Treasure Davis is ready for her close-up

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Treasure Davis is a girl with a colorful personality, arresting vocals and is one of R&B’s latest breakout artists.

The 26-year-old singer was recently signed to RCA and Sony Records and proved her talent in her first single entitled “Someone New” – which also features rapper Slick Rick.

In honor of Black Music Month, the Los Angeles native talked to theGrio about her breakout story, some of her biggest musical inspirations and plans for the future.

Davis said it all began one afternoon during a walk down Crenshaw Boulevard where she was approached by a producer who asked her to audition for a girl group he planned to launch.

“I ended up working with [him] and at that time he was working with Robin Thicke,” she told theGrio in a phone interview. “I would literally be at Robin’s house 3 to 4 times a week, absorbing and watching him create good music from scratch. It allowed me to discover my love and passion of taking a lyrical idea and turning it into a full composition.”

This all occurred when Davis was 17 years old – and while her journey began as a potential member of a female music group, it soon led her to become a breakout solo artist.

Davis’ first song “Someone New” draws on her personal experiences of being in a relationship where she says familiarity made her stay in a situation longer than she should have.

“I can honestly say that each song I’ve written and recorded are all drawn from real-life experiences,” she said. “My goal is to make honest and good music.”

Her undeniable talent has landed her opportunities to open shows for singers like Kelly Price, Keyshia Cole and Keri Hilson.

But Davis says her success so far has only been a result from the lessons she’s learned from some of her biggest inspirations.

“Two of my biggest inspirations up to this point are Marvin Gaye and Adele because there is something to be said about the sincerity when you can feel every note, song and ad-lib. You know it’s coming from a true place,” she said.

Davis was raised by two artistic parents who contribute work to the urban art community. Her mother is a painter and her father a sculptor, both professions that add to the family’s creative interests.

Growing up, Davis said she listened to Motown and also sang in her church’s choir. Her taste in music soon changed once she entered high school, which was where she picked up an appreciation for alternative music and admired artists like Cindy Lauper and The Beatles.

But now that Davis is making her own music, she says her songs are more soulful.

Her latest single “Someone New” is sure to be a chart topper. The song’s remix features rapper Slick Rick, a “legendary story teller” who Davis said was the perfect fit to match the song’s mellow but meaningful tunes.

As for her future projects, the newcomer says she just hopes to continue to make good music.

“I’m really excited and I’m grateful just to honestly be able to do what I love and to have these moments to create authentically and have it received so well,” she said. “I’m excited for more.”

Follow Lilly Workneh @Lilly_Works