Ally Rhodes [Singer/Songwriter/Musician]

Name: Ally Rhodes
Age: [Mystery!]
From: Omaha, Nebraska/Nashville, Tennessee, US
What she does: Singer/Songwriter/Musician

Every once in a while an artist comes along that plays the strings that resonate directly with the heart. Ally is just that artist to me lately. With a beautiful voice, fair balance of originals and covers and subtle sense of humour, she captivates emotions and feelings I didn't know existed at that moment.

Ally's voice is soft, genuine and expressive in a most heartfelt fashion. She transmits the essence of the emotion behind the song like it's nobody's business, probably due to her genuine spirit and honest-to-goodness connection to her art. It shows that music is her niche and that she's got a whole lot of heart.

It's important for an artist to find their unique style in order to stand out amongst the crowd, otherwise you just lose sense of originality and once your 15 minutes of fame are up it's hard to get back in the game. Ally has a strong sense of creativity, and her quirky, down-to earth personality shines through her music as well as in her general presence. She isn't trying to be anyone but herself, and to succeed in the industry while keeping true to yourself can't be easy, but somehow I don't think anything will bring this girl down and make her a manufactured product of a material industry.

Ally's connection to music is apparent in her videos. She's dedicated and sings like nobody is watching and like there is nobody judging, and that's how it should be. I absolutely love when artists are capable of being so independent of opinions and avoid molding themselves to fit the social standards. It shows real musicianship, artistry but most importantly it shows that she is true to herself and is well worth a listen to, at the very least.

Here are some links to check out Ally Rhodes:
YouTube
Facebook
MySpace
Twitter

Caitlin Hart [Singer]

Name: Caitlin Hart
Age: [It's a mystery]
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
What she does: Singer

Caitlin Hart is definitely what I categorize as a sweetheart talent. Besides the fact that she's absolutely adorable, her unique style makes her stand out against many artists actively in the industry. Her simplistic approach to singing and the way each song is delivered in such a touching, gentle way is beautiful and something I personally quite enjoy.

Most artists will bank on filling songs with runs or extra stuff to show off just what they can do and I think it takes someone with confidence and audacity to embark in the industry in such a unique and simplistic manner. Not everyone understands the facile way Caitlin does what she does, but it's one of those things that just sounds good.

Caitlin's YouTube doesn't have many videos so there isn't much to go on, but her style is definitely something I can appreciate and I think it' totally worth sharing. I admire anyone who can take that road and be successful in what they do whilst keeping with their own personal style, and that is something I hope she carries with her throughout her journey.

I'll be on the lookout for what Caitlin has to offer, and you should too!

YouTube
Twitter
Personal Website

--

Don't forget to check us out on Twitter and Like our Facebook page to keep up with the blog!

Thanks!

-The Music

Julia Sheer [Singer]

Name: Julia Sheer
Age: 18
From: Golden, Colorado, USA
What she does: Singer

It always pleases me to see artists looking genuinely moved by what they do and that says a lot about how much they really care about their art. Julia Sheer seems to be an authentic, down to earth girl with a spunky attitude and a bona fide fondness for music.

Her voice isn't up there with the Diva's, but it just goes to show that you don't have to be in order to be talented and worth a shot in the industry. The emotion carried by her heartfelt performances gets me every time, especially in the cover of Pink's "Perfect" done with Jake Coco. Don't get me wrong, the original is always the best, but theirs is by far the best cover I have heard thus far. It gives me chills.

Julia classifies herself on My Band as a country artist, although I'd say more pop/country. Either way, both her covers as well as her original music is sincere and easy to listen to. It's the kind of music I can listen to no matter what mood or or what I'm doing. It makes great background music and slightly thought provoking. It's the kind of music with which I can drive with the windows down and it feels great.

She doesn't try to out do herself or any other musician- what Julia does, she does because it works, not because it's better or more appealing. It's bare and real and I love that she can be so down to earth with everything.

Here are some links to check out:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/JuliaSheer
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/@j_sheer
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juliasheertunes

Krista Nicole [Singer]

Name: Krista Nicole
Age: 16
From: Oregon, USA
What he does: Singer

I've been keeping up with Krista's YouTube page for a few years now and it's easy to see how much she's grown as a person and improved as a singer. That's not to say she was a bad singer, but that she's slowly growing into her own as an artist and that her talent has matured and developed over time.

Although I know there's more technique to her than what she lets on, Krista keeps her songs simple and straightforward and I find that refreshing; I get tired of singers going over-the-top on the vocal gymnastics to showcase their talent. You don't need to do that, and frankly I find that Krista's method is modest and suits her voice beautifully. It also keeps the singer down to earth and they don't seem so uptight about their art, which is what it's all about really.

In most [if not all] of her videos, Krista is accompanied by her father on guitar and sometimes the box drum. She also has a few collaborations with other non-celebrity status artists that are well-worth checking out.

Krista seems passionate about her art and is very down-to-earth. Her first EP entitled 'Dreams' is released and available on iTunes!

Enjoy!

Here's where you can check her out:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/KristaHeartzuz
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ImKristaNicole
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Krista-Nicole
Persona Website: http://www.kristanicole.com/
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/krista-nicole

Christina Grimmie [Singer/Pianist]

Name: Christina Grimmie
Age: 16
From: ?
What she does: Singer/Musician

From her Lady Gaga renditions to her Taylor Swift covers, this young lady is incredibly talented and versatile. Where many people tend to be skilled in one instrument but not so much in their secondary instrument, Christina's got genuine, solid talent in both of her instruments and very raw artistry.

Another thing that sets her apart from many singers is the fact that she doesn't seem to have any boundaries. By that, I mean she will sing as loud as she needs to and hits the notes she needs to hit. Where many singers on YouTube and in general tend to dumb the song down or do it to match their vocal ability, Christina reaches above and beyond those borders and hits the notes and really makes the song her own without having to dumb it down.

Anything she covers becomes an original. Christina's compositions and renditions of the songs she covers are phenomenal and I really love what she does.

Though I can't tell what her own music is like and why she does what she does, I can honestly say that she does it well. I would love to hear some of her stuff, what she has to offer in terms of personal music and composing.

Besides her music genius-ness she seems like a total sweetheart, a devoted Christian and a very pretty girl. Oh, and she's a total Zelda lover. TOTAL BONUS POINTS!

For the time being, enjoy!

For more information, or to check her out, here are some links:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/zeldaxlove64#p/u/7/TURsJyVUgUM
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/christinagrimmie?v=wall
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/therealgrimmie

Sarah LaMantia [Singer/Musician]

Name: Sarah LaMantia
Age: ?
From: West Virginia, USA
What she does: Singer/Musician

I first came across Sarah LaMantia roughly a year ago while browsing some YouTube talent and having watched most [if not all] of her videos, I can say that she's only grown as a musician. I don't think I've seen one bad video or performance [with the exception of the occasional distraction of her cat].

Although it's fairly typical pop-sounding, Sarah's voice is almost flawless and incredibly developed. Her skill level is solid and I'm sure she's capable of more than what we see in her videos. One thing I would like to see different is the fact that most of what she does is down-tempo- I think it would be great to see her do something upbeat.

Most of Sarah's videos are covers and, like I said, are down-tempo, even if the original song is not. For the most part she is accompanying herself on piano and claims to play it by ear, although she also admits to have taken 8-10 years of piano. Whether she does or not doesn't matter, it sounds great.

Besides the fact that she is a total die-hard Hanson fan [who is these days?!], she seems like an incredibly sweet girl with an infectious smile, GREAT hair and I'm looking forward to what she has been working on!

On a side note, Sarah was featured on Maury Povich; for his 'Most Talented Kids 2009' episode! How cool is that?

If you want to check out Sarah LaMantia's music [or her gorgeous hair...], here's where you can:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SarEliz0131
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahLaMantiaMusic?v=app_178091127385
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/SarahLaMantia
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SarahLaMantia
Personal Website: http://www.sarahlamantia.com/