Blog

2012 Peach Drop, Reflections on 2011, & Special Thanks

2012-01-10T23:31:00Z

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and joyful Holiday Season and an exciting New Year's Eve. My New Year's Eve definitely had it's share of excitement - I performed along with my band and dancers at the 2012 Peach Drop in Underground Atlanta! We performed at the Kenny's Alley stage in front of a packed crowd - the energy was intense! The band and dancers gave it their all and KILLED it. Shout out to all of the new friends I met and took pictures with after the show!

2012 is off to an incredible start! The Peach Drop was the perfect venue to top off an adventure-packed 2011…..

GRAMMY's

2011 started off with a BANG when my manager Jayne and I went to the GRAMMY's. We saw performances by the best of the best, attended the killer after party, and had a TV interview via Skype the next day. AND I got to wear Versace and walk the red carpet for the first time. It's an experience I will never forget!

ST. PATRICKS DAY PARADE

In March we were invited to be a part of the Atlanta St. Patricks Day Parade for the second year in a row, and we had an incredible time! I performed my new single in the back of a BMW convertible (courtesy of United BMW Atlanta) and we made lots of new fans and friends.

LIVE @ LOEWS

In April I was a featured peformer in the "LIVE @ LOEWS" concert series at the Loews hotel in Atlanta. The band and I turned that lobby into a dance club!

NEW SONGS WITH BRAD COX

In May I started recording with Atlanta based producer/songwriter Brad Cox. Working alongside legendary producer Mike Clink (Guns N Roses, Metallica), Cox has worked with writers such as Andreas Carlsson (Katy Perry, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears), Billy Falcon (Bon Jovi, Faith Hill), Kendrick Dean (Chris Brown, Usher, Monica) and the list goes on. Over the Summer, we recorded and dropped 4 singles - "On Top of the World", "Contagious", "Broken", and "For the Record". Take a listen and download them for FREE below!

COVER OF OUR TOWN MAGAZINE

One of the biggest "Firsts" for me in 2011 was landing my first magazine cover! Gwinnett's "Our Town" Magazine put me on the cover of their June 2011 issue and interviewed me for their cover story. Click the cover below to read the full interview...

DULUTH CELEBRATES AMERICA

The "Duluth Celebrates America Festival" (on July 3rd) marked a turning point in my stage show - we added dancers! Apollo (the choreographer), Jamie, Jacci, and Victoria all braved the July heat to join me on the stage for a kick-ass, high-energy show that also debuted two of my new singles - "On Top of the World", and "Contagious". The crowd really got into it, and we all felt On Top of the World!

LOS ANGELES

July marked my 2nd of 3 trips to Los Angeles last year. Jayne and I were joined by her daughters Sara and Shauna for a week of fun and networking. We survied Carmageddon our first weekend there, and had a great time exploring the city, going to the beach, and visiting Malibu for the first time. I had a voice lesson with my vocal coach Lis Lewis, and we bumped into RedFoo from LMFAO at a Thai restaruant on Hollywood Blvd (their song "Party Rock" was #1 on the Top 40 that week)!

EMMY's

Just 6 short weeks later, Jayne and I were back in Los Angeles to perform at two Pre-EMMY Parties on the rooftop of the Peterson Automotive Museum! I was joined on stage by 2 talented LA dancers, Jamie and Laia, and we brought the party to the next level! We gave out over 150 CDs in the gift bags for the celebrities, and had a few celebrity sightings...

NAMASTE

In September I began working with Nick Chawala and the rest of the Swarm Logic team at Namaste Studios in Atlanta. Nick and his team received a Grammy nomination for Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" that was up for Album of the Year in 2011. Chahwala is also responsible for putting down the music work on Mariah Carey's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" which has sold over 400,000 copies. Namaste Studios resident engineers and producers have been recognized for working on the top albums of today with an impressive client roster that also includes Justin Bieber, Tricky Stewart, Jessica Simpson, Elton John and The Dream just to name a few.

We cranked out 3 NEW hit songs ("Gravity", "Record Spinner", and "Speechless") that we officially released on New Year's Day! Check out the songs below and download them for FREE! And if you leave a comment saying what you think of the new songs on the Guestbook, you'll be entered to win an iTunes Gift Card (drawing this Friday, 1/13/12). Good luck!

SPECIAL THANKS

I want to take this opportunity to thank the people in my life who have made this past year possible for me.

First, I would like to thank my fans - without you guys, I wouldn't be here! Your support means everything to me, and I can't wait to bring you even bigger songs and performances in 2012!

I would like to thank my INCREDIBLE manager Jayne for all of her hard work, dedication, and endless support. She has not only been an amazing manager to me these past several years, but also my closest friend. Her generosity, compassion, and support know no bounds, and she inspires me to be a better person every single day! I could never do this without her, nor would I ever want to try. Thank you Jayne for everything! 2012 is going to be the most wonderful year for us!

Thanks to my parents for their continued support! You guys have always encouraged me to follow my dreams and never give up. You guys have been my cheerleaders my whole life, and I thank you for that. I hope 2012 brings you great opportunities and happiness!

I'd like to give a huge THANK YOU to Brad Cox - he gave me 4 awesome songs that have taken my career to the next level this past year. Working with him is always a pleasure - he can write and produce a hell of a song, and he can always make me laugh in the booth :) Shout out to his lovely wife Eva, and congrats on their recent marriage. I wish you both much happiness in 2012!

BIG thanks to Nick Chawhala, Charles Malone, and the entire Namaste Studios team for creating such AMAZING songs and for being a great part of the team. You guys are not only incredible people in the studio, but outside of it as well! Working with you on these 3 new songs has been an unforgettable experience that has changed my life - I've learned a lot from you guys and have had an awesome time jamming with you! I can feel that 2012 has great things in store for you guys :)

Thank you to Lis Lewis for continuing to help me develop and expand my voice. Through helping me build my "vocal bridge" you have brought my voice to new heights, and I thank you for that! I hope you have a happy and successful 2012!

Thanks to Renee Grant-Williams for also helping me sing my best! Thanks to you, I'll always remember that "it's the support, stupid!" I hope to see you, Elaine, and Coco and Axel very soon. Happy New Year!

Shout out to my choreographer Apollo Levine, and to all of the dancers I've had the pleasure of working with this past year - Jacci, Jamie, Victoria, Adrianna, Rashad, Jason, and Jamie and Laia in LA! Thank you all SO much for your hard work….there were many long nights of rehearsals, but you guys stuck in there and made it happen, even when you had to be up early the next day, and I greatly appreciate that. Best of luck to you all in 2012!

Special thanks to my band for performing with me at the Peach Drop (Brandon, Tracy, Q, and Teja) - you guys rock! It's always great to work with professional, talented people, and you guys were just that! You tore the stage up on New Year's Eve, and I look forward to working with all of you again soon.

I'd also like to thank one of the newest members of the Norwood team, my personal trainer Rich! Working out with you is always great, even though you kick my ass…haha! Thanks for helping me reach my fitness goals so I can give my best performance on stage!

So tell me - who are YOU thankful for this year? What are your New Year's Resolutions? Leave a comment below - I wanna hear from you!

Best wishes to all of you in 2012! Let's make this year great…

Peace,
Norwood

Norwood Performs at the EMMY Pre-Party!

2011-10-31T13:09:38Z

Hey guys! Just a quick update to fill you in on the EMMY Pre-Party shows I was lucky enough to perform at last month. It was a crazy couple of days, but the performances went great and we really had an awesome time.

Jayne (my manager) and I arrived in LA and hit the ground running - we had meetings and rehearsals for two days, and then performed at the parties for two days after that. The parties were on the roof of the Peterson Automotive Museum in LA - the view was insane! People from all aspects of the entertainment industry were there, and we got them all on their feet, partying hard!

Performing with me were two LA dancers with mad skills, Jamie and Laia - these girls knew their stuff and they really worked hard to put on an exciting show.

After the shows, Jayne and I had a couple days of a well deserved fun and relaxation - we drove up to Malibu one day and drove down to Laguna Beach the next. We'd never been to Laguna before, and we loved it! We visited the Laguna Beach Marine Mammal Center where they rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned seals and sea lions. They really do some incredible work - be sure and visit if you're ever in the area.

After our trip to LA, we released my HOT new single "For the Record", which was written and produced by Brad Cox. Take a listen and download it for FREE below (click the downward-facing arrow on the right of the player to download)!

For the Record by Norwood-Music
Written/Produced/Keys/Programing by: Brad Cox

If you like the song, head over to the guestbook and leave a shout out!

So now I wanna know - what's going on with YOU guys? Have you been partying hard for Halloween this weekend? Got anything exciting planned for the holidays? I wanna hear about it - leave a comment below!

That's it for now, but we've got some exciting stuff coming up in the next few weeks, so keep checking back, add me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter to stay connected (links on the sidebar @ the top of the page).

Peace,
Norwood

Summer Update!

2011-07-09T00:26:49Z

Hey everybody! Well, the sweltering heat has arrived, and it is definitely summer. My summer has been a whirlwind already, and it's not over yet!

I kicked off the summer a few weeks ago in Siesta Key, Florida with my manager Jayne. It was wonderful - a little beach time was just what we needed to inspire us and prepare us for the busy weeks ahead. We went to the beach, did some sightseeing, went jet skiing, and made a lot of great raw vegan food.

We toured the historic home of John Ringling in Sarasota (if you can call it a home - it was more like a gigantic mansion!) and went to the Ringling museum. The house was an incredible Venetian inspired 1930s mansion built right on the water, and the museum had many wonderful pieces.

While we were there, we also released my new single, "Contagious", the follow up to the first single of the summer, "On Top of the World". Check them out and download your copies for FREE below! (To download, click on the down-facing arrow on the right side of the player) Both singles were written and produced by Brad Cox, an amazing Atlanta based producer/songwriter. We're currently in the studio with Brad working on some more incredible songs for you guys, in which I'm co-writing, so look out for those releases soon!

Contagious by Norwood-Music

On Top Of The World by Norwood-Music

When we got back from our Florida adventure, Jayne and I started preparing for our Duluth Celebrates America show on July 3rd. The event brings out an estimated 30,000 people each year, so we knew we had to create a killer performance! We collaborated with Apollo Levine (an Atlanta based choreographer) and the Urbanology dancers to create our most dynamic show to date. I was very excited to be able to push the limits of the performance and showcase my dancing as well as singing. The show went off without a hitch, and the audience really seemed to enjoy themselves! Check out our performance of "On Top of the World" below…

The evening ended with a spectacular fireworks show to celebrate Independence Day!

The next adventure of the summer is just around the corner - Jayne and I are going to LA a week from today! Be sure to keep an eye on my Facebook and Twitter pages for updates from SoCal. Also, keep an eye on the Schedule page for tour dates coming soon!

So that's my summer so far in a nutshell, now I want to know about you guys - how's your summer going? Do you have any vacation plans you're excited about? Let me know on Twitter (@norwoodmusic), post on my Facebook page (Facebook.com/norwoodmusic), or comment below - I can't wait to hear what you guys are up to!

Peace,
Norwood

Norwood covers Our Town Magazine - June 2011

2011-06-01T00:18:43Z

The sweet lulls of this up and coming R&B singer were enough to entice Our Town Magazine to share with the Gwinnett community the journey to fame of this shining star. Meet Norwood - a fellow Gwinnetian with a dream and the unstoppable drive to accomplish it. At just 20 years old, his impressive resume screams talent and heart, a talent that is recognized by some of the best in the music industry. His sweet voice and old soul charm makes him a musician to watch out for in the near future. We guarantee you'll be hearing a lot more about him, not only on OTM but also on your favorite music delivery system.

OTM: Who were your early influences growing up?
Norwood: There are too many to name! If I had to pick a few, Michael Jackson, Christina Aguilera, and Stevie Wonder were (and still are) big influences for me musically, as were Madonna, Amy Winehouse, and The Beatles.

How did you find out you had a talent for singing?
I've been singing for as long as I can remember, but I discovered that it was my passion when I went to a week-long music summer camp when I was about 10 years old. It was my first time performing for people, and I was hooked! In 2009, I met my manager, Jayne Madigan, at which time I launched my professional career. She has helped me expand as a singer and a performer, and has played a huge part in getting me to were I am today.

What was it like opening up for B.B. King?
Opening for B.B. King was an incredible experience - a true adrenaline rush, especially as an artist who had only started his solo career 6 months before. My band and I performed to a sold out crowd, the audience was amazing, and we got to meet B.B. and take a tour of his bus!

Did the legend (B.B. King) have any advice for you?
He told me to keep following my dreams and to never give up - and I intend to do just that!

What was it like growing up in Gwinnett? What high school did you attend?
I have many fond memories of growing up in Gwinnett. It's a great place to grow up - there is a sense of community that a lot of other places don't have. I was actually home schooled so that I could focus my time on music and performing, which was a good fit for me. And my first show as a professional artist took place in Gwinnett - the Executive Director of the Gwinnett County Visitors Bureau invited me to perform at a private party in her home. Since that time, I've had the pleasure of performing many shows for my fellow Gwinnettians and sincerely appreciate the continued love and support!

What are your goals for the future?
I have so many goals for the future; I don't really know where to begin! I want to be successful in the music industry, make great music, tour the world, make people smile, help those in need...my main goal is to live my life to the fullest, and to help make the world a better place for everyone. However, my immediate goal is to record my next single. My new song was written/produced by well-known Gwinnett-based producer, Brad Cox. Our target release date is June 1st, so please visit www.Norwood-Music.com to take a listen and let me know what you think by leaving a comment on my Guestbook. I'm also excited to announce that I'll be spending most of the Summer in the studio recording in preparation for a tour this Fall - stay tuned for more info coming soon.

Where can we find more information about you and hear your music?
You can visit www.Norwood-Music.com to hear my music, see my show schedule, and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Reverb Nation etc. I'm pleased to announce that my first single "After the Rain" is now available on iTunes! During the month of June, ALL proceeds will be donated to the "Plant a Billion Campaign". We will plant 1 tree for each download, so please visit www.Norwood-Music.com to purchase your copy today for ONLY 99 cents and help save the environment. NOTE: "After the Rain" is my first single that was released in November 2010 and written/produced by famed LA producer Steve Dorff. Dorff has worked with many national artists such as Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, and Barbra Streisand just to name a few.

What would you advise young artists who have big dreams here in Gwinnett?
Just keep working hard! Network with like-minded people in the business, find a reputable management team that has your best interests at heart, make sure your live performances are memorable, and never give up on your dream!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE

2011-03-15T15:36:00Z

Hey everybody! I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Just a quick update on mine: I was in the Atlanta St. Patrick's Day Parade! Unlike last year, the weather was perfect for a parade - not a cloud in the sky, and nice and warm. Actually, it was kind of appropriate since I was singing my single "After the Rain".

Me with the BMW convertible, courtesy of United BMW Gwinnett. It was driven by my manager Jayne who undoubtably was suffering from some hearing loss after sitting in front of the speakers for so long - sorry!

After the parade, I got to catch up with my friend and announcer for the parade Cadillac Jack from KICKS 101.5 (pictured on the left, with Tug on the right) - I hadn't seen him since I performed at the Macy's Lighting of the Great Tree in 2009, so it was great to catch up with him. (You can see by their outfits that they really get into the St. Patrick's Day spirit!)

I also got to connect with some fans after the parade, which is always great and rewarding. These guys were kind enough to take a picture with me for this post!

Overall, I had a fantastic time at the St. Patrick's Day Parade this year - thankfully no one pinched me even though I wasn't wearing any green. I hope you are all well and enjoy your St. Patrick's Day!

Peace,

Norwood

P.S. I'm going to be at Loews Hotel in Atlanta on Thursday, March 31st performing with my incredible band featuring Hudson on Bass. It's a FREE show, so come on out - you won't regret it! Doors open at 7:00 PM, show starts at 8:00 PM. Hope to see you there!

Post - GRAMMY's Update

2011-02-24T20:54:14Z

Hey everyone! I'm back from LA and have quite a bit to fill you guys in on.

I've learned two things from going to the GRAMMY's: 1) it is an incredible experience that I was blessed to be a part of, and 2) that I don't want to be in the audience, I want to be on the stage! LOL So that's my goal for next time - to be on the stage performing instead of being in the audience. However, I thoroughly enjoyed supporting the Recording Academy and my fellow artists.

My manager Jayne and I arrived in Los Angeles a few days before the GRAMMY's. The weather was fantastic! We enjoyed some great vegan food at our favorite restaurants (if you're ever in LA, try "Vegan Glory" - it's delicious!), and got in some much-needed beach time. We also went to Grauman's Chinese Theater (a first for both of us) and saw this gem on the Hollywood Walk of Fame:

Before we knew it, it was already Sunday morning and we were busy getting ready for the GRAMMYs - of course our morning started with Starbucks to prepare for a very long day. Our Makeup Artist arrived at 11 a.m, we enjoyed a healthy vegan lunch then dressed for the big event! I'm thrilled to announce that I wore a Versace Tuxedo, one of my favorite designers and a first for me.

Our limo arrived at our hotel at 2 o'clock so we could arrive at the Staple's Center before the doors opened at 3. Security was tight: all of the roads within several blocks of the Staple's Center were blocked off and there were police everywhere. Gotta keep the stars safe! Our driver dropped us off by the red carpet and our adventure began!

We were able to snap a picture on the red carpet (though we weren't supposed to):

Part of the tight security of the event required that attendees not take videos or pictures inside of the show or the After Party, so I'll just have to describe it to you.

The show started out with a tribute to Aretha Franklin featuring Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride, Jennifer Hudson, Florence Welch (of Florence + and the Machine), and Yolanda Adams. All of the ladies looked fantastic and sounded even better. They all gave incredible performances - I thought it was a perfect way to start the show.

Another favorite performance of mine was Lady GaGa debuting her new single. It was the first time I had heard the single, and I thought it was definitely worth the wait - what a powerful song!

Two really really special moments of the show for me were Barbra Streisand and Mick Jagger's performances. How often do you get to see legends such as them perform right in front of you? It was definitely a rare experience that I won't soon forget.

By far, Cee Lo Green's performance of "Forget You" with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Muppets was the most fun of the evening. Cee Lo looked like "Elton John meets Big Bird" in his colorful, feathered outfit - it was hilarious! The crowd went wild during that performance...you could tell that everyone really enjoyed it.

GRAMMY FUN FACT: Rihanna and I share the same vocal coach and Barbara Streisand and I share the same producer!

After the show, we went next door to the Los Angeles Convention Center for the GRAMMY After Party, and what a party it was! There were tons of people, musical performances by "The Roots" and "Keri Hilson", people on stilts, dancers, disco skaters, and tons of decorations. We stayed for several hours and had a great time before heading back to our hotel to crash.

We didn't sleep long, however - we were up a few hours later for a Post-GRAMMY Interview via Skype with "Scene on 7", an entertainment TV show in South Carolina. I wore my GRAMMY t-shirt and filled them in on the craziness of the night before.

A few hours after that, we were on the plane heading back to Atlanta. Our whirlwind trip had ended as quickly as it had begun. My first time going to the GRAMMY's was amazing, and I hope my next time will be even more wonderful and include some performing of my own!

Peace,

-Norwood

Update PLUS Exciting Announcement!

2011-01-27T20:17:07Z

Hello everybody! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the beginning of 2011. It's going to be a fantastic year - I can feel it!

2011 has already been great to me in several ways:

I was the headlining act for the VIP Gala at "Duluth's 2nd Annual New Year's Eve Extravaganza" and got to ring in the new year with my good friends South 70, my new friend Jason Michael Carroll, along with the thousands of people who came out to party with us!

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I was invited to attend "The Next Cool Thing" event, which promoted the film and entertainment industry in Georgia. It was an awesome event, and I was honored to meet so many incredible people.

Here I am with two lovely ladies from the Atlanta Ballet in the "Black Swan VIP Lounge" at "The Next Cool Thing"

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I also had the pleasure of performing at the Havana Club for the launch party of "The Gymanimals", a program to help fight childhood obesity. I had a great time performing and met some wonderful people.

I had the pleasure of hanging with DJ Traci Steele at the launch party

And 2011 just keeps getting better! Drum roll please.....

I'm going to the GRAMMY's!

I'm so excited to be going, I can't even contain myself! I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to go to the GRAMMY's and the After Party - I can't wait to see who I get to meet. I wish I could take you all with me - I guess the next best thing would be to keep an eye on my Facebook and Twitter on February 13th for updates from Los Angeles!

Leave a comment below and let me know how 2011 is going for you so far - I'd love to hear from you!

Peace,

Norwood

Norwood performs at "11Alive Metromix Soundcheck"

2010-11-19T19:19:58Z

Hey guys!

I want to thank everyone for tuning in to watch me perform on the 11Alive Metromix Soundcheck this morning - it was my first time performing "After the Rain" on TV, and I had a blast!

If you missed the segment, you can check it out below:

NORWOOD SINGLE RELEASE PARTY - "After the Rain"!

2010-11-01T15:22:35Z

SINGLE RELEASE PARTY - November 1st!

To celebrate the release of Norwood's new hit single "After the Rain" & "World Vegan Day" you're invited to stop by the "Loving Hut" conveniently located in Norcross for a Meet & Greet with Norwood on Monday, November 1st between the hours of 6 pm to 8 pm.

To show our appreciation to all our family, friends and fans, you'll receive a FREE "After the Rain" CD, prize pack and a piece of vegan cake! We're going to have lots of drawings for some cool prizes too.

Would also like to encourage you to come early and patronize this incredible restaurant for dinner. The food is great so check our their menu http://lovinghut.us/georgia.

NEW HIT SINGLE - "After the Rain"!

2010-10-26T19:02:59Z

NEW HIT SINGLE - "After the Rain"!

Visit NORWOOD's online store to donate to "MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief" and get your copy of "After the Rain"!

After the Rain SAMPLE by Norwood-Music

After the Rain (Dorff-Brierre-Abrolat) | Dorffmeister Music/Warner Chappell BMI | Produced by Steve Dorff

"After the Rain" - Nashville Flood Relief

Please donate to help us raise relief funds for musicians who were affected by the flooding in Nashville though the Recording Academy's "Music Cares" program. To donate (and receive your copy of "After the Rain"), please visit NORWOOD's online store. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!