Artist Spotlight: Zella Day

Source: Bohemian Diesel

Zella Day is an American singer and song writer who has an indie vibe that blends with electronica sounds.  Zella is twenty one years old and has been singing and performing since 2012 when she first performed a cover of the White Stripes song Seven Nation Army.  In 2014 Zella debuted her first EP self-titled "Zella Day."  The song features hits like Sweet Ophelia, Hypnotic, and East of Eden which contain both indie and electronic influences.  Her most recent release is titled "Man on the Moon" and continues to display her unique, airy voice.  If you want to hear more by Zella Day and other artists like her then be sure to tune in to WNJR at 91.7FM.

Nate Currin on WNJR

 Tune in to 91.7 FM and listen to Nate Currin's album, The Madman on WNJR 91.7FM. Originally from Georgia, Nate has more than enough south in his performances. However, his various experiences and places of performances shape his diverse style. Nate has traveled to over 20 countries and performed with Blues Traveler, Butch Walker, Jars of Clay and Neon Trees. He has also been featured on MTV.  Mr. Currin has been nominated for an Independent Music Award and 4 International MUsic Awards for his third album, You and I are Ghosts in 2014. Nate won 3 of the aforementioned awards, including Songwriter of the Year. Since then Nate has been travelling to over 37 states, promoting his new album, The Madman. 

Tune Thursday: Broadside

http://www.victorypresscenter.com/broadside

Happy Thursday! As the week reaches it end, your musical inspiration is just beginning. Broadside is a five man punk pop band from Richmond, Virginia. The band was formed in 2010 and got signed to Victory Records which led to them releasing their new song and music video for "Coffee Talk." The amazing talent of this group is indescribable so the only way I could express that is to let you hear it for yourselves! Enjoy this treat and the rest of your week.

America in Transition: The Conversation Continues...

If you attended last Monday’s panel on the 2016 presidential election, you know that it was a thoughtful and spirited discussion.   This Thursday, December 1 from 8 to 9 pm on WNJR 91.7 FM, we will continue this conversation on-air.  In light of the new political reality facing America, we continue to ask how a Trump presidency came to be and what it might mean for our collective future.  Drs. Ryan Bunting (Education), Nichole Fifer (Political Science), and David Kieran (History) will address these and other relevant matters in an on-air panel discussion.  Joining them will be students Ty Greenwood and Keira Frazier.  Patrick Montague, a trained mediator and peace builder from Ireland, rounds out the panel.

Please join us for what promises to be a fascinating and well-informed colloquy on WNJR, 91.7 FM, from 8 to 9 p.m. on Thursday December 1. 

Interview with Kyle Simpson and Tom Kurlander & Ticket Giveaway

Happy Thursday everyone! We're so close to the weekend. On Tuesday we had guests filmmaker Tom Kurlander and W&J's own Kyle Simpson  in the station.

                                                   L to R: Kyle S., Amina B., Tom K.

Although the topics varied from voting to music, the duo were here to promote their extraordinary event A Rock Symphony and the organization they're a part of, 21Voices. The website is full of information about the event, Alzheimer's, and the vision the group has and their goal. The funding of their documentary comes from the concerts they've held so if you're not busy the wonderful event is this Saturday, November 12th, at 7PM in Cranberry Township. The duo and organization have also been kind enough to give us 8 FREE TICKETS to the event. If you're interested in a ticket be sure to email amina@wnjr.org before they're all gone! If you would like to listen to the interview click here.

Alex Aiono and William Singe : Mash Up

Happy Friday! 

The artist spotlight for this week is Alex Aiono and William Singe for their mash up cover song to Confessions by Usher, Black Beatles by Rae Sremmurd, and No Problem by Chance the Rapper. The dynamic duo wait was far overdue and fans couldn't be more excited. I hope you enjoy this creative and talented group of young men. To hear more visit their YouTube pages.

https://soundcloud.com/pinkgirl8810/valerie-alex-aiono-and-meg-deangelis-cover-1
https://soundcloud.com/pinkgirl8810/valerie-alex-aiono-and-meg-deangelis-cover-1

Watch Out Artist: Chloe and Halle

Watch Out: Chloe and Halle 

These two phenomenal sister have struck a heart in the R&B world with their crazy vocals and amazing spunk and style. They got their start on YouTube covering songs. In 2013, after their cover for "Pretty Hurts" went viral with nearly 12 million views, Beyoncé then signed them to her management Parkwood Entertainment. After that, they have appeared on numerous Award Shows and in the famous film "Lemonade." If you haven't gotten into the "gag"that is Chloe and Halle I recommend you listen to a cover song by them. You instantly become a fan!

Artist Spotlight: Woodes

Source: Woodes Music

Woodes is an upcoming Melbourne based singer, song-writer, and producer in the electronica genre.  She has a background in classical music and began singing and writing songs with the accompaniment of the piano in high school.  Woodes, now 24 years old, has recently released her first self-titled EP "Woodes." Woodes has a very whimsical, airy, and folksy feel to her voice and lyrics, while keeping with the electronica genre.  This style can be found throughout the EP, but can especially be seen in the songs "Daggers & Knives," "The Thaw," and "Poison." If you have not heard of Woodes then she is definitely an artist to look out for.  You can hear more by Woodes and other artists like her by tuning in to 91.7 FM!

Posthumous Praise: David Bowie

Hello listeners of WNJR, today our praise goes to David Bowie.

Courtesy of: Roger Ebert

David Bowie was born in South London and was exposed to music by his older half-brother, who later committed suicide, becoming the focal point of Bowie's later song Jump They Say.  Bowie gained recognition overseas and in America in 1969 with the single Space Oddity. Bowie was a musical genius, but his love was not limited to music. With the sales of his albums going through the roof, Bowie appeared in The Man Who Fell To Earth in 1970.  To learn more about Bowie and his later years go here. To try and catch some tunes by Bowie, tune into 91.7FM or go here. Below is Bowie's hit Space Oddity.

Radio Drama!  Adventure! Suspense!  Telephones!

On Thursday, October 27 at 2 pm tune in for a live, original radio play, "The Vicki and Jenna Show" Starring...

Alyssa Baker
Jacob Bow
Kelsey Bowman
Matt Brunelle
Ioseb Jorjliani
Natalie Keenan
Sarah Latzo
Emma Rose
with music and sound by Sonnieboy Blanco

Artist Spotlight: Ariana Grande

 Ariana Grande 

Ariana Grande has blown us all away with her vocals and timeless music! If nothing else she is given all us 90's and 80's baby a rendition of Mariah Carey. Ariana Grande definitely made a grand entrance into the industry with her freshman project "Yours Truly" and she proclaimed her R&B/Pop throne with her sophomore project "My Everything." Now she is simply topping herself with this most recent album "Dangerous Woman." Her music has become so popular that re-makes of her songs have started to create clout on YouTube. The remix "Side to Side"featuring Nicki Minaj was mixed with a song of Lil Kim and has been creating hit all over the blogs.

Ticket Giveaway : Rae Sremmurd

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/flex-appeal-meet-hip-hops-hottest-duo-rae-sremmurd-20150107

The radio station would like to thank everyone for participating in our first ticket giveaway. The opportunity to win two free tickets to the Rae Sremmurd concert this Monday has been won by two well deserved people and hopefully they have blast. Tune into WNJR 91.7 FM to hear our amazing show hosts, and hopefully another ticket giveaway. Have a safe weekend and congratulations to our two winners! 

Ticket Giveaway: Rae Sremmurd Concert

The radio station is excited to announce our first ticket giveaway! The concert that you have an opportunity to win tickets to is Rae Sremmurd who will be performing with Lil Yatchy on October 24, 2016. The performance will take place at Stage AE in Pittsburgh, Pa at 7:00pm and if you're interested in this giveaway then all you have to do is submit an email to india@wnjr.org stating your name, number, and favorite song by Rae Sremmurd. The two lucky winners from the drawing will win two tickets each and be announced on WNJR then contacted by email on this Saturday at 12:00pm! While you submit your information, don't hesitate to listen to one of my favorites by Rae Sremmurd "Come Get Her" and listen to much more of their music! 

Glee: Cory Monteith

Hello everyone! I hope you all have a great fall break and are enjoying the first day back. The artist I chose for this week is Cory Monteith. Cory was an aspiring Canadian actor and musician that got his first big role with Glee, the TV series, in 2009. Suffering from substance abuse at the young age of 13, Cory was in and out of rehab and seeking help for it most of his life. Despite his addiction, Cory found love within the Glee cast and was going to marry fellow costar Lea Michele after dating since 2012. The early death of Cory at the age of 31 devastated his future wife, but also the cast and fans of Glee. With the loss of such an amazing actor, it was hard for Glee to move forward so in honor of the life of Finn, Cory Monteith, here is one of my favorite clips from the TV series. Rest in Peace Cory.

 

Watch Out Artist: The Internet

 

 The Internet 

This alternative R&B and Neo-Soul band started a few years ago. And if you ask me they are saving the art that is Afro-Punk and soul music. I think we need "The Internet"to connect us back to our soulful side like artist Jill Scott, D'angelo, and Anthony Hamilton. Most people would not even recognize these names but they shaped artist like Beyonce, Rihanna, and even rap artists. Without highlighting soul in music we lose sight in the art itself. Thank you, "The Internet"for saving soul! If you want to get in the gag that is "The Internet" please watch the video below you will not be disappointed! 

Artist Spotlight: Phantogram

Phantogram is an American electronic duo from Greenwich, New York, formed in 2007 and consisting of Josh Carter (vocals, guitars) and Sarah Barthel (vocals, keyboards).  The band has been described as having airy vocals and spacey keyboards giving the feeling of dream pop and electronica music.  Hit songs like "Black Out Days" and "Fall in Love" are featured on the album "Voices" and have been heard on television and movie soundtracks like the TV show Shameless and the movie Hunger Games: Catching Fire.  The band just recently released their third full album properly titled "Three."  This album contains songs like "Cruel World" and "You're Mine" which continue with their electronica and dream pop vibes that were seen in their previous albums.  Phantogram has also been featured with many other artists ranging from Miley Cyrus to Big Boi.  When performing with Big Boi, who is one half of famed hip hop duo Outkast, the group became a trio called Big Grams where they experiment with combining hip hop and electronica together.  One of my favorites from Big Grams is called "Lights On" which is found on the self-title "Big Grams" EP.  If you are interesting in hearing some more from Phantogram then be sure to tune in to WNJR 91.7FM!

Listen to Eliana Cuevas on WNJR 91.7 FM

Venezuelan born Eliana Cuevas released her album ESPEJO in 2013. Through her performances you can notice how Eliana matured since her first album in 2002. Eliana was featured on the cover of Latinos magazine that brought her fame among her big North American and International audience. Eliana grew up in Venezuela, with the rhymes of salsa, joropo and Brazilian music and currently performs in Canada. She perfectly composes these rhymes in her new songs. Her engaging voice and songwriting on topics from adventure to forgiveness wowed the local music scene, hailing Cuevas as “Canada’s Latin Music Queen”. Listen to her new album ESPEJO on WNJR 91.7 FM.

Artist Spotlight: Big Gigantic

Hey everyone, some awesome new electronica music has been coming out recently, so I hope you are all ready!  Big Gigantic recently released their new album title "Brighter Future" which features songs like "The Little Things" and "All of Me." Big Gigantic is able to combine the electronica genre with hip-hop and jazz influences.  The goup consists of members Dominic Lalli who plays the saxophone in the tracts and produces, and Jeremy Salken who plays the drums.  The group has played at many large scale music festivals including Firefly, Camp Bisco, and Coachella!  Big Gigantic is on tour right now and is coming to Stage AE in Pittsburgh on November 3rd!  If you are interested in hearing more of their music then be sure to check and see if there is a concert date near you! You can also tune in on Monday nights at 9PM to Bad Dance Moves to hear more from Big Gigantic and other similar artists!

Dondi's new album Give Me Your Love

R&B soul singer Dondi released his new album “Give Me Your Love” earlier this year. Dondi makes music for true R&B lovers.
Dondi is an incredibly talented performer and experienced vocalist. Origin of Philadelphia,  legendary musician has an extremely strong stage presence, and the ability to entertain large crowds.
He writes and produces his songs as if they were going to be played by a live band tonight. Dondi has worked venues such as Madison Square Garden. Listen to Dondi's new Give Me Your Love album on WNJR 91.7 FM.

Invincible New Tracks

Hello and happy Tuesday! I've been listening to a lot of great new tracks released this weekend, and I'm here to share them with you all:

"Love On Me" by Galantis & Hook N Sling

"Click Clack" by LOUDPVCK & NGHTMRE

"Fire" by Louis the Child

"Invincible" by Big Wild

"Retrograde" by Vincent

"Believer" by Major Lazer & Showtek

Be sure to tune in to WNJR Mondays at 9 PM for Bad Dance Moves! We will be playing some of the tracks listed above in addition to other great songs.

Solange: A Seat at the Table

 

Solange 

After this weekend, I definitely want "A Seat at the Table." Solange is a fashion icon, model, and revolutionary. Most of all she is unapologetic, everything she does/wears has a message and has meaning. Everyone was caught by surprise when she finally decided to drop her album after  four long years. I have been an admirer of Solange since her song "I decided"I heard it in elementary school and it was from then I knew she was special. Now with the release of her new album the whole world will know how amazing and talented she is. The reason this album speaks volumes is because of its tribute to social injustice and commitment to the authenticity of Solange's story. A prime example of this is in her video "Don't Touch My Hair" 

Coyote Ugly - LeAnna Rimes

Happy Friday! I hope your week went as fast as mine and you enjoyed it! Today I have a throwback artist that enhanced a movie that you may know very well. From the soundtrack of Coyote Ugly is LeAnna Rimes "Can't Fight the Moonlight." Although LeAnna covered other various songs throughout the film, this one symbolizes the end of the movie of the lead actress Violet, Piper Perabo, finally starting her singing career which was the goal of the entire movies. Through the trials and tribulations she faced, the importance of this song is that with the help of everyone around, she finally made it. I truly hope you enjoy this weeks song and enjoy the Coyote Ugly soundtrack mostly covered by LeAnna and watch Piper Perabo on ABC's Notorious every Thursday at 9pm. Have a great weekend!

 

Artist Spotlight: Giraffage

 

Giraffage is an American electronica music producer who is known for his remixes of R&B and pop songs.  Along with those remixes, Giraffage also has two of his own full length albums, and an EP.   On the most resent EP "No Reason," Giraffage shows off his musical style in songs like "Be With You" and "Tell Me." The songs have an ambient and experimental vibe and are the perfect songs to chill to.  Giraffage also released a single in August titled "Bring Me Your Love" which continues to show the experimental electronica genre.  Giraffage is also going on tour, so if you're interested be sure to check out if there are any tour dates near you!  If you're interested into hearing more from Giraffage or other artists like him, then be sure to tune in on Monday nights at 9PM for Bad Dance Moves!

Global Perspectives with Joseph Jorjoliani and Louis Affor

Global Perspectives is back on the air. Host Joseph Jorjoliani has been away for a long time for his study abroad in Germany. Now as he is back to Washington and Jefferson College, he started the last season of his show "Global Perspectives with Joseph Jorjoliani". Last Friday he hosted international student- Louis Affor from the United Kingdom. Louis talked about his experience in UK, how he selected a university far away from home; he is from England but attends University of Aberdeen in Scotland for his undergraduate degree. Louis will spend one year at W&J and will be a great addition to Washington & Jefferson's Men's Rugby Club.  You can check more on Louis Affor on Global Perspective's Mixcloud page. 

September's Best Alternative Releases

Hello all, and welcome back! I'm excited for another year of sharing some of my favorite releases with all of you lovely WNJR listeners. To get us started, here are a few of my favorite alternative releases form September:

Bastille - "Wild World"
I saw Bastille for the first time two days before I graduated high school, and I'm pretty sure I enjoyed that concert more than I enjoyed my graduation. Since then, I've seen Bastille in Cincinnati, in Columbus, and twice in Chicago - all during tours on the same album and the album's re-release. "Bad Blood" is an essential album for today's alternative music fan, and "Wild World" is certainly just as impressive. There are a few songs on "Wild World" I already knew word-for-word upon the album's release because Bastille had performed them for years prior to releasing them - "Blame" and "Campus." There are a few songs I learned just from seeing Bastille twice over the summer leading up the the album's release - "Lethargy," "Power," and "Send Them Off!" And of course, I knew "Good Grief," the first single released from the new album. However, I was still ridiculously excited for the album's official release because every Bastille song has an entirely unique personality created by the lyrics, the emotion in Dan Smith's voice, and the incredible instrumentals from the rest of the band. "Wild World" is an album you don't want to sleep on - go have a listen if you haven't already!

Grouplove - "Big Mess"
Listen To: "Don't Stop Making It Happen," "Welcome to Your Life," and "Enlighten Me."

Young the Giant - "Home of the Strange"
Listen To: "Silvertounge," "Amerika," "Something to Believe In"

To hear some of these songs and more of our favorite alternative and electronic jams, tune in to WNJR Mondays at 9 PM for "Bad Dance Moves!"

Posthumous Praises- Ray Charles

Happy Monday wonderful peeps! I hope everyone is ready for today's celebrity from the grave: Ray Charles everyone!

Ray Charles was a famous pianist, singe, and songwriter. After witnessing the traumatic death of his younger brother, Charles began losing his eyesight. Completely blind at the age of 7, Charles' mother sent him to school for the blind. His first hit single was Mess Around and a year later I Got A Woman became his No. 1 hit. For more information on Ray go here. You can also catch some of Ray's tunes on the radio here or 91.7FM. But until then here's Ray Charles' Mess Around.

Posthumous Praises- Whitney Houston

Hello everyone! School has started and along with it WNJR, whoo-hoo! With that, I'll be writing a new weekly blog about the musical genius of deceased artists, whom we keep in our music library. Today is about the wonderful, Whitney Houston.

Whitney was known for her powerful vocals in hits such as I Will Always Love You and How Will I Know.  Houston hailed from New Jersey, releasing her first album when she was just 22, giving her three No. 1 singles. She was married to singer Bobby Brown. Whitney has starred and songs featured in several movies. More information about Whitney can be found here. To hear some of her angelic vocals tune in here or 91.7FM, but in the meantime here's a live performance of Whitney's Do You Hear What I Hear.

 

Gaming Den

Hey, Hey, Hey, Everybody,
Welcome to the Gaming den,

This is the last post I will be doing so there is one thing that I wanted to say to anybody that actually reads these, and that is to remember to have fun. It is very easy to go through the whole day doing everything that needs to be done, like work for school or a job. And I feel that it is important to remind everybody about this because if we don't give ourselves our moments of fun then we can't ever be prepared for the next day to come with the vigor it may need. I have a show here on the radio station for 1 hour each week because I find it fun playing music I like on the radio for everyone to listen to. I also try to play some form of video games during the week because they are a good way for me to relax, especially when it is a game I have played so many times before.

Source: DeviantArt

So take time out of your day to relax and have fun, cause that is what makes life worthwhile.

Artist Spotlight: Major Lazer

 

 Major Lazer is an American electronic group originally created by record producers Diplo and Switch.  Switch left the group in 2011, but Diplo remains, and the group now includes members Jillionaire and Walshy Fire.  The band has a central electronic theme to most of their music, but they are also able to incorporate many other genres including reggae and house beats.  The group's most recent album was released in 2015 title "Peace is the Mission" which was also recently re-released as an extended edition which includes five more songs.  Some of the songs on the album include hits like "Lean On" featuring artist MO, which you can hear below, and "Powerful" featuring artist Ellie Goulding.  The group is also expected to release a new album in the near future titled "Music is the Weapon." If you get the chance, be sure to check Major Lazer out this summer at the various venues and music festivals that they will be performing at!  Also be sure to tune in to Bad Dance Moves on Monday nights at 10 to hear more music from Major Lazer and other similar artists!

Country Favorite Artist

Disney got to host its annual Radio Disney Music Awards on Sunday May 1st. Its winners and nominees are great upcoming artists. This year, Maddie & Tae took the Country Favorite Artist Award. The other nominees included Sam Hunt, Hunter Hayes, and Kelsea Ballerini. Although votes came close, Maddie & Tae took the award. Later this month, May 22nd, the Billboard Music Awards will air on TV. Congrats to all the winners of the Radio Disney Music Awards. Make sure to tune into WNJR every Friday at 1:00PM for Mockingbird Country.

Artist Spotlight: Rihanna

 

This particular artist does not need an artist spotlight as she is already developed and receives recognition no matter what she does. However, I think it is important to acknowledge good music when I hear it. Although, I'm a little late (ok, more than a little), Rihanna's ANTI album has to be one of the best records that I have heard this semester. A perfect album about love done in a original manner. Her beats will make you dance, cry, smile, and sometimes cringe (in the best way possible of course). She represents women being strong as some of her songs declare that the man needs her and not the other way around. She even tells him that he has to do better in Track 03 Kiss it Better. Make sure you tune into WNJR Radio in the upcoming weeks to hear some of Rih's album on 91.7FM.

Black Blessings- Prince

Hello everyone, I'm sorry about not posting yesterday, but today's Black Blessing is Prince. After Prince's passing yesterday, I think it'd only be appropriate to make a post about thelegend.

 Prince Rogers Nelson was a singer-songwriter, actor, and music producer. He was known for classics, such as Purple Rain and When Doves Cry. To learn more about Prince and his full life go here. Below is Prince's performance of Purple Rain at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2007.

Love Letters

It has been almost 20 years since Tupac Shakur's tragic death. Just recently a love letter written by no other than Tupac himself was found. The letter is now on sale for $35,000. Its worth comes from the age of the letter. Known as one of the earliest pieces of writing, it is dedicated to Beethoven who we can predict was a really close friend of his. Tupac calls himself an "over emotional" person which is not typical to read from a rapper that has always been seen as someone who was affiliated with gang violence. The Moments in Time online page has this historic piece of art. Make sure to tune into WNJR Sundays from 12:00AM to 5:00AM for a variety of Hip Hop music.

Artist Spotlight: Flume

 

Flume is  an Australian electronic music producer who has become rather well known in the genre over the past few years.  Flume released his first self-titled album in 2012 and has recently announced that a new album title "Skin" will be released in late May of 2016!  Flume has remixed many artists from Lorde to Arcade Fire, and has also produced many hits himself like "Holdin On" and "Sleepless." Flume has released a few songs off of his new album, "Never Be Like You" and "Smoke and Retribution," and based off of these releases, I would say it is safe to assume that Flume's new album will not disappoint. If you want to hear some of these releases or other artists similar to Flume then be sure to tune in on Monday nights at 10PM to Bad Dance Moves on WNJR!

Artist Spotlight: Ariana Grande

 

Ariana Grande 

 If it is one thing Ariana Grande has managed to do, it is enter America's heart. We have literally watched her grow up on screen. Her transition from acting on Nickelodeon to entering into the music industry, had to be one of the best decision in history. She definitely has the potential to become a legend her voice resembles Mariah Carey and even Whitney. Yes, I said Whitney. Ariana has proven that she has what it takes to last in this industry. She has raw talent. Her new album "Dangerous Woman"will be climbing the charts if it hasn't already. She has matured beautifully and is singing like her life depends on it. If you want your life changed listen to "Dangerous Woman" and "Be Alright".

Black Blessings- Stevie Wonder

Hello beautiful people! I hope you're having a fantastic Thursday. Today is a good day for a Black Blessing, so put your hands together for Stevie Wonder!

Stevie Wonder is a former child prodigy known for his exemplary vocal skill and playing the harmonica and the piano. He was born blind in Michigan and began his music career at the amazing age of 12, recording his first hit single at the age of 13. To learn more about Stevie visit here and tune into WNJR 91.7FM or here to catch a couple tracks from Mr. Wonder. Below is a video of Isn't She Lovely.

Artist Spotlight: Hermitude

Hermitude is an Australian electronic, hip hop duo, consisting of members Luke Dubber and Angus Stuart, who recently made waves in the electronic music category.  Hermitude recently released their album "Dark Night Sweet Light" which featured hits like "The Buzz" and "Midnight Terrain."  Over the course of 12 years, they have released 5 albums, all consisting of unique and diverse sounds.  The duo are currently on a massive international tour that covers headline shows in the US, and their first headline tour in Europe. If you are interested in listening to Hermitude and other artists like them, then be sure to tune in on Monday nights at 10PM to Bad Dance Moves.