ArtistoftheWeek:Natalia Lafourcade7/13/10-7/20/10

I found out about Natalia Lafourcade when I was looking for some more Latin Artists and I couldn't really find any I liked. Then I heard her song, "En El 2000", and I was blow away. It was as if I was listening to Nelly Furtado mixed with the Spanish version of Alanis Morrissette. It was pretty cool. Then I found out about her song "Casa" & "O Pato", then I heard her most recent song, "Ella Es Bonita". A great song, indeed. I really liked all of those four songs. But it took me a while to like the albums. They were the ones that you have to sit down and listen to till the end. If you don't you'll miss out on the whole thing.
~Music Videos~
Cursis Melodias
Ella Es Bonita
Te Queiro Dar
Azul
Casa
Busca Problema
O Pato
En El 2000

Official Website

ArtistoftheWeek: Missy Higgins 8/6/12-8/13/12

Missy Higgins has been gone a long time. Five years to be exact. It seems that Higgins needed some time out from the music industry for some time to recollect with herself and get all her stuff together. I have to admit the long break is a surprise to many fans like myself. She released two #1 Australian albums acquired ARIA Awards (Australian Grammys) and broke out into the US with her single, Where I Stood. Her music was featured all over television and had so much going for her. Then in 2007, she disappeared. Some thought that she'd never be heard of again like Lauryn Hill but she couldn't live on without the embrace of the music. The sounds, the melodies, the arranging, the emotional connection and the sharing of one's thoughts through song. Of course, Missy missed that life, and decided to come back strong with her new album, The Ol' Razzle Dazzle. In her new album, she is pouring her heart out about her relationship with music, people, life, and herself. It's an open confession of unconditional truth. I personally think that it beats her last two albums out of the water. If you haven't heard of Missy Higgins at all check out the songs that make her who she is today.
Youtube|Twitter|Facebook| Official Website

Free Downloads
Where I Stood| Warm Whispers
Scar
Selective Songs From The Ol' Razzle Dazzle

 ~This Girl Knows Music~

ArtistoftheWeek:Dragonette 7/23/12-7/30/12

 It's surprising to know that Dragonette has done some much in so little time. They've released two albums within two years and on their way of releasing another one this summer (probably next spring but hey at least they're planning on releasing another album soon). This Canadian  electropop-rock group have achieved success with the release of Galore and Fixin' To Thrill. Their popularity is so noteworthy that many Americans label them as, "Canada's apology for Justin Bieber". 
The group formed in 2005 and have been going strong ever since. Their rise in success and popularity can be noted as similar as Metric's rise to popularity after their third album, Live It Out. The band work and tour a lot while also working hard on other projects. For example, Martina Sorbara was heavily feautured in Martin Solveig's album, SMASH. She also wrote and produced Dan Kurtz, bassist of the band, has another band he works with called, The New Deal (well, I guess had another band. They broke up in 2011) and their drummer Joel Stouffer has been a guest drummist on many albums.
Their music has that dance pop feeling fueled with the influences of rock n roll. This is shown well in their album, Galore. Songs like, I Get Around and Competition really show off that rock feel that the group has. Many of their songs give off that feeling of summer like, "Pick Up The Phone", "Big Sunglasses" and "Volcano". The band is perfect to have in your collection for a hot summer mix. Especially when you're planning on going to the beach.
Their recent single, "Let It Go", is a song that reminds me of "Warrior" by Kimbra, Mark Foster & A-Trak. It has that positive message of high self-esteem and the electro-pop feeling that makes you want to shake your worries away. With that being said, if you haven't heard of Dragonette, check 'em out because I can promise you that their third album will be talked about a lot when it releases.
Free Downloads
Selective Songs From Galore
Selective Songs From Fixin To Thrill
Volcano
Let It Go

~If You Like Dragons, Listen To Dragonette~

ArtistoftheWeek:Nicola Roberts7/2/12-7/9/12

Nicola Roberts has always been known as the ugly girl, the awkward one, the outsider, the one left out in the popular British group, Girls Aloud. She has been attacked by media harder than any of the other girls in the group and has taken the media bullying hard. Luckily she took all these emotions she felt about all of this and made an album for our enjoyment. Her debut solo album, Cinderella's Eyes, is a glamour pop album filled with songs that are very poppy, a bit girly, and channeling something from the 80s. Yet the album remixes all of that and comes out with something new. Roberts songwriting shows that many of the songs are covered with a theme of love but her voice exhibits that it's actually about being in the music industry.
She brings in a hip feeling with, Beat of My Drum, pulling in elements of jungle rhythms and high note synths to produce a good pop single. Her other song, Lucky Day is a song that represents that sweet cute poppy-ness that Nicola has. She does get personal with songs such as Yo-Yo singing about times she felt lonely and isolated from Girls Aloud and the world in general because of the busy schedules and the media's focus on her looks. The album is a good thing to have in your collection, it provides a sweet, sad, and triumphant story of a person's relationship with fame.
Free Downloads
Beat of My Drum
Lucky Day

~You'll like her if you liked the Spice Girls~

ArtistoftheWeek:Marina & the Diamonds 6/25/12-7/2/12

 Marina Diamondis has evolved. It's very apparent by how she carried herself back then performing live and how she carries herself now. It is also shown through her music how much more open she is to people than how she was before. Sucks that a bad break up had to get her that way. Anyways, despite her personal life, her music has always been a snarky yet welcoming slice of Pop. She gives you a strong attitude with her vocals and then comforts you with her sensitive lyrics. It's nice.

Her first album, The Family Jewels, was a great perspective on going into the music industry and having to change one self to fit in with a group of potential fans. The pressures and insecurities shown in the album was raw and covered over with a sweet sense of pop. Her second album, which released this year, Electra Heart, was more focused on the highs and lows of love (as I mentioned earlier, bad break-up). With her second album she opened up more with working with more producers with different songs that she wrote for the album. She invited Dr. Luke, the creator of Ke$ha, Diplo, known for being well Diplo, and a returning producer Greg Kurstin and many other producers got their hands-on experience of working with Marina. The result came out to be an amazing album that topped the charts in the UK and has received great reviews from critics for it's unique style.
The more Marina opens up the more she is welcomed by the music industry and the world. Hopefully with her next album she'll open up just enough that it'll catch attention to everyone and top the charts all over the world (or just be better than Electra Heart, whatever she does I'll be happy either way).

Free Downloads

Oh No!
Primadonna

 ~You like Pop/Rock? You'll love Marina & the Diamonds.~ 

ArtistoftheWeek:Kimbra 6/18/11-6/25/11

 Kimbra is an answer to many music lovers who are tired of the clubs, sex, money and promiscuity. Many people have heard of her from Gotye's hot chart topping single, "Somebody That I Used To Know". Where she sang a great female perspective of a hurtful break-up. Now she's singing about marriage. and love, and success and fitting in. She's singing about practically everything under the sun except club stuff.
Her debut album Vows is a great pop album that offers a different style to it than most modern day pop music. She provides amazing scatting and Jazz-elements in her tracks while writing lyrics that have been of course Kiwi-inspired (Kiwi is an Australian/New Zealand culture). Kimbra is showing herself in this album. After working so hard for the past 7 years of her life experimenting with different styles trying to figure out how to portray herself through her music has been an obstacle challenge but has paid of big time for her debut. She won an ARIA (Austalian Grammy) for her Vows album and has topped the Billboard charts for being at #13 in the first week of her Vows release in the US. Her album became the #1 iTunes Pop album and #2 iTunes album overall (right behind John Mayer but pfft on Mayer). As a fellow music lover who has watched a hard working artist build her way to the top is rewarding and Kimbra's journey has only just begun for her.

Free Downloads

Something In The Way You Are
Home
Withdraw

P.S. If you want to know, the album is WORTH the money! You can get it for 9.99 from Target with extra bonus tracks! Her album also has a lyric booklet for just in case you like to sing-a-long with Kimbra you can when you by Vows physically from Best Buy, Target (best place to buy it) or Barnes & Nobel.

~Kimbra will not disappoint~

ArtistoftheWeek:Amerie10/24/11-10/31/11

Amerie is an act that people would like to describe as a, "One-hit wonder". With her song, 1 Thing, she swept over the urban music industry with her sass, passion, drive, and with a little help with Eve, she had a one-hit that was used in commercials, movies, and television shows. But before her hit, she had a nice debut album out. Feauturing elements of neo-soul and 90's style R&B into the album, All I Have. Her first album was reviewed well by her target audience. People couldn't wait for her next album. When she came out with Touch, she really showed her true self through her Pop/R&B songs with some elements of Asian pop into her songs (because of her cultural background and personal experience with Korea, she's heard and listened to music from Korea and Japan growing up). After her hit she had a spat with her record label and was drop. Forced to find another label, that released her third album everywhere except for North America. Years later she was able to find a new label that would take her catchy Pop/R&B styles and help her release her fourth album, In Love & War.
Free Downloads
Selective Songs From All I Have
Selective Songs From Touch
Selective Songs From Because I Love It
Selective Songs From In Love & War

ArtistoftheWeek:Martin Solveig10/17/11-10/24/11

You may know this DJ best from the song Hello (ft. Dragonette). His work has been building up for making a great song like that. Looking back to his music works he's been long overdue for one of his songs to hit into the American Radio Waves. He recieved a pair of turntables when he was a kid and has been fooling around with the sounds since. Making new and more innovative music for his fans and goofing around a bit with the beats.
With his most recent album, SMASH, he brings in the elements of commercial pop elements and puts them into the style of his music. With songs like, "We Came To Smash", and "Ready To Go" which features sounds of dubstep a growing trend in the music industry.
Solveig's album might not be a hot topic to most, but I'm sure that one day he will get to the top of the charts in the future the way he's going!
Free Downloads
Selective Songs From SMASH

ArtistoftheWeek:Uffie10/10/11-10/17/11

How can I explain Uffie? Well...She parties harder than Ke$ha that's for sure! Who knew that the underground party scenes were so much better than the commercial party scenes? (The french). Anyways, this French-American musician rocks out her rapping skills and makes her beats flow as she gives out her autobiographical lines to her audience. Since the release of her single, "Difficult", critics and new fans have been taking her seriously, with her work and talent. I highly recommend you that if you want to start your party with Uffie right, check out her song, "Difficult". She'll have you hooked to her style of partying in no time.You should check her out, and if you're hosting a party soon, don't forget to invite the
<-U-F-F-I that gets better with a big E!
Free Downloads
Selective Songs from Sex Dreams & Denim Jeans

ArtistoftheWeek:Eve & the Ocean10/3/11-10/10/11

Eve and the Ocean, is a side project made by Tia Brazda. This project/ artist is well known for her song, Sammy Decter (This Is Your Life) which featured on the ABC Family movie, Cyberbully. She This Canadian Singer/Songwriter's side project released an EP called Stars and Storms. The EP is filled with songs of pure pop and rock elements and lyrics directed to a general audience (most likely females in need of love). Yet, there's a certain thing about the songs that makes them so universal. You should check them out, and listen to them yourself, it's too hard to describe. I'm sure that if you've been liking the artists on ArtistoftheWeek, you'll love Eve And The Ocean. She's a treat. (Despite the picture right next to this..)
Free Downloads
Selective Songs from Stars And Storms EP.

ArtistoftheWeek:Younha9/26/11-10/3/11

Younha is an Asian Singer/Songwriter, best known for her song, Houki Boushi that featured on the hit Anime, Bleach. She has been singing and working with the Japanese/Korean Music Industry since the huge hit. Switching back and forth promoting her music, and singing in two different languages, for her fans.
Her music has been deemed as catchy, fun, and somewhat melancholic.
Nowadays, she has been releasing new music trying to step out of the box of her huge hit, and branch out to certain styles and genres of music she would like to do.
As much as Younha would like everyone to acknowledge her talents as she grows as a famous Korean musician, she would still like it if people just listen and enjoy the music.
Free Downloads
Houki Boushi
Memory (Original Mix)
Rainbow
Nonsense
Selective Songs From Under The Same Sky
Stay (Lisa Loeb Cover)

ArtistoftheWeek:Holly Brook[Pt. I]9/12/11-9/19/11

Holly Brook's musical style is perfect for rainy days. You may know her best from the song, Where'd You Go by Fort Minor, where she gained her popularity. She released her album, Like Blood Like Honey in 2006. The songs on the album really shows Holly's talent as a singer/songwriter. Even though her album achieved some success, album sales were not to the label's expectations. So she ended her relationship with her record label. Now Holly has changed her name and is now releasing a new album.
Selective Songs from Like Blood Like Honey
Selective Songs from O'Dark:Thirty EP

ArtistoftheWeek:Heypenny8/29/11-9/5/11

I found out about Heypenny from a random site when I was trying to watch a tv show online, their song, Cop Car was playing on an ad. I checked them out and when I found out about their music I automatically loved it and bought everything. Their music is so catchy and yet so indie at the same time. The melodies and the vocals are a kind of style that's for the indie music scene. They formed in Fayette, making music since 2003, releasing their first album, Use These Spoons in 2005. They released their second album in February 2011, and have recieved some recognition for the songs, "Parade" and "Cop Car".
Nonetheless the songs of this band is amazing and you should check them out.
Free Downloads
Selective Songs From Use These Spoons
Selective Songs From A Jillion Kicks

ArtistoftheWeek:Gomez8/15/11-8/22/11

Gomez is an English indie rock band, best know for their album, How We Operate and being covered on Grey's Anatomy. They have been featured on many television shows in the past three years since their most famous song, "How We Operate," came over to the US. They're albums have been recognized for critical acclaim and indie fans all over the earth. Hitting the indie scene with their song, "Notice," that song that gives everyone that feeling they had when someone they liked didn't notice them. As for their sound it has a hint of Americana in it. So songs sound a little country, with a twang and a fiddle in the background. Aside from all of this, Gomez is a great band and you should check them out. Especially when school's coming around.
Free Downloads
Selective Songs From How We Operate
Selective Songs From A New Tide

ArtistoftheWeek:EMI MARIA8/1/11-8/8/11

EMI Maria, is like a breath of fresh air when you're a little tired of Japanese pop and you want some R&B. This musician has an outstanding style of soul. Mixing her style with the Japanese language, keeping the music fresh one album at a time. The music is so similar yet so varied that it makes you wonder, why would I ever want to check out any other JR&B artist? From EMI Maria's, "Mr. Alien," to "Focus On Me," her songs are so catchy and seductive, making your body sway back and forth with the beat while still having a bounce in your step.
If you haven't heard of her you need to check her out, she's a talent you shouldn't miss.
Selective Songs From A Ballad On My Own
Selective Songs From Crossover EP
Selective Songs From Contrast
Selective Songs From Blue Bird

ArtistoftheWeek:BONNIE PINK7/11/11-7/18/11

Bonnie Pink, has been around in the music industry possibly for as long as I've been alive! This Japanese singer/songwriter has such a talent that you can't pass up. Her style ranging from shibuya-kei, to Jpop/rock to R&B. I have heard of her from a song that has been used in an anime, but that song was just a taste of how amazing her songs truly are. The first album I heard of hers was Golden Tears. With her single, "So Wonderful", it's a song that you can enjoy while traveling. Even the whole album is perfect for traveling around. The album became one of my top frequent albums of 2009.
A year later, she released a new
album called, Dear Diary. I listened to the album whole and when I heard the song Morning Glory, I instantly loved it. Hearing that song made me see Bonnie Pink in a whole new light.Knowing that a Japanese musician wrote a song about depression and hope made me smile. It made me know that Bonnie Pink is a strong women filled with a sense of melancholy and hope. Now I listen to Morning Glory every morning, reminding myself to keep going and to live more. (I do not have depression, but there are some days that are harder than others.)
When I listened to her B-Sides I heard a variety of genres filled in every song, giving it a great pop feel. The song that really stuck to me most was her all-English song, "The Last Thing I Can Do". Every lazy day I pop on that song and lay down enjoying the day relaxed and calm. The song is a really sweet song filled with strong lyrics, vocals, and a simple melody, of only a guitar or two. It's a really personal song of Bonnie Pink.
Selective Songs from Golden Tears
Selective Songs from Reminiscence
Selective Songs from Dear Diary
Selective Songs from B-Side Collection

I hope you guys like Bonnie Pink! If you want anymore of her music, go to iTunes!