Project: Aloft Star

Project: Aloft Star kicked off....
Project: Aloft Star

Project: Aloft Star

Aloft Hotels is a chain of upscale, ultra-modern urban hotels that stretch across the country, continent, and world. It intentionally leans for the forward, ‘next generation’ of travelers, and so it has partnered up with Universal Music Group for ‘Project: Aloft Star’, where they search for the major label’s next star. It all kicked off at Universal’s Broadway headquarters on Thursday, June 14th with contestant BANNERS and guest mentors X Ambassadors.

X Ambassadors

The early evening event was for Rewards members of either Marriott or Starwood Preferred Guest, but also had music industry types. It took place in the lobby of the Universal building on Broadway, with a high-class bar (that included fancy drinks that took too long to make) and upscale hors d’oeuvres. After milling about with drinks & food, the actual event began with Aloft creative director Bridget Higgins and LJ Hayden Gutierrez from Universal, a “sizzle video” of Project: Aloft Star, and guest mentors X Ambassadors talking. If one had never seen X Ambassadors up close, it was a particular surprise to see that keyboardist Casey Harris is blind – his brother/singer Sam Harris would actually direct him through the crowd.

BANNERS

BANNERS, a.k.a. Michael Joseph Nelson, opened with a joke about how his mike had been set up by his manager, “Who’s apparently five feet tall…” (special bonus for the Englishman using American measurements). He had a number of jokes, including recounting how the space used to be a long golden corridor, and he thought he’d be playing at the end of the corridor to, “Some really grumpy security men who I’d have to negotiate to let me in,” adding, “No offense to security men – please keep letting me in…” He also mentioned how he came up staying in crappy hotels, “So I’m really looking forward to staying someplace nice.” His solo emotion came through, though did have to deal with a chatty back of the crowd.

The event ended with special gift fanny packs. The VIP media fanny packs included built-in speakers, but they were all out by the time your correspondent asked for one [of course his +1 got one early…], and the regular ones are a bit shiny for his hipster nature – but what do you expect when high-class hotel & biggest major label team up?

X Ambassadors

Project: Aloft Star heads across the country at Aloft Hotels this summer & fall:

Years and Years – June 23 – Philadelphia, PA
Tank & The Bangas – Aug. 9 – New Orleans, LA
Bea Miller – Aug. 21 – Asheville, NC
Banners – Oct. 17 – Denver, CO
Finalists – Nov. 1 – Austin, TX

-photos by Julia Drummond, courtesy of Aloft Hotels

Project: Aloft Star

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