The Musiqtone Blog

Who: Tyna Q
Where: Atlanta, GA
For fans of:  Kelly Clarkson, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez

Born Cristina Quinones, the 16 year old from Atlanta, Georgia has had quite the career so far and that is all the while still currently unsigned by any indie or major label.  The teenage pop/rock singer-songwriter began her musical talents at 4 singing and playing the piano, wrote her first song at age 8, had her first “mock” music video at age 9 and by age 12 she landed a coveted spot on a Tavis Smiley-hosted BET event.  She will also receive the Horizon Award on Sept 11, 2010 from the Georgia Music Hall, indicating her potential as a possible superstar in the years to come. 

Music video premiere:  I Wanna Know

Links:
Official Site
Official Facebook
Official Twitter
YouTube
Myspace

By Valerie Roder—Asst. Regional Head: Pacific/Southwest

It was a Friday night in Los Angeles: people strolling down the streets, cars swerving and honking in traffic, and music bumping from every bar. Despite the unvarying weekend setting in the Hollywood social scene, a change could be found in a small building on Cahuenga Boulevard, known as the Hotel Cafe.

Upon walking into the venue, the intimate, dark, and cozy environment embraces you as you begin a musical journey for the night. The journey for this particular Friday night was lead by Canadian singer and songwriter, Lights. With Los Angeles being Lights last stop on her Lights.Acoustic tour, the excitement and anticipation struck the faces of all as they waited for the show to start.

After the opening act, Jesse Thomas finished her short set, Lights appeared in the spotlight with her guitar and smile. She first gave a quick introduction of herself and her music, and then began to play. She played audience favorites February Air, The Listening, and Quiet and switched between using the piano and guitar throughout the night. Not only did Lights play audience favorites, but she surprised her fans by performing a few new songs, including Cactus In the Valley. The performances were phenomenal but what made Lights’s show most memorable were the side notes she would add during her songs, which gave the audience a glimpse of her optimistic and fun personality.

Overall, Lights.Acoustic was an amazing show. Her raw and airy voice was the star of the show and worked well with the acoustic setup. It was fresh to hear her voice express its liberty, holding out notes unlike on her produced albums. Lights choice to ditch the keytar and galactic synth was wise, and the audience’s appreciation of her honesty and heartfelt performance was illustrious that Friday night. 

For more info on Lights, visit her Myspace or Official Site!

Who: Allstar Weekend
Video:  Zach and Nathan do an acoustic cover of Lady Antebellum’s smash hit “Need You Now”.  Even this high-flying powerpop/rock group has Lady A fever!

The video:

Who: Jaymes Reunion
For fans of:  Maroon 5, U2, One Republic, Switchfoot, Relient K
Where:  Los Angeles, CA

Why they are in The Spotlight:  This dynamic piano-driven pop/rock quintet from California is the brainchild of prolific singer-songwriter Cameron Jaymes (vocals, guitar).  According to Jaymes, the name stems from the kind of bond the five share when they come and collaborate together:  “As we made the record I really connected with the guys,” Jaymes says. “It became this family reunion of musicians, for me, and a revolving collaborative of buddies I’ve made.”

The sound is very reminiscent of another piano-driven pop/rock group, One Republic but unlike the Colorado superstars who are much more understated in their sound, Jaymes Reunion goes a little harder, taking in sounds from groups like Maroon 5, Switchfoot and Relient K, giving their sound a decidedly harder edge than Ryan Tedder and Co.  To put a more modern parallel, think SafetySuit with a piano in the middle of the stage (the band recently toured with SafetySuit!). 

Links:
Official Myspace

Video:  Fine “Official” music video:

Name: "Ashlyne Huff"
Label: Liquid Digital Media
Release Date: May 11th, 2010
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Written by: Stephanie Mora, Staff Writer, Pacific/Southwest Region

Have you heard of Ashlyne Huff? If your answer to that question right now is "no," that is all about to change. Fresh off of opening for successful pop/rock act Honor Society on their Here Comes Trouble Tour, this up and coming singer/songwriter just released her debut self-titled album on May 11th, 2010. If you attended any of the Here Comes Trouble shows, you know that Ashlyne was absolutely ecstatic about her album release, and she had every reason to be. Her album entitled, Ashlyne Huff showcases her strong vocal talent and veteran song-writing abilities, and with only 6 tracks on the album, it will leave you wanting to hear more.

The album begins with Huff’s most popular song and single, "Heart of Gold." This track is featured on the Now That’s What I Call Music: 33 compilation album and you can  find the music video right here on Musiqtone.com. At first listen, "Heart of Gold" is an instantly catchy song that is bound to get stuck in your head. With unique guitar rhythms and a clap driven drum beat, you will want to clap your hands, tap your foot, nod your head, and dance around your room all at the same time. The track is just as strong lyrically as it is musically. With lyrics like, "Who am I to tell you what to do, you’re not the type to do what you’re told, let me tell you you’re gonna miss this heart of gold," girls everywhere will want this to be their anthem they scream at the top of their lungs.

While track 2 offers the same upbeat, catchy tempo as track 1, Trippin It Up offers a completely different sound and shows a different side of Huff. Trippin It Up was featured on the soundtrack to Secrets Of The Mountain. This song is versatile in the way that the lyrics will make you want to think and reflect, but the beat will make you want to blast it from your car speakers with the windows down. With the guitar and drums working together heavily in this song, it offers a more rockish sounding beat, and the lyrics provide insight into the issue of commitment in relationships, that can be seen from a female or male perspective.

The only true ballad on the album is track 3, Sweet Nothing. With very light and soft guitar rhythms and drum beats, Huff’s voice really shines on this power ballad. While Sweet Nothing offers something different, you can’t help but want to hear more upbeat, powerful songs like the previous 2 tracks. Fortunately track 4, provides just that. Heartbeat is the strongest track on the album and a personal favorite of mine. This song provides the best of both worlds in terms of melody and the lyrics are easy to relate to. In the song Heartbeat, Huff belts out lyrics like, "don’t let it bring you down, don’t let it beat you up, if you haven’t found your one and only," and these words are something that everyone feels at one point or another. We’re all searching for that one person, and with this track Huff provides hope for those who haven’t found that person yet. The melody of Heartbeat starts off slow and ballad like with the actual sound of a heart beating in the background, but it then shifts to an upbeat, more rockish melody, as if to drive home that you indeed will be OK if you have not yet found your "one and only." With the shifts in melody during this track, it really helps showcase Huff’s vocal range.

The fifth track on the album, Make It Rain, is another favorite of mine and another strong, relatable track. The song is about a girl wanting her boyfriend to wash away all her problems. She doesn’t want him to see her cry, she just wants him told hold her and to have him make it all go away. Whether you are female or male, we have all had those days when we just want someone to make our problems go away. The use of guitar, bass and drums in Make It Rain gives the melody high and low points, and this fits with actual up and down tone of the song. Comeback, the last and final track, is a very fun way to end the album. Comeback is about two people getting back together and defying everyone’s expectations. Lyrically, the song is not as strong as the others on the album, but it provides an undeniably infectious beat. When Huff performs this one live, there is a dance that she teaches the audience to do along with the chorus, and if you know the dance you will find yourself doing it whenever the song comes on. Even if you don’t know the dance, the song will make you want to dance and sing along.

With only 6 tracks, Ashlyne Huff’s album is short in length but it doesn’t lack the quality of a good album. The saying goes quality over quantity and with her self-titled album, Huff has achieved just that. She came out with 6 quality tracks that showcase her talent as a singer and as a songwriter. Each one of her songs tells a story that will strike an emotional chord in anyone, female or male. Her album proves that she has what it takes to be a staying power in the music industry. If you don’t already know who Ashlyne Huff is, believe me, you will.

Links:
Official Site
Official Myspace
Official Facebook
Her official twitter
Vote for “Heart of Gold” on The Countdown!