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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018: vol. 29

Happy Pearl Jam day!  Will be working the concert at the University of Montana Washington Grizzly Stadium all day, so should be interesting.  We have news today, along with five new singles and music videos, so let’s get going.

FLATHEAD LAKE BLUES FESTIVAL RETURNS TO POLSON

Last year we attended the Flathead Lake Blues Festival and presented the LA Music Critic Award for Best Blues Band to Polly O’Keary and the Rhythm Method.  This year we’re unable to attend, but didn’t want you to miss out on all the fun.

Here are the details:  The campground next to the venue at the Regatta Shoreline Amphitheater opens Wednesday night, August 15, and is FREE for the entire weekend.   The venue gates open at 4 p.m. on Friday, August 17, and the music begins at 6 p.m.  The venue gates reopen for Saturday’s performance at 2 p.m. with music beginning at 4 p.m.  The host for the weekend is Steve Pickel from Anderson Radio Broadcasting.   Friday’s show is the Montana Musician Review, featuring one of last year’s performers, Jameson and the Sordid Seed, as well as John Kelly and the Atomic Blues Band, Andrew Scotchie and the River Rats, Big Daddy and the Blue Notes, with the Flathead All Star Band, and the CD Woodbury Trio.  The night ends with a Grand Jam involving all of the day’s artists.  Saturday is the Pacific Northwest All Stars and will feature 19 of the finest blues musicians from five states, including seven competitors of the International Blues Challenge.

RACHEL SAGE WANTS YOU FOR HER NEXT MUSIC VIDEO

Last week we were privileged to review the latest album from indie artist Rachel Sage.  Here’s her personal request to be a part of the music video for her new single, “Spark.”

I’m so excited to share my upcoming project with you, & I’d be honored to have as many of you involved as possible. I want YOU to be in my next music video for my song “Spark”!

“Spark” is about passion in all its many forms — love, creativity, friendship etc. so I’d be thrilled to include footage of you doing something you’re passionate about or even a video of you with the people you love! Example ideas could include: dancing, singing, rollerskating, painting, taking a walk by beautiful scenery, or just jamming out. Here’s what you need to do:

  • Grab your phone (PLEASE SHOOT HORIZONTALLY), DSLR camera, or GoPro
  • Shoot a 30-60 second clip
  • Submit your clip using THIS FORM

You can stream (or if you’d rather, download) the track, & read the lyrics below to get inspired.

ALL ENTRIES will receive a special prize package for participating, and those whose videos are selected will be credited at the end of the video & featured on my socials (so be sure to include your social links when submitting).

VIDEO REQUIREMENTS

Clip Length: 30-60 seconds
Max File Size: 300 MB
File Format: .mov, .avi, or .mp4
please shoot in HD if possible

DEADLINE: 11:59 PM EDT AUGUST 27, 2018

So go ahead and show me your “Spark”! I hope you will join me for this project, & I can’t wait to see what y’all come up with xoxo!!

Ready to send us your footage?
Fill out this release form to give us your info & upload your file.
We prefer to receive your file via Google Drive, Dropbox, or Box.

Questions? Problems uploading? Contact us!

NEW SINGLES

Our first single this week, “Where You Are,” is a sweet upbeat song from Christine Parker, which should get your new week off to a great start.  We simply love her sweet voice and the sentiments of the song.  Enjoy!

Next up is an artist who has graced our blog on numerous occasions.  Here is the latest single from Kanisha K, who reminds us that “Talk is Cheap.”  We love the banjo and the country pop feel of this song.

Our third single comes from Texas-born and current Los Angeles based artist Kim Kline.  We are so glad to see her back in action, and truly dig her song, “Stand Tall.”  We think she’ll make a believer of you as well.

Our fourth single this week is from County Line Runner, and we think you’ll love it if you’re a Tom Petty fan.  Check out “Hard to Find,” and let us know what  you think.

Our final single this week has a retro sound that we like.  Here’s “Daddy’s Girl (PR)” from Catey Shaw.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first music video this week is from an artist we introduced last week.  We think Honey River has all the makings of a major star, and their debut single, “Peace, Love,” could be the breakout they are looking for.  We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Next up is PSA from No Small Children, who let us know about the problems in our schools with their song, “I’m So Concerned.”  Each of the members of the band is a school teacher, and this song is very personal to them.  We love the message and support the band in their efforts to improve our educational system.

Last week we reviewed their album, and now we get to share their first music video for “Tools of War.”  Here is Fellow Robot, with a warning of their own.

Our fourth video this week comes from Night on the first anniversary of the disaster in Charlottesville.  It is a powerful protest song, and so timely.  Please let us know what you think.

Our final video this week is from Project BWQ.  It is a stirring video for their single “Phosphene,” and we think it will help set the tone for your week.  Enjoy and we’ll see you soon with another edition of Get it or Forget it.

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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Reviews Women in Entertainment

Kanisha K returns with a Nashville mix of her single ‘Oh Damn Yeah’

Kanisha K is no stranger to Indie Voice Blog.  We have featured her twice before – in 2015 for her Christmas song, and this past February for “Bet on Me,” which was also nominated for best single (female) in the LA Music Critic Awards.  We love what this young lady has accomplished, and her future potential as an indie artist.

 “I love being able to do what I love and to inspire people who think that their dreams can’t come true.  All of this is hard for me to believe sometimes, but I think everything boils down to focusing on your passion and working hard.  I’m excited about the way music travels,” explains Kanisha when describing her vision.  The Holland, Michigan native has embraced hit music from the past as well as the current music scene, forging a combination that allows her creative style to shine.

A couple of years ago she released her song “Oh Damn Yeah” to Top 40 and CHR Radio.  The song was written and produced by uber producer Joe Vulpis (Lady Gaga, Lindsay Lohan, Richie Blackmore, Jennifer Love Hewitt) and mastered by Tom Coyne (Adele, Beyonce, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Pink, Ariana Grande) and recorded at Vulpis’ studio in Nashville.  It seems only fitting that two years later, she is re-releasing it as a country mix.

“Working with Joe Vulpis and bringing his songs to life through the recording process was an enormous honor for me.  I really fell in love with “Oh Damn Yeah” and “Never Stopped Loving You” and worked hard to preserve the integrity of both the music and the lyrics. I think we have some hits here.”

 

The song takes all the elements of today’s country pop scene and mixes them with this amazingly written song, keeping all the elements that made the original version such a hit while making the song attractive to another genre.  It is truly ready for extended air play on a multitude of radio formats, as well as being a killer song for placement in television and film.

But as every artist knows, every story has a beginning and Kanisha’s begins at home.  At a very young age, the singer was introduced to a wide array of music from her supportive parents.  She credits her musical influences as Etta James, Alicia Keys and Aretha Franklin.

From singing and playing piano at age four to joining a band and playing the sax and guitar in sixth grade, Kanisha knew that vocal lessons would be the next step in her musical education.  Beginning those lessons in eighth grade she went on to join her High School choir the next year and also became involved in local community
theater. Her participation in an award-winning choir ultimately took her into the studio with Robyn Robins from The Silver Bullet Band and eventually headed to Los Angeles where she recorded two songs at the legendary Capitol Records studios.

Kanisha enjoys speaking about her love of animals and is proud to live in a family that has a total of six pets – two dogs, two cats, one bird and a rabbit.  She has recently gotten involved working with the HSUS (Humane Society of the U.S.) and the Keep Michigan Wolves Protected organization and plans for much more work with pet and charity foundations in the future.

We can hardly wait to see what’s next for Kanisha.  She has garnered our full attention.  Don’t forget to follow her on Spotify, and listen there as well.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews Women in Entertainment

Invest in the latest from Kanisha K

Kanisha K has been a favorite of this writer since she was first introduced to us by Ue3 Promotions in August 2014.  During that time, she has upped her skills, had her music placed in more and more stores across the country, and received media and critical attention, including nominations for several awards.  This writer has shared her music through several media outlets, including Examiner.com, AXS.com, and Indie Voice Blog, adding them to the list of media outlets that look forward to each new release.

Her new single, “Bet on Me,” should quickly rise up the charts after its release on Friday, February 17, 2017, and will be available on iTunes.  It was co-written and produced by Joe Vulpis, who has worked with the likes of Lady Gaga, Richie Blackmore and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Having been a fan of her music for several years now, we can truly say that “Bet on Me” is the best song Kanisha has released to date.  This power ballad captures the amazing tone of her voice and provides the perfect vehicle to announce to the world that she has truly arrived and is a good bet for musical greatness.  We look forward to hearing this song on Top 40 radio.

“Bet On Me” continues the dynamic creative relationship between Kanisha and Vulpis that began in 2015 with the single “Oh Damn Yeah” (which was released to both Top 40 and CHR radio) and was mastered by Tom Coyne, who has worked on projects by Adele, Beyonce, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Pink and Ariana Grande.  The song also became popular during the Summer Olympics in Brazil.

“The song is about feeling like the underdog and asking the question, ‘If I were at my lowest point,’ would you still bet on me and take a chance on me?’” says the Holland, Michigan based pop singer.  “I wrote it in kind of a love song mode but am in a very different place in my life now, so I can embrace its much deeper meaning.  When we’re not at our best, are the people we love and count on going to be there for us through the hard times?  Who’s going to stick around and who is not?  I’m really proud of ‘Bet On Me.’  It’s a powerful and inspiring song and I love belting it out!”

We think that Kanisha K is a worthy investment.  We can hardly wait to hear the rest of the new music she is working on in Nashville with such veteran songwriters as Britton Cameron, Nathan Meckel and Jane Bach.  If it’s anything like her past work, then we think you the listener should heed Kanisha’s advise to “Bet on Me.”

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out

Kanisha K’s got the Christmas spirit

We introduced you to this amazing artist in August 2014 through an article on Examiner.com.   Kanisha K has now released a music video for her cover of “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” and we couldn’t be happier.

The video is directed by Barry and  Derek Elz and is done in the style of a 1940’s era big band tune.

This is the second year in a row that Kanisha has released a Christmas video.  Last year’s offering was “I Found Love.”

The video is gaining popularity and adds on multiple platforms and was recently the #1 most added song on the FMQB chart.  Among those adds are Video Jam, Video Diversity and Cutting Edge, as well as Pulse TV.

Enjoy Kanisha’s new video – consider it our Christmas gift to  you.

For for information on this amazing artist, check out her website and Facebook pages, follow her on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to her YouTube channel.

Thanks to Jennifer Lyneis of Ue3 Promotions for turning us on to this voice of the future.