IN McKeesport Spring 2016 | Page 22

Singing H er e h t Way to White Oak resident, Felisha Aubrey, sings her heart out as emerging R&B pop star Aubree Nicole. “I have always had a love for music and I just love being on stage and performing,” says Felisha Aubrey, better known as local music sensation Aubree Nicole. Aubrey moved to the Irwin/North Huntingdon area in 2004. Coming from a military family, she was used to moving and had lived in five different locations before finally settling in the Pittsburgh area. After finishing her middle school and high school years, she moved with her parents, Tony and Cheryl, and brother, Zachery, to the White Oak area, where they have been living now for two years. Aubrey attended Norwin High School and was very involved in music during her time there. “I loved Norwin High,” she says. “I had some of the best years of my life there.” She was a part of the school’s show choir for both her junior and senior years. Cheryl Walters was Norwin High’s choir instructor at that time and Aubrey credits her with “really helping to form the artist I am today.” In addition to music at Norwin High, Aubrey was also involved in playing powder puff football and enjoyed studying all things science — her favorite subject in school. Music has always been a part of Aubrey’s life and is very close to her heart. When it came time to choose a genre of music to pursue, she decided to work toward rhythm and blues (R&B) and pop, since she had been told by many that when she sings the listener can feel and experience her emotion. “I just love performing music that makes people feel and relate to what I’m singing,” she says. Aubrey performs mostly original songs, but does entertain a few covers here and there. Mainly she performs music from her album “Diary of Aubree,” produced by Van Taylor from 310 Recording Studio. She’s also co-written several songs with Manny DeAnda, formerly with the group Pretty Ricky. Aubrey’s music is now available on iTunes, Soundcloud, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify and iHeartRadio. “Get A Little Crazy” was Aubrey’s first single and it came about as a result of a little get-together with her music friends at the studio. The gathering inspired her to write the song because “it was such a fun place to be” and an experience she won’t soon forget. Aubrey is often inspired by her friends, family and life experiences. “This song (in particular) really gets the crowd jumping and is an all-around fun song to perform,” says the singer. Hearing her first single on the radio was definitely an experience the artist will never forget. “It’s an amazing, surreal feeling when you realize that you are listening to something you put heart and soul into!” exclaims Aubrey. “It’s unlike anything you could ever imagine, like riding a roller coaster for the first time and feeling that incredible rush of adrenaline!” Despite all of the amazing things that happen when success is found in the music business, there are many challenges. “There’s a lot more to becoming a recording artist than just the music,” says 20 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | McKeesport Area