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Voices In The Round: Austin

Voices In The Round: Austin

Name: Voices In The Round: Austin
Start: 2018-01-26-06:00:00
Location: The Saxon Pub

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January 26, 2018, 8:00 pm at The Saxon Pub, 1320 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX

In the spring of 2011 the only TV show anyone was talking about was the runaway ratings smash, The Voice. 14 million people tuned in each week to watch the Blind Auditions and Battle Rounds featuring some of the most talented singers to ever appear on a television singing competition, being coached by superstar singers Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton. Nakia was a part of that inaugural season with fellow Team CeeLo member, Tje Austin. Nakia's long-time friend, Suzanna Choffel landed on Team Blake during Season 3. Austin's Brian Pounds wowed audiences on Season 5 also on Blake's team. The Voice is still going strong with over 10 seasons of singers and Nakia has put together a special show to highlight some of that talent called Voices In The Round where he will be joined by fellow Voice alum to swap songs and stories in some of the best listening rooms in the country. The first of these performances will take place at Austin's legendary Saxon Pub on January 26, 2018. Tickets are on sale now: http://nakia.me/tix-012618 Appearing at this performance: Brian Pounds - Team Blake - Season 5 Nakia - Team CeeLo - Season 1 Suzanna Choffel - Team Blake - Season 3 Tje Austin - Team CeeLo - Season 1 Brian Pounds It's a classic Austin story. Every night, unsuspecting tourists stumble onto the Saxon Pub on North Lamar in the "Live Music Capitol of the World." Some have heard about the venue's reputation for showcasing the best local talent for almost three decades. Some are just thirsty. But any that come on a Monday night, maybe for the big weekly Bob Schneider show, will find themselves treated to one of the best up and coming singer-songwriters in town, Brian Pounds. "This is my favorite song I've ever written," Brian says ruefully, leaning into the mic. As the night progresses, you'll hear that phrase several more times. It's an inside joke. The truth is that any one of Brian's songs could be his favorite, and yours too. Those outside the world of Austin songwriters may know of Brian from his appearance on Season 5 of NBC's "The Voice," where the young artist was handpicked by Blake Shelton. Brian's voice is unmistakably strong; landing somewhere between the stylings of James Taylor and Chris Stapleton. It's the kind of voice that gets strangers to perk up from behind their drinks at the bar. But his secret weapon is his songwriting. After the initial impact of hearing that voice for the first time, it starts to dawn on you that the songs themselves are really, really good. That secret weapon may not stay so secret for long. In addition to being an official selection for the 2016 Dripping Springs Songwriter Festival, Brian was just named as a finalist for this year's Kerrville New Folk contest, one of the longest-running and most prestigious songwriting contests in the world. Hundreds of songwriters from multiple continents submit their best work every year in the hopes of being chosen. Only a few join the ranks of Steve Earle, James McMurtry, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, and other storied songwriters. Brian's being singled out is a clear hallmark of his future. A new father and already an industry veteran, Brian is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of the life a touring songwriter. He's spent years on the road, playing countless venues across the country, occasionally opening for the likes of Blake Shelton, Sam Hunt, Bob Schneider, Hayes Carll, and John Fullbright. With a debut release and EP already under his belt (2010's "After You're Gone" and 2014's "Strikes and Gutters," produced by Brian Douglas Phillips), Brian will soon be releasing a full-length album showcasing his depth as an artist. Nakia Austin-based, Alabama-raised singer/songwriter Nakia has a heart that beats to the rhythms of Muscle Shoals soul, pumping blood infused with Stax funk to cells lined with Chicago blues grooves. His vocal talent is the kind that instantly turns listeners into fans -- among them CeeLo Green, who invited Nakia to sing on his Muppets Christmas special. Nakia was a Top 8 Semifinalist on CeeLo's team during the first season of 'The Voice' on NBC. Nakia moved from Chicago to Austin in 2002. After a brief stint in The Small Stars, a tongue-in-cheek lounge act fronted by Fastball's Miles Zuniga, he formed Nakia & His Southern Cousins, got booked to perform at the 2008 Austin City Limits Festival, and wound up singing with Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings. Alejandro Escovedo heard him at a Rolling Stones tribute, which led to him singing backing vocals on Escovedo's Street Songs of Love album, and to a second recommendation -- this time by producer Tony Visconti -- for Nakia to front his own Blues band. So he formed the Blues Grifters. Suzanna Choffel Singer-songwriter and musician who has appeared on national television and in film. Known for her distinct voice and reggae-inspired guitar technique, her music has been described as "a unique sound equal parts Beat poetry, smoky soul grooves and indie-pop eccentricity." - The Voice In a season recap of The Voice, Rolling Stone singled out Choffel's performance, calling her "more powerful than even some of the top-notch pop belters." Choffel herself said, "I was definitely the wild card of the show, doing folk, pop, and reggae, and that may have hurt me in the end, but it's who I am." She began using that voice at a young age, writing songs and playing piano before kindergarten. She played sax in her high-school band, then added guitar, and performed in various bands while attending Texas State University before earning a degree in musical technology from the College of Santa Fe. After a sojourn in Brazil, Choffel released Shudders & Rings, her first album, in 2007. In 2008, the track "Raincloud" earned 350,000 YouTube hits in 24 hours, causing the Austin American-Statesman to crown her the city's first YouTube superstar. In 2009, she was named Indie Artist of the Year at the Austin Music Awards; she's also scored several songwriting competition wins. Tje Austin Tje Austin is an ambitious Austin-based R&B singer-songwriter. Tje's personal brand of soul derives from various influences that include John Legend and Lenny Kravitz. Introspective and passionate, Tje uses life experiences to explore the sensitivities and nuances of loss and broken relationships. He strives to create and perform the quintessential emotive experience, with touches of optimism and authenticity. Originally, from Hawaii, Austin was adopted at four days old, by a loving Mormon family with military ties. He was raised in a multicultural family, which includes five brothers and three sisters - with six kids being adopted from other families. The accidental vocalist eventually made his way to the University of Texas at Austin. Initially there to complete a political science degree, Tje flipped a hobby into a full-fledged career, with some encouragement from some friends. Tje was a contestant during the first run of the North American adaptation of The Voice. He's co-written songs with three-time Grammy award winner Taj Jackson (for his Xperience album.) Amongst his received honors, Austin was a Semi Finalist in 2015 International Songwriting Competition - R&B Category and was featured at the 2014 ASCAP Expo for Pop Songwriting. Tje Austin recently released his EP "I Belong to You" on January 20, 2017, peaking at #25 on the iTunes R&B charts. Hailed as a "a rich and varied release" with a " brassy blast of classic soul" by the Austin American Statesman, the album is a celebration and open love letter to life and the little things that get twisted in the mix.