James Wade : Raw, Talented Fusion!

It's that time of week. I was surfing around Youtube's waves today after playing guitar for a couple hours, and just got lost in Pixies covers. I'd been strumming away that addictive bass line that makes up the masterpiece that is "Gouge Away." So, needless to say, James Wade, covered that song too. He did it brilliantly and infused his acoustic cover with raw, grungy energy that is just what the song requires. He definitely sucked me into his world and I hope you'll let him do the same to you. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzQYWjE3zO0

Fantastic isn't it? Raw energy and pure passion. So many times I come across fantastic Youtube artists and think "This is just great, but why aren't they letting go?" James does just that. He lets go and doesn't leave room for logic. It's all about emotion and is a fantastic tribute to the incredible band that influenced so many alternative bands to come along in the 90's. I mean, without the Pixies there'd be no "Smells Like Teen Spirit". And without "Smells Like Teen Spirit", who knows what the landscape of modern music would look like. I'm certainly glad the Pixies rocked the world with mysterious lyrics and a contrasting song style, that controlled itself like a ticking bomb, leading to an explosion on every verse. James just brought that song to life, the way its supposed to be done.

Now, James has got some great covers on his channels, as well as some valuable recordings of Eric Clapton performing a couple years ago. He's also the lead singer and guitarist in the punk blues band Tweak, which you can find and listen to on Facebook. They're quite good and have some great originals, that you can check out by going to their page or website. Now, regarding other covers on James' Youtube channel, he's got another one that really stood out to me. I covered the song at a gig last week and had so much fun doing it unplugged. Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" bridges the gap between rock and funk and is essential for any guitar lover. Check out James' masterful cover!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztEqR86mj5o

Great stuff. James' style is one that I just love. He combines precise, stunning sounds with a messy overall grungy approach that is just bursting with power. And I mean, how can you hold back when you're playing such a sexy riff as in "Voodoo Child"? That sort of guitar playing influenced so many guitarists to come, including my personal favourites, John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Eddie Hazel (Funkadelic). Bringing that sort of raw, animalistic Hendrix guitar playing to an acoustic level really gives the song a whole different dimension, which I love.

At this point in the blog, I usually talk about the artist's original. As mentioned before, he's got some originals together with his band, and lucky for us, he's got some incredible covers and originals his Souncloud, which I seriously recommend checking out. An orchestral piece he put together himself entitled "The Secret" is just magical and a must for any John Williams fan. There's definitely a lot of influence in there. Check him out and thanks for supporting Youtube's artists! Check back next Thursday for another fantastic artist!

https://soundcloud.com/jamatopia/the-secret

Alex Hamel

Jeremy Williams : Why Hadn't I Found This Guy Yet? Incredible!

It's a sunny afternoon here in Mykonos and it's that time of week! I began surfing across Youtube's waves keeping my ears open, looking for another fantastic artist to add to our collection. After about twenty minutes, I came across something incredible. I just couldn't believe I hadn't written about this guy yet and got right on it. He's got a lot of incredible covers, as well as a good amount of stunning originals, that I'll share with you a little later. Let me share the first video I came across. It's a cover of Coldplay's "Yellow," and although I'm not a big fan of the band, I have to admit, Jeremy did this song more than justice in that incredible alternate tuning. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE6bhqkhqao

Beautiful, isn't it? I actually like it more than in that alternate tuning, and admit, I have never tried it before, but I'll be re-tuning my guitar any minute now to check that out. Aside from that great guitar sound, Jeremy's voice has such a silky, smooth texture, but also contains a very indie/alternative sound. I can definitely see similarities between his and Chris Martin's voice, though after seeing more of his covers, I've got to say, he's got a very flexible sound. I don't quite mean that he's got a massive range, but rather that he can fit his voice into any song.

So, I hope you enjoyed that, and if you did I urge you to subscribe to Jeremy's channel, and check out more of his covers as well as his originals. But, if you're not quite impressed, let me share another cover of his with you. This one is of Oasis' "Live Forever." Jeremy seems to be a big Oasis fan, as he has numerous covers, that he performs excellently. Once again, he's got that smooth sound going and actually reminds me of Noel Gallagher here (definitely not Liam.) Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWQ59DjQQ0I

Great stuff. Jeremy's one of those great performers who just is. He doesn't turn on his camera and put on a whole persona or act any sort of way. He seems to be very relaxed and very real. I think that's why so many of his fans seem to appreciate him so much. Listening to the cover again, I can really say that Jeremy connects to the songs he sings and chooses them wisely. So many times, people come up to me and say "Why don't you cover this or that?", and if I say "I don't think so." they seem almost offended. Well, I only do songs that I can relate to or actually understand on a deeper level and I feel that Jeremy does exactly the same. He chooses songs that make sense to him, and I respect him for that!

Now, let's get to the important stuff, his originals. He's got a bunch, but one that stood out to me was from way back in 2007. The song is called "Hopefully" and has to do with his ex-girlfriend. It really differs from his covers in that Jeremy' personality manages to come through really clearly. On top of that, by looking back in time, you can get a look at how Jeremy has evolved over time. With that baseball cap, and that sound, I'm getting a real Jason Mraz feel here. So, I hope you enjoy it and thanks for supporting Youtube's artists! Check back next Thursday for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJY0RCQErMM

Alex Hamel

Katrina Marie : Gimme Sugar!

Hello to all the readers! So, it's time for our 101st artist. I've been thinking about it the past few days and just wanted someone who had real substance. And, I've come to deliver. Today's artist is Katrina Marie, a quirky Youtube artist whose voice is strong and gentle, mature yet young, and always full of emotion. She's a perfect artist to start off the second hundred artists on the blog. I could have written about someone overproduced, someone completely raw and stripped down, but Katrina Marie compromises everything and creates a blend of personalities in her music. I first came across her doing an enchanting cover of Edith Piaf's "La Vie En Rose," a song that remains timeless. So many have covered it, yet I love how each person infuses their personality into it. Strangely, when you first see Katrina talking, she comes across as a fun loving, young woman, yet the moment she lets those singing notes out, she somehow gains a whole lot of maturity. Seriously. Just listen to her without looking at her and you'll see what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhpBLH2jpf0

Brilliant! As I said, she could deceive anyone as being an incredibly experienced and mature vocalist when you're not looking at her. You would never guess she is actually quite young. I got a Celine Dion feel in her voice that's rich in texture and flexible beyond measure. When she hits those high notes, she keeps that deep tone that just hits me so perfectly. And when she gets those bassy notes going, she somehow balances it off as well. Overall, I think that's the perfect word for Katrina Marie. She's got balance in every aspect. She balances logic and emotion into the song, tones, speed, as well as production. I must say that the sound quality is brilliant considering how real it is.

Now, for those who aren't massive fans of "La Vie En Rose," which I would rate as one of the top hundred songs of the past century, she's got some more recent song covers that I'm definite you'd enjoy. One that caught my ear is of The Zutons' "Valerie," which was also covered by the incredible Amy Winehouse. I covered the song a lot a couple years ago and just loved all the directions you could take with it. Katrina Marie definitely follows a Winehouse inspired direction but infuses the cover with a certain pace that is so representative of Katrina's emotion based covers. Love it. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQijZHj_3zg

What a great cover. There's something so real about it and almost laid back, due to Katrina Marie's pacing of the song. What's great about her approach is that it gives you time to focus on the lyrics rather than just get lost in the catchy melody. I mean, we all love the Zutons energetic version and Amy's even more energetic version, but getting a feel for new directions is just a fantastic thing to be exposed to. So, I've got to say, I'm so thankful Katrina uploaded this cover and just wish so many more people would get their covers and originals out there.

Now, regarding originals, Katrina Marie's got a bunch, and actually has released her debut album to iTunes. It's just so fantastic that artists can get their music online and out to the masses so easily nowadays. I mean, I recorded my album during a live show and produced it at home. From there, I just got it onto iTunes and just couldn't believe how easy it is. Anyways, I'll get to that another time. Let's get down to originals. Make sure you check out a few of her originals, because I truly feel that Katrina Marie shines most when she's doing her original material. It's certainly the case with most singer/songwriters. A song that I immediately fell in love with is called "Gimme Sugar." No, it's not because it combines the titles of two of my favorite Rolling Stones tracks, but because its fun, funky and real. I checked out the fully fledged version and its also great, but you know me, I like my music raw and stripped down. So, check out this brilliant track and thanks for supporting Youtube's artists! Check back next Thursday for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9suZTzODINc

Alex Hamel

Reflecting On 100 Youtube Artists

Hello to all the readers out there! It's been a little over three months since I started this blog and over the course of one hundred days, I wrote about one hundred artists. During a long period of unemployment, and being "banned" from playing gigs in Trikala, Greece, after speaking up against the managers of a certain bar at the end of January for not sticking to their agreements, Youtube's artists have kept me going and opened my eyes to a whole lotta love. Since I started the blog, I took a trip to Rome, Naples and Capri, passing through Athens to do so, and moved down to my home island of Mykonos on April 1st, a little over a week after I nearly got beat up by some guys in Trikala. And despite the moving, not being able to perform in front of people and not having much cash to live on, I didn't miss a day. I couldn't! I mean, how could you miss a day, when there's so many incredible artists available on Youtube, and you've got the time to really appreciate them.

Luckily, I'm back to performing, now that I'm in Mykonos and despite my recent MacBook crash, I'll be back to business, uploading videos and staying involved as soon as I get a new one. I've decided that from now on, I'll be featuring one artist per week. That gives me a little more time to really appreciate them, rather than giving them a few hours on the day and let me really give you details, that I wish I could do every day. But, of course, juggling an administrative job, my music, and my photography, amongst other things, I can't do that right now. Maybe in the future...time will tell. But for now, it's one fantastic artist per week.

I started the blog off because I'd been looking up covers of songs on Youtube for ages. But, most of the time I ignored the artist's originals. A really stupid thing to do. And, who opened my eyes to it? None other than the incredible Orla Gartland. One fine day, Youtube recommended "Sixteen," by Orla Gartland to me but I thought "No, I'll check it later." The typical response. Next thing I know, I sign on to Facebook and three of my friends have shared "Sixteen" by Orla Gartland. Friends, who never shared any sort of Youtube video before. So, I thought "There must be something great here." And there was. A masterpiece of a song, that I considered to be a one off. But, I was wrong. Song after song, Orla came up with more memorable melodies and lyrics that tell magnetizing stories. I was hooked.

After Orla blew me away, I had to go back to every artist I heard on Youtube and listen to their originals. Needless to say, I was blown away by what I had missed out on. From Ortopilot, to Danny McEvoy and everyone in-between, I kept finding more and more Youtube artists who weren't getting as much attention with their originals, though they were great. In my mind, I had found hidden treasures. I started obsessing with Youtube's artists and looked for the most unrecognized artists out there. But, looking for them was hard, they were buried beneath covers upon covers of songs (particularly Bob Dylan covers). Nevertheless, playing gigs around London helped. I met tons of artists who earned my respect and enjoyed a lot of time around really inspired people, such as Jay Stapley and The Manic Shine. But the big shock came one night in February, 2012. I was invited to play at The Troubadour, in London, and went along, as if it were any other gig. I met a couple artists who thought they were too good for this world and felt confident about putting myself up against their performances. Yet, one of the performers, a singer/songwriter like myself, was sitting quietly in the corner, sipping a glass of water. I walked over to him and said "Hi." That was all we said before the gig. He was on before me. I sat there and watched as this guy magnetized the room with his electricity. A raspy, unique sound emerged from him as he played the guitar as if it were a part of his body. For once, I thought to myself "I do not want to follow this guy. I don't know if I can." I loved the feeling, I loved being around such inspirational people. And, in any way possible, I tried to get my friends to listen to Matt Woods, who caught me by surprise.

And so, I keep trying to get people to listen through the blog. From people I heard in London, to people I found on Youtube, to a recommendation I got from a friend, I can't resist but share these artists inspiration with each other, and with everyone out there looking for something new. And through doing so, I've gotten to know some fantastic people. Danny McEvoy, who has a heart of gold, opened up to me and told me tales of his existence as a musician. He taunted me with his favorite chords and his unease with songs of the 90's. George Possley, similarly, warmed my heart with his attitude towards life, and towards his guitars, his loves. Some artists, gave me thrills, simply by responding to me and appreciating my appreciation for their appreciation of music. Did you follow that? I mean, artists I truly admire and get motivated by, respond with a simple click. How cannot want to continue writing when I get so much out of it and when it gives people something new to listen to? How can I not appreciate all the artistry and time that goes into Youtube? I can't resist but continue. So, from now on, I'll be sharing a fantastic Youtube artist with you every Thursday and looking out for anyone who's got a sound that turns me on. It's not your voice, your performance, the quality of your sound/video or any of that. It's how much you love it. It's how much you are one with it. Here's to the artists, and here's to you!

Alex Hamel

Toree & Ben : The 100th Artist Featured on YUMC

Well, first off, I'd like to thank everyone who has been reading the blog and am happy to announce that Toree and Ben are the 100th artist featured on the blog. Some days are hard, some days are incredibly easy, but I'm so happy that I continue to find incredible musical talent on Youtube every day. I came across Toree and Ben quite some time ago but wanted to save her for a special post, because she really sings her heart out. I first found her doing a cover of Janis Joplin's "Piece Of My Heart," alongside an incredible guitarist called Ben Cooper. So, here's to Youtube's Underground Music Scene reaching 100 incredible artist, with this incredible cover! Enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2kYh9bXqNU

Gives me chills every time I hear it. Toree McGee calls herself a "jack of all trades" on her Facebook page and I wouldn't venture to disagree with her. Her vocals are so clear and accurate, and if you check out her other videos, you'll hear how much variety she's got. I mean, she's got a deep soulful side to her, but she nails those high, edgy notes seemingly effortlessly. It's a beautiful thing to watch, especially alongside a guitarist as talented as Ben Cooper. I can definitely hear some Hendrix influence in there.

So, you must have loved that cover. If you did as much as I do, make sure you subscribe to her Youtube Channel and "like" her Facebook page, which is written up underneath most of her videos. A video that I really dug was also done alongside Ben Cooper. "Dream On" by Aerosmith, a song that I personally fell in love with during my first of University, back in London. The song came on in a Youtube playlist I was listening to, while writing an essay at about 4:30 AM. With the rays of sun creeping over into London that morning, I must have listened to the legendary rock anthem a hundred times. Toree once again, nails this one, gliding along Ben's sweet guitar playing. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icvRO1dI17Y

Incredible stuff. What I can't help noticing is that Toree and Ben's cover has less views than mine, though theirs is technically way above what I did. It just goes to show that views aren't everything. Sometimes a person with one thousand views, or even five views, is so much more electrifying than another with one million views! But in this day and age, if you look something hard enough, you'll find it and equally, if you want to get your sound out there, you can do it. Look at how many Youtube artists have done so. Anyways, that was an incredible cover, I hope you agree.

Now, while I usually write about one cover around this time, today, I'm going to feature another cover of Ben and Toree's. That's not to say they don't have originals, but to say that their covers are so great, I just can't get enough of them. Their cover of "Welcome To The Jungle" (Guns n Roses), seems such an appropriate song for the amount of incredible artists on Youtube. So, welcome to the jungle, and check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK3matl8XBY

Alex Hamel



Lissie : Brilliant Emotional Singer/Songwriter

Earlier today I put up a poll on Facebook regarding people's favourite guitar solos. I added about fifteen options and left it open to others to add to it. Surprisingly, "Nothing Else Matters' came out second on the list, with "Stairway To Heaven" (Led Zeppelin), in first place. I decided to look up a couple covers of the song but didn't find something particularly incredible. So, I decided to look up covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way." Surprisingly, an incredible artist who goes by the name Lissie, had a cover of it, as well as a cover of "Nothing Else Matters." I assumed that I better write about this girl. She's incredible. Check out her cover of "Nothing Else Matters."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ia9N9MdSa0

Brilliant! From the performance, to the audio/video quality, it's flawless. Lissie balances between a smooth soul vocal and a harsh, rocking voice, which is perfect for the song. I never really got into the song, but I must say that the guitar tone on this version is so appealing. It's almost surf-rock like, and with a female vocal on top of it, it takes on a completely different edge. It's almost as if Lana del Rey meets Kurt Cobain here with Lissie. Beautiful stuff.

Now, I obviously subscribed to her channel and would urge you to do the same. I mean, if you're not a massive Metallica fan, then have a listen to her cover of  Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way." It's much smoother and definitely Stevie Nicks infused. On top of the great performance, it's even more polished than her cover of "Nothing Else Matters" if you can imagine that. Together with some brilliant musicians, Lissie has that deep, emotional sound Stevie Nicks brought up back then. Have a listen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OltcXMV-9Vk

Love that one. It's probably one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac tracks after "Man Of The World", which featured the founding genius, Peter Green. But, I've got to admit, Stevie Nicks was such an essential part of that band in its evolution and I love the fact that Lissie chose to cover this track. She definitely gave it all she had emotionally, and restrained herself from really pushing on her vocal chords in the beginning. It stunningly grows as you listen, and is enhanced by that electric guitar. On that note, not enough can be said about her band. They really know what they're doing.

Now, aside from those beautiful covers, Lissie has some fantastic originals, including one that caught my ear called "When I'm Alone." It's stripped down, raw and realistic at first and grows into a fully fledged song. It really gives you an idea about who she is and seems to incorporate a bunch of influences. It's one of those songs I could imagine a pop fan listening to, or a hard rock fan listening to. I know I've been clicking "repeat" again and again over here, so I hope you enjoy it too. Don't forget to subscribe to Lissie's channel and "like" her Facebook page for updates! Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G0_eN36QVc

Alex Hamel

Robbie Jay : R&B Soaked Singer/Songwriter

So, I was listening to "Unorthodox Jukebox" (Bruno Mars) again today and thinking about how much it reminds me of Prince and Michael Jackson. Not saying that it isn't a great album, but the influence is so clear. A song called "When I Was Your Man" (Bruno Mars), almost reminded me of "She's Out Of My Life" (Michael Jackson). Nevertheless, it's a great tune and I decided to check out some covers on Youtube. And of course, by doing so, I came across an incredible artist called Robbie Jay. This skinny guy's got a voice that's so full of soul and passion that I could sit and listen all day. Check out this sweet cover of his.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw_Ih2LcACs

Great, isn't it? Now, with Robbie's cover you can really hear that Michael Jackson influence! Something about the way Robbie accents his lyrics and hits notes is so reminiscent of him. However, he does have something incredibly unique about him, including his look and style. Overall, it's a brilliant cover, that led me to subscribe to his channel, which I'd advise you to do as well! This guy knows what he's doing and his channel looks awesome too.

He's got a good deal of covers on his channel, including one of Jason Mraz's "Living In The Moment." Off his album "Love Is A Four Letter Word," I felt this song was so underrated and was shocked to find this incredible singer/songwriter covering it. So often, you come across people covering people's "greatest hits", and by doing missing out on what might be their more inspired songs. So, I've got to say, Robbie's a genius for really listening to the artists he likes, not just the hits. There's some advice to you too. Listen to each and every song by your favourite artists. They'd appreciate it. And I'd appreciate it if you checked out this awesome cover now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_76wBd8o60w

Love how Robbie made this song his own. With his melodic and sweet voice, he gives the song a funkier sound, almost hitting a reggae edge with that guitar rhythm underneath it all. And, besides the stunning performance, you've got to give this guy credit for giving us the most simple, raw and realistic cover he could. No overdubs, no crazy editing. Just one acoustic guitar, and one beautiful voice. If you don't dig this guy's sound, you must be crazy, but hey, to each his/her own. I like Robbie's sound! 

So, this R&B soaked singer/songwriter doesn't just cover some beautiful tunes, he writes a bunch too. An original entitled "Summer Skin" can be heard on his channel's homepage and just oozes with inspiration and stunning influences. You can hear Mraz, Mayer and Mars in there, as well some classic Prince, which I'm loving. I mean, think back to "When You Were Mine" (Prince) and all those tracks. I can imagine this song being on the radio at that time. There's a timeless sound to Prince, and Robbie's got that same timeless sound too. Lucky him, and lucky us! So, don't forget to subscribe to his channel and "like" his Facebook page for updates. Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/user/r0bbiejayy

Alex Hamel

Alex Goot : Incredible Artist/Producer

Another day, another fantastic artist. Today's find is an incredible instrumentalist and vocalist called Alex Goot. And, although I suspect some of his vocals may be autotuned, he does a hell of a job putting his videos together. A recent upload covering Bon Jovi's "Living On A Prayer", really got me listening to all the details and production of the piece, rather than the vocals/guitar, which I tend to focus on. And, as stated on his channel, all the performance/production is done by him, so here's to Alex Goot for being an incredibly performer/producer. Check out this brilliant cover of "Living On A Prayer."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krJyRN1BekI

Really great stuff. I can't imagine how much time it takes Alex to put this stuff together, but he certainly pays attention to detail, production-wise. Many times people focus merely on an artist's performance and ignore the whole production aspect of the creation. So, for this reason I think Alex Goot definitely deserves some credit, and obviously is massively successful. So, I definitely advise you to be one of his many, many subscribers.

He's got a bunch of great covers up there, including the 90's classic "Wonderwall" (Oasis). I don't know how many times I've heard this song covered but it's one of those songs that leads people into a sea of other songs. I know for instance that "Wonderwall" (Oasis), "Californication" (RHCP), and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Nirvana) opened the gates to a world of indie/alternative rock for me. And with such a polished, refreshing sound, I'm definite that Alex Goot could lead future indie/alternative rock fans to treasures of Oasis, Nirvana, Blur, Beck and so many more. Here's his cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXjrbhr2mIU

Nice sound to that one, although I'm not an advocate of autotuning. Once again, the production aspect of the song is incredible and the sound is crystal clear. I'd definitely love it if Alex Goot produced some stuff for me. So, my point with Alex, is that he's more than a performer, and a singer. He's an overall musician who gets involved with all aspects of creativity and music. So, I do respect that he knows what he's doing and chooses based on his own preferences. Like Keith Richards produced certain Rolling Stones songs in a particularly rough scratchy way, or Jimi Hendrix wanted to blow out most of his songs, Alex enjoys this shiny, clean sound for his songs. I admire an artist who knows how to produce their own songs. I took a stab at it with my live/demo album last year and loved having control of my sound. So, here's advice to all musicians out there, get behind the production of your songs!

Now, more than his covers, I think people will appreciate Alex's originals. An original entitled "Lightning", has got quite a lot of attention on Youtube and sounds like the kind of songs that would fit perfectly into the pop scene of today. It's not typically what I would write about, but here's to the variety of talented and hard working Youtube artists out there. Don't forget to subscribe to Alex's channel and "like" his Facebook page. Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxVDUE3D8_4

Alex Hamel

Lauren Tate : Young Girl With A Mature Rocking Voice

Hello to all the readers out there. It's been a cloudy day here in Mykonos today and perfect for surfing around Youtube. I was looking up covers of Janis Joplin's "Me & Bobby McGee", when I stumbled upon an incredibly Pink-like cover by Lauren Tate. Her vocals are incredibly influenced by Pink, but the fact that she's only about sixteen years old (fifteen in the video) has got me hopeful that in time she'll find an incredibly unique sound. She's definitely got the skill to do that and a great taste in music. Also featured in a lot of her videos are the Bankrupt Brothers, who I'll get to later. For now, check out this mind-blowing cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plu2rQE6MmM

Incredible voice and the fact that she manages to split her attention with the guitar is great too. Lauren's definitely got a certain age to her voice and I'm looking forward to hearing how it's going to mature in years to come. I mean, when you come across such a young, talented and passionate artist, all you can hope is that the passion will stay strong and that they'll continue to evolve as creators. So, I'm incredibly happy I came across Lauren today. She's brought a lot of sunshine to a cloudy day.

I obviously subscribed to her channel and found her Facebook page, which you too can find by looking up her name. She's got a bunch of great covers up on her channel, including one of Led Zeppelin's masterpiece "Whole Lotta Love." Backed up by the funky Bankrupt Brothers, Lauren has the opportunity to focus on her vocals in this one, leaving Jimmy Paige's genius up to the Bankrupt Brothers. I've pulled the song out of the bag many a time when doing acoustic gigs. It's something people don't expect to hear unplugged. It's such a great song though. Listen to this breathtaking cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7DeHxmdKuQ

Brilliant, right? Combining electric and acoustic grooves seems to create such a beautiful base for Lauren's very raw voice. Robert Plant seems like a perfect fit for Lauren's flexible yet crunchy sound that gives you the impression she's much older than she actually is. And as for the Bankrupt Brothers I love the fact that they seemed to have so much fun with it. I mean, that's what it's about. Why play guitar? Cause at the very least you'll have a lot of fun and at the best you might make a living at it.

But, back to the incredibly talented Lauren Tate. I haven't come across any originals of hers on Youtube, but did find a cover album taster you can check out. Together with the Bankrupt Brothers (who also produced the album), Lauren's got some great covers on this one. So, check this one out and don't forget to subscribe to her channel and "like" her Facebook page. And let's hope she gets on those originals soon! I'm sure she's already written a few (or more). Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2uNfFlLr_g

Alex Hamel

Terra Naomi : Passion & Talent Infused

Good week to all you readers out there! Today I was messin' about with a couple Sublime songs and decided to look up some covers of "Santeria". I'd done it before but I must have forgotten Terra Naomi, who does a fantastic, lively version of the Sublime classic. With a smooth, jazzy voice, she's backed up by some extremely talented friends. It's an unplugged session that you've got to see and look out for all the quirkiness in this brilliant group. Here's to Sublime and a great cover of "Santeria!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV2lC_ksAqU

Great stuff! They blend together like a tasty recipe. I was actually trying to figure out what she seems to be drinking at the start of the video. I think it's Baileys, which used to be my favourite drink. Anyways, what more can I say? These guys did the song justice and that solo was done so eloquently on that acoustic guitar. Brilliant tone, brilliant sound, great beat, jazzy voice. They've got it all.

Now, don't make the same mistake as me. I realised that I never clicked "Subscribe" when I came across Terra Naomi last time. So, make sure you subscribe and if you feel like it "like" the Facebook page too. All you've got to do is look up "Terra Naomi." She's got a bunch of great covers, including one of "Red Dirt Girl" (Emmylou Harris). Emmylou is a personal favourite of mine in the country genre and the song fits Terra Naomi like a glove. Have a listen to this stunning cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mot2GR-XUp0

Really love that. Something so calming about that melody yet those lyrics can pull you real deep. And I think it was great that she gave that introduction, discussing the song briefly. It just made it so much more personal than just running into the song (as I do most of the time). I actually got a real feel of a Rolling Stones' acoustic guitar in there but that's probably because they're so incredibly influenced by country. In any case, what a great cover. It's great when I come across such gems.

Now, I was surprised to see that Terra Naomi's got more views on some of her originals than her covers. Really a breath of fresh air since most Youtubers tend to focus on the covers and push originals aside. An incredibly successful original of hers is entitled "Say It's Possible". Infused with passion, a unique voice and an energy that reaches into the listener's heart, this song is the kind of thing I could listen to again and again. So, seriously, check this one out. She's incredible. Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARHyRI9_NB4

Alex Hamel

Kelsey Snowdon : Magic Voice & Funny Cat

Hello to all the readers out there! Thanks for supporting Youtube's artists. Today's find of mine is Kelsey Snowdon. Strangely, I found this fabulous artist while looking up covers of Avril Lavigne's "Complicated". I hadn't heard the song in years and remember I actually used to really like it. Something about the simplicity of it. And Kelsey's cover carries that same base. A simple, straightforward rhythm and melody that could probably get annoying listening. Even if you're not a massive Avril fan, check this out. Kelsey's great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvV7cO5KKiE

Really nice cover. There's something particular about her voice that I really like. Something changes up when she reaches those high notes, and I actually noticed in her other videos too. Very unique, very easy to listen to. As for the videos, I love the fact that there seems to be a happy sleeping cat right behind her most of the time. It just adds to the whole vibe of the thing. Overall, I felt that the song suited her like a glove and I really like the tone of her voice. It's not typical and that's what makes it magic.

So, if you did love that, make sure you subscribe to her channel and check out her Facebook page. If not, stick with me a while longer. She's got some more great covers, including of David Gueta's "Titanium", which I also recently covered. She sings it a lot differently than I do, and hits those high notes with that particular of hers that I already love. I'm not sure if her cat's loving it though. Check it out and look out for the cat's reactions!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_O2xzp8BVg

I don't know if I should be looking at Kelsey or her cat who seems to be annoyed at the interruption of his nap. Anyways, great cat aside, I loved the cover. There's something really piercing about her high notes and they give the song a whole different feel. What I also liked was the fact that she upped the tempo after the first chorus. She definitely made that work and that can be hard to pull off. The backing vocals also added to the track and were done beautifully. It can be frustrating getting those right, especially if you're a perfectionist. Not saying she is, but it looks like she putts a lot of effort into those videos.

Now, unfortunately...Kelsey's cat doesn't feature in the original I'd like to share with you. But, it's worth it because it's quite moving. A very melodic song with a quiet rhythm caught my ear amongst her originals, which you can go through on her channel (which you should have subscribed to by now). The song is entitled "Magic" and has some great lyrics which you can read below the video. I'm just amazed how many fantastic artists I've come across so far and hope that I can keep writing about great artists for a while. Some days are frustrating, but it's people like Kelsey that pull me through. Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83uX49jU8bw

Alex Hamel

Ainjel Emme : Magical Voice & Beautiful Mind

I hope all you readers are having a great day today and I'd just like to thank you for reading and supporting Youtube's artists. It occurred to me last night that I'd never looked up covers of "Wicked Game" (Chris Isaak). I always felt that Chris Isaak was tremendously underrated, but that "Wicked Game" was not fully representative of what he does. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful song and I came across a stunning cover by a girl called Ainjel Emme. This girl's guitar tone was just stunning and her voice gave me goosebumps. I won't go on about it and tease you. Here's the link, so listen for yourselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNtNdXzc1_U

Incredible, isn't it? Though I don't come across it often I love the sound of a well balanced electric guitar against a voice, and a female voice at that. In contrast to the original, empowered by Chris Isaak's booming voice, Ainjel infuses the song with a Lana del Rey like vocal. Of course, Lana del Rey wasn't big at the time of this cover, so Ainjel's drawing her influence from somewhere else. Overall, there's a haunting, yet sweet, familiar sound to her that I think is incredible.

So, as always, I'm going to advise you to subscribe to Ainjel's Youtube channel. However, if you're not convinced that she's fantastic yet, just give her another chance with another of hers. And may I just say aside from her covers, she's got some fabulous originals, that I'll get to later. Right, so the cover I wanted to share with you is of the Beatles' anthem "All You Need Is Love". This Lennon empowered track is covered brilliantly but Ainjel and her friends in the most hippie like fashion. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN_oV_EVt2k

Great stuff! I've got to say whoever filmed that must have had a hard time trying to get everyone equally. It just seems like they all had a great time and that's what makes this cover so good. I can't imagine how they managed to pull this off because according to Ainjel they didn't really rehearse it. I mean, I never rehearse anything myself and nor did I rehearse much when I was in a duo, but with so many people I guess you have to base it purely on emotion and connection. That's why I really felt this was an honest and fantastic cover.

Now, regarding her originals which I brought up earlier, I came across a song of hers entitled "Straight To Hell". With a name like that you'd expect some real heavy guitar and incredibly depressing lyrics. However, the song rings in a bright acoustic guitar and a Stevie Nicks like vocal. And accompanied by a smooth voiced man, I really feel that any Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks fan has to listen to this. Incredible track. So, please do subscribe to Ainjel's channel and feel free to "like" her Facebook page which you can find by looking up her name. Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0lMKACUukI

Alex Hamel

Monicka Hove : Subtle, Gentle Essence

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like nothing is going the way you want it to? Well, today was one of those days for me. Troubles at work, my laptop's been crashing and it looks like I'll have to get a new one, somehow, and above all I'm having trouble scrapping together money to move back to London. Well, what I'm getting to with all this is that, despite all that, I sat down to play some guitar and found myself strumming the chords to "Black" (Pearl Jam). I guess something about my emotions led me to it and I decided to cover it. And, of course, I looked up some covers of the song. And in that search I came across Monicka's laid back, sentimental approach to the song that I really loved. Have a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qbU8TUl2sU

Stunning cover of a timeless song full of soul. Though no one can do it like Eddie Vedder, I loved the fact that Monicka poured her heart and soul into it. Her voice is smooth and subtle, unlike Vedder's strong and echoing voice but hearing things from a different perspective is always great. What made me laugh was how fast she seemed to click out of the feeling of the song when she finished. Nevertheless, great cover.

So, I obviously subscribed to Monicka's channel and urge you to do the same if you liked that cover. She's got a bunch of others, as well as some good originals. Another cover that I really liked was of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide". Monicka fingerpicks the guitar gently as she her breathy voice compliments the whole aura of the song. Once again, ever so subtle and easy to listen to. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_toP7IbKhpE

Love it. Though Monicka's tone is so gentle there's a very particular, wise sound to her voice. I'm sure you get what I mean. And, I've got to say that I love her song choices. Some people just cover anything, but Monicka really picks her covers carefully. You'll see what I mean if you go through the rest of her covers. But let's get to her originals now. The most important part.

She's got a bunch that you can listen to on her channel but I really think you should listen to a song called "Take Me Home". I really wish she could get herself into a studio with a good producer for this one. It sounds brilliant but I can only imagine what it would sound like at top quality (such as Alex G.'s videos). This brings me back to what I was talking about yesterday. Artists who manage to get into studios and really manage to get the best quality are so incredibly lucky. I mean, I've recorded three songs in a studio but I've come across artists who deserve it so much more than me. So, it's ever so important to support the good ones. And Monicka is definitely a good one. Listening to this beautiful song of hers. Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smjs6nSOpQ4

Alex Hamel

Alex G. : Fluid, Flawless Vocals

As promised, today's featured artist is Alex G., an incredible singer/songwriter who like Tyler Ward, collaborates with a lot of talented people. For those who didn't read up on yesterday's post, I came across Alex G. collaborating with Tyler Ward on his original track entitled "Falling". The intro to the song and Tyler's voice are great, and I thought the song was good but when I heard Alex singing that simple chorus I was hooked. Her voice is so pure and powerful that even the quietest detail reaches out to the listener. So, if you haven't already listened to that, you must! It's a stunning song by two of Youtube's stars!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSYNk0WKcsk

Each time I hear it I love it more. The subtlety of Tyler's voice combined with Alex's crystal clear tone create an illuminated phenomenon. Sometimes a song doesn't need complex lyrics, intricate guitar riffs, piano bits and crazy vocals. Sometimes simplicity is best and that's the case with "Falling", a song that I am definitely going to add to my iTunes collection. The two of them have such a stunning chemistry, I'd actually love it if they came up with an album of duets. It might remain a wish though.

But, moving along from "Falling", Alex has got a channel stocked with covers and originals (many of them collaborations), which I've already subscribed to. So, feel free to subscribe to Alex and check her out on Facebook for more updates. A sweet and loveable cover of "We Are Young" (Fun.) caught my ear and reminded me that I really have to learn that song. Together with Jon D, Alex delivers another breathtaking performance. Have a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwjWhvD2S4

Beautiful song and a beautiful cover. I can't believe I hadn't come across Alex before. She's also got a really great cover of The Lumineers' "Ho Hey", which I really researched a lot about a month ago. But, getting back to this cover, it's obviously flawless. And whoever edits the audio/video is genius. The quality is crystal clear and really does Alex's voice justice. It's a shame when a really talented person is hindered by technology. I bet there's tons of stunning artists on Youtube who would die for some recording equipment like that. Alex is definitely lucky and must have worked hard to get where she is today.

And aside from covers, Alex has some really beautiful originals on her channel. And I urge you to support her via iTunes if you really like her. A song that caught my ear is called "Breathe" and is a perfect demonstration of how fluid Alex's voice is. I noticed in the credits that it's produced by Jake Coco, so here's to Jake Coco too! I chose this song because she's alone and thus you can focus on everything going on with her vocals. I'd actually love to hear an a cappella track from her. So, enjoy this track and support Youtube's artists! Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_fXKkmHN5U

Alex Hamel

Tyler Ward : Exceptional Singer/Songwriter & Stunning Collaborations

Firstly, I'm happy to announce that the blog's been going strong for three months now! Thanks to all the readers for supporting Youtube's artists and I hope I can keep writing about them for as long as I can. There's certainly more than a lot out there! So, let's get to today's artist. He's massively successful on Youtube and has collaborated with a lot of other successful Youtube artists. I actually came across him through his collaboration with Boyce Avenue on Coldplay's "Fix You". Creating a beautiful harmony, their two voices work together against an acoustic guitar, a stunning electric guitar and a beat provided by the cajon. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n19hMu4yW0

I love everything about this one. For one, the quality is just stunning. The bright sounding acoustic matches up perfectly with that beautifully toned electric. And Alejandro's every so subtly raspy voice works together with Tyler's smooth voice. Essentially, it's an awesome cover by two very awesome artists. It's fantastic when any two artists or bands get together to do something, but when Youtube artists/bands do it, there's a certain flare to it. And Tyler certainly does a lot of them. Here's to collaboration, not competition.

Moving along, if you haven't done it already it, I think you should subscribe to Tyler's Youtube channel, because he's got a bunch of really cool things up there, including some stunning originals, that I'll bring up again later. Now, another collaboration that jumped out at me was with the very talented Alex G. doing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way". Though, I admit it reminds me of a certain Madonna song, I love this Lady Gaga track and think this stripped down cover is just as energetic! Have a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL2IxuUKZ-c

Super cover! Once again the quality is incredible and Tyler has chosen a great artist to collaborate with. I admit I had never come across Alex G. before this but will certainly write about her soon. She's got some lungs on her. As for Tyler, his subtle and smooth vocals compliment Alex's so much. And one again he's got that bright guitar sound that just works for his overall sound. And something had to be said about his rapping. He did a great job with that! I had it playing in the background and had to come back in the room to see if I missed another artist featuring in the video. Great switchover there!

Now, regarding his originals, he's got a ton of great ones (a lot of them collaborations). But once again, I love a song of his entitled "Falling", featuring Alex G. once again. The two of them have a certain musical chemistry that creates such a great sound. It's sort of like how Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat sounded perfect together on "Lucky". And music aside, the music video deserves your attention. It's brilliantly shot and done in black and white which just gives the whole thing a stunning aura. I'm really glad I came across Tyler Ward! Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSYNk0WKcsk

Alex Hamel