Heather Youmans

Material: Heather Youmans and her accompaniment played an assemblage of songs from her soundtrack work, her originals, which were imbued with reflective personal tales, and beautiful covers that put twists on contemporary pop-rock. She sang creative renditions of “The First Cut Is The Deepest,” Alanis Morissette's “Ironic” and Rihanna's “Umbrella.” Youmans’ own compositions included “Shine,” examining teenage self- esteem and anxiety issues and “Dreams,”
a selection with upbeat guitar but a likewise melancholic tone about unfulfilled wishes.

Musicianship: The breadth of styles highlighted Youmans’ singing talent, the skill of her husband John MacLennan on guitar and Steve Hass’ ability to keep the backing beat on cajon. They have a penchant for quick adaptation between genres and can turn Top 40 radio pop into palatable and engaging cafe music at appropriate decibels. “You're My Kind of Trouble” best demonstrated Youmans' great vocal range and deep, sonorous voice.

Performance: The trio played with joy and passion. Youmans, MacLennan and Hass

were synchronized throughout. “Is It Just Me?” wonderfully embodied the sensations surrounding the unknowns of love’s reciprocation. Her nostalgic movie tracks, “If I Could” and “This is Not Your Girl Next Door,” have a petulant teen-pop vibe, and carried the theme of self- development and facing one’s fears. The show was a deeper examination of the kinds of music Youmans wants to explore and the demographic for whom she wants to be a positive role model.

Summary: Overall, Youmans is an impressive singer-songwriter. The session was recorded

for potential release and she showed her vocal range and musical repertoire, which likely contributed to the cover-heavy performance.
I would, however, have liked to hear more original material. The covers were tasteful, but there was a more emotive quality from her own music that revealed a deeper personality, and listeners will be tuned in for further exploration of this creativity. Especially in Youmans’ cover of “The Way I Am,” it is clear she is an artist who needs to be heard in person to be truly appreciated.

Contact: heather.youmans@yahoo.com

Web: heatheryoumans.com, and IG @ heatheryoumans

Players: Heather Youmans, vocals, electric bass; Jon MacLennan, acoustic guitar; Steve Hass, percussion - Music Connection Magazine

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, bassist and actress Heather Youmans marries powerful, soulful vocals with raw storytelling elements, looking at honest life moments and emotions. Heather performs at Southern California venues (W Hotel Hollywood, The Hotel Cafe, The Viper Room, The Study, The Avalon, Dolby Theatre, Hotel Casa Del Mar) with her husband and guitar player Jon MacLennan, guitarist for Julian Lennon, John Popper of Blues Traveler and Steven Tyler. While continuing to perform and further her career, she records as a session singer with incredible soul and talent and is currently writing and recording a new EP. With new music on the horizon, she’s now taking the chance to share her story, unfiltered and unapologetically.

“My Kind Of Trouble” is Heather Youmans newest single and we can’t get enough. Her powerful live recording is what sets her apart from artists today. It’s raw, honest, and beautifully stripped down to showcase Heather's authentic vocals and incredible register. The angelic tones she exudes are admirable and prove her ability as a powerhouse vocalist. “My Kind Of Trouble” is a light-hearted love anthem. Although Heather worked through a few recording sessions of this track, she ultimately decided that the first times a charm and provided the realest experience for her listeners and fans. We love her authentic flare and individuality she infuses into her music and we can’t wait to hear what’s next. - Buzz Music

At age 9, I watched with wide eyes as"American Idol"debuted on national television in 2002.

I never imagined that 10 years later I would receive my very own golden ticket to Hollywood.

After my debut appearance in the Season 11 premiere, which showed interview footage, clips of childhood singing performances and my encounter with the judges, and later the San Diego auditions — the episode aired Sunday night after the NFC Championship game and then again on Tuesday night — I began getting inquiries about the intriguing process and my personal story.

After some thought, I figured, who better to tell the story than me?


This column is about my personal achievement: becoming one of 300 singers selected out of 110,000 contenders who auditioned in stadiums across the nation to become the next American Idol.

Today, as a performer, entertainment writer and avid contributor to the Daily Pilot, hopefully I can use my words to tell my story as effectively as I used my musical notes in front of the “Idol” judges, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson, who all sent me to Hollywood a week after their unanimous decision.

For years my father, a huge fan of the Fox show and a musical man himself, watched eagerly and encouraged me to give it a go. This year, I finally gave in and decided to audition just for fun. After all, the reality show is known for producing singing superstars overnight and turning them into household names.

The prospects are pretty tempting, but I went into the audition without expectations.

Before making it through on “Idol,” I had considered auditioning for “The Voice,"NBC’s attempt — with little success — at crippling the “American Idol” machine. Nonetheless, “American Idol” ranked No. 1 among adults ages 18 to 49 for eight consecutive seasons. It was also the No. 1 television show of the 2010-11 season, even with the new judges who came onboard last season.

As a side note, I was relieved that contestants were no longer subject to Simon Cowell’s notorious scrutiny, but were met by an encouraging and benevolent panel. Honestly, despite Cowell’s brash, no-nonsense manner, the guy knows what he is talking about.

So, on a sweltering day back in July, I showed up at Petco Park in downtown San Diego, along with my childhood best friend and 10,000 other hopefuls all wishing to be the next Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood or Scotty McCreery.

Most of them came prepared to sing Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” However, I had a different song in mind for my moment in front of the panel: “Some Kind of Wonderful” by Carole King, which over the years has also been covered by the likes of Grand Funk Railroad and Joss Stone.

Equipped with a solid audition song, I entered the judging room after a wait that seemed an eternity. But, somehow, the confidence I had mustered during the wait escaped me. Before me sat legendary frontman Tyler, global icon Lopez and Grammy Award-winning producer Jackson.

They all stared at me in my deep purple headband and hippie garb with expectant eyes.

Frankly, I was happily terrified — a strange reaction given my background in performing arts. There’s something about all the cameras and excitement that takes you on a roller coaster ride of newfound emotions.

As I took a deep breath and opened my mouth to sing, I could feel my hands shaking. But, after the first few lines I looked up to find a relieving sight: Tyler interjecting and waving his hands in the air, grooving to my soulful sounds. From then on, I came into my own and even made the judges laugh!

Then came the moment of truth.

In an unanimous “yes,” the panel — most notably Lopez — pointed out that I was an artist possessing “the whole package,” as well as a certain emotive energy and spark in performance. I’ve never received compliments well, and always seem to get embarrassed, beaming bashfully from ear to ear.

And then the screaming came. This was the golden ticket moment viewers saw for the first time when the San Diego episode aired Sunday night.

When I ran down the stairs in a frenzy to greet my family, close friends and host Ryan Seacrest, who all eagerly awaited the decision. Everyone was instantly in high spirits — especially Grandma, who impressed me with her Olympic high-jump.

But while my support group danced through the corridors of the U.S.S. Midway, I tried to ground my excitement in reality. In the entertainment business you eventually develop a thick skin, which means learning to never get too excited or disappointed about an experience. Anything can happen in show business, especially in reality television.

However, my road to Hollywood began even before I set foot in Petco Park last summer.

Immense musical preparation made this moment attainable. Thankfully, for a 19-year-old I have had my share of musical opportunities including: radio play on Top 40 stations like Radio Disney, and soundtrack work in movies like “Marley & Me: The Puppy Years,” “Flicka 2" and “Moondance Alexander.” And at age 13, I was lucky enough to be the opening soloist at an event featuring Sting and Natalie Cole.

In the end, I owe all of my feats to my family, who has enduringly supported this passionate dream I hold close to my heart. When I started to sing, I was not driven by a thirst for stardom, but a genuine zeal and emotional connection to my music as a universal communicative tool.

An intriguing journey has just begun.

For more information, log on to https://www.heatheryoumansmusic.com or americanidol.com where the “Idol” team has posted my official “Road to Hollywood” interview and a photo taken during my audition. Stay tuned as “American Idol” continues to search for America’s next singing superstar. - Los Angeles Times

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Youmans.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I just have to start off by saying Los Angeles is awesome. LA brings some of the most creative people from around the world together in one space, where we all can collaborate and inspire each other. It’s overwhelming, motivating and so beautiful at the same time. I’m from San Diego originally, but this city – and the people in it – have helped me find myself as a creator and storyteller, which is the best way to sum up what I do. I tell stories about my life experiences as a singer-songwriter. I’ve helped tell other people’s stories as a journalist and publicist. In theatre, I get to step into the shoes of a character and see life through their eyes. I’ll never get tired of telling stories. I am sure of that.

My journey in the entertainment industry began when I started working in musical theatre, TV/film and voiceover in Southern California as a pre-teen. It was musical theatre that ended up being my gateway into the music industry in LA. When I was 13, I walked into an open call for workshop of a musical. The audition was at an LA recording studio, and on that day, I ended up meeting the songwriter that produced my first songs and kick-started my singing career. I was incredibly lucky to grow up in the studio with some of the industry’s best mixers, engineers and session musicians. They taught me so much and helped me grow into the musician I am today.

Later on, I felt very compelled to write, so I studied journalism and public relations at Long Beach State. After a year of classes, I was offered the chance to be a freelance entertainment and music journalist for Los Angeles Times Media Group, and later on, The Orange County Register. I initially started off as a theatre, music and dance critic and then branched off into writing feature stories, which gave me the opportunity to interview some of my idols – members of The Beach Boys, Ann Wilson of Heart, Martina McBride, Brian McKnight, George Lopez, Brooke Shields, Chita Rivera and several Grammy award-winning musicians. During that time, I also reported on music and theatre in schools, advocating for arts education. Every kid should get the chance to create and experience performing or visual arts. It builds confidence and can change someone’s life!

I made the transition from journalism to public relations in 2013, at which point I decided to enroll in an MBA program to study business and marketing while working full-time in PR and music. Before I joined the marketing team at Fender in Hollywood as a Global PR and Communications Manager, I got to work with some of my favorite consumer and entertainment brands – 20th Century Fox, Dolby, The Rose Parade/Tournament of Roses and Target.

I love my job, which is essentially being a storyteller for the Fender brand and the artists that we support. I interact with journalists all day long, and it keeps me connected to my past life as a reporter. Working at Fender is everything you think it might be. Everyone is incredibly talented, and through this job, I’ve been able to work with some of my idols, like Jimmy Page, and I even got to interview Brian Wilson for a Fender video (It’s still one of the best days of my life). Fender is such a storied company that’s widely respected in the music industry for its legacy, but also for its willingness to embrace the digital age and modern musical needs of players around the world. My work helps inspire new and seasoned players to express themselves through music, and that makes me so happy.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my biggest regrets has been growing up too quickly and not giving myself the chance to dream big and take more risks. Growing up in the entertainment industry as a kid is hard, and even more mentally challenging as an adult. I try to take every opportunity that doesn’t work out as a learning experience and remind myself that in order to succeed, you have to pick yourself up quickly and just keep going. The faster you do that, the more progress you’ll make. Success is determined by your mindset, and I’ve found that embracing optimism is essential.

What should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
When I’m not telling the Fender story, you’ll find me working on a theatre project or singing at LA venues – such as the W Hotel Hollywood, The Hotel Cafe, The Viper Room or The Study – with my husband and guitar player Jon MacLennan (guitarist for Julian Lennon, John Popper of Blues Traveler and Steven Tyler).

My primary instrument is my voice, although I play bass and sing, and when I write, it’s with either guitar or piano. I feel like my songs marry the best of powerful, soulful vocals with raw storytelling – looking at honest life moments and emotions. I’m so lucky to have found an outlet for my music at such a young age, but the music I’m writing and performing now represents the woman, songwriter and artist I have grown to become in the past decade – through love, loss, pain, triumph and the beautiful, unspoken moments life brings.

I’ll be releasing two EPs within the next nine months. The first will include live performances of original music and covers from a show I played at The Hotel Cafe in May. The second will feature all-new original music produced by my husband. I’ve been releasing stripped-down, live music videos for some of the songs on YouTube. You can listen to the first tune, “Is It Just Me,” performed live at The Recordium here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXnuhtl92bU

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
When I was a teenager, I co-wrote and sang on a pop song called “Girl To Change Your World,” and in its first week at radio, the single got air time on Radio Disney and several other nationwide Top 40 radio stations. It’s not the type of song I’d sing or write now (I was sixteen then!), but it’s a snapshot in time, and I’m proud of it. Since then, some of my favorite experiences have been appearing on Season 11 of American Idol; performing as the opening soloist for an event headlining Sting and the late Natalie Cole; and writing and recording original music for movies like 20th Century Fox’s Moondance Alexander starring Don Johnson, Kay Panabaker and Sasha Cohen. Several of my songs are also featured in the movies Flicka 2 – with country music icon Clint Black – Marley and Me 2: The Puppy Years and High Strung, which premiered at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre and was released in theaters nationwide. - Voyage LA