Electrik Red Featuring The Dream “Drink In My Cup”
Throughout the history of pop music, few things have been more important than the relationship between artists and their producers. Legendary hit makers like Quincy Jones and Timbaland helped transform singers like Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake into musical icons. Staying in line with this formula for success, Def Jam is set to re-direct the face of popular music with all-girl singing group, Electrik Red. Paired with Grammy Award-winning writing/production team The Dream and Tricky Stewart (Rihanna’s “Umbrella”), Electrik Red’s edgy brand of hip-hop and R&B exemplifies the future sound of music.
Comprised of Naomi, Sarah, Lesley and Binki, Electrik Red hails from both New York City and Canada. Binki and Lesley, who attended NYC’s prestigious LaGuardia School of Performing Arts, met the Toronto born Naomi and Sarah while individually performing as back-up dancers for artists like Usher, Mariah Carey and Ciara. After running into each other time and again at auditions and parties, the girls began to form a friendship. “We’d get together on our off time, and strategize,” says Naomi. “For some of us the ultimate was getting to work with an amazing performer, like a Janet or Madonna,” explains Binki. “But once you hit that mark it’s like ok, now where do I want to take it? In our case, making music was the next plateau to aim for.”
Although the move to step to the front of the stage may have seemed risky, the girls knew they were ready. “Everyone had lucrative careers,” says Lesley, “but we had the confidence to say. Ok, let’s stop all that and go off on our own with no help from anyone we’d worked for.”
While their individual careers started with dance, the girls all grew up studying music. Binki learned the business early from her father who was a member in the legendary Caribbean soul group Kid Creole and the Coconuts. Lesley began vocal training at age three while Sarah studied the piano as a young girl. Once they decided to form a group, the girls decided on the name Electrik Red which they felt exuded their collective sensuality.
In 2005, the foursome recorded a demo, and instead of calling on their long list of family friends and contacts in the music industry, Electrik Red decided to keep their new project under wraps. “What’s crazy is that as many people we knew, we never really shopped the demo, we were protective of our music,” says Naomi. “We felt like we couldn’t go to an executive at a label until we feel like we had the best music possible. We believe you only have one shot.”
In February of 2007, that one shot came when Electrik Red secured a deal with Def Jam. The girls were then paired with the hottest hit makers in town, The Dream and Tricky Stewart, who had worked with everyone from Mary J. Blige to Beyoncé. “We all looked at each other and said ‘Holy shit guys!’” remembers Binki. “Look where we’re at right now!”
The multi-talented group are now getting ready to release their debut album which has rapidly become heavily anticipated thanks to the massive buzz surrounding Electrik Red’s first single, “Drink In My Cup.” The slinky, yet hard hitting atmospheric “Drink In My Cup” showcases the girl’s flowing harmonies and edgy phrasing. The mix of street and seduction makes it clear Electrik Red is taking mainstream R&B to an entirely new level.
“You know how back then the Spice Girls had girl power?” asks Sarah. “With us it’s lady power, girl power on crack!” “I’d like people to hear four strong women who are very comfortable with their sexuality and with what we can bring to the world,” says Lesley. “We will be heard damnit!”
www.myspace.com/electrikred
www.imeem.com/electrikred
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Check out the new music video for Dido’s single “Don’t Believe in Love,” in support of her third album, Safe Trip Home, available November 18. Accompanying each song on the album are eleven short films directed by independent filmmakers from throughout the world. The first five are currently available at www.safetriphome.com, where the remainder will be unveiled leading up to the release.
The journey is underway for Dido’s forthcoming album, Safe Trip Home, which will be released by Arista Records on the newly announced date of November 18, 2008.
Leading up to the release of her third album, film directors from around the world have been invited to make a series of short films to spotlight each of the album’s 11 songs. Filmed at locations though out the globe (Mumbai, Rio, Bangkok and more), each film will examine a day in life of people in different countries. Trailers for the first four films can be viewed online at: http://www.youtube.com/SafeTripHome.
In the coming weeks, Dido will host upcoming listening parties outside of London and Los Angeles, where Safe Trip Home will be played its entirety. Afterwards, she will meet fans.
Safe Trip Home is currently available for digital pre-order from the iTunes® Store (www.itunes.com). Customers who pre-order the album from iTunes will instantly receive Dido’s new single, “Don’t Believe In Love.” Two digital versions are available through iTunes: a standard and a deluxe that features bonus content. The deluxe version contains three bonus tracks “For One Day,” “Summer” and a remixed version of “Northern Skies,” a video for “Don’t Believe In Love,” digital liner notes, plus the pre-orders-only track “The Day Before The Day 5/4.”
Recorded in Los Angeles and London, Safe Trip Home is produced by Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Kanye West, Rufus Wainwright, Eels), Ark—the new production company founded by Rollo Armstrong (Faithless) and Dido. The new album includes smoldering, soulful songs that feature Dido playing guitar, piano, bells and the trusty recorder she toured Europe with as a prodigious pupil of London’s Guildhall School of Music. She’s even responsible for some of the album’s drums (most notably on the sumptuously melancholy “Quiet Times.”). The record also includes “Grafton Street,” a song Dido co-wrote with Brian Eno.
Safe Trip Home follows the global, chart-topping success of Dido’s two previous albums: No Angel and Life for Rent.
Official Site Link:
Britney Spears will be celebrating her twenty-seventh birthday this year with the release of her sixth studio album, Circus. The highly anticipated album set for a December 2nd release features the # 1 hit “Womanizer” as well as collaborations with Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Danja, Guy Sigsworth (Madonna, Alanis Morissette) and more. Britney recently had a triple win at this year’s MTV VMAs. This year marks the 10th anniversary of her breakthrough debut Baby One More Time.
Circus Track Listing
1. Womanizer
2. Circus
3. Out From Under
4. Kill The Lights
5. Shattered Glass
6. If U Seek Amy
7. Unusual You
8. Blur
9. Mmm Papi
10. Mannequin
11. Lace and Leather
12. My Baby
13. Radar (Bonus Track)
Check out the provocative new video for her single “Womanizer”:
Celebrate this holiday season with the release of Al Jarreau’s Christmas CD available now from Rhino!
Al Jarreau Christmas Listening Party:
Quicktime
http://rhino.edgeboss.net/qtime/rhino/listeningparties/512527/512527_sops.mov
Windows Media
http://rhino.edgeboss.net/wmedia/rhino/listeningparties/512527/512527_sops_56.wax
http://rhino.edgeboss.net/wmedia/rhino/listeningparties/512527/512527_sops_100.wax
Real
http://rhino.edgeboss.net/real/rhino/listeningparties/512527/512527_sops.smi
Al Jarreau Christmas Ecard:
http://www.rhino.com/flashcards/aljarreau
Al Jarreau Rhino Landing Page:
http://www.rhino.com/aljarreau
Preferred Retail Link:
http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=512527
Al Jarreau has Christmas on his mind. This fall the seven-time Grammy-winning vocalist released his first-ever Christmas album - his first album of newly recorded music since 2006’s sensational Givin’It Up with George Benson. AL JARREAU CHRISTMAS includes the singer’s distinctive vocal spin on a dozen yuletide classics. This holiday collection is available now from Rhino Records at all physical outlets for a suggested list price of $18.98. The digital release is also available now for $9.99. Al Jarreau will tour the U.S. in December in support of Christmas. The tour will begin in New Haven, CT, on December 6.
AL JARREAU CHRISTMAS opens with “Winter Wonderland,” written by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith in 1934 for Guy Lombardo, who hit #2 with the song’s timeless melody. The album is packed with festive favorites including “The Christmas Song,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “White Christmas,” the ageless tune written by Irving Berlin and first sang by Bing Crosby in the 1942 musical, Holiday Inn. The album also features Jarreau’s versions of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Carol Of The Bells,” “Hark The Herald Angels Sing,” “Some Children See Him,” and “Gloria In Excelsis,” a sacred song used in the Roman Catholic Mass.
After signing with Reprise in 1975, Jarreau has become a master of both studio and stage.
The only artist to ever win Grammy awards in the 3 separate categories: Pop, Jazz, and R&B, Jarreau is one of the most exciting and critically acclaimed performers of our time. During his career, Jarreau has earned scores of awards and accolades from around the world, including a platinum album, Breakin’ Away (1981), and four gold albums - This Time (1980), Jarreau (1983), High Crime (1984) and L Is For Lover (1986). In February 2008, Jarreau handpicked his favorite romantic tunes for Love Songs. Spanning three decades, this 14-song compilation is available now from Rhino.
Jarreau was recently featured on opening night of the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the renowned festival, which was emceed by Bill Cosby. He also just completed a successful tour of Southeast Asia with George Benson and was recently called “The greatest jazz singer alive” by Time magazine. He will embark on a tour of Eastern Europe in October and the French Caribbean following his December ‘Holidays and Hits’ U.S. tour dates.
Al Jarreau- 2008 ‘Holidays & Hits’ Tour:
Sat., December 6 New Haven, CT
Sun., December 7 Brunswick, NJ
Thurs., December 11 Milwaukee, WI
Fri., December 12 Kansas City, MO
Sat., December 13 Hammond, IN
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