Photography by Roxanne Garroway
Stylist: BossyGirls
Makeup by Elle

Toronto, ON – During a musical era where reality has become as remotely absent from the radio as the truth is from a lie, a promising melody has dawned. It can be heard flowing serenely over the bitter streets of Toronto. Over the course of the last 8 years, this city has been engulfed by record-breaking amounts of violence. Citizens and political forces alike have been saddened by this trend that continues to escalate without any concrete solution or understanding in place. It has inarguably begun to echo the same types of stories of bloodshed and tears that have already plagued cities across the United States for years on end.

Our American counterpart has witnessed the likes of women such as Mary J Blige, Faith Evans, Keyshia Cole, and more recently Deemi; all of whom have survived street crime, violence and domestic abuse. They’ve pressed on despite their life-altering circumstances, to share, inspire and become successful songstresses. The experiences never falter. No. They only hit the soul harder and harder each time a new voice surfaces onto the stage. Out of Toronto, our very own star is born. She reveals that there is more to a lady than pointing fingers and protesting living life. She has love, courage and the lyrics to pen a woman’s evolution; beautifully. Her passion to captivate and illuminate through song is unmistakable. Her soul riveting ballads or hard-hitting street anthems sing the song we never tire of hearing, the reality we never tire of facing. The truth is Ms. Kim Davis.

The Scarborough resident, who is native to South Africa, was married, became a mother, wrote a prolific amount of music, did background work and toured with several Canadian, U.S., and UK artists, all by the age of 20. However it wasn’t until the devastating loss of her high school sweetheart and husband, and also father to her two children that she decided to rise up above her situation. She had to answer the call that had been diligently pursuing her by dream ever since she was a young girl. The call was to be a singer. Davis grieved over the death of her husband for as long as she could, but maternal and life instincts came into play to show her that life was throwing hard punches at her and as a fighter she had to throw them back; not only for herself, but for the two young children who carried her DNA, that she loved so much. Now, not everybody gets this call; some are in the right place at the right time, while some just pay the right people and show the right amount of skin to get the ball rolling. Some fight the call, some embrace it. Davis did the latter. She knew that music was apart of her destiny as she had been given the signs all throughout her young life. “ Singing has always been a kind of therapy for me ”, says Davis. “I also write, so I kind of felt that my calling was to sing, they do go hand in hand with one another.” Music is like any other art, it’s natural and real, when the artist is natural and real. Some artists are born with the eye to snap photographs, while some are born with the hands to play classical instruments. Davis endured through a life to write, with a voice just as complimentary to sing.

At the tender age of thirteen, a young Kim began to write. As she evolved into a woman, Davis began to polish her vocal abilities by articulating her feelings, experiences and thoughts into ballads. “I used to keep, what many would consider today, to be a journal” says Davis, explaining how she got started as a writer. Writing was the channel for Davis to explore her deepest contemplations. It not only became a venting mechanism, but writing was also apart of her present, and eventual future. Covering a wide range of subject matters, Davis’ records can appeal to any and every person. An array of topics from love, sex, separation, friendships, emotional struggles and crucial decisions are covered in songs like "Sometimes" (current single) "I Can’t Convince You" and "Tell Her". These penmanship skills have graced the projects of many developing and established artists such as Atlantic Records recording artist Bayje's “Chick You Need”, Jus Rights’ “Show Me Your Love”, Ken Masters’ “In My Way” and Canada’s Caribbean Vibrations TV show where Kim Davis is the writer and singer for the theme song. For her own project, Davis’ songs convey personal situations to things she’s seen happen in the lives of friends and acquaintances. Not only will women of her demographic be able to understand where she is coming from, but people from all walks of life in this diverse city will be able to connect to Davis immediately and intimately.

As a booming key player in the Toronto hip-hop music scene, things aren’t and never were easy for Davis, who was initially oblivious to the difficulty in breaking into a cut-throat industry. When shopping around for labels, Davis was propositioned to compromise her individual artistry by giving away songs to artists short of talent, already established in the music business. But fate surfaced for Davis in mid 2005, when she met Dre Knight of The Narcotics, a production company based in New York. Dre and The Narcotics would eventually go on to produce most of the records on Davis’ new project – Live, Love, Learn. Davis is also featured on international reggae superstar Sizzlas’ newest album The Overstanding. “I actually did background vocals on one of his songs, a record on that album called “Take myself away”, says Davis. She continues, “Hush was a track already recorded for that album. The opportunity arose for meto get on that record as a feature, so I recorded over “Hush” and it became really popular over the radio, especially once NYC’s top DJ Funkmaster Flex started blowing it up. It then became one of my singles.” “Sometimes”, is the current radio banger continuing the buzz for Ms. Davis all over the city. With a touch of old school, R&B flavor, the Caribbean inspired, break-up to make-up, breeze-blowing-through-your-hair, chilling by the poolside “Sometimes” provides a feel that is much needed right now as we head into the coldest quarter of the year.

Through business relationships with JP of Grindworks, a management, development, and promotions company out of NYC and The Narcotics, Kim Davis’ sound has been shaking up the hip-hop/R&B scene in various cities from Toronto to New York to Miami and more. Over the years, Davis has performed throughout various venues in Canada and the US, including: Hot 97’s Summer Jam @ Giant’s Stadium, NYC/NJ, Buffalo’s WBLK’s Reunion Party/End of the Summer Jam, OTA Live & HipHopCanada.com’s Megacity Countdown Launch, Canada’s Honey Jam, the world famous S.O.B.’s in NYC, the John Legend/Esthero Tour, AIDS Benefit Gala (opened for Alicia Keys) among countless other performances. Her music promotion is ongoing as she hopes to tour right through the release of her first yet highly anticipated album.

With her forthcoming album Live, Love, Learn slated for an early 2008 release, the icy, unkind streets of Toronto might have to prepare for a wave of heat. Kim Davis is an uninhibited artist, the true and real deal. Her work is the product of being a woman, a mother and a soldier. This project of strength and passion is worth picking up so look out for its release. Stay tuned for HipHopCanada.com for more music from Kim Davis and more information pertaining to the release of her debut album.

Editor’s Note: For more information on Kim Davis, you can visit her MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/msdavismusic. Also, be sure to catch Kim Davis at the 2007 HipHopCanada Importfest Showcase November 17th in Toronto!

Listen here:
Ms. Kim Davis - Sometimes [listen]
Ms. Kim Davis & J Holiday - Bed Duet [listen]
Ms. Kim Davis f. Sizzla - Hush (Prod. by Narcotics) [listen]

  

Amoi Henry http://thejhenesis.com http://www.myspace.com/LegallyBronze Amoi "Bronzey" Henry is double majoring in Political Science-Sociology at McMaster University and is involved in various ventures including her own exposure network and design enterprise: The Jhenesis. In addition to writing for HipHopCanada.com, Amoi does web/graphic design, photography and creative directing. She loves all genres of music, from classic jazz (John Coltrane, Billie Holiday) to old and new school Hip Hop (Wu Tang Clan, Little Brother, Dead Prez ) even Madonna and The Strokes, anything that keeps her head bumping. A busy girl, she generally likes to have her hands occupied, this of course is in her astrological - Aquarius nature.