January 23, 2007

By by Leila Cobo, Miami

Brazilian newcomer CeU, who scored a Latin Grammy nomination last fall for her self-titled debut, will be the first international act to be featured on Starbucks' Hear Music Debut CD series.

CeU's album, previously released in Brazil, will be co-released by Starbucks Hear Music and Six Degrees Records on April 3. A singer/songwriter and guitarist who plays a mix of hip-hop, jazz and soul, CeU will join the small of group of acts -- Antigone Rising, Sonya Kitchell and Low Stars -- currently on Starbuck's Debut series. Within this group, CeU, who sings in Portuguese, stands out as international act.

"From our perspective, CeU fits more into a category of an artist that has a universal appeal," says Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment.

Although Starbucks carries many musical titles in its stores, its Hear Music Debut series is a proprietary series created specifically to introduce customers to new and developing acts. Of CeU, Lombard says, "We felt she was so compelling that it would fit not just in our coffee houses but also in our debut CD series."

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