A Vocal Accord: Coreen Corniel: Above Average Talent

Being nineteen isn't easy, however, nineteen-year-old singer Coreen Corniel seems to have it all figured out. Her genres range from bachata to R & B and even a bit of rap if you catch her in the right mood, but one thing is constant and that is that music is her one true love. She has been involved in various activities and dedicated much time to building upon an already developed talent. At this tender age, Coreen is no stranger to the spotlight. From doing voice overs for Nickelodeon's 'Dora the Explorer" to being featured in several local talent competitions, Coreen knows what it is to have to work hard in a competitive environment.

Currently enrolled in Pace University, Coreen is a top student at her school studying biology. She is driven to become a doctor or dentist but for as of now she is undecided. Coreen says, "I am a curious person and science fulfills that curiosity." However, even though Coreen aspires to become a specialist in the medical field, nothing draws her in more than her love of music.

In her younger years, Coreen spent a lot of time with her cousin Carmen who would babysit her. Carmen too is a vocalist and spent her time practicing, especially when Coreen was around. Being that Coreen looked up to her cousin, she began to imitate Carmen and soon discovered that she too enjoyed singing. Over time, people began to compliment her on her voice and tell her how lovely she sounded. And so, with the encouragement from others, especially her family, Coreen continued to practice more and more, further developing her vocal abilities.

Coreen’s family has always been extremely supportive of her every endeavor and they encourage her to keep her dreams alive no matter what they may be. However, she says, "They know that it's a tough industry to break into and they want me to have a backup plan...that's why I'm in school." Coreen looks up to her parents and the example they have set for her and tells me that her biggest inspiration in her personal life is her mom. “It’s because she is superwoman," Coreen describes, “she is always supportive of me in everything I do.”

Musically speaking, Coreen does covers of many different songs, however she feels that she identifies most with R&B. She says, “It’s the music of love and I am a romantic person.” Coreen admires Alicia Keys for her vocal and preforming talent and likes that she is such a strong woman who keeps things under control. However, when asked who she would work with on a song if given the chance she immediately mentioned bachata artist Romeo Santos. She loves the way he is emotionally connected to his music and knows how to tell a story; a quality she has admired of him for many years. Not to mention, she believes their voices would sound excellent together.

I am lucky enough to call this young lady one of my best friends. Ever since I have known her, Coreen has described music as her release, and in seeing her preform you can tell that she is moved to another dimension when she is singing. In high school, she participated in a television singing competition similar to American Idol called Rumbo Al Exito. Soon after, was featured in a live performance in Washington Heights that was associated with the show where all of her family and friends showed up to support her. Last year, Coreen also took part in the Yonkers Idol talent competition where she preformed “Stand By Me’, by Prince Royce followed by Adele’s “Someone Like You”.

To Coreen , music is much more than just sound. It allows her to relax and have fun, but above all to connect with people and be more outgoing. Coreen's future looks bright, she plans to keep working toward her dreams of being in the medical field but will also continue to do her music in hopes to spread the joy that it brings to her.