Jonathan Levingston
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Mindsong

Davina Robinson

When a MySpace friend described her music as "pure rock n' roll soul," Davina Robinson embraced the term, declaring herself as "The Rock n' Roll Soul Chick." "It's cool, edgy  and tough," Robinson says, "It basically says it all."

The title of Robinson's rock-n'-soul-inspired debut EP, The Blazing Heart, speaks to a generation of talented indie singer-songwriters who, like her, are fiercely dedicated to doing whatever it takes to share their talents with the world - defying the odds, overcoming setbacks and surviving to emerge with their own distinctive voice. For the cool,  edgy and rockin' Philly-bred, Osaka, Japan-based artist, that voice is seasoned, tough, sensitive and powerful, the launching pad for a charismatic all-around performer who can sing her ass off - any song, any genre - and make the song her own.   

The Japanese audiences she's been playing to these past few years go crazy for Robinson's attitude and energy, and with her powerhouse originals, she's slowly weaning them off their love for covers of familiar pop songs only. A few years ago, four of her tunes won Honorable Mention in the 11th Annual Billboard Song Contest, and while gearing up for the May 2008 release of The Blazing Heart, she's added a large handful of cool, funky accolades to the mix.

"Making Love To Your Girlfriend," the blistering soul-flavored tune that leads off the EP, received an honorable mention (top 500) in the 15th Annual Billboard Song Contest, an honor award in the Great American Song Contest, was runner-up for VH1 Song Of The Year, a semi-finalist in the U.K. Songwriting Contest and a nominee for Best International Song by Toronto Exclusive Online Magazine. Beyond crossing so many international borders, the track is also featured on the Violet Femmes, Vol. 1 CD (from Vancouver-based RPW Records) and Females On Fire, Vol. 3, set for a Spring 2008 release on Warrior Girl Music.

The Blazing Heart also includes "Conversations In My Head,"  which she fashioned as a tribute to her grandmother, and the electronic/industrial rock influenced "Keeping Me Sane". In a nutshell, "Conversations..." expresses a desire to be the tough yet kind, tragedy-overcoming dignified woman her grandmother was. It also questions death and what happens when we die - do we cease to exist or do our energies continue on? "Keeping Me Sane" is about the quest for fame/stardom and the love of one person who will keep the narrator on the right track to survive the quest and achieve the goal. "Never Good Enough" is a power pop tune written with the entertainment business in mind - how you have to be a certain type to make it, but the minute you take one piece of advice, the business comes up with something else that needs to be changed. Robinson says it can also be interpreted romantically, referring to a guy who makes demands on his girl, who changes something about herself only to be told she needs to change more.

A true musical citizen of the world, Robinson is Italian on her mother's side and African-American, Cherokee, Blackfoot and English on her father's side. She grew up listening to everything - jazz, blues, soul, country, R&B, disco, oldies, pop, rock, metal, hip-hop and even classical - and saw rich connections between all of those genres. In college, she majored in French and also studied Italian, and later in grad school majored in International Affairs. Along the way, she became interested in Japan, and after earning her degree, she moved there to teach English, while also studying Japanese. She was headed towards the civilian life of working for a multinational company when her passion for music re-ignited and she formed her first bar band. While working on developing her own style, she's played in a great variety of professional situations ever since.

"I was reunited with my first love, music, because of Japan and for that I am eternally grateful," she says. "And now it's time to kick some ass on the international stage!"

And for this spunky "Rock n' Roll Soul Chick", that time is now.
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15th ANNUAL BILLBOARD WORLD SONG CONTEST, Honorable Mention (top 500):
"Making Love To Your Girlfriend"

GREAT AMERICAN SONG CONTEST, Honor Award:
"Making Love To Your Girlfriend"

TORONTO EXCLUSIVE ONLINE MUSIC AWARDS,
Best International Rock Song, Nominee:
"Making Love To Your Girlfriend"

UK SONGWRITING CONTEST, Semi-Finalist:
"Making Love To Your Girlfriend"

VH-1 SONG OF THE YEAR, Runner-up:
"Making Love To Your Girlfriend"

11th ANNUAL BILLBOARD WORLD SONG CONTEST, Honorable Mention:
"Conversations In My Head"
"Funky Chick"
"Like a Woman"
"Never Good Enough"

GarageBand.Com
Best Female Vocals & Most Original Song:
"Keeping Me Sane"

GarageBand.Com
Track Of the Day:
"Conversations In My Head"
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WEBSITE: DAVINAROBINSON.COM
MYSPACE: MYSPACE.COM/DAVINAROBINSON

Somer

Born south of the Mason-Dixon line, Somer migrated north in the late nineties, in part to seek fame and fortune, but mostly to skip college classes in New Jersey. New York City was only a train ride away, and the temptation became too much to withstand. She first moved to Manhattan in 2000, but love and wanderlust have since led her to exotic places like Michigan and Florida, and to inspirational cities like Paris, Oslo, and London. Her experiences during those years have contributed immeasurably to her music.

Four years ago, Somer had her heart ripped out, stepped on, and dredged through some high-quality (but very acidic) vinegar. This gave her all the inspiration she needed to decide to devote her life to music completely. Maybe it was to give voice to her heartache. Maybe it was to give herself a sense of purpose. Possibly, it was to make her ex jealous.

Whatever the reason, it worked. Somer writes and records almost constantly, and she is currently playing all over the city at venues like The Sidewalk Cafe, Trash, The Delancey, The Slipper Room, and music festivals like the Anti*Pop Music Fest in Orlando, The Antifolk Festival in the East Village, M.E.A.N.Y. Fest, and the Hyperactive Festival in Albuquerque, NM, and in the fall of 2007 she toured France & Germany with The X-Tra Pleasure Burning Band, a garage rock band from France.

In 2008 she was an honorable mention in the Internation Free Ride contest, sponsored by HumanFactor.net, and an editor's pick on Indie-Music.com.

Somer's sound ranges from aggressive rock & roll to sweet love ballads, from catchy pop to ultra-dark trip-hop. In the same set, she can evoke PJ Harvey and Cat Power, CocoRosie and Sleater-Kinney. She might make you get up and dance, or she might make you sit down and cry. She'll definitely make you listen.

Instrumentation
Somer - all vocals, guitars, keyboards, etc. on recordings.  Live shows feature loop pedals and/or drummers and/or synth players.

Discography
Working on a self-produced EP, "Clinical Trials," due in fall of 2008.

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