Great Ways to Find New Music

Katie November 21, 2014 0 Comments

There’s a lot of incredible music being created today, but it’s not always easy to find out about new artists if they are not signed to a major label. You’ll miss out on hearing a lot of wonderful music if you don’t dig a little deeper, so let’s talk about some ways you can discover exceptional new artists and songs.

Stay Active on Social Media
Today’s music acts love connecting with their fans on social media. You’ll find everyone from huge stars to your next door neighbor’s garage band on Facebook and Twitter. You can learn a lot about new artists from their social media accounts, so check them out and start interacting.
In addition to finding musical acts, you can also connect with producers like Jordan Kurland on social media. Kurland loves interacting with fans on his Twitter account, so it’s a great place to find out about exciting news in the music industry.

Ask for New Recommendations
We all have people in our lives that have great taste in music. That might be your best friend, you co-worker or the guy who manages the local music store. If you’re feeling ready to discover some new music, ask people you trust for recommendations.
Even if those new artists don’t fit into your usual mold, you can enjoy some excellent new talent and incredible lyrics. Once you let people know you’re open to new music recommendations, they’ll love sharing their favorites with you.

Attend Live Shows
Whether you live in a small area or a major city, there are most likely a variety of live shows that you can attend. Instead of only buying tickets for popular artists, don’t be afraid to check out appearances by lesser known solo acts and bands.
You’ll like some shows better than others, but there are several advantages to attending performances by up and coming artists. First, tickets for these shows are normally very reasonably priced. In fact, you might be able to even attend concerts for free! Instead of standing in line for hours or staying up all night to wait for tickets to go on sale, you can usually snatch up tickets for some of these shows right before the performance.
Most importantly, you’ll get the chance to discover some great new music. Whether you’re a heavy metal fan or you love the simplicity of the acoustic guitar, search for live shows in your area. You just might find a new favorite artist!

Independent Music Record Labels

Katie February 26, 2014 0 Comments

Music artists may often struggle break through into mainstream. Talented singers and instrument players often perform in underground clubs and cafes before getting discovered by a scout or someone affiliated with the music industry. Independent record label companies offer great opportunities for emerging artists to begin their professional careers. Such record companies can produce various soundtracks that could be played on local radios. If people like what they hear on the radio, they will demand more great music from new emerging artists that are signed to independent recording studios.

Some record labels specialize only in specific music genres such as alternative rock, blues rock, punk rock and folk rock. Therefore, artists in the general rock category need to carefully select the type of record label that they will work with. Some studios are actually subsidiaries of much larger multimedia companies and major record labels that manage the world’s most famous singers and artists. In the modern internet age, digital music production is very common.

Songs can be released exclusively on digital platforms rather than traditional CD format. Social media sites can also be used to launch marketing campaigns for new music artists that could become future superstars. Independent record label companies have their own websites that include contact information and other relevant resources for emerging artists. Such websites may have “click now” buttons that prompt visitors to learn more about signing a deal. The studios of small independent labels are furnished with digital audio production equipment of the highest quality.

Disclosure: I was compensated by the sponsor of this post. Regardless, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I only recommend products and services which I believe will be good for my readers.

Music Monday: Natania

Katie April 22, 2013 0 Comments

Natania is a new artist I was recently made aware of.  Her song Cherry Love is SO catchy (check it out in the video above) and the animation of the video is pretty amazing as well.  Natania has a very unique voice that I really enjoy.  Keep an eye out for her because I can see this song catching on with radio very quickly – a great Summer Hit…

A little bit more about Natania –
At the burgeoning age of 20 years old, Singer-songwriter Natania brings herself to Los Angeles, CA to offer her warm, young take on acoustic pop without shame. Her smokey voice coupled with humble vocal melodies create the perfect environment for her use of clever metaphors and witty plots. This can easily be defined as the height of her style. Audiences find her comfortably intimate and undeniably personal as she unravels her fascination with love and loss on the stages across the city. Natania recently released her debut EP, “Hope & Heartbreak” and is building a local following one show at a time.

Music Monday: Reasons Be

Katie April 15, 2013 0 Comments

I was recently introduced to Reasons Be – a Los Angeles based band and check out their 4 song EP.  From the opening notes I was loving it.  I love the song Love the Way, that starts off a bit softer but then just keeps getting bigger and bigger as the song progresses.  The two voices sound so great together as well, I can definitely see this EP getting some heavy rotation on my playlists.  Hands Up is very catchy and fun, and it has a great beat to bop along with.

More about the band –

A band, a bond and a brotherhood: Scotty Dickert and R.E.L. are Reasons Be, a Los Angeles-based duo whose debut four-song EP reveals an endearing optimism and a sparkling tunefulness – a resplendent meeting of two musical minds.

This partnership began on the online marketplace Craigslist, when R.E.L answered an ad, posted by Scotty seeking a guitar player. It was a promising meeting; the duo immediately conceived their first song.

“He was the first and only guitarist we auditioned,” Scotty remembers. “Fate? The musical chemistry was instantaneous.”

Both Reasons Be members bring significant individual histories to the alliance. R.E.L endured a rough upbringing. After his mom died under tragic circumstances leaving his family in shambles, he found solace in music. He came to Hollywood to enroll in the Musicians Institute’s Independent Artist program; a move driven by his affinity for American artists – Dave Matthews Band, Jason Mraz and John Mayer – and his desire to relocate to a more fertile musical market.

Scotty, a native of Milwaukee, WI, had fronted a band from his hometown that performed together for seven years and had music featured in films and on MTV. When the band broke up he made immediate plans to head for Los Angeles. This move served dual aspirations: in addition to his musical endeavors – fronting a succession of bands and writing songs – Scotty is also an actor who has been cast in a variety of roles as a hippie sex toy, a super hero, and of course a rocker in a slate of commercials, television shows and independent features.

Centered on vocals and guitar, Reasons Be’s EP is a faithful representation of their live sound paired with the studio craft of Lee Miles (Puddle of Mudd, Rise Against, Shinedown). The accomplished producer-engineer embellishes the duo’s acoustic core with a pop-friendly studio sheen. “He is quite the visionary,” Says R.E.L “He opened doors we would have never imagined.”

Ultimately, Reasons Be is a creative democracy. R.E.L and Scotty come up with individual song ideas and email these to each other. Scotty often focuses on lyrics and melodies, while R.E.L elaborates on the musical blueprints. Meeting up for regular writing sessions, they then advance these concepts. “In previous bands I felt like I was doing all the work,” says Scotty. “Now, the more opinions the better.” Although they eventually see eye-to-eye, the duo affirms that healthy dissent and subsequent resolution often leads to a stronger song. “And if it comes down to it, we’ll wrestle to determine who wins,” laughs R.E.L

Two voices, one destiny: In their song “Hands Up,” Reasons Be evokes an inviting destination with the lines, “You’ll find a place where everybody knows your name.” This affirmation defines their journey as well, as Reasons Be is becoming known and appreciated for their compelling songs and winning chemistry. “The music that comes from our partnership is far better than what Scotty or I could come up with on our own,” concludes R.E.L “And it’s very rewarding.”

-Dan Kimpel, Author and Journalist

Check out Sonali!

Katie March 5, 2013 0 Comments

Back to steal the spotlight, fresh-faced pop/rock singer and songwriterSonali is set to release her brand new single “Nothing Left,” available now on iTunes. As a follow-up to her debut EP “Speechless,” the single is a testament to Sonali’s star quality. With still so much to offer, this radiant performer is wowing crowds and rocking stages to show the world what she’s really made of.

Hailing from South Florida, Sonali grew up around music and always knew that was where her heart laid. Humming before she could speak, Sonali was so inspired by music that she began to pen her own songs before she could even write. The young rocker’s family is a major support system and is constantly encouraging her to develop her natural skills. Multi-talented beyond expectations, Sonali displays effortless expertise on the guitar, keyboard, drums and bass. In addition to singing and writing, the Florida native is dedicated to expanding her knowledge in her field and has attended multiple music programs including one at the prestigious New York University, where she is currently enrolled in the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music Program at Tisch School of the Arts. Between studying and recording, Sonali adds philanthropist to her list of occupations and is donating 100% of the proceeds from Speechless to Smile Train, a charity committed to providing free cleft surgery to poor children in developing countries.

Equipped with a big heart and wisdom beyond her chronological age, the shining singer evokes honesty in her lyrics and emotion in her voice that separates her music from the average pop tune. Written by the singer, “Nothing Left” truly speaks to Sonali’s evolution as a writer and maturity. “Since I have drawn influences from contemporary pop, rock, and R&B, ‘Nothing Left’ really

displays my versatility as an artist. Although it appears otherwise at a first glance, it is actually not just another cliché break-up song, but actually one of lost friendship. I can’t wait to hear what everyone has to say about it,” Sonali expressed. 

Produced by Adam Piccoli and David Adams and mixed by Derek Olds, the song tells a story that almost anyone who has been in a relationship can relate to; regretting dating the last ex, freeing yourself from a bad relationship and discovering inner strength. The singer’s sparkling voice soars over major piano chords, infectious guitar licks and enticing drum beats. Sonali’s fingerprints are all over this track being that she wrote, sang lead and background and played the lead guitar on it. This is also the first time she’s recorded her chops on the keyboard.

With a knack for bouncy melodies and lyrics that hit home, Sonali is getting closer to stardom with each song. Rapidly growing as a performer while stunning crowds with her charm, fans of her upbeat and edgy style are sure to stay on this train. For more information on Sonali, please visitwww.itsmesonali.com.

I’m really digging Sonali’s song “Nothing Left”, it’s pretty catch!  What do you think?

Fearless – The Song

Katie July 10, 2012 0 Comments

I recently reviewed the book “Fearless”, I just found out that someone was so inspired by the story that they wrote a song about it.  It is available for $0.99 at CD Baby (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/markdowdy)  Fearless: the Single is a country pop/rock song with a patriotic twang honoring hero, SEAL Team SIX warrior (RIP) Adam Brown.

Definitely check out not only the song, but the book as well 🙂