KEVIN ROSS

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By Andy Kellman, AllMusic

A singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer who is a native of the Washington, D.C./Maryland region, Kevin Ross seeks to combine classic soul and contemporary R&B while putting a personal spin on those sounds. After a period of development that involved studies at Berklee College of Music, contributions to albums by the likes of Noel Gourdin, Johnny Gill, and SWV, and some independently released material, Ross signed to Motown as a solo artist. He made his label debut in 2014 when he released Dialogue in the Grey, a four-track EP on which he was joined by T.I. (on lead track “Don’t Say You Will,” a ballad) and Ne-Yo (on the emotive slow jam “Overrated”). A remix of another one of the EP’s cuts, “Dream,” was issued the following year with an appearance from Chaz French. From there he began working on his debut full-length, 2017’s The Awakening, with Chaz French reappearing as a guest alongside Lecrae and BJ the Chicago Kid.

This article originally appeared on AllMusic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kevin-ross-mn0001963178/biography

Photo: http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7736383/kevin-ross-says-first-billboard-no-1-is-a-gift-from-god-as

Video: www.youtube.com

MIDDLE KIDS

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By Bekki Bemrose, AllMusic

Sydney indie pop trio Middle Kids burst onto the scene off the back of their first single and a starry endorsement. Classically trained piano player Hannah Joy and multi-instrumentalist Tim Fitz first met in 2014, and Fitz began to produce her solo work as well as playing in her band. Following a series of Bandcamp solo releases for Joy, the pair recruited drummer and Sydney Conservatorium of Music in Jazz Performance graduate Harry Day to join them in 2016 as their songwriting became increasingly collaborative. Before they’d even played their first show, the newly formed trio set about recording their debut single, “Edge of Town.” They received an immediate boost to their profile after Elton John aired it on his Beats 1 radio show, added it to his playlist, and called himself a fan. They achieved further exposure when they won FBI Radio’s Northern Lights competition, which earned them a spot on the bill at the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival in Reykjavik. Keen to put out their first extended-play release, the trio gathered together tracks like “Doing It Right,” which was recorded at Parliament Studios along with “Edge of Town,” and a number of other compositions recorded in Joy and Fitz’s garage. Their self-titled six-track EP appeared in early 2017, and featured songs full of lo-fi charm matched with big pop hooks. Middle Kids were set to tour extensively in 2017, supporting Cold War Kids on their U.S. tour and performing at SXSW and the Great Escape Festival.

This article originally appeared on AllMusic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/middle-kids-mn0003584770/biography

Photo: http://blog.kexp.org/2016/09/01/song-of-the-day-middle-kids-edge-of-town/

Video: www.youtube.com