Tag Archives: One Direction

Interview an Artiste: Noah Rickertsen

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As part of The Pixel Project‘s “Music For Pixels” campaign, we encourage artistes taking part in any “Music For Pixels” programme, be it as an Artiste of the Month or as a YouTube Cover Carnival contestant, to speak up about why they are using music to say NO to violence against women.

Today, we interview YouTube artiste Noah Rickertsen who submitted his cover of One Directions “Little Things” for our Valentine 2013 YouTube Cover Carnival contest which ended at 9PM EST, 14 March 2013. Noah is one of our 8 semi-finalists.

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292415_472063382804247_1208752424_nNoah Rickertsen is a singer and songwriter from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA. Music is his greatest passion. He grew up listening to Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, John Mayer, and many more who influenced his style. He continues to write, perform, and record in the hopes of touring the country. Noah keeps in touch with his fans through Facebook and Twitter, and fans can find his music on iTunes and YouTube.  Keep an eye out for new material very soon!

1. Tell us about yourself and why you decided to take part in the YouTube Cover Carnival.

I decided to take part in this competition in support of saying NO to Violence Against Women and in tribute to the Delhi Gang Rape Victim, Jyoti Singh Pandey and her courageous fight for her life to the very end. I want to use my music to help influence and create change on the issue of violence against women.

2. Why is ending Violence against Women important to you?

Ending violence against women is important to me because I was raised to respect women and treat them like angels. I hear about these terrible things happening regarding violence against women and it really bothers me.  Violence against women makes me mad at the world.  It can feel like our hands are tied and there is nothing we can do to help. This is not true. We have our words, our music, and our prayers to contribute.

3. In your opinion, how does music help in efforts to end violence against women?

Music has been and will always be an inexplicable and miraculous remedy for hurt and pain. I find that music provides comfort in all aspects of life.  And I think music can inspire others to act more than the simple spoken word.

4. In your opinion, how can musicians help encourage people to take an interest in and step up to help stop violence against women?

People respond differently to music and, through it’s inspiration, are more likely to get involved in action because in order for people to act and stand up for a cause, they must feel inspired! This is what music does to people. It connects our souls on a deeper level and gives us a loving compassion for others in these terrible positions.

Interview with an Artiste: Katie Hull

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As part of The Pixel Project‘s “Music For Pixels” campaign, we encourage artistes taking part in any “Music For Pixels” programme, be it as an Artiste of the Month or as a YouTube Cover Carnival contestant, to speak up about why they are using music to say NO to violence against women.

Today, we interview YouTube artiste Katie Hull who submitted her cover of One Direction’s “Little Things” for our Valentine 2013 YouTube Cover Carnival contest which ended at 9PM EST, 14 March 2013. Katie is one of our 8 semi-finalists.

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YoutubeKatie Hull is a 16-year-old musician from the United States, who has been involved with music since she was 6-years-old. She is self-taught and plays many different instruments (guitar, piano, bass, drums, ukulele) and sings. In 2012, Katie opened her YouTube channel and began posting covers of popular songs.

She is multi-talented and does all the production of the music and video in her covers; making her stand out from other artists.  She keeps in touch with her fans on Facebook and her followers on Twitter on a daily basis.

1. Tell us about yourself and why you decided to take part in the YouTube Cover Carnival.

I am a self-taught musician and singer living in the United States.  I have had my covers up on Youtube since 2012.  I first heard about the YouTube cover carnival contest through J. Rice. When I read about the case of Jyoti Singh Pandey, I was horrified to learn about the brutality of the crime. I realized that I wanted to do whatever I could to raise awareness about this cause.  Violence against women is a very serious crime that needs to be stopped through whatever means possible.

2. Why is ending Violence against Women important to you?

Women should never have to endure violent acts. We as humans have the right to live a peaceful life, free of abuse or assaults. More and more stories are making the news about violent acts against women. As more of this occurs, we need to stand together and raise awareness about the reality of what is happening to women around the world.

3. In your opinion, how does music help in efforts to end violence against women?

Music is a universal language. Music can reach out to anyone in the world, no matter their ethnic background. When music has a message to share, it has the power to change lives. The combination of lyrics and music can inspire and allow for many people to hear the message. The more that awareness is raised, the more people will want to take a step in and become a voice for their community.

4. In your opinion, how can musicians help encourage people to take an interest in and step up to help stop violence against women?

Musicians have fans around the world. By spreading the message through music, it allows for the fans to become involved in the cause. Musicians can use their music to help those who cannot use their voice. By spreading the message through such a universal medium, it can make a huge difference for those who are affected. Some of these fans may have personal connections with violence against women, which would strengthen the message and support the need for a change.

Interview With An Artiste: Adam Stanton

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As part of The Pixel Project‘s “Music For Pixels” campaign, we encourage artistes taking part in any “Music For Pixels” programme, be it as an Artiste of the Month or as a YouTube Cover Carnival contestant, to speak up about why they are using music to say NO to violence against women.

Today, we interview Canadian YouTube artiste Adam Stanton who submitted his cover of One Direction’s “Little Things” for our Valentine 2013 YouTube Cover Carnival contest which ends at 9PM EST, 14 March 2013.

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IMG_0003870SMALLAdam Stanton grew up in the small town of Greely, Ontario, Canada. Though his background as a youth revolved around athletics, he has spent the last 15 years devoting his life to music. From performing throughout the United States with his band OFFLIMITZ in his late teens, to recording with 15-time Grammy-winning producer David Foster, Adam has built a career that is rich with musical knowledge and experience. Although singing and performing have always come first, Adam also writes music for himself and others. His blend of cover songs and original music have been the driving force in his career and he plans to collaborate with other artistes in the near future. Adam has grown his reach as an artist to 7.6 million YouTube video views and over 43,000 subscribers. He also keeps in touch with his 11,000 Facebook fans and 3,600 Twitter followers on a daily basis. 

 1. Tell us about yourself and why you decided to take part in the YouTube Cover Carnival.

I am a singer-songwriter with a lifelong passion of making music. Whether I’m releasing a new cover song on my YouTube channel, or recording and releasing original material, your best bet would be to find me in the studio working on a new tune. Music changes lives. We would all have a massive void in our lives without it. The only thing better than making music, is putting it to good use and helping to make a positive difference in the world we live in. This is why I decided to participate in The Pixel Project’s YouTube Cover Carnival. When it comes to raising awareness about ending violence towards women, you can count me in. The horrific event that claimed the life of Jyoti Singh Pandey should not go unnoticed. Nor should the countless other incidences that most of us will never even hear about. We must all do our part. This is why I am proud to be involved with The Pixel Project’s fight to end violence against women.

2. Why is ending Violence against Women important to you?

It is common sense that nobody should have to endure pain and suffering at the hands of an abuser. When a person or people decide to abuse a woman in a verbal, physical, or sexual manner, they are completely violating that woman’s rights to living a peaceful and violent free life. Nobody should live in fear. Nobody should have their body abused or violated. Nobody should be treated as the weaker sex. My mother and sister are two of the most important and loving women in my life. I can’t imagine them having to endure what other women around the world have to experience every day. We must put an end to violence against women.

3. In your opinion, how does music help in efforts to end violence against women?

Unfortunately, sometimes words are not enough to make a difference. But the power of music is one of the greatest forces we know of. Words and lyrics put to song seem to cut straight to a person’s core, and often make them analyse their own emotions and perceptions of the topic at hand in a more genuine and emotional way. When artists get together to make a change the world seems to listen. Music raises awareness. Music helps raise funding. Music just helps, and music will help to bring an end to violence against women.

4. In your opinion, how can musicians help encourage people to take an interest in and step up to help stop violence against women?

Musicians make music for their fans and supporters. And it’s those same fans that bring awareness to the world of their favorite musician’s message. Fans listen. Fans care. Fans are on our side. It is often our responsibility as musicians to bring topics and issues to the forefront of our listener’s ears. When I am involved in raising awareness about ending violence against women, my fans are there to listen, learn, and hopefully pass the message along. It is our global responsibility to take charge here. It is absolutely true that one person can make a change. And if that one person can influence many others, we’re on the right track.