WHAT:        

Celebrate BET’s roster of 2015 GRAMMY® Nominated Music Matters Artists with a special Music Matters showcase featuring nominees Mali Music, Luke James,  Antonique Smith along with Avery Wilson and special guest Kierra Sheard.

WHERE:      

H.O.M.E., House of Music & Entertainment
430 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

WHEN:        

Friday, February 6, 2015
Media Check-in: 5:45 p.m.
Talent Arrivals:  6:00-7:00 p.m.
Show Begins: 7:00 p.m.

WHO:         

Music Matters Artists;

Mali Music (Nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album for “Mali Is” and Best Gospel Performance/Song for “I Believe”)
Luke James (Nominated for Best R&B Song for “Options (Wolfjames Version)”)
Antonique Smith (Nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Hold Up Wait A Minute”)
Avery Wilson
And special appearance by: Kierra Sheard 

Mali Music - Kortney Jamaal Pollard, who performs under the stage name Mali Music, made his first televised performance during the Music Matters segment on the “BET Awards ‘11.”  His soulful blend of R&B and hip-hop, and impeccable lyrics can be seen throughout his ByStorm Entertainment/RCA Records album, Mali Is, which has been nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 57th GRAMMY® Awards.

Luke James - New Orleans native Luke James, creates a fresh take on contemporary music. As a singer/songwriter already in the industry, James has co-written songs with artists such as Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, and Britney Spears. His fan base continues to grow with the support of Beyoncé, who selected James to appear in her “Run the World” video and granted him the opportunity to open for her on The Mrs. Carter World Tour. His innate talent and passion for R&B has been recognized by The 57th GRAMMY® Awards where he has received a Best R&B Song nomination for “Options (Wolfjames Version).”

Antonique Smith - The multi-talented Antonique Smith is no rookie to the spotlight. Smith is well-known for her role of Mimi Marquez in Broadway’s production of Rent and continued this role for two years.  Wanting to expand to her musical agenda and film career, she left the role of Mimi to tap into another prominent role. She played Faith Evans in the film Notorious which is based on rapper The Notorious B.I.G.  Now focusing on her music, Smith released her debut single “Hold Up Wait A Minute” and it became an instant hit. Her single was crowd funded on Kickstarter by raising $50k in 30 days. “Hold Up Wait A Minute” has received a GRAMMY® nomination this year in the Best Traditional R&B Performance category, and Antonique is the first artist whose project went from Kickstarter to a GRAMMY® nomination.

Avery Wilson – The talented Avery Wilson,  originally an outstanding performer on the singing competition show “The Voice,” was recognized as a powerhouse singer instantly. His performance of “Without You” by David Guetta and Usher had all four judges fighting over him, but he ultimately went with CeeLo Green as his mentor. After leaving his mark on the show, Avery recently signed a major label deal with Grammy Award winning producer/song writer Sean Garrett and industry legend Clive Davis. He continues to create a buzz on social media as he covers tons of songs every week on his Instagram and Vine accounts. Avery Wilson will be taking 2015 by storm and is destined to have a breakout year.

Special guest Kierra Sheard - Gospel singer and songwriter, Kierra Sheard, is an unstoppable force. She’s also the newest judge on BET’s gospel signing competition “Sunday Best” representing the new, young generation of gospel music.  As the granddaughter of Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, one of gospel’s most influential and celebrated figures, Sheard’s talent runs through her veins. At the ripe age of 17, she released her debut album “I Owe You.” This groundbreaking album combined hip-hop, soul, and gospel into a unique and beautiful sound that was unmatched with other gospel artists. Sheard's contemporary voice and music has followed her all the way up to her most current album “Graceland,” which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums Chart in 2014. Her undeniable vocals resonate with every kind of audience. 

This special edition Music Matters showcase during Grammy week is presented by BET in partnership with Bridge Street, Inc. 

Follow Music Matters on Twitter @BETMusicMatters as well as Facebook at facebook.com/BETMusicMatters 

All media outlets interested in covering the Music Matters Showcase MUST submit requests via email to Zabrina Horton at Zabrina.Horton@bet.net or Byron Edwards at Byron.Edwards@bet.net. For more information on Music Matters, visit www.BET.com/musicmatters. 

About BET Music Matters
Launched in 2010, the BET Music Matters initiative highlights emerging new artists by showcasing their talents through live performances including monthly showcases and the Music Matters Tour.  Music Matters has helped propel the careers of artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius, Miguel, J. Cole, K. Michelle, Melanie Fiona, Estelle, Elle Varner, Eric Roberson, Big K.R.I.T., Emeli Sande’, Luke James, Stalley, Mali Music, Astro and more.

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CONTACTS:
Zabrina Horton | BET Networks
310.481.3737 | zabrina.horton@BET.net 

Byron Edwards | BET Networks
212-975-5633 | byron.edwards@BET.net