Meet the Divas on The Girls 4 Boys Club Tour
Presented as a collaboration between mega-circuit party kings Jeffrey Sanker Presents and Gus Presents (in conjunction with Fly-life, Inc.), the Girls 4 Boys Club Tour brings to the stage three ascending dance divas -- Katrina, Kwanza Jones, and Liz Primo.
This trio of L.A.-based music angels takes no prisoners in their quest to reach the top of the music industry, unless you want to call the multitude of fans they are gaining along the way their captives. Talent, beauty, tenacity and smarts describe each of them, but their distinct styles separate these divas-in-training and provide for a complete showcase that will attract the attention of a wide audience range on tour stops in San Francisco, West Hollywood, San Diego and Las Vegas.
The three ladies definitely represent the depth in dance music. It may be the beat in dance music that gets you to the dance floor, but it’s the carriage of the melody, the lyrics, and the vocals that make you wish the song would never end. Katrina, Kwanza, and Liz perpetuate that wish to its fullest!
Katrina: From lawyer to dance diva
Fresh from performances on Good Morning Sacramento and with old school rock group Pablo Cruise, Katrina has arrived and has taken the music by storm with her hit single "OPM (Other People’s Money)". The single is climbing up the charts and gained the attention of some heavyweights for its video including legendary remixer Dave Aude and actor Frank Stallone. The Red Red Records recording artist is not just a starry-eyed talent. There are some brains to that talent and beauty.
BeBe: What a backdrop story you have Miss Thang! Katrina, the lawyer, does music. She can sing, perform, negotiate her own record deal, and sue you directly for copyright infringement. Okay! Barbie couldn’t even be a more complete career woman. How can you be it all?
Katrina: I’m glad that you’re diggin’ my thing. Music was always a natural thing for me. I was on "Star Search" (with Ed McMahon) and stuff. That was really fun. Then I got a little burnt out because I was very young at the time. I had just turned 13 years old when I had a couple record contract offers from that. Then all of a sudden it wasn’t fun. So, I stepped away from it, but I never stopped loving it. I went to law school and got a masters in entertainment and media law but still loved the music. In my dreams I was still a singer even though I was practicing law. I never really pictured myself in court wearing a suit with a bun, but that is what did.
BeBe: You probably wanted to pull that bobby pin out of the bun and let your hair go, and do a little "Fame" routine while you’re there in front of the judge.
Katrina: I think you just gave me an idea for one of my next music videos.
BeBe: How fun!
Katrina: I just love music. An I’m just really thankful for the music is having right now.
BeBe: Your single, "OPM (Other People’s Money)" debuted at #48 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart (now at #26) about month and a half ago. As well as, you were the top pick on many independent charts when it first hit.
Katrina: I know! Isn’t that hot?
BeBe: This follow-up to the success of your debut single "Shame On Me" has to give you a little reassurance that you made the right choice in leaving the law practice behind.
BeBe: This follow-up to the success of your debut single "Shame On Me" has to give you a little reassurance that you made the right choice in leaving the law practice behind.
Katrina: You know, I don’t want to exhale too much. I never want to take things for granted. Things can change so quickly in this business, and there is always so much further to go. But I feel really thankful for the success that the music is having. But there were a couple of moments where I went, okay, giving up a sure thing for a question mark is crazy.
BeBe: You also never want to have that thing where you look back at your life and think what could have been? What if I had taken that leap?
Katrina: Miss BeBe, that was my reason for having the courage to quit law. When you are in the routine and you have rent, car payment, student loans that need to be taken care of, as well as, taking care of myself. It’s really hard to give up that security. I had to quit law to do music because it wasn’t like I could straddle both worlds until I felt secure enough. It doesn’t work that way. You have to give it (music) all of your time. And now is the time. My bosses thought I was crazy. They are waiting for me to turn back up at the law firm. But they better not be holding their breath because it’s not gonna happen.
BeBe: And it was a smart move to have Dave Aude involved on the "OPM" single. He is legendary in the dance music realm. Were you heavily involved with selecting the remixers you have on "OPM"?
Katrina: You know I have an amazing team, and they had been mentioning some names and as soon as Dave Aude’s name came up, I just started doing cartwheels. I said ’you’ve got to be kidding me’ because as a consumer I’ve been hugely into Dave Aude. As an artist, I would just be seriously over the moon if he does this. He’s the man. He’s hot. He’s talented.
BeBe: Not only is he a talent and hot, he’s a sweetheart! For someone who is good at what they do and has a great reputation, he has a very humble side to him because he does what he does for the pure love for it, not for the fame and fortune that is coming his way, which is deserved. He really does love what he does, and it comes across in his personality.
Katrina: Stop! You’re giving me the chills. So, you know then how excited I was when he agreed to be in my music video? Having him on the song was one thing. Having him say yes to being in the video was another thing entirely.
BeBe: I’m really happy for you to get a chance to experience someone like Dave Aude on your first time out.
Katrina: Thank you. I appreciate that immensely.
BeBe: Now, is it true that the inspiration for "OPM" came from some of your social party days when you were practicing law in the Hollywood Hills?
Katrina: I may have been a lawyer, but I’m not a liar! So, I’m going to have to say, yes (both crack up with laughter).
BeBe: I love it! So, the experience of practicing law was not all for nothing, honey. It definitely gave you some material to write about.
Katrina: I don’t think I ever stopped writing. I’ve written for as long as I can remember. I’m always writing. There is pretty much a song in everything. You know I did have a good time. When I say had a good time, I didn’t party as hard as others but I’m not going to be embarrassed to the fact that I enjoy a glass of champagne every once in a while. That was a fun time when I was living in West Hollywood. We wanted to write a party song but didn’t want to be just about going to a party. We wanted to tell a story. Because it is a whole scene. And it lent itself to becoming sons "OPM" and "Lost In Hollywood Hills"..
BeBe: The full-length album "In The Blink of an Eye" is available now?
Katrina: It is digitally available on iTunes. There will be a record release later in 2011 with some different versions of the songs on the album on there. I believe there will be a cover of "A Place in the Sun" by Pablo Cruise. They are singing backup on it.
For more information on Katrina visit her website.
Story continues on following page:
Watch Katrina’s video of "OPM (Other People’s Money)":
