With musical influences like Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder, Paula Campbell is a Baltimore gem with a voice just as rare and precious.
A positive product of her environment, Paula knows what it’s like to have the cards stacked against you. “There were plenty of times people tried to direct me in the wrong direction,” she recalls. Nonetheless, there were also those that looked out for Paula and let her know something bigger and brighter was in her future.
Her calling was music. Paula was given a gift from God and was destined to use it. Paula Campbell describes her artistic style as being “Sugar, Sweet and Gritty. Toni [Braxton], Mariah, and Whitney all in one.” Inspired by the stories her musical influences told with their voices, Paula worked hard and long to tell hers. Her extensive A&R cold-calling surely paid off with record deals and chart topping songs. She was persistent and her drive was plenty.
Paula gained momentum in the Baltimore/D.C. area at a young age. She was apart of two groups, but those endeavors didn’t work because of age and different agendas. However, hearing Paula’s soulful voice on her new track “Get Back to You” will let you know it was all in good measure. Gaining recognition from her hometown by winning Best Female Vocalist three times at the Baltimore Superfest meant a lot to Paula. “If one of us can open the door then all of us can make it,” says Paula. Winning Glamour’s music contest and having her first video directed by Ciara gave Paula an incomparable feeling of elation. She describes working with Ne-Yo, who collaborated with her on her first single, as “a blessing.”
Understanding the hard work she has put in to get where she is today, she knows that some artists don’t have “staying power” due to their lack of realness. Paula’s realness is effervescent. Her can’t stop, won’t stop attitude is inspiring to every woman she represents through her music. She sometimes draws inspiration for her music from her real life experiences, though mainly about love.
Unfortunately, being a headstrong, talented, and attractive woman in the industry can be a curse rather than a gift. Paula knows that it’s a “man’s world” and some women have succumbed to it in hopes of reaping something only God can give them. However, she is her own person and will not hesitate to “put somebody in their place.” Selective in her creative choices, audiences will never hear Paula singing about a man taking care of her.
In her downtime, Paula enjoys bonding with her daughter and watching movies and infomercials. She is prepared to put DMV on the map, while staying true to herself. Not only is she planning to put on for her city, she also plans to give back to the community. With an album due out in the summer, we should expect to see a lot of Paula Campbell in the near furture.
In addition to her plans to take the music world by storm, Paula is also working on independent films and a 20 chapter memoir. With a life story that was nothing like a Cinderella fairytale, Paula has words of wisdom for artists trying to gain recognition for their talents; “Be your worst critic and your biggest fan.”
To learn more about Paula Campbell and to hear her music, visit:
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