New York City – ayminor

J Events: 6 Great Things about Social Media Week 2014

February 25, 2014January 28, 2024ayminor

1. All the big players in (social) media, technology and entertainment were there

Just to name a few: Buzzfeed’s CEO Jonah Peretti, 300 Co-founder Kevin Liles, Rap Radar’s Elliott Wilson and President of Lava Records Jason Flom, all made an appearance. SMW doing it big!

Jason Flom Lorde — Jason, who currently serves as Lorde’s manager, during my favorite interview from SMW. (Photo by @feistyfrank)

2. The scope of the seminars, events and vendors

PR, marketing, technology, nonprofit, music, writing, television, art — basically, SMW touched on everything I’ve ever loved. And because the scheduled events were so diverse, so was the crowd!

3. Revolt TV: Watch, Engage, Invent – Thursday Independent Event

Despite the trek to Dumbo from the SMW campus, I had thee best time at the Revolt event. Jake Katz, Revolt TV’s VP of Audience Insights and Strategy, provided some insightful commentary on the development of Revolt that led to a great discussion surrounding the fate of music television. The open bar was the icing on the cake.

Jake interviewed by Huge Inc’s Joe McCaffrey. (Photo by @christinaaa28)

4. Morning Yoga, hosted by Under Armour & Breathe Repeat

How many conferences do you know that incorporate a workout into the day? After only a few hours of sleep it was a struggle to get up at 7 a.m., but I was determined to make it to my first ever yoga class (late)!

5. Networking

Though I was only able to make it to SMW events 3 out of the 5 days, I still met so many other creatives! We were all so excited to connect, collaborate, and share events.

I was featured on themusicdiary.com after meeting site owner Vic-E at the Revolt event.

6. Free Stuff!

In addition to my free Under Armour yoga mat and sweatbands, I went home with a bottle of wine, tote bag, dry shampoo, morning glory muffin, two new journals, a headshot and a free Chipotle burrito! Whoop!

(My bottle of wine is nestled in my new Pubslush tote.)

J Music: Bridget Kelly at S.O.B.s

January 21, 2013January 18, 2024ayminor

Bridget Kelly has been featured on my blog several times this year as she works toward the release of her debut album. If you’re not familiar with Bridget, she’s a new artist signed to Roc Nation. You most likely know her as “the girl who stands in for Alicia Keys on ‘Empire State of Mind.’” I am hoping by the end of 2013, she will be known primarily for her solo endeavors.

Bridget’s new single “Special Delivery” was most recently featured on my blog. Bridget would close her set with the song, but it was far from the only highlight of the night.

When I first listened to Bridget’s EP Every Girl, I was a bit shocked by how aggressive many of the tracks were in contrast to the more mellow “Special Delivery” and “Thinking About You.” After seeing Bridget in an intimate setting, however, I get it. Her fiesty, yet gentle-hearted demeanor was reflected throughout her performance and in her music.

“I’m not mad, a little scorned” – Bridget Kelly

Set List

Empire State of Mind
In the Morning

I loved the live performance of “In The Morning” even more than the subdued vocals on the original track.

Seek and Destroy
Thinking About You
Say Yes
Ex-Factor

White Lies
Stay (Ft. Ro Johnson)
Special Delivery

Download Bridget Kelly’s EP Every Girl here.

Check out Bridget’s website here.

See my post about “Special Delivery” here.

P.S. Bridget just recieved her commemorative plaque as she serve as a writer on Kelly Clarkson’s smash record “Stronger” — Congrats Bridget!

J Music: Ro James at S.O.B.s

January 21, 2013January 18, 2024ayminor

Another great night at S.O.B.s! Ronnie “Ro” James opened up the night with a short set that included a cover of “Creep,” by Radiohead, and his original tracks “Neon” and “Pledge Allegiance.” Although Ro had trouble hearing himself in the monitors, he did his best to work through the technical difficulties and put on a good performance for the crowd.

A New York native (amongst other infuences), Ro was dressed in a Fedora hat and leather overalls with two sleeves of tattoos and a gleaming gold tooth. I was a bit thrown off by Ro’s appearance —in a good way (I think). His demeanor, dress, and direct lyrics seemed to contrast his smooth, sensual tone. I was curious to learn what influenced his image and sound.

Find “Introducing Ro James” below.

Check out Ro’s website here.

3 Seconds of Fame on BET’s Apollo Live

December 3, 2012January 7, 2024ayminor

I had my 3 seconds of fame last weekend as the Apollo Live taping I attended this summer aired on BET following the Soul Train Awards.

Apollo Live is a revival of the classic talent showcase series hosted by Tony Rock. The celebrity judges include Gladys Knight, Doug E. Fresh, and New Edition’s Michael Bivins.

I was able to attend as a BET summer intern. It was great to get to see the production side of things even though I look a bit crazy unkept after a long day of work!