After a monumental summer, Big Loud Records rising star Larry Fleet marked another career high point with the release of his debut album – Stack of Records. Now, the Destination Country team are proud to premiere the new video today for his track, ‘Three Chords and a Lie’ Live from the Ryman. Watch the video here. The video was recorded when Fleet marked his lifelong dream, debuting at the historic Grand Ole Opry on the 17th September.

A lifetime-in-the-making, Stack of Records was co-written entirely by the Tennessee native himself, the project drops the needle on a charismatic baritone and eclectic fusion of Country, Southern Rock and Soul, with 14 tracks and star-studded collaborations featuring Jon Pardi, Jamey Johnson and Bryan Sutton. Shaped and inspired by the record collection Fleet grew up with, STACK OF RECORDS was produced by chart-topping studio ace Joey Moi and finds a new Country maverick stepping fully into the spotlight.

“To be able to create this music with some of the best songwriters and producer in Nashville is amazing,” says Fleet. “To see our stories come to life is an incredible feeling that I’m sure won’t be going away anytime soon. I want these songs to be like I wrote them for whoever is listening; like they are living it. Every one of these songs tells a story and that’s what I want to come across in my music is the storytelling. If your words touch somebody and change a life, that’s what you want as a songwriter. I’m grateful for the chance to able to do this for a living and hope this is just the start.”

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Pop-country newcomer Erin Grand portrays the authentic power of being vulnerable with one’s feelings in the performance video for her latest single, “Heartless.” The ballad, co-written by Grand with Alex Kiel, Channing Krentz, and Jonathan Krentz, and produced by Alex Kiel, is one Grand was excited to show visually, performing it in one of her favourite places in Tennessee where she goes to connect and find inspiration. The Destination Country team are proud to premiere the video for the track ahead of its release.

“’Heartless’ is all about accepting the fact that sometimes we just trust our heart too much and that can get us into the wrong relationships,” Grand tells Destination Country. “For the video I wanted to portray this song in a beautiful setting of nature where I go to find inspiration and tune into my mind to help guide me on the right path. It’s where I learned to trust my heart less and find peace in that.”

“Heartless” follows Grand’s last release “Lonely Does” – a more critical take on navigating the challenges of heartbreak. As with all of Grand’s music, the message was further sold to listeners by her signature soulful vocals, and her witty-yet-brazen lyrical delivery. 

Follow Erin: ErinGrand.com |  Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

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Jeorgia Rose is a dreamer and doer in equal parts. Hailing from Cheshire, England, she discovered an instant love for music when she began learning the piano aged 6. She made her stage debut the following year and had written her first song, Missing You by the age of 9. A multi-talented musician and songwriter, Jeorgia grew up playing the piano, harp, flute and guitar.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Taylor Swift, Cassadee Pope and Little Big Town, Jeorgia navigates the ups and downs of life through her lyrics with a vulnerable yet empowering authenticity. After being discovered by Grammy award winning writer Femke Weidema and mentor Neal Handforth, she has worked hard to develop her songwriting and performance and gained her introduction with debut single I Will Still Remember in late 2020, to critical acclaim with support from the likes of Maverick Magazine, CountryLine TV and Matt Spracklen on Country Hits Radio (no Absolute Country Radio). I Will Still Remember was also accompanied by an immersive music video which was part of the BETA launch for new brand platform Viktrs, an exciting new technology, set to be the future of music videos.

Having recently completed her studies at The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, Jeorgia Rose is picking up where she left off with brand new single Recipe For Disaster. Tackling the self conflict of an addicting but unhealthy kind of love, the phrase originally belonged to another of Jeorgia’s songs but whilst preparing for a co-write in her kitchen, she soon became distracted by the concept for Recipe For Disaster and the rest flowed naturally. Co-written with Neal Handforth and Femke Weidema, Jeorgia recorded her vocals at Chamber Studio in Edinburgh before the track was sent to Weidema (Seth Ennis, Sam Palladio, Jess and the Bandits, The Adelaides) in Nashville to develop her already recognisable modern country sound.

“The song could be interpreted in different ways but for me it was meant to be from a viewpoint of me talking to myself telling myself that you know the warning signs when you see them. I’m so excited to be releasing this track, it feels like such a long time since my last song obviously due to what happened over the past couple of years it’s taken a bit longer than expected but I’m so happy to be finally showing everyone what I have been working on, I’m really grateful and proud of everybody who has helped me with this song.”

Jeorgia is proud to be continuing her partnership Viktrs for the new single. Working with the exciting new brand to bring Recipe For Disaster to life visually, the video will be hosted using their innovative technology and immersive tools, set to be the future of music videos.

With Viktrs, fans can discover, share, shop and purchase products and services that the artist has tagged in the video. Additionally, they can learn more about creatives who played a part towards the video’s production, explore with music and gig listings, and connect with their favourite artists through learning more about their inspirations and the causes they support.

For artists, Viktrs is reimagining the video landscape completely. Music videos are set to be revolutionised from a cost into a highly profitable digital asset – allowing artists to turn up the value of all their digital content. The Viktrs technology provides artists with new partnership opportunities, greater audience insight & interaction than ever before and focuses on ensuring they receive fair and transparent revenue per stream.

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Jade Helliwell seeks out authenticity in all aspects of life, writing and releasing her truth. Hot on the heels of her standout headline performance at Buckle & Boots Festival, she reminds us to trust our instincts with empowering new single Smoke. Inspired by moments of uncertainty from previous relationships, Smoke is a fictional tale which will ring true for many who have experienced a relationship where things don’t quite add up. The lyrics tell the story of a relationship filled with rumours and doubt, when you’re told that somebody has been unfaithful but they pass it off as gossip. 

“It’s about trusting your instincts and realising that rumours don’t come from thin air. I hope people will relate to the song and that feeling of needing to be strong when you know people aren’t sincere. It’s unfortunately a feeling many of us have felt in life but hopefully people can connect with the message of Smoke and feel empowered by it.” 

Recording Smoke was a fun and very different experience for Jade who laid down her vocals at Chamber Studio in Edinburgh, working remotely with Grammy winning writer and producer Femke Weidma (Seth Ennis, Sam Palladio, Jess and the Bandits, The Adelaides). With a clear vision, the production builds upon the strong foundation of Jade’s recognisable country-pop sound to showcase her powerhouse vocals and honest performance.

To bring Smoke to life visually, Jade is excited to have collaborated with Viktrs, an exciting new brand who are using innovative technology, set to be the future of music videos. In a celebration of sisterhood and female empowerment, the video sees Jade and her friends light a “Boyfriend bonfire” to purge themselves of unwanted memories from their exes. The video can now be viewed on the Destination Country website ahead of its release.

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The Destination Country team are thrilled to share the premiere for the new video for ‘Home Girl’ by Levi Riggs, a stunning track that shows Riggs wearing his heart on his sleeve. Shot and directed by Logen Christopher, the tune – a sort of love letter to Riggs’ wife, Brittany – was written by Elizabeth Elkins, Megan Conner, Michael August, and Vanessa Olivarez and produced by Maks Gabriel. 

Talking about the creation of the video, Riggs shares, “We made the video on a hot day (it was 100 degrees) just outside of Nashville in the hills of Lebanon, Tennessee. We picked a location that was set up similarly to my home in Indiana – secluded with lots of beautiful countryside. While the premise of the video was to make it look like I was home (beautiful country farmhouse, front porch rocking chairs), home is where the heart is – and my heart is always with my wife, Brittany. She’s not featured in the video, and that was kind of the point: here I am, in this picturesque place, but singing about and missing her. My home is wherever she is.”

“My life at home is very much like the music video: private, simple, and meaningful. Things get more challenging and chaotic on the road. I love performing, seeing new places, and hanginging with fans. Wandering and traveling. But when the adrenaline from an awesome show wears off, it’s all about getting back home to my ‘home girl’ and our family. We’ve got a good thing goin’ on!”

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We are thrilled to present the premiere for the new track by The Colorist Orchestra and Howe Gelb, featuring Pieta Brown – Sweet Pretender – available everywhere tomorrow. Of the track, Howe Gelb shares, “Being a friend and a fan of Pieta for a quarter century has its perks .. visiting each other in song is like having a dance 1500 miles apart with the best backing band money can‘t even buy. It’s a dream and a splendor, some sweet pretending & a delirious upender.“  Pieta Brown adds to the description of the song’s journey, “This song came to me one day when I was playing electric guitar. The muse was very open to my abandonment issues and love addiction that day…the song came in very sudden-like and as soon as I sang it through a few times I imagined it as a duet. I figured out pretty quickly I would need Nick Cave or Howe Gelb to really deliver it “right”.  I mentioned the song to Howe once or twice, but a duet titled “Sweet Pretender” didn’t get too much of an excited response…hahaha…but when I got the invitation to collaborate with Howe and The Colorist Orchestra I couldn’t resist sending them a very rough demo of Sweet Pretender.  Then, it seemed like almost instantaneously I received the TCO’s sublime interpretation and arrangement!  I was floored. In a flurry I sang some lines…and Howe responded across the miles.  I had imagined it as a dark electric piece.  How did the TCO make it dark and light at once? Now, when I hear it it sounds like how it must’ve meant to be.” 

On ‘Sweet Pretender’ the artists create a lush sonic landscape. Aarich Jespers and Kobe Proesmans of The Colorist Orchestra are best known as interpreters and reimagineers, bringing their melodic percussion and avant-classical approach to other people’s songs. Howe Gelb is forever swerving and advancing, with a 50-album discography that includes Giant Sand’s underground guitar-skronk classics, solo piano and pump-organ mood poems, standards, country-and-Southwestern, and even gospel and flamenco. Now, with their project Not On The Map (Dangerbird), which also features singer-songwriter Pieta Brown, the Belgian arrangers and the Arizona vagabond have made something entirely new, and this is testamentary clear on this new track, available everywhere tomorrow.

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This Friday, New Jersey-based indie band Cold Weather Company will released their Coalescence – Pt. 1 EP out on Deko Entertainment. We are proud to premiere the music video for their track “Golden Hour” from the upcoming project, a shimmering and thought-provokingly raw and immediate song.

On the video, Steve Shimchick of Cold Weather Company says: “This is an ode to our community for their determination throughout the pandemic, as well as an opportunity to recognize our luck and privilege to connect with each other virtually when other options are limited. During a feeling of personal stagnation, watching friends create and share their art throughout the difficulty of the past year was incredibly motivating for me. I wanted to capture, and thank them for, their efforts and dedication.”

Steadily building their artistic style and audience for the past seven years, Cold Weather Company have carried a diverse sound, rich with harmonies and instrumental builds. The band combines the various writing approaches and influences of its three members, Brian Curry, Jeff Petescia, and Steve Shimchick, to create unique arrangements with intricate layering.

Deko Entertainment Bruce Puciarello states, “An intellectual, a brilliant artist, and an amazing musician.  Which is which?  All are all.  CWC’s new release will blow your mind and tease what is soon to follow.  A perfect album, released in three parts, by three of Deko’s closest friends.  It all adds up!”

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‘Feels Good’ creates a luscious and diverse sonic landscape, conjuring images of summer fun and sunshine and above all, hope as we emerge from the pandemic. The track is taken from their forthcoming, anticipated LP – Sidelining – out July 9th 2021. Of the track Matt Peters of Royal Canoe says, ‘We wrote Feels Good during the middle of the summer last year, imagining what that first real hang with our friends will be like when things finally get back to normal. You know.. one of those nights with stages, where you don’t really plan anything, but somehow you end up hopping around the city, bumping into people you know wherever you go, and you somehow maintain the perfect tipsiness the whole way through, and you can’t remember when Sara left the group but it’s cool because she texted MJ and said everyone should go to a party on Chestnut, so you go and get there at the same time the pizza arrives, and they offer you a slice and you eat it in the backyard while there’s a fire crackling, and some dude is singing a really bad Dave Matthews song that sounds good for some stupid reason, and everything makes sense just for a few seconds. Anyway, things are still pretty crazy here in Manitoba, so we’re still just dreaming about that stuff, but if you’re out there where things are normal and you’re living the fully-vaxxed life, this song is about how you’re probably feeling.’ It’s a gloriously imaginative and experimental track that sees the band yet again push genre and sonic boundaries into pioneering new territory – a majestic mark of creative expression.

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Last summer, Ada Morghe melded elegant jazz and sophisticated soul on her second album ‘Box.’ Now, she is kicking off 2021 in style by releasing her new EP, which is also titled ‘Box,’ featuring the brand new track ‘Lean On Me’ alongside stripped-back unplugged takes on three of the album’s key songs, ‘Wake Up’, ‘Water Lilies’ and ‘Sugar Lips’. Now, she shares the new video for ‘Lean On Me,’ exclusively with Off the Record today. ‘Lean On Me’ marks a subtle stylistic evolution in Ada’s sound. Her warmly enveloping vocal shines just as strongly as it did throughout ‘Box’, but this time it adorns an intimate acoustic folk arrangement. It’s a song which succinctly conveys the power of life’s most essential emotion – a parent’s unconditional love and support for their children.

“There are only two lasting things we can hope to give our children,” says Ada. “One is roots, the other is wings. I wrote ‘Lean On Me’ for my daughters to make sure they never forget that I will always be there. No matter how convoluted their ways become or how far away they might be, I am there to lean on.”

‘Lean On Me’ extends the talent that Ada exemplified throughout the ‘Box’ album. She possesses a gift for finding beauty in stories of everyday life. They’re songs which are sincere and concise yet always intriguing, with Ada’s naturalistic performances giving them the feel of a casual conversation with an old friend. That modesty contrasts neatly with her extraordinary voice, which evokes the timeless quality of Edith Piaf and Juliette Gréco.

While the EP sounds as if Ada’s skills as a songwriter are the product of a lifetime spent dedicated to her craft, music is just one of her multifaceted talents. Under her real name Alexandra Helmig, she’s also a highly regarded actress, scriptwriter and children’s author. Her music career started fortuitously after she wrote and starred in the play-turned-film ‘Mother Bee’. The songs she wrote for its soundtrack were discovered by producer Hans-Martin Buff (Prince, No Doubt), which took her to Abbey Road just six weeks later.

‘Box’ EP tracklist:

1. ‘Wake Up’ (Unplugged)

2. ‘Water Lilies’ (Unplugged)

3. ‘Sugar Lips’ (Unplugged)

4. ‘Lean On Me’

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