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Karina Pasian
Profile of
Karina Pasian
Type(s) of Music: R&B
Full Name: Karina [middle?] Pasian
Place of Origin: ?New York City?, New York
Year the Act Began: 2003
Musical Influences: Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston,
Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Yolanda Adams, Kim Burrell, Smokie Norful,
Christina Aguilera, Kirk Franklin, Donny Hathaway, Beyonce
Biography of
Karina Pasian
It isn't every day
that Def Jam Records' president Jay-Z, Bad Boy CEO
Sean Combs and Interscope chairman Jimmy
Iovine all vie for the attentions of a teenage girl. But
16-year-old R&B singer Karina Pasian is no ordinary
teen. She’s been described as a cross between Alicia Keys
and Whitney Houston.
She finally accepted Def Jam’s seven-figure deal.
Even before 16-year-old Karina Pasian signed to Def Jam records, the
stellar singer was already making a name for herself. From her
winning performance on Star Search in 2003 to singing at the White
House last June during Black Music Month, this New York City
chanteuse has been paying her professional dues since she was a
toddler.
“I’ve been singing and playing piano since I was three,” says
Karina. “My babysitter had a piano, and she started teaching me how
to play. It wasn’t until a year later that I began getting
professional lessons.” While some have been quick to compare Karina
Pasian to other performers including Aaliyah,
Alicia Keys and
Mariah Carey, one listen to her
self-assured debut disc is evidence enough that she is destined for
success.
Karina remembers the first time she sang in front of an audience. “I
sang Céline Dion’s ‘My Heart Will
Go On’ at a talent show. I was kind of nervous, but the audience
loved it.”
From that point, there was no denying that music would be her life.
A few years later, after using the Prince-penned ballad “How Come U
Don’t Call” for an audition, Karina Pasian was cast on a revamped
version of Star Search. “That was such a wonderful experience,” says
Karina, who won the first round of the competition with a rousing
version of the Jackson Five classic
“I’ll Be There.”
Working with an array of songwriters, producers and artists that
include The Dream, Tricky Stewart, Gordon Chambers,
Chris Brown, Carlos McKinnney,
Lil Mama and others, Karina proves to be a breath of fresh soul.
“I’ve recorded over 70 songs in the last two years,” Karina says.
“It was a period of real growth for me as I learned to focus and
stay consistent.”
Karina Pasian’s godfather, famed producer and businessman Quincy
Jones, has also been a guardian angel for the young singer. In
addition to giving her advice, the maestro included her in the “We
Are the Future” charity concert in 2006. Considering the talents
Jones has worked with, from Frank
Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan to
Michael Jackson and Tamia, she is in good company. “I know I’m
blessed to have someone like Quincy in my corner,” she says.
A fan who embraces all forms of music, from the stylish Black pop of
Brandy to old school jazz greats, Karina performed the standard
“Misty” when she was at the White House last year. “Emilio Estefan,
who has been a friend of my family for years, helped to put the show
together, and invited me to be a part of it,” says Karina. “Later,
my brother told me that I was the first Dominican to play at the
White House, and that made me very proud.”
Studying music and voice at High School for the Professional
Performing Arts, the Washington Heights native was more than
prepared for any challenges that arose in the studio. “I was blessed
to have some pretty amazing teachers who prepared me well,” she says
sweetly. Refusing to fall into any cliché, Karina Pasian has
recorded an album that is a reflection of her age and independent
point of view.
Karina Pasian’s song “Sixteen” is a song of independence and
admiration. “Ain’t no daddy’s where I’m from, its just mad
mothers…why am I disrespected by someone I should call brother,” she
sings in a pristine voice. “I wanted to do a song about what
teenager girls go through in urban areas. It’s not cool that boys
think they’re being cute when they say nasty stuff to us on the
street.” Written and produced by The Dream and Tricky Stewart, best
known for their work with Rihanna’s
“Umbrella” and Madonna’s “Me Against
the Music,” the song “Sixteen” reminds one of vintage Brill Building
girls like the Crystals or Little Eva with an electro-groove.
Another The Dream and Tricky Stewart track that will leave fans
breathless is “Baby Baby,” an uptempo song that is destined to be a
dancefloor scorcher. “Though this is a fun song, it’s not just a
party song,” says Karina “It’s about guys who simply see young women
as sex objects, but I refuse to be that girl.” Indeed, like Aretha
Franklin, she simply wants some respect. Sharing the mic with rapper
Lil Mama (“Lip Gloss” & “Shawty Get Loose”), the two young stars
connected in the studio. “Lil Mama was so cool, but it was her
confidence in the booth that was really exciting.”
Produced and written by Carlos McKinney, the sing-songy “Can’t Find
the Words” embraces elements of jazz and pop while simultaneously
creating a whimsical track that sounds like nothing else of the
radio. Additionally, Karina’s favorite song “Winner,” which
highlights her elegant piano (her light touch on the keyboard
reminds one of Erroll Garner) playing, is laidback and uplifting.
A beautiful young woman with more musical moxy than most sixteen
year olds, Karina Pasian has constructed one of the finest debut
discs in years. Melancholic and truthful, funky and real, blissful
and bold, Karina's album is the sound of a better tomorrow.
