Esperanza Spalding is a Grammy award winning artist who is best known for her angelic vocals and complex instrumental compositions. Her name means "hope" and the name fits this amazing beauty very well. Esperanza has been blessed with a God-given gift to not only perform on a number of different types of instruments, but she has a vocal range and sound that could fill a dark room with an amazing bright light.
Spalding was born and raised on what she calls “the other side of the tracks” in a multi-lingual household and neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Growing up in a single-parent home amid economically adverse circumstances, she learned early lessons in the meaning of perseverance and moral character from the role model whom she holds in the highest regard to this day – her mother.
The talented artist taught herself to play the violin and was later appointed into The Chamber Music Society of Oregon, a community orchestra that was open to both children and adult musicians. She stayed with the group for ten years, and by age 15, she had been elevated to a concertmaster position.
On Februrary 13th 2011 in Los Angeles, Esperanza shocked the world by receiving one of the music industry’s most prestigious prizes, the Grammy for Best New Artist. It was quite the controversy since she was in the same category as Justin Beiber and many fans and critics anticipated his win. As Esperanza later said, she was surprised and also grateful to receive this award. The day not only was a special win for the artist, but it put her on the forefront of the public eye and she was officially introduced into the music world as an established artist.
Courtesy of esperanzaspalding.com
