▁Ohio ▁Play ers , ▁while ▁my ▁mom ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁other ▁room ▁listening ▁to ▁Al ▁Green ▁and ▁Barry ▁White . ▁ ▁On ▁my ▁own ▁though , ▁I ▁was ▁a ▁fan ▁of ▁the ▁classic ▁pop ▁station ▁W ABC , ▁where ▁I ▁first ▁discovered ▁artists ▁like ▁Michael ▁Jackson ▁and ▁Jim ▁Cro ce ". ▁In ▁many ▁ways , ▁McK ay ' s ▁music ▁is ▁the ▁continu ation ▁of ▁the ▁great ▁legacy ▁of ▁these ▁artists ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁generation . ▁ ▁Early ▁music ▁career ▁After ▁a ▁kne e ▁injury ▁det oured ▁her ▁dance ▁asp ir ations , ▁McK ay ▁started ▁to ▁aud ition ▁for ▁singing ▁jobs . ▁One ▁of ▁those ▁aud itions ▁was ▁for ▁producer ▁K ash if ▁who ▁h ired ▁her ▁on ▁the ▁spot ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁girl ▁group ▁called ▁" The ▁Promise ". ▁ ▁The ▁group ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁be ▁signed ▁by ▁C live ▁Davis ▁at ▁Ar ista ▁Records . ▁ ▁Although ▁never ▁released , ▁it ▁was ▁during ▁this ▁period ▁that ▁McK ay ▁began ▁writing ▁songs . ▁ ▁She ▁began ▁to ▁study ▁voice ▁priv ately ▁with ▁Don ▁Lawrence ▁and ▁drums ▁with ▁Ken wood ▁D enn ard . ▁ ▁Solo ▁career ▁While ▁purs uing ▁her ▁professional ▁music ▁asp ir ations ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁McK ay ▁continued ▁to ▁dance ▁with ▁several ▁modern ▁dance ▁companies , ▁Jane ▁Com fort , ▁Amy ▁P iv ar , ▁Urban ▁Bush ▁woman , ▁and ▁sing ▁her ▁original ▁music ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁clubs . ▁ ▁From ▁her ▁subsequent ▁experience ▁she ▁began ▁to ▁gain ▁more ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁session ▁vocal ist .