User:AbrahamMcDonald

In November of 2010, on the Oprah Winfrey Show stage, the world was introduced to soulful, vocal sensation 'Abraham “A.B.” McDonald', the winner of her first-ever Karaoke Challenge. His captivating rendition of Oleta Adam’s “Get Here” moved viewers to select him from the talented group of hopefuls vying for the top slot. For Abraham, the song choice was somewhat serendipitous—he had sung the same song that won him the ACT-SO talent contest at the age of 13, which marked the beginning of his musical journey. It was then that he knew he what he wanted to do with his life. That song catapulted him, many years later, back onto the road where his musical roots lay waiting. He was now top of mind to millions who sat mesmerized by his words, voice and the music. And, in that moment with that song, him, he had that audience waiting anxiously on the next sound emanating from not just his heart, but his soul  A.B. knew that this achievement was the pinnacle of a journey that he has been traveling for a long time.

He grew up in Los Angeles, the musical capital of the U.S. From an early age learned that he was at home on the stage and could enthrall an audience through his gift of song. By the age of 17, his outstanding talent afforded him much accolades. He won several talent contests, performed for local dignitaries and celebrities and was eventually invited to share the stage with his musical idols and iconic legends such as Michael Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Jackson Brown, Greg Allman, and Sandra and Andre Crouch, among others. Still he had not quite found his own road to travel. He put his own calling on the back- burner and put his energies into helping the careers of many aspiring singers, deriving vicarious satisfaction from their successes. Yet, he knew that there was a deep passion for him to hone is own musical craft.

All that changed for him in when he decided to enter Oprah Winfrey’s Karaoke Contest. Out of the thousands of submissions received at Harpo, A.B. was chosen to be showcased as one of the top 8 contenders. After succeeding in the first round, he was now one of three contestants. A.B. realized that he had to give his all, and his stunning showmanship in that studio demonstrated to the millions who watched him that he was the one. On that platform, the world was able to resonate with the man with the voice, who sang with emotional abandon and set the world on fire. Authenticity and passion have always been the hallmark of A.B.’s performances. His rich, velvety tones intertwined with graceful, heartfelt lyrics uplifted the hearts of all who watched him and took them to a place where so few entertainers have, or can, today have. He left them breathless and yearning for more. The fervent question became, would he ever take us on another soul-stirring adventure? The world could only hope.

The world got its wish. Now, as the newest artist on Island Def Jam Records, A.B. has been in the studio creating more music that, like brush strokes, paint a picture of the music that we long to hear. He is the architect of what will become his signature genre—“Pop/Soul”. According to A.B., this new music category perfectly describes who he is and what he wants to portray to the world—he wants to sing music that is popular with a genuine heart.

With his upcoming release, he plans to take us all on a collective journey—one that reflects his experiences, his hopes and his visions for the future. To that end, he is working with some of the music industry’s most renowned producers to deliver an inspiring body of work for his debut album. Producer/songwriter Curtis (Keyshia Cole, Yolanda Adams); film and television music composer Paula Gallitano (Mad TV, Assassin) as well as production duo Sam Watters and Louis Biancanello (Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson) have all contributed tracks to fulfill A.B.’s mission of crafting music that is real and that makes us feel—something that he sees as a void in much of today’s music. A.B.’s motivation to convey such raw emotion for his songs stems from his desire to tell stories that weave together the human fabric as shared experience, one that harmonizes his smooth melodies, sensuous tonality and enchanting deliver with music that touches our hearts and challenges us to really feel. We can expect this passionate crooner to bring us timeless songs of substance that champion the foibles and strengths of the human condition and resonate with our most important, yet, challenging emotion—love. This conscious artist, with seemingly effortless fluidity, intensity and versatility, will refresh our hearts and souls with pure and honest music—songs of hope, joy and love. A.B. says it best himself, “Few singers today make us just stop. I want to make people stop, listen and feel.”