Inside Stereofame

James Brown may have said it's a man's world but singer/songwriter/producer Joy Valencia is beating the boys at their own game.

In fact, the Chicago-born songstress broke all kinds of rules in her pursuit to establish her musical identity. While attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Valencia made a bold decision to change her major from Songwriting to Music Production and Engineering, where she was one of just a handful of girls in the program.

"It is a boy's game," Valencia said of the area of study, "but Berklee was 80% guys to begin with so I got used to it."

According to Valencia, while she has always loved singing, she was even more intrigued by what happened behind the glass in a recording studio.

"As a kid, I used to splice together parts of different songs and make my own mixes," Valencia said. "I also used to record myself from tape to tape, over and over again so it would sound like I had five voices."

That desire to dig deeper into the production side of making music has helped Valencia carve out a uniquely clever sound that is all her own, one that has earned her the title of Stereofame.com's Artist of the Month for September 2010.

"People tend to see me as a singer/songwriter but they don't typically see me as a producer; they don't realize how much I do in the studio..." she said.

An avowed student of late 60's pop and lover of all styles of music, the now L.A.-based Valencia spent the early part of her musical career as an R&B artist. But it wasn't until recently, she said, that she found her voice as an artist.

"It's always hard when you're first starting out as an artist to find your own sound," she said, "especially if you're a fan of so many styles of music."

That careful attention to the works of so many artists before her has helped Valencia, along with her husband and co-producer, to cultivate a fearless brand of songwriting that has her fingerprints as a producer all over it.

On "Don't Wake the Lion," a hypnotic tribal drum beat set behind a sparse organ drone showcases Valencia's adept ear for crafting unexpected melodic hooks and clever lyrics, calling to mind the best of artists like Fiona Apple and Tori Amos.

Elsewhere, on tracks such as "Wallet," Valencia shows a more playful side with a McCartney-esque ode to being broke complete with a boozy, saloon-style piano hook and delicious harmonies.

"My songs are taken from life only exaggerated," Valencia said. "I don't care how out there the idea is, I'll go there."

Valencia, however, proves that she's just as comfortable singing tender ballads as she is about lions in her bed. "If You Love Me," displays Valencia's more introspective side with haunting piano lines and hushed, almost whispered vocals that feel like pillow talk.

No matter the style, Valencia is proving that her studies have paid off and the community at Stereofame.com is hoping she keeps the tunes coming. To find out more and hear her music, check out www.stereofame.com/joyvalencia.

Labels: aom, contest, Joy Valencia

For a kid who grew up surrounded by a family of rappers, one might think that Dallas-based rapper Eyesee3's hip-hop destiny was predetermined. But according to him, something his family told him when he was young turned out to be the driving force behind his musical career. "They said that I couldn't actually rap," Eyesee3 said. "I think that really drove me to get better."

Back then, Eyesee3 (who was better known as Kelvin Spencer) was a ten year-old kid imitating the artists he heard on the radio. "The first thing I remember hearing was Bone Thugs-N-Harmony," he said. "We used to study their lyrics and recite their stuff. From there, it spun off to us wanting to create our own songs."

It wasn't until Eyesee3 penned a song called "Ice Man: 32 Below Zero," that his family began to take notice. "They said ‘Man, Kelvin, you got a hit!'" he said.

Now at age 21, Eyesee3 has a developed a sharp and confident style that has earned him the distinct honor of being chosen as Stereofame.com's first hip-hop artist to win Artist of the Month for August 2010. With influences that range from hip-hop giant Jay-Z to relative newcomers like Chamillionaire, Eyesee3 has the chops and bravado to go up against the best. But it is his respect for the producers behind some of today's biggest hip-hop hits that has shaped Eyesee3's sound. "Guys like Timbaland, Akon and Pharrell...have a lot of upbeat stuff that could brighten someone's day," he said. "That song Akon did with Gwen Stefani ("Sweet Escape")...everytime I hear it, it sounds like a party."

Eyesee3 shows he knows how to get the party started himself on tracks like "Lookin Ass," which loops a slinky blues guitar riff set atop a Latin-style bounce. But it is the rapper's darker beats that illustrate his depth as a lyricist. Songs like "One Life" and "I'm Dying" feel like bookends to Eyesee3's "live in the moment" mentality. Beyond the lyrics, the beats have a power and style all their own, a point that Eyesee3 credits to his relationship with various producers such as Lil Shine, DJ Black, Lil Woo and DJ Kayotik, among others.

"It feels like I'm on a path," Eyesee3 said. "Every time I meet someone, it leads to meeting another guy. They all have helped me grow and get better."

Currently, Eyesee3 is readying the release of his album "Revelation" for later this month, which will consist of all original material, from the lyrics to the beats, including his collaborations with DJ Kayotik. For more information on where to find "Revelation" and more of Eyesee3's material, check him out at Stereofame.com/eyesee3.

Labels: aom, contest, Eyesee3

More and more these days, it seems that popular music is slipping into a homogenized smear of carbon-copied bands, echoing the efforts of past masters until their product is reduced to what feels like a mere hum of static nonsense. Almost every time you turn on the television, from regurgitated scripted dramas to car commercials, there's a vaguely pleasing, unobtrusive piece of mood-setting music that sounds like just about anything else you've ever heard.

To combat this dumbing down of music, bands nowadays must strive to achieve a sound that can only be described with the most overused, and often misused, word in rock literature: originality. Because the struggle to be unique has become the litmus test by which all bands seem to judge themselves, it usually leaves them with something that is either sterile imitation or, even worse, unlistenable.

Neither of these pitfalls has befallen Manic Bloom, voted as Stereofame.com's July 2010 Artist of the Month. The Nashville-based quintet serves as an example of how a band should carve out their own identity in a business where false ones are being manufactured daily. Manic Bloom seems to understand that the true secret to originality (there, I said it) is in the careful combination of styles and influences that previously remained separate.

"The five of us all come from very, very different musical backgrounds," lead singer David Stevenson said. "I grew up in country and gospel…while Matt (Lawrence, guitarist) is into bands like Rage Against the Machine with heavier sounds and funk-style parts."

From the tight, snappy R&B-inspired musicianship made popular by Maroon 5 to the swirling, dark and fuzzed-out guitar lines reminiscent of Muse, Manic Bloom is certainly on to something. To say that they sound like either of these bands would be inaccurate, just as it would be inaccurate to say that they sound like both. What's really at work here is the ability to create something that includes elements of already familiar music, while leaving the listener unable to put their finger on exactly why it's so familiar.

Above all else, though, Manic Bloom hopes to create a reason for music fans to become invested in the music they listen to again.

"We want people to experience music," Stevenson said. "But you have to make a conscious decision to seek out something that you can really connect with and not just passively absorb the bubblegum stuff over and over."

The listeners on Stereofame.com have done just that, a fact that Stevenson said he doesn't take lightly.

"Stereofame is a true community," he said. "It's obvious that the people on the site really pay attention to music and are passionate just from the feedback you get."

Labels: aom, contest, Manic Bloom

For a self-described "uber-optimist," singer/songwriter David Osmond sure has some battle scars.

After all, the Utah-bred songster with the famous last name has had to overcome a few obstacles, not the least of which has been his bout with Multiple Sclerosis. Despite his struggles, though, Osmond brings a "joie de vivre" to his music that never runs short on hope and positivity. His message has resonated with the online community of Stereofame.com, who have chosen Osmond as June 2010's Artist of the Month.

"I wanted to make the music that was in my heart," he said. "Especially because for some time, I wasn't able to perform."

No more than three years ago, Osmond was bound to a wheelchair, nearly paralyzed as a result of his affliction. After slowly regaining his functions, Osmond had something to say.

"It's given me a new perspective on life, appreciating every single moment," Osmond said.

That outlook has its fingerprints all over Osmond's new album, Reflected. Songs like "Every Second Counts," set soaring choruses atop sparkling guitars, while bouncy, mid-tempo tunes like "Heartbeat Melody" showcase Osmond's more playful side.

"I just wanted to make good music that people would like," Osmond said.

Many may remember Osmond from his appearance on American Idol, but the tunesmith's pedigree goes way beyond a talent competition. His father, Alan Osmond, is the oldest of the performing Osmonds, along with siblings Donnie and Marie. It is his father's optimism, Osmond said, that roots itself deep into his craft.

"He showed me how to keep fighting...the glass isn't half full, it's overflowing," Osmond said. "That's where this music really came from, it’s a culmination of all my experiences."

According to Osmond, Stereofame is the perfect vehicle for him to promote his music, his way.

"There's a new way to market yourself and sell your music online," he said. "I think Stereofame is right at the front of that."

Reflected is available exclusively on Osmond's website at www.davidosmond.com

As Stereofame's June 2010 Artist of the Month, Osmond will get valuable exposure to an international audience in addition to a $1,000 prize. Stereofame is a one-of-a-kind community where artists are judged objectively by the listening audience. Artists gather more points as they rise in rank and refer their fans from other sites. Plus, artists can sell their music here, too, so they’re getting serious points while making money, something iTunes doesn’t offer!

Listeners are also rewarded for their input, as they can earn points for listening to a song and giving it a "thumbs up or down," and writing thoughtful reviews. They can help talented artists get the attention they deserve by signing artists to their virtual record label and then promoting their signed artists to their friends. Of course, fans get tons of points for buying music and bringing people to the site, too. All these points can be cashed in for various prizes such as iPods, musical equipment, gift cards and more.

Think you've got what it takes to be Stereofame's next Artist of the Month? Then go to Stereofame.com and upload three songs to www.Stereofame.com/contest/artist-of-the-month.html. And if you're a fan, log on to Stereofame.com today to help some of tomorrow’s biggest and brightest stars get heard and earn some sweet prizes at the same time!

Labels: aom, contest, David Osmond

Back in 2008, Polaris at Noon's Jason Suwito had an interesting thought on the current music industry model: completely destroy it.

"I read a blog by Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks) and he was talking about the idea of serializing music instead of releasing albums all at once."

The idea stuck with Suwito, who has been chosen as Stereofame.com's Artist of the Month for May 2010. He decided to begin writing, recording and releasing songs one week at a time over a two-month period, which he called a season. The experiment netted 11 tunes that range from high-energy, guitar-driven emo rock to slinky electronic jams.

"The season concept allowed me to release these songs that may not necessarily have fit on an album together."

No matter the genre, Suwito keeps the performances tightly produced, with polished vocals that recall the bubbling urgency of Jimmy Eat World. As mastermind of Polaris at Noon, Suwito is a musical auteur of sorts. In addition to his songwriting prowess, Suwito also plays all the instruments on the recordings. That type of control allows him be in full command of a song's potential for release under the season concept.

"It seemed like a better way to keep fans coming back for more and repeatedly visiting your site," Suwito said. "If you release all the songs in one album, these days they'll tend to forget about it in time."

With an assorted cast of live musicians, Suwito is now taking the concept of Polaris at Noon to the people. But the heart and soul of his idea remains about the songwriting, Suwito said, a point that is being nurtured by Polaris at Noon's management team, the Collective.

"They've been really great about pushing my songwriting outside of the traditional formats," Suwito said. "Whether it's co-writing or writing jingle ideas for commercials, that's another aspect to my career they're helping me with in conjunction with being a performer."

With the response Polaris at Noon has already garnered, Suwito's abilities as a songwriter can only be expected to grow with each season. For the growing legion of fans in his "new" music industry, season two can't come soon enough.

Labels: aom, contest, Polaris at Noon

NEW CHANGES TO STEREOFAME EFFECTIVE April 13, 2010...

1. Now, reviewing music and voting for the Artist of the Month is easier than ever ... and, you no longer need to listen to the entire song. Listen 90 seconds, rate the track, provide constructive feedback and for a limited time only, review 20 songs to earn up to 10,000 points. That's right - spend just 30 minutes to review 20 songs and earn 500 points per song. But we're
only offering this special offer tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14th so don't wait because it will expire at midnight tomorrow (ET). Start reviewing music now! Go to the May 2010 AOM Contest and click "Start Reviews" for the May Artist of the Month Contest to begin.

2. Mass Messaging with Preferences is now working for Backstage Pass Members. With one single click, you can now send a message to your friends or fans. Create a message promoting your signed Artists or maybe a newsletter about the best songs you've found on Stereofame.

3. Comments can now be edited for up to 60 seconds after you post them, and links in the comments are now automatically hyperlinked.

4. All Users can now "Unblock" anyone you've previously "Blocked" using the same controls for making friends.

Labels: aom, release.notes, Stereofame.News, updates