And what an amazing night it was!  I want to start by thanking each and every MANNfan out there for your love and support.  I’ve fought hard to get on this stage but it’s YOUR support that put this over the top for me on last night’s premiere of The Voice.  I cannot thank you enough for believing in my voice and my music.  I hope to make you all proud this season!

WATCH MY BLIND AUDITION–CLICK HERE!

I feel blessed and thankful to Cee Lo Green and, of course, Christina Aguilera for believing in my voice–I’m a huge fan of both artists and can’t wait to work with them more!  What a dream come true this all is.  wow.

Hey check this out–I’ve written blogs, taken photos and videos of my experiences during the Blind Auditions and you can find them on my page over at nbc.com/the-voice/artists/chris-mann/.  Thanks for coming behind the scenes with me!  Also it would mean the world to me if you could:

“Like” the Chris Mann page at NBC.com/thevoice and facebook.com/chrismannmusic–thanks for leaving me a comment over there at NBC if you liked my performance!

“Follow” me @iamchrismann on twitter.com/iamchrismann

“Buy” my blind audition song, Because We Believe, on iTunes and leave a comment!  Hell, gift one to your friends and family…ALL of them! 

“Sign Up” for the MANNfan Newsletter at http://www.chrismannmusic.com/newsletter-sign-up/ so i can keep you in the loop

“Share” the excitement with your friends and family via email and posting to facebook and twitter!  MANNfan takeover!  Holla back!

I’m so proud to be on TEAM XTINA this season and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for me.  She has always been one of my favorite artists since the Genie in a Bottle Days–I can’t wait to be a sponge and just learn all she can throw my way.  This is the wild ride I’ve always dreamed of taking–thanks for being on it with me!

I’ll talk to you all online–i’m on Twitter and facebook like a stalker so come say “hi!”

Spread the word…#chrismann #MANNfans #thevoice #teamxtina

I love you all!

-C

ChrisMannMusic.com
Twitter @ iamChrisMann
Facebook.com/ChrisMannMusic
Youtube.com/ChrisMannMusic

This Super Bowl Sunday be sure to leave the TV on after the game and catch the premiere of season 2 of THE VOICE on NBC!

I hope everyone celebrated in style and rung in the new year appropriately…even though it IS the end of the world!  But let’s not get caught up in all that.  2012 is going to kick ass.  Let’s all do something this year we’ve always dreamed of.  Go nuts!  I’m going to…

Thanks for another year of love and support!  Your support of my music and journey motivate me to soldier on.  It’s very inspiring.  I can’t wait to share what i’ve got up my sleeve this year!  Looking ahead on a new year I like to think back at some of the highlights of the year’s past.  It’s insane how much a year brings–this year especially–with world unrest, uprisings in the middle east, more shitty politicians (all of them), music, youtube, scandal, joy…AND we’re about to enter an ELECTION YEAR!  HOORAY FOR ENDLESS CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS!  Wait…i just puked in my mouth….

Let’s take a look at 2011.  Thanks for making it so awesome…

Love, C

2011:  Year in review…

I auditioned for The Voice on NBC!  Tune in February 5th after the Super Bowl to see how I did!

I joined the “David Foster and Friends” concert series in which 16-time Grammy-winner, David Foster, gathers a group of his favorite singers to perform his hits.  I was featured singing “The Prayer” with American Idol, and new NBC series SMASH star, Katharine McPhee.  Other singers included Babyface, Stevie Wonder, Seal, Donna Summer, Cherice, The Canadian Tenors and more.  (click to watch the performance on youtube)

I performed, once again, as a Dalton Academy Warbler from FOX’s hit show GLEE along side Darren Criss.  This particular event was honoring Barbra Streisand as the Musicares Person of the Year for the Grammy Awards.

My songs were used in television shows and movies such as “Drop Dead Diva,” “Honey 2,” Lifetime’s “Coming Home” and more…

I learned from music greats like Stevie Wonder and The Osmonds…

I released new music on iTunes!  A classical-pop EP featuring the Italian single “In Testa Solo Te” and the single heard on Lifetime’s “Coming Home,” Beautiful Life.  (click to buy)

With my production team Church+State, I co-produced the UK single for Melody Thornton of the Pussy Cat Dolls.  (click to buy)

I spoke and performed at the Adventures of the Mind convention in Missoula, MT.  The event, hosted by the Phyllis and Dennis Washington, gathers 200 of America’s brightest young minds for a weekend of networking, learning and encouragement with adult mentors in the fields of science, medicine, sports and entertainment.  The event took place on the 50 yard line of the University of Montana’s football field and was MC’d by Heisman Trophy-winner Herschel Walker.  It was truly the highlight of my year.

I performed along side Matt Kearney, Michelle Branch and American Idol’s Crystal Bowersox at the 2011 Blissdom Blogging Convention in Nashville, TN…

I recorded the first single, “Pretty Girl,” for the new book series “The Survivors.”  The book is not only getting critical acclaim but is getting technical acclaim due to it’s groundbreaking “immersedition” for the ipad which includes never before seen technology.  The immersedition has over 500 touch points, google map integration, music and video’s embedded, twitter enabled and fashion savy links making it the most reader-interactive book of it’s kind.

I wrote and recoded a duet with Tony and Grammy Award-winner, Heather Headley, which will release in 2012.  The song was co-written and produced by Grammy Award-winner, Keith Thomas.

I traveled around America and the world doing things like paragliding in Idaho and scuba diving in the British Virgin Islands…

So that’s the gist of 2011…here’s to 2012!

C

I came across this video today and it’s really breath taking.  Its easy to forget that the most beautiful things in the world aren’t man made at all.  Look at how this flock of birds…thousands of them…fly together with the changing winds.  It’s remarkable.

Before I left Cali for the holidays I went on a hike near my place.  The sun was setting behind the hills and it was too awesome to let go.  I used this new app on my iphone called 360 cam (or something)…how cool is that?!  you can just scan your environment and it catches it all.  ridic.  i was happy to take the time to get this picture since i was running this hill and was, frankly, out of breath.  thank god for beautiful nature scenery to provide decent diversion.

Over the holidays I was in Atlanta and spent a lot of time outside as well.  The weather was amazing, leaves turing to fall and the trees and hills beautiful.  Gus made a new friend in a Labradoodle named Harry so they provided endless entertainment for sure.  It’s hilarious how the small dog always thinks he’s bigger than the MUCH bigger dog.  Note Gus getting ready for a walk only to yank Harry to hurry up…then they walked happily together at Gus’ pace.  He’s a freakin’ bully now.  Little bastard.

On the far right is Gus and Harry exploring the backyard forest.  Look how amazing those trees are?  The funny part is that Harry knows not to go too far off into the forest but, with Gus’ horrible influence, they wandered off a million times forcing us to chase after them squeaking a toy to get them to come back.  Again, little bastard, i tell ya!

Once back in LaLa Land the air was crisper than before.  Fall is setting in, dare I say WINTER–It WAS 48 degrees this morning, after all.  Christmas decorations are everywhere, music is playing and all Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back at Starbucks–the true sign of winter.

Walking through the Hollywood Hills I came across this view that was too good to pass up.  That’s downtown Los Angeles in the distance through some wicked trees and sunshine.  We had just had 2 days of insane Santa Anna Wind rip through but it cleared out the sky and smog for a great view.  It also destroyed all kinds of houses and shit but we’re here to focus on the zen nature, ok?

After the nature walk I ventured to tourist land, aka the Universal Studios City Walk.

The lights at the City Walk were out of control.  Like all high tech and trippy.  This pic doesn’t really do it justice since the tree looked like something out of Dr. Seuss and changed colors all the time.  It was really beautiful for sure.

This got me in the holiday spirit.  Last night, while wrapping up the amazing music producer Adrian Bradford’s birthday party, I started singing some Christmas tunes with Grammy-winning producer and songwriter, Walter Afanasieff.  Walter’s pretty hot shit right now since he wrote and produced Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” which is now a Christmas classic.  It’s also on the

charts right now with little artists like Justin Bieber, Lady Antebellum, Glee, Michael Buble and Mariah, of course.  Congrats to Walter!  On the Right is a clip of us singing part of “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.” 

 Enjoy!  CLICK HERE!

If you like these cool, old timey pictures i’ve been posting today be sure to follow ChrisMannMusic on Instagr.am on your iphone!

Ok…Granola, Hippie, Nature Mann is done for today.  Wow.

I had an amazing time performing in the Iama Theater Reading Series west coast debut reading of “Hoover Comes Alive” last Friday.

Rehearsing the reading...

This hilarious work was written by the same team who wrote Broadway’s “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” so it was a real honor to be a part of this new work.I read the part of former President Harry S Truman who is now ridiculously bad tempered and foul mouthed.  This part allowed me yell insane profanities at the top of my lungs–which I’m awesome at so… Thanks to those who came to check it out–I had fun flexing those thespian muscles!

Here’s a pic of the lead Herbert Hoover (aka Michael Dunn) and I.  Real men wear pink, what can i say?  The theme was Elvis’ Comeback Special so funk town was necessary, hence the groovy pink.  To the bottom right we all had mustache tattoos for appropriate “side eye” in honor of Mr. Dunn’s actual ‘side eyeish’ stache.  Oh us.  oh us!  ahem…

A Bentley?  Why, sure, I’ll take 2!…

I had a blast at the LA Car Show this weekend.  The highlight was definitely my private tour of the 2012 Bentley collections.  These puppies are more like hotels on wheels. If i had a half a mill lying around I might just get me one…or I could, you know, get a house. Click on the video to the Right to check out my lil tour of the new Bentley Mulsanne.  So fly for a white guy…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!…

I wanted to wish you all a Happy Turkey Day.  I hope it’s one of family and friends…and lots of food.  I’ll be spending the holiday in the A.T.L. so I’m stoked for some real southern comfort food!  Talk to you after the holiday.