Known for her five-octave singing voice (most-often compared to Minnie Riperton), and ability to sing in seven languages, Margarita "BabiDoll" El encompasses every genre of music with classic finesse. Although her first love is jazz, she writes and performs phenomenal pop, opera, dance, neo-soul, Latin and R&B lyrics just as easily as she breathes. Inspired by such artists as Minnie Riperton, Celia Cruz, James Brown, Grace Bumbry, Mel Torme, and Sarah Vaughan, one can hear why her singing and writing styles are so diverse.

 

The Doll has had the privilege of collaborating with Grammy-Award winning musicians & other major award nominees including The Chicago Sinfonietta, Howard Levy, No I.D., Percy Bady, Stanley Stubbs, Tom Browne, Tom Tom Washington, Howard Hewett, Preston Glass and Larry Sturm. She is also a member of the popular cover bands Big Poppin' Soul, Crosswind Latin Jazz Band and is the founder and director of Pullman Jazz Society. Her performance education includes classical piano and voice at Chicago’s Sherwood Conservatory of Music and Vandercook College of Music; drama and musical improvisation at the Second City and ETA Theatres; tap, ballet, liturgical, modern, African and hip-hop dance methods at various artistic institutions and has won national awards for flag and sabre twirling with the South Shore Drill Team.

 

In her own right, BabiDoll was the first winner of the Bombay Sapphire/ Soul 106.3 Soul Searching competition in 2007. She was also commissioned to sing the "Star-Spangled Banner" at three major And1 Mixtape Tour basketball games. In addition to singing and songwriting, BabiDoll has been the private vocal coach for multiple contestants on American Idol, America's Got Talent, The Voice and several other vocal competitions spanning over 10 countries.

 

In a nutshell: BabiDoll is the complete package!