𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 - this week: Because - New Artist Spotlight

Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly - an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 - 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

Charles celebrates the good times, for there are no bad ones…

Birthdays are a thing. Whether you’re 7 or 70, they simply cannot be ignored. We all have one. In fact it’s one of the few things we all have in common. They all happen once a year, every year, but unlike Christmas, they are all different and are spattered throughout the year. When this day arrives, it is imperative that you do what my Birthday Song says: "It's your birthday. You can do what you want. No one there to tell you what to do". In other woyds, it is the one day you are truly allowed to be selfish. A similar sentiment to Lesley Gore's 1963 hit, It's My Party (produced by Quincy Jones - not a lot of people know that). Sometimes though, it is not about being selfish. Sometimes a birthday NEEDS to involve others. And sometimes it needs to, because the birthday is shared. Like twins, for example. Twins might choose a different way of spending their birthday, in which case they will either have to part ways for the day, or one of them will be unhappy. And we can't have that. However, a differing choice is unlikely with twins, as they are so mentally connected. Mentally though - I'm not talking about conjoined twins here. So birthdays for twins will usually work out well. When it comes to organisations and companies, they too can have birthdays. They can and they DO! Every year, as it happens. And it is often these occasions where global happiness is NOT a thing. Too many different people want too many different things. And so there are bound to be unhappy chappies and chappesses. Usually. But some organisations are different. They are different because each individual is not there for the sake of the “job”. Each is there for the sake of the organisation and their love and passion for it. Let's now ditch the stuffy word "organisation", and replace it with "society". Slightly less stuffy, and just a little bit more cultured and less businessy. Can't stand business - as annoyingly important as it is. When discussing how to celebrate a much-loved society's birthday, the decision is unanimous. Because they all feel the same. They all have belief, love and fondness for the society and everything it stands for. I am more specifically talking about the New Artist Spotlight and its "staff" celebrating its second anniversary. Happy Birthday NAS, you are now two years old! Let's talk about that - thank you Rhett and also Link.

The New Artist Spotlight’s first birthday brought a stupendous virtual concert to the world, in the form of the NASapalooza! How does one top THAT?? Well, one doesn’t. One simply does something different. There has to be a unification. Something that instantly makes everyone involved nod emphatically with approval. What one thing brings all musical artists together...? Almost all anyway - I’m looking at YOU, Virginia of Blues Trainer (being the non-believer; the mod one out). The answer is, The Beatles. It's really how it all started. Well, it all started with Elvis, but uh-huh-huh, that’s all right, mama. So we’ll be The Beatles, then. No no. Can’t BE The Beatles. Can’t be done. Next best thing? A cover? A cover it is. But what song? There are rather a lot to choose from… “Birthday” would seem like the obvious choice. But the team of moderators needs something with harmonies. Something to show off their skills as professional musicians and engineers. Something to wow the crowd, rather than something to bop along to. Since you’ve said SOMETHING so many times (and will continue to do so), how about “Something”? That song? No no no. Too much going on. What we need is something that opens the heavens and sheds light, rather than rain. Something that can involve MANY voices, and not sound like Ed Eagle’s “Bye!”, or my own “Spotlight”. We don’t want the gang vocals (dreadful term). We want something that lends space for a plethora of voices but simultaneously unites them into one. There is only one answer. “Yellow Submarine”. No no no. “Because”. Because because because because beCAUSE! Because of the wonderful things he dozz (doesn’t quite work with a London accent). Anyway, not the Wizard of Oz song, but the stunning choral track slap-bang in the middle of The Beatles’ Abbey Road.

So how are we doing this? Putting our own spin on it? I wouldn’t recommend it with this song. It would just annoy people. So, what then? Just an exact replica of the original? Well YES! For the very reason that it is flawless and could not (or - in my opinion - should not) be done in any other way. But hold on, your very last review castrated this idea of doing an identical cover!! Contradictory, hypocritical bastard. Contradiction is the key to spicing up a dull life. One only has to - yet again - look at the politicians. It gives us something to moan about. But look again, my dear. What I said in my previous review was, “when doing covers, they should be entirely different to the original (unless showing one’s skills)” - this last bit is vital. The exception to the rule. This Beatles song is notoriously difficult to even come close to. It was to be considered a challenge. And a hard one. Is there such a thing as an easy one…? This is a challenge that truly shows off the skills and talents of the New Artist Spotlight’s team of moderators. Something to remind the artist members that we aren’t just (unpaid) staff, but that we are predominantly artists in our own right. One important reason for choosing to do a cover was for the sake of familiarity. Most people in the world will know this song, and perhaps know it well. Familiarity is a big part of our fondness for music, and I don’t know if many realise this. It is a subconscious thing. The main reason one can like a song more from repeated listens - a grower - is that of familiarity. This is why pop songs have repeating sections and catchy hooks. So that within just one play, you are already “familiar” with it. It plays on this trick of the mind. Repetition can emphasise a point. Repetition can emphasise a point. Yes yes! Okay okay. So in starting with something that people know, there was an instant fondness. One might say we are playing with your mind, but really we are simply sending love to your heart. Celebrate good times, COME ON!

This was an effort involving multiple instrument players, tonnes of singers, two sound engineers and one producer/coordinator at the helm. All of whom are NAS moderators. There were also other “mods” involved in the project in different ways, such as video collating, creating and editing - more on that to come soon. It all took a great deal of time and effort to work out the exact parts, delegate and agree on who was to do what, communicate throughout the process, and eventually glue it all together to make one cohesive piece of loveliness. You will notice that I haven’t gone into the fine details of the process and the people involved, and this is because we are working on a little something into which you will all be able to dive deeply, very soon. I say no more. As to the final result, let’s say this: even Virginia is a fan! It was such a joy to be so involved in the project, despite the time we all had to (somehow) allocate. Who knows, maybe in a further 16 years we’ll have covered the entirety of Abbey Road! Maybe, maybe not. Come Together and join us in celebrating the second anniversary of the New Artist Spotlight. Happy Birthday NAS!

Sit back, and listen. Just because.

Listen to 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 on the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 Spotify playlist HERE!

Listen to 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 on the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 Apple Music playlist HERE!

Follow 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 on Instagram HERE!

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