EMPRESS, “All in My Head”

Join EMPRESS for an intimate musical evening at Black Cat. Singing her original compositions while playing solo at the keyboard, her poetic lyrics and soulful voice will draw listeners into a rare acoustical moment and transport them into the inner sanctums of EMPRESS’s creative process.

Shannon Marie Rugani — known professionally as EMPRESS — is an American singer, songwriter, composer, dancer and actress. She developed a deep love for music at age 4, when she began playing and composing at the piano. Before pursuing her musical career, EMPRESS enjoyed a distinguished decade-long dance career with San Francisco BALLET, where she was recruited as one of the youngest dancers in the company’s history.

Following her Ballet career, EMPRESS left for the Broadway stage in NYC, performing in the TONY Award Winning production of An American in Paris. In her Broadway roles as an ensemble member and understudy for the lead role of Lise, EMPRESS honed her musical talents and began performing some of her original music in front of groups of friends. EMPRESS kept her original music a secret from the world at large….until now. As a singer, songwriter, composer and producer, EMPRESS is focused on creating an artistic venture where she can realize a melding of her passions for music, dance, theater, fashion, art and technology. She is currently working on her first solo album with 2X Grammy-nominated producer/engineer Bart Schoudel (Beyoncé, Justin Beiber).