YEAR IN REVIEW: 2011′s top-searched movies
Back in the good old days, the only information you had about a movie before it was released came from the ads you saw on television and in the newspaper. But now, with trailers and interviews and on-set sneak peeks released on the Internet daily, it takes a near-Herculean effort to avoid potential spoilers of the big upcoming blockbusters. Is it any wonder that most movie fans just say “forget it” and turn to Internet search engines to find out all they can?
The eagerness to consume movie information is even more understandable in 2011, which saw the conclusion of two gigantic film franchises. There was, of course, the June release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II,” which brought to an end the big-screen adaptation of the mega-popular series of novels. And, if that weren’t enough, November saw “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I” hit the theatres. Technically the final installment of that franchise won’t be released until November 2012, but the way “Twilight” fans reacted to the first part of the conclusion, you’d think their world had already come to an end.
Aside from “Breaking Dawn,” another three of the ten most-searched films won’t be in theatres until well into next year. “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” and “Man of Steel” are all slated for a summer 2012 release, but that didn’t stop fans from scouring the Internet for every last tidbit they could find about the upcoming blockbusters. And it’s no wonder: the studios have been teasing moviegoers with teeny tidbits of information, whether it’s a promotional photo of what the new Batman villain looks like or presenting “Spider-Man” stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone at the San Diego Comic Con in July.
Top-searched movie terms of 2011:
Harry Potter
Spiderman
Thor
Transformers
Dark Knight Rises
Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn
Superman
The King's Speech
Black Swan
Green Lantern
The eagerness to consume movie information is even more understandable in 2011, which saw the conclusion of two gigantic film franchises. There was, of course, the June release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II,” which brought to an end the big-screen adaptation of the mega-popular series of novels. And, if that weren’t enough, November saw “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I” hit the theatres. Technically the final installment of that franchise won’t be released until November 2012, but the way “Twilight” fans reacted to the first part of the conclusion, you’d think their world had already come to an end.
Aside from “Breaking Dawn,” another three of the ten most-searched films won’t be in theatres until well into next year. “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” and “Man of Steel” are all slated for a summer 2012 release, but that didn’t stop fans from scouring the Internet for every last tidbit they could find about the upcoming blockbusters. And it’s no wonder: the studios have been teasing moviegoers with teeny tidbits of information, whether it’s a promotional photo of what the new Batman villain looks like or presenting “Spider-Man” stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone at the San Diego Comic Con in July.
Top-searched movie terms of 2011:
Harry Potter
Spiderman
Thor
Transformers
Dark Knight Rises
Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn
Superman
The King's Speech
Black Swan
Green Lantern
Battle of the Crooners: the year of the singing shows
First, there was “American Idol,” that reality TV juggernaut born in 2002, that dominated the airwaves and the ratings, for ten seasons and gave audiences Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Ryan Seacrest. The show also contributed, arguably, musical talent such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Adam Lambert but also unfortunately Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks.
But with any successful show, a million copy-cats are spawned, and the success of “Idol” was too big to pass up for other TV networks. Thus, the battle of the reality TV singing shows was born. First came the “Idol” spin-offs (including now-cancelled “Canadian Idol,”) then a slew of shows that failed to live up to “Idol’s” hype including: “The Sing Off,” “The One: Making of a Superstar,” “Nashville Stars,” “Rock Star: INXS,” “The Glee Project,” “Canada Sings,” and “Cover Me Canada.”
But 2011 saw the launch of two shows that had the potential to rival “Idol’s” uninterrupted glory: Simon Cowell’s U.S. version of “The X Factor” and the celebrity-infused “The Voice.”
“The Voice” was hoping that its all-star roster of judges/coaches (Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green) would draw in viewers when it premiered in April. But although it had a strong start, the season finale only brought in 10.8 million viewers, which paled in comparison to “Idol’s” 29.3 million for its season 10 finale even without Simon Cowell’s presence as a judge (he left the show after season 9, Paula Abdul left after season 8. Perhaps new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler had something to do with it?
“The X Factor,” already a hit in the U.K., debuted in September and reunited Cowell and Abdul as judges and brought in Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and record-producer L.A. Reid (controversy erupted after Brit import Cheryl Cole was dropped as a judge after only one taping.) Cowell said he would consider the show a failure if ratings dipped below 20 million viewers so he might disappointed that the show averages 13 million per episode.
So although there are two strong contenders in the mix, “American Idol” still wins the musical reality TV show battle, no contest.
But with any successful show, a million copy-cats are spawned, and the success of “Idol” was too big to pass up for other TV networks. Thus, the battle of the reality TV singing shows was born. First came the “Idol” spin-offs (including now-cancelled “Canadian Idol,”) then a slew of shows that failed to live up to “Idol’s” hype including: “The Sing Off,” “The One: Making of a Superstar,” “Nashville Stars,” “Rock Star: INXS,” “The Glee Project,” “Canada Sings,” and “Cover Me Canada.”
But 2011 saw the launch of two shows that had the potential to rival “Idol’s” uninterrupted glory: Simon Cowell’s U.S. version of “The X Factor” and the celebrity-infused “The Voice.”
“The Voice” was hoping that its all-star roster of judges/coaches (Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green) would draw in viewers when it premiered in April. But although it had a strong start, the season finale only brought in 10.8 million viewers, which paled in comparison to “Idol’s” 29.3 million for its season 10 finale even without Simon Cowell’s presence as a judge (he left the show after season 9, Paula Abdul left after season 8. Perhaps new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler had something to do with it?
“The X Factor,” already a hit in the U.K., debuted in September and reunited Cowell and Abdul as judges and brought in Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and record-producer L.A. Reid (controversy erupted after Brit import Cheryl Cole was dropped as a judge after only one taping.) Cowell said he would consider the show a failure if ratings dipped below 20 million viewers so he might disappointed that the show averages 13 million per episode.
So although there are two strong contenders in the mix, “American Idol” still wins the musical reality TV show battle, no contest.
2011′s biggest business screwup
Queen Elizabeth had her annus horribilis, her terrible year where every misfortune that struck her family was compounded by the unwavering glare of a global media machine only too happy to take a chunk out of the once-grand rulers of the empire.
Research In Motion is now closing the books on its own annus horribilis, and the ill-starred PlayBook tablet almost single-handedly takes the blame for every well-publicized misstep. Forget ruling the wireless empire it created: RIM just wants to escape from 2011 with at least a set of keys to a minor castle.
It’s not that the PlayBook is a bad design. Quite the contrary, it’s packed with impressive, competitive hardware. Too bad for RIM that great hardware is no longer enough to move product. Too bad that RIM left out entire pieces of software, like built-in email and scheduling, then failed time and again to hit multiple deadlines for releasing updates online. RIM now promises the software will ship early in 2012. By then, Apple’s third generation of its blockbuster iPad will be on its way, and Amazon will be lighting up the low-end of the market with its Kindle Fire. Too little, meet too late.
To be fair, RIM faced a tough choice: Release a not-fully-baked PlayBook sooner to avoid being crushed by the growing Apple juggernaut, or delay the launch until all the pieces were in place. The company chose door #1, and in a market where you never get a second chance to make a first impression, the PlayBook brand was damaged almost as soon as the devices began hitting store shelves.
To make a bad situation worse, the BBX operating system powering the next generation of BlackBerry smartphones is almost entirely based on the PlayBook OS. If the PlayBook’s woes infect BBX, the Waterloo company could miss its early-2012 smartphone launch - a potentially company-killing event.
A just-announced $300 price cut has kickstarted sales and given RIM at least something to cheer about as it faces what may be its bleakest holiday season yet. But without new hardware on the horizon, the growing potential of revenue- and momentum-killing delays to the smartphone launch, and continued pressure from uber-competitors like Apple and Kindle whose offerings have already consigned the PlayBook to also-ran status, RIM’s ability to somehow turn this train wreck of a product launch into a sustainable revenue stream looks increasingly like a pipe dream.
Research In Motion is now closing the books on its own annus horribilis, and the ill-starred PlayBook tablet almost single-handedly takes the blame for every well-publicized misstep. Forget ruling the wireless empire it created: RIM just wants to escape from 2011 with at least a set of keys to a minor castle.
It’s not that the PlayBook is a bad design. Quite the contrary, it’s packed with impressive, competitive hardware. Too bad for RIM that great hardware is no longer enough to move product. Too bad that RIM left out entire pieces of software, like built-in email and scheduling, then failed time and again to hit multiple deadlines for releasing updates online. RIM now promises the software will ship early in 2012. By then, Apple’s third generation of its blockbuster iPad will be on its way, and Amazon will be lighting up the low-end of the market with its Kindle Fire. Too little, meet too late.
To be fair, RIM faced a tough choice: Release a not-fully-baked PlayBook sooner to avoid being crushed by the growing Apple juggernaut, or delay the launch until all the pieces were in place. The company chose door #1, and in a market where you never get a second chance to make a first impression, the PlayBook brand was damaged almost as soon as the devices began hitting store shelves.
To make a bad situation worse, the BBX operating system powering the next generation of BlackBerry smartphones is almost entirely based on the PlayBook OS. If the PlayBook’s woes infect BBX, the Waterloo company could miss its early-2012 smartphone launch - a potentially company-killing event.
A just-announced $300 price cut has kickstarted sales and given RIM at least something to cheer about as it faces what may be its bleakest holiday season yet. But without new hardware on the horizon, the growing potential of revenue- and momentum-killing delays to the smartphone launch, and continued pressure from uber-competitors like Apple and Kindle whose offerings have already consigned the PlayBook to also-ran status, RIM’s ability to somehow turn this train wreck of a product launch into a sustainable revenue stream looks increasingly like a pipe dream.
Canada’s musical breakthroughs:
Dec, 2011 12:03 AM EST
2011 saw the emergence of a variety of new musical artists who ruled the R&B, electronic and pop charts.
One of the biggest breakout stars calls himself The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye.) When he released a nine-song mixtape, House of Balloons, in March online (for free), rapper and fellow Canadian Drake took notice and started tweeting links to his songs, creating big buzz online. With a mix of smooth R&B beats, rap and pop (listen to his hit song “Wicked Games”)- The Weeknd’s first try at entering the music scene showed that he had what it took to be a star. The music community listened and House of Balloons was shortlisted for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize. But the Scarborough, Ont.,native’s real breakout moment came in July when he opened for Drake at a sold-out show in Toronto. His second album, Thursday, was released in August, which saw an impressive 180,000 downloads on its first day.
Falling on the other side of the music spectrum is Austra, a Toronto-based electronic trio, composed of singer Katie Stelmanis, drummer Maya Postepski and bassist Dorian Wolf. Their debut album Feel it Break, released in May, was shortlisted for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize, and quickly took off in the Canadian and international soundscape. The album, filled with lush and melodic synthetic beats, mix well with Stemanis’ haunting and sometimes operatic voice. Austra is truly the Canadian band of the future.
Finally, no year in the Canadian musical landscape can go by without a pop act- and Edmonton-born singer and songwriter Alyssa Reid fills that void. Before hitting it big, the singer was a finalist on “The Next Star,” a Canadian reality TV show and her single “Alone Again” (a loose cover of Heart’s “Alone”) rose to #11 on the Canadian Hot 100 list.
But it was her fun, heavily auto-tuned song “The Game” that garnered international attention when it reached #1 on Billboard’s Canadian Emerging Artist chart.
We can’t wait to see what 2012 will bring for these hot artists!
MIA MARTINA DOUBLE PLATINUM, most watched video in Canada and in top Billboard charts
Mia Martina
THE NEW CANADIAN SUPERSTARS
MIA MARTINA
Label: CP Records, Toronto
THE NEW CANADIAN SUPERSTARS
AURESIA
Label: Moonsplash Records, Montreal
Sat, Apr 21 TBA Trinidad
One of the biggest breakout stars calls himself The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye.) When he released a nine-song mixtape, House of Balloons, in March online (for free), rapper and fellow Canadian Drake took notice and started tweeting links to his songs, creating big buzz online. With a mix of smooth R&B beats, rap and pop (listen to his hit song “Wicked Games”)- The Weeknd’s first try at entering the music scene showed that he had what it took to be a star. The music community listened and House of Balloons was shortlisted for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize. But the Scarborough, Ont.,native’s real breakout moment came in July when he opened for Drake at a sold-out show in Toronto. His second album, Thursday, was released in August, which saw an impressive 180,000 downloads on its first day.
Falling on the other side of the music spectrum is Austra, a Toronto-based electronic trio, composed of singer Katie Stelmanis, drummer Maya Postepski and bassist Dorian Wolf. Their debut album Feel it Break, released in May, was shortlisted for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize, and quickly took off in the Canadian and international soundscape. The album, filled with lush and melodic synthetic beats, mix well with Stemanis’ haunting and sometimes operatic voice. Austra is truly the Canadian band of the future.
Finally, no year in the Canadian musical landscape can go by without a pop act- and Edmonton-born singer and songwriter Alyssa Reid fills that void. Before hitting it big, the singer was a finalist on “The Next Star,” a Canadian reality TV show and her single “Alone Again” (a loose cover of Heart’s “Alone”) rose to #11 on the Canadian Hot 100 list.
But it was her fun, heavily auto-tuned song “The Game” that garnered international attention when it reached #1 on Billboard’s Canadian Emerging Artist chart.
We can’t wait to see what 2012 will bring for these hot artists!
MIA MARTINA DOUBLE PLATINUM, most watched video in Canada and in top Billboard charts
Mia Martina
THE NEW CANADIAN SUPERSTARS: Mia Martina, double platinum with "Stereo Love" and in iTunes and Billboard top charts
THE NEW CANADIAN SUPERSTARS
MIA MARTINA
Label: CP Records, Toronto
Mia Martina Biography
CERTIFICATION: Double Platinum with “Stereo Love”, Gold Record with “Latin Moon”
Blame the lingering impact of Footloose, but small towns aren't exactly known as bastions of dance music. When new stars do groove their way onto the floor, they’re usually big city club kids like Lady Gaga. But this rule has met its exception with Mia Martina.
The up-and-coming clubland crooner – the sensual voice fuelling the accordion-inflected smash “Stereo Love” and its fast rising follow-up “Latin Moon” was born and raised in St. Ignace, a tiny New Brunswick village of about 500.
Martina began singing while still knee-high and spent her childhood being driven back and forth to the closest “city,” Moncton, for music and voice lessons. “I wanted to be a star,” she laughs. But for a small-town girl, it seemed a pipe dream. “I pushed it to the side so I could find something else to do.”
Fate had other plans. After high school, Martina headed off to Ottawa for university where the teenager happened upon an ad for an internship at a local label, CP Records, which was making a name for itself with R&B smoothie Massari and hard-edged rapper Belly.
“Oh my god, yeah, it was totally different. I wasn’t use to the parties, the cars, the jewellery and all that. It was totally different. I was out of my element,” says the singer who was then so quiet her bosses kidded that she was mute. “I never told them that I sang because I was shy. But after a year I finally got the guts. My passion was music, that’s what I’m good at, so maybe this was God saying this is my chance. I had to speak up.”
After impressing CP CEO Tony Sal, Martina went from delivering CDs to radio stations and office admin work to singing backup in the studio for Danny Fernandes and Belly, the latter of whom became her mentor. “Belly is so talented, not just in hip-hop and R&B, but as a songwriter he’s so amazing. He taught me how to find my own sound as an artist.”
Martina wanted to bring soulful R&B to dance music to create an emotional hybrid that drew inspiration from Sade and Kylie Minogue because, as Martina, notes, “they make timeless music.”
Success took awhile to arrive, but once it did, it took off. Dance music’s biggest label, Ultra, was looking to remix a Euro hit by Edward Maya called “Stereo Love.” A series of serendipitous events, including a pre-Idol J.Lo declining, ended with the untested Martina getting the gig last summer. Within a couple weeks her vocal was recorded and released. It proceeded to blow the hell up.
“I was picking up my dry cleaning and was like, Oh my god, that’s me!” she recalls of hearing her voice for the first to me on the radio. “I went into my car and I cried. It was so crazy. This was my dream since I was a little girl. I come from such a small place, those things just don't happen. It was a very surreal experience for me. It still feels surreal.”
Her first ever show was in Miami in front of six thousand people. “I felt like I was in another world. The fans loved it and it was so amazing to see that. That was my rush.” A hundred shows followed, as did a platinum plaque for “Stereo Love.” The song went top ten on the Canadian pop charts while ruling radio, topped the US dance charts, was nominated for a dance Juno and an MMVA for “most watched video” and, thanks to a Don Omar remix, became a favourite in Latin communities throughout the Americas.
The trilingual singer followed with “Latin Moon” and the half-English, half-Spanish hot weather tune “Summer Love,” which she dubs a spiritual sequel to “Stereo Love.”
Martina will then keep the summer going well into the winter when her debut album Devotion drops in August. Combining epic ballads (“Missing You”) with uptempo club bangers (“Turn it Up”), Martina’s dance-pop boasts crystalline production and a nocturnal soul. It’s a record designed to make you lose yourself on the dancefloor, but also soothe you if you go home alone.
“It took me three years to complete it,” Martina says proudly. “Every song on there has emotions, so it really captivates you. I wanted to make an album where any age group can enjoy it. It’s not too hard, not too soft—it’s perfect.”
AURESIA AND HER WORLDWIDE TOUR IN 2012
THE NEW CANADIAN SUPERSTARS: Auresia launching her World Tour 2012 and is global No. 1 in Reggae and World Music
AURESIA
Label: Moonsplash Records, Montreal
AURESIA'S GREAT MEDIA TOUR
from Toronto, New York,
San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Now Latin America and Europe starting January 2012 in Peru
AURESIA
(pronounced ** or-ESH-a**)
Nominated for Favorite World Artist at 2010 Independent Music Awards!
Nominated for 4 Canadian Reggae Music Awards! (Top Newcomer, Top Singer, Top Album, Top Producer)
Spotlighted “Artist of the Week” on CBC Radio 1, Home Run.
“If there ever was a time, since Bob Marley, where Reggae could actually penetrate popular music, Auresia definitely has the potential to do it”, Duke Eatmon, CBC Radio 1, Home Run.
“…it's obvious that Auresia is a talent worth watching”--- David Dacks, Exclaim!
Canadian singer Auresia is travelling non-stop for her expansive Worldwide Media Tour, coursing through the Americas and even across the Atlantic.
All of this was in anticipation of the releases of her four mind-blowing new music singles “Fuel Up On Love”, “Rising”, the radio hit “High” and “Quiero Bailar” (A salsa recorded in Cuba, in Spanish for the Latin American markets), as well as the promotional showing with three new high quality videos for “Fuel Up on Love”, “High” and “Rising”. All of them are part of her hugely anticipated album “Dangerous in Love” for 2012, which will include even Nelly Furtado, Jacksoul, James Brown and Fefe Dobson studio music producers.
All of this was in anticipation of the releases of her four mind-blowing new music singles “Fuel Up On Love”, “Rising”, the radio hit “High” and “Quiero Bailar” (A salsa recorded in Cuba, in Spanish for the Latin American markets), as well as the promotional showing with three new high quality videos for “Fuel Up on Love”, “High” and “Rising”. All of them are part of her hugely anticipated album “Dangerous in Love” for 2012, which will include even Nelly Furtado, Jacksoul, James Brown and Fefe Dobson studio music producers.
Only a few weeks ago, Auresia was in New York as part of her Worldwide Media Tour, visiting VP Records and sharing the studio with Timothy Soloman, who played with Peter Tosh. Currently she's in San Francisco, and she will be stopping in Las Vegas for a day on her way to Los Angeles until June 18th, before heading back to Northern California for the Sierra Nevada Reggae Festival.
Thereafter, a second trip to SF for several days (June 22nd) and a brief return to LA . From there, Paris, France and Latin America. Now her Auresia - Making the Dream Happens 2012 Worldwide Tour start early January in Peru, Latin America.
After releasing her video “Jah Goddess” on the Internet, one of the best singles in her debut self-titled CD, Auresia started working with Film Director ISIS GUMBS (Quiet Lion Productions, Montreal, QC) for the “Fuel Up On Love” HD quality video and with Film Director, Jesse Maxwell ( Sound Pics & 16Pads, Montreal Quebec) who beautifully captivates the essence of Auresia’s soulful new single, “Rising” . The Film Director of the music video for “High” (an original collaboration with Omar Martinez, co-writer for Justin Bieber’s Pray) will be SOPHIA MALE, in Hollywood, California, who has professional directing credits with high profile clients such as Lady Gaga.
“This may actually be the Year for me and Music Videos! It has been a few years in the making and I would like to give huge thank you all the people that have come together to make these videos and my music career possible!” - Auresia, from San Francisco.
“As some of you might know of my love for Cuba this past year and I had gone back recently to record my 1st Salsa/ reggae single: called Quiero Bailar (Solita) / Q.B.S./ If you love Salsa and reggae, you can hear a mix of that song on myspace.com/auresia
* AURESIA’S BIOGRAPHY*
Exploding onto the global musical scene with musical roots as diverse as the modern globalized audience, Auresia is poised to take the international market by storm. Taking inspiration from Montreal’s unique pop sensibilities as well as the soul of Reggae, her music's worldly flavors remain grounded in the best parts of her musical tradition while keeping herself free to innovate and inspire. A singer, songwriter and guitarist out of Montreal, she was nominated for Favorite World Artist at the 2010 Independent Music Awards and for 4 Awards at the Canadian Reggae Music Awards.
Born in Edmonton of Ukrainian decent, Auresia has been singing and charming audiences from the age of three. Her style is a new breed of Reggae for the urban soul; deep roots rhythms swathed by the melodies of Auresia’s sweet and haunting voice. Through her intricate melodies, beautiful harmonies and combination of world, Caribbean, soul, R&B, pop flavours and thoughtful lyrics, it’s evident that Auresia’s sound is diverse.
Auresia's shows are high-energy and pulse with positive vibes while captivating the audience with her meditative vocals. After years of performing in US, Jamaica, Europe, and touring Canada from East to West (26 dates in 2009 Canada Roots Tour and 24 dates on her 2010 Summer Canada Love Tour), Auresia has developed a strong fan base. She is scheduled to perform further international shows later this Fall and Winter in Europe, Jamaica, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Argentina with the release of new singles and videos: “Quiero Bailar” and “ Fuel Up (on Love)” this Fall/ WInter 2011.
Currently working on her sophomore album “Dangerous in Love” (working title), it will include tracks co-written by Omar Martinez (co-writer of Justin Bieber’s song, Pray), and tracks produced by David Beatty (Producer of Nelly Furtado’s, “Folklore“, a multi-platinum award winning album); all to be released Fall!
REVIEWS of AURESIA’s DEBUT ALBUM:
‘Auresia’-self-titled album, released November, 2008
"This Montreal singer's debut is a thoroughly captivating disc, with more inventive hooks and melodic touches than most roots albums. When it all comes together on majestic tracks like the Augustus Pablo-flavoured "Jah Goddess" and the heartfelt and focused tribute to her mother, "Echoes of Fall," it's obvious that Auresia is a talent worth watching. Every track on this album is deep and delicious, with bass sweetness and dub-informed production."-- David Dacks, Exclaim! Feb/March 2009
“Montreal has produced an artist who can run the range of Jamaician influence - Auresia. Tunes like “Give a Little Time” and “Jah Goddess” are emblematic of Auresia’s golden-era styled reggae, reaching back to the 1970’s, melodica and all- though she adds in a little contemporary influence, her sweet, soft voice becoming a little less so on a track like “What is Right.” A competent debut from a talented artist who knows how to combine a folk-driven style with the roots of reggae.” 8/10– Erin MacLeod, Montreal Mirror, January 15-21, 2009.
"One of the most distinctive things about Auresia's music is that although like many singers here and abroad, she writes good and meaningful lyrics, she also has the very rare (at least in reggae) ability to compose and play the music beautifully as well. She is a consummate musician, a skillful singer and deftly uses her voice as one of the instruments in the mix. Auresia is one of the few people left who truly understands the value of non-synthesized sounds and is the first female reggae producer from Quebec I have ever heard, and one of the first Canadians this year to properly orchestrate/arrange a horn section, complete with melodica; Proper!"- DJ Chocolate, Radio DJ CKLN, Toronto, ONT
"Auresia is Montreal's own Queen of Reggae! Her combination of reggae, R&B and roots own her a style that is uniquely her own."- Empress Soul, Positive Creations Music Collective, Canada
“… a stylish and smooth reggae recording that speaks both a personal and universal truth. Auresia's passionate approach to music and life helps explain why the album garnered four nominations at this year's Canadian Reggae Music Awards…”—Francois Marchand, Edmonton Journal, Edmonton, AB
For more on Auresia, please visit www.auresia.com
auresiamusic@gmail.com 514-941-2810
Auresia has played festivals across Canada such as Montreal Int’l Jazz Festival, Montreal and Ottawa Int’l Reggae Fests, Toronto Rastafest and Sistah Fest, Koots Roots, Cortes Arts Festivals in BC, the Queens of Reggae series and also has graced the stage at various Clubs in Western Europe and in Jamaica. She has shared the stage with Kymani Marley, Sister Nancy, Tanya Stephens, Sugar Minott, Sanchez, Shaggy, Queen Ifrica, Tony Rebel, Clinton Fearon, and Canadian favorites’ Ibo & Kindread and Kali & Dub Inc.
www.auresia.com
www.myspace.com/auresia
http://www.facebook.com/Auresia
http://twitter.com/auresiamusic
http://www.reverbnation.com/Auresia?add_email=true
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV6eWdA9Rgc
www.myspace.com/auresia
http://www.facebook.com/Auresia
http://twitter.com/auresiamusic
http://www.reverbnation.com/Auresia?add_email=true
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV6eWdA9Rgc
2012 AURESIA WORLD TOUR, Latin America
Fri, Jan. 13 El Dragon ( with Pochi Marambio) Lima, Peru
Fri, Jan. 19 Espiral Bar Arequipa, Peru
Sat, Jan 20 TBA Cuzco, Peru
Tues, Jan 23 TBA Mancora, Peru
Wed, Jan 24 TBA Playa Tumbes, Peru
Thurs, Jan 25 TBA Quito , Ecuador
Sat, Jan 29 TBA Cartagena, Colombia
Fri, Feb 3 TBA Medellin, Colombia with Positive Vibrations
Sat, Feb 4 TBA Bogota, Colombia
Fri, Feb 10 TBA Rio, Brazil
Sat, Feb 11 TBA TBA, Brazil
Thurs, Feb 16 TBA Ubatuba, Brazil
Sat, Feb 19 TBA CarnavalSao Paulo, Brazil
Thurs Feb 23 TBA Florianopolis, Brazil
Sat, Feb 24 TBA Montevideo, Uruguay
Thurs, Mar 1 TBA Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fri, Mar 2 TBA Mar del Plata, Argentina
Sat, Mar 3 TBA Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Wed, Mar 7 TBA Cordoba, Argentina
Fri, Mar 9 o 16 TBA Santiago, Chile
Sat, Mar 10` o 17 TBA Vina Del Mar, Chile
Sun, Mar 11 o 18 TBA Valparaiso, Chile
Fri, Mar 23 TBA La Paz Bolivia
Sat, Mar 24 TBA Trinidad, Bolivia
Thurs, Mar 26 TBA Salvador, Brazil
Fri, Mar 27 TBA Recife, Brazil
Sat, Mar 28 TBA Fortaleza, Brazil
Fri, Apr 6 TBA Cayenne, Fr. Guiana
Sat, Apr 7 TBA Kourou, Fr. Guiana
Fri, Apr 13 TBA Bahia Rasta Maracaibo, Venezuela
Sat, Apr 14 TBA El Teatro Bar Caracas, Venezuela
Fri, Apr 20 TBA Tobago
Fri, Apr 27 Barbados Reggae Festival 2012 Barbados
TOP DOWNLOADS, Canada, as posted by iTunes Canada
December 10, 2011
1. Sexy and I Know, LMFAO
2. We Found Love, Rihanna
3. Good Feeling, Flo Rida
4. It Will Rain, Bruno Mars
5. The One That Got Aaway, Katy Perry
6. Without You, David Guetta & Usher
7. Someone Like You, Adele
8. Moves Like Jagger, Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
9. When We Stand Together, Nickelback
10. Stereo Hearts, Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine
1. Sexy and I Know, LMFAO
2. We Found Love, Rihanna
3. Good Feeling, Flo Rida
4. It Will Rain, Bruno Mars
5. The One That Got Aaway, Katy Perry
6. Without You, David Guetta & Usher
7. Someone Like You, Adele
8. Moves Like Jagger, Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
9. When We Stand Together, Nickelback
10. Stereo Hearts, Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine
miamartina.com/Cached
- 6 days ago – 01. 50. 01. 'undefined' by undefined. 00:00. MIA MARTINA MUSIC ... REQUEST MIA MARTINA AT YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATION! ...
Mia Martina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mia_MartinaCachedMia Martina (born 21 January 1984) is a Canadian artist from Saint-Ignace, New Brunswick and is signed to CP Records. She has been working in the studio ...Edward Maya - Stereo Love
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_5D4y6x-oo 2 Sep 2010 - 4 min - UltraRecordsAlbum: Ultra Mix, Vol. 3 (2010)Mia Martina - Latin Moon
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrQYqhWr3GA 4 Aug 2011 - 4 min - cprecordsOfficial music video for Mia Martina's "Latin Moon ...Mia Martina - Stereo Love
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ban8nZXqs 7 Sep 2010 - 2 min - miamartinacpAlbum: Now, Vol. 17 [Canada] (2011)
YEAR IN REVIEW: 2011′s top-searched movies
Back in the good old days, the only information you had about a movie before it was released came from the ads you saw on television and in the newspaper. But now, with trailers and interviews and on-set sneak peeks released on the Internet daily, it takes a near-Herculean effort to avoid potential spoilers of the big upcoming blockbusters. Is it any wonder that most movie fans just say “forget it” and turn to Internet search engines to find out all they can?
The eagerness to consume movie information is even more understandable in 2011, which saw the conclusion of two gigantic film franchises. There was, of course, the June release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II,” which brought to an end the big-screen adaptation of the mega-popular series of novels. And, if that weren’t enough, November saw “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I” hit the theatres. Technically the final installment of that franchise won’t be released until November 2012, but the way “Twilight” fans reacted to the first part of the conclusion, you’d think their world had already come to an end.
Aside from “Breaking Dawn,” another three of the ten most-searched films won’t be in theatres until well into next year. “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” and “Man of Steel” are all slated for a summer 2012 release, but that didn’t stop fans from scouring the Internet for every last tidbit they could find about the upcoming blockbusters. And it’s no wonder: the studios have been teasing moviegoers with teeny tidbits of information, whether it’s a promotional photo of what the new Batman villain looks like or presenting “Spider-Man” stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone at the San Diego Comic Con in July.
Top-searched movie terms of 2011:
Harry Potter
Spiderman
Thor
Transformers
Dark Knight Rises
Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn
Superman
The King's Speech
Black Swan
Green Lantern
The eagerness to consume movie information is even more understandable in 2011, which saw the conclusion of two gigantic film franchises. There was, of course, the June release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II,” which brought to an end the big-screen adaptation of the mega-popular series of novels. And, if that weren’t enough, November saw “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I” hit the theatres. Technically the final installment of that franchise won’t be released until November 2012, but the way “Twilight” fans reacted to the first part of the conclusion, you’d think their world had already come to an end.
Aside from “Breaking Dawn,” another three of the ten most-searched films won’t be in theatres until well into next year. “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” and “Man of Steel” are all slated for a summer 2012 release, but that didn’t stop fans from scouring the Internet for every last tidbit they could find about the upcoming blockbusters. And it’s no wonder: the studios have been teasing moviegoers with teeny tidbits of information, whether it’s a promotional photo of what the new Batman villain looks like or presenting “Spider-Man” stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone at the San Diego Comic Con in July.
Top-searched movie terms of 2011:
Harry Potter
Spiderman
Thor
Transformers
Dark Knight Rises
Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn
Superman
The King's Speech
Black Swan
Green Lantern
Battle of the Crooners: the year of the singing shows
First, there was “American Idol,” that reality TV juggernaut born in 2002, that dominated the airwaves and the ratings, for ten seasons and gave audiences Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Ryan Seacrest. The show also contributed, arguably, musical talent such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Adam Lambert but also unfortunately Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks.
But with any successful show, a million copy-cats are spawned, and the success of “Idol” was too big to pass up for other TV networks. Thus, the battle of the reality TV singing shows was born. First came the “Idol” spin-offs (including now-cancelled “Canadian Idol,”) then a slew of shows that failed to live up to “Idol’s” hype including: “The Sing Off,” “The One: Making of a Superstar,” “Nashville Stars,” “Rock Star: INXS,” “The Glee Project,” “Canada Sings,” and “Cover Me Canada.”
But 2011 saw the launch of two shows that had the potential to rival “Idol’s” uninterrupted glory: Simon Cowell’s U.S. version of “The X Factor” and the celebrity-infused “The Voice.”
“The Voice” was hoping that its all-star roster of judges/coaches (Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green) would draw in viewers when it premiered in April. But although it had a strong start, the season finale only brought in 10.8 million viewers, which paled in comparison to “Idol’s” 29.3 million for its season 10 finale even without Simon Cowell’s presence as a judge (he left the show after season 9, Paula Abdul left after season 8. Perhaps new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler had something to do with it?
“The X Factor,” already a hit in the U.K., debuted in September and reunited Cowell and Abdul as judges and brought in Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and record-producer L.A. Reid (controversy erupted after Brit import Cheryl Cole was dropped as a judge after only one taping.) Cowell said he would consider the show a failure if ratings dipped below 20 million viewers so he might disappointed that the show averages 13 million per episode.
So although there are two strong contenders in the mix, “American Idol” still wins the musical reality TV show battle, no contest.
But with any successful show, a million copy-cats are spawned, and the success of “Idol” was too big to pass up for other TV networks. Thus, the battle of the reality TV singing shows was born. First came the “Idol” spin-offs (including now-cancelled “Canadian Idol,”) then a slew of shows that failed to live up to “Idol’s” hype including: “The Sing Off,” “The One: Making of a Superstar,” “Nashville Stars,” “Rock Star: INXS,” “The Glee Project,” “Canada Sings,” and “Cover Me Canada.”
But 2011 saw the launch of two shows that had the potential to rival “Idol’s” uninterrupted glory: Simon Cowell’s U.S. version of “The X Factor” and the celebrity-infused “The Voice.”
“The Voice” was hoping that its all-star roster of judges/coaches (Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green) would draw in viewers when it premiered in April. But although it had a strong start, the season finale only brought in 10.8 million viewers, which paled in comparison to “Idol’s” 29.3 million for its season 10 finale even without Simon Cowell’s presence as a judge (he left the show after season 9, Paula Abdul left after season 8. Perhaps new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler had something to do with it?
“The X Factor,” already a hit in the U.K., debuted in September and reunited Cowell and Abdul as judges and brought in Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and record-producer L.A. Reid (controversy erupted after Brit import Cheryl Cole was dropped as a judge after only one taping.) Cowell said he would consider the show a failure if ratings dipped below 20 million viewers so he might disappointed that the show averages 13 million per episode.
So although there are two strong contenders in the mix, “American Idol” still wins the musical reality TV show battle, no contest.
2011′s biggest business screwup
Queen Elizabeth had her annus horribilis, her terrible year where every misfortune that struck her family was compounded by the unwavering glare of a global media machine only too happy to take a chunk out of the once-grand rulers of the empire.
Research In Motion is now closing the books on its own annus horribilis, and the ill-starred PlayBook tablet almost single-handedly takes the blame for every well-publicized misstep. Forget ruling the wireless empire it created: RIM just wants to escape from 2011 with at least a set of keys to a minor castle.
It’s not that the PlayBook is a bad design. Quite the contrary, it’s packed with impressive, competitive hardware. Too bad for RIM that great hardware is no longer enough to move product. Too bad that RIM left out entire pieces of software, like built-in email and scheduling, then failed time and again to hit multiple deadlines for releasing updates online. RIM now promises the software will ship early in 2012. By then, Apple’s third generation of its blockbuster iPad will be on its way, and Amazon will be lighting up the low-end of the market with its Kindle Fire. Too little, meet too late.
To be fair, RIM faced a tough choice: Release a not-fully-baked PlayBook sooner to avoid being crushed by the growing Apple juggernaut, or delay the launch until all the pieces were in place. The company chose door #1, and in a market where you never get a second chance to make a first impression, the PlayBook brand was damaged almost as soon as the devices began hitting store shelves.
To make a bad situation worse, the BBX operating system powering the next generation of BlackBerry smartphones is almost entirely based on the PlayBook OS. If the PlayBook’s woes infect BBX, the Waterloo company could miss its early-2012 smartphone launch - a potentially company-killing event.
A just-announced $300 price cut has kickstarted sales and given RIM at least something to cheer about as it faces what may be its bleakest holiday season yet. But without new hardware on the horizon, the growing potential of revenue- and momentum-killing delays to the smartphone launch, and continued pressure from uber-competitors like Apple and Kindle whose offerings have already consigned the PlayBook to also-ran status, RIM’s ability to somehow turn this train wreck of a product launch into a sustainable revenue stream looks increasingly like a pipe dream.
Research In Motion is now closing the books on its own annus horribilis, and the ill-starred PlayBook tablet almost single-handedly takes the blame for every well-publicized misstep. Forget ruling the wireless empire it created: RIM just wants to escape from 2011 with at least a set of keys to a minor castle.
It’s not that the PlayBook is a bad design. Quite the contrary, it’s packed with impressive, competitive hardware. Too bad for RIM that great hardware is no longer enough to move product. Too bad that RIM left out entire pieces of software, like built-in email and scheduling, then failed time and again to hit multiple deadlines for releasing updates online. RIM now promises the software will ship early in 2012. By then, Apple’s third generation of its blockbuster iPad will be on its way, and Amazon will be lighting up the low-end of the market with its Kindle Fire. Too little, meet too late.
To be fair, RIM faced a tough choice: Release a not-fully-baked PlayBook sooner to avoid being crushed by the growing Apple juggernaut, or delay the launch until all the pieces were in place. The company chose door #1, and in a market where you never get a second chance to make a first impression, the PlayBook brand was damaged almost as soon as the devices began hitting store shelves.
To make a bad situation worse, the BBX operating system powering the next generation of BlackBerry smartphones is almost entirely based on the PlayBook OS. If the PlayBook’s woes infect BBX, the Waterloo company could miss its early-2012 smartphone launch - a potentially company-killing event.
A just-announced $300 price cut has kickstarted sales and given RIM at least something to cheer about as it faces what may be its bleakest holiday season yet. But without new hardware on the horizon, the growing potential of revenue- and momentum-killing delays to the smartphone launch, and continued pressure from uber-competitors like Apple and Kindle whose offerings have already consigned the PlayBook to also-ran status, RIM’s ability to somehow turn this train wreck of a product launch into a sustainable revenue stream looks increasingly like a pipe dream.
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