iTunes and CDBaby Helped Indie Artist Wayna Get First Grammy Nod

Washington, DC, December 05, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Last night, DC-area songstress Wayna received her first ever Grammy nod in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance Category for her remake tune, Lovin U (Music), featuring Kokayi. Ironically, the critically-acclaimed Ethiopian-born singer songwriter is the only truly independent artist in a category that was historically created to acknowledge the accomplishments of artists who have emerged from the underground music scene. Without the same big brand label machines that nurture every other nominee in her category, Wayna, through her independent imprint, Quiet Power Productions, has cultivated a following for her empowering brand of rhythm and blues, hip pop soul music. In another twist of irony, the nominated song, a tribute to Music off of her sophomore album “Higher Ground”, is about the ups and downs of an artist struggling to make it in the music industry and includes the line “even if this doesn’t get on the radio” which is a typical fate for songs by artists lacking major label backing.

“Indeed, the nomination is a testament to the power of CD Baby and Itunes,” said Wayna from her South Africa hotel room where she was attending a friend’s wedding and where she received news of the nomination. “I am so grateful for the honor to be nominated and even more so that my good friend and mentor Stevie Wonder produced the original version of the song.” After watching Wayna perform in January 2004 at the Santa Monica hotspot, The Temple Bar, Wonder called her “incredible.” It was that fateful meeting that inspired Wayna to dig into Wonder’s music library and discover “Lovin You”, originally sung by Minnie Riperton, who said she penned the song to calm her baby daughter SNL comedienne Maya Rudolph. Before this recognition, two other singles off the “Higher Ground” album charted on the Billboards: My Love peaked at # 2 and Midnight Rendezvous peaked at #3 of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles.

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Media contact: JJ Ghatt 240-235-5028 or jj@ghatt.com
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