Liv DeToma Soars On The Powerful “riot”
One of the benefits of being a reviewer is that you get to be a musical Magellan, finding new artists around the globe who are astonishingly talented. One such artist is L.A.’s Liv DeToma, who has the vocal command and songwriting chops to be in the vanguard of tomorrow’s stars. Her latest single “riot” has […]
Gia Darcy Finds the Courage to Just “Say It”
Gia Darcy is a fast-rising pop artist from Sydney, Australia who just concluded a swing through the U.S. Her latest EP is a treasure trove of great songs, including the title song “Horror Movie” and the ultra-hooky “Toxic” (which isn’t a cover of the Brittany Spears’ hit). But the highlight of the EP is Gia’s […]
Meagan Sky has the Power of a Modern-Day Aretha
Portland, Oregon doesn’t immediately spring to mind when you think about blues-inspired singers like Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin. But that’s the home of artist Meagan Sky, whose incredible voice and songwriting put her in the select company of all-time greats like that duo, plus Dusty Springfield and Adele. For someone this magnificently talented, Meagan […]
Miss Machina Finds that “Nirvana” is Bittersweet
Miss Machina (aka Ashleigh Smith) is a mega-talented L.A. artist who previously lived in Dallas and Chicago. Her songs are insightful, beautifully sung and immensely hooky. Her latest single “Nirvana” is a haunting look at how the end of a relationship can torpedo a lot of the shared experiences and memories that were once so […]
Alena Ciera Dazzles on “Change Your Mind”
Alena Ciera is an incredible guitarist, songwriter and singer in the Washington, D.C. area – and her most recent single “Change Your Mind” is a pop delight. She played guitar on Broadway in David Byrne’s American Utopia. If you haven’t yet seen the Spike Lee movie of that production, you’re missing an amazing, uplifting performance. […]
Natalie Madigan’s YANG EP is a Masterpiece
Natalie Madigan’s latest single “Butterfly Effect” is so gorgeous and uplifting that it deserves comparisons with The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Taylor Swift. Madigan has released two complementary EPs this year, fittingly entitled YIN and YANG. As you probably can guess, the EPs are vastly different, both musically and thematically. It’s an impressive achievement […]
Lisa De Angelis Has Emmylou-Style Authenticity
Lisa De Angelis’ music could be described as “Australiana” because it blurs the lines between country music and Americana. The singer was raised in southwest Sydney, and now resides in Brisbane. She’s been described as “part Judy Garland, part Saturday Night Live comedian” – and her songwriting has the power and authenticity of Americana greats […]
Alissa Moreno Transcends Tragedy on “Wildfires”
Alissa Moreno has a richer life story than most songwriters. She was born on a small Navajo reservation and grew up in Albuquerque. She began writing songs in Hawaii, then moved to L.A. to pursue music and teach meditation. She later made her way to Nashville, where she co-wrote a Top 5 song for Rascal […]
James Patterson Flashes Genius on “After Dark”
Most people in the music world hail the late, great Prince as a musical genius, but both James Patterson and Ben Ruttner (aka J-Patt and B-ROC from The Knocks) are geniuses, too. Now they’re getting the recognition they’ve long deserved, including a Grammy nomination last year and a coveted slot at this year’s Lollapalooza festival […]
Ashley Miers is a Multi-Talented Marvel
When you think of amazing multi-hyphenate talents, Padma Lakshmi and Lady Gaga spring to mind. L.A. artist Ashley Miers belongs in that select group, too. She’s a successful songwriter/musician, actress, chef and meditation/recovery advocate. It’s hard to image how one person – in one lifetime – can write fabulous songs, have a SAG card, host […]
