Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Top40 Charts/ Jared Lee Official Website) A disheartening trend in the music world these days has steadily been rearing its ugly head: the downfall of fan appreciation. Lost amidst the image-obsessed rock star posturing, many new artists prefer to thumb their noses at the dedicated listeners without whom their lavish lifestyles and pompously publicized affairs would not be possible.
Not so with newcomer Jared Lee. The Boston native has deservedly earned the title of Stereofame.com's Artist of the Month for January 2011, due in large part to his humble appreciation for the support of his fans.
"When you find fans that just want to become part of a movement and help discover and break something, it's extremely valuable and becomes this sort of team effort," Lee said. "I think a lot an artist's life depends on those fans."
It's no surprise that Lee's followers are so passionate. With the soulful vocal phrasing of Maroon 5's Adam Levine coupled with large, swirling, arena-ready beats reminiscent of bands like OneRepublic, Lee is forging his own brand of R&B-inspired rock anthems.
Lee's voice sounds well-trained without forcing itself upon the listener. In his latest single "It's Over (Goodbye)," Lee keeps the melodies tight and memorable, with only tastefully inserted hints of melismatic runs.
"I'm a really big fan of singers who throw a lot of passion into what they do and speak to the listener," Lee said.
A student of the R&B style of artists like Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey and Brian McKnight, Lee's appreciation for vocal superheroes is evident.
"I would sit up in my room at night and try to match (those artists') vocal style," Lee said. "I think what that did was to train my voice in a certain way. Once I started to find my own voice, then I was able to take that and apply my own style and that's when I think the songs really started to speak to people."
But it is Lee's rock edge that sets him apart. Big hooks like those found in "Hooray for Hollywood" showcase his dedication to rhythm. His phrasing functions as a motor that keeps the tunes moving ahead, holding the listener's interest with each line.
Despite his obvious potential for mass appeal, Lee remains devoted to his fans.
"What's most important is how people respond to the music," Lee said. "At the end of the day, when all the executive decisions are made, it really comes down to the listeners."
According to Lee, Stereofame is a platform designed with his desire to connect with fans in mind.
"One of the things that's great about (Stereofame) is that it empowers the listener to act as a record executive. It puts the power in their hands to decide what might be appealing'�and gives them a way to push the artist and their music."
Together with Stereofame, Lee hopes to maintain a relationship with his followers on a more personal level than has previously been available. To hear his new single "It's Over (Goodbye)" visit Lee's Stereofame page athttps://www.stereofame.com/jaredleemusic and look for his album release early this year.
As Stereofame's January 2011 Artist of the Month, Lee will get valuable exposure to an international audience in addition to a $1,000 prize.
Stereofame is a one-of-a-kind community where artists are judged objectively by the listening audience. Think you've got what it takes to be Stereofame's next Artist of the Month? Then go to Stereofame.com and upload three songs to https://www.Stereofame.com/contest/artist-of-the-month.html. And if you're a fan, log on to Stereofame.com today to help some of tomorrow's biggest and brightest stars get heard!
