Artist Spotlight
Everything You Need To Know About Dror Marko, an international Guitarist
Israel born and raised, Dror Marko is an international guitarist, arranger, and studio musician. He is a graduate of both Starling Academy of Music (Rio de Janeiro) and the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, where he was granted three scholarships while taking his bachelor’s degree in Music (mentored by Scott Henderson, Dean Brown, Kiko Loureiro, Allen Hinds, Oz Noy, Andre Nieri, Carl Verheyen, among others).
Dror Marko focuses on creating real music. During his career, he got the chance to live in Israel, Brazil, and the US, gaining vast experience performing, touring, and co-producing with significant artists such as Jessica Sanchez (Runner-up of American Idol), hit R&B-band Surface, legendary drummer Marvin Smitty Smith (Sting, Sonny Rollins; Tonight Show with Jay Leno band), pianist Mahesh Balasooriya (Stanley Clarke, Natalie Cole), Ryan Gallagher (The Voice), Jerry Leoni (Drummer of The Lettermen), Lucio Vieira (Larry Coryell, Frank Gambale, Gilberto Gil), Francisco Fattoruso (Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, Derek Trucks), American Idol-Vocal Coach Peggi Blu, ‘Filhes da Martins’ (official Carnival band from Rio de Janeiro)and opening act for Israeli singer Lior Narkis.
His unique background led him to become a versatile artist and to develop a distinctive musical universe with exotic flavor, crossing middle eastern music, Brazilian, R&B, and Jazz. While living in the U.S. Dror had a remarkable experience within the local Filipino music scene in LA and collaborated with top Filipino artists such as Janice Javier (finalist of The Voice of the Philippines), Bryan Termulo (runner-up in Pinoy Pop Superstar), Geneva Cruz (Smokey Mountain) and Dessa Salazar. He has performed at distinguished performance venues such as Aratani Theatre, Envision Center LA, PYLUSD Performing Arts Center, as well as some legendary jazz-fusion venues like The Baked Potato, The Blue Whale, Vitello’s, and Townhouse Venice. In the rock-pop scene, he played at House of Blues, Whisky a Go-Go, Troubadour, Rainbow, Silverlake Lounge, The Mint, Molly Malone’s, The Viper Room, The Study, and more, in addition to major U.S. festivals like Levitt Pavilions and LACMA’s. As a studio musician, among countless projects, he recorded the guitars for the 1st Place winner of both categories of “Best song” and “Best Production” at the prestigious 2019 European Intercontinental Music Awards. As musical director, he instructed Janice Javier’s band and assisted in directing the giant official Carnival band ‘Filhes da Martins’. As an arranger and transcriber, he prepared professional charts and transcriptions (all instruments) for top artists like Jessica Sanchez, Janice Javier, the hit band Surface, Bryan Termulo, Ryan Gallagher, and Dessa.
Currently, in addition to his work as a session musician and guitar instructor, Dror is writing his solo album, and together with Mikael Mutti (Jamie Foxx, Will. I.Am, Carlos Santana, Sergio Mendes, The Scorpions) and Fabio Rocha (Moraes Moreira, the band Eva), working on his original instrumental world music band ‘One Globe Radio’ (a mix of jazz, electronic, Brazilian, and African music). In order to check out Dror Marko, you can find him on Youtube, and he is always posting news surrounding his up-and-coming projects on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube.
Artist Spotlight
BluntBrad Jr. finds calm ambition in the laid-back shine of “It’s All Good”
BluntBrad Jr.’s new single, “It’s All Good,” sounds like a steady handshake and a deep breath. It’s warm, honest, and not trying to be cool. There isn’t any fancy production hiding behind layers of polish here. Instead, the song is all about being honest. The song is laid-back and offers up the shine of a studio recording for the feeling of a candid introduction, a musical “hello” from someone who wants to be heard for who they are.
“It’s All Good” is a very human way to be hopeful at its core. The feeling is simple and real, like someone who won’t let little things stand in the way of their goals. The words to the song sound like friends talking to each other. They discuss their goals, their drive, and their need for attention in a way that is honest and not needy.
The production backs this up by making sure that everything is open and airy. The instruments are simple and easy to understand, so BluntBrad Jr.’s voice and message come through clearly. The song feels real because it doesn’t have a lot of extra stuff in it. You’re not hearing a heavily constructed persona; you’re hearing someone at the start of a journey, eager to make their mark.
The song’s rough edges make it captivating, which is better than polish, which would have smoothed it out. This way of thinking fits with the theme: hope isn’t naive here; it’s realistic and steady. It speaks to people who like simple songs and value honesty over artifice.
“It’s All Good” is an engaging and approachable phrase that offers context for an artist who is confident and clear about their artistic vision. This is the kind of song you listen to when you need some honest encouragement to remember that just being human can help you move forward. This is only the first chapter of something serious, so expect more from him.
Artist Spotlight
SweetCandy! declares self-love and defiance on “UGLY”
SweetCandy!’s single “UGLY” is a candid and succinct revolution: concise, straightforward, and subtly transformative in its acceptance. The song conveys a fundamental truth: the acceptance of all aspects of oneself, including those previously deemed shameful, and asserts this claim with confidence. For an independent artist subjected to considerable criticism, the track functions as both a resolute retort and a comforting embrace of self-affirmation.
There exists a unique bravery in composing a song that explicitly declares, “This is me,” and SweetCandy! achieves this effectively. “UGLY” constitutes neither an apology nor a request; it is a declaration. The lyrics and performance express a sense of familiarity, illustrating the perspective of an individual who has transcended the necessity for external validation and now experiences liberation in authenticity. This emotional clarity endows the song with its potency: the relief in the delivery is palpable, a steadiness more compelling than any intricate production could attain.
The track musically reinforces this message with an aesthetic that is congruent: arrangements that do not eclipse the sentiment, production that appears authentic rather than superficial, and phrasing that enables the chorus to resonate as a personal vow. The song’s timeless perspective is noteworthy: it implies that autonomy in later life can be accompanied by acute awareness and gentle acceptance.
“UGLY” is successful due to its refusal to sanitize experience. It recognizes judgment, the pain of criticism, and the arduous path to self-acceptance, ultimately arriving at a state of tranquility. For listeners burdened by expectations or fatigued from performance, SweetCandy!’s single provides a straightforward, poignant remedy: embracing one’s true self is frequently the most courageous and exquisite decision. Embrace it, join in the singing, and allow the term “ugly” to evolve into a symbol of resilience and elegance today.
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