EPK — A. Renee

“…with A. Renee’s Summer hit, the earthy tones combined with her effortlessly effervescent vocals allow the soundscape to feel sincere, soulful, and sonorous.”

Amelia Vandergast, A&R Factory

About

A. Renee (born Ashley Renee Watkins) is a New Orleans native multi-genre vocalist living in New York City. She is a classically trained with musical content spanning from opera to R&B. As one half of the duo ACTE II, A. Renee appeared on NBC’s America’s Got Talent during season 9 to a live viewership of over 20 million,

Until 2018, A. Renee was known as Ashley Renee and devoted the majority of her musical energy to building and performing with her duo ACTE II around the world. They created concerts that stretched the boundaries of “opera singers” with music that included classical, pop, jazz and “gospel like” crossover vocal arrangements (many of which the duo was responsible for arranging themselves). In 2018 Ashley Renee felt the call to launch her career as a songwriter and released her first R&B single “Red Wine”. She teamed up with co-writer Kali Schrouder and producer Lester London to create this song, which pays homage to her love of the noe-soul genre with an infusion of jazz and R&B. In October 16, 2019 A. Renee released her debut EP “Roux” with a title that captures the essence of her beloved New Orleans and the process of making and remaking herself until she feels done.

A. Renee is a member of the GRAMMY’s Recording Academy and also has spent the last 9 years of her life building a career as an accomplished teaching artist and arts administrator. Her work has led her to serve as a thought provocateur with arts organizations around the country sitting on cultural advocacy panels, guest lecturing at universities, consulting with arts organizations on inclusive educational practices and creating music education content for global populations. She is currently engaged with The Juilliard School as a Music Curriculum Specialist for K-12 Programs and Initiatives— co-creating performing arts education content for students in over 58 schools globally. She also cohosts the acclaimed Indie Opera Podcasts which welcomes some of the world’s leading voices in opera in conversation around the state and evolution of the art form. A. Renee has a wealth of experience as a performer and arts administrator. The through line for her entire body of work is connection. She aims to not only connect with others but to help individuals find connections within themselves as well as with the experiences of the people around them.

Her second EP is now in post-production with an anticipated 2022 Spring release. Working with a team of high respected New Orleans creatives this project pushes A. Renee more deeply into the realm of R&B with a sense of sultry vulnerability and exposed vocals shaped by the edgy vocal production of Berkley The Artist and music production led by Nick Mercadel. This project will see A. Renee continue the process of evolution as an artist tapping into the deep fountain of her vocal capabilities.