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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."
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