LaGaylia

LaGaylia Frazier
LaGaylia Frazier
Background information
Birth name	LaGaylia Frazier
Born	Feb 16, 1961 Miami
Origin	Florida, United States
Genres	Jazz, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals

LaGaylia Frazier (born February 16, 1961) is an American-born Swedish singer who specializes in R&B and jazz.

LaGaylia Frazier was born in Miami, Florida. She grew up in Miami Shores in a single parent household headed by her mother Jean as her parents had separated when Frazier was aged two: Frazier would not see her father again until she was sixteen but credits her father as the source of her musical talent via genetics, Frazier's father (Hal Frazier) being a nightclub singer. LaGaylia Frazier was a child musical prodigy not as a vocalist but as a classical pianist, practicing six hours a day for twelve years. She began singing while a student at the University of Miami where she majored in voice and musical theatre: in her four years as a student at the University of Miami she was a member of the university's chamber music chorale, appeared in several on-campus stage musical productions, and sang with a number of jazz bands, jazz being what she'd call "her passion".

After leaving the University of Miami without a degree, Frazier performed with Top 40 bands, eventually joining singer/guitarist Rosco Martinez and pianist Paquito Hechavarriais in a Latin-oriented dance music outfit originally known as Uno Mundo but whose recording debut was as Bandera with a self-titled album release in 1989. Bandera enjoyed radio support in Florida but were otherwise overlooked despite a European promotional tour by Frazier and her bandmates. After a sabbatical in Britain, Frazier returned to Florida in 1990 and was recruited to sing with the in-house act at the Fort Lauderdale club Coconuts, that act being the acoustic duo Wooden Ships whose members had played behind Frazier in her early performing career. Frazier's vocal prowess at Coconuts caused considerable buzz with artist manager Eliot Weisman being motivated to scout out the singer, with Frazier resultantly performing in Atlantic City and Las Vegas although her career remained focused in south Florida, with her residency at Coconuts lasting eleven years.