Her soft, melodic tone is reminiscent of the rhythmic soul sounds of the 1990s. Her dynamic vocal range and impassioned lyrics encapsulate a myriad of emotion, taking listeners on a journey into the human experience. She is a refreshing breath of air in an industry saturated with sameness. She is unique. She is divine. She is Such.
On Oct. 19, the sultry songstress will grace the stage of the Noor Event Center in Aurora, singing in celebration of Denver Urban Spectrum’s 37th year in publication and headlining the Denver’s Voice anniversary event. Though she lives and performs locally, her talents have taken her around the world. The opportunity to see her perform live is a special treat.
Early Beginnings
Born in Boston, the East Coast native grew up in Long Island, New York; the Hyde Park neighborhood in the southernmost part of Boston; and in Lancaster, a small town west of the city where lush greenery and farmland abounds.
Her moniker, a combination of her birth name, Su, and a surname acquired by marriage, Charles, made headlines in the Mile High City back in 2012, when she was vying for the top spot on season 11 of the popular singing contest show, “American Idol.” Yet, the path to her musical purpose began long before the Idol stage.
Such’s earliest introduction to music was in church. She was raised by parents who immigrated from Haiti; her mother worked as a school teacher and her father was a pastor, so she sang in the choir and ultimately fell in love with music.
In school she explored musical arts further, playing the flute and joining every choir she could. Recognizing her natural talent, her jazz band director urged her to audition for a group called the High School Grammy Jazz Ensemble (now Grammy Band). She nailed the audition, and was whisked away on a 10-day, all-expense-paid trip to Los Angeles, where she and her bandmates performed at jazz clubs all over the city. The band even recorded an album, and performed at the official Grammy nominee party before attending the prestigious Grammy Awards ceremony.
“I was completely intimidated, because every kid there knew that they were going to be musicians. They all went to performing arts high schools, and some of them were already on their second and third albums. It was a whole different world,” she recalls.
“It was a slice of a musician’s life; and it was at that moment that I was like, ‘Oh, I could do this!’”
Upon returning home, she created a PowerPoint presentation as part of an appeal to her parents to allow her to attend the nearest performing arts high school. Her parents recognized her talent, but the nearest school was an hour away. They endorsed a more grounded approach, encouraging their courageous daughter to have a backup plan that she could rely on if music couldn’t sustain her right away.
Deciding that music would be her outlet, Such graduated from high school and traveled all the way to Riverside, California, where she earned a degree in exercise science from La Sierra University. She continued to sing in praise groups and church choirs on the West Coast, then moved to Chicago, Illinois, impressing church audiences throughout the Windy City as she praised.
With aspirations of becoming a physical therapist, Such made her way to Denver. When she arrived she switched gears and attended Regis University’s nursing program, graduating in one year and working as a registered nurse before deciding to sing full-time. Now, along with her singing career, she helps families find their forever homes as an experienced real estate agent.
Finding Her Sound
For the last 10 years, Such has refined her sophisticated sound with the help of a vocal coach, adding to the real-life performance experience gained from a lifetime of singing in church choirs.
“Unlike other instruments, my instrument is housed in my body, which is a whole different ball game,” she laughs. “So much of singing is not about what you hear, because what I’m hearing is not what you’re hearing. It’s sort of vibrating through my face – it’s in the bones. It’s very different. So, singing as a vocalist is so much about how it feels, and learning that has been one of the biggest and most empowering things.”
Inspired by R&B and neo-soul music from artists like Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Maxwell and Music Soulchild, 90’s R&B is at the foundation of Such’s uniquely sweet, satisfying sound. Every song tells a story of love, longing and life, with themes of strength and revival. Her studio recording sessions feature live bands and the richness of real instrumentation, but her performances are what capture the hearts of each crowd she entertains.
“I think the magical thing about performing is that it’s literally co-creation between myself and the audience. So even if I’m performing the same show 10 nights in a row, every night is going to be different because the audience needs different things. And we’re creating this space, right? I like to think that I also adapt to the vibe of the audience,” she muses. “It’s definitely interactive.”
Creating a Modern Legacy
From concert halls around the globe to small, intimate venues, fans are enamored by Such’s vibrant spirit and beautiful personality. The musician has mastered the art of social media marketing as a way to connect directly with her supporters.
Modern approaches to fan base interaction involve a great deal of technological connection, and unlike many entertainers, her online presence is curated as an extension of herself.
“It’s really important for me to be authentic and not be manicured,” she says, noting that she prefers the person-to-person interaction that live performance provides because “that’s where the real magic happens.”
In 2019, Such released her sophomore album, “Wide Nose Full Lips,” capturing the attention of music lovers everywhere. The title track is an empowering, conversational piece that speaks to loving every part of her natural self in a way that encourages others to follow suit.
Now preparing for the release of an extended play (EP) album and an autumn tour, Such is excited about where she is, and where she’s going.
“My goal is for every song to be the fullest expression of itself,” she says. “I’m really open to growth, with an understanding that there may be differences in my sound and things have changed over the last four years. …It’s a very different world than the world that we’re in today. And as I work on new music, I think I’m so intimately aware that I’ve changed in so many ways. I want that to be reflected in my music.”
Using music as a vehicle to give back through inspiration, empowerment and the promotion of positive messages, Such’s legacy of musical storytelling and harmonic healing is setting the stage for the modern era of R&B.
Editor’s Note: Learn more about Such on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or at www.IAmSuch.com. Listen to the full Spectrum Talk with Ruby interview on the DUS YouTube channel. For tickets and more information to Denver’s Voice: An Elegant Evening of Entertainment, visit https://bit.ly/4aDq0J2.
