Tag: Sonja Midtune

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Monday mashup 2021 (vol 14)

Sorry for the late posting, but I was awakened yesterday to the news that I had to work a double shift because my boss had an adverse reaction to his second Moderna vaccine.  We think this week’s post will be worth the wait, as we have some great singles and music videos to share.  Let’s get right to it.

NEW SINGLES

We kick things off this week with the latest from one of LA’s premier songwriters who is proving once again that she is a phenomenal performer as well.  This new single reveals the “Inner Me” from songstress Melissa Polinar who is joined by Jaime Woods on this radio-worthy tune.

Inner Me · Melissa Polinar, Jaime Woods (spotify.com)

Next up is the Americana sound of Ada Pasternak.  She sings about “Expectations” and what we should do about them.  Check out this amazing rising artist.  Her violin rivals Lindsay Sterling.

Expectations · Ada Pasternak (spotify.com)

Our third single this week comes from Alexandria Corn aka ACORN, whose sound is a combination of Pink, Gwen Stefani and Demi Lovato.  Her latest is “Anti-Social,” and it deserves serious radio airplay as well as a spot in your heart.

Anti-Social · ACORN (spotify.com)

Our fourth single requires you to turn it up.  Hailing from the Ukraine, Vinok turns their mental health prowess into a powerful story of redemption and hope.  Check out “River.”

River · Vinok (spotify.com)

Our final single this week is actual a two-fer from up and coming band Hands Down.  They debut with an awesome pair of tunes, “Paintroller” and “Too Late.”  We think you’ll be putting these two tunes on repeat.

Paintroller · Hands Down (spotify.com)

Too Late · Hands Down (spotify.com)

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Guess who’s back with another great new video?  None other than LA’s own pop princess, Cindy Alexander.  This time around she gives us the hard-hitting “Lightning,” and once again we’re hooked on the amazing songwriting and performing chops of Ms. Alexander.  This one is a keeper.  Three cheers to the amazing dancing of Emphis.

It’s been a minute since we last featured the music of Sonja Midtune, but she’s back with abandon on her latest music video for “Los Angeles.”  As a long-time resident of the City of Angels, it is wonderful to take this trip down memory lane as she brings to life this incredible song she co-wrote with Katie Ferrara.  We love it.

Our third video is from the multi-talented Kat Cunning, who has spent time on both the Broadway stage and your television set, as well as stopped traffic with her powerful singing voice.  Her new video may be called “Could be Good,” but we think she’s a shoo-in.

We last featured Tayler Jade back in February, and we are happy to spotlight her latest video for “WYA (where you at).”  Her soaring vocals and chill musical soundtrack will make this one an instant classic.

We close out this week with a lyric video from the Russian songbird, Marina V.  Our relationship goes back quite a few years, and her songwriting and performing skills continue to blossom and grow.  Check out “Rain my Love.”

 

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Best of 2020 indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Best Music Videos of 2020

We’re back with our list of the best music videos as featured in our Monday Mashup column.  Like our list of best singles, we are listing them in the order they were featured in our blog.

Volume 1 – The Spider Accomplice, “Enough”

Volume 2 –  Sonja Midtune, “Lonely Bones”

Volume 3 –  Ace of Wands, “Feminine Values”

Volume 4 –  Deleo, “Unfair”

Volume 5 – Casey Ahern, “Sunday Driver”

Volume 6 – Alyssa Jacey, “Why I Left”

Volume 7 – Nicole Boggs and the Reel, “Money”

Volume 8 –  Chelsea Williams, “Wasted”

Volume 9 – The Spider Accomplice, “Crawl”

Volume 10 –  Sean Ardoin, “Came Thru Pullin”

Volume 11 – Ben Fuller, “Find my Faith”

Volume 12 – Dauzat St. Marie, “Common Ground’

 

Volume 13 –  Scout Durwood, “Sad Ukelele”

Volume 14 –  The Imaginaries, “Walking on a Wire”

Volume 15 –  Brooke Moriber, “Better Days”

Volume 16 –  Kris Angelis, “Ghost (I’m Alive & Breathing)”

Volume 17 –  Lucy & La Mer, “Better Than I was Before”

Volume 18 – The Imaginaries, “Hometown Christmas”

Volume 19 –  Eric Bellinger, Inigo Pascual, Sam Concepcion, Moophs, Zee Avi and Vince Nantes, “Rise (Together)”

Best of the Rest – Baby Taylah, “Good Enough”

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Monday mashup 2020 (vol 2)

We hope you all remembered to turn your clocks ahead yesterday.  We’ve got some great new singles and music videos to start off your work week.  We are so humbled to be able to share these amazing artists with you.  Grab your coffee and let’s get started.

NEW SINGLES

Blue Élan Records has done it again.  The increasingly popular indie music label has brought back another of our favorite bands with the return of Soul Asylum.  Their first single from their forthcoming EP is called “Social Butterfly” and it has all the elements that made the band’s past hits like “Runaway Train” such timeless classics.

Our next single is a future alt pop classic from the effervescent mind of Emmrose, who we introduced to you last October.  Her voice is unmistakable and her songwriting is top notch.  We love her new single “Take me With You,” and think you will too.

Our third single is actually a pair of songs from Finnish band The Holy.  We love their take on rock music, with lyrics that have definite substance and a beat that will keep you interested in the entire song.  Check out “Twilight of the Idiots” and “No Trial in the Dark.”

Next up is a true folk rock protest song.  The subject matter is the lack of gun control and how it is impacting our kids and the world in general.  Check out Charlie and the Rays and their latest, “There Goes my Baby.”

https://soundcloud.com/charlieandtherays/there-goes-my-baby-1

Our final single this week is from relative newcomers  Perfect Blue.  Their latest single has them “Runnin’ From the Hills.”  We hope they continue making great music.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

We kick off this week’s videos with the latest from the British band Cold in July.  “Catalyst for Recovery” is a powerful song with an equally powerful visual.  Let us know what you think.

We haven’t featured a country tune in a while and we have the perfect one to share with you today.  “Lonely Bones,” the latest from songstress Sonja Midtune, is lovely in every way.  This one will get your feet moving while you two-step around the dance floor.  Check it out and fall in love with her immense talent.

While we’re in a country mood, check out the latest from Blue Élan Records’ artist Chelsea Williams.  We love everything about “Red Flag” and are so thankful that she continues to churn out incredible music.

Last week we shared the amazing single “Flowers” from future superstar Dani Le Rose.  If you loved the single, you will love the video even more.

We close out this week’s edition with the perfect segue to Spring Break.  Here is the first single/video from American Studies, a remake of the classic tune, “Panama City Blues.”  Enjoy your week.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Singles and Videos Ten Great Singles

Ten great singles released in November 2019

Happy Black Friday!  Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We spent the day with my brother’s in-laws, his wife and kids, her brother and his family and lots of dogs.  The food was plentiful and it was a very relaxing day, despite the cold and rain.  Today it’s off to brave the crowd at my Sam’s Club before heading back to Pizza Hut tomorrow for the annual day of bedlam, when OK faces OK State.  In the meantime, here are Ten Great Singles that were released in November, on top of the previously shared 20 singles from our Monday Mashup.  We hope you enjoy them.

We kick things off with Mrs. Henry, a classic rock band from San Diego, which will release its latest effort, a live album, on January 20.  Here is “All I Can Do (live).”  We love their retro sound and hope it kicks off your day perfectly.

Next up is the latest from Canadian singer-songwriter Andria Piperni, a neo-soul tune tinged with R&B and jazz called “Yours.”  We are proud to share this instant classic tune and encourage all “hopeless romantics” to check her out.

Single number three comes from the smooth sound of C. SHIROCK, who is “Lost to the Night.”  We think he could easily become one of our favorite voices.  This one is powerful, and we think perfect for this time of the year.  It tells the story of his producer’s brother and their heartfelt reconciliation.  Share this one with everyone.

Next up is an electronic duo that formed their band while on a flight to Europe.  The sound is pure 90s and full of what made electronica so popular.  Check out Divine Astronaut and their debut single, “Undone.”

We round out our first five with the return of Sonja Midtune, who we have previously featured back in February.  This one is absolutely stunning, encouraging and powerful.  Check out “Talk to Me.”

We interrupt our Ten Great Singles article to present the latest from multi-platinum selling artist Anna Nalick (“Breathe (2 a.m.)”), who has recently signed with Chesky Records.  She brings her unmistakable style to a cover of the classic song, “As Time Goes By.”  We are happy to hear a totally different sound from her, and think you’ll love her version of this standard.

Our second five starts with the dynamic sister duo The Parkers.  Here is their latest, “AI Mind,” and we think it deserves serious airplay on the radio.  Let us know what you think.

Next up is a single released today from Vicky Sometani that is upbeat, fun and truly worthy of its title, “Breeze.”  Put this one on repeat and chill.

Single number eight is an R&B/soul smooth jam called “Fourth of July” from the stunning LA artist, Jane Q Public.

https://soundcloud.com/jane-fishman/fourth-of-july-3

Our ninth single reminds us of early Colbie Cailat, and we are head over heels for Caley Rose.  We think her new single is definitely “Worth the Trip.”  With a debut this strong, we think she can definitely go anywhere, and we’ll follow.

We close out this edition of Ten Great Singles with the latest silky and jazzy smooth jam from Kylie Odetta.  This one sums up what most of us are feeling this time of year, “Too Broke Too Busy.”  Enjoy your Black Friday and we’ll be back soon with our Ten Amazing Videos set.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Reviews Women in Entertainment

In a time of darkness, Sonja Midtune encourages you to be ‘My Light’

Sonja Midtune is that rare, ultra-intuitive singer/songwriter and storyteller who can take the deeply intimate emotions of a close friend and translate them into a timeless universal love song.  What started as a commission for a friend turned into so much more.  A friend asked Midtune to write a song that she could give to her husband for Christmas.  Midtune accepted the challenge, wrote and recorded the song, and even sang it to the couple as they slow danced to the music.

Born and raised in Minnetonka (only 15 minutes from Prince’s digs in Paisley Park), she grew up harmonizing to Queen songs in her car seat at age 2 before becoming involved in musical theatre.   She toured Japan as a member of the cast of the Dr. Seuss musical The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins at the age of eight.  Midtune began writing songs in in high school.  When she wasn’t involved in a musical, she spent her time portraying Robert Plant as the lead singer in a Led Zeppelin tribute band.  She earned her degree in Music Theory and Composition at St. Olaf College as the only candidate to specialize in voice.  She went on to complete the program at the European American Music Alliance (EAMA), a Paris based, Julliard affiliated educational program.

“With ‘The Light’, I’m really excited to finally have found a sound that perfectly represents me and showcases my voice,” explains Midtune.  “It truly encapsulates the solo music I have been working on for the past five years . . . there’s definitely more to me as an artist, so as I release more singles this year in that style, I will also be working on a whole new sound that reflects the ‘band’ side of me . . . No matter what style I’m writing in, for me, everything comes down to live performing.  I love nothing more than a loud mic and an acoustic space where I can get carried away with the lyrics.”

“My Light” was co-produced by Midtune and engineer Mike Lizzaraga at Ground Up Studios.  The single was just released last Friday and is the first of several new singles she plans to roll out in 2019.

The song was recorded in one take with vocals and guitar, after which Midtune, with the assistance of Lizzaraga and engineer Kai Nakamura, added drums, guitar and cello (beautifully played by Jean Paul Barjon) around the core track.  This process allowed Midtune to capture in the studio the exact vibe she had created when she performed it live.

The song is about a real, everlasting kind of love with someone who is the fuel to his or her partner’s flame.   Midtune personalized it to her own life with a whimsical video featuring raw home movie footage of her walking along a deserted beach – the moments presumably being captured by a romantic interest of her own.

The cinematography in the video is simply beautiful.  It shows the full emotional impact of the song, creating a romantic masterpiece.  Even if you don’t currently have that special person in your life, you can relate to the emotion of loving somebody, and feel that joy again and again with each viewing.

Midtune has collaborated extensively with  Brittney Bouchard, and the songwriting team has either won or placed high in numerous songwriting competitions.   She has also had success with placements in film, including last year’s documentary The Way North, which follows Midtune and her family as they traveled to Norway to uncover their heritage and their grandfather’s past.

“’My Light’ is different from any other song I have ever written,” says Midtune.  “My friend is a literary genius, a philosophy major, and wrote me an essay about her love for her husband.  I absorbed her words and let them be my inspiration.  What I love most about the song is that there are words that I would never have used, like ‘more than enough’, because I have a different vocabulary than her.  They are also more spiritual than I am, and my lyrics reflect that.  The tricky part was making sure the song also completely resonated with me, and that it was ‘catchy’ and grooved enough that I would want to sing it to an audience.”

“On a deeper level, I think it perfectly reflects who I am as a songwriter,” she says.  “I was able to make this beautiful song out of someone’s story and make it my own.  I thought the task might me daunting, but it ended up being a blast from start to finish. I will be teaching songwriting at Cal Poly Pomona University starting this fall semester and I’m excited to share ‘My Light’ as an example of what you can do with someone else’s story.”