Friday, December 30, 2011

My New Year's message for my butterflies!

Hello my butterflies!
Happy New Year! 2012 is going to be big and I hope you continue to support me! I hope your new year is full of happiness and health for you and your family! =]

~Aria

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Holiday message for my butterflies!

Hello my butterflies!

Today I posted a holiday video for everyone on my YouTube channel! I hope you enjoy it and I want to wish you and you families a happy holiday season! Don't forget to subscribe, like my videos and leave comments on them!
~Aria =]

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

New video on my YouTube channel!

Hello my butterflies!

Today the behind the scenes video for my music video for "I still believe in fairy tales" is being posted on my YouTube channel. I had tons of fun creating it and I can't wait for all of my butterflies to get a little more insight on my video. I hope you enjoy it and don't forget to watch the music video when you're done! =]
~Aria

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving message for my butterflies!

Hello my butterflies!

I hope y'all have a very happy and safe Thanksgiving tomorrow. I just wanted to take the time to let y'all know how much you mean to me. I also wanted to thank you all for your support, comments and messages on my various sites, your orders and downloads of my single and CD, and the views and comments on my music video. Your support means everything to me!

I hope everyone has a lovely and safe Thanksgiving! Thank you all again! You all are so great!

Monday, November 14, 2011

You can now buy the digital version of my album now!

Hello my butterflies!

Guess what? If you go to the home page of my official site (http://www.ariacortes.com/) you can now buy the digital version of my album and all of the songs separately! I'm so glad that this is up for y'all and I hope you'll buy it. Your support means everything to me! Make sure to visit my official site and look around while you're there!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

A new surprise for y'all!

Hello my butterflies!
Have you wanted to hear more songs from my album other than just my single?? Well, now you can! If you go to my official website (http://www.ariacortes.com) you can now hear preview clips of six of my songs in the audio player at the top of the site. Also, if you go to the music tab and hit "Daydreaming," you can see a listing of the songs in the audio player, along with my favorite line from each song. I hope y'all like it and find it cool to know my favorite line from my songs. I'm so glad that this is up for everyone! Make sure to check it out!! =]

Sunday, October 30, 2011

My first music video is revealed!!

Hello my butterflies!
Today the music video for "I still believe in fairy tales" was put up on my YouTube channel for y'all!! This is so awesome!! Oh, and I apologize for the excessive use of exclamation points but I am so excited! =]

I actually didn't get to see the final cut until Friday, so I had been eagerly anticipating it all week and month. It was a great surprise though. When I saw it, I was sooooo happy! It looks great! The editing was done really nicely and it looks so cool. Watching it, I couldn't believe it was actually me, and that I actually did that. But I did and I'm so proud.

I just want to apologize for not having it up on Friday like I said I would. YouTube was having a known issue with the audio/video syncing when the video was uploaded so the team was trying to adjust my video to work with the Youtube issue, before it went live. Big thanks to everyone for your patience and understanding! My butterflies are awesome!

I'm just so glad that all my butterflies can see it now!! My hope is that my butterflies can relate to the storyline and it can help y'all through rough times. That's all an artist really wants. To touch people with their music. I can relate to the storyline in my own way and I hope y'all can too. So I hope my butterflies like it! Make sure to send me comments on my YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter pages letting me know what you think! Sorry again that it wasn't up on Friday. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/ariacortes

~Aria =]

Thursday, October 6, 2011

WCR Newsletter Interview

Hello my butterflies!

Today, I did an interview about the release of my new album "Daydreaming" which will appear in tomorrow's World Conquest Records Newsletter. I talk about my recording experience, which song is my favorite, what each song is about, and more. I can't wait for everyone to see it and get a little insight on my album. I'm super excited about the release a week ago and now you get to see a little more about it. If you'd like to receive the newsletter, go to www.worldconquestrecords.com/signupform.html. Hope y'all enjoy it!

Friday, September 30, 2011

My first music video - day 3 and that's a wrap!!

Hello my butterflies!!
Today I shot the final scenes for my music video for "I still believe in Fairy Tales"! I'm both happy and sad about this. I'm sad because it was fun to create and I don't want the experience to end but I'm happy because now it's one step closer to being released for all of my butterflies! =]

So the idea behind this part is that I'm now in my room after the funeral and first I'm looking at the dress and hanging it up while thinking about the day's events. Then I go to my bed where I have a fairy figurine that lights up. It represents one of the last things I have left of the person who died. When you see the video, the pink comforter I have on the bed was actually given to me by my grandmother who I lost two years ago. I wanted to include it in the video because that's really one of the last things I have of her. Then I turn on the fairy, sing to it, put it down and turn off the lamp to go to sleep so that I'm sleeping by the light of the fairy. The light of the fairy represents the hope I still have for a better time and the good memories of the past.

We shot at night, which was cool because I was anticipating it all day. It was also fun because I actually got to shoot in my pajamas. How cool is it when you can do your job in pajamas? Also, I got to finish my video on the day that my debut album was released! What a coincidence! And now, it's done! All that's left is the editing and then all of my butterflies can see it! I can't wait to see it and I can't wait for everyone to see it!! I've worked really hard on it, had a blast creating it, and I hope everyone likes it when it comes out!

~Aria =]

Friday, September 23, 2011

My album will be released on Sept. 30!

Hello my butterflies!

I have some big news for y'all! I've signed a few copies of my debut album "Daydreaming" which will be released on Sept. 30, '11! If you sign up for both the mailing lists on my official site and record label's site & order my album, you will get one of the autographed copies! Limited time only. Thank you for your support!!

Monday, September 19, 2011

I've been sorted! (on Pottermore)

Hello my butterflies!

As you might know, I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I mean, I'm the fan that waited in line at midnight for the last book when I was 11! I mean, I'm the fan who's re-read all of the books at least 3 times. So yeah, I'm a big fan. When I heard about Pottermore, J.K. Rowling's new site for exclusive content and such, I was excited. I was even more excited when I got in early! Now, I've been on Pottermore for a little while now but today is the day! What day? The day I was sorted!

So which house did I get sorted into?? I was sorted into... RAVENCLAW! I have to admit, I always liked Ravenclaw. Also, I always liked Luna, who is a Ravenclaw. I was actually hoping I would get sorted into Ravenclaw so I was happy with my house. My sisters weren't happy though. They're both Hufflepuffs, so they were hoping I'd be a Hufflepuff too.

I really liked the sorting process. In other sorting hat quizzes I've taken (and I've taken a few), it's pretty obvious which house each answer choice corresponds to. Pottermore's sorting hat questionnaire however wasn't obvious at all. I couldn't tell what each choice led to at all, which made it more like what I assume the real thing would be like.

So I'm officially a Ravenclaw! Are any of my butterflies Ravenclaws??

Saturday, September 17, 2011

My first music video - day 2!!

Hello my butterflies!

So today, I shot the second part to my music video for "I still believe in Fairy Tales." In the first scenes that we shot (the intro and verses), I'm supposed to be sad since I'm coming from a funeral and the scenes we shot today (the pre-choruses & choruses before the bridge) are supposed to show that I'm thinking that a better day will come. It shows that I'm not going to let that bad time change my outlook on life. I lost my grandma two years ago and she knew about my dream to become a singer, so I know she would have wanted me to be doing what I'm doing. It was hard to deal with and still is but I know she's proud of me and what I'm doing. The finished video will switch back and forth between those two scenes. You'll see what I mean when you see the video!

We shot in two locations in New Jersey. We decided to do it in two locations so that the director would have more of a variety in choosing scenes. The locations were really nice, which made it easy to smile and show more happiness in my performance. As you'll see in the video, I was wearing a tank top and jeans. On the day we shot, the temperature was barely over 60 degrees! I actually had two tank tops layered under it to keep me warm. Surprisingly, I wasn't too cold until the end. I guess the multiple tank tops worked! Also, there were a lot of bugs. Luckily, there weren't the kind that bite (I don't think so anyway...!), so it was ok.

Shooting these scenes was so much fun. I have a really good feeling about it so I'm excited to see how it turns out. Now, we only have one more scene to shoot! I'm so excited to shoot the last part, and I can't wait for everyone to see the finished product!

~Aria =]

Thursday, September 15, 2011

New feature on my website!

Hello my butterflies!

A new feature has been added to my official site (http://www.ariacortes.com/)! There's now a tab called "Fan Section" where all of my butterflies can submit fan artwork and fan photos.

Fan artwork is drawings, paintings, etc. of me or something inspired by one of my songs. Fan photos is pictures of my butterflies showing their fandom, pictures of you at one of my shows or appearances or a picture of you with me.

I think this is a really cool thing to have on my site because now all my butterflies can share their artwork and pictures and really be a part of my site. After all, I couldn't do it without the support of my butterflies! I hope you enjoy the fan section and don't forget to submit your artwork or pictures!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

My first music video - day 1!!

Hello my butterflies! Hope you're having a great day and week!

Yesterday, I filmed the beginning of my very first music video for my single, "I Still Believe In Fairy Tales"!! It was a lot of fun and a great experience. I filmed the intro and verses for the song.

The idea behind the scenes that I did is that I'm coming from a funeral and I'm sad because I just lost someone, but I'm still thinking that there are better times to come. The video, like the song, is basically about not giving up hope when times are tough.

The intro scene was done at a cemetery. To be as respectful as possible, we didn't film any singing parts there. The only thing we did there was film me walking to a tree.

The verses were done in a park. We found a tree, and filmed me singing the verses in front of it. This first part is supposed to portray the dark times. The next scenes that will be filmed will be what I'm thinking about, which is a better time.

I'm also doing a behind-the-scenes video that will be on my YouTube channel soon. Basically, it'll be a video diary that will take you to the locations and let you know what I did, the idea behind it, etc.

I can't wait to film the next parts and I absolutely can't wait for everyone to see the finished product. This will also be a multi-part blog (this is part 1!), and each part will be done after shooting, editing, etc.

~Aria =]

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Surprised by my dad!

Hello my butterflies!

Well, the summer has officially come and gone. My little sister starts middle school this week and I start high school. So, my dad decided to take me and my family to City Island for lunch as one last hurrah before summer ends. We ate seaside and watched seagulls that were on the rocks. After we were done, we fed some leftover French fries to the seagulls. They went crazy! Who knew seagulls liked French fries? They don't like pickles though. My dad threw a pickle to them and they didn't even touch it. A few went to smell it, but none ate it. It was really cool and a great way to spend one of the remaining days of summer!

Monday, August 29, 2011

What a week!

So last week was a little crazy. First, there was an earthquake! I live in New York and over 20 floors up, and I felt it. The couch I was sitting on started to shake. It was scary but luckily it wasn't too bad. No pictures fell off the walls or anything.

As if that wasn't enough crazy for one week, Hurricane Irene decided to come too. The funny thing is, I was going to shoot my first music video this weekend. I was really excited about it and everything. Now, it has to be re-scheduled. I'm kinda bummed about it but at least I'll be able to do it when it's safe and there's no hurricane. Speaking of the hurricane, luckily again it wasn't too bad near me. Just a LOT of rain. My family and I are all safe, so I'm really thankful for that. I hope y'all are ok, too!

Hopefully, this week will be earthquake/hurricane free and I'll be able to shoot my video! Hope everyone is ok and has a great week!

~Aria =]

Saturday, August 6, 2011

My name for y'all! :)

Hey y'all! So, I've been thinking and I want to give my fans (a.k.a. you!) a name. If Taylor Swift's fans are "Swifties" and Demi Lovato's fans are "Lovatics," what are my fans going to be called? Well, I didn't want to name my fans something that had to do with my name. So, I came up with something else. Are you ready for this?

I'm going to call my fans "Butterflies." Why? Well, I have a song on my album called "Butterfly" and it's about spreading love and happiness though smiles and kindness. So, I thought it would be fitting to call my fans my "Butterflies" because you all spread support and love to me and together we can spread it throughout the world.

Now, I'm not sure how my guy fans will feel about being called "Butterflies," so if you guys out there don't like that, you can give me suggestions. Maybe "Monarchs" since that's a manly butterfly name. ;) But, I hope all of you, my "Butterflies" like your name!

~Aria =]

Welcome to my blog!

Hey y'all! I just wanted to welcome you all to my blog. Originally, I had wanted to name it "Just me and my blog" since I have a song on my album called "Just me and my girls" but unfortunately, someone already has that (sniff sniff). So, I decided to call it "My Big City Country Blog" after another song on my album titled "Big City Country Girl." I thought it would be fitting because I'm from New York, I'm a country singer, and this is my blog! :]

So what will I be blogging about, you may ask. I'll be blogging about some of my favorite things, such as my favorite shows, movies, etc. I'll also be blogging about some of the things that happen career-wise. Basically, I'll be blogging about anything I think is interesting and want to share with you.

I'll just end this one by saying thanks for reading. I hope you come back to read more and enjoy what you're reading!

~Aria =]