WINNER OF THE BEST MUSIC VIDEO CONTEST
We're excited to announce the winner of uPlaya's Best Music Video Contest is MTHDS for "Positive Movement"!
There were so many great submissions - thanks to all who participated and shared their videos. We featured some of the best submissions on this blog and also on our Facebook page, browse through the history to check those out.
Up and Coming Talent: Roman Holiday
uPlaya’s Up and Coming Artist this week is Roman Holiday, a alt/pop/rock band from Seattle that won BOTH the Best New Artist and Best New Song competitions on WeLoveYourSongs.com.
According to one music critic, "Roman Holiday is a band that begs to be seen live. It dares you, song after song, to sing along and raise a lighter. There’s not a single moment in any of Roman Holiday’s songs that suggests a band that’s resting it’s laurels. Every build up is tight and suspenseful, every chorus explodes, and every hook is more gigantic than the last. Having been birthed in a recording studio means their sound was born running, and it really shows. . . to say that you should hurry and see them before they get big is no exaggeration." [Adam McKinney Weekly Volcano]
Check out an interview they did with WeLoveYourSongs here, see videos here, and find out how you can see them live here.
Featured Artist: Tyrannosaurus Grace
Runners-up in the WeLoveYourSongs Best New Artists and Best New Songs Competitions, Tyrannosaurus Grace is a young, exuberant synth rock group out of central Washington known for their high energy live shows, unique look, and hook filled music.
T. grace’s style is derived from many musical genres from punk rock to pop. Most of the band’s musical background was birthed out of their love for early 1980’s punk rock, 80’s and 90’s metal and the pop-punk/ska movement of the mid 1990’s. Pair this with their more recent appreciation of electronica and dance music and it is easy to see how a band that sounds like Tyrannosaurus grace could come into fruition. T. grace’s sound has been described as the outcome of mating The Cars with Against Me!
Check out their UPK to see more photos and bio info.
DEALMAKERS DISCOVERY: FACE THA MUSIC
Take a look at another DEAL MAKERS discovery, Face Tha Music.
Face is not only uPlaya’s UP AND COMING ARTIST OF THE WEEK, he was recognized at the Deal Makers Conference for his clear potential, and Hit Song Science™ echoed those sentiments by awarding Face a Platinum Auddy Award for “TIP HER”. Brooklyn’s Face gets national radio airplay. The music video for “My Favorite Song” gets rotation on MTV, Music Choice, Fuse TV and VH1. Face’s highly anticipated mixtape album is already endorsed by Hot 87’s powerhouse DJ Kay Slay. Face recently recorded with Vado, Jagged Edge, and Skyzoo from Ducktown (just to name a few). Learn more about this rising artist by checking out his feature on uPlaya’s Up and Coming Artist spotlight or visiting his uPlaya® Press Kit.
Sponsored by Hennessy Artistry, the Deal Makers Conference gave artists the chance to snag one-on-one meetings with industry executives and experts such as Tone Capone of EMI Music Group/Playtone Entertainment and many others. The conference also included an artist showcase, live performances, networking sessions and an expert panel of A&R executives to answer questions about the industry.
Over the next few weeks, we will be showcasing some other uPlaya artists who really made an impression at this year’s Deal Makers event. You can see them on this blog and our Up and Coming Artist of the Week segment on the uPlaya Facebook.
Finally, here’s what some of the A&R executives had to say about the talent they encountered at the recent Deal Makers Event:
Ant Rich, V.P. of A&R at Jive Records: “I heard some stuff with potential. There will definitely be some artists that are going to get some calls from me Monday and beyond. This is how it starts.”
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Walter Jones, A&R Sony Music / ATV Music Publishing: “I met a lot of talented songwriters and producers here in Chicago.”
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Omar Grant, Senior Director of A&R at Epic Records: “I always love these things, love hearing new music and the next waves of artists and musicians coming up. I always keep my ears to the street, keep my finger on the pulse of what’s coming next. I am looking forward to following up and also looking forward to the next one.”
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Lenny S., VP of A&R at Def Jam Records: “I found, listened and heard a lot of good things. Mission accomplished; job well done. That’s what these things are all about: coming and finding new talent.”
We All Make Music: David Bell of the Block Scholars
Longtime uPlaya users, the Block Scholars, reflect on the past 11 months they have spent using the uPlaya music analysis and promotion service in a recent feature on We All Make Music. The popular music site, which is "Helping Musicians Thrive in a Post-Label World", recently reviewed the uPlaya service with CEO, David Meredith, and is now following up by talking with artists using it.
uPlaya Artists, The Block Scholars
The following is an excerpt from the feature:
Did you have specific goals when you put your music onto uPlaya? Did you think, “I wanna see how these Block Scholars songs stack up against other hip-hop songs,” or “What’s their hit potential?” You’ve mentioned that you kind of used it to tweak your songs in certain ways. Was that something that you anticipated doing from the start or did that kind of develop along the way?
It kind of developed along the way. At first I was like, “Let me see if what they are saying is true.” We have gotten accolades for our music even before I went to uPlaya. We were on many web sites; a Garage Band song of the day, one web site gave us hip-hop song of the year. So I went and took those songs and said, “These places already think the songs are good, let’s see how uPlaya judges them.” And the songs that got the awards got platinums and golds, so it kind of validates [the initial praise]. And then what I did was start experimenting with music, putting in demos that we just finished. [If they] didn’t get a good score, turn around, tweak it, add some more instruments, make the music clearer, a better bitrate, and put it through again, and up went the scores. Just little things like that make a lot of difference.
You know, I’ve put some 150-200 songs through, so I’ve invested a lot of money and a lot of music into uPlaya and you have to if you really want to see what it’s gonna do. You’re gonna have to go yourself and try it out. And I went and used the widgets and got great response on the widgets. They have a press kit. You gotta go use the press kit. I have a press kit with another site, you know, and I sit there and compare the press kits and see how many hits I get off of it. Are people looking at uPlaya’s kit as well as this other kit? Am I getting any feedback from anybody because of uPlaya, am I getting any feedback because of the other one? I do compare, on a daily basis, uPlaya to the other places that I’m at, and they’ve been great. It’s gotten us a lot of exposure as independent artists.
Read the whole feature
Inside the uPlaya Music Universe: Sarah Solovay
Listening to her energetic and addictive melodies, Hit Song Science isn’t the only one predicting sweeping success for young singer/songwriter Sarah Solovay. Solovay fell in love with music at the age of six and in over a decade she has built an impressive resume for herself in the New York music scene. Solovay’s “Gone” won the 2008 New York Songwriters Circle’s “Young Songwriters Award” and is a finalist in the International Songwriters Competition. Solovay’s “Hearts Collide” was featured in a March 2010 episode of a major prime-time drama on the CW, 90210, was highlighted at the end of the episode as a spotlighted song, and was placed on the season’s soundtrack alongside major acts like Owl City, JET and OK Go. The drama typically averages between 1.5 - 2 million viewers, and its premier in 2008 broke the CW’s record for being the highest-rated scripted debut in the network’s history with 4.7 million viewers. Solovay has also been interviewed and featured on Teen.com and TeenVogue.com.
uPlaya Artist Sarah Solovay
uPlaya.com: Tell us about the moment you decided you wanted to become a musician.
Sarah Solovay: There was never an epiphany moment for me, when I knew I had to be a singer/songwriter. In a sense, it's something I've known all along.
uPlaya.com: I see that one of your songs, “Hearts Collide”, was placed on the soundtrack for a major drama on the CW, can you tell us a little more about that experience?
Sarah Solovay: I was so excited when I heard that they wanted to use the song because I have been watching the show from the start. It's my guilty pleasure show. When they wanted to use it, they flew me out to L.A. and I got to go to the set and meet some of the actors. It was a total out-of-body experience. Even just watching the show while my song was on it was crazy. They used it perfectly, and I'm so grateful that they wanted it.
uPlaya.com: Has your music been licensed for other opportunities?
Sarah Solovay: I have been! My song is going to be in an upcoming film, "The Hole" directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins, The 'burbs, Twilight Zone: The Movie). I also wrote the theme song for the Web TV Show, BFF. My song, "Gone," is going to be used in an upcoming show starring Rob Corddry (Old School, Failure to Launch, The Heartbreak Kid, W., Hot Tub Time Machine). Conde Nast's Teen Vogue used "All She Could Be" for photo shoot of Dakota Fanning, which was really cool too … It was thrilling … since I'm a big fan of her work. I'm always looking for ways to put my music out there into the world, so things like the teen.com and teenvogue.com pieces are magic to me.
uPlaya.com: Why did you decide to use uPlaya.com?
Sarah Solovay: I read about uPlaya from someone's blog and loved the idea of uploading my songs and finding out how uPlaya's Hit Song Science analysis would rate them. I think it's a unique and cool concept to be able to have scientific analysis to back up the idea of how a hit song might sound. I also love to check out the contests that are offered! So glad that I found you guys 
uPlaya.com: What can we expect in the future?
Sarah Solovay: In the future, you can expect lots of new music from me. I plan on putting out a full length album sometime in the next year or two, and I really want to go on tour to support that album. I have lots of plans and lots of dreams, and I won't stop until I make them happen. It's that or death.
uPlaya.com: Anything else you would like to share with fans?
Sarah Solovay: The only other thing I'd like to share with the fans is my thanks. I am so truly grateful for anybody who supports me in any way. The love and support I get from the people who listen to my music make my day/week/month/world/etc.
Inside the Music Universe™: Loomis and the Lust
A recent review of Loomis and the Lust stated the band “should really be a household name within a year or two.” Hit Song Science™ seems to agree: Loomis and the Lust was recently named a finalist of the Music Universe™ Win a Video Contest for their Platinum Auddy-winning track, “Sweetness”. Their music video for “Bright Red Chords” was awarded mtvU’s Freshmen of the week, is now on rotation on mtvU, and was selected out of thousands of videos for Music Mix USA’s contest for airtime. The band has recently appeared in interviews and features on MTV.com and mtvU as well as on the pages of Billboard magazine. L&L has been chosen by Delta Airlines for their Indie Rock in-flight entertainment and added in rotation for 35 retailing and cable outlets and counting. In the latest edition of “Inside the Music Universe”, uPlaya learned that these young independent artists have every bit of attitude their rock style demands…
uPlaya Artist Loomis and the Lust
uPlaya.com: Why did you decide to form Loomis and the Lust?
L&L: We wanted to make simple music for complex people
uPlaya.com: What is "the Lust"?
L&L: A good alliteration.
uPlaya.com: What is your inspiration?
L&L: Other music, girls, and Pontiac Firebirds.
uPlaya.com: What would you say you are best known for?
L&L: Right now: our Bright Red Chords Video, and our bass player Scotty is on the TV show Glee. So sometimes people recognize him from that. It's funny; we like to tease him about it.
uPlaya.com: Any interesting stories from the recent tour?
L&L: In Tacoma, Washington, before the show I was taking a shower in my hotel when I heard a loud knock on the door, I opened the door in my towel and an entire S.W.A.T team with guns pointed at me wrestled me to the ground … Turns out they thought I was a bank robber than had been knocking off banks in the area … The robber had long blonde hair and did look just like me. I put the robber's picture on MySpace. It was pretty funny.
uPlaya.com: What would be the ultimate accomplishment?
L&L: If we made enough money to record and tour 365 days-a-year, and play shows for lots of people. It used to be that a record deal was the ultimate. Now it's all about making it work on your own.
[Will you be in Austin this week? L&L are playing at Darwin's Pub at 10:30 SATURDAY NIGHT for the RedGorilla Festival. Don't miss out!]
Need to know more? Check out Loomis' blog here.
See the music video for "Bright Red Chords":
Inside the uPlaya Music Universe™: Eclecticus
Imagine a band that does it all. Eclecticus is exactly who they say they are: diverse lyrics, melodies and styles that pull on influences from rap, rock, electronica, Motown and pretty much anything they can derive inspiration from. Gar Reid, a singer/songwriter who toured briefly with the Funk Brothers and who used to jam regularly with the Barenaked Ladies, met guitarist Del Rose at a local watering hole. The fortuitous conversation, along with the instant gravitational connection between Tiina and Gar, led to the birth of Eclecticus. Eclecticus continues to collaborate with a wide variety of musicians including popular rapper, Roach Killa.
uPlaya Artist Eclecticus
uPlaya.com: How has your band evolved?
Gar: I think ECLECTICUS is constantly evolving by the very nature of our music’s moniker. Tiina, Del and I believe that people nowadays are far more sophisticated and ready to break with traditional branding of music to a few categories/genres and see no reason why people wouldn’t enjoy various styles by a single band for a more enjoyable experience. For me, I embrace as many musical colors as come to mind when writing. Some of the British Festival bands out there start with an acoustic guitar song which then evolves into full throttle rock, ending with an electronica show which encourages this idea of one band sort of “doing it all”.
uPlaya.com: Tell me more about a band that “does it all”.
Gar: Having various styles of music on one record allows us to reach a wider audience. This way, our fans are getting what they like and then are exposed to something else that they may not normally listen to.
Del: I would like to think that our band may educate people in listening to various genres instead of always keeping to ‘one bag’
uPlaya.com: Tell me about your fans.
Gar: We are developing a fan base and by the look of things, we seem to be attracting young and old, and from various parts of the world. What we find interesting is when you have a 50 year old woman from Trinidad and Tobago juxtaposed by teenagers enjoying our music.
uPlaya.com: What words of wisdom do you have for other musicians who are just getting started?
Gar: First off, hone your craft and get busy making mistakes. A mentor and friend of mine, Grammy Award winning Dan Hill, who wrote and performed “Sometimes When We Touch” among other hits, once told me that if you’re stuck in a rut on a song, try to minimize your time on it to about 45 minutes, generally, to avoid getting frustrated. You should come back to it with fresh ears the next day or drop it altogether and move on.
uPlaya.com: What is your album art all about?
Gar: The debut album art for Eclecticus I was a photo taken by Tiina while vacationing in Switzerland. The photo was taken at the Red Cross Museum in Geneva. This cinderblock room with a fluorescent light was a holding cell for POWs in WWII. If you look closely, there are three sets of footprints on the ground, which represent the three of us working from a fresh palette without interference from outside influence in following just one trend. It may be a motif we continue to work from for subsequent albums. The image is powerful and off kilter, much like us.
Inside the uPlaya Music Universe™: Billy Gear
Billy Gear has been hooked on music for most of his life. Eager to explore his passion, he started out by traveling with international acts working on sound for big name performances like The Allman Brothers, Neil Young, Heart and many others. After touring, Gear went to school to study recording and worked as a producer on the side. It wasn’t long before his passion compelled him to return to writing and performing, and to this day Gear continues to thrive in his unique musical journey, rousing excited audiences with his blues rock fusion…
uPlaya Artist Gear
uPlaya.com: How did you come up with your band name?
Gear: I was in a band, Gear, with my sister. It's my last name and I didn't really want to use it. However, we were working with Jimmy Miller at the time, who was the producer of the Rolling Stones, Steve Winwood etc., and it was his idea at a business meeting … From that point, I signed all music related stuff as B. Gear.
uPlaya.com: What would you say your performance is best known for?
Gear: Being very reflective of the recorded version and having a good show. I believe in the lights, dress and the whole theatrical aspect of live playing. It's a great visual for the audience.
uPlaya.com: What is your inspiration?
Gear: My inspiration is what music does to me and to people in general. It moves me and always has. It's like my salvation. When a song comes together and the performance is right on, there's no better feeling. Everyone can remember a place and time when they hear a certain song. Some good, some not so good, but raw emotion is the common denominator.
uPlaya.com: Describe one of your most recent performances.
Gear: It was at The Next Page, a local blues club, with a female artist Cindy Daley. She's a local icon and rippin' blues rock singer. We played some Etta James, Stevie Wonder, Creedence Clearwater Revival and tore the place up. It was with a few East Coast heavy hitters and the experience was a total musical high. When the band clicks and it's all good, players it doesn't get any better. We played til' hours because the audience didn't want us off the stage. A great night...and there's many of them like that here.
uPlaya.com: What words of wisdom do you have for other musicians who are just getting started?
Gear: The only words of wisdom are if it's in your blood, you'll know, and don't ever give up. Perseverance. And the only real secret to getting good is the time you put into it. Follow the dream. Always.
uPlaya.com: What else would you like to share with fans?
Gear: Well, I’d like to thank everyone for their support and faith in me. Their responses are part of the drive. I’d also like to thank uPlaya™. It’s a great too in every way and beyond any expectations any writer could have. It pretty much covers all the bases and so far, everyone has been equally supportive of the writers in general. Great team.
Inside the uPlaya Music Universe™: Cashmere
Marcus Goodine has something to say. He wants to express himself through music, provide a new perspective on life, and all in all, he just wants “to be heard.” A Brooklyn native, Goodine moved to South Carolina at a young age and began listening to Jay Z, a rapper he continues to idolize. Although gospel music was a huge part of his life, hip hop is an often-used form of speech for him. Goodine, whose performing name is Cashmere, just clenched the title of Grand Prize Winner of the Music Universe™ AllHipHop Contest.
uPlaya.com: What would you say you are best known for?
Cashmere: I guess it’s the fact that I'm just being myself. I can’t talk about things that I have not done or stuff that I don’t get into because if I don’t live it, it’s not in my vocabulary….period! You know, I'm a corn ball and kind of geeky and I try to show that as well.
uPlaya.com: How did you come up with your performance name?
Cashmere: It was back in eighth grade when I was listening to Jay-Z’s first album, “Reasonable Doubt”. Me and my family were listening to all the tracks and I knew them by heart and knew what that dude was talking about… We ran across his song called Cashmere Thoughts and they all said, ‘YO that’s ya name’. I guess they felt those verses were what I was about at the time and they would always hear me quoting the lyrics, so they told me I should go as Cashmere. But in school, people looked me like, ‘Is this kid serious? What kind of name is that?!’
uPlaya.com: What does hip hop mean to you?
Cashmere: Everything. Music is my life, not just hip hop, but music period. Hip hop is just another form of speech to me.
uPlaya.com: What is your inspiration?
Cashmere: Music inspiration definitely comes from others, but my life is what I write about, so I guess my life. I never really want to blow up and be rich from being a rapper, but I do want others to hear me and be inspired by my work …You’re not going to get inspiration in a club, so I make music for your iPod, Zune, whatever you use. I want to be on people’s minds as a melody.
uPlaya.com: What words of wisdom do you have for other musicians who are just getting started?
Cashmere: Be you! Don’t follow any trends. That’s the problem with unsigned artists now. There are so many talented artists all over and definitely in my area. The problem is, everyone is starting to sound exactly the same… rappers, producers, everyone. That’s something I feel hip-hop is lacking right now: originality. I think instead of talking about the same thing everyone else is talking about, why not talk about you and be you?
Hear Cashmere's music, including his contest-winning song, "What'cha Want"