The production is composed of a brilliant tempo buoying the song through the ecstatic highs of the rock ‘n’ roll era showcasing Rathbun shine through with a sincere, hearty voice that’s both comforting and just a little mischievous. The bridge of the piece is perhaps the most appealing, with Rathbun’s vocals soaring through the high notes in ease and a boisterous guitar solo hammering in the 70s-era vigor all the harder.
Tag Archives: Young Pals Music
Ayhan Sahin Bags the “2020 Artist of the Year in Pop-Rock Genre” and “2021 Rising Stars” Awards at the Akademia Awards
New York-based Producer and Songwriter, Ayhan Sahin has recorded a milestone achievement after receiving honors in two categories at the just concluded The Akademia Awards.
The Akademia Awards seeks to reward the best artists in the arts and entertainment industry. Each year, artists who have exemplified class and excellence in various genres of music and have won the love of fans receive awards.
This year, Ayhan Sahin shined with intensity at the recently concluded The Akademia Awards winning the “2020 Artist of the Year in Pop-Rock Genre” and the “2021 Rising Stars” awards. Ayhan Sahin has had a jolly-good career ride, and clinching these awards is proof of his efforts towards serving music lovers top-rated, infectious bliss songs.
This is not the first time the award-winning Turkish-born Pop artist is winning double honors at the awards ceremony held by TheAkademia. In April 2018, Ayhan won “Best Rock Song for Pop” with the single ‘Drink’ and “Best Music Video of the Year” for his ‘L.A. Nights’ single.
Winning double again in this year’s TheAkademia Awards shows how much of a consistent fellow Ayhan Sahin and his Young Pals label are. After receiving the awards, Ayhan Sahin said, “My music and thus this recognition is a mutual effort and combined skills of many talented musicians and writers who work with me in my productions with Young Pals Music.”
He further added that “I am always aware that as one, I can only see the mirror and its reflection, but with collaborative work, I will be reflected fully to the world.”
Over the years, Ayhan Sahin and the Young Pals Music label have continued serving sizzling hot retro-pop tracks, incorporating disco sounds from the 70s and 80s with a refined touch. The New York-based company offers developing and established artists songwriting and collaboration, vocal and instrumental recording, mixing, merchandising, and consultancy services.
With the double honors at The Akademia Awards, Ayhan Sahin assures that the label will intensify its efforts to release quality songs from artists signed to the group and collaborate with other key players in the industry so fans can stay thrilled all year round with the best of Pop music.
About Young Pals Music
Owned by Producer and Songwriter, Ayhan Sahin, Young Pals Music is a full-service independent record label based in New York founded in 2007. They offer songwriting and collaboration, vocal and instrumental recording, mixing, merchandising, and consultancy services. Some of their releases have enjoyed features on CNN, The Los Angeles Times, FoxNY, Univision, Telemundo, Playbill, MTV, Yahoo! Music, Fox Morning News, “The Wendy Williams Show” and Style Network; and heralded by USA Today, New York magazine, MTV, Perez Hilton, and The New York Daily News. For more information about Young Pals Music label, please visit https://youngpalsmusic.com/.
TheAkademia Awards
I’m thankful to receive The Akademia Awards for 2020 Artist Of The Year in Pop-Rock genre, and 2021 Rising Stars categories.
My music and thus this recognition is a mutual effort and combined skills of many talented musicians and writers who work with me in my productions with Young Pals Music. I’m always aware that as one I can only see the mirror and it’s reflection, but with collaborative work, I will be reflected fully to the world.
Music Video Ready for Ayhan Sahin’s Fourth Single “Come And Get Me Now”
Happy to announce that the music video to our latest song
“Come And Get Me Now” is ready and up on YouTube.com. The making of the video for me was a long journey to decide on what the message was. Although everything emotional is and can be related to our troubles with the pandemic in 2020, I still wanted to maintain a brighter side of a character in the story of our music video who is lonely, left alone in solitude and yearning for the days gone by. We first shot essential footage at a church in upper east side late May with Bernadette and Emre while we were doing the photoshoot for the cover of the single. We came a long way with the post production, but I still was not in love with the dark side of me that was exposed. I looked ugly, I looked old and I looked tired. It was bothering me.

Right after that day we shot the footage, I went to Fire Island and stayed there for the entire summer thanks to my friends Gene and Steve. It was great to be away from the city during the pandemic, and the protests going on. I was admiring the scenery of the island. Somehow seeing the environment on a daily basis made me discover new corners and details about the place, although I’ve been there at least once or twice every summer through the years. I was taking all these pictures day and night, sunrise/sunset, full moon/stormy weather, sunny beach/deserted beach, and everything I took daily was landing on a last picture of the boardwalk that connected our unit to the beach. At one point, my friend Al suggested that I take periodic footage of the boardwalk just to see if it would bring any inspiration.
It’s an interesting concept almost like writing a diary to see what changes the nature suggests to a stationary object with differing conditions. The fact that I was able to edit the things I was filming instantly with Final Cut Pro made me ask myself “why not use this for the upcoming single’s music video.” To bring a brighter view to the story we wrote in the song with Bernadette was intriguing. Things we suffer from past choices, future doubts of incompetence, and its effect on the present— they would all be optimistic to find a way to deal with just like how the nature finds its way with everything—even pandemic. This routine went on till September 13. That’s when I started editing the full song video.
Among the people in my network who I mostly rely on to play my ongoing work for early insights and critics is Lauren. I am always comfortable showing early stages of my work to get a constructive feedback when I feel I’m too much involved with the project. Her eyes and ears are very well trained to get a vision of the artist and his/her raw work during its formation. Plus our relationship allows her to be sincere without holding back any aspect. So when I showed her the first edit, she gave me all these thoughts on the phone. The same day she sent me three different takes of her dancing on the track just in case I needed to use. I ended up using her footage that she sent from the West Coast in the instrumental outro thinking what better way to relieve stress and strain that we bring with the song than a water-ballet turning the track into a dance number by throwing cyber lights and entertainment, with multi images of sirens dancing on the waves, making you feel like you’re watching a Vegas show. At least that became the vision in my head.

It’s November 2 now. I finalize the music video with a fulfilled heart and a content soul.
The music we recorded were all made possible with the talented and renowned musicians I work with who understand my style of music– they almost feel like my band and very gracious to be involved in my productions namely Mike Sorrentino in drums, Carras Paton in bass guitar and horn sections, Emre Yilmaz and Gene Blank in guitars, Rob Preuss in synth and keyboards, Thomas Gallaher in piano. And besides these names, Keith Fluitt, Jerri Bocchino and Lauren Rathbun add additional and background vocals to give it the Abba vibe that I die for.
Cagri Keskin designed the artwork for the project. I am proud to feature his work with his company Donum Noktasi as our display on every project bringing in the cover of the record from suggestions into reality. In the meantime Chuck prepares the wording of our presentation. His writing becomes our press release, and in many cases turns into the liner notes of the record we are producing. Just like Bernadette and Emre, I am grateful to him for being there all along since day 1, sharing our enthusiasm and positive vibes with every record since 2007.

Looking back, I realize Bernadette and I have been working, writing music almost for 15 years. on and off here and there this and that. Our partnership goes beyond business where I accept her as one of my true closest friends in life that I can trust and enjoy the time with.
Our new song is out. It comes with a challenging story at a challenging time where we all face a little bit of doubt about future. Our intention is to spread out light with fire when the thoughts are at their darkest. Please leave us some comments on YouTube.
Ayhan


RANDY JONES – “Hard Times” Music Videos
Music Video for “Hard Times” by Randy Jones (A2B / Epic Extended Disco Hustle Mix)
Randy Jones’ two separate music videos “Hard Times Remixes” was launched on September 15 with a glamorous party at Manhattan’s hot spot “Beautique” in midtown with more than 100 guests.
Music Video for “Hard Times” by Randy Jones (Mark Saunders / A Night at 54 Disco Mix)
In June 2017, Young Pals Music released “Hard Times,” the first single from Randy Jones’ upcoming full-length album, Still Makin’ Noise. The single reached #42 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, and was the first chart placement from any member of the Village People as a solo artist.
Photo album for Randy Jones’ launch event on September 15 with soundtrack of “Hard Times” by Randy Jones (DJ Drew G / Bigger Room Mix)
The Village People’s Iconic Cowboy Randy Jones Returns To The Billboard Top 40 With Solo Smash “Hard Times”
Dance Club hit aligns with 40th anniversary celebration of The Village People, including beloved hits “YMCA,” “Macho Man” and “In the Navy.” With “Hard Times” success, Jones is the only group member to achieve a solo hit.
Let the hard times roll! In the midst of the 40th anniversary celebration of the iconic Village People’s chart-topping music career—including global smashes “YMCA,” “Macho Man” and “In the Navy”—the group’s beloved cowboy, Randy Jones, is keeping the fire burning. His solo single “Hard Times” is a top 40 hit on Billboard’s Top Dance Club Play chart.
The dance club anthem, released by New York City-based Young Pals Music, includes an original studio version and eight re-rubs from renowned music mixologists Mark Saunders, Eric Kupper, Tim Cox, Date Night (f/Brannew), A2B (f/Emre Yilmaz), DJ Drew G, Onur Koc, and Peacemode. A 10-track single was released to all major digital outlets in July.
“Hard Times” launched at No. 42, as the second-highest entry among five new songs on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, for the week of August 26, 2017. Adding to the achievement, Jones is the only member of the Village People to score a solo hit.
With Jones’ vocal machismo guiding the joyous uptempo fanfare, “Hard Times” is driven by a flourish of acoustic guitars, pounding percussion and a chorus of angelic voices, alongside an empowering message that tough times may come and go, but with the will to win, you can always land “on the right line.”
Amid Jones’ own five-decade career, the renowned vocalist, film star, philanthropist—and all-round nice guy—has helped sell 100 million singles/albums and fostered a quarter billion views on YouTube, thanks to the Village People’s beloved catalog of disco songs. Add to that 75 Gold and Platinum record certificates, the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine and a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, alongside a co-starring role in the 1980 musical comedy film “Can’t Stop the Music,” directed by Nancy Walker—and also starring (then) Bruce Jenner.
Continuing a career as an actor, singer and dancer, he has also released a number of solo CDs, including most recently, “Ticket to the World,” “Your Disco Needs You!” and in 2016, “Mister Right.” In 2018, he is slated to release a new full-length project, tentatively titled “Still Making Noise.”
The Village People’s Iconic Cowboy Randy Jones Sets Summer On Fire With A Cascade of Remixes for Single ‘Hard Times’
Randy Jones’ 2017 single “Hard Times” from Young Pals Music offers an empowering message that tough times may come and go, but with the will to win, you can always land “on the right line.”

Indeed, “Hard Times” arrives at the ideal time. The Village People are celebrating their 40th anniversary since “Macho Man” became the group’s first U.S. top 40 hit. That, of course, was followed by the beloved “Y.M.C.A.,” “In the Navy” and countless dance hits. Add to that the 40th anniversary of “Saturday Night Fever,” whose soundtrack ultimately sold 15 million copies. Disco resurgence, anyone?
The Village People’s Iconic Cowboy Randy Jones Brings His Vocal Machismo To New Single ‘Hard Times’
from beloved disco act Anita Ward, renowned for her seminal No. 1 “Ring My Bell,”

Summer In The City Gets A Little Hotter With Uptempo Pop Romp ‘L.A. Nights’
Even so, it’s just as likely that the anthem’s maddeningly catchy chorus will live long in listeners’ heads—and speakers. Written by Sahin with Bernadette O’Reilly, he sings, “In the starry twilight, west of ‘cannot do it,’ Southern California stands/Facing towards the ocean, bonding with the people, urging everyone to dance/L.A. Nights, the city of lights will zap you right between the eyes, one little slice is like a never-ending ride, open your mind and find the secrets that unfold.”
Iconic Platinum-Selling Vocalist Anita Ward Returns To Celebrate Pride 2016 With Empowering Dance Anthem “Another Bad Mistake”
“Another Bad Mistake” is the fifth single release from “Pop,” the first full-length namesake collection from Young Pals Music founder Ayhan Sahin. In April, the album was awarded by The Akademia Music Awards as well as The Global Music Awards for Best Rock Song for previous single “Drink.” The album offers 12+ diverse vocalists & musicians across a myriad of styles, including R&B & soul, dance, jazz, country and of course… pop.
OTHER RECORDS BY YOUNG PALS MUSIC RECENTLY RELEASED