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Q&A with NewSong Finalists Admiral Radio

Sunday, September 8th, 2024

Admiral Radio is the husband-and-wife duo of Becca and Coty. Together, they aim to leave listeners better than they found them. With a personal sincerity and honest performance, you might shed a few tears and roll with laughter. The duo recently won first place at the 2024 Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Competition and 2024 LEAF NewSong Songwriting Competition, and was a finalist in the legendary Kerrville New Folk Competition, International Songwriting Competition, and more. Admiral Radio is taking leaps of faith to share their songs and stories with listeners across the country, inviting you to gather ‘round the radio in modern times.

Admiral Radio was the grand prize winner of the 2024 LEAF / NewSong Competition, which advanced them into the finals of this year’s NewSong Performance & Songwriting Competition.

NewSong: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before? 

Admiral Radio: Something that sounds just familiar enough that you can feel at ease, like an old favorite song your Nana used to hum down the hallway, but something new that you can’t quite place, that speaks to the times we’re in. Just two voices, close harmonies, and a guitar or two.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

Coty: Baha Men, because who really let the dogs out?
Becca: Selena, because Selena was a revolution and remains the queen of our hearts.

Becca and Coty of Admiral Radio in a bed of flowers.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us? 

Neither of us really grew up with the music we write and play together today. We discovered the heart of folk, roots, and Americana music over time and as a shared journey, and continue to learn more everyday.

What projects are you currently working on?

We’re about to launch our new album and Patreon, an online platform that allows us to connect with our community without the algorithm’s nonsense. We’re excited to build a monthly writer’s circle there, host livestreams, and just share in those ordinary little tidbits together. The album we’re about to release on September 13 is called Good Things Take Time. It’s an ode to the passing of time and what we can do with it, and not to give up on yourself, no matter how slow you have to take it.

Share a musical adventure from this summer with us — could be a show you played, a tour you took, a recording you made, a concert you attended, etc. Tell us about an experience that really stood out for you.

We’ve been jaunting around the Midwest for most of the summer in Soulie, our white Kia Soul. It’s been quite the adjustment to stay out longer than a few days at a time, but we’ve learned a few hacks along the way like keeping healthy road snacks and eating a bagged lunch at rest areas. (It turns out there are some really beautiful rest stops out there.) We’ve been able to see and experience so much this summer, but the biggest highlight has been getting to know a new region of the country and its people. There are some truly genuine people out this way and we’ve been grateful to feel so much kindness and support. Music is the great connector and we’ve seen that time and time again this summer.

Tags: 2024 Finalists, Admiral Radio, NewSong Music Performance & Competition, Q&A
Posted in NewSong Music | 9 Comments »

Slow Runner drops new single, “Farthest Star”

Thursday, August 22nd, 2024

A few days before indie-pop singer-songwriter Michael Flynn performed in the 2021 NewSong Music Songwriting Competition finals, he learned that his father had mere months to live. Flynn dearly wanted to win the competition so that he could share some good news with his dad — and that’s exactly what happened.As part of his grand prize, Flynn (known musically as Slow Runner) was invited to record an album at Citizen Studios, resulting in the deftly crafted, emotional, and ultimately hope-infused Yesterday Don’t Fail Me Now, set for release on the NewSong Recordings label on all streaming platforms on October 11, 2024.

An album release show will take place at Citizen Vinyl in Asheville, NC — where the record was recorded and pressed — also on October 11. Show info here.

The second single, “Farthest Star,” is out now on all streaming platforms.

Despite being mostly written during the five month period that Flynn’s father lived with (and died from) inoperable pancreatic cancer, the songs on YDFMN are only occasionally explicit in their funereal inspiration. While soaking up time with and helping to care for his dad, “There was a lot of time for thinking about weighty things, death and time and love that pushes up against the limits of reality,” Flynn says. “And there was a lot of time for writing, going over lyrics in my head or picking out melodies on the old upright piano I learned to play on as a boy.”

YDFMN is a collection of pop songs that touch on feelings that transcend any specific loss, Flynn says. “Everybody has something they dread facing, or something they wish for, despite long odds, or someone they want to splash in a fountain with.”

When it came time to record the songs at Citizen Studios in Asheville, Flynn and co-producer Gar Ragland tried to fully realize what, at the time, felt like an ambitious and eclectic palette of beautiful sounds — bass clarinet, mandolin, congas, vocoder, and strings. Every creative decision was made with a goal of drawing as short a line as possible between the listener and the emotion the song was trying to evoke. There was a conscious effort to recklessly blend organic instruments with samples and electronic instruments with no thought about what might be “authentic” or fit in a certain genre. Favors were called in and friends from Asheville, New York, Nashville and elsewhere were cajoled into helping.

“Making the record was an essential part of grieving for me,” says Flynn. “It wasn’t just a recording, it was a barn-raising. It was an outrageous act of spiritual defiance, building something joyful on the ashes of a life well lived and deeply missed. The sound of searching for and cherishing what is essential even while it’s slipping through your fingers.

Interested in entering this year’s NewSong Music performance & Songwriting Competition, presented by Citizen Vinyl? Click here to submit your original songs.

Tags: Farthest Star, Michael Flynn, NewSong Grand Prize Winner, NewSong Music, Slow Runner
Posted in NewSong Music | 5 Comments »

Admiral Radio wins 10th annual LEAF Songwriter Competition

Tuesday, May 14th, 2024

Admiral Radio — a South Carolina-based husband and wife Americana duo — won this year’s LEAF Songwriter Competition.

Coty Hoover and Becca Smith of Admiral Radio share a palpable connection onstage, and a desire to leave audiences better than they found them. At the LEAF Songwriter Competition, held Saturday, May 11, at LEAF Global Arts Retreat, they offered up sweet harmonies and deftly crafted lyrics that left few if any dry eyes in the room. For their encore song, after they were announced as winners, the couple chose to play off-mic, surrounded by the enthusiastic audience.

“The moment we pulled up to the LEAF Global Arts Retreat, we caught the wave,” Hoover says. “Everyone we passed was at ease. Having known about LEAF for so long, it was nothing short of an honor to be included amongst so many amazing songwriters in the LEAF Songwriting Competition — to win was even more surreal! LEAF is the epitome of community and culture colliding.”

As part of their LEAF Competition win, Admiral Radio advances as one of only eight finalists at the annual, international NewSong Competition, to be held in Asheville in November. Hoover and Smith will also return to the Fall LEAF Festival, held October 17-20, 2024, as featured, paid performers.

Submissions are now open for the The 23rd Annual NewSong Music Competition, presented by Citizen Vinyl. Entries can be uploaded here: https://www.newsong-music.com/contest/

“We can’t wait to head back to Asheville this fall to take part in the NewSong Music Competition and meet some more incredible songwriters sharing their stories with the world,” Hoover says.

Award-round runners up:

Andy Sydow (Nashville, Tennessee)
Charlie John (Fort Mitchell, Kentucky)

Participating finalists:

Dustin Dale Gaspard (Cow Island, Louisiana)
Erin Williams Banks (Boone, North Carolina)
Hannah Lee Thompson (Baltimore, Maryland)
Nathan Storey (Huntersville, North Carolina)

Judges for the event, culled from Asheville, N.C.’s music industry professionals, included arts and culture journalist Edwin Arnaudin; tour and band manager and guitar tech André Cholmondeley; and artist manager and consultant Stacy Claude.

“This year’s LEAF Songwriter Competition was the most magical yet,” says Alli Marshall, NewSong Music’s artist communications director. “The song craft caliber was incredibly high. But my favorite part was witnessing the near-instant friendships that developed between the finalists — by the end of the night they were making plans to share shows in each other’s hometowns.”

Genres ran the gamut from folk and Cajun-Americana to indie-pop. Seven finalists and their accompanists traveled from as far as Louisiana’s Vermilion Parish to share their songs.

The LEAF Songwriter Competition is a collaborative effort between NewSong Music and LEAF Global Arts. It aims to identify and recognize exceptional performers and songwriters from across the country.

Tags: Admiral Radio, LEAF Retreat, LEAF Songwriter Competition
Posted in NewSong Music | 16 Comments »

Q+A with LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Admiral Radio

Sunday, April 21st, 2024

Inspired by their 1941 wooden Admiral radio, this South Carolina-based husband and wife duo creates an Americana sound rooted in tradition that touches the heartstrings of the modern-day listener. With tight vocal harmonies, endearing storytelling and authentic energy, Becca and Coty hold a presence that is palpable and real, both on and off stage.

Admiral Radio is one of eight finalists selected to showcase and compete in the LEAF Singer Songwriter Competition, Presented by NewSong Music, at LEAF Retreat on May 11.

NewSong Music: What is the most recent song you wrote and what inspired it?

Coty: Probably a song called ‘Kind To Myself.” We had just played at a festival and didn’t feel like we knocked it out of the park, so we were sort of beating ourselves up about it afterwards. Then a lady came over to us a few minutes later and started telling us how much she enjoyed our set. So the song is still a seedling, but it’s kind of a reminder to go easy on yourself.

What was your journey to becoming musicians — are you classically trained or self-taught?

Becca: Both of us are mostly self-taught. Coty’s first guitar was one he bought from Walmart while he worked there in high school. He would play in his room and watch videos on Myspace and Youtube of his favorite musicians repeatedly until he knew the songs. He mostly played in his room casually until we met waiting tables.

I grew up singing make believe songs and writing little ditties as a child. I learned how to play guitar in middle school with a few lessons, which helped my songwriting. I grew up singing along to John Lennon and Paul McCartney and got good at picking out harmonies that way.

The first night Coty and I hung out outside of work, we played guitar at his house. He wasn’t singing or writing at that point, but after awhile, I needed some backup on the shows I was playing solo and coaxed him into helping me. From there, his harmonies, vocal abilities, and songwriting have really gone bananas. The songs he writes bring me to tears.

What music was playing in your houses while you were growing up?

Becca: Coty’s mom is an ’80s baby, so in his house, Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, and Billy Idol were always on. For me, my parents are near opposite sides of the Baby Boomer era, so I like to say that my dad raised me on The Beatles and my mom raised me on R.E.M.

If you could co-write a song with anyone, who would it be, and why?

Becca: I’d like to write with Drew Holcomb. He just seems like a really down-to-earth person. I like that his songs can be straight-up fun, like a rockin’ Tom Petty tune, but others can be reminiscent of a heartfelt Jim Croce song.

Coty: Dolly, the one and only. She’s about as good as it gets.

What has most surprised you about being a singer-songwriter?

Becca: The good stuff seems to come from everyday life. It’s like you want to be a student with a pencil in your hand as often as possible. You never know when the teacher might say something that you’ll want to jot down.

Coty: Mostly surprised that people actually like it!

Tags: Admiral Radio, LEAF Global Arts Retreat, LEAF Songwriter Competition, Q&A
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | 16 Comments »

Q+A with LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Nathan Storey

Friday, April 19th, 2024

Nathan Storey is a seasoned singer-songwriter from North Carolina. “He puts lush emotion and sincerity into each note making any listener sit up and take notice…his melodies and chord changes become hook laden delights,” as described by John Fonvielle, The Beat Magazine. In his songwriting, “Storey weaves intimate tunes, filled with emotion and powerful metaphor,” as detailed by Hunter Gardner of Charleston Grit. Storey toured the east coast at notable venues including Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC and the River Arts Festival in Jacksonville, Fl.

Nathan is one of eight finalists selected to showcase and compete in the LEAF Singer Songwriter Competition, Presented by NewSong Music, at LEAF Retreat on May 11.

NewSong Music: What is the most recent song you wrote and what inspired it?

Nathan Storey: I recently wrote a song about time called “Time is a Liar.” I began thinking about how we often think we have enough or not enough of it and I thought that was really interesting idea to explore.

What was your journey to becoming a musician — are you classically trained or self-taught?

I took guitar lessons when I was very young and started with simple chord progressions. I haven’t stopped playing since!

What music was playing in your house while you were growing up?

I grew up listening to a lot of church music as well as things like ’60s folk. Mom and Dad liked a lot of different things!

If you could co-write a song with anyone, who would it be, and why?

I admire a lot of songwriters from across the pond so I would be over the moon to write with guys like Foy Vance or Glen Hansard. Their raw lyrics and performances have always been really inspiring to me.

What has most surprised you about being a singer-song-writer?

I think that I’m not tired of it yet. For many many years now I’ve trusted myself to have something to say and with as interested I am in different things, I find that kind of surprising.

Tags: LEAF Global Arts Retreat, LEAF Songwriter Competition, Nathan Storey, Q&A
Posted in NewSong Music | 14 Comments »

Q+A with LEAF Songwriter Competition Earlybird Finalist Erin Williams Banks

Friday, April 5th, 2024

Congratulations to our LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition’s “Earlybird” Finalist, Erin Williams Banks.   Erin grew up in Lyons, Georgia. She has been writing music for over 30 years. In the beginning, she would sing on dirt roads from the back of a horse. Now she sings with the rivers that wind through the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. Her newest album, Coyote Mother, came out in September, 2023.

Erin and seven other finalists will showcase at the 10th annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music, at LEAF Global Arts Retreat on Saturday, May 11.

NewSong Music: You’ve talked on your social media about the experience of having professional photos taken after age 40 — how about the experience of putting out an album after 40? Were there any surprises or insights that age brought to that process?

Erin Williams Banks: I was so grateful to turn 40. I have always had a strong sense of self and have been comfortable being me but it was the perfect storm. I moved from my South Georgia homeland and uprooted. I started over in Boone, N.C., and left so many things behind. I became a phoenix and when 40 hit, I welcomed it with fiery arms. Parts of me burned up in that transition, but I feel like whatever was left was my true form. As I was writing songs and moving towards a new decade, I felt stronger than ever and I knew I wanted to document what was going on in and around me. Recording the music I wanted to record was a dream come true and I felt like it was a gift to myself and my family and friends that they could have forever.

Coyote Mother just came out last fall. Can you share a bit about the animal inspirations on the album?

My muse is the river. The river is the ancient pathway that so many take refuge in. I used to go to church but now I go to the river. The Ohoopee River is one black water river that winds around old Cypress trees till it finally meets the Altamaha River, which is full of prehistoric creatures like gar and alligators and sturgeon that swim up to breed in the swirling muddy waters. How many interactions with coyotes and deer swimming across the river have you had? How many different kinds of herons have you seen? How many endangered plant and bird species have you noticed hiding along the river’s edge? I think if you are willing to leave early in the morning and go paddle you will feel a need to write about it, too. It is like you have seen a ghost and for the rest of your days it’s one of your stories that you’re telling the kids at bedtime: Remember that time I saw a pair of yellow-crowned night herons? Or the time I was riding my horse on a full moon and saw a cougar cross the dirt road?

You worked on the album remotely — you in Boone and your producer in Asheville. Why did you choose to work remotely rather than in the studio together? And how do you feel that served the album?

My friend Everett Hardin had recorded and produced several of my closest friends’ albums. What they said about him was “he will take his time with you” and “he will get your voice to sound exactly how you want it to” and “he isn’t like other male producers — he’s not an egotistical asshole.” I was a little worried at first because the only experiences I’d had were super-quick weekends to track it all. I didn’t mind it that way because that energy is like a driving force. I thought that was how I worked. So, when Everett said “No rush, it could take six months or a year,” I was kind of disappointed. I thought rushed was better but it turns out that I actually loved to be pushed. I love writing five versions of one song and getting to the gold. I thrive in an atmosphere where we are having honest critiques and, because we are now good friends, I know he loved my songs and voice so I could handle the heat and the push back if something wasn’t working. I write so much … probably a song or two a week. A lot of those are trash, so I needed someone to tell me what I should record and what I needed to leave in the diary.

We set his rig up in my attic, which was also my husband’s office at the time. It was freezing and I couldn’t run a space heater. Everett was a little square on the computer screen. I have such limited technology skills I wasn’t sure this was going to work, but it turned out that all I had to do was turn the power on. He controlled everything from his computer in his basement in Asheville. The only part we had to go over a few times was when the motorcycle gangs would rev it up at the light down from my house and it would bleed into the vocal track. That was fun.

For weeks, we would squeeze in vocals here and there. Everett was the voice inside my head. It was kind of awesome. It was like we were in the same space. And you know, the producer is always in the next room so it wasn’t that crazy. It felt like we were together. I just got to record in the comfort of my house and he got to engineer and produce in his house. Pajama party!

Also he played almost all the music! He and his wife wrote and played all the string arrangements. He’s the total package. He will never be able to find some of those weird tunings he did on some of those songs. He’s a wizard for sure.

Can you share a little bit about why it’s important to have a songwriting group, and how you found your songwriting group?

The songwriting group was the biggest selling point for me to move to Boone! That first week I was here I was invited by my dear friend Sarah Deshields to join her little group. I was so nervous and I never get nervous! I guess it was because it was so small and intimate. I played a song I wrote called “Goodbye South Georgia” (about which I’ve written so many goodbye songs and I’m sure I’ll write a dozen more). Everyone loved me from then on. That group contains some of the best human beings I have found on the planet. They are my family. I wrote several songs from the album from prompts the group gave. They have been so supportive and we always ask each other to sing or play on our records. Sarah Deshields, John Lucas, Cayla Fralick, Kevin Deshields, and Amanda Opelt are all on my record and members of my songwriting group.

Tags: Coyote Mother, Earlybird Finalist, Erin Williams Banks, LEAF competition, LEAF Global Arts Retreat
Posted in NewSong Music | 15 Comments »

Congratulations to Natalie Price, 2023 NewSong Music Grand Prize Winner

Tuesday, November 21st, 2023

NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition is thrilled to announce that Natalie Price from Nashville, Tennessee, is the 2023 Grand Prize Winner. (Photos by Aaron Stone.)

During the Saturday, November 18, finals, Price showcased five songs with infectious hooks that felt like instant hits. Her grand prize package includes a fully funded six-song EP, recorded and mixed at Citizen Studios, plus 500 vinyl records pressed at Citizen Vinyl.

“Natalie’s storytelling within her singing and songwriting held the audience in her grasp,” said LEAF Performing Arts Coordinator and NewSong judge Otto Vazquez. “Like puppets on a string, she had us either crying or chuckling, qualities of a truly masterful artist. Looking forward to seeing her soar.”

Learn more about Natalie Price’s self-described “Ameri-kinda” music here.“I really enjoyed visiting Asheville, seeing Citizen Studios, and getting to know the other finalists. We had a great time together exploring the city and talking about music and life, “ said Price. “The contest itself was a great experience — the seats were full and everyone seemed engaged with what we were doing. Thank you to NewSong for hosting the event and having me out this year!”

The internationally recognized NewSong Music event, now in its 22nd year, is one of North America’s premier showcases of emerging performers and songwriters today. The Saturday, November 18, finale concert brought seven finalists — selected from nearly 500 entries, and from across the U.S. and Canada — to Asheville, NC, for an evening of songs and connection. The magical evening of singer-songwriter performances ran the gamut from soulful Americana to indie-pop and from country roots to Portuguese-infused melodies.

The 2023 runners up were: MaisCéu (Jimmie Griffith; Lenoir, NC) and Reece Sullivan (Lafayette, LA).

The full finalist lineup included: Beth // James (Mikaela and Jordan Burchill; Austin, TX); Cloudbelly (Corey Laitman, Turners Falls, MA); Senobia (Midway, GA); and Stacy Antonel (Nashville, TN).

Judges for the event, which took place at Citizen Vinyl in downtown Asheville, included Garret K. Woodward, Otto Vazquez, Jamie Beck, and Gar Ragland. Learn more about the judges here.

As this year’s Grand Prize Winner, Natalie Price joins NewSong Music’s impressive roster of artists such as Crys Matthews, Rachael Kilgour, Michael Flynn, Jobi Riccio, AC Sapphire, and others.

Tags: Grand Prize, Natalie Price, NewSong Music Grand Prize Winner, songwriting competition
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | 23 Comments »

Judges Announced for 22nd Annual NewSong Music Competition

Thursday, November 16th, 2023

Join us in welcoming this year’s panel of judges, all music industry professionals. We appreciate their insight and expertise in selecting a Grand Prize Winner, who will receive a six-song EP, recorded and mixed at Citizen Studios, with vinyl records pressed at Citizen Vinyl.

Garret K. Woodward has been the arts/music editor for The Smoky Mountain News, an alt-weekly covering Western North Carolina, since 2012. He’s also the music editor for Smoky Mountain Living magazine, a national publication whose jurisdiction rolls across seven states in Southern Appalachia.

In 2018, Woodward joined Rolling Stone as a contributing writer, focusing

mainly on music festivals from coast-to-coast. As an author, Woodward penned the 2017 book If You Can’t Play, Get Off the Stage: Bluegrass in Western North Carolina and Beyond. To date, Woodward has been nominated three times for “Writer of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Otto Vazquez is the Artistic Curator for LEAF Global Arts, working to book bands and create themes for the organization’s signature events, including the annual LEAF Global Arts Festival. He is also a prolific street dancer, choreographer, published author and poet, filmmaker and grand educator who has taught at more than 100 universities both in the United States and abroad.

Jamie Beck is the Sales Director at Merge Records in Durham, N.C. Her first concert was a performance by Kitty Wells on a cattle farm outside of Kansas City, Missouri.

Gar Ragland is a producer, musician, and president and co-founder of the NewSong Music Group. He is also the founder of CEO of Citizen Vinyl in Asheville, N.C. Gar is a voting member of the Recording Academy (Grammys).

Martin Anderson, Music Director and Host at WNCW, will emcee the evening. Martin joined WNCW in 2001 as the weekday morning host. He loves interviewing the many talented musicians who come to Studio B, stretching out with the many styles ‘NCW embraces, and reflecting listener requests, events of the day, and the beautiful Southern Appalachian landscape. As Music Director, he books live sessions, and keeps in touch with the record labels and promoters that send new music.

Tags: Gar Ragland, Garret K. Woodward, Jamie Beck, judges, Martin Anderson, NewSong Music Competition, Otto Vazquez
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | 15 Comments »

Meet NewSong Finalist Beth // James

Saturday, October 28th, 2023

Beth // James is an indie-Americana duo from Austin, Texas, made up of award-winning singer-songwriters Mikaela and Jordan Burchill. After two dazzling EPs, and their original song “Lion Eyes” in Spike Lee’s Academy Award-winning feature film BlacKkKlansman, the duo is back with their debut album “Get Together,” recorded and produced by James Petralli of White Denim.

The duo will be performing as finalists at the 22nd annual NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition, held on Saturday, November 18, at Citizen Vinyl in downtown Asheville, N.C. Learn more and purchase tickets HERE.

NewSong Music: What sort of music was playing in your house when you were growing up?

JORDAN: Both my parents were musicians, so growing up so we had a lot of music playing in the house. My dad was a jazz band director at a local college and I was lucky enough to be around a lot of jazz. All the big band stuff — Basie and Ellington — and great guitar players like Bill Frissel and Pat Metheny. I also got really into Al Green as a kid. I loved basketball and the NBA had a commercial with the song “Love and Happiness” I was hooked. The first album I bought was Al Greens greatest hits.

MIKAELA: My dad was a big music lover and was always playing music in the house. Some of his favorites were Emmylou Harris, The Beatles, and anything bluegrass. I definitely got my eclectic music taste from him. Some of my favorite records as a kid were Paula Cole’s This Fire and Sheryl Crow’s Tuesday Night Music Club, but as I got a little older I got very into soul and r&b. I really listened to everything.

What was your journey to music?

JORDAN: Both my parents are really great musicians. My dad is a great jazz guitar player and my mom is a fantastic singer and piano player. I went to college for music at University of North Texas. I graduated with a Jazz Studies degree on guitar. My dad was my teacher growing up. He’s truly a world-class teacher. His students have gone on to play with Snarky Puppy, Leon Bridges, Snoop Dogg, and the Lumineers and have won multiple Grammys. I feel eterally blessed to have gotten to learn from him when I was a kid.

MIKAELA: I always loved singing and music. My parents noticed when I was young. I started taking piano lessons at 7 and grew up singing in choirs from age 8-18. Through choir, I learned how to harmonize, perform, and got exposed to tons of different music — classical, Broadway, and basically every famous pop song of the last 70 years.

I’ve studied many different vocal styles with many different amazing teachers and got my degree in vocal jazz from the University of North Texas — where Jordan and I met!

What is the first song you wrote that you were proud of, and why?

JORDAN: I think the first song that I wrote with Mikaela. We wrote a song called “Lion Eyes” (which later got placed in the Spike Lee movie BlacKkKlansman). I remember after writing that together I was like, “Damn, we are a good team, this is a pretty good song.” I definitely haven’t written “the one,” though, yet. It’s the ultimate goal to write a song that you have no critiques about. I don’t think I’ve written that one yet.

MIKAELA: Probably a song I wrote when I was like 20 called “Fall With You.” I entered it in a bunch of songwriting competitions and got to play at Kerrville and Telluride. I really didn’t know at all what I was doing back then but I think that was the first time I really got recognition for a song I wrote and thought, “OK, maybe I’m good at this, I should keep writing.” Like Jordan said, though, definitely still trying to write “the one”!

What is your writing process like?

JORDAN: Lately it’s been changing. I have a ton of voice memos with chord progression ideas and I have a ton of notes with lyric ideas. I like to go to those to start ideas. We’ve also been sitting down and just writing a song based of a specific idea/topic lately and I really have been enjoying having the parameters of having that.

MIKAELA: My best songs start in the car usually. For some reason inspiration tends to hit when I’m driving alone, so I just take out my phone and leave a little voice memo with melody and usually a few lyric ideas. Then I’ll take it to the piano annd home to Jordan to piece together. I’m trying to be better about writing when I don’t feel inspired, though.

Share a musical adventure from this summer with us.

JORDAN: This summer we got asked to play an Americana Festival in Germany called Static Roots Festival. It was probably the most fun I’ve had in a long time playing music. The fest was amazing with a really great line up of artists and the attendees just loved music. They wanted to hear the songs we’ve written, wanted to talk to us, and they had specific records they wanted to buy. It felt really good. Hopefully we’ll make it back over to Germany and the UK again next summer.

MIKAELA: We toured out of the country for the first time this summer and it was amazing! Definitely agree with everything Jordan said, and another favorite moment from that tour was a show we played at a tiny town in the UK. It seemed like everyone from the whole town came out to the show and were so attentive and excited to listen to music! They really listened to the lyrics and were so kind. A group even invited us to tea after to show and told us all about the town’s history. It was magical and I can’t wait to go back!

Tags: #WeAreNewSong, Beth // James, NewSong finalist, songwriting competition
Posted in NewSong Music | 5 Comments »

MEET NEWSONG MUSIC FINALIST MAISCÉU

Tuesday, October 17th, 2023

MaisCéu is the brainchild of Jimmie Griffith, a musician who hails from the mountains of Minas Gerais, Brazil. His music is a fusion of American and Brazilian musical traditions, reflecting his upbringing steeped in both cultures.

Inspired by the Blue Ridge mountains and the “Mares e Morros” of Minas Gerais, MaisCeu’s unique sound, featuring heartfelt Portuguese lyrics, is a reflection of his deep love for the outdoors and his passion for bending music genres. With an authentic and soulful approach to his craft, MaisCeu’s music speaks to the heart and soul of his listeners, drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of his childhood home and the rich musical traditions that have shaped him.

MaisCéu is a finalist in the 2023 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition, which will take place on Saturday, November 18, at Citizen Vinyl in downtown Asheville, N.C. Learn more and purchase tickets HERE.

NewSong Music: What sort of music was playing in your house when you were growing up?

Jimmie: There was a pretty wide mix, from jazz to Brazilian music. I distinctly remember a lot of Dave Brubeck, Baden Powell, and James Brown.

What was your journey to music?

Mostly self-taught. Although my family is very musical, they do not have a formal musical background. Growing up, my mom and siblings liked to sing, and my dad, who now studies piano, used to play guitar and got me started on the guitar with a few chords when I was younger. In my teens, my neighbor and great friend Daniel started playing guitar, and we would teach each other songs and share music. This is when I started developing my musical tastes, branching out to other artists, styles, and developing songwriting. Music continues to play an important role in my life, whether it’s to regulate my emotions, inspire me, or connect with others.

What is the first song you wrote that you were proud of, and why?

Although not my first song, the song “Madrid” I composed helped me realize that I need to trust my musical instincts more often. This song helped me understand that if I try to control the songwriting process too much, I will feel stifled and frustrated. This could cause me either giving up on an idea that could turn out to be a great song or block out new ideas due to the creative constraints we can put on ourselves.

What is your writing process like?

There are a few different ways that I compose music. The most common process is to find a great-sounding chord, chord progression, and/or open tuning on the guitar that sparks an excerpt of a melody. I pull that thread to see where it leads me, revealing a melody, harmony, and rhythm. The final part of the process is to create lyrics that fit the mood of the song and match the melody. Too many times I’ll give the song a title before I write the lyrics, making it challenging to write something related to the title. Composing usually happens at night, in a quiet corner of the house, with a recording device close by to capture my ideas.

Share a musical adventure from this summer with us.

This summer, my former band Banana da Terra had a couple of reunion shows at festivals Boone in Blossom and Boonerang. It was such a great experience to reconnect with fellow bandmates and with old and new friends and fans of the band.

Tags: Jimmie Griffith, MaisCeu, NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition, singer songwriter
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