Bridge The Atlantic

This week we’re joined by LA based singer, record producer, songwriter and engineer, Josh Stevens. As a producer and songwriter, Josh has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including LMFAO, Jennifer Lopez and Snoop Dogg. His works are Grammy Award winning, RIAA Platinum Certified and Billboard Award Nominated. Now Josh is taking center stage with the release of his own EP, Story Of Summer, due for release in the fall of 2015. The EP features performances from Captial Cities’ Spencer Ludwig and The Foo Fighters’ Drew Hester.Highlights:- Josh tries his hardest not to look like an idiot as much as possible- Josh and Marcio haven’t had much sleep- We mention Michael Bolton way earlier than usual in this episode- Josh tells us how he always wanted to do music and started out in a hip-hop group with his brothers- Josh doesn’t want to be the dumbest person in the room, and is always learning- We hear about Josh’s experience working with LMFAO- Ross shares a story about hearing LMFAO for the first time when he spent 3 months in the US- The first time Josh met Red Foo from LMFAO, he was wearing nothing but a speedo- We hear about how Josh and the rest of the group were chased down the street in Paris- Josh tells us about his approach to writing his own EP, “Story of Summer” and tells us about the darker, lonelier side of being a performer in the music industry- We hear how Josh is more willing to take risks with his own material rather than asking another artist to take a risk- We discuss the importance of honesty and purpose in music- Josh shares that all the successful artists he knows have a similar mindset- Josh tells us a story about 100 drunk people doing yoga in the morning on the LMFAO tourAdvice:- Always be open minded to all genres of music- When working in the entertainment industry, you have to be responsible for what you’re putting out there- Don’t give up in what you believe - if you know you’re talented and passionate, keep going- Success comes when you withstand and sustain- Focus on the out rather than the inside of the music industry- Promote what you love and ignore what you don’t- Keep negative energy out of your process- Don’t be scared to fail and to try new things- It’s ok to fail, but learn from it - fail fast- Show people respect when respect is dueArtist Links:- Website: iamjoshstevens.com- Twitter: @iamjoshstevens- Facebook: /iamjoshstevensSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re excited to welcome Los Angeles based musician, actor and model, Malynda Hale to the show. Malynda is a multi-talented performer, classically trained in both vocal performance and musical theatre. In her music career, Malynda has won many independent awards and has released 3 studio EPs to date. As an actor, she can be seen in several major and independent film projects, including The 4th Meeting, and Oranges, and is also working on a new TV series, Agent X. Malynda co-hosts The Vampire Diaries After Show on The Stream.tv and serves as the main host for The Walking Dead After Show. She is a spokesperson for vegan makeup company Valana Minerals and is the founder of The meTOO! Campaign, which promotes equality for marginalized couples. Her new EP Pieces Of Me is due for release in late October, 2015.Highlights:- Malynda uses vegan soul food to introduce her friends to veganism- We learn that Malynda thought she wanted to pursue musical theatre, but enjoyed pop and soul more- Malynda trained in opera and the techniques she has learned have given her the stamina to perform for a long time- We talk about the misconceptions that people have about getting vocal lessons - they don’t change your voice, they just teach you how to use it!- Malynda gives us a big piece of advice - don’t move to Chicago in the winter- We talk about how asking for help can free you up to work on other things- We’re all examples of control freaks… but it’s important to know when to delegate and ask for help- Malynda tells us about her upcoming EP and what we can expect from it- We talk about how being an eclectic artist can help to increase your reach- Marcio personally insults Malynda by not knowing who Gavin DeGraw is- Ross sets Malynda a challenge to record a mashup of a Michael Jackson and Michael Bolton song - and she accepts!- Ross shares his concerns about why he doesn’t want to watch Game of Thrones - and Malynda shared the same concerns, but loves it- Malynda tells us why she became a vegan, and why others should consider itAdvice:- Put away your pride and don’t be afraid to ask for help- Showing your personality and being transparent attracts the people you want to have around you- Being authentic is the best way to build a fanbase that really care about you- Stop comparing yourself to other peopleRecommendations:- Meg Myers (Music)- Gavin DeGraw (Music)- Lianna LaHavas (Music)- London Grammar (Music)- Leon Bridges (Music)- Game Of Thrones (TV)- Forks Over Knives (Film)- Valana Minerals (Vegan Makeup)- Skinny Bitch (Cookbooks)- Vegan with A Vengeance (Cookbook)- It’s All About The Flavour (Vegan Food Blog)Guest Links:- Website: http://malyndahale.com- Twitter: @malyndahale- Instagram: @malyndahale- Facebook: /malyndahalemusicSponsor:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re pleased to welcome Detroit based musician and producer, Brandon Williams to the show. Brandon is one of the premiere drummers on Detroit’s live music scene and is well known in the industry for his ability to play play numerous instruments and for his versatile repertoire. In 2009, he collaborated with Vickie Winans on How I Got Over. The album earned him 9 Stellar Awards nominations including one win, a Grammy Award nomination, and a NAACP Image Award. As a producer he has lent his hand to such artists as Jazmine Sullivan and Jay Electronica, and his production work can be heard in commercials such as the 2015 “Honda Fit” TV commercial featuring Questlove of the Roots. His debut solo album XII reached #1 on the UK Soul Charts in February 2015, and has received much critical acclaim.Highlights:- Brandon is all about the love- When it comes to production, the song is most important- We talk about the role of a producer vs a beatmaker and how the lines have become blurred- You can’t compare someone who plays around in Fruity Loops with someone like Timbaland- Brandon talks about J Dilla’s work ethic and how he built a studio around him while he worked- Brandon tells us how his approach to each record is different depending on the genre and artist- Brandon is old school in the way he collaborates - and we like that!- We talk about Brandon’s latest album, XII- Ross shares a fact about Japan’s CD buying habits- Brandon likes to have fun in the studio - he’s serious about his work, but also likes to enjoy it- One of Brandon’s favourite genres of music is country music- Brandon finds our 20 Questions section really rough - but he makes it through!Advice:- Keep your ear, mind and heart open to the music- Be open to change - what you have in mind might not be what works best- Be serious about what you’re doing- It’s a producer’s job to get the best out of an artist- If you want to be a producer, be a student of music - listen to as much as you can and learn from itGuest Links:- Website: bwilliamsmusic.com- Twitter: @bwilliamsmusic- Instagram: @bwilliamsmusic- Facebook: /bwilliamsmusicSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)More:- More episodes at http://bridge-the-atlantic.com- Follow us on Twitter: @bridge_atlantic- Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're joined by director, musician, and the newly crowned Mantra King, Nathan Johnson. Nathan is a Los Angeles based composer, producer, director, and songwriter, known for his unconventional work in film and music. Some of his composition credits include his work on films such as Brick, Looper and Don Jon, and most recently he directed Son Lux’s music video for “You Don’t Know Me” starring Tatiana Maslany. As a songwriter, Nathan is part of the atmospheric pop band Faux Fix and fronts the The Cinematic Underground.Highlights:- We all agree that Tatiana Maslany is AWESOME- Nathan’s family have always made music and movies together- “Every kid is an artist - some of us grow up and stop being artists and some of us are crazy enough to continue doing it” - Marcio Novelli, 2015- Nathan still works with his brothers to this date- Nathan once interviewed in his underwear- Nathan loves the idea of creating something awesome from lots of little things that are all around us- “The best camera is the one you have with you” - Chase Jarvis- We talk about the music video Nathan worked on for Son Lux’s track “Change Is Everything”- Ross and Marcio want to be friends with Tatiana Maslany- Ross could talk about Orphan Black all day, but probably shouldn’t- Nathan talks about the inspiration behind Son Lux’s “You Don’t Know Me” video and the importance of trust and collaboration- Nathan gives us some of the clearest and most concise advice we’ve ever received on the show- Nathan hates both Ross and Marcio- Nathan is The Mantra King and should write a bookAdvice:- Have mutual trust and excitement for those you work with- Everyone needs to take responsibility and do some research beforehand- It’s all about who you know RIGHT now - create with the people you already know and build a body of work- The more you do, the more doors you will open- You don’t have to play by their rules if you don’t require their rewards- If you really care about doing something, you can find a way to scale back other areas of your life to make it possible- We are hired for the work that we’ve done, not for the ideas that we have- Keep making things!Recommendations:- Under The Skin (Score)- Ex Machina (Film)- Upstream Color (Film)- Holy Motors (Film)- Black Mirror (TV)- Humans (TV)- Orphan Black (TV)- Sense8 (TV)- Ólafur Arnalds (Music)Guest Links:- Website: http://nathanj.com- Twitter: @ntjohnson- Instagram: @natronicaSponsor:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic--This week we’re joined by serial songwriter Shelly Peiken. Shelly is a multi-platinum Grammy nominated writer behind massive hits such as “Bitch” by Meredith Brooks, “What A Girl Wants” and “Come On Over” by Christina Aguilera, “Elevator” by David Archuletta, and “Rotten to the Core” from the Disney’s Descendants. In addition to her songwriting work, she is well known as a mentor, panelist, consultant and guest speaker in the music industry. Shelly is currently working on her new book, Confessions of a Serial Songwriter, due for release in early 2016.Highlights:- Shelly has been writing songs professionally for 30 years- Shelly’s upcoming book “Confessions of a Songwriter” is due for release in early 2016- Past guest and friend of the show, Tam Hansson has a question for Shelly... and it's a great one!- One of the biggest challenges early in a songwriter’s career is getting in the door, especially when no-one knows your name- We hear how there are more songwriting camps now, where an artist may have a specific group of writers writing them vs the pitching process- Shelly tells us about the pros and cons of writing in a group- We hear about some of the highlights in Shelly’s career, including when Christina Aguilera’s “What A Girl Wants” hit #1 on the Hot 100 music chart- Shelly talks about balancing parenthood and work in the music industry- We talk about how Shelly feels her best songs have come from an authentic place vs ones that have been conjured to fit an artist- We talk about the trial and error process and how a lot of the time you have to try things to know whether they’re right or not- Shelly finds out 20 questions section impossible!- Marcio and Shelly bond over kale- Shelly compares us to Lennon and McCartney - we’ll take that!- Everyone should get onto Shelly’s Facebook page and we can all learn from each other!Advice:- Songwriters with name recognition haven’t always had name recognition- Don’t let rejection bring you down - keep going- When writing with other artists, it’s ideal if there is a common ground and the song will be more authentic- Be aware of everything that is out there because as a songwriter you may be put in a situation where you’re challenged to write something outside of your comfort zone- Go to every session when starting out - find out what you enjoy and what situations you’re giving your bestRecommendations:- Family of the Year (Music)- Brandy Clark (Music)- Tori Kelly (Music)Guest Links:- Website: http://shellypeiken.com- Facebook: /serialsongwriter- Twitter: @shelly_peikenSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re joined by LA based singer/songwriter, designer, international hugger and high fiver, Erick Macek. Erick’s tracks can be heard on shows such as Life Unexpected, Melrose Place and 90210, and his upcoming EP was produced by Grammy winner Mikal Blue, and features Dean Dinning of Toad the Wet Sprocket. Erick is also a designer, and is very hands-on in all aspects of his business - especially the design and branding side. We had an awesome time chatting with Erick about crowdfunding, video games, time management & music placements.Highlights:- We discover that we are all workaholics and feel guilty for relaxing- We talk about Erick’s love of video games - Ross and Erick bond over Final Fantasy VII- RPGs = Waste Your Life games- Ross shares a Final Fantasy related secret…- Erick tells us how personal connection played a part in getting his music placed on TV- We talk about how music placements can work and hear how there are many different options- We give Erick’s publicist a shoutout as the email she sent us was very impressive. Hey, Bettianne!- Erick tells us about his experience in crowdfunding and how he was opposed to it initially- With crowdfunding, you can create a more personal connection with your audience and learn who your biggest supporters are- We talk about how time management and how Erick manages to find a balance between all of the various projects and businesses he works on- Ross tests out some Czech on Erick and tells a story about how he accidentally offended someone with a word he was taught- Marcio shares a childhood story about speaking Portuguese (and not knowing what it meant)- Erick compares long running dramas (like Breaking Bad) to role playing games… you need to invest a lot of time!Advice:- On music placement: do your research about the licensing company- When reaching out to people, be personal and don’t make it all about what you want- If you’re sending MP3s, make sure all of your meta data is tagged and complete- Be as professional as possible - if you’ve done all the work beforehand, it makes life easier for everyone- Tag EVERYTHING you send out- Do your due diligence early on - it takes discipline, but it’s worth itRecommendations:- Amanda Palmer’s TED Talk (Video)- Citizen Cope (Music)- Special Sauce (Music)- G Love (Music)Artist Links:- Website: http://erickmacek.com- Twitter: @erickmacek- Instagram: @erickmacek- Facebook: /macekmusicSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton PresentsMore:- http://bridge-the-atlantic.com- Follow us on Twitter: @bridge_atlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Skylar is a transgender singer-songwriter, activist, educator, writer and artist currently living in Boston. Most often known on the internet as his pseudonym “Skylark” or “Skylarkeleven,” he began documenting his transition on YouTube in 2009 when he began hormone therapy, and as a result of his vlogs and written blogs has been invited to speak at numerous events across the United States. Skylar’s latest EP Tell Me A Story was released earlier in 2015, and there’s more music on the way. In this episode we talked about the importance of having a connection with your audience, songwriting, and how attitudes towards the LGBT community have changed over time. Enjoy!Highlights:- We all have a Skylar (or Skyler) in our lives!- Skylar tells us about transitioning from female to male, and how music helped him through the process- Ross always goes with his heart- We talk about the importance of being vulnerable when writing and performing music- Skylar tells us how he’s always been influenced by artists involved in activism- We get some exclusive news about Skylar’s upcoming EP, and how it includes a song written for a friend of Skylar’s- We hear how Skylar’s dad really got him into music and how it enabled him to express himself- Skylar talks about boundaries and knowing what you can share online- We talk about the LGBT Pride Month event at the White House that Skylar and around 300 other activists were invited- We talk about our admiration for Obama- Skylar tells us some common misconceptions that people have about the trans community- We talk about the attitudes towards the LGBT community in different countries and how they've changed over time- Marcio breaks 20 Questions- In this episode we talk more about Michael Bolton than we ever have before- Ricky Martin’s comeback wasn’t REALLY a comeback since Skylar didn’t know about itMore:- Full show notes at http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/049- Follow us on Twitter: @bridge_atlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re joined by live music producer and performance coach, Wade Sutton. Between co-authoring “The $150,000 Music Degree” with former Taylor Swift manager Rick Barker and working one-on-one with artists around the world via Skype, Rocket to the Stars' Wade Sutton has dedicated his life to helping artists ditch their day jobs in favor of careers in music. Wade teaches singers and musicians how to turn their live shows into a kick-ass experience resulting in fans buying more merchandise and increasing e-mail sign-ups. Wade dishes out some really valuable advice in this episode, so listen up!Highlights:- Wade and Ross have mastered the act of cyberstalking when researching clients and podcast guests- We hear how Wade organised a large scale singing competition, and how it helped guide him into the music industry- Wade tells us how the singing competition evolved into an artist development competition- We hear how Wade came into contact with Rick Barker, and how that led to them co-writing The $150,000 Music Degree- Wade tells us how a redundancy forced him to really dive into the music industry- Sometimes success (or lack of) can be down to the fact that artists haven’t been put in a do-or-die situation- Marcio tells artists to quit their day jobs and we talk about how hard it can be to be a full time musician and a parent- Marcio is not as nice as Wade- Wade tells us about an artist he worked with that he had to give a stern talking to…- We hear how Wade is emotionally invested in his artists and clients- Wade describes most singer/songwriter shows as obnoxiously boring, but has plenty of tips to make them awesome- We hear how beneficial house shows can be, especially when you’ve managed to create a connection with your audience- Marcio and Wade talk about the writing process, and Wade shares some tips he read in Stephen King’s book- You can get Wade’s book free at http://rockettothestars.com by signing up for the mailing listMore:- Read the full show notes at http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/048- Follow us on Twitter: @bridge_atlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re joined by Rod Thomas aka Bright Light Bright Light. Rod started his musical career busking on the London Underground, but has since evolved into an artist who combines strong songwriting skills with electronica, and has caught the attention of many of pop’s biggest names including Erasure, Ellie Goulding, The Pet Shop Boys and Elton John. Rod was invited on tour with Elton John in 2014, and Elton also performed on his single “I Wish We Were Leaving.”Highlights:- Rod is NOT called Rob - take note!- We hear about Rod’s connection with the 90s as it’s when he started buying music- Rod tells us about his experiences of busking on the London Underground- The feedback you get from people can often mean more than money- Rod tells us how he finds performing in front of big crowds vs smaller audiences- We hear how Rod was invited on tour with Elton John, and how 11 shows turned into 55- Rod tells us that Elton John is very supportive of new artists and often reaches out to those he enjoys to offer advice- The support from the people around you can make all the difference- Rod dislikes both Steps and S Club 7 (which is completely understandable)- Ross shares a story about getting a free Eternal CD from Pepsi- Rod and Ross are both confused that Marcio calls a can ring pull a tab… A TAB!?- Rod shares a beautiful Michael Bolton reference and Ross can’t think of a comeback- Rod asks Ross where the name Electric Kiwi comes from… and it’s one of the most boring stories you’ll ever hearMore:- Read the full show notes at http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/047- Follow us on Twitter: @bridge_atlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re joined by LA based singer/songwriter Brandyn Burnette. Brandyn attended NYU's Tisch School Of The Arts on full scholarship for musical theatre before being encouraged by his manager to travel the world and pursue his own music career. After meeting with music publishers and writing for other artists, Brandyn was discovered by Kara Dioguardi, who signed him as an artist, developed him & brought him to LA to record an album. His work has been nominated for a Juno Award and tracks he has written for artists have featured in top 40 charts around the world, including a #1 in Spain. Now focusing on his own material, Brandyn has a new EP due for release later this year and has just released a video for “I Wanna Be Free.”Highlights:- Marcio shares a tip: Don’t say you “dropped out of school to pursue music” - you LEFT school to pursue music. Big difference ;)- We learn that one of Brandyn’s first passions was acting- Brandyn tells us about his time at Warner and shares the reasons he became independent- We hear about the politics and priorities at major labels - it’s a tough business!- Brandyn shares his being let go from Warner allowed him to open up and say what he really wants to say with his music- We talk about the video for “I Wanna Be (Free)” and how it’s the first big statement Brandyn wanted to make post-Warner.- People who love independent music know what’s real and what isn’t- We agree that Brandyn’s girlfriend Molly needs a production credit on his video (make it happen, B!)- Brandyn tells us about his plans for his next video, and how it was inspired by a dream- Ross shares a story about how the album artwork for Tyler Hilton’s album “Indian Summer” was also inspired by a dream- We hear about a recent writing experience Brandyn had with a couple called Johnny Swim- Send us your music recommendations - we all want new music!More:- View the full show notes at http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/046- Follow us on Twitter: @Bridge_Atlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.