Discover the Soulful Sound of Artist Toy Taha
Toy Taha is a music artist from Philadelphia, PA known for her soulful style and ability to reach across different genres of music such as R&B, Neo-Soul, Pop, Jazz, Adult Contemporary, Country, and Opera. Toy Taha is heavily influenced by the rich musical history of Philadelphia, and many of her favorite artists and inspirations come from the city or have had a significant impact on its sound. She cites artists like Billie Holiday, Phyllis Hyman, Teddy Pendergrass, Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan, Jean Baylor, Kindred the Family Soul, The Roots, Gamble & Huff, Bilal, Musiq, Marsha Ambrosius, as some of her main inspirations. These artists have all contributed to the development of the Philly Soul Sound, a unique blend of R&B, Soul, and Funk that has become synonymous with the city's music scene.
Toy Taha cites the Jackson family, specifically Michael and Janet, as her biggest influences. She acknowledges them as the "first family of music" and recognizes the invaluable contributions they've made to the industry. She admires the creativity, musicality, soul, rhythm, storytelling, and fearlessness in their music. In addition to the Jackson family, Toy Taha also draws inspiration from other iconic artists such as Prince, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Teena Marie, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Amel Larrieux, Mariah Carey, Me’Shell Ndegéocello, and Jill Scott. She also cites groups like Enchantment, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Commodores, War, Switch, Confunkshun, and The Isleys as influences. She is particularly drawn to the way these artists and groups create music that listeners can feel on a visceral level. This is one of her enduring goals as an artist, to make music that people can connect with emotionally. In Toy Taha's words, when she thinks about what it means to put your soul into music, these artists come to mind.
Toy Taha's latest project is entitled "EIGHT," which consists of eight tracks all written and arranged by her. She chose this title for a couple of reasons. First, it has been eight years since she released any original music to her supporters and during that time, she feels she has grown vocally and sonically. Secondly, she is into numerology and kept seeing the number eight frequently. This led her to research the meaning and significance of the number. In numerology, eight is a number of insight and intuition and is symbolic of new beginnings, and represents the karmic cycle. This resonated with her as it felt like the perfect title for her reemergence in the music scene. The project reflects her growth as an artist and marks a new beginning in her career.
The lead single off of Toy Taha's EIGHT project is entitled "Suite EFX" (pronounced effects) and it was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dreamlife, who also produced "Loving On Me" on the EP. Toy Taha wrote and arranged "Suite EFX" after an extensive period of celibacy, and she wanted to write something passionate and empower women's sensuality. The song is a reflection of her personal journey and it's meant to tap into the dynamics of depth, vulnerability, intimacy, and sensuality. The project as a whole, EIGHT, has something for everyone. It includes fun and lighthearted songs, sensual and sexy songs, and deep and empowering songs. Toy Taha feels that the project represents her growth as an artist and it's a reflection of her personal journey. She's proud of the project and believes that it has something for everyone to connect with.
Toy Taha's most recent show was in November and it was her first official gig as a solo artist. She had the opportunity to open for legendary emcee Chubb Rock at Treasures in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Her Uncle Parris “Parry P” Ellis, one of the pioneers of Hip-Hop, connected her with the promoter for this opportunity. She opened her set with the song "Back in the Day" by Erykah Badu and then performed her original music. She closed her set with one of her favorite songs to sing "One and Only" by Adele. Thankfully, Chubb Rock was impressed with her performance and said in his distinctive tone, "Toy Taha, you are incredible" before he began his electrifying set. Toy Taha felt like she did her job, and was proud of her performance, and it was a great opportunity for her to showcase her talent in front of a live audience.
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