In a keynote Q&A Steve Bartels will be discussing the power of artist-friendly A&R, and where he expects to see new business opportunities arising.
After recent announcements covering Daniel Miller’s Creative Keynote, Molly Neuman’s Kickstarter Keynote, the introduction of ADE Live, ADE University's expanded offer and a trio of top producers, the latest confirmed Keynote Q&A will feature Steve Bartels.
Steve Bartels
After beginning his career as a DJ in the 1980s, Bartels was named CEO, Def Jam Recordings in April 2014, the same year in which the iconic imprint returned to its roots as a standalone label within the Universal Music Group. During his 30 years in the business, Bartels is widely credited with being the driving force behind some of the most successful new artist campaigns and records of the last three decades.
He has always worked closely with his artists, developing and promoting such diverse talent as Kanye West, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Avicii, Mariah Carey, Outkast, Big Sean, Janet Jackson, Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, Amy Grant, Jennifer Lopez, Alessia Cara, The Killers, Sean “P.Diddy” Combs, Sarah McLachlan, Pink, Jeezy, Sting, Avril Lavigne, Bon Jovi, NAS, Annie Lennox, Santana, Usher, Barry Manilow, Rick Ross, Ne-Yo, Lionel Richie, Frank Ocean, Jhene Aiko, YG, Afrojack and Iggy Azalea, to name just a few.
Date, time and venue for Bartels' keynote Q&A to be announced.
There’s a new breed of pop star seizing hold of the world’s airwaves and online—more accurately, a conscious-pop star who’s set to subversively top charts and sway hearts and minds. This enigma embodied is 18-year-old Alessia Cara, who’s riding the refrains of her ironic anthem, “Here.” Premiered by The Fader, “Here” garnered over 500,000 total streams in it’s first week, resounding praise for its freshness and insight.
Powerful stuff from a teenage voice; in fact, that’s powerful stuff from anyone who’s ever put pen to pad in name of art. And Alessia’s mature pen game is matched by her larger-than-life voice; she’s dazzlingly chameleon-like, boasting the kind of versatility that will make her a force. In short, Alessia has cause to be confident. But she’s still the bashful, small-town girl even in the big city: “You don’t think you’re ever going to end up here from Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Instead, you think, ‘Who’s going to see me?’ I can’t wrap my head around everything that’s happened: the chemistry with Sebastian, the producers, the label. Def Jam got what I am trying to do: I want my music to be cool and reflective of my influences –Drake, Amy Winehouse, Ed Sheeran– but still new. Def Jam gave me the opportunity to say something meaningful and positive without being preachy. I didn’t expect everything to feel so natural and organic. And I can’t believe how quickly it’s going.”
Alessia is equal parts fresh face, old soul, newcomer, and lifer. She’s going, quickly. Now it’s up to the rest of the world to catch up and catch on.
Wild Things” Lyrics
Find table space
Say your social graces
Bow your head, they're pious here
But you and I, we're pioneers
We make our own rules
Our own room, no bias here
Let 'em sell what they are sellin'
There are no buyers here
So gather all the rebels now
We'll rebel rouse and sing aloud
We don't care what they say no way, no way
And we will leave the empty chairs
To those who say we can't sit there
We're fine all by ourselves
So aye, we brought our drum and this is how we dance
No mistakin', we make our breaks, if you don't like our 808s
Then leave us alone, cause we don't need your policies
We have no apologies for being...
Find me where the wild things are
Oh my, we'll be alright
Don't mind us
Find me where the wild things are
Oh my, we'll be just fine
Don't mind us, yeah
Find me where the wild things are
I lose my balance on these eggshells
You tell me to tread, I'd rather be a wild one instead
Don't wanna hang around the in crowd
The cool kids aren't cool to me
They're not cooler than we are
We will carve our place into time and space
We will find our way, or we'll make a way, say hey, hey, hey
Find you're great, don't you hide your face
And let it shine, shine, shine, shine
Dimitri Kechagias review:
[review top="1"]
[item value="10"]Beat and Rhythm[/item]
[item value="10"]Basslines and Groove[/item]
[item value="10"] Melody [/item]
[item value="10"] Synths [/item]
[item value="10"]Vocals and Lyrics[/item]
[item value="10"]Breakdown[/item]
[item value="10"]Sound-design and Arrangement[/item]
[item value="10"]Overall Atmosphere[/item]
[item value="10"]Goosebumps / Shivers moments[/item]
[item value="10"]Emotional affinity and heartfelt moments[/item]
[item value="10"]Originality and Inventiveness[/item]
[item value="10"]Dancefloor Efficiency / Festival Arenas Effectiveness[/item]
[item value="10"]Radio Friendly[/item]
[item value="10"]You can’t get this memorable track out of your head[/item]
[item value="10"]It has potential to become an anthem or a classic[/item]
[item value="10"] Alessia Cara - Wild Things(Young Bombs/MK/NuKid remixes)[/item]
[content title="Summary" label="Overall Score"] Alessia is definitely one of the hottest pop stars coming out from Canada. Her song writing skill are self evident with lyrics that go against the mainstream lyrics we usually get in pop dance tracks and her performance is magnificent and makes you want to instantly start sing a long as she looks and sounds down to earth and real rather superficial superstar. The remix package is simply the coolest that you can think of with 3 great names adding their top notch sounds. Young Bombs remix includes G-Easy additional rap vocals and is a sweet melodic tropical house version that is smooth, dreamy and ready for summer pineapple and bananas parties. MK remix is groovy deep garage house style version with nu disco elements. Deeper electronic version with chunky grooves and tribalish percussions and cool danceable drum programming. Quality house all the way from MK once again. NuKid remix moves on the same deep house direction with great piano, xylophone melodies and relaxing feel good grooves and funky basslines with nu-disco and indie dance touches. These remixes will get many plays during the summer months! #PureGold Love It [/content]
“We’re very excited to finally share ‘Dream Bigger’ with you. It’s been such a huge part of our shows throughout last year and it’s the best way to kick off our 2016 which is going to be even bigger!”- Axwell /\ Ingrosso
Dimitri Kechagias review: [review top="1"] [item value="10"]Beat and Rhythm[/item] [item value="10"]Basslines and Groove[/item] [item value="10"] Melody [/item] [item value="10"] Synths [/item] [item value="10"]Vocals and Lyrics[/item] [item value="10"]Breakdown[/item] [item value="10"]Climax / Drop / Crescendo / Pay off moment[/item] [item value="10"]Intensity, Drive and Energy[/item] [item value="10"]Sound-design and Arrangement[/item] [item value="10"]Overall Atmosphere[/item] [item value="10"]Goosebumps / Shivers moments[/item] [item value="10"]Emotional affinity and heartfelt moments[/item] [item value="10"]Originality and Inventiveness[/item] [item value="10"]Dancefloor Efficiency / Festival Arenas Effectiveness[/item] [item value="10"]Radio Friendly[/item] [item value="10"]You can’t get this memorable track out of your head[/item] [item value="10"]It has potential to become an anthem or a classic[/item] [item value="10"]Dream Bigger(Vocal version)[/item] [content title="Summary" label="Overall Score"]Axwell /\ Ingrosso bring to the masses the latest explosive anthem Dream Bigger. If you like things energetic and dynamic to the maximum better follow the path of Dream Bigger. Powerful thumping basslines, chunky techy humpy wompy grooves, rough drums and superb rock quitar riffs that make you feel that you actually watch rock concert and not Axwell /\ Ingrosso rocking it in their live performance. As always the production is faultless with arrangement that elevates the listener to the next level and allow the world to see him with another eye. "Doing Doing" vocal samples and influences from electro house to progressive house this track knows how to keep the crowds interested and hooked under the same insatiable groove and make them jump until the feet hurts them! The new vocal version extends the pleasure with inspiring explicit lyrics that will resonate to many young festival goers that are not happy with what they got and they never stop to Dream Bigger and Higher! #PureGold Love it[/content]
Dimitri Kechagias review: One of the biggest summer anthems returns with brand new remixes that will introduce this megahit to different audiences. First of all the M-22 Remix is a magnificent melodic deep house version with driving deep basslines, chunky techy grooves, emotional melodies and great tropical summery atmosphere. If you want a much more relaxed and laid back version for your early morning sunrise type of sets this remix will be very effective indeed. R3hab is considered to be one of the hottest names in the mainstage festivals and his version transforms the original into a massive party weapon with rough aggressive booming basslines, punchy tough drums, sharp like knives kicks and very melodic breakdown that allows the great vocal to captivate the audience and mesmerise the festival goers. The build is intense while the drop moves on the dirty dutch house direction with superb energetic drive that will send you to outerspace and beyond that's for sure! #PureGold Love it
Even the title of their official debut single is to be understood as a programmatic statement: "Something New" is the brand new track from Axwell / Ingrosso, who appears on 27 November - and actually leads the two hit-producers from Sweden to a new era !
Their teaser single "Can not Hold Us Down" had been for British Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe the "Hottest Record In The World" and then later the track was arrested and placed in the top 10 German Beatport Charts - worldwide the track recorded after only five days 1 million downloads! -Somethings New is the official soundtrack of the new Beats campaign, which also starts on 27 November.
Musically connect Axwell / Ingrosso on "Something New" sure-fire their flair for catchy pop hooks with euphoric synths, bass and extremely danceable progressive house beats - an update of that combination that was in the days of Swedish House Mafia as their trademark , The official video for "Something New" will be released in the beginning of December.
Since 2007, Axwell / Ingrosso Steve Angello have move together the dance world as Swedish House Mafia with: platinum hits like "One" featuring Pharrell and "Miami 2 Ibiza" vs. Tinie Tempah they made 2010 international phenomenon, and "Save The World" and "Antidote" vs. Knife Party they continued the series in 2011. The following year, she ended up with "Don't You Worry Child 'feat. John Martin a mega-hit: 1st place in the UK, Sweden and Australia, Top 10 in Germany and several other countries - eg in the US, where the single should clear triple platinum. In 2012, their Madison Square Garden show was sold out in nine minutes. SHM announced soon after their dissolution but Axwell / Ingrosso are restarting and nothing stood in their way ...
"Something New" is the perfect taste of the Dance highlight of the coming year: The debut album by Axwell / Ingrosso, whose Facebook profile after less than 6 months already recorded more than 2.6 million Likes, published in the spring at Def Jam.
Dimitri Kechagias review:Axwell and Ingrosso are back together as duo and they continue the legacy of Swedish House Mafia where prematurely it was left off. In my opinion it was a mistake to disrupt the success of Swedish House Mafia in its peak when there were no signs or any indication that the crowd had enough of them and they will release music that will be unsuccessful. So definitely the decision of Axwell and Ingrosso to meet together again and record an album as a duo was very wise one. Something New seems to be the most appropriate first single of their album. The arrangement continues on the Swedish House sound packed with energetic punchy basslines, tough drums and great groove while on the breakdown guitars and pianos add that organic like rock band warm sweaty atmosphere to it. The climax is euphoric, optimistic, hopeful and colourful with uplifting synths, pizzicato melodies and great back vocals as well. It's one of those tracks that energize you instantly and when you hear it early in the morning on your radio give you a new perspective to face the daily difficulties. The extended version is perfect to drop in any dj set and get the crowd jumping and now the young fresh face in the scene the German Robin Schulz delivers his exceptional deep house version and translates the track in a totally different style as he did exceptionally good with David Guetta's Dangerous. Deep basslines, chunky tribal techy grooves, fantastic lively percussion and great application of the rock guitar riffs along with emotional synths. The result is a relaxing, smooth version that make you day dream with hands in the air drifting to faraway places. Now the package becomes even more extensive with the AMTRAC remix that is a magnificent electronic deep house upfront mix with warm basslines, pumping grooves and wide variety of cool synthy lines and romantic piano chords that work perfectly to uplift your spirit and give you goosebumps. The vocal is pitched down and the result is simply ethereal. Close your eyes and travel along with it! Anthem Guaranteed no doubts about it.#PureGold Love iT
Swedish House Mafia was yesterday - Axwell^Ingrosso Start now as a Duo!
After the legendary DJ group Swedish House Mafia have dissolved, the two DJs Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso have decided to release new music under the name Axwell^ Ingrosso .
Their debut as a duo was at the Governor's Ball in June. They played amongst others their debut single We Come, We Rave, We Love, which became the most celebrated festival track. The newly released teaser single Can not Hold Us Down has landed immediately after publication in Zane Lowe and was awarded directly to the "Hottest Record In The World".
The 6:17 minute song can be also of the well-known Swedish House Mafia - define sound as Can not Hold Us Down fails to offer much melody as their previous songs as a trio, including her hit Don't You Worry Child, but much more goes in the direction of progressive house with deep bass and heavy synths.
With Can not Hold Us Down as a teaser single they have given us a very strong idea of their sound and what you can expect in the future of Axwell ^ Ingrossos debut album!
Dimitri Kechagias review: The decision for Axwell and Ingrosso to work as duo was inevitable and was done by public demand who simply wanted to experience them again together. The two good friends released great music on their own top labels Axtone and Refune as solo artists but you know that when these two masterminds unite they will produce massive club anthems and their track Can't Hold Us Down is exactly what you expect from them and even more. Powerful energetic progressive house that is darker, sharper, in your face and ready to bang hard. It is tailor made for mainstage festival performances with tough drums, punchy basslines and cool breakdown with some robotic style distorted vocals and feel good synths combined with fantastic sub bass that sounds magnificent in huge sound systems. Packed with moments of intensity Can't Hold Us Down is the perfect mainstage track that doesn't compromise or imitate anything else that they have released previously and manage instantly to drive the crowd out of their heads and let them enjoy themselves like there is no tomorrow. Looking forward for the album that we hope will be loaded with huge weapons like this one. #PureGold Love iT
EDM sensation Alesso released his brand new single "Heroes" (We could be) feat. Tove Lo!
After the acclaimed DJ and producer Alesso has opened each of his sold-out concertsand each festival show with "Tear The Roof Up" for months, now the massive dance anthem "Heroes" (We could be) appears at 1:09. digitally and on 26.09. physically. For the vocals Alesso has won the Swedish singer Tove Lo. He played it at Tomorrowland in front of over 350,000 visitors.
No wonder: His new single is pure euphoria, the most positive and most let out Dance-Single of the summer. With over 3.5 million followers on social networking sites, YouTube views in the millions, sold out shows and acclaimed festival shows, the Grammy-nominated Alesso (born Alessandro Lindblad, a Swede born in Stockholm with Italian roots), whose fans and creative partners, Sebastian Ingrosso, Calvin Harris, Pete Tong and Avicii are long since arrived in the fast lane. With the release of "Heroes" (We could be) feat. Tove Lo he should finally advanced to become one of the largest producers of the current EDM scene ...
Dimitri Kechagias review: The beloved Swedish with Italian roots Alesso is back after the magnificent single Tear The Roof Up. The brand new single is the absolutely magical anthem Heroes featuring the vocals of one of the hottest singers at the moment, the beloved Tove Lo. It is of course a high class production with pumping pulsating driving basslines, chunky bouncy groove and of course majestic breakdown with guitar riffs, cinematic strings, piano chords and Tove Lo explosive performance that will put a big stamp in your heart once you experience her voice on this very inspiring track that encourage people to become Heroes and achieve their goals and aspirations. It follows the well known path of Swedish progressive house sound that is euphoric, uplifting, feel good and encourage people to come together and enjoy their night out. Its one of those tracks that you start singing it when you listen to it by chance in the super market. It's an anthem guaranteed and maybe his next UK number 1! #PureGold Love It
tThis is for sure the danceflorr killer for summer 2014
Tear The Roof Up" is a progressive house anthem with a catchy twist. It's that simple. And that cool!
Dimitri Kechagias review:Alesso is currently rocking the big soundsystems of the huge summer festivals including mainstage performances at both weekends of Tomorrowland festival. Tear The Roof Up is what any dj must play in his mainstage set to ignite the crowd and keep them hooked. Powerful chunky meaty housey grooves, bouncy pumping energetic basslines, clever synthy leads that magnetise the crowd and robotic style distorted vocals that repeat again and again the title of the track. With mixture of the progressive house anthemic side and the naughty groovy agressive side of electro house, Tear The Roof Up is very credible return at the very heart of the global dance scene and very soon we will welcome the track at the top of the UK Top 40 as well. Alesso has bright future ahead of him and as it seems he doesnt compromise his sound yet. This monster anthem was played at the 1st & 2nd Tomorrowland weekend in Belgium with crazy crowd reactions! #PureGold Love iT
