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When asked what word best describes his music, Velben says innovative. His music takes your mind on a lyrical journey to the unknown and unfamiliar. This Detroit intellect has been singing since the age of nine years old. At every given opportunity he would spend countless hours listening to his idol influences namely Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Prince to name a few. Growing up around a continuous barrage of gospel and classic soul music, Velben developed a deep passion for entertainment. Later on he began to explore other genres of music such as pop, jazz, reggae and classical. After singing in choirs from middle school to high school he started writing songs in 1995, which led to hundreds in a collection to date.
In 1997, he began his search for a place in the music industry by seeking producers and exposure. Velben preserved his vocal arrangements and musical ideas on a cheap karaoke machine to hone his skills. After years of soul searching he began to see the hardships of the industry and confided in poetry. One problem Velben faced was that he couldn't find music that represented what he was about. The sound that matched his soul was lacking until he found an instrumental track called Walking Large by The Roots. Simply taking some previously written poetry and playfully singing over the tune created pure art. Velben began singing over tracks from Slum Village, Common, Jay Dee, Madlib etc. The only next step was to find original producers of this sound. Often compared to Dwele, Velben believes the comparison comes from just being able to vibe out a song with mellow tones. It is safe to say that Velben has his own sound that can't be imitated. His lyrics contain realness with a poetic edge.
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Throughout his career Velben had various performance opportunities including numerous appearances at the Detroit renowned Fox Theater. He has also performed at many talent showcases and had the opportunity to audition for the MTV show “Making Of The Band II”. He spends his leisure time singing background vocals, writing for local artists and working on his debut album. Velben feels that a lot artist work at being unique trying to create that new sound, but it's real when you just are unique with a new sound. Keep your eyes open because Velben is about to bring new life to the industry with one of the most highly anticipated albums scheduled to release in the Spring of 2005.
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Acoustic
