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MTV: The Buzz On: DOE EYE
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Meet San Francisco success story Doe Eye, aka singer-songwriter Maryam Qudus. And we say "success st...Meet San Francisco success story Doe Eye, aka singer-songwriter Maryam Qudus. And we say "success story" because how often is it a musician goes from being a virtually unknown college student to winning Billboard magazine's "Battle Of The Bands" West Coast division and recording an EP with veteran producer John Vanderslice (Nada Surf, Mates Of State) and Magik*Magik Orchestra? No, sorry, that does not happen often.
Listen to Doe Eye after the jump.
You kind of have to hand it to Doe Eye for (gently) pushing her way to the front of the indie singer-songwriter line, though we're guessing her rich, old-soul ballads would've been discovered/celebrated/listened to over and over again regardless. Initially gaining traction with her first EP, Run Run Run, Qudus has been named FUSE AND Alternative Press' Unsigned Artist Of The Month -- plus, remember that little thing with Billboard magazine's Battle Of The Bands? And did we mention that renowned West Coast musician/producer John Vanderslice helped Doe Eye develop her 2012 EP, Hotel Fire? Yes? Well, how about that he's producing her upcoming debut LP? We believe the word you're searching for is "CRED."
Best heard on her two outstanding EPs, Doe Eye creates intense, string-soaked arrangements backed by brutally honest lyrics. Though she is queen of the soulful slow jam, Doe Eye is plenty capable of changing it up: Hotel Fire's six-song set features a title track that shifts into Radiohead grunge-era territory via distorted guitar and Qudus' edgy, bluesy vocals. Also check out her heartfelt San Francisco love letter, "Run Across This City" (well, "bike across this city" might be a more accurate title, but we digress).
In addition to her upcoming full-length in 2013, Doe Eye is set to perform at San Francisco's Noise Pop Festival, running Feb. 26 to March 3, alongside other West Coast outfits such as Toro y Moi, Rogue Wave, and The Thermals. "Run Run Run" into Doe Eye below.
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Billboard Battle of the Bands West Coast Finalist
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You probably wouldn't guess that San Francisco indie rocker Maryam Qudus, better known by her monike...You probably wouldn't guess that San Francisco indie rocker Maryam Qudus, better known by her moniker Doe Eye, was once working toward medical school.
One day in the middle of a trigonometry class, she slammed her pencil on her desk and walked out, because all she could think of was this guitar riff that was stuck in her head.
Three months later she found herself in a studio in San Jose, Calif., recording her debut EP titled "Run Run Run," which she released in August 2011. Doe Eye's first single "I Hate You" attracted CBS' Bay Area radio station Live 105, where the song debuted during the week of its release.
Doe Eye has also been buzzing nationally, being named Fuse TV's Unsigned Artist of the Month and charting at No. 8 on Hype Machine this past January.
The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist continues her musical endeavors studying at the Berklee College of Music, and she is currently preparing for her a new EP, which she is funding via Kickstarter and hoping to release in mid-2012.
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KQED: NOISE POP 2013
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I wish I had seen all of Doe Eye's set, then maybe my night could have balanced into the "good tune... I wish I had seen all of Doe Eye's set, then maybe my night could have balanced into the "good tunes" category. Unfortunately I only got to hear a handful of Maryam Qudus' torchy numbers. Backed by a cello and two violins, her forceful low croon was mesmerising. But the crowd was impatient for Family of the Year, so Doe Eye had to end, even though I felt a premonition about the band to come.
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MTV: Video Premiere: DOE EYE Hotel Fire
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Typically when you hear about a new band, one of the first questions that comes to mind is, "I wonde...Typically when you hear about a new band, one of the first questions that comes to mind is, "I wonder where they got their name from?" No such issue here with Maryam Qudus, aka Doe Eye; the answer becomes obvious about 20 seconds into the video for her song "Hotel Fire," off the John Vanderslice-produced Hotel Fire EP. In fact, the only thing more smoldering than the San Francisco vocalist's gaze is the literally smoldering fire engulfing the track's titular hotel.
Watch Doe Eye's "Hotel Fire" video after the jump.
The song itself is pretty smoking, too, for that matter. Taken from her September release, it's a quick two-and-a-half minutes of rapid-fire drum explosions, dirty creeping bass, and noir-guitar slices over which Qudus hovers like a lovelorn wraith, albeit with more than a few crooning jazz classic records in her collection.
"I sit in this black room, hope the light will come back soon," she sings in a rundown hotel room with only an old record player for company. "I searched the world to find it, I'm the darkness you need to light it." Elsewhere in the hotel a party rages on, while other inhabitants lurk in the shadows, and later, a full-blown fire.
The Buzz On artist, who was a finalist in Billboard magazine's 2012 Battle of the Bands, and Unsigned Artist of the Month on both Fuse TV and in Alternative Press magazine, shot the video in an abandoned apartment building in San Francisco where she had been practicing with her band. The decrepit old space is a natural fit for the song's sense of crumbling love, although, if we may, perhaps a name change to Smokey Eyes, or better yet, Smokey Voice might be in order for the next release.
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The Owl Mag: DOE EYE: Norcal Report
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As of late, Maryam Qudus, aka Doe Eye, has been busy blowing up beyond the Bay Area music scene. Sin...As of late, Maryam Qudus, aka Doe Eye, has been busy blowing up beyond the Bay Area music scene. Since sending her single, “I Hate You,” from her 4-track demo Run Run Run to San Francisco’s LIVE 105 in 2011 and having it immediately added to the LIVE 105 rotation by Program Director Aaron Axelsen, Doe Eye has been recognized as Fuse TV’s “Unsigned Artist of the Month” in October 2011, chosen as one of LIVE 105’s Top 20 Bands of 2011, selected to compete in Billboard’s 2012 Battle of the Bands representing the West Coast, recently featured in an article on the MTV Buzzworthy Blog, and the list goes on. So, all this recognition begs to ask the question, why has she not been signed yet? If hard work has anything to do with it, then Doe Eye should be signed any day now.
With the September 2012 release of her 6-track EP, Hotel Fire, which was produced by the beloved Bay Area producer, John Vanderslice, Doe Eye once again showed her fans and everyone else that she not only has the talent to keep putting out sensational songs, but also the desire to stay true to her sense of what of makes her music intriguing while keeping her brand of indie-rock exceptional. Throughout her Hotel Fire EP, Doe Eye is not afraid to put herself out there for the world to look at, judge, and ultimately, fall in love. In fact, she is putting herself out there even more with her new video for the title track, “Hotel Fire,” which premiered on the MTV Buzzworthy Blog on Tuesday, February 26th.
On stage, Doe Eye exudes the confidence of a music legend while pouring her passion into every word and note. See her perform on Thursday, February 28th at Bottom of the Hill as part of the Noise Pop Festival. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
Check out the EP’s title track and her song that threw her into the spotlight:
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The Examiner: DOE EYE: The Songstress of Success
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San Francisco’s musical sensation, Doe Eye, sang to a packed crowd over at Bottom of the Hill for th...San Francisco’s musical sensation, Doe Eye, sang to a packed crowd over at Bottom of the Hill for the annual Noise Pop festival, alongside Family of the Year and Rin Tin Tiger. Doe Eye has been a true embodiment of success in the Bay Area music scene for her quick rise to stardom, from representing the West Coast in Billboard’s Battle of the Bands to hosting a video premiere for her single, Hotel Fire, on MTV (just to name a few).
Singer Maryam Qudus simply started with creating an EP to show her teachers and classmates at Berklee College of Music. To her surprise, the EP started to receive shares on multiple blogs and played on multiple radio stations. The station most famous to the Bay Area for showcasing outstanding Bay Area bands and musicians, Live105, hand-selected I Hate You to play on their Sunday night program featuring outstanding musicians in the Bay Area, Soundcheck in the same week Qudus released the track.
Doe Eye - Hotel Fire (music video)
“It started spreading like wild before I had even left for school,” explains Qudus. “My music career started to do well unexpectedly and very fast.”
Qudus’ songs are the perfect combination of smoky, sultry, soulful lyrics, especially seen in her most recent EP, Hotel Fire (released September 2012), recorded with John Vanderslice and Magik*Magik Orchestra.
At the moment Qudus is working with John Vanderslice (Dodos, Death Cab For Cutie) on her debut full-length album, hopefully to be released this fall
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Album Review: DOE EYE, 'Hotel Fire'
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Two years ago, San Francisco singer-songwriter Maryam Qudus, who records under the name Doe Eye, sta...Two years ago, San Francisco singer-songwriter Maryam Qudus, who records under the name Doe Eye, started circulating a four-song demo that featured the alluring late-night ballad "I Hate You." The song impressed the tastemakers at Live 105 FM enough to make it on the air the week it landed in the studio. It also led to the making of her second official EP, "Hotel Fire." Recorded on 2-inch analog tape with revered Bay Area producer John Vanderslice and the backing of the Magik-Magik Orchestra, the album sounds remarkably sumptuous. Qudus has a wonderfully rich voice, made all the more alluring when she sings of love and loneliness over the elegantly sparse swirl of indie-rock guitars and swelling strings. The best tracks, such as "Falling Up" and "Drive," reveal the effortless confidence of someone who is clearly destined for bigger things. Doe Eye performs Friday at the DNA Lounge and Feb. 28 at Bottom of the Hill.
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Live 105's Top 20 Local Bands
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Union City new up-and-coming singer-songwriter Doe Eye, who was first brought to my attention by Liv...Union City new up-and-coming singer-songwriter Doe Eye, who was first brought to my attention by Live 105 staffer Menace, ended 2011 with a fantastic headlining and packed show at SF’s legendary Bottom Of The Hill, which featured a full 10-piece band, complete with back-up singers and a string section. She released her debut EP this year, which harbors the absolutely beautiful and haunting I HATE YOU, and look for Doe Eye to release a full album in 2012.
Read more: LIVE 105'S TOP 20 BAY AREA BANDS OF 2011 http://live105.radio.com/2012/01/04/live-105s-top-20-bay-area-bands-of-2011/2/#ixzz1wIKUBaOK
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DOE EYE
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Maryam Qudus was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack when she first performed her songs at a g...Maryam Qudus was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack when she first performed her songs at a gallery in San Francisco in December 2010. After the initial shock, she received a great response from the crowd and it pushed her to keep at it.
Qudus, a.k.a. Doe Eye, has upped her game for live shows and has a rotating cast of accompanying musicians. Sometimes there are up to 12 band members to complete her lineup. Qudus calls it a game of how many musicians can fit on the stage without falling off or getting slammed in the face with a guitar. (There will be six musicians performing with Qudus tonight at Cafe Du Nord. Injuries from an overcrowded stage are not expected.)
Her debut EP, "Run Run Run," which was released in August, has received well-deserved attention, including commercial airplay of the single "I Hate You."
Lineup: Maryam Qudus, vocals, guitar; Phil Traina, guitar; Tyler Florence, bass, vocals; Charlie Maynard, drums; Samuel Neipp, keyboard, vocals; Freya Seeburger, cello; Natasha Littlewood, cello.
Was there a band you heard when you were young that inspired you to become a musician?
I was inspired to become a musician at a very young age. I remember when my dad was driving me to preschool one day and I was listening to the radio. I stuck my head out and started singing my lungs out but couldn't breathe because my dad was driving 70 mph on the freeway. And I remember, in my head saying, "I want to be a singer someday."
I have always been really inspired by female-fronted bands. I am really drawn to strong independent women - probably because I grew up around very strong women like my mother and sister and wanted to be fearless just like them. Some bands that have really inspired me as a musician are the Cranberries, Mazzy Star, St. Vincent and Arcade Fire.
What's the most important aspect to putting on a live show?
I love connecting with my audience. What is a musician without their fans? I write music for myself but I share it for others. I am not the type of person who opens up to people very easily. ... But for some reason, I trust my audience so much. I feel so connected with them and feel so comfortable sharing my secrets with them. It's really beautiful.
Which of your songs best defines your bands and why?
"I Hate You" has definitely been an overall favorite for a lot of fans. It's very relatable. Everyone has been through some sort of heartache and that song is definitely an anthem break-up song.
How did you come up with your band name and what does it mean to you?
When I was a kid, I had the biggest eyes. I was pretty much all eyes and a bowl cut. One of my friends gave me the nickname "doe eye" and I decided to stick with it.
Check it out:www.ilovedoeeye.com
Next gig: 9 tonight. $10. With the Bins, Minor Kingdom. Cafe Du Nord, 2170 Market St., S.F. (415) 861-5016. www.cafedunord.com.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/music/bandwidth/article/Doe-Eye-3425353.php#ixzz2BeXslRHP
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Doe Eye at LIVE 105 Studios
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Last Friday Soundcheck artist Doe Eye did a private studio session for LIVE 105 staff. We captured a...Last Friday Soundcheck artist Doe Eye did a private studio session for LIVE 105 staff. We captured a few photos for you to enjoy. Also, check out her single, I Hate You.
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Turn on the Lights: Indie-Rock Singer Doe Eye is Ready for the Spotlight
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With the release of her debut EP, singer-songwriter Maryam Qudus, aka Doe Eye, is causing a stir in ...With the release of her debut EP, singer-songwriter Maryam Qudus, aka Doe Eye, is causing a stir in the Bay Area music scene.
By Zoneil Maharaj Email the author September 3, 2011 Print &nbps;1 Comment
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The motivational cliché for aspiring artists is “the sky’s the limit,” but for Union City singer-songwriter Maryam Qudus, the sky may simply become a view from the ladder of success she soon sits upon.
At 20 years old, Qudus, who performs under the moniker Doe Eye, is already making noise — delicate, haunting noise — in the Bay Area music scene.
She released her debut EP, Run Run Run, last month to high praise from indie music blogs and websites.
“Since then, things have happened very fast,” she said. “The response has been amazing.”
Her lead single, “I Hate You,” has started receiving spins on Live105, the leading rock radio station in the Bay Area. The video for the song, which debuted online the same day as her EP’s release on Aug. 19, was subsequently featured on the station’s website, along with dozens of other music blogs.
Produced by Steven Murr, you wouldn’t know that the record was made with little assistance from outside musicians. Qudus is the only vocalist and guitarist heard on the record, with a guest drummer on two tracks. All other instruments were created digitally by Murr to make a polished, high-quality indie-folk production.
In its brevity, the four-track EP reveals Qudus’s vulnerabilities, hopes and desires, wrapped in her alluring vocals that even make the words “I hate you” sound seductive.
“I like to create something out of my emotions,” she said. Her emotions range from the bold and defiant lead single to the somber and hopeful dreamscape of “Sea to See”
“The scars on my feet / It’s the strength I will keep / Through the ugly and beauty that lies ahead,” she sings on “Sea to See.”
“It’s about being held back and wanting to let go of things you’re afraid of, taking chances and not being afraid of doing something because you’d get hurt,” she said of the song.
That lack of fear and unbending determination are what set Qudus’ career in motion at an early age.
She’s had a passion for singing for as long as she can remember, but didn’t get serious about playing music until she was in middle school, where she picked up the guitar and learned on her own, she said.
“I’m not the greatest guitarist, but I know enough to write songs off it,” said Qudus, who owns three guitars, a bass, keyboard and tambourine.
Determined to make a career of music, she started paying for her own voice lessons at 16 after getting a part-time job. “Every dollar I made went to that,” she said.
Last year, she attempted to write one new song a day. “I didn’t pressure myself. It didn’t have to be good. I couldn’t keep it up, but it taught me a lot,” she said.
She took those “skeletons” of songs to Murr. “He took those concepts and made them bigger,” she said.
The last two months have been the “craziest” for her, she said.
In the last two weeks of July, she recorded and completed her EP. Shortly after, director Adrien Colon filmed the noire-like black-and-white video for her single
While she’s excited for the opportunities that may come from her recent exposure, she isn’t playing the waiting game. Instead, she’s pushing forward with her education to further develop her craft.
This weekend, Qudus packs her life into four large suitcases and sets for the east coast to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She already plans to assemble a band and tour the coast, and return routinely for spot dates in the Bay Area.
“My career will only get better from here,” she said. “There’s a lot more songs to come.”
By next summer, she hopes to perform at Live105’s BFD and the Outside Lands festivals, two of the largest music festivals in the Bay Area.
“I think I can make it happen,” she said.
Download Qudus’ new EP on iTunes here. Visit her online fan page here.
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Video Premier: Doe Eye 'I Hate You'
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Doe Eye who we have been buzzing about lately in the offices of LIVE 105 just posted her first music...Doe Eye who we have been buzzing about lately in the offices of LIVE 105 just posted her first music video online. Be the first to watch “I Hate You”.
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Girl Power: Ladies of the Bay Area Music Scene
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Yes, the current state of the Bay Area Music scene is unquestionably thriving at the moment, arguabl...Yes, the current state of the Bay Area Music scene is unquestionably thriving at the moment, arguably the strongest its been in years, and is saturated with many promising acts, including GEOGRAPHER, THE HOLDUP, MUSIC FOR ANIMALS, THE LIMOUSINES, AB & THE SEA, WALLPAPER, SET YOUR GOALS, THE FRESH AND ONLYS, THE HUNDRED DAYS and numerous others… Oakland’s KREAYSHAWN, who recently landed a reported million dollar contract with Sony Music and is currently working with the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS on their new music video, was more-or-less the impetus for this particular blog, coupled with the recent influx of fantastic female-fronted acts we’ve been playing on RADIO SOUNDCHECK, as we at LIVE 105 pay tribute to the GIRLS of the Bay Area rock landscape!
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Music Monday: New Artist Spotlight On Doe Eye
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From San Francisco, California comes Doe Eye, a fresh take on the indie music genre consisting of on...From San Francisco, California comes Doe Eye, a fresh take on the indie music genre consisting of one extremely talented Maryam Qudus. Doe Eye's first debut EP 'Run Run Run' is available on iTunes now!
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Local Music Spot Light Doe eye 'I Hate You'
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Local indie artist Doe Eye released a track named “I hate You” from her upcoming debut album yet to ...Local indie artist Doe Eye released a track named “I hate You” from her upcoming debut album yet to be titled. She’ll be the artist you want to keep an eye on in late 2012.
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