The vocal styling of Cheryl Woods calls to mind such singers as Jill Scott, Aaliyah and Faith Evans. But this Cleveland-raised songstress embodies a style -- soulful, passionate and pretty all-at-once – that is uniquely her own and cultivated in the churches and talent shows of her eclectic Midwestern upbringing. Cheryl released her second independent CD, Courageous on August 2nd, which is already receiving radio airplay in several countries. Much like Cheryl’s first CD, My First Love (LaDoll Music, 2012), listeners hear songs from the heart with a jazzy and soulful blend. Cheryl wrote every song on Courageous and functioned as the executive producer. Her vision for this project was to demonstrate more vocal versatility while allowing herself to become more comfortable at expressing her creative side. Cheryl also hooked up with long-time friend, pianist and songwriter, Bob Ivory and produced two of his songs, “Why Did You Let Me” and “I Love You.” She is back again with a summer jam! Cheryl traces her musical roots back to the day her mother overheard Cheryl singing tunes from a Minnie Riperton album. At the ripe age of seven, her Mom promptly entered Cheryl into a talent show at a local Catholic School. Along with her sister and God-sister singing background, they won first place. Cheryl’s musical abilities are broad and varied, and include her start on the violin at the age of eight, the flute at the age of 13, lyric writing at the age of 12, and teaching herself to play the organ at 15. As an adult Cheryl studied voice in New York City with the late Therman Bailey and recently took piano lessons for three years. As a child, Cheryl performed with her family gospel choir who opened for the likes of Al Green, Dorothy Norwood and Shirley Caesar. As a sophomore in college, Cheryl recorded a solo on her family’s first independent CD which received radio airplay in several states. During her school years, Cheryl sung in the choir, winning medals for participating in her school’s vocal competitions. A natural-born artist, Cheryl spent her childhood in a dance group with her sister and childhood friend, performed in all-city band, and was a member of the drama club. Cheryl also appeared in several plays at Karamu Theater in Cleveland, Ohio and The Ohio Theater with the Cleveland Opera. Cheryl also wrote and performed a song entitled, "Love's Calling" produced by a Clevelander named Bill Richardson. This song became the theme song for the transition into the daily Lottery Number announcement on FM93.1. During college at Ohio University, Cheryl performed with a three-girl group that played local bars, restaurants and festivals and recorded jingles for their college radio station. Determined to see her dreams of a music career come true, Cheryl took a job in New York City and began to pursue the music business aggressively. Her endeavors led to Cheryl co-writing and recording on Michael Fredo’s self-titled debut album (Warner Bros./Qwest) a tune that was used to launch the "Tommy Girl" fragrance commercial. She also shared writing and vocal talents on the hip-hop film "Black and White," starring Brooke Shields, Mike Tyson, and Allen Houston. Brains to go with her “girl-next-door” beauty, Cheryl put down the microphone got married and had a son but could not surrender her love of music entirely. The success of Cheryl’s first independent CD led her to perform in Philadelphia and Atlanta, and gain thousands of fans across the globe. Cheryl is hoping that with her CD, Courageous, she will be able to gain a broader presence and increase her fan base. Cheryl gives us so much to look forward to with her new project. Her vocal range is impressive, as she belts out in gritty tones, tracks like “Don’t Change” to an acoustic guitar and congas, and sultry sounds like you’ll hear on “Next Level.” The song “She” is another feminine anthem, similar to a Beyoncé track that reminds a woman to know her worth and gives us a powerful RnB rendition that makes you want to get up and dance. Cheryl says, “I sing about Love, life and the pursuit of happiness. Lyrically, one at any stage of a romantic relationship can relate to Cheryl’s artistic viewpoint. Courageous make one appreciate good music, honest words and authentic singing.