Grammy week- Red carpet party coverage

The Friday night before the Grammy’s is always a busy one, especially in Los Angeles.  Exclusive parties take place throughout the city, each venue filled with all types of celebrities, but especially music’s elite.  The area is also abuzz with up-and-coming stars hoping to someday be nominated for a coveted Grammy award.  I got a prime spot on the red carpet at one of these VIP parties- the Grey Goose Rising Icon Jam Session.  The glamorous event took place at the swanky Sayers Club and was indeed a night filled with some of music’s hottest young artists.

Musicians start breezing in just past 8:00 pm, beginning with the delightfully adorable Vicci Martinez, who came in first place on Team Cee Lo Green and represented him in the finals on NBC’s The Voice in 2011.  “The most challenging thing being on The Voice was the fact that you’re live,” she happily shares with me.  “You have to learn all these songs last minute and everything happens so quickly so I think just the nerves of ‘Oh, man, I’m going to forget my words!’”

Martinez’s life has dramatically changed since appearing on The Voice.  “I got a [record] deal with Universal Republic and I just debuted my single tonight on Jay Leno with Cee Lo,” she enthusiastically reports.  “Tonight is just kind of the kick start, so this is a weird moment you and I are having,” she says and laughs.  “This is the debut of Vicci Martinez.”

Next I flag down Virgin/EMI outfit Speakers, a southern hip hop/electro duo made up of signer Keon B & producer Blair Taylor.  They are having a fantastic time at all of the Grammy festivities.  “We’re from New Orleans,” Taylor tells me.  “So this whole atmosphere is different for us.  We just got signed about a year ago so this is our first Grammy’s as signed artists.  It’s kind of a big deal for us so we’re just trying to hit up everything we can.”

Even after the glitz of the Grammy’s dies down, 2012 promises to be a busy year for the charismatic pair.  “We have a new song with Travis McCoy coming out called ‘Runnin’ It’,” Keon reveals.  “We’re going to shoot a new video for a song off our EP.”  “We have the EP coming out,” Blair takes over.  “The ‘Runnin’ It’ song will be on there.  After the EP we have the album that we just finished today.”

Cruising through to get inside in time for his live performance, smooth singer Mateo paues to share some important information with me.  “I have some really exciting news coming through that literally just happened today,” he says excitedly.  “It involves me upstreaming to a major [record label] so I’m really excited about that and I thought it was the perfect weekend since we have all the music people out here celebrating.”

In light of all the iconic stars swarming Los Angeles for the Grammy’s, I wonder who Mateo would like to have digging his music.  “I think it would be Lauryn Hill,” he says after some thought.  “I’m a huge fan.  She’s affected me and influenced me so much, and the music I do, just by being authentic and sincere in her music.  If she came to one of my shows because she was a fan, I might pass out.  That’s a huge deal.”

Another Virgin/EMI artist comes my way next, sporting a stylish grey dress, colorful and braided hair, and bold, beautiful makeup.  The bubbly Nire AllDai is all smiles as she lets me in on her songwriting process.  “Oh my gosh, the shower is where the best ideas come out,” she proclaims laughing.  “Seriously, some of the million dollar ideas come out in the shower.  When I write I like to really figure out what the music is trying to tell me.  There’s a science to making a song that everybody likes so I don’t like to rush.  It’s nice if it comes out quickly but I’m more concerned with just having really, really good quality.”

When I ask who she would like to see win AllDai replies, “Katy [Perry],” without hesitation.  “But I like looking at the performances and I like seeing people who really deserve it, win.  I've got a lot of fingers crossed but it’s going to be hard in some categories.  I’m just going to enjoy it.”

The dashing and gifted Luke James stops by to chat next, but only for a brief moment as he is being summoned to the stage to perform one of his songs.  He stays long enough to tell me about the strangest thing that’s ever inspired one of his songs.  “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” he says.  “I watched that on mute- the original that is.  I watched that, The Lost Boys, and Purple Rain on mute and I created to it.  I created the song entitled “Signs Of Rain”.  It was kind of unique.”

James is taking a break from his busy schedule to make this Grammy week appearance.  “I have a single out right now,” he states.  “It’s called “I Want You”.  My video is out for it too.  I’m on tour right now with Estelle on her All Of Me Tour and it’s going well, there have been great turnouts.  I just want to make everyone a believer in my music.  I hope to inspire.”

The last rising icon that I get a chance to speak with is Jukebox, the mastermind who wrote and produced Willow Smith’s hit single “Whip My Hair”.  “You can expect a lot from me in 2012, I’m going hard this year,” he says eagerly.  “I have very high goals for myself.  I have a song with Swiz Beatz, Chris Brown, and myself called “Dance Like A White Girl”, so that’s really fun.  I have a couple of records with Eve, hopefully those will be coming out really soon.  Also Willow [Smith]’s album is coming out in April so that’s going to be great.  I did about seven or eight songs on that album.  I also have two artists signed to my production company that I’ll be putting out very soon: Kimberley Dopson from Trinidad who is an incredibly songstress with a beautiful voice who can sing and blow people away, she’s amazing; I also have a rapper named Flash from Long Beach who is the next up-and-coming rappers and we’re finishing his mix tape right now.”

Jukebox doesn’t have any Grammy predictions; he just wants to enjoy the show.  “I do care who wins kind of, well, not really,” he says pondering.  “I’m really excited to see the show.  Last year when Cee Lo performed it was super incredible and I’m wondering who is going to beat that.”

Other red carpet attendees included Goapele, Dawn Richard, Joistarr, host Kenny Burns, and even Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant.