Tag: "austin renfroe"

This is it folks, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Thousands of potential superstars were narrowed down to just one lucky winner for the $10,000 “Superstars” Grand Prize. The artist? Drum roll, please. . .it’s none other than rising Nashville songwriter, Austin Renfroe. Renfroe landed the number two spot in the Intel® “Superstars” Competition Singer-Songwriter Channel with his track “Taking Me Under”, qualifying him for the finals round where he finished first out of 120 potential superstars potential. Now he’s $10,000 richer, which means he’s on the fast track to baller status (as if he wasn’t already, right?). Join us on congratulating Renfroe on his big win, and be on the lookout for our follow-up with him later this month.

Over the course of writing this column, I’ve come across some pretty sensational vocalists, and I had the chance to pick many of their brains about the most important aspects of being a professional singer. I’ve also observed many of the biggest voices in music, and the way that their voices have developed and changed over time. Getting up and singing for an audience, whether you’re a professional singer or just someone who loves to sing, is not easy. So, here is a list of some of the advice I’ve encountered while writing Vocal Points that may help the aspiring singers out there:

1. Everyone can sing. This is probably the most important piece of advice I’ve encountered because so often we feel that only certain people are blessed with a beautiful voice. As vocal therapist Mark Baxter said in his OurStage interview, “Singing came before speech. Humans are instinctively wired to send and receive melodic passages of emotional statements.” So if you love to sing, don’t let anyone else stand in your way.
2. Nobody is perfect. Its important to remember that our favorite vocalists got to be so good because of hard work and practice. As Kevin Devine explained to me, “I think I’ve embraced my limitations as a singer and tried to re-frame them as strengths. “
   
3. Continue reading ‘Vocal Points: A Few Words Of Advice’

For our last installment of Vs, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of comparing an OurStage artist to an artist in the mainstream, we’ll be taking a look at OurStage’s Best Of The Best Charts. Specifically, we’re taking a look at the Number 1 artist in four categories, Pop, Rock, Urban and Country, and examining what makes them great along with what makes them standout from their peers on OurStage.

Pop – Austin Renfroe

Austin Renfroe seems to have become a fan favorite here at OurStage. Between winning competitions left and right, he was also a finalist in The OurStage Panel Finale. While most modern pop music is becoming more electronic and Autotuned, Renfroe stands out by making music that is natural and organic sounding yet incredibly catchy. The multitalented singer-songwriter plays both the guitar and piano, but his biggest strength is his voice. His distinctive soulful style also possesses an incredible range—Renfroe often switches between a low register and a silky sweet falsetto in the same song. His song “Taking Me Under” showcases all of his vocal skills, using falsetto and vocal embellishments to create a killer hook in the chorus. Renfroe is also a gifted songwriter, blending elements of pop, folk, soul and rock into his songs. Between “Honesty,” a more upbeat pop/rock track, and “Can’t Bring Us Down,” a stripped down acoustic song, it’s clear that he has the versatility and talent to stick around for awhile.

Rock – Chasing Eden

Chasing Eden have been making waves for awhile, having been on OurStage’s Best Of The Best Chart for over seventy-five weeks and racking up a whopping fifteen Top 10s and ten Top 40s. This hard rock band forms the basis of their sound around heavy, chugging guitar riffs. However, unlike most other bands in their genre, Chasing Eden utilize a female lead singer. Andrea Brink’s voice is smooth and sweet, which contrasts with the rest of the band’s heavy riffing. However, if you listen to songs like “All I’m Asking” or “Remember Me,” you can hear that this contrast actually works really well, and it is one of the main reasons that Chasing Eden have remained a mainstay at the top of our charts.

Urban – Greg Banks

We covered Greg Banks, one of the many talented young artists who are revitalizing R&B, on Vs. before. Banks is not only a supremely talented singer, but also a gifted songwriter who writes all of his own music. Banks creates his unique sound by using real instruments in his compositions to create a warm sound in a genre that, ironically, can sometimes lack soul. His song “Selfish” shows off his songwriting skills as well as his vocal prowess. This song begins with a riff that is finger picked on an acoustic guitar, which becomes the focal point of the song. Other instruments like violin and keyboard are added to the mix to flesh out the song. Banks’ voice is also impressive here, using his range to hit high notes that most other singers wouldn’t be able to hit.

Country – Allen Layman

Allen Layman is a journeyman, the perfect archetype for country music. He’s played in various bands in all parts of the country, which gives him plenty of lyrical inspiration. Layman plays a more traditional brand of country, eschewing the pop-infused sound of most modern country. Layman sings in a smooth, deep baritone, recounting tales of heartbreak and homesickness. It’s the kind of voice that sounds like it’s been through years of hardship, spending late nights in smoke-filled bars. Songs like “Reason To Live” and “If I Can Make You Love Me” not only showcase Layman’s fantastic voice, but also his great twangy guitar skills.

But what do YOU think of these artists? Do you think another artist should be at the top of the charts? Let us know in the comments!

The road ahead is looking bright for Nashville singer-songwriter Austin Renfroe. He’s turning heads across the board with the attention of hundreds of thousands of online fans, critical acclaim, Sirius XM’s “Breaks The Band” title and a spot as a The OurStage Panel finalist. He also managed to grab the attention of our friends at Ernie Ball, which landed him the Ernie Ball Pop Grand Prize in October for his track “Honesty”. As a result, Renfroe got the hook up from Ernie Ball with a year’s supply of shiny new strings for his axe, so we just had to catch up with him to see how he likes ‘em. Check out the pics below!

Featuring performances by The Well Reds, Austin Renfroe, Britni Elise, and Matt Bailie. Special guest performances by Hot Chelle Rae! Get more info and learn how to be included in future seasons here.

We’re so close to the finale episode of The OurStage Panel we can almost hear it. Or that could just be the residual ear ringing from the ecstatic crowd at last week’s filming. Either way it’s almost here, and you’ll be able to watch performances from Hot Chelle Rae, Britni Elise, Austin Renfroe, Matt Bailie, and finally these guys: The Well Reds. If you recall, The Well Reads were the final act to be named a finalist by the panelists. We caught up with them prior to the filming to hear all about their hometown of Atlanta, performing at the New Music Seminar, and the dynamic of their live performance.

You can also vote The Well Reds as your Fan Favorite on Facebook, they’ll be up against the fan favorites from the three previous episodes, and the winner will walk away with $1,000. One fan who votes will also win a nifty pair of KOSS headphones. Make sure to follow @OurStage and @OurStagePanel for the latest updates on all things OurStage Panel. Be sure to watch the finale when it airs this Thursday!

Watch behind the scenes interviews with Matt Bailie, Britni Elise and Austin Renfroe here!

Austin Renfroe

Austin Renfroe does something not every singer-songwriter can do—he can make the masses dance. Command an arena. Maybe even blow an amp. The Atlanta native’s songcraft brings together folk, soul, pop and rock, cranks the volume up and unleashes the hooks. Buckle up and blast off with “Honesty,” a kinetic, chunky rocker that belongs somewhere between Maroon 5 and Gavin DeGraw. “Taking Me Under” is technically a love song, but one that’s got some muscle. “If it was up to me I’d never have to choose between the pleasure and the pain / Cause once you’re in you’re never out again,” Renfroe sings over a big, piano-driven surge. Powerful stuff, but if you’re looking for a quieter expression of feelings, skip to “Can’t Bring Us Down”, a striped acoustic ballad that showcases the singer’s limber vocals. Just don’t fall too fast—once you’re into Renfroe, you’re never out again.

“Honesty” – Austin Renfroe

Last week we caught up with The OurStage Panel finalist Britni Elise, who was gearing up for the Finale with a strict work-out regimen. Britni will soon be going up against fellow finalists Austin Renfroe, The Well Reds and Matt Bailie to determine who will be named the Grand Prize Winner of The OurStage Panel.

This week we checked in with Austin, who was named a Fan Favorite in Episode 2, in Nashville via Skype.  He dished on inspirations, his unique voice and even threw down the gauntlet with his response to Warner/Chappell VP Lee Dannay‘s comment that if he’s a charismatic performer, it could take him a lot further:

“Lee, I’m coming for ya, I’m ready to prove myself as a dynamic performer just for you!”

See more of what Austin has to say below!

Over the last four weeks, sixteen OurStage artists have gone up against The OurStage Panel. Their songwriting, creativity, voices and all around talents have been discussed, compared and even voted on by the fans. Now four finalists have emerged victorious. In the upcoming finale, Austin Renfroe, Britni Elise, Matt Bailie and The Well Reds will face the panelists for a final time—one will be named the winner, walking away with some seriously awesome prizes, including $5,000.

But it sucks waiting, doesn’t it? That’s why we’re checking in with each finalist in the meantime to find out how they felt about their competition, the panelists’ feedback, and even give them a chance to thank all their rockin’ fans. We caught up with Britni to hear how she’s preparing for the finale and what it was like to hear the panelists call her song “Rock This” a smash.

“[Hearing that] was a bit overwhelming for me, because I’ve been writing for so long and working very hard, just to have it appreciated, its emotional and uplifting.”

See what else Britni has to say about her musical origins, her work at the Atlanta Artist Development Center, and writing her “smash” song “Rock This.”

The first round of Fan Favorite voting has also come to a close. Check out who won the heart’s of OurStage fans everywhere below and stay tuned to vote for the final Fan Favorite (the winner will score $1,000!) and you could win a shiny pair of KOSS headphones.

The final episode of The OurStage Panel may be airing today, but the action’s not slowing down. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks to for the Finale, in which the panelists settle in for one last round of debate and name one finalist The OurStage Panel Grand Prize Winner. Britni Elise, Austin Renfroe, Matt Bailie, or today’s episode winner (you’ll have to watch to see who it is!) will walk away with a performance video filmed in NYC by Emmy award-winning Director Mitchell Stuart, $5,000 in cash and a one-on-one mentorship with industry heavyweights.

There’s a lot up our sleeve for The OurStage Panel Finale, so stay tuned for all the details—we have a feeling you won’t want to miss it. In the mean time, we’ll be posting extra footage and interviews with the contestants.

We’ll also announce the Fan Favorite winner, who will score $1,000 of their own. So far Enation, Austin Renfroe and Sleeperstar are in the running. Remember, all you need to do is “Like” OurStage on Facebook and vote for your favorite in this week’s episode, and you could win a prize of your very own.

Want to get in on the action for the next installment of The OurStage Panel? Get all the info here.