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Jennifer Cintron Bares Her Soul with Debut EP, “Sinner Saint”

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Jennifer Cintron Bares Her Soul with Debut EP, “Sinner Saint”

Stream “Sinner Saint EP” on Soundcloud:

https://bit.ly/2GOo2uY

Following the recent releases of her first two singles, “Run” and “Shine Your Light,” Jennifer Cintron celebrates the release of her debut album Sinner Saint on March 27th, 2019. Cintron says the process was “the most honest and vulnerable I’ve ever felt. This album is my coming-of-age story, wrapped in a love letter.”

Sinner Saint is initially presented in retro-rock vein, yet finds itself colored in shades of folk, blues, pop, and Americana; it brings to mind the likes of Grace Potter, Janis Joplin, and Adele. The opening tracks speak of rising above the chaos and insecurities in life, especially the title track, “Sinner Saint,” which showcases Jennifer’s haunting, silvery voice over marching drums, deliciously groovy organ and exactly the right amount of strings. Her call to arms is clear with the lyrics “the glowing horizon won’t wait.” Cintron then asks the listener to see their inner strength and beauty with catchy, soulful “Move Along,” a fan favorite.

The last few songs reveal an edgier, sexier side of this Gemini lady, as she dives into “Dark Days” to tell her tale of finding grace under pressure and making the right choices under duress. This track speaks to the underlying theme of the album, “about being true to yourself, acknowledging the weak and ugly moments and choosing a brighter path toward unleashing your truest potential,” Jennifer remarked. “Shine Your Light,” casts the final spell, imploring the listener to believe in the power of love and hope.

Jennifer Cintron is known for her down-to-earth charm and grace, which she brought to the stage during the female-centric festival, FEMbruary: Benefit for Planned Parenthood, in Astoria, Queens this year. She can also be found performing all over NYC, most notably at Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End, and Bowery Electric. With a shared commitment to her music, Cintron’s loyal fans supported this crowdfunded album. She is dedicating the release show for Sinner Saint to them which takes place on March 23rd, 2019, at Rockwood Music Hall.

jennfercintron.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | EPK

Chill-Pop Artist, Sereena, Releases Fourth Single, Thinking About You

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (12 March 2019) – Indie, Chill-Pop artist, SEREENA, releases her fourth highly-anticipated single, Thinking About You, this Friday, March 15.

Recently coming off her debut singles, You Love Me, Mind Abuse & Vibes that hit over 50K streams on Spotify combined, Sereena now brings Thinking About You to her upcoming EP to listeners.  Thinking About You incorporates a mixture of upbeat drum beats and electro-pop keyboard sounds to accomplish that relaxed, chill vibe Sereena is known for. Sereena’s sharp, bluesy vocals meshed with her tight harmonies lay comfortably on top of the vibey track.

Listeners will be reminded of their secret crush from these love lyrics.
“I wrote this thinking about a guy I never had the guts to express my emotions to. We would always pass each other throughout life at random hangout spots. We both knew there was a connection but either of us were confident enough to say anything. I think this song is focused around the fun in chasing rather than having,” says Sereena explaining her lyrics in the song.

For interview requests, contact Colleen Lippert via email at colleenlippert@optonline.net.

CONTACT:
PR: Anchor Publicity
EMAIL: colleenlippert@optonline.net
FACEBOOK: @iamsereena
INSTAGRAM: @sereenasounds

SJae’s debut EP, FIRST: listen and enjoy

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SJae

SJae’s debut EP, FIRST: listen and enjoy

– Patrick O’Heffernan

I am always curious – and sometimes a bit apprehensive – when a music producer decides to put out a personal record.  Many producers are good musicians and songwriters, but a smaller number actually have the voice, the songwriting and music chops, and the feel for a personal album.  FIRST, the debut album by long-time producer SJae (Sammy Jay) shows clearly that she has the songwriting and musical chops plus an extraordinary feel for what works and what grabs a listener.  FIRST is an expansive display of her talents and a musical and emotional delight.
SJae was the UK’s first female music producer – and she excelled in a very tough business for a woman…all the way to a Mercury nomination, the UK equivalent of a Grammy.

After a decade in the UK, she moved to  LA, America’s music capital and a very competitive environment for anyone of any gender.  But despite the competition, she continued to excel to the point where she has been called  “the best in the business” by some of the world’s biggest music stars and producers. The FIRST EP cements that reputation as SJae and her collaborators exhibit a singular ability to distill deep feelings and powerful emotions into potent spare lyrics and mesmerizing notes.

The EP begins gently with All I Think About Is You, introducing itself with an angelic harp which quickly morphs into retro rhythms and R&B crooning by Oakland native singer/songwriter/producer Raphael Saadiq.  With Saadiq’s voice going through an astonishing range of scales, it all  blends into a fascinating and joyous riff on how love can be  overpowering, illuminated with lyrics like “Wildflower to a honey bee/ Surrounding, consuming me.”

The pace picks up even more in the  80s Dance/Synth-Pop Avenue, featuring LA-transplant Australian Sam Sparro’s smooth voice laying down lines like “And I know times are changing /And times are changing me/ But somehow I still manage to believe” that develop the theme of optimism that permeates the EP.  “ I love being here,” says the UK-born SJae about Los Angeles and its influence on that optimistic theme, “ because it is so encouraging, so artistic – you can do anything here.”  She continues the 80’s Dance sound and the no-limits lyrical theme in Repeat, only this time it’s about love and a partner who “can turn me on like a radio”.

She does an abrupt lyrical u-turn with the next song, Acid Rain. Using fast-moving danceable beats accented with sweet chimes, she smilingly delivers gut-wrenching lyrics like “I’ll go home without you/ But I like the pain/My imagination shooting poison to my brain… Maybe I’m sadistic ‘cos it burns like acid rain.”  Co-written with Hilaire, whose voice delivers those heart-crunching lines, this song is high sonic art that moves the body joyously while distilling the heart’s pain into a knifepoint.

The optimism returns in spades with Queen, a powerful statement of women’s abilities and power wrapped into a dance beat and voiced by the Frontrunnerz founder Dria.  The song evokes an Instagram photo of SJae as a pig-tailed little girl grinning while she plays with an Elektra synth around the age of 7 or 8. She became the queen of music and any little girl can become the queen she wants to be…and do it to a dance beat.

SJae recalls that she wrote the song after returning from a trip to West Africa and she and her collaborator Dria crafted the final version after a remix of the original. The music evolved but the message remained the same and she plans to use it to start a campaign working with girls in sub-Saharan Africa.

The EP closes with Grace,  written and sung solo by SJae, and it is one of those songs you never forget. The music recognizes the reality of life with a simple piano movement, but the arrangement takes that reality and launches it into hope as the lyrics carry you back in time and forward into your future:

“Dreams can come and go as you grow old/ The wind blows hot or cold/ You’re carrying a heavy load /Sometimes things are sent to test, don’t stress/ Remember you are blessed /And you can find the way home”

Grace is a sublime work of art that resonates sonically, emotionally and intellectually. It makes you cry, hope, and think. It is simply perfect.

The entire EP fits the cry, hope, and think pattern —  plus dance, of course. Thematically FIRST is coherent, but with contrasts.  It exudes a frank combination of optimism and the wisdom of a thoughtful life;  but then there is the pain of Acid Rain.  Musically, the dominant theme is 80’s Dance and R& — rock out music that is at home at any party; but then there is Grace.  The contrasts work because the songs are so powerful, so precisely shaped and so sonically seductive.

Because FIRST is a work of many collaborations it doesn’t quite offer a signature sound that you could immediately identify as SJae. It is possible that Grace comes the closest to that, but since this is a debut EP  it is too early to tell.  Each song is a unique jewel that refracts light and sound its own way; whether or not SJae will develop a signature with subsequent albums, or whether or not she should, given the quality of her first effort, lies in her artistic vision. We just get to listen and enjoy.
Patrick O’Heffernan. Host, Music FridayLive!,

SJae http://www.sjaeofficial.com/music
FIRST . release date 3/22/19 on all digital platforms

Jennifer Cintron Shares the Love with Romantic Single, “Shine Your Light”

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Official Press Release

Jennifer Cintron Shares the Love with Romantic Single, “Shine Your Light”

Stream “Shine Your Light” on Soundcloud:

https://bit.ly/2U52RrR 

After the recent successful release of her first single Run, Jennifer Cintron celebrates the official release of her second single, “Shine Your Light,” on February 20th, 2019. Cintron says, “‘Shine Your Light’ is about that person in your life that makes you feel unbelievably special, who you would do anything for, even take on the world.”

It begins softly with Cintron’s earnest lyrics and delicate guitar, building as the story of love swells with a beautiful four-part string quartet, choral harmonies, and soaring vocals. Its rock center is colored with country, folk and Americana vibes— similar qualities to Grace Potter, Tori Kelly, and Leann Rimes. The tender ending bookends the song with a final declaration of love, “Just need you, only you, just need you.”

Cintron says, “This song was emotional for me during production. It is a love story to the most special people in my life – my husband, my family— which includes my friends and my fans. They are the ones who push me to be my best and follow my dreams. They give me strength and courage to be vulnerable in a time when being judged daily is a norm.” This refreshing song reflects hope, love and is inspirational.

Jennifer Cintron’s journey has always been filled with passionate performing, most recently at Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End and Bowery Electric in NYC. With a shared commitment to her music, Cintron’s loyal fans crowdfunded her album, Sinner Saint, which lands on streaming platforms everywhere on March 27th, 2019. The music video for Shine Your Light will be released on March 20th, 2019 and will include footage from a contest in which Jennifer challenged fans to capture real-life moments of random acts of kindness, to remind us that there is good happening around us all the time; we just need to open our eyes to it. Both singles, “Run” and “Shine Your Light,” serve as a decadent appetizer to Cintron’s official debut album.

jennfercintron.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | EPK

Discover Singer-Songwriter Alice Pisano

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Alice Pisano
Alice Pisano / Primrose Hill

Singer-songwriter Alice Pisano knew she wanted to become a musician at a young age. It began when her father brought home a piano when she was 7 years old and she started taking classical piano lessons. Alice would go on to study singing and at age 19 start playing the guitar, which led to writing her own songs.

Born and raised in Ferrara, Northern Italy, Alice continued to write original songs with Down The Rabbit Hole, a pop-folk band formed in her last year of high school. The band would go on to compete all over Italy, winning competitions and performing in the Pistoria Blues Festival in 2014. Down The Rabbit Hole dissolved sometime later and Alice decided it was time to start her solo project.

She then moved to London from Italy with a guitar, a keyboard, and a lot of ambition. She attended the Academy of Contemporary Music to study songwriting while there. Alice fell in love with London and decided to make it her home. The feelings of isolation she gets from the vast urban expanse are a focal point for her songwriting.

In 2015, she self-produced her first EP, Something Good. The 6 track acoustic pop/folk EP was recorded and produced at home. Alice promoted Something Good by performing it in at music venues and festivals in Italy and in London at Ronnie Scott’s and the iconic Troubadour.  Alice was also the opening act for Hayward Williams on his tour of Italy and had the opportunity to duet with the American singer-songwriter on some of his songs.

 In January 2019, “Celebrate Life” had been streamed over 1 million times on Spotify and Alice released a new single, “Lost You In The Crowd”. She plans to tour this spring and is currently working on a new EP.

I interviewed Alice via email about her “Celebrate Life”, her music background, Down The Rabbit Hole, Jane Eyre, plans for 2019 and more.

Congratulations on your new single release, “Celebrate Life”. What is the concept/theme? How did you come up with it?

I wrote it at a point when I was feeling pretty low and discouraged with life in general, Celebrate Life is about letting go of fear and having the courage of loving life even when it hurts. Writing it was cathartic for me and I hope it can help other people as well.

Why did you also release a stripped down vocal and piano version of the song?

That’s how the song came out, I wrote it on piano and it’s about lyrics and honesty so it felt right to strip it back to just that.

“Celebrate Life” is the first track from your upcoming EP produced by Ian Barter (Dermot Kennedy, Izzy Bizu). What was it like to work with him?

It was awesome, Ian is a great producer and we get on very well, we’ve been working together for a while now so we really understand each other.

Explain your production process.

I’ll write a song and then take it to Ian who’ll arrange/produce it, he’s always played a crucial part in helping me figure out the right sound/vibe.

Lately, I’ve started taking an interest in production myself so I’m able to give more of an input in that sense as well.

You released a wonderful music video for “Celebrate Life” as well. It incorporates clips of celebratory moments in people’s lives including a couple of scenes from a classic movie. Who are the people shown in the video? Are these actual videos from their lives?

Apart from the movie ones, the rest is all actual videos from people’s lives, some vintage, and some contemporary ones.

What is the concept of the music video and how did you come up with it?

The idea I had for this video is that different people celebrate life in different ways, there’s no right or wrong way to do it.

How involved were you in the making of the music video?

We filmed my scenes in Milan, the rest is post-production by awesome director Stefano Poletti, we chose the footage together.

What do you want the audience to come away with after seeing the video for and/or listening to  “Celebrate Life”?

I hope the song and the video can be warming to people and give hope.

You have said you wanted to be a musician at the age of 7 when your father brought home a piano and you started taking classical piano lessons.  Why did you not pursue a career as a classical pianist?

As much as I love classical piano it was singing and pop music I was most passionate about.

At age 19 you started playing guitar and writing songs. What was it about the guitar that made you want to play?  What did you enjoy about writing songs on guitar versus the piano?

I was given a guitar for my birthday and loved it straight away, the fact that I could take it everywhere with me and play it late at night very quietly in my room. I’ve always written songs both on piano and guitar and I love alternating them.

Starting out in classical music, why and when did you decide to write pop-folk songs?

I’ve always listened to lots of different genres from pop, indie, rock, and folk. I started writing songs in a band in high school and moved on to my solo project later on.

How did your band, Down The Rabbit Hole, form? Why that name?

We formed during my last year of high school, the name comes from the fact that I’m Alice (in Wonderland)… 🙂

You wrote original songs for the band also. What genre of songs did you write? Where did you get your inspiration from?

The genre was pop-folk, in the vein of Mumford and Sons, Passenger, Of Monsters and Men…

After the band won several competitions throughout Italy and performed in the Pistoia Blues Festival in 2014, you decided to leave the band to take up a project of original pop-folk songs which you performed by yourself on guitar and piano. What made you decide to pursue this new path when the band had been successful?

The band split up and that’s when I decided to move to London and start my solo project, I also discovered I prefer writing my own songs and lyrics, I have more freedom and more of a connection to them.

You moved to London from Italy to attend the Academy of Contemporary Music but fell in love with London and decided to stay. However, you mention the isolation of the urban expanse is what drives your songwriting. Can you expound on that? What made you fall in love with London originally and do you still feel that way?    

London is a vibrant city but it’s easy to feel isolated sometimes, as distances are so long and friends are sometimes two hours away on the other side of town. But

London has always given me great energy and drive, it’s very stimulating for music as there are so many artists and the level is so high, it’s an incentive to work hard and improve myself.


In 2015 you released your first self-produced acoustic pop/folk EP, Something Good. It was recorded and produced at home.  What did you learn about recording and producing from this experience?

That was a bit on an experiment, I just made a few physical copies to sell at shows but didn’t release it properly on digital stores. It was some of the first songs I had ever written and home-produced very simply.

You went on to promote Something Good with performances in several music venues and festivals in Italy and in London including Ronnie Scott’s and the iconic Troubador. What were those experiences like? Any favorite memories?

I was still finding my feet as a solo performer, it was a great experience and fun. My performance at The Troubadour was only two days after I had moved to London so quite scary!

Also in 2015, you were the opening act for American singer-songwriter Hayward Williams when he was on his Italian tour. You also dueted with him on some of his songs. How did that opportunity come about? What did you most enjoy about it?

He did a couple of dates near my hometown so we met then, it was fun learning his songs and playing with him, he’s an amazing musician. The best one was in a sold out little theatre near Bologna, it was magical.

Your original song My Only Home (Jane’s Longing) was inspired by Charlotte Bronte’s classic book, ‘Jane Eyre’.  In what ways did her book inspire the song?

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time and the Bronte sisters are among my favorite authors, it’s such a fascinating and romantic story. “Wherever you are is my home” is such a touching phrase and I wanted to put it in a song.

You have covered a couple of Bob Dylan songs, “Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right; and “Girl From North Country”.  What draws you to his music?

I listened to his stuff a lot growing up, also other classic songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Carole King. I love the storytelling and great imagery.

Who are your musical influences and how do they specifically influence you?

I think everything I’ve always listened to influences me in some way and I go through musical phases as well. I’m a huge Coldplay fan, lately, I’ve been listening to Lana del Rey, London Grammar, Gavin James…

How do you think women can be better supported in indie music?

I think they should simply be treated in the same way as men.

The music and the songs should always come first, whereas a lot of the time with a female artist the focus tends to be on physical appearance.

What advice do you have for women who are thinking about or actively pursuing a career in music?

Don’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with, stay true to yourself and your personality…and women should support each other! Which from what I’ve seen is already the case, I’ve come across lots of lovely girls in the music industry so far who’ve been very kind and helpful.

What are your tour/show plans for 2019?

I’ll be releasing a new single in January and will have some shows in the spring.

What projects aside from your EP, are you working on for 2019?

I’m working on lots of new songs and already thinking about the following EP 🙂

Thank you, Alice, for the opportunity to interview you.

Follow Alice on Social Media:

Instagram: @alicepisanomusic

Facebook: alicepisanomusic

YouTube Channel: Alice Pisano 

Spotify Artist Channel: Alice Pisano

Website: https://www.alicepisano.com/

Official Video:  Alice Pisano – “Celebrate Life”

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