With 100 Aloft hotels open around the world, the franchise is celebrating with a 100 Days of Music program. Live sets will be rocking Aloft venues around the world with music from emerging and local artists. At Aloft Doral-Miami, local songstress Kat Dahlia recently performed for crowd at the hotel’s lobby and WXYZ bar.
A part of the Starwood Hotels family, at just a year old, the hotel is a trendy but relaxed one. There’s free self-parking, a lounge bar in the front lobby and a swimming pool with cabanas and lounge chairs. Rooms are cozy with retro inspirations, and it’s like the W’s funky little sister. Every Thursday, the hotel will be hosting live music, and we were there for the spot's first performance.
“We’ve really focused on live music and bringing in emerging artists with these great, stropped down, acoustic, intimate performances. That happens at all of our WXYZ bars around the world,” Paige Francis, VP of global brand management, said. With her song “Crazy” getting major radio play, following her first single, "Gangsta," Kat Dahlia’s nationwide tour begins next month and her album, “My Garden,” will be released January 2015. Before the show, Where Miami sat down with Kat Dahlia to talk music and Miami-Dade County, a place she calls home.
How does it feel to be performing back home?
It’s exciting! I love that all my friends and family can come out and support and watch the show and we can all celebrate together, because I’m honestly not here very much. When I perform I'm always traveling somewhere, so I'm happy about it.
Where’s a favorite local spot of yours?
My favorite neighborhood spot by my house is called Under the Mango Tree. They serve the best smoothies and the best acai bowls and stuff. I love just going there in the morning after I jog or after hitting the beach and you just want something light and tasty and good for you.
You have an eclectic musical style. What were your influences growing up?
My family played a lot of Latin music, so we were always just listening to salsa and merengue. When I got a little older is when my brother introduced me to classic rock and so I started really getting into classic rock and punk rock, and then I kind of found my own way and started listening to blues and jazz and kind of discovering stuff on my own.
Then of course growing up in Miami, when you go out it's an experience. Because I was going out young and I was like 15 going out to the clubs and had varied musical influences. When you're out in Miami you’re listening to hip hop, you’re listening to reggae and lots of different styles. So it’s kind of the vibe everywhere. There’s such a mixture of cultures her you just get a little bit of everything.
Your tour kicks off Nov. 10th. Are you going to be performing with anyone?
Craig Stickland is an up and coming artist and he’s amazing, from Toronto. Super cute too, so that helps with the tour. We’re asking him to take his shirt off and he still hasn’t decided whether he was going to do it or not. He’s going to be opening for me for the shows and then we’re also just going to do local artists as well.
Check out the singer's tour dates and more information on her site.