TENN.(August 9, 2019) — Bringing PLATINUM-certified #1 hits alongside soulful new single “Masterpiece,”THOMPSON SQUARErocked their signature Country style onFox & Friends’All-American Summer Concert Series this morning (8/9).
Entertaining a packed-out live audience in New York City, the Reviver Entertainment duo came to please. Treating fans to hard-charged performances of 2X PLATINUM breakout “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” PLATINUM-certified “If I Didn’t Have You,” plus fan-favorites “I Got You” and “Everything I Shouldn’t Be Thinking About,” they closed out the concert with new hits “Good Day” and rising single, “Masterpiece.”
Up next,Thompson Squarewill hop the pond for their first-ever European trek, crossing the United Kingdom and five other countries for a string of on-fire live shows. Performing 10 showsin 12 days, the award-winning duo launch their touron September 2in Amsterdam.
Aloe Blacc was the artist on deck during this week’s episode of NBC’s Songland. Blacc wasn’t just looking for a song that he could sing, but also one to appear in the latest Fast & Furious movie, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
With Hobbs & Shaw director, David Leitch, in tow Aloe listens to four songs from four undiscovered songwriters: Kyle Williams, Afika, TVTE (pronounced Tate), and Steve Fee.
First up is Kyle with his song, “I’m Just Getting Started.” Aloe, David, and producers, Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally, and Ester Dean all agree that the song has an undeniable swagger but want to see more of a payoff and a bridge which will tug at the heart more. They say that the song needs to be as edgy as possible.
Next, Afika shares his song, “Chosen.” Aloe, David, and the producers love the title and the song’s nice energy but are looking for more movement throughout it. They also note that such a triumphant and aggressive song can’t be too in the listener’s face and suggest stripping it down some.
TVTE follows Afika and pitches her song, “Call For A Hero.” Aloe, David, and the producers dig the song’s call to action and think it has huge potential. However, they feel that chorus needs a major overhaul and the arrangement should be changed as well.
Finally, Steve presents his song, “Same Blood.” Aloe, David, and the producers praise the song’s great visual and how the lyrics hit home. Their only piece of feedback is to tweak a note that falls off at the end.
Having heard all four songs, it’s now time for Aloe to decide who will move to the studio round. He selects TVTE, Kyle, and Steve.
During the studio round, TVTE and Ester tackle rearranging the pieces of her song. They want “Call For A Hero” to work for the Hobbs & Shaw movie. They also want to move the song more toward Aloe’s vision.
Shane helps Steve dig deeper with “Same Blood.” Steve shares a personal story about how the song came to be and Shane encourages him to maintain the song’s authenticity. They also play with piano and gospel influences since Steve’s musical background is rooted in the church.
Ryan and Kyle focus on getting “I’m Just Getting Started” to sound less cheesy and more urban.
TVTE, Kyle, and Steve are introduced to one of the stars of the Hobbs & Shaw movie, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who wishes them good luck via Face Time as they head into the performance round.
TVTE kicks off the performance round with her new version of “Call For A Hero.” Aloe, David, and the producers like the chorus change up and the new arrangement.
Kyle goes second with “I’m Just Getting Started.” Aloe, David, and the producers praise the more urban shift in the song and how the lyrics give off more swag.
Finally, Steve closes out the performance round with “Same Blood.” Aloe, David, and the producers like that the chorus tells more of a story now and are touched by the inspiration behind the song when he shares what drove him to write it.
Having heard each of the newly updated songs, Aloe now has to decide which he will choose to record and have appear in the Hobbs & Shaw movie. He picks Kyle’s “I’m Just Getting Started.”
Listen to Aloe’s version of the song on YouTube.
Songland will not return with a new episode until August 14 when it moves to its new night and time, Wednesdays at 9pm on NBC.
Meghan Trainor appeared on NBC’s Songland this week. Trainor, who started out in the music business as a songwriter herself, has a special appreciation for the show. It’s about time for songwriters to gain more recognition for their work, she says.
During the episode, Trainor meets four undiscovered songwriters: Brandin Jay, Kole, Zachary Kale, and Josh Wood.
Brandin is up first with his song, “No Money Alright.” Meghan thinks the song is a jam. Producers Ryan Tedder, Ester Dean, and Shane McAnally agree. Their only feedback is to improve the chorus a little and give the song a more modern feel.
Next is Kole, who shares her breakup song, “Hurt Me.” Meghan and the producers call the song ear candy but point out that the arpeggio conflicts with the notes, creating chords that pass over the melodies as Kole is singing.
Third, is Zachary Kale, with “All Over Again,” a love song he wrote about his wife. Meghan and the producers praise the song’s many incredible pieces. However, they think the song might be too bouncy and could possibly work better as a ballad.
Finally, Josh Wood pitches his song, “Alone.” Meghan and the producers say that the chorus has the potential to be a true hit chorus. Still, they want Josh to take advantage of song real estate and use the space in the song to tell a story.
Having heard from all four undiscovered songwriters, it’s time for Meghan to decide who will move to the studio round. She selects Brandin, Josh, and Kole.
Josh works with Shane to ramp up the storytelling and lyrics on “Alone.” Shane wants the lyrics to be playful and to pop more since he and Josh are facing some serious competition in Brandin and Esther and Kole and Ryan.
Ryan helps Kole tweak “Hurt Me.” They edit some of the lyrics, and Ryan tinkers with the production to make it edgier and sound more urban.
Ester and Brandin tackle “No Money Alright.” They play with the narrative and change the lyrics up a little bit so they don’t sound as dated. They also want to give the song more of “Meghan’s vibe.”
When the performance round arrives, Josh goes first with “Alone.” Meghan and the producers all like the lyric, “no joke, I hope I see you never.” Meghan also thinks the beat is cooler than before and says that song has definitely been upgraded.
Kole is next. Her song, “Hurt Me” has become dancy, and Meghan says Kole reminds her of herself.
Brandin sings last. His song has undergone a major transformation, complete with a new title, “We Got Us,” and new lyrics. After hearing him sing, Meghan says she has chills everywhere.
With each of the songs improved, Meghan now has to choose which one to cut. It’s a tough decision because she says she would record all three but she ultimately picks Kole’s “Hurt Me.”
Listen to Meghan sing “Hurt Me” on YouTube.
On next week’s episode of Songland, Aloe Blacc seeks a song for the new movie, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
The Jonas Brothers were this week’s guest artist on NBC’s Songland. They stopped by the show not only with the intention of finding their next hit, but also for a song they felt “connected” to and imagined themselves playing on tour for years to come.
The Brothers were introduced to four undiscovered songwriters: Able Heart,Remmi,Ori, and Rynn.
First up is Able Heart, a former athlete whose Olympic dreams were shattered due to a devastating back injury at 15. Able said he turned to music to help with his recovery and pitches his song, “Greenlight” to Nick, Joe, and Kevin. When Able shares that he just performed for the first time ever, they tell him he did a great job. They like the song’s rock and rap influences and can even see bringing in a DJ to feature on the track. The Brothers and producers, Ester Dean, Ryan Tedder, and Shane McAnally all agree that Able is a “star.” Their only bit of advice is to double the verse before the chorus to fill up some of the empty space in the song.
Next is Remmi with her song, “Flickering,” a track she says is about lost love. The Jonas Brothers and the producers think the song is beautiful and that its message comes through well. They also hone in on the lyric, “I don’t want to be alone tonight” as an opportunity to create a deeper sense of longing and create an opportunity for harmonies.
Third is Ori, an eighteen-year-old who says that writing is his first love. He shares his song, “No Pressure.” The Jonas Brothers and the producers agree that he is comparable to Bon Jovi or Springsteen lyrically, but suggest making the character in the song more likeable. They also want the song to be more modern production wise.
Finally, Rynn sings “Crowded Places,” a song she wrote about missing her loved ones after she moved to Los Angeles to pursue songwriting. The Brothers and the producers all agree that the song is interesting and suggest setting it up to sing the hook. They also think the song could work as a ballad.
Having met all four songwriters, it’s time for Nick, Joe, and Kevin to decide who will advance to the studio round. They select Remmi, Able Heart, and Rynn.
During the studio round, Able Heart works with Ester to transform “Greenlight” into a group song and structure it so that each member of the Jonas Brothers has their own part to sing.
Rynn and Shane work to strengthen the lyrics on “Crowded Places” and connect them to the Jonas Brothers’ lives.
Remmi and Ryan try to differentiate her song from the others because Ryan knows that Nick, Joe, and Kevin won’t like anything too safe, since he just produced their most recent record. They add in a choir and play with harmonies.
Rynn goes first in the performance round with “Crowded Places.” The Jonas Brothers praise the new lyrics, saying that they will resonate now and in the future.
Able Heart is up second with “Greenlight.” Nick, Joe, and Kevin like that the song includes separate parts for everyone.
Finally, Remmi performs her song, whose title has changed to “Do You Think of Me.” The Jonas Brothers say that the song is powerful and lyrically, it connects with them from an emotional standpoint.
Having heard the new and improved versions of each of the songs, the Brothers ultimately decide to record Able Heart’s “Greenlight.”
Watch the music video for “Greenlight” on YouTube.
Songland returned with another brand-new episode last night. Country superstar, Kelsea Ballerini joined producers, Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally, and Ester Dean in search of her next great song.
Kelsea was introduced to four talented undiscovered songwriters: Jack Newsome; Jess Jocoy; Daniel Feels; and Darius Coleman.
First up is Jack with a breakup song called “Lying (Next To You).” Kelsea and the producers like the song but suggest changing the melody at the end to better highlight the double entendre and create a significant break at the hook.
Next is Jess Jocoy with “Easy,” a personal song derived from her experience dating a guy her friends warned her about. Kelsea and the producers praise the song’s “gorgeous melody” and Kelsea is excited to “marry pop and country influences.” They suggest tweaking one verse and removing the name of the guy Jess dated in order to make the song that much more relatable.
Third, Daniel Feels (whose real name is Daniel Goldberger) sings his song, “Crush.” Kelsea and the producers note that the song is “happy” and “feels good” but has “a lot going on melodically.” They advise Daniel to “strip the production” and keep things “organic.”
Finally, Darius Coleman pitches his song, “Better Luck Next Time.” Darius says he wrote the song about a girl he knows whose boyfriend cheated on her. Kelsea and the producers really gravitate toward the song. Kelsea says she “doesn’t want [it] to end” and thinks it would “fit on country radio.” The only piece of feedback she and the producers give Darius is to lift the song’s melody.
Now it’s time for Kelsea to decide who’ll advance to the studio round. After a brief deliberation, she chooses Daniel, Darius, and Jack, telling Jess to hold on to “Easy” and keep it for herself since the song tells such a personal story.
During the studio round, Jack is paired with Shane. Their main task is to re-write the song’s lyrics and play around with double meanings. They also chop up the acoustics so that the song’s production will mirror its story.
Daniel and Ester focus on stripping the production on “Crush” and creating memorable moments within the song. They also plan to bring in a female to sing the newer version of the song so Kelsea can get a feel for how it will sound from her perspective.
Ryan helps Darius toy with the key of his song. Ryan has worked with Kelsea before so he has the advantage of knowing which key will be perfect for her to sing in her head voice. Ryan and Darius drop the key down and add in a high octave on “Better Luck Next Time.”
With the studio round complete, it’s time for Jack, Daniel, and Darius to perform their songs for Kelsea.
Jack goes first. Kelsea likes that the song has “changed a lot.” Jack and Shane played with the lyrics and added a slow outro that emphasizes the double entendre. Kelsea says they “nailed it.”
Next up is Darius. Kelsea loves his vocal runs and says that the song sounds “magical.”
Last is Daniel with “Crush.” He’s stripped the production down to just an acoustic guitar to give the song more “earthiness.” Kelsea says that the song is “so good” and also agrees that it was “helpful” to bring in a female to accompany Daniel during the performance round in order for her to understand the changes he made.
Kelsea is now tasked with the tough decision of having to choose which song to record. She eventually selects Darius’ “Better Luck Next Time.”
Listen to Kelsea sing “Better Luck Next Time” on YouTube.
On next week’s episode of Songland, the Jonas Brothers stop by in search of their next hit.
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