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INsiders Guide

INsiders Guide: Travis Thompson, Dion Todd, Jack Massic, MOTE, The Silver Lake Chorus and Chloé Caroline

Hailing from the suburbs of Burien, WA, buzzing rapper Travis Thompson threads together emotionally charged and evocative stories with each and every rhyme. He blasted onto the mainstream radar during 2017 after  earning the endorsement of fellow Pacific Northwest titan Macklemore who invited him to open up a sold-out North American tour and duet on a seminal performance during The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Capitalizing on this momentum, he rolled tape on his 13-track independent full-length YOUGOOD? and accompanying feature-length film. Appropriately, it premiered at a sold-out movie theater in his hometown. Along the way, “Need You” eclipsed 5 million Spotify streams with numerous other songs crossing the one-million mark. 2019 sees him positioned for stardom with a new deal for Epic Records and RUNAWAYS EP.

Following the success of his 2018 Top 50 Billboard hit ‘Remedy for Insanity’, Canadian pop/dance recording artist Dion Todd returns with his new single ‘Be Alright’. The track was released yesterday on all digital platforms as a 7-song EP featuring remixes by some of the world’s hottest DJs/producers: Dirty Disco, DJ Strobe, Lenny Fontana, Perry Twins, Guy Scheiman, and StoneBridge and Damien Hall. In just 24 hours, the EP has already hit #1 on the iTunes Canada dance album chart, #2 on the dance song chart, and is currently at #3 album sales for all genres combined!

Although it’s just getting its official release this week, ‘Be Alright’  has already been heating up the radio airwaves across Canada, including a premiere of the StoneBridge and Damien Hall remix on Sirius XM BPM on May 25th. A dance/pop gem with a breezy, laid back vibe, ‘Be Alright‘, is ready to be your fave Song of the Summer for 2019.

“At first glance, ‘Be Alright‘ sounds like a typical love song, but it actually has a much deeper meaning,” says Dion. “We wanted to really hit home with a message far beyond a couples relationship, or the ups and downs we’ve all experienced at some point with someone we love. The true message is actually much more powerful. It’s about overcoming our differences between race, religion, politics, skin colour, shape or size of a person, looking beyond the superficial of what’s on the outside, and focusing more about what’s on the inside. Something we’ve lost given the effects of social media. I’m excited for the release of the music video soon which I think really captures the essence of the message.”

With its early success at radio, ‘Be Alright’ seems poised to follow in the footsteps of Dion’s previous single ‘Remedy for Insanity’ (released October 2018) which landed on the Billboard Top 50 Dance Club Chart and topped the iTunes charts in Canada, hitting #1 on the iTunes Top 200 dance album sales chart. The single also hit the iTunes Top 200 dance sales charts in several countries including  #10 in Belgium, #48 in the UK, #50 in France, #54 in the USA, and #56 in Germany.

Hit singles are nothing new to Dion Todd, who first gained success with hits including ‘Maybe’, Magic‘, and a 2005 remake of Corey Hart’s megahit ‘Never Surrender’, all of which appeared on best-selling pop/dance compilation albums. After taking some time off to pursue an MBA at one of the world’s most prestigious universities, MIT, Dion made his return to the music industry in 2017 with powerful dance ballad, ‘Rocketship State of Mind‘, which was written and released to support a campaign to bring awareness to human trafficking and domestic abuse.

Dion Todd’s new single ‘Be Alright’ is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes and other digital retailers and streaming services.

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Miami-based Latin-Grammy nominated, Award Winning & Platinum EDM/Pop producer Jack Massic has released his newest single “#whatever” and accompanying video. With its Latin influenced rhythms, head-bopping beats and the mix of crashing electronic synths and acoustic instruments, “#whatever” is the perfect track to kick off the summer season. The empowering track was written by Jack Massic and Milena Berns with powerful vocals by Karen Inder. “#whatever” was mastered by The Mastering Palace’s legendary Dave Kutch (Camila Cabello, Alicia Keys, Jay Z, Justin Bieber, etc.) and mixed by Grammy-nominated engineer and producer Brent Kolatalo (Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars etc.).

The colorful and fun visual was directed by Colombian award-winning director Diego Andrade. The visual follows a dancer who is on her way to audition for a Jack Massic video. Though her day seems to start as a mess, it is soon turned around when she bumps into a dancing little girl, who brightens her mood, and the dancer, in-turn, goes on to brighten the view of the rest of the people in the video. The video closes with the dancer successfully
getting the role in Jack Massic’s new video. The video serves as the perfect visual for Massic’s motivational and empowering track, truly emphasizing the single’s message of never giving up and always chasing your dreams.
Jack Massic has worn many hats in the music industry, as a musician, songwriter, producer, and now, EDM producer and DJ. His previous accomplishments and accolades have awarded him multiple Latin Grammy nominations, certified Platinum and Gold albums, #1 hits on the radio charts and a tour with over five hundred shows in seven countries.

Nashville rocker, MOTE aka Joe Schneider is streaming new EP, Get The Door. MOTE says, I had no way of knowing what I was stepping into when I started writing what was to become the Get The Door EP. I knew I was on the right track when the first song Ravens appeared and I just kept on going from there. It became a deep journey into myself through some pretty incredible highs and lows. All I can say is I came out a better and stronger person and musician on the other side of it, and I got some really great songs out of the deal too.”

​Recorded over the course of two years, “Get the Door” marks a departure for Mote, towards a more direct and refined rock driven sound. Intertwined with a full spectrum of eclectic influences ranging from Hip-Hop and Dance to Folk. The travel ready sounds of Mote could easily find a home on the streets of Europe or the coastlines of California, a unique representation of the burgeoning diversification of the Nashville music landscape. From the bright punk undertones of “Day 2” to the ambient-alternative pulse of “World Wide Love”, Get the Door finds its anchor in the often ethereal and sometimes instrument like quality of Joe Schneider’s voice, delivering a message steeped in hope. Even in moments hued in a darker palette, like the mid-album folk twinge of “Ravens”, a hopeful overtone prevails in the overarching theme of the search for love and illumination in challenging times.

Originally planned to be created over the course of a year, a serious illness sidelined Joe Schneider from a blossoming career for over a year. Setting into motion a period of obvious challenges and an unavoidable atmosphere of reflection. Where some might find an easy escape in the bitterness of a road block of this nature, “Get The Door” serves as proof of the unwavering optimism of Mote and it’s center point Joe Schneider. Like the first light refracting against the water on a foggy morning, these seven songs feel like a call to wake up, and spare a moment for hope that is always available. 2019 serves as a new launch point and rebirth for Mote, with “Get The Door” being the first step towards what is sure to be a resonant future.

This is the new original song and video by Lucius written exclusively for the choir, sung by The Silver Lake Chorus. Entitled ’Not Not’ the single features melodic and emotive heartbreak and follows the songwriters’ lead, singing in perfectly aligned unison, as Lucius’s frontwomen are known to do. The Silver Lake Chorus performs choral arrangements of indie music and exudes both the edgy, independent spirit of Silver Lake and the heart of community choral singing. The collective has previously performed original tracks written exclusively for the chorus by artist such as Sia, Tegan and Sara and Bon Iver.

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Chloé Caroline has big plans in 2019 with the release of her new single “Messy” on June 7th. With its biting lyrical commentary, she touches on a range of issues from the effects of social media to the darker subject of opioid addiction. With a spoken word-esque verse delivery, the song is blunt and honest but there remains a hopeful/upbeat tone thanks to the signature guitar riff and the resolving hook. Per the title, “Messy” is about celebrating life against all of its–well, messiness. Chloé says, “All of our lives are messy in their own ways–the ups and downs of life are what mold our stories. But it’s easy in a world with so much noise (cough: social media) to get bogged down with comparison and expectations. This song is meant to unify people through our messiness and celebrate the strength it takes to keep moving forward despite the struggles.”

Chloé’s music life is in constant motion and the past year is no exception, writing and recording over 75 songs in Nashville and Los Angeles, and now on her journey to Karma Sound Studios in Thailand to continue that creative process with a variety of heavy hitters from Southeast Asia and the UK. She also acted in the feature film “Love Of Course”, wrote and performed the film’s soundtrack, and did several key live TV performances in Los Angeles and Nashville. 

A music video will accompany the single, set to be released on Friday 14th June. Chloé will tour throughout 2019 with residencies in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and festival dates throughout North America.

neillfrazer@hotmail.com

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