Tag Archives: pop

LISTEN: On ‘Call You Mine,’ ROM COM Watches Summer Love Fade

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Artwork credit: Aron Rosing

As the summer sun fades, so does summer love.

In the dramatic, cinematic fashion we’ve come to know and love, ROM COM captures the essence of that moment brilliantly on their latest single, “Call You Mine.” A collaboration with songwriter/vocalist Eliza Harrison Smith, the dreamy new alt-pop single encapsulates our collective struggle to realize that nothing gold can stay.

“‘Call You Mine” is a song about a relationship that is fading away, but still trying to hold on,” said ROM COM vocalist Aron Rosing. “It is the first release with Eliza, with several more collaborations planned over the next few months.”

Imagine the late September sun shining, though not as bright as it did just a couple months prior. Imagine the sweet, warm air growing colder with the winds of change, as the first leaves turn yellow and we’re left to face the inevitable. That is the essence of “Call You Mine.”

Hold onto the moment before it’s gone, and check it out below!

Choosing to Live Completely (ft. Jenna Vivacora)

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Jenna Vivacora attended the U.S. Naval Academy for college… until a medical disqualification (and the ensuing challenges) led her to music. Creativity helped Jenna find direction after this abrupt, fundamental life change — and it has helped inform her perspective about what it means to fully experience life.

Learn more about Jenna’s journey — and how its different components have informed her perspective.

This episode of The Quinn Spinn was recorded and produced at Helping Our Music Evolve, Nashville, TN.

Opening theme: REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become

Follow Jenna on Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/jennavivacora⁠

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PHOTOS: Gussapolooza, Day 1: We Arrive North

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The late summer sun was shining. Shades of sky blue and kelly green draped over the Canadian landscape, as I drove into Ontario by way of the Ambassador Bridge, connecting Detroit to Windsor.

I — and UMC — had never been here before. Not only did I find myself in another country, but I was there on behalf of this plucky little platform I started with a USB mic, laptop, and idea in my childhood bedroom 11 years prior. Surreal.

I still had a few more hours to go before I’d arrive to my destination: Cookstown, about an hour north of Toronto. Gussapolooza — an emerging festival for independent artists — was set to begin.

I arrived shortly after 5 p.m. ET, where I was greeted warmly by organizers and volunteers. After getting camp situated, I grabbed my camera and walked up to the festival’s dual main stage setup.

Suddenly, we were off to the races.

Throughout the evening, I found myself remarking at the talent and diversity on the lineup. It felt that, with each new performance, I had found my new favorite moment of the night.

Moreover, all of us in attendance were free and encouraged to create and enjoy it all. It became evident quickly that Gussapolooza is more than a festival; it’s a community that brings us back to the fundamentals, while providing meaningful opportunities for artistic expression.

Certainly, to build a career in this industry, there is a necessary emphasis on the business side that we all must embrace. However — if just for a weekend — Gussapolooza invited us all to drop the pretense, come as we are, and find unity in the art form that inspired our creative journeys.

Gussapolooza was here for another year, and it was ready to remind us why we do what we do.

Note: I tried to get to every performance, but there were a few I missed throughout the weekend, in the flow of things. If I missed yours, I offer my humblest apologies. Let’s make it up sometime!

Brigitte Eve (IG | Spotify)

In Your Walls (IG | Spotify)

Freightliner (IG | Spotify)

Usual Suspektz (IG | Spotify)

Cudbear (IG | Spotify)

Ashley Gilmore (IG | Spotify)

Feral Minks (IG | Spotify)

Jeff Gutteridge (IG | Spotify)

The Manic Boys & Girls Club (IG | Spotify)

CMAGIC5 (IG | Spotify)

After Beating Cancer, Emma Driver Triumphantly Returns with ‘Try Hard’

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There are times when a song is more than just a song; when it is a statement of arrival, and a significant step on one’s healing journey.

“Try Hard” — the new single from Nashville-based songwriter Emma Driver — is one of those moments. The first single from her forthcoming EP, Ashamed to Admit This (coming spring 2025), the tune unveils a new sound from the former Fresh Lady. Combining anthemic pop sensibility with a robust pop punk edge, Driver sings about confronting one’s insecurities and using them to serve others facing similar struggles.

“Try Hard” also marks a significant life milestone for Driver, who faced mortality in the form of a lymphoma diagnosis at age 27. Lyrics like “what a nightmare to be perceived” — written before her diagnosis — took on an entirely new meaning, as she lost her hair to chemotherapy and became unrecognizable even to herself.

In the end, music ultimately helped her transform her fear and shame into art — while still allowing her the room to be vulnerable and accepting of her own humanity.

“I used to think that I would get to a point when I just didn’t care; like a switch would flip, and I’d just know who I was and be good. But now in remission, I still catch myself,” Driver said. “I fully beat cancer and am over here worried about if a random person thinks I’m cringe. I’ll always care, because it’s human to want to be liked, understood, and validated. Finally putting this song out feels like owning this part of myself I used to feel shame about, and that’s so freeing.”

Free yourself from your own fears of judgment when you play this one at max volume!

NashLive! Sonic Kaleidoscope Tickets On Sale Now!

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NashLive Sonic Kaleidoscope

On Monday, we announced the lineup for our July 20 NashLive! Sonic Kaleidoscope experience at Helping Our Music Evolve in Nashville. Presented in conjunction with Rainne Entertainment, this uniquely vivid event will feature the talents of Shawney Rainne, Fiona Maura, and Hew G.

Tickets are now on sale — and they come in two different flavors!

  • Basic Babe ($15): Ready to experience an epic night? Grab a general admission ticket and you’re good to go!
  • Party Like a Rock Star ($45): General Admission PLUS unlimited access to our specialty cocktail bar! You read that right! An extra 30 bucks gets you access to the open bar! You won’t find a deal like this anywhere else in Nashville.

Be sure to grab those tickets ASAP, because they will sell out! Hit the button below.

SECURE YOUR SPOT

LISTEN: Paige Davis Lets Go on ‘The Stars & You’

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We can’t forge ahead without leaving some things behind.

Paige Davis examines this reality — trading love and the starry night sky for big city dreams — with her new single, “The Stars & You.”

“I had this idea when I first moved to Nashville—this is the first time I’ve lived in a city and not a small town. I looked up to the sky one night hoping to get some inspiration the way I used to and couldn’t see any stars,” Davis said. “I was thinking about how, up until that moment, whenever I was missing someone, I could always look to the night sky and find some clarity. For the first time, I didn’t have that comfort or reassurance. I brought this idea to some of my besties, and luckily, we were totally on the same page.”

“The Stars & You” is a warm summer night wrapped up in an ambiance not unlike early, pop country Taylor Swift. Davis’ earnest storytelling details the hard truth that comes with moving on, while also looking ahead to new experiences.

“My hopes are for people in a similar situation to connect with this song and understand that it’s okay to take the road less traveled,” Davis said. “Sometimes, that road can even lead you to some of the best experiences of your life.”

UMC20: The Best of March 2024

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What a stacked month!

Between the 20 songs that comprise the UMC20 Best of March 2024, and the two latest, completely epic episodes of our Official Podcast, The Quinn Spinn, our end-of-month compilation contains nearly three-and-a-half hours of listening enjoyment!

Get it while it’s here. Next Wednesday, we’ll drop the first all-new UMC of April. Soak up the memories from the month that has been!

Track listing
Bootsy Collins ft. Snoop Dogg, Fantaazma, Wiz Khalifa, and Dave Stewart – The Influencers
Spence Brown – Scotch Thoughts
Miles Squiers – 24 Hours
Game Changer – Just Sayin’
Adam Paddock – Sweet Ohio Light
Izzy Rage – Wreck
TsukiMai – Selenophile
Cardiac Half – Gloom
YEARB4 – BABY I’M DYIN’
The Minimum Wage – Everyone Is
Pepperwood – Drowning
The Ghost Club – If I Fell (Don’t Wait Here For Me)
Crow and Gazelle – Take It Away
Max McNown – Dead Set
Dustin Kensrue – High Scalers
Kat & Zach – Winter Flower
Bronco Redahan – High on Lonesome
The Kentucky Gentlemen – Beg Your Parton
Mikayla Lewis – All is Well
Rome – Forever

FLASH SALE: $5 Off NashLive! Tickets Using This Coupon Code…

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For the first time in 2024, it’s officially SHOW WEEK!

We feel like celebrating, and we invite you to celebrate with us. So, we’re doing something special for you. Through this Tuesday, March 19 at 11:59 p.m. CT, we’re offering $5 off tickets to this Saturday’s NashLive! experience at Helping Our Music Evolve when you use the coupon code NASHFLASH.

(You know, because it’s a flash sale…)

As a reminder, NashLive! is allowing three artists to completely transform the stage on Saturday, March 23.

The first three chosen artists are:

  • Alexis Donn: a Nashville-based pop artist who will be bringing us into her immersive, galactic and glittery Star Child Universe. A custom Space-O’s cereal will be available for purchase upon your way in.
  • The Healers: comprised of Lord Goldie and Foundation Mecca, a duo of Nashville-based heal hop artists on a mission to heal the world through music. Both prolific in their own right, The Healers are among Nashville’s most prominent and best beloved hip hop acts.
  • ARREIS: On her newest record, Vices, ARREIS takes on the human condition and dives deeply into the the fact that everyone has a little bit of darkness in their lives. From fiery, bright reds to muted, sullen maroons, the red era is ready to make a dramatic mark on the world of pop music.

Get those tickets here, and get them for $5 off while you still can!

UMC20: Charging in Like a Lion (Mar. 5, 2024)

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Hyperpop? We’ve got it. Soulful hip hop? Yep. Americana and rock? Check and check. We even lead off with a new, disco-inspired cut.

Every week, we task ourselves with the responsibility of providing 20 fresh, interesting new tracks. Thanks to you, our job is never too difficult. These tasty jams — plus not one, but TWO episodes of our Official Podcast — should keep your ears, hearts, and minds satisfied all week long.

Track listing
Helena Hallberg – Surprisingly Disco
Titans of Siren – Daytrip
Game Changer – Just Sayin’
Spence Brown – Scotch Thoughts
Izzy Rage – Wreck
TsukiMai – Selenophile
Rose Starring – Violently Sad
Cardiac Half – Gloom
The Trampoline Delay – Excuses Excuses
Alisa Amador ft. Quinn Christopherson – I Need to Believe
Sam Gyllenhaal Band – Mary Does (Acoustic)
Sarah Gargano – Red Solo Cup
The Atomic Age – Heart
Sarah Free – Sober
Laney Jones – Stay at Home
Crow and Gazelle – Take It Away
Patrick Davis – Southern Roots
Brother Dege – Turn of the Screw
The Kentucky Gentlemen – Beg Your Parton
Mikayla Lewis – All is Well

UMC20: A Sonic Melting Pot (Feb. 20, 2024)

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From song to song, and moment to moment, you never quite know where this week’s edition of UMC20 is going to go.

There’s a lot of genre-bending goodness throughout the playlist. You’ll hear plenty of instances where elements of one genre sneak their way into another.

And, of course, there are two bonus tracks, because we’re releasing two episodes of The Quinn Spinn per week now. One highlights the journey of an exciting new artist; while the other, just released today, shows a different (i.e.; the original) side of our Official Podcast. Past meets present, indeed!

Track listing
Foundation Mecca ft. Carissa Kohne – Brand New
Cyrille Aimee – Here
Fuchsia – Backseat Blues
Malcolm DeWayne – Amethyst Nights
Jasce – River
EMMI IIDA ft. Peachkit – Higher Self
Aaron Lee Tasjan – The Drugs Did Me
Flyin’ Hot Saucers – Ollantaytambo
Deidre – Every Breath You Take
Andrea von Kampen – Such Love Does
Gabrielle Grace – Both Ways
Lindsey Lomis – Long Way Down
Kitty Coen – yellow light
Steve Conte – Shoot Out The Stars
Old 97’s – Where the Road Goes
Frontier Ruckus – I’m Not the Boy
Parker Barrow – Back to Birmingham
Sarina Haggarty – Lipstick to Myself
Emily Ann Roberts – Whole Lotta Little (Cabin Sessions)
Armchair Boogie – Livin’

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