KIM MONROE - Biography In a world dominated by young divas, what is it that separates 18-year old Kim Monroe from the rest of the pack? She is certainly as attractive and poised as all the others. Perhaps the key is Syracuse Newspapers Music Critic Mark Bialczak's appraisal when reviewing Kim in live performance: "Kim Monroe, a 17 year old from Cazenovia, delivered sass and wisdom beyond her years." Her producer, Mark Doyle, whose credits include New Kids on the Block, Hall & Oates, Meat Loaf and Bryan Adams, concurs. "There's a lot of old-school R&B in her style, even though she has not really listened to a lot of older records. It just seems to be there, and no one really knows where it comes from. But there is an emotional resonance in what she sings that crosses generational barriers. When I first heard her sing "Neither One of Us" it was a very moving experience for me - all of this heartache and feeling pouring out of this young person. People that hear her sing without first seeing what she looks like always assume that she is black and that she is much older than she really is." Another important distinction is that Kim writes her own music, often collaborating with Doyle. Her lyrics examine modern tangled relationships, but in a street-wise and savvy way. The music that she creates with Doyle is often guitar-driven rock, which when coupled with her soulful R&B-influenced vocals and hip-hop grooves makes one imagine her as the offspring of some imaginary tryst between Gladys Knight and Jimmy Page. With the release of her three-song demo featuring two original songs, "No Concern" and "Good Man" along with the aforementioned "Neither One Of Us," Kim Monroe announces her entry into the professional music arena. Currently a Freshman at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, she will be back in the studio in December with an armful of new original songs, and is currently assembling a live band. A complete CD release and string of live performances are slated for Summer 2004. -