Airis Smallwood, a Lincoln University graduate, has been providing R&B artists in Harrisburg with a platform through the Singer’s Lounge. The local R&B, gospel, and soul artist collective has been live for the past five years, writes Maddie Gittens for The Burg.

Smallwood decided to form the Singer’s Lounge when she realized that Harrisburg did not have a proper R&B music scene.

“I felt like there was nothing for singers to do,” she said. “If you weren’t singing in church or karaoke, there was no in-between, no real platform to get on stage.”

At the time, she mainly sang in church, backing up budding gospel artists. She then expanded the supporting singers to an eight-member group. Their skill and powerful sound eventually evolved into the Singer’s Lounge.

“I like that it gives artists a platform to build an audience,” said Phebe West, known as the “mom” of the group. “So, for somebody who lives on such-and-such street who nobody knows, because they’re performing at Singer’s Lounge, now there is an audience that gets to know them.”

Read more about Airis Smallwood in The Burg.