MUMBAI: Converse Inc. unveiled the selection of aspiring artists chosen for the new Converse Rubber Tracks global program, offering free recording time at 12 legendary recording studios around the world. Throughout the registration period, over 9,000 up-and-coming international artists applied for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and a total of 84 acts – representing 28 countries – will record at participating studios and become part of music history.
Starting Monday, September 14, studios including Converse Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn, New York, and Boston, Massachusetts; Abbey Road Studios in London, England; Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California; and Tuff Gong in Kingston, Jamaica, will host chosen artists throughout a two-week period.
Singer- songwriter Prateek Kuhad from Delhi has been chosen as the emerging act from India for the Converse Rubber Tracks global studio takeover. With the release of his EP, Raat Raazi, in 2013, Delhi-based multi-lingual singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad instantly established himself as one of the most promising artists in the Indian independent music scene. Written completely in Hindi, Raat Raazi released to critical acclaim and featured complex and nuanced guitar work.
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Prateek, with his unique blend of minimal, folk arrangements and pop rock melodies, effortlessly captures life’s complexities in his songs. Having performed at venues across New York, Prague, New Orleans and India, he has played at festivals such as the Bacardi NH7 Weekender (2012, 2013), Ziro Festival (2014) and more. Live, Prateek perfectly recreates the warmth and vulnerability that are a signature on his recordings, using his folk-pop sensibilities to forge an infrangible connection with the audience.
Prateek recently released his much awaited debut album titled, ‘In Tokens & Charms’, on 21st January 2015.
As part of the Converse Rubber Tracks studio takeover, selected acts will record alongside a team of experienced producers and sound engineers during one or two day sessions. Upon completion of their studio time, each act will retain all the rights to their music. Demonstrating the global reach of the program, the selected artists represent the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brasil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
Renowned studios featured within the program include Abbey Road Studios in London, England; Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California; Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany; Tuff Gong in Kingston, Jamaica; Greenhouse Studios in Reykjavik, Iceland; The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, Canada; Avast Recording Co. in Seattle, Washington; Stankonia in Atlanta, Georgia; Studios 301 in Sydney, Australia; Toca do Bandido in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; the original brick-and-mortar Converse Rubber Tracks studio in Brooklyn, New York, and the newly unveiled permanent Converse Rubber Tracks studio in Boston, Massachusetts at Lovejoy Wharf.
“This Converse Rubber Tracks studio takeover is the biggest thing we’ve done for the platform to date, and we’re thrilled to have reached so many local music communities worldwide in just the registration period alone,” said Converse Global, Music Marketing Director, Jed Lewis. “We received an incredible response from such a vast pool of talent, and we look forward to providing this unique platform to new, diverse acts from all over the globe within these twelve iconic studios.”
Converse Rubber Tracks was born out of the brand’s desire to give back to the music community and provide opportunities for artists who might not be able to afford studio time. Since the flagship studio opened in Brooklyn in July 2011, over 900 emerging artists have had the opportunity to record original music alongside the Converse Rubber Tracks team of experienced engineers at no cost. At the end of their studio time, the artists retain all of the rights to their own music. Over the past three years, the program has expanded beyond the studio in Brooklyn with Converse Rubber Tracks pop-up studios, which has brought the Converse Rubber Tracks experience on the road to vibrant music communities around the globe, including Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Montreal, São Paulo, Beijing, Amsterdam, London, Hamburg, Paris, and Mexico City to name a few.
