Biography
With all the djs that are out there today, Empress` pure talent and passion shines like a light through the bleek haze of egos and mediocrity.
Something of a prodigy, Empress graduated college at the age of 17. She was the first American to be invited to play at V Recording`s prestigious party — Movement in 1999. Her collaboration with Djs Ufo! and Sage spawned "Hydroxy", which was released on Skunkrock Recordings with a Digital and Spirit Rmx on the flip. Following the release she completed a monstrocity of a tour in Europe and the continental US. In between her hectic dj schedule, she managed to work full time at Satellite Records for 2 years, as the head buyer of drum n bass for the stores 3 locations– New York, Boston and Atlanta –resulting in the quadrupling of the sales. Believe it or not, these feats were accomplished before she was even 20!
In 1993, Empress started attending clubs and raves in NYC. "From the first time I ever stepped into a club and felt that free, passionate energy, I knew I had to be involved. I loved all of it, the intense music, the passionate dancing, the outrageous costumes and attire. I felt like I belonged in the alternative reality of being truly free and accepted."
In 1994, Empress started working her first record store job; managing shop, taking orders and buying at Joey D`s Records. She sought out the job because of her absolute obsession for the underground dance music. "I needed to learn as much as I could about the music and the store was a great catalyst for that." While at work, Empress practiced mixing religiously and made tons of contacts with all the promoters and djs in the area. This later proved beneficial to her career.
At Simon`s Rock College of Bard she studied psychology with the hopes of helping troubled individuals. "On weekends, I would perform at clubs and raves in the New England area. Back then there were very few female djs. I was warmly welcomed as a dj by all and I soon came to realize I was reaching more people through my dj sets than I was working in institutions."
The art of playing music and entertainment is actually in her DNA. Her father, New York City`s Disc Jockey Icon, Dan Ingram, recently retired from CBS FM for almost 50 years of rocking the American airwaves. He is featured in Radio and Television museums all over the world for his perserverance and dedication to the artform. His father, Jonny Ingram was a bigband conductor who conducted world famous musicians.
December 17th, 1999 marked a milestone for Empress and the entire US drum and bass community as she made history by being the first American invited to play at V Recording`s renowned weekly, "Movement" in London. The Movement crew and crowd liked her set so much they`ve her back many times through out the years.
Empress` talent is known worldwide and on her first visit to San Francisco in 99; the revered phunckateck collective found her a welcome addition to the Bay Area scene. She was invited to team up with icons Sage and UFO! to form Triadd and the quickly slammed out their first single, "Hydroxy", which was released on Skunkrock Recordings UK, in august 2000.
From 2000-2002, Empress threw Ignite, at New York City`s Liquids, with Dj`s 101 and Krunchy. Ignite was one of the most influencial dnb parties in NYC–featuring prestigious DJs and producers such as Jumpin Jack Frost, Dom and Roland, Bad Company, Future Cut, Ink, Fierce and John Selway.
In 2003, Empress released "Stateside Sessions Vol. 2" on Topaz Records. The sequential tour following the release was a 40 city date US tour which was highly praised.
Over the years, Empress has toured Japan, Germany, Macedonia, England, Canada, Puerto Rico, almost the entire continental US. With a current intense touring schedule, she is still finding time to work on her own tunes in NYC.
Empress and her production partner, Jinsoo, have finished many tunes, including a remix for the band Sonny Boy and a reworking of the tune "We live in Brooklyn", by Roy Ayers. They also produced songs for the infamous band Blondie for their next album, "the Curse of Blondie" on Sony UK.
Sought after by promoters, artists, bands and fans worldwide, Empress continues to move crowds, grace studios and stereos across the globe every day.
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