We apologize for the confusion there is a widget issue were fixing. The Top 10 are and going into final round:
| jael |
| RobynZ |
| mikelyrik |
| KatieConley |
| Sincere |
| Kim Desir |
| Kerri Lynn |
| RayDawn |
| Imagin 276 |
| Kobina |
Spotlight
I've emailed Lincoln several times asking them about this but for some reason they don't feel inclined to reply to me, and since no one else is talking about this, I'm wondering why the top 10 on the homepage keeps changing along with the Highest Rated page. If these "deadlines" were supposed to be actual "cutoffs" then why are all these videos that didn't make the most recent cut (even the top 25 and top 20 cuts) starting to arrive in the top 10? This is no type of disrespect to these videos but at the same time it takes away from the actual top 10 videos that actually made the cut. It's not fair for people to be able to just come back after they already did not make the cut.
I don't expect these people to stop doing what they're doing but something needs to be done, whether by lincoln or by voters. The top 10 as of 2pm WST (5pm EST) Apr 15 were : (I forgot the exact order after my video)
Robynzdotnet - Somethin In Common
MikeLyrik - American Dream
Sincere - Reach For The Sky
Kim Desir - On My Way
Raydawn - Dreams that drive me
Jael - Your Season
Kobina - Live Your Dream
Kerrilyn - Reach for your Dreams
BeonPnt - Inside Track
Imagin276 - Got to Believe
Again this is not disrespect in anyway but I believe these videos are the ones that need to be focused on especially since there is only one cutoff coming up April 29th. I believe Robynzdotnet congratulated all of the top 10 also so that also will tell you which videos made top 10 BY THE CUTOFF . Thank you
I heard about this Lincoln- Common competitionthrough several artists myspace pages and I was so eager to get on here and see someamazing Original vi deos with Verbal Technique and visually sophisticated material!
I'm no artist myself but I think I speak for most music consumers and contest voters when I say I'm a little disappointed.
But hey, with shows like american idol, it is evident that are an overwhelming amount of people who have dreams and their heart is in the right place, but that is the only thing in teh right place.
With the exception of few , there are so many top videos that are all about the artist and what they are wearingOR how many different locations they can film at.
That's not original at all, especiallyif thats THE ONLY THING that is in the video. I've seen comments saying "boring" and I couldn't agree MORE.
Where is the WOW or the AWWWW, and the HAHAHAHAA and the OOHHH SNAP, what was that? or DID YOU SEE THAT??
Some have it, but many don't :(
And verbal technique: I've listened to all 25 top videos and there are some who's lyrics I can't make out... Not because I wasn't trying, but because theres not much verbal technique consideration. Just because you can rhyme or sing, doesn't mean the listner is going to understand each word- SO TRY TO BE MORE CLEAR.. PLEASE!
AND as far as VISUAL SOPHISTICATION, this goes back to the first point.
What is SO visually sophisticated about watching someone or people just standing in different places or in one place, doing their art? Where is the element that makes the viewer say "Oh Im gonna remember this video because of that..."
Surely we've all seen videos that made us remember them before. Michael Jackson's face morphing in "Black or White" or dancing as a zombie creature in "Thriller", or even Kanye West "All Falls Down" where we are wondering where he is until we see his reflection in the bathroom mirror. I know no one here has a big budget like those artists, but that's where creativity comes in!
This is NOT coming from a "hater". I'm just so eager to see originality,uniqueness and evolution in the music industry. So many artists have dreamsof becomingthe next (so and so) but how about being the FIRST (your artist name here)!
Those are the artists who make waves and get other artists who aspire to be like THEM!
Good luck to you all and I hope Lincoln gets it right when the winner is announced!
feel me.
I myself believe that Common and Lincoln should be the only judges in this situation, after all, they are the professionals who arranged this contest. I feel we the people should be able to express our opinions for the videos we enjoy even if it means choosing all of them. Take the word “vote” out of the equation. You should make clear that Common and Lincoln are the people who will make the final choice. If you give us the right to choose who we like best, then allow us to do so, letting us know that we are not the final judge, this just might stop the constant competitive nature of the beast and give the people who work hard on their video the moral support they need, especially in this profession. No one deserves to be knocked down, no one needs to feel degraded, there is enough going on in this world, not to mention life is just too short. Where is the respect we have for our fellow man? If you are saying the final cut is based on 40% originality, 30% verbal technique and 30% visual sophistication, then that should make it original, verbally, technically and visually up to the professionals to make the choice, to vote, who they feel best qualifies as the winner. Keep the main focus on what it should be, don’t get off key………thank you giving these very talented people a chance to do what they do best and for allowing us to post our opinions and let us all play nice. Mona
The making of the video "Higher Higher"
I had written a song called "Deeper" on a trip going down to Florida to visit my sons with the meaning of going deeper in the sense of instead of looking to the outside to find fulfillment. I learned that sometimes in order to reach higher, to get to a higher place, I have to go inside, where I find the peace, gratitude, appreciation, security, belief, self-respect, pride, dignity and love my soul is really looking for and that I can then share.
I am not what I am on the outside but very much what I am on the inside. As a spiritual metaphor and as an opposite I found it interesting that going deeper could be an integral part in building the foundation needed to truly being able to reach higher. In keeping the brand-truth of Lincoln I found the song appropriate.
So I made a few changes with the wording. Similar to last year around the same time I developed a cough and a cold, my band and I had just had finished the third round of the "Bodog battle of the bands" I also had to move out of my old place and when we were recording, I had absolutely no voice. Gargling salt-water and drinking tea with lemon and honey we decided that I should sing the song with my lower register. So I sang my song "Higher Higher" much deeper. Once I figured out the concept of the video and after we had shot it, right before it was finished editing, and I was finally going to be able to post it, the hard-drive crashed and we lost all the digital information and had to reshoot the whole thing. So this is a little about the story of the making of this video "Higher Higher."
And here it is, much delayed but finally up and running, I hope you enjoy it. If you do give it five stars.
Love,
Kobina