DMV KARS: Two goofy girls from the DMV area that want to make you dance and smile...with a touch of

Meet our Heroines:

Carla Elliott a.k.a JosaFeen “Jo-Jo” Wells

Kristina a.k.a. Kbudd

Group Name:

DMV KARS

Describe your musical style:

Electro Funk Dance (with heavy influence from the 80’s)

How did you get into music and become an artist?

JosaFeen: My mother and father were both singers. My mother is heavily in the church so I started singing gospel really before I could talk. We even made a gospel tape when I was 10 years old, “Evangelist Elliott & The Elliott Singers".

Kristina: Fell in love with Madonna, the Go-Go's, and Jem in the 80s. I wanted to be in a band so bad. I wanted to play any instrument my parents would allow me to rent. I started with electric guitar at age 10.

Who are your major influences?

JosaFeen: Chaka Kahn, Mother’s Finest, Sade, The Clark Sisters, Janet Jackson, Anita Baker. There are so many!!

Kristina: All the 80s new wave, pop, and synth pop bands

What was your first musical memory as a kid?

JosaFeen: Me singing at church in the Sunshine Children's Choir and when my solo was up, forgetting the words. It’s on youtube, really.

Kristina: My family used to play "Kristina" by Rick Springfield to me when I was a toddler so I would dance in my crib.

Do you have a local female musical mentor or inspiration?

JosaFeen: Toni Braxton, she sings writes and plays.

What advice do you have for women trying to get into the music scene (locally or otherwise)?

JosaFeen: Keep learning continue to master your craft. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone always believe in you even if others doubt.

How do you connect to the mission of ProjectHERA?

JosaFeen: I really appreciate the effort in exposing females in music for their talents. It was very important for DMV KARS to compose, produce, write the entire self titled EP. We had to remind ourselves that although we don’t see a lot of women highlighted behind the scenes they definitely exist. We are a couple of them.

What are some challenges you face in the music industry - both as a woman and also just as a performer?

JosaFeen: Being compensated properly. You know you're told by everyone to follow your dreams, do what you love as your job and you'll never work again, but how am I supposed to do that without money? I'm hoping that club owners, artist along with fans can truly see the importance of supporting each other by allowing us to play at venues, artist making shows affordable, and fans purchasing tickets to make this circle of life work. Being shunned for making a living using your talent doesn't make sense.

If you could go back in time, what decade/time period would you want to explore, musically?

JosaFeen: The 70’s

Kristina: The 80’s

If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

JosaFeen: Not be afraid. Believed in myself more.

What’s one lesson you have you learned along the way?

JosaFeen: You must apply action to your words. You cannot wait on others to help make your dreams come true. Be an example.