▁others . ▁She ▁has ▁released ▁two ▁solo ▁albums , ▁McK ay ▁( 2 0 0 3 ) ▁and ▁Tell ▁it ▁Like ▁it ▁Is ▁( 2 0 0 8 ), ▁a ▁self - t itled ▁EP ▁Steph anie ▁McK ay ▁( 2 0 0 6 ) ▁and ▁has ▁tou red ▁intern ation ally ▁as ▁a ▁solo ▁artist . ▁She ▁formerly ▁played ▁guitar ▁in ▁Kel is ' ▁band ▁and ▁recorded ▁with ▁the ▁Brook lyn ▁F unk ▁Ess entials . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Steph anie ▁McK ay ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁NY C . ▁R ais ed ▁in ▁the ▁Bron x , ▁an ▁eth n ically ▁diverse ▁district ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁During ▁her ▁early ▁years ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁school ▁cho irs ▁and ▁music ▁groups ▁at ▁Tr uman ▁High ▁School , ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁Al vin ▁A iley ▁School . ▁McK ay ▁then ▁moved ▁onto ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁Arts ▁in ▁Philadelphia ▁where ▁she ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁B FA ▁in ▁modern ▁dance ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁The ▁depth ▁of ▁her ▁music ▁influ ences ▁when ▁growing ▁up ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁are ▁root ed ▁in ▁the ▁classic ▁soul ▁sing ers ▁of ▁the ▁si xt ies ▁and ▁invent iveness ▁of ▁popular ▁soul ▁bands ▁from ▁the ▁sevent ies . ▁She ▁spoke ▁of ▁this ▁in ▁a ▁recent ▁interview ▁she ▁gave ; ▁" I ▁have ▁a ▁brother ▁who ▁is ▁eight ▁years ▁older ▁than ▁me , ▁who ▁was ▁always ▁playing ▁ 7 0 ' s ▁soul ▁and ▁fun k ▁music ▁like ▁Earth , ▁Wind ▁And ▁Fire ▁and ▁the