|
MAE KOEN
HARMONIC TECHNICIAN
VOCAL ARRANGER
VOCALIST
SONGWRITER
PRODUCER
“I was singing before I was talking, I was dancing before I was walking…” As far back as Mae remembers she was involved with music. "As a child, I use to make my cousins sing with me and teach them harmonies. In grammer school I would gravitate to anyone that was musically inclined. I remember in High School while other girls were hanging out with the boys, I was singing with them." From growing up with her church and community choirs, to being voted most talented in high school, to singing with the Roosevelt University and the Chicago Chamber Choruses, she has honed her craft.
Mae’s great gift of song goes beyond singing great lead vocals to providing rich background harmonies for the group as well. "Even tho' I can sing lead, I automatically would always go for the background. I love Harmony and the more intricate the better. I suppose that's why my singing experiences has always been with groups or as a support vocalist for major acts. I've been told by many that I have an uncanny ear, I attribute this special gift to something that happened to me as a child, I use to hear the most beautiful singing I have ever heard which I cannot explain. It was later revealed to me by the Heavenly Father that what I was hearing as a child was the heavenly chorus, he also revealed to me that it is because of this reason that my ear is so sharp."
Mae has delivered back up vocals for numerous artist, from Blues greats Willie Dixon and Billy Branch to crooners like Phil Perry, Vesta Williams, Angela Bofill and Mikki Howard. She is constantly sought out by performers as diverse as comedian Bernie Mac and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. In fact, her specific harmonic talents have made her one of Aretha’s favorite back-up singers and has appeared with Aretha on several television shows including David Letterman, Jay Leno and The View. In 1998 she not only worked with Aretha Franklin, but Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion and Carole King on the first Diva’s Live 98 broadcast.
"I have to say, working with Aretha Franklin is by far one of the greatest highlights of my career thus far. She is a professionals professional and just knowing that I am one of the singers out of all the millions of great singers out here to be invited into the Queens court is indeed an honor."
In her spare time Mae is researching the many facets of World Music and plans to do a solo Acapella project that will be in the vain of Bobby McFerrin, which will reflect her World Music influences.
"World Music for me is a refreshing welcoming sort of feeling. There is something in me that can recognize and relate to the rhythms, and the songs are all filled with respect for a nation, a people, family and friends, the earth, the creator. It is for me a resting place. Some of my favorite artist are Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Gilberto Gil, Zap Mama, Mahotella Queens, Tarika, Oliver Mtukudzi, Salif Keita, there are so many I can't name them all."
|
Picture #1 Mae Koen with Tarika from Madagascar backstage at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Picture #2 Mae Koen with Oliver "TUKU" Mtukudzi, one of Zimbabwe's premier musical performers, backstage at the Hot House.
Picture #3 Mae Koen with the "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin on the set of the "ROSIE O' DONNELL SHOW".
|
"Chi-town Reunion"
|
|
Usher
|
|
|
