White Plains, NY (Top40 Charts/ Meg Connolly Communications) - 'A pop star in waiting' is how music magazine Submerge described Sacramento-based crooner Adrian Bourgeois.Wait no more. Bourgeois, winner of the much-buzzed-about Project: Aloft Star talent search created by Aloft Hotels, will launch a tour of Aloft hotels next month as part of the brand's 'Live at Aloft Hotels' live performance series. As part of Bourgeois' grand prize, Aloft will sponsor the tour, which will unfold at Aloft's buzzing w xyz lounges.
His triumph in Project: Aloft Star also means Bourgeois will get a dream debut at a major music event - Live in the Vineyard, a twice-yearly, three-day music, wine and food affair in California's Napa Valley, also presented by Aloft. With a performance slated for November 13, Bourgeois will share the stage with stars like KT Tunstall, Guster, Crystal Bowersox, and the Zac Brown Band. The audience will include some of the music industry's top moguls.
Additionally, Project: Aloft Star runner-up Jake Smith will share his musical talents with Aloft guests and locals alike during three different performances in December.
Project: Aloft Star is the first-ever musical artist discovery program powered by a hotel brand. Aloft is the much-talked-about style-at-a-steal brand from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT).
All performances are free and open to guests, locals, and fans everywhere. At selected venues, Bourgeois or Smith will perform with hot local acts. Current tour dates include:
Wednesday, November 3 - Bourgeois at Aloft Richmond West (VA)
Thursday, November 4 - Bourgeois at Aloft Green Bay (WI)
Wednesday, December 1 - Bourgeois at Aloft Nashville
Tuesday, December 7 - Smith at Aloft Plano (TX)
Wednesday, December 8 - Smith at Aloft Philadelphia Airport
Thursday, December 16 - Smith at Aloft Harlem
A singer-songwriter whose 'complex and lovely' songs 'bring to mind a time when songwriters flooded the airwaves and all was well' (Pop-Rock Candy Mountain), Bourgeois will perform with his band, including longtime collaborators Paige Lewis on guitar and vocals and Ricky Berger on 'guitar, keyboards, xylophone, accordion, flute, the kitchen sink, and vocals.'
Launched in June 2010, Project: Aloft Star solicited artist music videos on Facebook (Facebook.com/AloftHotels, RockOut&Win tab). Aspiring 'Aloft Stars' submitted a video of an acoustic performance of original material. The top three finalists were chosen based on a combination of votes from Facebook fans, Aloft insiders, and Live In the Vineyard organizers. Facebook rocked with activity from aspiring musicians and eager fans.
Project: Aloft Star generated nearly 5,000 fan votes and hundreds of comments for submissions from around the world. 'Our guests appreciate that Aloft is their partner in making discoveries, whether it's a destination, a music act, or a cool piece of technology,' said Brian McGuinness, Starwood's Senior Vice President of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. 'And for us at Aloft, it's just as exciting to get the chance to connect a tremendous emerging talent like Adrian to a wider audience. We're all eager to hear him perform in a setting as intimate and energetic as our hotels.'
Project: Aloft Star is just the latest musical riff from Aloft. Aloft properties also serve as concert venues for Live in the Vineyard artists who rock it up close and personal with hotel guests and locals alike through a series of 'Live at Aloft Hotels' (www.liveatalofthotels.com) events, throughout the year. Previous Live in the Vineyard artists include Macy Gray, Colbie Caillat, Train and Melissa Etheridge.
Aloft is the 2010 presenting sponsor for Live in the Vineyard (www.liveinthevineyard.com), held every April and November. Now in its third year, 'Live in the Vineyard' (www.liveinthevineyard.com) is the brainchild of music-industry veterans Bobbii Hach-Jacobs and Claire Parr. The private, once-in-a-lifetime music event unfolds amidst the lush scenery of boutique wineries in California's Napa Valley.
Tickets for the 'Live in the Vineyard' events are also available through special radio station promotions and exclusive Aloft Hotels promotions, including a Facebook giveaway at www.facebook.com\alofthotels.
