Playback

Doritos Reveals Top 10 Unsigned Music Acts Competing for Stage of a Lifetime: Super Bowl XLII Commercial Broadcast

will.i.am and Interscope Geffen A&M Records Helped Choose Semi-Finalists
Fans Nationwide Now Determine the Winner by Voting for Their Favorite
Performer

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The Doritos brand announced today
the 10 unsigned group and solo artists selected as semi-finalists in the
Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" challenge. In October 2007, Doritos invited
undiscovered musicians across the country to submit an audio and video
performance of an original song that is, like Doritos tortilla chips,
inspired by the musician's passion and creativity based on his or her own
bold or intense experiences. As an evolution of the Doritos brand allowing
consumers to be in control, the winner will have a 60-second music video
montage of their song air during the Super Bowl XLII broadcast, during the
time traditionally reserved for Doritos ads. In addition to having their
"big break" on one of the world's largest stages, the winner will also
receive a record deal with Interscope Geffen A&M Records.

Three time GRAMMY-award winning musician, songwriter and producer
will.i.am, along with Jack Joseph Puig, A&R Executive Vice President and
Producer for Geffen Records, and Ryan O'Donnell, A&R Executive for
Interscope Geffen A&M Records, served on a panel of judges including the
Doritos team to select the "top 10" performers. Now fans nationwide will
determine the three finalists by voting for their favorite performer
through December 31, 2007 online at http://www.snackstrongproductions.com.

"We knew there was so much talent out there just waiting to be
discovered, and, as expected, we have found some truly incredible
performers," said Ann Mukherjee, group vice president, marketing,
Frito-Lay. "We are proud to provide one of the biggest and best stages
possible for our fans to celebrate their passions, fulfill their dreams and
potentially launch a career. But ultimately it will be the music and
performance of these talented acts that will truly shine under the
spotlight."

"I know how difficult it can be for the many talented musicians and
performers out there to be discovered, and from the looks of the
semi-finalists many of these talented artists showed up to be part of this
program," said will.i.am. "I think music fans out there will have the tough
job voting for the three finalists and ultimately the winner."

The Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" challenge provides a platform for
hundreds of emerging artists to share their original music with potential
fans all over the world. Entrants came from every corner of the country,
representing a variety of music genres ranging from rock and rap to
acoustic, country and fusions of everything in between. The 10
semi-finalists (in alphabetical order by artist) and their original song
submissions are:



1. Barra Libre of New York, NY: "Disco Naked"
2. Blind Fury of Camden, SC: "My Nature"
3. Dominic Castillo and the Rock Savants of Portland, OR: "Keep You
Around"
4. Gina Cutillo of Coram, NY: "The Blame"
5. Kina Grannis of Austin, TX: "Message from Your Heart"
6. Landon Austin of Dallas, TX: "Waitin"
7. Metafore of Boca Raton, FL: "Nah Mean"
8. Nivla featuring P. Oberoi of New York, NY: "Be Easy (Koi Naa)"
9. One False Move of Brick, NJ: "$2 Fare"
10. Playback of Boxford, MA: "Just Breathe Girl"

The results of the semi-finalist voting phase will be announced on
January 7, 2008. At that time, fans can once again vote online among the
three finalists to determine which music act will have its music video
aired during a commercial break on the Super Bowl XLII broadcast on FOX on
Feb. 3, 2008 and win a record deal with IGA. The three finalists will each
be awarded $10,000 and a trip to Phoenix to attend the Doritos Super Bowl
party.

Frito-Lay North America is the $10 billion convenient foods division of
PepsiCo, which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay,
PepsiCo divisions include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana.



SOURCE Frito-Lay North America



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As one of 10 unsigned music groups nationwide to be chosen for a video spot during the Super Bowl, Boston-based Playback is pushing hard and making a bang in every way possible.
Though the driven pair didn’t grab the coveted spot, their hip-hop, dance rhythm and blues tracks and self-produced videos are getting more and more play as their influence spreads to locations as far away as Germany.
Where both have been performing since an early age, Corey and Daryl Bertocci have already put in their time and are not only looking to grab the attention of a major record label, but change the music scene in Boston itself.
In the meantime, the two are constantly perfecting their roles in the group, as the twin brothers represent a dichotomy of musical creativity.
As Corey seeks inspiration though music production – arranging beats, background sounds, and a slew of digital instruments on an 8-foot-long mixing board accompanied by a double-tiered keyboard system – Daryl builds his art by perfecting the dance moves he’s choreographed and editing the rap segments inscribed solely in his thoughts.
“We each have our own thing,” Daryl said. “We complement each other.”
Performing in shows across the country and opening for acts such as Kanye West, the group has made contact with many experienced musicians, along the way capturing whatever wisdom they see worthy.
“Study Fred Astaire and James Brown,” Daryl said of the advice given to him by Michael Jackson during a discussion he had over the phone with the celebrity, who the band member had always idolized for his legendary dancing performance.
While the two admitted to being star struck when on speakerphone with the pop king, at times, they too are prone to causing a little hysteria. During one show in Worcester, original Playback beats and stage performance had the crowd so crazy for the local band, that the audience of 100-plus broke down a small fence to be flush with the stage.
And then again, working an audience has never been a problem for Cory or Daryl, as the two were dancing along to 1990s rap group Kris Kross at the Hampton Beach Amphitheatre at age 8 and dancing during intermissions at Celtics games six years later at age 14.
“It’s drill, drill, drill,” Daryl said of Playback’s commitment to keeping the dance routine for shows tight, adding that the two usually practice everyday for the two weeks before a show.
The twin brothers began with this mindset when they finally decided to channel their talents into a music group at the age of 16.
More recently this past October they absent-mindedly entered a contest put on by Doritos to feature an unsigned artist’s video in a 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLII this February. Taken completely off guard, the two were informed about their status as one of 10 groups across the country selected as semi-finalists.
Even though Playback didn’t make the finalist round, the publicity has definitely helped.
“We got 1000 plays right off the bat,” Daryl said about the hits their online music video’s received.
While the two are hard at work promoting themselves, they stressed the desire to create an atmosphere of collaboration among artists in the Boston area, trying to make communications among hip hop and R&B groups more frequent.
“We want people to come together,” Corey said about ideas to sample other artists on their albums and vice versa. While the band already works with young artists hailing from places as close as Middleton and as far as Salt Lake City, they feel not enough musicians in the Boston R&B and hip hop scene pool in resources for musical projects.
While they finished their 15-track album, Let It Bang, roughly a year ago, they said their next album will have more guest artists.
Although the two are cloaking Playback’s next step in mystery, Corey was able to give a small hint.
“It’s worldwide,” he said. - Wicked Local