The five immensely talented young men that compose this band are from different backgrounds and have different musical tastes, but when NATURAL comes together something incredible happens... a whole new sound in pop/rock music. NATURAL demonstrates the whole package: superior instrumental skills and silky-smooth vocals. Because they play all of their own instruments, NATURAL are more Beatles than Backstreet, but they're definitely influenced by both.
The group, made up of Ben Bledsoe, "J" Horn, Michael Johnson, Patrick King, Jr., and Marc Terenzi, came together in Orlando, Florida, in the summer of 1999, and began singing original, a cappella songs for anyone who would listen. They began building a local following and sold out their first concert, at the House of Blues in Orlando. In the Fall of 2000, NATURAL caught the interest of Orlando music-magnate Lou Pearlman, who after being impressed by the group's musical talents, signed them to the Trans Continental Records label immediately.
In 2001, NATURAL spent four months touring with the reunited Monkees as featured guests on their tour. During June, July and August of that year, NATURAL participated in a national promotion with Claire's Accessories, who sold an exclusive CD-Rom version of their first single. During this promotion the group made appearances at Claire's stores across the country. The month of August was spent on a back-to-school tour for the SAKS group of retailers, who also featured the group in their catalogs, advertising, and radio campaigns.
NATURAL's first single, Put Your Arms Around Me, was written by Steve Kipner (Genie in a Bottle, The Hardest Thing), and produced by Ali Dee. In September, 2001, the single was certified Gold by the RIAA, and ended up selling over 1 million copies worldwide.
NATURAL's ABC Family Channel concert with Michelle Branch, Lilí Romeo and Nivea aired in the fall of 2001, and that winter the group toured Southeast Asia, where they were mobbed by thousands of fans wherever they went. Two 2002 Prom promotions gained the band national exposure in the U.S. One was a Perfect Prom magazine promotion with Student Aware and the United States Air Force, the other was a series of national magazine ads for Faviana prom dresses featuring the band with prom models, which also included internet and in-store exposure.
Most of 2002 was spent touring in Europe. NATURAL has had three top ten singles in the GSA, and their album "Keep It Natural" debuted in September at #2 on the German album chart. They are staples on German radio and television, as well as in Asia, other European countries, and the U.K. Their fall 2002 "Keep It Natural" tour in Germany sold out all venues.
This past winter, U.S. audiences have been able to catch NATURAL performing on several national television shows including a 7-minute segment on the Today Show with entertainment reporter Billy Bush, in Herald Square during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC (where they rode on the NY Daily News "Big Apple" float), on the Jenny Jones Christmas episode, and on ABC's Disco Ball television special where they performed a medley of BeeGee's hits. Disco Ball has had many repeated airings on both ABC and VH1.
NATURAL has spent the first half of 2003 doing promotions, performances, and press in Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe. In Japan, their album debuted at #5 on the charts, quite an achievement for a U.S. group. During this time the band has also been taking time to write and record new songs for their second album, due out first quarter 2004.
Now, with this international success behind them, Natural returns to the U.S. in a big way, with a brand new single. The song, "What If", is an emotional power-ballad from the writing team of Nina Ossoff, Jodi Marr, and Richie Supa. It was Executive Produced by Lou Pearlman, and produced by Richie Supa and John Merchant for JMRS Productions.
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Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Brooke Hogan knew at an early age that music was in her future. As a child, she was always singing around the house, and a favorite pastime was performing songs from "The Little Mermaid" for family and friends. To encourage her love of music, and to support her talent, Brooke's parents enrolled her in piano lessons and in dance classes where she learned tap, ballet, jazz, ballroom, and even belly dancing! Gymnastics and baton were always favorites of Brooke's, and she also enjoyed cheerleading, drill team and basketball (just don't ask about her tennis!!).
In school, Brooke began performing in class plays and school musicals, and she also joined the chorus. Her mom, Linda, knew her daughter was serious about a professional music career when one day Brooke pulled out the yellow pages and began calling agents! It was time to take things seriously.
In the early days, Brooke's mother acted as her vocal coach, teaching her proper breathing techniques and helping her develop her range. Brooke would sing karaoke to practice her vocals and her performance style. Brooke's father, wrestling great Hulk Hogan, was attending an event one day with his family along, and at one point, Brooke began singing. Bubba the Love Sponge from 98 Rock in Tampa heard Brooke and commented to her parents about how talented she was. He encouraged them to pursue a music career for her. That's when they went to see legendary music entrepreneur Lou Pearlman.
Lou Pearlman was impressed with Brooke's talent, but felt that at 13 she was still a bit young, and needed to develop her voice a bit more. He encouraged her to spend the next year working on her vocal development and then to come back and see him. A year later, in February, 2002, she did just that. Performing a private showcase for Lou Pearlman at the Groove in Orlando, Brooke wowed him with two dance songs, and a medley of three piano songs that showed off her playing skills as well as her vocal talent. Pearlman was sold. He signed the young beauty to his Trans Continental Records, and immediately set her up with producers, vocal coaches and instructors to help hone her skills. He arranged for her to perform in public at his Talent Rock event, local fundraisers, and sporting events. Brooke was on her way.
Brooke recorded her first single, "You", with writer-producer Dakari. It will be sent to radio in early January, 2004, for a February 10th add date. The retail single will be in stores in March. Her debut album is scheduled to be released late summer 2004 and Brooke can't wait to record all of the songs they have lined up for her, several of which she's written herself. It's an exciting time for this 15-year old, and it's only the beginning!
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B4-4 is an abbreviation of "before four". The group consists of members Ryan, Dan, Ohad. Rewind to December 5th, 1979, when identical twins Ryan and Dan were born in a Cincinnati, Ohio hospital (Dan is the older twin, by 3 minutes). Ryan and Dan were the only kids in the family born on North American soil. Their parents and older siblings left their South African home in the late 1970s. Ryan and Dan became the youngest additions to a very musical family. Their father is a world-renowned professional concert artist, and all three older siblings are musically gifted as well. Not quite the Van Trapps, maybe, but Ryan remembers the twins' first public appearance on stage as a family affair.
"Dan and I were four years old, and we joined my sister and brother on stage at a local community center," Ryan remembers. "We sang 'You Are My Sunshine'. My parents taped it - and it's one of our favorite home movies. In fact, we still love to perform that song live!" Dan and Ryan - who describe themselves as "inseparabthe… best of friends" - remember singing constantly as kids. After a move to Toronto as infants, they grew up in a household filled with music, encouraged by their musically minded parents to explore singing, writing lyrics and melodies, and performing. "Since I can remember, my mom has been compiling baby books, scrapbooks, tapes of our early performances, the works," Dan shares. "She's a social worker, but she should really be a journalist!"
Meanwhile Ohad was born on March 13, 1982, the middle of three sons to a businessman father and a mother who is a popular singer. He remembers watching his mother perform at concerts when he was just a toddler; his own "public" debut was in kindergarten. "We used to have this 20 minute sing-along every morning in class," he recalls, "and I remember one of the first mornings in September I didn't quite 'get' the concept. I told all the other kids to shut up, and I stood on my chair and insisted on singing a solo." He laughs. "I remember getting in trouble for that one."
Ohad met his future bandmates Ryan and Dan at a mutual friend's house when the twins were fourteen and he was just 12 years old. The chemistry was immediate.
"Our parents used to say to us: 'what do you see in Ohad? He's not in your age group,'" recounts Ryan with a smile. "And his parents would say to him: 'what are you hanging around with those older kids for?' But the age difference never mattered to us. We would spend tons of time listening to the radio - The Jackson 5, Boyz II Men, and Stevie Wonder - and I'd take the top parts, Dan would do the middle harmonies, and Ohad would take the bass. We'd memorize all the pop songs on the radio and work on the harmonies for days."
Through a friend of the twins' father, the trio got hooked up with a sequencing professional and some studio time, and managed to put together a 2-song demo. Eventually, they caught the attention of Lou Pearlman and now B4-4 is poised for the big time.
The three members of b4-4 unanimously agree that the process of signing a deal, recording an album, and getting ready to take their music to a stage for a live audience has been the ride of their life - and a whole lot of work. It's the message of the anthemic song, "Really Gotta Want It": an inspiration to work hard to achieve their dreams is at the heart of this friendship and musical partnership. So what's it like to share the stage with identical twins?
"They're like family," says Ohad. "Actually, a lot of the time we get mistaken for triplets. But musically, Ryan and Dan are two totally distinct voices and they have these unique, amazing singing styles." As for the twins, Ryan sums it up: "We're so close," he smiles. "It's hard to explain to people, because . . . it's as though he's me. It explains a lot about how well we get along - because how can you fight with yourself?"
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Forget west coast, east coast, north and south. Hip hop has become music's universal offspring in the 21st century. Bubbling up into the ranks of hip hop's new school are Florida's SMILEZ AND SOUTHSTAR, with their debut single, "Who Wants This". Also, look for thier upcoming ablum titled CRASH THE PARTY, on Artist Direct Records. Like the best Florida cooking, Smilez and Southstar bring together the spicy flavors of underground hip hop (where skills are honed in dirty South freestyle competitions) with the crisp perfection of an infectious hook. What they create is home-cooked hip hop with enough flavor to keep heads nodding in the jeeps that line Orlando's main drag as well as clubs in New York and California and just about all points in between.
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Their songs transcend time. Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, revered for unforgettable past hits, explore fresh creative territory in the present. Magically melodic songwriting and soaring sibling harmonies ensure that this pair will be a vital part of the music scene's future. Their famed blond locks have been shortened, but their appeal is proving greater than ever. The twin sons of rock 'n' roll icon Rick Nelson have been honing their sound in Nashville, woodshedding with some of Music City USA's best songwriters. The resultant material is mature, yet youthfully exuberant. It meshes the power pop that launched them to multi-platinum status, the country rock their father pioneered, and the common touch that has always been at the root of country music's appeal. It's rockabilly for the 21st century.
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With sales of over 75 million records, nine Grammy nominations, three Grammy Awards and an American Music Award, KC and The Sunshine Band are one of the influential forces in pop. The group pioneered an original funk style that continues to delight old fans and attract new ones into the millennium. Hits like "Get Down Tonight", "That's The Way (I Like It)", and "Shake Your Booty" established KC & The Sunshine Band as movers and shakers in the music business. Along with the Beatles, KC is the only new artist to have four number one singles in the span of a year: "Boogie Shoes", "Get Down Tonight", "That's The Way (I Like It), and "Rock Your Baby". Combining the funk of the 70's, the fun-loving attitude of the 80's and the swinging groove of the 90's and beyond, KC & The Sunshine Band continue to forge new musical territory and delight fans of all ages throughout the world.
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Born in Abington, Pennsylvania and raised in South Jersey, multi-talented Sean van der Wilt began singing and performing at an early age. During this time he also participated in extensive gymnastics training. This paved the way for a promising career in entertainment.
After moving to New York to pursue a career in acting, Sean went to a dance audition with a friend one day and immediately fell in love with the art. He began formal dance training and after only six months began to get work as a professional. Since then, Sean has had the opportunity of working beside many amazing artists and has performed in some remarkable productions. Some of his performances include VH1 Divas Live with Aretha Franklin, The Today Show with Deborah Gibson, Saturday Night Live with Katie Holmes, The Royal Family of Morocco, and the CBS Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Special.
Sean has been acknowledged in Dance Spirit Magazine for his dance accomplishments, but it doesn't stop there. Sean has also done modeling, television commercials, and voiceovers for radio promotions. Some of these impressive credits include Hugo Boss, Cosmopolitan and Rockport, just to name a few.
The inspiration for singing has always been inside of Sean, and now he's finally able to realize that dream. Under the helm of Lou Pearlman, better known for guiding the careers of the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, LFO, and more, Sean has been busy recording his debut album for Trans Continental Records, and putting the finishing touches on his high-energy show performance.
With his good looks, musical talent, and outgoing personality, Sean is assured of a bright future!!
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Don’t let Keysha’s striking good looks and petite figure fool you, because this young female bombshell is about to explode onto the hip-hop scene.
Born in Germany, raised in Las Vegas and now making her home in Orlando, FL, Keysha is one of nine sisters and brothers born into a military family. She wrote her first song at age seven and always aspired to be a performer.
Through word on the streets of Keysha’s freestyle battling skills and unique rap style, she caught the ears of Orlando, FL producers Dakari and DJ Nasty. Impressed by Keysha’s talent and writing ability, they teamed her up with Artist Direct rap duo, Smilez & Southsar. Keysha hit the road with Smilez & Southstar joining them on stage for their hits “Tell Me” and “Now That You’re Gone.”
While touring across the country, Keysha built industry relationships and earned the respect of fellow hip-hop artists. Keysha, an accomplished model, has been featured in several national magazines and music videos.
Keysha’s primary musical influence is Lauren Hill. Other influences are hip-hop’s Notorious B.I.G. and Eminem as well as alternative rock groups Incubus, Linkin Park and Nirvana. Keysha’s varied musical interests and unique ability to write her own lyrics separate her from other female hip-hop artists.
Now eamed with Trans Continental Records and Street Dwellaz Management, Keysha’s talent and exotic good looks will soon land her among hip-hop’s elite!
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The tale of this talented pop singer, dancer and let's not forget actor, has only just begun. At the matured age of fourteen, Aaron Carter still has all the innocence and excitement of a boy following a dream. He began chasing this star, unknowingly perhaps, when he began singing and dancing at the age of eight. It was not long before his sweet charm and energy won crowds over in Europe and further throughout United States.
These days, this fresh young artist is known the world over and has accumulated more fans than he can count just by doing what comes naturally. The truth be known, music always surrounded Aaron and you could say it was in his blood. His older brother, Nick, of the Backstreet Boys and older sister Leslie prove that musical talent runs in the family. The siblings (there are seven in total) were constantly listening to and singing along with heaping doses of pop and rock. This young pop phenomenon credits Journey's Steve Perry as one of his greatest influences (though he was born after the band's heyday). He enjoys music probably more than anything, and feels privileged to be able to perform and share his music with millions of people.
"Touring is one of the best parts of it," Aaron says adding that, "it is so much fun to be out there on stage. The energy that the crowd gives back to you is unbelievable. Music is something that always lifts my spirits and makes me happy, and when I make music I always hope it will have the same effect on whoever listens to it."
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Although the music mecca of Nashville, TN was just a short hop from Knoxville native Jasper Sawyer’s home, he chose Orlando, FL as the starting point for his music career.
With the support of his church and local businesses to finance his trip, Jasper and family were able to attend Talent Rock, a national talent search and competition held in Orlando, FL in the spring of 2004. Jasper competed against hundreds of other contestants and won the title of Top Teen Male Vocalist.
During his performance in the finals, Jasper captured the attention of Pop Music Impresario Lou Pearlman, creator of The Backstreet Boys, 'N SYNC, LFO, and O-Town.
Jasper was immediately signed to a recording contract with Trans Continental Records and under Lou’s guidance will soon be ready to take his place among pop music’s elite.
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