MEM Artist Advisory Council

Alice Hasen is a Memphis-based violinist, recording artist and songwriter. Alice is known for her unique style which combines the virtuosity of her classical upbringing with soaring improvisation. She has been called “one in a million” by Alan Rowoth, founder of folkmusic.org. Alice formed her solo project, Alice Hasen & the Blaze, in 2018 to allow herself total freedom in songwriting and playing. Her five-piece “fiddle-powered groove band” is rooted in the Memphis heritage of funk, rock and jazz but can stray into pop, blues, and experimental territory. In 2019, she released her debut album, Violintro, which Radio Memphis called "one of the most dynamic sounds out there." In addition to serving on the Artist Advisory Council, Alice also serves on the Board of Directors of Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA).

Born to the land of Woodstock, TN, Corey Martin, known affectionately as Corey Lou, came into this world as a born-to-be performer. Gifted with a heart for soul and the ear of a true musician, Lou began his journey as an artist from the young age of five singing the deep gospel sound of the Memphis choirs, to the rugged soul riffs so well trained at the infamous Stax Music Academy, to the polished classical content worthy of Carnegie Hall's stages. It’s safe to say that Lou does it all. A self-proclaimed “lover-boy”, the words of Lou’s work reflect a man in contemplation over life lessons, laments, and most deeply, love. Out of his desire to make meaning of these things, Lou takes each verse and chord as the chance to communicate a message of power with the world. His greatest hope is that in doing so, he can set a standard of success and true expression beyond the mainstream. As a child, Lou's mother would always quote the saying,"it takes a village to raise a child" and that saying never left his heart propelling him to create his own village. In the year of 2020, Mr. Lou created his backing band officially naming it "Corey Lou & Da Village." He also established DaVillage Entertainment in 2022. To Mr. Lou, his music is his child to help change the culture of the world and spaces around him, while also creating a standard of success and true expression beyond the mainstream. Corey Lou’s glorious timbres ricochet through your mind in a prominent manner that has his allure drawing you towards the compelling quintessence of his artistry and persona. The energy that he showcases through the seemingly smooth vibes takes you into a whirlwind of resonance that continues to intensify as his records progress. Incorporating his gospel choir roots that scream out Memphis, there’s the originality that comes from this inimitable lane he has carved out for himself. Corey Lou & Da Village make it so you get everything you need through their intricately crafted soundscapes that are dedicated to making you feel the emotion within. Stay tuned for the upcoming releases of Corey Lou’s latest expressions in his Debut Project. Move through the tale of intimacy as the storyteller expresses his deepest truth with an abundance of love. With a hope that his music reaches whomever is meant to hear the message, Corey Lou creates music with the intention for it to be a vehicle of "generational peace, good energy, and fellowship for the world."

Cyrena Wages fell in love with music on the country backroads between Millington and Shelby Forest, two small towns just north of Memphis. Her debut 2024 album, Vanity Project, is both an exercise in rebellion against years of conditioning, as well as a way of processing her own struggles, healing, and growth. As much as Memphis shaped her positively, there were aspects of growing up as a woman in the South that didn’t align with who she wanted to become. Cyrena tapped producer Matt Ross-Spang (Charley Crockett, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Margo Price) to helm Vanity Project at Southern Grooves Studio in Memphis.

Following Vanity Project’s Independent release, Wages has completed her Sophomore album, Miss Melancholia, in Nashville with producer and co-writer Johnny Black and second primary co-writer Amie Miriello. The first single off this record is slated for release in late Spring 2025.

Born and raised in Memphis, John Miller has worked in the local music community since 2007 when he was hired by Archer Records to assist with legal issues, artist project coordination, and marketing efforts. He then took a position with the Memphis Music Foundation as Resource Center Coordinator, working with artists to help develop and implement specific career goals, as well as creating educational music business materials and opportunities, and representing Memphis artists at national festivals and conferences. Since then, he has held a variety of roles in the local music community: tour manager, talent buyer for venues, community events and festivals, and is currently co-owner at Shangri-La Records and Misspent Records, a label dedicated to releasing music from Memphis artists. Additionally, Miller serves as Music Coordinator for the Indie Memphis Film Festival, booking artists to perform throughout the festival as well as working with programmers to coordinate music documentaries and live performances.

With over a decade of experience in the Entertainment field; Keia has made a name for herself as the multifaceted Artist that attacks each opportunity with gusto and her signature smile. Keia was born in San Antonio, TX but grew up all over the world in a Military family. She listened to a wide range of artists growing up, but it was the move to Memphis that helped her establish her sound and performance style. She has performed on some of the most Iconic stages in Memphis (The Orpheum, Cannon Center & festivals) & with some of the best talent Memphis has to offer, like Justin Timberlake, Wendy Moten, The Bar-Kays, and David Porter of Stax Records. Years later, It was American Idol that served as the true catalyst for Keia to recognize who she was as an Artist, the talent competition led her to Hollywood where “Miss Congeniality” wowed the judges for two seasons. Her audition performance of Celine Dion’s vocally rigorous “My Heart Will Go On” prompted guest judge and musical role model Mary J. Blige to simply declare: “She can sing!” In 2016, the world seemed to open up for Keia as she travelled for 3 years with the BB King Allstar band on Holland America Cruise lines singing Blues, Rock and Roll, Jazz, Classic R&B and Soul. She officially launched KJ Management, an Entertainment Agency in 2021. Under which she had developed exclusive Memphis Soul and Jazz shows for riverboats. She gives private Vocal lessons to Artists & Students as well as Artist development. She is currently writing/producing shows and musicals for regional Theaters and stages. Make sure to keep up with her at XperiencEntertainment.com

Ezra is a native Memphian who, despite lacking any musical talent of his own, has been lucky enough to ingrain himself into the local music scene. After years of living in New Orleans and Seoul, South Korea, Ezra returned to Memphis in 2015 where he began serving as the Program Director at both the Memphis Rock N Soul Museum and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. During this time, he created the award-winning podcast Memphis Musicology. Now serving as the Music Editor for We Are Memphis Music and as an employee at Shangri-La Records, Ezra has also contributed as a music writer for the Daily Memphian and Choose901 and provided support for the Beale Street Music Fest and Mempho Fest. He is also the host of the weekly radio show “Dead Wax” on WYXR, which focuses primarily on soul, funk, and R&B.

RANEEM IMAM IS AN ARAB-AMERICAN SINGER, SONGWRITER, AND PRODUCER FROM MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. HER STYLISTIC INFLUENCES ARE A DIVERSE MIX OF R&B, POP, AND ALTERNATIVE GENRES, AND SHE CONSIDERS HERSELF TO BE A GENRE-BENDING SONGSTRESS WHO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT EXPLORING THE ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS. SHE HAS WORKED AT RECORDING STUDIOS AROUND MEMPHIS SUCH AS ROYAL STUDIOS, YOUNG AVENUE SOUND, MUSIC + ARTS, AND MAGNETIC RECORDING STUDIO. SINCE THE DEBUT OF HER SINGLE “WISE UP” IN 2018, SHE’S WRITTEN AND RELEASED MULTIPLE RECORDS LEADING UP TO HER 2021 DEBUT EXTENDED PLAY ALBUM “PEACE OF MIND” WHICH HAS GARNERED HER MORE SUPPORT AND ATTENTION IN THE MEMPHIS MUSIC SCENE AND BEYOND. AS A WRITER, RANEEM DRAWS MUCH INSPIRATION FROM THE UNSAID AND THE UNFELT EMOTIONS, FEARS, AND EXPERIENCES OF LIFE. FROM THE PRODUCTION AND CREATIVE DIRECTION TO THE LYRICS AND HARMONIES, SHE THRIVES ON THE ADRENALINE RUSH OF CREATING MUSIC THAT IS CONSCIOUS AND REAL TO EVERY ONE OF OUR HUMAN SENSES. HER MISSION IN THIS WORLD IS TO CONTINUE WRITING THE SONGS AND ANTHEMS THAT HELP US ALL GET THROUGH ANOTHER DAY.

Zack Orsborn is a writer, musician, and visual artist originally from Mississippi. He is the founder of Like Really Creative, a community-focused resource for creatives. He is also a member of The Ugly Art Co. collective. His work has appeared in the Memphis Museum of Art and Science's LGBTQ History Exhibition, Benjamin L. Hooks Central Public Library, Ugly Art Co. Gallery, The Medicine Factory, and Off the Wall Arts. In 2024, he was selected for the Urban Arts Commission's Movable Arts Collection. Orsborn's visual art and writing have been featured in several publications, including The Pinch (where his art graced both cover and interior), Current Magazine, Sauna Magazine, Focus Magazine, and Stone Pacific Magazine. He has written and self-published three self-published novels, a short story collection, and an interactive poetry chapbook. He released his debut album, TOUGH CASE, in 2024. View his work at www.zackorsbornart.com.

CHRISTOWNSEND is a Memphis native born and raise in the Orange Mound, Westwood and Whitehaven sections of Memphis. Chris or "CT" is a hip hop recording artist and songwriter who has released 6 solo projects since 2017 and preparing for his 7th release in the spring of 2025. CT is passionate about serving the Memphis community and also serves as the Give901 Director at City Leadership (Choose901).

Daniel Lynn has worked as an Audio Engineer for over 15 years. He graduated from the University of Memphis with a degree in recording technology, and began his career as a Front of House & Monitor Engineer at Hope Church in Cordova. During that time, he began engineering at Archer Recording Studio where he now calls home. He splits his time between music & film equally. He has worked on many music projects ranging from artists such as Amy LaVere & Cloudland Canyon to St. Paul & the Broken Bones & The Allman Betts Band. In the film world, Daniel has completed the audio post production work on everything from short documentaries to feature length films. Some of his credits include: ADR for Bluff City Law, PValley, & Squidbillies; 5.1 score mix for Cigarette Girl & Variations in Mellotron; complete audio post on The Little Tea Shop, La Serina, Solus, & Girl In Woods, and both the Marc Gasol and Tony Allen documentaries. If he’s not at the studio or in one of the many coffee shops around town, Daniel can be found at CrossFit Hit & Run, where he is a certified CrossFit and Nutrition coach, or enjoying a long run.

Lina Beach is a Colombian-American artist and multi-instrumentalist from Franklin, TN who has now found her home in Memphis. In 2021 she arrived at Royal Studios as an intern for Grammy Award-winning producer Boo Mitchell. Her guitar playing soon caught Boo’s attention, inspiring her to write songs and share her gift. This period of growth sparked an outpouring of songs exploring love, loss, spirituality, and self-discovery - now being recorded at Royal for her upcoming debut album, Little Sanities.

After graduating, Lina became the newest member of Willie Mitchell’s legendary studio band the Hi Rhythm Section. Since then Lina has performed on stage and in the studio with a host of notable artists including Al Green, Morgan Freeman, William Bell, Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, Joss Stone, Eric Gales, and Charlie Musselwhite. While Lina brings a fresh and personal style to her music, she honors the rich, soulful sound that has defined Royal Studios for generations.

Sophie Baldwin, a California native, discovered her passion for music early on, starting as a record store clerk before pursuing a Music Business degree at Belmont University in Nashville. While at Belmont, she gained hands-on experience interning and working in the marketing department at indie label Oh Boy Records. After several years there, she relocated to Memphis, where she began managing the renowned singer-songwriter Dan Reeder. Driven by her love for independent artists and strategic marketing, Sophie founded This New Century, an indie marketing consulting agency dedicated to helping musicians navigate the ever-evolving industry. With a deep understanding of both artistry and business, she continues to champion independent voices and innovative marketing strategies.