Los Angeles, U.S.A. – Eighteen-year-old pop artist MANIKA is proud to announce that her much anticipated single ”GOOD GIRLS,” produced and arranged by SoulShock (hitmaker for Whitney Houston, 2Pac, Usher, Backstreet Boys, Pitbull/Chris Brown, JoJo, Brandy, Nicole Scherzinger, X-Factor etc.), will be added to Top 40 Radio, starting June 5th. This fun, energetic pop track is destined to be an anthem for all the “good girls” out there and meant to be turned up loud!

The June release follows her breakout Top 40 pop hit ”Just Can’t Let You Go” featuring Young Money’s Lil Twist. “Good Girls” is the lead single from her debut, five-track EP entitled ”THE MIDDLE OF HOLLYWOOD EP,” slated for release May 22nd  which will also include ”Just Can’t Let You Go .”

MANIKA , a fresh and positive role model for teens, is also jet setting across the nation with special performances. She has been chosen by teen sensation, One Direction, the first British group to ever have their first record debut at #1, to be the opening act on their North American Summer Tour.

In between performances with One Direction, MANIKA, a former Girl Scout herself, will also sprinkle in a few headlining dates for The Girl Scouts of America 100th Anniversary Tour , at which she will perform in front of thousands of girls who are inspired by the star’s upbeat radiance. MANIKA performed last Saturday on May 12 on the Village Stage at KIIS-FM’s Wango Tango alongside Nicki Minaj, Pitbull and Maroon 5.

MANIKA was discovered by the late Frank DiLeo, Michael Jackson’s long-time manager, and revered-music coach CeCe Sammy of UK’s Pop Idol, who now manages her. Her EP is released on Wamaframa Records/CCA Entertainment and distributed by BDG / RED – A division of SONY Music Entertainment.

For more information on MANIKA, please visit: manikaofficial.com

Image Courtesy of  Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

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New York, U.S.A. – Mariah Carey’s first decade of record-setting hit singles, remixes and fan-favorite album tracks are collected on THE ESSENTIAL MARIAH CAREY. The 28 tracks on this double CD laid the foundation for five-time Grammy Award-winner Mariah’s reign as the top-selling female recording artist in history with over 200 million albums, singles and videos sold worldwide.

THE ESSENTIAL MARIAH CAREY, which is an update of 2001′s Greatest Hits with four different tracks, will be available everywhere starting May 8th through Columbia Records, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

“I wanted to create a collection of some of my favorite songs,” explains Mariah. ”Several of them are very big hits and some are more obscure favorites of mine as well as fan faves.”

At the core of this set is the extraordinary run of early RIAA gold, platinum and multi-platinum Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit singles that kept her phenomenal vocal artistry at the forefront of pop music consciousness for that first decade. Fourteen of those chart-toppers are included here:

• 1990: “Vision Of Love,” “Love Takes Time”
• 1991: “I Don’t Wanna Cry,” “Emotions” (included here in its 12-Inch Club Mix)
• 1992: “I’ll Be There” (featuring Trey Lorenz)
• 1993: “Dreamlover,” “Hero”
• 1995: “Fantasy,” “One Sweet Day” (Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men)
• 1996: “Always Be My Baby”
• 1997: “Honey”
• 1998: “My All”
• 1999: “Heartbreaker” (featuring Jay-Z); “Thank God I Found You” (featuring Joe & 98 Degrees)

Mariah Carey completists will appreciate that this ESSENTIAL contains four tracks newly chosen by Mariah herself for the occasion:

• “Vanishing,” Mariah’s debut as a producer, from her self-titled debut album of 1990
• “Close My Eyes,” a confessional track from the Butterfly album, evoking her new freedom as a single woman in 1997;
• “The Roof (Mobb Deep Extended Version),” also from Butterfly , Mariah’s first track with the songwriting-production duo Poke & Tone, aka the Trackmasters (Jean Claude Oliver and Samuel Barnes);
• “Bliss,” from her next album, 1998′s Rainbow , one of six tracks on that album that were co-written and co-produced by Mariah with the Flyte Tyme Productions team of Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Big Jim Wright.

In addition, Mariah has included two rare alternate remixes on this ESSENTIAL collection, both on disc one. “Emotions (12-inch Club Mix),” from 1991, the title track of Mariah’s second studio album, is a remix of her record-setting fifth consecutive #1 hit single. ”Anytime You Need A Friend (C + C Club Remix),” from her third studio album, 1993′s Music Box , was remixed by her friends Robert Clivilles and David Coleof fellow Columbia Records group C + C Music Factory, who played such a crucial role as writers and producers on Mariah’s early studio albums.

Mariah Carey’s Cinderella storybook signing to Columbia Records in 1990 is entwined with the magic of that decade. At the very outset, she accomplished what no other pop artist had done in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, sending her first five consecutive singles to the #1 spot.  Indeed, eight of her first ten singles hit the #1 spot between 1990 and 1993, and the decade would see Mariah place 15 hits at the top of the Hot 100 through 1999.

In 2005, Mariah earned her 17th #1 career single (“Don’t Forget About Us”), tying one of the most enduring chart records in Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley’s 17 #1′s.  Three years later, Mariah surpassed Elvis with her 18th #1 Hot 100 hit (“Touch My Body”). Mariah is currently positioned as the only active recording artist in the 54 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles’ all-time high of 20 #1 hits.

THE ESSENTIAL MARIAH CAREY (Columbia 88691 96808 2)

Disc One – Selections:

1. Vision Of Love • 2. Love Takes Time • 3. Vanishing • 4. I Don’t Wanna Cry • 5. Emotions (12-inch Mix) • 6. Can’t Let Go • 7. Make It Happen • 8. I’ll Be There (featuring Trey Lorenz) • 9. Dreamlover • 10. Hero • 11. Without You • 12. Anytime You Need A Friend (C + C Club Remix) • 13. Endless Love (duet with Luther Vandross) • 14. Fantasy.

Disc Two – Selections:

1. One Sweet Day (Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men) • 2. Always Be My Baby • 3. Underneath The Stars • 4. Honey • 5. Butterfly • 6. My All • 7. Close My Eyes • 8. The Roof (Mobb Deep Extended Version) • 9. When You Believe (from The Prince Of Egypt) (Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston) • 10. I Still Believe • 11. Heartbreaker (featuring Jay-Z) • 12. Bliss • 13. Thank God I Found You (featuring Joe & 98 Degrees) • 14. Can’t Take That Away (Mariah’s Theme).

Image Courtesy of   cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com

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Julian Lennon’s new songs exist in a confident world of classily-crafted adult pop with smart lyrics and solid musical constructions. Conehead, in partnership with Julian Lennon/MFAR, are delighted to release ‘Guess It Was Me’.

This is the follow-up from Julian Lennon to the sublime “Lookin’ 4 Luv” single – a track which found plenty of love from national and regional radio throughout the UK! Both tracks feature on the current studio album “Everything Changes” which features twelve brand new original tracks. This new radio edit, rework & remix of “Guess It Was Me” has been given an extra twist by Julian, just for the Radio/Single version.

A reflective and beguiling track built around themes of self-examination and acceptance, bolted onto a soaring melody, “Guess It Was Me” has been heralded as a standout track on this well-received album. The track has already attracted numerous spot plays nationally ahead of its selection as a single. Julian Lennon’s phrasing and vocal are immediately recognizable, the lyrics concise and compelling.

A polymath with many passions, in recent years Julian Lennon has been simultaneously devoting huge time and energies to his various interests and projects. Exhibitions around the world are testament to his burgeoning photography career – the best known work is his ‘painterly’ landscape output, though he has also worked extensively with U2 and also exclusively shot images at the Monaco Royal Wedding.

His philanthropic interests have also been well to the fore with extensive charitable work with his White Feather Foundation. The love of – and need to express himself through – music has, of course, been a constant. Julian Lennon also performed at the recent Prince’s Trust Rock Gala.

While The Times describes his music as “A floaty soundscape recalling scudding clouds in September blue skies”, the Sunday Express says: “His first album for 14 years is a revelation: mature, melodic.”

“Guess It Was Me” is another quality song from the “Everything Changes” album; we’ve been waiting a long time for the return of Julian Lennon to the airwaves; it’s been worth it.

Image Courtesy of   Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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The year that marked the twentieth anniversary of one of the most meaningful progressions in rock history and of some of the most influential masterpieces like Nirvana’s “Nevermind”, “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Achtung Baby” by U2, just ended. Twenty years after 1991, what is the state of rock music?

2011 was in itself a good year for rock: “Wasting Light” by Foo Fighters, “Endgame” by Rise Against, and “I’m With You” by Red Hot Chili Peppers are just few of the good releases that signified the past year and the presence of the beautiful diversity of rock. However, to make a comparison between the state of rock in the contemporary music scene and the one of 1991, seems unfair.

Twenty years ago, the rise of grunge not only brought to life a new musical style, expressing alternative sonorities and meaningful messages, it also changed the roles in the game of the music industry, making the counterculture mainstream. It is undeniable that almost all rock bands have been influenced ever since by what happened twenty years ago, so in some ways this revolution is still present.

“Never lose faith in real rock ‘n’ roll music … Never lose faith in that. You might have to look a little harder, but it is always going to be there” said Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters frontman and ex Nirvana drummer, when accepting the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video for Foo Fighters’ “Walk.”

What surprises most people nowadays is exactly what Dave Grohl said: you have to look harder to find ‘real’ rock. After rising to power twenty years ago, the contemporary music industry seems to be ruled by a kind of pop music that does not really care about content or sonorities, but rather gossip, fashion and superficiality instead.

Many newer singers and bands seem to care more about impressing instead of touching people, even to the extend of not doing it through music. Lady Gaga, with her multiple costumes and creation of an alter ego, seems to be more concerned with what to wear rather than what to play; child stars like Justin Bieber, who relies on his looks rather than his voice, make provocative declarations like “I feel like the Kurt Cobain of my generation,” in order to make people talk about him, but the mere statement shows that he has no idea who Kurt Cobain was as a musician.

Rihanna has a sexy pose for every word in her songs but who can be sure it’s her real voice in the haze of voice effects and computerized distortions. Furthermore, a new type of music worker is forged through television today. Reality shows will throw any wannabe with any camera appeal to the audience, and the audience seems to blindly enjoy it.

Music charts of 2011 were often dominated by well-advertised groups created by TV standards. For example, since 2005, the UK Chart’s Christmas No. 1 has always been a song from the winner of some reality show, with the exception of 2009 when Rage Against The Machine won after a Facebook campaign against reality shows.

These few examples merit the proposition that what is really missing in the music industry is real music, real artists. Some of the most successful artists are so focused on building their imaginary characters that they forget to actually make music, relying on computerization rather than authenticity. The music industry supports this and the audience buys it all. Meanwhile, great rock bands who carry on their projects and make good music are almost lost in the scene.

“Music the great communicator,” sing Red Hot Chili Peppers in their song “Can’t Stop,” but thinking about the message that current mainstream music is communicating, nothing good comes to mind. In this scenario, there is no sign of a revolutionary and innovative rock movement about to explode. It is true that twenty years ago, nobody saw grunge coming.

On the other hand, the situation is different now. Music gets everywhere through the internet, everybody has the chance to be known somehow, and it should have gotten easier to distribute something with as much potential as grunge had in 1991 and punk in 1976.

“It’s sad to think what the state of rock ‘n’ roll will be in 20 years from now. It just seems when rock ‘n’ roll is dead the whole world is going to explode” said Kurt Cobain in an interview a few months before his death on 1994. Rock is not dead, at least not yet, but Cobain prophesied correctly: it is quite sad to think what Rock has come to today.

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