Biography
"I got shot one time/in my back with a nine/bullet came right out/man I promise I ain't lyin'/I got the scar to prove it/fought the war to do this/got to let the world know that God brought me through this "
'I got shot' The Lita Mae Show
That simple refrain from the third cut of Shei Atkins' sophomore effort, 2006's 'The Lita Mae Show,' tells you everything you need to know about the Grammy nominated Inspirational / R&B songstress whose, soulful style and straightforward, honest lyrics have made her a favorite among gospel and secular music fans alike.
Born and raised in Houston's notorious Acres Homes area, once considered to be the largest unincorporated African American community in the South, and a haven for drugs and crime during the '80s and '90s Atkins, 25, was subjected to many hardships early in life.
It was, however, being robbed of her innocence by a bullet at the tender age of 13 as she describes in the lyrics of 'I got shot' that became the catalyst for her transformation from a talented but undisciplined neophyte into the vocal tour-de-force Atkins represents today.
"I was a disobedient kid in the wrong place at the wrong time," she says, summing up the seminal event, which would never have taken place if she had followed her Mother's admonitions not to go to a party she wanted to attend.
"It changed my life because it {surviving the attack} let me know that God has a purpose for me." That purpose according to Shei is her music: A medium she uses not only to spread His word but to share the stories of her own triumphs, failures and suffering; connecting with her fans on a much more personal level than much of the formulaic 'MTV-Ready' fare currently dominating the racks.
Getting down to business
Under the tutelage of late Destiny's Child co-founder Ann Tillman, Shei honed her singing and performance skills, recording two well received demos and receiving her first big break when she was offered a chance to sing on Houston rapper, and underground legend, Lil O's debut album with MCA in 1997.
Following the death of Tillman from Lupus, Atkins found herself taking a sabbatical from music to reevaluate her paths in both life and music. After a short period of time in which she reconciled her love for the hard-hitting beats and themes of popular R&B, not to mention the current rap music of the day along with her intrinsic talent for gospel, Shei was reunited with platinum hit maker Simon "Crazy C" Cullins Jr.
Cullins, who produced the Lil' O track Atkins sang backup on, was reintroduced to Shei by her husband producer Drathoven, whom she met at the age of 16 at the Spirit of Life Church. Shei and her husband, who still atten the same church today, were married at the age of 19. Shei soon discovered that Crazy C. had just founded a record label especially suited for her style called Soulmuzick with his friend Madd Hatta of KBXX radio. After cutting a few demos with Soulmuzick, Atkins' was signed by the label immediately once its proprietors saw the way she connected with the audience during her live performances.
Life in Stereo
Shei's first release on Soulmuzick "Life in Stereo" dropped in 2004 to positive reviews and earned her best new artist honors at the 2005 Urban Gospel Awards, as well as nods for disc of the year and female artist of the year at The Texas Holy Hip Hop Achievement Awards. In 2006 Atkins' followed up on her initial success with the release of "The Lita Mae Show."
Highlighted by guest appearances from top industry talent like platinum rapper Paul Wall, and the writing talents of "Tami Latrell" who co-wrote on Whitney Houston's last album, the CD has received critical acclaim from program directors and DJ's, many praising Atkins' ability to weave important messages with entertaining and ultimately head-nodding beats.
The future
With two award-winning underground albums in the bag, Atkins isn't taking time off to enjoy her success. Between touring, performing and being the opening act all over the country with the likes of Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Tonex, J.Moss, Avant and her idol Mary J. Blige, Atkins has found time to get back to the studio and is already hard at work on her next album, tentatively title "Girl Talk," scheduled to be released in 2007.
Covering topics as diverse as depression and rape, Shei describes the project as an "empowerment record."
We as women go through so much, I wanted to talk about It," says Shei, who feels her trials and tribulations as a youth and young marriage give her credibility when talking about relationships and other hardships women face. "Marriage, love life, relationships things that you deal with everyday. "This album is written for the ladies but can be relatable to everyone."
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