SOB’s Opened 2014’s ‘Sol Village’ Showcase Series On A High Note

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Last night, SOB’s hosted their monthly ‘Sol Village’ showcase, NYC’s longest-running (and most respected) r&b/soul music showcase.

Serving as a cultural breeding ground from which rising acts have broken into the next level of their careers, last night’s performers were chasing that dream – the bill consisted of CJ Hilton, Maxine Ashley, Miesa, Honey Larochelle, and Renzo (many of whom, in our estimation, will one-day get there). These five looked to join the ranks of those including John Legend, Erykah Badu, Raphael Saadiq, Musiq Soulchild, Luke James, Dwele, Bridget Kelly, Allen Stone, and countless others. And as always, the incredibly entertaining, GRAMMY-nominated, indie-soul king, Eric Roberson hosted.

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Organized by TheNext2Shine & YouKnowIGotSoul, the venue was crowded with industry professionals and fans alike. Representatives from labels and media outlets including RCA Records, Roc Nation, BMI, Jay Z’s Life+Times, VH1, and of course us, The Source, were out to discover the next big thing.

Standouts of the night were Maxine Ashley, Honey Larochelle, and the “headliner” CJ Hilton – although the three differ in vocal tonality and delivery, each displayed a serious ability to engage/connect with the crowd and exude both confidence and a sense of comfort on a stage that’s been said to feel small and intimate.

A quick note on each of these three – Maxine is only 20-years-old, but has already garnered the attention of industry heavyweights Pharrell Williams and Kerry “Krucial” Brothers, both of whom have done records with her. Ms. Larochelle sings with the soul, emotion, and pain of someone twice her age, which (after touring with acts like Joss Stone and Omar) landed her a record deal with songstress Macy Gray. CJ on the other hand embodies a sound that captures the youthfulness of a youngin’ such as himself. Once signed to both Capitol Records and J Records (in that order), Hilton has fostered relationship with people far and wide in the music business, lining him up for what’s hopefully a successful future.

Be sure to check out each on their respective social media profiles and channels.

– Scott Randell (@DefinedByMvsic)