Hey Everyone!  Check out Girl Talk Episode #5: ”3 Ways To Dumping A Bad Date” + Impress Nails Review! 

Feel free to send in your topic suggestions to girltalk@thebestoftanya.com !

Thanks, Tanya

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Tanya T6

www.thebestoftanya.com
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I have been anticipating Canadian Singer/Songwriter Feist’s appearance in the Triangle. Leslie Feist has many accolades under her belt, which include recently winning three Juno’s for Artist of the Year, Adult Alternative Album of the Year for “Metals”, and Music DVD of the Year for her documentary “Look at What the Light Did Now”. Her song, “1234”  has been featured in an Apple iPod Nano commercial, and a guest appearance on Sesame Street.

Raleigh was not overlooked on this tour, as Feist brought her expertise to the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. She kicked off the night with the pulsating “A Commotion” and had the crowd immediately standing at attention. Within the first couple of songs, she admitted that she felt a little disconnected with the gap that separates performer and audience. Instinctively, we responded by moving out of our seats and up to the stage. We crowded warmly around her, blurring the line between artist and audience. From then on, it was pure magic.

Throughout the night, Feist was conversational and sang little improvisational ditty’s for us. She shared that had walked around earlier that evening, checking out the opening band, Timber Timbre. There was a hard core fan rocking out in the front row, and Feist pointed him out, dubbing him “Ambassador of the Audience” because he was “channeling the energy in the room.” She also likened the empty red seats in the upper level of the auditorium, as the beautiful tips of our “audience peacock feathers”.

Through the rest of the show, we cheered her on, absorbing every song in it’s entirety. Even in the quiet moments you could hear voices distinctly proclaim their devotion, and someone even added, “I’m proud of you, Leslie!” The audience definitely shared a tender spot in their hearts for Feist. It’s hard not to. She’s so real that you feel you’ve been best friends since grade school. Feist’s lush, breathy, and honest songbird-style vocals are so alluring, that you can’t help but want to do anything for her. Feist encouraged us to sing along, and at one point, all of our voices were singing in harmonic unison, evoking the sounds of an ethereal choir.

The harmonies created by Feist and her back up singers were absolutely stunning. It turns out that for this tour, Feist’s back up singers are a trio of women from Vermont known as Mountain Man, who have the ability to harmonize like they just stepped out of a vintage Appalachian folk song. Her band is also a tour de force, able to multi-task on many instruments, including; drums, percussion, tambourine, bass, guitar, horn, harmonica, keyboard, and piano, lending perfect ambiance to Feist’s unique sound.

To finish up her set, Feist played “When I Was A Young GIrl”, “Sea Lion Woman”, and “Let It Die” for the encore. It wasn’t until later that I realized she hadn’t played her most famous song of all (“1234”). It really didn’t matter to me, because when I left the auditorium and walked back to my car, I felt different. I felt encouraged, empowered, inspired and elated. So thank you, Leslie Feist, I’m proud of you, too.

www.listentofeist.com
www.facebook.com/feist
www.twitter.com/FeistMusic

Hey Everyone! Check out Girl Talk Episode #4: “Mistakes Women Make with Men” + Health Tip#1 “Going Organic”! Next episode airs live 5/2/12 8PM EST!

Feel free to send in your topic suggestions to girltalk@thebestoftanya.com !

Thanks, Tanya

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Tanya T6

www.thebestoftanya.com
www.youtube.com/tdormevil
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www.facebook.com/tanyat6

Hey Everyone!  Check out Girl Talk Episode #3: “Sexy vs Beautiful” + Beauty Tip #2 “Vitamin E Oil”! Next episode airs live 4/18/12 8PM EST !  

Feel free to send in your topic suggestions to girltalk@thebestoftanya.com !

Thanks, Tanya

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Tanya T6

www.thebestoftanya.com
www.youtube.com/tdormevil
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www.facebook.com/tanyat6

Viva La Venus is not your average girl band. They are much more than a pretty face and they prove their serious rock credentials on their largely anticipated third album, Bleeding on the Edge of Happiness. These women rock with infectious riffs, and a take-no-prisoners attitude when it comes to lyrics. Their drummer, Trey McLamb is a constant force to be reckoned with, adding hard pounding grooves, that never want to quit. Their first two albums, The Never Ending Mending Story and Forget the Fairytale, have gotten critical acclaim, as well as the attention of Jay Leno.

I was very excited to get a preview of the new album and needed to catch up with the women of Viva La Venus. The new album has definitely got attitude, the kind of in-your-face-unforgiving-attitude that only Viva La Venus can evoke. I am hanging out with Wendy Brancaccio-guitars/vocals, Susan Darney-guitars/vocals, and Mary Anne Barckhoff-bass/vocals.

R- “Love the new album, Bleeding on the Edge of Happiness. Do you think your sound has changed over the years?”

MA- “I would say we have a more refined sound. The guitar work is more intricate.”

W- “For sure! The guitar work, the harmonies, and the vocals.”

R- “The new album sounds awesome. There are a lot of really distorted riffs that I personally love! Since it was a long recording process, looking back, was there anything you would do differently?”

MA- “Part of the reason it took so long to make this album was because there was a lot of technical changes. I had just come back from Kenya and we wanted to rework some of the songs.”

W- “Another reason was because when we had it mixed, the sound engineer wanted to make us sound really metal. Too metal.”

S- “They were trying to make us sound like something we weren’t. It did take a substantial length of time, and really every part was a challenge. (laughs) When we got to the mixing we thought we could relax. Most of the work was done (recording), but we still had more work we didn’t anticipate, when it came to the engineer and what our album was sounding like.”

W- “We needed our vision to be the one we wanted. I think it’s okay to take any extended time to make sure that you hang on to your vision.”

S- “We have no regrets on anything because we took our time and tried everything. Every song got to be exactly the way we wanted.”

MA- “Since we recorded the album ourselves, we did spend time tweaking it and making it work.”

R- “Who is the male guest vocalist on Grave? How did this collaboration come about?”

S- “I was actually discussing writing a duet with another artist during Farm Jam. The project never happened, but I still had this idea for a duet that I wanted to write. I tried getting Jeremy Bellion, our bass player while MA was in Australia, and even asked our drummer Trey, but it just wasn’t working. Wendy had previously sang a duet on Eric Aittala’s album, and Eric loved the idea! He was so professional and wonderful to work with. I am really happy the way the song turned out. He was the perfect choice!”

MA- “It was a challenging song to bring together. Susan really whipped it into shape.”

R- “Now that you have completed your long awaited album, where do you see yourself in the next five years?”

W- “The funny farm!”
(Everybody laughs)

W- “We’ve written tons of new songs and we want to record soon. This next album will be so easy, since the wait of the new album was partly due to artistic vision and having to restart, as we ended up losing some files in a computer crash.”

S- “We could easily do two cd’s in the next five years.”

W- “We would love to make an acoustic album. Susan wants to call it ‘Girls Gone Mild’.”
(Laughter)

R- “I love that idea! I am always interested in the songwriting process. Is there someone in particular that writes the majority of the songs, or does everyone add a little something?”

MA- “Usually it’s a guitar riff, then we write vocals.”

W- “Sometimes Trey will play a cool beat and we’ll get inspired. Usually it’s the riff first, then we get going!”

MA- “It’s a total democracy.”

W- “Which is why we need another member sometimes.”
(Laughter)

S- “Everyone’s input really makes the songs better.”

W- “I totally agree.”

R- “Is there any last minute parting words of advice for Coolgrrrls that are reading this?”

MA- “Be true to yourself, but still try to be open to new ideas, because someone could suggest something cool that you didn’t think of before. At the same time, stand your ground for what you believe in.”

W- “Don’t compromise your vision.”

S- “I think that genders don’t matter. People have these ideas that girls can’t play as well as boys.”

W- “Sometimes people would come up to me at our gigs and ask if I’m the girlfriend of someone in the band. I love seeing their looks of surprise when they see me walking up on stage and then rocking out.” (Laughs)

MA- (Laughs) “I usually get people that tell me I don’t play like a girl. What does that even mean? I really get a kick out of Susan when she gets technical. We were at a gig where the sound man couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the soundboard. Susan walks up, patches through some wires, using random stuff like a bobby pin and bottle cap, and we were good to go.”
(Everybody laughs)

MA- “We are all about entertaining. It has nothing to do with being cute. When Trey joined the band, since he comes from a metal background, it gave our music a harder edge. It did steer us in a more male oriented grouping.”

W- “Hard rock music in general is still very male dominated.”

Mary Anne Barckhoff , Susan Darney, and Wendy Brancaccio

What I love about Viva La Venus, is how these ladies are changing the stereotype of women in music. As I drove home, I was thinking about how they remind me of superhero rockers sent from another world (Venus perhaps?) to make sure that the boys on earth get a dose of hard rock that doesn’t have to apologize. This album is proof that Viva La Venus reaches for the stars, and then transforms them into fuzzy, distorted, melodic rock songs that would make the Goddess herself put on her black eyeliner and rock out in the front row.

All their albums can be purchased on iTunes and CD Baby. However, if you want them to autograph it, their official CD release party is going to be held on April 28th, 2012 at Slim’s Downtown, Raleigh, NC. Their new video for Hesitate (which is the first release off the album), will be unveiled on their website to coincide with their CD release party.

by Rebecca Kane

Hey Everyone! Check out “Girl Talk” Episode #2: “Shopping On A Budget + My Beauty Tip of the Week: Nioxin Vitamins”.

Feel free to send in your topic suggestions to girltalk@thebestoftanya.com !

—-

Tanya T6
www.thebestoftanya.com
www.youtube.com/tdormevil
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Hey Everyone! So I started a new live web series called “Girl Talk w/ Tanya T6″ where I give my advice on various topics ranging from beauty tips, men, sex, relationships, etc. Check out Episode #1: “Should I Drink On The First Date”? Let me know what you think:)

“Girl Talk” airs live on www.thebestoftanya.com or
www.ustream.tv/channel/girl-talk-w-tanya-t6 every other Wednesday at 8pm EST(next show airs March 21st). Feel free to send in your topic suggestions to girltalk@thebestoftanya.com !

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Tanya T6
www.thebestoftanya.com
www.youtube.com/tdormevil
www.twitter.com/tanyat6
www.facebook.com/tanyat6

Hello again coolgrrrls,

This month I’d like to introduce you to an amazing woman. Her name is Carla DeSantis Black. Carla has done so many wonderful things within the women’s music community; I almost don’t know where to begin sharing her awesomeness.

For starters, Carla was the founder, publisher, & editor-in-chief of ROCKRGRL magazine from 1994-2005. ROCKRGRL was a ground breaking, award winning national publication completely devoted to women in music. The Seattle based magazine spawned two music conferences in 2000 & 2005. The female artists who participated in the panels & performances read like a who’s who of female royalty: Patti Smith, Ann Wilson, & Bonnie Raitt, just to name a few.

When ROCKRGRL ended, Carla then went on to become a certified music, life & career coach. She is now based in Austin, TX where she is extremely active within the local music community. Her passion for helping female artists is evident from the moment you meet her…so much so that she has now created an online-magazine/site devoted to women in music, entitled MEOW (Musicians For Equal Opportunities For Women)
www.meowonline.org 

Carla also continues to write articles, conduct interviews, and lecture throughout the country. Her mission is to empower female artists, educate the public about the ever-present evils of sexism within the music business and level the “playing” field – once and for all.

I encourage everyone to link up with MEOW’s facebook group…it is a great way to connect with other female artists, while learning about new ones. Carla posts new articles daily and welcomes any/all feedback from members. She also encourages women to share their stories and insight, creating a wonderful community online for women to express themselves….how cool is that?
www.facebook.com/groups/meowmembers

For those seeking help in their career, I also encourage you to contact Carla about her life coaching sessions. They can be conducted via Skype from anywhere in the world, or if you happen to live in the Austin area you can meet with Carla in person.
www.carladesantisblack.com

I am only giving you a glimpse into what Carla’s about, so please take some time to explore the links above and learn more about this fierce coolgrrrl ! You can all thank me after

And for all aspiring female musicians out there, Carla is running a new contest on MEOW’s website beginning the week of March 12th…looking for 15 “up & coming” artists – with the grand prize winner receiving musical equipment AND a feature article on the site ! What are you waiting for? GO SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC NOW !! Tell her dirty jenny sent ya!
www.meowonline.org 

Until next time…please watch the video of Carla below.

peace~

dirty j~

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Kat Robichaud of The Design. As the suffix of her last name suggests, this woman is extremely hot, intelligent, and taking over the world.

I was surfing the web one day and came across a video called “Burn” from a band called The Design. Known for my curiosity, and my love of words like “burn”, I couldn’t resist watching it. I was impressed with Kat’s showmanship and her intensity intrigued me. My favourite part of the video is when she belts out the lyrics, “If I burn, you burn, too”, and stage dives into the anticipating crowd, wearing lacy tights and leopard print platform heels. Not something I would recommend trying at home.

I researched the band online, checking out their web presence. Kat is extremely photogenic, which comes across in every beautiful photo of her. One photo that grabbed my attention, is of Kat wearing a pair of gold sequined shorts, complete with sexy black thigh highs, garter belt, and American flag platform heels. She is squeezing the band tightly into a hula hoop, perhaps reminiscent of some eccentric bondage ceremony on the planet Krypton. This scene, however, is taking place in front of a ride at the fair, with blurred colours whipping in the background. How cool is that? I had to track down the band and get an interview.

I met Kat Robichaud at the Duke Coffeehouse. I walked into the intimately sized venue and The Design were in sound check. I sat at the bar and watched as the sound man checked their mic levels. I think it’s awesome when artists dress up and have a look of their own. Kat had on the striped suit she wore on the cover of The Design’s new album, “Young America”. When she was finished, I walked over and introduced myself. She was very friendly and came to sit down with me immediately.

RK- “Are you from Raleigh?”

KR- “I’m from Concord originally. I moved to Raleigh to get my graphic design degree at NC State, and I’ve been here ever since.”

RK- “How much of your graphic design talent comes into play with your music?”

KR- “I have fun doing all the graphic design for the band. That’s also how The Design got our name.”

RK- “I love that you took the art concept and incorporated it in your music. I checked out your website and noticed your photo shoot at the fair. How were you able to pull that off?”

KR- “Well, I wanted to go somewhere with atmosphere. (Laughs) So, we get through the gate at the North Carolina State Fair, I’m wearing these skimpy clothes and I’ve got this hula hoop as a prop. We are posing in front of the rides and as you can imagine, I start drawing a crowd. A couple of cops are approaching us, and we realize that I am dressed provocatively in the middle of the bible belt. There was already a scene, and tons of people were stopping to watch our shoot. The cops mentioned to us that they had their hands full because Dionne Warwick was at the fair, and they didn’t have enough cops to split between us for damage control. They told us that they understood we were just doing our thing, and they told us to come back when the fair was closed. We did and we were escorted around for about an hour and we were able to get some killer shots. It’s important to add energy and an aesthetic to a photo shoot.”

RK- “Those photos turned out great! Is there anything else you would like to accomplish, as well as your music?”

KR- “I’m into fashion. I would love to have a clothing line like Gwen Stefani. It’s hard to find the time to do anything extra, as I do a lot of networking for the band. I create the fliers and album covers. I’m currently working on a stop-motion music video concept with Lite-Brite that I’m doing in After Affects.”

RK- “That sounds really cool! I was wondering if you do most of the songwriting in The Design?”

KR- “It depends. It’s a collaborative effort. Some songs I wrote on guitar like, “Don’t Stop Loving Me” and “Scream”, they are ideas I brought to the band. “Burn” started with Bryan on drums, Michael came up with a riff, and I recorded it on my iPhone. I went home and shaped the lyrics and melody. For the song “It All Goes On Without You”, it was formed around a riff and then we laid down the chord structure.

I learned in school that design doesn’t just come from you. It comes from a collaboration and since everyone in the band has a different background, it helps make the music unique. My influences are David Bowie and Queen, Mike is into punk rock, Bryan is into Rush, The Cure and The Police, while Keith is all over the map and loves jazz.”

RK- “I have to ask: How many pairs of shoes do you have?”

KR- (Laughs, then thinks for a moment) “It’s probably around 30. My favourites are Jeffrey Campbell’s. They look cool, they’re comfortable, and they grab your attention. They are visual art.”

RK- “What is the most interesting gig you’ve ever had?”

KR- “There was a wedding gig that the band had in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The groom was a producer from MTV and we were playing in this giant field, right at the foot of the Teton Mountains. We were half way through the set, and everyone stopped to watch the sunset. It was so beautiful and the crowd was so happy and into it. It felt cool to be a part of that experience.”

RK- “Since you are well on your way to superstardom, are there any behind the scenes tips that you would like to share with other Coolgrrrls that are out there trying to make it?”

KR- “For sure!

Number 1: Promote yourself like no one else is promoting you. Hand out fliers and do everything you can to get yourself out there. Don’t just let someone else handle it.

Number 2: Be professional. You are in the public eye and you never know who is watching you. The way you dress can also get you noticed, so make sure that you are dressed for the part.

Number 3: Be humble. Play every show like it’s your best show. There is no small show, so be appreciative whether there are 20 people in the audience or 20,000.

Number 4: Reach out and connect with fans. Eye contact is so important and it makes a difference. Connect yourself to your audience before and after the show. Respect your fans and be courteous. Let the audience leave with a piece of you. Meeting and greeting fans helps establish your fan base, and leaves them with a positive impression.”

Kat definitely left me with a positive impression. I stayed for their full set, and Kat graciously let me take some pictures. During the show, she wasn’t afraid to take her own advice, as she ran into the audience, incorporating them into her show. She mentioned how much she loved Tim Burton, and during one point, threw silly string onto the crowd. The highlight was when she bursted out singing the first few bars of the American anthem (hitting every note perfectly, I might add), and then immediately rocked into “Young America”. The crowd went wild and she had the whole room under her spell. 

I strongly encourage going to see The Design. Kat’s showmanship exceeded all my expectations. I have a feeling that world domination is right around the corner, and I’m pretty sure that Kat has a funky pair of platform heels stashed for just the occasion.

Rebecca Kane

Trying out a new eyebrow waxing salon? Draw over your brows before getting them waxed!

Ever walked into a random salon and told them you would like your eyebrows cleaned vs a full wax(where they arch, shape, etc) and they end up messing it up? Or how about this, you’ve spent weeks trying to grow your eyebrows back, mentioned to the beautician that you would like them a certain way, and she still ruins it? I always stick to the same person when it comes to getting my eyebrows waxed, but every time I have to go to a different salon (when I am out of town/traveling), it ends up either too thin or not arched the way I would like it.  

Well, here is the perfect solution:

Take a black or dark brown eye pencil (or a color to match your eyebrows) and draw over your brows, especially covering areas you don’t want waxed off. This way, they won’t make it thinner than you’d like and or won’t screw up your eyebrow shape. When you go to the salon, tell the beautician to wax only along the pencil (without removing it) and waaahhla, you’ve got exactly what you wantedJ…it works every time! 

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Tanya T6
www.thebestoftanya.com
www.youtube.com/tdormevil
www.twitter.com/tanyat6
www.facebook.com/tanyat6