OurStage – a brand new way to discover and enjoy the best new artists and the best new music – as determined by you.
OurStage – a brand new way to discover and enjoy the best new artists and the best new music – as determined by you.
Every month, we invite our winning artists to give a webcam shout-out to the fans for voting them to the top. This video features a dysfunctional band trying to get it right, our #1 in Latin with his happy family, my man Mixture via phone, a standup comedian in the shower, Slim Pickens with kids going bananas, and our grand prize winner singing Cum-Ba-Yah.
Enjoy!
Every month, we invite our winning artists to give a webcam shout-out to the fans for voting them to the top. This video features a band in a closet, a soulful songstress singing thanks, a bodybuilder with two detached voices, a thank-you-via-vocoder, and a bluesman in his living room.
Enjoy!
It’s hard to think of an OurStage artist with more momentum right now than Sydney Wayser. After reaching the top-ten four times this past year, the eclectic singer/songwriter played the Starbucks Musicmakers competition and was featured in Paste, CMJ, and Relix magazines. But perhaps her biggest accomplishment via OurStage came when she played South By Southwest this past month, opening for Kaki King and Moby at Stubbs in Austin.
Check out this video from the event. Then read more about Sydney below from a recent phone interview:
I caught up with Sydney yesterday for a quick update on recent developments, her favorite books, and her French connection:
Quinn Strassel: It seems like you’ve kept pretty busy since South By Southwest. What’s new since we last talked?
Sydney Wayser: A lot has been going on since SXSW! This coming week we are opening three dates with Kaki King! And tonight we started our month long residency at the Rockwood Music Hall in the lower east side. Last week we played on WERS in Boston which was a lot of fun and it turned out I went to high school with Sam, the interviewer.
QS: Your dad is French and you’ve spent a lot of time in France. Are you influenced by any French musicians?
SW: I feel that I have been greatly influenced by French artists. To name a few: Edith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg, and Raphael… that is kind of a list from older generation to newest. I think my influence from France has been more than simply music. I think my influences stretch across from architecture, to painting, to parks, weather, the specific light of the sun that only Paris has, the sound of the ambulances through the thin streets, historic events, writers…the list goes on.
QS: What would a perfect day in your life look like?
SW: Picture Paris.. it would start out at 6 am because I would be jet-lagged. I would go for a run with the silvery light Paris has in the morning. On my way back to the apartment I would pick up some fresh breakfast form the pattiserie across the street, spend the next hour or so reading a good book, then make a picnic and eat at one of the benches in the Palais Royal. I would go for a long walk across the river. Explore, get lost, find used books stores, old print shops until eventually I made my way back home for a nice meal. After dinner I would go to the Pont des Arts and listen to music as the sun goes down. I would see a great film either in theaters or in bed before i go to sleep (most likely around 11).
QS: You mentioned last time we talked that you’re a big reader. What are your top 5 books of all time?
SW: Some favorites of mine… The Time Travelers Wife, The Life of Pi. I have to say Harry Potter will always be [a favorite], Dr. Seuss anything, Alchemist.
QS: And what are you reading right now?
SW: Ficciones, a book on greek mythology, and a book on optimum health because everyone needs to be healthy…
This blog written and maintained by Quinn Strassel
“Antitheses to the soulless pop music that hip hop has become.”
Name: Problemaddicts
From: Massachusetts
Emcees: Tone, Vorheez, Force, Black Buddah, 1ne Man
Backed by: DJ Theory
Formed: 2006
Ages: 23-28
Genre: Hip Hop
Sounds Like: Blackalicious, De La Soul, J5
Influences: Wu Tang, Common, Blackstar
Played With: KRS1, Little Brother, Mos Def, Ghostface Killah, … to name a few
Albums: The First Step (feat. Planet Asia, Masta Ace) – Sept. 2007
Why are the Problemaddicts blowing up on OurStage? Five words: intelligence, drive, skills, respect and personality. While their name makes them sound like trouble makers, these guys have no interest in selling out to the dramatic divide that infests the hip hop community. They aren’t concerned with who killed hip hop but rather, “who will revive it.” Their recipe for resuscitation? Smart lyrics, fresh beats, positive energy and killer live shows.
The Problemaddicts also take advantage of their individual talents to maximize the impact they make as a group. Vorheez works on the business end of things – Tone and DJ Theory work on mixing and developing the bands sound – Buddha reigns in the recognition with his sick free-styling/beat boxing skills & Force is networking the industry with his other group the Alchemystics.
Since these guys hit the competition they’ve managed to rack in seven top 10 spots and 2 number one channel placements (not to mention a frenzy of interest from OurStage fans and partners).
Fun Facts:
1. Two of them are chefs (Vorheez claims to make a mean Thai Shrimp Soup)
2. Favorite 80’s Cartoons: GI Joe, Thundercats, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
3. Tone’s grandfather is Carl Sagan
4. DJ Theory also spins with OurStage champs Lyke Minds
5. They prefer to play shows with a live band
6. They’re organizing a skate park concert series this summer
At midnight, last night, Jillian Goldin landed at the very top of the OurStage music charts, winning our Grand Prize of $5,000 for her song, “Hajime.” I caught up with her this afternoon to talk about New Age stereotypes, video games, and sharing her prize with collaborator/boyfriend, Andrew (Zircon).
Quinn: So Jillian, first of all, have you slept at all since winning?
Jillian: I was up until almost 5:00 a.m. last night from all the excitement, so I haven’t gotten much sleep yet! The news still feels quite surreal. But my family, friends, and fans have been incredibly supportive and that is really the best feeling of all. I can’t thank them enough.
Q: In yesterday’s blog, I pointed out that you were featured in two songs in the final round. But I didn’t realize that Zircon (Andrew Aversa) was more than just your collaborator on “Breathing You In.” You two are a couple! How does he feel about landing just below your song in the rankings?!
J: Andrew is my biggest fan of all, so he is extremely happy for me. He even called his parents in New York after midnight to tell them the news. And a third place win ain’t too shabby either, so you can bet we are both on Cloud 9 at the moment! As an artist who is already quite established with four albums under his belt, I think he has been quite the gentleman in recognizing that I could use a little jump start myself. He is the most selfless person I know.
Q: I’m sure everyone wants to know what you’re going to do with the $5,000. Have you had time to process this? Is there a plan?
J: At this point in my life, I would like to save as much of it as possible. I’ll be graduating from Peabody Conservatory of Music next month, and have a world to face! A large portion will be going to Andrew, however, as he not only mixed & mastered “Hajime” but also the rest of the tracks on my upcoming album, Origins – and even collaborated on some of them. I will also be making a donation to the community of OverClocked ReMix, because my friends and fans there have given both of us so much over the years. (Even the 4th place winner this month, sgx, is an established musician there! We are all a bunch of geeks.)
Q: With your new album Origins coming out in three weeks, seems like the timing of this win and the exposure from it is potentially more valuable than the cash.
J: I certainly hope so! Origins is really a culmination of ancient and contemporary elements – a tribute to the beautiful music of Loreena McKennitt in many ways, but with that extra modern twist. Daniel Palmer [OurStage VP of Community] described me as a sort of “Celtic Bjork,” and I think there is some accuracy to that statement, as funny as it sounds! My goal with the album is to transport the listener on a sort of magical journey through the wilderness.
Q: From what I can tell, “Hajime” means “Beginning” in Japanese? That would make sense since your song seems to be about some kind of organic renewal. Is that right?
J: Yes, very good! The word (pronounced “HA-jee-may”) means just that, and I thought it would be fitting not only as the “beginning” track on Origins, but to represent the theme of organic renewal as you mentioned. It really sets the stage for the rest of the album.
Q: What drew you to New Age music?
J: Thanks to my baby boomer neuroscientist parents, I grew up listening to artists like Andreas Vollenweider, Ray Lynch, and Ayman. I consider New Age much like the “classical” of today’s society, although it sometimes earns a bad rep for being meditation music. There is so much more to the genre if you really listen. It has always drawn me with its uplifting spirit and magical creativity.
Q: Are you trying to distinguish yourself from other New Age artists in any way?
J: I have always felt that there is too little New Age music out there which actually features the voice in a prominent way, so I am attempting to remedy that situation with my vocally driven songs. Many people out there seem to think that the genre does not lend itself well to lyrics, particularly English ones, but I disagree. As I have described on my website, “Words are a natural extension of the human voice, and it just so happens to be the only instrument capable of using them — why limit the possibilities!” I truly believe that the right lyrics can send such a powerful message, so I will always be striving to reach out to people that way.
Q: What do you do when you’re not making music?
When I’m not making music or doing schoolwork… Well, let’s just say I have a number of nerdy interests. I watch Home & Garden Television religiously, enjoy a number of video games, and I am probably one of the biggest Trekkies you will ever meet!
Q: That’s funny you mention video games. I noticed your voice has been featured in the video game Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword. How did you land that?
J: I had the lucky opportunity to get involved with Civ IV: Beyond the Sword initially when a nearby music studio contacted Peabody Conservatory, looking for classical singers to lend their voices to the main theme. It was truly serendipitous for me, as someone who has been remixing video game tunes for a few years now… So when I told the composer about my hobby, he seemed pleasantly surprised – and asked me to sing solo for another track being released with the game!
I think the video game industry is becoming quite a platform for [up-and-coming] musicians out there. I have friends my age who are already scoring some pretty big titles – even one of zircon’s remixes is going to be featured in Super Street Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3! (You can hear his music playing in this trailer.) I’ve even discovered a great new artist named Hayley Westenra, just from playing the game Endless Ocean on my Wii.
Q: Well thanks Jillian for taking the time. Congrats! And get some sleep!
J: Thanks again to all the people who make OurStage possible. You are doing artists and fans out there a true service by providing this community!
This blog is written and maintained by Quinn Strassel.
