Conekt

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Conekt is a Romanian music band, famous and also very controversial. The three teenagers - Icey, M-boy and Mikey, composed their songs and entire choreography alone, and so managed to make their own way in the international music industry. [1]

Genre: R&B (+ crunk);

Members: Icey, M-boy, Mikey;

Experience: over 2 years in the current formula;

Label: Music Media Line (Switzerland);

Contents

[edit] History

July 2005 – Conekt signed a contract with Music Media Line Records, a label from Switzerland established in order to avoid the compromises needed in any other Romanian record label. With the help of Mihai Dragoianu, their manager (also known as Smiley) they got in touch with Peter Vosseler – Music Media Line director - and also director of IFPI Schweiz (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry).

[edit] Conekt - Who they really are

[edit] Miruna Manescu (Icey)

Date/Place of birth: March 14th, 1989 (pisces), Petrosani.

Started taking canto lessons since she was only 8, at her mom’s advice. Ever since, she participated in countless music festivals, always winning the best voice award. [2][3][4][5] She moved to Bucharest one year before she graduated the primary school, in the same school M-Boy and Mikey attended. [6][7]

[edit] Mihai Ristea (M-Boy)

Date/Place of birth: January 18th, 1989 (capricorn), Bucharest.

He had his first ‘show-biz’ contact in kindergarten, but hardly in the 8th grade challenging his luck in music. He first established a hip-hop band with his best friend, based on dancing, and even had few club appearances. In his first highschool year, he was already looking for a feminine voice in order to set up a new musical project. As Icey’s voice was already famous, he decided to contact her, and this is Conekt’s first version.[8]

[edit] Mihai Lungu (Mikey)

Date/Place of birth: October 3rd, 1987 (libra), Bucharest.

Mikey started out as a dancer, just a passion, without ever imagining that he would be able to build himself a career this way. As he was making progresses in a streetdance crew, he seriously thought about turning his hobby into a lifestyle. At one of his crew battles, he accidentally met Icey and M-Boy, and they decided to collaborate for this project. [9]

Together, they discovered in time how hard it is to create yourself an image, to find the proper persons in order to be successful. “We worked a lot, but we did it and I just have to thank our labels' manager, Peter Vosseler, and last - but not least, the one that made it all real, our manager, Smiley.”

[edit] Conekt – The Beginnings

Until signing their contract with Music Media Line Label, Conekt had to face many impediments. First of all, it must be mentioned the fact that their style – crunk that is – was not considered even nearly "commercial" enough for the Romanian musical stage. They have been instead offered the chance to sing in an etno band, which they rejected. Their first songs were personally composed in Gabi Mitran’s "Omega Sound" Studio. Gabi Mitran brought into their attention the fact that it's going to be very hard to make themselves known with such musical style. At his advice, they did try a lighter, more commercial style, but, as they were saying, when passions is lost nothing can survive.

Though, TV appareances started, at shows such as “Fresh Club” on National TV, “Atentie! Se canta” (Attention! Sing) (on TVR2), freshmen’s proms and other festivals. Old songs like “Take my hand”, “Daca vrei” (If you want), “Lumea mea” (My light), “Un gand” (A thought), “Nu vreau banii tai” (I don't want your money) have dynamic rhythms, r’n’b based mostly, in which they approached teenagers matters.

Finally, after long searches, they officalized the first Romanian r'n'b & crunk project, with help from their future manager - Mihai Dragoianu (Smiley). [10]

[edit] R’n’B + Crunk = Crunk’n’B

Their Style, Crunk, is a specific type of hip-hop music, based out of the southern USA culture (Atlanta especially). It doesn’t involve hip-hop's countless lyrics, has simple rhymes and distinguishes itself through "heavy", synthesized instrumentals, "not so easy to be digested" for the ones not used to this style. Crunk artists were accused of repeated subjects and beats approaches, but the rhytms are very popular in clubs, not allowing to refrain from dancing. By extension, it has been said that crunk also involves a “chill, don’t care what others might say” attitude.

It first appeared in the early 90s, but only in 2000 was truly known by Petey Pablo’s song “Freek a Leek”, from “The fast and the furious” movie soundtrack. He was also the first 100% crunk loyal artist.

We also have to mention Lil Jon and his Eastside Boyz. Also called “Kings of Crunk”, in 2004 they even launched an energy drink – very popular otherwise – called “Crunk Juice”. Other artists to promote this style are Ying Yang Twins, Ciara, Missy Elliott, Ludacris, David Banner, Chris Brown, Trilville, Lil’Flip, Lil Scrappy, Pitbull, Nick Cannon, Kanye West, Akon, Usher, etc.

[edit] “Prea Periculos” – the album

Conekt’s first radio-promoted song was “Un minut” (A minute), during the “Rondul de dimineata”, from ProFm Radio contest. This song was well received by the public, and won the competition. One remix of it is to be found on the “Prea Periculos” album, named after their first video. [11]

This video was filmed in the 17-18th September weekend, and directed by Bogdan Toader. They shot during those two nights in an abandoned factory and on the so-called "The Highway of the Sun". The premiere of the video was on October 22nd, but because this chosen song characterizes best their approached crunk style, Conekt faced face many problems related to the video. Some national channels refused to promote it, saying that it is too “American-like”.[12][13]

The album, launched on December 14th, contained 10 tracks - ordered between an “Intro” and an “Outro”. [14] Conekt had two featurings with hip-hop band Central Squad – at “Prea Periculos” (Too dangerous) and at “In the club.

A very r’n’b based song is “E minunat” (It's great), for which Conekt shot their second video. "E minunat" stayed into charts on the 1st place for more than 7 weeks, and after 7 months it still is in the chart. [15][16]

[edit] Album Track List

  1. Intro
  2. E minunat
  3. In the Club (feat. Central Squad)
  4. That’s Why I Love Ya
  5. Prea periculos (feat. Central Squad)
  6. Oare de ce ar fi
  7. Pe 4 roti (Papy)
  8. Un minut
  9. In the Club (feat. Central Squad) (Club Mix)
  10. Outro

[edit] Miscellaneous

After their album launch, many concerts, mass-media appearances and shows followed. [17] Conekt was highly promoted in West Europe, in countries like Switzerland, Germany or France. [18][19][20]

Conekt's dancers, together with Icey, Mikey and M-boy, created all the coregraphies, and even started giving dance lessons. In the future they are planning to expand their dance school. [21] Nowadays, only four dancers remained together for Conekt's choreographies, and were last seen in this formula at the Mamaia Festival[22].

On the 26th of August, they participated at the Mamaia Festival with a song created exclusively by them, called "Oare" ("Maybe"). With it, they won the Radio Prize ("Premiul Radiodifuziunii Romane") [23]

A national tour, and even establishing a non-guvernamental organisation for helping the orphans are expected. “We want to offer kids medicine, clothes and toys. People don’t need only songs.” (Mikey) They are currently working on their new album, and they are negotiating with Cat Music Label. The next video will appear in Spring 2007. [24]

[edit] External links

[edit] Other Conekt-Related Articles

[edit] Notable TV appearances

TEO/pro tv, POVESTIRI ADEVARATE/acasa tv, TONOMATUL DP 2/tvr2, COOLMEA DISTRACTIEI/tvr2, GARSONIERA LUI MARUTA/realitatea tv, CANALUL DE STIRI/antena1, VDTV/antena3, VERISSIMO/b1 tv, RAZVAN SI DANI/national tv, ATOMIC CAFÉ/tv klumea, MTV NEWS/mtv, MTV STYLISSIMO/mtv, REACTOR/tv klumea, aso. [25] [26]

[edit] Notable Mass-Media articles

MTV MAGAZINE, JOY, CIAO!, STAR, STORY, PRO TV MAGAZIN, LIBERTATEA, JURNALUL NATIONAL, Romania Libera, Gardianul, X MAGAZIN, Adevarul, Ziarul, CURENTUL, CRONICA ROMANA, AZI, ATAC , REALITATEA ROMANEASCA, LA STRADA, aso. [27][28][29]

[edit] Fan Clubs

Bucuresti: conekt_fanclub@yahoo.com

Craiova: conekt_club_craiova@yahoo.com

Sfantu Gheorghe: timi_duba@yahoo.com [30]

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