Dia Frampton with Special Guests Castro and Jesse Ruben

Dia Frampton started with one dream: the dream to make music -- music that touched the heart and mind, inspirational and intimate. This dream led her to start a band with her sister Meg called Meg & Dia (a band that toured the world with some of the most respected bands in Rock), and unexpectedly to the first season of NBC's hit television series, The Voice.

As Meg & Dia, Dia and her band released numerous records through different labels, most notably, their 2009 release, "Here, Here and Here" through Warner Brothers Records. Soon after the release, the band parted ways with Warner to work on new music that they would have complete creative and artistic control over -- the result, "Cocoon," is a record filled with heart and soul, self-released and recorded in the Frampton kitchen.

Wanting to support her band and promote "Cocoon" fueled her impromptu decision to audition for NBC's The Voice. Unknowingly, she quickly became a fan favorite. "I was surprised at how far I went," reveals Dia. "The Voice has pushed everything into a whole new realm."

On The Voice, millions of viewers fell in love with Dia's mesmerizing vocals, unique interpretations of popular songs, and inimitable style. Her performances of Kanye West's "Heartless" and R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" as well as the original track, "Inventing Shadows" caught fire online. They proved to be the highest-charting iTunes digital songs from any contestant on The Voice. "Inventing Shadows" even reached #1 on iTunes as well as #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cumulatively, her solo digital releases exceed 500,000 downloads. And in December, Dia topped Entertainment Weekly's year-end "Favorite Reality Show Personality" poll by a wide margin.

Upon finishing the show, Universal Republic Records signed Dia, and she immediately began working on her solo debut -- due in stores December 6, 2011. The album's first single, "The Broken Ones" takes flight on the strength of her powerful vocals and heartfelt songwriting. However, it's only a prelude of what lies in store on the record.

Preserving her indie roots, she's telling honest stories via every new song that she writes, while channeling an undeniable, upbeat vibe. As a result of that process, she makes inspirational, intimate, and infectious music that draws from indie, pop, and rock influenced by everyone from Tom Petty and Joni Mitchell to The Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons.

Dia declares, "I want to bring it back to the classic singer- songwriter style. It can be magical without all of the bells and whistles."


The pop trio Castro is a breath of fresh air. Self-aware but never self-conscious, fun but never trivial, Jason, Michael, and Jackie Castro's free-range pop soars thanks to a funny little twist for a trio of siblings: It is not how the brothers and sister are alike that creates their undeniable chemistry, but how they are different.

"We all have very different tastes in music," says Jason. "That's been a big part of this project: How do we bridge all those gaps and make something that's true to all of us?"

"It's hard to fit our music into a category, and I'm okay with that," agrees Jackie. "I feel like the way we do this together is really unique because we each write on every song, so each song has part of each of us. We listen to very different music, and I think we capture that variety of music in collaborating together."

That appreciation for the distinct, liberating beauty only found in celebrating differences pulses throughout Castro's debut EP, Diamond Dreams (Fervent Records). Produced by Charlie Peacock (The Civil Wars, Ben Rector, The Lone Bellow) and recorded in Nashville's Blackbird Studios, the seven-song collection is a harmonies-driven vocal showcase anchored by three powerhouse singers who take turns taking lead and know exactly when to share the spotlight.

Artists confident, ambitious, and skilled enough to incorporate sounds that were once exclusive or niche into sing-alongs for absolutely everyone have long made the best pop music. Castro falls into that tradition naturally. On Diamond Dreams, they swivel seamlessly between bluesy soul, indie folk, and grandiose pop drama with the poise and effortlessness that only comes with loving each sound too much to abandon it. And while the record may be proudly noncommittal when it comes to genre, there is one mission on which all three siblings agree: making others happy.

"I don't know anything about genres," Michael says. "I guess I could probably name about five. But what I do know is I am always pushing for more pop than Jay and Jackie. I'm always trying to make music that just makes you feel good."

"I hope this record just makes people feel happy," Jackie says. "I feel like it's the kind of music you want to listen to with the windows rolled down on a summer day with your friends."

Diamond Dreams introduces an exciting new chapter for the Castros, who have earned thousands of fans individually on strong solo efforts. Jason, the oldest, became a favorite of judges and viewers alike on season 7 of "American Idol," where he placed fourth. Jason went on to record acclaimed projects, while Michael surprised his brother and wowed the entire country when he auditioned for "Idol" the following season, charmed audiences, and began releasing his own EPs. "Jay and I were living together in college at the time, then he went on 'American Idol' and I was like, 'You can just get out of college by doing that?'" Michael says wryly with a slight laugh, poking a bit of fun at himself, his brother, and the idea that the preternatural vocal gifts the Castro brothers share are available to everyone.

Neither Jason nor Michael had sung before college -- a truth almost too hard to believe when listening to their soulful vocals now -- but little sister Jackie made her performance debut when she was five and never stopped. "We come from a super musical family," she says. "There was always a guitar being played, always a chance to sing -- and I always loved it."

The decision to come together to form Castro was motivated by personal reasons for each member.

"I'm coming from a really different place this go round," Jason says, reflecting on the burnout and lonely time away from home after Idol that had grown more difficult to bear since he got married and became a father of two. "Doing this has helped me get back to the root of what I love about music -- and that's the music, which is just better together."

Castro co-wrote all seven songs on Diamond Dreams. The EP starts high with the title track's foot-stomping power. Gorgeous three-part harmonies kick off the song -- written with Tofer Brown -- before Michael takes over. He launches into gratitude for a simple life made up of a car that usually won't start, loyal friends, and a "mansion made of apartments," before returning to a chorus declaring dreams of something more. "Dreams are more valuable than anything else," Jason says. "It's about realizing, look, a lot of people want to squash dreams, say it's unrealistic or that you can't do it. I think a big part of how we've gotten to where we are is by really valuing dreams." The song's potency lies in the way Castro doesn't shrug off or hate the humble realities surrounding starry-eyed plans. The band cheers real life just as loudly as hopes.

Michael came up with an infectious chorus in the shower one day, took it to Jason and Jackie, and the three came up with "Rock and Roll," a joy-soaked ode to finding happiness in contrasts. Jackie, whose arresting soprano charms as she takes the lead, appreciates the song's playful give and take. "I like emphasizing that our differences complement each other," she says.

"Waters of Jordan" pulls back, relying on sparse electric guitar and Michael's room-shushing voice. Listeners feel privy to an intimate moment as the band explores love's ability to create comforting calm. Jason claims the track as a favorite. "We'd gone through some stuff that had us all stressed out and second guessing a lot," he says of writing the song. "We were really doubting everything. Should we just quit? Should we just call it a day? You can get caught in this idea of, 'What do we need to do?' So that day, we just said, 'What do we want to do?'"

Other album standout "Automatic" revels in the overwhelming pull of deep love. The three wrote the song with Hank Bentley and Josh Bronleewe, and the result is a lush pop gem with a cinematic build-up -- and a favorite of Jackie and Michael. "I really like all the sounds it uses," Michael says. "I think it might be the best song on there."

Written with Charlie Peacock and Josh Williams -- who also contributed additional production to the track -- "Heart's Coming Home" captures Castro taking risks. The band's refusal to play it safe pays off with vocals that achieve Prince-worthy swagger. Album closers "Good for You" and "Know Me Well" captivate acoustically. "Good For You" tackles the heartbreak of being in love with an oblivious best friend, while "Know Me Well" calls out for the comfort of unconditional love to soul-shaking effect.

As Castro challenges themselves, their focus will undoubtedly also remain fixed on the ways what they create can touch others. "Music has the power to transform a day, and the power to define a time," Jason says. "That's our goal: to be that for somebody. To be the song."


Jesse Ruben is a Philly born singer/songwriter currently living in Brooklyn. He has released four independent albums, with his fifth, "A Reply To Violence", due later this year. His songs have been heard on TV shows such as One Tree Hill, Degrassi, Switched at Birth, and Teen Mom. His most recent single "This Is Why I Need You" has been streamed over 3 million times, and is currently in rotation on the Sirius/XM Coffeehouse Channel.

Beyond his music career, Ruben is highly active in philanthropic endeavors. He has run the NYC Marathon three times for The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the largest non-profit devoted to spinal chord injury research, and is the founder of The We Can Project, an initiative for elementary and middle school students designed to help them try new things and give back to their communities. So far, more than 250,000 students across the US and Canada have participated.