"A Seat At My Table"

"An incredible talent, he's sensational!" 
Nigel Lythgoe(television producer)

London-based singer-songwriter Elio Pace may only be releasing his debut album ‘A Seat at My Table’ this winter, but has over twenty years experience within the music industry. His eagerly anticipated new single has already had numerous plays on BBC Radio including from huge fan Sir Terry Wogan who booked the musician and his band for both of his son's weddings, and has invited Elio to feature on this year's Children in Need 'Bandaged' album.

Elio Pace (originally pronounced Pa-che but accepted as Pace when his parents migrated to London from Italy in the 1960s and continually had to correct people) has spent the last two decades writing and performing as a session musician and music director with various artists across the world, including the likes of Huey Lewis and Shakin' Stevens to Ronan Keating and Martha Reeves. His up and coming album 'A Seat At My Table' also features special guest appearances by Elvis Presley's bass player, Jerry Scheff and guitar legend, Albert Lee. Elio also sang on the movie soundtrack for 'Severance' that went on to receive an Ivor Novello Award nomination.

But his original tale on how he entered into the industry is really quite extraordinary. Elio Pace first came to the public's attention when he reached the final in the famous and original music reality talent show 'Bob Says Opportunity Knocks' at the age of 20. Whilst still at college, he won his heat with his own song and went on to perform it to a live television audience of more than 14 million viewers. He went on to being snapped up by one of the biggest showbiz agencies in London and went on to regularly open for some of the biggest television stars, such as Michael Barrymore and Les Dawson and was personally asked by Ronnie Corbett to be his special guest on his UK Tour and at the Dublin Comedy Festival. However, his desire to perform and write his own songs overpowered his desire to be famous, and amazingly, it is only now, over 21 years later, that Elio is releasing the track 'Take You Home' for the very first time after performing it aged 20 on 'Bob Says Opportunity Knocks'  in 1988.

As well as for private Celebrity parties, Elio has frequently been invited to perform at huge corporate functions including major companies such as Warner Bros, Vodafone, Hello and OK magazines and has even toured the UK in several stage productions, some of which ran in the West End. For Sandra Bullock's 30th birthday party he was personally asked to provide the musical entertainment and Sandra herself got up and sang a duet with him.

Now aged 41, married and with a new baby daughter, Elio Pace, along with his phenomenal band, is ready to showcase his music as a solo artist and see the brilliant new album ‘A Seat at My Table’ become a hit with fans and musicians alike.

For more information on Elio Pace and his new release please contact Kate Chaundy of Quite Great Publicity on 01223 410000 or kate@quitegreat.co.uk
 

"Whatever, Whatever"

Released January 11th 2010

Rodrigo Moratto is preparing to release his sensational debut electronic pop track ‘Whatever, Whatever’ this October accompanied by a video ready to take over music channels nationwide.

The track serves as a perfect introduction to the artist who is already wowing big audiences across the world and this infectious dance floor track is ready to storm the UK club charts. The track is the first single taken from his brand new album coming early 2010 and the track’s video includes cameos from Natalia Anderle (Miss Brazil), Lady GaGa’s dancers from the smash hit video ‘Just Dance.’ 

Rodrigo hails from Brazil where he grew up from the age of 4 in a remote village in the Amazon Rainforest but at the age of 11 moved to New York to study at the famous Broadway Dance Center where he rubbed shoulders with some of the industry’s top performers and choreographers. Before returning to Brazil in 2002 for good, Rodrigo found himself earning a living as an Insurance Consultant in both English and Portuguese, based in the first tower of the World Trade Center. This was an experience that saw him narrowly miss the attacks by a matter of a couple of hours. He became heavily involved in the rescue efforts and aiding people to help find and locate missing relatives.

A few months later, Rodrigo headed back to Brazil to live in Sao Paolo where he started his own record and production company MPA. He launched his first pop/ rock album in Brazil and began to be featured across music video channels, radio stations regionally and nationally and features in the likes of Rolling Stone magazine. In a decision to move his sound to the UK market he has linked with acclaimed producers Joeblack and Riztocrat to create the fresh new club sound that is undoubtedly going to appeal to mass audiences here in the UK.

For more information on Rodrigo Moratto please log on to www.myspace.com/rodrigomoratto or contact Kate Chaundy of Quite Great Publicity on 01223 410000 or at kate@quitegreat.co.uk.
 

"Shadow on the Wall"

Hannah, Snowdog Records
 
Estonia's most successful and respected singer-songwriter is releasing her huge new single 'Shadow on the Wall' here in the UK on November 23rd.

Hannah, Estonia’s biggest singing sensation, has ruled the charts in her homeland for more than a decade and her mantelpiece groans under the weight of awards. She has enjoyed massive record success on six albums and now residing in London she has collaborated with some of the hottest writers and producers, ready to make an imprint on the UK pop scene. The remixes by Bimbo Jones have already ensured this track has gone into the top 10 of the Club Charts.

The brand new single, released on November 16th, was written by Hannah and award-winning song writer Steve Booker, who was behind the huge international number one ‘Mercy’ for Duffy in 2008. The strong melodies and sing-a-long chorus of ‘Shadow on the Wall’ ensures it will be a big contender for the top spot this November.

"I loved working with Steve," Hannah revealed. "He has this, almost unusual, sense of rhythm that really brings a song to life. Shadow on the Wall is all about describing a moment when you're stuck in a situation and you're not sure how to get out of it. You know, those times when you want to move on but just can't let the past go."

It follows her huge club single ‘Keeping Score’ that lent itself to a great Bimbo Jones remix and Hannah is pleased to say Bimbo Jones and Riff & Rays are back on board to remix the brand new single.

It’s over ten years since Hannah’s blend of incisive ballads and savvy pop first made its mark. Her long reign has brought repeated recognition, including the republic’s Best Female Artist award on two occasions. Now the stakes are raised again and Hannah is in impressive company. The singer, writer and pianist has been composing and recording with some of the most in-demand sidemen in the business. The roll call includes Steve Robson, co-writer of Take That’s ‘Shine’, James Morrison’s ‘Undiscovered’ and ‘The Pieces Don’t Fit Anymore’, among others; Steve Booker, Grant Black, who wrote Liberty X’s ‘Song 4 Lovers’ and songs for Holly Valance, Peter Grant et al; and Peter-John Vettese, whose quarter-century-plus in the business includes credits with everyone from Annie Lennox to Carly Simon and Gary Barlow to Robin Gibb.

"This has been the greatest thing of all," said Hannah of working with such a cast of hitmakers. "They’re so talented and have so much to give. I was very afraid at the beginning. When I went to the studio with Steve Booker, it was my first collaboration ever. Before that I’d only written music by myself — even the family were never around. I was afraid that maybe nothing would come, maybe we wouldn’t be inspired, but it was so easy, and he was so friendly."

Hannah also intends to return to the live stage after a hugely successful UK tour late last year as special guest of Jason Donovan. That was a special treat. "I got to know British audiences," says Hannah, "which was a great opportunity because all the audiences are so different in other parts of the World. It was really warm and welcoming for me, I was so surprised and touched."

Born in 1981, Hannah was always marked out for a career in the business, joining Tallinn’s distinguished Children’s Music Studio (Lasteekraani Muusikastuudio) at three, and then the Estonian Radio Singing Studio at five. She joined the Tallinn Music School at seven and then the Estonian National TV Choir. With those years of rich experience under her belt as a vocalist and pianist, perhaps it was no surprise when she entered the Estonian Children’s Song Competition and won it, with her own composition, at a mere 13. By 16, Hannah was ready to leave the choir and start a career in music that ran alongside her media and advertising studies at university. Before long, she was reaping commercial rewards and plenty of awards too, including Best Dance Hit of 2001 at the Estonian Musical Awards with ‘Blinded’ which also went to number one in the US in 2002. She also achieved a hat-trick of victories over the years at the Estonian Golden Record Awards: Best Female Artist in both 2003 and 2005, and Best Album, also in 2005. Small wonder, then, that as such a great representative of the country’s cultural vibrancy, Hannah was named Estonia’s official Ambassador For Tourism. She lives in London these days, but visits home often.

"I’m very proud to come from Estonia. It’s beautiful, but quite undiscovered, and I’m looking forward to introducing people to the stunning countryside, the wonderfully rejuvenating health spas, the islands, the nature and our incredible history."

There’s also her work with IFAW, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and is a dedicated fundraiser for children’s charities. But right now, Hannah’s sights are set squarely on one of the most exciting challenges of her career and she is ready to captivate the UK market with a fantastic track.

For more information on Hannah please contact Kate Chaundy of Quite Great Publicity on 01223 410000 or kate@quitegreat.co.uk

"The Graduate"

"Because I’m putting this album out myself, there was a freedom to do whatever I liked. When I first released Fires, I had to remortgage my house to pay for it. With The Graduate, there was no pressure at all. It’s just me having fun and I think you can hear that in the music." - Nerina Pallot

More than three years after the gold-selling Fires, Nerina Pallot has shaken up her sound, shrugged off the spectre of singer/songwriter and produced an album of clever, classy pop. The Graduate has piano-driven songs high on happy pills, woozy electronics and beefed up bass. Where guitars would once have swooned, now they swagger and there is a new-found feistiness to Pallot’s emotive vocals. Occasionally, the Brit and Ivor Novello-nominated singer strays so far from the haunting sound of her former hit singles, she is almost unrecognisable. Sometimes, she pulls off a ballad of such breathtaking beauty it could be by no-one else.

Self-produced and recorded in the North London studio she shares with her husband, Grammy-nominated producer Andrew Chatterley, The Graduate took shape after two turbulent years in Pallot’s life. The first found her struggling with any sustained creativity in the midst of the promotion and touring in support of Fires.  The second was a case of writer’s block caused by meeting and marrying Chatterley, who hails from Pallot’s homeland of Jersey. The problem was one not often found in pop – she was too content to want to write songs.

“The idea of me writing tortured lyrics went out the window,” laughs Pallot. “After years of living out of a suitcase, watching my personal life fall apart and drinking too much, I was suddenly happier than I’ve ever been. At one stage, I wasn’t sure I’d ever make another album. I loved just being normal, having a home to go to and finally being able to attend friends’ birthday parties. I could have written a song about my fantastic fish terrine, but I doubt anyone would have wanted to hear it.”

The impetus to return to writing came only after Pallot’s record label, tired of waiting for a follow-up to Fires, sent her to the States to work with Linda Perry, the one-woman hit factory for the likes of Christina Aguilera and Pink. The pair recorded two songs together before Pallot fled home. Then came sessions with Rob Davis (who co-wrote Kylie’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head) and Rick Knowles (Madonna, Dido), with whom Pallot became good friends and wrote 15 songs, none of which appear on The Graduate.

“It was a privilege to work with all those great writers and producers,” recalls Pallot. “But I finally realised that, on my own, I was more honest and less self-conscious, and wrote my best songs.”

Pallot’s sense of self-sufficiency grew when she returned to material she had written on the road touring Fires, but never unfinished. Realising she already had several great songs, she set about completing them, determined to produce and programme the album herself, calling on friends to contribute, rather than outsiders and session musicians.

At the same time, Pallot made the unusual step of returning to university to complete the English degree she had started while making Fires.

“I found the routine of studying literature and writing about it cleared my head and at the same time it was a real inspiration when it came to writing lyrics. It also required a lot of discipline – something I had seldom applied to other areas of my life!”

Among the songs was The Graduate’s stunning first single Real Late Starter, which sets sassy, self-depreciating lyrics to uptempo piano-pop that nods to ‘70s Elton John and one of Pallot’s more recent favourite bands, Scissor Sisters.

“Real Late Starter I began when I was touring with James Blunt three years ago,” explains Pallot. “I felt like a real loser, making my way to gigs on a train with my mate who was my tour manager while James was helicoptering in. I’d hear him arriving overhead and think ‘That’ll be me one day’ but it didn’t happen. I came home and, yes, still felt like a loser!

“I had so much fun when I came to finish that song because by then I was happy. There’s a real sense of ‘Yeah, sometimes life is shit, but hey, I’m actually doing okay’. Everyone feels like that from time to time and when I play it live, people love it. They seem to get it straight away.”

A major shift in Pallot’s sound was down to the music she was listening to.
“My tastes have definitely changed,” she says. “I’ve come to really love good pop music. Like everyone else, I was bored stiff of singer/songwriters and wanted to find something fresh. The band I became obsessed with was MGMT. I was inspired by their attitude to making music. It’s so creative. They just throw out lots of ideas, try out lots of mad sounds and have a laugh, but with the basis of really strong songs. I didn’t want to think about what would get on the radio or what the trendy sound is right now. I just went for it and had fun.”

The result is a compelling collection of songs that range from the rocky The Right Side, Pallot’s attempt at a football chant, to the quirky, heavily-programmed funk-pop of I Don’t Want To Go Out, a co-production with Chatterley, to the strikingly-titled, Sheryl Crow-meets-Squeeze song When Did I Become Such A Bitch. More typical Pallot perhaps are strings-drenched slowie Human and love song It Starts. The biggest surprise is the dreamy, spaced-out, electronic-pop of Cigarette.

“I Don’t Want To Go Out and Cigarette in particular, in their contrasting ways, are completely different to anything I’ve done in the past,” admits Pallot. “That’s why I love them. Cigarette is my homage to Air, Pink Floyd and MGMT. It’s a song that doesn’t need a verse or a chorus or try to be commercial, it’s just a great soundscape.”

One of the songs on The Graduate was originally destined for Kylie, for whose forthcoming album Pallot and Chatterley have been writing. 

“We’ve recently started writing for several pop artists,” says Pallot, “and that’s changed my own music. When you’re writing for someone else, you throw out ideas to see what sticks and try out new ways of working.

For more information on the forthcoming releases by Nerina Pallot and for all media enquiries please contact Kate Chaundy or Louise Harris of Quite Great Publicity on 01223 410000 or kate@quitegreat.co.uk / louise@quitegreat.co.uk

Taylor Bright is America's hottest teen sensation and her debut single 'Striped Socks' is set to become the teen anthem of 2010!

Philadelphia native Taylor Bright is a high-spirited go-getter with a down-to-earth sense of self!  The 16-year-old budding songstress channels such enthusiasm into an effervescent combination of radio-friendly pop and rock that’s both mature and genuine. Self-penned tunes such as the playful ode to a crush, "Striped Socks," showcases her light-hearted song writing style and memorable choruses ensure it is a fantastic pop release!

The music echoes Taylor's emerging sophistication much like her inspirations, Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. And, inside all of that Taylor shatters stereotypes on what it means to be an African-American artist making music within the pop and rock realms.

“It doesn’t matter what you look like and it’s not the type of person you are,” Taylor says. “With my music, I just want to give the message, ‘Be who you are and do what you love.’”

Since age 10, Taylor has participated in various theatre productions and plays. Her national credits include Annie 30th Anniversary National Tour. She performed in over 300 shows across America and appears on the 2008 cast recording. She also appeared in productions such as An American Girl: Circle of Friends and 13: The Musical, a teen-centric comedy written by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown. Taylor’s numerous film and television spots include Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls on the Discovery Kids channel.

Most recently, Taylor appeared in an Earth Day promotion via Nickelodeon. Taking the initiative to be more eco-conscious is something that’s very dear to Taylor’s heart; she plans for her album cover to be made out of recycled paper.

“The environmental cause is very important to me -- it affects everyone, regardless of age, race, and nationality and brings the human race together to fight for something that we need in order to survive. As a young person, I know I can contribute and make a difference. As an artist, I can use my music to help educate young people and set an example for others to follow.”

Bright has worked with multi-platinum songwriter and producer Kenny Lamb (*N SYNC, Justin Timberlake, Rhett Akins) and engineer Chris Rowe (Taylor Swift, Jewel) and  plans to self-release a seven-song EP. She plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to Free the Children, an educational initiative partnered with Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network.

When she’s not practicing with her vocal coach or writing a new song, Taylor spends time with her friends, hanging out at the park or shopping. She also takes dance twice a week while balancing school work. On weekends, she can be found absorbing the countless sights and sounds of New York City.

Catch Taylor at her website www.taylorbright.com. You can also contact Kate Chaundy of Quite Great Publicity on 01223 410000 or kate@quitegreat.co.uk.