"I see my individual style as a Folksy/1920's/Jazz thing," says Roda Monroe about her soon to be released debut album, “Coming to Life.”

"I like so many different kinds of music, and I love performing each in my own unique way. I see my debut album as kind of an experimental venture for me and my fans." Fans agree- it’s totally unpredictable and relentlessly daring, the sound of an uncommon artist unafraid to be exactly who she is.

For the singer/songwriter, who many fans describe as "a thumping screamer with a dreamy and at times hypnotic voice, choosing Big Ray as co-singer for two songs on the album proves Monroe refuses to be held down by traditional expectations. "I felt very comfortable combining our unique styles on the songs," Big Ray says. He describes Monroe’s singing style as - simultaneously siren-like and seductive, - One that remains unforgettable once you hear it.

Monroe confides, “I always looked up to singers like Mariah Carey for their booming vocals and commanding presence. I figured out early on that if anybody was going to pay attention to my songs, I’d have to use my big voice to grab their attention in a big way. This may sound funny for a female singer to say, but I‘ve tried to create a masculine tone for some of my songs. I want my music to be larger than life and I think my debut album, “Coming to Life” really projects that."

Roda Monroe was born in Los Angeles California and was nurtured musically by her parents with a wide variety of popular as well as untraditional music. Her family moved 5 times by the time she entered high school, often making it very difficult to meet and keep new friends. To fill the void she turned to her music. Along the way she developed a special love and appreciation for opera. "I fell instantly in love with opera from the beginning. I was 13 when I first heard Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell on the radio and I have to say it has shaped my career ever since.

Monroe spent the late 90's singing lead vocals for several hard rock bands performing at top venues in the Los Angeles area. “But all the pieces never really came together”, says Monroe. “I did gain a lot of experience as well as learn the ropes of the music business-most importantly, I learned what I needed to do, then went out and did it with the best artists I could find to work with".  "I see artists all the time that have some of what it takes to succeed in this business, but Roda has it all. She‘s the complete package…and then some." says Big Ray.

Today Roda Monroe looks forward to the challenges ahead in a world where individuality can still make it‘s mark. "It's an ambitious project and I definitely took some chances," she says, "but to me, music is a living being that must be constantly nurtured to grow. There are artists out there who have become legends in their own right by breaking the mold with their own unique style. My goal is to be one of them."

Roda Monroe is one of the many Indie artist out there who utilize the Internet to get their songs distributed and noticed. Before its release (free play) songs like "Come Give it to Me," have gotten tremendously positive reviews, as Monroe delivers a poignantly frank and deliciously sardonic manifesto to a life lived by a hungry lover. One of Monroe’s songs, "Foolish," was literally inspired by the evening news; “it was a story about a woman who had been arrested for killing her husband of 30 years. As they were leading her away in handcuffs, she's sobbed, 'Killing' him didn't make the love go away!' And I thought, 'My God, if that‘s not a hit song, I don‘t know what is.”

Currently Roda Monroe is looking forward to the release of her new album this year, "Coming to Life." "I want people to be lifted out of their moment in time by my music and in some small way changed forever.”