It was always at the karaoke parties where Tre’ Rochelle would appear. There, the powerhouse modern soul singer commanded attention with spot-on renditions of Chaka, Whitney, and Mariah. No one wanted to follow her, and no one could. Her gifts were singular.
It took her courageously overcoming a significant relationship and subsequently many other life experiences, one of which losing her speaking voice due to polyps on her vocal cords, to face her soulfully profound musicality. Today, the San Antonio, Texas-based (New Orleans & Memphis-raised) neo-soul singer-songwriter steps forward with her sultry and sensual debut Violet EP, Slow Motion, produced by her creative partner Eddy Versatile Keyz and mixed by the accomplished Ben Reno of Majestic Ape Studios.
“I was born with a story to tell. In the past, I have played it safe and waited and made excuses and let things just take its course, but this project has made me become intentional and has tested me to truly be vulnerable and share my stories with the world. This EP holds my freedom and represents me finally showing up for me,” Tre’ details.
Tre’ is a songwriter with a narrative approach to her lyrics and a jazzy, soulful sensibility. In her words, she dares to express the challenges of love with unflinching realness. Her concepts and stories are smoothly contrasted with a neo-soul directed aesthetic that’s vibrantly informed by influences such as Chaka Kahn, Stevie Wonder, Tamia, Chanté Moore, Jill Scott, Eric Roberson, Whitney Houston, and Lalah Hathaway. In addition to being a poetic and a boldly vulnerable lyricist, Tre’ is a dynamically expressive singer with a stunning vocal range that spans silken whispered vocalizing to church-roof rattling belting.
Tre’ possess an impressive pedigree. Growing up, she sang in gospel choirs and was selected by the Tennessee All West Regional Choir. She was selected by Ebony Magazine as a “Top High School Senior” and Tre’ was crowned Miss Young, Gifted and Black by the Beta Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated at Florida A&M University (FAMU). She was the valedictorian of McDonogh 35 Senior High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, and during graduation she gave a speech about being a “diamond in the rough.” It was sentiment that would prefigure her own brave journey from karaoke queen to world-class artist and songwriter.
It took her courageously overcoming a significant relationship and subsequently many other life experiences, one of which losing her speaking voice due to polyps on her vocal cords, to face her soulfully profound musicality. Today, the San Antonio, Texas-based (New Orleans & Memphis-raised) neo-soul singer-songwriter steps forward with her sultry and sensual debut Violet EP, Slow Motion, produced by her creative partner Eddy Versatile Keyz and mixed by the accomplished Ben Reno of Majestic Ape Studios.
“I was born with a story to tell. In the past, I have played it safe and waited and made excuses and let things just take its course, but this project has made me become intentional and has tested me to truly be vulnerable and share my stories with the world. This EP holds my freedom and represents me finally showing up for me,” Tre’ details.
Tre’ is a songwriter with a narrative approach to her lyrics and a jazzy, soulful sensibility. In her words, she dares to express the challenges of love with unflinching realness. Her concepts and stories are smoothly contrasted with a neo-soul directed aesthetic that’s vibrantly informed by influences such as Chaka Kahn, Stevie Wonder, Tamia, Chanté Moore, Jill Scott, Eric Roberson, Whitney Houston, and Lalah Hathaway. In addition to being a poetic and a boldly vulnerable lyricist, Tre’ is a dynamically expressive singer with a stunning vocal range that spans silken whispered vocalizing to church-roof rattling belting.
Tre’ possess an impressive pedigree. Growing up, she sang in gospel choirs and was selected by the Tennessee All West Regional Choir. She was selected by Ebony Magazine as a “Top High School Senior” and Tre’ was crowned Miss Young, Gifted and Black by the Beta Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated at Florida A&M University (FAMU). She was the valedictorian of McDonogh 35 Senior High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, and during graduation she gave a speech about being a “diamond in the rough.” It was sentiment that would prefigure her own brave journey from karaoke queen to world-class artist and songwriter.
These days, Tre’ considers her biggest accomplishment to be providing for her four children, and showing them a positive example of how a person can overcome obstacles and come out shining. Other current life highlights include being chosen to perform at an exclusive wedding in Mexico City, Mexico; studying at the Musical Arts Center of San Antonio and online Berklee College of Music; being the lead vocalist of M3 Live!: Massey and the Masterminds; being an MBA graduate; and her work as an actress, performing in local short film and Lackland Performing Arts Group theatrical productions. Tre’s latest accomplishment is being selected as the participating songstress in the Inaugural “LIT”erary Lounge SA (DREAMWEEK 2020 edition)—a prestigious creative event hosted in the San Antonio community.
Early on, it was painfully clear Tre’ was a potent writer when her childhood poems, stories and raps were exposed prematurely. She stopped writing after that, shutting off a flowing outlet of creativity, catharsis, and emotional expression. As an adult, she returned to her creative outlet by making reluctant arrangements to spend time away from her family obligations on Saturdays to take voice lessons.
“After just a few sessions, my voice coach [Lisa Flores] stopped me in the middle of warm ups and told me that I could not continue just scheduling lessons and singing to her. She told me that my voice needed to be heard,” Tre’ shares. “I ultimately found something that was mine. She gave me the confidence I needed to find my voice in more ways than the obvious.”
That something almost was taken away when Tre’ was diagnosed with vocal polyps. Voiceless but not silent, Tre’ went down to Barnes & Noble and bought a purple leather-bound notebook to write down her thoughts and emotions. This was the first time she musically wrote since she was a child. While jotting down words, she also began to hear melodies, which she found a way to document without being able to sing. After laser surgery on her vocal cords and eight months of speech and voice therapy, she was ready to sing again and revisited these seedling song ideas. “I told God that I would definitely not take my voice for granted if he restored my gift. And He has done that and this is why you are able to hear my music,” Tre’ says.
From that miracle of recovery comes the first installment of Tre’s Color Spectrum EP Series project. The 1st five-song EP is steamy, sexy, but it also moves through some of the realities of intimate relationships. The first single is the seductively soulful “I Want You.” The track’s delicate atmospherics makes a satiny bed for Tre’ to vocalize with tantalizing expressivity. The song speaks of a longing for what must be accepted as unobtainable and letting go of that fantasy to stand in truth. The aptly-titled “Love Hangover” tackles lust addictions. The track’s wah-wah guitars, smoky ambience, and Tre’s smooth vocals make it an intoxicating experience. “Here For This” is pure woman’s sexual empowerment channeled through slow-burn R&B. Here, Tre’ impactfully uses tastefully, innuendo-filled lyrics, emotive long tones, and airy vocal phrasing for a sweetly alluring effect. The uptempo funky stepper's groove "Forever and a Day", is the future wedding and engagement song that we have been eagerly waiting on. The title track "Slow Motion" sensually captures living in the moment of love, pure unconditional and vulnerable love, and not wanting to move or let go. "Life is about moments. The most precious gift one can give is their presence, time and attention" reveals Tre'.
Tre’ will be grouping her music on different color spectrum EPs to show her versatility in genres and across life topics. “The next album may be more modern, or it may be more smooth jazz-tinged and cover childhood untold stories. I am a songwriter first, so my options are limitless,” Tre’ says. She continues: “With this project, I am choosing to come out of hiding and share pieces of me that I was once afraid to reveal with the goal of healing myself and showing a path of healing to others.”
Tre’ will be grouping her music on different color spectrum EPs to show her versatility in genres and across life topics. “The next album may be more modern, or it may be more smooth jazz-tinged and cover childhood untold stories. I am a songwriter first, so my options are limitless,” Tre’ says. She continues: “With this project, I am choosing to come out of hiding and share pieces of me that I was once afraid to reveal with the goal of healing myself and showing a path of healing to others.”