Author: Stephanie Hyde

YouTube Music and NIVA Announce #SOSFEST set for October 16-18

YouTube Music and National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) will collaborate to host the three-day virtual #SOSFEST from Oct 16. to Oct.18. The goal of the festival is to help save independent venues from the economic repercussions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Viewers can watch the #SOSFEST on NIVA’s Official YouTube Channel.

#SOSFEST, hosted by Reggie Watts, will feature live recorded performances from 35 artists at more than 25 independent venues across the U.S. The performance venues include Apollo Theater, Exit/IN, First Avenue, Ryman Auditorium, Troubadour, Tipitina’s, World Cafe Live, and more. The collaborative efforts of YouTube, NIVA, and the performing artists at #SOSFEST look to achieve the goal of raising nationwide funds to provide relief to independent music members during the livestream. NIVA has been a strong supporter of the “Save Our Stages” initiative, which advocates for passing the Heroes Act that would provide financial support to independent venues and their unemployed workers.

The list of performers at the #SOSFEST includes Brittany Howard, Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Dillon Francis, The Roots, Marshmello & Demi Lovato, Kelsea Ballerini, Miley Cyrus, Monica, Reba Mcentire, Sebastia̕n Yatra, YG and many more.

Fans can donate to the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund on NIVA’s Official YouTube Channel, to help benefit independent venues. #SOSFEST looks to continue NIVA’s mission of preserving the ecosystem of independent venues with the help of original performances from diverse artists across a variety of music genres.

During this shutdown, all the uncertainties we have and are experiencing have been very unnerving and have caused a high level of despair. That is why we are so happy and beyond grateful to all the fans and music community for banding together to help and to show their support and love to all the independent venues across the country. This is our light and hope in our time of darkness.
Christine Karayan, Owner of Troubadour in Los Angeles

Alec Benjamin will kick off #SOSFEST on Friday, October 16 at 5PM PT / 8PM ET with a performance recorded live from Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles. Dillon Francis, Major Lazer and The Lumineers will take the stage for the final performances of the evening on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday respectively.

#SOSFest Full Line-up And Schedule

FRIDAY, October 16th
5 PM PT / 8 PM ET – Alec Benjamin, Hotel Cafe
5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET – FINNEAS, Teragram Ballroom
6 PM PT / 9 PM ET – Sebastián Yatra, Broward Center
6:40 PM PT / 9:40 PM ET – Dizzy Fae, First Avenue
7:10 PM PT / 10:10 PM ET – Macklemore, Neumos
7:50 PM PT / 10:50 PM ET – YG, Troubadour
8:15 PM PT / 11:15 PM ET – G-Eazy, The Independent
8:45 PM PT / 11:45 PM ET – Marshmello + Demi Lovato, Troubadour
8:55 PM PT / 11:55 PM ET – Dillion Francis, Teragram Ballroom

SATURDAY, October 17th
1 PM PT / 4 PM ET – Jason Mraz, Belly Up Tavern
1:40 PM PT / 4:40 PM ET – Adam Melchor, Hotel Cafe
2:10 PM PT / 5:10 PM ET – Kelsea Ballerini, Exit/In
2:40 PM PT / 5:40 PM ET – JP Saxe, Troubadour
3:15 PM PT / 6:15 PM ET – Cautious Clay, World Cafe Live
3:55 PM PT / 6:55 PM ET – Bea Miller, Teragram Ballroom
4;35 PM PT / 7:35 PM ET – Gus Dapperton, (Le) Poisson Rouge
5:15 PM PT / 8:15 PM ET – Phoebe Bridgers, Troubadour
6:00 PM PT / 9 PM ET – Rise Against, Metro
6:25 PM PT / 9:25 PM ET – Brittany Howard, Ryman Auditorium
6:55 PM PT / 9:55 PM ET – Leon Bridges, Troubadour
7:15 PM PT / 10:15 PM ET – Miley Cyrus, Whisky a Go-Go
7:35 PM PT / 10:35 PM ET – Foo Fighters, Troubadour
8:10 PM PT / 11:10 PM ET – The Roots, Apollo
9:20 PM PT / 12:20 AM ET – Portugal. The Man, Crystal Ballroom
10:10 PM PT / 1:10 AM ET – Major Lazer, Gramps

SUNDAY, October 18th
2 PM PT / 5 PM ET – Little Big Town, Exit/in
2:35 PM PT / 5:35 PM ET – Brothers Osborne, Mercy Lounge
3:05 PM PT / 6:05 PM ET – Dave Matthews, Jefferson Theater
3:40 PM PT / 6:40 PM ET – Monica, Center Stage
3:55 PM PT / 6:55 PM ET – Black Pumas, The Parish
4:10 PM PT / 7:10 PM ET – Nathaniel Rateliff, Boulder Theater
4:50 PM PT / 7:50 PM ET – Reba McEntire, Ryman Auditorium
5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET – The Revivalists, Tipitina’s
6:05 PM PT / 9:05 PM ET – The Lumineers, Boulder Theater

October 12, 2020
Sonia De Los Santos releases “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” as Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close
Sonia De Los Santos, a Mexican born artist who now lives in New York, has released her new single “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” Sonia De Los Santos wrote the song as a celebration of life and a thank-you letter dedicated to all the people who have inspired her musical journey. The release date of “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” coordinates closely with Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S. that runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

photo by Mikel Melcon

During Hispanic Heritage Month, Hispanic Americans celebrate the contributions and histories of the Central American countries including Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Hispanic Heritage Month starts on Sept. 15. in the U.S. is to honor the anniversary of the five Hispanic countries who declared independence from Spain in 1821, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico celebrates its independence day on Sept. 16 and Chile celebrates its independence on Sept.18.

“¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” tells Sonia’s story of her travels as an artist as she voyages to America. As Sonia looks back on her journey, she hopes to encourage listeners to be grateful for the years of life behind them.

The song is in the rhythm of cumbia which is dance music originating in Colombian and is similar to salsa. “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” includes Sonia’s voice mixed with children’s voices and instruments including guitar, accordion, horns, congas, Afro-Colombian alegre drum, percussion, and double bass.

Here is the English translation of “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!”:
```
From a far away land, I came full of dreams
Crossed through the savanna, sharing my song
There are roads I have walked, and to all of those I’ve known
I dedicate the verses, that for them I’ve written

I came with my guitar all the way from Monterrey
Crossed rivers and mountains and up north I arrived
A winter welcomed me in New York
and from here I sing this Cumbia with love

To my friends; I am singing, we are playing everywhere
I go around the world on this journey
Collecting stories that I want to share with you

Drums are calling, with their beat they accompany us
Dance porro, move your skirt with your hat, dance this cumbia, hey
```
Sonia’s music has reached young audiences across the world with the release of her two-family music albums Mi Viaje: De Nuevo León to the New York Island and ¡Alegría!. Sonia won a Parents’ Choice Foundation Gold Award for Mi Viaje: De Nuevo León to the New York Island in 2015. ¡Alegría! was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2019 and received recognition from Billboard as the “Best Latin Children’s Music.”
October 7, 2020
Jess Novak Band Releases Dynamic new album “Standing Now”

Standing Now is the latest project released by the Jess Novak Band on September 27. Jess Novak, a resident of Syracuse and New Jersey native, sings lead and also plays violin, guitar, and piano. The other members include Byron Cage on drums, Anthony Saturno on electric guitar, Jabare Mckinstry on bass, Gavin George on drums, and Nick Fields on trumpet. Altogether, the dynamic group plays off each other’s energy to create an album with raw musical camaraderie.

Photo by Daniel Ware

“Northern Lights” is a ballad about losing your way but not giving up. The background vocals from Nick Fields and guitar solo add a heightened level of reminiscent feelings. “Northern Lights” provides a happy medium balance between the tempo of “Place of Solitude” and “Match.”

“Place of Solitude” highlights the band’s versatility between songs and provides a necessary break from the up-tempo beat. Anthony Saturno’s backing vocals takes the lead from Jess Novak’s to provide a poignant message of hope during the tough times of a pandemic. The effortless transition from violin to trumpet solo elevates the message of taking advantage of self-discovery with the lyrics “Never feel alone.”

Complemented by drums and guitar, the upbeat tempo of “Match” creates an eccentric mood. The beat leaves listeners toe-tapping and wanting to get up and dance. The violins match the fast-paced tempo and create a new level of fire expressed through Novak’s singing. Overall, Standing Now is a quality album that easily allows listeners to fall in love with their unique style of pop, rock, and soul music.

The album was meant to be released in May, and between storms and colds, the band was nearing completion. Then the pandemic hit, but good things come to those who wait. The Jess Novak Band are clearly proud of their latest example of how their band has grown and worked to build each other up.

Key Tracks: Northern Lights, Solitude, Match

October 6, 2020
Brooklyn Singer-Songwriter CF Watkins releases latest single “Babygirl”

CF Watkins, an Americana pop artist from Brooklyn, released her single “Babygirl” on Wednesday, Sept. 30. The latest single from Watkins’ upcoming sophomore project Babygirl is set to release on Oct. 16 with Whatever’s Clever Records. Watkins has already released two other singles this year called “The Tell” and “Frances” that will also appear on the 11 track LP.

Babygirl will include a combination of Americana/country-leaning and folk/pop songs. Watkins uses other life experiences including homesickness, family, longing, friendship, and her favorite Dostoevsky short story “White Nights” as song inspirations. While the pandemic did not affect the music production of Babygirl, it gave Watkins more mental space to promote the album. “Writing and recording the music is definitely the most rewarding and fun part of the experience- but putting it out can be very daunting,” Watkins explained. “Once the pandemic started, I was able to finally just take the leap and commit to putting it out.”

Watkins collaborated with producer Max Hart to create an ode to her best girlfriends with “Babygirl.” Max Hart has produced multi-instrumental work with artists such as The War on Drugs, Katy Perry, and Melissa Etheridge. Instead of writing “Babygirl” as a typical love song, Watkins’ new album highlights her personal growth as a woman through relatable, powerful, and vulnerable songs. Watkins describes herself as an empath who draws on her own life experiences, loved one’s experiences, and even characters in books. “I suppose I would identify as an empath, so I feel things that happen to others in a way that sticks with me and moves me- even if they are fictional characters,” Watkins said. “Sometimes being that way is exhausting, but it helps in never running out of song material.”

“When I thought of the purest love I know, these relationships were the first to come to mind. In romance, I’ve always been very confused- but love was so clear, magic, and eternal with my best friends, those I called babygirl – who have danced with me in the early morning rain, laughing through the confusion. This is an album meant for other women to hear — with songs that are vulnerable and powerful.”
CF Watkins

Watkins’s Americana-pop style of music comes from her North Carolina roots. Watkins started performing at 14 and has shared the stage with artists like Langhorne Slim, Future Birds, Chatham County Line, Wilder Maker, Lowland Hum, and Alpenglow. Fans can watch the video for another featured song on the Babygirl album called “The Tell,” down below. Watkins describes the opening track as a mission statement about balancing vulnerability and power.

When I think about my last album, I feel I was writing songs about weakness,” Watkins says. “With this album, I made a conscious effort to write songs about the power of choosing yourself.”
Cf Watkins

Click here to listen to “Babygirl” single and click here to pre-order Babygirl album.

October 5, 2020
Indie Rocker Arsun Releases New Single “Southern Winds”

“Southern Winds” the new standalone single from NYC indie rocker Arsun, showcases a mature songwriting approach with nostalgic vintage aesthetics and an original style. Glide Magazine praised “Southern Winds” for effectively incorporating the sound of previous decades. Indie88 acknowledged the catchy instrumental that highlights Arsun’s gritty vocals.

Photo Cred: Tasmin Meyer Erashin

Arsun’s musical influence for “Southern Winds” comes from a combination of Phil Spector, Nancy Sinatra’s “You Only Live Twice” and The Beach Boys. Arsun also used inspiration from Homer’s epic “The Odyssey” and popular music from the 1950s and 1960s. The influences help to highlight Arsun’s mature approach to songwriting at 21. Click here to listen to Southern Winds.

The main melody kind of just came out of the blue when I was messing around with some chords one day. I really liked them and thought they had kind of a special surreal sound. I made the lyrics try to kind of reflect that vibe.
Arsun

October 2, 2020
LivexLive Set to Host The Vote Ready Festival on Oct. 2

LiveXLive, based out of New York City, is hosting the Vote Ready Festival livestream event on Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. The partnership of Atlantic Records’ ATL Votes Initiative, Elektra Music Group, and the voter outreach organization HeadCount will host the three-hour virtual event. The festival will be available to watch for free on LiveXLive’s site and apps.

The Vote Ready Festival will include special appearances from Jack Harlow, Jojo, and Why Don’t We, along with the featured performers listed above. LiveXLive’s has already seen abundant success with its “Music Lives On” festival series that launched back in May of this year. The series has included performances from 90 artists reaching over 165 million fans. In addition to livestream events, LiveXLive’s global platform elevates artists and celebrity voices to cover topics including music, comedy, and pop culture through videos and podcasts.

Music is a uniting force that we’ve watched bring the global village together during this pandemic and every other major movement in history. Joining forces with Atlantic Records on the ATL Votes initiative in association with Headcount to encourage Americans to vote is an important partnership as we head toward Election Day.
LiveXLive’s President Dermot McCormack

The goal of The Vote Ready Festival is to increase support for Headcount’s mission of encouraging fans to register and get out to vote with the help of artists. HeadCount is a non-profit organization that promotes participation in democracy through music, culture, and digital media. Headcount has already registered over 200,000 voters for the 2020 election.

ATL Votes, created by Atlantic Records, encourages voter registration by utilizing the labels’ roster of artists. ATL Votes has incorporated Headcount’s voter registration tools into Atlantic artist websites, email lists, and livestreams. Elektra Music Group, a sister label group of the Atlantic records subsidiaries, will also work closely with ATL Votes and Headcount to encourage fan participation in democracy.

Click here to RSVP for the livestream event.

Democracy–and in turn, our country–doesn’t function properly without full participation from its citizens. We are very fortunate to have incredible artists, managers, and partners like Elektra Music Group, Warner Records, HeadCount, and LiveXLive to work alongside us in executing a truly special event we are all proud to be a part of.”
Nick Harvey, Atlantic Records’ Director of Digital Marketing

October 1, 2020
Sessions and the Joy Ruckus Club Set to Host a Virtual Livestream on Oct. 17-18

Sessions and the Joy Ruckus Club will partner to provide the largest Asian American virtual music festival on Oct. 17-18. The virtual two-day festival will feature over 70 artists with $2.99 early bird ticket prices and a VIP option available. Both organizations are located in San Francisco, California.

The Joy Ruckus Club is a humanitarian-oriented online concert series created by artists of Asian descent with over 700,000 music fans. Kublai Kwon is the CEO of Joy Ruckus Club and has been promoting Asian artists in the U.S. for over 20 years. Sessions is a platform dedicated to marketing and production to help artists become a success in cultivating a fan base and earning incoming. Tim Westergren, the former founder of Pandora, and Gordon Su, a video game developer and entrepreneur created Sessions.

Sessions and Joy Ruckus club’s partnership is committed to promoting Asian artists in America and expanding their reach to over 185 countries. Their livestream event will include performances from around the world including Asia, Australia, New Zealand, London, and more.

Headliners for the event include Eric Nam, Kid Trunks, Luna, Kevin Woo, DJ Cam Girl, James Lee, KAACHI, Ethan Kim and DJ Sura. Fans can purchase tickets for the livestream here.

Sessions is dedicated to being the first global digital platform that truly serves and supports all artists and events. By launching the initiative with Joy Ruckus Festival, the largest Asian American virtual festival in the world, we are setting the bar high. Our goal is to support the overall music community, and bridge the gap between real live events and the virtual streaming world. We are investing in promoters by putting marketing money behind their events and using the full capability of our platform to generate revenue and make this a success for everyone.
Tim Westergren, Co Founder of Sessions and Former CEO of Pandora

September 29, 2020
United by Dance Drive-In Event Set for Sept. 26 in Bethel
United By Dance: A Camping, Art, Music, and Drive-In Event is set for Sept. 26 from 4:00 p.m.-9:00 a.m. at Yasgur Farm in Bethel, NY. The festival will start in the daytime and continue into the night with an overnight camping option for guests. With safety protocols in effect, fans can camp in their car or rent a camping plot to enjoy a sunrise filled with music.

The Drive-In event will take place at the same location as the historic Woodstock Festival, with a maximum capacity of 600 guests and 150 car parking slots. In addition to music, attendees will have access to art installations, food, and merch vendors. Attendees can expect a laser show later in the night as well. The lineup for the United by Dance event includes music from house, techno, and tech-house artists.

The complete list of performers includes:
- Doc Martin
- Tara Brooks
- DJ Keoki
- Mr Koolaid
- Dean Mickoski
- DANK
- Lady Verse
- DJ IDeaL
- Gavin Stephenson
- Iman Rizky
- BBT
- DJ Fetish
- DJ Finner Fresh
Fans can purchase tickets for the United By Dance Drive-In here. United by Dance will enforce CDC guidelines including social distancing with marked walkways and car parking spots marked 6 feet apart. Attendees must wear their masks when they leave their designated car spot. United By Dance plans to use their events to provide a sense of unity through music, art, and dance by welcoming everyone with no restrictions.

We had to be aware and cautious about all the regulations. The new norm has made us adapt and find new options, but has also allowed us more of an opportunity to create diverse events like our drive-in.
Tomas Serrano, CEO of United by Dance
September 25, 2020
Fairy-Folk Artist Shira Releases Birds of a Feather EP

Shira, a fairy-folk singer-songwriter from Rochester, has released the first part of her new EP Birds of a Feather on Sept. 18. The four-song EP is the first part of a two-part release with the rest of her project, called Birds of a Feather Flock Together, coming in 2021. Shira’s radiant personality provides listeners with an infectious amount of hope on her latest project.

Courtesy of One in a Million Media

Shira released the music video for the song “Wait For Me” on Sept. 18 alongside her EP. The ukulele arrangement perfectly complements her journey from the US to reunite with her fiancé in Barcelona in the video. Shira’s nervousness for her international journey is also accompanied by a sense of hope as she sings, “One more breath before I go, there’s nothing left to hide.” While the lyrics reveal a level of vulnerability her graceful singing reveals optimism towards taking a risk as she did when she embarked on her journey.

“Usually” positively embraces anyone who is going through adversity, especially fitting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her lyrics: “Don’t let fear kick in, it’s just trying to make your bright light disappear” encourages listeners to hold to hope even during times of uncertainty. Shira’s self-described “fairy folk” sound resonates through the lively orchestral arrangement on this track.

By Iraia Olivas Etxaniz

On her title track “Birds of a Feather,” Shira successfully blends her voice with the ensemble of drums, piano, and guitar as she sings about the value of strength and unity in partnership. Even through life’s adversity, Shira’s reassuring lyrics: “We’ll brave this storm, birds of a feather” emphasize the strong partnership displayed in her video when she traveled to her fiancé across the world. Shira’s violin filled arrangement on “Go Uncharted” captures the decision to take a leap of faith into the uncharted unknown. In a mission to bring healing to the world through music, Shira’s Birds of a Feather delivers a needed sense of unity to listeners.

Birds of a Feather is about finding yourself first, exploring, not being afraid to ask for what you want, struggling with the fear of never being seen, listening to your inner voice over outside noise, letting go and trusting.
Shira

September 24, 2020
Jerry Seinfeld Backs Chuck Schumer to Help Save NYC Music Scene

As New York continues to reopen and look towards normalcy amid the pandemic, music venues continue to lose money from not being able to reopen. Music venues in New York City face additional financial hardship as they bring in the most revenue.

In an effort to prevent further economic loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, a Brooklyn native, has now backed Senator Chuck Schumer’s plea for passing the “Save Our Stages Act” that would provide needed federal funding for New York music venues, according to SILive.com.

The RESTART ACT was the first bill introduced to provide financial support to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through guaranteed loan programs and loan forgiveness back in May. The “Save Our Stages Act” was later proposed in July to advocate for support of music venues that have lost significant revenue from the ability to host music events because of COVID-19. Jerry Seinfeld is one of many performers to publicly voice his belief in New York’s resilience and support Schumer’s cosponsor for the “Save Our Stages Act.”

New York City’s diverse music venues, concert halls, theaters, and entertainment performances all fuel the coveted music scene. Schumer said 90% of independent venues have already closed in New York according to SILive.com. Other independent venues struggle to remain open because of the lack of community support at local music events caused by the pandemic. If passed the “Save our Stages Act” could help fund the cost of personal protective equipment, mortgages, payroll costs, and other expenses for venues.

Save Our Stages Act would create a new $10 billion Small Business Administration (SBA) program to provide grants of up to $12 million to eligible live venue operators, producers, promoters, or talent representatives to help cover six months of operating expenses and offset the economic impact of COVID-19.
NY Senator Chuck Schumer

September 20, 2020