Mca 'soul Sista' Keke Wyatt Fulfills Childhood Dream

When parents ask their children what they want to be when they grow up, the answers vary. And usually the answers change many times before the kids reach adulthood. Not so for 21-year-old MCA artist KeKe Wyatt, whose debut set, Soul Sista, streets Sept. 18.

"I knew at 5 that I wanted to sing forever," says Wyatt (aka Ketara Wyatt), who began singing at the age of 2 in church, "and I've been recording since I was 12."

Wyatt finally got her chance to shine when she teamed with MCA labelmate Avant on "My First Love," a song from his debut album, My Thoughts.

Avant returned the favor on Soul Sista by guesting on the midtempo cut "Nothing in the World" and writing two songs for the album. Avant also appears in the video for her first single, "Used to Love." The single rises 94-87 on this issue's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

"I didn't think it would be my first single," says Wyatt, who's managed and booked by Cynthia McCoggle for Los Angeles-based Southpaw Entertainment. "We were going to use 'I Don't Wanna.' But we decided to go with something uptempo."

Although MCA chose to lead off with more uptempo fare, Wyatt can certainly handle ballads, a fact she proves with her rendition of Patti LaBelle's "If Only You Knew."

Produced by Steve Huff, Soul Sista showcases Wyatt's emotions. "It's all about relationships," says Wyatt of the 10-track set. "A lot of what Steve wrote I've been through personally, so when I sing I really testify."

MCA VP of marketing Cassandra Ware points out that in addition to traditional promotional strategies, Wyatt's previous exposure via "My First Love" has given the project an added boost.

"People have shown us a bit more attention because they've seen her perform [the song] with Avant," Ware says. "It opened a lot of doors and gave the industry a bird's-eye view of both artists."

Broadway Joe, PD for KIPR (Power 92) Little Rock, Ark., says that it was Wyatt's work with Avant that interested him in the first single. "["Used to Love"] is a fairly uptempo singing song, and it isn't rap," he says. "That is why I think it took off so early." He also says he has heard clips from Soul Sista and believes the strength of the album is in the ballads, one of which he hopes will become the second single.