Singer, Songwriter, Spirit
“I want my music to contribute to the world in a spiritual, personal way… to help people look at their lives with hope and possibility, no matter what. I want my music to comfort and inspire people …to encourage them to run hard at their dreams and goals. It’s too easy to be mediocre … Fusing my life and music to create great lasting art … that’s what it’s all about for me.”
– Susan Calloway
Behind The Music
Combine the edginess of Pink with the socially conscious lyrics of U2, wrap that in a voice that gracefully explodes like Sarah McLaughlin, yet soothes the soul like Sarah Barailles, and that would be the START of describing Susan Calloway…
Susan has won 12 Detroit Music Awards. Her new album “Chasin The Sun” climbed to #37 on the R&R Charts, and is spinning on Top 40, Hot AC, and Pandora radio! Uncommon for a new artist, (but not so uncommon for someone with Susan’s ambition,) she had placed songs on hit TV shows, before even releasing the current EP! Her music appears on “Dawson’s Creek,” “Summerland” and “One Tree Hill.” Chasin The Sun, was produced by Gerard Smerek, who has mixed, engineered, and produced projects for everyone from soul divas Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin and Donna Summer to R. Kelly and Kid Rock. While Smerek has proven to be an incredible sound board for Calloway, the singer sets herself apart from many artists who call themselves “singer-songwriters” by literally writing everything herself: lyrics, melodies, chord changes, harmonies, bridges and arrangements.
Susan’s commanding voice caught the attention of Grammy award winning conductor Arnie Roth, and Final Fantasy Composer Nobuo Uematsu. Strongly believing her vocals would compliment ‘Distant Worlds,’ she was asked to sing on Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy, where her voice beautifully sung “Memoro De La Stona.” She was asked to sing yet again on Distant Worlds II: Music From Final Fantasy, gracefully performing, “Melodies of Life” and the very popular, “Suteki Da Ne.”
Due to her growing popularity with the gaming community, Nobuo himself requested that Susan sing his new theme song for Final Fantasy XIV, “Answers”, which was just released in 2011. Now a familiar and celebrated addition to the DWFF project, Susan joins many of the live concerts on the Distant Worlds: Final Fantasy World Your as the featured artist for the game.
Susan posses a great talent, but it is her passion that sets her apart. Believing that embracing the journey is just as exciting as reaching any destination, Susan has been chasing her dreams her whole life. Learning classical piano at age five and taking classical voice from the age of 12, she believed early on that “music is something that chose me more than I chose it.” “We all have a purpose in this world. The most important thing is to discover your gift . . . and do it with all your heart. “