DanAKADan of afterschoolspecial, musician Kevin Lien, and Smashhitta (producer of Michelle Martinez’s newest album, “Adrenaline”, talk about the latest and greatest from the APA music industry.
Updates from Little Tokyo with afterschoolspecial, Kevin Lien, and Smashhitta
June 29th, 2010
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PaperDoll wins Kollaboration NY!
June 28th, 2010
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After an exciting year of shows, news coverage, and even a feature on a Dayquil commercial, PaperDoll, an indie band with an electro pop rock sound, has recently won Kollaboration NY.
Last summer we covered PaperDoll, a talented pop rock band from New York City. Unfortunately the footage of the interview and performances was lost somewhere in the midst, but we have nonetheless been an avid follower of this band who will most definitely be blowing up our radio stations in no time.
PaperDoll was 
named somewhat frantically after a song they performed when they first got together. After that, the name stuck and a regular performers at the Crash Mansion venue in NYC.
The band is a collaboration of four individuals who meet up regularly in between their day jobs. They love their art and they love what they are doing. PaperDoll exemplifies a group who are about the music and the rush of performing before any kind of political or social commentary.
The band practices often at the Music Room on 8th Avenue, a dark building graffitied on every wall, lit ever so dim, and hallways filled with the sounds of New York’s finest independent rockers.
Their latest album, “Ballad Nerd Pop”, is appropriately named. Their catchy electro pop rock sound invokes the carefree, no responsibilities attitude of summer while its lyrics are also full of an emotional depth that balances their upbeat melodies.
Check them out on
Summer Sessions San Francisco: Michelle Martinez “Impossible” (cover)
June 26th, 2010
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By Vanessa Mancao
Video by Jason Lee
Michelle Martinez performs an acoustic cover of Shontelle’s “Impossible”, accompanied by Summer Breeze on guitar and made possible by the support of TaiwaneseAmerican.org.
Hailing from the Bay Area, Michelle Martinez is a passionate and contemporary vocalist who likes to let her fun and sassy personality translate in her songs. She has been singing since she was 2-years-old and hasn’t stopped making a name for herself. Her funky, feel-good vibe has attracted good attention and has help thrust her career into the mainstream. She opened for Colby O’Donis and Donnie of MTV’s “Making of the Band.” Michelle is continuing to pursue her dream and doing what she loves: singing.
Summer Sessions San Francisco: Alice Tong “Sayin Hi”
June 25th, 2010
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By Vanessa Mancao and Jason Lee
Her genres range widely from acoustic folk to jazz, but her tenaciously elegant voice defines a unique style that is pure, lone, and comforting. When 
performing live, the rare binary of strength and sweet within her voice reveals an overwhelmingly emotional passion for music that hushes a pindrop quietness wherever she plays.
Her cool, jazzy, soulful style has captivated audiences from around the world and her fan base is still growing. Based in Oakland, California, this longtime singer/songwriter first came to the scene only a few years ago, transforming her passion into her profession.
Tong does more than just sing. She is a multi-talented musician, playing many different instruments such as the piano, guitar, ukulele, and harmonica.
She recently released her debut album “Please Be Brave Before The Lions They Come” which features all of Tong’s original songs and was recorded in LA with the help of other talented musicians and producer/engineer Glenn Suravech, who has worked with other big names in the industry like Bob Dylan and the Wallflowers.
Work Cited 
http://www.myspace.com/alicetongmusic
Fawng & Koboei
June 21st, 2010
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Phuong Dao and Koboei Jensen are the dynamic duo that comprises Fawng&Koboei. They are a rap group that features what they say sounds more “pop” than typical backpack underground hip hop but not “trendy” or “mainstream” enough to be on the radio. Dao, originally from Gernany, and Jensen, originally from Detroit, began rapping together when they met their freshman year at Ball State University in Indiana. Their music transcends normal bounds and presents a genre of music that emphasizes their Vietnamese/Liberian cultures. They also create music relatable to everyone, so they can reach a wider audience.
Not only do they reach new audiences through their music, they use their other talents to convey messages through the short films they make. “Panacea’s Placebo” showcased a comical film that breaks the persistent stereotypes of Asian Americans and African Americans by delivering a positive message that communicates a powerful message to their peers.
Fawng&Koboei hope to start a company called “Infinite Entertainment” that will continue to produce media and entertainment for people internationally with people who share that same dream.
Check out their newest short, “Panacea’s Placebo”!
Turtlist Media covers APAHM tour with TaiwaneseAmerican.org
June 20th, 2010
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Here is TaiwaneseAmerican.org’s coverage of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month concert in San Francisco, produced by Turtlist Media. The nationwide tour featured Asian popstars, JJ Lin, Evonne Hsu, and Vanness Wu. Hochie Tsai, creator of TaiwaneseAmerican.org hosts this exciting video.
Summer Sessions: San Francisco- “You and I” by Michelle Martinez
June 13th, 2010
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Michelle Martinez performs “You and I” off her brand new album slated to release at the end of June. Accompanied by Summer Breeze on guitar and made possible by the support of TaiwaneseAmerican.org.
Hailing from the Bay Area, Michelle Martinez is a passionate and contemporary vocalist who likes to let her fun and sassy personality translate in her songs. She has been singing since she was 2-years-old and hasn’t stopped making a name for herself. Her funky, feel-good vibe has attracted good attention and has help thrust her career into the mainstream. She opened for Colby O’Donis and Donnie of MTV’s “Making of the Band.” Michelle is continuing to pursue her dream and doing what she loves: singing.
ReDUNKulous Kicks: Vol 1 Paper Mario
June 12th, 2010
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I started creating time lapse vids for a friend who paints sneakers. This first pair was inspired by Paper Mario. Check it out here!
He’ll be selling them and many more soon. Follow him on Youtube!
Summer Sessions:San Francisco- “What If” by Summer Breeze
June 5th, 2010
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It started in Austin with an acoustic singer from New York City, then to Indiana with an R&B artist from LA. Turtlist Media is hitting five more cities across the country to shoot performance videos for talented artists of all styles. The idea? To encourage an “artists helping artists” in the Asian American community by providing high quality performance videos for various artists to upload in place of their usual YouTube videos. Let’s rethink the way we share our talents and grow alongside each other.
Amiel Maquilan a.k.a. Summer Breeze is an acoustic artist from South San Francisco. Writing, composing and recording his own music since he was 16, Summer Breeze uses his music to inspire everyone who listens. Drawing inspiration from his close friends, like Jeremy “Passion” Manangdo and Cathy Nguyen, he writes his own music as well as covers current, popular songs. Turtlistmedia.com presents “What If”, an original by Summer Breeze.
HBO’s East of Main Street: Asians Aloud available for free viewing!
May 27th, 2010
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HBO’s East of Main Street, a special feature sharing the life experiences of Asian Americans, is available for free online viewing for a few more days! As lived experiences impact so much of what humans become and the way they affect the world around them, this is an incredibly relatable series of accounts that showcases the diverse, intersecting experiences of Asian America. Turtlist loves it because of the way in which it gives voice and complexity to those who rarely get it.
You can watch the whole thing free at http://www.charter.net/tv/tvonline/play?vid=277730&vendor=hbo
It’s only up till May 31! So watch, be inspired, and spread the word!
