Kwanza Jones

Prior to developing her sound, a fusion of rock and R&B that tends to center around themes of dealing with heartache, inward reflection, and empowerment, Kwanza Jones learned how to play several instruments, but music was merely one of her interests. An overachiever, she was her high school’s valedictorian, won the 1995 Miss Baltimore title, attended Princeton, and earned a law degree. In 2001, she released her first album, Naked — a fittingly stripped-down set of introspective songs that occasionally rocked and otherwise had more in common with the work of adult alternative singer/songwriters. Naked, Vol. 2: Universal Fire was released five years later and featured a relatively layered and varnished sound, as well as covers of the Doors’ “Light My Fire” and Ashford & Simpson’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Supercharged, her boldest album yet, was issued in 2010. ~ Andy Kellman