Next Wave of Breakout Artists Join American
Express for Artists in Residence Summit and Live Show on August 20
in Los Angeles
Today, American Express announced the Artist in Residence Summit
that culminates with the second cycle of the American Express
UNSTAGED: Artists in Residence program, featuring music
artists, BØRNS, Gavin James, Pia Mia and
Rae Sremmurd. On August 20, all four artists will take the
stage at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, California to perform
for American Express® Card Members.
“American Express has a long heritage of supporting music
artists on their creative journeys,” said Walter Frye, vice
president, sponsorships and branded entertainment, American
Express. “We are excited to continue the Artists in Residence
program in 2015 by welcoming four incredibly talented artists
BØRNS, Gavin James, Pia Mia and Rae Sremmurd
to the American Express family. We’re helping these artists connect
with more fans, cultivate their craft and grow their personal
brand, while also creating authentic, live and digital music
experiences for fans around the world.”
Launched last year as an extension of American Express UNSTAGED,
Artists in Residence will tell the stories of these four artists on
their journey to stardom, while introducing their music to legions
of new fans and engaging the loyalists already in their music
camps. This year’s Artists in Residence program will include:
- American Express UNSTAGED: Artists
in Residence Day August 20
- New Digital Content: The morning
of August 20, fans can visit the newly updated American Express
UNSTAGED website which has an Artists in Residence page,
www.amexunstaged.com/AIR to discover a series of videos featuring
all four artists describing their journeys to the stage and the
inspiration behind their music. In addition, the American Express
UNSTAGED App will now allow fans to discover new content and learn
more about the AIR program.
- American Express UNSTAGED: Artists
in Residence Summit: Leveraging American Express’ deep
relationships in the music and digital industries, the Summit will
offer these artists and their teams access to insights and best
practices from companies like YouTube, Billboard, Pandora,
Instagram and Twitter to help introduce their music to new fans and
engage existing fans in their social spheres. In addition, key
figures within the music industry including Vice Chairman,
Interscope Geffen A&M, Steve Berman, producer and songwriter
Emile Haynie, music video director Diane Martel; fashion stylist
Brandy St. John and music marketing and creative director Kelly
Covell will participate in one-on-one sessions during the Summit to
provide valuable insight and guidance to the artists.
- Live Performance: At 7:30
p.m. ET (8/20), fans will have the chance to see each of the
four artists perform on stage at El Rey Theater in Los Angeles,
California. Due to filming in the venue, doors will close promptly
at 7:30 p.m. ET.
- #AmexAIR Unlocks: Beginning
August 20, fans can help these artists access unique opportunities
like an artist takeover of the Instagram account of Vevo, the
all-premium music video and entertainment platform. Fans can help
unlock these special experiences for each of the four artists by
mentioning the artist’s name with #AmexAIR on Twitter and Facebook
from August 20, until all the opportunities are unlocked. Fans can
visit www.amexunstaged.com/AIR or download the UNSTAGED App to
learn more and track how close the artists are to unlocking each
opportunity.
- Performance Video On Demand: For
fans that are unable to attend the concert, they can watch select
footage from all four artists’ live performances starting August 24
at www.amexunstaged.com/AIR, the UNSTAGED App, Vevo and on Amex
NOW, the brand’s always-on television channel through select
service providers.
Since its creation in 2010 in partnership with Vevo and YouTube,
American Express Unstaged has been a creative collaboration between
artists and directors to deliver a unique music experience for fans
through the use of digital technology. Previous Unstaged events
partnered high profile music artists and directors such as Pharrell
Williams and Spike Lee, Kings of Leon and Fred Armisen, Vampire
Weekend and Steve Buscemi, The Killers and Werner Herzog, Usher and
Hamish Hamilton and Kenny Chesney and Jonathan Demme, and many
more.
Additional background on this cycle’s American Express
UNSTAGED: Artists in Residence:
BØRNS, Growing up in coastal Michigan, Garrett
Borns moved from one inspiration to another. His first artistic
love was visual arts and then came music thanks to an eccentric
piano teacher. At the age of fifteen BØRNS attended the prestigious
summer program at Interlochen Center for the Arts to study
filmmaking while writing songs on the side with the music majors.
Playing local gigs through high school and college, BØRNS ended up
in a secluded treehouse home in the Los Angeles canyons where he
wrote his debut Candy EP, a set that filters the singer’s naturally
moody, sensual sound through “an explosion of sunlight,” as he puts
it. BØRNS’ single “Electric Love” is taking over radio airwaves and
garnering praise from the media with NPR stating the song is
“catchy and clever,” and Spin noting BØRNS “writes brilliant pop
songs that worm their way into your heart in an instant.” BØRNS
spent most of 2015 on the road sharing the bill with Misterwives,
Charli XCX and Bleachers and playing festivals like Lollapalooza
and the upcoming Bumbershoot, Life Is Beautiful and Austin City
Limits. BØRNS is currently putting the finishing touches on his
debut album which will be released this fall on Interscope
Records.
Gavin James, already on his way to becoming one of 2015’s
international crossover-stories, Gavin James is a 22-year-old
artist who grew up in a Dublin suburb. Music was arguably in
Gavin’s blood: his maternal great-grandparents were both famous
Irish Opera singers. James began playing guitar at age eight. After
years of playing Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin covers in the garden
shed, he joined a band while in his teens and was drafted as its
singer.
Inspired by local heroes like Damien Rice and classic soul
artists such as Sam Cooke, Gavin played marathon three-hour shows
at Dublin’s pubs during college, often performing seven nights a
week. His original material soon began to draw an impassioned
following. James’ very first single won Ireland’s Choice Prize for
Song Of The Year. Say Hello, James’ Irish debut EP, charted for
more than six months, leading to a string of sold-out headline
dates and supporting tours with such artists as Lianne La Havas,
Beth Orton and Marina & The Diamonds.
In 2014, James recorded a rapturously received hometown show at
Whelans. The resulting album, Live at Whelans – released by Capitol
Records in the U.S. and by GS Believe internationally – climbed to
#1 on iTunes in Ireland shortly after the pre-order launched.
Diffuser.FM hailed Live at Whelans as “intriguing…an addictive
first tug in what promises to be a lengthy assault on listeners’
heartstrings.” James is the first artist ever to sell out the
historic Olympia Theatre in Dublin before releasing a studio album.
While writing and recording his forthcoming debut studio album, he
had a national TV performance on The Late, Late Show with James
Corden and continues to tour Europe and the U.S., including support
slots opening this past spring for Kodaline, Tori Kelly and Sam
Smith’s summer 2015 US tour.
Pia Mia, 18, is a recording artist, entrepreneur,
songwriter, fashion icon, dancer, actress, Krav Maga instructor and
Island girl. Born and raised on the tropical island of Guam in the
West Pacific, Pia Mia grew up on strong family values and Chamorro
culture. Here, she fostered an early love of music, joining school
and community musicals and theater while posting her own covers
songs on YouTube. After quickly becoming a viral sensation, Pia Mia
left home to bring her childhood dreams and island roots to Los
Angeles.
Soon after her arrival, she worked with Disney, the Groundlings
and signed a one-year production deal with Babyface. In 2013, Pia
Mia saw breakthrough success with her viral cover of Drake’s “Hold
on We’re Going Home” and Ryan Seacrest debuting her independent
single, “Red Love.” Her companion video debuted on Vevo, garnering
more than 12 million YouTube views and over four million Soundcloud
streams.
At age 17, she formed her record label Wolfpack Entertainment,
signing herself as its first artist, in addition to joining major
label Interscope Records. Billboard Magazine named Pia Mia one of
eight “acts who will help define 2014.” Pia Mia performed
consistently throughout the year, even returning to her home island
to play the international music festival, Guam Live.
In May 2015, Pia Mia’s first official single for Interscope, “Do
It Again,” featuring Chris Brown and Tyga, received much praise
from critics, was selected for Clear Channel’s “On The Verge”
artist for Rhythm radio and now has over 33 million views on
Vevo.
Rae Sremmurd: Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee were born in
California, but moved to Tupelo, Mississippi at an early age, where
they were raised in the notorious Ida Street housing projects, some
of the worst, most crime-ridden in the state. Making matters worse,
Sremmurd’s parents split while the brothers were still young, a
devastating turn of events that found the brothers seeking shelter
in abandoned homes. Music, from a young age, became a way for Jxmmi
and Lee to escape the desperation of their surroundings. “When we
were growing up, it was just about perseverance,” says Slim
Jxmmi.
The brothers began throwing parties and shows around town, often
in the same abandoned buildings where they once stayed. The pair
always had larger ambitions and so the brothers taught themselves
how to record, make beats, and DJ, building enough buzz to earn an
appearance on BET’s 106 & Park. Lee and Jxmmi were introduced
to Mike WiLL, and the multi-platinum producer immediately signed
the duo to his label, Ear Drummer Records.
Rae Sremmurd’s first single under the Ear Drummer Records, “No
Flex Zone,” was a breakout for the duo, becoming a cultural
touchstone throughout 2014 and entering Billboard’s Hot 100 and Top
40, earning the brothers a performance on the 2014 BET Hip-Hop
Awards. “No Type,” proved even bigger, peaking at number 16 on
Billboard’s Top 40 charts and earning the duo their first late
night appearance on The Tonight Show. In 2015, Rae Sremmurd
released their first album, SremmLife, with a top 5 debut on the
Billboard Top 200 and a number 1 debut on Billboard Hip-Hop. "Throw
Sum Mo," featuring Nicki Minaj and Young Thug, emerged as their
third consecutive single to break into the top 10 at urban radio
and second consecutive single to peak at #1. “It’s the energy,
that’s what #SremmLife is all about” says Swae Lee.
About American Express
American Express is a global services company, providing
customers with access to products, insights and experiences that
enrich lives and build business success. Learn more
at americanexpress.com and connect with us
on facebook.com/americanexpress,
foursquare.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express,
twitter.com/americanexpress,
and youtube.com/americanexpress.
Key links to products and services: charge and credit cards,
business credit cards, Plenti rewards program, travel services,
gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, corporate card and
business travel.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150817006130/en/
PMK•BNCRobert Santini,
212.373.6151Robert.Santini@pmkbnc.comorAmerican ExpressAmelia
Woltering, 212.640.7034Amelia.T.Woltering@aexp.com
American Express (NYSE:AXP)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
American Express (NYSE:AXP)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024