| April Winners Take the Stage |
Congrats to all the $100 winners of the April 2012 brackets!
Music Video : Love Out Loud "Who I Am"
Love Out Loud began as an ‘electro side project’ in 2009, but soon enough it has become a full time pop and rock gig for these five friends from Minneapolis. There’s no substitute for talent and Love Out Loud are proving they’ve got it in spades, having sold 4000 copies of their “A Story Worth Telling” EP in just six months as an unsigned band. Currently awaiting the release of a debut full length album, to be called “A Story Worth Telling (The Full Story)”, the music video for “Who I Am” showcases just some of the great music and lyrics we can expect to hear from singer /guitarist Dillon Jones and band members Erik Bear, Jake Johnson, Josh Clutter and Austin Schwichtenberg.
Female Solo Artist : Maggy Adeleye “The City”
Maggy Adeleye calls Houston, Texas her home, and we’re proud to have this bright young talent as our newest Female Solo Artist winner. Playing a slick acoustic guitar, Maggy is a classic singer/songwriter who describes her music as “soulful, pop rock reminiscent of Juliana Hatfield, Lauryn Hll and Jenny Lewis”. That’s esteemed company, but one listen to her winning song ‘The City’ and you’ll believe as much as we do. Other similar artists she mentions are Taylor Swift, Kate Voegele and One Republic. Tracy Chapman might be one more name we’d add to that list. A singer to remember.
Instrumental : Gylepomp “Evening”
Duo or Band : Ofsajd “Krvave zastave”
Male Solo Artist : Tremendum “Teorija tla”
Stand Up Comic : Andrew Kelly
Rap Battle : Niella D
Sing in 30 Seconds : Michelle Nicole
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| March Music Madness |
Congrats to all the $100 winners of the March 2012 brackets!
Music Video : Valerie Orth "Relinquish"
Described as “sexy, soulful, genuine, and edgy” by the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Valerie Orth is an indie folk artist on the rise, poised to cross over into widespread pop acclaim. Influenced by artists as diverse as Ani DiFranco and Bjork, her winning music video “Relinquish” showcases her gorgeous voice, lyrical depth and the intricate rhythmic twists of her band.
Duo or Band : Lunic “Love Me”
Lunic is the music of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page and electric violinist Megan Berson. The New York based duo’s songs have been hailed as sultry, psychedelic, ethereal indie electronic. Page combines real and virtual instruments, pedal, effects and MIDI to craft each song. Comparisons to Portishead, The xx, Ladytron or Garbage come to mind for this exciting group on the rise who have already shared the stage with big-name artists such as Moby and Mindless Self Indulgence. “Love Me” is their first MakeAStar win.
Male Solo Artist : Hank Grant “The Picture”
Hank Grant describes his brand of country music as ‘old school’. A native of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Hank learned his musical chops harmonizing on the family’s second hand organ, and playing the songs he loved on the radio by ear. The music video for his song ‘The Picture’ was first seen back on MAS TV in 2009. A well-crafted, classic country melody, ‘The Picture’ now earns its place as the Male Solo Artist song of the month for March 2012.
Female Solo Artist : Charlotte Forbes “Gallop On”
Up the pacific coast in Vancouver, teen singer Charlotte Forbes takes her third Female Solo Artist contest title in the last five months with “Gallop On”. A dramatic, picturesque pop song that puts the listener on horseback, each of Charlotte's winning songs show an emerging artist quickly growing in depth and quality.
Instrumental : Marco Maenza “Feelings”
Marco Maenza is a blues guitar virtuoso born in Livorno, Italy in 1976. He has released three full-length solo albums since 2009: “A Whisper of Joy”, “Stone House of Blues” and “Midnite Train”. This is his third triumph in the Instrumental song contest, and his songs have the quality and fan appeal to top the charts more times to come.
Sing in 30 Seconds : Jennylyric
Jennylyric is a talented young singer from Illinois who shines in this month’s Sing in 30 Seconds contest with her performance of “Hallelujah”. Jennylyric is a dancer who can sing in Korean and Chinese, and she hopes to one day have a singing career in Korea. Keep your eye on this American girl with plans for world wide acclaim!
Stand Up Comic : David R. Baker
David R Baker just began giving stand-up comedy a shot in Halloween 2011. Less than 6 months later, he’s performing nearly every weekend through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Canada and now he’s won his first online competition for the MakeAStar March 2012 contest. David says his relaxed personality helps him perform well on stage and keep people laughing.
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| February's Finest |
Congrats to all the $100 winners of the February 2012 brackets!
Music Video : Bryan Russo "Smokey Cafe"
Bryan Russo is an acclaimed songwriter and live perfomer, self-taught on the guitar and piano. Based in Maryland, he has gained a reputation for songs that feature “Blues stomping on pop melodies, gritty vocals with a touch of soul, and lyrics that bite.”. His winning video for “Smokey Café” captures this spirit perfectly.
Female Solo Artist : Charlotte Forbes “Slow Down”
Vancouver’s bright new teen talent Charlotte Forbes wins her second Female Solo Artist contest with “Slow Down”, a lushly arranged pop song featuring Charlotte’s violin.
Male Solo Artist : Cliff Gundersen “Waiting”
Cliff Gundersen wins his third MakeAStar title but first since 2010 with the uptempo rock and roll track 'Waiting'. This talented pacific northwest guitarist is back and better than ever.
Duo or Band : The Sedo “Quiet Night”
Italy has seen a number of MakeAStar winners and The Sedo now add their name to that list. From Messina in Sicily, The Sedo craft melodic, intelligent, and very British sounding alternative rock and roll.
Instrumental : Gokul Salvadi “Duet KV”
Gokul Salvadi is a Carnatic composer and singer active since 1998. The first MakeAStar winner from India, Gokul crafts mysterious and spiritual compositions with layers of romantic sounds.
Sing in 30 Seconds : Jessica White
Jessica White is a talented new singer from Glendale, Arizona and our latest Sing in 30 Seconds champion. She stepped in front on her webcam, performed a piece of Jessie J's "Mamma Knows Best" it instantly puts her in the spotlight.
Stand Up Comic : Nelson Mayer
Winnipeg, Manitoba brings us the talent of Nelson Mayer, who adds his name to the MakeAStar Stand Up Comic champions list.
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