WAY UP HOUSE 2022
WAY UP HOUSE 2022
Documentary series following the journey of 6 emerging artists from across the world, coming together for an exclusive song writing experience in New York, living in a villa filled with instruments and a home studio, on the mission to collaborate, create music and perform live.
EPISODE 1: WRITING & COMPOSING
6 upcoming artists who haven’t met before, arrive at the WAY UP House in New York. They form teams of two and start their mission to create songs in three days, leading up to a final performance of their work in an intimate concert. The first episode captures the beginning of this creative journey, from the artists getting to know each other, to start writing lyrics and composing melodies.
EPISODE 2: STUDIO TIME
On the second day in the WAY UP House, the artists get the chance to experiment with their tracks in the villa’s home studio. Producer Colin Bryson supports them with refining song layers and exploring new instruments. Yamaha artist John Patitucci pays a visit to support the new talents in their creative process.
EPISODE 3: FINAL PERFORMANCE
On the final day, the artists get ready to perform their individual songs that they have been working on the past days. In an intimate concert they showcase their results in front of each other.
Gemma Griffiths
Afro fusion star Gemma Griffiths. A household name in her home country with 4 x ZIMA’s (Zimbabwe Music Award) under her belt, she also counts another two awards from one of the Southern African country’s top radio stations - Star FM & a string of nominations for the prestigious MAMA’s (MTV Africa) and Afrimma Awards. Gemma, who grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe’s vibrant capital, has been putting in the work and her passion for her country, energy, and rhythm remain the driving force of her work.
Jas Kayser
The prolific 26-year-old Yamaha artist is winning an international following thanks to her eclectic adventures in sound which have taken her to Panama, Boston, and the heart of the exciting London scene, where she is now based. Besides having her own band "Jas Kayser & Chums", Jas plays along other international artists like @jorjasmith_ and @alfamist. An alumni of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Jas has found herself playing alongside many of her mentors, steadily carving out her own niche, with a little help from an ever-expanding collective of musical ‘chums’.
Jordan Hawkins
Born in Greensboro, North Carolina and raised in the church choir, he hit his stride when he picked up a guitar in middle school. Just as he began performing solos at church, he started exploring Rock & Roll thanks to an electric guitar he got from his grandfather. At just 24 years old Jordan Hawkins found his sound and his community. Inspired by true performers like Prince, Jimi Hendrix, and John Mayer he brings his own magic to the guitar.
Katie
Born in Korea and raised in the United States, KATIE is a rising international R&B and pop sensation. KATIE made her debut in 2018 with her hit single “Remember,” a part of her debut LOG EP. Her early success was “no small feat for essentially a debut artist navigating the complexities of a multicultural international pop crossover.” With a strong global fan base and early nods from the likes of Billboard, Pitchfork and Forbes, KATIE’s received overwhelming support as she carved out her discography. Smoky tones, delicate deliveries and a powerful bravado is reflective of her jazz vocal training at Berklee and her admiration for R&B icons like India.Arie, Lalah Hathaway and Anthony Hamilton.
Sam Fischer
An Australian singer-songwriter best known for his breakout hit “This City”. Written while Sam was struggling to make it as a musician in Los Angeles, “This City” became a worldwide success with over 700 million streams and more than a billion views. His emotive new track ‘Carry It Well’ focusses on mental health and the famous phrase ‘just because I carry it well, doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy’.