by Nick Christophers In recent years within the music industry there has not been a core of female artists whose voice can stand out amongst others. Yet every now and again the musical gene pool gives us an inspirational voice. One such up and coming recording artist is Sophia Cruz. The stunning brunette has a voice that can raise many emotions and also get you to tap your feet to every beat. Sophia was infused with many styles of music be it jazz and even folk music. Her love for music was evident even at a young age. One of her stronger influences was Michael Jackson. Growing up, my musical identity has been shaped by many influences. I love artists with strong voices and a sense of individuality such as Michael Jackson. I have a real affinity for female singers with strong voices such as Etta James, Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys. I think that successful singers have a quality in their voice that is timeless, which I really appreciate. Sophia has recently embarked on a musical journey that will help her to fulfill the dream of developing into a quality recording artist. She currently has her first single entitled Under Your Spell which was released by Amathus Music (www.amathusmusic.com). She came in contact with longtime songwriter/producer/ remixer Chris The Greek Panaghi who presented a few songs to her and it eventually turned out that Under Your Spell would the first to record. After we recorded them he decided that "Under Your Spell" would be the perfect first single to debut. I love the song I think that the lyrics and music blend perfectly to create a catchy, contagious beat. To promote the song Amathus Music started to set dates for Sophia to perform the hot single. She was a featured act a one of the local hotspots in Astoria, Queens, Platos. The night was a very successful one with the packed crowd swaying and dancing along to the track. Under Your Spell has already caught the ear of key Mixshow DJs and Record Pools on a national level which is amazing by music industry standards since the single was just recently released. Besides, being a featured act at a notable nightclub her debut single is also being featured on compilations. It is rare that a new recording artist on the scene can achieve that so soon in the game. To have just started out and already have the chance to be on a playlist makes me feel confident that the music will do very well. A compilation is great way to find new music because if you are interested in a few tracks on the CD, chances are the other songs will be equally as compelling. If I gain at least one more fan from the compilation releases then I will be happy! Even though Sophia has made a splash with her first single she is far from over. She is currently hard at work in the studio with Chris Panaghi on another song that will dazzle the crowd. The new material will have more of a soulful dramatic infusion. Since Sophia comes from a Latin background she hopes to incorporate that into her work and lyrics as she is also working on developing songs in Spanish as well. Sophia Cruz has already formulated a foundation and will stop at nothing to build on that. At the present time she is focusing on promoting herself as much as possible. Whether it is through her promoter Distinctive Promo or on her own she is very determined. Sophia is a motivated individual with a strong soulful voice that will surely make some serious waves in the music industry.