Tulani performed on the main stage, Zeus, at ONE MusicFest 2016. Fans on social media was singing her praises, loved her energy and says her show was nothing less than “epic.” The Atlanta singer-songwriter and harpist performed her powerful ballad “Miss You,” a song that one reviewer says is reminiscent of Prince’s “Purple Rain,” where both artists long for a past lover.
What’s in a name?
The name Tulani is of African origin and usually a boy’s name that means “Quiet.” She’s anything but. Tulani fuses pop, funk and soul informed by three decades of sound: ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.
The flaxen-haired performer says her sounds are heavily influenced by, “Michael Jackson, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Prince, Tina Turner and Whitney Houston.”
Some of her biggest shows include opening up for soul singer Music Soulchild and funk legends George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. #Girlpower. She’s toured with Lady Gaga on the Monster Ball Tour where she spent a year and a half playing harp in Lady Gaga’s band.
She’s been recognized and received the following awards:
- The Trailblazer Award from the Young & Powerful for President Obama
- The Rising Star Award from the Young & Powerful for President Obama
- The Mirror Mirror Beauty and Fashion Icon Award from CVS and rolling out
According to her online bio, her father was a professional jazz guitarist and songwriter, who trained and mentored Tulani in music. She started singing solos in her church choir when she was little and began studying harp soon after.
She says of singer/songwriter, “When I first started writing with Geno, it was magic! We truly clicked, we went back to my roots, full of soul and passion, like how I used to sing in church and we meshed it with my affinity for funk and pop. The music is limitless, never in a box, it’s a blend of everything I love with something new.”
