Yenn - So Good To Be Wrong

Ever since the UK-based 7Digital stopped selling Mp3s to US citizens (due to a international licensing issue) I still view the website as a resource. People often ask me how, as an American am I so up on all these "new" British artists and the answer of course is the Internet. I have a habit of checking out the 7Digital homepage every Sunday night/Monday to see if any new tracks have been added (Monday is the new release day in the UK - it's Tuesday here in the states). Today I happened to check out the site and discovered a new artist whom I'd never heard of before. Her name is Yenn and I am quickly becoming obsessed with her.

The first thing I noticed was the fact that her new single "So Good To Be Wrong" had been remixed by big time remixers including Karmatronic, DJ Escape & Johnny Vicious. For a relatively new pop singer to get such major attention from the DJ community only speaks positive things about her talent. She must have attracted their attention somehow, and since her label isn't a major one (Adrenaline Music Group) it must have been her talent. Although...looking at the Adrenaline website, it is home to some pretty big deals including Blind Melon, Sister Hazel, Tommy Lee, Taylor Dayne, Latin American Idol winner Carlos Pena and American Idol alum, Jon Peter Lewis, so maybe the label does have some financial prowess after all. Regardless, Yenn is a talent to look out for!

Not only does Yenn have a great voice, but she has a charitable heart. According to her bio on her official site, ever since her father lost his hearing deafness has become a hot button issue for her. She's aligned herself with the Help Me Hear Foundation, who's mission is to "give every deaf child a chance to lead a normal life." A portion of all earnings will go to the foundation. Inspiring!

If her first single is any indication of what her debut U.S. album will sound like, she's a smart artist as well. Yenn seems to knows that Urban-tinged pop music is big business right now (i.e. Rihanna) and that in order to break into U.S. Top 40 Radio she has to have a track featuring slick production and hot vocals. "So Good To Be Wrong" is that track. Big things are coming for this Vietnam-born, Minnesotta-raised, LA-based singer. Look for her! Oh...and she's absolutely stunning to boot! Pre-order her single on iTunes (February 10th) or 7Digital (February 9th) if you're in the UK. - Single Artwork Via 7Digital/ Promotional Photos are Cropped From Originals on Yenn's Official Website

Amy Winehouse Headlining @ Coachella

Photo Via Amy's Official MySpace Page

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Amy Winehouse is a headlining act at this years Coachella music festival in April (April 17th - April 19th). This is good news! Apparently the lineup announcement was delayed while concert officials were negotiating with Amy's people some sort of a guarantee that she would appear. She's been vacationing in the Caribbean so I'm counting on a relatively well-rested Amy Winehouse this Spring. Maybe she'll have had a chance to work on some new material by then? This looks like it's going to be an awesome concert. Wish I could make it up there.

Poster Via Official Coachella Website

Howie Day, Annie Lennox, Anastacia, Hot Coco & More!

Photo is cropped from an original on Howie's official site

Howie Day: More randomness for you today. Now that I have a BlackBerry, my email is always accessible, assuming I'm above ground. I got an email from Howie Day's official list the other day, informing us that he has a new tour coming up to promote his forthcoming album Counting On Me, due out in the Spring. This new album will be his first of new material in nearly 6 years so it's long over due! I saw him a few years back at a club in Boston. I loved the set, but was annoyed that he came out late. Oh well, he's a young talent that is due for a comeback so hopefully this will be it for him. According to his MySpace blog, the tour will consist of Howie "playing new stuff, old stuff and everything in between." The first set of tour dates is below. He'll be announcing East and West coast dates shortly. Also be on the look out for a free download of a new Howie track via his MySpace blog in the weeks to come!

Tour Dates:
3/6 - Fox Theater - Boulder, CO
3/7 - Bluebird - Denver, CO
3/11 - Waiting Room - Omaha, NE
3/12 - Redstone Room - Davenport, IA
3/13 - Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN
3/14 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
3/16 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
3/18 - The Ark - Ann Arbor, MI
3/19 - The Basement - Columbus, OH
3/21 - Lake Shore Theater - Chicago, IL
3/24 - Blueberry Hill - St Louis, MO
3/25 - The Record Bar - Kansas City, MO
3/27 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX
3/28 - tba - Austin, TX

Annie Lennox: Via ArjanWrites via Spinner.com I stumbled upon Annie's new video for "Shining Light," her Ash cover that's serving as the first single off her forthcoming The Annie Lennox Collection compilation album due out February 10th. It's one of two new tracks on the album, the other of which is a cover of Keane's "Pattern of My Life." The video features Annie (looking amazing) in multiple roles, as various players in a band. It's a fun pop song and Annie sounds great.

Photo via Coverlandia Blog

Anastacia: Nothing new to report on the Anastacia front...in fact I'm still waiting to find out if she plans on releasing her album Heavy Rotation, here in the states. If not, then I have to pick up the import pronto. New European single "Absolutely Positively" is fast growing on me, as is the Moto Blanco remix that's making it's round at the clubs in Europe. Hot!
Modern Music: On TV the other night, a State Farm commercial came on about young drivers. The song playing was a fresh, contemporary electro-rock cover of "Sixteen Going On Seventeen" from The Sound Of Music. At the end of the commercial, they plugged the State Farm website where you can download the song for free. I did and I love it! The song file was pre-tagged with the artists name listed as Modern Music. According to their website, Modern Music "delivers custom scores, original songs, remixes, sound design and complete music supervision services for advertising, film, television, gaming and new media." Interesting. I also learned via the Modern Music website that they are writing an original song for a direct-to-DVD hip hop sequel to the 2000 film Center Stage. Doubly interesting.

Photo Via www.myspace.com/jennifercoolidge

Jennifer Coolidge as Hot Coco: On a recent episode of the cutting edge FX drama Nip/Tuck, actress Jennifer Coolidge reprised her character Candy Richards, coming back this time as a "rapper" called Hot Coco. She comes to the doctors asking to be given "black features" so she can have a successful rap career. It sounds controversial but it was actually rather hilarious. Jennifer Coolidge is a true comic genius. You have to check out the video for yourself. Inappropriate? Yes. Very. But hilarious all the same.

Photo Via Jennifer Hudson's Official Site

Jennifer Hudson: Don't forget to check out Jennifer Hudson singing the National Anthem before this Sunday's big game! It's her first public performance since the tragic deaths of her mother and nephew.