Vote for Enation on About.Me!

About.Me is a website that gives anyone a one page website to tell the world who you are and how to connect with you, and they're looking for the "face" of their new ad campaign. And Enation needs your help! 

If Enation wins, not only do they get their page, but they get on a a billboard in Times Square! You can vote for them once a day, every day until September 20th! Go HERE to vote! Good luck guys! Also go HERE for my exclusive interview with Enation. 

Jason Castro is now a daddy!

Yesterday, Jason Castro and wife Mandy welcomed their baby girl, Madeline Emilia Castro, to the world! 

Jason tweeted this picture with the caption Daddy's Girl:

Congrats to Jason and Mandy!

Some of Jason's Idol buddies tweeted their congrats as well:

Album Review: Sunny Hilden - You Are Here

I predict, you'll find this album sunny with a chance of inspiration!

Sunny Hilden is a popular songwriter who's written for numerous artists such as David Archuleta, Sting, Patti LaBelle and more. Yes, her album was released in 2007 and I'm reviewing it now, but is there really a time limit on discovering music? Especially music as great and uplifting as the songs on her album You Are Here. I'll admit, I didn't know of Sunny Hilden before I knew of her writing credit on David Archuleta's song "Dream Sky High", but better late than never right?

This album has it all, pop, ballads, even a holiday tune. My personal favorites are the deep "If You Knew Now", the funky and creative "VIP (Very Inspired Perceptions)" and the upbeat "It's All Behind Us Now". This album has a song for any mood, enlightening lyrics and will definitely inspire!

Not only is Sunny's writing inspirational, but her voice soars high up past the clouds and to the angels ;)

You can listen to song clips and purchase "You Are Here" at CDBaby.com!

Concert Review: Port Chuck - End of Summer Tour

Being a General Hospital fan for over three years and a newly Port Chuck fan, when I heard the guys were coming to Boston during their end of summer tour I had to go! And they did not disappoint last night at their show in Boston, and neither did the crowd! Steve Burton, Brandon Barash, Bradford Anderson (who wore a Boston Red Sox shirt!) and Scott Reeves of General Hospital put on a great concert with lots of surprises, singing some new rock covers including classics from Journey and Michael Jackson, along with songs from their album.

Each with their own distinct voices and hilarious personalities, it made for one awesome show! Towards the middle of their set, the guys took it down a bit as Scott got out his guitar and sang "Hallelujah" and sweetly serenaded a young girl for her 14th birthday. They played songs from different decades and classics anyone would know, and they put on a show that everyone would enjoy. Eventually the guys sang one last song and then left the stage, but I noticed no one in the audience was leaving and neither was the band, and that's when I knew it wasn't quite over yet. After the crowd cheered louder than ever, suddenly the intro to "Jessie's Girl" started playing and the guys came out to perform their encore of the Rick Springfield (who was on GH as Dr. Noah Drake/Eli Love) hit.

The concert was fast-paced and nonstop music, and those four guys are very energetic and playful on stage together, even introducing each other as their General Hospital character names! You can tell they love what they're doing and really enjoy each other's company. As for the audience, they were super energetic and enthusiastic, and you could really see how much everyone in the crowd loves these guys!

Reviewing a Port Chuck concert is hard as each show they put on is unpredictable, but I can guarantee you'll enjoy it whether you're a General Hospital fan or just a fan of great music!

David Cook & Gavin DeGraw are hitting the road together!

David Cook just announced on twitter that he will be co-headlining a tour with Gavin DeGraw! The two are similar in ways, it should be interesting seeing what the two have up their sleeves!

Port Chuck has kicked off their tour!

Port Chuck kicked off their end of summer tour this past Tuesday in Nashville, then made a stop in Chicago last night and have a show tonight in Cincintucky! Check out this vid of the General Hospital guys performing Rick Springfield's (aka Eli Love on GH) "Jessie's Girl" in Chicago!


Credit to gcarmichael55

And tomorrow night the guys are headed to my hometown of Boston! See ya there guys! And come back soon for my review of their concert!

Credit to Mavery29

Also be sure to go HERE to see if the guys are going to a city near you!

Brooke White & Jack Matranga film their music video for "Double Trouble"!

These pictures were posted on the Jack and White facebook from their day of shooting their new music video for "Double Trouble" off of their new Gemini EP.

Demi Lovato performed "Skyscraper" on tonight's America's Got Talent!

Amazing!


Credit to LovatoPage

Album Review: Jack and White - Gemini EP

I've made a lot of posts regarding this new, highly anticipated EP, and that's only because I was just as excited for it as everyone else! Jack Matranga and Brooke White come together as Jack and White and they definitely don't disappoint! The simple, yet unique song titles like "Telephone Games" and "Inside Outside" already draw you in, not to mention the distinct and cheery sound of the music! Brooke always has this sound to her voice that is so one-of-a-kind, so calming and puts you in a good mood, while Jack brings a little something extra to these already great songs. The rawness and genuineness of this album is apparent in these songs, and with it's folk-pop vibe and the incredible lyrics, this new EP gets a thumbs up for me!

Jack and White Gemini EP available & pre-order Seth MacFarlane's new album!

Be sure to give a good, long visit to itunes today for some really great music!

First up is the Jack and White Gemini EP that's available today! Jack Matranga and Brooke White put their individual uniqueness together for this genuine, cheery new album! You can read my review of their title track "Gemini" HERE and you can get the EP on itunes today!

While you're buying that, also be sure to pre-order Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane's new album Music Is Better Than Words! Seth has already lent his singing voice to countless of Family Guy episodes, and is now releasing his new album, which includes duets with Sara Bareilles and Norah Jones! This album has almost a modern day Sinatra vibe with the swing sound and Seth's slick voice. The album will be available on September 27th and you can pre-order it HERE!

Jack and White premiere "Telephone Games" from their new Gemini EP!

Brooke White and Jack Matranga posted this video of them performing "Telephone Games" off of their new Gemini EP, out tomorrow!



What do you think? I've always loved the vibe of Brooke and her music, and this song is just another example. Hearing her voice just puts you in a good mood, doesn't it? And being introduced to Jack Matranga through their new EP has been great. Can't wait for this EP!

Big Time Wedding is trending worldwide!

Pun intended.

But the Rushers got Big Time Wedding trending worldwide on twitter for the new Big Time Rush episode tonight!

Big Time Wedding premieres at 8pm EST on Nickelodeon!

Happy Birthday Demi Lovato!

Demi Lovato turns 19 today! What better way to celebrate her birthday than for her to post this new promo picture for her new album!

Hope Demi has an awesome birthday!

Interview with the band Enation

Enation is the independent, soulful rock band consisting of five very talented guys, one being the Emmy winning General Hospital star Jonathan Jackson. Along with Jonathan is his brother Richard Lee, brothers Michael and Luke Galeotti and Daniel Sweatt. Together they form the band Enation.


With the release of their new album My Ancient Rebellion approaching, Richard Lee was nice enough to set up this interview with the guys where they discuss how the band got it's name, their involvement with the organization Not For Sale and will Enation ever perform on GH? 

Where did the name Enation come from?

Richard Lee: The name didn't come easy. We kicked around a lot of ideas, trying to find a name that seemed to capture something about us. When Enation came up, we liked the meaning, which is most commonly used as a botany term for an unusual outgrowth. We liked the idea of Enation being something that grows sort of organically. The Latin root of the word means to 'bring forth', or to birth. The idea in Enation is that it's not something we are steering, but something we are trying to keep up with, allowing the natural process to unfold.  

What was the journey like becoming an independent band?

Richard Lee: We've always been independent so it's all we've known. There are a ton of amazing things about being independent; you get to create with total freedom, you get to control your schedule, you get to present yourself in the truest possible way without a middle man looking over your shoulder. The downside is that it requires a tremendous amount of work doing everything essentially on your own without a label backing. It creates some heavy lifting so to speak. But in many ways it's worth it. We aren't opposed to having label support, but it would have to be under the right conditions. 

Richard, what do you want your listeners to feel when they hear your music?

Richard Lee: I hope they feel that it's coming from a very genuine place in our hearts and that it can connect with them in some way. We like to say that Enation is all about changing atmospheres. So I hope that when someone listens to an Enation album it changes the atmosphere. Music has the power to change our mood. It has the possibility to give us a new vantage point on life. I hope Enation's songs can play a part of that process in someone's life. Ultimately to bring a sense of hope amidst the brokenness all around us.  

Michael, what’s your favorite song to perform?

Michael: Enjoying the performance of a song comes down to a couple of specific factors for me; the part I am playing, the connection I feel with my band mates and the effect the song has on the listener. At this moment I would have to say my favorite song to perform is "World In Flight". I love how it draws the listener in, each member of the band seems to be fully in the song and I enjoy my specific part.

Part of the proceeds from your new album My Ancient Rebellion are going towards the organization Not For Sale. How did Enation get involved with them?

Richard Lee: Our involvement with Not For Sale first and foremost came when we realized that modern-day slavery is actually an issue we have to deal with in our day. It's hard to believe that people are still being sold into slavery all around the world, America included. The relational and organizational connections came through a couple channels. We were first introduced to them when Jonathan began writing some music for the independent film, "Not Today", a film about a young man's journey from apathy to compassion as he is confronted with the horrors of human trafficking during a trip to India. From that involvement with the film, NFS invited Enation to be a part of their 2010 Global Forum on Human Trafficking, and we were blessed to be able to play a few songs during the concert portion of the event. The next channel came through a connection with a businessman we met who knew a lot of the people at NFS and he got us in touch with them to keep dreaming out loud about what we could do together, and that's where our current involvement with them is at. We are going to be partnering with them again at their 2011 Global Forum and have more ideas in the works. It's exciting to know that simply by being who we are, and that goes for anyone, we can all lend our voice to help end this atrocity and be a part of the modern-day abolitionist movement. (visit: www.NotForSaleCampaign.org)  

Enation got to perform at this year’s GH Fan Club Weekend, what was that like?

Jonathan: It was great performing in front of the fans again, in an intimate setting like that. Our full on rock shows are meant to be epic and anthemic. When we get into a relatively small room like that we have to really focus on creating something that is both intimate and anthemic. It's the same intent with our rock shows, but we have to execute it differently which is a fun creative challenge. It's kind of like the difference between a film performance and a theatre performance.



Jonathan, you’ve gotten to perform on General Hospital a while back. Any chance Enation will ever perform on GH?

Jonathan: We had our song "Eyes of Grace" on the show last November and the response from the fans was amazing. I'm not sure if the band will actually play on the show, but we're open to it. Finding ways to incorporate our music in film and TV has always been something Enation is passionate about because our music seems to fit so well within a cinematic context. 

Daniel, what do you think has been Enation’s greatest accomplishment so far?

Daniel: Well, I think our greatest accomplishments are still to come, but that’s not to say we haven’t accomplished quite a bit so far. I think the one thing that stands out isn’t a concert or an album or a sales figure. I think, at this point, us still being here, still pushing, still making music, still being true to who we are. Despite all the junk that might have caused other bands to split up, or cause their friendships to suffer, we have stuck through it. I would say that we are tighter as a band and as friends than we have been at times in the past, even though we are in different parts of the country most of the time. That to me is a pretty amazing thing, and I think it is important for us to remember.

Luke, choose one word that describes Enation’s music.

Luke: Choosing only one word to describe our music is a little bit challenging, but for me Enation represents, in a lot of ways I guess, truth. I think at times we are a great reminder for people through our lyrics and our actions that there is good in this world, and you can choose to be a light for others, to see that truth as well. Standing up for others is the call that I feel is on Enation. We choose freedom. 

Any message to all of yours fans?

Richard Lee: THANK YOU. We really have the most amazing fans. They are not only passionate about our music, but they are also passionate about making an impact on this world. They're called Enation Army. We like to say that Love is an Action. Enation Army is really about being an army of compassion, a source of hope and love in this often dark world. We hope our lives, and our music, are about something greater than ourselves. 

To all of our amazing fans around the world, thank you. Our new album 'My Ancient Rebellion' is due out October 11th, plus we'll be releasing a single on iTunes ahead of that in Sept. We're really excited about that. The album has, as Jonathan likes to say, "musical landscapes and deep places of the heart." We hope you all pick it up and let us know what you think. We are also playing some concerts in Oct. in CA in partnership with the Not For Sale Campaign. We are really looking forward to meeting many of you on tour in the coming months and hearing your thoughts about the new album.  

Video all about Enation's new album 'My Ancient Rebellion':

http://bit.ly/ancientvid

Connect with Enation! 

http://www.EnationMusic.com

http://www.Facebook.com/EnationMusic

http://www.Twitter.com/EnationMusic

http://www.iTunes.com/Enation

Big thanks to Richard Lee, Jonathan, Michael, Luke and Daniel for taking the time to do this interview! You can get Enation's new album My Ancient Rebellion on October 11th and be sure to keep coming back to Mindful of Music for more reviews and news on the band!

Sugarland pays tribute to the Indiana Fair victims

Sugarland resumed their tour and took the stage in Albuquerque where they paid tribute to the victims of the Indianian Fair tragedy. Watch below as they all take a moment of silence in their honor:


Credit to Allenpwnsu3

Watch Demi Lovato perform "Skyscraper" live at the Do Something Awards!

Demi not only won the Charity Song award for her duet of "Make A Wave" with Joe Jonas, but she also performed her new single "Skyscraper" at the 2011 Do Something Awards!


Watch below as the emotion pours from Demi as her voice soars stronger than ever throughout her performance:



Credit to tiastarz13

Josh Groban to guest star on The Office?

According to Deadline.com, the breathtaking singer Josh Groban has been cast as Andy Bernard's (Ed Helms) brother on The Office! Though they both sing, considering Andy on the show is mostly an a capella songbird and Josh is more operatic pop, it'd be interesting to see what's in store for these two on the show this coming season!

More details to come!

Song Review: Jack and White - Gemini

When you put the cheery-voiced Brooke White and Indie-pop singer-songwriter Jack Matranga together, it's pretty obvious what you'll get: a laid back yet joyous pop duo. And that's exactly what they are in their song "Gemini" from their new EP of the same title.

They're ease and free spirits definitely come through in this song that's beaming with a light only Brooke can bring to a song. These two are so unique on their own, that together, they bring a whole new meaning to spirited music.

Unlike the song says, these two definitely know who they are with their music and I can't wait to hear the rest of their album!

Song Review: Preston Powis - Let Me In

Between The Osmonds, David Archuleta and Benton Paul among others, Utah seems to be swarming with talent! Now make way for the latest Utah native breaking out into music, Preston Powis!

Preston's debut single "Let Me In" was written by himself along with pop singer David Archuleta and popular vocal coach Dean Kaelin. "Let Me In" is the perfect mix of a pop ballad with a touch of an orchestral sound, along with Preston's unique and enchanting voice; and all together makes for a great song.

While the song starts off with just a piano and eventually goes into a cello and violin, making for a more theatrical vibe, you're able to delve right into the feeling of this song. Preston's refreshing and captivating voice in this song draws you in as the music attracts many different musical tastes.


"Let Me In" is now available on itunes and you can check out Preston's new music video for the song below:

Enation announces their new album track list!

Via @EnationMusic:

Official Track List for 'My Ancient Rebellion'

1. Ad Gloriam

2. Beneath the Surface

3. Prodigal

4. The Salvation of One

5. The Solution

6. The Streets of Hyderabad

7. Breathe On Me

8. I'm In Awe

9. Tears of Hope

10. Forgiveness

11. The Rushing Wind

12. Out of Silence

13. Basileia tōn Ouranōn

Awesome! Can't wait for the album! And stay tuned for my exclusive interview with the band!

Go see Port Chuck on tour!

As Port Chuck's Bradford Anderson tweeted, check out this video then go see them on tour starting next week!



Go HERE for tour dates and info! I'll be at the Boston show, can't wait!

Ramiele Malubay covers Adele's "Someone Like You"

Ramiele took to youtube this past weekend to sing a beautiful rendition of Adele's "Someone Like You" with AJ Ke accompanying her on keyboard. Though she just recovered from losing her voice for almost a month, Ramiele sounds amazing as usual!

Katharine McPhee stars in new NBC show Smash!

Katharine McPhee has come a long way from American Idol as she ventures out onto television in the new show Smash, about two struggling performers competing against each other to make their way onto Broadway. Smash will premiere on February 6, 2012 on NBC! Watch a preview below:

Demi Lovato reveals new album title on twitter!

Demi took to twitter Friday night to reveal the title of her upcoming album!

Demi's new album Unbroken comes out on September 20th! When the news broke on Demi's facebook this new pic from a recent photo shoot was posted along with it:

Looking great, Demi! Can't wait for the album!

Scotty McCreery & Lauren Alaina premiere new music videos + their debut albums release dates!

American Idol winner and runner-up Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina both recently premiered their new music videos for their singles. Scotty's "Love You This Big" video premiered on Tuesday:




While Lauren's "Like My Mother Does" video premiered the next day:



The two country singers announced the release dates of their debut albums today on Good Morning America. Scotty's Clear As Day will be out on October 4th and Lauren's Wildflower will be released a week later on October 11th.

New Mormon Tabernacle Choir holiday CD/DVD featuring David Archuleta!

Last year David Archuleta took the stage with Utah's famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, along Michael York, for four glorious Christmas concerts.

This September you can celebrate Christmas early and have the those remarkable holiday performances right in your very home as the Mormon Tabernacle Choirs releases their new holiday CD and DVD "Glad Christmas Tidings", featuring special guest David Archuleta.

Following up last year's holiday set "The Wonderful Time of the Year" with guest Natalie Cole, it's no doubt that this year's release will be just as dazzling. If David Archuleta singing Christmas tunes on his own wasn't amazing enough, imagine how stunning it'll be to hear him sing classics like "Joy To The World" and "Silent" with the always passionate MoTab Choir performing with him.

"Glad Christmas Tidings" will be released on September 6th and is available for pre-order on Amazon now!

World premiere of Taylor Swift's "Sparks Fly" music video!

Taylor Swift premiered her new music video for "Sparks Fly" tonight on her official website! Check out the new tour-themed music video below:


sf from Taylor Swift on Vimeo.

Look out for Chris Richardson in Tyga's new song "Far Away"!

Listen for Chris Richardson's new husky, yet endearing sound as he sings the chorus in rapper Tyga's new song "Far Away"! Chris has come a long way vocally since his days on American Idol and proves it in this new song. Check it out below:

Check out Big Time Rush's new music video!

Check out BTR's new music video for their new single "If I Ruled The World"! The video showcases a mix of concert clips as well as behind the scenes and fan moments while on their current tour. Check it out:



Who's catching them on the rest of their tour? I know I am!

Enation's new album My Ancient Rebellion to be released October 11th!

Can't wait! Stay tuned soon for my exclusive interview with Enation!

Demi, Selena and Taylor bring in the surfboards!

It was a good night at the Teen Choice Awards for these singing sensations!

After performing her hit "Love You Like A Love Song", Selena Gomez took home a surfboards for Choice Music Single, Choice Music Group and Choice Love Song among others. Watch her performance below:


Credit to SexyCuteBieber

Taylor Swift also took home quite a few awards including Choice Female Artist, Choice Country Single, and Choice Break-Up Song as well as the "Ultimate" Award:



But the highlight of the night was probably Demi Lovato's two wins. Not only did she win for Choice Song of the Summer for "Skyscraper", but she won the newly created award from Acuvue, Choice "Inspire" Award:


Credit to WeWantCharice

Syesha Mercado in the new film Dreams

Watch American Idol Season 7 third placer Syesha Mercado break out into film in this trailer for the new movie Dreams.



If you want to see Dreams in theaters near you, Demand it HERE!

Glee 3D Movie premiere tonight!

All of your favorite Glee stars are hitting the red carpet tonight for the premiere of the Glee 3D Movie! 

 

Watch a trailer below and catch the Glee 3D Movie in theaters August 12th!

Interview with Bassist Dave Filice

Dave Filice has performed with lots of big artists such as David Archuleta, Bono and The Edge, Alex Band and so many more. After just coming back to the states after playing shows in Germany, Dave was nice enough to take the time to call and do this exclusive interview with me where he talks about how he got started playing the bass, what it was like performing on this year's American Idol finale and what he thinks of the response from David Archuleta's fans.



Thank you again Dave for the interview and good luck on all your future endeavors!

David Archuleta's TOSOD: Asian Tour Edition available on Amazon!

Last month David Archuleta re-released his sophomore album The Other Side of Down in Asia, calling it the Asian Tour Edition to promote his tour there. Now the new album is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be released on August 23rd.

This new album comes with 5 bonus tracks including his old hit "Zero Gravity" and his newest single "Everything And More", as well as three other brand new songs. Along with this new CD is a karaoke DVD with David's hits "Crush", "Something 'Bout Love" and more.

In my opinion, these brand new songs are not only super catchy, but all four show completely different sides and voices of David. Though David still says he's trying to find his sound, it's becoming clearer with each new song that he's getting closer and closer to finding it. Pop ballads are one of David's biggest musical strengths and these new ones are just examples of how soft and endearing his voice is.

You can pre-order The Other Side of Down: Asian Tour Edition HERE on Amazon.

Check out Blake Lewis' new single "Till We See The Sun"!

American Idol season 6 runner-up Blake Lewis is back with a brand new single off of his album Heartbreak on Vynal. Check out "Till We See The Sun" below, along with 6 new remixes of the song at beatport.com!

Blast from the past: David Archuleta - Crush

Here's a blast from the past for ya! Three years ago today David Archuleta's first single "Crush" premiered on New York's Z100!

Though it's been three years and David's had a lot of great singles since then, "Crush" tops them all. Making #2 on the Billboard 200 and selling 166,000 copies in it's first week, "Crush" was one of the biggest hits of 2008. A contemporary pop song, perfect for the then 17 year old crooner's break out into his solo career. "Crush" played night and day on airwaves all over the world for months during it's long run in 2008. And if radio wasn't enough, "Crush" was also used on commercials for the show Lincoln Heights and the 2008 film New in Town. Barely a show has gone by where David hasn't performed "Crush", it still be a crowd favorite, the audience singing along every time.

Now, with a little more confidence and an understanding of what he wants his music to be, the 20 year old singer has another new single on his hands, "Everything And More". Though David has a lot more experience and certainty in his own music, nothing will ever compare to the feeling and response everyone got from his debut single back in 2008.