January 08, 2018
Meet Seattle indie artist V. Contreras. This is an artist with a great indie soul sound and a sultry vocal style that makes her stand out with her unique sound that pulls inspiration from jazz, pop, rock and R&B. Being classically trained in pop, jazz, opera and rock, her vocals have strength and control that listeners will want to stop and listen to what she’s doing with her music. As listeners take pause and really hear her, they will feel the emotion that pours out through her music as she hits the big notes and then easily drops into a beautiful deep tone that is so smooth it flows perfectly through out each song.What's this item about? What makes it interesting? Write a catchy description to grab your audience's attention...
January 14, 2018
Having released her brand-new single “Like It’s Yesterday” last November, the American singer V. Contreras showcases her awesome vocals with a soulful tone. She’s rapidly making a huge name for herself, and for this reason, I was very eager to learn more about this talented female artist. Read the full interview below!
Neufutur LIKE IT'S YESTERDAY Review
December 04, 2019
V. Contreras' “Like It’s Yesterday” is an emotionally intense effort that will perfectly affect listeners. The rising and falling action of Contreras’ vocals is reminiscent of performers like Adele and Christina Aguilera. The sheer range that is reached during this single will have fans sitting on the edges fo their seat. Little more is needed during Like It’s Yesterday beyond strings and a piano. As the instrumentation threatens to overtake the track, V. Contreras rises to the occasion. This is truly a song for the ages, one that will sound as fresh in 2027 as it does today.
SEATTLE WEEKLY/REVERB NATION, Duff McKagan
NOTES FROM THE HOOT
Victoria Wimer Contreras is by no means last on this list, for any reason other than that I knew she would be the hardest to write about. She has the most "legitimate" musical background of ANYONE who was on that stage that night. She has studied with Maestro David Kyle (vocal coach to Ann Wilson, Liza Minnelli, and Geoff Tate, just to name a very few). Victoria studied music and vocal jazz in the esteemed Central Washington University music program. Her leanings have been more toward jazz until recently (thank God for us rock and country fans). Her duet of Oasis' "Wonderwall" with Jeff Rouse at the Hootenanny was a stunning jaw-dropper. If the world were right all of the time, Victoria would be a huge star right now. (EDITED)
INNOCENT WORDS, Troy Michael
Her name is Victoria Wimer Contreras but she goes by V. Contreras. This Seattle singer has some serious soul pumping through her veins and a bit of swagger to go along with it.
Contreras has a voice that most singers would die for, or use auto tune to try to get, but this lovely lady is the real deal. She doesn’t need any of that modern day crap to enhance her songs because she is a…and forgive me for saying this…a throwback singer to when women handled themselves with class and had a sex appeal that made you pay attention. Her bio states, “the love child of Dusty Springfield and Nancy Sinatra with a splash of The Ronettes,” and I couldn’t agree more.
The dozen tracks on this remarkable release embody a strong woman who is comfortable in her own skin (“Gasoline,” “Burn” and “Killjoy”) and doesn’t need the company of others to make herself feel complete (“Don’t Need to Be Loved,” “This Ain’t Love”). Contreras isn’t afraid to say the word “fuck” or talk about the needs of a woman, and God bless her for that.
SEATTLE TIMES, Gene Stout
V. Contreras was only 12 when she heard a song that changed her life. On a nine-hour car trip to Idaho, Contreras and her family passed the time listening to her parents’ favorite albums on the car stereo.
“They played Linda Ronstadt, the Supremes and Heart, but when they played Patsy Cline’s ‘Sweet Dreams,’ it made a really big impression on me,” Contreras recalled. “There’s this thing about her voice that kind of makes me emotional. I remember thinking, I want to be able to make people feel the way this singer is making me feel right now. It was kind of spooky … Her voice was so timeless and beautiful." The same could be said of Contreras’ haunting, self-titled debut album, a sultry blend of pop, rock and soul with dark, romantic themes — such as the one on “Gasoline,” the album’s first single.
SEATTLE GAY NEWS, Jessica Price
AN INTERVIEW WITH EMERGING SOUL DIVA V. CONTRERAS
Victoria Contreras (or V., as she's commonly referred to) is emerging as Seattle's answer to the most memorable alternative soul divas of recent memory: Amy Winehouse, Adele, Joss Stone. Although unlike at least one of these beloved ladies, there's nothing tragic about V.; she's got the strength and talent to go far.
Since the success of Northwest artists Brandi Carlile, Neko Case, Macklemore and rising star Mary Lambert, there's a watchful eye turned to Northwest talent, particularly its leading ladies.
INNOCENT WORDS, Rick Bowen
There is nothing better than putting your best foot forward. Many artists are choosing to release four or five song EP albums these days for various reasons and putting your best songs out to a singles hungry market is top of the list. Seattle singer songwriter and diva in waiting Victoria Contreras has done that with her debut EP ‘Burn.’
The four song presentation bursts forth with a lush wall of sound that transports you back to the Cosmo pop of the early sixties, with a mix of groovy dance beats, strings and horns. The big sound produced by journey man studio wiz Martin Feveyear showcases the full alto of Contreras who draws instant comparisons to icons of that era, Petula Clark, Lulu and Nancy Sinatra.
SEATTLE WEEKLY, Keegan Prosser
Already known as the powerhouse vocalist behind the Seattle Rock Orchestra, V. Contreras—full name Victoria Wimer Contreras— proves she’s a lot more than that on this debut. A perfect mix of easy listening and soulful grit, her 12-track collection is unique in its blend of classic Motown sensibilities with Contreras’ edgier, more rock-leaning tendencies.
Led by the punchy single “Gasoline,” Contreras’ poignant storytelling and sultry delivery is hard to forget: “I know that gaze/Your hands in the flame/And you just beg for gasoline/ And I deny the blame for letting you fall/You love the f**king crazy in me.”
