Inohs Sivad

[biography courtesy of inohssivad.com] 

Inohs Sivad's 2003 independently produced inaugural CD IS satisfied a thirst in music lovers who craved a sound that was unique to all others. Its soulful alternative mix of jazz, rock, soul and R& B was fresh.

Now, four years, and a new husband later, the Pontiac, Michigan native has returned with her sophomore independently produced release Changes, a lush mixture of jazz, and soul with a touch of world music grooves.  

"I like this project much better than the first one.  When I produced IS, I was new to the business, crunching time between my day-job as a graphic designer at an ad agency, working on music, and rehearsing a band.  That was a lot.  IS was a good project, but I think it could've been better," says Inohs. 

With her first release, Inohs was coming out of a particularly dark time in life and used the acoustic guitar to create music that matched her moods. These days gone is the day job, and she no longer relies on her acoustic guitar.  She exists as wife, full-time musician, and composes on the keyboard and electronically. 

Her own personal growth has produced a more mature sound in her music.  The new project is a proclamation of her new station in life and a deeper expression of Inohs Sivad.  "It says I'm free; not bound or restricted by insecurities."

Prior to Changes, Inohs had been busy lending her voice to projects with Genuine Records recording artist and fellow Detroiter, Amp Fiddler, and Detroit-based Hip Hop artist, SelfMeyi.  She also produced three unreleased of projects her own: Simplicity (the precursor to Changes), Detroit Nipple Works and Mrs. Norman's House.  The last two projects were purely electronica, with a track from Mrs. Norman's House ("Somewhere Else") that was picked up on a Third Ear compilation disc in the United Kingdom.  She wasn't' sure if she wanted to do a follow up project to IS but there was still a desperation in her spirit to create something.  "I had been working on music, but nothing much came to fruition.   When Changes occurred, I was ready to receive it."

The sound on Changes was born from a month-long stay away from her Detroit home in New York where her husband was working in the fall of  ‘06.

"I spent days walking through the city.  The vibe is so different there.  It's much more liberal... much more diverse with colliding cultures.   I just took it all in and let it shape itself into a sound."  That experience birthed the music for the first song created on the project, the title track "Changes."

On IS, Inohs, primarily, did all the creative work herself. But with Changes, she expanded and brought in a creative team to work with her on lyrics, background vocals and arrangements.   The team consists of Damon Warmack, bass, keys, composing, musical director; Naomi Daniel, (formerly with Planet E Communications) lyrics/background vocals; La Shaun "Phoenix" Moore (poet/singer/songwriter) lyrics/ background vocals; La Kesha Bynum (singer/songwriter) lyrics/background vocals, and Alicia Spencer (singer/songwriter) lyrics/background vocals. An alluring mix of lead vocals and full background harmonies complete the 12 songs composed in four months.  While much of the music is electronic tracking, live musicians Warmack, Dan Hadad, flute on "Changes" and Kevin Sholar, piano on "Brown Eyed Susan" add rich flavors to the project. 

The songs on Changes are soundtracks to whatever life offers.  The lead track "Sun Shine" welcomes the warmth of summer following winters cold edge;  "Brown Eyed Susan" and "Evolving" sing of self-celebration; the longing for a one-and-only love reaches out in "Serenade;" the jazzy samba beat of "Never As Good" is an ode to Inohs' husband and their temporary long-distance marriage; and the beatnik groove of "Keep My Cool" speaks of not getting stressed out on the job. What happens when love unexpectedly walks in is the theme of the title track "Changes."

In a brave move to strengthen her commitment as an independent artist/producer, Inohs established her own record label, Sound Thought Recordings. Changes is the first project to come from the label, which currently has three artists under its wings.  

Look at how free you can be if you only just believe.  Refrain from "Changes"