I had the pleasure of interviewing two rising talents from Philly a couple of weeks ago. I could not wait on this any longer. This is my 1st interview where I had two subjects at once. They are
joined at the hip on a music collaboration that you will enjoy. This dynamic duo consists of Richard
Stackhouse and Lisa Alxzandria.
Richard Stackhouse is 24 years old and reside in Philadelphia. He
was raised all over the Philadelphia area due to being placed in foster care at
the age of 12 until age 21. Richard has always been a major music and entertainment
fan and wanted to start his own company. In early
2013, he decided to start his very own independent company called S.E.E. (Stackhouse
Entertainment Experience). The purpose
of S.E.E. is to feature new upcoming talent. S.E.E. will present everything from
Music, Film, Fashion, and Theater.
The first project S.E.E. will be doing is a compilation album
titled S.E.E. Presents.... The New, The Now, The Next! It will feature unsigned
talent from the Philadelphia area planning to release this winter. The first
single from that project is a song written and executive produced by me titled
"Running Back To You" it features vocals from singer/actress Lisa Alxzandria.
The single is available for download on I Tunes and all other digital outlets.
You'll meet Richard first, then Lisa.
1.) What gave you the motivation to start your own company?
I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur and I have been writing music for a few years now privately. When I decided to start writing for other artists I wanted to take a different approach rather than waiting for somebody to buy a song. I decided it would be best to release my own music and keep creative control and ownership of rights. Once I release my first compilation project “S.E.E. Presents… The New, The Now, The Next” I plan on expanding to things outside of just music. I want to showcase authors, producers, directors, designers, dancers, and etc. I would like to create an entertainment experience and not just a music experience.
2). What are you looking for when searching for new talent?
I’m looking for people with raw talent naturally but also people who have the potential to be great entertainers. Some artists have undeniable talent but not enough drive, and some artists are not naturally talented but have all the drive. I’m looking for the perfect combination of both. “The X Factor” if you will.
3). Are you concentrating on artists in Philly?
Yes I am concentrating on artists in Philly initially. I feel like Philly has so much talent but we have never really got our shine like a New York, LA, Atlanta, Detroit. I would love to start a Philly movement along the lines of Motown or Philadelphia International Records again. That is an ultimate dream and goal of mine to have artists want to be a part of something in Philadelphia without having to migrate to different cities to have success.
4). Who would you mention if I say mentor to you? Explain why?
If I could have anybody mentor me it would be a blessing to have it be Berry Gordy. He is my ultimate inspiration as a music executive because of what he did with Motown. His autobiography “To Be Loved” is one of the reasons I decided to start S.E.E. independently. I love how he built a movement and had all the major labels coming to him as oppose to the other way around. The way he set up his operation was just genius to me and I would love to pick his brain about a few things.
5). Tell the readers your favorite restaurant?
My favorite Restaurant is Warmdaddy’s. They have a great soul food menu and live music. I love their Sunday jazz brunch and normally frequent when they have concerts and events. It has the best of both worlds for me. Great music and food with an intimate setting.
6). What the coolest city you have ever been in?
I would have to say Antigua I vacationed there one summer and the island was beautiful. There were a lot of poverty stricken areas but the spirits of everybody was very uplifting and inspiring. The island just had a different kind of energy about it I can’t really explain but I hope to go back someday.
7). If you could hang out for a day and could only choose one of the following, who would you pick? JayZ, Diddy or Pharrell Williams?
That’s a tough one but I would probably pick Jay Z for a few reasons…. First I would hope to see Beyonce possibly. LOL. But I would like to know how he continues to build his empire bigger and better. Jay Z makes a lot of innovative power moves that keep raising the bar for entertainment moguls. The fact that he juggles being an executive and overseeing careers of mega stars like Rihanna, Kanye West, J Cole, and etc…. and still remains a viable relevant recording artist is amazing to me. I’m most intrigued by the fact that Jay Z started his career the way I'm trying to now with his own independent label “ Roc-a Fella”. He released his debut album “Reasonable Doubt” independently and hasn’t stopped pushing the envelope creatively.
8) How did you meet Lisa? I first met Lisa at an open mic a friend of mine does called “Poetically Free”. Lisa was performing and I was a fan of her voice and asked for her contact information. I knew she had a lot of potential as a new artist and I feel like she has a lot of star quality. A few months later I decided to reach out to her about recording the single “Running Back To You” which is the first single released by S.E.E.
Lisa Alxzandria is a Singer and Actress based in Pennsylvania. Her break out year was 2013, when she made her debut as an actress, starring in the S. Charli Production's stage play "BLUE", which ran at the Independence Seaport Museum Theater in Pennslanding. 'BLUE' was ranked in the top 10 of most talked about productions in Philly in the summer of 2013. In addition to her appearance in the popular production, Lisa Alxzandria also released her first single along with a music video. Song titled, ''Running Back To You" was written and produced by Record Label Stackhouse Entertainment Experience and is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and all other digital stores for only .99 cent. You may see this artist performing in public events, festivals, stage plays and other showcases throughout the tri-state area. Hoping to one day become a National Icon, Lisa Alxzandria is not planning on slowing down anytime soon. This beautiful young talent is ready to share her gifts with the world, and become a name and face that is unforgettable.
9). How long have you wanted to be a recording artist?
As a young girl, I discovered that I had a great singing voice. I just liked the sound of it, and I heard compliments all the time. I knew that this was definitely going to play an important part in my life at some point. But I wasn’t always the most confident; having been teased and put down in school about growing up in the foster care system. I wanted to be something great, but I didn’t believe I could pull it off. When I got older, God sent the love of my life. He was so supportive, and inspiring. He helped me believe in myself. He helped me discover the butterfly I never knew I was. And at that moment, I was then ready to start working towards that dream I had since childhood. And I’ve been working ever since. Wouldn’t trade it in for the world!
10) What performer today has a style you admire?
I think Beyoncé and Tamar Braxton are absolutely fabulous. However, I’ve always admired the old school artist the most. Regina Belle and Whitney Houston are my all-time favorite. I admire Regina’s ability to do several different types of sounds and styles of music, but still sound amazing every time. Of course, like most people I admire Whitney because of her star quality. She is the perfect combination of beauty, raw talent, and spunk.
11) What venue in Philly would you love to perform at?
My dream is to someday perform on the Big Wawa Welcome America Stage. This concert happens annually on 4th of July. I go out there every year just picturing myself up on that stage doing my thing. A wise woman once told me you can speak things into existed, so I’m speaking it.
12). When you win your 1st Grammy, who do you thank first? Also what color would you wear?
God is first and for most in my life. He’s the one that bought me this far, and will continue to take me even further. My favorite color is blue.
13) An athlete practices before a game. What does a singer do before a show?
Before my performances, I stare in the mirror a lot. Making sure everything looks great. As a singer the viewers are not only interested in your voice, they also love to admire your look. After that, I do my basic voice run through.
Below is the music video and several links to the project, artist and producer.
