WorldArts Daily (video)

Having gained a seriously considerable following, Island Apollo is off to new and exciting things. After originally forming a band as teenagers in Irvine, California, the five indie rockers were able to pick up airplay on KROQ, win Orange County's \"Best Pop Artist\" from the OC Music Awards, open for Capital Cities and Third Eye Blind, and even managed to get a song placed in a commercial with Kate Upton. The band established themselves as one of LA’s hottest bands to watch with a slew of headline shows at legendary venues like The Roxy, The Troubadour, The Viper Room, and more. The band soon developed a reputation as one of the most licensed unsigned artists in So-Cal with songs appearing weekly on FOX Sports, CBS, TeenNick, VH1, USA Network, and national marketing campaigns for Sobe Drinks and Sprint.

Since formation in 2010, the group has lived through its fair share of happiness and heartbreak, member changes, shifting influences, and requests to “play quieter.” Now with a solid foundation, Great States plans on taking the necessary steps to grow their music and continue sharing it with anyone willing to listen.

There is something to be said about releasing a record independently; it isn’t glamorous.  Time – there isn’t enough of it.  Energy – there isn’t enough of it.  Money – there isn’t enough of it.  Dreams of million dollar studios are quickly replaced by university basements, vocal booths by bedroom closets, and record deals by personal bank accounts.  However, every once in a while the right group of people will find themselves together, and no amount of obstacles or pipe dreams can deter them from creating and sharing their music. 

Great States’ debut full-length, entitled Gatsby, takes a small glimpse into three and half years of hard work and perseverance.   “We’re very happy with what we’ve accomplished over the last few years.  Before last May [2013], the idea of releasing an entire record seemed inconceivable… and yet here we are.  ‘Gatsby’ really is more than just the four of us; a lot of our fellow artists, friends, and family have left their mark on the album in some way or another.  It really is community music for us.”

Great States is an alternative rock band that employs modern instrumentals, beautiful vocal harmonies, and thought-provoking lyrics to create a truly "one-of-a-kind" sound that mirrors the uniqueness of the Great Southwest.  They are now currently supporting the upcoming label re-release of their debut full-length record “Gatsby” (expected February 2016) and first music video/short-film for “Puget Sound, WA.”  Premiered back in April 2014, Puget Sound has since been screened at both the Albuquerque Film and Media Experience and Filmstock New Mexico festivals.

Goody Grace is a young talent out of Winnipeg Manitoba that caught the attention of his idols by hitting social media hard and gathering an online audience. He is a singer songwriter that has played guitar since the age of 4 and is influenced by Bob Dylan as much as Wiz Khalifa. He plays his six string and sings and raps about being a kid with a dream and taking daily steps to become everything he's ever wanted to be. He signed with Cisco Adler and Bananabeat records and has never looked back. Together they crafted his raw talent into the well rounded artist he is now at only 18. He recently has co-written Cody Simpson's single "Flower" and Co-wrote and is featured on West Virginia rapper Huey Mack's song "Things Change" which is getting radio play all over Canada right now. Goody Grace is poised to be the answer to his own question. Can a kid from small town Manitoba with a big dream make it? The answer is yes and it will be a pleasure to watch this kid take over the entire world with his talent and charm. Stay tuned and follow the young future...

Goody Grace is a young talent out of Winnipeg Manitoba that caught the attention of his idols by hitting social media hard and gathering an online audience. He is a singer songwriter that has played guitar since the age of 4 and is influenced by Bob Dylan as much as Wiz Khalifa. He plays his six string and sings and raps about being a kid with a dream and taking daily steps to become everything he's ever wanted to be. He signed with Cisco Adler and Bananabeat records and has never looked back. Together they crafted his raw talent into the well rounded artist he is now at only 18. He recently has co-written Cody Simpson's single "Flower" and Co-wrote and is featured on West Virginia rapper Huey Mack's song "Things Change" which is getting radio play all over Canada right now. Goody Grace is poised to be the answer to his own question. Can a kid from small town Manitoba with a big dream make it? The answer is yes and it will be a pleasure to watch this kid take over the entire world with his talent and charm. Stay tuned and follow the young future...

Goody Grace is a young talent out of Winnipeg Manitoba that caught the attention of his idols by hitting social media hard and gathering an online audience. He is a singer songwriter that has played guitar since the age of 4 and is influenced by Bob Dylan as much as Wiz Khalifa. He plays his six string and sings and raps about being a kid with a dream and taking daily steps to become everything he's ever wanted to be. He signed with Cisco Adler and Bananabeat records and has never looked back. Together they crafted his raw talent into the well rounded artist he is now at only 18. He recently has co-written Cody Simpson's single "Flower" and Co-wrote and is featured on West Virginia rapper Huey Mack's song "Things Change" which is getting radio play all over Canada right now. Goody Grace is poised to be the answer to his own question. Can a kid from small town Manitoba with a big dream make it? The answer is yes and it will be a pleasure to watch this kid take over the entire world with his talent and charm. Stay tuned and follow the young future...

When Jess was 20, she won the state-wide artist showcase, Stars of Alabama. In 2013, she took first place in a local singer/songwriter competition that took place over the course of 8 weeks at Workplay Theater in Birmingham, Alabama. Since then, she has performed at venues opening for both national and local acts across the southeast. 

Jessica was also a contestant on Season 3 of NBC's The Voice in 2012, where she made it to the blind auditions. In summer 2013, Jessica won a spot to perform a set at the Vans Warped Tour in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2013-2014, Jessica Meuse competed on the national television series American Idol, finishing in 4th place and becoming the first person in the history of the show to perform an original song, "Blue-Eyed Lie," during the finals. She went on to tour with the Idols LIVE Tour in summer 2014, visiting 40 different cities in the United States and Canada. 

Post American Idol, Jessica released her first independent single, "Done", recorded and mixed by a small production team based in Los Angeles. On January 1, 2016, she released her second independent single, "Rio Grande," produced and mixed in Orange County, CA. She plans to release an EP as soon as possible and tour the country once more - as Jessica Meuse. Meuse is actively seeking management, writing new material, and participating in as many musical opportunities as possible. 

Jessica Meuse (also known as Jess Meuse) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Slapout, Alabama. She has been performing in public since the age of 10. In 2011, she self-released a debut album called "What's So Hard About Bein' A Man," with 9 original tracks. In addition to singing, writing, and performing, Jessica has always had a background heavy in music and plays several instruments; she is classically trained on violin, and self-taught at guitar and piano.