Check it out: Street Corner Renaissance on NBC's the Sing-Off!

Get ready for an absolutely breathtaking rendition of One Direction's hit, "What Makes You Beautiful" performed by none other than doo-wop masters (and past HIP clients), Street Corner Renaissance, on the hit NBC show, the Sing-Off! 

Check it out below and spread the word! 

www.StreetCornerRenaissance.com

Justina drops two magnificent new clips!

When we last saw Justina, we were introducing you to her by way of her video for “Halloween” which was a raucous and rambunctious clip that was a direct shot at all of the fake phony frauds who hide behind layers of makeup, ridiculous outfits and basically anything to avoid showing their true selves. Justina is all about embracing her true self and who she is, and the video was rousing sensation with our programmers, as well as a nice peek at what was in store for her new EP, Valentine.

Fast forward to now and look back at the past 4 months to see just how hard this girl hustles. Since the “Halloween” video she has spent two months on the road opening 27 dates for Mike Stud on The Relief Tourand another week opening for Hi-Rez on the F— Hi-Rez Tour. Her Valentine EP, which features collaborations with multi-platinum producers Infamous, Shy Boogs, and The Heatmakerz, also debuted at #38 on the iTunes R&B Chart, proving that this hardest working girl east of the Mississippi is the real deal! And while “Halloween” was a light-hearted good time from beginning to end, for her next two videos, Justina has decided to offer us a glimpse into the deeper side of her persona.

The first clip “That Ring” is an emotionally draining clip that reminds us that for all of her bombastic traits and larger-than-life persona, she still has a big heart. And with big hearts sometimes comes big heartbreak. “That Ring” doesn’t pull any punches or speak in riddles and mysteries. It’s a straightforward ballad about how sometimes no matter how much you love someone, that sometimes things are beyond repair and that even a beautiful diamond ring is only masking the real problems. The song and video shows an incredible level of depth of introspection and seeing her intimately delicate delivery makes us the viewer feel as though we’ve been witness to something incredibly personal.

For the second video “Unbelievable” Justina puts a little more sass in her step, reminding us that she is still a tough cookie that you don’t want to cross. The video features some of her most striking looks yet, as she teamed up with Priscilla Lomotey of Shop Saiko & fellow NYC designer Mishka, to fit Justina with the sexiest outfits yet. The song itself is a soul-soaked kiss-off to those that have done her wrong and who she is determined to cut out of her life. Justina knows that she can do bad all by herself, and that in the end friends are supposed to be the ones who help, not do constant harm.

Introducing Bernard Hyppolite

The country of Haiti is a beautiful place on earth. It is filled with soaring mountains, pristine beaches, and some of the most beautiful climate on earth. It is also home to a very proud and strong people who through the years have faced hardship, most notably the devastating earthquake in 2010 that decimated the land and ravaged the population. Combine that with the string of hurricanes that passed over the island in 2008, this beautiful country has been put to the test, but the people of Haiti (pronounced “Ayiti” in the homeland) are resilient and upbeat through it all.

Bernard Hyppolite is a Haitian-American artist whose pride in his homeland runs deep. “Ayiti” is his tribute to the land he called home where he “grew up with Auntie” and where “music would run free.” The content of the song is a nostalgic and personal look at one man’s journey as well as a musical history lesson that references Haiti’s forts, castles, the strong presence of Christianity and faith, as well as the darker, yet inspiring history of Haiti’s roots of a slave population that fought and won their freedom from the French. The lyrics of “Ayiti” are powerful enough to make us feel like we are at one with the people of Haiti and are being given a guided tour through the land.

The video for “Ayiti” is equally as powerful with its visual presentation of the people and the land that Hyppolite sings about. His goal with this video was to celebrate everything about Haiti, and with the stunning combination of natural beauty and deep culture he has accomplished just that. The video starts with Hyppolite acknowledging the past by being dressed like a slave from Haiti’s past, complete with chains, handcuffs, and even lashes on his back. As we follow him through the land he shows us the people of Haiti finding freedom and finding salvation. Faith has always been a powerful part of Haitian culture and has been the strength upon which they’ve drawn in times of both struggle and triumph. This video is not the end of the story, but rather a middle section of a long story that still has many more beautiful chapters to write.

Introducing Gaunt Story

What is a gaunt story? Pick the words apart and you have a thin tale, a bedraggled novella perhaps. Turn your ears towards deepest darkest East Lancashire, however, and you will find Gaunt Story is the musical moniker of one Rob Ashworth. Ashworth creates songs that are stories indeed, but far from thin or bedraggled. With a lyrical cryptic intimacy that is comparable to Joanna Newsom or Justin Vernon, Rob Ashworth’s songs have both the delicacy and strength of a finely-spun spider’s web. Gaunt Story’s strength is Ashworth’s multi-instrumental talent, and within the space of three minutes (or fewer) you can often find yourself tapping along to a traditional 4/4 beat before being tugged into a loop of chimes and seesaw rhythms, pulling you through a soundscape as pretty as any northern sky. There is no room for filler or ego-centric fretwanking here, as Ashworth packs his vignettes fit to burst with intrigue and leaves you wanting more. Sometimes jaunty melodies and haunting, baffling, words that rebound off each other in a dance or battle – at other times a simple phrase that twists and turns itself inside out.

Comparisons with other northern troubadours such as Badly Drawn Boy are inevitable, perhaps, but will be somewhat off the mark – Gaunt Story is in a class of his own, and has made himself quite comfortable there. With each Gaunt Story song there is a spark, a cheeky wink, that lets you in on Ashworth’s secret. And what is that secret? That Gaunt Story has deciphered something singular within the human condition and isolated it within the simplicity of a song. (Huge thanks to Ian Adamson for providing the excellent write up of Gaunt Story you’ve read above!)

For his new video “Companion Waves” has kept with his unique ability to be the sole driver and focus of the video. It is a skillfully shot clip that takes everyday trivialities and adds a cinematic element to them so that everything from lounging out on the couch and watching tv to preparing a small meal and going out for a daily jog is a visual treat. Rainbow prisms and kaleidoscopes of color fill the screen. But if you watch closely everything is not quite as it seems, and there is something decidedly darker and more complicated happening in this story. While it may appear on the surface to be a simple concept of a video, if you pay attention to the details you’ll notice the deeper story happening. So keep your eyes peeled on this one!

Introducing The Skys

The country of Lithuania is a small country nestled on the shores of the Baltic Sea, and although it is usually overshadowed by its larger neighbors this is a country with a rich culture and history of their own. The Skys are a product of that culture and since 1995 the band has been cultivating an ever-expanding and loyal fan base throughout the European and western Asian regions.

Over this time they’ve garnered recognition everywhere from their home country, to festivals such as Crescendo Festival in France, Posinger Open Air in Germany, Eastern European Music Fest in Russia, and a spot at the New York International Music Festival where they won the Best International Band award!

The Skys’ music is a nod to some of the best elements of classic rock, honing in on the ethereal and ambient sounds reminiscent of the Gilmour and Waters classics of the 70′s. Soaring instrumental breaks, sparse yet powerful vocals and restrained tempos are the calling cards of their newest album, Colours of the Desert. The release caught the attention of Cinderella Records, whom the band signed an exclusive distribution deal with to get their music heard! The first video from the album is for the standout track “When the Western Wind Blows” and is a six minute gem you won’t want to miss!

Watch: Hunna "Rescue Me"

The natural need to rock. That was the sole reason behind Hunna’s birth in 2011. Formed by five young musicians from Rio de Janeiro – Magga (vocals), Fifo (guitar), Thiaguinho (guitar), Dov (bass) and Teo (drums) – the band mixes elements of classic rock bands such as U2 and Guns N’ Roses with brand new influences from Foo Fighters, Coldplay, John Mayer, Incubus and Kings of Leon. All pieces put together turn into a fresh and unique sound, never heard before from a Brazilian band.

Hunna’s songs were written based on everyday reality and personal experiences from the band members, disregarding any language barriers for either Portuguese or English. One song in particular jumps out in that regard, the delicately written, but hard-hitting song for “Rescue Me” which deals with losing the one true person you’ve loved like no other. The song occupies the spot somewhere between rock and roll and ballad, but much too articulate and nuanced to be considered a power ballad. Magga’s vocal delivery portrays a true sense of loss and remorse, and an honest introspection realizing that sometimes we only have ourselves to blame.

Watch: Pickwick HIP Spotlight!

We had a great time meeting up with Pickwick to film their official HIP Spotlight a few weeks ago. We got the whole scoop on their amazing music video for "Hacienda Motel" and we highly recommend you check it out!