Last year's breakout star recommends composer/pianist Rachel Grimes' 'molasses-sweet melodies.'
By James Montgomery
In 2007, Adam Young was working a string of odd jobs and living in his parents' basement in Owatonna, Minnesota (population 22,434). In 2009, under the guise of Owl City, he toured the world, landed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Fireflies" and sold nearly 700,000 copies of his second album, Ocean Eyes. In essence, he was the very definition of a breakout star.
So, with Rock Week in full swing on MTVNews.com, we figured there would be no one better equipped than Young to survey the musical landscape and select one new artist that he believes is destined for big things in 2010. (Earlier in the week, we asked Paramore's Hayley Williams and Cobra Starship's Gabe Saporta to do the same.) In keeping with his rather mysterious ways — he does no on-camera interviews — he: A) sent us his selection via e-mail, and B) chose a whisper-quiet composer/pianist from Kentucky as his pick to click. What can we say? The dude is nontraditional.
Anyway, here's what the biggest breakout star of 2009 had to say about his favorite new artist — not to mention his source of solace during the very hectic past 12 months. Rachel Grimes is a name some may recognize from erudite, orchestral Louisville outfit Rachel's. Or, you know, maybe not.
"Her molasses-sweet melodies make daydreaming a softer task in a realm already more elegant than ever," Young wrote. "Her music allows me to drop what I'm doing and take wing among lush treetops and cloudscapes, sweet dreams swirled all around me like room-temperature liquid and poured back out into the atmosphere."
Totally. Rachel Grimes' solo debut, Book of Leaves, is available now.
It's Rock Week at MTV News, and to celebrate, we're taking a look at some of the most-anticipated new albums and bands of 2010. Stay tuned all week for more!
Owl City Picks His Favorite New Artist Of 2010
Linear Mode
