In this second installment of Good News, Good Music we continue to delight you with all of the positive responses we have received for our partnership with our friends for an Independent Artist Buzz Spotify Playlist.
Without further adieu, we bring you part 2 (hey, that rhymes!)
Completed His debut With 55 Upcoming Artists & Producers
Throughout 2020 I worked on and completed my debut album with 55 nationwide upcoming artists and producers. Releases New Year’s Day!
Halvdan Presthus | “By the Seaside”
Used The Lockdown Time Strengthen & Launch A Website
As a Norwegian songwriter I released my first single in 2019, after deciding to make music full time. I started by booking several concerts with my folk-group, before the Epidemic hit. Since then, I have tried to write and record new songs to prepare for a change for the better as a musician. I’m glad to share that I have launched a new website. Believing that working together we can, through hard work,-reach a new creative power to develop new strong human music.
I found these words of wisdom that might inspire some creative people: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours..” – H.D.Thoreau
Will Kreth, Founder MediaGroove Label | “Isolation Compilation – Pt. 1″
Released “Isolation Compilation – Pt. 1” Thanks To A Successful Kickstarter Campaign
My “good news / good music” story is that my indie label (MediaGroove) released a compilation album this year – really against the odds – because there were so many unfinished tracks when we started. In December 2019, my label raised money on Kickstarter for a full album by one of our artists, but when the pandemic and lockdown hit – it was damn impossible to wrangle all the tracks into completion. So, we decided to put out a compilation EP of a handful of different artists instead, with songs that only needed editing, mixing and mastering – not full “construction and renovation.” MediaGroove’s “Isolation Compilation – Pt. 1” was released October 23rd. I learned a lot in producing and releasing this EP. For instance, how Spotify doesn’t let you promote / pitch songs from a compilation for advance playlisting! That was an eye-opener and a bit of a rude awakening. Independent Artist Buzz Spotify
Calvin & The Coal Cars | “Wayward Daughter”
Did A Drive-In Show For 300 Paid Attendees, NPR & Magazine Interview
We are a country/Americana band out in Montana called Calvin and the Coal Cars. Our debut album release show was scheduled for March 21, 2020 and was looking like it was about to sell out at The Pub Station in Billings. However, six days before the show it was postponed indefinitely. Despite the obvious drawbacks, we have kept a bit of our momentum. We immediately scheduled a Facebook Live show that was streamed on a couple other platforms, and because of our quick action we got an interview on NPR (our first on terrestrial radio). We also produced a Drive In show that was a great success. We had nearly 300 paid attendees and hired a production company that was able to project our band on the big screen, with 4 camera operators. That show ended up getting our first magazine interview. We also used the time to record our follow up album, The Greatest Hits Vol II, which we plan to release March 21, 2021. So while times are tough, we’ve managed to keep creating.
Shaka Banton | “WE ARE the Ones”
Wrote & Released A Dedication To Jacob Blake Who Was Shot 7 times In His Back
This song touched me deeply because of all the non equality for some people I dedicated this song to that and Jacob Blake who was shot 7 times in his back, at that point enough is enough, and as an artist I had to say something. I said I want this song to really sink in and touch the hearts of people to wanna make change in the world. I can’t lie, producing this song brought a tear to my eyes because I couldn’t wait for the message to be heard. We are the ones, the hook came to me super fast I knew right then that the message would have to be heard.Being African in America is not easy you have to go 10x harder then others to be recognized but where there’s a will there’s a way, a passion that can’t be turned off by anyone.
Tiger Scientist & MJ Raven | “When”
Helping People Cope With Anxiety Through Music
Boy was it a year, but I’m thankful for the hard truths it made me confront and the growth that came from that. It also allowed my wife and I to finally begin our long-talked-about music project, an epic 5 EP cycle about coping with anxiety and development in the modern age. The first EP comes out in January and the first single is out now, called “When.” It’s an epic journey through the mind and learning we can be stronger than our anxiety attacks.
Linc Bradham | “The Darkest of Nights”
An Arabic Linguist Serving In The US Army Is Shifting Military Careers
My audio engineer who is also my good friend and I have been working weekly towards me switching careers as an Arabic linguist in the Army into the Army Band as a production engineer. He and I have been working together musically for years and met by chance at a show here in DC! He mixed and mastered my first EP that came out in September and my single Shine which released on 15 December. Years after meeting, we’re now doing weekly virtual lessons (one of which we finished 5 minutes ago!) so I can learn the production side of things and succeed at the Army Band production engineer audition next year. I’m so grateful to be changing careers to what I’ve always loved and dreamed of doing – music. Since we’re talking about good news, here’s the title track off my EP, The Darkest of Nights. (“Even in the darkest of nights, the smallest of lights, will prevail.”)
Jeremy Weinglass | “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
Played A Senior Center onThanksgiving And Changed A Woman’s Life
On Thanksgiving I was fortunate to have a rare live gig playing piano for the residents at a senior living facility. This has been an especially tough year for these folks since they are not able to have outside family members come visit, all their usual activities are extremely limited and no live music or entertainment since March. I had a fairly small, yet very attentive audience that stayed throughout my entire 2 hour performance where I shared music, stories and gratitude. When it came time to wrap up, I thought I’d conclude with a sentimental Christmas piece (from my album releasing the next day). As I finished, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” a woman approached the piano with tears in her eyes and pulled her mask down and said, “I asked to receive a sign from my husband in heaven that he was here with me right now [pause and sobbing] and THIS was it.” She gave a soft smile through her tears and I immediately wept and then she walked away.
Rock Supreme | “Cruise Control”
Released New Music Despite The Pandemic
I did release some new music on 11.27.20, it’s a EP called “Signed Sealed & Delivered” available on all streaming platforms, I’ll send you the link to it and some info. Thanks again please be safe out there.
Jon Fuller | “Litany of HeartBreak”
Inked A Distribution Deal That’s Focused on International Listeners
On the good news front, I was able to finish and release a fully-animated CGI music video for my track “I.love.you” (the album the song is on came out in 2013, so it was truly a multi-year labor of love!), and I was able to ink a distribution deal that’s focused on international listeners, which I’m particularly excited about.
Sherry-Lynn Lee | “Wasted Space in My Heart”
Learned Production, Experimented And Pushed Her Limits – Wants To Help Other Women Do The Same
When we met Ariel in 2017, I didn’t know the first thing about production. Fast-forward to today, I can now engineer, produce, mix and master our records. Several of our self-produced songs have been signed to publishers and agents. I’ve even started producing other artists in addition to George’s and my own solo project. Music supervisors and major label producers alike have told me that I’m a talented producer and should seriously consider it as a career path. So I spent most of 2020 learning, experimenting and pushing my limits, all while having a blast doing it.
In “Wasted Space In My Heart”, I used office supplies to create the percussion elements and processed them to create a fun indie pop song. I hope that sharing this will inspire more women to get into production and experience the thrill of realizing a musical vision from idea to master.
Doug Fergus | “Wannabe”
Released An Honest & “Goofy” Song – And Got 900 Pandora Streams Per Week
When Covid and the shutdowns and that reality started to kick in…I freaked and I thought, “Even though i’m ‘older’ , what if I miss my chance at ever achieving some form of success?” I blurted out, “I don’t want to be a wannabe anymore!” Then I thought, cool song title! So I quickly wrote and recorded the song at home and put it out, lack of professionalism be damned! Then a magical moment: One of my goofiest songs, “Wannabe” got added to several artists playlists on Pandora and I went from a pitiful 5 or 6 streams a week to over 900 a week!!
Danielle Todd | “A Solo for Autumn” & “Crazy”
Wrote A Custom Song For A Frontline Worker
I was contacted by Desjardins Group and asked to perform a song for somebody in Canada that was going through a rough time because of the pandemic. I was given a girl named Autumn, who was a frontline worker. Her sister contacted Desjardins with the most wonderful message about how hard her sister is working. That night, I wrote this song called “Autumn” and sent it in to Desjardins. Within a few days, Autumn had her very first song written for her and she was brought to tears. It was really nice to help a stranger out during this time.
Night Ride | “D.A.Z.”
Inspired By BLM Collaborated On A Track To Raise Money For Charity
This has indeed been one hell of a year – but the Black Lives Matter movement really impacted me the most. I was straight up experiencing white guilt and felt I had to do something.
I partnered with two of my close friends who are amazing talented artists and we wrote and created a track with 100% of the proceeds going to charity. The track also raised awareness of police brutality – being named after Daz, a family member of one of my friends who passed at the hands of police. A lot of people helped out and gave their time for free to create a music video and to promote the track and we are now raising money for the charities that need it most!
Stay tuned …There’s more Good News Coming! Follow the Independent Artist Buzz Spotify Playlist.
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