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Songwriter Profile: Nadeem MajdalanyCreative Grit 

For two-time GRAMMY® and multiple award-winning musician-engineer-composer-songwriter Nadeem Majdalany, music was a passion before he knew how to play an instrument. “I could plunk out what I wanted, match the pitch where it was, then figured out reading the staff on my own,” he says. At age eight, he began formal training with Colin Mack, who taught him piano, theory, and composition, and began shaping him as a musician. Between pitch writing, scoring movies to Director specifications, writing songs for placement and inspired from his own life, and compositional works, Majdalany has never been one to take ‘no’ for an answer and represents the epitome of creating his own opportunities. 

His first commission was for the Athens Symphony at just 19 years old while studying at Berklee. Overhearing a conversation in the hallway mentioning that the artistic director and maestro were looking for a new rehearsal conductor (and with no one willing to write him a recommendation, saying he was too young), Majdalany submitted a VHS demo (conducting musical theatre) with just a cover letter. He was accepted with the feedback that “We know you don’t have any recommendation letters. You must be really good because that means you’ve already started upsetting people.” Majdalany says that these words would ring even more true over the years, and that the experience in Greece shaped his conducting. “I was being complimented by orchestral members that the energy I give is very inspiring [and] helps them play better. I always try to put that energy into things.” The Artistic Director commissioned him to create an orchestral piece during his tenure (“Gloria Et In Terra Pax”). 

While still in school in Boston and flying back and forth to Greece, he scored his first feature film (Hopeless) in 2010, which brought him to Los Angeles. Later contracted for three separate films— none of which moved into production— Majdalany says he always makes sure to get a deposit upfront for all of his work. 

The move to Los Angeles was not easy and there were challenging times— including a stint as a jazz pianist at three separate clubs (before finding himself replaced by deejays). Looking back, he says, “there’s a downfall but, to rise up again, you have to have the light and dark. Life is being strong enough to cut people out from your life entirely: it takes a lot not to play the game. I think the biggest thing you could do is be okay with who you are.” 

Starting out, Majdalany had a broken laptop and an Oxygen 8 keyboard with two missing keys. Needing a desk, he stole a milk create from Walgreens and a piece of plywood from a back alley. He worked that way for three years. “It didn’t stop me from making music,” he says. “You make use of the tools you have. If you can’t afford a $2,000 mixer, don’t put yourself in the poorhouse trying to make something.” Majdalany is also quick to stress the importance of work ethic. “We’re great excuse-making machines,” he says. “Whether you’re too hungover, too tired, or too sick, there’s always something that’s going to make you not want to do that thing, which means that you just genuinely don’t want to do it. Get off the bench and move over for someone else.” 

Good music balances light and dark, and delivers honesty in the melody and lyrics, Majdalany shares. To keep himself honest, he writes his newest ideas using a pen and paper, explaining that the physical connection represents energy leaving the brain and sending an impulse of an idea, which is lost in translation when using a keyboard. 

Best known for his album Phoenix of Atlantis, placements on FOX, MTV/ MTV2, OWN, HBO, NBC, and instrumental contributions on two GRAMMY®- winning albums, new films, American Suicide Mass Murders and Waterpot are coming soon, with a conductor tour towards the end of 2024. Majdalany is also working with the Art Heals Foundation highlighting their artist community in his performance series, Pandora’s Box. 

For more information, visit nadeemmajdalany.com The post Songwriter Profile: Nadeem Majdalany first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Disney’s VR treadmill, OpenAI fixes ‘lazy’ GPT-4, and Apple rolls out stolen device protectionHey, folks, and welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s regular newsletter covering notable happenings in tech over the past few days. On the agenda for this edition is Disney’s innovative VR treadmill, OpenAI fixing its “lazy” AI and MIT’s high-capacity, fast-charging organic battery tech. We also cover Apple’s new stolen device protection feature, AI […]
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Aim Audio: New brand introduce innovative mics Aim Audio are a new pro audio brand launching with a pair of innovative mics and a custom shockmount/pop shield system. 

Getting It Done: The Week in D.I.Y. & Indie MusicLast week, our tips and advice for the independent, do-it-yourselfers out there covered how to get your first festival gig, eight tips for improving merch sales, and more…
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REWIND: The new music industry’s week in reviewA busy week by any definition, the music industry was no exception, with royalty reports fromSoundExchange, Beatdapp beating fraud, and more…
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Ultimate Ears Pro release Universal IEMs Designed as a first set of high-quality IEMs for aspiring musicians, UE aim to provide sound quality, comfort and durability.

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Signing Story: Carpool Date Signed: October 2023 

Label: SideOneDummy Records 

Band Members: Chris Colasanto, guitar, vocals; Tommy Eckerson, guitar; Milo Duhn, bass, vocals; Alec Westover, drums, vocals 

Type of Music: Punk 

Management: Dan Doyle and Trevor Chesler - 918 Management 

Booking: Jason Parent - Sound Talent Group 

Legal: Henderson Cole 

Publicity: Daniel Cooper - Lucky Bird Media, daniel@luckybirdmedia.com 

Web: carpoolny.band 

Label Manager/A&R: Phil Bender-Simon 

Says Chris “Stoph” Colasanto of Carpool’s signing with SideOneDummy Records, “I’ve been buying shit from SideOne since I was 11 years old. It’s a very full-circle, wild moment to be on that label now.” The band has also signed with Sound Talent Group. 

With phenomenal friends and family supporting them, Colasanto says “Rochester's the number one city on Earth. They picked us up and put us on their shoulders, so it means a lot.” Releasing their 2018 EP independently (re-released with Old Press Records, now part of Acrobat) they performed in-studio at Audiotree in 2020 for wider promotion. Summer 2023 brought a tour supporting Cliffdiver (also on the SideOneDummy roster). Cliffdiver and manager Dan Doyle pushed for them to be heard. 

“I could go on forever about how much I love our team,” says Colasanto. “They’re great people. Referring to Doyle as a “true Western New York cat—cordial, kind, and cooperative,” Doyle ran a venue where 

 Carpool played frequently and the band invited him to join them on tour. Manager Trevor Chesler is a “nose to the grindstone, locked and loaded, man on his game,” and Colasanto describes label manager Phil Bender- Simon as “one of the realest people I've ever met in the industry, an absolute blessing and a dream come true. It’s a pure, genuine interaction every time.” 

The shift in momentum is already obvious. “Marketing, press, rollout— everything is official,” emphasizes Colasanto. “The song [“Can We Just Get High?”] is streaming better than any other song we have released. SideOne [gave] us an avenue to be ourselves and do our own thing, while pushing and marketing so people can latch on.” 

Bender-Simon shares that Carpool have great energy and felt like close friends immediately. “Their music has been stuck in my head for three years. It’s that incredible wide-eyed feeling when you hear something truly great.” 

The signing included an advance and one-album commitment, with an option for two more. Album My Life In Subtitles is scheduled for release in March. – Andrea Beenham The post Signing Story: Carpool first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Get IK Multimedia’s MixBox SE FREE For A Limited Time
Audio Plugin Deals offers the MixBox SE multi-effect plugin by IK Multimedia for free. As we march steadily into February, there is still space for a few more freebies before the month ends. Love or hate them, IK Multimedia has partnered with Audio Plugin Deals to give away MixBox SE. This acts as a wonderful [...]
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The 6 best free plugins for your vocal chain (VST / AU)
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