With Her EP Release Launch Party, Shreya, a New R&B Star is Born

By Jawahar Malhotra

HOUSTON: An hour before the doors opened, she was practicing her song routines, going through dance steps with her backup dancers, rehearsing with the band and getting the sound down right. It was a sneak preview for the two dozen people in the Bronze Peacock Room of The House of Blues who were getting ready for the launch party an hour later of Shreya’s EP tracks which were released on many digital platforms on September 1. They were making adjustments so Shreya’s strong voice would fill the second floor hall.

That was also the day that Hurricane Harvey was battering the Bayou City, so the formal launch and Shreya’s debut performance had been postponed to this past Friday, September 23. Her voice coach Tom McKinney was pacing the floor listening to her sing and the producer Eddie Fergusson and his aides from Walk One Productions stood there watching her moves and performance. With long, wavy light brown hair, a pink sequined top, bare midriff and a gold belt over a deep-blue Amritsari salwar, Shreya punctuated the hall with notes and poses that showed the spark in her style.

And her proud parents, Dr. Surinder Kaul, an internal medicine physician at Baylor College of Medicine and Dr. Sunita Kaul, a dentist as well as her kid brother Krish, 7, were in the audience admiring her talent and a little overcome with all the commotion and the attention that Shreya was getting.

Though born in India, Shreya came to the US when she was 6 years-old and graduated from Seven Lakes High School in Katy. “She used to be a shy kid who really blossomed when she joined the choir and then the Show Choir which allowed here to act out also,” recalled Sunita as she looked at her daughter who was definitely not self-conscious now.  

Shreya went on to become a biology major at Texas A&M University, but one day, when taking an exam, she realized that she was humming a song and took that as a sign of her future path. She asked her parents if she could take a year off to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. “At first, it was a difficult decision for us, especially since she was on the Dean’s List,” recalled Sunita. But they saw the passion in their daughter and relented.

During that year, Shreya took coaching lessons from McKinney and with guidance from Fergusson came up with 30 original songs based on the Rhythm and Blues genre that she grew to like. They added some Indians instrumental touches, practiced them and finally whittled them down from 30 songs to six – Sweet 16, Pretty Girl, Katy, Energy, Skin, Silk Sheets – which form the EP (extended play) list that she has just released.  And she performed each one of them at the launch party on Friday.

“”Shreya has grown up a lot in the past year,” said McKinney as she spoke briefly before the show began. “Her parents weren’t exactly sure this was the correct path for their daughter and we talked for a few hours over dinner. But I am sure she will become a star and will always bring something exciting to every song.” McKinney has worked with internationally acclaimed artists such as Beyoncé, Solange, Demi Lovato, Ray J, and Mario.

Jake McKim, founder & CEO of Birch Street Music and Project Coordinator, Alton Hawthorne guided the production of the EP. “She has a beautiful voice and personality that brings out love and joy,” said Hawthorne. “McKim has worked with some most esteemed artists from Maddie & Tae to Beyoncé (working closely with her record label, Parkwood Entertainment),” said Surinder after the performance, “and has been a huge asset to Shreya’s musical journey by connecting her with the industry’s leading record and publishing labels.”  

The opening act was Aaron (on vocals) and Ashe (on guitar), a duo from Spring who sang 5 original songs, including one that was reminiscent of Michael Franks music with a little help from another musician on drums.

With her band off on one side and her backup singers, Shreya cane onstage and took it over with all her energy. She has performed a couple of her songs at local Indian functions before (as an opening act for Rajiv Satyal’s comedy routine last week and for the Save-A-Mother Gala in April) but this time she had her whole act together. Her songs dwelt on love, heartbreak and passion with “Skin” a coming of age song. Her style is sometimes reminiscent of Beyonce, especially when she starts to dance and shows rage in song, Ariana Grande, Anita Baker and a touch of Taylor Dayne. In “Energy” she sings “I like it, I like it” while doing a solo dance and in “Silk Sheets” she makes powerful exclamations, slapping her chest and asks “Remember me?”

After the performance, her dad Surinder came onstage to thanks those who made his daughter’s launch and release a success. “It’s a milestone day for us and one the Shreya has yearned for a long time. She is an entertainer at heart, a prodigy and has a passion for this. Though it was tough to support her decision to go into music, it was impossible to refuse her.”