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Parson James
With his cathedral-size vocal range, confessional lyricism, sharp sense of soul, and pop ambition, South Carolina-born platinum-certified singer and songwriter Parson James transmutes trials and tribulations into inspiration.
As an openly gay, bi-racial son of the South, who experienced a rocky childhood marked by racism, religion-based homophobia, addiction, and domestic abuse, James has frequently found himself drawn to trying to make sense of his past and how it has shaped his identity. Born to an African American father and Caucasian teen mom in poverty, the music of Otis Redding, Bill Withers, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley became something of a refuge throughout his childhood.
Galvanized by his passion, he began pursuing a music career at 17 and has never looked back. In 2015, he teamed up with Kygo for “Stole The Show” (which James wrote) in 2015. The song went on to earn RIAA multi-platinum certification in North America and multi-platinum in 15 other countries, and clocked more than a billion combined global streams, as he joined Kygo to perform in front of hundreds of thousands around the world.
Now, with a new label deal and single out titled “High Tide, Low Tide,” Parson James is ready to wear his heart on his sleeve yet again, as he embarks on this next chapter with an upcoming two-part EP.
“There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel,” he says. “When you listen to me, I hope you feel a little bit better. This is what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Ali Caldwell
Pre-Pandemic, Ali Caldwell enjoyed the perks of being on tour with Christina Aguilera as a featured supporting vocalist during Christina Aguilera’s Vegas Residency entitled “The Xperience” and Her International Tour entitled “The X Tour”. Ali was also featured on BET Centric TV’s Black Music Month series back in February as 1 of 4 Independent Black Women in Music to watch.
Ali Caldwell is well on her way to establishing herself as one of the voices of our time. You’ve seen her Wow audiences & judges on 2 Hit Television shows, The Voice on NBC (Season 11) & The Four with P.Diddy On Fox (Season 2). She Headlined six International European Tours encompassing seven countries as an independent artist and most recently, performed & killed SXSW 2022 in Austin, TX at the impressive Wisdome (WisdomeLA, a huge 360 degree 3D Immersive Sound Dome & Stage) in conjunction with Breaking Hits.
Ali Caldwell now has her sights set on going back home for a much needed visit—back home to New Jersey. Ready to bring energy, the vocals, the band & her stunning presence to the New Jersey Pride Festival 2023. Get ready for the Red Queen!
STOUT
STOUT is the Queen of New Era Rock! She was born and raised in New Haven, CT. STOUT has been touring, sharing stages, and recording with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Missy Elliot, Gwen Stefani, Usher, Lenny Krantz, John Mayer, Childish Gambino, Two Chains, John Legend, Harry Connick Jr, Alicia Keys, Cory Henry and The Funk Apostles, J.J. Hairston and Youthful Praise and more.
Dreams came true as STOUT performed on legendary shows like OPRAH, MTV awards, Billboard Music Awards, Grammy's (2005, 2017), The Dave Letterman Show, Jay Leno, Ellen, Jimmy Fallon, American Music Awards, and
others.
STOUT enjoys creating experiences that leave audiences in conversations; she strives to bring you on a journey that talks about love, history, church, passion, and joy! To be at a STOUT performance is to get lost in her beauty, voice, and message. She is still blazing stages across the country with legends like Chris Dave, Robert Glasper, and more. STOUT is preparing for something new get ready for the ELEVATION!
Antigone Rising
Performing as a trio, Antigone Rising always puts on a great show, and their excellent musicianship, songwriting and soaring three-part harmonies have kept them a favorite in clubs and Festivals. At North Jersey Pride on June 12th, they will reunite on stage with drummer Dena Tauriello!
Founding sisters Cathy and Kristen Henderson have always had the same philosophy, play better than the boys and make sure the fans feel like part of the family. That philosophy plus writing undeniably catchy songs has allowed this self-sustained group to maintain their independence and leave an indelible mark on an industry best known for leaving girl (bands) behind.
Antigone Rising continues to play a major part in LGBTQ advocacy. They are currently working on a new CD and launched Girls Rising, (www.girlsrising.org) a nonprofit organization that inspires young women to harness their potential, follow their dreams, and pursue non-traditional career paths.
Liz Glazer
Liz Glazer is an award-winning standup comedian, actor, and writer. Liz won first place in the Boston Comedy Festival and Ladies of Laughter Competition, has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, among other publications, and has opened for Myq Kaplan and Maria Bamford. Liz was also a part of the Seattle International Comedy Competition and will be a part of the upcoming HBO Women in Comedy Festival.
Liz began her career as most standup comedians do: as a tenured law professor. Liz attended the University of Pennsylvania, receiving her B.A. magna cum laude and M.A. in Philosophy (Liz submatriculated into the graduate division so she earned both degrees in 4 years). Liz then attended the University of Chicago Law School where she was a member of the Law Review.
As an actor, Liz has appeared on ABC's “For Life” and CBS’s “Bull,” and is on the faculty at Lesly Kahn & Co., the Los Angeles acting studio. Liz is also writing a television pilot about her life, a draft of which was a semi-finalist in the Stage 32 writing competition. Liz performs regularly at comedy clubs and festivals, and she also does private events for law schools, law firms, synagogues, and major corporations. While Liz loves performing live in person, she's equally comfortable yelling into her laptop on Zoom as she did nightly during the pandemic.
Britton & The Sting
Recent Tony Award-winner Britton Smith uses his funk liberation band Britton & The Sting to spread the gospel of authenticity and inclusion as the bridge to radical liberation. Britton self identifies as a Black Gay Mega Pastor, set on this earth to dismantle the systems and ideas of oppression that keep us from living our most authentic lives. Let’s Get Drunk and Go to Church—the band’s anthem—speaks volumes about their mission and identity. The talented pack of musicians lead their congregation with an electric passion for funk, gospel, soul, and testimony. Their shows feel like church in all the best ways. Their last Joe’s Pub show was a sold-out, roaring experience, so get ready for some fun!
Recently featured in Vanity Fair, Vogue, Fault Magazine, and The New Yorker, Britton & The Sting was also featured in Paper Magazine’s “Bops Only” 10 Songs You Need to Start Your Weekend Right'' list, as well as a featured 2020 NPR Tiny Desk Submission Top Pick.
Harmonica Sunbeam
Harmonica Sunbeam, the Queen of Comedy, has been delighting audiences throughout the U.S. and abroad for over 27 years. Her live appearances have gained her a cult following of all ages, races and backgrounds. A member of the Screen Actors Guild, her film credits include “Honey,” with Jessica Alba, “Uptown Girls,” with Brittany Murphy and the Oliver Stone drama, “World Trade Center.” She has also worked alongside noted musical artists such as Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Holiday, and Katy Perry. Miss Sunbeam’s latest project is showcasing her unique ability to uplift, encourage and engage children. As a host of DragQueen Story Hour, she reads to kids of all ages at libraries, bookstores, festivals and other events. DragQueen Story Hour encourages children to relate to both gender neutrality and non-conformity, while promoting positive LGTBQ role models.
Ryan Cassata
Ryan Cassata (he/him), signed to Kill Rock Stars, is an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, performer, published writer, LGBTQ+ activist, and transgender motivational speaker. His work has been featured on/in GRAMMY.com, Rolling Stone, Billboard, The New York Times, Buzzfeed, AltPress, American Songwriter, and The NY Daily News.
With over 650 performances nationwide and internationally and seven original and critically-acclaimed musical albums, Ryan is proud to be recognized as the first openly-trans performer at the Vans Warped Tour, in addition to featured performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Green Show, Global Pride, and SXSW in Austin, Texas. LOGO’s New Now Next included Ryan on the “9 Trans Musicians You Need To Get Into” list and Billboard has referred to Ryan as a “true force in the industry,” honoring him as one of the esteemed "11 Transgender & Non-Binary Musicians You Need to Know."
The Bees Knees
The Bee's Knees from Bayonne High School was founded in 2018 under the direction of Samantha Herskowitz. The group is composed of current Bayonne High School students in grades 10-12, many of which are involved in multiple music programs at the school, including the Award Winning Bayonne High School Marching Band & Drama Society. This past year, The Bee’s Knees competed for the second time in the International Championship of High School A Cappella. They placed 1st at the Mid-Atlantic Region Quarterfinal and advanced to the Semifinal Round, where they came in 2nd. At both events, members Aiden Carr won the award for Outstanding Vocal Percussion & Doris Gonzalez won the Outstanding Soloist award for her performance in Leave My Body. The Bee's Knees perform at community events, clinics, a Cappella invitationals, and concerts and are so excited to be making their debut at this year's North Jersey Pride!
...and your fabulous host, Scott Nevins!
Scott Nevins is best known for being one of the breakout stars and original cast members of Bravo TV’s series “The People’s Couch,” and truTV’s hit show “truTV Presents: World’s Dumbest…”. Scott has appeared on national TV on NBC, FOX, Bravo, CNN International, HLN, truTV, The Style Network, Fuse TV and LOGO and has hosted several red carpet events for TV Land. He received high praise for his work as the cohost of “The Ann Walker Show with Scott Nevins” (UBN Radio), as a fill-in host on Sirius Satellite Radio and KNews Radio, and most recently as a political contributor for NewNowNext.com. Scott has has a special place in his heart for the North Jersey Pride Festival—which is why he has returned year after year to be our emcee—we love you, Scott!
