In The Spotlight: Pop/Rock Musician Vander

Another spotlight for y’all..today, we have pop/rock musician Vander!

Growing up on an industrial estate forty minutes outside of Sydney, Australia, Vander (born William Vandermade) revealed that he didn’t grow up with a lot of money. However, from his childhood, he learned to be grateful for what he did have and to have a positive outlook on life. “I wear that proudly on my sleeve today. And I think it in turn influenced the music that I connected with - music that was inspired by the working class,” Vander said. “U2, Bruce Springsteen, artists who started from nowhere but had the dream to be the biggest and the greatest acts in the world. I feel I connected to their roots and was also inspired by their ambition. I felt that with them, anything was possible.” 

In The Spotlight: Alternative Rock/Folk Singer Alluri

Another spotlight to start the week…check out our feature with London-based alternative rock/folk singer Alluri!

Alluri got his start in music through his father, listening to western classical music. He ended up taking violin and piano classes for a few years, but never really enjoyed it, so he stopped. The artist really had little to no contemporary music around him in his formative years. Eventually, others in his family were able to bring that influence to him. His older brother ended up introducing Alluri to his first taste of western rock music. Alluri then began to play the guitar around the age of 13, after his cousin introduced him to bands Deep Purple and Pink Floyd, and he’s been playing ever since. “[It] wasn’t until I played a few gigs in Finland while I was studying there in 2011 did I want to pursue this seriously,” Alluri said of his music.

In The Spotlight: R&B Singer Bahja Rodriguez

Another great spotlight to start the week!

Today, we have R&B singer Bahja Rodriguez (formerly of the OMG Girlz)! 

Bahja grew up on the Eastside of Georgia, supported by loving parents and others around her. “When I think about my childhood, nothing was impossible,” the singer said. “No one ever said to me, ‘You can’t do that.’” With that great mentality, Bahja started dabbling in singing at the young age of 5. She did a recording then of New Edition’s smash hit “Mr. Telephone Man,” along with Zonnique Pullins (daughter of singer Tameka “Tiny” Harris and former member of OMG as well). Though she started professionally at 12, she knew that day, at only five, that she wanted to sing forever!

In The Spotlight: Pop Singer Suzy Olson

Another spotlight to start the week! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, producer, etc., and are interested in being featured on The Spotlight, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more info.

Today, we have rising pop singer, Suzy Olson!

The 16-year-old from Arizona got her start in music by singing in church, alongside her four brothers. Her parents sang each week as well, and her older brothers played instruments, so she comes from a pretty talented family! Her mom was also a music teacher, and the artist began singing with her choir at the age of three. Suzy knew that performing was for her after her mom didn’t cast her in a lead role for a production when she was five. Undeterred, the young artist keeps working towards honing her craft. She’s also involved in shows at East Valley Children’s Theatre in Mesa, AZ, as well as her school productions and competitions at New School for the Arts and Academics.

In The Spotlight: Pop/Alternative Singer Samantha Paixao

Happy to feature another great rising artist! If you or your client is an upcoming artist, designer, etc., and would like to be featured on The Spotlight, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more info.

Today, we have pop/alternative singer Samantha Paixao!

Hailing from Toronto, the artist has been singing basically all of her life, stating that music has always helped to make her feel happy. “I thought that if there was a way I could create what made me happy, and help other people feel the same way, then I was going to try my hardest to make it happen,” Samantha said. Though she always wanted to pursue a career in music, the singer admitted that she can be shy around people. However, when she gets on stage, she’s like a whole other person!

In The Spotlight: R&B/Pop Singer Juliane

Another spotlight for you all…the first of many in 2017! If you or your client would like to be featured on The Spotlight, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more information.

Today, we have Montreal-based pop/R&B singer Juliane! 

From birth, the artist has always been surrounded by music and the arts, so it’s no surprise that she eventually went into music herself. “My parents are music lovers, and they introduced me to so many genres,” Juliane disclosed. “My mind has always been filled with different types of music but I've always been very attracted to pop-soul and R&B music.”

In The Spotlight: French Alternative Artist Talisco

Another great spotlight to start the week! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, writer, etc., and are interested in being featured on The Spotlight, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more info!

Today, we have French alternative artist Talisco! 

Music piqued his interest at a young age, listening to his grandmother, who was Spanish, sing a lot, and Spanish music became his first inspiration. “I think it’s in my blood,” Talisco said of music in general.  By 11, he had a guitar and by 13, he composed my first song. As he went on to create a career for himself, he found other instruments to get into as well. “I like tinkering with sounds,” the artist admitted, also getting into producing. In terms of his unique stage name, Talisco revealed that he took the name to “pay tribute to someone who mattered to me.”

In The Spotlight: Pop/Soul Singer Tamtam

Another great spotlight for y'all! As always, if you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, dancer, etc., and are interested in being featured on The Spotlight, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more information! 

Today, we have Saudi Arabian pop/soul singer Tamtam! 

The artist has had a thirst for music since she was a young girl growing up in the Middle East. I’ve wanted to do music since I was eleven years old," Tamtam revealed. "But back then, I didn’t think it
would be a possibility for me because I grew up in a more conservative society in the Middle East." When she was 13, she decided to sign up for a talent show at school to showcase her talent and love of music, the first time of many that she performed live in front of a big audience. Inspired greatly by Michael Jackson, Tamtam sang "Thriller" for her performance, and decided then that music was her life path. "Ever since that night, I knew that this was something I was going to pursue against all odds," the singer said.

In The Spotlight: Alternative Singer/Songwriter Kinney

Another great spotlight for the day, and more on the way! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, dancer, etc., please visit our Features/Submissions page for more info on how to be featured!

Today, we have singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kinney! 

Hailing from Annapolis, MD (DMV heyyy!), she spent a lot of time outside along the Chesapeake Bay, camping, sailing and playing. However, Kinney also has been performing her entire life. She started out as an acrobatic dancer, and went onto musical theater afterwards. She wrote poetry and music as well, but kept quiet about it for a long time. “It wasn't until I was in a rock and roll show in Las Vegas with a bunch of incredible rock musicians from some iconic bands of the 70's and 80's that I made the decision to dive in deep and really give music a go,” Kinney said. “I was surrounded by people who had lived and breathed music their entire lives and I realized there is nothing else I could do that would fill my spirit in the same way.” Calling music a "universal language," Kinney plans to use her music to bring about positive change!

In The Spotlight: Hip Hop/Pop Artist Drew Parks

Another great spotlight for you all today! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, poet, dancer, etc., and are interested in a featured on The Spotlight, visit our Features/Submissions page for more information!

Today, we have hip hop/pop artist Drew Parks! Drew, originally from Detroit, is also a producer and songwriter, and has gotten major love from top networks and magazines like MTV, ESPN’s First Take, Billboard, Respect Magazine and VIBE. He started getting into hip hop around eight or nine years old, and became obsessed. “As a kid, I listened to a lot of Bob Marley, Sergio Mendes, and anything and everything that was on the radio,” Drew said. “I’d spend all day rapping along with songs and memorizing lyrics.”At just 10, Drew recorded his first song, and by 12 or 13 had started making his own beats using some recording software his parents had bought for him. “By 14 I had released a self-produced album, and started making music with kids I went to middle school and eventually high school with,” he said. “I’ve continued doing music ever since.”

In The Spotlight: Hip Hop Artist J. Smith

Time for another spotlight! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, dancer, etc., please visit our Features/Submissions page for more info on how to be featured on The Spotlight! 

Our latest spotlight artist has been one of my favorite up and coming artists for a very long time! His name is J. Smith, hailing from the Euclid/Cleveland area in Ohio. Attending the same high school as Kid Cudi protégé King Chip, who was a few years ahead of him, J. Smith said he got his start from a "fluke situation" when he was asked to be in a rap group by a fellow rapper by the name of Pyro. Smith said he went home, found a microphone, downloaded the Adobe Audition program and hasn't looked back since!

In The Spotlight: Soul-Pop Duo (In)Body

Another spotlight, and more on the way! Today, we have soul-pop duo (In)Body, a collaboration between singer/songwriter Ryan Amador and producer/multi-instrumentalist Daniel Weidlein!

Ryan always had a love of music, and began writing songs on his own when he was 8 years old. He soon developed a love of theater, and even ended up going to college to study theater director while still singing and writing songs. After college, Ryan moved back to LA to focus on music. Daniel himself was “pretty hell-bent” on a career in music for as long as he can remember. The producer started out studying piano at age 5, and moved towards the saxophone, focusing on that throughout his college years. Daniel also got involved in music production at a young age, graduated from college, and eventually opened up his own recording studio, The B(e)at Cave! 

In The Spotlight: Alternative Pop Singer/Songwriter Madyx

Another spotlight! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, dancer, etc., and are interested in a feature, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more information!

Today, we have alternative pop singer/songwriter Madyx! Born Michelle Blanchard, the artist has wanted to be in the music industry since she was a kid. “When I was 8 years old, my parents bought me a guitar for my birthday and my life was forever changed,” she said. Growing up, Madyx’s parents also always played a variety of music from classic rock to country, and that helped shape her diverse writing style. After playing in a bunch of bands during high school, Madyx moved out to LA to really build her music career and even started a band called Life Down Here. “We made a pretty good name for ourselves: getting to open for Paramore, played a bunch of high schools across SoCal and several LGBT pride festivals in addition to the Warped Tour,” she said of her band experience. However, as she grew older, her musical style changed and she parted ways with the band, and branched out her own as Madyx! “It’s been a wild ride ever since,” the singer excitedly admitted.

In The Spotlight: Neo-Soul/R&B Artist K. James

Time for another spotlight! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, dancer, etc., please visit our Features/Submissions page for more info on how to be featured on The Spotlight! 

Today, we have neo-soul and R&B artist, K. James, whose music video for track "Koolin' " was recently featured on the site. The artist has always had a great appreciation for good music with a message, containing real experiences. "Music has always been in my blood," K. James said. "Since I was 5 years old, I grew up listening to my mother’s radio full of artists such as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Teddy Pendergrass, R. Kelly, and The Temptations." He went on to add, "It has been a dream of mine to express my creativity through song, giving people something to relate to and making a living while doing something I love was all the motivation I needed to pursue this dream of mine."

In The Spotlight: Rock Group Bakers Eddy

Another great spotlight! Truly honored to feature all of these amazing rising stars!

Right now, we have rock group Bakers Eddy! Formed in Wellington, New Zealand back in 2009, the group consists of Ciarann Babbington (guitar/vocals), Jamie Gordon (drums/backing vocals), and twin brothers Ian and Alex Spagnolo (bass/backing vocals, guitar/backing vocals). They got their start together during their high school years, putting in hard work to create the sound and chemistry they have today, and saw themselves continuing to create music even after graduation. "Finishing high school we were kind of expected to do the university thing or get a proper job," the group said in a statement. "But the thought of doing something most people said was unachievable excited us and still does. So we asked ourselves if we should give it a crack, and the balls been rolling ever since."

In The Spotlight: Indie Pop Artist Lauren Waller

Another spotlight for you all to end the work week, and even more on the way! If you work in the arts and entertainment industry and are interested in a feature on The Spotlight, visit our Features/Submissions page for more information.

Today, we have indie pop artist Lauren Waller! Growing up in L.A. and spending a good amount of time in central California, the singer said she has always been surrounded by music. Lauren’s father is actually a singer and musician as a hobby, and she and her brother even grew up taking piano lessons. Lauren also took on the drums for a while, until she realized, to her dismay, that her parents weren’t ever going to ever get her an actual drum set!

In The Spotlight: DJ/Producer Damiar "Dmain" Pennant

Another great spotlight to end the week! As always, if you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, model, etc., within the entertainment industry, and you are interested in being featured on The Spotlight, visit our Features/Submissions page!

Today's feature is coming from my fellow Full Sail University alum, DJ and producer Damiar "Dmain" Pennant! With his recent bachelor's degree in Recording Arts from the school, the young DJ and producer is ready to take his career to the next level!

In The Spotlight: Pop Artist Nick Deutsch

Another great spotlight to start the week! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, producer, etc., please visit our Features/Submissions page for a feature on the site!

Today, we have pop artist Nick Deutsch! He was introduced to music at a young age through his family. His mother, who was a teaching pianist, always played on their grand piano at home, which Nick and his other siblings would dance to. “Music was really always a present art form in my life,” he stated. With that upbringing, Nick began piano lessons himself, learning classical and jazz music, but admitted that he didn’t practice much until he was a teenager. However, piano soon became his primary instrument to compose music.

In The Spotlight: Neo-Soul Singer/Songwriter Nisan Joseph

Another new spotlight to start the week, and more are on the way!

Today we have Atlanta-based neo-soul artist Nisan Joseph! Raised in Houston, TX, the artist revealed that he was brought up by traditional parents, who raised him on timeless gospel and old-school R&B, which eventually influenced his own sound and lyrics. Nisan actually didn’t start singing until he was a senior in high school after he was forced into choir as an elective. “It was pretty much fate, or in God’s plan, that I got into music,” he said. Currently, the singer is finishing up a chemistry degree at Clark Atlanta University, and is signed with Loud N Klear Entertainment, balancing school and music. Though Nisan admits that he has a love of science, he plans to focus completely on music after graduation.

In The Spotlight: UK Singer/Songwriter Yoji

Truly love being able to share these great upcoming stars with you all, and it's awesome to hear from those of you guys that are becoming fans of their work!

Today, we have UK-based singer/songwriter Yoji! The R&B/pop singer was raised in London with a family of artists. With the support of her family, Yoji began learning how to play piano at the age of 8, but was trying her hand at song writing even before that. “I used to write songs in the playground with my friend and then perform them to everyone in a big showcase,” she said. “They didn’t really make any sense looking back but it was the best part of my day making music in the breaks.”