Paper Box Presents: Ria Boss, Strategic, Brittney Crush, Jack Ross, Wrong Era

A flower child born in the wrong era, Ria Boss is a Ghanaian-Burkinabe singer songwriter, living in New York City and laying poetry on the strum of the acoustic guitar.

Biography

Finding out who a person is, is a task that is left to those who truly want to delve deep – exploring realms of a mind that one might not necessarily enjoy traveling through. So how can the words on the page truly encompass who I am, without you taking the time to float in my being? The music speaks for itself, yet pleasantries are pleasantries.

Birth

She prayed through the Virgin Mary and her daughter was born – November 24th 1989- premature, (although you'd never guess that now) – In a quaint little hospital in London. She named her Maria Emmanuelle Grace Bossman-Damiba, a thank you – Hail Mary full of grace. She sent news of her arrival, "A star is born", on the invites to the christening – heavy words for a child days old.

Movement

From Europe to Central Africa, Gabon became their new home - Shout out to all bilingual folks out there – home by the water, the memories taste like salt. Where's Dad? Here come the issues. Mother and daughter separated, so Mother could get on her grind – teach your kids the value of hard work. So daughter moved.

Home

West Africa. Ghana. Mother country how she loves you - To live with her Grandma for the majority of her formative years, mother to join afterwards. Piano lessons, choir, ballet, tap, you name it, she was in it. Till she was 18, her life revolved around Ghana, around family – self being molded by the situations she was placed in, and sometimes placed herself in. Yet, the music was always a constant. Always the remedy. The two most important women in her life surrounded her with the sounds that would soon be the makings of the musician.

Journey

New York. New York. 18 years old and a dream. College was the goal, but her dreams are much bigger than that. No culture shock for this child, her journey to find acceptance was over. Ghana is home, but New York is what her brain was made of. Niche found, voice finally ready to be heard. Weird and wonderful and full of falsettos.

Declare

Maria Boss, a Ghanaian-Burkinabe Momma's Girl with hope, with music…with madness. With Etta, Nina, Sade, Masakela, Kuti, Scott, Arie, Hendrix, Lennon, Prince, Whitney, Ocean, Adele. Thanking hiplife, highlife, afrobeats and the djembe. They create the warped nature of the twisted sounds, they create the soul, the melody, the words. Her sound has been compared to the likes of John Legend, Tracy Chapman and Teedra Moses. Singer. Songwriter. Boss.


Born and raised in Hartford, CT, now residing in New York, while on her rise to stardom, singer/songwriter Brittney Melvin otherwise known as Brittney Crush, is making a statement in the music industry with her soulful voice and magnificent stage presence.

This 5’8” beauty that majored in voice (Jazz) and also classical technique has performed at many venues in the Tri State area including the beautiful Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Brittney Crush has graced the stages of many premiere venues like The Hartford Bushnell Theater, The Comix at Foxwoods Resort and Casino, XL Center, Black Eye Sally’s in Hartford,The Shrine, The Trash Bar, Ella Lounge, Salvina, Amityville Music Hall, The Nuyorican Poets Café, and The Poets Passage in San Juan Puerto Rico just to name a few. She has been featured on The Stan Simpson Show on FOXCT, West Hartford Community TV, VIVA Hartford Media and many on air and online radio interviews.

Creating a huge buzz in the music industry, Brittney’s single “Pages” and “Love Letter” are in heavy rotation on 89.9 WQTQ FM and online radio stations Best After Dark and Route1 Radio. Both singles are available on ITunes; establishing her as a force to be reckoned within the industry. In September of 2013 Brittney Crush collaborated on the Soundtrack for the Nollywood movie 'Battered', a Fatima Jabbe Film. Brittney Crush is currently in the studio working on her new EP.

Even with a busy schedule, Brittney Crush still finds the time to lend her talent and support to different community events such as Five Towns College Breast Cancer Awareness Concert, City of Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade Inauguration, CRT Pregnancy Prevention, City of Hartford Lead Prevention, Our Piece of the Pie, YMCA, CREC and Autism Prevention.


Wrong Era is a dark Rock n Roll outfit from the depths of '60s Garage, Chicago Blues, and NYC's No Wave. After a killer debut in Manhattan in early 2013, the trio Wrong Era began setting their sites on establishing an honest, natural aesthetic, influenced by the messy nuances of Brooklyn living, distortion, and general tomfoolery.