Move over Britney Spears and The Pussy Cat Dolls and make way for America’s newest singer – Stephanie Carcache. With a voice that is compared to famous pop artist Rihanna, Stephanie has crept into the world of idols and is making a real name for herself. Her talent certainly is promising. At only thirteen years of age, she was featured on PAX TV’s show ‘America’s Most Talented Kids’. Her vocal coach Seth Riggs (who had worked with singers such as Kelly Clarkson and Michael Jackson) told her that her vocal range matched that of Aretha Franklin.

 Now, she has turned her dream into a reality. Her debut album is due out later this year. With the help of Cory Rooney (who has worked with singers such as Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey and Jessica Simpson) and Jose Luis Pagan (Marc Anthony, Alejandra Guzman, Thalia), Stephanie has created an album that is sure to impress us all.

 Her increasingly popular MySpace and Facebook sites have been sharing the latest news with her devoted fans. Can you imagine our excitement when we found out about her upcoming album, featuring the single we all fell in love with, ‘Mr. Player’?

Dear Heart, I met a boy today

He’s so fine, but he likes to play.

Dear Heart; I know it’s such a shame

But this boy has got me so amazed.

 

Mr. Player, Mr. Player, Mr. Player

I’m only trying to make you change because I know that you can’t.

Mr. Player, Mr. Player, Mr. Player

I’m going to make you one woman’s kind of man.

 

Whilst the lyrics to her song aren’t the most original, she boldly sings her song ‘Mr. Player’ in a way that many singers do not. She knows how to use her voice in a way that captures negative emotions (such as hurt and anger) and portray them in a way that makes them not so scary after all. Her song ‘Mr. Player’ – about falling for the wrong guy, the guy who took advantage of her and played her – is fun and bouncy. She tells us about her experiences, letting us know by her tone and the catchy beat in the background that she has moved on.

 I’m looking for a missing person

Has anybody seen her?

If you have please let me know

Someone help me please

Is anybody out there?

Help me find a way

 

Back to myself ‘cause I’m far from home again

I took a wrong turn down the road

And until I find myself again

I’m a missing person.

 ‘Missing Person’ is very different to Stephanie’s song ‘Mr. Player’. The song’s slow, sad beat contradicted my previous thoughts. The difference between the two songs is quite similar to the difference between Rihanna’s songs ‘Unfaithful’ and ‘Umbrella’. One song had a recurring thumping beat, perfect to dance to; the other had a softer, sweeter melody, perfect to listen to when you feel like having a good old cry. Just like ‘Missing Person’ – the sad, heart-filled song – and ‘Mr. Player’ – the number one disco hit.

 The mix of sad and happy; sorrowful and upbeat songs ensures that I will certainly be purchasing her album when it comes out – why don’t you?

 

LINKS ARE BELOW:

 Stephanie’s Website: www.stephaniecarcache.com

 Stephanie’s MySpace: www.myspace.com/stephaniecarcache

We could say that Never Too Late – the debut US album from the Canadian pop rock band Hedley – is amazing … brilliant … a piece of art. Or we could simply say that it is the album we have been waiting for!

 Never Too Late features seven of Hedley’s best-loved hits from their two Canadian albums – Hedley and Famous Last Words. During the last three years, the band began its journey to stardom, starting in its very own country Canada. They topped the 2009 Radio Music Awards, winning a number of awards, including Song of the Year, Chart Topper and Fan’s Choice Awards.

 I could see that they are popular and well-liked, but I didn’t yet know why. So with this in mind, I once again logged onto my trusty Google server and began searching. I found the link to their MySpace almost at once. I plugged in my earphones and turned the volume up.

 The first song that I listened to was the song that their album was named after – Never Too Late. The first verse had me wondering if this was yet another ‘break-up’ song – the sad, mourning words of a man who just broke up with his girlfriend, who he still was deeply in love with. My heavy sigh was caught halfway in my throat, just on the verge of escaping my mouth, when the song flowed into its chorus.

 You know it’s never too late,

Get up and start all over again.

You know it’s never too late,

There’s got to be a better way,

 

Don’t settle for the cold and rain,

It’s not too late to start again,

To find a way to smile and never let it get away.

I was very impressed. Hedley had managed to capture the emotions of a break-up, and yet do so in a different, more original way. Their song included the “loss of joy” that everyone experiences when they have broken off a relationship, and yet gave hope to all of those people. It held the voice of a man who was determined to rise above it all, who wasn’t going to just settle for the cold and rain.

 Passionate? Soulful? These words alone cannot describe the lead singer Jacob Hoggard’s irresistible, manly voice. His ability to go higher than most mature men’s voices can go, with an uncanny resemble to the voices of the Jonas brothers, only strives to add more depth to his songs. Rather than following the same deep notes, he journeys across the octaves, adding to the feeling of his story and making his songs much more interesting.

 Like a ton of bricks it hit me

And woke me from this dream

No matter how hard I tried to wash my hands

I could never get them clean

 The lyrics above, from Hedley’s song Trip, are darker and less hopeful than the lyrics to their song Never Too Late. Had I not heard their previous song; had I not been eagerly awaiting another three minutes of a fiery, impassioned song that stirs me from deep within; Trip might have placed Hedley under the typical, overdone anguished bands. As is stood, I had heard Never Too Late just seconds before, and because of that my opinion wasn’t swung in the Heavy-Sighing way. I deeply enjoyed Trip, finding Jacob’s voice once again enchanting.

 Of course, Hedley couldn’t have produced songs nearly as marvelous as they did without the hard work of the instrumentalists – Tommy Mac (bass), Dave Rosin (guitar) and Chris Crippin (drums).

 For only $11.98 you can buy Hedley’s album Never Too Late on Amazon. Trust me, it is absolutely worth it!

 

 

Hedley’s MySpace: www.myspace.com/hedley

 

A performer at only eight years of age; Meiko’s singing career kick-started when she sang a cover of the song White Christmas at a Southern Baptist church. From then onwards, she began to perform everywhere she could, her performances ranging from small talent shows run by her school or local community to Little League baseball parks. She grew interested in writing songs, rather than just singing them. Her father bought her her very first guitar for her thirteenth birthday. “As soon as I learned a new chord, I wrote a new song,” she said.

 With her independent self-titled 2007 album Meiko topping the iTunes’ charts, Meiko has been slowly but steadily working her way up the ladder to success. Her songs have been featured in well-known television shows, such as Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill, Knight Rider, 90210 and Ghost Whisperer. This American singer / songwriter has started making her mark in the world, especially with her cover version of the song Time Is On My Side by the Rolling Stones, which has been featured in the well-known United States Slim-Fast television commercials.

 I put the rumours to the test and went in search of songs from her new album (also titled Meiko), which had been re-released towards the middle of last year, this time with the help of MySpace Records and DGC (David Geffen Company) Records.

 If the stunning entrance to the first song on her album – Reasons to Love You – hadn’t drawn me into it, her lyrics certainly did!

 “Give me a reason to fall in love.

Take my hand and let’s dance.

Give me a reason to make me smile

Cause I think I forgot how.”

 Accompanied by the gentle, soothing strumming of a guitar, this song tells the story of a romantic journey. The words speak truthfully of the image of love that Meiko can picture, and it is not hard to see the world through her eyes when she describes it so soulfully. Sung with a soft, almost whispery voice, Meiko really sets the mood. Closing my eyes, I could picture two people slow-dancing, staring deeply into each other’s eyes. Her song is a perfect song for a prom playlist, or even a song to slow-dance along to at your wedding.

 Her first song hit that soft spot in my heart, and I was incredibly excited to listen to other songs on her album, which I did.

 I found them to have the same sort of idea – a gentle voice and sweet beat to tell the enchanting adventure of love. The songs were all quite similar to each other, and yet different enough so that they weren’t repetitive, and thus boring. I recommend buying her album to everyone – those in love, those who have just broken up with someone and need a reminder that true romance still exists, or even those who are preparing for a long car trip. Her songs are perfect for background music in your car.

 After hitting number fourteen on the iTunes Top 100 Albums chart, we know that Meiko is an album we don’t want to miss!

 Her MySpace site is: www.myspace.com/meiko

 We know her well from her heart-driven, soulful songs. The truth in her songs; the reality behind her words make them stand out and shine, and we constantly find ourselves saying, ‘Oh wow, I totally agree with this girl!’ Of course I am talking about none other than the famous teen idol, Demitria ‘Demi’ Lovato, a girl who shot to fame first through her acting career, playing the role of Mitchie Torres in the 2008 movie Camp Rock, and then proceeded to thrill her fans with the news of an upcoming album Don’t Forget in that very same year. Girl Zone is proud to announce Demi’s second studio album Here We Go Again.

 Upon hearing the news myself, I set to work immediately. I listened to the first song on the album which incidentally shares the same name as Demi’s album. The catchy country-style beginning of the song would have had me confusing it with Taylor Swift, if I hadn’t known otherwise. I found the song to have a likeliness to Taylor’s You Belong With Me, so if you like that country girl’s music, you will absolutely love Demi’s song. Joyful from the great success of the first song, I listened to the other songs on her album. They started to sway away from the country-style, but all had the same catchy background beat that entranced me in the first song.

 When I listened to Demi’s songs thumping their ways through my computer’s speakers, I could envision a disco party, with the songs on her album being played at full volume. They are all loud yet sweet songs that need to be played at a time when you are allowed to dance to them. I wouldn’t recommend listening to her music in class if you are trying to be discreet about her music, because her songs will have you up and moving within seconds.

 I also advise those of you who are feeling hurt, betrayed or angry to give her new album a try. Her angry and sad words symphasise with the broken-hearted, and her uplifting beats will then raise your hopes and help you realise that you can make it right. The hope in her voice will give you the strength to pull through any trying times you encounter! I have included a few lyrics from Here We Go Again below:

 “I threw all of your stuff away

And I cleared you out of my head

And I tore you out of my heart

So how did you get here under my skin?

I swore that I’d never let you back in.

I should have known better than trying to let you go

Cause here we go again!”

 In an interview, Demi told comedienne Ellen DeGeneres that she had gone through painful bullying experiences when she was in seventh grade. As a teenager myself, I too have faced bullies (as I’m sure we all have) and it’s very reassuring to know that even a celebrity as famous as Demi has not had a totally perfect life – she has gone through hard times herself. This international teen superstar has provided to be a great role model for us girls – she has given us the hope and determination we need to set out to reach our goals. This is all helped along by her gorgeous melodic voice and her songs which have me absolutely hooked!

    LINKS ARE BELOW:

 Demi’s Website – www.demilovato.com

Demi’s Myspace – www.myspace.com/demilovato

 *Both of the above have her music and music clips, as well as other information about her.