Ben Platt: “Ease My Mind”

Name: Ben Platt: Sing To Me Instead Tour
Start: 2019-5-18T19-19-00-00
End: 2019-5-18T22-22-00-00
Location: ACL Live at the Moody Theater

Fresh off the announcement of his North American headline tour, Grammy®, TONY®, and Emmy® Award-winning artist Ben Platt released the video for “Ease My Mind,” directed by Nick Lieberman, featuring Platt alongside acclaimed actor Charlie Carver.

MIKA: “Tiny Love”

BAUM: “Bad Kid”

Dizzy Fae: “Big Wall”

King Princess: “Cheap Queen”

Published

7 months ago

February 13, 2019

Chase Martin

18may7:00 PM10:00 PMBen Platt: Sing To Me Instead Tourfeaturing Wrabel and Ben Abraham7:00 PM - 10:00 PM ACL Live at the Moody TheaterCategories:MusicAges:All Ages

Details

Countless fans worldwide fell head over heels for Ben Platt during his Tony® Award-winning turn in the title role of Dear Evan Hansen and on-screen in films such as the Pitch Perfect franchise. As the vocalist, actor, and performer sang life into a host of nuanced and fascinating characters, audiences embraced his voice wholeheartedly. By dusting off the piano, picking up a pen, and singing his own truth straight from the heart, he shared another side of himself as a solo artist in early 2019. For the first time, he redirected the empathy that endeared him to millions—on himself.

“I’ve made my way inhabiting characters and figuring out how to make them sing,” he affirms. “When I decided to write music, I learned to look inward. I decided to open up about all of the relationships I’ve had. It’s something I’ve never obviously needed to do for my work. I’ve always presented other characters in the context of a greater piece. My own loves haven’t been relevant. Now that I’m going to authentically present who I am, those experiences are at the forefront. What makes me feel deeply enough to sing are the people I’ve been in love with.”

An unbelievable journey set the stage for Ben to open up so boldly. Born and raised in Los Angeles, music surrounded him from infancy. He spent countless hours in lessons and performing on the house piano. His earliest brush with songwriting and arranging came with a fun family exercise of re-writing medleys from Broadway classics for bar mitzvahs, weddings, and other gatherings. After making his debut in a Hollywood Bowl production of The Music Man costarring Kristin Chenoweth, he went on to tour the country as part of Caroline, or Change. 2012 saw him attract widespread critical acclaim as Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Chicago production of The Book of Mormon. Meanwhile, he jumped to the big screen as Benji Applebaum in Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2.

However, the consummate showman broke through to superstar status as Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen, originating the lead role in Washington, D.C. and on Broadway. The New York Times lauded him as a “breakout star,” and he went on to receive the 2017 Tony® Award for “Best Actor in a Musical.” Other honors included “Best Musical Theater Album” at the 2018 GRAMMY® Awards for the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Dear Evan Hansen, “Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program” at the Daytime EMMY® Awards for a cast performance of “You Will Be Found” on The Today Show, and more. Not to mention, he joined forces with Hamilton mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda to craft a mash-up of “The Story of Tonight” and “You Will Be Found,” benefiting the “March for Our Lives” anti-gun violence movement.

Amidst this whirlwind, Ben quietly returned to the piano. Upon moving into a new apartment in 2017, he bought an “an old non-descript German piano that previously had another owner” from a famous New York retailer. With a piano at his disposal daily for the first time since childhood, he became reacquainted with the instrument.

“I never had enough space for a piano in New York until I moved into this new place,” he smiles. “As soon as I could fit one into my home again, I did. I found myself noodling, experimenting, and trying to find a sound. I’ve written a lot of prose, so that part came naturally. I had to grow into my sensibility in a sonic and musical sense though. It took shape once I found a way to wed the prose to a sound I responded to.”

Signed to Atlantic Records by Chairman and C.E.O. Craig Kallman and President of A&R Pete Ganbarg, he explored his formative influences, ranging from timeless singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Carole King to legendary crooners like Donny Hathaway, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder. As a result, the music delivers confessional lyricism by way of soulful intimacy as part of one cohesive narrative on his 2019 full-length debut, Sing To Me Instead [Atlantic Records]. The 12-track album, which was primarily produced by Jenn Decilveo [Andra Day, Beth Ditto, Anne-Marie], chronicles the highs and lows of a transformative relationship. Showcasing his story, Ben penned several songs solo and co-wrote the remainder of material alongside the likes of Ben Abraham [Kesha, Sara Bareilles], Eg White [Adele, Dua Lipa], Nate Cyphert [MAX, Florida Georgia Line], Michael Pollack [LAUV], and more at sessions in New York, Los Angeles, and London.

“Evan Hansen was very emotionally enlightening and exposed me to a lot of different life moments,” he goes on. “Making the album was the perfect chance to start trying to put those into music. What came out ended up being largely about two relationships I’ve had in my past that I sort of made into an amalgam. I wrote about my experiences with both men as one through-line. There are also some songs about my family, my parents, anxiety, and anything that felt sort of honest to me.”

Fittingly, he introduced Sing To Me Instead with the track listing’s first two sequential songs “Bad Habit” and “Ease My Mind.” On “Bad Habit,” sparse piano resounds in between confessions such as “Hate to say that I love you, hate to say that I need you, hate to say that I want you—but I do.” His dynamic delivery takes hold on a resounding refrain augmented by an impressive crescendo.

“Narratively, this is the beginning of the story,” he explains. “We’re meeting this guy who has reached the end of a saga. The rest of the album will discuss the relationship he just got out of. In the song, he doesn’t want to move forward, because you can’t escape certain relationships. You just want to keep going back to them. It’s an intriguing way to get people hooked by asking, ‘How did you get here?’.”

Over a choir and an orchestral hum, “Ease My Mind” echoes with strains of Motown spirit punctuated by horns and piano. “Anxiety is one of the biggest things I deal with,” Ben confesses. “The reason I fell so deeply in love with the person who most of this album is about is because he had a unique ability to lay that anxiety to rest. Thematically, it’s a very important subject.”

Elsewhere, his vocal fireworks ignite “Temporary Love” over subtle finger-snaps, while “Older” paints a cinematic picture with the opening line, “I was walking down 57th street towards Park with the same old song in my same old heart, making plans I’m gonna do when I get older.”

Everything upholds a theme hinted at by the title, Sing To Me Instead.

“I’ve always grown up with this ability to communicate through music better than any other way,” he says. “Rather than explain things to me or give them to me in a practical spoken way, I understand certain emotions better in song. On a universal level, I hope this album will be a respite for people. Instead of spending your day lost in worry, which I’m inclined to do, let me sing to you instead for an hour, ease your mind, and take you to a different place.”

In the end, audiences will get closer to Ben than ever on Sing To Me Instead.

“I’d really love for you to know more about who I am and get a glimpse into my heart—not under the guise of a character or any other context—just truly me,” he leaves off. “And maybe, the tunes get stuck in your head, you play them on the road, and you sing them all the time,” he laughs.

Ben Platt VIP Package – $350.00 USD (SOLD OUT)

Package Includes:

One reserved ticket in the first 5 rows (See map for exact location. Distributed day of show)
Post-show reception with Ben Platt, including a champagne toast! *
Post-show Intimate hangout and Q&A with Ben Platt
Post-show Meet & Greet and Individual Photo op with Ben Platt (one photo per person)
One autographed Ben Platt tour poster
Exclusive Ben Platt VIP Merchandise
One Ben Platt VIP laminate
One commemorative Ben Platt VIP ticket
Priority VIP check-in
Crowd free merchandise shopping
On-Site VIP Staff

*Must be of legal drinking age to be served champagne for toast
*Under legal drinking age guests will be served nonalcoholic beverage for toast

Schedule

Doors: 6 PM
Show: 7:30 PM

Price

$35-$125

Get tickets

Time

(Saturday) 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Location

ACL Live at the Moody Theater

310 W Willie Nelson Blvd, Austin TX 78701

Organizer

ACL Live512-225-7999 310 W Willie Nelson Blvd, Austin TX 78701

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Music

MIKA: “Tiny Love”

Global pop superstar MIKA debuts new single, “Tiny Love” ahead of his first new studio album in five years MY NAME IS MICHAEL HOLBROOK.

Published

1 month ago

August 16, 2019

News Release

Critically acclaimed, platinum-selling, global pop star MIKA debuts a new single “Tiny Love”, alongside a W.I.Z.-directed video. The track is the second single from MIKA’s highly anticipated new album, My Name Is Michael Holbrook, out October 4.

Of the track, MIKA says, “The most important thing in the world is the love we have for those around us, the love others offer us and the love we have for ourselves. That love can feel so massive and yet at the same time it’s so tiny and imperceivable to others. This song is a conscious decision to provoke that emotion. I knew I needed a different sort of director for this video, more art and film based. W.I.Z. was the perfect choice. From every detail in pre-production, to the art direction and casting, he has one thing in mind; to illustrate a complex narrative that he has written in his head. I am very proud of what he has made. An emotionally epic video for a song full of heart and love. Huge and Tiny at the same time.”

In celebration of the release, MIKA will make a long-awaited return to North America with the Tiny Love Tiny Tour this fall. The headline run kicks off with a show at New York City’s Brooklyn Steel on September 12. He then heads to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Montreal, before jetting overseas for a massive European arena tour. Tickets are on sale now.

MIKA recently debuted the first single “Ice Cream” from the new album, which Rolling Stone dubbed “Summer-Anthem Bait” and TIME calls “a sugar-sweet, carefree and upbeat summer bop.” The track has been streamed 1.5 million times to date and continues to receive rave reviews.

For his first full length in five years, MIKA explores his American heritage on My Name Is Michael Holbrook. While his tumultuous childhood began in Lebanon before fleeing to Paris and then London, he focuses the album on the roots he traces back to his father’s Savannah, Georgia upbringing. The work also paints a loving picture of his relationship with his mother, the woman who trained him, made his wardrobe for years on the road and most importantly taught him never to follow and always to express himself fearlessly. After writing in home studios in Miami and Tuscany over the course of two years, MIKA went to Brussels to record with producers Marc Crew and Dan Priddy.

“I hadn’t put out a record in four years. I didn’t know what to do when it came time to start the process and was honestly kind of at a loss,” MIKA says. “I felt a little disappointed by the commercial side of the industry. I didn’t want to make a record by numbers or by committee. I wanted to make an uncontaminated, homemade pop record.”

Born Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. in 1983 as the third of five children, MIKA started vocal lessons at seven years old. Learning to play piano and write songs while showing otherworldly vocal range, MIKA quickly became a young virtuoso. MIKA’s musical success began with the release of his hit single, “Grace Kelly.” The single was featured on his debut album, Life In Cartoon Motion, which went straight to #1 in the UK and 11 other countries, going on to sell over seven million copies worldwide. Since his debut he has released three other Platinum selling full length albums, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, The Origin of Love, and No Place In Heaven. In addition, MIKA has not only won a Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act, but he has also been nominated for Grammys, MTV Europe Music Awards, Capital Radio Awards and World Music Awards. Additionally, his RA12 primetime variety show “Stasera Casa Mika” won the prestigious Rose D’or Award for Best Entertainment Series in 2017. Furthermore, he has been a judge on France’s The Voice for six years and hosts his own BBC2 Radio show “The Art of Song.”

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Music

BAUM: “Bad Kid”

Get up close and vulnerable with queer alt-pop singer BAUM’s “Bad Kid”

Published

1 month ago

August 14, 2019

News Release

Alt-pop songstress BAUM (née Sabrina Teitelbaum) returned this past May with her zero-fucks-given-I’m-gonna-love-me-over-your-bullshit anthem, “Fuckboy.” Lauded by Billboard, Vulture, The Line of Best Fit, PRIDE, and more, the track exemplified a candid portrayal of a woman coming-of-age while comprehending her own irresistible impulses. “Fuckboy” served as the first release since 2018 debut EP Ungodly and it expanded Teitelbaum’s ruminative songwriting that continues to inspire self-confidence.

Today, sonic shape-shifter BAUM shares her most delicate effort with “Bad Kid.” With the hardest of hearts, BAUM endures the ache of losing someone close and invites listeners into a very intimate space. On the unflinching verse, “I didn’t care when you still were around / Why did it take ’til you’re six in the ground? / To say that I’m sorry for the things that went down,” the explosiveness of guilt, grief, and despair permeate through the walls BAUM had put up.

BAUM reveals this meaning behind “Bad Kid”:

“This is the most special song to me and the most vulnerable one that I’ve written. It’s about losing someone and wishing you could go back and fix everything that happened, just put your relationship in a pretty box.”

The release of “Bad Kid” is accompanied by a music video directed by Marcella Cytrynowicz, who’s worked on creating videos for Snoop Dogg, JOYRICH, Capitol Records, Yellow Claw, Happy Socks, Nike and previously directed BAUM’s “Fuckboy” music video. Filmed in the frigid temperatures of Iceland, the “Bad Kid” music video shows BAUM isolated in a vast and unforgiving landscape. The icy, off-putting climate is a metaphor for BAUM’s frozen sentiments. “The focus was on wide shots, making Sabrina look as alone as possible against the beautiful but unforgiving Icelandic tundra,” says Cytrynowicz.

“Earlier this year, I decided to take a trip to Iceland with four other people and while there, we shot the music video. Marcella and I had a few different concepts for the story, but the most important thing for us was to capture the solitude and physical journey. We wanted to display our idea in a beautiful yet slightly dangerous place. ‘Bad Kid’ is about grieving, and regardless of how many people you have around you, you feel completely alone when you’re going through that,” says BAUM.

Hailing from a family of five siblings, BAUM strives to set an example for her two sisters through her music and lyrics, aiming to encapsulate her experiences as a young woman in the most honest way possible.

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Music

Dizzy Fae: “Big Wall”

Rising singer Dizzy Fae’s music video for “Big Wall” premiered on Highsnobiety.

Published

2 months ago

August 7, 2019

News Release

Rising singer Dizzy Fae’s music video for “Big Wall” is out. Co-directed by Fae and Isaac Gale, the video was filmed in her home base in Minneapolis.

“Perspective is everything to me so when I was working with Isaac Gale on the storyboard, we made sure to leave parts of the narrative open for interpretation,” says Fae of the video. “Essentially, you’ll see a few different relationships at play, with varying emotions being revealed along the way that in the end show you that you think you know someone, till you don’t.”

“Big Wall” is taken from Fae’s new mixtape, NO GMO, out now

Dizzy Fae is a 20-year-old classically trained singer and dancer. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota and based in Minneapolis, Fae prides herself as a queer black interdisciplinary artist interrogating the nuances and liberties of love and human connection. The release of her 2018 mixtape Free Form led Fae to share stages with Lizzo, Toro Y Moi, Jorja Smith and more, in addition to her own headline dates in America and Europe. Most recently, Fae performed at Troye Sivan’s inaugural Go West Fest at the Wiltern in Los Angeles. NO GMO was produced with Alec Ness, Psymun (The Weeknd, Young Thug), Kim Tee (Clairo), Sir Dylan (Solange, Miguel) and Falls (Wedidit).

Rising singer Dizzy Fae’s new mixtape, NO GMO, is due June 26. NO GMO follows Fae’s debut mixtape, Free Form, released last year to critical acclaim.

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