New York Singer/Songwriter Showcase - Rockwood Music Hall

Me And All My Frands - Surviving And Thriving In The New York Current

By Grace Weber

As an artist living and working among other artists, I find myself being a "frand" to many of my peers. A "frand" is a friend fan, something that I either just made up or already exists on urbandictionary.com, but either way is a term I am honored to be able to call myself. The amount of talent that flows in and out of New York City is as raw, vibrant, and overwhelming as the Nile. At times it almost feels dangerous to dip your toes into the water, for fear of getting lost among the masses of driven survivalists as we all fight to swim upstream, of getting swallowed by the big ones, or for fear of sinking to the bottom when desperation in the midst of so much potential finally weighs too heavy. Most times though, being able to jump into this insane river of talent is invigorating, electric, and If you can hook into the current, will take you places you could never imagine reaching as an artist.

The best part about swimming in this beautiful current though, is getting to be true friends with other artists you couldn't admire more. To stand by as a proud frand while your fellow cohort owns the stage and touches other lives with just a few notes on their guitar. This was my experience last month at the YoungArts New York Singer/Songwriter showcase. Watching my fellow peers on stage reminded me of why I am so deeply proud to call myself a YoungArts alumni and so proud to live in this crazy city. As I watched each performer, I felt so honored to wear this badge of "YoungArts" and of "New York" and be able to say, "yeah, I'm one of those fishies."

For this particular performance, I not only got to be a performer and stand by as a proud frand, I also was the proud curator of the event. Here's some play by play of each performer:

Grace Weber (ME!)

I went first for the night and played 4 original songs of mine that I’m currently working on for my second record. My new album is rooted in soul aesthetics and feel, with hints of retro and classic 70’s rock, so my live show and the record is very much about the live raw element of music. On the record, I actually put together a gospel choir of YoungArts alumni so for this performance, I enlisted their help again singing backup vocals on some of the tunes. Head over to my website to learn more about and to pre-order my second record! www.graceweber.com

Elliott Skinner

Elliott hit the stage second as the youngest performer of the night. Although just in his first year at Berklee School of Music, Elliott possess the poise and confidence of an already well-seasoned, confident artist. Watching Elliott perform and interacting with him off the stage, it’s clear how well he already knows himself as an artist, which is rare for so many artists and people for that matter. And beyond his unbelievable soulful voice and jazzy/pop sound, Elliott’s badass style is impossible to ignore. Plainly put, Elliott just has his sh*t together. Watch out for this youngin’ with the old soul, he’s about to take over. Watch him perform on Good Morning Texas right here, your heart will melt - http://www.wfaa.com/good-morning-texas/GMT-Encore-with-singer-songwriter-Elliott-Skinner-192525871.html

Kate Davis

Any chick that can rock the bass is automatically the coolest person in the room. Kate not only gets this title, she also can boldly wear the titles of award-winning ASCAP songwriter, award winning Sara Vaughn vocalist, and recent “to-watch” CMJ performer. She’s a badass up-and-coming singer/songwriter on the New York scene that everyone is tracking with a keen eye. Kate’s songs are strong and memorable, with lyrics that are simultaneously effortless and deep, and Beatle-esque melodies that go outside the box, but still stick in your head for days. Her indie-rock sound and look is defined and easily understood, while still having a unique vibe that’s all her own. Kate is currently working on her debut album and we’re all currently waiting for Kate to become the next big indie-rock hit. Like Kate on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/katedavismusic

Richard Saunders

Richard came on stage at exactly the right moment in the night. As the audience was beginning to get a little buzzed, a little more roudy, and a little less focused, Richard stepped on stage and brought everyone back into full attention. Sitting on stool with just a mic in hand, Richard’s calm and honest energy began to quiet everyone in the room and the moment his other-worldly soulful voice came through the speakers, everyone was silenced for good. Richard is one of those singers that makes your jaw drop. His control over his voice and enviable and his ability to keep it relaxed as it dips low, hits the high peaks, and runs allows the listener to focus on the emotional intent behind it all. Richard also takes his listeners to another level by singing to his pre-recorded vocal harmony tracks that are dripping with r&b/soul/funky goodness. There are also strong hints of jazz threaded through the sound. As a fellow audience member said, “It’s like..if Michael Buble was cool..” Currently going under the stage name, RICH, Saunders is a singer/songwriter who is definitely changing the game for vocalists. Check him out at https://www.facebook.com/richmusicrich

Julia Easterlin

And last but most definitely the opposite of least, Julia Easterlin graced the Rockwood stage to take the audience on the final glorious 20 minute journey of the night. Julia is not just a brilliant musician, she is a sonic painter. Alone on the stage, building her songs up piece by piece with intricate loops, live vocal harmonies, hand snaps and beats, Julia holds the audience in the palm of her hand, everyone waiting on the edge of their seats as if we were watching Picasso himself create a masterpiece before our eyes. Julia's pitch-perfect and soulful voice is honest and translates in a way that as a listener, helps remind you of your humanity. She is a true artist, the kind you feel in your bones is supposed to “make it” and the kind you hope so badly does so you can believe in the music industry again. But in honesty, she has already made it, because resonating truth and creating something lasting and memorable is the only real goal in this journey we all take. Yup, I’m definitely a big Frand of this one. Follow Julia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliaeasterlin