Grayson Gilmour and Alistair Deverick Heading To Red Bull Music Academy

New Zealand's representatives at this years Red Bull Music Academy in Madrid have been announced and include the very talented Grayson Gilmour and drummer extraordinaire Alistair Deverick (Ruby Suns, The Shades).

The Red Bull Music Academy is held in a different city each year and brings together a variety of talented musicians from around world to explore the various aspects of making music and to learn from industry leaders.

Grayson Gilmour "Loose Change" from his latest album No Constellation

Press Release:

The Red Bull Music Academy has brought up and coming music makers together in cities like New York, Barcelona, Cape Town, Melbourne and London for over thirteen years. Each year the Academy invites artists worldwide to apply, asking them to fill out a hefty questionnaire and submit a selection of their tunes. Since music has a way of constantly transforming itself (often in the most unexpected locales), each year’s application process is a journey of musical discovery for the jury. We’re very pleased to announce that after several months of carefully listening to and reading applications from producers, instrumentalists and vocalists in 96 countries, 60 diverse artists have now been invited to join the 2011 edition of the Red Bull Music Academy in Madrid.

Who exactly are those 60 artists who’ll travel to Madrid? We’ll publish all of their names on the Red Bull Music Academy website in the coming weeks, but in the mean time, please find below the bios for the artists selected to represent New Zealand. We strongly believe that each of them has a unique vision, as well as the cojones to see that vision through. When they join one of two terms at the Academy in the fall, they’ll have the chance to collaborate in custom-built recording studios with their peers from 33 countries, representing diverse cities from Tallinn to Lagos to Vienna.

Grayson Gilmour, Wellington:
Whether acting as one third of the Kiwi electronic indie group, So So Modern, or playing solo by his bad self, the Windy City’s Grayson Gilmour is a man with a penchant for flair, elegance and sophistication. Hours spent working behind the dusty desk at the local record store and studying back covers seem to have paid off, as his unique combination of baroque pop, electronics, and new wave sounds demonstrate. Utilizing an array of toy pianos, glockenspiels, vibes, xylophones, synthesizers and toy drums, Grayson concocts a sound that reflects equal parts pop, soundtrack and beats. And he’s got a few ridiculously good music videos to boot – just check YouTube!

Alistair Deverick, Auckland:
Whether drumming for the Auckland-based indie band, The Ruby Suns, knocking out soulful hip hop with The Shades, or performing solo on a modified drum set, Alistair Deverick keeps his hands busy. With the Ruby Suns he’s scored a deal with the legendary Sub Pop label based out of Seattle, and is to be found playing shows across the US. Meanwhile, his own musical style spans from electronic heartbreak ballads to sample-driven hip hop and proper synth wave. Welcome to the forefront of the new South Pacific pop style!

To hear interviews and live shows by distinguished alumni of the Academy such as Flying Lotus, Jamie Woon, Natalia Lafourcade and Aloe Blacc, delve into the treasure trove of brand new music on Red Bull Music Academy Radio, where you can hear more than 4000 club and festival recordings, DJ sets and documentary formats.