One of the biggest problems an indie artist can face is gaining industry buzz and momentum. Daria Musk disproves this theory by gaining significant industry credibility to add to her talent and brand and it’s not just prestigious awards that mark this artist’s notoriety.
“Daria Musk has one fantastic voice. It soars, whispers, laughs when she herself is not, technically, laughing, and it could probably belt out hard rock with real credibility if it wanted to,” Jennifer Layton said in a review posted on Indie-Music. This article echoes countless others that share the same opinion. Daria Musk distinguishes herself from other artists through her lyrical style and tendency to be a storyteller through song. Check out Daria’s performance at the Mercury Lounge, and you’ll agree that she certainly sustains strong emotion throughout her entire set.
Daria’s impressive resume includes a Musician’s Atlas Spotlight in 2008, two honorable mentions in the International Singer/Songwriter awards, a semi-finalist spot in the International Songwriting Competition, and a semi-finalist spot in the Starbucks Emerging Artist Competition. She has also showcased at SXSW, NYC Songwriter’s Circle, and several others. Daria is currently working on her debut album (release date not specified yet). She will be showing off her live performance abilities for an online web series called “Acoustic Stories” for Rock Me TV. This will be a live webcast from time square on April 6th, at 8:00 pm (an all ages, free show). Stop by and be part of the audience if you’re in the area. Be sure to join her fanclub and stay updated on her upcoming shows and news about her debut album release.
Some people in the music industry accredit success directly to the number of fans an artist has. However, in the case of indie artists, there are other ways to gain momentum. One option is the support of a mainstream artist or celebrity. Some of them do it in different ways, but celebrities always have a way of boosting an indie artist’s popularity.
Rainn Wilson(Dwight onThe Office) isn’t shy about his musical opinions. In fact, he’s taken notice of a couple OurStage artists and is becoming actively involved in their careers. Plushgun isn’t a stranger on the OurStage roster, but Rainn Wilson’s appearance in their video for “Just Impolite” puts an interesting “main stream” spin on the group. Rainn Wilson has also expressed interest in bluesy singer/songwriter Mieka Pauley. Wilson has chosen to follow Pauley on Twitter (an honor that he has only given 60 other people). Whether it’s online, in videos, or just in his spare time, Rainn Wilson keeps his attention turned to independent artists in the music industry.
Food Network star, Rachel Ray, is not known for her taste in music. She is becoming something of a tradition at the SXSW musical festival in Texas. For the second year running, Rachel hosted an indie music feature party in Austin at the 2009 event. On the bill at Ray’s party this year was The Hold Steady, The New York Dolls, Bob Schneider, The Cringe (Ray’s husband’s band), and The Airborne Toxic Event. Last year’s event showcased Scissors for Lefty, another band showing prominence on OurStage. Ray has an ear for impressive indie rock and isn’t shy about being a musical advocate. Needless to say, there are plenty of independent artists out there that are catching the ears of not only the general public, but mainstream celebrities like Rachel Ray as well.
To follow suit with this concept, Edward Norton, acclaimed actor of Fight Club and American History X, does his own indie endorsement. Long time friend and indie singer/songwriter, Peter Salett, has received a lot of artistic support from the actor. In fact, Salett held a vast majority of the slots on Norton’s Celebrity Playlist on iTunes. Norton describes Salett as being “one of the most instinctive, lyrical singers and natural songwriters” in a long time. Recently, the songwriter has gained industry momentum as a composer for film (a career path that began to take shape when Salett composed the full score for Norton’s film “Down in the Valley“). He recently wrote the score for Role Models starring Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott. Branch out from OurStage to other indie artists and check out his website or pick up his latest release, In theOcean of the Stars.
Whether it’s online endorsement, a high profile gig, or just the help of an old friend turned actor, indie artists can benefit from the clout of mainstream celeb’s and personalities. Be sure to check out all of these artists, because they’ve definitely caught the attention of some important listeners.
Alternative Country music is becoming a bit of an industry standard, but it’s a little less common to find that “pop” quality in a bluegrass group. Having only been together for about two years, the band plays as if they were performance legends. Encompassing styles from bluegrass to singer/songwriter, they bring new meaning to the concept of a “unique sound”. We caught up with Chris Griffin of Act of Congress, who said, “We want to build a legit resume by putting out new stuff all the time and making sure we’re playing gigs that help advance us as a band…We’re just [focusing] on creating a ‘catalog’ of interesting content.”
Recently, the band released its debut LP, Declaration. The album showcases the groups genre diversity really well. The opening track, “In the Middle“, starts the CD off in a catchy, melodic way, setting the “pop” mood for the rest of the CD. However, songs like “Not Crazy” and “Five Minutes of Fame” mark the presence of such genres as bluegrass and blues/funk. Griffin of AOC accredited this diversity on the album to the fact that each member plays with a different style. Act of Congressspent almost 8 months rehearsing and writing before booking just 3 hours in the studio to record the LP with producer Jason Elgin.
Since the album release, AOC has been making waves in the industry. A few of their songs were chosen to be used as music for a professional ballet, and the band was able to perform live with the production in Birmingham, AL. Additionally, they were selected as the 2008 Southeast Grand Prize Winner for the Discmakers Independent Music World Series. The band has also recently written a song that was picked as the theme for an Arrested Development Documentary.
Act of Congress will be playing at SXSW this week. The show is at Mother Egan’s in Austin, TX on March 19th. Check out their fanclub and keep on eye on where their going.
If you’re looking for things to do at SXSW we have plenty to add to your itinerary: a list of must-sees from Paste Magazine’s Jay Sweet, a TON of OurStage artists live on stage and some great (and entertaining) resources for indie artists and music lovers alike!
1) Sweet 16: artists not to miss
Living in the Northeast during March is a mud-filled, merciless grind. Luckily, the gods created SXSW. Yes the BBQ and Shiner Bock beer-soaked savior for those suffering Seasonal Affective Disorder begins this weekend. In wading through the oodles of e-mail invites, Jay Sweet, OurStage’s Editor at Large, has compiled the Sweet 16 list of artists not to miss while strolling along the sunny streets of Austin: READ MORE
2) Over 80 OurStage Artists performing at SXSW!
Having just discovered that 86 members of the OurStage artist community will be performing at SXSW showcases next week, we’re glowing with pride like parents of a champion little leaguer! We dare you to try to catch them all live and in action! READ MORE
3) Get Tour:Smart
At OurStage, we have a soft spot for NIN drummers; we recently posted an interview with current drummer Ilan Rubin and have recently launched a new partnership with past drummer, Martin Atkins. Anyone trying to make a go in the music industry needs to know Martin; he’s a champion of independent musicians and their tour buses (which might not be your own RV, but we’re hoping it is at least a step above Greyhound). Swing by Martin’s booth at SXSW to get real-world advice on how to survive your own music career and pick up a free CD with tracks from OurStage artists.
To jump start your learning process, Martin has pulled together a list of his top 10 nuggets of advice for OurStage artists on the road: READ MORE
Hightide Blues is as powerful as they are upbeat (something that tends to be rare). Their country influences meld so perfectly with their blues rock sound that this band will bridge the gap between those Alt Rock Kids and the Country Lovers. In fact, I think they are so good, you will like them after just one song.
Since their first show back in 2006, Hightide Blues has played at hundreds of venues all over the Southeast and taken the stage with such artists as Sara Bareilles, Graham Colton, and Jason Isbell. They treat their recordings with that same high level of class and recently completed an EP (”Love Come Easy“) at House of David Studios in Nashville, a recording studio that has hosted such legends as Elvis, Neil Young, B.B. King, Joe Crocker, and Roy Orbison. Up next, the band has announced that they will be playing the SXSW music festival in Texas . With a resume this strong, I’d say they are bound to be one of the best blues/southern rock bands to grace the Country genre in a long-time.
There are a lot of reasons to like this band. You may be impressed by their star-studded collaborations or their impressive studio rsources. Maybe it’s just their stage presence or their unique, alternative country sound. Whatever your reason, now that you’ve heard that one song, shoot on over to the band’s fanclub and listen to the rest of their tunes. You won’t be disappointed.
One of the biggest problems an indie artist can face is gaining industry buzz and momentum. Daria Musk disproves this theory by gaining significant industry credibility to add to her talent and brand and it’s not just prestigious awards that mark this artist’s notoriety.
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