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Women in Entertainment

Women in entertainment: Danni Rosner, sweet country songstress

As we head into Thanksgiving, it is our privilege to present this week’s Women in Entertainment profile of Danni Rosner, former television host, singer-songwriter and founder of the future country wonders, Honey County, one of the brightest of country music’s newcomers.

Born and raised in Virginia, she relocated with her family to Tokyo, Japan as she was entering the fifth grade.  She remained abroad until high school, when her family returned to Virginia.  Rosner then attended Virginia Tech, where she graduated with degrees in English and Musical Analysis.

Her musical career truly began in 2009 when she won the legendary NYC Amateur Night at the Apollo with a rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools.”  Since then, she has been featured several times at the Sunset Sessions Radio Film & TV Showcase in Las Vegas and has performed live on a myriad of NBC, FOX & WUSA morning news and talk programs.  She was also the host for PBS’s music video program Strictly Global on the MHz Networks.  Her music has been placed in several television shows and indie films, including A&E’s TEACH:  Tony Danza, ABC’s General Hospital, and the indie film The Umbrealla Man.

In 2013, her solo single, “Didn’t Mean it That Way,” debuted at #6 on the iTunes POP ‘Hot Tracks’ and quickly followed with notable placements on iTunes New & Noteworthy Country and iTunes Rising Stars of Country.  Along the way, she also found time to tour as a solo artist in support of Grammy winners Leeann Rimes, Marc Cohn and current Top 40 artist Matt Nathanson.

In 2014, Danni founded the female pop-country trio Honey County.  The band has already had a song placed on the 2014 season finale of HBO’s True Blood, a pop-country trio.  In addition, the band was chosen as a semi-finalist on VH1’s Make a Band Famous.

After the band released their first self-titled EP earlier this year, their single, “99 Bottles” was selected to represent them in CMT’s contest to chose the opening band for country superstar Brett Eldredge.  Los Angeles-based country station Go Country 105 also sponsored the band in the 34th annual Country Showdown competition, where they finished second.  Go Country was so impressed with the band that they booked them for their Hot Country Nights cruise.  Rosner also found time this year to share her voice on Disney’s TV movie event Descendants.

What inspires Rosner?   “I’m constantly inspired by my younger sister, April.  With every day that she battles ulcerative colitis, she continues to remain upbeat and positive.  She is one of the most resilient and courageous people I know.”

Honey County has received airplay not only on popular Los Angeles radio station KCRW, but also on iheartradio station WPOC 93.1, and continues to perform throughout California, most recently at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood and Incahoots in Fullerton, as well as the legendary Troubadour on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

Where does Rosner see herself in the future?  “It’s hard to see 10 or 20 minutes down the road much less years, but I dream BIG!”

WPOC DJ St.Pierre said it best:  “I know it’s hard to compare anybody to this (speaking of Danni Rosner) superstar’s voice, but Danni has a ‘Carrie Underwood’ feel, and it’ really powerful.”
With an upcoming show at the newly relocated House of Blues on December 17, fans will have the chance to see why Honey County, featuring Danni Rosner is definitely on their way up the charts.
To find out more about Rosner and her band, check out their website and Facebook pages (solo and band), follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Categories
Women in Entertainment

Women in entertainment: Tiffany Phillips, inspirational quadruple threat is all pro

Happy Monday.  Now that we’ve all survived the Super Blood Moon, let’s take a look at our next Women in Entertainment featured artist, Tiffany Phillips, actress, dancer, singer, comedian and inspiration to all women, especially those of color.

After receiving a full scholarship, Phillips left her hometown of Apple Valley, California at the tender age of 17 to attend the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.   After graduating, she wasted no time in landing roles in Off Broadway shows as well as traveling as part of several national theatre tours.   She also became a member of the renowned Negro Ensemble Company and National Black Theatre, where she performed on the main stage.  Her national tours included Beehive, the 60’s girl group musical; Sweet Charity; and More Magic, the Motown review starring Florence Larue of The Fifth Dimension.

When she was 19, she became the youngest singer in the Motown Moments at New York’s Motown Cafe, singing the hits of the Supremes, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas and much more.  Among the Motown legends who attended her performances were Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, as well as the one and only Mohammed Ali.

Disney cast Phillips in the role of Princess Kibbibi in their musical Festival of the Lion King staged at Walt Disney World ‘s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida.  She also hosted shows on the ABC Soundstage and Superstar Television, as well as performing at special seasonal events.  During this time she also appeared in numerous national commercials and began her string of guest starring roles on network television, including a run as the co-host and on-air announcer for Nickelodeon’s Double Dare 2000.

That run continued when Phillips returned to the West Coast, where she secured roles on such diverse shows as Charmed and Mind of Mencia, as well as several independent films.  Phillips expanded her reach when she starred in several critically-acclaimed plays, including Diary Of A Catholic School Dropout and Jesus’ Kid Brother at the Theatre Rows’ Hudson Theatre, and Soldier’s Don’t Cry and Girls Of Summer, for which she received rave reviews.

This love of theatre prompted Phillips to create the female sketch comedy troupe BoomChickBoom that garnered the attention of Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Robert Townsend, who later became producers on the project.

Disney came calling again and Phillips was chosen to be the on-camera spokesperson and host for their Up and Bolt national tours.  She still found time to make the rounds as a stand-up comedian, gracing such comedy landmarks as The Comedy Store and The Laugh Factory.

In 2010, she returned to her vocal roots when she became the lead background vocalist for Michael Bolton’s “One World One Love” tour.

Tiffany wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed one-woman play I Never Met a Jerk I Didn’t Like,” which debuted at the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival and went on to become the highest grossing solo show in the 30-year history of LA’s  Whitefire Theatre, as well as selling out Off-Broadway theaters in New York City.

What inspires Phillips?  “I am inspired by quotes from a diverse range of artists.  Among my favorites are “A woman who walks in purpose doesn’t have to chase people or opportunities. Her light causes people and opportunities to chase her;”  “I’m so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I’m saying.” (Oscar Wilde); and “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.” (Marianne Williamson)

More recently, she has co-starred on The Soul Man with Cedrick “The Entertainer,” performed on Comedy Central’s Workaholics and just completed filming the movie Chocolate Is Not Better Than Sex and the new web series Under The Radar with John Wesley and Cleo King.  She has also made several appearances as a guest on HLN’s The Daily Share, as well as an upcoming co-starring role on ABC’s Scandal.

What are her plans for the future?  “I’m currently turning my one woman show into a novel and am in the process of writing a comedy web series.  I definitely want to get my show up again and would love to tour it because the message is so relevant and universal.  I’m also looking to start a non-profit for teen girl providing self esteem workshops and mentoring.”

For more information on Tiffany Phillips, check out her Facebook and iMDB pages, follow her on Twitter and Instagram or subscribe to her YouTube channel.