The Progressive Underground Show 191 feat. DIVINITI
On this episode we interview one of the world’s foremost electronic music songbirds DIVINITI
On tonight’s The Progressive Underground, we interview international recording artist DIVINITI who will come to the studio bearing exclusive musical gifts for our ears as we delve into recently released and yet-to-be-released material from her discography. We also bump tunes from Jody Watley, Ben Hayes, Ronnie Laws, Mika Olson and many more! We explore the outer reaches of electronica through the genres of deep house, techno, future soul, nu-jazz, b-sides and rare grooves. We go from 8-11 pm EST on 101.9 WDET and wdet.org.
DIVINITI BIO
There are few extremely talented singer-songwriters in world of house music, and Diviniti is certainly one of them. A true lady of Detroit house, Diviniti is part of a scene that developed following Detroit’s musical re-birth via innovations in electronic music durring the 1980s. She writes uplifting songs and has a distinctive vocal style, which incorporates eloquent wordplay and an angelic grace. Diviniti’s style is influenced by numerous songwriters and vocalists in classic rock, jazz, R&B, and soul music circles.
In February 2003, Diviniti met Pirahnahead and the pair started a fruitful partnership, which has created a number of memorable dancefloor hit. Pirahnahead introduced Diviniti to DJ Minx, who chose to release a number of these collaborations, namely “Find A Way”, “Love Will Stay”, “Live For The Night” and “Can’t Explain” on her renowned Women on Wax Recordings. The “Live For The Night” 12” included a remix by DJ Spinna. DJ Minx and Diviniti worked together under the name A Taste Of Honeys on “The Essential EP” and “Just Make it Deep”, which were both released on Women on Wax Recordings.
Diviniti’s music has been released on a number of other record labels. “Find A Way” was licensed to the NY- based King Street Sounds imprint, where it was re-released with an edit from Disco don Danny Krivit. “Poem for a Lost One” saw the light of day on Mike Grant’s Moods and Grooves imprint, as remixed by Mr. G and Black Music aka Solid Gold Playaz. Cult Detroit house figurehead Moodymann edited and then released “Love”, a duet by Pirahnahead and Diviniti on his Mahogani Music imprint.
Aside from creating masterpieces with Pirahnahead and DJ Minx, Diviniti has collaborated with some of the best producers in electronic music production including Charles Webster (“Learning to Love Me”), Justin Imperiale (“Love Can Heal the World”), Jose Carretas (“Life in a Box”), and Andy Compton – with whom she has written several songs including “In Love, Again” and “In Time”.
In 2006, Diviniti participated in Shuya Okino’s United Legends project, which brought together a number of celebrated producers and vocalists. She wrote a song for United Legends called “Shine”, which was produced by DJ Kawasaki. “Shine” proved to be one of the most successful tracks of the project and it spent several weeks at the top of the Itunes Japan jazz, dance, and J-pop charts. Shine was subsequently remixed by Pirahnahead and ‘replayed’ by Japanese Jazz dons Sleep Walker for further 12” releases on Especial Distribution.
Diviniti’s music has been selected for compilations put together by renowned DJs such as Joe Claussell, Moodymann, Rainer Trüby, Phil Asher, Joey Negro, Blaze, Yashudi Ide and Louie Vega. Her music has been licensed to labels such as Defected and suSU in the UK, King Street Sounds and Mahogani Music in the USA, Especial and Grand Gallery in Japan and Sheer House and CCP Record Company in South Africa. This highlights the worldwide appeal of her music and the esteem in which she is held by respected DJs.
In addition to being well-known for her studio recordings, Diviniti has also penned lyrics for other artists. She has songwriting credits for two songs on Les Nubians CD, “Nu Revolution”; Carolyn Victorian’s “Sunshine” and Pirahnahead’s “Music”, both released on Pirahnahead’s own Whasdat Music imprint. Diviniti also co-wrote Pirahnahead feat. Yaminah Brock’s “I Do Love U”, a track that appeared on Detroit Beatdown EP Vol. 2 on Third Ear Records. She was a co-writer on the chart topping “I Believe in You” with the legendary Stephanie Cooke and revamped the unforgettable track, “Inspiration” rerecorded by Eric King for Terry Hunter’s label, T’s Box . There are several other songwriting projects in the works from this talented individual.
On stage, Diviniti is an excellent live performer. She performed live at Detroit’s Movement Festival in 2005 with a 10-piece band and in 2006 alongside DJ Minx; and in 2012 with Pirahnahead. She has also performed at the Winter Music Conference in Miami, FL, and at various clubs in Detroit and New York. Her international appeal has been reinforced by her live performances as well as record releases. She has performed in Calabria in Italy, Lucerne in Switzerland, and in the Japanese capital Tokyo, at the 2006, 2007 and 2011 Tokyo Crossover Jazz Festivals.
Diviniti is an established songwriter and vocalist with an impressive body of work. She is set to build on the successes that she has already achieved in house music and other circles in the future. She continues to work on the completion of her first solo LP which will mark the dawn of another chapter in her career.
