Nothing is more soothing than the arrival of something warm to a cold environment. It’s that feeling you get when you take that first sip of hot tea while standing outside in the cold. It is the nourishment that comes when someone who loves you feeds you hot soup to help fight the flu. In a musical climate where everyone seems too cool to express vulnerability, Mona Lizza provides some much needed warmth and comfort to invigorate our souls.
Monica “Mona Lizza” Hamlett became aware of her knack for entertaining audiences at the tender of age of 9, when she started performing for family and friends at graduations, wedding receptions and anniversary parties. Those early performances would spark an inextinguishable flame, and at Detroit's famed Cass Technical High School, Mona Lizza learned to cultivate her ability, exploring her vocal range and redefining its boundaries.
Mona began to hone her skills on stages throughout metro Detroit after signing with promoter Gerald Foster’s New Mix Entertainment, and in 2006, she showcased a sultry mix of R&B, contemporary jazz and alternative music on her well received debut album, Temptation. Soon she and her band, Mellow Soul, were performing to audiences all over Southeast Michigan.
But while Mona was playing and promoting her album, she discovered first hand how difficult it can be for independent artists to fund their own projects and get their music heard. In 2010, she founded Mona Lizza's Lyrics, LLC. Her company's mission is to help independent artists get their careers off the ground by connecting them with industry insiders around the country. She also helps local non-profit organizations raise funds through concerts and special events.
Now Mona Lizza has crafted her second album, Work of Art. This latest collection of compositions demonstrates Mona's growth as a singer and songwriter, all while exploring a bluesy blend of jazz and neo soul that fits her amorous voice like an elegant overcoat.
Nothing is more soothing than the arrival of something warm to a cold environment. It’s that feeling you get when you take that first sip of hot tea while standing outside in the cold. It is the nourishment that comes when someone who loves you feeds you hot soup to help fight the flu. In a musical climate where everyone seems too cool to express vulnerability, Mona Lizza provides some much needed warmth and comfort to invigorate our souls.
Monica “Mona Lizza” Hamlett became aware of her knack for entertaining audiences at the tender of age of 9, when she started performing for family and friends at graduations, wedding receptions and anniversary parties. Those early performances would spark an inextinguishable flame, and at Detroit's famed Cass Technical High School, Mona Lizza learned to cultivate her ability, exploring her vocal range and redefining its boundaries.
Mona began to hone her skills on stages throughout metro Detroit after signing with promoter Gerald Foster’s New Mix Entertainment, and in 2006, she showcased a sultry mix of R&B, contemporary jazz and alternative music on her well received debut album, Temptation. Soon she and her band, Mellow Soul, were performing to audiences all over Southeast Michigan.
But while Mona was playing and promoting her album, she discovered first hand how difficult it can be for independent artists to fund their own projects and get their music heard. In 2010, she founded Mona Lizza's Lyrics, LLC. Her company's mission is to help independent artists get their careers off the ground by connecting them with industry insiders around the country. She also helps local non-profit organizations raise funds through concerts and special events.
Now Mona Lizza has crafted her second album, Work of Art. This latest collection of compositions demonstrates Mona's growth as a singer and songwriter, all while exploring a bluesy blend of jazz and neo soul that fits her amorous voice like an elegant overcoat.