Our blog has been abuzz with activity as songwriting bloggers from across Canada have been busy embracing the Canadian Songwriters Social Media Challenge outlined by Ariel Hyatt‘s “Music Success in 9 Weeks.” Click Here for details. If you’ve been tracking with everyone, you will appreciate that the level of experience and the goals of each songwriter are all over the map. Such is the beauty of this challenge. It meets each person wherever they are in their respective journey.
Week 2 promises to show even more diversity as it focuses on creating your pitch. What I have found as a challenge participant is that each stage of this challenge requires you to “Know Thyself.” After all, how can you put yourself out there in a clear and concise way if you don’t know what you’re putting out there. Take a look at the pitcher. He is focused and determined. He is not just randomly throwing the baseball to anyone (which many musicians are prone to doing). Let’s hear those pitches challenge participants!
Please post the following:
1. Your elevator pitch.
2. The URL to your Week 2 blog. (NOTE: please post the exact URL to the entry and not just the general URL to your blog)
My ‘elevator pitch’.
To be fair, I’ve not received any comment on who people say they think I sound like. So, I’ve taken a chance and tried to make my own description. Here goes…:
1. Pitch: “I’m a funkified, contemplative, MusiqalJacksoulChild-like, broken-hearted angel with an R&B core.”
2. 2nd Blog link: http://jinraltao.bandzoogle.com/
But, don’t take my word for it. Feel free to judge for yourself and post your thoughts on what you think of my “sound”.
I eagerly look forward to your replies. And thanks.
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Hi Jinral, you surprised me. I’d only seen your ‘cool guy in the hat’ photo and read the first word of your pitch..’funkified’. Expecting dance / beat / rap music would follow i headed to your blog/web and hear the music start… A lovely tender, enveloping voice like caramel. Best, T
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Awww! My first ‘real’ comment. Thank you. (I promise not to erase it.)
And you’re on point. Often when I meet people for the first time, I see how tense they and their misconception is that I’m a thug… until I smile and begin to talk. I immediately notice a change in their demeanor and they start to relax when they realize I’m just a regular guy (just tall). Really, though, I’m a softie at heart. I hafta be a good model for my kiddies. /:-)
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Contemplative…R&B core….very good!
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You have me thinking I don’t need all the other fluff. /:-)
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Ok, so far this is what I’ve come up with;
I’m an R&B/Pop singer & songwriter, with stylings similar to Alicia Keys or Tamia, hints of Eva Cassidy’s jazzy folk, and shades of Aretha Franklin’s old school soul.
Here’s my blog link:
Again, check out my Soundcloud page if you wanna hear some of my music and give me some feedback of your own! http://soundcloud.com/adrianne_r/sets/adri-annesoundslike/
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Yes, I think your pitch works. I really enjoyed listening to Victoria Song.
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Andy Ruszel for my “band”, Andrews and Lawrence…are two people a family? are two people a band?
The Pitch
Andrews and Lawrence play Old Time Gospel Music. They pick and harmonize in the great brother duet tradition of the Stanley and Louvin Brothers and the Smothers Brothers. Their pledge: “We’re here to cheer the weary traveller.”
Blog andrewsandlawrence.wordpress.com
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I really like “Cheer the weary traveller”
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What a process! 🙂
1. Sarah McLachlan laughing with Dar Williams in Jewel’s backyard.
2. http://aynsleysaxe.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/wiggling-into-a-pitch/
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Loved your blog….I’m wiggling in my mind, too.
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Thanks Lucy!! lol 🙂
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Listened to your song, “Next To Me”.
I like how you take the listener on a journey.
Smooth and purposeful.
Similarities to Sarah McLachlan for sure.
I’m in the same boat as you are… difficulty describing my own “sound”. I’ll be re-vamping my Pitch.
Week 2, and 7 to go. Keep on going.
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Thanks Jinral! I’ve had quite a few ppl say “Sarah M” is who I sound like so I’m glad you think it works too. Good luck with yours. Looking forward to reading. 🙂
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I love that description….and yes….Sarah M is a good comparison.
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1. We live in the neighborhood of folk-rock, but tend to travel. We sound like a snowball fight between the Dave Matthews Band and Vivaldi.
2. 90 sec Vlog at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I-PrvVYuq4
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A snowball fight between the Dave Matthews Band an Vivaldi….brillant.
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I love both sentences–“we live in the neighborhood of folk-rock, but tend to travel” was pretty darn good, too! I’d shorten the second sentence to just “Dave Matthews and Vivaldi.” When in doubt, cut it out.
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“Free spirited,” is the vibe I get from you. Very uplifting.
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AMAZINGLY PERFECT AND LURING! 😀
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I don’t have a pitch. Yet. But I’m having a blast thinking about who I am. If you want a look inside my process, here’s me mid-week, rounding third and heading for home…
http://trioarjento.tumblr.com/post/16157919730/me-in-30-seconds-sure
Will post a finished pitch soon.
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Okay…you have lots of juicy bits in your blog to choose from …for your pitch.
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Lucy LeBlanc
Okay, here’s my post…very uncomfortable, but did it.
http://lucyleblanc.tumblr.com/post/16125589713/who-am-i
My pitch:
Lucy LeBlanc: “Lyricist….from folk to rock”
Midnight Mama Music: ” Watercolours of Sound”
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Hope this isn’t cheating…
But, I re-thunk my pitch. I feel the last one was too wordy. Wasn’t quite satisfied with it.
Because I don’t lock myself into any ONE particular musical style, it’s hard to describe my “sound”. But, I think the pitch below better describes “me,” artistically.
“Jinral Tao is… Gospel roots. R&B core. Big on harmonies.”
There! Much simpler.
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Very cool! I like the words “roots” & “core”.
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Thanks.
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yeah–that’s tight. well played!
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Was having a hard time describing my sound (still don’t know if I sound like anyone out there yet).
So it made more sense to define me. Much simpler… and to the point. Glad you like it.
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Not sure if this is the right place to do it, but I’ve done a second blog post on Week #1 and my struggle with setting goals. (I learned it becomes a lot easier when there’s glitter involved!!) here’s the link: http://staceykaniuk.tumblr.com/post/16188182440/social-media-challenge-week-1-really-digging-in
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http://www.tumblr.com/blog/smokinjoewiseman
I am a roots/folk singer-songwriter, most often compared to Johnny Cash.
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WEEK 2
“If James Taylor and Carole King had a baby boy (whose Godfather was Don McLean) and he grew up and married Taylor Swift, and if the two of them had a baby girl and made Carlos Santana her Godfather, and raised her in a house where Zac Brown Band was constantly playing on the stereo, and the baby girl grew up to be a singer-songwriter, That would be me.”
http://www.maddyrodriguez.com/2012/01/if-james-taylor-and-carole-king-had-a-baby-me-in-15-seconds-and-cabagge-soup/
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Hey Maddy,
I love the analogy of the family….I would say however, that it is a bit too long. I had to re-read the last couple of sentences to make sure I got it. If you could condense it a bit somehow, I think you’d nail it……warmly….Sarah
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Elevator pitch:
Named Good Rockin’ Dan
Where rockin’ and blues go hand in hand
Your feet will meet the dance floor
Come and get you won’t expect more
http://d4b4otf.wordpress.com
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A Follow Up from Week 2!
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Christie Grace – An ambrosia of Ella, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell & Bacharach déjà vu with a twist of Audrey Hepburn.
http://christiegrace.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=64&action=edit&message=6&postpost=v2
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I like the Audrey Hepburn….leaves me intrigued…..
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I am also leaving the direct link to the blog as the previous one listed above is the pre edit url. Sorry.
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Here is my pitch:
“Sarah sounds like a grittier Norah Jones, and writes tunes marinated in jazz, sauteed in the blues with hints of folk and country.”
Blog: http://www.quesarah.ca
(for some reason, the URL comes up the same, when on my blog page….one must go the the site and visit “Blog” in the navigation bar.) Sorry for the extra step!
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Thanks to you all for posting your URLs in the proper manner and being examples…..
Here is my blog post for the week; it was easy once I learned how to “right click” on a Mac. Ahhhh….the world of technology opens up more and more each day:
http://www.quesarah.ca/?section=blog/im_leavin_on_a_jet_plane/
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Pitch: Hi, my name is Nicole Erika Trigg and I’m a singer/songwriter specializing in acoustic pop. My sound is a cross between the Indigo Girls and Bif Naked. I write powerful songs about love, loss and life. My plan is to record and release my first studio album — Deliriousness, featuring 11 original songs — by the end of 2012.
Blog: http://netwaves.ca/1/post/2012/01/week-two-perfecting-the-pitch.html
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All right. Here’s my pitch. Still a work in progress. Would love your feedback. http://trioarjento.tumblr.com/post//elevator-pitch
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Kat Leonard combines the pizzazz of Liza Minnelli, the passion of k.d. lang, the wackiness of Cyndi Lauper and the sass of Madonna.
Madcap and profound, Kat Leonard is a quirky pop music dynamo whose music oscillates unpredictably between heartfelt and hilarious, leaving you with the drunken joy of a sugar rush.
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Blog URL:
http://tukr.me/ADx8a2
Pitch:
Singer-songwriter sharing folk-pop songs of wanderlust, dreamy lullabies and love soaked heartache.
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This was a toughie!! Here’s my pitch:
My name is Jessica Speziale and I’m a pop-rock musician and songwriter. I do powerhouse vocals with the intent of Serena Ryder and the soul of Alicia Keys. I have music and show dates on my website at jessicaspeziale.com.
Short version:
Powerhouse vocals with the intent of Serena Ryder and the soul of Alicia Keys.
http://jessicaspeziale.tumblr.com/post/16335003592/week-two-the-pitch
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1) Tracy Chapman reincarnated as Dido, The Cranberries meet Shakira, Sinead O’connor as Cher.
2) The Pitch took me awhile to refine and therefore, I have two blog entries for this one. The first can be found at
http://radiostar.supernova.com/KathrynBERRY/blog/7866/The-Blog-Challenge-Week-2–The-Pitch
and the second is at
http://radiostar.supernova.com/KathrynBERRY/blog/7866/The-Blog-Challenge-Week-2–The-Pitch#/KathrynBERRY/blog/7914/Week-2-The-Pitch-Continued
Please watch the Vlogs that go with both enties. Thanks a bunch. I look forward to the week ahead. Happy Blogging to all 🙂 Kathryn
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“Karyn Ellis is a gentle powerhouse of a songwriter. Playful, bittersweet and made with the finest ingredients of Folk, Country, Pop and even a trace of Jazz. Listen and be fortified.”
Week 2: “Hold the door, this elevator is going up!”
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Sioux Newberry
pitch: “I want to say that you sing pretty and powerfully, have a killer pop band that can rock, and are smart and poetic. Is ‘funrock’ a word? I hope so. It’s literate funrock. That’s what you do. Well.”
-David Newberry, BA, MA, Musician, Sibling
url: http://siouxberry.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/presidential-pitches/
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“Literate fun rock” Oh, ya! 🙂
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My elevator pitch as it currently stands:
My name is Kimi Lyn Smith and I am a songwriter specialising in alternative rock and edgy pop. With influences including Garbage, Radiohead and Snow Patrol, I write delicately crafted songs with resonances of Fiona Apple, Metric and KT Tunstall, for myself and other artists with a commercial approach. Please get in touch if you’re looking for tracks to sync or for material to record.
My blog entry is here: http://sneakyhooks.com/?p=140
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I was advised by Ariel’s Mastermind Group to create 4 pitches: one overall umbrella for Word Maven Music, (which I’ve made using the 15secondpitch method) and one for each of the three areas I’m working in (which I’ve made short).
1. Debra Alexander is the creative director of Word Maven Music. As a songwriter, teacher, coach, & collaborator, she specializes in finding the soul of a song, and works with wordsmiths and musicians to craft memorable songs that speak to a myriad of audiences. Her gift for language, her musical training, and her intuitive capacity to refine creative expression make her a dynamic writer, collaborator, and coach. Sign up for wordmavenmusic blog posts advocating appreciation and awareness for the art of songwriting.
a. Debra’ Alexander is a dynamic songwriting collaborator who marries love of language, music theory chops, and classic song craft to speak the soul of a song.
b. Debra is a songwriting coach & music teacher who helps wordsmiths and musicians write, play, and deliver better songs.
c. Debra Alexander is a singer-songwriter whose set sounds like Joni Mitchell and Diana Krall meet for Brazilian coffee and are graced by the spirit of Ira Gershwin.
http://bit.ly/xokk6q
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Nice! Concise, poetic and powerful! Love your blog newsletter line too! Totally makes one want to join to receive the benefits! 🙂
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Definitely agree. Nice work on the tag line.
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1) Dervla’s catchy sound hits your ears with the go-getter attitude of Katy Perry mixed with Pink’s blunt honesty and some Blondie deja vu. Her steamy but innocent voice makes her instantly recognizable.
2) I don’t know how to get my Blogs on separate pages just yet…. I’ll figure it out for next week! For now, it’s on my main blog page http://www.dervla.bandzoogle.com/home.cfm
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Wicked! Love Blondie deju vu… steamy and innocent… beautiful! 🙂
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Thanks! 🙂
Also, I just realized how to get the link to the specific blog post instead of the main page with all of them… all part of the learning process I guess!
Here it is!
http://www.dervla.bandzoogle.com/home.cfm?feature=3079401&postid=1737583
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Shelly Dubois – an independent country/folk/roots, singer/songwriter that has a traditional sound with a modern vibe. With a pinch of Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks), a dash of Paulette Carlson (Highway 101) and Stevie Nicks mixed into every performance.
Check out my first ever video blog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2j7NMyj92g
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Great blog! You’re hilarious! Gigs! Ha!
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My Pitch: Lily C spreads positive vibes with a fresh pop sound, like Jewel jamming with Nelly Furtado.
Blog No. 2: Pitching From The Heart: http://lilyc.blogspot.com/2012/01/pitching-from-heart.html
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My pitch: Kenya Kondo is a Nairobi born, Edmonton based pop-rock singer and songwriter. His music has been described as ‘British duo Butler/McAlmont meets Tracy Chapman’. Find out more about Kenya and his music at http://www.kenyakondo.com
The link to my second blog post for the challenge: http://www.kenyakondo.com/#!
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I had only posted to our FB group and realized ooops forgot to post here.
Here’s my elevator pitch:
“FenSTAR brings light into darkness through her angelic sounds, soulful lyrics, transcending beats and is enchanting in her debut album DIVINITY as she mixes many genres of music; pop, dance, R&B, jazz, with a distinctive ethereal flare.”
Week 2 blog: http://fenulla-fenstar.blogspot.com/2012/01/fenstar-in-nutshell.html
Oh and I’m using this twitter account still as oppose to the one I posted last week: https://twitter.com/fenullafenstar
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1. Jason Mraz and Bruno Mars go on vacations to South America. I’m their first baby!
2. http://ma0planet.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-first-baby-take-me-back-to-you.html (very soon on my website under construccion)
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Great work with “Take me back to you”! The pitch you came up with definitely fits you after I listened to the song.
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I need to trade works, guitar vocal,. interpretative stuff.
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Finally! I was away on vacation and while I did my blog, I couldn’t post it until today! So here it is….would love to get your comments :)))
1. Pitch: “Kristine St-Pierre is a chansionnière who wears her heart on her sleeve. Her honesty and grace, combined with her clear crystalline voice and folky melodies will bring you comfort, while her rollicking, bluesy side will keep you on your toes. With an effervescent stage presence and a smile a mile wide, you can’t help but listen and smile with her.”
2. Blog #2: http://www.kristinestpierre.com/fr_home.cfm (still on the homepage, not sure how to get the specific link yet….but will figure it out!)
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Week 2 update The perfect pitch blog URL: http://wp.me/p27tHb-h
Elevator pitch:
Named Good Rockin’ Dan
Where rockin’ and blues go hand in hand
Your feet will meet the dance floor
Come and get you won’t expect more
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My name is Don Sawchuk and I am a Singer Songwriter specializing in bluesy rock and ballads. I am an exceptional guitarist with the energy of James Brown and the emotional singing style of Colin James playing superbly crafted songs that root for the underdog. I align the musical and lyrical content for maximum emotional impact to the listener. Come check me out in concert or on-line at http://www.donsawchuk.com. If you like what you hear, share it with others! Building community one song at a time.
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/donsawchukprchallenge
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Cheryl L’Hirondelle is a singer/songwriter, interdisciplinary artist and so much more, who is a ‘swift-flying songbird’ with a social conscience as big as the sky. Imagine a sound somewhere between the tonal shapes and edges of Mary Margaret O’Hara, Joan Armatrading and Buffy Sainte Marie with equally meaningful lyrics and evocative melodies that trace the contours of the horizon line. http://www.cheryllhirondelle.com
http://cheryllhirondelle.blogspot.com/2012/02/week-2.html
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Pitch: Whether R&B/Acoustic or Surf-Rock/Soul, ride the wave like Jack Johnson, fly to Mars like Bruno!
http://roryohearn.tumblr.com/post/19133574755/week-2-a-satisfying-pitch
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