Don't get us wrong, we definitely love High School Musical or High School Musical The Musical The Series but wouldn't it be awesome to see The Filharmonic and a majority Filipino cast take over an episode or maybe even just a scene? Well, here is a proof of concept via The Filharmonic and Kumu!
A newly released "Filharmonic Friday" takes us on a one-shot music video experience with Ella Mai's Boo'd Up, Usher's My Boo, and DJ Ghost Town's My Boo, featuring dancers from UCLA's Samahang Modern!
Cover Photo Courtesy of The Filharmonic Facebook
R&B is definitely not dead. Singer and Youtuber, Vedo is giving us the R&B sound we've been missing for a while now. Vedo was a contestant on The Voice Season 4 under Team Usher. Usher baby! Although he made it to the Top 12, he was eventually eliminated. That didn't stop him from using the momentum from the show to start releasing music. Vedo sits down with Dannieboi for a MYXclusive where he talks about his start on Youtube doing covers to releasing his own music, and the response he's been getting from the Philippines on You Got It.
Vedo never imagined this is where he'd be in at this stage of his career. "It's such a gratifying feeling to know that the music you have in your heart is impacting other people." He tells us more about his early beginnings and where he plans to take his music next.
2. He learned more about the kind of artist he wanted to be while on The Voice
While on Team Usher, he was able to perform in front of over 15 million people. He got to meet the other coaches like Blake Shelton and Adam Levine. Although Vedo enjoyed his time there, it wasn't the big break he thought it would be. When the time to move on from The Voice came, he took all he learned to become independent artist.
3. Vedo's covers started getting recognition from WordStarHipHop that helped him gain a wider audience
Using the momentum from the show, Vedo had a following but he also started making it to WorldStarHipHop. "I started putting out covers in music and the next thing you know, people started sharing it." He shared about going from 10,000 to 30,000 real quick. Now he has 815k subscribers on his channel.
4. You Got It is a track to show support and celebrate women
In the industry or in general, Vedo realizes the lack of support from other genres of music. You Got It was a way for him to celebrate women and help motivate them in a "man's world." He was ultimately inspired by his girlfriend to write the song. People relate to stories in songs that they've experienced personally in life.
My girlfriend was going through some something... I think the best way to get through it is to write a song. Basically just letting her know 'you got it.'
The Inspiration behind "You Got It"
5. Vedo draws inspiration to write music just by meeting other people and hearing their stories
He says he's a people person and can spend a few hours at a proper bar just talking with others. "I'm the type of guy to go to the bar is it at the bar to 3 hours man that talks between different people." Vedo hears from different walks of life and agrees that experience is the best teacher. When you take the time to listen, he learns how others overcame their obstacles and hardships.
6. He encourages people to run after their dreams until it happens
His track has been on the charts in the Philippines for a year and it's not going anywhere. Vedo's piece of advice consists of whatever you strive to do, don't stop until it's achieved. Don't walk but run towards a dream, it's not going to just come. Certain opportunities only come once in a lifetime and it could never be the right time, but get out there and take it.
Vedo looks forward to the day when he can visit the Philippines and return the love. Besides continuing his music, he's looking to venture into different areas of the industry like acting and promotions. For now, he has an album on the way and expect to see more of him on-screen.
Vedo grew up in Benton Harbor, Michigan and discovered his talent for singing at age 9. He is now based out in Atlanta and began his career performing at open mic nights. Vedo joined The Voice Season 4 in 2013. His musical style is similar to the smooth R&B sound of his The Voice coach, Usher.
After his Top 12 finish, he signed with indie label Platinum Power Moves and recorded his debut LP, 93. It saw release in 2015. The following year, Vedo issued the State of Mind EP before releasing his second full-length, From Now On, in 2017. He returned with another album in 2019 that featured the popular streaming track "Let's Get Married." Vedo's fourth album, For You, has the charting hit, "You Got It."
Cover Photo Credit: Vedo Facebook
Malaysian artist, Yuna chats with Dannieboi in this myxCLUSIVE. They talk about her latest single, Dance Like Nobody's Watching, her past collabs with G-Eazy, Usher, and her hope to one day sing with BTS. She also shares her musical evolution and how she got to her sound now. Check it all below or check out the highlights from the interview!
2. She started writing original music around the age of 14
Yuna explains that growing up, she listened to a lot of Malaysian artists and also Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. She also liked Alanis Morissette and Sheryl Crow which shows her diversity in music. However she discovered Lauryn Hill around 12 or 13 years old, which became the first proper album she bought.
3. Yuna started in the music business around 2006 and has been going the last 15 years
Her creative process of creating music is always changing. She knew that she wasn't going to be an artist who just stuck with one thing. When she first started, Yuna says she really focused on singer-songwriter stuff like acoustic vibes. Fast forward to moving to Los Angeles and challenging herself to see where her English songs could take her.
4. She loves finding opportunities to evolve in her craft
Yuna compares her experience to painting a blank canvas. "People are giving me paint in different colors and I'm able to let go." The collab with Usher on Crush, she credits it to her management team but also the stars aligned for the opportunity. However she shared it wasn't something that happened instantly, "I didn't have anything for him yet so I kept that in mind" until Crush came around.
5. Yuna shares that getting rappers to feature in her songs has to be organic
"The way I approach getting a rapper to be on my song, it has to be something organic." One of the tracks, Blank Marquee featuring G-Eazy and Dannieboi was curious about the process of asking a rapper to feature in her projects. She explains that collaborating with anyone has to come from the heart where it's a mutual thing. They also have to also love the song and the project and come from a place of sincerity.
6. She had no idea at first that BTS followed her on social
We had to ask if there's an upcoming collab with BTS since they follow each other. Yuna's honest answer was not yet. They followed her a few years ago before they were the global sensation they are now. "Only time will tell. We got time to do it properly so that everyone will enjoy the process and the music."
7. The most random thing she has is her dictionary she's had since 13
She's really proud of it because Yuna explains she was never used to speaking English well. The dictionary was her best friend. She had it when reading English books and trying to write a song.
8. The song Stay Where You Are was put on the back burner and fans asked to be released to help comfort them during the pandemic
Yuna shares that the song didn't fit the concept of her last album, "Rouge" (2017). She then revisited it while staying home and performed a live video. Fans reacted positively and resonated with it saying it's something they need right now. Yuna gives a little explanation about the song:
"...Sometimes we feel very low and down, but always remember that you will always have someone who cares about you and who loves you. So just stay where you are and soon this will all be over and you'll be all right."
Meaning behind stay where you are
Cover Photo Credit: Yuna Facebook
