Matt Morris When Everything Breaks Open

Posted 12/21/2009 by TennmanRecords

What is it that separates Matt Morris from so many other recording artists? When you peel back all the layers – the diverse moods, styles and topics he sings about – there is one common denominator: They reflect Matt’s dedication to living and writing about a meaningful life.

In an increasingly rushed and rude world, in which politicians and talk radio hosts hurl epithets and insults, where honest disagreements are shouted down by dishonest rhetoric, Matt Morris gives voice to our best instincts. “We’re looking for a way to make it better/Looking for a way to change the weather,” he sings in “Live Forever” from his new album When Everything Breaks Open on Tennman Records. On the album, Matt embraces the personal and political, the romantic and the spiritual, in a way that recalls Stevie Wonder’s 1970s streak of masterworks.

He can build epic emotional epiphanies such as “Forgiveness” and “Eternity,” and switch gears with the rhythmic “Money.” He is bold and fearless with sarcasm on “The Un-American,” where Morris holds up a mirror to the demagogues of divisiveness and asks: “What if you’re the un-American?” The dynamic singer is also at home with the ambitious “Don’t You Dare”, on memorable love songs like “Just Before the Morning,” and shows his compassion with his message in “In This House.”

When Everything Breaks Open was produced in Austin, Texas, and in Los Angeles by Charlie Sexton and Tennman label founder Justin Timberlake – two names you wouldn’t intuitively expect to team up in the studio. “Charlie and Justin can be seen as representative of different sides of my music,” Morris says. “There is an earthy, rooted, sometimes melancholy side to some of my writing that is in line with Charlie’s personality and approach. There is a playful, high-energy, soulful side that speaks to who Justin is, as a person and producer. The two people are very different from one another, but they both have impeccable instincts.”

Morris has known Timberlake since the early 1990s, when the two were child co-stars of that era’s edition of “The All New Mickey Mouse Club.” Morris was on the show for four seasons, from 1991-1995. Even before what was popularly known as MMC, Morris was a stage savvy performer. His father is country artist Gary Morris, former Broadway actor and once one of country’s biggest stars. His parents divorced when he was young; he lived with his mother in Denver, but on summer vacations, he would often join his father not just on the road, but on stage.

In addition to Timberlake, Morris’ friends and contemporaries from the show included luminaries such as Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Keri Russell, Ryan Gosling, and JC Chasez. While many of his cohorts leveraged their Disney Channel exposure to successful pop and acting careers, Morris craved teenage normality, and the family headed back to Denver. “At 15, all I really wanted to do was hang out, get my learner’s permit, and not work” Morris says. “I didn’t want to be a celebrity; I wanted to be a kid."

During the summer between his Junior and Senior years in high school, Matt worked as a volunteer health activist for the non-profit organization, Amigos de las Americas. He worked in a remote village in Paraguay, South America, teaching hygiene to locals and assisting with sanitation. Matt’s experience with Amigos was a precursor to the work he would do as a partner artist with the Flobot’s non-profit, FightWithTools.org, an organization committed to providing support on many levels to communities in need.

Morris reunited as a collaborator for some of his fellow Mouseketeers as they pursued their music careers. Morris and Aguilera co-wrote five songs on her Stripped album, including the hit “Can’t Hold Us Down”; they also wrote Kelly Clarkson’s hit, “Miss Independent.” Morris teamed up with Timberlake to craft “The Only Promise That Remains” – a duet performed by Timberlake and Reba McEntire for the Reba Duets album. The pair also wrote “All Over Again (Another Song)” produced by mega-producer Rick Rubin, for Justin’s 2008 FutureSex/LoveSounds.

“To write for another person is to channel that person’s artistic vision,” Morris says. “I work to become aligned with their intentions, and allow my words to speak as close to their perspectives as possible. I think that’s why it is so easy for me to write with Justin, and why my time with Christina yielded so many songs. I know them; we have a shared context.”

Morris’ own music occupies a time and space entirely different from the songs he has collaborated on. In 2003, Matt released the DIY album, UnSpoken, and over the last couple of years has toured with Grammy award winners The Indigo Girls and Joan Osborne. In 2008, he performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, which spawned a five song EP – Backstage at Bonnaroo and other Acoustic Performances.

All these years of work paved the way for When Everything Breaks Open, which was conceived in a Middle Eastern restaurant in New York City. “Justin had just performed on “Saturday Night Live” for the first time, and I was there to support him and watch the show. At dinner after the show, he told me he was going to start a label of his own, and that he wanted to sign me as his artist. He said he was going to help me share my music with the world, and I believed him.”

On When Everything Breaks Open, Matt Morris has grown from an award-winning songwriter to a multi-talented recording artist with the first ambitious release of 2010.

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Esmee Denters Esmee's "Outta Here" featured on MTV's "The City" This Tuesday!!

Posted 11/19/2009 by TeamIGA

Don't miss Esmee's single "Outta Here" featured on MTV's "The City" Tuesday, November 24th at 10:30 ET/PT!!!

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Esmee Denters Esmée on E! "That Morning Show"

Posted 11/17/2009 by TeamIGA

Want to see a day in the life of Esmée Denters? Check out this video from "That Morning Show" on E!

Esmee Denters Chat Live with Esmée Denters

Posted 11/11/2009 by TeamIGA

Tune in to Facebook Thursday, November 19th at 6pm PST / 8pm CST to chat live with Esmée, ask her questions, and get an update on what she's been doing!

Esmee Denters Esmée Wins EBBA Award

Posted 11/11/2009 by TeamIGA

The winners of the 2010 European Border Breakers Awards (EBBAs) have been chosen, and Esmée is one of them. Congratulations!! Esmée won the award for the Netherlands because her debut single "Outta Here" is the most succesfull song outside the Netherlands.

This year's awards also include an exciting new catagory the 'Public Choice EBBA', which will be voted for by the European public for the first time ever. The voting hasn't started yet, but we will let you know when it does!

Full list of 2010 EBBA's winners:
Milow "Milow" - Belgium
Charlie Winston "Hobo" - United Kingdom
Peter Fox "Stadtaffe" - Germany
Soap&Skin "Lovetune for Vacuum" - Austria
Kerli "Love Is Dead" - Estland
Jenny Wilson "Hardships" - Sweden
Buraka Som Sistema "Black Diamond" - Portugal
Sliimy "Paint Your Face" - France
Esmée Denters "Outta Here" - The Netherlands
Giusy Ferreri "Non Ti Scordar Mai Di Me" - Italy

» esmeeworld.com

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Esmee Denters Me at the 2009 EMA's!

Posted 11/10/2009 by TeamIGA

I am writing you guys from the train back home from Berlin. I’ve got 15 minutes to write you guys a quick blog before the battery of my computer will die, lol.

Wow, it has been such a crazy couple of days for me. Yesterday I went to the MTV EMA Awards. We flew from Cincinnati, OH to Germany the day before the show and went directly to the offices of Universal Germany. I had a photoshoot there with German teen magazine Bravo, and a few interviews for other magazines. By the way, I am so excited that “Outta Here” is finally out in Germany!
After the interviews we went back to the really beautiful hotel -- when you walked in there was a huge fish tank with all these different kinds of fish in it.

I had my hair and makeup done when we got there. I was so excited to get all dressed up. My stylist and I picked out this really nice D&G outfit with the cutest, but most painful, shoes I have ever worn. I knew a lot of the artists at the EMA's would be wearing dresses, so I wore this really beautiful tailored suit.

When I arrived to the awards, I got to walk the red carpet. I felt really glamorous, but kind of silly at the same time. People are screaming your name, taking pictures, and sometimes asking weird questions. One of the interviewers on the red carpet wanted me to sing a Tokio Hotel song on the spot, haha! I’m sorry to say that I don't know any of the lyrics to their songs. After the red carpet, I was ready to see the show. Katy Perry presented the awards just like last year, and she had some pretty fabulous outfits. There were performances by Green Day, Leona Lewis, Shakira, U2, and Jay-Z. Of course the highlight of the show for me was the always amazing Beyonce, working that stage like she always does. It seems like she just can't do wrong. I was happy to see that she was also the big winner this year, with three awards. U2 closed the show with a beautiful live performance outside in the heart of Berlin, to celebrate the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

They also played a clip of “Outta Here” on the big screens. Thanks to everybody for voting for me, you made it happen!!! When the show ended it was definitely time to hit up some of the after-parties and celebrate. I ran into Pixie Lott at one of the parties. She is such a talented girl and such a sweetheart. I had such an amazing time, and next year I am aiming for that stage!

Big Kiss,

Esmée

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Esmee Denters MTV European Music Awards

Posted 11/6/2009 by TeamIGA

Esmée attended the 2009 MTV European Music Awards yesterday in Berlin. She won the award for Best Dutch/Belgium Act!

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Esmee Denters Esmée On The Road in Seattle, Las Vegas and Los Angeles

Posted 10/29/2009 by TeamIGA

Hey Everybody... It's me, Esmée!

I just got back from doing an interview on an early morning radio show here in Seattle and I thought I would write to you guys real quick. This week started off with a show in beautiful San Diego. The next morning we went to visit Radio Star 94.1 for a live interview. Radio DJ AJ stayed up on this crane for an entire week to help raise toys for sick children, so of course I had to come out for this great cause. Thumbs up to AJ! ;)

After the radio visit, we went straight to Las Vegas. I was really excited to be there again. When we drove into Vegas on the strip, I saw my face on a huge billboard! It was crazy. I couldn't believe it! I tried to take a picture of it, but I was just a second too late. I wish I could have shown it to you guys, it was so cool. Then, all of a sudden I heard "Outta Here" playing on the car radio. Radio NOW 104.3 in Vegas has been spinning it like crazy. Thanks so much to them! It's so exciting. This couldn't have been a better welcome.

We stayed at this beautiful hotel where we rented out a huge suite to do an acoustic performance for a bunch of prize winners. Later on that night, I performed at Club Bank at the Bellagio. Before I left, I had to try one of the slot machines. I've always wanted to try it once and since I just turned 21, it was the perfect chance. Don't worry, I only spent $5 to see what it was like. I lost it all, of course.

The next day, we were off to LA for the tour with Honor Society. My friends Alison and Brit came out to see me, which was great! I miss them since they're not out on tour with me this time. During this show, I got to sing a duet with Michael, the lead singer from Honor Society. The guys are so nice. Here is a little clip of the performance.

Alison and I hung out together the next day, and we found Stroopwafels (amazing Dutch caramel cookies) at Trader Joe's. I know it's silly, but after being on the road for over a month, I was really excited and happy to find these. It reminds me of home.

Another exciting thing happened this week. They put my single "Outta Here" in one of the "Melrose Place" episodes!! Isn't that crazy? I love that show. Now I am going to check out how the shopping here in Seattle is, and maybe I will find a dress for the EMA MTV awards. I can't wait to go! You guys can still vote for me here!

; )

Talk to you soon!

Big kiss,

Esmée

» www.alloy.com

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Esmee Denters DJX Outta Here Performance

Posted 10/28/2009 by TeamIGA

To promote her debut single and album, "Outta Here", Esmée performed acoustically for DJX 99.7 in Louisville, KY. Check out the video below!

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Esmee Denters Esmée is on iBeatYou.com

Posted 10/27/2009 by TeamIGA

Check out Esmée's new iBeatYou account! Add her as a friend and take part in her competitions!

You can find her MVP profile here: http://www.ibeatyou.com/user/EsmeeDenters

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