Sonyae Elise

{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Sonyae

| image =

| caption =

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| birth_name = Sonyae Elise

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| birth_place = Newark, New Jersey, U.S.

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = R&B, hip hop

| occupation = Singer, songwriter

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| associated_acts = {{hlist|The Writing Camp|Anderson .Paak|The Game|Qveen Herby}}

| website = {{URL|www.sonyaeelise.com/}}

}}

Sonyae Elise is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles who won the inaugural and only season of Platinum Hit,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/sonyae-elise-crowned-platinum-hit-219961/|title=Sonyae Elise Crowned ‘Platinum Hit’ Champ|first=Sofia M.|last=Fernandez|date=August 5, 2011}} a Bravo American television channel show about competing emerging songwriters.

Her prizes included $100,000 as a cash prize, an RCA/Jive Records contract and a publishing deal with The Writing Camp. According to her interview with Billboard Magazine, Elise does not read music nor can she play any instruments. "I have a lot of old stuff at my mother's house, notebooks and things with scripts and lyrics written in them. I did a lot of theater – 'Grease,' 'The Lion King' – and I wanted to write music for plays. Lyrics came naturally to me. I listened to a lot of pop music and KRS-One and MC Lyte and I saw (writing) as a way to express my thoughts."{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/qa-platinum-hit-winner-sonyae-elise-sees-kara-dioguardi-as-a-mentor-468032/|title=Q&A: ‘Platinum Hit’ Winner Sonyae Elise Sees Kara DioGuardi as a Mentor|first=Phil|last=Gallo|date=August 8, 2011}} For her winning song, she wrote "My Religion" which was released as a single after her victory.{{Cite web|url=https://idolchatteryd.com/platinum-hit/|title=Sonyae Elise wins Platinum Hit | Idol Chatter & Voice Views|date=August 8, 2011}}