Congratulations to Kristine W! Her latest single with Tony Moran, "Walk Away," shot up to the #4 spot on the Billboard Club chart this week! Excellent news, cause this means Kristine has another shot at a #1 Billboard hit.
If "Walk Away" hits the top spot, it will be her 10th to reach the #1 position. She already has a record for the most consecutive #1s (9) on the Billboard Club charts. EVERY one of her singles hit the mark until her last one, "I'll Be Your Light." That interrupted her by peaking at #2. Small complaint, right? ;)
Good luck, Kristine... we'll be watching the charts and rooting for you to do it again!
Oh, and check out this picture of Kristine with Barry Manilow. As we reported a while back, she'll be touring with him soon. How funny to see her when she's not in full-on club performance gear!
So... before I reveal.. any guesses as to which DIVA I saw last night? Any ideas as to who is responsible for my headache? ;)
So if you haven't already, check last week's post where we started offering a free download of Evan Cowden's new single, "No One is to Blame" (our exclusive Perry Twins remix) :)
After discovering that Evan studied music here in Boston (at Berklee College of Music which, let me tell ya, speaks pretty highly of his talent - AMAZING school!), we caught up with him for a few Q&As... after all, it's "Back to School" month here on the blog.
Enjoy! I'll be back in a bit... battling a horrendous hangover this morning... was out last night seeing one of our past Divas at a show. Any guesses?
I'll let you know in a bit, after I eat something carb-heavy... haha.
Q: That you are classically trained is somewhat unusual in today's music world... especially the dance genre. Why did you feel it important to get a formal education in music?
EVAN COWDEN: Honestly, I started studying music at such a young age, it just seemed logical to continue... I took voice lessons as a kid, and I was an instrumentalist as well (sax)... so the foundation in music theory was already built. Plus, I have always been driven by learning... I love to learn new things and love being presented with new challenges. I have always believed the you need to KNOW the rules in order to BREAK them.
Q: What's the #1 thing you learned - about music, about business, or just about life! - during your college days?
EC:Well, since I was coming from a very small community, I learned that I am not the ONLY musician out there!! I suffered a little from "big fish" syndrome before I went to Berklee. Of course that was instantly crushed when I got to Boston and met some amazing artists. I quickly realized that it was about hard work and determination and that talent gets ya somewhere but it doesn't tell ya what to do when you get there!
Q: What was your LEAST favorite class?
EC: Wow, that is a tough one... Musically, I would have to say "String Methods". I started college majoring in education and you are required to be able to teach ALL instruments up to the high school level. So, I had to become familiar with strings... where I LOVE strings and use them alot in my arranging... I am not a born violinist. I don't think ANYBODY is. Those guys(girls) work there butts off to learn how to make those instruments sound good... you don't dabble in strings... you'll just sound like a dying cat. I also studied dance for short time in college before I transferred to Berklee... ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY kicked my butt. No worries about me becoming a doctor anytime soon!
Q: Any favorite Boston haunts during your Berklee days? Maybe a special spot where you loved to study, or a favorite hotspot where you loved to take a study break?
EC: Almost too numerous to mention! Boston has always been like a second home to me, and I try to get back as much as I can. I used to go to Jeffries Bistro a lot and get the chocolate pecan pie! Ouch, that was good! Trident Book Store on Newbury, vintage stuff at Boutique Unique and Allston Beat. Oh, this will take some back.... Wednesdays at "VENUS DE MILO". You young things can look that up in the history books. I used to scoop ice cream at Copley Place for spending cash.
Q: Not every day is "Animal House," but what's the craziest thing that you recall from those years?
EC: So not at all an "Animal House" moment... but CRAZY none the less. I had no idea what I was getting into at Berklee, like I said before, I was from a REALLY small town. So, I was in a theory class the first week, and this really beautiful girl asked if I would be in class on Friday, and if so, would I take notes for her. I said sure and asked her where she was going to be. She replied "I have to go to LA. I'm doing Arsenio Hall". WHAT? No one I know DOES Arsenio! This girl was Layla Hathaway (daughter of the great Donnie Hathaway)! She already had a record on Virgin and was doing BIG things. Amazing! I remember my entire dorm huddled around the TV that weekend watching her on Arsenio. That was pretty crazy to me.... Dorthy was NOT in Kansas anymore!
Q: What would you suggest to other students looking to make their way in the music business?
EC: Learn your craft, Don't be scared to try new things, and most of all- BE PATIENT! I was always a kid that often put the cart before the horse. I have learned that things happen the way they are supposed to, not the way we orchestrate them. If you love the process and are doing everything with sincerity, things will fall into place. We can only control ourselves, not others. So, do your best and the rest will come.
Q: Finally, make your old teachers proud: What are your upcoming music plans?
EC: ALOT!!! I have a new single dropping in October. A new video as well. My first full length studio album "Ten Days at Satellite Park" will be released in November and I have alot of performing planned for the coming year. I am also producing for some other recording artists and directing some music videos for them as well. OH, and maybe when I finish all that, I will consider a vacation! lol
Okay, boys (and girls, too... but mostly boys ;) haha)...
We've got some news for you about national pre-parties that are set up to support the 23rd Annual WHITE PARTY in Miami. The big event runs November 21-26 this year, but Centaur Music (the label releasing the "White Party" CDs) has sponsored a series of pre-parties throughout the month of October to get everyone amped up. Each party will have CD giveaways and chances to win tickets to the Muscle Beach Party, one of the big week's major events.
Muscle Party?? I'm so there! (I wish ;) )
Without further ado, here are the current pre-party dates!:
Oct 06 - Montreal @ Sky Oct 06 - Provincetown @ Wave Oct 07 - Philadelphia @ Woody's Oct 11 - Toronto @ Woody's Oct 12 - Pensacola @ Emerald City Oct 13 - Atlanta @ WETbar Oct 13 - Chicago @ Circuit Oct 13 - San Diego @ Montage Oct 20 - Houston @ South Beach Oct 21 - Washington, DC @ Delirium Sundays @ Pasha Oct 24 - West Hollywood @ Here Lounge Oct 26 - Nashville @ Play Oct 26 - New Orleans @ Oz Oct 27 - Silverlake @ MJ's New York and Boston to be added soon
So as we mentioned a few posts back, we're now past our 100th blog post on the site... since we've gotten used to this whole thang now, we're going to experiment a bit and switch things up. We'll be trying to do shorter, but more frequent posts throughout the week... rather than a lengthy one per day. Let us know what you think after a few days! Email me at jade@divadivodance.com and tell me if you prefer we come atcha a certain way :)
Aaanyway! I know the above title may sound a little strange, but it seems we have to report the breaking news that, contrary to a strange little rumor going around, British dance singer Sophie Ellis Bextor is NOT dead!
A few different forums and message boards have popped up with the rumor. From dance favorite Amber's official forum to this website of music jokes.
Just for record (no pun intended!), here's the gag as it appeared in its original form: French Police today issued a statement confirming the death through unknown circumstances of English pop singer Sophie Ellis Bextor.
Known for her collaborations with pop acts Spiller and Moloko and also as the daughter of Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis, Miss Bextor's body was found in mysterious circumstances in the Marseilles holiday retreat of millionaire French football legend Zinadine Zidane.
Although the cause of death cannot be confirmed at this time, French Police say they are treating the case as murder on Zidane's floor.
Of course, the punchline is in the last sentence... where we get the phonetic reference to Bextor's huge hit, "Murder on the Dancefloor."
Sophie's anything but dead... she's still riding high on the overseas success of her most recent album, 2007's "Trip the Light Fantastic."
Awesome album, but not available through the American iTunes store... but click below if you want to sample or order it through Amazon! (see, sometimes the old-fashioned way is still the best one ;) haha).
Regardless, just know that Sophie fans are safe for now... your fave girl is alive and well :)
You know, there were some great things about the '80s... Thundercats? Check. He-Man? Double-check. Cool chicks singing dance-pop songs on mainstream radio? Most DEF!
I remember buying cassette singles by some of these girls by the cartload, it seemed. Cassettes! After I had to beg my mom to bring me to the record store. Now kids can download anything they're in the mood for without even leaving the house... lucky rugrats. Haha.
Aanyway... I was looking up some of my favorite dance-pop DIVAS from the '80s to see what they've been up to. Some have stopped making music, some have continued... and a lot, it seems, have taken their clothes off since stepping out of the public eye.
Wow, girls. There go my innocent childhood memories! Haha.
I thought some of you might be interested to know what they're up to now... and we're going to play a little game in the process: "NUDE... or PRUDE!" I'll tell you what the girls have been doing, and then you guess if we're going to reveal a photograph that would make their mamas blush... or if we're just yankin' her crank.
Y'know, in the context of this conversation, I could have chosen a better choice of words...
Let's begin with today's 80s dance diva...
SAMANTHA FOX: Samantha shows off her '80s threads... or lack thereof.
Why you know her: This beautiful British import first made a name for herself in the UK's The Sun paper as a popular Page Three model. Just a teenager at the time, she famously appeared topless in these shots and became a hugely popular pin-up. But it was her music that won her attention in the states. Some of her biggest hits included:
Samantha frequently worked with producers Full Force, which gave her music a certain trademark dance-pop sound.
Why her star faded: A change in sound! Moving into the '90s, Samantha wanted to move in a more rock-pop direction, whereas her record label pushed her to continue in dance. Her 1991 album Just One Night was a mixed bag between the two... so it failed to satisfy fans of either genre. None of the singles had any luck... although one single "Hurt Me! Hurt Me! (But the Pants Stay On)" was a mild club hit.
What she's doing now: Samantha has stayed active in music, although most of her new stuff has only been released in the UK. Her album 21st Century Fox (1998) was a return to the dance genre, and she got some club play with its single "Let Me Be Free" (which is actually pretty great!) Then she teamed up with DJ Milano for the UK club hit "Santa Maria." She stayed pretty quiet afterwards... until the 2005 release of the rockier Angel With an Attitude. Oh, and there's been one other change in her life... despite having made an early name for herself as a man-hungry pop tart (and being embroiled in high-profile affairs with men), Samantha has actually been in a same-sex relationship with her manager, Myra Stratton, since the early 2000s. Sam from the 2005 "Angel with an Attitude" photo shoot
Sorry, guys... guess we were barking up the wrong tree!
Alright, so we all know that Samantha did some early nude modeling... but what do you think she said when Playboy asked her, in 1996 at the age of 30, to do one last nude shoot? Click here to find out... "Nude or Prude"??
Today is a very special one for us - our 100th post on the Beat Blog!!
We might still be humble, modest dance fans, but we're thrilled that we've had enough support from all of you to keep this thing going almost six months after we launched. And what's more... we're still growing! :) Our traffic has been going up steadily every month, and it's encouraged us to plan some exciting new additions to the site.
First up, the TOUR Database is FINALLY going to be active in just a few weeks! (yes, finally ;) )... Starting in October, you'll be able to check the database and sort by date, artist, city and state to find out where your favorite singer or DJ is doing a show. Even better, it will solve all those "it's Friday and I'm bored... what's going ON in this city?" blues.
And there are several other things in the works, trust us ;)
We have really appreciated all the support you've given us and hope you will continue to spread the word. We've done our best to bring you closer to the big name, established artists you love... and introduce you to the "new kids on the block" who will soon be inheriting those stiletto heels and disco balls one day!
So please continue to spread the word about US! If you have a blog or website, please post a link to ours... if you see a blog entry or read a feature interview that you think others should see, email it around! Post it to a forum, whatever floats yer boat.
And of course, feel free to save our logo below to use, too ;)
Happy Birthday to us! Happy birthday to you!
Tomorrow we will return to your regularly scheduled dance music gossip ;)
Hoping you are well. You are (were?), after all, one of my favorite female artists. Ever since you came on to the scene seven years ago with "I'm Like a Bird," I thought you showed uncommon talent, beauty and musical sophistication when other chicks (no bird pun intended) your age were mostly showing cleavage. You had world beat rhythms combined with pop hooks; folk music combined with rock; and on your most recent album, Loose, you took your own funky, ethnic sound and gave it a shot of hip hop.
It's this last effort that I would like to address. I have to admit, I was skeptical when "Promiscuous" came out as your lead single... and the first release I'd heard from you in several years. After your previous album (the superior, artsy Folklore) underwhelmed, I assumed you were merely hitting up go-to producer Timbaland to ensure a commercial hit and heavy radio play. I was peeved. Wasn't this the same Nelly Furtado who spurned conventional wisdom by managing to become a pop star and critical darling (an unusual combination) by exploiting her quirky, eccentric personality and musical individuality? Your hippie-chick jeans were treating you so well... why were you trading them in for a tighter, trashier, more revealing pair?
I was suspicious. I warmed to the song, and grew to appreciate that it was an undeniable club thumper. But I was never quite sure if it was the right song for you. It just seemed like such... well, the phrases "new target demographic," and "crass, obvious marketing" come to mind.
Then I finally got my hands on Loose. I loved it! I was glad that I had (despite my better, internal judgments) defended your new, hip hop leanings and suspect creative decisions when others scoffed. Because the album, when heard as a cohesive whole, suggested that you were merely doing the same thing you did with Woah... Nelly and Folklore: crafting an awesome sonic treat that combined your own unmistakable, trademark sound with your current genre-o'-interest. In this case, it just happened to be hip hop. No, you weren't selling out for a commercial rebound! You weren't contributing to Top 40's pay-for-play, discriminate mentality that determines song rotation almost solely on its potential to appeal to the urban market. No, you were above such things! You were about Art!
(Note: I should have seen a red flag in the fact that the foreign language tracks on Loose were performed in Spanish... despite the fact that you're of Portuguese descent. How telling that you traded in part of your authentic "self" for something slightly similar... but with greater mass appeal.)
Eventually, I saw your Loose Tour. It was another indication that I had jumped to conclusions by doubting the sincerity of your new hippier, hoppier persona. You didn't use the tour as a way to appeal only to your new fans; in fact, the set list paid more attention to your ballads, and there was a great mix of old and new. You strummed the guitar, you brought the spotlight to your vocals (not your moneymaker), and everything from your song selection to your outfits was a great nod to the full musical totality of your recorded work... not just the new stuff. Amazing!
Jump ahead to this past week. I'm in my car, going through the McDonalds drive-thru (yes, I'm a girl and I EAT BURGERS. And I still LOOK GOOD. Deal with it!)... and your new single, "Do It" comes on. I'm ecstatic! It was my favorite track off your album! What's more, it's a total dance song! Electro-ish, disco-esque, and 80s-leaning. Perhaps this bodes well for dance music on the radio... after all, it seems like ever since Madonna's "Hung Up" went Top 10, American radio has begun giving a few pop songs a chance. And this one is totally pop-dance. How exciting!
Then, that little piece of doubt crept in again. "Ha," I scoffed to myself. "Knowing the radio these days, they probably added a male rap in the last third of the song."
And then... Oh My God... they actually DID!!
Nelly Furtado - "Do It" music video
Are you kidding me?? What IS this crap? Or to crib from one of your former single titles... what is this "Shit on the Radio"?? You have an amazing dance song, but God forbid it get released to radio without adding a rapper - who sounds totally out of place in the context of this music - just to appeal to your post-Promiscuous fanbase? How predictable. How pathetic! How shamelessly obvious that in this case, there's no doubt you allowed your art to get a facelift for a few extra spins on radio.
I'm totally disappointed. People don't seem to realize this, but I have NOTHING against rap or hip-hop music. I LOVE it. But I am sick unto death of it being the only thing that Top 40 radio allows itself to play. Now, even amazing pop songs and dance songs aren't given the chance to reflect their genres, on their own merit. No, you have to tack some obligatory "shout out" at the end. What the hell was the point? If they made it that far into the song, they already like it, sweetie. At that juncture, you might as well leave your artistic credibility intact.
Before, I could have made excuses. Now, it's totally obvious that there was no other reason for this choice than to pander to mass popularity... or, let me rephrase, pander to what we're being TOLD and FORCE FED as mass popularity.
I love you, Nelly. You're talented as a singer, songwriter, producer and persona. But stay true to yourself. Besides, if nothing else, your OLD fans will remain steadfast... they were the ones who were discerning enough to pick out a unique, under-publicized talent and turn her into a word of mouth (and subsequent commercial) sensation. Your NEW fans? As soon as your heat cools, they'll be on to the "next big thing" that they're told to love by somebody's bigger, richer PR machine.
And since it's all about marketing, I hope THAT logic sticks. Even if integrity doesn't.
