Hi all! Before you read on, I want to remind you that my Twitter username and Instagram name have changed! Good thing is that they are both the same so they won't be hard to forget - @byingridvasquez
Now ...
12.16.15 #SongBlogIV (my song of the day): "Trap Tears" by Raury ft. Key!
Okay - if you're a reader of #inthegridmusic you might remember I featured his brand new video on the music minute but I could not help himself. I took the time to listen to 19 year old Raury's "All We Need" album after only having heard Trap Tears and was impressed. The man's going places! Having been revolutionized by Kendrick Lamar and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the "music with a message" space hasn't been touched for a while. Raury, and you can quote me on this, is the future of it. It's organic. It's not a rap artist TRYING to talk about "issues." It's just in him. His sound isn't different but the approach to it is. That's where the magic is. With a couple of more years of refinement and albums with less ambition and a bit more precision and Raury will be all over a global name. | Follow him through @raury.
And going on that idea of the future of young artists, yesterday (12.15.15) also saw the end of season nine of "The Voice." It came with no surprise that Jordan Smith, the 22-year-old Gospel singer, the "male Adele" (according to Twitter) won. So before Smith light begins to fade (unless Universal Music Group does their job this time) along with the other top 23 artists of this season, I wanted to shine a light on some of the contestants one last time.
1. Emily Ann Roberts | @emilyann_music
2. Zach Seabaugh | @ZachSeabaugh
3. Maddie Davis | @MadiAnneDavis
4. Braiden Sunshine | @BraidenSunshine
5. Ivonne Acero | @acero_ivonne
6. Siahna | @imsiahna
7. Nadjah Nicole | @nadjahnicole
The Music Minute:
- The 22 Best Collaborations of 2015 according to VIBE: http://www.vibe.com/2015/12/top-22-music-collaborations-2015/
- Wiz Khalifia drops his mixtape early: http://therapfest.com/?p=16474
- Billboards Top 10 SNL moments: http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/year-in-music-2015/6804615/10-best-saturday-night-live-music-moments
- The 'actors' take on Hotline Bling: http://www.etonline.com/news/178132_bryan_cranston_amy_schumer_and_kristen_wiig_give_flawless_dramatic_readings_of_drake_hotline_bling/
- First Lady Michelle Obama raps in support of college: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0EpjxS5Lo
Make sure to follow me on twitter & Instagram: @byingridvasquez to get my #SongBlogIV every day of the week (Monday - Sun) (I write about a lot of things so you won't be bored) and invite your friends to read #inthegridmusic exclusively on the Huffington Post.