Exclusive interview: Yatharth Ratnum

Several months ago we introduced Yatharth Ratnum – a promising young singer and performer from the holy city of Varanasi, in the north-east of India. He was a contestant on a TV show from Mumbai called “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs” and was honored with a special award for Outstanding International Vocalist at the 31st Annual Young Artist Awards. A star in the making, the 13-year-old Yatharth is taking the world by storm. Due to the immense interest towards him and his music, we decided to conduct a special interview with him for the readers of theskykid.com and the listeners of our radio program.

Hello Yatharth and thank you for agreeing to this interview for theskykid.com and skykid.com radio!

TheSkyKid.com: You have a really great voice. Have you had any formal vocal training?

Yatharth Ratnum: Thanks … oh yes… I‘ve had formal training for voice since I was 11 and I also play guitar. And I am going to be starting guitar lessons soon …

TheSkyKid.com: How old were you when you started to perform?

Yatharth Ratnum: I was 5 years old when I did my first ever live performance… and I finished 1^st in that contest.

TheSkyKid.com: Recently you flew to Hollywood to be honored in America with a special award for Outstanding International Vocalist. Tell us something about the trip and what this award means to you?

Yatharth Ratnum: OH YES .. My trip to Hollywood was a life changing experience I would say … not only because I got this prestigious award but also because I met so many great people there It was awesome. I got the award for Outstanding International Vocalist…from the Young Artist Awards …which gives awards to young talent. The award was unexpected and I thank everyone at the foundation for this it. I had a lot of fun. Went to Disneyland, The Guitar Centre … etc…. Had a super cool tour….

TheSkyKid.com: Your talent has won you a lot of fans, not only in India but also in other countries. Are you planning any concerts in other countries, such as in Europe or Russia for example, either as a soloist or jointly with other artists?

Yatharth Ratnum: Well yes … I believe in the truth that there are lots and lots of super cool people who love me…. And I really love all my rocking fans … And yes, probably if my World Tour Plan goes well, then I would be having live concerts in the USA, UK, EUROPE and CANADA…. beginning in JULY.

TheSkyKid.com: Freddie Mercury (whose real name is Farrokh Bulsara ) was born in Zanzibar and grew up in India until his mid-teens. At his high school in Panchgani near Mumbai, India he formed a band with some of his friends. Have you ever thought about doing something like that yourself?

Yatharth Ratnum: My world of dreams and goals is very big. I have a dream of becoming a rockstar (singer), an actor and a music director — so my dream goes. I am working very hard at achieving it and, hopefully, I will surely achieve it with all the love I get from my fans and elders …

TheSkyKid.com: Mercury was greatly influenced by Indian music in his early years as a performer and was particularly fond of the work of Bollywood playback singer Lata Mangeshkar. Has any such singer influenced you?

Yatharth Ratnum: Yes I love MS. LATA MANGESHKAR … and she is a school in herself .. If you listen to her songs, they can teach you many things …My biggest personal influence is Michael Jackson…. His attitude towards his work is great … and also the way he presents himself is awesome …I love his music and style. Even if he no longer with us, his music will always remain alive …

TheSkyKid.com: We’ve read in the past that you’ve said English is your favorite subject at school. Do you continue to like studying it?

Yatharth Ratnum: Yeah .. English has been my favorite subject since my childhood … and is till my fav. I like science also …and, yes, I always read books and stuff … and also study English grammar.

TheSkyKid.com: What is like to be a student at the Sunbeam Bhagwanpur school in India?

Yatharth Ratnum: Well, I used to be in SUNBEAM BHAGWANPUR. But now, as I don’t have much time, I am taking private lessons.

TheSkyKid.com: The music of India is very colorful and filled with tradition. Do you feel like an ambassador for Indian culture when you perform abroad?

Yatharth Ratnum: Yes. Indian music is very bright but also it has many colors and flavors. I believe that the best thing you can do for your country is to represent the country internationally. You get respect from other people, for yourself and your country. I feel so honored to represent my country all over the world and I am proud that I am INDIAN.

http://youtu.be/Gl7LNHsY9lY

TheSkyKid.com: Have you given any thought to performing in movies or India’s culture festivals?

Yatharth Ratnum: As I have mentioned, I want to become an actor and that too in Hollywood (American film industry) and India. So I am very much hopeful of getting work in the USA very soon. Also, my agent in America, The Osbrink Agency, is doing a good promotion for me to the casting people there..

TheSkyKid.com: Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?

Yatharth Ratnum: There are many, many things to say … First of all, I would like to say thanks to all my fans for making me a hit and also for their love. You all can watch my videos on YOUTUBE — just search for YATHARTH RATNUM. And you all can follow me on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/YatharthRatnum. And I have big news! My very own brand of MERCHANDIS – the “YR” brand — is coming very soon. You can buy my autographed T-SHIRTS, caps and thousands of other things. They will be available on my website www.yatharthratnum.com. So watch for the merchandise and website … and tell everyone you know! THANKS

TheSkyKid.com: Thank you for spending some time with us.

Yatharth Ratnum: Thank you for giving me this honor…

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We conducted the interview with Yatharth over the phone. In addition to what you have just read, above, he also performed a special song for the readers of theskykid.com and theskykid.com radio.

Forgotten: The Heartrending Story of Life in a Children’s Home

[quote_center]What if you feel like you could vanish off the face of the Earth and no one would care?[/quote_center]

I have read a lot of books. Yet, never one so skillfully written. I don’t know what caused me to pick this book at the store. The summary on its back cover was promised a drama. The book was described as a memoir and it seemed that the story could be characterized as being from the coming of age genre and thus of interest to me and the readers of this site.

At the very begining of this review, I should warn you that Forgotten is not an easy book to live (I know the word should have been “read” instead of “live”, but I did live through the story and therefore decided to stick with the word I unconsciously had written).

Les Cummings spent many years of his life in a children’s home near Portsmouth, UK and only left to find himself in even worse conditions due to the negligence of the people who were entrusted to care for him – starting with his mother, the city council, the police and every member of the society who chose to turn its head away. Forgotten is a non-fictional memoir and it traces Cummings whole life — from early childhood to elderly adulthood. His analysis of the life he has been forced to live is often heartbreaking.

He writes:

[quote_center]….I rarely thought consciously about my childhood but it was always there in very action I took, every argument I picked, every decision I made …..[/quote_center]

This is probably one of the reasons why watching coming of age films or reading coming of age books is a must for each responsible member of society. It allows us to have an alternative point of view of the world that surrounds us and the behavior of people with whom we have out daily interactions.

Yes, Forgotten was not an easy book to read, nor was it easy for its author to write. His words better illustrate that point:

[quote_center]….Finding the strength to put pen to paper has not been easy. In order to write each line I have had to relive each memory – in many cases painstakingly….[/quote_center]

His emotions and honesty, his writing makes the reader wonder if such things are really possible. Part of human nature does not want to accept cruelty and violence as characteristics of creatures that belong to the same race. I used the word “creatures” on purpose as I can’t force myself to consider them humans…as if that would bring me down to their level. The book of itself is so powerful, the story so provoking and realistic that one feels the need to stop reading for a while …as if to avoid the knowledge of what was happening inside the pages and the reality of what was being described in words and fit into a book. Yet, one keeps reading and feels proud for Les Cummings for the courage it must have taken to write the history of his life.

[pull_quote_right]I did not have any opinion on religion at that age. Like everything else, I went because I was told to go. I was not encouraged to have a view on anything.[/pull_quote_right]

Sadly, not many things have changed in our modern society, as people below a certain age are still considered inferior when it comes to issues that adults consider too complicated for youngsters to comprehend. A lack of experience is the most used reason given in this discourse. Yet, we often forget that kids are human beings with their own individuality and should not be denied the opportunity to express their views. They can often affect, and even modify, our own perception of the world, which often bears too many prejudices and limitations gained through each person’s unique living experience.

Never before have I seen such powerful opening and closing paragraphs to the chapters of a book. The author masterfully selected attention grabbing words that make the reader anxious to find out more or to think about what has just been read.

My biggest fear as a child was being noticed…Blending with everyone else became a necessary survival tactic

Even before picking up the book, you can get pretty good idea of what is inside it from the name of the chapters in the contents list: “One of the forgotten”, “What will happen to my children?”, “I’m never going to leave you again”, “She is not coming back”, “Who do you think you are?”, “It’s only for one day”…etc.

Then, as one goes through the chapters, one associates more and more with Les as he grows in the children’s home – deprived from affection or a caring word. He becomes a victim of violence and prejudice. Years later, however, when he finally manages to access his official file, the wording in it terribly twists the truth:

….I finished reading the documents…..According to the records in front of us I was Satan’s representative on Earth. I had bitten every hand that ever fed me – and I was fed very well, by the way, according to these statistics – I had stolen from everyone who tried to help me, and I had concocted wicked lies to innocent parties in hot water…

In the chapters of the book, you will find much reference to historical events that have occurred. One of them was the practice of the British of shipping orphans and disadvantaged children to Australia, which I referenced in my review of The Leaving of Liverpool. Another was the war and its impact on the people and the society as a whole.

I highly recommend this book to everyone over the age of fourteen, but re-state that it’s not an easy read and readers are likely to do a lot of thinking in the process.

Gotcha (1991)

The film is only 30 minutes in length. Even though the filmmakers were not able to secure adequate funding for their production, they managed a good portrayal of the coming of age story of twelve-year-old Marco – full of mischievous behavior and harmless pranks on the people around him.

Daniel D’Amico seems the perfect boy for the role as he has the same special aura of Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone or of Mason Gamble in Dennis the Menace – a charming, cheerful appearance on-screen that leads to enjoyable entertainment. The wild rock music at the beginning of the film is misleading in terms of getting the viewers excited about the quality of the soundtrack in the film. Most of it ends up consisting of these typical jingles from the early nineties which, if nothing else, at least makes the film release year easily recognizable.

Looking at the bright side of the whole film, it can be seen as a tutorial of how to have fun (you know just like in that book called The Dangerous Book for Boys) without getting caught by store clerks or so-called “responsible adults”. The ending, however, is horribly clichéd, tasteless and quite stereotypical – which I consider to be a failure on the part of either the Screen Writer or the Director.

While doing my research for this review, I stumbled upon an acting resume of its main personage, Daniel D’Amico. In it he states: ”I have a natural passion for acting, and feel the need to explore my talent further and test my boundaries and challenge myself in this exciting industry. I believe I can mold into any role and I have the skills necessary to do so.”

While I agree with Daniel, it is a pity that he did not land a role in a full length feature film, where his talent could have really shone. Nevertheless, you won’t waste the 30 minutes you will devote to seeing Gotcha. It’s fun — if nothing else.

The Annunciation

Prologue:

I must confess. When I first watched this film, late one evening, I did not understand much. But then I watched it again in broad daylight and also read some about it and after that I understood much more. The Annunciation is a movie based on the play The Tragedy of Man, written by the Hungarian writer Imre Madach and first published in 1861. The play itself is often compared to the 17th century English poet John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Even if the film is entirely performed by children, it is very seriously done indeed.

Plot summary:

The story begins in the Garden of Eden where Adam (Peter Bocsor) and Eve (Julia Mero) are tricked by Lucifer (Eszter Gyalog) to eat of the forbidden fruit, and thereby get knowledge of good and evil. For having committed this sin, they are then cast out from Eden by God. Now Adam reminds Lucifer of his promise to let him know “everything”. Lucifer then lets Adam fall asleep and have a dream of the future history of mankind. In every part of history, he lets Adam be a known character, starting with Miltiades in ancient Athens, then Tancred in Byzantium, Kepler in Prague, Danton during the French Revolution in Paris and, in the end, a nameless man in Victorian London. Guided by Lucifer, Adam is taken through the horrors of human history. In the end, Adam wants to jump from a cliff to spare the world from mankind, but is stopped by Eve. And God tells Adam that his task is only to “strive on and have faith”.

Performance and dialogue:

Going through this film is not that easy since it’s a bit lengthy for what it wants to accomplish. The dialogue is quite interesting, the words are whispered rather than said out loud. The style of the dialogue is quite interesting also – it is like watching a visual poem. There is a phrase that is repeated many times during the film and if you paraphrase it one would get a pretty good idea of the film – “We exist and yet we don’t exist”. The movie is quite popular, but one could always say about it “It exists, yet it doesn’t exist”. Another quotation from the film is “Everything is beautiful, good and rightful. Only people consider one thing to be rightful and another thing unrightful.” If you think about it, there is so much wisdom in those words. Some say that this film is kind of unusual and spooky – yet it really shows what human kind has become in a way. In that sense, the movie could be seen as quite an interesting journey through the history of mankind. Others say that they can’t seem to catch the overall message of it.

Cinematography and sound:

Ever since its release on DVD (2007), the picture quality has not been that good, with bleak colors which are pale and sometimes unsharp. The sound is not top quality either. It simply doesn’t impress much. Some scenes also seem to have been over cast a bit. Most of the scenes in the film are quite surreal, and it must have been quite challenging for the young actors to understand them.

Recommendations:

Some say they don’t miss this flick in their collection, others that it is an interesting though challenging movie. With almost all the cast being children, it is quite unusual in respect to its rather serious topics and should therefore perhaps have a special place somewhere among the other coming of age movies.

Note : This review is result of the joint efforts of myself and two other reviewers.

The Next Megastar: Straalen McCallum

One year ago, Tony introduced Straalen McCallum at TheSkyKid.com. Recently, I have noted that a lot of people have found out about this blog thanks to this article. It seems the interest towards Straalen has increased due to the recent TV shows on which he has appeared. Lately, there seems to be many other young singers appearing on such shows, as the search by producers and managers for “The new Justin Bieber” continues. Justin’s phenomenal success has helped to create a new trend. Like Usher, now many artists and managers have begun to actively seek out and support young and budding artists. This is quite a precedent. Before this, singers such as Troye Sivan and Noa Johannesson managed to become world famous on their own – just by using the wonders of social media. Now, the kids have an even bigger chance for success thanks to the mentoring of experienced professionals — singers and representatives of the music industry.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnDxocsPMHI

Straalen McCallum amazed me back when Tony introduced him and it seems that his hard work and devotion to music have helped him to further develop his musical skills. Today, he is considered by many (including me) to be the next megastar on the world’s music scene. Recently he wrote on his blog : ” Justin Bieber is everywhere at the moment, and there are heaps of kids trying to become the next ‘Bieber’. While I think Justin has done incredibly well, I just want to be me. “. And he is, indeed, quite unique – not only as a vocalist and performer, but also as a person. I was impressed that on his blog he is really being himself – none of the hype PR talk and cliché phrases which many singers seems to switch to as soon as they find themselves under the spotlight. While I am well aware that the industry has standards and the artists have to go along with them – some over do it and a part of their charm gets lost forever. Troye Sivan is one of the few exceptions of this general trend, as he also has never stopped being himself despite the fame.

We at theSkyKid.com will be watching Straalen’s progress very closely and will keep you updated here at the blog.

Follow Straalen on Twitter and subscribe to his YouTube account

New : An exclusive interview with Straalen McCallum for TheSkyKid.com

Traumzähler (Dream Counter)(2001)

It’s a little bit more than 15 minutes in length. Short films are tough to make and tough to review as the Director has a limited time to express his ideas and the viewer has a limited time to grasp them. That is probably the reason why short films never become too popular to general audiences or achieve recognition outside of the selected film festivals circuit where they are screened.

To begin with, Traumzähler (also known as Dream Counter) has quite an intriguing title. They say your home is your castle. We have all heard that phrase at school, ever since kindergarten. Whatever problems you have in the world, once you close the front door of your home you are safe. The monsters of your nightmares can not get you once you are inside. But what if the monsters are inside the house as well? Or what if you’re a child forced to live with them?

The first scenes briefly explain why Max (Pablo Brandecker) has decided to leave his home to head for the streets that seem safer…

Overall, the film has quite a depressing atmosphere – with the lead character barely speaking anything but his name – Max. Once on the run, 11-year-old Max stumbles upon an odd stranger (Maverick Quek) who is obviously involved in drug dealing and has a disturbing knowledge about weapons. The stranger remembers the time when he was a runaway himself. So now he takes runaway boys under his wing – trying to teach them life lessons coming out of his own experience.

Max has escaped from his home, only to be returned there forcefully a few scenes later, but maybe now better prepared to fight the monsters that await him behind closed doors.

An excellent job by Director Jens Barlag. Traumzähler is a good short film which, even if a bit depressing, raises some moral dilemmas and makes the viewer think about if we really live in the perfect society or at least in anything remotely close to it. The music score by Sven Rossenbach and Florian van Volxem brilliantly add to the atmosphere of the film and overall makes its title a good choice. Yet, I do recommend that you see this short film at least twice to fully grasp its meaning.

The Abduction of Zack Butterfield (2011) » Movie Review

I have often criticized American-made movies for their lack of realism and a tendency to either ignore serious issues or present them in a mild way to the extent they lose their meaning. However, there are certain filmmakers that have proven me wrong on that and one of them is Stephen Ryder. He often addresses controversial issues in a unique and truly provocative way and his latest filmThe Last Days of April is no exception. A coming of age thriller at its best, the film has rapidly attracted a lot of attention. The relentless perfectionism of Director Rick Lancaster ( Ahmed ) is apparent throughout the masterfully mounted, immaculately filmed thriller.

The Last Days of April – The Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClAxw08F4Ws

This is an exclusive review prior to The Last Days of April general release. The much anticipated film starts with documentary-like scenes from the war in Iraq. These shocking scenes illuminate the horrors of the war and are in strong contrast to the scenes that follow (featuring a calm and typical suburban American town – in a setting of flowers, front yards and green grass).

April McKenna (Brett Helsham) is a 25-year-old Iraq war veteran with a troubled past. She is pretty but, now when the war is over and she is back home, her troubled childhood and the stresses of adulthood have left their mark on her psyche.

“Never before in America’s history have women served in combat, as they are in Iraq and Afghanistan.”, says Stephen Ryder. “ This film examines the story behind the news.”

Trained to perfection, deadly and expert in demolition, she decides to kidnap a young boy. Her motives are unknown to the viewers, but they will observe how she expertly stalks and then kidnaps the 14-year-old Zachary Butterfield (T.J Plunkett). Zachary is a smart and sensitive boy who is into sports and is an outstanding athlete. Through hard training, he is one of the best in his Karate classes. His character image is built through conversations with his friends and scenes from his everyday activities, all of which leave no doubt that he is anything but a typical victim. He is not some overly shy and lonely boy. On the contrary, he is popular, has a lot of friends and obviously knows how to protect himself. Yet April picks him following criteria unknown to anyone but her, leaving the viewer to discover her motives as the movie unfolds.

April abducts the startled youth, taking him to her secluded home in the woods. She shows him around the place as if he were a guest and leads him into what she calls “your room “ – a typical room that most families would have for their teenage kids. Only it turns out this room was made specifically for Zachary. She handcuffs him to the bed at first and later affixes a beaded necklace to him and takes him to doors overlooking the backyard. Outside, there is a dummy on a stick – wearing the very same necklace. As he watches, she triggers a remote detonator in her hand and the necklace on the dummy explodes, blowing off its head. April explains to him, “C-4 — plastic explosive. The beads in your necklace are stuffed with it. This is the detonator.” She wears it around her neck, explaining that the necklace is “dead-switched”. If he tries to remove it – it will detonate spontaneously. She further tells him that henceforth he will have the freedom to wander the house and grounds, but that there is an electronic perimeter fence which would cause the explosive in her necklace to detonate if he tries to escape.

Zack is confused yet, being an intelligent boy, he desperately tries to understand what is going on. Money is obviously not the reason for his abduction, but then what is …?
In the next few days, he participates in conversations with April that give him and the viewers an insight into April’s character and Zack’s way of thinking and motives. All the while, his imprisonment is horrifying to him.

“I’m very proud of our production and our cast,” says Rick Lancaster, Director (who also co-wrote the film for Metropolis Films.) “I think it’s the scariest film we’ve ever made, and one of the most thought-provoking. We have a main character who is 14-years-old and forced into a circumstance that would baffle and terrify any adult. He learns more about life in a week then we would expect a kid to absorb in a decade.”

Aside from the characteristically slick script by Stephen Ryder, there are several other aspects of it that made an impression on me. One of them is the cinematography. Many of the scenes are shot in a manner that makes them a contemporary art form on their own. One example is the manner in which the cinematographer catches the sun’s glare while, in another, the camera work is perfected to a level where one can actually feel the slope of the road due to the angle from which the scene is shot.

Another thing that struck me from the opening scenes was the musical score. Composer Mark Krench assured that the score truthfully reflects the atmosphere of the film.

Last, but not least, the acting of the entire cast was nothing short of perfect. I saw TJ Plunkett for the very first time in The Last Days of April and was quite impressed by his acting abilities. He was very convincing in his role, ably conveying a combination of athleticism, youthful innocence, and a nascent manliness that proves an effective counterpoint to April McKenna’s character. Being a former national junior Tai Kwon Do Champion definitely helped Plunkett in this challenging role.

Exemplifying Rick Lancaster’s superb casting choices, Brett Helsham, who plays April, is also trained and very accomplished in Thai-Bo and other martial arts which, combined with her extensive acting training in various countries (including Hungary, Belgium and the US), leads to a very effective performance in the film.

I highly recommend the film it to anyone interested in psychology and adolescent development. The Last Days of April sets a high standard, which is not surprising given the track record of previous works of its screen writer, Stephen Ryder. Viewers are advised that the film touches on adult themes. While there are no direct indecent or unclothed scenes, I don’t recommend this film to anyone under the age of 12.

Readers should note that The Last Days of April has just begun the festival circuit and has not yet been made available to the general public in theaters. Stay tuned to theskykid.com for the latest updates about the film and feel free to join the Metropolis films mailing list atinfo {at} metropolis-films.com .

Read my preview article about the film which features an exclusive interview with its screen writer, Stephen Ryder.

[nggallery id=93]

The film is now available at theabductionofzackbutterfield.com

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Source : Shoeboxblog.com

Have you enjoyed reading articles posted here at theskykid.com?

Have you found yourself agreeing or disagreeing with something contained in a post? Do you know something about the subject of a post that maybe wasn’t included in the post that you thought should be?

If any of the above applies to you – yet you have not posted a comment – ever – here, then this post is aimed at you.

We here at theskykid.com (myself and the guest authors) enjoy bringing you news and information about coming of age movies, young singers, actors and dancers, as well as a variety of other topics. But sometimes we scratch our heads wondering if it’s worth it – if anyone really cares or enjoys the content. That’s because often there is a lack of feedback via comments to articles. Comments let authors know if they are on the mark with a post and if there is enough interest for like articles in the future. In short, comments provide inspiration and validation to authors.

Here at theskykid.com, we get more than 100,000 hits per month. The blog has attracted top producers and directors because of the young talents we’ve promoted and in some cases have helped to discover. It has featured exclusive interviews with famous singers, dancers, movie and music directors. In short, we know people are coming to the blog, but what we often don’t know are the specifics of why people come and whether they like or dislike the content of the various articles which appear here.

So if you’re a regular reader of content here, but are a “noob” to writing comments, PLEASE consider giving us some feedback as to how we’re doing – or add to the discussion – or correct us when we’re inaccurate about something – or all of the above. Your opinion and contributions will only improve things here for the future.

Thanks for considering my request.

Skykid

Introducing Devin Fox

The world is full of great talents and, thanks to the Internet, we are now able to discover them much more easily than in years past. Robinzion in Russia, Sam Verlinden in New Zealand, Arden Rymer in Canada, Alex Georgiev in Bulgaria,Yatharth Ratnum Rastogi in India – it’s quite a long list and I have only mentioned a few. One of the missions of theskykid.com is to support and promote young talent and today I would like to introduce a new talent — Devin Fox.

American Devin Fox was born in Ohio on September 12, 1997. That makes him 12 years old and he is the youngest of seven children.

Here’s just a sample of his musical talent:

Use Somebody – Kings of Leon Cover

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p15vRf1Hbc

Devin found his voice about two years ago but has only been serious about singing for about a year. He has taken voice lessons for a year and a half and has just started piano lessons three months ago.

Devin has competed in a few local talent competitions and won prizes such as recording time in a studio and a spot to perform at the Michigan State Fair. In addition to singing, Devin loves to act and do musical theater. His favorite roles so far are Grandpa Joe in Willie Wonka and Rooster Hannigan in Annie Jr. Devin also likes to draw and has been enrolled in an art class for about a year. He also likes movie editing and photography.

With his movie editing programs, Devin has made several sims videos :

http://youtu.be/9p15vRf1Hbc

For more videos made by Devin visit his Sims channel

One of Devin’s sims videos received an offer to partner with Google, an indication of the good quality of his work in that area.

Devin was kind enough to consent to answer a few questions for theskykid.com:

TheSkyKid.com: When and how did you first discover you could sing?

Devin Fox : Three years ago my sister asked me to sing an audition song that she was having trouble with and when I sang it everyone really liked it. But I’ve only been serious about singing for about a year.

TheSkyKid.com :If you couldn’t be a singer, what would like to do with your life?

Devin Fox : If I couldn’t be a singer I would like to be an actor.

TheSkyKid.com:In the description of a YouTube video of yours, it was mentioned that you sing in a choir. I really appreciate choir music myself. Is there any particular choir you follow – Libera,WSK…etc ?

Devin Fox : No. But at my school choir is the only vocal music offered.

TheSkyKid.com: What role does music play in your everyday life and what does it mean to you?

Devin Fox : Without music I don’t know what I would do because it is such a part of my life.

TheSkyKid.com: What else do you enjoy besides singing?

Devin Fox : I like to draw, act, I make sims videos with my editing programs and I like photography and using photoshop.

TheSkyKid.com: What is your dream goal?

Devin Fox : To become a famous singer/actor.

TheSkyKid.com: Do you get a lot of support from your large family?

Devin Fox : Yes. I do from most of them.

TheSkyKid.com : If you had the chance to perform with anyone in the world who would it be?

Devin Fox : Ke$ha

TheSkyKid.com: Do you get nervous on stage?

Devin Fox : I get nervous before I go on, but once I walk on the stage I’m fine.

TheSkyKid.com: Do you keep in touch with any other young star like you – Jordan , Arden…etc ?

Devin Fox : Yes, Jordan Jansen.

TheSkyKid.com: How do you choose the songs you sing?

Devin Fox : My family and friends make suggestions and from the radio or billboard top 100.

As if Devin’s musical talents weren’t enough, once you get to know him, it becomes obvious he has some other talent genes as well. He loves photography and he has a real gift for art. Here is a line drawing that Devin’s mom, Lorrie, sent me. I’m including it in this post with his/her permission. There is no doubt that should he ever decide down the road not to follow a career in music, there is one waiting for him in the world of art.

Devin Fox – “Twilight”

All in all, another example of how the Internet has helped another young talent be “discovered”. Devin Fox is something of a “Renaissance Man”. I say that because his talent is not relegated to just one area — like music, for example. Ah yes, he is definitely talented in that area. But his talents extend to the visual arts (photography and drawing) and acting as well. And like many young people today, he is growing up in a world of technology for which he’s attained an early mastery, as is evidenced by his work with video. Yes, a talented young man who possesses a great personality as well. A young talent to watch for sure — a future star.

For more clips of Devin check his YouTube channel

The wonders of YouTube : Greyson Michael Chance

The power of social media never ceases to amaze me. Ever since Bestpi wrote his article, entitled YouTube – The Largest Casting Call in History, things have been happening that confirm his writings. Nowadays, you sing a song, upload it to the web and, with a bit of luck, before you know it you are an internationally known star. The media notices you, people send messages on Twitter about your songs, various blogs do an article on you calling you a promising young star, and TV and Radio hosts are inviting you to their shows. It has happened before – Justin Biber, Jordan Jansen , Brendan MacFarlane , Noa Johannesson – to name but a few.

Now it has happened again. This time the spotlight is on 12- year-old Greyson Michael Chance who recently performed Lady Gaga’s song Paparazzi at a local school festival:

Greyson Michael Chance – Paparazzi.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxDlC7YV5is

The video quickly became viral on YouTube. Just yesterday, when I found out about Greyson for the very first time, the video had 2,000,000 views. Today, when I decided to do an article on him, the view count exceeds 8,000,000. That is truly astonishing!

Of course, the fact that he was invited to be a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show I’m sure influenced that tremendous increase of views, based on his performance on Ellen. I was impressed with his piano skills and liked the fact that he writes his own songs. That’s very important for every young singer — as a cover of a famous singer may get him noticed, but it’s his own creativity and talent that is going to send him on a journey to true stardom. I am not personally that fond of Lady Gaga, but he really added his own style to her song – and that is what made his performance so special.

And Greyson recognizes that. In his interview with Ellen, he talks about how he admires Lady Gaga for her individuality and how he’s tried to emulate her in that regard.

Greyson Michael Chance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show

I was also impressed with his apparent comfort and interview skills while appearing on a big, nationally syndicated TV show. At one point during the interview, Ellen poked fun at Greyson showing a still photo of a couple of young ladies sort of rolling their eyes in that school audience as he was performing Paparazzi. Greyson, joking right back said something to the effect that he didn’t know about them, but he “got a couple of phone numbers” out of that performance. Ellen said that after his appearance on her show, she suspected he may get a few more numbers.

And a few more views on his youtube channel. Watch out for this young man. With his talent, he’s definitely on his journey to stardom.

Make sure you follow Grayson on his YouTube channel

Gaby Borges

[quote_center]I sing, I dance, I play guitar and I love acting.[/quote_center]

Seems like it was just yesterday when I first found out about Gaby Borges. Her cover of Laura Pausini ‘s Viveme moved me deeply as she sang that touching song with a voice and soul that somehow made me feel every single word of the lyrics. Not too many singers are capable of doing that – and I really admire her devotion of to attaining her goals and becoming a world renowned singer. Gaby’s songs have frequently been played on TheSkyKid.com radio and every time they are the feedback is more than positive.

Gabriela Borges, better known as “Gaby”, is 10 years old and is the daughter of Mexican parents. She already has an impressive CV full of international competitions, awards and concerts and is very active in the artistic community of Miami, Florida. A promising young talent, Gaby Borges in on her way to stardom. She sets an example that one has to believe in one’s dreams and reach for the stars – and when it comes to talent, age is irrelevant:

Gaby Borges Viveme

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM_U_9YZY3k

Gaby agreed to give a short interview exclusively for the readers of theskykid.com:

Hello Gaby! Thank you for agreeing to answer some questions for our readers. I am sure that many of them would like to learn more about you after hearing your songs. Let’s start with one trivial question which is typical for interviews with young and promising talents:

theskykid.com: When and how did you first discover you could sing?

Gaby Borges: My mom and me used to sing along with the radio. One day she turned the volume down and heard me sing, so she asked me if I wanted to go to a vocal coach to see if I could sing, and I said “yes”. This was about three years ago, when I was seven.

theskykid.com: What does it feel like when you are on stage singing?

Gaby Borges: It feels great, especially when people are clapping and cheering for me! It’s an amazing feeling!!!!

theskykid.com: Who would you say has had the biggest musical influence on you?

Gaby Borges: Well, I love Pink and Laura Pausini. I know they are completely different stars, but both of them are awesome and I would love to be just like them! They had a lot to do with my singing career.

theskykid.com: Do you sing when you’re home alone?

Gaby Borges: Oh yes, all the time :D

theskykid.com: Do you get a lot of support from your family?

Gaby Borges: Yes, they support me a lot, because they already know I want to be a pop-star and they support me 100%

theskykid.com: How you see yourself 10 years from now?

Gaby Borges : Well, I think 10 years from now I will be a pop-star already, my dream will have come true!

We would like to thank Gaby for agreeing to this interview and hope that whoever you are , whatever your goal may be, it can be achieved.

Exclusive interview: Sergey Kuznechov

Sergey Kuznetsov – Russian composer, poet and songwriter. He is the ideological founder of the group “Tender May” and author of numerous of their songs. I have been following the music he produces in Creative Studio Sergey Kuznechov and you will find several articles on several of its projects at theskykid.com. You can read about: Steklovata, New Forms and Chernila dlya pyatogo klassa. The music produced by Creative Studio Sergey Kuznechov can be easily defined as magical and inspiring. The lyrics written by Sergey have influenced generations with their purity and healing spirit. As people often say about him: ” He taught us how to listen not with our ears, but with our soul.”

Being a long time admirer, it was inevitable that I would try to obtain an interview with Sergey, paying tribute to his creativity and introducing his music to you, my readers. I am very pleased that he agreed to respond to the questions that I prepared for him. This article is the result of our communication. I made sure that the interview is available in both English and Russian and, even though I know that the translation is not perfect, I hope that whatever your native language is you will enjoy the interview and the clips below.

Сергей Кузнецов – советско – российский композитор, поэт, автор песен. Является идейным основателем группы и автором многочисленных песен для группы ” Ласковый Май “.

Steklovata with the their producer Sergey Kuznechov

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: Studio Sergey Kuznechov has many music projects, yet the one most known outside of the Russian speaking countries is the musical group Steklovata. Why do you think Steklovata has gained more exposure compared with the other projects of the studio (all of which are just as talented in my opinion)?

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: Студия Сергея Кузнецова имеет в своем творческом архиве – деятельности – немало музыкальных проэктов,но более популярным за пределами русскоязычных стран является музыкальный коллектив Стекловата. Почему Стекловата получила такую популярность и признание в отличии от других проектов студии (которые на мой взгляд также не менее талантливые) ?

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov: The group “Steklovata” was actively supported by patrons, not only in Russia, but also from abroad. Yes, and the Russian pop music at that time had not fallen so low as nowdays.

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: Группу «Стекловата» активно поддерживали меценаты не только в России, но и за её пределами. Да и Российская поп музыка в то время не так низко пала как сейчас.

http://youtu.be/B2N26XqhlDA

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: Last year, a film was released in Russia which told the story of the music group “Gentle May” which you created back in the 1980s. According to Wikipedia, “The popularity of this group was similar to the popularity of ‘The Beatles’ in the Soviet Union at the time.” While doing the research for my review of the film, I read that the story portrayed in the film departed a bit from the real events and history of the group. Is there a big difference and were you involved in some way during the shooting of the film?

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: В прошлом году в России был выпущен фильм о истории музыкальной группы Ласковый Май созданной вами в концах 1980х.Согласно Викапедии- Wikipedia-“Популярность и успех этой группы в СССР был сравним лишь с популярностью Битлз в свои времена”.Делая свой обзор фильму доступный здесь: https://theskykid.com/movies/laskovyjmaj/ я узнал,что многие события отображенные в фильме часто далеки и не соответсвуют реальным событиям истории группы.Эти несоответствия-различия- большие , важные, ивы принимали лично какое-то участие во время съемок-создания-фильма?

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov: I was not invited to participate in the filming of this movie. I can say one thing- it is a good tale, but not the story of “Tender May”. The truth in this movie is not more than two percent accurate. And the real story can be found here !

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: Меня никто не приглашал к участию в съёмках этого фильма. Могу сказать одно – это хорошая добрая сказка, но не о «Ласковом мае». Правды в этом фильме не более двух процентов. А вся относительно правдивая история здесь !

Group Tender May / Ласковый май

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: You compose the music and write the songs for the music groups of your studio. Where do you find inspiration?

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: Вы создаете музыку и песни для всех ваших музыкальных проэктов вашей студии? Где вы берете и откуда черпаете ваше вдохновение?

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov: Well, you may not like my answer…I just write. Where the inspiration comes from I don’t really know. It just seems to come to me and I write it down and then do the recordings at our studio. I can’t really put a finger on what inspires me.

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: Не люблю это слово. Просто пишу и всё… Откуда беру? Я сам не знаю… Пишу, где придётся. А записываю в нашей студии. Вдохновение – дорогое удовольствие. У меня его нет…

НОВЫЕ ФОРМЫ (New Forms)

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: One of my favorite projects of Studio Sergey Kuznechov is “New Forms” with Vladislav Ivolgin. I loved the melodic sound and the poetic lyrics – what happened to this project?

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: Один из самых моих любимых проектов студии Сергея Кузнецова –Новые Формы с Владиславом Иволгиным.Я даже написал об этом статью. Мне очень понравилась мелодичность музыки и поэтическая лирика – какова была дальнейшая судьба этого проэкта?

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov: The project closed naturally. It is what we decided with Vlad.

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: Проект закрыт по естественным причинам. Просто мы с Владом так решили.

Vladislav Ivolgin -The little fiddler

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: Do you listen to the music of young performers outside Russia (for example Declan Galbraith , Troy Sivan…etc.) ?

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: Слушаете ли вы юных исполнителей из зарубежных стран (например Деклан,Трой…и т.д.) ? Кому-то отдельно вы отдаете предпочитание и на что по вашему мнению стоит обратить внимания ?Troy Sivan…etc.)?

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov: No. I am unfamiliar with singers outside of Russia.

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: Я далёк от этого.

Angel and Cat – boys with different personalities that manage to achieve perfect harmony

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: What are you working on at the moment?

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: В данный момент идут ли у вас работы над созданием нового проэкта? Каким вы его представляете и какие уроки для вас наиболее важно извлечь, принять во внимание “учесть” из всех ваших прошлых проэктов?

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov : I have learned a lot. I have learned from my mistakes. Now I am working on two projects – “Angel and Cat” and “Lesha.” I am secretly hoping that there will be people who will support our studio and these young talents. That’s why I will take the opportunity to publicize our account at “Yandex.Money “: 41001498378886

Yandex.Money is an online payment system – a dependable and handy tool to make instant payments for goods and services on the web.

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: Я многое учел. На ошибках учатся. Сейчас работаю над двумя проектами – «Ангел и Кот» и «Лёха»

Я в тайне надеюсь на помощь меценатов и на всякий случай пользуясь возможностью размещаю наш счет: “Яндекс-Деньги” : 41001498378886

Angel and Cat- New Year

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: I have been admiring the way you distribute your studio’s music without charging for it, though people who download it are encouraged to support the studio financially if they enjoy its releases (there are also collectable CDs available for sale). Such a philosophy is in contrast to the way most Western producers distribute their music. Why did you decide to distribute your music in such a manner?

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: Я восхищаюсь способом, которым Вы распределяете музыку своей студии, не взимая за это ничего, хотя люди, которые загружают ее, согласны поддержать студию материально, если они наслаждаются ее дисками (есть также коллекционируемые компакт-диски, доступные для продажи). Такая философия отличается от способа, которым большинство Западных производителей продает свою музыку. Почему Вы решили распространять свою музыку в такой манере?

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov : Russian publishing companies are not interested in the type of music my studio produces. That’s why we are mainly using the Internet.

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: Издательские компании России эту музыку не приемлят. Поэтому остаётся Интернет.

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: One of your new projects ” Angel and Cat ” is rapidly gaining popularity. Can you tell us about it – how it all started?

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: Существует один ваш музыкальный проект, гр. Ангел и Кот. Можете ли вы рассказать нам о нем?Кто солистов и как это все начиналось ?

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov: Everything began four years ago. The boys simply arrived and wanted to sing.

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: Всё начиналось четыре года назад. Просто пришли мальчишки и показали свои голоса.

[EN] TheSkyKid.com: Sergey, Thank you for agreeing to this interview for the readers of our site!

[RU] TheSkyKid.com: Сергей, спасибо, что ответили на вопросы посетителей нашего сайта!

[EN] Sergey Kuznechov: SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY TO YOUR SITE!!!

[RU] Сергей Кузнецов: УСПЕХОВ И ПРОЦВЕТАНИЯ ВАШЕМУСАЙТУ!!!

Most of the songs lyrics come out of poems composed by Sergey Kuznechov. I could not resist showing you an example in a Russian and English of what those poems are like :

ТЫ ВСПОМНИШЬ

You will remember

Ты вспомнишь, просыпаясь,Что старый год уходит.И всё, что в нём случилось,

Уже не повториться.

И будет только память

Надёжно, верно помнить,

Чего ты в школе Жизни

Достиг и обучился…

Ты вспомнишь ночь и лето,

И озеро на даче,

И самый первый опыт,

Когда шептал, что любишь…

А год уносит это,

И ты в Душе заплачешь…

О, первая влюблённость!

Такое не забудешь…

Не плачь малыш, не надо

С тоской жалеть о прошлом.

Ведь столько ещё будет –

Тебе всего тринадцать.

Ночные ласки, клятвы…

И ты их помнить будешь,

А Рождество прошепчет:

“Расти, чтобы ВЛЮБЛЯТЬСЯ!!!

You remember, waking up,As the old year leaves.And all that happened,

Will not be repeated.

And it will be just a memory

Reliable, right to remember

Why you are in the school of life

successful and learned …

You will remember the night and summer,

And the lake at the cottage,

And the first experience

When you whisper that you love …

And a year carries it all away

Oh, first love!

That you won`t forget …

Do not cry boy, do not

Regret the past with nostalgia,

So many things are bound to happen –

You are only thirteen.

Night caresses , oaths …

And you’ll remember them,

A Christmas whisper:

” Grow up, to fall in love!”

In conclusion, in doing my research on Sergey, there are three things not covered specifically in the interview which I learned and want to share with my readers about him.

First, he is part of a culture in Russia that desires to share the arts, in Sergey’s case his music, with the people of the world. In other words, he wants the arts available to all classes – not just those who can afford them. Therefore, he makes his work, and that of the artists he works with, available via the Internet. His work, including the expenses of his studio, is supported by donations from supporters and the sales of CDs via his website. This is very unlike how things work in the Western world.

Secondly, over many years, Sergey has worked with the underprivileged in his area, especially underprivileged children. He’s worked with many of them fostering their artistic talents and giving them feelings of self worth, when no one else would.

Thirdly, with regard to the musical group “Angel Cat”, his observation was that when he first brought the kids together, what struck one was how diverse their personalities were, almost to the point where one would question whether they could even work together. But he has slowly gotten them to work well together so they are able to produce an excellent sound – wonderfully harmonic music.

For a detailed report (in Russian) about Sergey Kuznechov, please follow this link .

TheSkyKid.com

TheSKyKid.com