Fatale. So it’s still me at the heart of it but, like my music, bolder and more aggressive.

As a mainstream pop artist, I also wanted to tell the stories of the music visually so that people could take one look at my photo and have a very good idea of who I was and the tone of my music. I was able to secure an amazing fashion photographer, Luke Duval, to shoot the promotional photos. I would encourage other artists to spend a bit more money on their photos so as to make a strong first impression on the public. I guess the phrase “you have to spend money to make money” rings true in regards to launching one’s career or starting any new business.

I didn’t waste money on hiring a stylist, but rather took on that role myself since I knew precisely what look I was going for. To best achieve your vision I would also encourage others to do as much of the work themselves as possible. A friend of Peter Stengaard’s, Thomas Hjorth - an amazing design whiz and photographer - tweaked the photos to better exemplify the femme fatale look and also created my new Myspace page.

Creating a Buzz

After a long six-month process, I finally had a completed demo package. Now the real hard work started with putting together the live show, booking shows, marketing and outreach. After spending a month and a half to two months working with amazing choreographer, Havic Gregory, at the Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, we finally had a high-energy, sexy show together and ready to go.

As we began looking to book live performances we faced several dilemmas. First off, it was very difficult to find the right venues that booked similar artists as me but that also catered to a pop music loving audience.

Also, venues that were interested in booking me wanted me to perform as the opening act to test me out. As a new artist in Los Angeles attempting to build a following, this was extremely counter-productive as that meant performing for a very small crowd - sometimes as little as 10 people. Most venues also wanted a guarantee that I could sell at least thirty to forty tickets, which was next to impossible as I knew very few people in L.A. and not yet had chance to build a fanbase.

Wanting to start out with a bang for my premiere live performance, we booked my first gig at the famed Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood. I was the opening act for what was otherwise a hip-hop night. This was obviously not the best choice, since as the opening act I performed to a very small crowd that wasn’t particularly interested in pop music.

”Most venues also wanted a guarantee that I could sell at least thirty to forty tickets, which was next to impossible as I had not yet had chance to build a fanbase.”
As a new artist, you really need to avoid the ‘pay to play’ venues, which was the case with my first show. It is paramount that you play venues that will cater to your type of music, as well as have your manager push to have you perform later in the night when you can get the most exposure to potential fans.

The next big challenge was in reaching out to labels and larger management companies. Since labels and management receive such an abundance of demo packages (both mailed or emailed), it was frustrating when we failed to receive a response to the package, even when we’d followed that up with an additional email a few weeks later. My manager would follow that up with several phone calls and would receive either the response that they never received the emailed electronic demo package or that they had not yet had a chance to check the package out.

We did receive very positive responses from major management companies such as Azoff, Prospect Park, and The Collective, who all loved the package, but only work with established artists — not unsigned.

There are also challenges involved with labels, publishing and management that express major interest and want to come watch me perform live. We would have confirmation that they would attend a certain live show and then either they would never show up or arrive late after I had already finished performing. Such lack of professionalism can be frustrating in the music business, but it is important to be patient and know that the harder you work, the sooner the labels and management will start pursuing you rather than the other way around!

The Business of Music

It takes a certain personality to make it in the music business. You have to be an extremely confident person and have the utmost belief in your talent and your work. Inevitably the music industry will rip you to shreds so you have to have an extremely thick skin and immense passion for music that will carry you through.

To be able to take harsh, negative feedback and channel it in a positive way is very difficult. But it’s important to know that so much of a label’s feedback is circumstantial. I have been told by one label that my music is not current enough, only to be told by another that my music is so unbelievably current I need to release it immediately. People can radically transform their beliefs in the face of the right impetus, so the song that the label dismissed as not being “not current enough” all of a sudden grabs their attention once it receives one or two million hits on YouTube.

I met with Jive Records at the end of the year and received the feedback that my songs were not current enough, but he loved my voice. It’s important to have a certain impetus when you approach labels in order to help sway their opinion of your music in your favour. Many times, a label’s opinion is based upon YouTube hits or song downloads, and without that, they judge your music solely based on his or her individual tastes or what’s hot right now.

”I have been told by one label that my music is not current enough, only to be told by another that my music is so unbelievably current I need to release it immediately.”
For me, my impetus is a prospective deal with Lola Cosmetics, an international cosmetics company, where I would become the face of their upcoming campaigns. The company would promote and distribute my single along with their products. The ability to become a brand while still an unsigned artist would serve as the tipping point for me to become much more attractive to labels and the likelihood of signing a deal exponentially greater.

My advice to other artists would be to spread a wide net, not to bank on one possible opportunity, and know that you the artist are the only thing standing in your way between success and failure.

In addition to the cosmetics deal, my manager and I have reached out to pop music bloggers to secure interviews and features, music licensing opportunities in television and film, radio, and explored formats such as Sonicbids and ReverbNation for live performance, licensing, and publicity opportunities.

The road is long and difficult and it’s exceptionally hard when you’re going it almost entirely alone, but the fact that no one gave me anything and everything I have accomplished so far has been because I fought my way there will make success that much sweeter when it comes. The experiences I’ve had and lessons I’ve learned have made me into the person and artist that I am today. There is a great quote from Theodore Hunger that says it best, “All true success depends at last upon yourself.” I hope this inspires others to walk confidently in the direction of their dreams. I know I am!





- Hitquarters

This lady has been on my radar for a while now. Very strong voice, Erika Fatale has a vibe which makes me think this is the sort of music Christina Aguilera would be doing if she had her head screwed on properly. Having listened to a few of her tracks, I have a feeling it’ll be a matter of time before she blows up in the pop world… ‘Liquid’ is an impressive tune. Check out here. - Alfitude

Skope: How did you react when you knew you are now A2W selected on Skope?
Erika Fatale: It was a wonderful surprise to be chosen out of what I’m sure were many musicians that were considered. It’s a fabulous opportunity for me to reach Skope readers and gain exposure to more and more people, so thank you!

Skope: What are two goals that you want to accomplish musically in 2011?
Erika Fatale: I just want to put on the best, most entertaining live shows possible so to improve with each performance I give as well as writing and recording more material that further hones in on my own unique sound. I’ve been singing and performing for many years, but I feel as if I’m really just beginning as an artist, so there’s so much yet to accomplish and I’m really excited for what 2011 has in store.

Skope: If you had to choose one thing that your band must improve on what would that be and how will you do it?
Erika Fatale: I think the biggest thing is marketing and promotion. Obviously, creating and performing are my greatest focuses so it’s difficult spreading yourself so thin to also accomplish all you need to on the business side. The more opportunities I receive such as this great one by being featured on Skope helps reach a larger audience and spread the word.

Skope: What are two other non-mainstream musicians or bands that you are listening to these days & respect?
Erika Fatale: I absolutely love James Morrison. For whatever reason, he hasn’t become very mainstream here in the US but I really love his soulful voice and his songs have substance and just great melodies. He’s greatly influenced by Stevie Wonder (one of my all-time favorites) and he’s definitely someone I’d love to collaborate with one day.

Also, Jessie J is starting to gain momentum here in the US and I like that she has a fabulous, soulful voice and is doing something different and sings songs of substance as well. It’s very refreshing to hear a great voice again! I feel like her and I could do some damage together.

Skope: How has playing music offered more fulfillment in your life?
Erika Fatale: Music has just always brought purpose to my life. It was my outlet as a child and gave me a voice in difficult situations when I felt I didn’t have one. Since I was eleven or twelve years old I’ve known I wanted to be a recording artist and I’ve just always had that narrow focus and have had my eyes on the prize ever since. Singing, performing, and creating music is when I’m happiest and I cannot imagine ever doing anything else!

Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Erika Fatale: I’m performing next Saturday in Los Angeles for Cherry Pop at Ultra Suede Lounge (661 N. Robertson Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069) at midnight so if you’re in the area come out and see us!

I’ll also be heading back into the studio soon to record new material so I’m excited to share that once it’s complete!

The best places to reach me:
Facebook.com/erikafatale (Best place for latest news, performances, videos, etc)
Myspace.com/erikafatale
Youtube.com/erikafatale
Twitter.com/erikafatale - Skope Magazine

Erika’s femme fatale image, seductive and sultry music, and the empowering messages of her lyrics make her stand out. Her music inspires you to stand up for yourself and take control of who you are and what you believe in. Erika’s 1940’s film noir femme fatale inspired look is elegant, confident, powerful, sexy, smart but with a more modern aggressive edge and soulful flair. Erika Fatale is THE modern femme fatale: She knows who she is, what she wants and how to get it. Her vocals are powerful and her music is really cool! - Collegenews.com

Straight out of the inbox by way of Los Angeles, I’d like to introduce you to Miss Erika Fatale. A singer/songwriter who takes no shorts and has plenty of sass to spare. Every once in a while, I do uncover a diamond in the rough that is my inbox and Erika is most definitely that. What hit me straight away about her tunes was the strength of the voice and the passion behind it. This is pop music targeted for the masses to be sure but there is without a doubt an abundance of talent here to be found and deserves to be shared. Listening to the tracks Whipped and my fave Femme Fatale, it was quite obvious that these songs were ready to be played on the radio right now. Quite a feat given they are being shopped as demo tracks. What I hear in these tracks is an artist determined to separate herself from the usual fluff we tend to hear on the airwaves but isn’t afraid to have you sing along in the process.

With a voice that reminds me a bit of a cross between Christina Aguilera and one of my all-time favourite songstresses, Billie Ray Martin, it was hard for me to not give Erika her very own post here on ze blog. Check her out and decide if the Femme Fatale is for real. - The Boy With the Thorn In His Side

One of the primary purposes of the Personality Profile segment within INFOtainment News is to highlight individuals that are moving the needle in a positive and progressive fashion – people that are, in our opinion, relevant and worth getting to know a little bit more of what makes them tick.

This weekend I had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to chat with a young lady who is literally on the cusp of blowing the doors off the popular music scene. She’s got the looks, she’s got the brain, and above all, for the business she’s in – she’s got the voice.

That being said, this month’s INFOtainment News Personality Profile is: Erika Fatale

Growing up around the windy city of Chicago, 24 year old Erika has a great foundation and mental stability about her, that is shown clearly when hearing her both speak and sing. Erika’s the only one of her family that has ventured into the entertainment industry; her parents are in the legal profession and her older sister is a speech pathologist. But through an upbringing in the church, singing in local talent shows and performing at various Illinois social events, Erika found her passion on stage and behind the microphone.

The Fork in the Road

After the local Chicago-area exposure, Erika wanted to spread her entertainer wings a bit – so she entered a music contest sponsored by legendary producer, Mr. David Foster. Erika submitted an audition tape to the contest, in hopes of getting the ear of Foster. Not only did she get his ear, but she got one of the coolest complements from the music legend. In an introduction prior to her singing on stage with him, Foster said, “…she [Erika] just wowed us and sings her ass off…”

After that performance, and receiving the high accolades and the exposure, Erika was ready to move her career to the next level. She changed her name from Rodger to Fatale and moved to Los Angeles with visions set on being the next big vocalist in pop music.

The name change is quite fitting for her style of show and performance. Erika definitely transforms from non-assuming NorthWestern University English graduate into the confident swagger of a sultry soul-infused pop vocalist capable of commanding a crowd and tackling a wide range of musical deliveries (add to the impressive resume classical opera training as well…)

Inspired by the likes of Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Regine Velasquez and Donny Hathaway, you simply can’t go wrong ! See if you can hear a little remnants of Aretha in this track from Erika, entitled Whipped.

The Good and the Bad

In my recent interview with Erika, two questions that I asked were, what were her least and most favorite aspects of the music business. She responded that her least favorite thing was the mentality of the business itself. The fact that’s it’s so cut throat and rejection tends to regin supreme. If you don’t have a thick skin and able to take rejection – this ain’t the business to be in.

As far as her most favorite aspect it’s simply that fact that each day she gets to live her dream and do what she knew she was destined to do, and that’s to sing and perform.

What’s Next

According to Erika and her manager, James Auger from ENR Music, the short and mid-term efforts consist of doing what’s necessary to pay those dues – for an independent artist she’s doing what she has to do, hitting the club scene, working hard in the studio, reaching out to media outlets for coverage (such as INFOtainment News), and looking for additional producers to collaborate with for fresh new song ideas and styles. There’s also a possible deal in the works that could put Erika’s face and music in the headlines with a major international cosmetics organization as the face of a new beauty product line, further solidifying the Erika Fatale brand.

Where To Find Erika

The best places to keep up with all that is happening in Erika Fatale’s world is through her online web presences at: Facebook | MySpace | Twitter | YouTube - James Hicks for Infotainment News

As a big music lover that I am, I was doing the usual, checking for new music here and there, until I found the next big thing (yeah, I said it) and her name is… Erika Fatale (so many dangerous name lately, don’t you think? Natalia Kills? And now Erika Fatale?).

It’s no secret that we LOVE pop music, maybe it’s just the huge range of possibilities that this music style provides us (or maybe it’s just Gaga messing with our mind, who knows?), so it was a great pleasure to hear some of Erika Fatale’s repertoire, we felt in love completely with Femme Fatale. To describe her, we would say she has a great voice, an amazing body and some great producers to back her up. Her sound is pure pop, dancing beats and electronic sounds (pure pleasure for our ears).

Considering that the tracks we are able to hear right now are just demos, and she’s not a signed artist (can you believe it?? These damn record labels are getting dumber and dumber as every second pass!), her songs have great potential. We're not gonna say there’re perfect but she could achieve that word just well.

We have high hopes for her. So, if you wanna hear some of her stuff, here’s a mash-up of some of her songs just to give you a lil’ taste! Don’t forget to check her official site for more songs!! (HERE)

- Made-to-Be

Singer Erika Fatale has hooked up with major producer Peter Stengaard (Ashanti, JoJo, Donna Summer) and is available for record, management and publishing deals.


- Hitquarters

Her name is Erika Fatale. Her music is incredible. Introduced to me recently by a fantastic friend of the site...Erika Fatale is going to most certainly make some waves in the music industry this year. A fantastic, fusion of pop sounds with soul vibes, dance, r'n'b and almost some jazzy influences are held together by Erika's powerful, commanding and almost sinful vocal. It's absolutely luscious, and I can not urge you all enough to give her a listen and a look in. Read on for some thoughts on her individual tracks that are floating around, with her MySpace here, Facebook here and Twitter page here.

Femme Fatale kicks things off, as a sexy, dark, thumping Pop/R'n'B number, with a trick that could sit perfectly on Jessie James' debut (vocal, musically and all). A synth tinged chorus really exemplifies the fantastic vocal performance here, and with the pop vibe, just makes for a fantastic listen. Much love. Liquid follows, and it's a much more campy, dance/pop hybrid that I'd actually adore hearing Britney, Cheryl Cole or Kylie take on. It's most certainly of that class. Dark, layered, but uplifting, fantastic, with an awesome vocal, a goosebump inducing bridge, and a flawless chorus...How could you not adore? With such a temptation there, Erika doesn't even oversing it :) Whipped comes along next, and it's a little less of my favourite, but it's still fantastic. An edgier, rock, influenced, harder R'n'B/pop number with one HUGE vocal, absolutely FIERCE! - A fantastic listen, with a great synth set, and awesome sound - I love it :) A great listen, much adore! That Naïve comes along next, and it's most definitely one of my favourites of the set. A delicate piano introduction, showclassing Erika's world-class vocal gives way into a fierce, Christina Aguilera sounding, awesome thumper. I do ADORE this track, with a fantastic sound, a fierce vocal, awesome chorus, great vocal rhythm and awesome instrumentation make for one great listen. Then comes Troublemaker, a track I actually can't remember massively clicking with, but one that I still enjoy. Listening back now, the track boasts an awesomely streamlined, sexy bassline, fantastic beat, and when it hits the chorus, it all comes flooding back. Awesome vocal, fantastic synths, and just a great vibe - A track that I just adore! And last up is a sparse, electro-tinged, r'n'b, infinitely hard to describe cover of what I thought, until today, was the Sugababes Too Lost In You. I could imagine this stopping the show on an Idol/X Factor situation, but it hasn't totally clicked just yet, but very nearly...It's actually quite dark, almost evil, and makes for a fantastic listen :) - Fabtastic Music

Join host Jacqueline Jax, Director of Artist Development for the American Vocal Academy as she sits down with David Foster "Get Famous" Contest Finalist singer songwriter, Erika Rodger Fatale. She'll be telling us about her experience since the contest, relocating to L.A. to record with Diane Warren's amazing producer Peter Stengaard and her fresh new sound. We'll be showcasing some of her new tracks during the show. Join us on chat during the show to get your questions answered. We will be taking callers from our A.V.A community to speak with Erica live on the air. Don't miss it! Join the www.AmericanVocalAcademy.com and sign up for our free online music Community. - A.V.A. Live on Blog Talk Radio

You may not know the name Erika Fatale yet but let me tell you it is one you will want to remember. She is an extremely talented singer who is making waves in the music business. I had the pleasure of interviewing her the other day and you can read all about. There are some photos and a video for you to check out too.

My interview with Erika Fatale was not only enlightening and informing but I got the chance to learn about the real Erika. Her music shows ones side of her but I was able to see a side that tends to remain hidden from her stage persona if you will.

Q. Can you tell me a little bit about your background, your family, where you grew up?
A. I am 24 years old and grew up in Chicago. I have one older sister who is a speech pathologist. My family is very close and very supportive of my dream of becoming a recording artist. I’ve been performing since I was four when my sister, cousins and I would sing and put on shows for our family, so this dream has been a long time in the making. My name is actually Erika Rodger but I changed it to Erika Fatale because I wanted a name that was still me but more aggressive and confident, which goes hand-in-hand with the tone of my music. I wanted to show people that I am no shrinking violet and to know that I won’t let people take advantage of me and mold me into whatever they want. It’s definitely a name to remember. I think the last name change took a bit of adjusting especially for my father, but my parents are extremely supportive and love seeing my songs come to life with the whole look and name.

Q. When did you realize that music was your passion?
A. I was about 11 years old when I realized that I wanted to be a recording artist and I’ve never looked back. It’s what I love and I cannot imagine doing anything else. How lucky am I that I’ve had such a huge passion for something and known exactly what I wanted to do since 11 years old? To have that firm of a belief and passion for something at such a young age is incredible.

Q. How did you begin to pursue your dream?
A. I began performing in church and locally around Chicago. I did a lot of talent competitions like various Chicago Idol contests. At one, I even had the chance to perform for Jennifer Hudson live on television, which was an amazing experience because I’m a huge fan of her voice. By the time I was 15 I was considered the National Anthem girl in Chicago, which basically means that I had the opportunity to perform at all the major sporting events and for all the major sports teams throughout the city. It was amazing, such a great training experience singing for 20,000 people as well as an obvious confidence builder.

Q. You have had some setbacks on your journey to being a star can you talk about a couple of those?
A. When there was the revival of the television show Star Search, I auditioned and made it through all of the cuts to become a contestant on the upcoming season two of the show, but unfortunately it was canceled before I actually had the chance to compete on television. Also when I was 16 I had a demo that was basically Whitney Houston cover songs. I met a rep from Sony music at a music convention in Chicago and he was very interested in me and loved my voice and got the A&R guy that he worked under at the label to take a huge interest in me as well. However, that A&R ended up leaving the label, so the deal never materialized. So those were a couple of close calls that didn’t pan out but were wonderful experiences nonetheless and made me stronger and my belief in myself and my dream that much stronger.

Q. What have been some of your greatest moments or accomplishments you have experienced so far?
A. One of the greatest moments was being handpicked to perform with David Foster in concert last fall. That opportunity is actually what led me to working with producer Peter Stengaard, who is the producer for Diane Warren and my moving to Los Angeles this past April. I’ve always been a huge fan of David Foster’s work and the artists that he’s worked with, so to have the chance to perform with him was incredible.

Q. Now that you have made the move to Los Angeles what is next for you?
A. Getting signed has always been a huge goal for me. Since I want to be a mainstream pop artist, having the help from a label would be essential for my success, although even if I’m lucky to sign with a label, that does not mean I’ve made it, but rather, that’s when the real work begins! There has been a lot of interest from different labels, but right now I am working on building up my fan base and enjoying performing all around LA and just building a strong foundation on my own. I’ve performed at music hot spots like The Conga Room at LA Live and Whisky A Go-Go, which has been my favorite place to perform in L.A since it’s such an iconic venue.

Q. You have a new demo now can you talk a little about it?
A. The demo consists of five songs, four of which I wrote with the fifth being a remake of a Diane Warren ballad called “Too Lost In You.” The tone of the songs are very bold, confident, and powerful. They represent my personality and they tell my own stories and point-of-view. Once I get signed I would love to use some of the songs for a debut album.

Q. How would you describe your sound?
A. My sound is very much like my look: One part 1940’s femme fatale. A bit dark, sultry and elegant mixed with a more modern/aggressive edge with a grittier more soulful flair.

Q. Besides music do you see yourself getting involved in acting or is getting to sing your music your dream come true?
A. Music is my main focus and passion. I would like to be a host on SNL so people could see the other goofy side of me. I would explore acting but music and singing will always be top priority.

Q. What would people be surprised to know about you?
A. I have a super sarcastic sense of humor. Also, on stage I come across as very powerful and in-control and obviously my singing voice is very powerful, but my speaking voice is pretty quiet and I’m fairly reserved. People are always surprised that this voice comes out of such a small body and such a quiet speaker. When I am performing on stage though I just turn into a confident powerhouse!

Q. What words best describe you?
A. Driven, passionate and aggressive. I think it takes that kind of personality to make it in this business otherwise you’ll be torn to shreds. I know what I want and failure is not an option.

Q. Is there anything else that the world should know about Erika Fatale?
A. I am excited for what is next and excited for people to take the journey with me from the beginning. I want to encourage people to go after their dreams. We’re told we can do anything when we’re younger, but then as you get older, if your dream is not along the lines of what everyone else is doing then it’s looked down upon or people are constantly looking to see you fail. I want to be an example for people and encourage them to take the road less traveled.

There you have it, my interview with the amazing new singer Erika Fatale. You can check out her sound in the below video. I think is awesome and can’t wait to see what this talented young lady does next. - Right Celebrity

Indie Pop Sensational Singer Erika Fatale sings with a level of passion, soul, and heart that fans of powerhouse Pop Divas such as Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston will find Fatale’s music appealing. In this spotlight with the Pop Singer, our Webzine gets the 411 on who is Erika Fatale and why she is going to be the next big Pop Diva in the music industry. Here is the entire online conversation we had with Fatale for your reading enjoyment.

Isaac: It’s an amazing time to be a DIY artist/performer/band/musician. What do you enjoy the most about being an indie performer?

Erika: I really do enjoy everything about it. It can be an overwhelming workload trying to balance the creative with the business aspects of the job, but who knows you and your music better than yourself? I feel I can’t help but be the best promoter of my music since I’m the one who created it. A positive end result tastes that much sweeter knowing the amount of time and hard work you put into getting there.

Isaac: If you had an opportunity to sign with a major label, would you sign now knowing you may have to give up some of what you have build up over the years about you in the process?

Erika: It would be nice in many ways to be able to bypass the system, but to be a mainstream pop artist; there is so much money and resources that go into creating a career of that caliber that it forces you to use the manpower that only comes with a major label. But, it’s important to create a strong foundation on your own as an indie artist and build a buzz on your own so you’re able to negotiate a much better deal with one of those major labels down the road.

Isaac: I remembered Simon Cowell from American Idol talking about the “it” Factor that makes a musician/band stand out. What do you think is your “it” factor that makes you stand out from others in the music business?

Erika: More than anything, my voice makes me stand out from other female pop artists. I’ve first and foremost have always been a vocalist and that powerful and confident voice goes hand-in-hand with the bold and empowering messages that I write in my music. Also, I’m the antithesis to the bright, colorful, in-your-face female pop artists out right now. There’s more of a mysterious, sultry air to me and my music that I think intrigues people and draws them in. I want to be an exciting performer but I don’t want to have to depend on gimmicks to entertain. The fact that I can strip down my performance to just me and a piano I think definitely differentiates me from other pop artists right now.

Isaac: Why should music fans listen to your music? Describe what they are going to get when they listen to your music?

Erika: People definitely get to know me and my personality bit-by-bit through my music since they are my stories and my point-of-view. I say that the music is two-fold kind of like my look: One part dark, sultry, elegant reflecting the 1940’s film noir femme fatale, and the second part being modern, aggressive, edgy with a soulful flair reflecting my soul and blues influences.

Isaac: Briefly describe your humble beginnings that led you to where you are at musically now.

Erika: I’m told I was singing before I was even talking, so my passion for singing and music came as no surprise to my family. I grew up singing in church and singing the National Anthem for all of the Chicago sports teams. I was always very influenced by the diva vocalists like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, and Celine Dion. They were who I aspired to be like one day so I say they were my voice teachers growing up and I really learned technique through listening to them. Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” was my staple song that I performed at all of the talent shows and Chicago Idol competitions I did growing up. After high school, I knew I wanted to move to Los Angeles to focus on pursuing my music full-time, however, my parents were insistent about me continuing onto college, so I knew that going to university as a voice major made the most sense for me.

I did not know that meant opera until I started preparing a few months in advance for my college auditions. My first audition was at Northwestern University and I ended up being admitted into the voice opera program as a soprano early decision having never sung opera before in my life! My most recent musical turning point came after I was handpicked to perform in concert with David Foster last fall. It was an incredible opportunity and he is someone I always dreamed of working with one day, but that experience also made me realize the desire I had to differentiate myself as an artist rather than just a vocalist. I did not want to turn into “the ballad queen” and sing cover songs for the rest of my life. There’s so much more that I want to say and express through my music and that experience led me to writing my current material and explore whole new sides of myself that I never had the opportunity to before.

Isaac: You have some strong iconic influences. Of these influences, which artist/band do you relate to the most and why?

Erika: Vocally, I most especially looked up to Whitney Houston growing up and she has had the greatest influence on me as a singer. As a current pop artist and performer, I really relate to and look up to Beyonce. I think she is incredibly talented and I’m always so impressed by her performances. I can relate to her because I see we have the same work ethic. She seems to be extremely hard working and pours her heart and soul into her work as I do and I greatly admire that. She would most definitely be someone I’d love to collaborate with someday.

Isaac: Do you feel that Indie music gets the respect it deserves? Why or why not?

Erika: I think indie music has made major headway in terms of being licensed in television and film over the past several years. In that way, it has been receiving the respect it deserves. However, in terms of indie music/indie musicians being signed to a major label, I feel label execs are only interested in more of the same. It has turned into the business of music rather than the music itself.

Isaac: If you could change one thing about the music business, what would it be and why?

Erika: From what I’ve experienced and seen in the music industry nowadays, true talented artists are not a priority anymore. Unless you have a “hit song,” no one will give you the time of day. Labels are not taking the time to develop true, talented career artists. It’s all about the single and making the quick buck.

Isaac: What type of feedbacks have you been receiving about your music from fans and music critics?

Erika: The feedback has been extremely positive. I’ve received such love and wishes for success from fans internationally, which has been incredible. Many of them have commented on the fact that there are not many powerful female vocalists in pop music today so I’m happy that I am able to fill that void. Their support means everything and I’m thrilled they love the material and keep asking when the music will be available to purchase. Music critics have provided very positive feedback on the power and range of my voice and how my look complements the tone of the songs. One part dark, sultry and elegant mixed with a more modern aggressive edge and soulful flair.

Isaac: If you knew that you would never gain fame and fortune with what you are doing now, would you continue to make music? Explain.

Erika: Yes most definitely. Music has been my passion from such an early age and I cannot imagine ever doing anything else. I’m the happiest when I’m singing, performing and creating music and when you’re doing what you love and following your passion, success is bound to follow. But as long as I’m making music that I love, I’ll always feel that I’m successful even if fame and fortune do not follow.

Isaac: How do you handle negative feedback or negative energy about your music?

Erika: It’s important to understand that you cannot please everyone and each person has his or her own individual tastes in music that just might not include the type of music you make. It’s imperative to know exactly who you are as an artist and not allow yourself to be easily swayed by peoples’ negative comments. I’m very open to constructive feedback but I’m also very confident in my work and know that most comments are subjective and circumstantial. One person may say a song of mine is not a hit song, but as soon as it receives one or two million hits on YouTube, all of a sudden the story changes. The public has all the power and they’re the ones who I want to please!

Isaac: What role do your family and friends play in the equation of your pursuant of a music career?

Erika: My parents have always been extremely supportive of my career. They have seen my huge passion and desire for music since an early age and although it is a risky career path, they have done everything in their power to support me and their belief in me that all my hard work will eventually pay off has kept me moving forward at even the most difficult of times. They are my biggest fans! I also have a great group of friends who have supported me since the beginning attending all my talent shows and now are always excited to hear any new songs and watch new performance videos that are posted. They’ve all pitched in to help spread the word, which has been amazing.

Isaac: What is the best site/s that you can be found on the Internet?

Erika:

myspace.com/erikafatale
facebook.com/erikafatale (Please join the Erika Fatale page here. This is where we post all of the latest news, upcoming performances, press, etc.).
youtube.com/erikafatale
twitter.com/erikafatale

Isaac: The floor is yours; final words…..

Erika: Thank you Isaac for the wonderful opportunity to appear in Junior’s Cave online magazine and everyone for their support so far. Please feel free to get in touch with me on one of the above sites. I love hearing from my fans and personally respond to everyone. I look forward to hearing from you! - Junior's Cave Online Magazine

This is upcoming pop singer "Erika Fatale". I never heard of her, but once I caught wind of her, I was instantly hooked. She is a breath of fresh air, with a beautiful soulful voice. She mixes seduction with beauty in her songs to create something quite amazing. I am excited about Erika. I predict once her music is released she will be a major hit, taking Pop/R&B to new extremes. With a powerful voice like hers, it reminds me of when Christina Aguilera was born into the music industry & now look how fantastic she is! Here is a little taster of Erika below - a Demo Medley & if you're like me, you'll be begging for more. I can't wait to hear her songs! Check out the video below:- - Pop Music Madness

Erika Rodger was singing before she ever spoke a word.

Music has always been what she's wanted, and with a voice like hers, it's been exactly what she's got.

When Rodger steps on stage, she's a vibrant, animated young woman with a confident voice and unwavering tone. Off stage, she describes herself as soft-spoken, and a little reserved — it's the passion for her performance and the power of her voice that makes the difference.

"The sort of confidence I get when I step on stage … it's like I'm another person," she said. "I feel like it's not even me."

Rodger's style, which is a powerful pop, R&B soul mix, is what she said she's always sang.

"Even when I was a tiny girl I had a booming voice," she said. "People are never expecting that, but I was really influenced by big diva vocalists and lots of blues and jazz and gospel."

Rodger had the typical beginnings of an aspiring singer — performing in church during junior high, then moving on to talent competitions and show choir as she got older. When she graduated from Lincoln-Way East, her parents insisted that she postpone plans to move to Los Angeles and get a formal education first.

"My parents are extremely supportive of my music, but they were really strict about me going to college," Rodger said.

So Rodger found a professional spin to her passion and enrolled in the music program at Northwestern University in Evanston. Her audition was exclusively opera and it was her first audition for a voice program at the university level. She was accepted early decision as a soprano opera singer with no formal training, and having never taken a lesson.

"Pretty much everything before that was self-taught," she said. "I just listened to my favorite singers, like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey … and tried to emulate them."

Rodger graduated in June 2008, and has since enacted her plan of becoming a professional singer. Now, Rodger's resume packs about as much power as her voice.

In the past year, she was hand-picked by music legend David Foster for his Foster & Friends tour, performed live on Fox News in the Morning's Chicago Idol competition, sang "The Star Spangled Banner" for more than 20,000 to kick off a Chicago Fire game at Toyota Park, and made the cut for the national television talent show Star Search before the series was unexpectedly canceled.

Most recently, she performed in the combination show Pure Pop in New York on Nov. 14.

"The New York performance is really exciting because executives, management companies and agents will be there," she said. "It's a great launching pad for unsigned artists."

And maybe that's where Rodger will catch her big break. In the meantime, she'll be taking deep breaths and performing big numbers — following her heart with a lot of soul. - The Frankfort Station

At this point, David discussed the contest that is being presented by www.namedrop.com in which a singer can submit a video of themselves for consideration to perform in their city. Hand picked by David himself, the two finalists get to perform 90 seconds of a song at their city’s venue. If chosen from there, they would go on to Vancouver to battle against the winners of each of the 9 other cities. David introduced the first of the two finalists, a sixteen year old boy by the name of Jacob Dow, who, while noticeably nervous, did a phenomenal job singing “Come Fly With Me” complete with pointing at David while David pointed right back.

Erika Rodger performed “And I am Telling You I’m Not Going” and did an amazing job of commanding the Rosemont Theater’s attention. Vocals that soared into the farthest reaches of the venue with a power and confidence that was truly inspiring. - Chicago Music Guide

Audio interview can be viewed at the URL below. - Chicago Music Guide

Erika Rodger, a promising pop/soul singer & writer based in Chicago, IL, has won the November SingerUniverse “Best Vocalist Of The Month” Competition, for her performance of the song, “Up To The Mountain (MLK Song),” which was written by Patty Griffin. This song will be included on her upcoming album project, which she will release independently in 2010.

Rodger’s rendition of “Up To The Mountain” is in a more bluesy style with a full-band sound (with saxophone and organ), rather than Griffin’s more piano-based version. This song provides a fine showcase for Rodger’s strong, rich vocals, which starts softly, and then gradually builds in emotion and power. This recording was skillfully produced by Dan Stetzel, who also played piano on this cut.

Rodger was born and raised in Frankfort, IL, which is a suburb of Chicago. She learned to play piano at an early age, and later on she entered talent competitions (such as Chicago Idol and Star Search), and she has sung “Star Spangled Banner” at major sporting events. Rodger was inspired by listening to her favorite artists such as Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey.

After high school, Rodger attended Northwestern University (north of Chicago), where she did voice training (including opera), and eventually graduated in June 2008 with a B.A. degree in English. Following college, Rodger decided to pursue her music career fulltime.

“Early this year (2009) I recorded ‘Up To The Mountain’ and ‘Good Morning Heartache’ with producer Dan Stetzel,” recalled Rodger. “Then this past summer, I went to Los Angeles and completed a three-song demo with songwriter Lisa Mazzotte. One of the songs we recorded is called ‘Perfect Imperfections,’ which we wrote together.”

Rodger recently had a breakthrough, when superstar producer David Foster selected her to perform with him at his Chicago concert on Oct. 21, as part of his David Foster & Friends tour. “It’s been a dream of mine to perform with David Foster – I sang ‘And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going’ with his band,” she said.

Rodger hopes that her show with Foster is a sign of bigger things to come. She will be flying to New York City this month to perform at the Pure Pop showcase, which will be attended by many label execs and managers. ‘In the coming months, I want to perform more and gain the attention of people in the industry,” she said. “I’d also like to collaborate with more writers and producers, and find a manager to work with.” - Singer Universe

1. Let’s start at the beginning, at what age did you start singing?

*Apparently I was humming and singing before I was even talking so singing has been something that has been a part of me since the beginning. I started singing and performing probably since the age of 4 when my cousins and I would put on shows at family get-togethers performing Madonna and Michael Jackson songs and even recording and performing our own songs.


2. Does your family have a musical background?

* People are always surprised but no not really! My grandma did a lot of performing and singing in church productions and her father loved to sing too but nothing professionally. My father also thinks he’s the next Frank Sinatra and sings loud and proud but not so much ?


3. At what age did you know that singing and performing was something you wanted to do professionally?

*Since I was 12 years old I knew I wanted to be a recording artist and I have never looked back. I cannot imagine ever doing anything else because singing, making music, and performing is my passion. For years and years I’ve listened to people telling me I need to have something to fall back on, but to me that signifies you gearing yourself up for failure, and for me, failure is not an option.


4. Who are some of the singers that you would say have had a major influence on you?

*Whitney Houston has been the biggest influence on me. “I Will Always Love You” was my signature song to sing at all of these talent competitions I did growing up and my first demo I recorded at 16 that started to get me noticed. Whitney, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Regine Velasquez. All of the “diva” vocalists were my voice teachers growing up. I would listen to them over and over and try to emulate them, and ultimately, I created my own sound through that.


5. Your sound and image has changed since you initially came on the scene. Was the cause for the change a reflection of personal growth and taste in music, or just the desire to try something new?

* Up until this point, I have worked so hard to prove myself as a vocalist and I have always been singing other peoples’ songs. Last fall, I got to sing “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” in concert with David Foster in Chicago, which was an absolute turning point for me. It was my biggest break to date, an absolutely amazing experience and was the catalyst for me moving from Chicago to Los Angeles. It also made me realize that I wanted to differentiate myself as an artist rather than just a vocalist. With this brand new material that I wrote with the incredibly talented Peter Stengaard, I was finally able to express myself and my ideas. The tone and messages of the music are bold, powerful, and really about taking charge of who you are and of your future. That’s the point I’m at in my life. This is my moment and I feel confident and ready to take on the world! That’s why I decided to change my name to Erika Fatale. It’s still me, Erika, but a little more aggressive.


6. If I were to ask 4 of your closest friends to describe you in one word, what do you think they would say?

* Driven! Despite every obstacle that has been in my way, I’ve never stopped being passionate about music and my dream has never faltered. Luckily I have some great family and friends who have always supported me and believed in me and are rooting me on from Chicago.


7. If you had the power to change one thing in the world what would it be and why?

*There is just so much hatred and negativity in the world and it does nothing but eat away at you like the plague. Rather than educate ourselves about something we don’t understand, we tend to attack it. Gay rights, Islamophobia, racism, even down to the media and the whole tabloid culture. We’re always in attack mode. Luckily there are still some forms of expression like music that can bring us all together and I’m happy that my profession is a means to a better end.


8. What are your views on music licensing and the benefits it can provide an indie artist?

*Music licensing has empowered indie artists in many respects. It has the benefits of offering both financial and promotional reward. It allows indie artist to enter the music marketplace without the backing of a label. Also, it allows for greater musical diversity by allowing a wide range of artists to place their music in TV and Film.


9. What’s currently in your iPOD?

*I’ve been listening to a lot of soul music lately, really getting back into Stevie Wonder’s amazing “Songs in the Key of Life,” Aretha Franklin, and Donny Hathaway. Also, a lot of Beyonce as I gear up for my upcoming live shows because I think she’s an amazing performer.


10. If people want to keep up with all things happening with you, how can they do that?

*The best way would be by joining the Erika Fatale Facebook page which you can do here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Erika-Fatale/157021060975071 Also, through myspace and twitter since we are always updating them with the latest news: myspace.com/erikafatale twitter.com/erikafatale.


Final Words:

*I’m excited to start performing the new material live with the premiere performance taking place in Los Angeles at the Whiskey A Go-Go Nov. 4th at 7pm. For those living in the LA area, you can check out the latest performance dates on my myspace page, and for those who do not, we will be posting videos of the performances as soon as we can. Thanks so much to Antoine and Music Dealers for choosing me to be a part of the Artist Spotlight!


- Music Dealers