50SS 2019 Entries: North Carolina, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and...
Hi all – it’s been almost two weeks since our last announcement, due to a variety of reasons (hand injuries can kill a man’s typewriting career) but we’re also nearly two thirds through our voting period for Semifinal 1! You need to quit reading this blog post now, get over there, and declare your vote before the period ends on April 27!
Click here, or navigate to the Vote page on our website to learn more.
North Carolina
Delta Rae – “Hands Dirty”
Yes, we have a second returnee, and we think this one might be a bit more “popular.” And trust us, we gave each song a fair chance, but Delta Rae’s “Hands Dirty” was a level above the rest. Delta Rae’s failure to qualify last year was a surprise, so let’s see if they can fight for redemption and bring North Carolina to the final for the first time! As a reminder, they are a country-rock outfit from Durham. The song is much grittier than 2018's song; this is a take on blues rock rather than country.
Song submitted by Pablo
Wisconsin
REYNA – “Heartbeat”
Victoriah and Hannah-Gabriela Banuelos are two young sisters from Milwaukee. They began writing songs at home, and through some publicity as “Vic and Gab,” re-imagined their selves in synth pop in 2016. Their success has led them to New York, they have opened for an Obama presidential rally, and this song has been nominated for Song of the Year at the 2019 WAMI Music Awards. Three years in, they’re gearing up for another EP release and hope to go on tour throughout 2019 as well.
Artist/Song submitted by Greg & Sel
Louisiana
Brother Dege – “Country Come to Town”
The state best known for Cajun food, New Orleans jazz, Mardi Gras, and pelicans has not had very good luck in 50SS. Case in point; one of the songs we really wanted to send last year was ready to go until the video mysteriously vanished one week before announcing the entry… curious.
Well, Louisiana is a southern state, and the country southern sound is very much alive. Two people submitted “Country Come to Town,” off an album by Lafayette’s Brother Dege. His latest CD is described as a “Psyouthern gothic journey that explores escapism, class structure, and the opiated dark side of America’s small town rural communities.” Well, there you go.
Song submitted by Yoav & Derek
District of Columbia
The War and Treaty – “Healing Tide”
That’s right: the territory being represented this year will be the USA’s national district of Columbia! We felt it was finally their turn to be represented, and we had two fantastic entries submitted from groups in Washington DC.
This duo won out for two reasons. Firstly, it gives #50SS a chance to showcase a genre never heard in the contest to date but one that’s very American: gospel. And secondly, this duo has the most peculiar of band histories. Tanya Blount (now Trotter) had minor success as an R&B singer in 1994, but her career was short lived. Then she met her husband, Michael, who is an Iraq War veteran, after his tour in 2003. Back in Iraq, he would write and play songs for the wounded. It’s also where the duo’s group gets their name.
Song submitted by Derek
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There are seven songs left to announce for Semifinal 2, and of course, the home entry - which will not be announced until after both semifinal voting periods are over. Until then....
VOTE!
-50SS
