HLN’s Robin Meade is receiving strong reviews, industry respect and Twitter buzz for her debut album Brand New Day, featuring the lead-off single, a cover of Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry.” The album, available exclusively at Target stores nationwide and iTunes, landed at #25 on iTunes in its first week.
“She is the real deal and it shows all over this…” writes Chuck Dauphin of Music News Nashville, saying: “One listen to the album, and I think you’ll agree that Meade rises to the challenge and meets it dead on.”
Nearly 7 million Twitter users received word of the record via such notables as CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, HLN’s Joy Behar and Dr. Drew Pinsky, John Rich of Big and Rich and Big Boi of OutKast. John Rich tweeted, “She’s kick ass, and there are not many singers you’ll hear me say that about.”
Beyond Twitter, Meade is all over radio and TV in the past week. She has spoken to dozens of radio and TV stations across the country promoting the single and album, while being featured on such shows as the entertainment magazine show “EXTRA,” CNN’s “AC360,” HLN’s “Showbiz Tonight,” “The Joy Behar Show” and many more. The story about her debut album was also in the pages of Country Weekly, The New York Daily News, USAWEEKEND.com and others.
“I’m so grateful to the country community, music fans and both new and loyal viewers for receiving my music so warmly,” says Meade. “Writing and recording this album was a life-changing experience for me and the realization of a longtime dream…I hope people find their own piece of truth in these songs.”
In conjunction with the release of the album, HLN’s “Morning Express with Robin Meade” launched “Rise and Shine,” a contest that asks her viewers to write and perform an original “Morning Express” theme song. The winner scores a trip to Atlanta to meet the “Morning Express” team, a VIP tour of the news studio and a professional recording session for the song they created. The show will select up to ten of the best entries; viewers can vote for their favorite at CNN.com/Robin and the winner will be announced on the air in September.
This week, Meade will head to Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia, to host and perform at the 2011 Independence Day Concert featuring Wynonna and the Air Force Reserve Band. Meade will be performing with both during the concert, which will be aired exclusively on the Armed Forces Network July 4th to US service personnel around the globe. This is the latest effort by Meade to voice her support for the troops, something she and the “Morning Express” team have been committed to for years.
Meade can be seen Monday through Friday from 6am-Noon Eastern as the anchor of “Morning Express with Robin Meade” on HLN.
Her debut album Brand New Day (produced by Nashville heavy-hitter Victoria Shaw) is available exclusively at Target stores and iTunes.
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/morningexpresshln
On Twitter: @robinmeade
On Web: www.cnn.com/robin
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I am going to write a song for Robin and the CNN contest:) I have not even thought of it yet and know it’s going to be her song:)
How can you love the new CD Brand New Day when you can’t buy it anywhere. And no, it’s not by the card section in Target like everyone keeps saying.
Robin has a beautiful voice. I have a great ear for music, due to my visual disability. I love to listen to her on Express and can’t get her Brand New Day album – it’s sold out everywhere. But I went on YouTube to hear it – great!