Meet Greta Prince

Today we’d like to introduce you to Greta Prince.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Greta. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a proud Atlanta native and I’ve loved music as long as I can remember. When I was little tv commercial jingles always caught my attention and I found myself adding my own harmonies to them and quickly memorizing them. I got my start in singing publicly when I was five at an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. youth talent show in Charleston, SC. I sang an acapella version of “I’m a Little Teapot”. I didn’t win (and I didn’t even want to participate in it… mom made me do it lol) but that was my first taste of how amazing it feels to perform for an audience.

From there I always sang in my elementary, middle, high school and church choirs and began taking piano lessons. I eventually majored in music-vocal performance in college. Over the years I was blessed to be a featured soloist/artist in many showcases, church events, and weddings. One of the most memorable performances from my school years was singing our National Anthem for my college graduation (Winthrop University).

Strangely enough, I began a career in logistics finance in Charlotte following college graduation, but I knew that wasn’t what I was supposed to do. I was just worried that music would not be consistent enough to pay the bills. That particular company downsized and I took that as fate’s way of pushing me toward my true love, music. I moved back to Georgia with my family to pursue music full time. I started performing at new/independent artists showcases to help get my name out in the music scene in the Atlanta area and in the hopes of meeting producers and musicians who could help me.

That led to meeting my current bandmates and we formed a band called Corey Brown and the TCB (Taking Care of Business) Band. A few years ago I took my biggest leap of faith after a little nudging from a friend (my now husband) and auditioned for Essence magazine’s first ever R&B Star Search here in Atlanta. Out of hundreds of hopefuls across the country and after a nationwide vote, I actually won! As result, I was able to open up for Mary J. Blige with a duet with singer/songwriter Deniece Williams on the Essence Music Festival main stage in the New Orleans Superdome before a crowd of 50,000 plus!

Winning the competition led to opportunities I’d only dreamed of including a feature in the November 2011 issue of Essence magazine, the release of my first worldwide single, Warryn Campbell produced “You Should Know” under the legendary Malaco Music Group, and the exposure needed to jump-start a full-time music career. Following my single “You Should Know” I landed a distribution deal with eOne/SRT Entertainment for my last release, Daniel Bryant produced “Forever”. I’m proud to have performed at the Essence Music Festival consecutively for 4 years after winning the title.

I recently teamed up again with Daniel and we’re currently writing and recording new music for my EP to be released this fall.  Throughout all my musical experiences I’ve never strayed away from my gospel music roots. I currently serve as Worship Leader for Victory Community Church in Oxford, GA. I perform regularly with the TCB Band and at various events on my own, most notably Gwinnett County’s huge Relay For Life festivities.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I hasn’t been a smooth road at all. It’s quite difficult to break into the music mainstream because of the extreme competitiveness out here. The music industry is also constantly evolving in terms of sound, looks, marketing, etc so as an artist one has to stay on top of all aspects to keep up and remain relevant.

I’ve also been told by industry insiders that I didn’t “have the right look” or the “right complexion” or the “right sound”. I’m determined to keep pushing despite all of that!

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am a singer/songwriter… I perform as a solo artist as well as with the TCB Band regularly. We specialize in R&B, jazz, gospel, and neo-soul music. I pride myself on professionalism and providing an enjoyable and unique listening experience for our audience as we don’t limit ourselves to a specific genre of music. Having studied classical music, I enjoy adding classical elements to my performances as a surprise sometimes.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Professionalism, preparedness, consistency, and a positive attitude are key!

Contact Info:

• Email: gretaprincesings@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamgretaprince/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greta.prince
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iAmGretaPrince
• Other: https://www.reverbnation.com/gretaprince

Image Credit:
Mel B. Elder, Jr., Alisha J. Blanding

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