The Day'nah Evans Grant
For Our Roster of Recording Artists, Ages 8+,
Who Want to Write
The Day’nah Evans Grant will make our Recording Artist Program's Performance and Songwriting Track accessible at a fraction of our rate. Grounded in our Layer One, Layer Two, and Layer Three curricula, artists who want to write their songs will build studio skills while exploring social dynamics (ages 8+), romantic relationships (ages 13+), and bodily autonomy (ages 18+). While applying for our roster, clients will select their preferred rate and, if accepted, gain access to Marcelland, our private online community, as Dukes and Duchesses—allowing them to attend workshops, participate in challenges, and take courses.
Every recording artist on our Performance and Songwriting Track will receive a weekly, one-on-one, 45-minute artist development session for branding, vocal training, and recording. Our grant structure will offer four flexible rate options to meet different artists' needs: 100% of our rate ($1,200/month) for the highest amount of outside support; 75% ($900/month) for substantial support; 50% ($600/month) for moderate support; and 25% ($300/month) for foundational support. After 12 months of initial development, annual guaranteed releases are 12 per year at 100%, 9 at 75%, 6 at 50%, and 3 at 25%. To learn more, please visit our Programs page.
Day’nah Evans is an NAACP Image Award-winning vocal producer, multi-hyphenate artist, SAG-AFTRA and Recording Academy member, and graduate of Hampton University. She has coached and produced vocals for Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Janelle Monáe, and Queen Latifah, with vocal production credits on FOX’s Star and BET’s The New Edition Story. Her career spans performing as a background vocalist for Fergie and Queen Latifah, dancing for Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, and acting in television productions including Disney's Shake It Up and AMC’s Sherman’s Showcase.
For Marcellé, Day’nah’s impact was transformational. “She produced my sexual assault awareness single, helping me discover my belting, rapping, and versatile vocal sounds,” Marcellé shares. Day’nah set a tone of emotional attunement and safety, guiding Marcellé to embrace her full vocal range while taking early steps toward trauma therapy and holistic healing. That experience proved that deep artistic expression requires a foundation of complete emotional trust and respect—values that now anchor every recording session at Once Upon a Voice.
To join our roster as a recording artist, performers will apply and select how much of our rate they want to pay. If accepted, they will join our roster at that rate—learning to write, record, release music, and perform with absolute sovereignty. Through weekly one-on-one development, studio sessions, and annual release guarantees after year one, recording artists ages 8 and up will build technical control, industry stamina, and artistic identity without financial strain, preparing them to release music sustainably.
This institutional grant will honor Day’nah’s commitment to artistic identity, creative versatility, and business literacy. By making recording artist development affordable, we will ensure that performers—including those navigating trauma, neurodivergence, or disabilities—receive trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming guidance. While fiscal sponsorship will support finishing, pitching, and releasing music across our label and publishing pipelines, our institutional grants will guarantee professional studio recording and artist development remain accessible to as many artists as possible.