POEINA

Poeina has been inspired by and closely knit into the Northwest hip hop community having collaborated and featured on over 10 albums with various projects such as Dark Time Sunshine, Gift of Gab/Blackalicious, Eastern Sunz and K records All Your Friends Friends.  Yet her solo music has been more often compared with Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse and Nora Jones.  Poeina grew up singing classical music with Russian Teacher Ludmila Tretzakova in the Seattle Girls Chior in over 15 languages.  She later trained with “The Maestro” David Kyle who taught many great Seattle singers including the Wilson sisters from Heart.

Poeina began performing professionally at age 13 when her cheer coach started booking her for opening acts, private parties & side stages out at the Gorge Amphitheater with House of Blues Concerts including singing with Brandie Carlile on a few shows. Some of the concerts Poeina played out there include two years of Lilith Fair, Alanis Morrissette, Goo Goo Dolls, Bare Naked Ladies, Counting Crows, Dave Mathews Band, Garbage, Bob Dylan & Paul Simon.  Then Poeina Joined Seattle Rock group Bicycle on Interscope records and toured from Portland, Maine to Washington DC on an actual bicycle carrying a guitar amp & a box of merch on the back of her bike.  Poeina went on to tour as a back up singer and songwriter/collaborator for many other tours in Hip hop, Rock, and Indie Folk music.

After years of singing back up and doing collaborations, Poeina went back to being an artist & band leader.  Poeina’s solo music first hit the stage during her original musical production, The Bedroom Show. The show was based on the theme from her song “White Mountain Beauty” that says, “with the thunder brings the rain in the canyons echoing like the time I lost my faith and still survived”. The bedroom show was written, produced and performed by Poeina with the support from the Northwestern community, and 30+ cast and crew members.  The bedroom show was a multimedia rock opera version of her first demo solo album which she recorded at Momentum Studios in Portland, OR in between hip hop sessions.

Eager to promote herself as an artist, Poeina toured the Planes, Trains, & automobiles tour. Without a tour vehicle Poeina hitchhiked, ride-shared, and took public transportation around the country for nearly two years. In each city Poeina met up with pick up bands to rehearse and perform.   The Planes, Trains, & automobiles tour ended with a three week tour in Europe with a 4 piece backing band and was completely funded by a successful kickstarted campaign.

Poeina always made her own costumes for live shows which lead her to work in the LA fashion industry with some renowned designers making costumes for artists & projects such as Beyonce’s formation tour, London Fashion Week, Empire, Teen Choice Awards, & more. Poeina began making & designing costumes for Corey Feldman and his band of Angels which lead to the invite to join the Angelic to the Core Summer tour as a costume designer & opening act on 40+ shows.

Returning to LA exhausted from that nightmare of a tour Poeina began recording an album with a producer who she thought capture her music and launch her career.   After two years of investing time and money into this album the producer had other intentions.  He attempted to sexually assault Poeina and upon fighting back he beat her almost to death leaving her permanently injured.   Poeina was forced to leave the city when covid shut downs hit unable to work or continue fighting for justice.

Poeina moved to the Northern Mountains in Utah to stay with family to heal and begin again.  Poeina created a YouTube show to assist parents who suddenly were homeschooling their kids as well as organizing online concert fundraiser and GoFundMe for poet & entrepreneur, Jesse Marshall of My Sweet Lil Cakes, who lost everything during the challenges of this last year.   Finding new ways to play music with limited use of her hands from nerve damage, Poeina began collaborating with band mates and focused more on writing lyrics and melodies.  Amidst intense limitations personally and world wide, Poeina has managed to create over 40 new Youtube videos, record new music in multiple genres, and is preparing to release a slew of new material.   The new music is focused on uplifting humanity through the perseverance of common struggle & celebration of life.  The newest release is a collaboration with Guitar player Tate Simms called “Crazy In Love”.  Now available on all streaming sites and music video available on Youtube.