Bao Thao

New aspiring female Hmong Jazz/R&B Soul Vocalist.

After unraveling this quote within a fortune cookie, Bao put these words into action. Bao began her relationship with music at the age of 10. Initially, she started out as a violinist in her elementary years, but it was not long before she discovered her voice in the school choir at age 12. Having dealt with her mother's death when she was only 11 and a heart failure at 13 , music was her only escape and method of healing. As she left to take on the next stage of her journey, Bao was encouraged by her choir instructor to pursue singing and to make it a permanent fixture in her life. Much of Bao's experiences come from her tireless efforts and motivation to include herself in anything that involves singing. In high school alone, she was a four-year veteran soloist for various choirs such as the women's Treble Choir to Concert Choir, just to name a few. She was most facinated with Vocal Jazz where she learned the many techniques and characteristics of legendary Jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. During her Senior year, she was given the opportunity to help teach Freshmen choir as her choir instructor's assistant. She volunteered for various school fundraisers to benefit charities such as Camp Heartland , and participated in numerous performances during Fine Arts Week and Black History Month. Bao had also been requested countless times to sing the National Anthem for numerous school functions. She is also no stranger to a little competition. Bao has competed in the talent shows for Madison's Hmong New Year Celebrations and easily wowed the crowd with her talent, helping her place the top three consecutively. Bao is largely a self-trained singer. Because of this, she is capable of performing many styles ranging from R&B/Soul, gospel, jazz, pop and traditional Hmong folk music. Her musical influences include modern artists like Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys, and legendary jazz vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. Overall, Bao adheres mostly Jazz because it gives her the freedom to explore a variety of vocal techniques and so forth. Jazz allows her the opportunity to create her own path with music. So far, Bao has collaborated with trumpetor, composer and producer, Kafele Bandele, at K. Kapano Records in Chicago, IL. Their collaboration made an effective starting foundation for Bao since it consisted of very strong traditional Jazz influences and modern flavors that work well with Bao's vocal capabilities. Bao has made it a point in her singing to include as many styles and genres as possible. She wants the utility of her talent to open up the minds of the Hmong community so they can embrace other musical forms and types, while exposing the rest of the world to the Hmong culture and its music as well.

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