Lachi (artist)

Lachi is a singer-songwriter, pianist and author based in New York City. Her music is often described as jazz influenced, piano driven alternative rock.

Early life

Born in Baltimore, Maryland the sixth of seven children, Lachi began writing songs at a very early age, and performed in musical ensembles throughout her school years. Lachi has a congenital visual impairment, Coloboma of the retina. After being socially outcast due to her legal blindness, Lachi overcame her severe low vision through her music, writing and performing vocal piano pieces. She wrote and published her first novel, Dante’s Destiny, as a high school senior in 2001.

Lachi remained notably introverted throughout school. After undergoing an exchange program during her college years at Canterbury Christ Church University, she opened up socially and musically, performing for the first time at bars and venues in the UK. Lachi received an undergraduate degree in the majors of Economics and also Management and Society at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she created the all female a cappella group, Cadence, and was a member of the Mu Beta Psi National Honorary Co-ed Musical Fraternity. After graduating she moved to New York City to embark upon her music and writing career while working towards a Master’s degree in Music Technology at New York University. Apart from obtaining many odd jobs and side acting gigs, Lachi interned at MTV Networks Radio, and was an office assistant in the Music Technology department at NYU and at several different New York City State Departments.

Career

Lachi’s music can best be described as jazz-influenced, piano-driven alternative rock: with a hint of antifolk and political characteristics. She has written and produced over 400 songs. Her unique style is both eclectic and intimate, and has won her recognition as an Independent Music Awards finalist. Since then many of her songs have been featured in FM and online radio, cable television, independent films, and numerous other projects.

She completed her first project album, “And This Is My Life,” full of solo piano pieces released June 6, 2006. The album is an intimate array of jazz, blues and mellow piano songs heavily influenced by life experiences throughout her college years. On January 24, 2009 she released her piano driven alternative rock EP "Ugly Beautiful" engineered by Galuminumfoil Productions. This EP, though rock, still harbors much of her jazz influence through colorful chord progressions and random spouts of scatting. On July 27 2010, the self-titled piano driven alternative rock album "Lachi" was released and distributed through EMI-Caroline Distribution.

Lachi performs and her band have performed at countless festivals including SxSW, CMJ and PrideFest (Milwaukee) where they opened for Patti LaBelle.

Discography

Albums

Album information
And This Is My Life Released: June 6, 2006 (U.S.) Singles: "Something Blues"
The Ugly Beautiful EP Released: January 24, 2009 (U.S.)
Lachi Released: July 27, 2010 (U.S.) Singles: "We Can Fly"

Awards and nominations

Prior to 2009

Published novel “Dante’s Destiny”
Released album And This Is My Life (album)
Independent Music Awards finalistof for "Something Blues."
Featured on NPR's WFUV Fordham University 90.7
Performed with Petra Haden

2009

Released EP Ugly Beautiful
Performed at the South by Southwest Conference 2009
Performed at the College Music Journal Marathon and Conference

2010

Performed at the South by Southwest Conference 2010
Opened for Patti LaBelle at PrideFest in Milwaukee
Nationally released album Lachi
Featured on Oprah Radio
Performs on the CW Morning News
Interviewed on CBS Radio's Artistfirst Network
Song "Funny Girl" placed on Running Russell Simmons

2011

Released single Time Heals to help raise funds for Japan Tsunami relief.

External links