Red Velvet Crush

"Red Velvet Crush makes unapologetic rock n roll. Taking direction from more radio-friendly late 90s and early aughts rock, the band does well to inject the form with a more contemporary sound. Red Velvet Crush’s vocal melodies stay stuck in your mind for days while their heavy riffs give their pop structures a brooding texture." - Brian Clifton, Mills Record Company Red Velvet Crush is a 5x award winning female fronted pop/rock from Kansas City, Missouri; built on dreams and a passion. Through song, Red Velvet Crush tells the stories of courage, motivation and of making choices to make a change, for the better. Realizing what you know and what you dream to create the life you desire, the person you aspire to be; to move past what has held you back in life, to always strive to move forward to break boundaries in your life to achieve your dreams and goals. While Daniel Mendala spent his time performing in regional rock bands, Jillian Riscoe was pursuing a solo pop career since childhood. In search of a bassist for shows around the Midwest, Jillian met Daniel through a mutual musician friend and began performing together. Both connecting through their viewpoints and influences in music, the two would sit down in between band rehearsals and study music they loved and were inspired by; Daniel influenced by the sounds of classic country, poetic/political acts such as Simon and Garfunkel and 80’s rock n roll (Guns N Roses in particular) while Jillian was inspired by the 50’s/60’s pop, soul and rock acts and pop of the 90s and early 2000’s such as Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson and Savage Garden; however the two both loved the pop and rock elements that seemed to surface throughout the music they both loved. Since the start of RVC in early 2012, the pop/rock act has been steadily building their band and brand together. The duo has performed multiple times a week with acoustic cover shows and select original shows; the stripped down performances of many musical genres brought a new life to the duo’s songwriting skills and writing styles, especially heard through the recordings the band has released thus far. The duo traveled to Austin, TX to record with producer Dave Percefull at yellowDOGstudios for the band’s debut EP, Smoke and Mirrors, released summer of 2013. Combined, RVC has been performing and songwriting since a very young age and have put their ethic of hard work, passion and dedication towards creating opportunities over the years to perform at such national conferences as the NAMM Show in California, the first ever CDBaby DIY Musician Con in Chicago, have opened up for musical acts such as Art Alexakis/Everclear, Lisa Loeb, The Dreaming/Stabbing Westward, Tantric, Blameshift, Dellacoma, Kingshifter, Roses Unread, Freakabout!, City of the Weak, have received artist sponsorships and partnerships from Daisy Rock Guitars, Belladonna’s Cupboard Cosmetics, Telefunken Eletroaukustik and more, radio airplay from dozens of national and regional FM and online radio stations, write-ups and reviews from dozens of national and local newspapers, blogs and magazines, performed on over a dozen TV programs/morning shows (FOX, CBS affiliates, KCPT,) have been featured acts at regional festivals such as the Plaza Art Fair, Waterfest, Gladfest, Aggiefest, acoustic tours in national chain entertainment stores such as Best Buy, Borders Books and Music, performed the national anthem at sporting events for World Series champions Kansas City Royals, KC T-Bones, the American Royal, worked musically with The Grammy Museum, garnered soundtrack placements, put on self-produced benefit shows/volunteer work for the city of Joplin, MO post tornado (Rock 4 Heart & Home,) and have won five awards thus far for Best Pop Band (KC Cassi Awards,) Female Vocalist of the Year, Acoustic Band of the Year (Midwest Music Awards.) Red Velvet Crush's new EP Crystal Clear was just released to an enthusiastic, loud crowd at Riot Room in the band's hometown of Kansas City, MO. Equally showcasing both sides of the 5x award winning act’s love for pop and rock, with a brand new full band lineup, RVC put forth a high energy set premiering each new song off the band's new record as well as a couple fan familiar favorites. Crystal Clear was produced by Joshua Gleave in the heart of Music Row in Nashville, TN with studio drums by Lester Estelle Jr. (Kelly Clarkson, Pillar) The new EP features four brand new original songs that are versatile from one another in sounds and story yet effortlessly meld pop and rock together with the magnetic drive and punchy guitar riffs of Daniel Mendala and the bold yet vibrant vocals of Jillian Riscoe that also blend in the perfect amount of a rock n roll edge to the songs creating what truly is Red Velvet Crush. Find more info on the band at RedVelvetCrush.com and download Crystal Clear on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and more. “Red Velvet Crush has just released the EP CRYSTAL CLEAR and their pop sensibility is right in synch with their tendency to rock.” - ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE ☆ • Crystal Clear EP now available on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Pandora and more! • ☆