Yasmin - DJ/Singer/Songwriter and Just 21 years old

I met Yasmin a long time ago where we got introduced through a mutual industry friend, at the time she was living in Scotland and would DJ here and there at different London Clubs mainly within the West End circuit. Remember back then she had a huge passion for music and was very determined to do well in Music. We lost contact for a while but now 2 and a half years later, she is DJ'ing for some of the biggest names in the music industry from NERD, TIAO CRUZ to EVE and playing the big music festivals. She is now a singer/songwriter and featured on Devlin's last single 'Runaway' where she wrote and sang the hook. Now she is gearing up for the release of her first debut solo single through Ministry of sound recordings and its called 'ON MY OWN'. Its produced by the legends Shy Fx, it has a real old skool 90's Trip hop feel to it. Yasmin wrote the song and lyrically i think its great. She sings about her journey so far in music which most budding artists or generally as individuals we can relate to. The name of the song says it all 'On my own' is something as individuals we all experience in the struggle to find our selfs or mainly people within this industry to create their own journey and make a name for themselves. I think Yasmin has a really nice tone and a rather unique raspy soothing voice.  I have a feeling that this girl is going to be BIG in 2011 and has a great future ahead of her. She has worked hard to get where she is, and is a fab new talent part of the new young generation of artists coming through right now.
Please have a look at her new vid that Emil in previous blog helped create -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsNBQJEofQM

Jay Z - Defines a great song

San Francisco - when I shall retire I shall live there...

Since watching the film one of my favs 'The Sweetest Thing' with Cameron Diaz.. its made me fall in love with San Francisco even more. Its got everything well in pictures and in films anyway.
 Its cute, love the houses and the designs, the famous Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Downtown where all the clubs are and restaurants/shops, a bit of culture with the City Hall, the trams, the palace of arts, the dancing, the street parades, the lay out, the hills, the greenery, its just so pretty... I love it..

Here are some pictures...

Micheal Mcintyre - one funny man who is rather nice looking I think

So Micheal Mcintyre is one of the best comedians around, literally he has me in complete stitches every time. His jokes stem from most day to day situations and scenarios in life, the people in them that 9 times out of 10 we all know some one like, can relate to the characters ourself.  Check out 2 videos below that are his best.. i need to see him live!!

Live @ The Apollo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es2l4yUBY6M&playnext=1&list=PLDBEE3CAA4487A718&index=9

His Sex Jokes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04bXchtu7m0

Sienner Miller - my style icon

Sienner Miller is officially some one if i could be any other actress female in the UK i would want to be, she is stunning, flawless, great actress (Alfie), and number 1 in style i just absolutely LOVE her!! its boho sheek, classy, pretty, and just unique.. My fav outfit of hers was this dress below that she wore recently to an award ceremony.. its Beautiful..

Labrinth - The Future Of Music

LABZ aka LABRINTH is the Future of Music, the UK's Kanye West.. this guy is a absolute Musical Genius!! Also a great person who is a extrovert character..

• I met Labrinth whilst on my first A&R scouting trip to Yo Yos, Notting Hill Arts Club about 3 years ago where I was scouting the rapper ‘Mastershortie’ after the gig I asked Mastershortie who is your producer? He is damm good, he introduced me to Labz…

• Used to go to Labz studio when he first started to work with Bluey Robinson (now signed to RCA), was literally blown away by Labz and his talent, his ability to not just produce Urban, but classical, pop/soul everything. Seriously is there anything the guy cant do…

• Once he played me the track ‘Music box’ wow!! Lyrically, musically, his vocals it was just magical. After hearing this track one late night I rushed to my old labels studio in South London where DJ LES (Nas/Jay Z) and CHAD BEATZ (Travie Mckoy/Rhianna) were working on some hip-hop material for the label and a rapper we had from Miami. I remember playing them all Labrinths material and MUSIC BOX first about 1am in the morning and we were all going crazy!! That was exiting for me.

Here is MUSIC BOX - Just listen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZZi0bKmDFY

• I eventually got Labrinth on board with the label to do a track with the pop artist on the label called NATALIA they co wrote a great pop/soul track together called ‘Wishing Well’ think Solange ‘Sandcastle’ disco similar feel. This track the label president was feeling as were all our radio plungers, we all deiced that it had to be a single for her States release. This was all exiting then the credit crunch hit, and the label were running low on money so in the end unfortunately we couldn’t use the track. Hope the track now is going to good use as its damm good!! That was tough for me, as Labz was a friend as well as was doing business with which some times you can’t mix with, especially when the circumstances are not your fault around you. I just wanted to do my best in where I was and help get the artist the best records possible.

• Labz and I remained friends; we went to Ireland together for a week on a music trip with his friend Irish rapper Deablo whom Labz was working with at the time. It was for a new TV show called ‘Live at the limelite’ with new Irish talent. It was a truly great experience and was aired on Irish TV couple of months after. Even then remember staying with Labz and his brother and he would just create music and play music every day, even real late at night. He has a great work ethic and was all he lived and breathed.

• 2 years later Labz secures a publishing deal with EMI has his first number 1! Then later signs to SYCO records Simon Cowels first ever signing not from xfactor wow!! So happy for him, as rememeber Labz saying he wants to create something different fro the UK market, work with artists that are part of the young new generation and be a artist eventually himself one day. And yeh at the age of 21 he has done it, and is set to do a lot more too. Most UK producers have the tendency to just try there luck in America and work with artists over there as the market obviously a lot bigger but not Labz he always said he wanted to make his mark here first and build up clear foundations. 

I feel very blessed to have witnessed Labz in the studio and see his work, and also see him grow as a producer and now artist from the beginning. He is going to be HUGE!! 

Check out Labrinth acoustic session -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUKwqO-sLk8

http://www.labrinth.co.uk/

Creative Friends - Emil Nava Vid Director

Now where do I start with Emil well he is my age 25, a shit hot new video director and a  passionate creative guy who loves cats his friends/going out/women and he is just a big time fun character who touches every one with his charm and character.

I met Emil about 4 years ago now when I first moved to London, I was working for Upper11 records and he was Assisting Directing on a video for one of our artists called Natalia, he was working along side the Phil Griffin (big vid director in the game). Remember Emil on the shoot, he was very enthusiastic, energetic and good at his job. I then met him again at a Beyonce party where he arrived with his brother also a video director Jake Nava. We kept in contact ever since and he has a become a good friend. I have seen Emil grow from just being a runner to assistant director to now being one of the UK’s biggest new young video directors. He has directed most of Tinchy Striders videos, Ndubz, and is really at the fore front of the UK urban/pop scene. He most recently won a Soho film festival award for best new music video director for his video for Kid British and a big look was recently scoring the new video for super star artist JessieJ ‘Do it like a dude’. He has done so much in the last year and next year is going to be even bigger for him i just know it.  I am rather proud of him and his work ethic is on point. 

Please check out my fav vid of his Kid British ‘Our House’ who are on Mercury records and next JessieJ video. I really like this video, as love the narrative and it’s almost like a scene out of a movie. I think the cast/location is on point, fan of the group and love the song. Like the shoots, lighting and the capturing of these characters that if you look closely could be similar to people we may know or can relate to. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltPxz4PinDA

And here JessieJ new vid for 'Do it like a Dude'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOf3kYtwASo

Website link

http://www.betweentheeyes.co.uk/page/music-videos/director/2306