YOUR WEEKLY ROUND UP OF INDEPENDENT NASHVILLE MUSIC RELEASES OF ALL GENRES. SUBMITTED TO AND STUMBLED UPON BY YOUNG MUSIC CITY - FOR YOUR MUSIC DISCOVERY.
VIDEO PREMIERE: ABIGAIL ROSE - "BALANCE"
CHECK OUT THE DREAMY NEW VIDEO FOR INDIE POP ARTIST, ABIGAIL ROSE’, NEW SINGLE, “BALANCE”
“Balance is the song that started the entire visual inspiration for my EP Million Dollar Questions. I immediately saw the EP artwork in my head- me standing on a balance beam in a retro gymnasium. I knew the perfect spot... we shot this video and the artwork for my EP in the old gymnasium I grew up going to as a kid in Nashville! It was such a fun night getting to run around an empty gym and bring the visuals for my project to life with my videographer Ailene Weatherly and photographer Jasmine Archie!”
FULL EP “MILLION DOLLAR QUESTIONS” AVAIL NOW.
‘BALANCE’ VIDEO PREMIERE BELOW:
THE MAKING OF 'MYERS ETHRIDGE'
MYERS ETHRIDGE HAS OFFICIALLY LANDED!
CHECK OUT THIS EXCLUSIVE “MAKING OF” VIDEO AND BACKSTORY FROM THE BRAND NEW AMERICANA/INDIE ROCK PROJECT BY NASHVILLE’S OWN, NATASCHA MYERS AND DANIEL ETHRIDGE.
FULL RECORD “WORLD’S ON FIRE” AVAIL MAY 29.
STREAM THE NEW RELEASES “BUT, TIME” AND “HELL & HEAVEN’S CROSSFIRE” BELOW.
Natascha: "Daniel and I had been talking about joining forces beyond the writing room for quite some time, but it wasn't until the world tilted on its axis that it became a no-brainer. I mean, life was always short, but it started to seem shorter still. Gone were the 2020 plans and tour routes and so forth, and in their place was this amazing opportunity to get to make music with two of the best (Daniel and William), to be awestruck by their talent, to marvel at how music has proven indestructible, even in the throes of a global pandemic, for heaven's sake. I'm proud to be a part of something that has brought me such BLISS (a word I didn't think would come easy this year), and I'm excited to let the rest of the world in on that process. And as we artists innately do, I hope that the music does that thing it does and makes our listeners feel whatever they need, whenever they need it."
Daniel : "More than anything, working with Natascha is a reminder that we GET to make music, even in the midst of this pandemic where we're trapped inside and writing songs over Zoom and not really getting to share in the togetherness of creation as we normally do. Myers Ethridge is a selfish joy for me, and I'm so very grateful to be a part of it. Making a record with two of my greatest friends, Natascha and Will Stone, has been a highlight of the past two months."
STREAM THE NEW SINGLES
INDIE A+R (5/08/2020)
YOUR WEEKLY ROUND UP OF INDEPENDENT NASHVILLE MUSIC RELEASES OF ALL GENRES. SUBMITTED TO AND STUMBLED UPON BY YOUNG MUSIC CITY - FOR YOUR MUSIC DISCOVERY.
THE DRYES - “TAKE YOU DANCIN”
TAYLOR ACORN, DAN SWANK - “IT’S NOT THIS”
CATE DOWNEY - “BOULDER”
17 MEMPHIS - “DANCE FLOOR”
SHAWN PENA - “LIGHT”
CHRISTIE HUFF - “CANVAS”
ALEJANDRO SLAY - “2 EXTRANOS”
MAD WESLEY - “TRIGGERED”
AARON CLAFTON - “MATCHES”
LIGHT CITY LIGHTS - “WHAT SIDE OF LOVE”
CARO - “WHEN ALL MY FRIENDS MOVE AWAY”
FAREN RACHELS - “SMOKE”
MARY KUTTER - “NEVER KNEW LOVE”
GATLIN - “NEVER BEEN IN LOVE”
SIX QUICK QUESTIONS WITH MO PITNEY
CURB RECORDS’ MO PITNEY TALKS EXPECTATIONS FOR NEW RECORD, BREAKING BOXES, AND LIFE IN QUARANTINE.
NEW SINGLE “MATTRESS ON THE FLOOR” AVAIL MAY 15 .
Q+A
YOU’RE SET TO RELEASE YOUR NEW RECORD “AIN’T LOOKIN’ BACK” THIS SUMMER. TELL US ABOUT THAT.
I’M EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW RECORD BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT IS A MELTING POT OF ALL MY MUSICAL INFLUENCES IN ONE PLACE… I LIKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC, NOT ONLY COUNTRY/TRADITIONAL COUNTRY MUSIC (THOUGH THAT IS MY FAVORITE). I WANTED TO BREAK OUTSIDE MY OWN BOX AND WANTED THE OTHER MUSICAL INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE TO MAKE A NEW SOUND WHEN MIXED WITH THE REST. LYRICALLY, THERE ARE SONGS ABOUT LOVE, LOSS AND REDEMPTION… BUT I MOSTLY HOPE FANS GET LOVE AND REDEMPTION OUT OF IT.
YOU MENTION IN A RECENT POST THAT “STORMS NEVER LAST” IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS. HOW HAVE ARTISTS LIKE WAYLON JENNINGS AND JESSI COLTER INSPIRED AND CRAFTED YOUR SOUND?
WAYLON AND JESSE, ALONG WITH JOHNNY CASH, WILLIE NELSON, MERLE HAGGARD AND MANY MORE, WERE INSPIRING TO ME BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE THEY MADE IT TO A POINT IN THEIR CAREERS WHERE THEY STOPPED PLAYING ANY GAMES ON THE MUSIC BUSINESS SIDE AND REALIZED THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD MAKE THEM HAPPY MUSICALLY WAS TO FOLLOW THEIR HEART. THEY MADE MUSIC BECAUSE THEIR MUSIC NEEDED TO BE MADE... THERE WERE THINGS THEY NEEDED TO SAY. THEN LITTLE 14-YEAR-OLD BOYS LIKE ME (BACK THEN) WOULD HEAR IT AND COUDN’T DENY THAT IT WAS THE “REAL THING” — I OWE A LOT OF MY STRIVING FOR THE REAL THING TO ARTISTS LIKE THAT.
SPEAKING OF SONGS, YOU’VE WRITTEN SONGS WITH ESTABLISHED NASHVILLE WRITERS LIKE TRENT WILMON AND WENDELL MOBLEY. WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE PEOPLE TO WRITE WITH AND WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE PROCESS?
THEY ARE GREAT! I ALSO LOVE, WILL NANCE, BOBBY TOMBERLIN, DEAN DILLON, AND PAUL OVERSTREET, JUST TO NAME A FEW MORE.
THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT CO-WRITING IS, EVERY SINGLE PERSON APPROACHES WRITING A SONG A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY — IN THE SAME WAY THAT I GATHER INSPIRATION FROM DIFFERENT ARTISTS' SOUNDS THAT I LIKE, FOR RECORDING. I HAVE TAKEN BITS AND PIECES OF EACH WRITER THAT I’VE WRITTEN WITH TO CREATE MY OWN STYLE OF WRITING. AND THE WAY I WRITE NOW COULD’VE NEVER HAPPENED WITHOUT CO-WRITING.
MY ADVICE FOR NEW WRITERS IS TO CO-WRITE A LOT, BUT TO ALSO WRITE A LOT OF SONGS BY YOURSELF! THE SONGS THAT SEEM LIKE THEY START TO SPILL OUT OF MY HEART ARE THE SONGS THAT I WRITE BY MYSELF. THE SONGS THAT FEEL LIKE WILL TAKE A LITTLE MORE WORK AND HAMMERING ON - I NORMALLY BRING THOSE IDEAS TO OTHERS IN CO-WRITES.
YOU’VE STARTED A VIDEO SERIES CALLED ‘MO MONDAY’ ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA - HOW HAS IT HELPED YOU CONNECT WITH YOUR FANS DURING THIS TIME?
MO MONDAYS HAVE BEEN A HUGE HELP IN CONNECTING DURING THE QUARANTINE! IT’S BEEN A GREAT WAY TO SHARE OUR LIFE AND WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON, BUT ALSO REVEALING SOME PERFORMANCES IN CREATIVE PLACES!
ANYTHING YOU’RE BINGING IN QUARANTINE?
MY WIFE AND I WERE BINGING BOY MEETS WORLD, BUT WE JUST MOVED ON TO EVEN STEVENS.
WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU ENJOYED IN QUARANTINE?
QUARANTINE HAS BEEN GOOD FOR FAMILY TIME! I THINK EVERYONE GETS WORRIED THAT TOO MUCH TIME TOGETHER IS A BAD THING, AND FOR US, THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE. HAVING THE EXTRA TIME GIVES MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CERTAIN MOMENTS OF MEANINGFUL CONNECTION — WHETHER IT’S HAVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER TOGETHER, OR PRAYERS BEFORE BED TIME WITH MY LITTLE GIRL… THOSE LITTLE MOMENTS HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE FLOW OF OUR WHOLE DAY HERE. MOMENTS LIKE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I AM HOPING TO HOLD ON TO WHEN THINGS RETURN TO NORMAL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE DOING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY IS BUILDING AND GROWING A GARDEN — PICS TO COME!
CHECK OUT MO’S MOST RECENT RELEASE “RIGHT NOW WITH YOU”
JEFFREY JAMES TALKS NBC SONGLAND AND WHAT'S TO COME IN THE "AFTERMATH"
POP / R&B ARTIST JEFFREY JAMES TALKS NBC SONGLAND WITH MARTINA MCBRIDE AND RYAN TEDDER, AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE “AFTERMATH”
STREAM THE NEW SINGLE “AFTERMATH” BELOW .
Q+A
YOU WERE ON MONDAY’S EPISODE OF NBC SONGLAND FT. MARTINA MCBRIDE. TALK ABOUT HOW THE OPPORTUNITY CAME TO BE, AND HOW THIS WEEK HAS BEEN FOR YOU.
SONGLAND was an amazing experience. As far as I know, they discovered my music while researching artists & songwriters for the show. Late last year they reached out and asked me to submit a few songs. I found out in late January that one of my songs had been chosen, and I flew out 3 days later to start filming! It was a whirlwind. But they really treated us well. The show, on camera and behind the scenes, really is all about the art of songwriting.
This week has been a blast! I was a little nervous about how I’d look in the episode. It’s easy to psych yourself out over something you filmed 4 months earlier. But the response has been so great! So many people have reached out about my song and my performances, and I’ve tried my best to connect with every one of them.
YOUR MENTOR ON THE SHOW WAS RYAN TEDDER OF ONE REPUBLIC. WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH HIM?
I had a bit of an out-of-body experience, working with Tedder. I remember, watching myself standing next to the piano as Ryan played my song, and I sang - It was crazy! It was also a confidence booster in one sense. Because honestly, I felt like I held my own while writing with him. Also, he pulled up Rhymezone on his phone at one point! It’s something most every songwriter will do when they get stuck on a rhyme, but you don’t think about the “big guys” doing it. It was a nice reminder that there’s no magic trick.
The two main changes he made to my song made all the difference. He suggested one melody change in the chorus that was literally just singing one note differently. And he added all the extra choir parts to the top of the chorus. It changed the feel of the song completely and for the better. I was like, oh yeah, that’s why he’s the dude.
TALK ABOUT WRITING THE ORIGINAL SONG “WE CAN BE HEROES,” THAT WAS BROUGHT INTO THE SHOW.
I wrote the original version of “We Can Be Heroes “ with Jennifer Hanson and Nick Brophy here in Nashville in late 2019 - they are a production team known at LONIS. We honestly just wanted to write something uplifting and inspiring. It’s easy to write a sad or moody song. So we worked hard to get something that was happy without being cheesy.
YOU’VE BEEN LIVING IN NASHVILLE WRITING FOR QUITE SOME TIME, IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT AN OUTSIDER WATCHING SONGLAND, A SHOW ABOUT WRITING AND DEVELOPING SONGS, MAY WANT TO KNOW.
We write A LOT of songs. On the show, you hear four songs. But each songwriter submitted multiple songs from their catalogs that are filled with god knows how many more songs. It takes writing all those songs to get to the one song that might be great.
AS AN ARTIST AND A SONGWRITER - TALK ABOUT WHAT SONGWRITING MEANS TO YOU AND HOW YOU BALANCE THE TWO.
Songwriting is what led me to being an artist. I didn’t think about being an artist when I first started writing songs. I just knew I loved writing words to the melodies in my head, and that it came pretty easily. But I very quickly realized how much I loved singing my own songs. It’s definitely a balancing act though. You can write every day (and should write many days), but you also need to take time to connect with your fans, build up your fan base, practice to perform live, and promote your music that is already out.
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Alec Benjamin released a song called “6 Feet Apart,” recently. And it’s so damn beautiful. I can’t stop listening.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MARTINA MCBRIDE SONG?
I mean, This One’s for the Girls is a freaking bop!
YOU RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW SINGLE, “AFTERMATH,” WHAT ELSE CAN WE EXPECT FROM JEFFREY JAMES?
Aftermath is following my EP, “East London”, that I released in February. I put out that EP and realized I had a few singles I had been sitting on for one reason or another, and there was really no reason not to put them out! So expect a couple more singles to be releasing very soon! I’ve also been loving doing IG & FB live concerts. I’m going to keep doing those even after the quarantine is over.
CHECK OUT THE NEW RELEASE, “AFTERMATH”
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: MV2 / NEW LOST CITY RECORDS SIGNEE BLAKE HENDERSON
Photo by: Acacia Evans
SPOTLIGHT ON MV2 / NEW LOST CITY RECORDS’S LATEST SIGNEE, BLAKE HENDERSON. HERE’S THE DOWN LOW ON THE NEW SINGLE, WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER COVID, BUILDING THE TEAM, AND MORE!
Q+A
YOU JUST RELEASED YOUR NEW SINGLE, “TOMORROWS PROBLEM, ” TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT IT.
TO ME “TOMORROWS PROBLEM” IS A BLUE COLLAR ANTHEM FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME. THE PEOPLE WHO GO OUT AND BUST THEIR BACKS EVERYDAY TO EARN A LIVING. WHAT I HOPE MY FANS WILL GET OUT OF IT IS TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF EVERYDAY, ENJOY LIFE AND DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN!
YOU RECENTLY SIGNED TO MV2 / LOST CITY RECORDS - TALK ABOUT BUILDING YOUR TEAM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING THE RIGHT CHAMPIONS.
MY WIFE, KIDS AND I ARE BEYOND BLESSED TO HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING TEAM BEHIND US! I WANTED TO HAVE A TEAM THAT WOULD BE HONEST AND STRAIGHTFORWARD WITH ME ABOUT EVERYTHING! I FOUND THAT WITH EVERYONE AT MV2/NEW LOST CITY RECORDS - THEY TOOK A CHANCE ON ME WHEN I WALKED INTO MY MEETING A "NOBODY." I AM SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
YOU’VE BEEN BUILDING A DOCU SERIES OVER SOCIALS - HOW AS THAT HELPED YOU CONNECT WITH FANS AND NEW LISTENERS DURING QUARANTINE?
I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHO I AM, WHAT GOT ME HERE, AND WHAT HARDSHIPS I’VE HAD. I NEVER TOOK THE STRAIGHTEST PATH, I’VE HAD UPS AND DOWNS. WE ALL HAVE UPS AND DOWNS IN LIFE AND I WANT TO SHOW THAT. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ME FOR ME AND MY STORY, NOT JUST MY VOICE.
TALK ABOUT YOUR MUSIC - WHAT INFLUENCED IT, AND WHAT MAKES IT DISTINCTLY YOURS.
MY PAPA IS MY BIGGEST INFLUENCE! I GREW UP LEARNING TO PLAY AND SING FROM HIM. (I’M KIND OF AN OLD SOUL) I GREW UP ON OLD SCHOOL COUNTRY. I THINK I BRING AN OLD SCHOOL SOUND WITH A MODERN COUNTRY/BLUES STYLE! I WANT TO BRING THE OLD SCHOOL COUNTRY FANS AND MODERN COUNTRY FANS TOGETHER!
YOU’RE FROM OKLAHOMA, HOW HAVE ARTISTS LIKE TOBY KEITH, VINCE GILL AND GARTH BROOKS INSPIRED YOU? ANY CAREER PATHS YOU LOOK UP TO?
I LOVE TOBY, VINCE AND GARTH. I THINK THEY ARE AMAZING ARTISTS WITH GREAT SONGS! MY BIGGEST INSPIRATION FROM OKLAHOMA IS BLAKE SHELTON THOUGH. HE HAS AMAZING SONGS AND EVERYBODY LOVES THE GUY. EVEN THOUGH I HAVEN’T HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET HIM, HE SEEMS HUMBLE, KIND AND GRATEFUL FOR HIS BLESSINGS. I WANT TO BE LIKE THAT. I WANT PEOPLE TO MEET ME AND LEAVE SAYING “WOW THAT GUY IS SO NICE!”
ANY ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO UPCOMING ARTISTS AND WRITERS.
NEVER GIVE UP, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, WRITE WRITE WRITE, NEVER BURN A BRIDGE, AND BE PATIENT! THINGS RARELY HAPPEN OVER NIGHT AND YOU JUST HAVE TO GRIND UNTIL YOU WANT TO GIVE UP AND THEN KEEP GOING!
ANYTHING YOU’RE ENJOYING OR BINGING IN QUARANTINE?
ME AND MY WIFE HAVE STARTED ‘THE WALKING DEAD’ FROM THE BEGINNING AND ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH! WE HAVE ALSO STARTED WATCHING ‘OUTER BANKS!’
7. WHAT’S CAN WE EXPECT NEXT FROM BLAKE HENDERSON?
MY TEAM AND I HAVE SOME AMAZING SONGS WE ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AND YOU SHOULD BE READY TO HAVE A GOOD TIME!
BLOWIN' SMOKE WITH JOY OLADOKUN
APPLE MUSIC CALLS JOY OLADOKUN ‘A SINGER-SONGWRITER WHO’S MUSIC FUSES THE DEEP EMOTIONS AND CONFESSIONAL NATURE OF CLASSIC SINGER / SONGWRITERS WITH MUSIC THAT ENCOMPASSES CONTEMPORARY FOLK, R+B, AND POP’ - WE JUST CALL HER EPIC! CHECK OUT THIS QUICK Q+A WITH THE RX SONGS SONGWRITER - AND STREAM THE NEW TUNE, “UNWELCOMING,” BELOW
Q+A
AS BIG FANS OF YOUR PAST RELEASES SUCH AS “SOBER” AND “MEMPHIS” WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOUR UPCOMING MUSIC.
More songs about my love life.
YOU RECENTLY TWEETED ABOUT YOUR SONG “UNWELCOMING” AND HOW IT’S INSPIRED BY THE STRUGGLE TO EXIST AS A BLACK QUEER WOMAN. CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT?
Yeah, I mean even in a place as warm and amazing as Nashville I’ve had moments where I’ve felt a little uncomfortable in my skin. However, that feeling just inspires me to continue to be myself, be compassionate and hardworking. I don’t know if I have any advice, but I find it important to remind people in those communities how loved and beautiful they are.
YOU’RE SIGNED TO RX SONGS, AND HAVE A MANAGEMENT TEAM - TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING YOUR TEAM.
I think it’s all about right people at the right time. There’s no formula to it. I just found people that I trust to work with me to build a sustainable career.
YOU’RE WORKING ON NEW MUSIC- DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SONG ON THE NEW PROJECT YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT?
I just finished vocals on a song called “Smoke” that I wrote with Jeremy Lutito, Matt Koziol, and Bre Kennedy - and I am obsessed.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE COLLABORATORS IN TOWN?
Definitely the 3 listed above as well as James Droll, Bryant Taylorr, Tim Gent, Tony Esterley, Chaz Cardigan, Jake Wesley Rogers and Billy Raffoul. The Talent Pool is endless.
YOU SEEM TO BE LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE ON ANIMAL CROSSING DURING QUARANTINE. ANY HIGHLIGHTS YOU CAN GIVE US ON YOUR ISLAND?
I’m currently working on a forest that loosely looks like the one from Twilight - ya know where Bella admits she knows Edward is a vampire.
WE ALSO CELEBRATED 4/20 DURING QUARANTINE - ANY HIGHLIGHTS?
High-lights. lol.
WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU’RE GOING TO DO WHEN YOU GET OUT OF QUARANTINE?
.... honestly i’m not sure much will change.
CHECK OUT THE SONG, “UNWELCOMING,” BELOW.
AND BE SURE TO FOLLOW JOY ON TWITTER (HERE)
