If you haven't heard of the country duo Kingston, you need to head over to YouTube right now and check them out! They are one of my favorites right now (and probably will be forever)! Not only do they seem like two of the nicest, most down to earth guys from watching them interact with their fans on twitter, they both have amazing voices and when they harmonize its well.... Perfect!
What I love most about these two is that they can take any pop/rock/indie song, give it their own spin and make it sound like the song was meant to be country in the first place!
(Check out their cover of "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction below, its one of my personal favorites)
But they do more then just covers, the have original music too!
I absolutely love Dear Someone! (watch it below)
I honestly spends hours listening/watching their covers on YouTube!
So who exactly is Kingston?
Zach and Josh Carter grew up in Hudson, Ohio. Since their mom worked in country radio, music was a big influence in their life from the start. After high school they moved to and originally recorded under the name the Carter Twins. In 2011 they changed their name to Kingston
Last year they auditioned for X Factor and made it into the top 64.
Since then they have been busy making music, recording fun covers for their fans on YouTube. They both have such fun personalities they definitely comes across in their music. I adore them. Really. And I honestly can't wait to see what they have coming up next, I guarantee that Kingston is a name you won't want to forget!
I borrowed the bio from the bands reverbnation website (click on it to take you there!) because frankly I couldn't describe them any better than that, except by maybe telling you how amazing there music is! They have a unique rock n roll take on country music that is addicting from the first listen! If you are looking for some new music to listen to this is the PERFECT band for you! Promise! Ask around and everyone will tell you they are a must listen to!
I asked some friends what their favorite song by the band is and what makes them unique from other country bands and heres what they said!
Sabrina: Favorite song - one day. I feel like its a different take on a breakup song
Jade: My favorite song: Wake Up Loving You.
Why?: It's a BEAUTIFUL song. I love the beat, the guitar, the words,
everything about it. It's both different and mainstream enough for
radio and it would definitely be a crowd favorite at shows. What
makes them different?: They are sort of rock-ish in with their country
twang. Their words have substance to them and they have a sound that
people would come from all around to see.
Lucy: My favorite song is "That's How We Do Summertime" because its just the
perfect song to listen to when you need to just jam or smile :D
They style is different from any other country song/music is because it
has some soulful rock in their music that just catches your attention
right away.I love that its just not to much country but not to much
rock. it evens out the music and thats what i love. You legit can not
put their cd down after you get it. It's the amazing music you can just
blast in your car.
My favorite song is also "Thats How We Do Summer". Like Lucy said its the perfect summer song! But really the whole disk is great! There isn't one sing I didn't love!! Their songs also have great lyrics to them! I love it when music has meaning but also has a good beat. Sometimes you only get one or the other!! But really don't just take my friends and I word for it. Head on over to their site (again the link is above) and check out their music!!
I had the opportunity this week to interview Arabella Jones!I first "met" Arabella last summer on twitter, she is the sweetest girl, and I was so excited when she said yes to an interview! She already has a great fan base! Her YouTube videos often get over 20,000 views! So take a minute and get to know Arabella!
1. Can you introduce yourself a little bit?
My name is Arabella Jones, and I'm a 16 year old country/pop Youtube singer from Houston, Texas. :)
I've always had this big dream of becoming a performer, and I really worked up the courage to start my Youtube channel a little over a year ago.
3. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are some of my most prominent country influences. Their music really helps shape my style a lot. But I also listen to all types of music, so I draw inspiration from many different artists, too.
4. Still being in high school, what do your friends and classmates think of you pursuing a music career?
My friends are super supportive. When I first started on Youtube, I was really scared that people would make fun of me or think my videos were weird, but the response I got was really positive and encouraging! Sometimes my friends will ask me about music or joke around about me becoming famous, but I still get treated normally. :)
5. Who would you love to do a duet with?
There are tons of great artists I would love to duet with, but one with Hunter Hayes would honestly be at the top of my list. Not many people realize how wicked talented he is, and I know he has a huge future in country music. Plus, I think a duet would be the cutest thing ever, so let's hope he reads this... ;)
6. Who would you love to tour with?
Going on tour with some of my favorite artists such as Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Chris Young, is one of my dreams. They really represent some of my favorite aspects of country music, and I absolutely love their personalities, so I would have the time of my life on tour with them.
7. What musical artist other than yourself have you ever wanted to be?
I would die to be Carrie Underwood, even for just a day! She's my ultimate role model, I look up to her so much, and I basically look forward to being where she is someday!
8. What is your favorite song to turn up real loud and sing (maybe dance to) when no one else is around?
I'm SO guilty of throwing a dance party every time I'm home alone!!! LOL, so I could probably give a whole playlist! One of the best is definitely Shots by LMFAO.
9. Can you describe your personal music style in 5 words?
Fun, Energetic, Fresh, Real, Passionate
10. When you aren't in school or working on your music, what do you like to do?
In my free time I like to shop, do all kinds of outdoorsy stuff, and go out/have a good time with friends!
11. I love your name, were you named after someone? Where did it come from?
Thanks! My parents just wanted something pretty, but different. :)
12. What 5 things can you not live with out?
1. God 2. family/friends 3. technology (phone, Macbook, etc.) 4. Victoria's Secret Pink 5. my hair products
13. What is your favorite movie of all time?
This one is always really hard, I've seen so many movies! I'm basically a huge scary movie junkie, and I also love romantic comedies. Also, one of the few documentaries that make my list... Never Say Never ;)
14. What is your favorite Ice Cream flavor? Or if you don't like Ice cream whats your favorite dessert?
My favorite ice cream flavor is Birthday Cake, totally, absolutely, and forever. I could eat it all day. Besides that, I'll just say I'm definitely not picky when it comes to dessert. :)
15. What is your favorite book?
I don't really read a whole lot, hm...
16. Other than music are you considering any other careers?
No, I'm definitely set on having a future in music!
17. What do you want people to walk away with after listening to your music?
“Dang... she can song write, sing, and put on a show!!” LOL! I'm huge into making every song I write, feel like 100% me. I really want listeners to be able to connect with my stories and things I sing about, and bottom line, really get to know me as a person.
18. What can we expect next from you?
I'm totally stoked for this summer, because I'm going to be getting into some really big and exciting projects!! I'm working on getting and EP in motion around then, so that's just one thing to look out for! :)
19. So far what has been your favorite moment in your music career?
I would definitely say the October 2011 Teen Hoot was my favorite musical experience I've had so far. It was absolutely wicked getting to meet and become close with so many other talented teen artists. Performing was such a blast, and the fan energy was just so high, I had adrenaline going until like 3 in the morning after the show.
20. What advice would you give others, especially those your age, who are wanting to pursue a music career?
Pursuing a musical career is seriously so much fun. It takes a lot of work, however, more than people sometimes realize. If you're serious about following your dream, you have to commit and stick with through anything, and you will definitely see results. :)
Thanks so much Arabella for doing this interview with me! I really enjoyed it!! Please take a to check out Arabella's website, YouTube, Facebook and on Twitter. And also check out the two youtube videos I posted below! Thanks so much for reading!
Here is one of Arabella's original songs "Paint This Town"
I think my favorite cover by Arabella is Taylor Swift's "Ours"
Okay. So he hasn't won this award YET! But out of all three guys nominated in this category, He is my pick to win this! In my personal opinion, he is definitely most deserving and most talented out of them all! Not only can the boy play 30 different musical instruments, including: Guitar, Mandolin, accordion, keyboard and drums just to name a few!
He has performed with Charlie Daniels and Johnny and June Cash by the time he was 6! He has Co-written songs for Rascal Flatts and Montgomery Gentry.
His self-titled debut album from Atlantic Records was released October 11th 2011. Not only did Hunter write all the songs, he played every instrument on every track and co produced the album with Dan Huff.
This guy has AMAZING talent and he is only 20! He has already toured with Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts. Right now he is doing his own tour titled Wanted. (Hunter if you are reading this, by some small miracle, PLEASE come to Salt Lake on your tour!)
I have met hunter back when he made a stop in salt lake on his radio tour before his first single Storm Warning hit the air waves, and he is honestly one of the nicest, most polite and genuine people I have ever met.
I could go on forever about how talented and nice he is, but i won't. I'll let others do the talking! Hunter Hayes seriously has the BEST fans I think that anyone could ever have! They have been busy voting, asking otheres to vote, making tons of videos asking people to vote for him. There is even a campaign to get him on the Ellen show! But not only are they supportive of him they are supportive of each other, I've gotten to know a really great group of girls that even though we have never met, I'm proud to call them my friends!
I asked some of them to tell my why they support Hunter and are voting for him to win Best New Artist at the ACM's this year! I also asked them to tell if Hunter has changed or inspired them in anyway to tell me about that! Here's what they had to say! (I just copied exactly what they sent to me, nothing was altered!)
Mary-Kathryn: "Well I have a story, I'll tell u it doesn't have to do with meeting him though. So we were doing a report in history class were allowed to listen to music during class. Cry with me came on and all of a sudden I start balling, just crying my eyes out. Idk why but I think it's cause he's so passionate!! Hope this helped"
Hayley:
Reasons why Hunter Hayes should win New Artist Of The Year:
1. He playes every instrument on his album
2. He co-wrote every song on his album
3. Everyone can relate to each one of his songs in some way
4. Hunter is a genuine person who truly cares for his fans
5. He is destined for success, and will soon be a world-wide known name
How Hunter Hayes has changed my life:
Thanks to him, I have realized that I only have to be myself, and that I am WANTED. He has proven that not all guys are the same, and there is still some good, clean talent out there.
Chelbie: hunter should win because he so genuine and true to who he is
These are only a few facts about how amazing and talented Hunter Hayes is. Talent is talent, and this boy has it! So do me a favor and hop on over www.voteacm.com and vote for Hunter! It seriously takes less than a minute and would mean the world to me and to him if you did so! Lets win this for Hunter!
Okay, So I LOVE Spotify, It seriously is amazing... So much better than Pandora! I love that basically every song you can think of is on there (except Garth Brooks which is annoying). But I also love that I have discovered some AMAZING music on it too! When you click on an artist name to go to their list of music you can choose from, have you ever noticed that in the top right hand corner, it shows you similar artists? I love this feature,I have discovered some of my favorite new songs/artists this way! I love singer-song writer music, and there are some great artist who I've never heard that I have come across and can't stop listening to. So I decided it would be to blog about some of the songs/artists.
The first one Im going to blog about is Ross Copperman, I found him when I was listening to Kate Voegele (who btw, if you have never heard of, you NEED to look up, she is absolutely amazing! awesome lyrics and an even more incredible voice) Anyways back to Ross, The first song I clicked on to listen by him was a song called "All She Wrote" .
I was hooked. He has a great voice and this song is well... Amazing... (Yes I know I use that word alot.) I wish i could find the inspiration behind this song, because I really love the lyrics, but I can't. I have my own theories, but I won't post them because I am sure they are way off! Okay well I found a video of him explaining the song. so here it is, in his own words, the meaning behind All She Wrote.
http://youtu.be/IeVk5vR8PXo
So I couldn't get it to post from Youtube... So just click on the link and it should take you to it! (Sorry)
So when I discover a new artist, I like to Google them and find out a little bit about who they are. Here is what I found out about Ross Copperman:
He was born Oct 1, 1982. He grew up in Roanoke, Virginia. He started to play the piano when he was only 3 years old. He didn't start writing songs until college. All She Wrote was his second single, his first was a song called "As I Choke". Both Songs were originally released first in the UK and All She Wrote made it into the UK top 40 back in 2007.
His music has been on tv shows such as ER, One Tree Hill (how Ive over looked him as seriously so weird to me since I love OTH and tend to look up most the music featured on the show), Ghost Whisperer, Vampire Diaries and more!
Be sure to check out more of Ross Copperman's music. All his other stuff is really great too (I could go on and on but I'll shut up now!)
Every week I'm going to blog about an up and coming artist that I think you should keep your eye. There are so many new artist out there that I think are going to hit it big this year! If you have some suggestions let me know!
Jana Kramer
I love everything I have heard from her so far!
She has her first official single on the radio right now
So normally I post my 20 questions on Tuesdays. But I was so excited about this one that I couldn't
wait to post this one! (okay so this one ended up having 22 questions because I can't count properly! Enjoy!)
I hope you all enjoy my interview with Tyler Barham!
1.Can you tell me a little about yourself?
Well I was born under the big sky of Montana and started singing when I was nine being introduced to Country music in my early years by my parents. That Country spark stuck with me throughout the years. In my early teens, I enjoyed singing as much as I was able to and had a lot of fun competing in various talent competitions in and around Montana. In High School I enjoyed sports such as Basketball, Track, and even was in a Bowling League for 2 years…nerdy I know lol. And music is not only what I sing, but what I love to listen to. All different genres can be found on my ipod. It’s just such a fascinating form of art to me and will always be a part of me no matter what.
2.How did you get started in music?
I got started in music by just singing along with songs in the back seat as a little kid and my parents took notice to my voice and saw that I had a passion for singing. Following that came the competitions and talent shows. I enjoyed performing and took every opportunity I could to share my voice and music with others.
3.When did you realize you wanted to pursue a career in music?
I realized I wanted to pursue a career the minute I started performing. I enjoyed sharing my voice with the world and not letting my talent go to waste. I just had such a strong passion for it. It was a hobby, an escape, a dream…just so many different things to me. Singing was my life and it just felt right. It’s what I saw myself doing forever regardless of the outcome…whether it became a career or not. It’s that moment that you feel like you’ve found the exact thing that you were put on this earth to do. I believe I was meant to sing. And through that came the ability to inspire others to chase their dreams no matter where they come from or what they were given. I love that aspect of being a singer. Being able to entertain and inspire others.
4. Who are some of your biggest musical influences? Some of my biggest musical influences are Garth Brooks first of all as well as Randy Travis because I grew up listening to them in my earlier years, and they definitely inspired me in a lot of different ways. They are completely two different artists, but my mind and ears were always open to so many different styles. Guitar wise it’d have to be Keith Urban and surprisingly even John Mayer. They are very talented artists as well as musicians. I hope to someday be half as good as them on the guitar lol. Taylor Swift is another influence girl wise because she is such a talented song writer and very impressive to excel in chasing her dream and reaching it at such a young age. These are all artists that inspire and influence me.
5. Who would you love to tour with? If I were to tour with somebody, at this moment it would either be Luke Bryan or Taylor Swift. They just seem like such energized entertainers as well as fun people to be around. It’d just be an all-around successful tour with a lot of exciting experiences and adventures along the way!
6. Who would you to do a duet with?
Duet wise I think it’d be a blast to record with Taylor Swift. She’s my age and has grown so much as a singer, artist, and songwriter. It’d be even better to be able to co-write the duet with her first, and then record it. I’ve never actually done a duet before and I think it’d be an awesome experience. Plus I believe it would just turn out to be a really great song with her writing ability and combining our voices. Who knows? Maybe the future will present this opportunity. So Taylor, if you’re reading this, please consider it haha.
7. Can you describe your music in 5 words?
Modern, Classic, Country, Vocal, Pop. I believe my music is more Modern Country, but has a hint of Classic to it as well as has the ability to be a cross-over of Country Pop. It also has a strong vocal sense to it. That’s a tough question as well haha, but the best way I can describe it.
8. I read that you recently moved to Nashville, is that true? What's that like?
I lived in Nashville for a few months to get a feel for it as well as record a new EP. It was definitely different compared to where I grew up which is the open Country of Montana. Nashville was big and city like, but there was always something going on and it had so many influential people I was able to meet. It was a fun place and definitely somewhere I could see myself living in the future
9. If you weren't pursuing a music career what do you think you'd be doing?
If I wasn’t pursuing a music career, I’d probably have to say being a professional blimp driver would be my next dream….totally joking haha. Nothing against blimp drivers of course. We all have our plan and dreams of why we’re here. Ummmm..that’s actually a tough question. Singing has just always been my dream and I’ve never been able to think of a backup plan. I find that I’m good with computers and enjoy being on them so perhaps a profession in that sense, but I’m just hoping I won’t need a backup plan. Singing has always been my dream and what I love to do. What’s better than making a career and life out of what you love to do?
10. What 5 things could you not live without?
I couldn’t live without my Family first of all. They are everything to me and have always been there for me to encourage me and love me no matter what. Then comes my friends and supporters. I wouldn’t be anywhere without each and every one of them. Then of course comes the materialistic things such as my ipod and cell phone haha, after all we are the technology day of age.
11. Which music artist, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
If I were to be a different artist, I think I’d want to go outside of the box a little, to a different genre and say John Mayer or James Morrison…that type of genre because it’s very soulful and different. I love that kind of bluesy singer songwriter style. Country wise I’d have to say Chris Young currently. He’s got such a great voice and I seem to love all of his songs as well as the messages and stories they contain.
12. What has been your favorite moment in your career so far?
It’s hard to pick out a number one favorite moment in my career. I don’t know if I can choose just one. There are many that have really left me feeling accomplished and felt as if I was dreaming. I believe that the journey and adventure is all about each step along the way and everything you accomplish or experience. There’s just too many to count. One of the main ones that sticks out is being able to record my own songs…or just being able to record in general. I never dreamed that moment would come where I’d have my own songs to sing and share with the world. Thanks to John Griffin and Dave Flint, my two producers and trusting friends (which are very tough to find in this business and industry), I wouldn’t have been able to fulfill that dream of mine. Thank you to both of you for guiding me and finding me as well. I’ve been very blessed how the pieces to the puzzle have all fallen into place the way they have.
13. Do you have a particular song that you are more proud of than others?
I’d have to say “17 & Young” is my personal favorite and the one that I’m most proud of. It was the very first song I ever wrote, well co-wrote with the help of John Griffin of course. It just speaks to me and reminds me so much of high school and being young. It has such a true message that I feel a lot of listeners can relate to. Everybody was 17 & Young once and It will always be my favorite because it’s what started off my original songs. One of the best feelings is to be a co-writer on a song and be a part of what you’re singing about. You’re not only the storyteller, but also the person who wrote the story and even sometimes lived it.
14. what are your top five all time favorite albums?
Ohhhhhh that’s such a tough question. Questions like that are so hard to choose. It’s like being asked what your favorite song is or favorite movie. There are so many amazing ones out there, you can’t choose just one…or five haha. All I know is that I really enjoy Chris Young’s new album “Neon”, David Nail’s new album “The Sound of a Million Dreams”, both of James Morrison’s albums, andddddd quite a few of Luke Bryan’s albums as well. The classics and favorites for me though are of course the Randy Travis Live CD that I have and pretty much every Garth Brooks album I’ve heard.
15. You write your own music, where does that inspiration come from?
I co-write a lot of my own songs and the inspiration comes from the heart. It’s wanting to tell a story to the listener of the song, of something I may have experienced, or even something that somebody else may have experienced. There are just so many amazing stories out there to be told and through music is one of the most fascinating and creative ways you can do that.
16. Are you a pesimist or an optimist?
I’m definitely without a doubt an Optimist, always. No matter what comes my way. Even if bad things happen to someone else, I always try and help them out and explain things in a positive way. The positive aspects of their life, because there are so many things that we don’t think about that we should be thankful for. The positives get hidden by the negatives that overtake us. So many people have mentioned to me that they enjoy that I’m such an optimist and help them stay positive. I enjoy looking at life in the best way possible. It’s all about perspective. 17. Can you tell us a little about your experience on The Next GAC Star? Is there anything you'd go back and do differently?
I try and live with no regrets, or as little as possible at least. That was such an amazing experience since I was only 18 and the youngest on the show. I didn’t expect to make it that far and I learned so much from that competition. I came back from it knowing I wanted to start writing songs and learning to play the guitar as well. In fact John Griffin, my producer, was the very person who told me about that competition. That is how we met and how I was able to start writing and record in Nashville. That is what I meant earlier by the pieces of the puzzle falling into place because after that competition I didn’t know my next move, then I got back in touch with John when sifting through my inbox trying to find the person that told me about it. I contacted him and we started co-writing songs over Skype. That competition has been one of my favorite accomplishments as well as memories of my career.
18. What are your tour plans?
Currently, I don’t have any tour plans, but hopefully the future will bring that following getting signed. With getting signed, my dream, comes getting a band and hopefully going on tour at some point. For right now I’m playing gigs around Montana and gaining listeners and supporters. Singing gigs are fun and help me gain a lot of experience. 19. What is your biggest fear? My biggest fear has to be not reaching my dream. So many people believe in me and are following my journey as well, right alongside me and to think that there’s that chance of me not making it and letting them down in a sense as well scares me. I want to make it and show others that it is possible. I want to be an example and proof that dreams come true. Only the future will tell if I do make it, but I try not to have it as a fear so much. I try and stay positive and optimistic and look at it in the sense that I’ve already made it in so many ways and have been able to share my voice with the world and inspire others so I am thankful in every aspect.
20.When your on stage performing, what is your favorite part about that? My favorite part about performing on stage is probably feeling the song and just seeing the crowd’s reaction. Seeing them enjoy the performance gets me pumped and just makes me excited about continuing to sing. I enjoy the entertainment part of it and interacting with the listeners through the songs.
There’s a lot of things to consider when trying to plan for what’s next to come, but I do know there will be more music. I’m gonna keep putting out more music that people can listen to and hopefully enjoy. More originals, more covers on YouTube, and more of chasing this dream with all of the amazing support I’ve had over the years, right by my side. Thank you all for supporting me and sharing my music with others. It helps out so much. I wouldn’t be here without you. And thank you for doing this interview with me!
Thanks so much for reading everyone! I loved doing this interview! I hope you all enjoyed it! Please make sure to go follow Tyler on Facebook (which is where i snagged all these pictures from. His website wouldnt let me snag any!) Twitter, YouTube and of course his website!
O and one more thing! Tyler is in a contest for Honky Tonk TV! CLICK HERE and vote for him! Please! Vote a lot! Tell your friends!
This was so hard to narrow it down to just 5 favorites! There were so many amazing songs released this year! I could probably list fifty favorites. But I won't I will stick with just five! Lets hope I can do it!
Here are some of my favorite artists of the 2011! I expect we'll be hearing from all of the artists a lot in this new year!
5. Foster The People
Not my typical country post, I know (but they're indie which tends to be my second love!). I L-O-V-E this band! They've been around for since 2009, I found them on Youtube this summer and have recently been hearing them all over the radio! If you havn't heard it yet you need to check out their song "Pumped Up Kicks"
4. Lauren Alain
So not gonna lie, I pretty much didn't watch American Idol except for the auditions, I did see Laurens and thought she was amazing. None of my other favorites got very far so I protested by not watching! Anyways Lauren is great! I love her voice and style. she just seems like such a sweet person, I hope she makes it Salt Lake soon for a concert!
Check out her latest single "Georgia Peaches"
I adore this band! They are all so musically talented and all so nice too! I met them when they came to Salt Lake on their radio tour.(Most my pictures and videos aren't accesable right now, but as soon as my computer is fixed I will get them up) Their southern country gospel style is kind of a refreshing change from all the faster paced stuff that is out there, not that I don't love that but somethimes change is nice!
Their current single "Amen" is one of my current favorite songs!
2. Josh Kelley
Okay. So Josh Kelley isn't exactly a new artist.... He's actually been one of my all time favorites for years now, but he is new to the country scene so I'm going to classify him as new. (It's my blog, I can do what I want) I was able to meet Josh while he was also doing his radio tour, He is hands down one of the nicest people, famous and not famous, that I have ever met. He is so down to earth and I think that is what makes him such a great artist. He is so easily relate-able. A lot of people know him as Katherine Heigl's husband. Others know him for his pop hit song "Amazing" from back in 2003. This past year Josh has gone country, which is where he should have been all long! His song "Georgia Clay" reached 17 on the US country charts. and "Gone like That" hit number 53
1. Hunter Hayes
I am sure anyone who knows me or has ever read my blog before is surprised by my pick for number one! What can I say? I love Hunter Hayes. He is one talented guy! There is no one out there who can deny that. He is someone I can never say enough good things about! He is already making it big. His songs have taken over the radio by storm (using the word storm was totally unintended its just what worked). His first single "Storm Warning" and his self titled album which was released in Oct have raced up the charts and have earned him a cult like following by fans who adore him. He also recorded a Duet with Victoria Justice for the new Footloose movie album soundtrack. Keep your eyes and ears on this one people. He is definitely going places!
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