Music with a message of hope and inspiration from Cameroonian born Los Angeles based soul/alternative vocalist & rapper Lorine Chia who was recruited by Ronald McDonald House Charities for a song dedicated to Atlanta based Stacy and Bill Halstead whose two year old son Tripp eventually recovered after a life threatening brain injury during Hurricane Sandy when a 100-pound branch from a tree fell on his head at daycare. After almost six months in the hospital Tripp returned home to his parents in April 2013. Lorine Chia’s song, “Lift Me Up,” is in dedication to the Halstead family and the strength they found through RMHC.
Lorine has been praised from Rolling Stone to Pitchfork as having a unique voice reminiscent of Nina Simone, even catching the attention of Phillana Williams of Red Light who sought her out and is now exclusively managing her after shaping the careers of artists like Ciara, Miguel and Outkast. Lorine is preparing her forthcoming EP Sweet Noise and will be releasing the first official single from the EP next week. So keep it locked here to GFM to keep up with the sounds of Lorine Chia.
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
