There are not many vocalists who possess the power to command a room when they open their mouths. And with the industry deficit of powerhouse singers, the world has been anxiously waiting for someone like Whitney or Mariah to fill that void. Cheesa captivated the world with her charismatic stage presence, ethnic beauty and power vocals on NBC’s hit series “The Voice” during Season 2. Now, Cheesa is ready to start on her path to becoming the next incomparable diva.
Before “The Voice,” Cheesa was just an ordinary girl from the islands of Hawaii. Her musical journey began when her father, Martiniana Laureta, discovered her talent at the age of 4, courageously attempting Mariah Carey’s “Hero” at a family event. Martiniana knew, as most mothers do, that her daughter possessed something special. She began enrolling Cheesa and her older brother, Troy, into music classes in hopes of fulfilling a dream their father, Joseph, once had, musical stardom. In just a few years, the two siblings would make a name in Hawaii as the brother and sister team, A2C. They captivated audiences with stunning performance with Cheesa’s vocals soaring above Troy’s musical arrangements. However, it wasn’t long until Hawaii became too small an avenue for A2C.
During the end of her sophomore year in 2006, Cheesa and her brother approached their parents with the idea of moving to Hollywood. Their father, who was a merchant marine, had high hopes for his children to pursue a career in the medical or law field, as to not follow in the hard footsteps of his career path. A former musician, as well, Joseph knew of the amount of work and heartache that would lie ahead in Los Angeles. However, Cheesa voiced her opinion and affirmed that she would do whatever it would take to realize her and Troy’s dream, even if it meant running away. So, despite the wishes of their father, the family decided to drop everything in Hawaii and move to Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, the Laureta family would experience hardships, especially financially. Martiniana, who owned a successful beauty salon in Hawaii, was forced to turn their LA home into a board and care facility for the elderly, while their father worked overseas. Troy and Cheesa experienced highs and lows in their career pursuit, as well. While many people recognized their obvious talent, they received harsh criticisms for their style being dated and 90’s-esque. Harsher critiques went as far as to question Cheesa’s voluptuous appearance, hinting that she needed to attempt bulimia to achieve the x-factor. Despite this, however, they continued auditioning for competitions such as American Idol, X-Factor and America’s Got Talent, never making it past the first round of auditions. However, as luck would have it, one sibling would get a break. But, it wasn’t Cheesa. In 2010, Troy was picked up as a musical director for pop star, Charice, as well as other artists in the industry. While Troy assured Cheesa that this would open doors for A2C, Cheesa was left to fend for herself.
In 2011, Cheesa began questioning her career choice. With the minor success she had in Los Angeles, her confidence was shot and her faith shaken. She took a position at the front counter of a local gym to make ends meet and would do background vocal opportunities as they came. But Cheesa knew that this was not her true calling. She decided she would give up music for a while and pursue a career in fashion, her major in college.
In October of 2011, Troy informed Cheesa that A2C should audition for a new program called “The Voice.” Hesitant at first due to previous reality show failures, Cheesa agreed to audition. In a fateful turn of events, only Cheesa would be chosen by the producers to compete in the show’s second season. Cheesa caught the ear of hip-hop singer, Cee Lo Green, who chose the Hawaiian native to become a member of his team after a performance of Beyonce’s “If I Were A Boy.” She would continue on to wow America with her renditions of Celine Dion’s “All By Myself” and Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing,” landing her a spot in Cee Lo’s Top 3. Coaches applauded the 21-year old star for her courage, powerful voice and her heart-wrenching story of perseverance. Despite her elimination during the quarter-finals, Cheesa said that the show has allowed her to walk through doors she has never walked through before. And it has become a platform for her to be anything that wishes to be.
Currently, Cheesa is working on upcoming projects, including new material for her album, which is set to launch in early 2013. Using his impactful story of success, Cheesa would like to create campaign that will promote “anti-bullying” and education. Bullied as a child, Cheesa hopes that her story will inspire the youth to spread love and encouragement. Her voice was heard by millions of people on the show. But we haven’t seen or heard the last from this powerhouse diva.