• BYCA Home
• About BYCA
• Academy Programs
• Concerts & Events
• In the News
• Join BYC / Auditions
• Bookings & Media Kit
• Recordings
• Workshops /Teacher Training
• Alumni
• Support BYCA
• Photo Gallery
• Members Area (login required)

Alumni Profiles: Ekela Dixon, aka Kayla Bliss, and Sasha Nutgent

Ekela and Sasha recently visited the Brooklyn Youth Chorus to speak with current choristers about their lives after BYC. These young ladies believe that their time singing with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus opened many doors for them, not just as professional singers but also as strong, confident women. Ekela and Sasha sang some of their original songs and then sat down to tell their stories. Read about their accomplishments below!

EKELA: After graduating from high school in 2004, Ekela studied jazz music at Long Island University for one semester before deciding to pursue her music career full-time. She sang at festivals and competitions (her stage name is Kayla Bliss), and shortly thereafter was signed to the indie label No Joke Records. Work on her debut album began in 2006; the record blends reggae, jazz and R&B and features another former BYCA chorister, Sasha Nutgent, along with world-renowned reggae artist Gyptian, and is being produced by Faraoh Black (Michael Jackson's Thriller, Lil' Kim's Hardcore). Ekela has begun to make her mark as a songwriter, as well, and has been sharing her skills with Jennifer Hudson and Lil' Mo. Ekela's national tour will begin this summer, and her record will be released in August 2007.

Ekela writes:

"I have never forgotten BYC. Everything I've learned has brought me this far and has definitely put me ahead of many of the seasoned artists in the industry. Thanks Dianne! Love you!!"

SASHA: Sasha believes that her time at the Brooklyn Youth Chorus was the best seven years of her life. BYC not only impacted her as a musician, but also as a young woman; she entered BYC as "a timid girl," she says, but "left as a confident young woman" and made many lifelong friends. Sasha's admissions essay to St. John's University (to which she was accepted) was about the Chorus' trip to Russia and how Dianne Berkun, Matthew Brady and the rest of the artistic staff opened her eyes to the opportunities available to her because of her talent and hard work. She's now signed to SIRI Music, is developing her first record and has been working alongside several major recording artists in the industry today.

Sasha writes:

"[BYC] gave me the confidence I needed to have in my day-to-day life. I recently got offered a record deal with SIRI Music, and I have also done reference vocals for several artists in the music industry. I know that without BYC none of this would have been possible. I am so greatful for my time spent at the Brooklyn Youth Chorus!!! I wish I could do it all over again, because if I had the chance, I would in a heartbeat!!"