The singer garnered healthy national exposure with her 1995 "Just Too Perfect" and 1998's classic oldie "Cow Cow Boogie" videos. Working the Toronto club circuit, she is also kept been kept busy acting, dancing, and doing radio and television voiceovers--both in French and English. (She appeared in a Ken Finkelman TV series and has brightened up the small screen with her comedic spots for Leon's.)
.The project really began late in 1997 when she brought the lyric of the ballad "Lay Me Open" to her producer. Once he sat down with it, tune and arrangement ideas flowed easily, and the tune became an important component of the album concept, which would unite modern lyric ideas with older forms. "There's a lot of good in new country," says Sonya, "but I';m proud of my roots, and I wanted to get certain sounds onto this recording." The album contains torchy sounds which have been influenced by Brenda Lee's stylings, Western Swing that harks back not only to Bob Wills but to the great collaborations of Buddy Emmons and Ray Pennington, and in the title tune, "One Kiss Closer To Heaven", a down-and-out Cajun rocker complete with rub-board and raucous fiddles. "And I think a little bit of Lucille Starr comes out overall," she adds.
Sonya Marie's style is bright and infectious in the up-numbers, but her purity of voice and deep emotional reflection characterize the ballad selections, such as the profoundly touching "Whatever Happened To Us?" . The four writing co-credits with her producer suggest an artist with strong and interesting ideas that will develop further and deeper.
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