Local singer Starquasha Admore grew up on Strawberry Lane downtown, and started singing in church at age 7. She branched off around 16 to start performing open mics, which were her schooling for the next two years when she received feedback on her stage presence. By 18, she was singing hooks and covers for local rap artists.
After taking a break from the scene to have her daughter and son, in 2018 she created the persona, Starr Queen.
“I’ve always been attracted to sexy R&B music,” Admore said. “The sensuality I felt in the music, I give on stage when I’m performing.”
Her first original music as Starr Queen will be the EP, Contradiction, to be released late 2021.
“It’s gonna be a love EP, because Starr Queen is a neo-soul R&B artist,” she said. “Love can be so contradicting. One day you want to be loved and one day you don’t.”
When it comes to composing, she doesn’t consider herself a writer. “I just want to get on stage and sing it. But I had to understand that as far as original music is concerned, you need to broadcast what you feel. The people need to feel what you feel. And in order for that to happen, your feelings have to get into your music.”
Singing with Emerald Empire Band connected her with The Commodore family as a vocalist for The Funktastics ensemble regularly. “I meet people from so many places at The Commodore. When I go on stage there, I am performing for the world. I am everywhere in one little building.”
She doesn’t want to be forgotten in the process of doing original music. “I want people to be intrigued by my album based on what I do live.” She will go from country to pop to funk to rhythm and blues in a single set.
Her stage presence comes from reading the energy she sees.
“If I see couples at tables drinking wine, that’s gonna be soulful vibes. If I come into an establishment and everything is jumping off the walls, I get those funky vibes. My thing is pleasing the crowd.”
As a single mom getting everything done, she’s stepped back from vocal lessons to train herself.
“I listen to certain artists that have certain ranges and tones and different personalities to help build my vocal range and tone and personality,” she said.
Catch Starr Queen at the Commodore on Saturdays in August and Vibez Restaurant & Lounge on Ashley Phosphate Road on Fridays.
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