Cynthia Lin ITASA Promo

Here's that special project I was telling you guys about that I shot a few weeks ago for Cynthia Lin. For those of you who attended ITASA, you might have seen this video before her keynote introduction.

Though Chicago-born singer/songwriter Cynthia Lin spent much of her youth on the stage - her first award-winning performance at age six included a rendition of "Are you sleeping?" in Mandarin Chinese - it wasn't until her college years that she found her vocal freedom, when she discovered two legendary artists: Ella Fitzgerald and Joni Mitchell. Embracing their range and agility, Cynthia learned the art of interpretation from Ella; from Joni, she learned that pop songs could be poetic and emotionally complex.

After graduating from Princeton University with a degree in economics and attempting a nine-to-five career in the Washington DC software industry, Cynthia quickly realized the corporate world was not for her. She returned to the stage with a batch of original songs written on the acoustic guitar and soon found a loyal fanbase for her artful blend of jazz and folk. A serendipitous encounter with prominent DC producer Heidi Gerber led to the recording of Cynthia's debut EP, Blue and Borderlined, which garnered airplay on DC's Z104 and was featured on NPR's Open Mic series.

Since the release of Blue and Borderlined in January 2005, Cynthia has toured solo nationally and shared stages with major acts including Vienna Teng and Emm Gryner. She has also become a fixture on the Asian American college scene, sharing her struggle with cultural and family expectations and encouraging students to follow their passions. A fiercely independent artist, Cynthia took on the role of main producer and arranger on her second album Doppelganger, released in November 2007. The combination of eclectic sounds, poignant stories, and an intimately acoustic version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" has attracted critical praise for Doppelganger, including recognition as one of AsiaXpress.com's "Top 5 Asian American albums of 2007." Cynthia's hand-letterpressed recycled cardboard CD cases reflect both her artistic sensibilities and environmental awareness.

Cynthia is also a trained actress with stage, film, and TV credits. Now a New Yorker, she looks forward to exploring where her performing arts career might lead her next.

"jazz with a coffee-shop feel...exudes originality" -- Daily Princetonian

Find out more about Cynthia at www.cynthialin.com.