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There is this 21-year old Columbia student who was signed by Custard / Universal Motown, and she is the epitome of hard work and brilliance. Does that make you feel lazy? Yeah. Me too.
While watching an "L Word" rerun, (don't laugh, I was just resting at a truck stop) this song comes on and I was all "whoo-si-what-it!?" I immediately got on my trusty cell phone and Googled that mess quicker than a Tom Cruise out-of-court settlement.
The artist who popped up on the episode re-cap was one Miss Reni Lane and the song was called "Place for Us." Both of which I quickly carved into the sidewalk cement of my memory lane. Then I slowly clicked around to learn that this musical maiden was one of the most dedicated artists to break the barriers of pop.
This classically trained musician is a pixie perfect example of true musical lust. Her back story tells of turned-down model contracts and hard-core educational focus, all to bring her to her one true passion -- music. According to NYLON magazine, "some people seem to exist just to make the rest of us look like slackers. Reni Lane is one of them."
If any of her other songs sound as emotionally gritty and masterfully arranged as this initial find, she will have tons of reasons to stay busy come CD release time. Speaking of her freshman CD, it's said to be called "Ready," and is set to be released this summer, just in time for it to play in every tiki-torched bar from South Beach to the Jersey Shore.
Take a listen to Reni after the click, and let me know if you're as befuddled as I am at this brilliant new Betty of sound.
(http://blogs.nypost.com/popwrap/archives/2009/05/reni_lane_music.html) - nypost.com
She may have the same hair as the singer of Paramore, but Reni Lane is hardly aping anyone else’s style. Her voice is like a soft pillow and her songs are deceptively simple. Kind of like an American Ladyhawke. Her single “Place For Us” is a catchy one, but the Glitter and Blitz remix of “Runaway Train” highlights the potency of her voice and the flexibility of her music to be almost anything she wants it to be. She’s doing a residency this month at the Ella Lounge in NYC on Wednesdays. Her MySpace is the best place to listen.
(http://soundbleed.com/?p=744) - soundbleed.com
21-year-old Reni Lane's musical journey began at 7 years old with a Casio toy piano. By age 18, Reni had moved to Manhattan, and later was discovered by MTV talent executives and featured in their First Ladies of Rock campaign. She began her sophomore year at Columbia University building a small stage with spot lights included in her dorm room. Six months later, she signed a record deal with Custard/Universal-Motown with a release due this summer. Check out "A Place For Us," from Reni Lane.
(http://parasitesandsycophants.blogspot.com/2009/04/reni-lane-place-for-us.html) - parasitesandsycophants.blogspot.com
Reni Lane is hot new talent you should know about. The 21 year-old Columbia University student is turning heads with her propulsive, athemic pop-rock. Hollywood is taking notice as well. Her new single, "Place for Us" was recently featured on the popular drama show The L Word. The song is taken from the singer's forthcoming debut "Ready" that will be released this summer.
The tall and radiant singer was first noticed by an icon at a Verve concert. Wanting to soak up the magnificence that is The Verve from center stage, Reni bypassed her seat and cozied up into the front row. Turns out the seat belongs to Mick Rock, who, upon seeing Reni, had a quick jolt of deja vu. Reni reminded him of a young David Bowie on the Ziggy Stardust tour. The two immediately hit it off and Mick offered to photograph, which got things started for Reni.
(http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2009/04/hot-new-talent-alert-reni-lane.html)
- http://www.arjanwrites.com/
The best kind of song is familiar and illuminating all at once, and if you’re lucky, its creator is too. Such is the case with Reni Lane, the 21-year-old whose edgy beauty belies her geekier side. A campus figure at Columbia University, this classically trained artist extraordinaire is ready to turn heads in the music scene - while finishing her homework first. Reni's musical experience began at 7 years old with a Casio toy piano bought from a yard sale, but her natural ability quickly became apparent. At the age of 18, Reni moved to Manhattan and found her way to the Sidewalk Cafe, a breeding ground for other songsters such as Nellie McKay, Regina Spektor, and Beck.
In 2007 she toured Holland with her band, playing the famous Melkweg in Amsterdam. Upon returning to the states Reni was officially “discovered” by MTV talent executives and featured in their First Ladies of Rock campaign, sponsored by Virgin Mobile. She also began her sophomore year at Columbia University with a bang, where she built a small stage (spot lights included) in her dorm room. Six months later, she signed a record deal with Custard/Universal-Motown. While performing she captured the eyes of NYC fashion casting directiors asking if she’d ever done a print ad or beauty campaign, her answer, “No thank you”.
http://ataricoolkids.blogspot.com/2009/04/grab-these-stream-links-of-reni-lanes.html
- http://ataricoolkids.blogspot.com/
Our friend Reni Lane just recently got sign to to Custard Records and her debut album is coming out any minute now!
Name: Reni Lane
Age: 21
Favorite flavor ice cream: Mint Chocolate Chip/Cherry Cheesecake ... I can't pick.
I'm from: Corvallis, OR
But I live in: Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY
And work at: Becoming a huge pop star without having to go to rehab.
My first job was: Overzealously selling underpriced lemonade to passerby with my best friend in front of her house. I was 5.
My worst job was: Under-zealously selling overpriced clothes at the BCBG outlet in Williamsburg, VA.
Right before we perform I: Think about radiating love to everyone in the audience. You never know who's had a horrible day and needs a pick-me-up.
I know it’s going to be a good show when: Something really horrible happens the day of the show. All your barriers and expectations have been let down and you are extremely vulnerable and torn open. I will sing my heart out in that state. That sound horrible, but it’s true!
While we perform I: Try to freak out people in the audience by dancing up to them, singing into their face, stroking their hair, basically being a “nice” musical molester.
Right after we perform we: Have to pack it up!
My favorite shape is: Tetrahedron?
My least favorite color is: Putty. It was the color my whole rehearsal space USED to be.
The weirdest thing that’s ever happened during a show: In Rotterdam during my first Dutch tour, I was slightly awe-struck by these two 16 year old kids at a table in the very front of the stage hanging around on a Monday night at 3 AM, drinking beer and shamelessly making out very slowly and with lots of tongue. I guess it’s the Dutch way—good for them I say!
Shop at: Online. It’s so easy! I buy lots of musical gear and compare prices, usually finding a used version on craigslist. Otherwise, in the real world I’ll bike to Fairway for food goodies to fuel my late night studio cravings.
And read: Salinger, Philip Roth, Toni Morrison, many many short stories from many authors, CommonDreams.org…I even out the depressing political/dramatic stuff with a good dose of Deepak Chopra, even ”Life with My Sister Madonna.”
If I’m at a super fun party I really hope I have: The judgment to know when it’s the right time to go home, even if I’m having a blast.
My favorite topic for small talk is: Sex and business. Like a true Capricorn.
If I had a million dollars I would: Pay off my student loans and pay for my sister’s education. Education should really be free!
If I was to be stuck on an island indefinitely I would need: Cheese.
If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be: See above (I didn’t plan that).
Favorite gadget: Ableton Live.
I am influenced by: Some good things and some bad things. What’s hard is knowing the difference.
You should know that: I kissed a girl, and I liked it.
http://www.nickydigital.com/index.php?/blog/comments/meet_greet_reni_lane/
- http://www.nickydigital.com
Discography
Independently Released LP: American Baby
Custard/Universal-Motown: Ready (Due out 9/15/09)
Music streaming at www.myspace.com/renilane
Photos
Bio
In a clear, alluring voice that pulls you into the driving beat, Reni Lane sings, “There's a time, there's a place for us…” It is a fitting beginning to her debut album, and a strong step into the ring by a heavyweight pop contender, a musical powerhouse, whose time is now. Powerhouse? With her orange hair, and tall quirky mystique you might not expect this description, but one listen to her record and powerhouse becomes a most apropos moniker.
Reni Lane’s ride so far has been brisk. Moving to Manhattan at 18, she spent the summer trading songs with east village songwriters at the well-known Sidewalk Café (known for launching the careers of Suzanne Vega, Beck, and Regina Spektor). In the fall she enrolled in Columbia University and set up a makeshift club guerilla style in her dorm room, complete with stage and lights, and began throwing parties. As word of her talent spread she began performing at various campus events and city venues, and eventually by 2007 she was touring Holland with her band, where she played the famous Melweg in Amsterdam. Upon her return stateside, she was approached by MTV to star in their “First Ladies of Rock” ad campaign sponsored by Virgin Mobile, while seminal culture magazine Nylon, did a feature spread on her in their 2008 music issue. Later that year Reni inked a deal with Custard/Universal Motown records.
Now rooted in the East Village, Reni has attracted a sizable and diverse audience all her own. Fusing fashion, cutting edge music, and an exhilarating delivery, the stylish chanteuse has something for everyone. Her magnetic personality and natural stage presence cast a spell on all in attendance who immediately become entranced in the spirit of all things Reni. In fact, her shows have even the most jaded New York crowds dancing and having fun as she triggers music samples with her Nintendo Wii controllers. At her core though, she is a true musician. Whether singing, or playing guitar and piano, this multi-talented artist delivers an exciting show that leaves everyone wanting more; a fact that made her spring residency at New York's Ella Lounge a hot ticket.
The 11 songs from her fall 2009 Custard/Universal Motown release showcase not only her unique character and voice, but also her significant skill at storytelling. The maturity of her songwriting choices is rare for an artist of any age, and especially so for one so young. Reni exudes class and style in her music, while seducing the inner-city crowd with her eclectic personality and edgy stage banter.
Her record begins with the instantly accessible, up-tempo “Place for Us”, a song so catchy it flies off the deck in search of a radio. Featured on the season premiere of the hit Showtime drama, “The L Word,” the song provided a hard hitting soundtrack to the episode’s climax. Her straight delivery and universal lyrics strike the perfect chord. The modern production, vocal layering, and melody of the chorus stick in your head after only one listen and refuse to leave.
On “You Are Here”, pop sensibility, clever lyrics, and a sublime production come together to make Reni’s trademark vocal style shine. Her unique verse phrasing grabs you instantly, and the undeniable hook of the chorus really shows off a great sense of melody.
“We Don’t Forget” opens with a laugh that belies her sardonic recounting of a high school party aftermath. Her voice draws you in, like she's singing to you and you alone, while the sparse open feel of the instrumentation perfectly matches the unfeigned delivery.
“Even You”, like many of her songs is hard to label. Is it pop, rock, alternative? Reni has that Bowie-like quality of melding all her influences together into her music, and on this song she rides the beat like a kid on a merry go-round. The dynamic production lifts you up off the ground, while positive lyrics and enthusiastic vocal delivery keep you there floating. Like many of Reni’s songs it just makes you feel good.
It's not very often that an artist like Reni Lane comes along with the presence and sound to move people profoundly and effortlessly. Pick any track off of her new album and you instantly recognize who she is: a talented musician with depth and soul; a singer with a voice that is not only beautiful, but speaks to you; and a daring artist all flame and spirit using electrically charged songs to carry her stories to you. “There's a time, there's a place for us…” and now is the time and the place for Reni Lane.
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