"A newcomer to keep an eye on"—Billboard Magazine
"Tomorrow's global pop stars"—Time Out New York
"A producer, recording artist and DJ on the rise"—HX Magazine
NUMBER ONE Video on MTV's LOGO channel including "Ultimate Sexiest Video"
SHORT BIO:
Billboard Top 20 recording artist, producer and DJ, Keo Nozari found his debut album Late Nite VIP launching three hit singles. His pop-dance tune "Rewind"--including remixes by Rihanna remixer's Jody den Broeder and The Wideboys hit Number 18 on the Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart in the fall of 2008. Underground smash "Close Enough" found remixes snapped-up by trance legend Armin Van Buuren for his Armada label, and pop-rock "Question of Monogamy" launched a Number One video on MTV's LOGO channel (including being voted the network's 1 "Ultimate Sexiest Video" in 2008 and Top 10 Video of the Year in 2007). The full album was also licensed to MTV for use on their shows. Keo's performances have included solo shows at Virgin Megastore and as a celebrated New York DJ his recent work has included the Fire Island Pines, a Saturday residency at CLUB 57 and legendary Splash, Fridays hottest NYC party ROCKIT and private parties for Deborah Cox, Tori Spelling, Lance Bass and Ford Models. Time Out New York has named Keo as one of "tomorrow's global pop stars." His new buzz single and video "Like Lightning" is a preview of his forthcoming new album arriving in 2010.
EXTENDED BIO:
Welcome to the LATE NITE VIP, the much anticipated debut disc from New York-based singer/songwriter/producer Keo Nozari who invites you, the listener, into an exclusive room of aural sensation. Hailed by Billboard Magazine as "an electro-funk-fueled pop sound that is equal parts Stuart Price and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis," the album has created quite a buzz within the industry. Within the first month of release media giant MTV (Music Television) licensed the album tracks for use in original broadcasts and on-air promos.
Over three years in the making, VIP's first single--the deeply personal Close Enough--enjoyed great success both in the European trance market as well as the pop world. Remixes of the track by DJ Noel Sanger and Interstate were picked-up for distribution outside the US by Armin Van Buuren's Armada Music. The artist's KeSide Music issued the Sanger mix domestically. The video for "Close Enough," directed by British director Liam Holland, debuted at Number 2 on MTV Network's LOGO channel where it has sat for 6 weeks in the top 3 most requested videos! Additionally, it landed at Number 5 on the network’s Top 10 Videos of 2006. The video was also picked-up by Promo Only and RockAmerica for distribution to video bars and clubs throughout the U.S. while the song even made a featured spot on NBC’s TODAY Show.
The album’s second single--the controversial hip-pop/ rock track Question of Monogamy--found similar success. With a steamy pan-sexual video directed by experimental filmmaker Aaron Rhyne, the video found Keo offering a no-holds barred looked at modern monogamy. The video generated so much heat, it wound-up as the cover story of NYC-based NEXT magazine even before its release. It went on to become the Number 1 video for four weeks straight on LOGO and later voted by fans as the network's 1 "Ultimate Sexiest Video."
But trance and and hip-pop/ rock are just a few of the styles behind the velvet rope of Keo's musically diverse album. Collaborating with Keo on VIP include Curtis Richardson (whose songwriting skills landed 1 Billboard pop songs for both Jennifer Lopez and L.L. Cool J.) and Ellis Miah (whose songwriting, production and remix skills have garnered him more than thirty Top 10 hits on Billboard charts for such diverse names as Annie Lennox, Backstreet Boys, Kristine W, and Yoko Ono). Says Keo on the album: "I set out to tell the story of all that late night can be--from a glittery, lusty, superficial night on the town, to the intimacy and uncertainty that darkness can bring. We often ask ourselves all kinds of questions in the dark and say things we would never dare say in the daylight!"
Keo's third single--the pop-dance tune "Rewind"--including remixes by Rihanna remixer's Jody den Broeder and The Wideboys hit Number 18 on the Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart in the fall of 2008. With that Keo joined the ranks of favorite pop artists including Madonna, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Kylie Minogue, Pussycat Dolls, Cyndi Lauper, Danity Kane and Katy Perry.
Well before the release of his album, Keo attracted critical buzz. With fans in management at the Virgin Megastore, Keo was booked into a live 5-song set at the store in lower Manhattan (giving him the distinction of being one of the only unsigned acts to ever play at the worldwide chain!). His solo shows also included famed NYC venues CBGBs and Fez not to mention countless performances at clubs like Crobar and Splash. His songs have also been featured on national U.S. Television on ABC's Live! with Regis and Kelly as well local New York City's Fox TV Channel 5 (WNYW), a credit to the commercially viable sound of Keo's music. Keo also set dancefloors alight with his well-received cover of the George Michael song "Amazing," released by Centaur Music on their Global Grove: The Tour (mixed by DJ DeMarko). Additionally, as a celebrated New York DJ, regularly plays NYC hot spots plus Fire Island Pines and recent private parties for Deborah Cox, Lance Bass and Ford Models.
A native of Minneapolis, Keo Nozari exhibits a gift for catchy melody and slick style reminiscent of Minneapolis music royalty Prince and Janet Jackson producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. As a Music student at New York University as well as London's Middlesex University, Keo Nozari learned and refined his vocal, piano and musical composition skills that he currently puts forth on his music. Much like many of the new artists immerging from the New York pop-dance scene, Keo's sound is deeply influenced by the 80's music movement, and his soulful voice that has often been compared to a favorite 80's icon, as simply noted by Billboard Magazine "a young George Michael."
