Vanessa Collier

Vanessa Collier, a four-time Blues Music Award winner and twelve-time nominee, returns with her sixth album, Do It My Own Way (Phenix Fire Records, September 13). Recorded on analog gear with the band largely in one room, the album channels classic Memphis soul from Stax and Hi Records, highlighted by powerhouse vocals, stirring saxophone solos, and soulful horn arrangements. Collaborating with legendary Hi Records organist Rev. Charles Hodges and frequent partners Laura Chavez, Scott Sutherland, and Byron Cage, Collier also produces, arranges, and performs on guitars, saxophones, flute, and vocals. Tracks like the title song and “Wild As a Rainstorm” celebrate personal empowerment and resilience, while Rosetta honors Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s trailblazing legacy. With influences ranging from Mavis Staples to James Brown, Collier blends blues, soul, R&B, and Americana into a contemporary yet timeless sound. A Berklee graduate, she launched her career with Joe Louis Walker’s band.