This week, Ira spoke with Elisa Fiorillo Dease.
Elisa Fiorillo Dease (a.k.a. Elisa Fiorillo) is a Las Vegas-based singer with pop royalty connections and a wide range of musical influences, including classical, R&B and jazz. A Philadelphia native, she catapulted to national attention after winning the TV show “Star Search” at the age of 15.
Dease has worked with Prince since 1990, and joined his New Power Generation (NPG) as a regular background singer in 2009. Through the years, she has also recorded many independent projects, including the worldwide hit, “Who Found Who,” with acclaimed producer John “Jellybean” Benitez, and the album, “I Am,” which Prince co-produced.
Dease’s latest project is the duo The Dease & Reese Project, a jazz/funk/R&B collaboration with Nashville-based guitarist Tyler Reese. Their debut album, “Life in 20,” explores many of Dease’s personal experiences over the past two decades, including domestic violence, love, faith, food addiction and motherhood.
