WHO IS FLETCHER

Cari Fletcher, known by her surname Fletcher, is a budding singer/songwriter from the Jersey shore whose songs have been streamed nearly 100 million times on Spotify. At the age of five she started taking classical vocal lessons and by seventeen competed on the first season of X Factor (US). She’s a graduate from NYU’s famed Clive Davis Institute for Recorded Music  and just dropped her first single with Capitol Records, “Undrunk”.  Fletcher says the track is about “Wishing you could undo hooking up with somebody (and) undo loving somebody.” 

One thing I don’t wannna “undo” is the sick remix of “Undrunk” that I’m working on for this weekend’s In The Mix with HK™. And that’s just getting the party started…I’m stirring up custom HK remixes on Zedd with Katy Perry, Camila Cabello, Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus, Ava Max, Ellie Golding with Diplo, Calvin Harris & Rag n’ Bone Man! Plus new beats from Drax Project with Hailee Steinfeld, a mashup with Usher that will blow your speakers away and So Much More!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

GRAMMY WEEKEND ON IN THE MIX WITH HK™

This Sunday is music’s biggest night - The 61^st Grammy® Awards!

Being a long time voting member of the Academy plus a previous Grammy® Nominee I take the awards very seriously. Record of the Year is another tuff one this year. This recently expanded category includes a song form all genres. Big hits like Zed, Maren Morris and Grey’s “The Middle” and Drake’s “Gods Plan”, Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin’s “I Like It” and Post Malone and 21 Savag’s “Rockstar” are all nominated. Plus there are songs from film soundtracks like Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “All The Stars” from Black Panther and Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow” from A Star Is Born standing with social commentary tracks like Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” and Brandi Carlile's “The Joke”. Not an easy decision to make but for me there is one standout. Who would you vote for? Seriously, I want to know, hit me up at @HowardHKKessler on twitter with your thoughts.

From the performance list for the show, which reads like a who’s who of the music industry, to the surprising speeches, historic fashion and tributes to Dolly Parton and Diana Ross with “Diamond Diana” preforming - DAMN! I love Grammy night!

Even better than Grammy night is Grammy weekend! I'm kicking it off on In The Mix with HK™! We’ll be talking Grammy gossip, what to expect on music's biggest night and I’ll be throwin’ down brand spankin' new custom HK remixes on hits from Ariana Grande, Panic! At The Disco, Dua Lipa, Halsey, Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus, Sabrina Carpenter and many more faves. Plus new tracks from Imagine Dragons, Livvia, The Struts and mixed in classic surprises. So don't miss a single beat!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

JORDAN FISHER GETS IN THE MIX WITH HK™

Jordan Fisher is starring in the highly anticipated live musical production of the Tony award winning musical Rent airing this Sunday on FOX television. Jordan’s career runs the gamut from recording artist to actor to dancer and more. He won the 25^th season of Dancing with The Stars, has been in a slew of movies, a couple of years ago his EP debuted at No. 18 on Billboard's Heatseekers album chart, he joined the cast of Hamilton on Broadway as well as collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda on Your Welcome from Mona, co-starred in Emmy-winning Grease: Live and currently co-hosts Dancing with the Stars: Juniors. This weekend Jordan, aside from doing the televised Rent live thing, will be on In The Mix with HK™ talking about his obsession with creativity, his first crush and always striving for perfection! 

Meanwhile, I’ll be striving for party music perfection when I throw down custom HK exclusive remixes on 5 Seconds of Summer, Mark Ronson with Miley Cyrus, Dan & Shay, Ariana Grande, Post Malone, Madison Beer, Benny Blanco with Halsey and Khalid, Shawn Mendes & Zedd. Plus new tracks from Lauren Daigle, Dean Lewis, Tiesto and so much more! Call the crew and breakout the chips!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

THIS WEEK ON IN THE MIX WITH HK™

Oh yeah!!! It’s a party over here! I’m kicking off this weekend’s festivities with exclusive HK remixes on hot tracks from Selena Gomez, DJ Snake, Ozuna & Cardi B, Ava Max, The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini, Dan & Shay, Madison Beer, Benny Blanco & Calvin Harris. Plus new beats from Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus and Zayne feat. Nicki Minaj, a twist on a classic you won’t see coming, the #1 song in country by Halsey and So-Much-More! Keep your seatbelts fastened cause this show is filled with non-stop bangers!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

ANDY GRAMMER TALKS MUSIC, TEMPTATION & MORE ON IN THE MIX WITH HK

Andy Grammer has come a long way since using his car battery to power his amp and acoustic guitar while street performing. The Platinum selling singer-songwriter's latest Top 40 hit Honey I’m Good is climbing the charts and his current album Magazines Or Novels hit 27 on Billboards 200 Album Chart. This week he’ll be talking with us about temptations on the road, his love of performing and what life-altering event may be in his future!

This weekend your future is party bound with non-stop exclusive mixes of all your faves, some classics and brand new bangers you don’t want to miss! I’ve got the decks locked and loaded with custom HK remixes on Mark Ronson, Sam Smith, Jason Derulo, Flo Rida, Walk The Moon and so much more!

Remember…If it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

LOVE AND HATE WITH EMPIRE

If you’re a music and TV junkie like me Fox's new hit show Empire is almost as much fun as two turntables and a microphone. What’s not to love? Original music from Timberland, a great cast, intriguing performances, killer guest appearances by Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige and Patti LaBelle, family tension, scores to settle, hip factor and of course sex. Sure I’d be happier if they threw an engineer in the recording studio (I mean who is laying down all those tracks???). Or, if they acted like artists had the extensive contracts that they do and just couldn't walk away whenever they felt like it. But hey! It’s the television equivalent of a modern day hip-hop Dynasty with a great mix for success!

I’ve got a bunch of hot mix sets planned for your party success this weekend on In The Mix with HK™! Buckle up and keep your hands in the car cause I’m hittin’ you up with custom HK remixes on Nick Jonas – Chains, One Direction – Night Changes, Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud, Taylor Swift – Blank Spaces, Kelly Clarkson – Heartbeat Song, Maroon 5 – Sugar and  Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk! Plus new music from Lunchmoney Lewis, Life of Dillon, Carly Rae Jepsen and Ryn Weaver!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

MUSIC AND MOVIES!

I’ll be glued to the Academy Awards this Sunday night not only cause I’m a movieholic, but I’ll also be anxiously waiting to hear the winner of Best Original Song. That bad boy is given to the songwriters who composed the piece specifically for a film. Kind of a bummer for the performer cause they get nada unless they kicked in on the writing of the lyrics or music. This winning song enhances the movie greatly but often isn’t a commercial success in its own right. Here are a few exceptions that were chart toppers… Last year Let It Go from the animated film Frozen won and we don’t need to talk about what a HUGE hit that was. Going way back some other winners that climbed the charts include Over the Rainbow - The Wizard of Oz 1939, The Way We Were - The Way We Were 1973, Theme From Shaft – Shaft 1971, Flashdance...What a Feeling - Flashdance 1983 , (I've Had) The Time of My Life - Dirty Dancing 1987 and My Heart Will Go On from Titanic 1997. Back in 2002 Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto killed it with their infectious grove: Loose Yourself  from 8 Mile. Then in 2005 Juicy J, Frayser Boy and DJ Paul’s It's Hard out Here for a Pimp from Hustle & Flow took the golden guy.

Will this year’s winner be a commercial success??? Hard to say but my vote for Best Original Song would go to Glory from Selma, music and lyrics by John Legend and Common. Glen Campbell’s I’m Not Gonna Miss You from Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me took the Grammy for Best Country Song and is a sentimental favorite. While Glory is the odds on pick after getting a big push from Legends recent performances at the pre-superbowl bash and Grammys. Both are strong, highly emotionally charged songs and deserving of the prize.

This weekend I’ll be spinnin’ super hot gold and platinum hits just for you on In The Mix with HK™. Get ready for my exclusive remixes on Maroon 5 – Sugar, OneRepublic – I Lived, Meghan Trainor – Lips Are Movin, Hozier – Take Me To Church, Ariana Grande – One Last Time, Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk and sooooooo many more!

So turn up the volume and rip the knob off. It’s gonna be an all out non-stop music slam down you don’t wanna miss!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

PRIORY SHARES STUDIO LIFE IN THE MIX WITH HK™

Priory is that underdog band that stops at nothing in their attempt to make it big. The duo Brandon Rush and Kyle Sears are music obsessed friends with sick talent. They quit their day jobs and sold all earthly possessions including their own blood plasma (now that’s dedication!) to make ends meet and build a studio in a decrepit Portland cement factory. These guys put everything on the line for bodacious beats and now their jam Weekend just broke the Media Base Top 40 and Priory is named one of MTV’s 2015 Artists to Watch! This week I talk with Priory about how their album came together and the trials and tribulations of building, owning and running your own studio.

Like Priory says “It’s the Weekend” and that means a bass banging party on In The Mix with HK™! Set your volume to sonic blast cause I’m hittin’ you hard with custom HK remixes of Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk, Taylor Swift – Style, Ella Henderson – Ghost, Imagine Dragons – I Bet My Life, Jessie J – Masterpiece, Nick Jonas – Chains, Selena Gomez – Heart Wants What It Wants and SO MUCH MORE!

This Valentines weekend the heart wants all the hits like you’ve never heard them before! So tune in for an In The Mix with HK™ event that’ll keep your heart poundin’!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

COPYRIGHT DISPUTES AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY (or is it that hard to write an original song and/or pay for sampling)

Believe it or not since the 1850’s federal courts have been dealing with copyright infringement. Back then you think it would be a lot easier to come up with an original piece of music. Over the past twenty years the number of these cases has blown up. Is it that there’s so much music out there it’s hard to come up with a new groove, or is it the whole sampling thing? At any rate the list of artists being slapped with copyright lawsuits is long.

Way back, Michael Bolton released a song with the same name and some of the same lyrics as The Isley Brothers. Michael argued that there was no plagiarism going on but the court disagreed and awarded the Isley Brothers 5.4 million dollars. Bet the Isley Brothers wished he would rip off more of their beats. Then there was the time Vanilla Ice penned Ice Ice Baby and didn’t realize that altering the rhythm and base line of Queen & Bowie’s Under Pressure wasn’t enough to call it your own and skip the whole getting permission, giving credit and paying royalties thing.  More recently Usher, David Guetta, Kanye West, Will.I.Am, Chris Brown, Led Zeppelin (Yes, Led Zepplin), Justin Bieber, Beyonce and Jay Z are on the short list of those sued for copyright infringement.

The trial over Blurred Lines starts next month and has Pharrell and Robin Thicke hoping they won’t Got To Give It Up to Marvin Gaye's estate. Then just this week Sam Smith very quietly and classily settled a dispute with Tom Petty over the likeness between Sam’s three-time Grammy- nominated Stay With Me and Petty’s I Won't Back Down. Sam’s camp says the similarity is a “complete coincidence”.

What isn’t a complete coincidence is that sparks will be flyin’ off the ones and two's when I hit you up with custom HK remixes this weekend. You’re gonna want to turn the volume way up when I rework Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk , Alesso -  Heroes, Calvin Harris featuring John Newman – Blame, Ella Henderson - Ghost, Nick Jonas – Chains, Taylor Swift – Style and so much more!   

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

UPTOWN FUNK GETS FUNKED UP ON IN THE MIX WITH HK™

Mark Ronson has been sitting atop the Billboard chart for two weeks with his banger Uptown Funk featuring Bruno Mars! Ronson is the step son of Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones. Born in the UK among British musical professionals and cultural elite, he grew up in the U.S., attending Vassar College and NYU. Ronson broke onto the music scene as a NYC club turntablist who then got into production and went on to win Grammys for his work with Amy Winehouse and Adel. I just love a club DJ done good.

Uptown Funk is the lead single from his latest and fourth album, Uptown Special, that just dropped this week. Although this is his first hit to make a splash in the US, Ronson has been kickin’ it in the UK for some time. Will Uptown Special deliver more hits? I haven't heard the whole album, so for now I don’t know, but I am L-O-V-I-N Uptown Funk and can’t wait to funk it up HK style this weekend!

We're all going uptown when I put the HK sonic glaze on Selena Gomez, Hozier, Jennifer Lawrence, Iggy Azalea and Prince Royce. Plus reworkings on brand spankin' new jams from Olly Murs, Priory, Milky Chance, Ne-Yo and more!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

IN THE MIX WITH HK™ HOLIDAY STRESS RELIEF

The holiday season brings many a party but anxiety can also creep in with finals, travel, buying gifts that burn a hole in the pocket and the much talked about and oh so special “Family Stress”. Don't worry though, cause In The Mix with HK™ is gonna kick that holiday stress to the curb. I mean, we are here for YOU! And the experts have our back.  Mayo Clinic says in their “Tips To Tame Stress” that “listening to music is a good stress reliever because it provides a mental distraction, reduces muscle tension and decreases stress hormones” they go as far to say “Crank up the volume and let your mind be absorbed by the music”.  Oh yeah …I’m gonna be crankin’ up the volume this weekend with an all out sonic assault on your senses.

Look at what I'm putting under the tree for you. Brand new mixes on Hozier –Take Me To Church, Charli XCX – Break The Rules, Taylor Swift - Shake It Off and Mr Probz – Waves. I'm also filling my Santa sleigh with exclusive never before heard versions of James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree, Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk, and Fallout Boy - Centuries. My bounty of musical presents is sure to excite when I unwrap the likes of Ella Henderson, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd, Selena Gomez, Maroon 5 and more.

Don't miss a single second of my Christmas party and consider my HK bangin’ beats an early gift!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.