MUSIC
VIDEOS
Raise Your Glass - Live performance on Watch What Happens: Live
Los Angeles
Look Away
Electric Soul
LIVE
BIO
Photo By: Chris Rosa
Memoir is a “powerhouse” songwriting duo, comprised of lead singer and lyricist Dena Deadly and music producer, Zed Kelley. The couple could not come from more diametric backgrounds (Zed being from Anchorage, AK, and Dena from Hollywood, CA), but somehow this musical pairing makes perfect sense. After meeting in a recording studio, in Hollywood, they were married and began writing & composing music for their own production and publishing company, “Deadly Love Music”. Through their collaborations on many hits songs for artists, such as Cee-Lo Greene, Will-I-AM, Groove Armada, Nick Jonas, Jack Splash, Angie Stone, Esthero, Scott Storch, Warren G, Method Man & Pitbull, to name a few, hit-makers, Dena and Zed, soon realized their powerful potential in joining forces.
Upon contributing their multi-talents to illustrious vocal and hip-hop stars, they began writing songs and composing music for television and feature films, including "Bad Moms", "Empire", "The Lying Game", “The Fosters”, "Make it or Break it", "Shake it Up”, "The Real World", “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”, "Failure to Launch", "Warrior", "Playing for Keeps" and the theme song for “Vanderpump Rules” and "Summer House." Still, it is within their own personal musical projects that one really begins to hear what these two are made of.
Memoir offers a kaleidoscope of musical influences ranging from soul, funk, rock, and hip-hop, to blues, and even drawing from the heart-wrenching, bittersweet beauty of old spirituals. Today, they present us with a “feel-good” follow up to their first album (“Fire In Me”), dubbed “Electric Soul”. With tracks like “Glad To Be Alive” “Think I’m In Love” and “Electric Soul”, this record is bound to leave a smile on your face when you’re out on that dance floor.
Memoir’s first full-length album, "Fire In Me," was released in the spring of 2014 and has been featured in dozens of online music blogs. Many songs from the album have been and continue to be featured in several TV shows and played all over college radio. Most notably, KCRW featured their first single, "Los Angeles" in their “Top Tune Of The Day” segment. Memoir has been #1 across several college markets and their single "Los Angeles", rose to the top of Hype Machine, and has over 100,000 plays on SoundCloud. Their tour for the album took them all the way across the country and back and landed them performances at both SXSW and CMJ.
This next “offering” is a more optimistic chapter in their musical novel. “We’ve really had and lost so much, at this point in our lives, and so there is a freedom in these records. A purity that comes only when you are creating, without expectation, from a place of love and gratitude, from a place of nothing left to lose or prove,” says Dena. “Manifesto”, is set to release in January 2016 and will be followed by tours in the spring and summer.
"A Woman Scorned" Featured on CBS's "The Good Fight"
“Put a dash of spring and summer buzz into your wintertime humdrum bummer mode with Memoir’s sun-kissed single and testament to being awake and alive in the world on “Glad To Be Alive”.”
- Sjimon Gompers, Impose Magazine (Jan 29, 2016)
“With Electric Soul, California's Memoir, brings out the heavy artillery; a snare drum coupled with a clap that seems to be straight out of the early 90s. It is this piece of production that seems to pay homage. In the rhythm of syncopated bass, one experiences a certain pleasure, reminiscent of an Ace Of Base song. What a surprise to also discover on their SoundCloud profile, the highly successful Los Angeles.”
- Lamusiquesismique.fr (Jan 25, 2016)
“Glad To Be Alive - Funky, carefree and easy to groove along to, this is a really enjoyable, light-hearted country-infused pop track, complete with gorgeous vocal harmonies. Perfect for those sunny afternoons!”
- Lauren Ziegler, Howl And Echoes (Jan 28, 2016)
“If you want to be reunited with the feeling of your body and all the wonderful freedoms you can explore with it then listen to our Song Of The Day, ‘Glad To Be Alive’ by Memoir. It’s funky melodies will have your body moving and turning whilst those strong vocals make you feel happy without reason.”
- Emily Branson, Mytacism Music (Jan 28, 2016)
“A show like Vanderpump Rules needs a theme song that will stick in your head, mostly so it drowns out the sounds of Kristen Doute shrieking that she will break up Ariana and Tom if it’s the last thing she does on this beautiful ball we call Earth. Fortunately, the Vanderpump theme song is “Raise Your Glass” by Dena Deadly, a richly vocaled, club-ready anthem that makes you want to dance and possibly throw a drink at your best friend’s head (so you know it’s perfect for PUMP and SUR!).”
- Lindsay Denninger, Bustle.com (Jan 12, 2015)
"Memoir sounds like a new collaboration between Des’ree and Mark Ronson. Their brand of neo-soul is so vibrant and new while still harkening back to the days of Gladys Knight and Martha Reeves"
- Adam Morgan, SurvivingTheGoldenAge.com (Apr 28, 2014)
“Los Angeles-based trio Memoir describes themselves as an "indie soul band," but that's only a part of the puzzle that is their sound. One listen to their music, and in addition to soul you'll hear blues, funk, rock and pop all shaken and stirred together for an enjoyable musical cocktail.”
- Olivia Dope, SoulBounce.com (Apr 16, 2014)
“Idolator.com - By Robbie Daw | May 31, 2014 How about we add a little soul to this final day of March — one final rush to get your blood pumping and your heart beating ahead of the blue skies and green trees and the birds chirping in springtime?Below you’ll find the soulful, Motown-esque stomper “Minimum Wage (The Heist)”, the lead single from Los Angeles-based trio Memoir‘s debut LP Fire In Me. Idolator is premiering the song ahead of the album’s April 29th release, and you’d be forgiven for assuming this is some lost classic unearthed from a long-forgottenMartha Reeves And The Vandeallas recording session. (Rest assured, we don’t say that lightly).”
- Robbie Daw, Idolator.com (Mar 31, 2014)
“Memoir is Fearless with new single "Who I Am"”
- Andy Kelly, San Diego Gay and Lesbian News (Feb 28, 2014)
“LA duo Memoir features spouses Zed Kelley and Dena Deadly. By day, they pen songs for TV and film and have worked with a myriad of artists including Groove Armada and Cee Lo Green. By night, they make their own evocative sound, as heard on Today's Top Tune "Los Angeles," from the duo's forthcoming full-length.”
- KCRW, KCRW Top Tune of the Day (Aug 23, 2013)
“Memoir, a trio of indie soul songwriters who have co-written hits for artists including Cee-Lo Green, the Jonas Brothers and Pitbull, step into the spotlight with "Los Angeles." The single features a tale of heartbreak set in the City of Angels.”
- LA Times -Guide, LA Times - Songs of L.A. (Dec 19, 2013)
“Raise your PBR to L.A.-based indie soul-pop duo, Memoir! The "powerhouse" songwriting team is comprised of Dena Deadly (lead singer and lyricist) and Zed Kelley (musician and music producer). They've collaborated on so many hit songs for artists including Cee Lo Green, Will.I.Am, The Jonas Brothers, and Pitbull, just to name a few. As a proud Angeleno, I featured their latest offering "Los Angeles" in yesterday's Hump Day Mix. Even though the song may be about how L.A. can make or break you, the lyrics are quite beautiful and powerful. Give this song a good spin. You won't regret it!”
- Kenny Genius, Sugar Bang (Jul 18, 2013)
“Memoir are a fairly new duo coming out of Los Angeles, who dropped an impressive debut EP a few months ago. Leading off that EP and giving you the best first impression possible is the standout track, “Los Angeles”. There is absolutely no reason why “Los Angeles” should not be on the radio right now; It has everything that you could possibly ask for in a hit record. So get ahead of the curve with us and get into this band asap. ”
- Hilly Dilly, Hilly Dilly (Jul 08, 2013)
“I’ve been lucky enough to call Los Angeles home for 6 weeks now, but my time is quickly winding down with my senior year looming. I’m overly excited to be able to take this single from new super duo, Memoir, back home with me though. Only a married couple could make beautiful tunes like this. Dena Deadly (vocalist/lyricist) and Zed Kelley (musician/producer) we’re quickly married after meeting in a studio in North Hollywood a few years back. They’ve worked on records with Cee-Lo Greene, Will-I-AM, The Jonas Brothers, Angie Stone & Warren G just to name a few. Their 4 track debut EP was released back in April and is available on iTunes. Whenever I’m missing this great city I’ll be able to listen to this fantastic tune to at least remind me of the times and the energy.”
- Jake Balbes, DML.fm (Jul 16, 2013)
“New discoveries are always great, especially when they catch your attention within the first few seconds. Memoir did just that with their song “Los Angeles.” Based out of LA (no surprises), the duo is made up of singer Dena Deadly and producer Zed Kelley. Together, they released a 4-track self-titled EP in April of this year, and recently followed it up with a July 9th release of this featured single. ”
- Jason Grishkoff, Indie Shuffle (Jul 15, 2013)
“I’ve heard a few mixed reviews of the city of Los Angeles. Some reckon it’s a gorgeous slice of glam pie and others reckon it’s just a bit of a shit hole. But if this gorgeous ringer of a tune by Memoir is any sort of testament to what it’s like there then I’m tempted to book a flight. An empowered, sparkling bit of pop by the LA based duo, this lovesong to their hometown is bitter-sweet and drenched in sunshiney vibes. A happily married couple as well as makers of fantastic songs, Zed Kelley & Dena Deadly have names that would have gotten them bullied at school at most places in the UK. So then, perhaps it’s fortunate that the two are Hollywood based even though it means they’re too far away to be playing on these shores any time soon. Sob.”
- Emma Cooper, Sleep In Music (Jul 22, 2013)
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