New Music Friday – Debi Nova

With six Grammy Award nominations and a number one dance single under her belt, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Debi Nova is ready to make her mark on the rest of the world. In March 2010, Decca Records will release Nova’s genre-defying, debut album “Luna Nueva.” The album is an electrifying combination of irresistible Latin rhythms and potent pop smarts that showcase this vivacious artist’s considerable musical gifts (she plays piano, guitar, bass and more) as well as her rich Latina heritage.

Per MySpace:

“I started taking piano lessons at four and by the time I was twelve I knew I wanted to pursue a career in music” stated Debi.

Produced by multi-Grammy nominated Marius de Vries (Madonna, Josh Groban) and Gustavo Santaolalla (“Brokeback Mountain,” “Babel“), Luna Nueva is a labor of love, long in the making, which not only showcases Nova’s electrifying vocals and musicianship, but her songwriting talents as well. The first single is the playful soca/hip-hop inspired “Drummer Boy.”

Already a massive star in her native Costa Rica, Debi has toured with both Ricky Martin and Sergio Mendes as a featured vocalist and has performed for more than 8 million people globally. As a songwriter, the Costa Rican beauty has written hit songs for Belinda and RBD, two of Latin Americas biggest artists. Since the beginning of the year Debi’s been in the studio aiming to create a sound that blends all the influences and musical experiences she’s had. Combining her passion for Bossa Nova, Hip Hop and lots in between, a sound that Debi affectionately terms “Tropical Soul.” You can learn more about Debi’s process of recording an album in both English and Spanish in her new EPK above, and click here to check out her first single “Drummer Boy.”

Disneys’ “The Princess And The Frog”

Oh this looks fantastic! DisneysThe Princess and the Frog” is an animated family feature film loosely based on E.D. Baker’s novel “The Frog Princess” and the Grimm brothers’ “The Frog Prince.” Set in the French Quarter of New Orleans, a prince named Naveen from the land of Maldonia is transformed into a frog by the evil scheming voodoo magician Dr. Facilier. The frog prince mistakes a girl named Tiana for a princess and has her kiss him to break the spell. While the kiss doesn’t break the spell, it instead turns Tiana into a frog, too. Together, the two of them must reach the good voodoo priestess of the Bayou, Mama Odie, while befriending a trumpet-playing alligator and a hopelessly romantic firefly along the way. The film will open in limited release in New York and Los Angeles on November 25th before expanding into wide release on December 11th.

The film’s soundtrack “The Princess and the Frog: Original Songs and Score” will be released November 23rd. It contains seven instrumental pieces and ten original songs, including the pop theme song “Never Knew I Needed” contributed by Ne-Yo. The music video for the song is directed by Melina and will premiere online in the near future. Four time Grammy Award Winning composer Randy Newman also composed and directed the rest of the songs on the album.

Anika Noni Rose (the voice of Princess Tiana) and Walt Disney Pictures is giving fans an early treat with a sneak peak of the soundtrack to “The Princess and the Frog.” Watch the exclusive featurette above to hear some of the movies’ music and to learn why Princess Tiana’s song will set her apart from past princesses. You can also listen to exclusive snippets from the soundtrack here, then head on over to Amazon to preorder your copy of what will surely be one of the years best movie soundtracks.

There’s no way this won’t be an awesome movie and a beautiful soundtrack. The feeling I get anticipating this film and seeing the warmth put into it is indescribable. This is what Disney is all about.