Paint By Numbers – Control

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo

Acclaimed artist and producer Rob Romano brings futuristic flavor with new project ‘Paint By Numbers’

LOS ANGELES, CA – A unique cross-pollinated blend of cinematic, emotional and energetic sounds with a futuristic flavor takes center stage on a new project from LA producer Rob Romano. “Paint By Numbers” is an American music project created by Romano, who has been a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer for many years, working with some of the industry’s big names. His new project is a multi-layered exploration of many genres, from Indie Electronic to Modern Rock to Pop and all of the sub-genres that flow between those worlds. Sometimes Synth Pop, sometimes EDM, and sometimes Indie with hints of Modern Rock, the singles within the project explore sounds that are equal parts familiar and progressive.

The first single from the project, “Control,” is a perfect example of the new sound Romano is trying to capture. Set for global distribution across all streaming platforms on Jan. 8, the single showcases Romano’s adept ability to blend sounds into something that’s truly original. The song kicks off with mellow electric guitars, almost like the opening theme music to a hit show or movie. A cool EDM beat comes in for a mellow groove that has listeners swaying before they know it, laying the perfect foundation for the ethereal Pop vocals that Romano brings to the table. The chill vibe makes way for Synth Pop melodies that intermix with Indie guitar riffs that make it impossible for listeners not to move to the groove. It’s the perfect mid-tempo Dancehall jam that makes you want to press up close to that special someone, move and sway to the music.

“It has a chill futuristic flavor,” Romano said. “It should capture a feeling of something in the not-so-distant future. The lyrics use a lot of metaphors but in the end, it’s about rechanneling any bad feelings that happen and turning that dark energy into something positive and using it to your advantage. It has a very positive message that resonates perfectly with the current situation everybody is enduring. No matter how much life punches you in the face, control it in your mind and have a positive outlook.”

Though Romano has worked with many other artists in the past, this project is 100 percent him – from instrumentation to singing to production and everything in between. Born and raised in Italy, this veteran of the music industry moved to the U.S. about nine years ago to take his career to the next level, and he’s been developing his sound ever since. For many years now, he’s been trying to fuse different elements of different genres, some are not necessarily mainstream, in an effort to develop a new language of sound and make them more accessible to a larger audience.

“I’m trying to make something that’s not mainstream into something that is mainstream,” he said. “I started with Post Rock, which is still underground, and I tried fusing that into new electronic elements – the Deep House kind of movements which I’m currently very fond of, So I’m taking something that’s electronic and making it into something that’s not, and I’m doing that with zero auto-tune so that it feels really organic. I love the idea of taking something that’s not typically organic and turning it into something that is. My goal is to create something as fresh as possible, using the elements that are already available.”

The next single from his project should release by March or April, Romano said.

Paint By Numbers · Control

To listen to his music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

www.wepaintbynumbers.net

https://twitter.com/p_by_n

instagram.com/paint_by_numb3rs

Facebook.com/paintbynumberspage

soundcloud.com/wepaintbynumbers

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB8TSZX2j4plqprRGz7QonQ

Photo by Anna Azarov

Carl Wockner – Fools Gold

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music

Independent underdog Carl Wockner translates live acoustic looping into professionally recorded singles

NASHVILLE, TN – Carl Wockner is what some people in the industry would call an independent underdog. This live acoustic looping artist from Australia is a seasoned veteran who has played thousands of live shows around the world over the course of his career. He’s developed a great career out of those live performances – blending his own unique sound and style into his original music that’s become beloved by a global audience. But like many other artists who faced difficult circumstances in 2020 due to the global pandemic and lockdown, Wockner was forced to sideline his live performing for a time. But in true underdog fashion, he shifted gears and started putting pen to paper, creating a slew of singles that he’s recorded and has been releasing to the masses over the past few months.

His most recent single is a song called “Fool’s Gold.” Showcasing the acoustic R&B sound he’s become known for, the song explores the deeper side of relationships and the true commitment that comes once you get past the surface things. It will be the sixth single that he’s released over the past six months and will be available across all streaming platforms at the beginning of 2021. Of the singles he’s released this year, he said “Fool’s Gold” will show fans a different side of his personality while also highlighting his signature sound.

“I’m an acoustic looping artist, so I’m of course influenced by acoustics singers and songwriters who have good lyrics,” Wockner said. “I like to blend those styles with R&B beats. Usually, acoustic guitar isn’t anywhere in R&B songs – they usually feature a lot of keys. But I like to add that Acoustic sound to something with a cool beat, and I love R&B tunes and Pop music. When you blend that with the singer/songwriter vibe, I believe there’s a lot of room to incorporate all the things I love.”

Wockner started as a full-time musician when he was a teenager growing up in Australia. He toured a lot of the world playing shows and making a name for himself. In 2015, he moved to Nashville to take his music career to the next level and has been releasing recorded singles in the years since. But 2020 has given him a unique opportunity to translate his live performances to original recordings in new and exciting ways.

“A lot of my earlier recordings are band-related,” he said. “Not that I’m taking the elements of the acoustic looping – which is what I already do live – and translate that into a recorded sound. I want those elements to shine through and show people that it can be done. I want my music to reflect me more as a personality, as an independent artist or an underdog artist. My music should speak for itself. There shouldn’t be a boundary to music based on a textbook. On top of that, I want people to take messages from my songs and the lyrical content I create, while also creating music that can stand alone without the lyrics.”

Wockner said he’ll continue dropping singles every month, alternating between an original and a cover from month to month.

To listen to Carl Wockner’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://www.instagram.com/carlwockner 

http://facebook.com/carlwocknermusician 

https://www.youtube.com/user/carlwockner 
https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/carl-wockner/id460561810 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/52i8icBaHaCmh6PlmYwaqD?si=ifllBWDJR6WaNGmnZcaP5A 

“Fool’s Gold”

https://open.spotify.com/album/00x70jKnCl8qUJmnJM9NJ7?si=Aen0HM1ZRrCjY4xqLncuqg 

http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1542579748 

http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1542579748?ls=1&app=itunes 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swzlcdkX6ts

Jason Kraack – Turn Around

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo

Veteran performer Jason Kraack set to drop timely album ‘Turn Around’ in December

GREENSBORO, NC – Sometimes the greatest art comes from times of great adversity. For Jason Kraack, 2020 has been one of the most adverse times of his life. Like many others who faced a job loss, Kraack wasn’t sure what to do with the uncertainty he was facing earlier in the year. Having taught music to college students for many years and performed in professional theater for more than 15 years, one of the things he’d always wanted to do was create an album of his own. So while 2020 was filled with anxiety, it also presented him with an opportunity to chase his dream. The end result is the 10-song album “Turn Around.”

With a sound that could be described as experimental in some ways, “Turn Around” features a unique blend of progressive sounds and classic styles that also take a cue from some of Kraack’s biggest influences from Billy Joel to Thom Yorke from Radiohead. All of the songs on the album were written, performed, recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by him, and feature a bevy of instruments all played by him – including piano, guitar, bass, drums, sequencing and more.

“It’s kind of like a journey through the last year that we all shared,” Kraack said of the album. “It starts out with a little bit of self-reflection and then goes down a rabbit hole of sadness and longing born from the fear of losing people you love and this kind of new reality in which we live. It can be pretty terrifying, scary and unsettling, and this album explores what we’re all dealing with and the fact that it’s necessary. We have to analyze ourselves during this time and get better in the process. The last track on the album is also called ‘Turn Around,’ and it’s a story about a time that all the sadness and frustration we’re feeling can just disappear if we change our point of view. It is meant to help people realize this.”

Kraack said the idea for the album is something that’s been rattling around in his brain for many years, but the true inspiration came organically while spending a month-and-a-half in Florida writing and recording.

“I had this mojo going before I left for Florida, but when I got there, it just fell flat,” he said. “I couldn’t get anything going and it was gray and shitty down there that day. I decided to go for a drive and eventually when I stopped and got out of my car, I turned around and saw something totally different. The sky was beautiful and I heard the song in my head in a flash. I hurried back to the studio and laid it down in an instant. It was like no other experience I’ve ever had, and the rest of the album flowed from that session.”

The debut single from the project is a song called “Turn/Burn It Down” which is currently available across all streaming platforms. It’s the third track on the album and features a funky groove with a catchy hook. Kraack said the lyrics are topical to what’s going on today and encourages people to take a step back from all the animosity.

“If we don’t turn down the heat that’s happening, we’re going to burn down this really fantastic, beautiful thing that we have,” he said. “We can’t continue to talk at each other. We have to talk to each other. I want to be able to make music that’s accessible to people in their individual lives, and at the end of the day, I hope I can be considered as an honest songwriter. I want people to listen to this album and hear stories that they can latch on and relate to.”

The second release, the second track from the album, is titled I’ll Pay and is about the frustration that can be felt before admitting fault. “No one wants it to be their own fault when things aren’t working out,” said Kraack, “but sometimes it is.” The song is currently available across all streaming platforms.

The third single release from the album and the title track, “Turn Around” is now available on streaming platforms.

To listen to Jason Kraack’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=wKGoUH9VbG4&feature=share

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDdoRBtX8RbtYsS-zZIqL_Q

https://www.facebook.com/jason.kraack/

https://www.instagram.com/jasonkraack/ 

https://jasonkraack.bandcamp.com

Zanu – Heathens

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo

Texas-based artist Zanu starts journey toward becoming greatest showman with new album ‘MackingAintDead’

HOUSTON, TX – You can get a lot more out of what you want in life if you know how to mack. That’s the sentiment behind the new album “MackingAintDead” from Texas-based artist Zanu. The Hip Hop project with heavy influences of R&B and Afrobeats is the culmination of two years’ worth of work from this up-and-coming young artist. At only age 22 he’s starting to garner attention throughout the South, and with this new album, is primed to leave his mark on the national stage.

“I want to be more than just an artist and entertainer,” he said. “I want to be the greatest showman there is. I want to redefine what an emcee is in modern day Hip Hop. I want to put on the greatest show the world has ever seen. I came from a lineage that knew nothing but excellence. My granddad came from the villages of Ghana and became a diplomat. My mom is a doctor and my pop is a businessman. My older sister is out here making moves with her life, just like me. I’ve trained in music for more than 10 years and I believe I got what it takes to be the best – to be one of those larger-than-life-artists. This is an album from a winner’s perspective. It’s an album about being the best in the room – the king. You want to learn how to win? Listen to the man born winning. Listen to the man born macking. Because “Mackingaintdead” man. My music comes from the perspective of unapologetic royalty, excellence, and bravado. I’m changing the world and I’ll look good as hell while doing it.”

Zanu said he started his journey as a musician when at the age of 7 he began learning how to play the piano. At age 8, he started dancing and by age 11, he was rapping and writing his own music. He grew up listening to Hip Hop and R&B, as well as Afrobeats – all of which find their way into his music in one way or another. This is especially true of his album’s debut single, “Heathens,” which already has more than 15,000 streams since its release less than two months ago.

“It’s a fun vibe that my producer friend helped out with by adding some bells and high hats,” Zanu said. “We made it three years ago and I sat on it because I didn’t have the right lyrics for it. Then I was chilling one day and having fun and just started rapping. I was calling my friends heathens because we’re out here trying to get shit done and looking good doing it. We were always getting paid because we’re always on top of our shit. Girls want to be with a boss – with a heathen. You can be a boss without trying to be the hardest in the room. I don’t want to be the token black guy in the crowd. I’m running just as good as anyone else, or even better. All of that came together on this song.”

Zanu said he’s excited for new fans to get a taste of his music and ultimately, he has aspirations of creating music that will be known throughout the world. He wants to bring a new vision of Hip Hop that people have never heard before – something that breathes new life into an already lively genre.

To listen to Zanu’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://artist.landr.com/music/672985545939

https://www.instagram.com/callmezanu/  
https://twitter.com/CallmeZanu

Montana Staxxx – Freedom

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo

Montana Staxxx inspires others to break free of the mundane with new single ‘Freedom’

DENVER, CO – Lemonte Hall – AKA Montana Staxxx – is a veteran of the music industry whose penchant for telling it like it is has challenged listeners all over the world for many years. His style of music is soulful yet aggressive, with lyrics to his songs tackling some of the tougher issues of the world. That substantive music takes center stage with his latest single, “Freedom”.

Bouncing off a get-up-and-move kind of vibe, this soulful single features horns and other instruments to serve as a background for lyrics that challenge people to consider the things they value most in life. Montana said he wants the song to inspire people to let go of the more material things in life and instead turn to the long-lasting truly joyful moments and experiences that lead to a fulfilling life.

“It’s about telling people not to allow things like money and religion to track or hold you down,” Montana said. “That’s what those things do in the big scheme of things, but it’s not how you’re gonna get freedom. The only thing that can set you free is the truth, whatever that is for each person. Don’t allow these things to be stumbling blocks in your life to achieve real freedom. Don’t take things for granted. So many things in our world are conveniences that we take for granted – like being able to go to McDonald’s whenever we want, or looking up whatever we want on Google on a smart phone that we carry around. But that’s not freedom, especially if we come to over-rely on those things.”

The single not only challenges people with a deeper meaning, but also showcases Montana’s one-of-a-kind voice. It’s the kind of voice that is immediately recognizable when people hear it, and it’s something that has set him apart in a crowded industry for many years.

Montana first started his journey into music as a child when his mother was a singer and recording artist. Most of his youth was spent either with his mom in the recording studio, or back stage at many of her touring shows. His grandmother also played the piano at church, and he grew up singing in the church choir and learning how to play the piano from her. Montana was born in El Paso ,Texas and raised in both Texas and California. As a teenager, Montana learned how to produce music and studied some of the best rappers of history. He began to develop his own unique sound and style, and in 2008, he started doing shows professionally and recording his music.

“What has set me apart more than anything over the years is the topics I talk about,” he said. “I tackle things that a lot of people don’t really discuss because it might be a little touchy for them. But I believe the topics that are hard for people to discuss are the very things that are important for us to talk about. That’s why I always try to have substance in my music, if I can. I hope my music is known for me giving the best effort I can and for always trying to be honest when I could.”

To listen to Montana Staxxx’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://www.instagram.com/lemontehall/

https://twitter.com/montanastaxxx1

https://www.reverbnation.com/montanastaxxx/songs

Facebook/Lemontehall12

Google/Montanastaxxx

Soundcloud/Montanastacks/Lemontehall

Spotify/Montanastaxxx

Tidal/Montanastaxxx.

Amazon/Montanastaxxx

Googleplay/Montanastaxxx

iTunes/Montanastaxxx

Trueskool/Montanastaxxx

Qobuz/Montanastaxxx

Check’a Fred – Got Damn!

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo

Check’a Fred caps of career-defining year with hit album ‘Check Mate!’

LYNWOOD, IL – Multifaceted Illinois artist Fredrick Wilson III, AKA Check’a Fred, is a rapper, songwriter, producer and businessman whose unique sound and style have drawn attention from fans all over the U.S. for many years. His latest album, “Check Mate!,” is the kind of career-defining project that is sure to set him up to become a global player within Hip Hop. Featuring a “whole bunch of turn up songs,” the album showcases Check’a Fred’s aggressive lyricism and ability to fuse different genres from R&B to Hip Hop and everything in between.

The first single from the project is a song called “Got Damn!.” The fast-paced track displays Check’a Fred’s ability to create great bars while also showing off his one-of-a-kind flow. It’s a fun club banger that he said people will definitely want to hear when they’re at a party.

He’s following that up with a second single from the project called “Who Wants a Smoke?” Still upbeat but with a slower pace than “Got Damn!, this track gets more introspective as it explores his aggressive side and his defensive nature when someone is trying to come at him.

The album isn’t all in-your-face upbeat jams. There are also tracks for the ladies such as “Itty Bitty!,” which Check’a Fred said is a fun club twerking song for all the women of the world.

“When you listen to this album you’ll see a whole other side of me being realistic,” Check’a Fred said. “There are songs with real life issues in there like mental health. People will see a rapper and see the hype – and there are plenty of those songs on this album – but there’s a whole other side to me as an artist that you’ll find as well. I want to put all my emotions and everything I feel in the moment into the music. I’m trying to use familiar instrumentals and beats and pair them with some great stories.”

Music has always been a passion for Check’a Fred. His father was a pastor and musician and his aunt is the notorious Gospel singer Anita Wilson. He learned how to play the piano and drums, and by his teenage years, he was already writing his own songs and creating his own beats. In 2017, he dropped his first mixtape and has been honing his craft ever since. This year has been a great year for him as an artist. In February, he started his first entertainment company, Rawthenic Entertainment, and he has taken some major steps forward in his music career. He released the single “I.D.G.A.F.” in the summer of 2020 which attracted quite a bit of attention from industry insiders. And now with his album “Check Mate!,” Check’a Fred is set to propel himself onto the global stage.

“I want my music to be known as something people can go to and hear and get away,” he said. “When I listen to music, I want to get away from the real world. It creates a vibe in my mind. I like to know what that person is going through, and if it relates to me, I want to know how they got through it and understand that and put it into my own situation. That’s what I hope my music does for others. I hope people can look at me as an example of a person who does what he wants to do and just keeps going, knowing that everything will fall in place.”

To listen to Check’a Fred’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

www.Rawthenicent.com

https://www.facebook.com/CheckaFredEnt/

https://twitter.com/checka_fred

https://www.instagram.com/checka_fred/

https://youtube.com/c/CheckaFred

Cartel The Great – Big Shit

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo

Cartel The Great displays excellence with style on new album ‘I Suppose to Been Here’

CHICAGO, IL – Greatness is something that Cartel has always strived for. Whether in life or business or music or any other endeavor, greatness is the ultimate goal. That excellence comes to the forefront on his latest album, “Cartel The Great: I Suppose To Been Here” which is currently available across all streaming platforms.

“Coming from the streets, I’m a talented rapper, but I went to prison (for nine years) and this album is to show people I was supposed to be there,” Cartel said. “It has a variety of sounds and styles coming at you in different ways. The whole thing was to show you have regular people you don’t even know about who can make industry-level music.”

Cartel is an artist who has experienced a lot of hardships over his life. At age 21 he was incarcerated for six armed robberies and was sentenced to 18 years but was eventually released after only nine years in prison. Going through the pain of the streets and losing his mom while he was in jail, Cartel decided to come home and take music seriously. He’s always been a talented artist who honed his skills as a young man battle rapping with his father.

“I’m a diverse artist with lyrical skills who can go any direction,” he said. “I use my experience in the streets to illustrate my bars. I’m a perceptive rapper. I know how to make it practical. I made a grand perspective practical. I talk of the relevancy of the streets but also give some conscious-minded stuff and talk about the consequences for your actions. And with all that, I have a strong delivery when I rap. I’m also versatile with my flow, so in a lot of ways, it’s hard to put me in a box.”

That is perhaps best demonstrated with his debut single “Big Shit.” Much as the title would suggest, the song flaunts Cartel’s greatness as he talks about his experiences on the streets paired against a Pop-Infused beat. It’s a song that Cartel said pushes listeners to “not just talk on little-people terms but talk on big-people terms.” The song features King Louie who is a well-known artist from Chicago. The feel-good, party record is universal in its relatability to a wide audience, while also serving as an anthem for all the overlooked artists of the streets.

“More than anything, I want to show my artistic freedom,” Cartel said. “I also want to challenge people’s perceptions. I think outside the box and find creative ways of expressing my message, and I want to show others that they’re capable of that, too. You can come up out of the streets and the struggle and the trenches, and creatively use your talent to come up.”

To listen to Cartel The Great’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://instagram.com/cartelhall?igshid=bpj8atxmsqna

Nealy – Hot Pot of Chilly

ME Blog, Music, Promo

Justin Nealy cooks up a hot pot of chili with new single, just in time for winter

RALEIGH, NC – If you’re like most other music lovers in the world, when you see a song titled “Hot Pot of Chilly,” there’s something inside you that must hear what it sounds like. Next thing you know you’re listening to it and the fun new single from East Coast artist Nealy has you hooked. It’s catchy with a great Rap vibe, with lyrics that pull you in and invite you to just have a good time. Like the hook says, Nealy is coming through hot like chili in the pot, chillin on a hot new stove.

“It has some real stuff in it, but it’s just a good-time song,” Nealy said of his new single. “It’s different than anything out there but mostly, it’s just a fun song.”

A video for the single is also available on Nealy’s YouTube channel. It was shot at a restaurant in Durham, North Carolina in which Nealy used to work as a bartender. The video features multiple shots of Nealy in the kitchen, cooking up a hot pot of chili while also showcasing a part of his hometown.

Nealy began his journey as an artist at age 18. He said he was inspired by his friends, who were also talented rappers. They encouraged him to write his own songs and after a while, he realized he had enough natural talent to pursue music as a career. As he developed his sound, he studied multiple genres of music and never really settled on one specific artist as a muse of major influence. It’s the music itself that motivates him, and that electric taste has helped him create a signature style that is equal parts original and familiar.

“A lot of times, I don’t even know who sings a song when I hear it. I just know I like it,” Nealy said. “I always look to the actual music and not who’s popular. Music influences me more than the actual artist, and that’s what I try to create with my own sound, as well. I have some funny stuff, but not corny – more subtle humor. I also have things that are deep and people can relate to. Since I started, I’ve matured as an artist and everything I’m doing now is more of intentionality. My music is consistent. Some of the beats I’m working with today are different, but I’m still the same person writing. But a lot of people don’t realize I went through a lot to get here. I’ve been pushing myself and I’ve sacrificed a lot of things to get to where I am. I took a leap over a river instead of building a bridge because I wanted to go for it all. It’s starting to come back and pay off, and I’m excited for people to hear the new music I have now.”

Nealy’s music is available across all streaming platforms. His next release will be a single called “317965” which is slated to drop in January.

To listen to Nealy’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://www.facebook.com/Nealy21

https://twitter.com/JustinNealy21

https://www.instagram.com/_nealy_21/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3LOAkpgCyuwZvUo5SyKK5Q

Snapchat: @LarryHoopin 

G Thugg – Drip Official ft Peewee Longway

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo

Haitian rapper delivers fun new club banger ‘Drip Official’

DELRAY BEACH, FL – An artist who made his way out of Haitian poverty and into a successful career as an international musician is making waves with his latest single “Drip Official.”

Widgi Marcelin – better known by his stage name G Thugg – is a Florida-based rapper who has been gaining an ever widening stream of fans over the past few years since he first introduced his raw emotional style in 2017. G Thugg tells his story through music and his heavy, often dark lyrics entail his struggle of adversity as a Haitian man trying to survive in America. With intricate stories weaved into his signature sound, G Thugg continues to find ways to make songs that are relatable to people from all walks of life in places all over the world.

“Drip Official” is his latest single which dropped on all streaming platforms on Dec. 25. It’s a braggadocios song that G Thugg uses to showcase his one-of-a-kind style. The upbeat club banger is sure to put a smile on people’s faces as they enjoy a night out and have fun on the dance floor.

“It’s just a song about me being fly,” he said. “It’s me speaking about how I’m known for dressing and staying fly, which is why I use the term drip. I’m always fly. People know I’m always dressing up and wearing designers and stuff like that.”

The song features Atlanta artist Peewee Longway, and G Thugg said a music video for the single will drop on Jan. 1. He plans on following that with another single on Jan. 15 called “Miss Da Trap” featuring Bobby Fishscale.

G Thugg said he’s excited about the new music he’s releasing and is proud of the strides he’s taken over the past three years as he’s developed his sound and created something truly original. He doesn’t apologize for speaking his mind through his music and hopes that his self-confidence will inspire others to feel comfortable about themselves and be bold.

“I want my music to be known for being authentic,” he said. “I just want to put it out there in everybody’s face. It’s not no make believe or none of that. I speak of things I’ve experienced in the past and it’s just me being myself. I’m trying to do something positive and make a better living by doing something I love.”