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And the Winner Is...

Suzi Oravec takes the crown as first-ever Music Mogul champion
By Ryan Colditz
Photos by Timothy Norris

The unknown can have total control over us, and there is little we can do to predict what will happen in life. Four finalists in the first Music Mogul talent competition learned quickly that anything can happen in this contest, where the public is the ultimate decision maker of who wins the ultimate prize. The House of Blues on the Sunset Strip hosted a memorable night for Music Mogul on August 18 that everyone involved hailed as a huge success, and after the dust settled and votes were counted, country artist Suzi Oravec emerged victorious.

What exactly was at stake for the four top vote-getting finalists? A demo deal with legendary pop producer Rodney Jerkins’ Darkchild Productions. To anyone in the music industry, let alone an up-and-coming artist, this is the chance of a lifetime. To make things even more exciting, Rodney “Darkchild” himself was on the panel of experts who would give feedback after each performance. Joining him was Danny Wimmer (Atlantic Records SVP of A&R) and Roy Thomas Baker (rock producer with the Who, Smashing Pumpkins and the Rolling Stones). All that was left was to give the stage to the finalists to showcase who had the “it” factor needed to walk away with the demo deal. Each performer sang original songs that were put online for voters to decide who would win. While voting would not begin until the next day and would continue until the following weekend, there was an urgent energy throughout the building—everyone understood what was on the line.

It was a night of surprises coming from every corner, and it all started off with an opening set by lyrical duo Spittin’ Image that got the crowd moving. Following them was an introduction by Aubrey O’Day (of Danity Kane fame) that opened the gates for the main acts, all of which were MC’d by E!’s Jason Kennedy.

The night got off to a powerful start with the first finalist performer, Oravec. The Nashville, Tennessee, native performed “Stop Breathing,” and you could feel the emotion in her voice as she belted out the words to the song, about a relationship that went sour. Suzi’s style, while still plenty country, has more pop and rock than traditional Americana artists. She draws inspiration from musicians who paved their own path, like John Denver, which is how she has crafted her own sound, which she labels as a mix between Sheryl Crow and Michelle Branch. Following her song, Darkchild said, “I like the voice, and I thought the songwriting was pretty good. It made me want to say ‘heehaw!’” Looking like someone who has been in front of large crowds all her life, she nailed the performance in style and had the confidence of a seasoned veteran with the way she handled herself onstage and interacted with the crowd.

Next up was a change of pace as Stacy B strutted out in a pink dress and black-and-white sneakers with pink laces. Stacy B’s performance is all about the total experience. Being from Minnesota hasn’t held Stacy back from acting like a big star ready to step her way into the Hollywood spotlight. Starting off her song in a sultry pose set the tone for the rest of her routine that showcased her vocal skills all while entertaining the crowd. She engaged the crowd, drawing her comparisons to a Lady Gaga meets No Doubt style that she was able to make her own. Performing “Forget Love,” the song is pretty much what it sounds like it’s about: not worrying about love for now and waiting for it to come along when the time is right. “It is fifty percent entertainment, and you have that,” Wimmer said. “The voice is great, it needs a little more control, but I think there is something there.” Stacy forgot about everything else while she was on stage and reached deep down into her soul to bring out the best she could be, and it showed.

Halfway through the show, the crowd was in awe as they started to understand how talented each performance was. All of this excitement built just at the right time to carry through to the final two performances of the night. The only international finalist, Angelica, who traveled all the way from Bucharest, Romania. Angelica performed “Missing Me, Missing You,” which was written for her sister, who moved to the United States five years ago. The siblings hadn’t seen each other since the move, making the song a perfect fit. The trip to L.A. for the finals meant that sisters would be reunited after the show. “I liked the song, it grew and got bigger and bigger and bigger and I thought it was great,” Baker said about Angelica’s performance. Her performance was one of the highlights of the night, as her stunning piano skills paired with a powerful and soul-driven vocal showcase left everyone with their jaws dropped.

Closing out the finalist performances was the man with all the harmonies, Richard “Rick” Rose, straight from Atlanta. When talking about his style and how that helped him land a spot in the finals, Rick had this to say about the songs he chose to post online for his audition. “Being in a big contest, you want to stand out, so I figured my songs with the most creativity would stand out.” Rick’s style and grace shined on stage. Performing “I Don’t Know What Love Is,” Rick moved around the stage effortlessly, allowing everyone to connect with what he was singing. There was a genuineness to the way he controlled himself on stage that was reminiscent of his idols, who include Coldplay, Brandy and Michael Jackson. The passion he put into each syllable of his performance was evident in the candid nature of the song. “I thought all in all it was very pleasant,” said Baker about Rick’s performance. The crowd appreciated the introspective vibe of the song. Everyone felt invited into his heart, and learned more about his life and what the word “love” exactly means to each of us.

Following the event at House of Blue, a fierce voting period took place on MusicMogul.com that included people from around the world. Voting began the day after the event and as it grew in intensity three finalists were at various times in the lead. However, there would be no ties in this competition. After all the votes were counted and verified, Suzi Oravec came out of the pack as the big winner. Next up for the first Music Mogul champion is a trip back to sunny California to work with Darkchild Productions. Stay tuned to see what Suzi cooks up in the studio, and check out the next round of auditions, which begin Friday, August 28. Upload your video or vote on other artists’ performances. The top four vote-getters will be flown out to L.A. to compete for their own demo deal.
Will it be you? It could be.