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Archive for the ‘Contest’ Category
Crys Matthews’s ‘These Old Hands’ reaches new heights (and fans) on radio.
Saturday, January 18th, 2020
Mel Bryant records new EP with NewSong Recordings
Saturday, January 18th, 2020
Mel Bryant records new EP at Echo Mountain Recording Studios.
The NewSong team was thrilled to welcome 2018 NewSong Grand Prize Winner, Mel Bryant, to Echo Mountain Recording Studios last month. The songwriter and her Nashville-based band, Mel Bryant and the Mercy Makers, were joined by producer and NewSong founder, Gar Ragland. Melding classic rock and contemporary indie influences, Bryant has compiled a group of songs that tackle big themes, ranging from love and relationships to social justice.
The opportunity to record at Echo Mountain is part of the musician’s grand prize package, and the EP will be released on NewSong Recordings in 2020.
Mel took a break from recording to answer a few questions about the upcoming record.
How would you describe your vision for this new batch of songs?
Mel Bryant: A lot of the songs are justice focused, in a way. There is kind of a dichotomy between the songs that are about, you know, relationship stuff — the really relatable, personal things that everyone goes through … and the songs that zoom out a bit and look at more grand issues that are less personal and more political.
I like to think of things that are political, not in terms of candidates or government issues, but, instead, political as in a woman’s inability to walk alone on a street alone past midnight. That’s a political issue to me, and that is the kind of thing I like to write about. Or the fact that when I was in college, I was scared of being shot on my campus. That’s a political issue, and it’s something that we all have a stake in and we are all worried about and we all want to fix. Those are the things that are important to my music: things that matter. Sometimes things that matter are life and death situations, and sometimes things that matter are when I can’t communicate properly in my relationships. Making those statements in these songs was really important to me.
What has it been like to record at Echo Mountain Recordings Studios?
This has definitely been our best treatment of a recording setup that we have ever had. The crew is so accommodating and patient. The energy in here is amazing. There is such a beautiful ambiance, and the availability of the gear they have here is like nothing we have been able to access before, so from that standpoint it’s been incredible. But also just the feeling of being in that cathedral with stained glass light coming through. And, of course, it sounds amazing.
In terms of sound, how do these new recordings relate to the band’s past work?
From a sound perspective, the EP is a marriage of the different sides that this band has been developing over the past few years. We definitely have one foot in really classic rock roots, blues, and delta music roots, coming from our guitarist, and then we have the more modern roots of my childhood musical influences and now. We are continually inspired by music being put out and indie rock influences. So certain songs are more in the classic rock tradition, and certain songs are in the modern. Our goal has been marrying those ideas within each song, and within the whole EP, showing that these two things can coexist to create something that isn’t derivative of classic rock or just another indie rock band. We are paying homage to the historic greats and constantly taking in new musical influences and applying that as well.
For more about Mel Bryant and the Mercy Makers, visit the band’s website. Stay tuned for updates about the new EP release via NewSong Recordings in 2020!
Announcing the 2019 NewSong Music Finalists.
Thursday, October 24th, 2019Congratulations to the finalists in the 18th annual NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition. These eight finalists will network, showcase and compete in the live performance finals in Asheville, North Carolina at Isis Music Hall on Saturday November 23.
YouTube Playlist of the 2019 NewSong Music Finalists:
For more information on attending this event, please visit our Facebook event page. Buy tickets here.
Thank you to all who submitted their music this year, and we look forward to meeting our finalists next month! Learn more about each finalist and his or her music in the links below.
Danielle Ponder — Rochester, NY
Danielle Ponder – Rochester, NY
Grant Maloy Smith — Kingston, RI
Grant Maloy Smith – Kingston, RI
Jae Jin — Wolftown, VA
Jae Jin – Wolftown, VA
Jobi Riccio — Brookline, MA
Jobi Riccio – Brookline, MA
Kelly Hoppenjans — Nashville, TN
Kelly Hoppenjans – Nashville, TN
Kyshona — Madison, TN
Kyshona – Madison, TN
Nathaniel Bellows — New York, NY
Nathaniel Bellows – New York, NY
Parker Ainsworth — Los Angeles, CA
Parker Ainsworth – Joshua Tree, CA 2019 LEAF Festival Competition Winner)
Meet LEAF finalist, Demos Papadimas
Tuesday, May 7th, 2019Our 6th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition is this weekend, Saturday, May 11! All this week we are introducing readers to our eight, talented finalists. Today we are proud to highlight Warren, OH-based Demos Papadimas.
Singer-songwriter Demos Papadimas (guitar/vocals/harmonica/bouzouki) skillfully intertwines American roots music with Mediterranean influences. Based in Northeast Ohio, Papadimas cites among his influences Dylanesque balladry, Leonard Cohen’s latter day touring ensembles, and string-band revivalists such as Old Crow Medicine Show as well as Greek Rembetiko—the “Greek blues.”
We asked Demos some questions to learn more about his artistic process and vision. See Demos and the rest of our 7 fellow LEAF finalists perform at NewSong’s LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition this Saturday May 11.
What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?
For me the songwriting process is marked by quite a bit contemplation. As with most aspects of my life, I could easily be accused of overthinking the process. I typically am writing several songs simultaneously. I mark different sections of note books with colored post-it bookmarks and flip back and forth. Some lyrics start in one song and end up in another. I usually jot down random lines anywhere possible, and I’ve got post it notes all over the place. Some of them are lines that seemingly randomly come to me and others I’ve been working on for months. Still, other potential lyrics of mine are phrases that I’ve heard in conversation or read somewhere, and others are probably subliminally, inspired by songs that I love.
Voice Memos have become essential for recording initial ideas for riffs and melodies. Without the easy access of Voice Memos on a phone, I probably would abandon many ideas. If I didn’t have the option of playing back recorded ideas so easily, I would be overly critical. The best musical ideas—whether it is riffs or chord progressions or even melodies—seem to be the ones that come to me immediately when I pick up my guitar. The more time I spend thinking about it, the further I get from the initial sense of inspiration. There’s a similar Paul McCartney quote in which he says something to the effect of, “the best idea being the purest and the purest idea is the one that comes to you initially.” With lyrics it’s practically the opposite. With more editing and re-writing, I tend to better focus on the essence of the line and it helps refine what I’m trying to express. Much of the process is stringing together various ideas, some of them musical and some of them lyrical.
My inspiration comes from various sources, but the most obvious is from musicians whom I hold in high regard. Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are certainly high up on the list in terms of songwriters that have inspired me.
In another sense, the best inspiration is when I’m playing with my band or working on existing songs of mine either in practices or in the studio. Revisiting my old songs gives me a sense of perspective while the process of working out new material inspires me to continue writing. It seems fairly obvious, but the less I am engaging with my art, the less I produce. Also, seeing other bands on a local or regional level is inspiring as well. Seeing what my peers (many of them friends in bands that play in the same scene that I’m a part of) are doing inspires me as well.
The notion that hard times and suffering produce better songs is not something I necessarily agree with. Obviously, some kind of heartbreak, yearning, or general difficulties add to one’s philosophical outlook and deepen their understanding of existence, but if you’re deep in depression, you can’t think clearly enough to write. The memory of difficult times perhaps informs our memory as songwriter’s and is something to draw upon for inspiration, but only years later. I suppose for some people the process of songwriting is therapeutic and maybe it is for me, but it’s not something I’m conscious of when it is happening.
What important news about your music do you have coming up?
This summer I’ll be working on a new studio album as well as wrapping up an EP of recordings of old Greek Rembetiko songs. Rembetiko is a Greek genre of music known somewhat as the “Greek blues” and these songs are great source of inspiration for me. Also, I’ve been going through live recordings of my band for a future live album.
What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?
I’m honored to be selected as a NewSong finalist. I’ve been following news about the NewSong competitions for a few years now, and I’m grateful to be a part of it. I’m sure it will be a good networking experience not only with the other finalists, but with everyone from NewMusic as well as the LEAF Music Festival. I’ve never been to North Carolina, but I’ve been intrigued by the Asheville music scene so it will be good to see this area first hand.
About the event
With a mission to identify and celebrate exceptional performers and songwriters from across North America, the competition aims to bring some of the continent’s most accomplished emerging artists to showcase, network and compete at the 48th LEAF Festival, which takes place May 9-12, 2019. Festival headliners include India Arie, Shovels and Rope and the War and Treaty.
Meet LEAF finalist, Syd Caldera
Monday, May 6th, 2019Our 6th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition is this weekend, Saturday, May 11! All this week we are introducing readers to our eight, talented finalists. Today we are proud to highlight Brooklyn, NY-based Syd Caldera.
Syd Caldera is a singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma currently living in Brooklyn, New York. Her most recent project, a four-song EP entitled Hasta La Bye Bye, was recorded from her bedroom studio in Brooklyn and mixed and mastered by LA-based producer Jonah Wei-Haas. Slated to be released digitally in July, the forthcoming release is a reflection on her process of finding and maintaining serenity and mental health while establishing a life in NYC. It is her hope that listeners may find solace in her work, and that those who are facing struggles can glean hope from the EP’s playful and optimistic themes.
We asked Syd some questions to learn more about her artistic process and vision. See Syd and the rest of our 7 fellow LEAF finalists perform at NewSong’s LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition this Saturday May 11.
What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?
There are pretty much two ways that I start writing a song. One way is like an emotional burst. In that case, I’ll feel a surge of energy and this urge to create. When I get the urge, I either sing a voice memo on my phone, or if I’m home, I pick up my guitar and pull back from my mind and let it out, singing and playing with the recorder on.
The other way that I write is very intentional. I pull out my notebook and free write on a subject for 10 minutes, trying to keep my language really rich with sensory phrases. Once the ten minutes is up, I read through it and pull out things that sound nice. Then I use my thesaurus to find words related to that topic and my rhyming dictionary to expand into verses. From there I pick back up my guitar and sing and record and listen back and repeat until a full idea is formed. From there I work to make my verses symmetrical. I’ve learned this makes a big difference when trying to make my songs accessible to people, otherwise I’m just writing for myself, which isn’t as fun to share with people. I’ve learned to stop before a song is perfect. A song is valuable however it reveals itself. Whether it sticks with me or not only time can tell. This is why recording my ideas is a must! Sometimes I sit down for two minutes and just walk away. I’ve had the experience over and over of rediscovering an idea and feeling that urge to write come back up.
What important news about your music do you have coming up?
Well, in July of this year I’m releasing a four song EP entitled Hasta La Bye Bye. It was recorded almost entirely in my bedroom in Brooklyn, NY, and mixed and mastered by a dear friend of mine out of LA, Jonah Wei-Haas, who grew up with me back in my home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. It’s a real labor of expression and very bare bones. I really think songs are great time capsules. Each of the four songs holds its own lesson, and they’re all taken directly from real life emotional struggle and growth. I hope that people hear Hasta La Bye Bye, and if they are having a hard time, that the songs will help them feel less alone. Folks can look for it on all of the streaming platforms, but also on my SoundCloud (/sydsongs). I’m also always posting snippets of things I’m working on on my Instagram page, and I love to make new friends and hear from people there. Just be warned, I am a huge dork with a strange sense of humor. That’s also @sydsongs
What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?
There was a time in my life when I thought live music belonged on front porches and in dive bars. I never would have submitted to a contest back then. Since I chose accept that songwriting is my path, I’ve started imagining a reality where my entire community and the work I do and the activities I do all revolve around writing songs, and I cannot imagine a better life. So, becoming a NewSong finalist is such an honor for me because it’s a step forward towards that dream. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get out of New York City and reconnect with dirt and sky and trees. I’m grateful for the people I get to meet and connect with. I’m grateful that I will be surrounded by music lovers and have the opportunity to contribute to people’s experience, and I look forward to the lessons I’ll take with me back to New York.
Meet LEAF finalist, The Good Graces
Sunday, May 5th, 2019Our 6th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition is this weekend, Saturday, May 11! All this week we are introducing readers to our eight, talented finalists. Today we are proud to highlight Atlanta-based The Good Graces, aka Kim Ware.
Drummer-turned-songwriter Kim Ware started the Good Graces on a whim in 2006, after purchasing a beat up, old acoustic guitar she named Buzzy at the Lakewood Antiques Market in Atlanta. The songs quickly poured out of her, melodic stories of heartache and hope, set to three chords that she often didn’t know the name of. Since then, Kim and tGG have toured the east coast multiple times, paid musical visits to Texas, over to California, and performed at such festivals as 30A, NXNE, and now, the esteemed LEAF Festival.
In 2015, Kim’s song “Cold in California” caught the attention of the Indigo Girls, who invited tGG to support some midwest and southeast shows during their summer tour. Shortly thereafter, Kim and friends began work on their 4th full-length, Set Your Sights. Released in conjunction with the Chapel Hill/Durham, NC-based boutique label PotLuck Foundation, Set Your Sights places Kim’s heart-on-her-sleeve songwriting and earnest lyrical delivery at the forefront of an atmospheric indie-folk expedition, led by producer / guitarist Jonny Daly and supported by a long list of players from around the southeast. Kim recently wrapped up work on a follow-up LP, Prose and Consciousness, to be released in October 2019.
We asked Kim some questions to learn more about her artistic process and vision. See The Good Graces and the rest of our 7 fellow LEAF finalists perform at NewSong’s LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition this Saturday May 11.
What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?
More than anything, it’s never forced. I really am lucky, in that I love to create, and I’m almost always inspired. It can be anything, but for me, it’s usually in the everyday. Making coffee. Arguing with my husband. Making up. And often, my pets. I rarely sit down with the intention of “now I’m gonna write a song about x.” Instead, I’ll have little moments. In the car, in the shower… A melody and/or lyric will come to mind. That’s usually how it starts, and I just try to capture and build on it as quickly as I can, before it gets away.
What important news about your music do you have coming up?
LEAF! And I’m releasing my 5th full-length in October, it’s called “Prose and Consciousness,” and it doesn’t have a single breakup song on it! Pretty proud of that.
What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?
As much as I want to think I don’t need validation, I think we all do. At the very least, it feels good for my songs to be recognized in this way. The other songwriters are so talented! I’m looking forward to meeting them, and I hope my music connects with a new batch of folks who may not have been exposed to it otherwise.
With a mission to identify and celebrate exceptional performers and songwriters from across North America, the competition aims to bring some of the continent’s most accomplished emerging artists to showcase, network and compete at the 48th LEAF Festival, which takes place May 9-12, 2019. Festival headliners include India Arie, Shovels and Rope and the War and Treaty.
NewSong Music & Arts Brookfield present ‘Come Together’ outdoor spring concert series in New York City
Monday, April 29th, 2019
New York, NY (Tuesday, April 30, 2019) — Arts Brookfield and NewSong Music are proud to announce the New York City spring outdoor concert series ‘Come Together: New original music inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ last studio album, Abbey Road.’ The series is presented by Arts Brookfield, and curated by NewSong Music.
The ‘Come Together’ series features five free outdoor lunchtime concerts taking place every Wednesday in May. Each concert begins at 12:30 PM at the Grace Plaza, located at 1114 6th Avenue, just north of Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan . The lineup features some of North America’s most talented performing songwriters who represent an eclectic array of styles and genres.
“NewSong is delighted to be partnering once again with Arts Brookfield to curate this springs ‘Come Together’ series in New York,” says NewSong music founder Gar Ragland. “The opportunity to invite this group of talented songwriters and performers to celebrate – through their own original material – the enduring legacy of the Beatles and their iconic last studio album is something we’re honored and excited to help bring to life with our friends at Arts Brookfield.”
All of the performers featured in the ‘Come Together’ series are members of the NewSong artist community.
Ordinary Elephant (5/1)
(2017 LEAF Festival Finalists)
Ordinary Elephant (Austin, TX) captivates audiences with their emotionally powerful and vulnerable songs, letting the listener know that they are not alone in this world. The collaboration of husband and wife Pete and Crystal Damore, their connection, and their influences (such as Gillian Welch, Guy Clark, Anais Mitchell) all meet on stage.
www.ordinaryelephant.net
Kaiti Jones (5/8)
(2018 NewSong Music Finalist)
A native of Portland, Maine, Kaiti Jones spent four years in Nashville, forming her sound in the backyard of Bob Dylan’s ballads and Flannery O’Connor’s southern gothic storytelling before returning north. Jones’ voice is simultaneously earthy and ethereal, carrying the listener a few feet off the ground on a cloud of rich, sophisticated melodies while whispering truth and contemplating the human condition through good old-fashioned storytelling.
kaitijonesmusic.com
Crys Matthews (5/15)
(2017 NewSong Music Grand Prize Winner)
A southeastern North Carolina native who now calls Herndon, Virginia home, Crys Matthews blends Americana, folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass and funk into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies and punctuated by honest, original lyrics. Having been compared to everyone from Toshi Reagon to Tracy Chapman to Ruthie Foster, Matthews’ eclectic infusion of genres won her the grand prize in 2017 of the international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition finals at New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
www.crysmatthews.com
Ana Egge (5/22)
(2010 NewSong Music Finalist)
When Ana Egge (Brooklyn, NY) got bit by the music bug as a teenager, she took matters into her own hands, building her own guitar, and moving to Austin, TX to observe, absorb and take musical risks. The striking depth and unusual maturity of her singing, playing, and songwriting got her noticed, and she recorded her first album, River Under the Road (1997) with the legendary western swing band, Asleep At The Wheel.
www.anaegge.com
Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers (5/29)
(2018 NewSong Music Grand Prize Winner)
Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers are a Nashville based indie rock band comprised of lovers and friends. Led by bassist and songwriter Mel Bryant, their screaming guitars are met with a unique feminine energy that is equal parts powerful and sensitive, groovy and grungy, memorable and true. Mel uses the gift of rock music to promote thoughtfulness, respect, justice and love throughout the human community.
www.melbryantmusic.com
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About Arts Brookfield
Arts Brookfield presents exciting, world-class cultural experiences to thousands of people for free each year in both indoor and outdoor public spaces at Brookfield’s premier buildings in Denver, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Toronto, Perth and Sydney. From concerts, theater and dance to film screenings and art exhibitions, Arts Brookfield brings public spaces to life through art. ArtsBrookfield.com
About NewSong Music
NewSong Music is an independent artist development and music production company headquartered at Asheville, NC’s Echo Mountain Recording Studios. NewSong’s mission is to build and support a community of performers and songwriters across all genres and levels of skill, and to identify the truly exceptional artists to introduce their music to a broader, international audience. Its programs include a record label (NewSong Recordings), artist management services, concert production and the annual, international NewSong performance and songwriting competition.
newsong-music.com
2019 finalists announced in the sixth annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition
Sunday, April 21st, 2019CONGRATULATIONS to this year’s LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition finalists:
Cat Terrones – San Pedro, CA
Demos Papadimas – Warren, OH
The Good Graces – Atlanta, GA
Grant Maloy Smith – Kingston, RI
Krista Shows – Candler, NC
Kristen J. Lloyd – Midway, UT
Parker Ainsworth – Venice, CA
Syd Caldera – Brooklyn, NY
They’ll be joining us at the 48th LEAF Festival on May 9-12 in beautiful Black Mountain, NC (just outside of Asheville) to showcase, network and compete in the sixth annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Showcase & Competition, presented by NewSong Music.
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- Cat Terrones – San Pedro, CA
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- Demos Papadimas – Warren, OH
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- Grant Maloy Smith – Kingston, RI
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- The Good Graces (Kim Ware) – Atlanta, GA
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- Krista Shows – Candler, NC
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- Kristen J. Lloyd – Midway, UT
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- Parker Ainsworth – Venice, CA
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- Syd Caldera – Brooklyn, NY
On behalf of everyone at LEAF Community Arts and NewSong Music, THANK YOU to all the outstanding songwriters who entered your original music to this year’s program. Your songs and your dedication to your craft continue to inspire us all.
Weekend Flash Sale: Save 20% through Monday on submissions to the LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition
Friday, April 5th, 2019Save 20% this weekend when submitting to the 2019 LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition.
This weekend is a GREAT time to submit your original music to the sixth annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music, presented by NewSong Music.
Now through Monday night (Apr 8 11:59 PM EDT), we’re offering 20% off the regular submission fee for this year’s competition.
To save some your hard earned cash, enter discount code LEAF19FLASH when entering your songs on our submission platform.
Thanks and have a great weekend!
#singersongwriter#songwritingcompetition#newsongmusic#flashsale#leafcommunityarts
Announcing the 6th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition
Thursday, February 28th, 2019NewSong Music and the LEAF Festival announce the 6th Annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition.
Friday, February 29. (Asheville, NC) – LEAF Community Arts (LEAF) and NewSong Music are pleased to announce the launch of the 6th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition.
With a mission to identify and celebrate exceptional performers and songwriters from across North America, the competition aims to bring some of the continent’s most accomplished emerging artists to showcase, network and compete at the 48th LEAF Festival, which takes place May 9-12, 2019. Festival headliners include India Arie, Shovels and Rope and the War and Treaty.
The LEAF Festival Competition is accepting original song submissions now through Thursday, April 11, with discounted ‘Early Bird’ submissions ending Wednesday, March 13.
Judges will select eight finalists from the pool of entries, who will perform in the live showcase and competition finals at the Spring LEAF Festival on Saturday, May 11, 2019. A panel of music industry judges there will select the overall winner of the competition.
2018 NewSong Presents: LEAF Festival Competition winner Carly Taich
The GRAND PRIZE winner will be awarded a paid, featured performance (including lodging & accommodations) at the Fall 2019 LEAF Festival, held October 17-20 in Black Mountain, NC (near Asheville). The winner will also advance to perform and compete later this year in the live performance finals of the 17th annual, international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition.
