Kewin Cosmos: Well Grounded & Well Loved

They say that it is best to surround yourself with people who believe in your dream, that doing so will help you flourish in whatever it is you aim to achieve. Brooklyn native Kewin Cosmos has sure mastered the art of surrounding himself with positive people who encourage his success and believe in his dream.  With a current following of over ten thousand on Twitter, more than five hundred YouTube subscribers, and over a thousand likes on his Facebook music page it is no wonder that Kewin is always working hard to create new music and material for his fans—Team Cosmos. 

Kewin has been surrounded by music since he was very young, and says that at the age of eight he learned songs by artists like Usher and Marc Anthony without even knowing how they’d been submitted to memory. “We had a cassette player and I was just learning all the songs…I would just sing and sing,” he says.  As a teen, Kewin spent some time in the Dominican Republic where his neighbor’s singing voice made a huge impression on him, “He sang a lot and taught me how to sing with feeling.”  He recalls a time when this man, was singing in a park, “Since that day I was like man, I have to sing.”  From there, he went on to perfect his voice and never gave up, he describes his first studio experience with much joy saying “The first time I went into an actual studio I almost fainted, I wanted to stay there!”

When he was younger, Kewin went to a music store and bought whatever equipment he could afford with the money he had.  Then, went home and taught himself how to assemble everything.  “I don’t want to hold myself back so I’m always working and training myself to be where I want to be,” he says, “…when I make something and it sounds really good that makes me so happy…music is what makes me.”          

Saying motivated in this industry is an uphill battle but Kewin finds ways to keep going.  “Honestly, my mom is more motivation toward making it in life.  When we were younger we had a hard time…she is my motivation to keep doing.” he says.  “My friends [also] keep me motivated.  Victor Cruz, and Wilbur and Dawin Polanco they write things that are like ‘wow.’” 

Kewin’s describes his fans as the most rewarding feature of what he does “I can see they love what I do.”  In the coming months, Kewin will be working on a lot of interviews and promotional materials to help his fans get to know him better.  “I have music videos coming up,” he says, and is looking to interact more and more with his supporters, Team Cosmos. 

Kewin's Bachata Medley with songs from artists such as Aventura, Prince Royce, Xtreme, and Romeo Santos earned his vocals a good reputation before releasing his current EP.  Kewin’s EP Encuentro y Olvido which you can listen to and download below has six original tracks whose sound and lyrics are sure to touch your soul; Kewin’s two favorites being Crater Volcanico and Imaginate.  “Crater Volcanico…I just feel like there’s an emotion behind that song and Imaginate, you know guys, we want to do so much with a girl in a relationship,” he laughs. 

Last week, Kewin was able to showcase his talent at Pedro’s Kitchen and Brew in Williamsburg Brooklyn where his family, friends, and fans alike were able to see him doing what he loves.  The quality of his voice in the live scene did not disappoint when compared to his studio-recorded music and he was able to keep the audience entertained with his dancing and crowd interaction.  The energy in the room was incredible and he sang with an emotion that moved the room.

With the right people in his corner and a talent that cannot be questioned Kewin is on his way to the top.  His message to the world is one of inspiration, “As a kid my brothers, mom, [and I] were in a place where we had [no] chance of achieving any goals. I just want the world to know that no matter how hard life gets, believe in the fighter that's [within] you! …We all have it, and when we have nothing left [it’s] the best time to use him or her. I've used [the fighter in me] as much as I can & I stand achieving my goals.  So live and succeed like it’s your last chance.”

Contact Kewin Cosmos:

Official Site: http://www.kewincosmos.com/

Twitter: @KewinCosmos

Instagram: @KewinCosmos

Facebook: Official Kewin Cosmos

YouTube: KewinCosmos

Similar A Vocal Accord Artists: Coreen, Jose Fernando, Eli Jas, RYG

Stefano: Always Resilient

“I’m 24 years young, but I have lived a hell of a life,” says former American Idol contestant Stefano Langone. Fano, as many call him, learned music at a very young age through the guidance of his father and grandfather.  However, it was not until much later that he decided to audition for American Idol (Season 10).  He says that his intentions with doing the show were not to win, but to get his foot in the door of the music industry.  Through the show he experienced tremendous growth and now Stefano not only has more experience under his belt, but he has also been signed to Hollywood Records.

With Stefano’s latest single “Yes To Love” peeking the Top 40 charts, and the single also being picked up by ABC network’s “The Bachelorette” it is fair to say that Stefano is heading in the right direction, but the circumstances have not always been so positive.  In 2009, Stefano was involved in a nearly fatal car accident.  “They said I wouldn’t be able to walk again or even play the piano and I kinda said no way…I’m gonna make my own destiny here and I came out on top of it and I use it in the industry and in anything I do,” he says.  “Being in an accident like that you recognize that it can all be taken away so quickly,” Stefano points out as he reflects on the complete turn around that he’s made over the past few years and says it's important to make the best out of what we have in life.  “It proved I was a resilient person…I work until I can’t anymore.”
Stefano’s father, Ernie Langone, is an integral part of Fano's music career being that he too is a musician.  “Vocally and musically,” Fano says, “the way I interpret and phrase things are similar to [my father]—I get it from him.”  Stefano looks up to his father very much and seeks guidance from him in everything he does.   His biggest fan in his personal life he says would have to be his mother “she knows more about what I do than I do” he laughs saying that she always makes him push toward greatness.  She has watched her son grow in the industry and it’s fair to say that she is very proud of what he has accomplished thus far. 

Fano does not take the strong support system at home for granted, in fact he tends to be highly critical of himself.  However, if he had to choose his toughest critic aside from the man in the mirror he would say it's general public.  “The fans out there and the people who are in the industry.” Stefano is no stranger to tough criticism though! He says that by being raised in a Mexican/ Italian household and coming from a show that is all about criticism only helped him.  “I think I had tough skin before and I was that much more prepared for it after,” he says.  

The pressure that comes with the industry is something that Stefano says drives him more toward success, “without pressure there can’t be relief.”  He says that rather than looking at it as pressure he views it as always being ready.  It gives him the urge to survive and keep moving up in what he does and compares that feeling to how he survived his accident, “do or die, it’s up to me.” 

His journey is one that cannot be matched and everything from Idol (and even before)  all the way to his current fame has been a rollercoaster ride but he is more than willing to hang on for the trip.  “Right now is pretty exciting” he says highlighting the fact that he was about to hit the Top 40 for the first time in his career and the shows he has coming up this summer, “I’m so ready” he says but remains humble, “I’m so close yet so far.”  Being asked what his ultimate dream would be Fano states, “I think right now it’s definitely winning a Grammy and being recognized in the industry as a whole…moving forward every day, I keep those goals close to me.”

Being that Sefano has been steadily successful in the past few years, and is slowly making a climb to the top I asked what advice he could offer to those who are just starting out.  “There’s so much to say,” he sighed not knowing where to begin, “don’t be afraid of failure or the road it takes to succeed.  If you love and have passion for something then give it all you have… you have to have passion…realize that it will not always be what it seems to be.”  Stefano’s favorite part of what he does is getting up in front of people and being able to show what he has on the stage.  He says it is his ability to share the gift that he is given that makes everything he does worthwhile.  “I’ve gotten this far because I have something to say and something to give back,” and says in order to stay motivated he is constantly reminding himself that if he doesn’t get better he won’t go further; he wants more out of this.

To his adoring fans throughout the world he says “thank you,” and praises them for helping him expand his fan base, watch him grow, and spreading the word; he is infinitely grateful.  “It’s been a true journey and it’s special.”

Stefano has a good head on his shoulders and takes nothing in life for granted.  This past month he performed “Yes To Love” on the Idol stage in front of the top 4 contestants receiving a standing ovation from all four judges for a flawless performance. 

With many new things in the works, and his album “Suffer in the Sunshine” possibly coming out this summer we have much to look forward to with this rising talent.  “I’m here to serve, to give what I have been given and share that with others.  I will make my mark in a good way…”

Thank you Melonie! Really appreciate this one! Much love avocalaccord.blogspot.com/2013/05/stefan…

— Stefano Langone (@Stefano) May 14, 2013

      Contact Stefano:

      Website:http://stefanomusic.com/

      Facebook:StefanoMusic

      Twitter:@Stefano

      Instagram:@StefanoMusic

      Youtube:StefanoVEVO

  

Jose Fernando: Talent and Humility

Not many of us know where we are headed in life at the age of 3, but at such a young age Latin artist Jose Fernando was already moving the crowd.  Born and raised in a town called “La Canela” in the Dominican Republic, Jose described how his aunt would take all of her nieces and nephews to sing so that they could be familiar with the setting.  He was involved in various choirs growing up and he even learned to play violin; something he describes as a beautiful but difficult instrument.  Growing up, he was surrounded by everything he needed, as a platform to succeed in the music industry. 

When writing, Jose says that his inspirations come while he is showering.  “When I’m showering and the water is hitting me,” he describes as his some of the most artistic moments he’s had.  Partly due to the bathroom’s echo Jose Fernando says that this is the best place for someone to sing.  The simple act of having your own sound returned to you is a perfect way for creativity to blossom.  He says that there’s something about that running water that simply gives him the ability to come up with something magical.  “My best compositions have been in the bathroom as I am showering.”

At times, life hands us difficult situations and in this case Jose Fernando had to deal with the death of his father while trying to pursue his dream.  Although distraught with the situation at hand he looked at this as a way to better himself as a person and most definitely as an artist. He says that every morning when he wakes up he is inspired because he knows he has to find a way to support his mother and give her a breath of hope in her darkest time.  “Many people see it as a disadvantage but I look at it as an opportunity to give my parents the same...” he says that all of the things that he has achieved he attributes to the scarifies that his parents had made for him.

Jose Fernando is not only extremely appreciative of what his family has done for him but he also realizes that there are so many people in the world that are living without what is necessary to survive.  He says that with his success he’d like a way to anonymously donate to the people of the Dominican Republic who need things; no money but material goods.  For example if he knows that a family needs a stove, he’d like to send it over without them knowing who it came from.  He also says that he’d like to develop a music school in his hometown because there are many talented people that deserve the best. 

Talent and humility, Jose Fernando is the complete package.  His ability ranges from singing to dancing and acting; Jose Fernando really does it all.  When he isn’t working on his music he said he loves to write and produce things.  He is a big fan of television and loves coming up with new ideas, and so his mind is an encyclopedia of information in which he is always moving and creating. 

Why listen to Jose Fernando? The answer is simple; he is a breath of fresh air.  Jose says that music is slowly losing the ability it once had to make people fall in love and he plans to bring that back; he is ready to give the public lyrics that have meaning and that move them in ways they’ve never felt before.  He wants to be the artist from the Dominican Republic that lets the world know that Dominicans not only do bachata and merengue but ballads as well.  Here is his latest single “Ya No Mas,” which is sure to dance in your head for days to come.  Enjoy!

Contact Jose Fernando:

Facebook:Jose Fernando

Record Label: Riverworks Records LLC

YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/user/josefernando34

Related A Vocal Accord Artists:

Coreen, Kewin Cosmos

Eli Jas: Girl Power in Bachata

Fearless and ready to make her mark in the music industry, 21 year old Latina Eli Jas is taking bachata by the horns and representing true girl power in a genre where female representation is scarce.  Eli Jas describes singing as something that she has done since she was young, and with her first studio experience being at the tender age of 14 she knew that music was her true passion.  However, it was not until her second year of college that she decided that she wanted to dedicate more time to her music and pursue it as a career.  It was with this decision that Eli was able to record her first single, a bachata song, entitled “Tu Me Haces Volar.” She recalls her mindset at the time saying, “[I] really wanna do what I love and show the world who Eli Jas is!”

Eli Jas’ very first performance on stage was at the Gun Hill Road Festival, “I have to admit I wasn’t used to having all the eyes on me,” she says, but describes the feeling as, “now or never.”  Despite the nervousness of her first performance, once Eli got off of that stage for the first time the feeling was infectious, she couldn’t wait to do it again. This past March Eli performed on the Calle Ocho stage in Miami, a show presented by Mr.305 Inc.  “Yes I got to perform on the Putbull stage,” she says with excitement.  “The energy was nuts …I can’t wait to go back to Miami again.” 

With the powerful, mesmerizing sound in her voice it is no wonder that Eli Jas’ inspirations stem from artists like La India, Mary J Blige, Faith Evans, and Christina Aguilera just to name a few.  Currently, Eli Jas’ self-titled mixtape has five original bachata songs infused with R&B influences making them each exciting and alluring in their own ways.  “I love them all” she says, but points out that her favorite track is “No Me Podras Olvidar.”  The song, whose title translates into ' you won't be able to forget me,' was Eli’s way of giving a more positive outlook on a breakup, “I got to express myself saying ‘ok, this is not going to break me.’”     

It is this positive outlook that will take her far in her journey to represent females in bachata, “representing women and girl power…I love it” she admits.  Eli feels that that it is important to have females stick together and states that she is, “honored to represent females and young women.”  In fact, Eli points out that being a female in a male dominated genre has helped her build a tough skin.  Her colleagues are very critical of her, always pushing her to work harder which she loves because in turn she is able to provide her supporters with quality music. 

The journey to stardom, however, is not always a smooth path.  “Nothing is easy when trying to pursue your dream,” Eli points out, and notes that it can be hard to “buckle down and do what you need to do.” She recognizes her fans and peers saying, “They are giving me beautiful support.”  Eli encourages all upcoming artists to believe in themselves and concentrate on what they do, to think outside of the box and become a different sound.  “Always be unique and if you believe in your heart that this is what you should do, go for it!”

At the moment, Eli Jas is working on new music alongside Matetraxx, who is known for producing albums for the Kings of Bachata themselves, Aventura.  Eli has a lot of surprises in store along with more interviews and live shows while working on experimenting with other genres; you’ll just have to stay tuned and follow her journey to see exactly what she has in store.   She thanks all of her supporters and says, “I am super grateful and I appreciate every single one of them!”

“I love them all and can’t wait to bring them new stuff.”  

Website: Eli Jas Worldwide

YouTube: TheRealEliJas

Twitter: @TheRealEliJas

Instagram: @TheRealEliJas

Facebook:www.facebook.com/TheRealEliJas

  Related A Vocal Accord Artists: RYG, Kewin Cosmos

Drew Tabor: Making Her Mark

With today's digital technology invading our homes and taking the world by storm it is no wonder that upcoming artists such as Drew Tabor are using the medium to its full advantage.  In my constant search for new talent I stumbled across a cover of Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" done by this talented young lady and I was immediately hooked.  I knew I had to find a way to speak to her about her developing music career. 

Drew began singing around the age of 16, and as she started doing YouTube videos discovered that it was something that she not only enjoyed but she was good at it too.  And so as any other striving artist she continued to post her videos.  "It started out of boredom," she describes.  Her channel is filled with so many adoring fans and people sending messages of encouragement to her for her outstanding voice.  However, this YouTube fame did not happen over night.

"It was slow to begin with," she states.  

"It took a long time."  After a year's time, she decided to post more regularly and do covers of more popular songs.  This is what helped Drew expand her fan base.  As of now however, she is still developing new ways of growing her followers and one way she plans on doing so is through the use of original songs to show who she really is.

With the attention she has already received, Drew has nothing but good things to say about the feeling of her growing success.  And so I asked, at such a young age what would be the most rewarding part of her musical career thus far?  "The fact that I can put something out there and have it mean something to someone else," she gushed.  Drew loves being able to touch others through her music.  

Drew’s favorite covers that she has done so far include her rendition of Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” as well as “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.  She enjoys being able to take a song and put her own spin on it.  However, Drew has original songs as well.  She currently has an EP called “Glitter” on iTunes now and plans to release another one in the coming weeks called “Bright Lights and Cheap Shots.”  She shared with me that none of the instrumentals in this coming EP were electronic, and that she was able to experiment with many different instruments. 

For the future, she says "[the world should] expect for me to be around for a while.”  Drew is not looking for 15 minutes of fame but rather, plans to have a long music career that makes an impact on many peoples’ lives.  She cares a lot about her music and wants to do this long term.  In whatever she does, I am sure that Drew will go far with her constant motivation and the infectious voice she possesses she is destined for success.

Contact Drew:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/drewby1xo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drewtabormusic

Twitter: @drewtabor