"I think some people choose music because it looks glamorous. I chose it because it really elevates my soul. I really do feel my soul lifted every time I sing."
COMING SOON: "A Woman's Story" is being reissued on Majestic Music along with her all-new, soon-to-be-released album entitled FunktiFy.
FunktiFy has its roots in the late great Luther Vandross's former touring band, featuring Paulette McWilliams, Ivan Hampden Jr. (drums, arranging, producing), Nat Adderley Jr. (keyboards), and Phil Hamilton (guitar), who played together for years backing Luther.
Drawing inspiration from 70s soul music while incorporating modern recording techniques, Funktifly delivers a captivating sound. The 12-song album is accompanied by a documentary that highlights Paulette's incredible life story and includes insights from each musician about the album's creation.
Her previous album, "These Are The Sweet Things" consists of 13 original tracks and was written and produced by Paulette McWilliams and Grammy-nominated producer Ivan Hampden Jr. Upon its release, the album received immense appreciation and love from the audience, along with great reviews.
Lee Bailey's Everything Urban & Radio writes, "Paulette McWilliams’ These Are The Sweet Things deserves a spot front and center in the collection of anyone in need of a soulful love-filled musical massage."
The website Soul & Jazz & Funk writes, "...across the album, you’ll discover that Paulette can go from a hushed gentleness to a funky feistiness at the drop of a hat. Feel the funk on tracks like ‘Baby Think Again’ (a funk that has a jazzy undertow), the live-flavored ‘Teddy’s Got A Plan,’ the grinding ‘That’s How I Am’ and ‘Sometimes Your Eyes’ where you’ll hear where Chaka Khan learned her licks." One of the album's tunes, What I Wanna Do To You is charting on the UK Soul Chart Breakers.
These Are The Sweet Things quickly climbed the ranks and appeared on several music charts. Within the first week of its release, it became one of the best-selling books on Amazon UK. It remained on the UK Soul Chart Top 30, Solar Radio Chart, and London's UK Chart for several months, making it one of the year's most popular albums. It also secured a spot on the UK Soul Breakers Chart, a testament to the album's fantastic reception.
In addition to these charts, These Are The Sweet Things made it to the Best of the Year lists by FunknStuff Top 20 Funk-Soul-Jazz Albums of 2023, the Michael Amil Chart, UK Chart Breakers, and UK Soul Chart. This further cemented the album's position as one of the year's best releases.
In addition to her studio work, Paulette's electrifying live performances were showcased at the Berks Jazz Fest in Pittsburgh, PA, alongside Nat Adderley Jr., Phil Hamilton, Oskar Cartaya, and Tony Citron, as well as at The Women In Jazz showcase, which celebrates women in jazz. This event celebrates the contributions of women to the jazz genre and provides them with an opportunity to showcase their exceptional talents.
After her performances in Pittsburgh, Paulette headed to Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club in New Hampshire for a special show.
Paulette celebrated great success with their lush holiday classic, Pink Champagne, chosen by UGONE Radio DJ Toni B as her 'Christmas Song for 2024". Daily Music Roll stated, "The track is enough to make you fall in love with the artist's creative expressions and artistry." Plus, she released the UK Soul Chart hit Mama’s Kitchen Table and a stirring rendition of Bread's IF.
She showcases her warm, smoky tones and four-octave range on several stellar selections from her album, A Woman’s Story, produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Kamau Kenyatta (Gregory Porter).
Urban Music Scene's review stated, "Paulette’s confessional will bring a tear to your eye as will the closing selection, Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now. A Woman’s Story is Paulette McWilliams finally doing a record 100% her way without compromise. If you’ve been following the lady across the decades, you might just feel like you’re hearing her for the first time all over again.”
Paulette McWilliams has enjoyed a storied career as a vocalist spanning almost six decades. She is best known for her deep, sultry, silky, liquid velvet tones, her melodic interpretation, and her wide vocal range.
“Paulette’s gifts represent the perfect confluence of musicianship and creativity. Her experience, coupled with an extraordinarily high musical IQ, ensures that she consistently makes the best possible choices as a performer. Her sincerity and genius, along with her empathy, guide her craft”.
Kamau Kenyatta (Grammy-winning producer for Gregory Porter)
Hailing from Chicago, Paulette became the lead singer with Ask Rufus and was solely responsible for introducing the group to her dearest friend, Chaka Khan. She secured Chaka’s gig with Rufus by agreeing to train her on stage for two weeks.
Paulette performed the Tammi Terrell duets with Marvin Gaye on his very last tour, which was recorded live. She has worked with some of the greatest and most legendary artists, performers and producers in the business starting with Chaka Khan, Donny Hathaway, Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, Bette Midler, Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, Joan Osborne, Billy Idol, David Bowie, Keith Emerson, The Brecker Brothers, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Johnny Mathis, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez, Patti LaBelle, Deborah Cox, Michael Jackson, Gino Vanelli, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Herbie Hancock, Noel Pointer, Anastacia, and Teri Lynne Carrington and many more. She recorded duets with Bobby Caldwell and Will Downing.
Paulette has performed with her own band at jazz festivals and clubs in London, England, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Trinidad, Milan, Amsterdam, Moscow, Russia, Bern, Switzerland, and across the U.S., including Ronnie Scott's in London and the Blue Note in Milan, Tokyo, and Beijing. Her live recording with the Beets Brothers is a mainstay on jazz stations throughout the world.
Known to be one of the best interpreters of song..From jazz through pop… Her authenticity is uniquely hers, and she can flavor a song however she feels it in the moment… Original to covers, she makes it her own, which can change depending on how she is feeling in the moment, but she never takes you too far from a song that is familiar to you, so that you can share the moment.
Paulette has been featured on numerous TV commercials for companies including Folgers, Kellogg's, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola (with Britney Spears), Cadillac, Cover Girl, American Express, Celebrex, MasterCard, United Airlines, Budweiser, Coors, eBay, Mercedes, and Nike. She has performed on soundtracks for film and television.
Paulette’s jazz recording is appropriately titled “A Woman’s Story” with Grammy Award-winning producer Kamau Kenyatta (Gregory Porter). Kamau and Paulette collaborated for three years to create this remarkable record, featuring both original and cover songs, with special tributes to Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, and Luther Vandross. Paulette and Kamau are working together on arrangements for a new jazz recording.
Ken Burns, the filmmaker who has won numerous awards for his works on jazz and American culture, serves as a consultant on this documentary, which features appearances and conversations with some incredible artists, including Bette Midler, Chaka Khan, Ray Parker Jr., and Marcus Miller.
In July of 2023, Paulette released a record entitled “These Are The Sweet Things” on Expansion Records in the U.K. The record contains 13 classic soul/funk/pop tracks co-written by Paulette and Ivan Hampden, Jr. Within weeks of its release, the record began to climb the U.K. Soul charts, and by August, seven of the album's 13 tracks were in the Amazon U.K. Top 40. Top 100. The album finished the year at #6 on the U.K. Soul Charts and was chosen by Funknstuff as one of the Top 20 recordings in 2023.
Paulette has more than 12 RIAA platinum albums for her participation on hit songs from numerous artists.
A new live show that chronicles her amazing career, featuring illustrious jazz arrangements of some of her favorite songs from the artists she’s worked with, would take the audience on a lush musical and narrative journey.