ELYSIAN FIELDZ

Surrounded by supportive fans dressed in army fatigues, R&B group Elysian Fieldz shot scenes for their debut music video, ?Soldierette,? Thursday at the Greek Amphitheater and Friday at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house.
Elysian Fieldz members and sisters, Alexis Jones, a mass communication junior and Arin Jones, a sociology senior, said they shot part of the video on campus to incorporate friends and the University, both of which helped them develop as artists.
Like members of Elysian Fieldz, other students are using the University as an outlet for music development.
?LSU has so many gifted and talented kids,? said Madeline Jones, Alexis and Arin?s mother and manager. ?Education exposes them to opportunities.?
Elysian Fieldz, whose members write their own music, recently signed a production deal with Virgin Records, Madeline Jones said.
?I always said we?re going to be bigger than the Supremes,? Alexis Jones said.
Other University students are not as close to stardom as Elysian Fieldz, but they pour their money and time into their passion: hip-hop music.
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The Franchise
The Franchise is a rap group that records on Paw Points Productions.
The group, which released the local hit ?Baton Rouge Clap,? sold about 120 copies of their ?Quad Up? CD last year for a dollar each.
?It was almost like giving them away, [but] we got a lot of CDs in circulation,? said Tony Smith, a sociology junior and album producer.
Money from record sales usually cover the costs of blank CDs, and members break even, Smith said.
The Franchise records in Annie Boyd Hall, where Smith produces beats and puts lyrics on tracks on his computer.
?I?ve been playing with it for about 5 years, so I can take the background noise out,? Smith said. ?It sounds really professional.?
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Common Error
Records
Common Error Records, based in New Orleans, has produced five compilation albums, including Common Courtesy, Common Law and Common Criticism, with other campus artists such as Elysian Fieldz, A.D., Pig, Critikal and B-3.
Most were sold by hand, but some were released in Peaches, a New Orleans record store.
?I would just walk up to anyone who I thought liked rap music to sell albums,? said Willie Felton, a biochemistry senior and rapper for Common Error Records.
The group records in a studio built in its producer?s home. Members pay for studio equipment and supplies with money from outside jobs.
Previous albums have sold about 2,000 copies, which usually just covers the costs of studio equipment, promotions and travel, Felton said.
Felton, lyrically known as Sleepy, will release his first solo album in May and has been interviewed on Power 94.9 FM radio station.
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School Helps
Many students say a formal education at the University laid the foundation for their efficiency in music production.
?You can?t take away education,? said Elysian Fieldz member Arin Jones. ? It keeps you well-rounded.?
Members of Elysian Fieldz said participating in the University gospel choir helped them develop their craft.
Justin Cox, a computer science graduate student, is a computer analyst for a FBI program, but said producing beats is his passion. He is also the recording engineer and webmaster for Common Error Records.
?Being in the band for 4 years and classes helped with Web designs,? Cox said. ?If things don?t work out with music, I have my degree to fall back on ? but I see myself chasing this.?
Some rap groups were established through friendships and networking made at the University.
?We were just hanging around ECA, messing around with music, and another artist heard me,? Felton said. ?It just blossomed from there.?
Gaining exposure in Baton Rouge is more difficult than other cities with major music markets such as New York and Los Angles, said Daniel Williams, a former University student and CEO of Common Error Records.
?School is important to upstart exposure,? Williams said. ?It starts a fan base and creates a buzz.?
Venues at the University such as Greek pageants and step shows provide exposure and a support network for Elysian Fieldz and other performers at the University.
While many students say they pursue music because of their love for the craft, Money and Fame can also be attributed to the popularity of the music industry with students.
?People want to have the cars on chrome and the money and glamour,? Williams said.
Many also consider the music industry a stepping stone to other forms of entertainment such as fashion, acting and modeling, Williams said.
?It?s something different for each individual person,? Cox said. ?For me, it?s not about the money. Years later, if there is no profit, I?m still going to do it.?
Whether for love of the music or money, student artists agree they want to reach others with their music.
?Elysian Fieldz is opening the door for students, so people know who we are,? Williams said. ?This leads to more attention for people like Common Error and Franchise.
- LSU Reveille

Elysian Fieldz 12:35 p.m., Congo Square Sisters Arin and Alexis Jones form the R&B-pop duo Elysian Fieldz. Having opened for hip-hop artists such as rappers T.I., Nelly, B.G. and Lil Romeo, these New Orleans natives are building a fan base throughout the South. - Gambit

On February 7, 2006, at 8pm, UPN is showcasing some of New Orleans? own and we all have an opportunity to witness true heroism at its best. Forgotten in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are the stories of the next generation?s undying perseverance and strength. Many of us know what pursuing a dream at a young age can entail but throw in a hurricane, family losses, and relocation?most of us would respectfully throw in the towel.
Not Arin and Alexis Jones of Uptown New Orleans. These two sisters have overcome more in the last four months than most could have handled in four years, and all while continuing on a destined path. The sisters, known as Elysian Fieldz to music industry insiders, have been singing together since their start in church choirs and were making a name for themselves nationally by opening for acts like Carl Thomas, Avant, Nelly, Master P, and Mary Mary just to name a few. With the support of their family they were able to do all this while still attending LSU in Baton Rouge. When the family relocated to Baton Rouge, post-Katrina, it was only a small set back as they continued to press on towards stardom. Their faith and determination would not go unnoticed for long.
UPN Television Network learned of the girls? story and decided to feature them on a brand new show called ?Let?s Get This Party Started?. Their entire family was flown out to Las Vegas where they were greeted by Kristen Cavalliri of MTV?s Laguna Beach. They were given a shopping spree and even got to perform with one of their favorite artists Mary Mary. Alexis even had her 21st birthday party while taping the show. Things were going well until tragedy struck and gave them a new mountain to climb, as this would be the last time the girls saw their father alive.
On December 17, 2005 their father, Charles Boyd Jones, suffered a massive heart attack while trying to rebuild their water soaked lives. Then one month later their grandmother Anna Swanier also passed. Undoubtedly heartbroken and disappointed Arin and Alexis pressed on. After burying the man who saw them through it all on December 27, 2005 at Household of Faith Church, they went back to their alma mater of Xavier Preparatory High School to honor him with a second line in New Orleans tradition. With this celebration came blessings from above?as doors once closed now opened to usher in a new beginning.
Undaunted, the girls went back to work recording and eagerly seeking places to perform. With their mother, Madeline Jones, by their side, the dynamic duo is pressing on and making a way out of no way. When most would have given up, they kept climbing and stayed focused. As a sophomore and senior at LSU, they have kept up their studies and were even featured in several magazines including In Touch Magazine, and LSU?s Reveille. With a name like Elysian Fieldz, which in mythology means the abode of the blessed after life, it would seem they are being blessed daily.
So tune in and watch them on Feb. 7th at 8 pm on UPN and show our support. Once they?ve made it big we can reminisce and say, ?We knew them back when.?
For more information call Madeline Jones, (504) 606-7836 or on the web at Elysian Fieldz. - Nola.com

The Union Programming Council's Music and Mayhem Committee will present the "Women Rock!" concert March 3 at 7 p.m. in the LSU Union Cotillion Ballroom. The concert is free and will showcase the talents of four Louisiana artists.
The acts performing include Kristen Diable, Maime Porter, Lindsay Spurlock and Elysian Fieldz.
"We realized that nine times out of 10, the concerts brought to the Union were men," said Emilia Gilbert, Union Program Coordinator and Music and Mayhem adviser. "We wanted to showcase the female talent as well."
The show will feature musically and racially diverse acts to go along with the end of Black History Month and the beginning of Women's History Month.
Gilbert said this is not a feminist concert like the all-women "Lilith Fair" of the late 1990s, it is just a free concert highlighting local talent.
"We were inspired by an article in The Legacy showcasing local female musicians," said J.W. Washington, president of the Music and Mayhem Committee and a mass communication sophomore.
Washington said the student committee selected the artists after reading about them and listening to their music.
Kristin Diable, a 20-year-old Baton Rouge native, has had three independent albums released in the past three years. According to her Web site www.kristindiable.com, her acoustic rock sound has garnered attention from colleges and some of her music was used on the MTV show "Undressed."
Lindsay Spurlock is also well known locally for her singer/songwriter abilities in her group, the Lindsay Rae Spurlock Band and another local band, Lucid Soule.
The concert will also feature the blues styling of Maime Porter. A Southern alumna, she and her husband Smokehouse Porter are well known nationally with their most recent CD, "King of the Gut Bucket Blues."
Rounding out the show is Elysian Fieldz, an R&B group comprised of sisters Arin and Alexis Jones of New Orleans.
"There is something for everyone at this concert," Washington said. "We just want people to come out and have a good time." - The Daily Reveille

Follow Band
Elysian Fieldz
Hometown: NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana
Tags: hip-hop, pop, rhythm and blues, rnb
Elysian Fieldz (R&B/Soul) Sisters Arin and Alexis Jones from New Orleans blend their voices on modern rhythm and blues stylings.
- Austin Shows

A YOUNG WOMAN DEEPLY AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA IS GIVEN AN AMAZING SURPRISE WHEN HER SISTER ENLISTS THE HELP OF AN ELITE TEAM OF PARTY PLANNERS TO THROW HER AN UNFORGETTABLE 21ST BIRTHDAY PARTY, ON A REBROADCAST OF "GET THIS PARTY STARTED," TUESDAY, FEB. 14 AT 8:00 PM ON UPN

Kristin Cavallari ("Laguna Beach") and Ethan Erickson ("Extra") To Host The Show and Special Events Firm Harrison & Shriftman To Lend Their Expertise

"Surprise 21st Birthday in Las Vegas" -- After losing everything in Hurricane Katrina, sisters Arin and Alexis Jones, both students at LSU, have selflessly devoted themselves to supporting their family and rebuilding their lives, putting all of their own plans on hold, including Alexis' 21st birthday celebration. For all of the sacrifices, Arin, wanting to do something special for her baby sister, enlists the help of hosts Kristin Cavallari and Ethan Erickson to plan the ultimate surprise party in Las Vegas that her sister has always dreamed of, on a rebroadcast of GET THIS PARTY STARTED, Tuesday, Feb. 14 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN. (Originally broadcast on 2/7/06)

After arriving in Las Vegas, host Kristin joins Arin on an elaborate scheme to distract her sister Alexis from learning the truth. Meanwhile, the elite party planning team, led by special events coordinator Lara Shriftman and host Ethan go to great lengths to create the most incredible 21st birthday for Alexis, including a surprise appearance by Grammy Award-winning artists Mary Mary.

GET THIS PARTY STARTED is produced by Allison Grodner Productions. Emmy Award-winning producer Allison Grodner ("Big Brother") serves as executive producer of the series.



Read more: Listings - GET THIS PARTY STARTED on UPN | TheFutonCritic.com http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20060208upn05/#ixzz1HpWqLGjR - The Futon Critic

Arin and Alexis Jones share their new perspective on following your dreams after loosing everything.

Second installment coming soon... - A Women's Journal

Do you know what the only thing that was surprising about UPN's “feel-good” reality show “Get This Party Started?” The fact that its theme song wasn't “Let's Get It Started” by the Black Eyed Peas. Otherwise, nothing on this show surprised me.

The show attempts to help people through their tragedies by throwing them a party. Yes…a party. As my mom would say, “Whoop-de-kadoo, Batman.” Each week, a team of party planners to the stars, led by special events coordinator Lara Shriftman of Harrison & Shriftman Event Specialists, along with hosts Kristin Cavallari and Ethan Erickson, works with one person’s friends and family to plan a surprise party for them. They have two days to put this party together. They give this person a fake reason why the cameras are following them around, and they keep this person in the dark until the reveal.

In the first episode, we meet Arin and Alexis Jones, both students at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA, whose family house was one of the casualties of Hurricane Katrina. The family has been living in a hotel ever since, and the sisters have had to be the breadwinners, since the father, who was the co-owner of a bride & groom reception hall and limo service, lost his business in the hurricane. Alexis had to put her 21st birthday plans on hold so that she could help the family out. So…is the show going to help rebuild the Jones family’s house and business? No…they are going to throw Alexis a surprise birthday party! Younger sister Arin is the “party accomplice,” and she is in charge of keeping Alexis in the dark. The excuse given to her as to why there are cameras around is that they have been chosen to audition for a talent show. Since they are both very good singers, this isn’t hard to believe as an excuse. Their idols are the R&B group Mary Mary, and they like to sing their songs. They are flown out to Las Vegas and they are put up in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. They get the VIP treatment (do audition hopefuls on FOX’s “American Idol” get that?), while Arin has to keep up with excuses to slip away and help set up the party. Alexis starts to become suspicious, so in order to keep the ruse going, they meet with a music producer named Warryn “Baby Dubb” Campbell, who coincidentally produced for Mary Mary. Next, they have makeovers done by professional hairstylists and makeup artists (again…why the VIP treatment for people who are just auditioning? What if they sucked?) Finally, they do the reveal. Right before that, they have to wait in line with a bunch of other “audition hopefuls” who aren’t nearly as dressed up as they are. Once they get into the “audition room,” a huge crowd filled with their friends and family surprises Alexis. Of course, she is surprised, but I bet in the back of her mind she was thinking, “A party? So…no audition? No chance to become a famous singing star? Ain’t this a b***h!” Along with the party, according to her, the surprises just kept coming and coming. They were given a family photo shoot with a professional photographer, 21 items of clothes (which Arin also got), and the chance to sing with…you guessed it…Mary Mary. - Entertain Your Brain

Arin and Alexis Jones are anything but ordinary University students.
While others only dream of fame and success, the Jones sisters are making their dreams a reality — modeling, singing, hanging out with Nelly, getting compared to Destiny’s Child — and most recently, filming a music video.
The sisters formed Elysian Fieldz, a local R&B group that filmed part of its first music video, “Soldierettes” on the University campus.
More than 200 University students volunteered to be extras in the Elysian Fieldz shoot at the Kappa Sigma house Friday, said Madeline Jones, the sisters’ mother and manager.
“They have a wonderful support group here at LSU,” Madeline said. “It has just broadened their base tremendously, and I’m so proud of the kids who came out.”
The video is for their song “Soldierettes,” which they cowrote with their cousin Mone from the local band Black Iyce, said Arin, a sociology senior.
“It’s a very fun video, kind of like a girl-power video, about being strong and independent, with nice cars and nice guys,” Arin said. “Girls deserve to have a video just for us.”
The video will be shown on BET and Phat Phat and All That, a local New Orleans television program, Arin said.
The sisters began pursuing their music career ten years ago after singing in their church choir, said Arin.
“We grew up in the church choir, so we’ve always been singing, but we wanted to pursue the business aspect,” Arin said.
The sisters started singing early, said Alexis, a mass communication sophomore.
“I was no older than three or four when I did this solo and everyone in the church flipped out when I hit this high note. And after that, I was like, ‘I love singing on the microphone,’” Alexis said. “Then it was something I always wanted to do.”
Elysian Fieldz originally included the Jones sisters and two of their cousins, although their cousins chose to leave the group, Arin said.
The New Orleans-bred family group named their band after the city’s Elysian Fields Avenue — the “heart of the city,” Arin said.
After ten years of struggling in the business, the sisters are finally seeing success, with shows with Master P., T.I., Lil Romeo and B2K under their belts, Arin said.
Arin and Alexis also were both finalists on America’s Next Top Model, a model search television program, Madeline said.
Elysian Fieldz has also worked with Nelly, Arin said.
“He flew us up [to New York] to see if we were a group that he wanted, that he was interested in,” Arin said. “We were, but things didn’t work out in the end.”
The sisters also model for Baby Phat, are extras in movies, study and have jobs — Arin works at the Hampton Inn and Alexis works at Hooters, Madeline said.
The sisters do not want their careers to stop with singing and videos, Alexis said.
“I want my name on everything,” Alexis said. “I want to have cars, shoes, purses, bracelets — everything. I want to model my own car.”
The sisters’ style, sound and history tend to remind people of Destiny’s Child, Arin said.
“But we are not Destiny’s Child; we are very different,” Arin said.
Madeline said she had a hard time finding a manager that met her daughters’ standards, so she decided to be their manager.
“I wasn’t comfortable with what kind of image some people were trying to portray with them,” Madeline said. “They wanted them to shake their butts and, you know, show their cleavage … we figure they can be a success, be sexy and pretty and still have their clothes on.”
Everything the group does is tasteful, classy and fun, Alexis said.
“Faith is number one in our career,” Alexis said.
Elysian Fieldz began their music career in the church choir, and they still pray before every show, Madeline said.
“If you don’t have the spiritual relationship with God, you are either going to quit or go crazy,” Arin said. “This business is crazy, and faith is important.” - The Daily Reveille