Fresh

Richard Andrew is a rapper from Yonkers, New York who describes his music as "energetic hip hop mixed with melodic soul," but these days he’s going by a new name. Andrew took the stage name Outasight once he began playing venues and he hasn’t looked back since.

Richard Andrew grew up surrounded by music. His mother hung records on the walls and his father gave him a guitar at the age of 9. Because his family never stayed in the same apartment long, Richard used that guitar and the music he learned to make with it to create a sense of home for himself. The rapper took on the name Outasight to rap in small venues around New York City and released his first EP, “Employee of the Year,” under that name. After that, things started picking up and Outasight rapped alongside bigger names like Ghostface Killah at the 2007 Hip-hop Festival.

Outasight released several mixtapes during that time and in 2009 he signed with Warner Bros. Records. In September 2011, the up-and-coming talent received a call from his manager asking if he would be interested in lending his music to a Pepsi commercial. The soda company wanted his single, “Tonight Is The Night,” as a background track for a montage of hit Pepsi commercials from the past. "I think I found about it on a Monday, I saw the commercial the next Monday on my laptop, and it started airing that Wednesday,” says Outasight. “It was amazing, suddenly seeing it on my TV after such little time has passed. It was like dominos falling." The ad, showcasing pop superstars that had previously worked with Pepsi including Michael Jackson and Britney Spears, will run through February 2012.

The commercial gained Outasight a remarkable amount of exposure. The song currently sits just under Billboard’s Top 40 and has landed the rapper spots on “X Factor,” “90210,” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” He even had to cut a tour with Gym Class Heroes short for promotional appearances. "There are so many ways to distinguish yourself, doing shows, doing mixtapes, or doing videos, and the label has been extremely supportive in all that process," Outasight says. "Things are really starting to whirl now. It's been a lot of hard work to get to this point, but it's fun and it's what happens. It's real. I've enjoyed it and I'm taking it all in."

“Tonight Is The Night,” like most of Outasight’s music, is fresh, carefree and the perfect track to dance to. It’s a party-starter, and it doesn’t look like the party will end anytime soon for Outasight.

Check out his music video for “Tonight Is The Night” and the Pepsi commercial featuring the track below:

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Gifted with an infectious ability to make your head bop and your toes tap, Andy Grammer is making it big in the music world through his hard work, sincerity and actual music-making talent.

A native of upstate New York with songwriter-parents, Grammer learned from an early age that great music is built upon the ability to write lasting lyrics. He cites Lauryn Hill, Billy Joel and The Beatles as his earliest songwriting influences. Now, Grammer is being likened to Maroon 5, John Legend and Coldplay – songwriting company he’s more than honored to keep.

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Jessie J's hit song "Pricetag" has become a smash success worldwide, but don't think she'll settle for that. She isn't a one hit wonder and she doesn't fall into one category. Her music can be called pop, R&B, hip-hop... but regardless of what you call it, it's brilliant.

At the age of 17, the singer-songwriter penned her first tune. "Big White Room" is a song about a time when she was hospitalized at 11 years old and the young boy she shared a room with passed away. A favorite among fans, this song has been covered more than 50 times even though it was never played on the radio.

Jessie J was signed to a independent label that has since went bankrupt. While on that label, she toured with some big stars, like Macy Gray, Taio Cruz, Chris Brown, Cyndi Lauper and more. 

The songwriter has also written songs for big stars, most famously Miley Cyrus. "Party in the USA" soared to No. 1 on iTunes. She definitely knows how to write a catchy hit.

Jessie J is now signed to Universal Music Group. In the U.S., she has a deal with Lava/Universal Republic Records and in the U.K, she has a deal with Islands Records.

Her debut album is called "Who You Are," and the first single off the album was the title track. This personal song is about a time that she was struggling in the music industry and considered quitting it. This song highlights her ability to writing heart-wrenching songs and her awe-inspiring vocals.

Jessie J's most well-known single off her first record is "Pricetag," which features B.O.B., and it showcases the other side of her talent. This song is more along the lines of "Party in the USA" in that it is fun, catchy and upbeat. Just by listening to her singles, it is evident that there is a wide diversity to the type of songs and styles showcased on her album.

"I feel like my album is an example of what exists in the world of music right now," says Jessie J. "It's like my album is an iPod... it’s like when you go clubbing these days, you don't have a pop room and a separate R&B room, they're all together. People just appreciate great music..."

 Check out her video to "Nobody's Perfect" below.

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Andrew Allen is pretty determined to be heard. So determined in fact, that he cut his first album in his living room with GarageBand, a Mac-based, DIY music production software. That album, aptly titled The Living Room Sessions, was inspired by Allen’s travels throughout Canada and the UK, in which he went into homes and performed in living rooms. By playing in places where people naturally loved to gather, he was able to take his music to a more personal level and develop relationships with people he wouldn’t normally have met playing in a crowded club.

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