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With a name that personifies the sultry voice she emits, YoliAlto (aka Yolanda Torres) has arrived on the music scene, proving that it is never too late to be who you were meant to be. A singer/songwriter and poet, YoliAlto has been described by many as a prolific writer. She is a graduate of the famed High School of Music and Art (now known as the NY School of Performing Arts). This versatile singer combines Jazz, Blues and Folk blended with a Latin Flavor to create a unique sound. In one performance, you can hear her voice go from mellow to a sexy,gutteral Alto as she puts her heart into the words and music she writes. Her vocal experience includes singing classical music with the Garden State Philharmonic Chorus (including appearances at Carnegie Hall),singing boleros with musicians of the Latin Genre, including her father, the late composer Hector Hernandez, singing Gospel and other styles. YA has received awards for Vocals in her youth and again at the Ocean County College SALSA Talent show in the Spring of 2002, where she took First Place on vocals as her father accompanied her on guitar. Having grown up in a home filled with music, with the influence of a mother who loved poetry - YoliAlto has taken on a style of her own incorporating her love of psychology, spirituality and music in one medium. Her musical form is eclectic. Her influences have been the likes of Billy Holiday, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Alberta Hunter, Simply Red, Al Jareau, Carol King and Janis Ian (also a graduate of the High School of Music and Art) to name a few. Still, YoliAlto brings her own flair to her music, giving it the Latin influence that is her inherent culture. Outspoken, her lyrics express her spirituality, her non-conformist nature, and a reverence for life.
Beth Nielsen Chapman said in her song The Color of Roses
'Gravity throws all these rules in our way, and sometimes the spirit refuses to play'. These are the words that gave YA the courage to re-enter the music arena. Reviving her musical career at the tender age of 50, YA has taken her life experiences and put them to song appealing to folks of all ages. She says: “If Alberta Hunter (God rest her soul) could make a comeback at the age of 80, then at 50 I am in the Spring of my life.” Her songs “Butterfly” and “Thief of Souls” tell of the transformation that took place in her life in 2001. Singing acapella “The Fall of Her Life” YoliAlto reflects on the path that has brought her to where she is now, honoring life... and living it to the fullest, offering encouragement to those who feel they are “too old” to accomplish their dreams. “We are going to age anyway, we may as well do it enjoying the things we love.”
This is the Lady to watch. Be you young, old or in the prime of your life, YoliAlto’s music is sure to strike a chord with you. |
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