Singers with Unique Voices: Ace Stiles (The Unique Voices Club #31)

Every Friday, I write a post about singers with unique voices not commonly heard in mainstream music in an effort to educate emerging artists and music lovers and inspire them to embrace their own quirks. This week I'm writing on Ace Stiles.

Photo credit to Make Oklahoma Weirder

Ace Stiles was the subject of national outrage when he got turned down from advancing to Hollywood Week back on Season 19 of American Idol. Why? I don't really understand, but one of the feedbacks was that he was "too introverted" or whatever. Even though they've sent through people who can't even stay on rhythm. You don't need a big voice to make great art, Katy, Luke and Lionel. Just look at Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michaelson, who are indie folk artists just like Ace, and are also household names. This is why singing competitions need to hire me. So don't forget to share this blog far and wide.

Naturally, when you think Oklahoma I wouldn't be surprised if you think country music. After all, Blake Shelton and Carrie Underwood are from there. But Ace, a trans artist donning embroidered vests and striped vintage stuff, is based in Tulsa. And he's not the first Oklahoman to get booted early from a singing competition in order to keep the musical status quo of Southern states. But nonetheless, I don't think Ace is missing out on much on the Idol front seeing as Kelly Clarkson and Fantasia are the only winners I remember off the top of my head. Michael Bublé might like him on The Voice instead (even he initially slept on Mark Shiiba). And I'm grateful for sites like Make Oklahoma Weirder who are praising Ace still making art and fighting back to still create what he wants.

Ace himself struggles to categorize himself genre-wise since he does what he calls "a modern spin on jazz and rock" and "an alternative callback but a contemporary representation." And he's a fan of 50s and other older music. Listening to him definitely takes me back in time. His voice has the croony quality of the Everly Brothers and Elvis, but with his own unique touch of fast vibrato and diction distortion that sounds like it's coming off of an old record. He released his debut EP, Grudge, a year after the stint on TV, and then re-recorded the songs with his testosterone-tinged voice on a re-issue called Still A Grudge. The uniqueness was definitely evident in his original voice, but now in his lower voice, he sounds more mature and folksy. I honestly think he and Sawyer Fredericks should collaborate at some point.

Go give Ace some more monthly listeners on Spotify, firebirds, since he has as much as I do and I haven't released anything in three years. Or at the very least follow him on social media so that you can stay up to date with what he's creating next. Because not only does he make music, he also makes art. He had some abstract paintings on show at the TAC Gallery in Tulsa. So how about that?

And that is all for the Unique Voices Club this week! Weekly reminder to subscribe to the Patreon so that you can contribute to the artistic revolution by being able to suggest artists to me to write about in the future. I'm sure that's a perk you won't want to miss out on, especially if you're a music lover!

Stay educated,

Alexia