All That's FAB » Artist Spotlight

Video: J. Cole “A Star is Born” Documentary

Aura — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:51:26 +0000

We’ve never really talked about J. Cole on All That’s Fab, but he is a young, talented rapper/producer who has been buzzing on the New York hip hop scene for quite some time now. He’s also done quite a few shows and has been seen at several industry events here in the city. Having been recently signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label, as well as appearing on the song “A Star is Born” on The Blueprint 3, it seems as though J. Cole is definitely on his way to being the next to blow.

Fellow lady blogger, Karen Civil, took the time out to sit down with the North Carolina native, to discuss his confusing label situation, how he got to New York in the first place, and what it feels like to be cosigned by Jay-Z. He definitely has a bright future ahead of him, and we’re anxious to see more.

Check out the video after the jump.

J Cole – A Star Is Born Documentary Part 1 from Chris Knotti on Vimeo.

Fab Female: Lydia Caesar

Aura — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:43:25 +0000

Lydia Caesar is a singer/songwriter that we first discovered on mixtapes that were circulating around New York City. Shortly after, we began seeing more of her buzzing online after she released her version of Musiq’s hit song “Buddy”. After hearing her name in circles over and over again and having our peers continuously speak so highly of her, it got to the point where we almost couldn’t avoid her and her grind.

This talented young star is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the industry as a result of her beautiful voice, head turning looks, and killer songwriting skills, and we were proud to be able to sit down and talk to her. As a former stand out contestant on Making the Band 2, and someone who has performed in just about every venue in NYC, she definitely has a lot of interesting things to say about her experiences in the entertainment industry. Learn more about Lydia Caesar when you read the rest.

ATF: We’ve been hearing about you for a little while now. Can you tell our readers a little bit about who you are?

LC: I’m a singer/songwriter/performer born and raised in Queens, NY. Basically, I’m an artist and I love making music. I love making songs that personally I can relate to, and it just so happens that other people can relate to them also. I love singing about love, and a lot of my songs are just about life. I also love the stage and I do a lot of shows in New York and the tri –state area. Within the city I get around and have done just about every venue. I’m just about spreading love and positivity through music.

ATF: What are some venues that we might of seen you perform at?

LC: I’ve done SOBs, BB Kings, Crash Mansion, The Canal Room, The Sugar Bar, basically everywhere.

ATF: And you also write your own songs, correct? Did you start out writing your own songs, or is it just something that you started doing gradually?

LC: Well, I’ve always considered myself to be a singer, and have been singing since I was about 5. I did Making the Band 2, and people on the set of the show were asking me if I write. At the time I had no songs at all, and they told me that was something that I should get into. I’ve always written poetry and have been very expressive, so when I was like 19 I started writing and started to realize that I was kind of good at it.

ATF: How was the Making the Band experience for you?

LC: It was a really good experience. I’m happy about it. I made it really far to top 15 singers. At the time, my parents were really strict, and they didn’t want me to sign. There was this really long contract that they give you early on, and my parents were like “No”. I was devastated, and I didn’t sign because I couldn’t go on, but the experience was really good for me. I really needed it as a person to build my strength and my confidence.

ATF: Did you always grow up wanting to be a singer, or was the Making the Band audition kind of a fluke?

LC: I felt I didn’t really embrace myself as a vocal artist. I’m into acting and that was where I really was….I wanted to be an actress, and I still do. But, when I got pregnant with my daughter, (which was about 6 months after Making the Band), is when I really started to take my music seriously. Its really weird, because you think something like that would be a stumbling block, but it really inspired me to work even harder. I actually wrote a song called “Melody Love” about my daughter and its like one of people’s favorite songs of mine. Its an older song, and not even how my music sounds now, but it came from such a real place and I think that’s why people really relate to that song.

ATF: Well, for our readers that are mothers out there, how do you manage to balance the two? And why was it so important for you to push yourself harder after you had your daughter?

LC: I’m blessed and fortunate to have a supportive family, and I have a lot of help. I don’t know how I would fair if I was on my own and I didn’t have such a great support system. My family supports what I do, and when I have shows and late night sessions, she’s with my mom. Her dad is in the industry too, and everyone around me is very supportive. We really it takes a village, so we all lend a hand in raising her. Honestly, I could make myself sound like some superwoman, but I do have help, which I’m very thankful for.

ATF: I actually first saw you on one of DJ Boy Wonda’s mixtapes. We actually just interviewed him, and we know that he hustles and we always see him out and about. How did you link up with him?

LC: My manager, Nigel is friends with Wonda, and he is such a big supporter. He really liked me and believed in me, and he was one of the first people to actually record me and really respect me as an artist. Its people like him who have helped me progress and has helped me as an artist to remain relevant. He’s like family in the industry to me.

ATF: Do you have a lot of friends in the industry that you can call to help out, or do you feel as a woman that you get some push back from your male counterparts?

LC: I wouldn’t say that I have a lot of friends, but I have a whole lot of acquaintances. There are a good amount of people that I know that I can count on when I need something, people who aren’t just about the money or business, but rather its about the passion that they have for me as an artist or a person. I think I’m fortunate, because its hard to find people like that.

ATF: In an industry where a lot of the music is kind of more so about how you look and what kind of machine you have around you, how do you feel you fit in?

LC: Its hard. A lot of times, the industry can be really discouraging, and you look around and wonder why you don’t have a deal or different opportunities. You definitely have thick skin. Not to hate on anyone else, but sometimes when you see what’s out there, I question “What the hell is going on?” However, I’ve adopted a motto for myself, and learned to not sweat the people that aren’t interested, but to sweat the people who are. I definitely think I have a place and I have a voice. I have music that people need to hear, and fans are really reassuring of that. The comments that I get definitely keep me going.

Check out Lydia Caesar’s latest single Summer Vacation. (We sure could use that with all of the rain that we’ve been getting in the city lately.)

Summer Vacation (final master).mp3 – Lydia Caesar

DOWNLOAD “SUMMER VACATION HERE

For more of Lydia Caesar, visit her on Myspace and follow her on Twitter

Exclusive Interview: Melanie Fiona

Ian Jarrell — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:23:40 +0000

We at AllthatsFab.com are always supportive of up and coming artist. When we heard of this girl, Melanie Fiona, an R&B/soul artist signed to ROC Nation she immediately captured our attention. We got the chance to attend her NYC showcase, and absolutely fell in love with her artistry. Ian Jarrell recently got to sit down and chat it up with her about her upcoming album The Bridge, the Rihanna comparison, and much more. You can check out the exclusive interview after the jump…

ATF: How are you doing?

Melanie Fiona: Good, Good. And yourself?

ATF- I am doing great, just happy to finally get to sit down with you.

MF – Awww, thank you.

ATF - No problem, so tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? What’s your background?

MF – Well I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. I am Guyanese!

ATF- Oh wow, I didn’t see that. Yeah because I attended your showcase here at the Canal Room, and everyone including myself was trying to figure out what your race is.

MF – That is hilarious. Yeah I am mixed with Black, Indian, and Portuguese. But my family is Guyanese.

ATF-Oh okay cool, so what made your family migrate all the way to Canada?

MF – Well you know Guyana is a third world country. They just wanted a better life for themselves. Canada was just the land of opportunities at that time.

ATF - That was a good little back story, so now I did my research and found out about Miss. Syren Hall.

MF – Wow (laughs)

ATF- Yeah so what made you leave her behind? Or is she still somewhere down in you like an alter-ego?

MF -Well Syren was just a nickname that was giving to me. I was doing music that was kind of reflective of my culture, it was like R&B and reggae influenced. So people just started calling me Syren after hearing me. It really caught on once the DJ’s started using it. My song Somebody Come Get Me was actually on Reggae Gold, so Syren just stuck. It also just stuck because my name Melanie Fiona wasn’t fully developed yet. But yeah it’s all me, it’s all my music. But once I got my deal, I wanted to start pushing my real name.

ATF - Yeah because when I heard about the name Syren Hall, I was very interested in why you would change it.

MF – Oh yeah but that was just play stuff. But once things started getting really serious, I wanted to use my name, Melanie Fiona. I just wanted to keep it real ya know.

ATF - Okay that’s what’s up. With the whole island feel that you came out with originally, you are now starting to get compared to Rihanna. Even though your sounds are so different, it’s kind of the same story about how you emerged into the industry. How do you feel about that comparison?

MF – I feel it’s cool, hey we both are island people. It’s always cool to show love to home first. Well if it’s any indication she is doing well, she has evolved into something else.

ATF- Cool, yeah she has grown a lot over the years. The second half of that question is related to Jay-Z. Rihanna has worked with Jay-Z to in the past. How did you get linked up with his camp?

MF – Well G Brown who is connection with ROC Nation. After I signed my production deal, they took me to NYC to meet Jay-Z and his team, and they were really feeling my work. After they heard it they wanted to be on board, and that’s how I managed my ROC Nation deal.

ATF- Was the music that you have right now already set, before you got signed? Like the song Give It To Me Right for instance.

MF – Well yeah basically, but the song Give It To Me Right was one of the first songs I recorded after I got my deal. But yeah I had a few songs before that, which will also appear on the album. Somebody Come Get Me is one of them, and the tracks It Kills Me and Sad Songs.

ATF– So, your album is called The Bridge right?

MF – Yes correct.

ATF- So describe The Bridge in 3 Fab words.

MF – Okay that shouldn’t be that hard, well Classic, Timeless, and Real.

ATF- Okay I like that, so now tell me how does a studio session go with Melanie Fiona? What are you like in the studio?

MF – Well I am pretty easy going. Anything that involves creativity with me I try to keep it very light. I don’t like to make it so serious ya know. I feel it takes away from the fun you can have making the records. I also never record during the day, I always record tracks at night. I like it to be a very relaxed environment; it also can not be a lot of people in the studio during the sessions. I like to keep it very chill.

ATF-How long did it take to make this album?

MF – Well honestly The Bridge was being made my whole life. Writing and recording this project has been a long process. It’s been a little over two years now. Now we are just tightening things up as of now, just trying to choose the songs that will appear on the album.

ATF - Do you guys have a release date set yet? Or are you all still just saying Spring 09?

MF – I’m hearing May.

ATF - Okay May, that’s right around the corner. I am excited.

MF – I am excited too; it’s been a long time coming.

ATF- So what are your four favorite songs off The Bridge? And you have to pick four.

MF – Well, Give It To Me Right, which is the single out of iTunes right now. Ayyo is one of them also. And lastly I am going to go with It Kills Me & Sad Songs. Those are my favorites off this album.

ATF - Okay that’s dope, not many people can ever pick their favorites. I remember you performing It Kills Me at your showcase, and it seriously blew me away. How was the feeling while you were doing the showcase? It was basically your New York City debut, in front of all the industry tastemakers.

MF – I ain’t even going to sit here and lie, it was a bit nerve racking. I kind of freaked out before I went on the stage. I just was thinking “oh my god all these people are here to see me, judge me, criticize me” and then I thought “on the other hand, they are all hear to show me love and support”. I love what I do, so at the end of the day I was just honored. It felt good to showcase my music, to people that I admire in the industry.

ATF- Yeah I saw Jay-Z was in the building. I was just amazed that you stayed on point and was shaken up by this huge megastar, which is Jay-Z, there to see you.

MF – Well Jay is cool. That is the ROC Nation family right there. I was really honored that he came out to show support, he is really cool. He has always supported my career. ?uestLove came through too, DJ Enuff, the president of my label was there. It just really felt good, which made me just want to go up there and have a good time. I just wanted everyone to have a good time, and I wanted people see how much I love what I do.

ATF- Yeah because you did a really good job. I just heard so much about you, that I made it my duty to go check you out. I wanted to hear you in person, before I checked you out on YouTube like everyone else did. I was just really interested in seeing what you were going to bring to the industry.

MF – Right! And that’s exactly what showcases are for. It’s a very traditional way for people to see a new artist, and see what they can bring to the table.

ATF- So to lighten up the mood a little bit, what do you like to do when in New York City?

MF – I love to shop, I like to eat. I even love to ride the subway. I also like taking advantage of the Broadway shows, because I never got the chance to do that.

ATF- Now how I came up with this next question was pretty funny. During the show everyone was talking about the shoes you were rocking during the performance. Everyone wanted to know how much they cost, where are they from, and who made them. And even in my write up about the showcase, people were still talking about the damn shoes. They were on the shoes heavy. So the question is, what is the most fabulous thing in Melanie Fiona’s closet?

MF – I am going to go with my Christian Louboutins . I have these red ruby slippers by him. I have wore them during plenty of my performances. They are actually one of the most fab things I own. I just like to call them my ruby slippers.

ATF- Yeah you can’t go wrong with Christian Louboutin heels. So our site is very big twitter fans, and you and I are following each other on there. What made you get involved in twitter? What made you want people to know what you do 24/7?

MF – I think the way the industry is evolving, it’s very nessecarary to become more personal with your fans. Artist just have to be much more viral. I think people actually just like to know the artist professionally and personally. I just believe it’s a really good way to connect with people.

ATF- That is a good answer. I think a lot of artist need to get up on twitter. So my last question, to get a little more personal. What artist are you listening to right now in your iPod? I have read what is in someone’s IPod says a lot about the person.

MF – Well I don’t really listen to new artist, I am more following my favorite artist who are still making good music. Like I love Musiq Soulchild, Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, and of course India Arie and Lauryn Hill. I am also a fan of old soul, like Sam Cooke, & Sade. I do listen to a lot of hip-hop too. I love Kanye West and Common. I love the new Q-Tip album, The Renaissance. That is a kind of what has been going on a lot in my Ipod lately.

ATF - I just want to thank you so much for sitting down and chatting with us. We are big fans and supporters of you. You are truly something new and fresh for this industry.

MF – Thank you so much for actually taking a interest in me.

ATF- Yeah I was determined to get this interview after seeing that showcase.

MF – Awww thanks!

ATF- No Thank you Melanie…

Check out coverage of Melanie Fiona’s Showcase HERE

Melanie Fiona – It Kills Me

Melanie Fiona Myspace Page

Photos courtsey of Brad Walsh & WireImage

Event: Hot 97 “Who’s Next” Showcase at SOBs

Aura — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:18:42 +0000

Aura, LeMarvin, Ian and TiniWe hit up the Hot 97 “Who’s Next” Showcase this on Tuesday, in order to check out a new Brookland Entertainment/Universal Records artist named, LeMarvin. We’ve been hearing about him on the net recently, being that he has a song out with Game, and I personally was interested in seeing what he had to offer, especially since I just purchased a new iFlip! We got a chance to watch him perform and chop it up with him after his set. Check out his performance of his new single “Too Many Patrons” and a quick interview after the jump

Other artists who performed included Jay Rock, some random fat dude (who was horrible), and Charles Hamilton, who was the headliner. I can always appreciate checking out new artists.

We also got a chance to chop it up with LeMarvin backstage and caught the footage on my new iFlip! (Yes, I’m excited and we’re about to cause some trouble with this camera.)

Check him out up close and personal:

Wait, did he just say “Shout out to cats, dogs and the wilderness”? I cant take it.

Good times.

For more, visit Myspace.com/LeMarvin

Do We Love It? Video: Wayna – “My Love”

Aura — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:36:56 +0000

The Grammys are coming up and upcoming R&B singer Wayna has been nominated in the Urban Alternative category. She looks fab in the video, but are you feeling her song?

Charles Hamilton Covers Fader

Aura — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:25:10 +0000

Its funny that Charles Hamilton is covering Fader Magazine directly after Kanye, considering the constant comparisons. Anyway, cute cover. If anyone is going to the Fader party on Monday, hit us up!

Previously:
New Music – Charles Hamilton “The L Word”
Video: Charles Hamilton “Brooklyn Girls”

Brooklyn Fem-Cee Nina B Hops on Beyonce’s “Diva”

Aura — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:21:06 +0000

Jumpoff.tv recently put out a video discussing the top 5 female emcees of 2008. Needless to say, that list was pretty disappointing. Brooklyn rapper, Nina B, is making moves to change that. They are calling Beyonce’s “Diva” the female “A-millie”, and Nina B is next to hop on the song. I love how she hops in the video and kills it. Hot!

Indie-Soul Songstress, Maya Azucena provides a social concious message

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:18:34 +0000

With elections upon us, Soulful Songstress, Maya Azucena is sending out a social concious message. Check out her song, “Get It Together”

Mission Statement:

GET IT TOGETHER, an offering:
This is a love letter to our past. This is a love letter to our future. I have been to countries where the right to vote is stripped from the people, where their voices are howling in the night, begging the world to hear. We, in America, have gone through a lot to be here today. YOU count. So, listen to this song and consider deeply your right to vote. And do it. Don’t you ever forget your power to affect the world around you. -Maya Azucena

Janelle Monae Performs at Highline Ballroom

Aura — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:34:35 +0000

The FABULOUS Janelle Monae is a new artist on Bad Boy Records. She was previously signed to Big Boi’s from Outkast’s label, Purple Ribbon. She performed at Highline Ballroom last Wednesday, and brought the house down! Diddy was also taping his new reality show in which he is searching for an assistant, so that was an added bonus. More pics after the jump!

This young woman is definitely a new star, and she’s bringing something new to the music industry. She reminds me of a female Andre 3000, as far as her movements, style of dress and sound. She’s definitely “different”, to say the least, but I am digging it. The show actually ended with her moonwalking off of the stage, then her coming back and thrashing the microphone on the floor. Loves it!

Of course, Diddy was there getting his shine on. Yellow is definitely his color. The MTV cameras were everywhere, and you had to sign a release form before even entering the venue. As soon as I walked in to check to see if my name was on the VIP list, I had a camera in my face. I hope that doesn’t make it on the show.

This is Janelle Monae’s guitar player. I was loving him.

DJ Cassidy was on the 1s and 2s, so you know that new artist, O’Neal Mcknight was there. He was the MC/Hypeman for the night.

If you haven’t heard Janelle Monae’s music, you can check her out on Myspace and YouTube. This young woman is phenomenal, and I definitely look forward to seeing more.

Preview Cherish’s New Album “The Truth”

Aura — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:13:43 +0000

The 4 beautiful sisters of the group, “Cherish” dropped their album yesterday, and we’re giving you a chance to listen to it! I like these girls. They’re very talented, and, of course, they get points for being from the “A”. Check it out after the jump, and let us know what you think!