HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The City of Huntsville, often referred to as the "Rocket City" has always been known for its high-tech atmosphere, but with a new initiative it could soon be the place local music culture thrives.
"Heard First Huntsville," is a project launched from the nonprofit "Reify," an organization dedicated to investing in creatives from diverse backgrounds.
Sharona Drake-Henderson, the founder of both "Refiy" and "Heard First" says for over a year, their team has brought many of Huntsville's talented minority creatives and business professionsals together to produce music representative of Huntsville's unique culture and sound.
"We're saying, hey, the hits of tomorrow, the big artists of tomorrow that you're going to see on all the screens, you hear them first in Huntsville, Alabama, in North Alabama," Drake-Henderson said.
This "Heard First Huntsville" initiative is highlighting six local artists (Zami Maré, Meme B. Jones, O'Rian, DMRSoul, Mil, Pat Jamar) who all bring unique sounds to the project.
Currently they're all collaborating on an album set to release September 29th, 2023.
"We have country on the album, we have blues, we have R&B, we have soul, we have funk," Drake-Henderson said.
DMRSoul describes himself as, "a little bit of everything. I'm a singer, a soul singer, to be exact. I also rap and do poetry."
And Mil says he's currently working on an album that has, "some blues tunes for you. I have some R&B mix with all of that. So it's a nice little balance. You can dance to it and everybody can smile and have fun."
Mil grew up singing gospel music but it wasn't until 2021 that he decided to launch his music career. And through this project he says he's been growing his confidence and craft through working with other artists and like-minded individuals.
"One thing I really learned is that I do sing, but I just love to entertain people. I just like to put a smile on people's faces," Mil said.
DMRSoul grew up with a family full of musicians and began making music at just four years old.
"I'm from the north side and the north side of the city is amazing. But it had its quirks. I grew up in a family where we were broken. We were broken but also happy. So my music, it actually emulates that same feeling. I like to bring out happiness throughout anything that I do, " DMRSoul said.
DMRSoul says for him, music translates to human connection, and he creates music through the inspiration of, "dialogue between women and men in my past. What I saw from my mother, what I saw from the relationships in our community. It brought out my writing. I could see the differences, I could see what we weren't speaking about, what the truths that we weren't telling each other."
"And that's what I bring out with my music. I love to, in a way, connect different feelings and unify and and show you how it all connects. Because we're very similar," DMRSoul said.
Through this initiative, artists are provided a safe space to grow and create.
"A lot of times, once those musicians get off stage, they are carrying things with them that no one knows, right? And so I wanted to provide a space where we can pour into these musicians on and off stage, and also where it could be a safe space to create because things are stolen in music all the time," Drake-Henderson said.
And it's an environment where they can all learn from one another.
"I connect with all these artists. I hear their music, I hear what they're saying, and we all fit , all our music fit together...it's so beautiful. I just can't wait for you to hear it," DMRSoul said.
"Getting all those angles and being able to reach to them and then they can tap into me…it's wonderful," Mil said.
On top of the album, these artists have several shows in the works where you'll be able to say, "I heard it first in Huntsville, Alabama."
The initial Heard First Huntsville event will be a free show Thursday, July, 6th at 7 pm at The Electric Belle. The show will feature Pat Jamar along with Wade Brown (as seen on “The Voice”), and Lamont Landers (as seen on “America’s Got Talent”).