Blazin' Squad and Pedro to Release Exclusive Digital EPs Through the Orchard

Blazin' Squad and Pedro to Release Exclusive Digital EPs Through the Orchard

The Orchard Will Market New Tracks From the UK's Hottest Pop Band, Exclusively on iTunes (Worldwide) Beginning March 22

LONDON and NEW YORK, March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Blazin' Squad, the chart topping urban group from Essex, will release two highly anticipated EPs exclusively through The Orchard, the world's leading distributor and marketer of independent music. The Orchard has created two EPs from entirely new and never before released tracks. Each EP features one Blazin' Squad track, two Blazin' Squad tracks featuring Pedro and one Pedro solo track.

Beginning March 22, The Orchard will make these available exclusively on iTunes (Worldwide) for a period of two weeks each. Thereafter, each EP will be available through The Orchard's network of over 100 of the world's leading digital music stores, including eMusic, MSN, Napster, MusicMatch, Real/Rhapsody and 24/7 MusicShop. The EPs will also be available for download from www.7digital.com/blazinsquad which, amongst many other forms, accepts payment by SMS in the UK.

The EPs being released by The Orchard are "Break a Sweat" and "Capuera." Tracks in these EPs are:

Break a Sweat

* Break a Sweat (Blazin' Squad)
* All I Need (Blazin' Squad feat. Pedro)
* Up an Gone (Blazin' Squad feat. Pedro)
* Love is a Summer Feelin' (Pedro)

Capuera

* Gone for the Evening (Blazin' Squad)
* Capuera (Blazin' Squad feat. Pedro)
* Capuera (radio) (Blazin' Squad feat. Pedro)
* Tattoo (Pedro)

Blazin' Squad has dominated the pop charts since the nine MCs and a DJ introduced in 2002 their debut single, "Crossroads," which became a No. 1 single in less than a week. Top 10 hits such as "We Just be Dreamin'," "Love on the Line" and "Flip Reverse" followed.

Brazil-born, UK-raised Pedro blends the hottest beats with the funkiest sounds of his Brazilian roots. This mixture of culture and lifestyle creates a contrast that is the essence of Pedro's music. Pedro was discovered by The Orchard, which developed his career through Orchard Discovery and Development (ODD), the company's artist development arm. ODD coordinated Pedro's first tour supporting Blazin' Squad and, while on this tour in late 2004, Pedro began writing and recording with the urban sensation. Pedro's undeniable songwriting ability and distinctive voice have transformed Blazin' Squad's new sound.

"The Orchard is excited to partner with Blazin' Squad and Pedro to release this new music to fans for the first time," said Greg Scholl, chief executive of The Orchard and managing director of Dimensional Associates, the company that owns The Orchard, eMusic and Dimensional Music Publishing. "Through our global distribution and marketing network, these tracks will be available to fans worldwide who've anxiously awaited new material from the UK's hottest pop sensations. We are also proud of Pedro's continued development as an artist, and remain committed to furthering his career through ODD."

"The Orchard delivers on the promise of digital services: shattering the restrictive distribution system that has for decades controlled what music is available to consumers, and replacing it with flexibility, freedom and choice," said Albert Samuel, manager of Blazin' Squad. "The Orchard was a natural choice for these releases because of their international reach and ability to market the world's leading independent music across boundaries, continents and platforms."

About The Orchard

The Orchard (www.theorchard.com) is the leading distributor and marketer of independent music in the world, representing thousands of labels spanning over 72 countries and every music genre. The Orchard supplies its catalogue of more than 375,000 tracks to all of the leading legal digital music stores and services throughout the world. Headquartered in New York, The Orchard maintains operations in London, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Tel Aviv and Melbourne.

About Dimensional Associates, Inc.

Dimensional Associates, Inc., is the New York-based private equity arm of JDS Capital Management, Inc. Its portfolio companies include eMusic, The Orchard and Dimensional Music Publishing (formerly DreamWorks Music Publishing).

About Blazin' Squad

Monday August 19, 2002 -- the beginning of the biggest week in the lives of ten 16-year-old school friends from North London. On that day, Blazin' Squad -- nine MCs and a DJ -- released their debut single, "Crossroads." By Sunday, Blazin' Squad had scored their first No. 1 single. Suddenly, the nation's schoolgirls had forgotten about the likes of Blue and Westlife -- Blazin' Squad had them hooked. By August 2003, the boys had a further three Top 10 singles -- "Love On The Line," "Reminisce"/"Where The Story Ends" and "We Just Be Dreamin'" -- and an acclaimed debut album, "In The Beginning," and a sold out headlining tour and countless magazine covers to add to their impressive list of achievements.

Kenzie, Strider, Freek, Melo-D, Reepa, Spike-e, Krazy, Plat'Num B, Flava and Tommy B have known each other since they were babies. Inspired by a mutual love of Hip-Hop, garage and all the sounds of the underground, they began MCing and DJing four years ago, aged 13.

Blazin' Squad's second album, "Now Or Never," spawned the monster Top 10 tune "Here 4 One."

About Pedro

Twenty two year old Brazilian singing sensation Pedro moved to the UK with his family at age eleven. Pedro blends the hottest R&B beats with the funkiest and uplifting sounds of his Brazilian roots. This mixture of culture and lifestyle creates a contrast that is the essence of his style.

Pedro was an Orchard artist who subsequently connected and toured with Blazin' Squad, and is now off to the races with a new EP. Pedro spent the past year writing and recording his new album "All that Drama Turned to Love Songs" with people like Richard Taylor (Blue, Westlife, Jamelia, etc.), Mark Owen (Take That), Big Pockets (Liberty X), Obi (Blazin' Squad, Blue, Billie Piper, etc.) and a close friend from Brazil, Walter Junior, whose flamenco guitar can be heard throughout. The album is about to hit digital stores via The Orchard, after the initial songs are fuelled by the support of Blazin' Squad. "All that Drama Turned to Love Songs" is a quirky blend of live instruments and cut up samples, heavy beats and acoustic guitars. Behind all the music, the songs are stories, contemplations, memories of life's roller- coaster experiences, highs and lows, wild parties and serious relationships...searching to discover one's self, friendship, fantasies, dreams ... and all the hustle to find balance in life. For more info visit www.pedrolive.com.

CONTACT: UK, Scott Cohen of The Orchard, +44 (0) 207 031 8278, or scott@theorchard.com; or US, Mary McBride of Andy Morris & Company, +1-212-561-7454, or mary@amc-pr.com, for The Orchard

Source: The Orchard

CONTACT: UK, Scott Cohen of The Orchard, +44 (0) 207 031 8278, or
scott@theorchard.com; or US, Mary McBride of Andy Morris & Company,
+1-212-561-7454, or mary@amc-pr.com, for The Orchard

Web site: http://www.pedrolive.com/

Web site: http://www.theorchard.com/

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