With the glitz, glam and drama that exists in the music world, sometimes we forget to embrace truly talented artists if their names aren’t breaking news in TMZ headlines.
And while I enjoy bobbing my head to my favorite manufactured sounding songs (and shamelessly following TMZ’s breaking news), I also like to remember that there are artists who stick to the core of what music is as an art form. From country to R&B, here are a few artists whose talents should be celebrated.
Luke Bryan
Admittedly, I am one of those people who will say, “Oh, I loooove country music. I have every Carrie Underwood and Shania Twain CD!” However, I am fully aware that real country music fans know what it’s like to sit on the back of a pick-up reciting lyrics to Travis Tritt songs while drinking beer out of mason jars and swatting mosquitoes.
So while my obsession with picturesque country couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw hardly qualifies as fan ship, it doesn’t stop me from knowing a good thing when I see one. And when it comes to country music, Georgia born and raised crooner, Luke Bryan, is that good thing.
He has written hit songs for other artists and has himself topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs charts. Charming tunes like “First Love Song” and “Do I” are some of his best songs.
But the recent buzz about Bryan stems from his four-city, Farm Tour which wrapped at the beginning of October. Performing songs from his debut and sophomore albums, I’ll Stay Me and Doin My Thing, Bryan and crew took the Farm Tour to towns and cities in Georgia in an effort to reconnect with his growing fan base.
According to lukebryan.com, 16,000 fans flocked to the farms to see his shows. Not bad for a guy with two first names!
Chrisette Michele
Lending her vocals to hooks on singles like Nas’s “Can’t Forget About You” and Jay-Z’s “Lost Ones” has given Chrisette Michele rap game credential, but if you don’t follow authentic R&B closely, then this soulful songstress might have flown under your radar.
Her voice makes you nostalgic for the Billie Holiday era, and even without knowing her personally, you can tell she is perfectly comfortable in her own conservative skin — even though many female artists her age are “sexing” up their images. Chrisette Michele’s song and video for ”If I Have My Way” perfectly embodies her essence – classic and jazzy.
Chrisette Michele’s second album, Epiphany, was released in 2009, and currently, she is working on a third studio release.
SOJA
Try counting the number of reggae albums in my music collection, and you’ll be forever stuck at ZERO. While it might be a bit shameful that I have never owned an entire reggae album, I figured that getting my healthy dose of Bob Marley on April 20 every year was enough to get me through the next 364 days.
That was until one of my good girlfriends introduced me to SOJA, a group of dread heads from Virginia making some pretty awesome reggae. From “Rest of My Life” to “I Don’t Wanna Wait,” these guys work hard to create great sounding music and put even more thought into writing meaningful lyrics.
Since becoming a group in 1997, SOJA, which is an acronym for Soldiers of Jah Army, has a discography six records long. And before they begin the Brazilian leg of their tour, SOJA will play shows in North Carolina, Virginia, and in Maryland.
Charice
I became completely enamored by and impressed with the maturity, range, and ability of Charice’s voice when she performed on Oprah a few years ago. Not only is her rags-to-riches story a heartwarming one, but sincerity oozes out of every word she speaks and passion from every note she sings.
I mean, with legendary music producer, David Foster, backing your success and with Oprah and Celine Dion co-signing, the possibilities are endless!
Charice recently became a series regular on hit show, Glee, and her self-titled album topped charts internationally, so this singing chick will soon be a household name. But for now, let’s bask in the glory of her angelic voice and marvel at her innocence — and cross our fingers she doesn’t get all Miley Cyrus on us!
Who are some of your favorite artists whose music is under appreciated?
Comment below, and be sure to check back for more of the latest music news from Erica Renee Davis right here at Positively Celebrity.
Read Also
Tweet
