Up Close & Personal with Breakout Artist 2020 Nominee "Castella"

Castella is a proud native of Long Beach, California.  Castella embodies strength and courage, she goes after what she wants and gets it!  Castella was born Cathy Rebecca Crowell, the baby girl of the family.  Affectionately named after her grandmothers, Kathleen and Rebecca, she carries the spirit and strength of these two beautiful women with her daily.   She is married to Oliver L. Thompson Jr. and they have three beautiful children, Aaron, Tristan & Cailyn. Singing all of her life in church choirs & groups and as a soloist, Castella’s voice is unique, different, strong, powerful, yet soothing.  She chose the name Castella to honor her maternal grandmother, who was called Ms. Castella around town, it just felt like the right thing to do.  She proudly carries the name Castella as a badge of honor, respect and strength.  Many of her musical influences growing up were gutsy, powerful singers like Phyllis Hyman, Tramaine Hawkins, Daryl Coley, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Sarah Vaughn, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Mikki Howard, Regina Belle and many, many more while others like Luther Vandross, Natalie Cole, Karen Carpenter, Dione Warwick and Minnie Riperton spoke to that sensitive, smooth side of influence. All of these voices helped create what is uniquely, Castella!