When the clock struck midnight on March 16, R&B artist ADO, also known as Adolph Davis, took to the stage of Therapy Wine Lounge to perform his five song EP for a crowd of fans.

The performance and production of the ADO EP album was made possible by management straight out of Loyola’s Department of Music Industry Studies – music industry studies senior, Uriel Carrasco. Davis stepped on the New Orleans scene in 2011, after years of singing on the alter of his father’s Baldwin, La. church.

Carrasco found Davis, a vocal performance junior at Xavier University, singing on Frenchman Street.

“We used to have weekly gigs at Mojito’s Bar & Grill. He came to check us out and was really feeling it,” Davis said. “I guess he saw the potential that we had.”

Carrasco loved Davis’ voice, said to be a “mixture of new and old school ambiance.”

“It’s very soulful,” Carrasco said.

Connected by Davis’ background singer, Dorian Johnson, the men started working together, preparing Davis for Hard Rock Café’s Hard Rock Rising Contest.

“After that Hard Rock Rising Contest, he really saw what we were capable of,” Davis said. “We started working together from there.”

The relationship built between the two men has brought professional growth and experience to both parties.

“ADO is the first person I’ve managed,” Carrasco said. “It’s been a year since I started working with him, but there has been progress.”

Carrasco has worked to build the ADO brand.

“Uriel has helped to bring ADO’s raw and authentic voice to the next level,” Kamaria Monmouth, mass communication junior, who is also part of the ADO team, said.

“He transformed ADO’s original EP and brought in a live band to give an unique and soulful sound.”

Carrasco has built Davis’s online profile.

“Once the team got Davis’s blog and social media up, he started getting recognition from his peers,” Carrasco said.

That recognition gave Davis the opportunity to open for national acts and perform out of state.

“ADO was offered to open for Dillard University Spring Fest, where he opened for Dru Hill and Miguel,” Carrasco said. “This past fall he was invited again to open for Travis Porter and Melanie Fiona.”

The release party marks a personal achievement for Carrasco. Not only was the party the first he has planned, but Carrasco also managed to line up three sponsors to financially back the event.

Davis attributes Carrasco’s personal determination and education to his success.

“Just booking this venue, I don’t know how he did it,” Davis said. “He got turned down at least three or four times by other venues, yet he still didn’t quit.”

“I’ve learned to dive into it,” Carrasco said. “You can learn a lot in a classroom, but the majority of learning happens out in the field.”

“Uriel is a go-getter,” Davis said. “If he sees something he wants for this band, he’s going to make it his priority to get it.”

Inspired by Loyola instructor Billy O’Connell, Carrasco hopes to continue down the management

track.

“I really want to take the management route because you work directly with the artist,” Carrasco said. “You align your vision with his and go from there.”

The artist “has the vision and the ideas. I put the legwork in,” Carrasco said. Although the physical production of the EP is still in the works, a free download of the album is available on ADO’s website – thanks to Carrasco, of course.

Lauren Irwin can be reached at [email protected]