By Courtney Fortune
Greetings from sunny Los Angeles! We are revving up for LA Fashion Week where swarms of designers, celebrities and fashion junkies alike will begin taking over the city this week. With more than 1,500 showrooms, a countless array of styles and attitudes fuse together in LA’s blossoming scene – I’ll be attending the events and getting a sneak peak at what we’ll be wearing this Spring.
A grim economy hasn’t ruined our need for what’s new and what’s hot. In fact it’s only inspired a new kind of creativity in this year’s designers, turning fashion, design and survival into an art form in itself. I can’t wait to find out what emerging trends and breakout designers LA Fashion Week has to offer. Today is the official kick-off, stay tuned!
About Courtney Fortune, our LA Fashion Correspondent:
Singer-songwriter Courtney Fortune has garnered diverse fans, from Japan to Los Angeles, for her sultry and smooth voice combined with the jazz sounds of The Chris Walden Big Band. From a young age, Fortune adapted her jazz compositions, incorporating new elements from other genres. Her debut EP was hailed by Earshot Jazz Magazine, calling Fortune’s jazz technique “a textured, sultry, arrestingly mature torchsinger’s delivery.”
In 2006, Fortune won the Second Annual Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Competition, which led to performances in Japan. In November of that year, Fortune released her debut EP “Almost Home,” receiving national media coverage for the album while becoming one of six finalists for MTV’s “I Want My Music on MTV.”
For her debut album “Speak Love,” Fortune collaborated with four-time Grammy-nominated composer/arranger Chris Walden. Walden and his acclaimed Chris Walden Big Band, who have performed with Michael Bulton, Paul Anka, Tierney Sutton and others, has now incorporated Fortune’s performances into his repertoire. At 20 years old, Fortune has already performed with industry luminaries. She has performed alongside Garrison Keillor for his venerable radio show “A Prairie Home Companion,” and received an award for outstanding musical achievement at USC’s 2008 Dickens Dinner, where the USC student performed for legendary hitmakers Brian Wilson and Lamont Dozier.
The dark tones of her voice transition seamlessly from jazz to folk and pop for “Speak Love,” released by Origin Records on Aug. 18, 2009. The music revitalizes and inspires loyal jazz patrons and gives depth to the current state of the pop genre. Courtney Fortune will be featured in the September issue of Glamour Magazine.
To invite Courtney to your events write to Marcy@womensmafia.com.