I’m sure if you enjoy going through youtube, listening to music covers of your favourite artists, then im sure by now you will be very familar with nick pitera.

I decided to catch up with him to ask him some tips for upcoming music artist, especially those using youtube for some kind of promotion.

If you dont know Nick, quickly check out his youtube page, before you start reading this interview.

Ok, now with that out of the way, check out what we talked about.

Hi Nick, it’s great to finally have you here on YHP, How are you doing?

I’m doing very well thank you!

Tell us a bit about your background, how did you get involved in music?

I have been singing my entire life. I don’t remember a time where I wasn’t running around attempting to belt out whatever song was currently stuck in my head.

So how did you get involved in making videos on youtube?

My first YouTube video was a contest entry. A fellow classmate sent me a link to a Disney singing contest that required you to submit your entry via a YouTube video. I thought it would be fun, but never thought very much of it. To my surprise the video view count started to rise rapidly. My friends then told me I should record myself singing a duet, and post that as well.

I decided to post “A Whole New World.” That video then went viral. After that I thought YouTube would be a great musical outlet, and decided to continue posting videos.

Since you’ve started, what are some of the advantages, opportunities or edge uploading your videos on youtube has given you?

YouTube has been an amazing experience. Since first posting I have had the opportunity to travel the country singing at various venues and colleges. I was also lucky enough to appear on the Ellen show twice this past year as well as a couple other local and national TV spots.

What are some of the tips that you can an upcoming singer/songwriter that are just getting into the youtube world, what are some of the tactics that worked for you?

Since I sort of stumbled on the YouTube world. I’m not sure what advise to give. A lot of it depends on timing and luck. I think the best thing to do, is make sure you are creating content that is true to you and that you are proud of. If it’s good, and people like it, hopefully it will get spread around and receive some exposure.

What is your source of inspiration, what motivates you to write or sing each day?

My inspiration comes from a variety of places. I get inspired by films, musicals, play, musicians, other YouTube singers. I credit the Disney films of the 90’s for teaching me to sing, and artists like Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston, for showing me how to belt out a power ballad.

How does 23 years old get himself working at Pixar animation studios? That’s kind of a big deal right?

Lots and lots of hard work.

I know you get a lot of critics attacking your voice, how do you deal with it?

I don’t pay attention to it. I am too grateful for all of the opportunities that singing has brought me to focus on the negative. Thankfully the shock value of how I sing seems to have worn off a bit. Now those that view my videos do so because they genuinely like it and want to hear more.

Do you think getting a record deal is as important has it was couple of years ago, you know we’ve seen people leveraging the power of social media and making it work for them? How can an upcoming really leverage the power of social media?

I still think it helps quite a bit. That being said, with the Internet providing people with the means to self promote, I feel self produced and released projects will continue to increase.

What tools do you use to brand yourself and promote your materials?

I use YouTube, Twitter, a Facebook music page, and occasionally a blog to promote my music.

Can you share with us some of the mistakes you’ve along the way and how upcoming singers/songwriters can avoid that?

I am just now getting into my own original music, and really starting to shape who I am as an artist. I think it’s important to know what you want to do, and not be a cookie cutter version of someone else. I’ve learned that finding your own sound and voice is extremely important.

What do you get up to during your me-time?

Since I work full time in the animation industry, I spend a lot of my me time working on music.

What have been some of the key lessons you’ve learnt so far?

I’ve learned how to deal with negativity. I’ve also learned the importance of constructive criticism. When people feel safe and distanced on their computer they tend to be very honest. It’s important to know what your audience wants and likes. Posting online has really brought that to my attention.

What has been the highlight of your journey so far?

Appearing on the Ellen show as a guest was extremely exciting and and experience I’ll never forget.

What should we be expecting from you next?

I just worked on a cover of Taio Cruz’s Dynamite with some produces from the UK. That track is now up on iTunes and Amazon. I am now working with them on an EP of covers being released to iTunes sometime in October. I am also working on original music which will hopefully soon follow.

Thanks nick, hope to chat up with you very soon, good luck!

Thanks so much joseph!

Dont forget to also follow nick on twitter @Nickpitera

Support his cover of Taio cruz’s Dynamite on iTunes

Hi Guys, i recently got the chance of interviewing Nadine Sykora, a youtube travel vlogger currently in new zealand working and having fun at the same time.

Check out the interview.

Hey Nadine, How are you doing? Great to have you on YHP

Hey! Thanks so much for having me on here 

Can you kindly give us some background information about yourself?

Well, to put it short I’m a 22 year old video content creator on YouTube! I’ve been producing short silly videos for about 3 years now. My content ranges anywhere from short skits and parodies, to travel vlogs and warcraft videos.

How did you get involved in vlogging? Dint you feel a bit shy or scared about putting yourself out there?

Well, I stumbled upon it one day while surfing the internet and just thought to myself, “hey, I could do that!.” So I bought a webcam and started doing just that. As for being scared, I wasn’t intimated until I started receiving my first hate comments.

Those comments are hard to not take personally when you first start. As for shy, I’ve never been shy about my videos, maybe while filming, but defiantly not while posting.

What are you looking to go into from your YouTube vlogging?

It is hard to say because every year YouTube changes into something completely different, and you say you would like to go one direction one year, and then the next year a whole lot of different doors open up and suddenly your looking forward to something else. You just have to have an optimistic outlook and be able to adapt to change.

You’re currently in New Zealand working or should I say enjoying yourself, how did it all happen? Getting a job where you can do what you enjoy?

Well I recent graduated University last summer and I decide that since I had never done any pervious traveling before now was a perfect time to go since I had no previous commitments. So I signed up with SWAP, which is a working holiday visa program that allows me to legally work and travel as much as I want for a year in New Zealand. (that was the country I picked)

You have the #1 Most Subscribed Channel in New Zealand. What did it take for you to get to this point?

A lot of commitment. People don’t realize it but to have even a semi decent YouTube channel, you have to constantly be putting out new content and always be keeping up with the latest trends. It’s a lot of upkeep, but if you really enjoy what your doing, you don’t usually mind.

Have your videos gotten you into any trouble? If so, how?

None of my video have gotten me into trouble. I’m a very clean and safe person with my videos Haha, that’s probably a lame answer.

How do you cope with rude comments and negative feedbacks on YouTube?

It’s really tough when you are in a bad mood or if your feeling down to NOT let the negative comments get to you. As much as I like to say just ignore them, I am only human and when you are constantly being told all these negative things about you, it’s really hard to not let it get to you. I try to just step away from the computer and deal with the comments when I’m in a better mood.

As a YouTuber, how do you earn your income from YouTube as well?

Like all partners, we earn ad revenue sharing income, so it’s a percentage of the ad impressions Google puts on our videos. As well as, there are also other contracts that come in so you can make money from those.

What has been your most memorable moment so far?

My most memorable moment so far filming would probably have to be my Miley Cyrus video parody I did, where I ended up running around Auckland, New Zealand dressed in a chicken suit and jumping into a fountain. Haha, that was a crazy filming day.

What should we be expecting from you in the future?

Everything, the future is such a wide open canvas right now, I would like to tell you where my videos are going but the truth is, YouTube and I change so often, after only a few months I could be doing something completely different. What I can tell you is that I hope to be doing YouTube videos for a long time still.

What tips can you give you others outside looking up to you or advice in getting involved in the industry?

YouTube takes time and patience, things don’t happen overnight and therefore you have to be very passionate about what you do. Practice makes perfect, even with YouTube, overtime your videos and you will mature and you’ll be able to grasp more about what it is your really good at and succeed at making those types of videos.

Thanks Nadine for doing this, will be waiting for some postcards

Follow her on twitter
Check out her youtube page
Like her on Facebook

I recently had the pleasure of speaking to a cool acoustic rock music group called shamrock shakespeare.

Check out the interview

Hi Guys, How are you doing? Great to have you on YHP

We’re doing great, thanks for having us.

Can you briefly give us some quick background information about yourselves?

Well, Ryan and Sean went to high school and reside in suburbs just outside of Chicago. Danny, on the other hand, is from Washington DC. We are all entering our third year in college.

Danny and Sean attend the University of Notre Dame while Ryan goes to Northwestern University. Ryan and Sean both taught themselves guitar and Danny has been singing and playing piano since he was 6. In our
YouTube videos, Ryan sits on the left and Sean is on the right.

What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?

Our music would probably be classified as acoustic rock since we have only recorded our music acoustically. Eventually we hope to develop more of a rock/alternative sound. We draw our influences from many artists including: Dashboard Confessional, John Mayer, The Fray, and Something Corporate.

How long have you known each other? How did you meet?

Sean and Ryan have known each other for about 5 years now. They went to high school and played football together. Sean and Danny are roommates in college and have known each other for 2 years. Ryan met Danny through Sean.

When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?

We formed our band about 3 years ago after a community service trip in high school. Ryan brought his guitar and I sang some covers for the other people that were on the trip with us. They all loved the show and we had fun playing, so we figured why not keep it going?

Have you guys started performing at shows? Do you have any upcoming shows?

We have played a few shows so far. Mainly just in basements at parties. We want to start playing at some open mics in the city sometime soon. Hopefully from there we can gain some popularity and start playing shows at real venues.

Who writes your songs?

We all do. Ryan tends to write most of the music and Danny writes most of the lyrics. Sean usually adds or changes lyrics as we start putting the song together.

What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?

Each song is usually about some sort of strong emotion we are feeling when we start writing a song, or something that we feel pretty adamant about. We all also love to joke around so we could see some humorous songs to come about.

Do you think these topics will change over time?

We all love to joke around so we could see some humorous songs to come about, also I feel the topics will change as we change. As we go through different things, the songs will reflect that

What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?

Our practices are very sporadic and not very organized. We just like to have fun and mess around. But when we have a show coming up, we meet very often and focus at practice. We can be very productive when we need to be.

How has the journey been so far?

It has been fun. We love adding new songs to YouTube and then reading the comments. Every show we have played at we have had a great time. It has also been a little slow. We haven’t had the time to work on our music as much as we would like to.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

When we first started playing together, Sean didn’t even play guitar. 3 years later he has started to write some music. Ryan has evolved by writing songs in different tunings and by picking up the piano.

With Danny joining the group he brought his skill of the piano and vocal background to add a lot. Over the past 3 years, our music has gotten more complicated and allowed us to play more interesting music together.

What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

Our greatest challenge has definitely been time. We write music a lot with Danny, and he lives 660 miles away in Washington DC during the summer. And during the school year, Sean and Danny go to school 100 miles away from Ryan. So writing a song usually goes something like this: Ryan writes some music and shows it to Sean. If Sean likes it, we email it to Danny. When Danny gets a chance, he writes lyrics and records his voice. Danny will then send the music back to us to listen to and edit. We will send suggestions back and forth and record many different versions and email them back and forth. The whole process takes roughly 3-4 months.

What’s your ultimate direction for your band?

Our ultimate goal is to take some time off and live in the same city for awhile. That way we can spend a year or so focusing on our music and getting professional recordings done. We really believe that we can make it with our music. We have gotten very positive feedback from everyone that has heard our original songs.

What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?

Form a band with people you know well and trust. It is easy for us to bounce lyrics and music off of each other without feeling embarrassed. Sharing your lyrics can be awkward at first, so working with people you trust helps. We also know each other well enough to tell someone when we don’t like their music. This is also helpful because we only want to record our best work and you need someone to be honest with you.

Thanks for your time guys.

Thank you for having us. It was our pleasure.

Check out their music
Youtube
Myspace

Interview By Bobieh Ansah

A while back I caught up with the charismatic Michael and lovely Antonia. They are the founders of a variety show called Adlib.

Adlib showcases acts ranging from singing and poetry to rapping and comedy. We discussed the high points and low points of their journey thus far and the plans they have for the future.

This is an example of a business born from university, that started crawling, then walking, but was knocked down. But now their back on their feet again!

Check out the interview.

So tell me a bit about yourself first Michael

Michael: Yea my name is Michael master apps aka Mr. fun loving enjoying life Appiah world Appiah life. Ermmm I’m 22 I’ve been doing what I’ve been doing for quite a while.

What you laughing for (at Antonia)?

Antonia: because he’s not 22

Michael: I’m 24, but I’m 22 that’s my acting age and I carry on with that. So yea that’s me.

Antonia: I’m Antonia I’m 25 and yea that’s me…. (Laughing) I’m Antonia and I’m 25 that’s what defines me.

You don’t do anything extracurricular?

Antonia: Are you asking me this question because you know the answer?

Yeah

Antonia:( Laugher)I do cheerleading.

have you won anything?

Antonia: yes we’re undefeated.

Ok so what is Adlib and when did it start?

Michael: Adlib is different.

Antonia: Adlib is very wide are you talking about Adlib open mic night or Adlib?

Well everything, imagine I’ve never heard of Adlib?

Michael: Adlib is a company that we started in 2007, we don’t even know why we started it. We just thought look, there’s allot of things going on and they’re not doing quite well and we thought we could come up with something better.

Antonia: Yeah, a new idea.

Michael: that encompasses a variety of things that encompasses music comedy and poetry. But live music, because there wasn’t allot of live music at university. So we just kicked it off from there.

Antonia: it was the first night to have all different acts such as live music, comedy, poetry and lyricist.

Combined, then everyone jumped on board and started copying?

Antonia: your words not mine. (Laughter)

I think you’ve already answered this but what separates Adlib from the other variety shows?

Antonia: I think it’s definitely the live band and the mature crowd.

Michael: We always go for quality that’s the thing about us. We can bring in so many people just for the sake of it. I think we’re tough on ourselves in a sense that we always go for quality.

Because if you out to other night events and its good the first half and then the second the second half is completely rubbish. We’re our own critics and we try to avoid that.

What kind of act do you prefer and what acts do you think get the best reception from the crowd?

Michael: I like that question, well for that one, I’m going to have to say (long pause) I just enjoy people that can vibe with the crowd and bring a good message and for me it doesn’t matter what it is as long as you’re good you’re good.

Antonia: I think singers that can sing in tune and make you feel their emotion. Those are the best acts oh and rappers as well, especially the ones that show their personality on stage. I think the crowd accepts them more rather than those who just come to show their talent.

What problems did you encounter when you first set up Adlib?

Michael: Finding a venue.

Antonia: It took a whole year to find a venue.

Michael: exaggeration 7 months.

Antonia: it was a long time because it had to be right.

What been the biggest learning curve for Adlib?

Michael: Erm…. There have been many learning curves. (Laughter) one of our biggest learning curves is understanding your market. What people like, what people don’t like, because our crowds can be a bit, how….. can I say “sensitive”.

So like we’ve gotten a comedian who’s been a bit brash and it’s not gone down well and the whole nights was dead.

Antonia: I think we’ve trained people to think like that because we don’t have any swearing at the show, when people hear swearing they…. It obviously sticks out a lot more.

Antonia: The biggest learning curve would be to keep the business face on. Because everyone wants a favor. You have to stick to your guns and think from a business point of view. But still not being too harsh. It’s about finding the balance.

Can you elaborate on that?

Antonia: so say acts wants guest list or they want to be paid a certain amount, people that are coming to watch the show.
Everyone’s your friend, you build a relationship with the people that come to watch the show so everyone want freebies.

What’s been the highest point for ADLIB thus far?

Antonia: I think maybe our first year anniversary when we had a big show in the Bloomsbury theatre and probably just selling out every month.

Getting to a point where you didn’t have to promote anymore. People knew that as the doors were opening at 7.30 if you weren’t there you weren’t getting in. That was a high point. So then we could just put all our effort into the quality of the night rather than still having to promote the night.

So you mentioned earlier that there was a pause for a while in the operations of ADLIB. What caused that?

Antonia: well…. The structure of the company needed reassessing (Laughter), So we wanted to fix things internally first and get on the new road basically.

So it’s much better?

Michael: No (laugher)…. I mean yes. It works better now because we have a greater sense of responsibility. We know it’s down to us.

Antonia: there are less people now for the responsibility to fall on to.

So does seeing so many acts reduce the impact they have on you?

With our night the people we bring we try to create a lot of variety. We go to other shows and the same acts go to every show too so, we see the same act over and over, but comedians, I can watch their set 4 times and still laugh.

Michael: For us it doesn’t. There are always new acts.

Where do you see Adlib in 5 years?

Michael: Bringing international artist to Adlib in a sense that when they come over to do their promotional tours they’ll come and do a set at ADLIB.

Also having ADLIB at festivals so, we’ll have a stage, an ADLIB stage I.e. Glastonbury and tea in the park.

So what advice would you give to anyone who wanted to set up a Variety Show?

Antonia: I think the main thing is having a good team, you need to have a reliable team. People that you know will follow through and make the right decisions and have…sense basically. Because then you won’t be able to delegate roles, you’ll being doing everything yourself.

Thanks for your time guys, hope to chat up soon with you.

Check them out on facebook and follow them on twitter

Hey Guys, Check out the interview I did with niccolo brandes, an upcoming music artist, he’s only 20 years old and he’s got a great future ahead of him, hope you enjoy the interview.

How are you doing Niccolo?

I’m doing well! Glad to be doing this interview with you!

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

HI! My name is Niccolo Brandes I’m 20 years old and currently attend California State University Long Beach (Go 49ers!) where I am majoring in Computer Engineering but my hope is to get into teaching music so I could share my knowledge to inspire others to play music.

Out of all the instruments you play, which one is your favourite and why?

I would say the piano because it is where I can express myself the most. I play the guitar and ukulele as well and I love you playing those instruments, but there is something about the piano that when I sit down, I feel like myself.

How did you get into playing the piano? Why did you want to learn how to play?

I got into playing the piano through my mom. My grandmother and mother both played piano as well so when I was young they suggested that I should learn how to play to see if I would like it and sure enough I did and the rest is as they say, history.

How difficult is it playing than ear rather using sheets?

I don’t think it is that much harder to play by ear than use sheets because the only real difference I believe is the memorization. With sheets if you forget a note, or a segment of notes, you can always go back and find the part you forgot. With playing by ear, if you forget a part, then you have to go back and listen to find the part you forgot.

Are you looking to learn how to play using sheets?

I’m able to play using sheets but I feel like it slows me down somewhat because I’m so used to just playing by ear.

Who are musical inspirations?

Of course have to start with of course my family, without them I would have never touched a piano or any instrument. My friends who support what I do and are always there for me. Finally my girlfriend who provides the love and gives me the drive to keep trying to be better.

Who would you point to that has been an inspiration to you in your musical career?

I believe my parents inspired me to keep practicing and be the best not only musician but person I could be by laying a good foundation and keeping me down to earth. Also, taught me to have fun with what I do because there’s a time to have fun and a time to be serious.

What are your immediate career goals? Where do you see your career going?

Well I am focusing on finishing school and would like to see where my degree could take me or what other opportunities will arise.

Did you have any difficult moment, when you just want to quit, what was your inspiration to fight back and keep going?

There was one point where I stopped playing from middle school to the end of high school where I just grew a disinterest in playing finding it boring somewhat. I guess I have to give credit to Youtube for inspiring me to get back into it because I was seeing that normal people like me were getting famous for showcasing their talents and I wanted to see if my talent could get some exposure.

Can you give me some of the key moments so far in your ongoing career?

I have performed in a Benefit for the Blind concert, which was a benefit concert for blind people which included a performance by Americas Best Dance Crew season 2 winners Super Crew . I have been featured on artists websites such as B.O.B., Mike Posner, and Charice Pempengco. Of course I consider this interview to be a significant moment in my career as well!

How would you say YouTube has helped in sharing your passion and also connecting with people?

Youtube gives hope to the average person that if you have talent, you will get discovered one way or another. Whether it’s playing music, singing, being a comedian, making movies, your talent will be discovered.

What do you outside music? Any other hobbies?

I enjoy playing basketball in my free time (Go Lakers!) and basically just hanging out with my girlfriend and close friends. I’m a pretty normal guy outside of Youtube.

What are key fundamentals that you think anyone looking to learn how to play the piano or want to make a career out of it needs to have or know?

PRACTICE and MOTIVATION. A lot of people ask me this question a lot and the first thing I tell them is to keep practicing because you can’t get better without it. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t practice, that talent is just going to stay hidden.

What would you see yourself doing apart from music as a career?

I would really love to teach either at the high school or college level because I enjoy sharing what I know with other people and in turn I learn more because of what someone else has learned.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Hopefully have finished school and started my career whatever it may be and just being happy with my life and the people that are in it.

Thanks for your time Niccolo

Connect with him:

Twitter
Twitter.com/nicoflow

Facebook!
facebook.com/NiccoloBrandes

Hey Guys, I had the opportunity to interview the beautiful and multi-talented media artist Sheena, Sheena has used social media to share her passion for music, TV and film.

She just finished her new video on youtube, check it out!

Hope you enjoy the interview.

Hi Sheena, How are you doing?

I’m doing great thank you!

So can you quickly give us some background information about yourself?

That’s an easy question (laughing)! In a nutshell I would say I’m a Media Artist, with roots as a singer-songwriter. In today’s digital age, I find myself attracted to various areas along with music, like TV/Film, and of course the Internet has been good to me as well!

How would you describe your style of music?

My music is really an amalgamation of many different styles. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been influenced by different corners of the world. I grew up in Canada, studied jazz, and opera and always loved R&B/Pop music.

My grandfather, who was a composer in India taught me to appreciate Indian classical music from an early age. And, to add to the mix, I lived in Tokyo a few years ago and that really opened my ears and my heart to a whole new musical world.

What type of music do you listen to?

I love any kind of music that speaks to me. The message can be found in a catchy beat, a beautiful storyline, or even something weird and quirky that catches my attention. I love music that is moving.

Doesn’t matter what the style is, as long as I can feel the passion behind the beat or words, I’ll keep listening.

Who are your musical inspirations?

I cannot just name one or two people who have inspired me. I am really lucky that way because my inspiration stems from everything and everyone around me.

We all have music in us. Of course, my family and friends contribute the most to my songwriting, because I write from my experiences (or theirs!); and, in terms of inspirations to sing, the list starts with my first choir director and range to my favourite singers and songwriters today.

A person can be inspired just about anywhere and I think the trick is just to be receptive to it. I once heard that songs are already written, we just have to find and share them. I believe that 100%.

At what age did you realise that singing was a career path you wanted to pursue?

I’ve never really wanted to do anything else to be honest. Of course, I’ve had bad days, weeks or even months, but when music hits me hard I shift my focus to screen projects (nothing that I can reveal yet I’m afraid!) or to the SheenaMelwani.com world! How can you really complain when you do what you love every day?

What will you say has been some of the benefits of posting your videos online, especially on YouTube and the power the internet has given individuals and talents to be able to share their passion with the world?

I was in Japan when I posted my first video on YouTube, and thought it would be a good way to stay connected with my friends back home. It was my way to share my voice and music with my circle of friends and family (and I thought a few others might watch as well, and that was fine by me).

Now, two years and over 10 million hits later, people from all over the world are encouraging me every day to finish my album, to sing another song on SheenaTV, to help guide their own budding careers. I get messages in English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Japanese, German, Portuguese – the list goes on and on!

The internet has literally brought us all together and it’s thanks to YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and such sites that independent artists now also have direct access to a worldwide fan base.

Why did you decide to start SheenaTV?

I first started SheenaTV because I was contacted by Yahoo! to be one of the very first broadcasters for a beta project called Yahoo! Live. I thought it would be a nice way for people to get to know the real me and agreed. Ironically, the Yahoo! program died but SheenaTV went from an average of 50 viewers an episode to close to a 1000 – thankfully not everyone chats at the same time!

People enjoy connecting in ‘real-time’ and SheenaTV allows me to do so directly with my fans. Apart from playing the part of the ‘Human Jukebox‘ (people don’t seem to care if I know all the words to their favourite songs), I also sample some original music, discuss issues the group wants to discuss and sometimes give everyone a ‘behind-the-scenes’ view of a video being filmed.

What do you outside music, what other projects are you involved in?

I’m into a lot of things other than music! Music may be my heart, but it is not the only thing in my life! I spend almost every morning at the gym, enjoy practicing yoga, love to cook, and most of all – love to eat!

What should we be expecting from you in the near future?

Many wonderful things I hope! I have an album in process, an iPhone app in the making, some screen ideas somewhere in the mix and I’m just going with the flow. Its not about the destination, but the journey, right?

What has been your greatest challenge?

When you handle everything independently, it really takes discipline and motivation to keep moving forward. I think this has been my biggest challenge thus far. Somedays, you can wake up and feel like you’ve moved backwards, and that’s not a nice feeling!

Lucky for me, that doesn’t happen too often, and when it does the people in my life are great at getting me back on my feet. And, when that doesn’t work I just get on SheenaMelwani.com or Facebook and seeing people commenting from around the world, at all times of the day and night reminds me immediately why I do what I do.

What advice do you have for those who want to pursue a career as a singer?

Don’t take no for answer. If you want to be a professional singer, then keep singing and don’t be afraid to put yourself and your music out there. Not everyone is going to like your voice, but you have to keep pushing. And in this day and age, with all these social media tools right at your fingertips, there really is no excuse anymore. Sing because you want to sing, not because you want people to listen!

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

A lot can happen in five years! I hope I’m doing more of what I’m doing now. Working on various media projects for a wider audience. I am a big believer in destiny, so I too am excited about what destiny may have in store for me!

Any last words for your fans and the readers of YHP?

Of course, I always have something else to say! Thank you for watching me, listening to my music, visiting my website, and simply for believing in me. It makes all the work much easier to do when you see people enjoying the final product, so a big “Thank You” – from the bottom of my heart for making my experience such a wonderful one.

Thanks for your time Sheena

You are very welcome. Thank you for your time as well!

Connect with Sheena

SheenaMelwani.com
Facebook.com/SheenaMelwaniMusic
YouTube.com/SheenaMelwani
Twitter.com/SheenaMelwani
Myspace.com/SheenaMelwani

Just recently done an interview with Zae, a young music artist from Philadelphia.

Hope you enjoy the interview!

Hey Zae, How are you doing? So cool of you to join us on YHP

Hey, I’m doing great! Thanks so much for this opportunity.

So before we move on, tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Zae, and I’m an aspiring singer from Philadelphia.

How did you get into music?

I never really known how I got into music, all I know is it’s something that always caught my attention. Whether it was records, tapes, instruments, I was always around music stuff as a young child.

How long have you been singing? Who inspired musically as a child?

I’ve been singing ever since I could remember. I was always inspired by artist such as Brian McKnight, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson.

Do you have other siblings who are into music?

I do have an older cousin that also sings. She is amazing, might I add. When I was really small, we always sung together. I was always bugging her to help me sing. After she got me started, she couldn’t stop me. Not even until this day! (Laughter!)

How do you classify your music?

I like my music to speak for itself, but if I had to choose a genre, I would say Pop/R&b.

Why did you start posting cover songs on YouTube and how has that helped your music career?

I started posting videos for fun. I never really knew how many people watch other people sing covers. I didn’t expect to get famous off it though, just to create a buzz for myself. YouTube has brought me many opportunities such as management and also a chance to sing the national anthem for the Philadelphia Phillies.

What’s the best thing about doing what you do now?

The best thing about what I do is just making people happy. I’ve noticed that many people appreciate what I love to do, and that’s what keeps me going. Also getting to know new people is awesome!

What’s the downside?

The downside is the music industry is a very crazy business. There are a lot of barriers you have to face, but you have to go in with a strong mind and thick skin.

Who are your inspirations in the music industry?

My inspirations in the music industry today are all the young artist doing their thing such as Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber, Charice, Travis Garland, Karina Pasian, and many others making a name for themselves.

What’s been your most memorable moment so far?

My most memorable moment had to be singing for the first time at my middle school. It was the first time I told them I can sing. I sung “I Believe In You and Me” by The Four Tops, and they were scared to death for me. They were pleasantly surprised and they gave me a standing ovation. It was an amazing feeling.

What are your current projects? Upcoming ones?

As of right now, I am working on my demo for the Record Labels. That’s the main goal. It’s almost done and it’s sounding great! I can’t wait for you guys to hear it! Then off to shop to the Labels!

What is your opinion about the state of music today?

I believe music today is basically about making you feel good and keeping you entertained. Everyone now-a-days want to be entertained, so the biggest artist today are those entertainers thinking outside the box.

What do you do outside music for fun?

Outside music, I basically like to do regular things like hanging out with friends and family, going to the movies and the mall, i love swimming, and I really enjoy travelling to different places. Oh, I also love texting!

When can we expect a full length album from you?

Maybe by next year, maybe sooner I’ll keep you guys updated!

Thanks for your time Zae

No problem, Thank you! & don’t forget to stay following me via YouTube

Follow him on twitter and subscribe to his youtube channel.

Hey Guys, i had the opportunity to do an interview with an all round amazing guy and artist, you would agree with me that through this interview, you get to see how cool he is and how hard he has worked to get to where he is.

Victor Kim shares some of his experiences with me, and i have to tell, it’s simply inspirational, if you’re looking for that something, to give a kick up your backside, then this interview is for you.

Hey Victor, Thanks for doing this interview with me on YHP, How are you doing?

My pleasure! and im doing excellent, thank you for asking.

Can you quickly give some brief background information about yourself?

Absolutely! My name is victor kim and i was born and raised in Sacramento. I moved to southern california to go to college at UC Irvine where i graduated with a degree in Economics, through a series of amazing and unexpected events, i am currently a professional dancer and musician.

How did you get started online, posting videos on YouTube and sharing your hobbies with the world?

I was inspired to post videos online by people such as Passion, AJ Rafael, David Choi and many other artists that i admire. I loved the idea of sharing something you love with the world. also, as soon as we got off ABDC, the first thing i did with the prize money was to buy a macbook! ever since then i’ve had the chance to meet and become good friends with many of the artists i look up to.

What has been the most memorable experience so far?

It’s hard to choose a specific moment as the most memorable, but one experience that i vividly remember is a memory from hawaii.

I was laying down at one of the most beautiful beaches i have ever seen in my life, and realized how blessed i am to be doing what i love, with the people i love. it was a very surreal moment, where i had the sensation that i was living a dream.

How did you join Quest Crew and why?

I met the guys of Quest through the hip hop dance community in southern california when i was in college. My two best friends in school were both on collegiate hip hop teams (Mike Song was in Kaba Modern and Anthony Lee was in CADC), and as much as i loved watching these teams, the style of dance wasn’t my particular brand, then i met the guys of Quest and things just clicked.

I joined with them because they inspire me not as just dancers, but as people as well.

How does it feel to win the MTV’S Season 3 of the American best dance crew?

The most honest way that i can describe winning ABDC, is that thats how i imagine heaven to be. there was so much leading up to that moment where mario lopez announced our names as the champions, and when he did the first thing that i did, (after having a mild heart attack on stage) was to get on my knees and thank God.
I felt so close to Him in that moment, and it was a huge affirmation that i am doing what He wants me to be doing with my life.

Share with us one of the most difficult time in your life and how you handled it?

The most difficult moment of my life was during my freshman year of high school. back then, i had very little ambition in my life, and all i wanted to do was skateboard and do graffiti. I dont know what sparked this rebellious nature in me, but it all stopped when i got arrested for vandalism.

The specific moment that changed my life was when i saw my mom’s eyes looking at her son in the back of a police car. from then on i made a promise to myself that i would never make her cry again, and that i would do everything i can to make her proud. from then on, i started working harder in school and eventually got transferred to the honors and AP classes.

I became more active in church, and picked up playing the guitar and starting dancing.

You pretty much do everything, dancing, singing, playing instruments, arts..What can’t you do
(LAUGHTER?)

haha thank you ! there are definitely many many things that i cannot do, but i try to focus my time and energy on the things that i am very passionate about. but i must admit, im not the best in the world with driving directions !

Haha..Finally something you’re not good at, I’m only joking..

How the hell did you learn how to do all of this, and to do it properly as well, it’s totally crazy?

Well, i suppose there is a slightly obsessive tendency when it comes to things that i enjoy. when i first started breakin, i would spend hours and hours every day in my living room trying to do windmills. then after that, i would lock myself away in my room (not literally) with my guitar and practice till my fingers couldnt take it anymore. perhaps its just the attitude that if you truly want something, you have to be willing to work harder than everyone else to achieve it.

Who/what has been your inspiration to keep going even when things aren’t going well?

There have definitely been times where things werent going as successfully as they are now. towards the end of my time at UC Irvine, i was very lost with what i wanted to do with my life post-college. but one thing that provided strength and hope in those times, was the belief that God is in complete control.

I firmly believe that God has written out the story of my life long before i was even born, and that i am simply living out the motion picture that He has already created for me.

Do you think it takes a lot of discipline and also sacrifice to make it to the top? What has been the toughest decision you’ve had to make?

There is definitely a lot of discipline involved in achieving any goal that is worthwhile. like i mentioned earlier, you must be willing to work harder than everyone else. but discipline isnt solely dependent on what you physically do but what you do with your mind and soul is also equally as important, and the thoughts that you carry with you everyday are crucial in determining the course of your life.

Who are your musical, artistic, dance inspirations?

Anyone who is truly passionate about what they do. they are my inspirations.

If you had to choose one of the things you, to pick one as a career, which one would it have to be?

I would probably choose music. as much as i love to dance, i might be less inclined to do hollowbacks when im 60!

Haha! You just never know…

Is it ever overwhelming, you know, the support from people, realising that people on the other side of the world are inspired by you?

It is definitely a blessing. if i were to go back in time and tell myself that there was people in Australia that enjoy my music and dancing, i wouldnt even believe it. when i first started out doing these things, i did them simply because it made me happy to do them. now that i find other people finding happiness in what i do, it is incredibly encouraging to work even harder.

How do you keep your humility and focus?

My parents. as long as i can remember, and even to this day my mom and dad told me how important it was to be humble. i am very thankful for the values that my parents have instilled in me and my brothers. as far as focus, i guess its just good genes !

If you could go back in time, what person would you like to have a chat with or hang with and why?

I would love to hang out with Jesus. He just seems like a really good guy you know?

What are your thoughts on the internet, websites such as YouTube, its advantages, the benefits it has given you?

I was watching an interview on Conan O’Brien and he was talking about the power of the internet, and how we are living in a new generation where things are now possible that weren’t in the past. instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars marketing his personal tour across America, he simply twittered about it. the tour was sold out in a matter of hours.

I believe that this generation is extremely blessed to have resources such as the internet because through these vehicles we can share with each other so easily, and have the capability to reaching a mass audience. just like the dawn of the industrial age and information age, new opportunities are presenting themselves for those who believe.

What should we be expecting from you in the future?

Definitely more things with my brothers of Quest Crew. we have a lot of big dreams and i know that together we can accomplish anything. i am also planning on writing more original music, and possibly some more performances with the YoMama Crew (Mike Song and Anthony Lee). i have a lot of dreams yet to achieve !

What advice would you like to give anyone looking to follow in your footstep?

“Ask and it will be give to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7)

Thanks for your time Victor!

Anytime :]

Don’t forget to check out our sponsor: QuickLingo
Quick Lingo is a professional translation and interpretation service provider to the corporate community and public sector.

Hi Guys, check out this interview with wade johnston.

Wade is a young singer/songwriter, guitarist, one of the very many that have really benefited from youtube.
After creating his youtube channel in summer 2008, posting original songs and covers he was able to reach a large audience, creating a fanbase online and performing in various events and concerts.

One cover that got him noticed was Julia Nunes’ song, “Regrets.” the video response ended up catching Nunes’s attention. Soon after, in October, Wade was invited to perform at her side at the first ever YouTube Live in San Francisco, CA.

He is also in a band called Wade Johnston and the Navigators

Hi Wade, How are you doing?

Staying busy…very busy.

So quickly give us some background information about you?

Well, I’m a 20-year-old singer/songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio. I like to make music—I make videos on YouTube, and I’m the front man of my band “Wade Johnston & The Navigators.” On the side (ha), I’m a full-time Urban Planning student at the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati and I have a job.

How did you get into music?

I’ve grown up in a fairly musical family –I started off singing in a chorus at 9, played piano from about 11-13, and ended up choosing guitar around age 14. I began to experiment with writing music/lyrics soon after, and I’ve loved doing it ever since.

What is your favourite aspect of your own playing style?

I’m a sucker for harmony-driven music. More importantly, I love my band’s unique setup with me singing and playing guitar/ukulele accompanied by two other voices, steady hand percussion, and rocking electric bass.

What are you doing at this moment to keep things fresh for you and your audiences?

My band and I just released our first EP, so I’m transitioning back to song writing mode so I can get some new videos posted to YouTube this summer.

What has been your most memorable experience so far?

That’s a really tough question because YouTube has presented me with so many rewarding experiences. YouTube LIVE! was an amazing event, but I’ve also had some other unreal opportunities to travel and play over the past 2 years. Not to mention I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with some of YouTube’s finest, including Pomplamoose, Julia Nunes, and Danielle Ate The Sandwich. However, when I’m sixty, I think that having 20,000 fans across the world that enjoyed listening to my music will be the most memorable experience.

If you had to choose one, playing instruments or singing?

Hmm, another toughie. Probably singing. Sometimes I go a week without playing because I get so wrapped up in school and work, but I can’t go a day without singing. Or even an hour…

What has been the most challenging part of your career so far and what did you do to remain focused?

The most challenging part of my music career so far has been balancing my YouTube persona with that of my band. On YouTube, I make most of my videos all by myself, but in life performances I rely on my bandmates to help me create a unique sound. My goal for this summer is to integrate the two in order to allow viewers to get a better idea for my vision as a songwriter.

You keep picking up musical instruments and exceeding in it, which one out of all the instruments you play, is your favourite and why?

Although I love the island-like, upbeat feel of the ukulele, I think guitar is my favorite because 1) I’m better at it, and 2) I think it’s a more versatile instrument to perform with. The ukulele has just four strings and a few octaves to work with, but a guitar has many more options.

Are you looking to pick up another instrument anytime soon?

I’m always looking to pick up new instrument! Actually, I recently just picked up the juice harp. I’m really excited to have my own house next year so I can setup a drum kit and maybe get an upright piano. I’m also interested in learning banjo and mandolin when I can find the time.

Many people who are picking up the ukulele for the first time want to play like you. What advice can you give to aspiring musicians about music and creating their own style?

No matter what other people think, be true to yourself as a musician. If you’re already doing that, all you need to do is post some videos on YouTube and maybe you’ll get lucky like I did! (ha)

What do you think is the most important thing you have practiced, and how has it improved your playing?

Hands down, finger picking (pun intended, ha). Taking the time early in my guitar training to discipline myself has helped me write new songs and made me a more versatile musician overall.

Do you think YouTube and the internet in general has helped you taking your music career to the next level?

Let me put it this way: without YouTube and the internet, no one outside of Cincinnati would know who I am. YouTube and the internet have changed the way people listen to music, and I’m just happy that I was born into the right place at the right time.

What inspires you to learn instruments and make music?

Learning a new instrument is like exploring a new room in some crazy musical mansion. It feeds the indecisive composer in me who is constantly searching for new music. Music is a way for me to make the intangible in my life tangible. I love the feeling of creating something that I’m proud of. It’s almost therapeutic in the sense that it allows me to say what I otherwise might not be able to say with words.

What should be expecting from you in the future?

Lots of new videos, a new CD in the distant future, and maybe some US touring. Your guess is as good as mine for what opportunity YouTube will present for me next.

Thanks for your time Wade

Thanks Joseph!

Don’t forget to check out our sponsor: QuickLingo
Quick Lingo is a professional translation and interpretation service provider to the corporate community and public sector.

Hey Guys, I had the opportunity of doing an interview with an upcoming music artist and producer, Samii and Srs are two best friends who are looking to become the music sensation of the netherland , and they are already talking to eventually becoming an international sensation, you should probably take notes of their names.

It all started from posting a video on YouTube, now their cover of iyaz replay now has 1.7 million views in just over a month.

Hope you enjoy the interview!

Hey Guys, How are you doing?

First of all we’d like to thank you for this interview! We’re actually feeling really good. Srs just finished his final exams and Samii is going into his last year of school. Yep, we’re still in high school

Can you give us some background information about yourselves? Let s get to know you guys? What you guys do?

Well, where do we start. Let’s begin to say that we know each other since the age of four. We lived in the same street. Apart from being best friends, we also share the same love for music. While Sami was busy with singing and writing, Srs got involved with making beats. We started of making dutch music.

We did that because we wanted to approach people in the Netherlands, because that’s where we live. After we’ve done several things, such as performances on live television, performances for a big audience and reached thousands of youtube views, we decided to start making English songs.

How did you both get involved in music?

That’s a pretty funny story actually. When the first season of Dutch Idols came on TV, we really enjoyed watching it and we had a CD with all the performances on it. When we saw this, we both knew that we wanted to do the same as them, making music and entertaining people. We never thought that it would become so serious though.

Your cover to Iyaz replay is going crazy right now, it has over 1.7 million hits in just over a month, where you expecting it, how did you react, what did you guys do?

Well, the only thing we can say is WOW! We could never even dream about such a big number. The first day we uploaded the video it already got like 100.000 views which we thought was already crazy!! But 1,7 million views!? You couldn’t pay us to believe such a thing, haha!

You done a song called “You make me go”, what are the responses so far?

They’ve been really good so far. Listeners say that the song makes them happy. It’s so funny, we made the song when we were in a ‘’Summer mood’’. We just recorded the song, made a video and posted it up on the internet. Getting such good responses motivates us to make more songs like that.

What kind of music do you guys listen to?

We basically listen to really anything. As long as it sounds good. We prefer pop, r&b and rap, but a good rock song can also be awesome.

Who are your musical inspirations?

That would be a big list… just to name a few of them: Jason Derulo, Lady Gaga, Usher, Lil Wayne, Iyaz etc.

What are you guys currently working on, what should we be expecting from you during this summer break?

We’re working on some original songs and some new covers. We’re actually releasing a cover of Jason Derulo’s ‘’In My Head’’ very soon. We are also trying to collaborate with some other youtube-artists.

How has the journey been so far? What have been some of the key things you’ve learnt so far?

So far it’s been great. It’s absolutely a great feeling to get so many positive reactions on our music. Those reactions are really rewarding since we put so much work into our music. What we definitely learnt so far is that we need to keep focused on our music and be consistent with it.

What are you looking to do better or different now?

We’ll try to work even harder to reach our goal.

What has been one of your most satisfying moments so far?

Ehmm, I think that has to be one of Samii’s live performance in the Netherlands. Just seeing 1500 people singing along to a song YOU made, is one of the best feelings you can have.

Have you guys ever had a challenging process that almost made you guys doubt the path you’ve taken?

Sure. When we decided to built a home-studio, we expected that making music would be much easier, because it was ours and we would be the one that decided when and how long we would record. But when we got started we found out that we didn’t know that much about recording.

At that point it was pretty frustrating because we spent a lot of money on the studio and we didn’t immediately got good results out of it. It just took time, but after a while we learnt to work with it. I guess hard work pays off.

What would you like to say to anyone out there supporting your music?

Thank you for your support. You really put smiles on our faces

What do you guys do for fun?

We’re just teens so we like to do things that most people of our age like to do. Going out, hanging out with friends, going to the cinema and the city, playing basketball and also playing games of course, hehe:D

Where do you both see yourself in the next 5 years?

Sami: Hoping to see a song from me on the billboardcharts haha
Srs: I hope that I will be working together with a lot of famous artists.

Thanks for your time guys.

Thank you too!!

Don’t forget to check out our sponsor: QuickLingo
Quick Lingo is a professional translation and interpretation service provider to the corporate community and public sector.