Rachel Roland is a mom on a mission - exploring the Valley with her two little companions in search of the best restaurants, attractions, and products for you and your children. See what she has in store for your family today!
I'm going to be perfectly honest and admit it right here, right now: I have lost complete control of the music in my car. My children love to listen to music for kids, and while I can usually handle 800 repetitions of "Bingo" or "Old MacDonald," after awhile I start to feel...twitchy. And that's when I flip over to Ree Boado's CD, Pretty Little Flies. Not only do I enjoy her music, my children also love it - major bonus!
I had a chance to meet with Ree and we talked about her past, her present, and her future in the music industry. Her appearance and her voice are in complete juxtaposition to one another. You see her, and she's a cute, petite, blond princess (no, really, she moonlights as a princess for kids birthday parties!) and when she starts to sing, a big, powerful, and beautiful voice is what comes out. It's amazing - just take a listen to one of my favorites - You've Got Something.
(Ree at her CD release show)
Ree didn't start so confident, however - her parents not only didn't encourage her to sing, they actively discouraged her. (I found myself examining my own behavior - do I discourage my children's pursuits of things they love? I hope not!) Even with their discouragement, she still managed to build up the courage to sing, and when she did, people responded with love and praise. In addition to her parents attitude, Ree had major stage fright to overcome. "It was only with God's encouragement that I was able to overcome my fears," she shared.
As she became more courageous, she joined a singing group in college. Before long, she was singing solo - but not for too long! Ree isn't just a solo artist - she also is part of Phoenix Indie Pop band, Dearspeak. The group, which has recently grown from three members to five, just released their second album: Oh For Freedon. When I asked about the difference between her own project as an artist and her work with Dearspeak, she said that Dearspeak is more edgy, and I tend to agree - just check out the music video for their song, Cadavers.
(Dearspeak Plays Phoenix Fashion Week)
Ree's passions don't stop at singing, though. She feels called to help people, especially women who've been exploited. The way she helps is through an local Phoenix outreach, called Princess Lost (through Mending the Soul). Princess Lost is a curriculum for survivors of sex trafficking. You might think that this is meant for foreign countries, but sadly, this resource is being used extensively to help heal women who've been exploited through sex trafficking here in the Valley and around the United States. Ree has donated her time and talents to help create a CD to go along with the curriculum and also plays free concerts around the Valley to help raise money for the program. Ree also played at Lost & Found - A Mending the Soul Celebration, which was a fundraising and awareness event held at the beautiful Wigwam Resort in Glendale on November 12th.
I'm so happy I was able to sit down and chat with Ree about her passions and where her music has taken her through her life - and if you want to see her in person, you can - she's playing a show TONIGHT - November 30th at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix. It's a 21 & up show and only a $5 cover to see not only her, but many Phoenix artists! The doors open at 7pm, concert starts at 8pm. The Rhythm Room is located at: 1019 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix.
If you miss Ree tonight, catch her with Dearspeak on December 3rd at Teakwoods Tavern: 2808 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix.
If your organization is interested in hosting a Princess Lost concert, please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
I'm Rachel - a mom, wife, and 'green' blogger (Small Steps On Our Journey). If you have any suggestions for future articles or any questions on this one, please contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or tweet me @rachelroland!
