CHERYL BLISS

ENTERTAINMENT: JULY 2004

CHERYL BLISS: SINGER OF THE MONTH THE TECHNO MYSTIC DIVA WITH TEMPO, INTENSE MUSICAL IMPLOSION AND GROUNDED SEDUCTIVE SURREALISM...

By Maximillien de Lafayette, Monthly Herald Staff Writer/Art Critic, London. lafayette@monthlyherald.com

LONDON-UK. Let Cheryl Bliss sing in London, and she will take the city, its bridges, its arts communities and music lovers by storm. She is a powerful singer, Angelique, lyrical, passionate and graceful. Rarely, we do find a powerful performer with grace, or an Angelique singer with passion. Cheryl is this very rare kind of artists. Although her music might appear as an intentionally polished musical craft, and her voice as a well-scripted vocal projection, and her stage presence as strategically and esthetically choreographed in passion, implosion and intensity, none of those superb qualities Cheryl has are molded and projected to please, impress or gain public recognition. Those qualities come from within. And you could tell, for some of her songs are candidly innocent and limpid, while others are electrifying and extremely intense. And this perplexes and confuses me. For it becomes quasi-impossible to categorize this superb artist or adhere to her style a particular cache or flair. She has already transcended categorization, indexing, genre frontiers and style. Amazingly enough, she managed so brilliantly and warmly to blend in perfect unison and in sync, all the tempos, up beats, multi-varied rhythmic arrangements, celestial background music, very unique vocal back-up in one single magnificent repertoire. So true! Bliss performances is a rainbow of one thousands splashes of musical notes, dance music, ballads, rebellious pop beat, melodic cadence, spiritual evocation and all the magic and nostalgia you feel when you think of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Peter Gabriel, Aimee Mann, Lena Horne, Fred Astaire, Bob Dylan, Julie London, Janice Joplin, Piccadilly existentialist beatnik band and the explosive delightful madness of Brazil Rio Festival...No wonder why she appeals to people from all walks of life, all ages and all ethnic origins. An artist who is not limited by musico-geographical necessities and preferences, an artist who is not defined by music fashion and trend du jour will transcend time, space and what so erroneously defines the success of the artist of the moment and his or her temporary public recognition. Cheryl Bliss is that true artist who is bigger than this limited space and enslaved time. She is universal. Two thumbs up for Cheryl. I do believe in this outstanding artist. I do believe in Cheryl Bliss.

Sometimes, what discretely and silently hurts a talented artist echoed what exactly a sensitive and honest art critic realizes and feels upon reviewing the work of that talented artist; when the critic finds out that not enough public exposure or a wider recognition on a large scale were given to that superb artist. And this is exactly what I felt while I was listening to the songs of Cheryl Bliss. I asked myself: "Why this superb singer is not internationally known yet?" What's wrong with us? What's wrong with the music industry? And why didn't we hear of Bliss' name before, here, and there and over there, and in Europe and in England?" Cheryl Bliss herself wondered and asked Peggy North, our senior editor in London, who contacted Cheryl to inform her that the magazine is considering writing a piece on her: "Thanks for writing. How did you hear of me? What would the article be about ?", Cheryl asked Ms North. This was an honest and modest question. But, to me, it is alarming!

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