Katja Glieson Reveals an Exclusive Look at Her Brand New Music Video!

BEAT100 can now offer an exclusive preview of Katja Glieson's newest music video release! The Australian songstress is set to officially release 'Look At Us' tomorrow but has kindly allowed her BEAT100 fans to view the official music video before the release date. Katja, a BEAT100 Ultimate Musician, was chosen by the A&R team as one of BEAT100's Picks of the Year 2014 and definitely seems to be living up to her title!Katja has shot to fame this year after starring as Princess Elsa in the viral YouTube video Disney Princess Rap Battle alongside Whitney Avalon. The comedy hit now has well over 23,000,000 views and has catapulted the singer and her own original pop tracks into the limelight.

Katja's newest track 'Look At Us' is set to be her most popular hit yet with an upbeat and catchy tune along with an eye catching music video that is sure to have all listeners on their feet. 'Look At Us' is set to form part of Katja's ongoing PRIDE festival tour and anti-bullying campaign. The young star performed on the main stage at LA PRIDE and CAPITAL PRIDE last year alongside worldwide superstars such as Jennifer Hudson and Rita Ora, as well as featuring on radio stations all over the US. The 'Look At Us' video also features YouTuber Zedakiah Koterba along with well-known drag performer ‘Ongina’, who shot to fame after being part of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Katja's newest track embodies female empowerment and celebrates being true to who you are and confidently inspires everyone to ‘look at us’. Katja has struggled with bullying and confidence issues throughout her life and now acts as an advocate for those causes that are closest to her heart. The 21 year old singer has only just overcome many of the challenges of her past, events that ‘go beyond bullying’, according to a recent blog post by the Aussie pop star.

'Look At Us' has deep meaning for Katja, speaking about the creation process for the song and video, the songstress states 'It is a celebration of overcoming deep pain and fear. Learning how to stand up for myself. As a young lady, trying to make her mark on the world. I have the right to be healthy and confident without asking for sexual harassment and assault. We have a right to speak up for ourselves. We don’t have to be sorry all the time and it is not our fault when we are the target of bullying or sexual harassment or assault. I am certainly not ever asking for it. And the only thing you need to change is knowing that you deserve to be heard and respected.'

In the new video, we hear Katja both singing and rapping, as well as performing the full choreographed dance with six other princesses (her dancers that also perform live with her). Taking inspiration from her previous success with the Disney Princess Rap Battle, the style inspiration for Katja and her dancers are those of the Disney princesses that have also stepped out and owned who they are - characters like Tianaand Esmerelda and Megara. To give them that ‘Modern Princess’ look, Katja reached out to Aussie fashion brand ‘Showpo’ as a sponsor, who were more than happy to provide their clothing for the girls. Katja has a strong admiration for the 'Look At Us' team, saying 'The people I have chosen to surround myself with are wonderful people. They are supportive of me as my true self. My dancers and choreographer are not only talented but are bright, beautiful souls who radiate love. I shared the spotlight in the video with the fabulous‘Ongina’ from RuPaul’s drag race, and the YouTuber Zedekiah, who has also been bullied growing up. These people made the experience very special and I can’t wait for you to see it.'

With 'Look At Us' set for official release this week, Katja is sure to have her hand's full with promotional activities and performances but we can also reveal that will we be seeing more of the Aussie pop star very soon as she is currently preparing for the release of a brand new rap battle featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar! Until then, you can grab an exclusive look at Katja's newest track and music video below as well aspurchasing the track from her website.....

Written for www.BEAT100.com

WITTERQUICK, Mara Tancu and Amy Monzon Top This Week's BEAT100 World Music Video Chart!

WITTERQUICK finish in the top spot of this week's World Music Video Chart with their hit original track 'TheOtherside'! The English band, based in Exeter, only formed 18 months ago but have already made a splash with their debut single gaining over 10,000 views since December. This popularity has also extended to theBEAT100 community; 'The Otherside' shot into the top 5 within its first week of chart entry, quickly rising to1st place just one week later! The upbeat rock track has racked up over 1300 views on BEAT100 alone as well as gaining three Gold Awards from the BEAT100 A&R team. All of the WITTERQUICK members have been part of various bands over the years, honing and developing their talents before finally combining their individual musical tastes 18 months ago. The group have since written over 20 original songs but only the best of the bunch make the final cut. They tell BEAT100 'We pick out the songs we love, the songs that have that energy in them that is so lacking in music for the last decade or so. With the response we’re getting, after only being active for a short while, it’s clear that we’re not alone. We have something that other bands don’t.' Influenced by rock sounds from the 70s and 80s, WITTERQUICK gain their inspiration from bands such as Guns and Roses and Pink Floyd, along with more modern bands who carry this classic rock sound into the 21st century, such as Biffy Clyro and Brand New. The fledgling musicians have made a great start to their musical careers and have gained a great response for their debut track 'The Otherside' which will officially be released on March 10th. Currently, WITTERQUICK are preparing for various support slots over the next few months and, most excitingly, are gearing up to record their debut EP in just three weeks time! Talking to BEAT100 about their upcoming busy schedule, WITTERQUICK say, 'We couldn’t be more excited to get these songs out, and because we’re unsigned we can release what we want, when we want.'

Second place in this week's chart was won by Romanian songstress Mara Tancu! Mara has won over theBEAT100 community with the sweet and strong vocals that she provides on a variety of cover songs. Her winning track this week is a passionate cover of 'Going Nowhere' originally by British girl band, Little Mix. The track has won her three Silver awards and currently has over 1300 views on BEAT100 alone. The young singer gains inspiration from her idol Christina Aguilera as well as other influential young female artists such as Pixie Lott and Little Mix. Mara says that she admires her idols and looks to them when recording her impressive cover tracks, however, she strives to develop her own style and add her own personal twist to her music. Mara tells BEAT100 'Music is my happiness. I feel a great pleasure just listening to it and I am so grateful that God gave me the necessary qualities to be able to sing. Although it's a cliché, MUSIC IS MY LIFE!'. Despite her young years, Mara has taken part in various national and international singing contests, proving her talent and finishing in the Top three in every single one! Mara has also gone so far to claim national TV fame after appearing on the international Next Star Romania contest which aired on one of the country's most popular channels. For now, Mara is working on honing her talent and challenging herself as much as she can in order to perfect her performance and develop her musical style. She aims to one day share the stage with her idols and we are sure that she is not very far away from achieving her goal!

Californian pop star Amy Monzon finished in third place this week with her debut original single 'Love Song'. Amy, from San Diego, California only released 'Love Song' at the beginning of the year but is already gaining amazing recognition, including three Gold awards from the BEAT100 A&R team! As a child Amy would often sing her favourite song, Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On', to her imaginary legions of fans and now it seems that Amy is well on her way to achieving her childhood dream. Amy's love for music continued throughout college after she joined a girl band in her freshman year. After leaving the band to focus on her studies, the budding singer decided to pursue a solo career after her graduation. Despite only beginning to post songs on YouTube one year ago, Amy has already performed at some legendary venues, including House of Blues, Whiskey a Go-Go and Gibson Amphitheater. She also enjoys regularly performing at a variety of venues in her local area and is steadily growing a solid fan base who love her upbeat pop style. Amy's winning track this week, 'Love Song' may have only been released a few weeks ago but the powerful pop production and catchy lyrics make it seem as if the young singer is a seasoned professional. We can see Amy progressing far in her music career and can't wait to see her in the charts again!

Written for www.BEAT100.com

BEAT100's Artists to Watch in 2015

2015 is set to be a brilliant year for music. BEAT100 chooses our favourite artists to look out for over the coming months.

Ryn Weaver

An artist that has appeared on many artists to watch lists over the last months, Ryn Weaver parachuted onto everyone’s screens last summer when her debut track ‘OctaHate’ went viral. With a fresh, poppy sound‘OctaHate’ made the previously unknown singer an overnight sensation after it was released on Soundcloud. It is no wonder that the track gained such amazing attention, co-written by Charli XCX and produced by the dream team of Benny Blanco, Passion Pit and Cashmere Cat, Ryn Weaver has some impressive names backing her as her fledging career takes off. Garnering over 30,000 plays in the first week, ‘OctaHate’ landed her at the top of Billboard’s ‘Emerging Artists’ charts. Born in San Diego, Ryn studied at NYU before dropping out after two years to pursue a musical career. This move has obviously paid off as the young artist recently signed to Indie label Friends Keep Secrets.

Raury

Raury is an eighteen-year old musical talent that is set to bring a completely new sound to our ears in 2015. Born in Atlanta, the young musician began rapping at just eight years old and taught himself to play guitar aged just eleven. The budding superstar has since written a song for the latest Hunger Games movie, made fans of rap idols Outkast and gained fourth place in the BBC’s Sound of 2015. His EP ‘The Indigo Child’ was released last year and assaults the ears with an amazing mix of RnB, Hip-hop, Funk and Soul. Brand new single ‘Gods Whisper’ (available below) delivers a beautiful and addictive tune, reminiscent of Kanyewithout all the annoying Kanye-ness. ‘Gods Whisper’ precedes Raury’s debut album, expected to be released later this year.

Intuition

LA based rapper Intuition has been on the scene for the past few years but hasn’t quite broken into the big time. Will 2015 be his year? With a soothing voice and captivating lyrics, the Alaskan born musician pulls in even the most rap hating listener with his mellow tunes. After releasing his first solo album ‘Stories About Me’ in 2007, the talented lyricist teamed up with producer Equilibrium for his second album ‘Girls Like Me’. Receiving rave reviews for their collaboration, the pair teamed up to create their own signature hip-hop infused rap. Their self-titled collaborative album was released in April last year and received rave reviews for their minimalistic approach and vibrant sound. The duo’s project together covers everything from girl-problems and bad habits to Intuition’s own father’s battle with Alzheimers.

Bea Miller

Bea Miller, an American child actress from New Jersey, is set to take the world by storm this year with her strong and sweet voice. At just 15 years old, Bea tackles Pop tracks like a seasoned professional. The talented young star came to the public’s attention after appearing on the second season of the X Factor USA under her full name, Beatrice Miller. Reformed as Bea Miller, she has now moved on to carve her own career and is currently signed under Hollywood Records and Syco Music. Her debut EP Young Blood was released in April last year with the lead single ‘Young Blood’ peaking at number two on the iTunes pop chart. Receiving amazing reviews for such a young performer, Bea has been breaking in her performance boots by opening for Demi Lovato on her recent Demi World Tour.

Jon Bellion

Jon Bellion delivers a unique blend of singing and rap style verses in his powerfully addictive tracks. Producing all of his own music, Jon creates a unique infusion of stripped back instrumentals with captivating electronic beats. The American songwriter, producer and rapper is currently signed with Visionary Music Group and has already started to build a successful career behind the scenes, writing the chorus toEminem’s hit track ‘The Monster’ and also co-writing and producing ‘Trumpets’ by Jason Derulo in 2012. 2015 may well be the year that Jon Bellion steps forward to take the limelight for himself, having recently released his third successful mixtape ‘The Definition’ which reached our ears in September last year and is now available for free download. Each song that Jon produces has its own unique sound meaning that there is something for almost every listener.  Newest song ‘Carry Your Throne’ couples powerful production with a cinematic music video to create a track that really packs a punch with the listener.

James Bay

With a voice that manages to be both beautifully soft and wonderfully gravelly at the same time, it is no wonder that James Bay has made it onto everyone’s ‘one to watch’ list over the last year. Apparently discovered after a fan uploaded a video of him performing in a Kentish Town pub, James Bay wowed Radio 1 listeners when he stepped in to perform a Live Lounge set after Lana Del Rey pulled out at the last minute. The BBC Introducing Artist has also performed on the Burberry runway and toured with superstarHozier in early 2014 and can next be seen performing in Camden’s historic nightspot KOKO in February. After releasing his second EP ‘Let it Go’ in May last year, the young artist shot to the Top 10 of the iTunes album chart. His latest single ‘Hold Back the River’ was released in November last year and has already gained massive recognition for his fearless vocals and obvious natural talent.

Written for www.BEAT100.com

BEAT100 Reviews 2014's Top Music Moments

2014 has been a great year for music, both highs and lows. The last year has become both Iggy Azalea’s break out year and the year that the Frozen soundtrack took the world by storm. With 2015 looming, the BEAT100 staff look back at our Top 10 memorable music moments from the past year.…

Dolly Parton Performs at Glastonbury Festival

This summer Dolly Parton secured herself as the unprecedented Queen of Glastonbury after a rhinestone-covered, foot stomping set in June. With outstanding audience numbers, Dolly dispelled the non-believers who doubted that the crowd would approve of the Country star’s presence at the festival. It seemed that all of the event’s 200,000 attendees turned up to see Dolly perform on the Pyramid stage and the Queen of Country did not disappoint, churning out classic after classic to the excited crowd. In a white, rhinestone covered trouser suit the 68 year old strutted across the stage with confidence, inspiring a solid hour-long sing along with the thousands of screaming fans. Parton then surprised the audience with an appearance from Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora with a rousing gospel-rock version of ‘Lay Your Hands On Me’ that garnered a great reception from the crowd. Dolly Parton’s Sunday afternoon slot wowed the crowds and the critics alike and is sure to go down in Glastonbury history.

U2 Causes Outrage After ‘forcing’ Album onto Millions

One of the greatest controversies of 2014 was caused by superband U2 in September this year. Apple announced at the launch of the iPhone 6 that the Irish band’s latest album ‘Songs of Innocence’ would be automatically added to every iTunes Store account for free. A move that was meant to appear as generous turned into a PR disaster as millions realised that the surprise addition could not be deleted from their accounts. With over 500 million iTunes subscribers across 119 countries, it is no surprise that not everyone would be a U2 fan, something that seemed to be overlooked by Apple and by U2 themselves. Fans took to Twitter and Facebook to voice their disapproval which lead to front man Bono issuing a public apology. Since the release, Apple has released a one-click tool allowing iTunes customers to remove the album if they wish.

Kate Bush Tours for the First Time in 35 Years

Kate Bush surprised her fans this year, announcing in May that she would be embarking on her first tour in 35 years. The release of tickets caused her website to crash and her name to trend worldwide on Twitter before selling out in mere minutes. The ‘Before the Dawn’ tour kicked off in August for the 22-date run at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. Touring for the first time since 1979, Bush opened the show with ‘Lily’ from the 1993 album ‘Red Shoes’ as fans screamed the house down. The 55 year old star, barefoot and dressed in black, opened with a simple set accompanied by seven backing singers. Bush wowed the crowd with her greatest hits, also pointing out her 16-year-old son, Bertie, who was accompanying her as a backing singer. Gaining rave reviews and great response from the crowd, Bush’s London performances went down as one of the greatest comebacks of the year.

Miley Gives her VMA Award to the Homeless of LA

Miley Cyrus gained worldwide attention once again for a VMA performance but this year it gained a far greater response than her famed booty-twerking appearance with Robin Thicke. In a surprise twist at September’s awards, a teary Miley let a homeless man accept her award for Video of the Year which she had won for ‘Wrecking Ball’. Twitter erupted with praise for Miley as 22 year old Jesse Helt took to the stage to accept the award on her behalf. Helt met Cyrus through the Hollywood homeless center My Friend’s Place and the singer was extremely moved by his story. In a touching move, Cyrus invited Helt to be her ‘date’ for the awards and use the platform to call attention to the issue of youth homelessness in America.

Outkast Launch their Comeback at Coachella

In one of the most highly anticipated comebacks of the year, Outkast reunited in April at 2014’s Coachella Festival. Performing together for the first time since 2002, Andre 3000 and Big Boi planned to launch their 20^th anniversary tour to screaming crowds but the reality turned out to be much different. Their debut set garnered almost universally negative reviews and resulted in hundreds of disappointed fans. The hip-hop duo appeared at the Coachella headlining slot and delivered a reportedly lack lustre and underwhelming performance that saw the majority of the audience leave before the show reached its climax of hit track ‘Hey Ya!’ It seemed that the duo noticed the disappointment of the crowd with Andre 3000 repeatedly asking ‘Are y’all alive?’ and ‘You still here?’ which only served to up the cringe-factor of the overall set. The pair seemed to take the audience response on board, reviewing their show and returning with a brand new set and an improved attitude for the second weekend of the festival. After a slight flop of a first show, the pair picked themselves up and really kicked off their 40-show tour in style.

Bob Geldof Oversees the 30-year Anniversary Release of Band Aid Hit.

In November, Sir Bob Geldof once again bought back Band Aid hit ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ to aid in the treatment of the Ebola epidemic. The music video for the charity hit was viewed by millions in a surprise debut on the X Factor, introduced byGeldof himself, with a warning that the video contained distressing images of Ebola victims. The recent outbreak of the life threatening virus first appeared in March and has killed more than 5000 people to date, mostly in West Africa. It was hoped that the fourth version of 'Do They Know Its Christmas' would be just as popular as the original track, which raised millions for famine relief in Ethiopia in 1984; it went on to bererecorded in 1989 and 2004. Released at 8am on 17 November ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ had shifted more than 200,000 copies, according to the Official Charts Company, making it the fastest-selling single of 2014. Sales figures show that the track is set to surpass the success of the previous recordings, with the original single selling 3.7 million copies in the UK, making it the biggest-selling single ever at that time.

Thom Yorke Released Brand New Album Via BitTorrent

Thom Yorke caused waves in September after the controversial release of his newest album ‘Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes’ via file sharing site BitTorrent. The surprise album, priced at just $6, was released with no publicity beforehand but still garnered more than 100,000 downloads in the first 24 hours. With minimalist lyrics and scattered beats it is typical of Thom Yorke's unique style which proves to be more of a you-love-it-or-you-hate-it dilemma among music lovers. Yorke has been very vocal in the last years of online music distribution, publicly questioning the royalty rates of streaming platforms such as Spotify.The Radiohead frontman is known for his controversial album releases; in 2007 Radiohead released 'In Rainbows' through their website where the fans could choose how much, if at all, to pay for it. Through this deal BitTorrenttakes 10% of the profits while the artist receives the other 90% and is seen by Yorke as an effective way to hand power back to the musicians. He was quoted saying 'If it works well, it can be an effective way of handing some control of Internet commerce back to people who are creating the work.'

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett Team up to Release a Jazz Album

She's 28, He's 88. There may be a 60 year age gap but that certainly didn't stop Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett giving it their all on their brand new jazz album. 'Cheek to Cheek' was born from a desire to introduce jazz to a younger generation and is Lady Gaga's first release since her 'ARTPOP' album in 2013. Many critics expressed concern that Lady Gaga recording songs from such classic jazz singers may have had a detrimental effect on the Jazz genre but in truth, it is quite the opposite. Coupled with the smooth vocals of Tony Bennett, Gaga's strong voice proves captivatingly charismatic in a jazz setting. In addition to duets, the unlikely duo also perform solo tracks such as Gaga’s take on ‘Lush Life’ or Tony’s rendition of ‘Sophisticated Lady’. The release in September saw the album debut at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart, becoming the second Number 1 for Bennett and the third for Gaga. It also set up 88-year old Bennett to become the oldest living act to earn a Number 1 album, beating his own record that he set in 2011.

Austria’s Conchita Wurst Wows Eurovision

Austria stormed to Eurovision victory in May’s contest with her dramatic ballad ‘Rise Like a Pheonix’. The 25-year old bearded drag queen led her country to victory with an audience of around 170 million people across the globe. Wurst’s entry bought an unprecedented political and moral aspect to this year’s competition as organisations in Armenia, Belarus and Russia started petitions to remove her act from the performance. Russian legislator Vitaly Milonov announced that Wurst was a ‘pervert’ whose performance would ‘insult millions of Russians’ if it was allowed to go ahead. Conchita, real name Thomas Neuwirth, proceeded with her performance despite the backlash and went on to win over the enormous audience, gaining an amazing 290 points.Conchita celebrated her win with a memorable message ‘This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom," she said, according to the Associated Press. "You know who you are – we are unity and we are unstoppable.’

Taylor Swift is Named Billboard Woman of the Year 2014

Taylor Swift seems to have taken over the music world in 2014, aptly being named Billboard Woman of the Year just a few short weeks ago. Swift, a seven- time Grammy award winner is the only artist to ever win the award twice and gave a moving speech at December’s awards ceremony. Swift saw the meteoric success with her fifth studio album ‘1989’ which was released earlier this year. After selling an astonishing 1.2 million copies in the first week alone, ‘1989’ became the best – selling album in over 10 years. Billboard representative Janice Min said of Swift’s success this year ‘As one of the most influential artists of her generation, Taylor Swift has seen incredible success on the Billboard charts…Over the course of her career, she’s charted 60 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 -- the most of any female artist since her debut in 2006. We are tremendously excited to be honouring her as the 2014 Billboard Woman of the Year for the second time’. 

Written For BEAT100.com

Legendary Joe Cocker Dies Aged 70

Legendary British musician Joe Cocker has sadly died aged 70 after battling lung cancer. With a career spanning 4 decades, the singer is best known for his cover of the Beatles' track 'With a Little Help From My Friends'. Cocker was one of the most prolific artists of his era, the former gas fitter began his career singing in the pubs and clubs of Sheffield before finding fame in the 1960s. Known for his gritty, soulful voice, Cocker also had significant hits with 'You Are So Beautiful' and 'Up Where We Belong' and released an impressive 50 albums over his 40 year career. Tributes poured in for the beloved star yesterday, with his agent Barrie Marshall describing the singer as 'simply unique'. Sir Paul McCartney also paid his respects to his long term friend, stating 'it's really sad to hear about Joe's passing. He was a lovely northern lad who I loved a lot and, like many people, I loved his singing.'

Joe remained active in his musical career in recent years, most notably performing 'With a Little Help With My Friends' alongside Phil Collins and guitarist Brian May at the Party at the Palace concert held for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002. Following this, Cocker also received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2007 for his contribution to music, for which he then played concerts in London and Sheffield to mark the event. Last year saw Cocker achieve a number 1 album in Germany after his European arena tour and also give what was to be his final concert in London in June.

Edgar Berger, who signed Joe to Sony Music Entertainment gave a fitting tribute to the star, 'Joe Cocker is a legendary artist of rock and blues history and yet he was one of the most humble men I've ever met...His iconic voice will forever be etched in our memories and our thoughts go out to Joe's wife Pam and his family at this difficult time. Joe will live on in the hearts of millions of fans around the world.'

Written for www.beat100.com

Tom Odell set to play Forestry Commission gigs in 2015

Tom Odell has announced a unique new UK tour for summer 2015. The 24 year old singer/songwriter will be joining Forest Live, an independent programme of events organised by the Forestry Commission. Playing in forests and woodlands across the UK, Tom will be joined by other acts such as The Script in this unique series of events.

Odell has had a smash hit year, winning the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year and having renewed interest in his music after his connection with this year’s famed John Lewis Christmas advert. Covering ‘Real Love’ by John Lennon, Odell’s version of the track appeared in the highly anticipated advert and saw him peak at number 7 in the UK charts.

Now Christmas trees are being swapped for Oak, Ash and Pine when Forest Live opens in June. "This will be a whole new experience for me," said Odell. "I can’t wait to bring my live show to the woods and I hope to see you there."  Hoping to open the forests to new visitors, all of the money raised from the shows will go towards protecting and expanding England’s forests and woodlands.

Tickets for Odell's shows go on sale at 9am on Friday December 19 from the Forestry Commission Box Office. He will appear, along with other acts, at these events across June and July…

Friday 19 June: Bedgebury Pinetum, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Saturday 20 June: Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury, Glos.

Thursday 25 June: Dalby Forest, near Pickering, N Yorks.

Friday 26 June: Sherwood Pines Forest, Edwinstowe, near Mansfield, Notts.

Saturday 4 July: Delamere Forest, Delamere, Cheshire.

Sunday 5 July: Thetford Forest, near Brandon, Suffolk.

Sunday 12 July: Cannock Chase Forest, near Rugeley, Staffs.

For now, we can stay in the Christmas spirit with Tom Odell’s recording of ‘Real Love’

Written for www.BEAT100.com

Alexander McKay Becomes the Newest BEAT100 Ultimate Musician!

Congratulations to London based singer/songwriter Alexander McKay, who has become the latest BEAT100 member to receive an Ultimate Musician Award! Alexander has caught the eye of the A&R team with his latest single 'Chasing Fires' which is currently climbing the World Music Video Chart. It seems that Alexander has music in his blood, he tells BEAT100 'My grandmother was a pianist and I was fascinated how sounds would fill the room and bring a joy of silence and appreciation to an audience. I then set about scratching my Dads record collection as I obsessively studied the greats.' Inspired by music from childhood the young Alexander begged his parents for a drum kit, after being refused he decided to take up guitar which quickly cemented his passion for singing and songwriting. He started performing as soon as he could in various bands and groups throughout his teen years and gradually developed the musical tastes that create his signature sound today.

Playing a mix of Blues, Rock, Country and Folk, Alexander takes inspiration from a variety of established artists. Naming some of his idols as Led Zeppelin, John Mayer, The Black Crowes and many in between, Alexander uses his far ranging tastes when creating his own unique brand of Country Rock music. The talented singer has certainly been making an impression on the BEAT100 community with his latest track 'Chasing Fires'. Recently named Video of the Day, the rustic country feel to the 'Chasing Fires' music video perfectly compliments Alexander's warm and soulful vocals while the catchy chorus has the listener humming along all day. Speaking about his BEAT100 experience so far, Alexander says 'I have had a great experience with BEAT100. It's been invaluable to testing new songs and videos and seeing what another audiences think of my music and helping to grow a following.'

Alexander is currently recording a full length album for a film soundtrack set for production in 2015! This follows his successful debut album 'Brings Us Together' which was released in July this year. It seems 2015 will be a hugely successful one for Alexander, as well as a new album, he is also getting set for brand new live shows and a trip to Nashville for the festival season. BEAT100 wishes him all the best of luck and can't wait to see what is next from Alexander McKay!

Written for www.BEAT100.com

Congratulations to Orlando Seale and the Swell, BEAT100's Newest Ultimate Musicians!

Orlando Seale and the Swell have caught the eye of the BEAT100 A&R team and become the newest artists to receive an Ultimate Musician Award! Fronted by lead singer/songwriter Orlando, the musical collective is currently making it big on the London indie music scene. Orlando has always been musically inclined and finds that, for him, listening to music also has a strong family connection. As well as regularly listening to Edith Piaf and Om Kalsoum records with his aunt, (the British fashion designer Thea Porter) the young singer also loves listening to his late mother's records as a way of connecting to her. Heavily influenced by a variety of music as a teenager, Orlando especially found a connection with the eclectic tastes of David Bowie, he tells BEAT100 'I poured over the songs, thrilled by the range of subjects they dealt with, the inventiveness of the lyrics. Of course I wanted to be like him but sadly I was your typical hairy, carbuncular teenager, a million miles from the androgyny of the Thin White Duke.'

Moving on to play in cover bands throughout his teenage years, the music lover didn't even think about writing songs until years later when he was living in LA pursuing an acting career. Inspired by artists such as P J Harvey, Leonard Cohen and The Cure, Orlando soon discovered that he had a lyrical talent. Talking about his time in LA, he says 'The hours alone in my car crossing the sprawling city to auditions became a sort of musical education...Melodies and lyrics of my own started appearing and spilling out as I drove...but at the time I couldn't play any instruments.' His girlfriend at the time provided him with a guitar to accompany his new found love for lyrics, a guitar once owned by famed US musician Elliot Smith that became a great source of inspiration for the budding lyricist. After this cross roads in his career path, Orlando decided to pursue music and made the move back to London.

Struck by the changing extremes of London life, Orlando found a new musical influence in the natural movement of the city. A movement that can still be heard in the music that he currently creates, a sound both hectic but reassuring, a reflection of the busy city lives that move around him as he writes. A collaboration with an orchestra for The Old Vic Tunnels gave birth to the Swell; with Orlando at the helm, together the group create energetic and captivating tracks filled with their vibrant signature sound. That sound is definitely gaining them popularity on BEAT100 and beyond; the group has currently gained Gold Awards for Video, Favourite and Song as well as steadily climbing the World Music Video Chart with their track 'Hyde'. Orlando, accompanied by the Swell work hard on creating their own unique sound as well as performing style. Currently they have performed everywhere from stripped back intimate living room tours to big festival stages with up to 20 members on stage at once. Constantly writing new tracks and reworking old ones, the group love to challenge themselves with different spaces and arrangements to enhance their performances. Orlando says 'Our biggest achievement is sticking at it, trying to keep developing and challenging ourselves, making each show special.'

Currently Orlando Seale and the Swell are writing and recording new material in preparation for their upcoming EP, as well as looking forward to collaborating with a variety of different artists and performers in the near future. Check out BEAT100's favourite track 'Dance Little Man' below!

Written for BEAT100.com

BEAT100 Ultimate Musician: Maddison Wilson

Maddison Wilson has become the latest BEAT100 member to receive the Ultimate Musician Award!Maddison from Melbourne, Australia is a newcomer to the BEAT100 community that has impressed the A&R team with her beautiful original track 'Birds'. The emotional piano ballad is currently climbing in the World Music Video Chart and has received 3 Gold Awards. Speaking about the creation of her latest piece,Maddion says 'Birds represents the fear of change and the challenges we are faced with when a new world is presented to us.' Obviously a very personal and emotional song for the talented writer, Maddison sings 'Birds' with a natural passion and charisma that can be heard in her vocals throughout the track.

Maddison did not grow up with an overly musical background like some artists but found that her love for music was something that came naturally to her. As a child she begged her parents for piano and singing lessons and her talent has blossomed ever since. To this day Maddison still takes inspiration from her past teachers whenever she writes and sings. These influences have obviously helped her musically throughout her career because in 2013, Maddison became a finalist in the Australian Independent Music Awards for her debut single 'The Fight'. She also went on to collect rave reviews for 'Higher' a track released earlier this year. Influenced by the music of Sarah Bareilles and Alanis Morisette, Maddison creates moving and emotionally engaging music that is reminiscent of UK singer songwriter Birdy. One of Maddison's greatest artistic inspirations is David Bowie; his eclectic influence can be seen in the music video for 'Birds'. With a masquerade party theme based on Labyrinth, the music video depicts an indulgent scene filled with lace, beading and champagne. Maddison tells BEAT100 that 'Birds' is her most creative release ever and one of her team's greatest achievements to date.

Lately the songstress has been hard at work creating new tracks for her debut album which will hopefully be ready for release in early 2015! With a full schedule ahead of her, she will be busy performing many gigs in the coming months and also working on some collaborations. Maddison is extremely excited about her track currently in the charts, telling BEAT100 'I'm very much a Pop person but I don't always feel like I fit in...I am truly grateful to everyone who voted and can't wait to share some more music with everyone.'

Written for www.BEAT100.com

Virginia Ernst Is Named as the Latest BEAT100 Ultimate Musician!

Songstress Virginia Ernst has earned the Ultimate Musician Award after catching the eye of the A&R team with her pop hit 'Soldier'. Virginia, from Vienna, is already a hit in her home country, with one of her previous tracks entering the Top 40 of one of the biggest radio stations in Austria; she has also garnered attention in Sweden, Germany, Poland and the UK. Following in the footsteps of her musician father, Virginia was inspired to create music from a young age. As a child she started writing and singing her own songs but never believed that she could become a star, instead she focussed on her other love of ice hockey! From the age of 14 Virginia played for the Austrian National team and at just 17 years old, moved to Sweden to play professionally.

After a successful few years as an ice hockey player, Virginia realised that her passion for music could not be diminished and she set herself a new goal to become the performer that she had always wanted to be. At 20 years old she started to learn the guitar on YouTube and in 2011, the talented young singer travelled all the way to London to perform in a singer/songwriter competition which she then went on to win! Virginia spoke to BEAT100 about her sudden musical success 'I never thought I could reach so much in such a short time. Everything went so fast for me but I love it!' she said. Virginia now enjoys a degree of fame in Austria and has started to be recognised in the street!

Now, using influences from her idol, Pink, Virginia creates catchy, edgy music that highlights her strong vocals. Her unique voice gives her music a key individuality and freshness that keeps the listener tuned in. Her latest track 'Soldier' has been given 3 Gold Awards by the BEAT100 team and is steadily climbing the World Music Video Chart. The strong pop production has a catchy chorus and a professional music video that makes it seem that Virginia has been creating music for far longer than she has. Lately, Virginia has been working on a brand new EP and is preparing to shoot some new music videos soon, which we can't wait to see!

Written for www.BEAT100.com