Chelsea Lee

She sings. It's what she does. Chelsea Lee sings like she means it, with a voice that services the emotion of the song. It's a voice that carries joy and pain into the heart of the listener, with unbridled passion that borders on obsession. So let's get this out of the way now: Chelsea Lee is 16. As in, born in 1991. It's not a gimmick, it's just the chronological way things are. It's too easy to say she sings beyond her years, but she does. The maturity and professionalism showcased on stage and on disc are hallmarks of seasoned veterans, yet the chestnut haired charmer -- who carries herself with the same sophistication as she performs -- has it all. And she mixes the professionalism with youthful enthusiasm because singing is fun. It's what she does. And she writes the songs that she sings, which may be why she sings them to perfection. The songs are soulful folk with a modern pop sheen that showcase those beyond-her-years vocals. Not content to rely simply on a voice that has captured a growing audience in and around her home of Northern Virginia, Chelsea Lee studies voice and guitar as well as attends high school. But while her friends are enjoying extracuriculars, Chelsea Lee can be found at one of the DC area's top venues opening for, or sharing the stage with, Marc Cohn, Stephen Stills, Alexa Ray Joel, Mary Ann Redmond and others. This year she headlined a sold-out show at the 200-seat Jammin' Java in Vienna, Va. There will be more sold out headlining shows to come. There's plenty of time. After all, she is only 16.