In the age of YouTube, Facebook, talent searches and "reality" television, people come out of the woodwork to take their shot at stardom. They stand in front of the likes of Simon Cowell with hopeful looks on their faces, only to be shot down, in many cases. That being said, the young man in the video above deserves a second listen. When he and his singing partner walked onto the Britain's Got Talent stage, it was obvious without a word being spoken that he had been dismissed by audience members and judges alike. (Or at least by Cowell) However, when seventeen-year-old Jonathan Antoine opened his mouth and sang, expressions changed from the very first note. While many have gone on to win these contests only to disappear (and only time will tell about Antoine), I believe this young man's voice has a huge amount of potential. Listen and let me know what you think. Read Jonathan Antoine Floors Britain's Got Talent (LA Times)
L.A. and Brooklyn Tussling Over Musical Up-and-Comers
Baseball fans from the 1950's probably still remember how they felt upon hearing that their beloved Brooklyn Dodgers were heading to sunny California. Now the "left-coasters" are becoming a bit uneasy as they watch talent pack their bags and head to the Big Apple. No, the L.A. Dodgers are not moving back to New York...rather, it is promising young composers who seem to be flocking to the bright lights of the big city. Read The L.A. and Brooklyn New Music Scenes, Competition or Love-Fest? (LA Times)
Universal Music Selling 3 Music Publishing Catalogues
Universal Music, which is planning to spend nearly $2 billion to acquire EMI is apparently selling three of it's music publishing catalogs for up to $200 million to help pay for it. The classical catalog includes works by Puccini and Verdi, among others...an estimated 200,000 copyrights. Read Universal to Sell $200m of Music Catalogues (Financial Times)