Il Volo Puts Fresh, Young Spin on Classical Music

Oh, the gift of giving! We let Italy get a taste of the Jersey Shore and they bring us the sweet sounds of Il Volo -- seems like a fair exchange, don't you think?

Honestly, I do not think that I have ever been more impressed with the raw musical talent of a group of young men like this Italian trio. Piero Barone, Ignazio Bocshetto, and Gianluca Ginoble are all under the age of 18, and they are putting a classical spin on the "boy band"! The three got their starts in 2009 as individual contestants in a Italian music competition called "Ti Lascio Una Canzone", which the then 14-year-old Ginoble won. During the contest, the three were selected to perform the opera staple "O Sole Mio" together, which turned out to be a really great idea, because once legendary producer Tony Renis heard the collective of voices, he instantly reacted to their chemistry. Steve Leber, who managed the likes of Aerosmith and AC/DC, actually came out of retirement to support them as well!

Il Volo were the talk of the town last week after their appearance on "American Idol", but I would like to go on the record and point out that Young Hollywood had them first! Yes, even before "AI" got their hands on them, the boys hung out with us at the Royal Suite at the Four Seasons (we needed a grander venue to contain their amazing voices!), and they couldn't have been more charming and personable.

We are hooked. We don’t even know what they are saying, but talent is talent, and it will not be denied. The boys of Il Volo are certainly living up to their name, which means "flight", as they are most definitely taking off and soaring to great heights!

Check it out YH's exclusive interview with Il Volo below:

To further support these guys, go to ilvolomusic.com; but be forewarned that it is a high-trafficked area!

Get Your Hands (and Pinkies) in the Air for Brit sensation Tinie Tempah!

There must be something in the water on the other side of the Atlantic, because the rate at which talented musicians are coming out of the U.K. is mind-blowing, and I can't see that changing any time soon.

22-year-old Tinie Tempah is the latest British phenom, hailing from South London, and he is a force with a microphone. It is not easy to picture him without one, although he is known to hold a mean cup of tea too (pinkies up, of course)! Tempah has definitely come out on top to secure his hold on the world of hip-hop music.

Since the premiere of his debut album Disc-Overy, and his first two singles “Pass Out” and “Frisky”, Tinie has collected multiple music awards, including two MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin), four Urban Music Awards, and two Brit Awards (for Best Breakthrough Act and Best Single), which is not a bad start at all. Tinie is quickly becoming a familiar name, with a musical strategy to write in a familiar and relatable context. Tinie is determined to keep it at the next level, making sure his music stays relevant with the current generation and the world we're living in. He doesn’t even use a pen to write his lyrics -- according to him, “That is so '90s.” I guess it is true; people these days seem to text faster than they write anyway.

Tinie is on his way to fulfill his mission of making timeless music and aspiring to be “the voice of our culture." If he is talented enough to bring Prince William out to his shows, then he is fully capable of making his desired impact on the industry. After Tinie filled the Studio with his British charm and words of inspiration to live the dream, the thought of his inevitable success in the U.S. and around the world left me confident that I won't be seeing the last of him. He is poised to be a superstar and a well-known name here in America.

Check out my interview with Tinie in the Studio to find out who his fellow musically-inclined friends of the U.K. are and how to properly make a "cuppa" tea, Tinie Tempah style:

Hedley Gets Set to Take On the U.S.

O Canada, the country that gave us hockey, Trivial Pursuit, and the zipper can also be credited to giving the world good music. Besides Justin Bieber, FeFe Dobson, and Drake, I've become really psyched about another great musical act from our northern neighbors, the amazingly talented rock-pop-punk band Hedley.

Lead singer Jacob Hoggard, bassit Tom McDonald, guitarist Dave Rosin, and drummer Chris Crippin have such a great unique sound that allows them to stand out from the rest. These guys have done a lot of growing from the days when Hoggard made it to the top three on "Canadian Idol" in 2004. Sure, they still like to let loose and fun, but at the end of the day, these guys are having the most fun doing what they do best -- playing good music. And we're having a damn good time listening to it too!

Their singles “Cha-Ching” and “Perfect”, from their most recent album Go With The Show, are incredible in their own right but just a taste of what these guys are capable of.  With the US version of their album being newly released and their tour winding down for the holidays, I can see 2011 being a very successful year for the band, and I hope they soon find their way into the Studio!

Check out our interview with them below:

A Firsthand Serenade from Secondhand Serenade

Over the summer, we at the YH Studio were treated to a jam session with the super talented Secondhand Serenade. Equipped with lip rings, guitars, and some great tour stories, there is nothing secondhand about their serenade.

With the release of album number three, Hear Me Now, in August, it is obvious that John Vesely (the man behind the acoustic rock band) has reason to be as incredibly optimistic as the album presents. A project that came with a little bit more growing up and adjusting to life, Secondhand Serenade’s third album is a reflection of growth. Their single "Something More" can attest to that, a smooth transition from their known heartfelt songs of past love, loss, and everything in between. 

Every song has a story, and Vesley does an incredible job at telling his. Even if the band name is unfamiliar to you, don't worry, you'll definitely know their music when you hear it, like the hit “Fall for You” from the sophomore album A Twist in My Story, which reached number 21 on the Billboard Charts. John's philosophy on artists and their craft is clearly embraced by his fans, allowing for Secondhand Serenade to be MySpace’s No.1 on the unsigned artist chart for months on end.

Check out the band's visit to the Studio below:

Secondhand Serenade is now touring; check out their MySpace page for more details.

Good to Have Good Charlotte Back on the Radio

Showing up in all black and tattoos , I recently welcomed brothers Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte into the Studio where I was treated to a mini acoustic show, discussed differences within the music biz, then and now, and their new album, Cardiology.

Coming a long ways from the days of touring with road maps, a lack of cell phones, and certainly no Twitter, Good Charlotte has managed to stay in the public eye (or ears) with great party music and catchy lyrics, like their most recent single, “Like It’s Her Birthday”. The media likes to portray them in a negative light, but I am here to tell you that this couldn’t be farther from the truth. It was really a pleasure to be able to sit down with these guys while they talked about previous songs and the personal touches they added to the new album, like the song “1979” that Benji wrote about their parents.

Accomplishing what many artists haven’t, GC has been blaring out of our speakers for 10 years now, and has made an indefinite mark in the world of music; after being busy with starting families and other adventures, the group is back to give us more with a follow up from their last album, Good Morning Revival, released in 2007. I am really looking forward to the release of Cardiology (on October 26) and happy to hear the music of Good Charlotte back on the radio!

Check out their visit to the studio below:

YH Gets a Shout-Out from Tubefilter!

Hey guys! Right on the heels of our awesome live streaming event with YouTube on Monday comes this really great write-up about YH on web TV blog Tubefilter! Thanks so much to Julie Wolfson for her kind words, which you can read below!

Inside the Suite Life of "Young Hollywood"

RJ Williams is on a mission to conquer Hollywood, one fun celebrity interview at a time. From face time with some of the biggest names in Hollywood to championing up and coming talent that will be the next big thing, the Young Hollywood team works around the clock.

In order to create a celeb friendly environment—and actually get those celebs to show up—Young Hollywood has set up their studio in a suite at the Four Seasons Los Angeles in Beverly Hills. Williams is so dedicated to the success of Young Hollywood, he has moved into the hotel to keep his focus zeroed in on the day to day workload it takes to make the Young Hollywood world happen. He does takes a few breaks to head downstairs to modern Italian restaurant Culina. A man’s got to eat.

With more than 3 million unique visitors last month Young Hollywood is well on its way to establishing this mark on the entertainment landscape. Their co-branded programming with Yahoo, Hulu, TV Guide, MySpace and now even live streaming content on YouTube as part of the site’s live alpha product test this week. Their YouTube channel already boasts over 48 million views.

Yesterday Tubefilter visited the Young Hollywood set, to see this TV studio in a hotel suite for ourselves. We sat down with Williams just after he had interviewed the cast of The Jersey Shore a segment with Snookie, The Situation and the gang that was live streamed to YouTube. The cast then celebrated their good work by ordering chicken fingers and fries from room service.

We sat down on the white leather sofa to learn more about the place where everyone from Lady Gaga to Justin Bieber have stopped by for a chat. We asked Williams if if all of the investment in Young Hollywood was to one day aiming to develop the format for network or cable TV. Williams is clear that the company will continue to focus their efforts on the digital world. Their recent live streams on YouTube included interviews with Tony Hawk, Dane Cook, Steve O and the orangest cast on TV those loveable GTL kids from The Jersey Shore.

Williams and his team are learning quickly that producing live streaming shows are challenging. On Monday Tony Hawk got caught in traffic and was surprised that when he knocked on the door of Young Hollywood’s hotel suite that were already live. Viewers got to see Williams tell Hawk they were live and prep his with his mic and mark all in plain view. With each live broadcast the team learns strategies for improving every aspect of working live.

So what constitutes young for Young Hollywood? Are 28 year olds over-the-hill? Williams says that it’s not about age it’s about attitude and that he would love to interview Betty White. And who is the next big thing? According to Williams, get ready for the all boy singing dancing phenoms, Mindless Behavior. Also on the horizon Young Hollywood will experience their first awards show season. With their set up at the Four Seasons they will be at the apex of all the action during the awards show hoopla. For RJ Williams that is just where he wants to be.

You can check out the full article with pics and videos on Tubefilter's website. Thanks again, guys!

YH Gets a Thumbs Up from Nic Cage

It's no secret that our new Studio at Four Seasons has been a success - getting an endorsement from an Oscar winner is pretty sweet too!

In all sincerity, Nicolas Cage is a very cool, down-to-earth guy and getting the opportunity to interview him was a major highlight for me and YH. It was a pleasure!

Check out my interview with Mr. Cage and his Sorcerer's Apprentice co-star, Jay Baruchel, below: