In May of 2011, Tyrell debuted a new side of himself with his first solo single, “Letting Go.” Known primarily as a dancer on stage and film, this former CW “Hellcats” dancer took a chance to step out of the background into the spotlight. Not shy of hard work, Tyrell began working on making his music heard; multiple club appearances, playing Pride festivals across the country, opening for artists like Destineak, Wynter Gordon and the legendary Martha Wash, Tyrell showed that he didn’t only have the moves, but the voice as well.  Following a success summer, Tyrell debuted his first self-produced EP titled “Dance With Me,” a fitting title for the dancer turned artist. The EP received media attention all over North America and garnered praise from many critics.

Constantly seeking to grow his knowledge of the industry, he took a step back for the late 2011 into 2012, Tyrell watched and learned from the industry. Studying music and other performers he looked up to intently, Tyrell began writing music and working on perfecting his stage show.  Finally, the track “One Step Closer” was born after taking old lyrics and revamping them for his current sound. Working with Vancouver DJ and producer Nick Bertossi, Tyrell crafted a pulsing dance track with honest lyrics about asking the love of your life to come back to you after a rocky period or break up.

Tyrell says of his music, “I’ve always tried to write songs that come from an honest place. Whether their my own personal stories or stories I’ve observed from family or friends. My songs may be dance-y and up-tempo but in the end, I want the song to relate to you and mean something. I grew up listening to music that served a purpose and I want my listeners to know that I have a heart.”

The video for “One Step Closer” was shot locally in Vancouver with the help of Reel Illusions Entertainment. The video portrays the angst caused when a mutual friend comes between Tyrell and his lover, played by real-life Fiancé Patrick Levesque.  After a fight, the real question is, will Tyrell forgive him or is he ready to move on? The storyline is intercut with footage of Tyrell and two backup dancers busting out some choreography at Blue Egg Studios.

Tyrell is currently working on writing a sophomore EP which is set to be released later this fall. Thanks to artists like Adam Lambert, Ricky Martin, Jakes Shears of the Scissor Sisters and the newly out Frank Ocean – Tyrell hopes to break into the pop music scene regardless of his sexual orientation this year.

“The music industry is very heterosexually dominated. But, just because I am engaged to a man doesn’t mean my stories of love and heartbreak are any different. I want to help the world see that.”

Find “One Step Closer” on iTunes & Amazon.com
Follow Tyrell on Twitter and Facebook

Now he has five songs for us in Tyrell’s debut EP, “Dance With Me,” which debuted September 6^th on iTunes, Amazon.com, and Spotify.  In keeping up with his work ethic, “Dance With Me” is completely self-penned and self-produced and engineered.

Not one to stand still for too long, up next for Tyrell is the role of Baby John in Vancouver Opera Company’s “West Side Story.”  After a busy summer devoted to his own music, he’s looking forward to getting back on stage. “West Side Story has always been a dream show for me to do, so I am really fortunate to be a part of this production and share the stage with some really amazing and talented singers and dancers. I cannot wait to get started.“  Following this show’s run, which begins October 22^nd, Tyrell will embark on a tour to promote his EP and continue to reach out to his audience.  Writing a full length album is in the plan for 2012 and beyond that, the sky is the limit for this young, but already seasoned, performer.

A young, dark haired girl humbly responds, “Well, I was on a TV show a some time ago, so maybe that’s where you saw me?”
To this, the woman responds in satisfaction and excitement, “That’s it! That’s where I know you from!”

The TV show in question is So You Think You Can Dance Canada, and the girl? It’s Arassay Reyes, a contestant on season one of the popular dance show that has taken the nation by storm. A Cuban native, Arassay moved to Canada not long before she auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance Canada. And being recognized, as a local celebrity is just one of the many life changes that Arassay has experienced since competing on the show, an opportunity that nearly slipped through her fingers.

“I arrived to the audition and waited to go in with many other dancers, but when I reached the door, I realized that I didn’t have two pieces of ID on me and I was turned away. In a panic, I called my father and got him to pick me up, go home and get my passport, and race back to the audition, heart pounding the whole drive back. When we arrived, there was no one outside. You can only imagine the panic at that time! Well, I was in the last audition group and fortunately, I made it in.” explains Arassay.

From then on, it was tough work, but Arassay danced her way into a spot in the Top 20 and a chance to compete in front of millions of viewers on national television.

“It was exciting, but also very exhausting. We would learn a partnered routine on Saturday, perform it on Monday and then learn another full group routine on Tuesday to perform on Wednesday. Then if you were in the bottom three, you would have to prepare a solo for Thursday. There was basically no down time,” says Arassay.

Following competing on So You Think You Can Dance Canada, Arassay went on tour with the Top 20, performing fifteen shows across the country. It was one of her favorite parts of the So You Think You Can Dance experience, as she explains, “On tour, everyone was working together. There was no competition and that allowed us to bond even more and get the chemistry right in the dancing. We also only danced our favorite routines.”

Since competing on So You Think You Can Dance Canada, Arassay has been busy working on new, exciting projects, most notably landing one of four principal dancer roles in the upcoming movie “Sucker Punch”. Directed by Zach Snyder, the alternate reality action movie stars Vanessa Hudgens and Abbie Cornish, opening March 25th, 2011.

Fortunately for Arassay, the dance and action sequences were all filmed in her current hometown at Vancouver Film Studios. To perfect the role, Arassay trained and practiced with the other dancers for four months, before filming started.

“It was lots of work, but if I had the chance, I would do it all over again! The experience was amazing. Zac Snyder and the crew were so fun.” Arassay states.

After filming “Sucker Punch”, Arassay also appeared in The CW show, “Hellcats”, dancing mambo and Michael Jackson inspired routines.

Lately, Arassay has been focusing on teaching dance. She is currently in the midst of setting up classes to teach her own, signature style of dance, a fusion of jazz, funk, reggae ton, contemporary and folklore. Her goal is to someday open her own studio and start a dance company that focuses on many areas of dance for all levels and ages.

Upon being asked for advice to young dancers, Arassay responded: “Get the opportunity to dance for an audience and get yourself out there. If anything, it will build your confidence and enhance who you are as a performer. Don’t be afraid to show and do what you love. Train, do your best and don’t let anyone put you down. And most importantly, trust in yourself!”

For more information about Arassay and what she is doing now, visit www.arassayreyes.com.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Cruz