Actor Spotlight: Amandla Stenberg Rising Star

Amandla Stenberg is a 14 year old Actress from Los Angeles, California who stars in the movie series "The Hunger Games as Rue. Named for the Zulu word for power, Amandla Stenberg is a force to be reckoned with. Born on October 23, 1998, she landed the first of her Disney catalog modeling shoots when she was four years old. Amandla has shot numerous national spots, most notably for McDonald's with Ronald McDonald himself, for Walmart with DJ Tony of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (LeVar Burton aka Kunta Kinte directed), and for BuildThe Dream.org. This moving, Boeing-sponsored PSA, which raised funds for a national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., premiered during the weekend of President Obama's inauguration in January 2009 on "Meet the Press" and other NBC/MSNBC programs.

On October 16, 2011, Amandla was invited by the MLK Memorial Foundation, along with such luminaries as Jesse Jackson, Tommy Hilfiger, Dan Rather, Stevie Wonder and Nikki Giovanni, to participate in the memorial's dedication ceremony. After an introduction by actress Cicely Tyson, Amandla paid tribute to the four little girls who were killed in the Birmingham church bombing.

In addition to on-camera jobs, Amandla has put her sensitive ear to work in ADR gigs for both film and television, and as a musician. She plays the violin, drums and guitar. In 2009, Amandla performed the violin with the Los Angeles Unified School District's Honors Orchestra at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex. Her involvement with the Rock STAR Music Education program landed her gigs at the House of Blues and the Hard Rock Cafe, as well as a studio session with producer/engineer Gerry Brown, after her band won RockSTAR's Battle of the Bands.

In the summer and fall of 2010, the actress shot her first feature, "Colombiana," an action-thriller starring Zoe Saldana whose character, Cataleya Restrepo, Amandla plays as a child. Amandla opens the movie, setting the stage for Saldana's cold-blooded assassin. The Luc Besson vehicle is quintessential Besson, featuring lots of daring stunts, some of which Amandla performed herself. On set to help Amandla hone her natural athletic abilities was David Belle, the French-born creator of Parkour. Next up for Amandla came the Hallmark Channel movie "A Taste of Romance," which she filmed in Los Angeles in February 2011.

In April 2011, Lionsgate announced that Amandla had landed the coveted role of Rue in the screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' popular young adult series, The Hunger Games. The news was greeted with overwhelming support by fans, and the highly anticipated film opened in theaters on March 23, 2012, to much acclaim and big box

Musician Spotlight: Meadow Ryan Singer/Songwriter/Performer

In Charlestown, Indiana there is a very talented 13 year old Singer and Songwriter that caught our attention through her great singing voice. This Singer and Songwriter is Meadow Ryan whose style of singing is Country/Pop. We recently had a chance to interview this 13 year old Singer/Songwriter from Charlestown, Indiana. Below is our interview we recently did with thus young Singer and Songwriter following her dreams.

1.)
    Q: When did you first start singing?
     A: Well, I know I started singing and playing guitar about two years ago. I started singing on accident. It was a week or so before school started that year and I begged my mom to take me to a

Musician Spotlight: Singer & Songwriter Gavyn Bailey

There's a talented 14 year old Singer & Songwriter in Orange County, California whose good singing vocals got our attention. This 14 year old is Gavyn Bailey whose a Singer & Songwriter.

Fourteen-year-old Gavyn Bailey is a rising star who's taking his pain and channeling into music" CBS's Suzie Suh quotes, and that's exactly what young Gavyn is doing. Born with Kidney Failure and a passion for music, his dream is to inspire others and make a difference through his lyrics. Gavyn first picked up a microphone at age three, fisherprice of course, at the hospital post transplant. "He started singing for all the kids on the floor and even put on a show in the playroom" his mother, Giselle, said in an interview. Now at age fourteen, Gavyn has acquired a tremendous amount of musical knowledge and experience even at a young age which has exposed him to the positive effects that music plays in peoples lives. This is one of main reasons that Gavyn

Musician Spotlight: Rising Singer/Songwriter Maria Diebolt

There is a 13 year old talented young Lady that caught our attention from Fisher, Indiana. This talented Singer/Songwriter is Maria Diebolt who is a great Singer/Songwriter whose style of singing is Pop.

Thirteen year old singer/songwriter sensation Maria Diebolt (Dee-bolt) is already taking the world by storm with her insightful lyrics and a vocal maturity beyond her years! She has been singing publicly for about five years and has already garnered local, national, and international acclaim for her talents. Currently, Maria can be heard at local venues singing her own sets with Indy’s top band Zanna-Doo! She also has a keen interest in songwriting and recently recorded three original songs, including the heartfelt “Stay Strong” which was written for a classmate who was diagnosed with lymphoma. Maria’s other originals showcase the scope of her songwriting skills. “All I Know” is a pop/rock song in the style of Kelly Clarkson or Demi Lovato and the upbeat pop song “ I'll Be Here For You” is a catchy tune which appeals to an audience of all ages. She just recorded a soulful version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” which is available on iTunes along with her first three originals. Maria also has a full repertoire of cover songs in her catalog.

Maria has performed and competed at a variety of venues, including U.S. Cellular Field where she sang the National Anthem for a Chicago White Sox game this summer. She has won several vocal competitions, including St. Simon Idol, CarmelFest Has Talent, the Hamilton County Fair Talent Contest, as well as several regional voice and dance competitions. She was named Outstanding Performer for three consecutive years at the Catholic Youth Organization’s Music Contest in Indianapolis. Her largest live audience was in 2008 at the Circle of Lights Christmas Tree Lighting in downtown Indianapolis. Maria was the youngest soloist chosen to perform in front of an estimated crowd of 100,000 people. The event was also televised on WRTV, the local ABC affiliate.

Maria has performed locally at several events, including “A Night To Unite” campaign against hate and bullying, Classic Movie Events at Forest Park, Circle City Voice Showcase, Second Saturday Gallery Walk, Midwest School of Voice Showcase, Art In The Park, Carmel Community Players Haunted Cabaret, Cookies ‘n Santa at Fishers Town Hall, The Fishers Freedom Festival, The Indiana State Fair, school talent shows and at her church. Maria has been dancing for over 11 years and has been trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, modern and contemporary. She is the daughter of Ann Diebolt and resides in Fishers, Indiana.

Maria is available to perform the National Anthem or is available to book for your party or event. Please contact Ann Diebolt at anndiebolt@gmail.com or by phone at 317-770-7793 or 317-518-4365.

We most recently had the chance to interview this 13 year old young Lady Maria Diebolt.

When did you start singing?
I've been singing almost since I could talk!  My mom noticed pretty early on that I had a really pretty vibrato, so she enrolled me in voice lessons right before my 9th birthday.

Was it your dream to be a singer?
For as long as I can remember!!!  My mom just put together a video to my recording of Eva Cassidy’s “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and it brought back SO many memories – I guess it shows that I've been a performer almost all my life…even just while I was standing on my bed singing into a little karaoke machine microphone!

Tell us about your style of singing?
I like all different kinds of music, but mostly pop.  I get kind of uncomfortable when people ask me who I sound like, because I really just want to sound like myself!  People have told me that they hear a little Kelly Clarkson, or Demi Lovato, or Pink sometimes in my voice, but I just want to sound like Maria Diebolt!

Are there challenges pursuing a singing career?
It’s hard to focus full time on singing at my age, but I’m trying really hard to do that!  I’m in 8th grade, so obviously school is a priority – homework gets in the way of my singing a lot!  I’m also in a couple of dance classes and I dance with my school’s dance company.  It’s also hard to find places to perform at my age – it’s easier during the summer months when there are festivals and outdoor venues.

Does your parents and friends support you?
Yes!  I'm so lucky to have a mom that supports me 100% in my singing and songwriting!  I’m only 13, so I know I wouldn't be able to do the things I’m doing now without her!  My friends are really great too – my last video (Hello) starred one of my best friends – she was my “stalker”!  It’s really cool to think that I have actual “fans”, but I guess I do!!!  I've met many of them through YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and ReverbNation – and they have been incredibly supportive of me!  It’s amazing and I’m so grateful!!!

Do you write your own songs?
Yes, I've been writing songs for quite a while now.  I have several songs in my journal and I've been able to record three of them in the studio (my EP entitled Only The Beginning).  I also have enough songs ready to record my first full-length album called Inner Beauty.  I currently have a Kickstarter campaign running in order to raise funds to record this album.  (www.Kickstarter.com)

If so, tell us what goes into writing a great song?
I get my inspiration everywhere…from relationships (boyfriend and girlfriend), or friendships, or even just looking out the window and seeing the sun shining on the water!  No matter what you write, it just ends up being a story, you're telling a story.

Where was your first performance, were you excited?
My very first vocal performance was at a Christmas function in my hometown.  I was a tiny bit nervous, but I was more excited to get up there and sing!  I sang 2 songs – first I sang Silent Night, then I sang Think Of Me from Phantom of the Opera.  When I finished, all my friends came rushing up to me and they were all telling me that I made their parents cry!  I had a lot of parents tell me how much it touched them when I sang that song and it brought them to tears!  It was hard to understand that I could have that kind of effect on people!

Where have you been able to perform?
I've been able to perform in a variety of places!  My biggest crowd to perform in front of was in 2008 at the Circle of Lights, which is the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Indianapolis.  I was the youngest soloist ever chose to perform – I sang three songs in the pre-show, then the live show was televised on our local Indianapolis TV station and I sang “My Favorite Things” to Santa Claus!  The crowd was estimated at over 100,000 people.  I have also performed at several local and regional dance/vocal competitions, festivals and fairs.  This past summer I was lucky enough to meet Lisa Sauce, who is the owner of Blonde Entertainment.  She has become my mentor and good friend!!  She has allowed me to perform live with one of the biggest bands in Indianapolis (Zanna Doo) and it’s been such a great experience.  Two of the guys from this band are going to help me with my upcoming album – they are awesome musicians and awesome people, I’m very lucky to have all of them in my life right now!  My biggest, most recent performance was singing the National Anthem at Cellular Field at a Chicago White Sox game this past summer.  It was amazing!!!!  I also got to sing the National Anthem and a couple of other songs at a 9/11 event this past September called America Remembers.  I felt very honored to participate in that event.  I have some National Anthem gigs coming up with the Indiana Ice hockey team in the next couple of months and I will be performing at a holiday event in Indianapolis on December 9th  called Evening Of Holiday Joy which is a fundraiser for St. Mary’s Child Center and Wish Upon a Wedding.

Who inspires you with your singing and songwriting?
As I said before, I get my inspiration everywhere.  There are so many artists out there that inspire me to use my songwriting for good use – like to try to stop bullying, to encourage hope, to inspire others to go and make a difference in their lives as well as others lives.  Artists I look up to are Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, One Direction, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and many, many more.  One of the first songs I recorded was called Stay Strong – it was a song I wrote for a friend of mine who was diagnosed with Lymphoma.  When I heard the news, and found out what she was going to go through, I felt helpless!  I wanted to do something, but we couldn't afford to donate money…so I decided to use my talents and write her a song.  Today, she is cancer free!  She is such an inspiration, not just to me but to everyone!

If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I want to perform EVERYWHERE in the world!  It’s always been my dream and my goal to go on a World Tour!

Along the same line, who would you love to perform with?
I would be thrilled to work with any artist right now – there are so many!!!  Of course, any of the artists that I mentioned above would be at the top of my list!!!

What are some of your goals for your Music?
My ultimate goal is to get my music out there and to inspire people the way I've been inspired!  And to go on a world tour!  But my immediate goal right now is to get my album recorded, hopefully by reaching my funding goal in my Kickstarter campaign.

Kickstarter.com is a website that helps people get funding for their projects, whether it’s music, dance, film, games, literature and so on.  You put your project on their website with your funding goal and you have a set amount of time that your campaign will run.  If you don’t meet your financial goal by the end, you don’t get anything, no one is charged, and the project just dies – or you try it again at some point.  My campaign is currently running through November 24th – which is my birthday!!!  I’m hoping for the BEST birthday present ever – to get that project fully funded so that I can go into the studio and record my album!

My project can be viewed here:  http://kck.st/WeudIN

What do you hope to accomplish with your singing/songwriting?
I hope someday I can inspire others the way I've been inspired.  And it doesn't have to be a huge, big thing – sometimes it’s that lonely moment when you're sitting in your room, and you think you're ugly and no one likes you….then you hear a song that tells you you're beautiful just the way you are, that you can stay strong and make it through those lonely times, that it’s OK to break up with that boy, because something better is waiting for you down the road!

Do you have any advice for those wanting to start a career in singing and songwriting?
Just start writing and keep a journal.  Write down everything, even if you don't think it’s good, it probably is!  A lot of the stuff I've written, I'm not sure it’s good, but then people read it or hear it and say “Whoa, that is amazing!!!” Just believe in yourself, write everything down, and keep practicing!  It’s hard because there are so many great young artists out there, but just be true to yourself and keep working!

Is there anything else you want our readers to know about you, your singing/songwriting?
I really couldn't do any of this stuff without the support of my mom.  She has raised me by herself – I don't even know my dad, he has chosen not to be a part of our lives.  I know it’s been hard, she owns a dance store (which I try to help out with) and she works 2 or 3 jobs, depending on the time of year and she takes care of my grandma, who lives with us.  We don't have a “typical” family, but we do our best!  I've learned so much over the past few years – we've struggled like a lot of people these days, and I've learned that I can get by on just a little bit….I don't have to have all the best shoes, or the best clothes, or the latest phone…at the end of the day, that’s not the important stuff.  It’s important to have the love of your family and friends, we have a roof over our heads and we are making it.  We have a very strong faith, and that has helped us through all the really rough times!  Maybe someday I'll be able to repay my mom for all the sacrifices she’s made so that I can sing and dance!

Here are the links to my online websites:

www.MariaDiebolt.com
www.YouTube.com/mariasmama
www.ReverbNation.com/mariadiebolt
www.Facebook.com/mariadiebolt
www.Twitter.com/maria_diebolt

I also have some of my songs on iTunes – my first three originals (Stay Strong, I’ll Be Here For You and All I Know) and my cover of Eva Cassidy’s Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Do you have any other talents?
I love to dance!  I've been taking dance for over 11 years.  In addition songwriting  it’s another good way to express my emotions.  For quite a few years I danced on a competitive team, which was a lot of fun, but I had to scale back on that because my music is my main priority now.  I’m still taking a few dance classes a week and I just got my first pair of pointe shoes!!  I'm taking my first pointe class, which has been one of my dreams for a long time!  I also dance on my junior high dance team, which is so much fun! I love spending that time with my friends!

Maria is a very talented young Lady that has a very bright future ahead of her. We wish all the best as she follows her dreams.

Rocky Coast News is pleased to have Maria Diebolt as our latest "Musician Spotlight", where we highlight, promote up and coming musicians that have amazing vocals, sound, style and/or who are able to play an instrument well singing.

It Girl Public Relations signs emerging young artist Lauren Taveras

It Girl Public Relations excitedly announces they will be representing up and coming teen artist Lauren Taveras

It Girl Public Relations and CEO Juliette Harris proudly announce newly acquired representation of gifted singing/songwriting sensation Lauren Taveras.  With over 5 million views on YouTube, 13-year-old Lauren Taveras is an up-and-coming artist whose raw talent and energy has the music scene buzzing with anticipation.

On the heels of this recent collaboration, Harris proclaimed her excitement, “We are thrilled to start working with such a talented young artist as Lauren Taveras. We know her flair and energy will take her far in this business and we look forward to working with her to make sure it does.”

Nominated as one of Tween Pop Radio’s “Best New Unsigned Artist of the Year,” Taveras recorded her first album “Destiny,” at the ripe old age of 11 years old, showcasing her talent and confidence in her role as an emerging Urban-Pop artist to look out for. Having experience with X Factor, Disney Channel, and Kidzbop, this young artist is paving the way for a bright future.

Produced by Billboard™ album of the year winner and multi-platinum producer of “High School Musical,” Andrew Lane, and voice coach Nick Cooper (who has coached the likes of Beyoncé and Katy Perry), “Destiny” demonstrates a voice reminiscent of a younger Katy Perry or Adele. In addition to being an artist of Latin origin, Lauren highlights her inner soul with lower registers, a powerful full vocal and a dance vibe attuned to the beat of Nicki Minaj.

Not only a friend to the mic, Taveras is also an emerging, young television and film actress, having starred in Disney Channel’s “My Family Tree” and the new Discovery Channel television series “The Exorcist Files”. More than a triple threat, this singer/songwriter/actor/dancer is primed to take the industry by storm with her sick beats and innate talent for all things entertainment.

Currently, you can find Lauren’s music videos on YouTube.com/LaurenTaveras. It Girl PR is preparing to launch her new single, “Just a Number.”

**Congratulations from all of us from Rocky Coast News**