Musicians Collaborate Across the Pond to Benefit Indie Radio Station

It should come as no surprise to anyone at how advances in digital technology have significantly changed our lives. The entertainment industry, in particular, has been impacted more than most, causing industry leaders to rethink how they do business going forward.  Singer/songwriter Tracy Colletto recently experienced just how much technology has impacted her career.  Since releasing her second album, Chocolate Happy Cake, last spring, the West Chester, PA indie artist has been performing at open mics, coffee houses, and smaller venues as well as doing radio interviews to promote the release.

Singer/Songwriter Tracy Colletto

A funny thing happened during an interview Tracy did with the UK internet radio station, Belter Radio.  DJ Angel (aka Sylvia Peaston) was playing several of Tracy’s songs during her Indies Show and listeners were interested in learning more about Tracy and her music.  This led to the interview with Tracy via Skype audio (and across mutiple time zones). As they discussed her music, DJ Graham Barnes said he had a question from Simon of The Counteracts, a UK duo that was also very popular with the Belter Radio audience.  Simon asked if Tracy would be willing to record a duet with him. Tracy, surprising even herself, replied yes, that it sounded like fun.

Hailing from Kent, UK, The Counteracts are a collaboration between songwriters Simon J. Biscoe and Doug Smith.  They first met in January, 2015.  Their initial intention was to record some original songs that Simon had written, as a sideline to their other projects.  However, the reaction to their first two songs was so favorable, they decided to record more original tracks and covers.  The Counteracts quickly became Simon and Doug's main artistic focus.

Doug Smith and Simon J. Biscoe of The Counteracts

After some discussion via email and Facebook, Tracy, Simon, and Doug decided to do a cover of “Somethin’ Stupid”, a song made famous by the father-daughter team of Frank and Nancy Sinatra.  Simon and Doug recorded an arrangement of the song with Simon singing the lead vocals.  They then sent a digital file to Tracy who, with the help of her husband, recorded her vocals over the original track.  She sent the completed digital file back to the UK for final mixing and mastering.

“Somethin’ Stupid” featuring Tracy Colletto and The Counteracts was officially released during DJ Angel’s Indie show on Monday, November 21 with Doug serving as the special guest DJ to positive feedback from the listeners of Belter Radio and elsewhere.  The song charted in the Top 10 by the charting service Radio Indie Alliance during the first weeks after its release (reaching #1 during the week of 11/28/16).  Not bad for a group of artists who not only have never met in person, but have only communicated by Facebook message and email!

After their initial trans-Atlantic success, the three artists are open to working together more in the future but currently have no set projects in mind.  "It was a lot of fun," explains Tracy.  "I've never recorded a project with someone I've never even met before but it was pretty cool".  

Tracy and The Counteracts have decided to donate 100% of the sales of “Somethin’ Stupid” to help Belter Radio with cost of the ppl and prs licences.  Downloads of the song are available at http://thecounteracts.bandcamp.com/track/somethin-stupid.  It is also available on iTunes, Amazon.com, Spotify, and other digital stores.

You can learn more about Tracy Colletto and her music at www.tracycolletto.com.  You can learn more about Doug, Simon, and The Counteracts at www.thecounteracts.bandcamp.com.  To learn more about Belter Radio and how to support their mission to help indie artists from around the world, check out www.belter-radio.webeden.co.uk.