"Spotlight Your Talent" Industry Mixer Brings Together Emerging Artists

By Heather K. with contributions from Tami Shaloum

On Friday, February 28, Creative Spotlights and The Red Shark Entertainment came together at EVR Lounge to throw a shindig of sorts, showcasing emerging musical acts and creating a forum for a wide array of artists to inspire and be inspired. The entertainment industry networking event, "Spotlight Your Talent" featured an eclectic mix of artists that appealed to all genres of music. Highlights included singer-songwriter, Natalia Segura, Urban Pop band, "The Down Beat Keys," and rocker Kiirstin Marilyn.

Natalia Segura, an Australian singer-songwriter with Latin roots, began her set with a catchy, introspective original song, "Broken Love Song." With lyrics seemingly drawn from intense life experiences, Segura belted out her melodies with an impressive vocal range. She definitely had potential, and it didn't hurt that this buxom beauty looked like she just walked off the cover of a magazine.





"The Down Beat Keys," or "DBK," started somewhat generically, but quickly found their sound. Their hip-hop influences really came through on hit "Take Me Home," while their pop roots were evident in their single, "Lonely." Not surprisingly for a band that has played with the likes of "Matt and Kim" and "Jon Bon Jovi," DBK had the crowd dancing up a storm as they moved through an upbeat repertoire full of funk and soul.

Finally, while all of the acts had their strengths, the one that stood out the most for me was the performance by Kiirsten Marilyn. Marilyn, an edgy musician unafraid of a little audience interaction, accomplished a lot with merely a drummer, a base, and her own special magnetism. With songs like "The Struggle," and "Grim," her hard, dark rock could speak directly to any brooding heart. She was mesmerizing to watch, with a theatrical intensity and stage presence that evoked Gwen Stefani, Lzzy Hale, and other notable female rock musicians.


Other musicians who performed at the event included Americana singer-songwriter, Danny Severance with his "Na Capellas," and rock band, The R.O.A.R. WGINY looks forward to more from all of these artists soon.