When the Rain Ends, there is a Rainbow

Well friends, it's been awhile, hasn't it? Holiday cheer (and holiday work hours) has swallowed me up and rightly so, but things just wouldn't be right if I didn't have some clarity and writing in my life. I will be typing up a plenty in terms of a year in review (lots of countdowns and Yearbooking and what not), but I'm here to tell you now -- no Top (--) of 2010. I know, tears are flowing considering it would have been my third year in a row to complete it, but I don't have the time and considering the format (Top 28 Songs of 2008, Top 29 Songs of 2009, etc.), it just didn't have the same flow as before. No need to fret, I shall be starting a new fresh tradition in terms of a year-long reflection, along with Hot 100 analysis and so on and so forth. 

Blah blah blah. Can I please stop yammering about my life and talk about a particular project that I'm VERY excited about instead? Thank you.

That gorgeous model you see to the left of these words is Ms. Rochella Danishei. If you are a frequent reader of this blog, this name will ring bells in your subconscious. For those of you who's memory hazy, let me remind you. She is a former member of the pop confectionery trio known as Candy Coated Chaos, who decided to call it quits in mid 2009. They were a huge part of my music promotional efforts back during my college years, as something about them seemed quite effortlessly catchy. Perhaps it was their guilt-less brand of sparkling pop that was so reminiscent of the teen pop of my middle school years. Perhaps it was the fact that the majority of their material was produced by the hands of the ever-so-capable Jadion (who certainly has gained my vote for Biggest Up-and-Coming Producer ever since I discovered what would soon be labeled cCc in 2006 and I continued flying that flag after the opus that was Simon Curtis' 8 Bit Heart album). And perhaps it was Ms. Danishei herself.

If Candy Coated Chaos was a poppy, late-2000's version of Destiny's Child (which I suppose is a justified assessment...sort of), Rochella was definitely the Beyonce. I don't mean this to come off as she was the diva who assumed the role of the spotlight. It just seemed to me, as someone who worked quite close with the group from a distance on various street teams and fansite work, that Rochella had an "it" factor that was kind of unexplainable. This was certainly not to say anything ill of the other girls. One of which is also currently still pursuing music post-cCcapocalypse -- Brittany "Pasquelina". That being said, there was still something about Rochella. She exuded charm, talent and more so than anything else, sheer drive. This explains why after the cCc split in mid 2009, Rochella was the quickest out of the gate to pursue the solo vein, and a few short months later found herself traveling across country from her home state of New Jersey to Los Angeles' sunny allure.

It also had a lot to do with the fact that Rochella herself provided much of the lead vocals for cCc, as well as quite a bit of the songwriting. She is indeed much more than a pretty face -- and will be doing much of the heavy-lifting on her upcoming solo release.

Yes, everyone -- the rumors are true. Much like her BFF Simon (they are even roomies -- cutest thing ever), Rochella is planning a sneak-attack punch on the unsuspecting pop world by way of a free download release of her debut solo album, End of the Rainbow. The album is due for release in early January 2011 (hence the reminder now, but best believe a full review will be highlighted and celebrated on the site as soon as possible), and features production by the ever familiar and fabulous Jadion, as well as Shane Drasin, and unsurprisingly, creative input by Mr. Curtis, too.

Rochella has been providing us snippets of the project to salivate over on her YouTube account that is definitely worthy of your attention. All signs point toward a more edgy dark pop to help wake up an industry that is becoming increasingly more formulaic and predictable. The wait is literally killing me, but as the album's title suggests, at the end of the rainbow, there surely waits a pot of gold (you better believe I was waiting to write that pun since I heard the album's title!). 

For more info and updates on Ro, you can Twitter her via @RoDanishei, listen to sound clips via her aforementioned YouTube or her MySpace, or even whet your appetite by heading to iTunes and downloading the smattering of appetizers she has there, by way of the truly ace "The Show Must Go On" or the wistful "Roll the Dice".

I also find it worthy of noting that Ms. Danishei shall be the focus of the 'Artist of the Week' feature on Resolution Radio (week in January to be determined) and much squeeing will be done during my Pop+Nation Power Hour that given Wednesday at 9PM Eastern.