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Publication Date: 22 September 2008
...more than music...
PART 3: KARL NOVA
Sometimes when it all falls apart
it's actually the beginning of a new,
different - maybe even exciting - thing...
As this is the third instalment, I'm going straight into it.
The reason for the series will become clear as you read through - even if you're
doing this for the first time. Trust me. If not, check the earlier ones.
doing this for the first time. Trust me. If not, check the earlier ones.
For now, I'm just going to dive in...
2008 has been phenomenal for music releases.
I'm sure when we look back at the landmark, genuinely exciting music that has been put out we'll not only be happy with the overall number, I'm also willing to
bet that the quality control yardstick will also be quite encouraging...
But RANDOM SAMPLING is about more than just music. This is where I try and delve behind the scenes and explore thought processes, fears, focus and all the stuff that goes into making us what we are as Christians involved in music...
I've wanted to do a follow-up piece on KARL NOVA for ages, but - by virtue of the
2008 has been phenomenal for music releases.
I'm sure when we look back at the landmark, genuinely exciting music that has been put out we'll not only be happy with the overall number, I'm also willing to
bet that the quality control yardstick will also be quite encouraging...
But RANDOM SAMPLING is about more than just music. This is where I try and delve behind the scenes and explore thought processes, fears, focus and all the stuff that goes into making us what we are as Christians involved in music...
I've wanted to do a follow-up piece on KARL NOVA for ages, but - by virtue of the
LANDMARK...
FOLLOW THAT!
kind of personality he is - I was presented with a problem I rarely get when it comes
to reporting on people on the UK scene: it was difficult to find a new angle on the guy.
Between his music, lyric writing, blogs and Facebook notes, his writing output is phenomenal.
Anyone who is a fan of the diverse ways in which his creativity surfaces will
already be familiar with his views on everything from contemporary Christianity
to real life, awkward questions...
There was almost nothing extra I could bring to the table, as anything you want
to know about the guy is pretty much available on tap.
But in the run up to September 13th 2008 - his birthday - it became clear that his
to reporting on people on the UK scene: it was difficult to find a new angle on the guy.
Between his music, lyric writing, blogs and Facebook notes, his writing output is phenomenal.
Anyone who is a fan of the diverse ways in which his creativity surfaces will
already be familiar with his views on everything from contemporary Christianity
to real life, awkward questions...
There was almost nothing extra I could bring to the table, as anything you want
to know about the guy is pretty much available on tap.
But in the run up to September 13th 2008 - his birthday - it became clear that his
IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN...
much-hyped debut album (he'd spent the better part of this year promoting it)
'Just As I AM' was not going to surface...
To cut a long story short, it boiled down to one thing: money. Or, more
accurately, the lack thereof...
In a sense, there's nothing special about that. It's a fairly typical story in
a scene where well over 90% of the artists are independent.
But this is KARL NOVA.
And typically for him, he ended up doing something which is quite rare in
our neck of the musical woods: rather than employ the stock, 'Due to
circumstances beyond my control', transparent spin that seldom fools
anyone, he blogged about the whole thing in his usual frank - and in this
instance, quite endearing - manner.
'Just As I AM' was not going to surface...
To cut a long story short, it boiled down to one thing: money. Or, more
accurately, the lack thereof...
In a sense, there's nothing special about that. It's a fairly typical story in
a scene where well over 90% of the artists are independent.
But this is KARL NOVA.
And typically for him, he ended up doing something which is quite rare in
our neck of the musical woods: rather than employ the stock, 'Due to
circumstances beyond my control', transparent spin that seldom fools
anyone, he blogged about the whole thing in his usual frank - and in this
instance, quite endearing - manner.
ACTUALLY, IT WILL HAPPEN - JUST DIFFERENTLY...
He then opted for releasing his first commercial single, I STILL BELIEVE,
digitally, in view of the fact that he couldn't release the whole album...
It's a very pretty and autumnal Friday afternoon as I type this, and though this
might not get published until Monday or even later, I STILL BELIEVE peaked in INDIESTORE's charts as the 3rd highest download this week.
Dunno how much that actually means KARL will make in money terms, but it's a great modern morality tale of perseverance and hope...
So there's a lesson here, and it doesn't take a genius to work it out: Keep the faith. Believe. Press on. It ain't that it ain't hard, it's just that you still have to believe, anyway...
digitally, in view of the fact that he couldn't release the whole album...
It's a very pretty and autumnal Friday afternoon as I type this, and though this
might not get published until Monday or even later, I STILL BELIEVE peaked in INDIESTORE's charts as the 3rd highest download this week.
Dunno how much that actually means KARL will make in money terms, but it's a great modern morality tale of perseverance and hope...
So there's a lesson here, and it doesn't take a genius to work it out: Keep the faith. Believe. Press on. It ain't that it ain't hard, it's just that you still have to believe, anyway...
Yinka Awojobi
Content Development
UKGospel.com
OK so it doesn't take a skilled investigator to
know that the album I said I would drop on my
birthday is not dropping.
Content Development
UKGospel.com
OK so it doesn't take a skilled investigator to
know that the album I said I would drop on my
birthday is not dropping.
AUTHOR: KARL NOVA
FILE UNDER: FAITH/LIFESTYLE
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/SEPT/2008
PLATFORM: FACEBOOK
FILE UNDER: FAITH/LIFESTYLE
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/SEPT/2008
PLATFORM: FACEBOOK
I STILL BELIEVE
(VERSE ONE)
Due to complications I have had to push it back
to Nov/Dec.
I do have the finished album and it is being
mastered as we speak.
The truth is it is due to money complications that I can't put out this CD but it's cool, God will supply is what the good book says, Jah provides the bread so I am not fussed.
So what does a brother do? In the face of disappointment and when plans are thwarted you step back and be calm, you regroup and you find the light at the end of the tunnel. One has to be flexible and adapt to the situation.
to Nov/Dec.
I do have the finished album and it is being
mastered as we speak.
The truth is it is due to money complications that I can't put out this CD but it's cool, God will supply is what the good book says, Jah provides the bread so I am not fussed.
So what does a brother do? In the face of disappointment and when plans are thwarted you step back and be calm, you regroup and you find the light at the end of the tunnel. One has to be flexible and adapt to the situation.
I decided to drop an exclusive digital single called "I STILL BELIEVE (TAKE 2)
featuring KIRSTEN MARIE and KIWI. How did this come together...?
You see, this song was not supposed to happen...
YINKA of UKGospel.com stepped to me and was like "You need to do a track produced by VICTIZZLE"... I was like 'cool'. I saw VICTIZZLE at a gig at Leicester Square and said I want a track from him.
Dude is like "what kind of track do you want...?" I said the 1st thing that came to my head and he said 'cool'.
He sends me the track, and the hook and bridge came into my head without me touching a pen and pad - JUST LIKE THAT! The track was THAT hot!
I then remember a dear friend and AMAZING singer called JOY ROSE who has sung
featuring KIRSTEN MARIE and KIWI. How did this come together...?
You see, this song was not supposed to happen...
YINKA of UKGospel.com stepped to me and was like "You need to do a track produced by VICTIZZLE"... I was like 'cool'. I saw VICTIZZLE at a gig at Leicester Square and said I want a track from him.
Dude is like "what kind of track do you want...?" I said the 1st thing that came to my head and he said 'cool'.
He sends me the track, and the hook and bridge came into my head without me touching a pen and pad - JUST LIKE THAT! The track was THAT hot!
I then remember a dear friend and AMAZING singer called JOY ROSE who has sung
MONEY COMPLICATIONS...
HISTORY...
with STING and all these big stars like GEORGE MICHAEL and MARY J BLIGE (peep her pics with all these stars she rolls with on her website) telling me that she wants to break more into gospel which are her roots as a singer and spiritually.
She has a gospel EP out which is AMAZING but she says she wants a more Urban sound. I was like "cool, I've got a song for you!!!!" I did a rough take at VICTIZZLE's studio and sent it to her.
You see JOY ROSE is a BUSY lady. She has been touring the planet earth singing with veteran Soul group INCOGNITO (Google them!) Anytime I call she is in Indonesia, Italy, France, Germany, America, etc, etc...
So we waited and waited and it didn't happen.
So the only person I had in my heart was KIRSTEN MARIE who is someone I had
She has a gospel EP out which is AMAZING but she says she wants a more Urban sound. I was like "cool, I've got a song for you!!!!" I did a rough take at VICTIZZLE's studio and sent it to her.
You see JOY ROSE is a BUSY lady. She has been touring the planet earth singing with veteran Soul group INCOGNITO (Google them!) Anytime I call she is in Indonesia, Italy, France, Germany, America, etc, etc...
So we waited and waited and it didn't happen.
So the only person I had in my heart was KIRSTEN MARIE who is someone I had
WAITING - AND THEN MOVING...
been DYING to work with so I got her and she smacked the track up even though she was tired! (Bless ya gyal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
I then thought: 'this track needs a 2nd version' since I had done all the verses...
So I emailed the track to my other dear friend in Detroit who goes by the name KIWI (I have never met her before apart from MySpace and I know she rolls deep with my OTHER dear friend LISA McCLENDON)
She recorded in like a few hours and sends it back like BAM! I'm like "wow! She smacked it too!" So I was like: "it's ON!"
So there you have it. See how things come together?
This story (and many others I have) is just one of the reasons why even though I am kinda disappointed with not dropping my album tomorrow:
I then thought: 'this track needs a 2nd version' since I had done all the verses...
So I emailed the track to my other dear friend in Detroit who goes by the name KIWI (I have never met her before apart from MySpace and I know she rolls deep with my OTHER dear friend LISA McCLENDON)
She recorded in like a few hours and sends it back like BAM! I'm like "wow! She smacked it too!" So I was like: "it's ON!"
So there you have it. See how things come together?
This story (and many others I have) is just one of the reasons why even though I am kinda disappointed with not dropping my album tomorrow:
MORAL OF THE STORY...
I STILL BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ABOUT KARL
KARL NOVA is part of GK REAL,
an award-winning London-based
group, as well as a solo artist.
I STILL BELIEVE is KARL's first
commercial single release, following
on from his THE REDEEMED BEATS
mixtape (2005) and Just As I AM
mixtape (2008)
an award-winning London-based
group, as well as a solo artist.
I STILL BELIEVE is KARL's first
commercial single release, following
on from his THE REDEEMED BEATS
mixtape (2005) and Just As I AM
mixtape (2008)
KARL NOVA photos by
Zuzi Krajcovicova, taken at
GK REAL's appearance at the
FANTASTIC Lumen Festival
in Slovakia
More of Zuzi's work
More about Lumen Festival
Zuzi Krajcovicova, taken at
GK REAL's appearance at the
FANTASTIC Lumen Festival
in Slovakia
More of Zuzi's work
More about Lumen Festival
LINKS/CREDITS
> Comment on this note - KARL's Facebook page
> Buy I STILL BELIEVE at Indiestore.com/karlnova
> KARL on MySpace
> VICTIZZLE on MySpace
> KIRSTEN on MySpace
> KIWI on MySpace
> JOY ROSE website
> UKGospel.com on Facebook
> UKGospel.com on MySpace
> Go to RANDOM SAMPLING 1: COMMISSION Sign To New Label...
> Go to RANDOM SAMPLING 2: MIKE RIMMER's Fishing In Starbucks...
> KARL NOVA - UKG First Play
> Buy I STILL BELIEVE at Indiestore.com/karlnova
> KARL on MySpace
> VICTIZZLE on MySpace
> KIRSTEN on MySpace
> KIWI on MySpace
> JOY ROSE website
> UKGospel.com on Facebook
> UKGospel.com on MySpace
> Go to RANDOM SAMPLING 1: COMMISSION Sign To New Label...
> Go to RANDOM SAMPLING 2: MIKE RIMMER's Fishing In Starbucks...
> KARL NOVA - UKG First Play
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