Imagine an artist who possessed the melodic soul of Adele, the acrobatic notes of Barbra Streisand and the high-energy of Beyoncé — that would be the pitch-perfect fusion of Antonique Smith. The critically acclaimed actress is amped to conquer the entertainment industry with her solo album, Speechless. Now, fans can be part of Antonique Smith’s journey via Kickstarter, an innovative fundraising platform.

“Ever since I heard Whitney Houston’s voice as a little girl, I wanted to be a singer,” explains Smith. Surprisingly, her love for Whitney would translate into a voice of her own. Therefore, it’s no shock that two of Smith’s most famous roles centered on music. She brought R&B songstress Faith Evans to the big screen in 2009’s Notorious. She conquered the role of Mimi Márquez in the iconic Broadway musical, Rent. But for Antonique’s next venture, the exotic beauty — who was shouted out by hip-hop legend Nas in the song “Nasty” — isn’t playing a character; she is exposing her heart and soul in a ten-track album co-written by Smith.

Versus co-opting a manufactured image from a music label, the New Jersey native is maintaining control over her sound and bringing supporters along for the ride. Through Kickstarter, fans can invest in the album with a donation of their choice and join the creative process. “We are putting the power in the hands of the people. It’s not a label saying, ‘This is what people are going to like,'” stresses Antonique. “It’s the people saying, ‘We are going to get behind this.’ We’re going grassroots!”

With Kickstarter, you can help orchestrate Antonique Smith’s debut and hear the music you believe in, which includes production from Toby Gad (Fergie, Miley Cyrus) and the legendary Dr. Dre. Smith describes Speechless as, “Pop-soul with a hip-hop appeal.” Plus, there are rewards for her supporters: exclusive listens to tracks, Skype sessions, spend a day with Antonique Smith, vocal lessons and much more.

“I know where I’m going. I can’t let anybody stop me. I can’t let any no’s breaks me,” says a passionate Antonique. Via Kickstarter, now is the time for the listener to be empowered and Antonique Smith wants you to be heard.

For more information on Smith, visit www.antoniquesmithkickstarter.com, www.antonique.com, www.twitter.com/antoniquesmith and  www.facebook.com/antoniquesmithfb