Category Archives: Published Articles

From Barbados to Bliss

vita-chambers

Few can say they launched their music career after a week on MySpace. Few are Vita Chambers. After interviewing the teen pop singer in between recording sessions and before her tour began with Justin Bieber this summer, I couldn’t help but be excited for this rising star in the music scene.

It was also great to meet (albeit by phone) such a genuine person who truly loves music and empowering young people. She’s a real teenager who’s getting to live her dream, even if it means that she had to see Eclipse with her dad because her friends live in Barbados. (And, for the record, she refuses to choose Team Edward or Team Jacob, because she likes them both so much. Too cute!)

Below you’ll find the article I wrote for her feature on Hear It Now.

A MySpace Fairytale Come True

Originally Published for ChannelOne.com, July 2010

Image Via ChannelOne.com

Even pop stars are clumsy, just ask Vita Chambers, the Barbados singer about to tour for Lillith Fair this summer. “If you come to one of my shows you will see me trip, unplug a microphone or something funny like that,” Chambers said with a laugh in a phone interview. Despite her onstage mishaps, we’re sure she’s being modest about her shows — especially since she’s also touring with Justin Bieber this fall. “I opened for him at Pop-Con and I felt like I lost my hearing when he came on stage,” she revealed, “I can’t even begin to describe it. It was crazy!”

Vita Chambers’ Bieber fever experiences will increase to new heights on July 28, 2010 in Kansas City, MO, where the tour begins. “I’m so excited and I feel so blessed,” Chambers gushed. “My band and I are counting down the days. It’s been bliss since the day we found out.” To the public, Chambers’ career has been filled with fun, “bliss” and pink ballons like the ones from her “Like Boom” music video, however, the teen star’s rising success comes with a lot of hard work and some sacrifices.

After moving to the U.S. with her parents from Barbados last summer, she said it felt like vacation at first, to be living in White Plains, New York after signing with Universal Motown Records, but in the fall, her new life became real. Vita Chambers had been singing for years, but says she failed every music class she’s taken. Despite this, she’s always loved singing and decided to pursue formal training as a teen. Chambers spent eight months writing four songs and then created a MySpace page last February. A week later, the record company flew down to meet her in person. Since then she’s toured with her band and parents, making music videos and studying with her private tutor. “I get to go to school in my PJ’s,” she said giggling, “but I miss being in a big class and being with my friends.”

Luckily, with Facebook, Skype, texting and summer break in full swing — Chambers manages to keep in touch with friends just like a normal teenager. And she maintains that status pretty well, despite being so far from home and spending 10 hours a day in the recording studio. “I want my songs to have a message of empowerment — that was my main goal,” she said of her songwriting. To connect with Vita Chambers yourself, and to find out what it’s like on her tours she’ll be tweeting from the road @vitachambers. Don’t worry, she assured us: “It’s really me!”

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Aussie Transplant Finds New Roots

via-tania

I interview many musicians who visit the States from foreign countries and then find themselves wanting to stay and plant their music roots. For Tania Bowers, aka Via Tania, Chicago was the perfect place to let her music career grow.

From a Working Holiday to a Mainstay

Article Originally Published for ChannelOne.com, June 2010

“Chicago is like cement,” said Tania Bowers, a Sydney native who performs as Via Tania. “Once you get here, you stay.” In 1999, Bowers visited the U.S. from Australia to spend time with friends in Chicago. Since then, her “temporary working holiday” has turned into her new life in America as recording artist Via Tania.

“I think it’s more creative to have a slightly different name. It’s me, but not necessarily me,” she explained. “If you remove the ego, I’m producing this stuff, but only because it’s coming from somewhere else — another channel.” Adding, “I wanted a name that was really honest.”

Just last October she released her last album, Moon Sweet Moon a collection of electro-infused songs mixed with the acoustic sound that has defined her solo career — so far. After playing in a band named SPDFGH, a chemistry term, with her sister Kim Bowers and friends for seven years, she started a new project.

“I was pretty young,” said Via Tania in a phone interview before heading to Finland to work on her next album. “I think I was 15 or 16. We started to play at schools and battle of the bands.” By the time she was 21-years-old, the band broke up and she began recording at a friend’s makeshift studio. “I didn’t want to play loud music for a while. I wanted to play something really different,” revealed Via Tania, “that felt more quiet and acoustic.”

Songs like “Wonder Stranger” and “Fields” epitomize this melodic melancholy. Yet, for her next album, which she hopes to complete by the fall, she’s broadening to incorporate dance and DJ remixes. “I really like collaborating.” She said. Via Tania’s perpetual creative freedom and movement to new music genres keeps her inspired. Recently she played a show at Millenial Park with electronic band, The Books. “I’m super into The Books right now,” said Via Tania as she also listed several Ethiopian and Malian bands as her list of favorites.

“People want to get and hear personal and honest music,” shared Via Tania as she discussed her fascination with infusion music from North Africa. We can’t wait to see which new music territory we’ll find Via Tania next.

To find out more about this artist and listen to her music, visit Hear It Now.

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Freelance Whales Beach on Governors Island

freelance-whales

If you haven’t heard, there’s an amazing concert series in NYC on Governors Island this summer called “Gone to Governors.” Each weekend they have free shows. Coincidentally, I saw Freelance Whales perform there the same week we featured them on Hear It Now. Check out the article below to learn more about this amazing band that fills the Postal Service void, with a little something more…

From the Subway to the Stage

Originally published for ChannelOne.com, June 2010

Freelance Whales on Hear It Now

Indie rock band Freelance Whales met in Queens, New York in late 2008. They began playing music together mixing a diverse array of instruments with ethereal vocal tracks while rehearsing in the Farm Colony of Staten Island, a city landmark, throughout 2009. New Yorkers discovered their enchanting music echoing in the L train subway tunnels as the band played on station platforms, infusing the city with acoustic tracks with a dash of folk. Like a laid back soundtrack for hip, urban life, songs by Freelance Whales transport listeners to a better place, whether that be their next destination on the subway or simply, a good mood.

Melodic and staccato sounds mix from instruments like the harmonium, banjo, glockenspiel, synthesizers, guitars, bass, tambourines and drums, for a quirky and polished vibe. Reminiscent of The Postal Service, Freelance Whales were dubbed “Band to Watch” by music site Stereogum and were a favorite among concertgoers and music critics at the music festival South by Southwest in 2010. “Amazingly, Freelance Whales are even more arresting live than they are on record,” said freelance music journalist and musician, Leo Maymind. “They exhibit the exuberance of a young band that feels lucky to be sharing ideas with their audience.”

Yan Yan Pei, who recently saw them live at the Bowery Ballroom in New York, agrees: “Freelance Whales are very energetic on the stage. Their indie folk style with a electro touch brought me on a harmonic, joyful journey. My friends and I enjoyed singing along with most songs.”

Band members Judah Dadone, Kevin Read, Doris Cellar, Jacob Hyman and Chuck Criss are currently touring the U.S. and Canada with the band Shout Out Louds, in honor of the release of their debut album, Weathervanes. Check out playful tracks from their eclectic LP like “Generator First Floor” and “Starring,” or for more mellow feel listen to “Ghosting.”

To see the original feature published by Channel One News and listen to streaming tracks, visit Hear It Now.

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Painting the Town Green

Image By Laura Crosta

“Can you hear the ocean?” asks Tania Elizabeth. “It’s so beautiful.”

Before taking a hike in the Back Bay National Refuge in Virginia, Tania chatted about saving the planet, changing bio-diesel fuel tank filters and touring with her band, The Duhks (pronounced “ducks”). With no shortage of cities to visit and environmental groups to meet, this fiddler not only gave us the skinny (via cell phone) on reducing your carbon footprint, she also talked music and how she strives to live green everyday.

“I’m a big advocate of organic foods and I’m a vegetarian,” added Tania. “It’s part of my everyday plan to eat healthy.”

It’s become easier in recent years to eat organic and local foods when Tania and the rest of the band from Winnipeg, Manitoba are on tour. “Seven years ago it was hard. Now it’s such a fad.” Though green is the new black — with celebrities and environmental agencies uniting to stop climate change and promote recycling — the Duhks were environmentalists before it became trendy. “We do it because it’s our passion.”

In addition to their own eco-endeavor, The Duhks Sustainability Project, they are currently partnered with several green groups like Clifbar’s GreenNotes Program, which helps them get in touch with local environmental groups and issues, so they can set up booths. “A lot of Duhks fans are environmentalists,” said Tania. “And they say thanks for the organic T-shirts we have at our concerts that they normally wouldn’t buy.” Did we already mention that the shirts are also sweatshop free?

Yet, minimizing their carbon footprint isn’t always an easy road to take. The band’s encountered their share of problems, particularly with their bio-diesel fueled tour van. “Really do the research on your vehicle. Make sure your diesel engine can handle it,” Tania said with a laugh. “We have to change the fuel filter every couple of tanks.”

Thankfully sites like BioDiesel.org help them find fill ups through GPS. “They’re super easy to find. It’s quite a different experience from hitting a regular gas station. Indie gas operators are always interested in seeing a band that uses bio-diesel,” explained Tania. “The people we meet are a huge highlight.”

Get tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint and listen to the band’s music here: http://www.channelone.com/life/the-duhks/

Article was originally published for Channel One News.

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An Old School Rock Star

Meeting lead singer Paul O’Keeffe from Intervurt is like getting a breath of fresh air from across the Atlantic. And the same goes for the band’s music.

Originally from Southeast London, band members Paul O’Keeffe (Vocals), Mark Alberici (Guitars), Oliver Alberici (Keyboards), Lee Wilton (Bass) and Scott Richman (Drums) form laid-back and closeknit alternative band, Intervurt.

“We’ve all known each other on and off for the last 10 years. We’ve done various things together in different combinations,” explained O’Keeffe, “and about six years ago we sort of cemented the lineup we have now. We started out as a dance oriented thing and it developed to rock and later, alternative.”

This very natural progression of the band’s genre stems from their many inspirations, creativity and the music they enjoy. “I’m a big fan of Radiohead,” said O’Keeffe. “I think Interpol are really, really good. And, I’m a massive Bowie fan, too,” said O’Keeffe, who’s been singing since he was two-years-old. The band also counts acts like U2, Massive Attack, Queens of the Stoneage and Muse, as music influences.

“We were lucky enough to play on the same bill as Depeche Mode, and they were really fun.” Yet, the band’s love for music and performing is unlike many of the latest indie acts you find on MySpace and Twitter. There’s something refreshingly old school about the band’s passion for touring and listening to other music.

For O’Keeffe, it’s about discovering music by word of mouth and embracing his nostalia for records. In fact, he began writing songs when he was 13-years-old, motivated by the lyrics on the pages of album sleeves. Now, he seeks unique ways of writing, while also embracing “molding” songs with each band member. Intervurt’s creative process is very collaborative, O’Keeffe writes the majority of the lyrics and melodies, Mark Alberici works out the chords and more new ideas with the help of his brother Oliver and bass player Lee Wilton. And, Scott Richman will add beats he likes.

“It’s like a bit of clay that we all poke and prod until it becomes ‘Intervurt.’ It needs everyone’s touch to sound like us, I think.”

When it comes to being onstage, this lead singer said, “We love playing live. It’s one of the things that comes most naturally to us. I think we’re much better live, than on record, but none of us are ever nervous and we just hang out and then it’s time to jump on. It’s cool.”

The band’s seemingly effortless performances and rehearsals, speak to their chemistry and passion for their music. To get swept away with the new band from across the pond, check out songs like “Union Square” and its music video below.

To find out more about this band, check out photos and songs at:

http://www.channelone.com/music/intervurt

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