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Singer in area finals of national music competition
Teddington singer Jamie Martyr in area finals of Live and Unsigned competition
7:00am Sunday 13th May 2012 in Richmond
By Paul Teed
Young talent: Jamie Martyr is in the area finals of the Live and Unsigned competition
A Teddington singer and songwriter made it through to the area final of Britain’s biggest national original music competition.
Jamie Martyr, 23, is one of just a few acts that will now compete at the Beck Theatre, in Hayes, on Saturday, May 19, where the best of London’s music talent will be pitched against each other.
She is just one great performance away from a place in the grand final of the Live and Unsigned competition at the O2 Arena, in July.
The contest is being filmed for a special television programme that is due to air on Sky.
Jamie can currently be found playing at some of London’s most exciting venues, including Ronnie Scott’s, Proud Camden, Notting Hill Arts Club and Nambucca and is a resident at the Troubadour, in
Earls Court.
She has also self-produced an EP called All that Glitters.
Writing and performing her songs on the piano, using emotive melodies and thought-provoking lyrics laid over bare piano accompaniment, the young Londoner delivers atmospheric performances.
The former Newland House School pupil spoke to the Richmond and Twickenham Times after making it through the audition stages of the competition.
She said: “My influences don’t really correlate with what I play. I used to really like heavy metal but now it’s the lyrics that are most important.
“I really admire Adele for breaking America. If I could do that it would be super, but ultimately I just want to be successful.”
To hear her music, visit soundcloud.com/jamiemartyr.
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Article source: http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/richmondnews/9701511.Singer_in_area_finals_of_national_music_competition/
Nokia Bolsters Search For Next Asian Music Superstar!
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Article source: http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=154080
Nokia Bolsters Search For Next Asian Music Superstar!
News Headlines
Mi2N EDITOR’S PICKS
Get your music news covered…
Have your press release written
by the pros at Mi2N
Articles
MUSICDISH E-JOURNAL
Order an Mi2N Music PR package for an opportunity to submit a song for FREE to one of the hundreds of industry opportunities available through Music Xray
Article source: http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=154080
Nokia Bolsters Search For Next Asian Music Superstar!
News Headlines
Mi2N EDITOR’S PICKS
Get your music news covered…
Have your press release written
by the pros at Mi2N
Articles
MUSICDISH E-JOURNAL
Order an Mi2N Music PR package for an opportunity to submit a song for FREE to one of the hundreds of industry opportunities available through Music Xray
Article source: http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=154080
T Break line-up for T in the Park 2012 revealed
T in the Park: bands will be on bill alongside big names Pic: © Drew Farrell
More than 1,000 unsigned acts from across Scotland entered to earn a chance of playing at this year’s T in the Park, and Tennent’s Lager have unveiled which 16 have won coveted slot in the T Break 2012 line-up.
A judging panel of some of Scottish music industry experts listened to each demo and hand-picked the acts heading to Kinross over the weekend of July 6 to 8.
They will be joining a T in the Park bill which includes headliners Snow Patrol, The Stone Roses and Kasabian, plus Florence + the Machine, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Nicki Minaj and more.
The 16 acts selected to play the T Break Stage at T in the Park 2012 are:
- Anderson, McGinty, Webster, Ward and Fisher
- Bacchanal Party
- Beerjacket
- Blank Canvas
- Brown Bear The Bandits
- Capitals
- Chris Devotion and the Expectations
- Crusades
- Davey Horne
- Nevada Base
- Open Swimmer
- Randolph’s Leap
- Roman Nose
- TeKlo
- The Machine Room
- The Mirror Trap
George Kyle, head of sponsorship at Tennent’s Lager said: “We’ve been incredibly impressed with the calibre of entries for T Break, and the judging panel have been faced with a tough decision to whittle the acts down to just 16.
“There’s evidently a wealth of talent in the Scottish grassroots music scene, and we’re very proud to be able to support this through T Break, and provide these acts with a platform to showcase their material at T in the Park.”
Dave McGeachan from T Break partners DF Concerts was on the judging panel, and explained: “Every year the judging panel looks for a diverse selection of acts which represents the very best of the Scottish unsigned scene, and the T Break 2012 line-up is exceptionally strong.
“I think the final 16 acts will be very well received with the T in the Park audience, and I’m really looking forward to checking out the T Break Stage over the festival weekend.”
To find out more about the acts on the T Break 2012 line-up, check out facebook.com/TennentsTBreak. T in the Park takes place between July 6 to 8, with tickets on sale from ticketmaster.co.uk and by calling 08444 999 990.
For all the latest news about the festival, visit stv.tv/tinthepark.
Article source: http://entertainment.stv.tv/t-in-the-park/news/306403-t-break-line-up-for-t-in-the-park-2012-revealed/
Annie Nightingale To Judge Live And Unsigned
Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale MBE best known as Britain’s first female DJ on Radio 1 is to judge Live and Unsigned the UK’s biggest music competition for original artists for the fourth year running and will be judging at three of the Area Final shows this year.
The former presenter of the BBC’s OId Grey Whistle Test can’t wait to be involved again, “I am as enthusiastic as always at discovering new music talent. I look forward to hearing and seeing the finalists at Live and Unsigned, and will do my best to encourage them on their way to an exciting and successful future. Bring them on!
“This is great exposure – competing in a competition like this will get you recognised and winning it will attract interest. But there’s a lot more to it, it’s a long haul to be successful in this industry. I think bands need to ensure they are getting out there and building a fan base and getting hits on You Tube. Then it’s about finding the right people to represent you – making sure you have good people around you that can open doors. If you’ve got the talent, you just need to surround yourself with people who believe in it and can represent you in the right manner.”
Annie Nightingale the first ever female presenter on BBC Radio 1 is now Radio 1’s longest serving broadcaster having been with Radio 1 over 40 years and remains the only female DJ in the world to have been honoured with an MBE by The Queen.
Annie’s career has been a fantastical musical journey beginning with hanging out with the likes of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who, and becoming a journalist and TV presenter. Having cracked the all-male preserve of DJs at Radio 1, she began a long and dedicated career in broadcasting at the BBC. Always insisting to choose her own music, Annie championed dozens of artists who later became worldwide successes.
“Be passionate and be committed. It’s all about confidence. I also think honesty is great – there’s something endearing about someone making a mistake or perhaps not being completely polished. Don’t try too hard to be anyone else and believe in yourself.”
This year the winners of Live and Unsigned will take home £10,000 in cash to spend on developing the act as they wish. They’ll also get a further £10,000 spent on publicity and will take on a UK tour of up to 100 shows. Live and Unsigned is also offering festival slots in Sweden, Italy, Latvia and Ireland, as well as gigs at UK festivals like Beach Break Live and Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters.
For more information on Live and Unsigned and to perform in front of judges such as Radio One’s Annie Nightingale, sign up for Live and unsigned for next year!
Article source: http://www.entertainment-focus.com/news/annie-nightingale-to-judge-live-and-unsigned
RockNess reveals local line-up of hotly tipped Highland acts set to join star …
It’s already announced major artists including Biffy Clyro, Mumford Sons, Deadmau5, Ed Sheeran and Justice – and now summer music festival RockNess has also revealed a specially curated line-up of local talent to showcase the Highland music scene.
Six of the most promising music acts from the north of Scotland have been confirmed to perform at this year’s RockNess, which takes place from June 8 to 10 at Dores near Inverness.
These include Be Like Pablo (described by the organisers as “guitar-based powerpop”), Homework (played on Radio 1 and 6 Music), Iain Mclaughlin The Outsiders (“grunge with a pop-rock edge”), Red Kites (“emotive and explosive folk rock), Team Kapowski (“tongue-in-cheek rap with delicious electro hooks”), and Whisky River Band (gearing up to release debut album).
The line-up has been curated by Jamie Macdonald and Murray Cameron of Inverness-based Netsounds Unsigned – the weekly online new music podcast, and Chris Lemon of local online music entertainment magazine invernessGiGs.
Jamie and Murray said: “Netsounds Unsigned is delighted to be joining forces with inverness GiGs and RockNess to select 6 of the hottest acts from the Highlands of Scotland to perform at RockNess 2012!
“One of our key aims is about exposing new emerging artists; we are thrilled that this opportunity will bring the best new music from the Highlands to a capacity RockNess audience.”
Chris added: “invernessGiGs are delighted to be working with Netsounds Unsigned and RockNess to provide a stunning selection of some of the best acts that the area has to offer.
“From The Whisky River Band to Red Kites, these bands are worthy additions to the RockNess line-up.
“We are really pleased that RockNess have, quite literally, given a stage to these bands and invernessGiGs can’t wait to see how the RockNess audience respond to them.”
For information on the rest of the RockNess line-up and more news, visit stv.tv/rockness
Article source: http://entertainment.stv.tv/music/306334-rockness-reveals-local-line-up-of-hotly-tipped-highland-acts-set-to-join-star-names/
Band’s big break is out to buy this week
Published on Wednesday 9 May 2012 10:07
HAND-PICKED by acclaimed band, The Kaiser Chiefs, 3hour week will be featured on Universal Records’ compilation album entitled ‘Emerging Icons’, which was released on Monday.
The Scunthorpe based band have been together making music for the last three years, and this could be their big break into the music industry.
“We uploaded our music to the Unsigned Band Review last year, as a lot of unsigned artists do, as music is reviewed by industry professionals,” explains Danny Richardson of 3hour week. “Using the review site, Absolute Radio select artists they like and feature them on their weekly unsigned show, Emerging Icons.”
Last year in May, 3hour week won the Emerging Icons weekly competition with their track, Adventure Potential, and were featured on the national station along with a radio interview. It wasn’t until December that the Kaiser Chiefs collaborated with Universal Records and Emerging Icons to develop the Emerging Icons compilation album.
“We found out just before Christmas that we had been chosen by the Kaiser Chiefs to feature on the album, which was an amazing Christmas present,” continues Danny. “We were asked to go down to Universal studios in London to record an acoustic version of Adventure Potential, as well as be interviewed and a full photo shoot. This was a fantastic opportunity to be in the headquarters of a major record label and to see the magic happen, and also great fun rearranging our song to suit an acoustic style. Being surrounded by cameras and lights was a new experience for us, but the song went down well with the producers, and we left on a high.”
3hour week have gone from strength to strength in the last year. They regularly feature on BBC Introducing Lincolnshire, and have also just performed live on BBC Introducing Humberside for Alan Raw. With a lot of gig dates already confirmed for this summer including the main BBC Introducing stage at So Festival in Skegness, Summer Saturnalia festival in Skipton and the Cockpit in Leeds, the band are going to be busy, as well as promoting the Universal Record album.
“The Kaiser Chiefs have been a massively influential band over the last decade, so the thought of them enjoying our music and selecting us out of hundreds of entries was a huge honour,” says Danny. This release could see the first compilation of unsigned artists achieving a position in the official charts, so we need everyone to buy a copy!”
The album can be found on iTunes, or can be pre-downloaded before it’s release at http://itunes.apple.com/preorder/emerging-icons/id519664262. It costs £6.99, or each track costs £0.79.
For more information on 3hour week, please visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/3hourweek, or www.soundcloud.com/3hourweek.
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Article source: http://www.epworthbells.co.uk/lifestyle/band-s-big-break-is-out-to-buy-this-week-1-4528131
ABSTRAKT: Tiger Lilly’s Difinitive Guide to Being A Successful Independent Artist
Today’s market is an extremely interesting one for the independent music artist and bands. I’m definitely not saying it’s any easier due to the new tools that are at their disposal, as the music business has always, and will always be, a cut throat industry. However, it’s an extraordinarily exciting place to grow and develop creativity, whether you’re an acoustic musician or a full on heavy metal band.
One of the most exciting and inspirational independent music artists I’ve had the privileged to come across over the past few months is a lady called Tiger Lilly. She’s take some time out to offer an insight on methods and the mentality she uses on a daily basis in order to grow her creative business and art and move from one level to the next in a professional and successful manner.
So, what really does make a successful independent artist? I’m not talking about talent or fame but how do you DIY and achieve what you may currently think you need a manager or label for. How far can you truly take your music?
I am going to write this article from what I have achieved myself, from first-hand experience. Therefore, please note, this is not a definitive guide but an insight in to someone who is currently doing it herself.
First off, set yourself clear goals. Any decent manager should discuss with you what you want to achieve with your music and where you see it going. Now I have never had a manager but I do manage myself and this is where I started. This is not to say you won’t evolve and change direction but you need to have a point A to start from. If you have the space make a ‘vision wall’ this is a reference to the book I read by Rhonda Byrne called ‘The Secret’, place images and text of how you want to see your career pan out in this space. Cut out clippings from music magazines, post art work that inspires you and write your own affirmations of what you want. Eventually you will replace the images with ones of YOU and text about YOU and YOUR music!
Why is this important you may ask? It is simply to keep you focused! When you get the days where you are delving in to self-doubt and you want to throw in the towel you stand in front of that wall and you visualize where you want to be and what you can truly achieve. Success is a mind-set and if you are to live the life you want to live you have to start from inside your own head. It is the age old famous saying that ‘If you don’t believe in yourself’, who will?
Once you have made a start on the above keep working on it throughout your career.
We are in the digital era and your online presence is essential. This does not cost you anything but your time and effort. Again, if you do not invest this in to yourself why would you expect your potential fans or a record label to do the same for you?
“But will this cost me money, because I’m a musician and I don’t have any?!” Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr are all free sites and tools you can use, and these are just a few suggestions. You do not have to have an expensive website to gain a following. Uniform your pages however and this sometimes can cost if you do not have friends who can do a shoot for you.
This brings me nicely on to image. How many of you go shopping and have your eyes drawn to ‘finest’ or ‘best of’ ranges rather than the ‘essential’ packaging? You have 3 seconds maximum to grab on lookers attention. What does your image say about you? Does it match your music and who you are? Are you imitating or under dressing up what your brand is?
Stay true to your music, of course, but we are in the music business! Our business is everything who we are and what we create. If you are the buyer what are you looking for? Reverse your role and look in at yourself. Ask yourself, ‘would I buy this?’ If not, why?
Another point to think about is networking! And I mean both online and offline. There is plenty of fantastic music networking events to attend such as FM fmfirstmonday.com. Get off the sofa, if only once a month, and go out and meet other people in your industry from all different areas of the business and be brave. Ask questions! You learn by asking and doing, not just waiting.
How about that waiting game? So many aspiring artists wait for success, waiting to be discovered. I get told so many times, “you’re so lucky, you have so many followers/contacts!” Where did this come from? Did I wake up one morning and find it already there? No. You make this happen by doing all of the above. The harder you work the luckier you will get.
Being in the right time and right place has some truth but there is also a lot you can do yourself. Something to consider is approaching companies for sponsorship to fund your work. They will look at what you have achieved yourself first and again they need to see why they would invest in you. Lazy doesn’t attract sponsors.
In the past 4 years I have self-released an EP, 2 albums and made 4 music videos. I have booked 3 of my own UK tours and organised my own press coverage and been my own radio plugger. If I can then you can. Get yourself a copy of the Unsigned Guide and start making contact with booking agents if you feel you need help with this.
There is a lot you can do from self-distributing, booking tours, self-promotion and working on your online and offline presence.
To summarise…
Do your vision wall and set out your own goals clearly. Without this you will be all over the place and have no focus. Who are you? What is your brand? What do you want to show the world? What is your story?
Package yourself and your material so you are a strong brand. This is not selling out, it’s working your business.
Look in to booking yourself a promotional tour. Create an EPK and send to your local press and music website.
Distribute your own music (see companies like CD Baby) Work your craft and make a noise in the smart way not the hard way.
Whilst writing this article I am fully aware that there will be questions you will want to ask that I haven’t covered in depth but the point as I mentioned when I started writing this is to give you an insight and not a definitive guide. It was written to spark off a fire in you to go out and ask those questions, to research these subjects and realise you can do a lot for yourself.
Once you get to the point where you have all of your content and you are working your fan base, well that is another article entirely, and one I will write when I have done it myself.
Tiger Lilly
Article source: http://hangout.altsounds.com/features/147459-abstrakt-tiger-lillys-difinitive-guide-a-successful.html
5 minutes with Screama Ballerina:
Screama Ballerina are a Brighton based band that are definitely bringing something new to the table. I got the chance to catch up with them at the Exposure Music Awards event at Bar Hall Music. Where they played March 20th to celebrate the release of their new single Papercuts. 
Band Members:
Charlie O’Connor
Ben Sztek Miller
Ciaran Joel McAvoy
Richie Jay.
How the band got started:
“We got ask this the other day, whether we met at ballet school…but that’s not actually true.” Charlie.
“We met at Music University in Brighton and about last February we started playing together.” Ben.
“We’ve only been playing live for just about a year.” Charlie.
Describe your music in 3 words:
“Wacky. Fun (Painful pause) Quirky.” Group effort.
“Refreshing and delicious” Ciaran.
Their twitter account describes their sounds as “feisty rock n roll with a twist.”
Musical influences:
“We have very different influences” Ciaran.
They listed Punk, Rnb, Soul, Mental – “it all merges together” Ben.
Who writes and why:
Charlie writes the lyrics, based on “personal experience, passed experiences.”
“I like to express myself, I like to shout a lot of things, I’m a walking time bomb.” Charlie.
Pre show rituals:
“I brush my teeth.” Ciaran
“We like to scream in each others faces. I put myself in a room and make weird vocal noises” Charlie.
“Me and Ciaran bow to each other before we start.” Richy.
“I do weird warm up things with my hands that drummers do. It’s more normal than it sounds.” Ben.
What’s in the pipeline:
“We are releasing our single (Papercuts) today, please buy it, it’s 59p on iTunes, amazon, cds…” Charlie.
How can fans follow you:
“…screamaballerina.com” Charlie “and Facebook and Twitter and all the rest…” Ben.
I think the most engaging thing about this band is the hard-hitting messages behind their music, they aren’t just singing to sing but instead to prove a point. ‘Skeleton Army’ is about the size zero society we are living in, with lyrics such as “can’t you see them dying”. Whereas ‘Rich Kids’ insults all things pretentious, my favourite line being: “nobody cares about your Abercrombie bra!”
The best part of seeing this band live was the little performances that happened throughout the gig. There were ongoing aspects of dances routines and theatrical aids that transformed the gig into a rehearsed show. Ciaran commented that the band is: “A circus of madness”, and this describes them and the night perfectly.
Check out their new video below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zBIS4YzBdY
Courtesy of Fame Factor www.famefactor.co.uk
