WXPN Features Melody Gardot as the XPN Artist To Watch for April

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Created on Tuesday, 01 April 2008 11:20

PHILADELPHIA, PA – WXPN, the nationally-recognized leader in Triple A music and noncommercial radio service of the University of Pennsylvania, names Melody Gardot as its April Artist To Watch. Host Jim McGuinn presented the first of the month’s on-air segments on April 1 in the 4 p.m. hour.

With her timeless female jazz vocal, imbued with the confident but playful precociousness of other modern female acts likes Feist and Cat Power, Melody Gardot has won fans amongst pop jazz buffs and indie fans alike. Disabled in an accident at age 19, the singer/songwriter used her music as a form of therapy, inspiration, and self-expression in the face of adversity. Gardot’s smooth and lilting croon is truly transcendent and makes her one of the more stimulating female voices in music today. Her critically acclaimed full-length debut, Worrisome Heart, was released in February of this year.

“It only took one listen to ‘Wicked Ride’ to convince me that Melody Gardot was an amazingly talented young woman,” said Helen Leicht Assistant Program Director/Midday and Philly Local host for WXPN. “After seeing her perform, I knew she had a wonderful gift and all she needed was the opportunity to be heard!"

Bruce Warren, assistant general manager of programming for WXPN said, “Locally, we've been watching Melody show incredible growth as a musician and a performer, and her major label debut is a creative high watermark. She's a spiritual person and talented artist and it’s great to see such excellent talent have a great opportunity with her national release.”

For more on the XPN Artists To Watch series and this month’s featured artist, visit XPN Artist To Watch

The XPN Artists To Watch series reflects WXPN’s commitment to nurturing fresh, new talent and exposing listeners to the best new music. Each month, the XPN Artists To Watch series spotlights a different up-and-coming performer who has produced an album or body of work that demonstrates outstanding vision, creativity and songwriting ability. Month-long on-air promotion is combined with online features to help audiences discover each artist.

WXPN, the nationally recognized leader in Triple A radio and the premier guide for discovering new and significant artists in rock, blues, roots, and folk, is the non-commercial, member-supported radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. WXPN produces World Cafe®, public radio’s most popular program of popular music hosted by David Dye and syndicated by NPR, and the Peabody Award winning Kids Corner hosted by Kathy O’Connell. WXPN also produces the alternative rock service, Y-Rock On XPN as its secondary radio channel in HD. WXPN serves the greater Philadelphia area at 88.5 FM, the Lehigh Valley at 104.9, Worton/Baltimore at 90.5 FM, Lancaster/York at 88.7 FM, Harrisburg at 99.7 FM, and the world via online streaming at XPN.org.