Free Agent

Mahasin

May 31, 2005

> NAME: Mahasin
> AGE: 26
> HOMETOWN: Harlem
> GENRE: R&B
> FAVE ALBUM: Thriller, Michael Jackson
> DREAM COLLABO: UsherMahasin

El-Amin is a child of the '80s. Just check out her favorite album ever, Thriller, or her own album's title, Hot Pink. "I use that color to describe my music because it's bright, girly, and fun," says El-Amin.As a high school student, El-Amin was awarded a Juilliard scholarship to develop her trombone skills. Now, with a degree in music management from CUNY's Baruch College, she splits her time between her day gig at Pfizer (library assistant in the research department) and songwriting. "We want to make people dance and feel a whole range of emotions outside the neo-soul sound," says El-Amin of the R&B/pop hybrids she creates along with Bronx-bred producer Royal. On songs like "This Girl," she brags that she's better than the next chick, and though she's talking to a guy about love, the same can be said of her musical gifts. A.R.