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Interview with Music Video winner Valerie Orth

MAS: MakeAStar is very proud to introduce Valerie Orth as our latest music video winner for “Relinquish”. An exciting and unique musical talent, Valerie and her band craft sensual, intelligent, soulful songs riding the crest of folk, pop and alternative rock. Valerie grew up singing and pursued an interest in African music by studying drumming and dance in Ghana before returning to her home in the San Francisco Bay Area, where in addition to her musical career, she works long hours backing many environmental and social justice causes. Let’s get to know more about Valerie Orth in her MakeAStar interview! First off, tell us how it feels to have won. Are you happy, surprised, relieved? Valerie Orth: It feels great to be rewarded for all the hard work my band and all of our supporters put into my music and our products, like our music videos. And I feel really loved by our fans who took the time to vote for us! MAS: Is there an interesting story behind your band’s name? Valerie Orth: It happens to be my real, given name. If you really want to know, I was named after one of my Dad’s patients: A black woman who was strong and positive, regardless of struggling with major physical health problems. MAS: How did you develop your sound? Are you the primary songwriter, or is it collaborative? Valerie Orth: I’m always working on developing my sound through working alone or with various people on songwriting and working with my band on arrangements. MAS: What’s the story behind the video you’ve entered in the Make A Star contest? Valerie Orth: The song, “Relinquish,” is about forgetting about all the negative stuff that’s happening in a relationship and allowing one night to be just right, enjoying just one night, even if it’s the last. The video focuses on the tension that the woman/ rockstar feels with all the back and forth of a struggling relationship near its end. MAS: How did the concept for the music video come together? Valerie Orth: The director, the fearless Jason Mongue, locked himself in a cabin and watched a single episode of Gilligan’s Island for three days for inspiration for the project. MAS: What other music video direction work have you done in the past? Valerie Orth: Jason Mongue created an award winning music video with Shovelman as well as a series of 3min documentaries each featuring an exotic dancer, an electronic music and a barber. MAS: Jason is a talented director - Shovelman was also a MakeAStar music video winner for 'Moonshine' in October 2010. How does MakeAStar.com compare with other websites for music fans and musicians? Valerie Orth: MakeAStar is great because anyone can enter and there are many contests, and it’s free! MAS: Which musical influences have other people compared you to? Valerie Orth: Ani DiFranco, Alanis Morrisette, Natalie Merchant, sometimes even Joni Mitchell. I don’t listen to all of them, but I’m OK with those comparisons. People seem to enjoy music that’s familiar to them, and hence like to compare original artists to others they like. MAS: What sets you apart from other artists in your genre? Valerie Orth: I write a variety of styles of songs, with unpredictable twists and turns even within one song, so it’s hard to box me and my band into a single genre. We also have very lively, loud, interactive live performances. MAS: Who do you get inspiration from or wish to emulate in music and life? Valerie Orth: Ani DiFranco, because she has always been ahead of her time, ahead of the music industry, ahead of trivial politics. And she always speaks her truth. And she’s an incredible musician, guitarist and songwriter. MAS: What are your thoughts on music videos? The ideas, the production, working with directors, how they add to the song, etc… Valerie Orth: Music videos have an amazing way to draw people into songs. I like to work with different directors and see other people’s interpretations of my songs. We have another music video for my song, “Blinding.” (You can watch it at www.youtube.com/valerieorth) We worked with a different director and came out with a completely different style of video – and it was just as fun as making “Relinquish.” The more out there we can go visually, the better! MAS: What are you or your band’s plans for the year ahead? Valerie Orth: We’re working really hard on a promo kit with 3 brand new recordings and lots of great photos, and even a new video, to recruit an industry team to work with us on getting our music out there – we want to tour the world! MAS: Who were your favorite musicians as a child? What was your first album or concert? Valerie Orth: I was really into musical theater, but the first “concert” I went to was Milli Vanilli – ha! I’m not even embarrassed because I loved the show. But, I guess I didn’t have very good taste in sixth grade. MAS: What is the best and worst part about being a musician? Valerie Orth: The worst part is the tireless, endless business work that often goes unrewarded, the constant doubt that you’re never going to be able to support yourself with your deepest passion. The best part is performing, and having an impact on people. MAS: What is the best and worst part about the music industry today? Valerie Orth: The best part is that everyone can put out a record. The worst part is that everyone can put out a record. MAS: Valerie Orth thank you for this very great interview! Everyone can check out more of her music on her official site ValerieOrth.com But before we go, here's one more chance to tell us something completely random. Valerie Orth: I’m taking care of 20 animals right now – 4 chickens, 4 cats, 2 dogs, 3 guinea pigs, 2 parakeets, 3 fish…. uh-oh, who am I forgetting?

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Interview with Stand Up Comic winner David R. Baker

MAS: A big congratulations to David R Baker of Duluth, Minnesota for winning the March 2012 Stand Up Comic contest! Tell us the story behind the video you submitted. David R Baker: There really isn’t a story behind it. The jokes are set up from real experiences in a gym where old men like to dangle themselves. . MAS: Tell us how you got started as a stand-up comic. David R Baker: I started on Halloween weekend in October 2011. I just worked up some material and gave it a shot. The set went real well and since then I have been performing nearly every weekend. I have also done a few shows in Wisconsin and have been asked with a few others to go to Canada to perform. MAS: How do you feel when you are on stage as a comedian? David R Baker: I usually feel pretty relaxed and in good humor. It’s really strange to get in front of a bunch of strangers and make them laugh. It is totally worth it. MAS: How do you go about gathering the situations or information to write your jokes and put together a routine? David R Baker: I usually write them out at home then modify on stage depending how the crowd is acting. I find it is most helpful to run them by my wife first. She is my best critic. MAS: Have other people compared you to any other comics? David R Baker: Not yet and I hope they don’t. I haven’t modeled anyone so hopefully they will just see me up there and not someone else. MAS: Who are your comedy heroes that have influenced your style? David R Baker: The list is long. MAS: What are you career plans for the year ahead? David R Baker: Just to continue to work the circuit the best I can and see what happens next. MAS: What is the best and worst part about being a stand-up comic? David R Baker: Laughter and lack of laughter. MAS: What is the best and worst part about the industry for comics today? David R Baker: The attack on the First Amendment of the Constitution. MAS: How does MakeAStar compare to other sites? David R Baker: I thought it is well put together and I hope the site continues to grow and encourage others to do what they love to do. MAS: Thank you David R Baker! A comic who is quickly making a name for himself in the upper Midwest live comedy scene, and now getting global attention through the MakeAStar.com comedy contest. Best wishes to you, but before we go, here’s one last chance to tell us something completely random. David R Baker: I’m wearing boxer briefs while typing this.

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MakeAStar.com March Music Madness

Congrats to all the $100 winners of the March 2012 brackets! Music Video : Valerie Orth "Relinquish" Described as “sexy, soulful, genuine, and edgy” by the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Valerie Orth is an indie folk artist on the rise, poised to cross over into widespread pop acclaim. Influenced by artists as diverse as Ani DiFranco and Bjork, her winning music video “Relinquish” showcases her gorgeous voice, lyrical depth and the intricate rhythmic twists of her band. Duo or Band : Lunic “Love Me” Lunic is the music of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page and electric violinist Megan Berson. The New York based duo’s songs have been hailed as sultry, psychedelic, ethereal indie electronic. Page combines real and virtual instruments, pedal, effects and MIDI to craft each song. Comparisons to Portishead, The xx, Ladytron or Garbage come to mind for this exciting group on the rise who have already shared the stage with big-name artists such as Moby and Mindless Self Indulgence. “Love Me” is their first MakeAStar win. Male Solo Artist : Hank Grant “The Picture” Hank Grant describes his brand of country music as ‘old school’. A native of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Hank learned his musical chops harmonizing on the family’s second hand organ, and playing the songs he loved on the radio by ear. The music video for his song ‘The Picture’ was first seen back on MAS TV in 2009. A well-crafted, classic country melody, ‘The Picture’ now earns its place as the Male Solo Artist song of the month for March 2012. Female Solo Artist : Charlotte Forbes “Gallop On” Up the pacific coast in Vancouver, teen singer Charlotte Forbes takes her third Female Solo Artist contest title in the last five months with “Gallop On”. A dramatic, picturesque pop song that puts the listener on horseback, each of Charlotte's winning songs show an emerging artist quickly growing in depth and quality. Instrumental : Marco Maenza “Feelings” Marco Maenza is a blues guitar virtuoso born in Livorno, Italy in 1976. He has released three full-length solo albums since 2009: “A Whisper of Joy”, “Stone House of Blues” and “Midnite Train”. This is his third triumph in the Instrumental song contest, and his songs have the quality and fan appeal to top the charts more times to come. Sing in 30 Seconds : Jennylyric Jennylyric is a talented young singer from Illinois who shines in this month’s Sing in 30 Seconds contest with her performance of “Hallelujah”. Jennylyric is a dancer who can sing in Korean and Chinese, and she hopes to one day have a singing career in Korea. Keep your eye on this American girl with plans for world wide acclaim! Stand Up Comic : David R. Baker David R Baker just began giving stand-up comedy a shot in Halloween 2011. Less than 6 months later, he’s performing nearly every weekend through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Canada and now he’s won his first online competition for the MakeAStar March 2012 contest. David says his relaxed personality helps him perform well on stage and keep people laughing.

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MakeAStar.com Duo or Band contest March 2012

Lunic "Love Me"

Lunic is the music of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page and electric violinist Megan Berson. The New York based duo’s songs have been hailed as sultry, psychedelic, ethereal indie electronic. Page combines real and virtual instruments, pedal, effects and MIDI to craft each song. Comparisons to Portishead, The xx, Ladytron or Garbage come to mind for this exciting group on the rise who have already shared the stage with big-name artists such as Moby and Mindless Self Indulgence. “Love Me” is their first MakeAStar win.

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MakeAStar.com Instrumental song contest March 2012

Marco Maenza "Feelings"

Marco Maenza is a blues guitar virtuoso born in Livorno, Italy in 1976. He has released three full-length solo albums since 2009: “A Whisper of Joy”, “Stone House of Blues” and “Midnite Train”. This is his third triumph in the Instrumental song contest, and his songs have the quality and fan appeal to top the charts more times to come.

Feelings (Instrumental Track) all instruments by Marco Maenza taken from the album STONE HOUSE OF BLUES released May 2010 available at cdbaby, iTunes, Amazon http://itunes.apple.com/album/stone-house-of-blues/id373530473 http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/MarcoMaenza1

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MakeAStar.com Male Solo Artist contest March 2012

Hank Grant "The Picture"

Hank Grant describes his brand of country music as ‘old school’. A native of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Hank learned his musical chops harmonizing on the family’s second hand organ, and playing the songs he loved on the radio by ear. The music video for his song ‘The Picture’ was first seen back on MAS TV in 2009. A well-crafted, classic country melody, ‘The Picture’ now earns its place as the Male Solo Artist song of the month for March 2012.

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MakeAStar.com Music Video contest March 2012

Valerie Orth

San Francisco, California

Directed by Jason Mongue Valerie Orth "Relinquish" Faraway City Vocals & Guitar - Valerie Orth Keyboard - Eryn Allen Bass - Veronika Safarova Guitar - Tyler Lewis Drums - Jeff Marrs Makeup & Hair - Tracy Shelor Makeup & Hair - Lisa Teller Stylist - Meg Abraham Dolly Grip - Jim Bakken Second Camera - Aaron Loutsch Audio Tech - Jake Foster Art Consultation - Kim Wilson Special thanks to Anne Bacon Shot on a Canon 7d, 5dmkii, 60d, and various lenses. Edited in Premiere Pro CS5. Color graded with Colorista II.

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MakeAStar.com March 2012 Sing in 30 Seconds winner

Congrats to Jennylyric. Winner of the March Sing in 30 Seconds contest! Her rendition of the classic song "Hallelujah" made famous by Leonard Cohen and Jeff Buckley shows her great singing skills and won her the $100 cash prize.

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MakeAStar.com Stand Up Comic contest March 2012

David R Baker

Duluth, Minnesota

Congrats to David R. Baker. Winner of the March Stand Up Comic contest! The Minnesota comedian wins his first comedy $100 cash prize!

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MakeAStar Female Solo Artist contest march 2012

Charlotte Forbes "Gallop On"

Congrats to Charlotte Forbes. Winner of the March Female Solo Artist contest! From Vancouver, BC, Canada, she takes her third Female Solo Artist monthly title with the new song 'Gallop On'.

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February's Finest

Congrats to all the $100 winners of the February 2012 brackets! Music Video : Bryan Russo "Smokey Cafe" Bryan Russo is an acclaimed songwriter and live perfomer, self-taught on the guitar and piano. Based in Maryland, he has gained a reputation for songs that feature “Blues stomping on pop melodies, gritty vocals with a touch of soul, and lyrics that bite.”. His winning video for “Smokey Café” captures this spirit perfectly. Female Solo Artist : Charlotte Forbes “Slow Down” Vancouver’s bright new teen talent Charlotte Forbes wins her second Female Solo Artist contest with “Slow Down”, a lushly arranged pop song featuring Charlotte’s violin. Male Solo Artist : Cliff Gundersen “Waiting” Cliff Gundersen wins his third MakeAStar title but first since 2010 with the uptempo rock and roll track 'Waiting'. This talented pacific northwest guitarist is back and better than ever. Duo or Band : The Sedo “Quiet Night” Italy has seen a number of MakeAStar winners and The Sedo now add their name to that list. From Messina in Sicily, The Sedo craft melodic, intelligent, and very British sounding alternative rock and roll. Instrumental : Gokul Salvadi “Duet KV” Gokul Salvadi is a Carnatic composer and singer active since 1998. The first MakeAStar winner from India, Gokul crafts mysterious and spiritual compositions with layers of romantic sounds. Sing in 30 Seconds : Jessica White Jessica White is a talented new singer from Glendale, Arizona and our latest Sing in 30 Seconds champion. She stepped in front on her webcam, performed a piece of Jessie J's "Mamma Knows Best" it instantly puts her in the spotlight. Stand Up Comic : Nelson Mayer Winnipeg, Manitoba brings us the talent of Nelson Mayer, who adds his name to the MakeAStar Stand Up Comic champions list.

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The First Stars of 2012

Congrats to all the $100 winners of the January 2012 brackets! Music Video : Aydilge "Geri Dönmem" Aydilge are a pop rock band from Istanbul, Turkey. Their music video for "Geri Dönmem" is a splendid visual feast that can’t be missed. Female Solo Artist : Amanda Belle “Hazy” Amanda Belle's song 'Hazy' hit the top of this month's chart. Take a listen to the winning song from this talented Toronto, Canada singer. Male Solo Artist : Dillon Jones “Welcome Home” Dillon Jones is the singer of the Minnesota rock band Love Out Loud. He ventures on his own and reaches the top with "Welcome Home". Duo or Band : Boiling Point “Brand New Day” This powerful uplifting rock anthem 'Brand New Day' takes the prize for the Minnesota based group Boiling Point. Instrumental : LiL*LuLu “Moonlight Dancing” The Montreal, Canada based singer and songwriter LiLLuLu rises to the top of the instrumental category this month with another of her signature exotic, electronic world beat rhythm pieces. Rap Battle : Boogie The Mann “Machine Gun Style” From Ceres, in northern California, Boogie The Mann's 'Machine Gun Style' shows off his rapid fire lyrical skills and earns him the Rap Battle title.

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December Winners Start the New Year Right

Congrats to all the $100 winners of the December 2011 brackets! Music Video : Mars & Venus "Shades of White" Mars & Venus are five best friends from Edmonton, Canada who’ve captured the music video title with their eclectic mix of rock, alternative and post-punk music. The “Shades of White” video showcases a tight rock band on the rise. Female Solo Artist : Killian “This Life” Killian is a country recording artist from Phoenix, Arizona. “This Life” shows her songwriting craft has unlimited talent and could keep her in the spotlight for a long time to come. Already with over five thousands likes on facebook, her following is strong and growing. Male Solo Artist : Dayda Bass “Bar & Dance Floor” Dayda Bass is one of MakeAStar’s champions of the 2011. The rising star from Los Angeles blends a smooth flow with club-ready hooks into his raps. This cut from his upcoming independent album gave him his fourth title of the year. Instrumental : Marco Maenza “Dust's Heart” Marco Maenza takes his second title in the popular Instrumental category. The Italian guitarist turns in an epic performance on his Gibson Les Paul in this 9/11 tribute song “Dust’s Heart”. Duo or Band : TERRA Inc. “Run Away” TERRA Inc. formed in Moscow, Russia in 2010 and have already achieved a polished, unique hard rock sound. “Run Away” took them to the top of the charts in December.

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Electric guitar from Germany.

Instrumental song contest. Finalist. Dec 2011.

MakeAStar.com

Gylepomp “Burn Out”

Reutlingen, Germany

http://www.reverbnation.com/gylepomp1

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Electric guitar from Italy.  A tribute to 9-11.

Instrumental song contest. Finalist. Dec 2011.

MakeAStar.com

Marco Maenza "Dust's Heart"

DUST'S HEART - A TRIBUTE TO (9-11-2001) Dedicated to all those who gave and lost their lives in 9/11 and to those who heroically saved lives check out the video made by my friend Tony D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uNGJosMPFM taken from the new album "Stain Blue" released 18 November 2011 http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marcomaenza3

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Folk singer songwriter rock from North Carolina

Duo or Band contest Finalist Dec. 2011

MakeAStar.com

Keith Rogers and Mack White "Camp Fire"

Hendersonville, North Carolina