Chicago's Next Great Musician Resides in Vernon Hills
by Donald Hood
Published Thu, Aug 2nd 2018, 13:48 | Entertainment
1888 Press Release - My thinking and overall approach has opened up. I will continue to bet on myself, grow as a musician, grow as a person and see how the dice roll.
Chicago, IL - Chicago has always had a rich history in different genres of music. Many iconic artists have come from the Windy City showcasing their talents and gaining worldwide audiences. When you go down the list of influential artists from Chicago, the majority of them are either from the South Side or West Side. Whether if it's the positive artists from Chicago or the violent content artists, they all mostly come from the same areas. There are many areas in Chicago like other cities and no noise has really come out of the suburbs. The North Side has always been defined as the money part of Chicago but musically the suburbs has been quiet compared to the South and West Side until now.
In Vernon Hills, a suburb of Chicago with a population of around 26,000 is home to a 22 year old by the name of Joseph Bonadonna. Music is something that has always been in Joseph, a talent that he knew could one day take him far. He came from a two parent household, great parents who he learned many lessons from throughout the years. In high school Joseph and his mom experienced unfortunate circumstances when his father passed. After his father passed Joseph started getting into some trouble, being rebelious and a young kid not being responsible. It's what most kids do at that age when dealing with pain and uncertainty after losing a parent.
"I was headed down a path that would have been hard to come back from if I didn't change my lifestyle and crowd that I was hanging around. My mom is my heart and I didn't want to keep letting her down. I wanted to start doing better not just for myself but for her as well. I knew music was my outlet and ultimate goal. I had to switch gears, take my focus to another level and realize what was important in life. I wanted to become the person that my father would be proud of." (Vernon Hill)
Fast forward a few years later and Joseph became a professional musician who the local musicians in Chicago could rely on. He remodeled and built a beautiful studio named "Studio Kai" in his father's old office. He spent a lot of money on state of the art equipment that can compare to a record label. The studio has security cameras, a great vibe, gear to bring the best out of the artist and a website for bookings.
"I just wanted to give people an experience when they came to Studio Kai. The type of experience that keeps them coming back and referring new clients. From the merch to website to business cards to furniture, arcades, beautiful back yard; I want people to know at Studio Kai we pride ourself on the experience. Great experiences bring great results." (Vernon Hill)
Joseph had all of the tools, wore many hats from producing, engineering, mixing, mastering and running a studio full time but he lacked direction. He lacked a industry mentor to get behind him and show young Joseph how to use his talents and become a brand. As fate would have it, one of his business partner's family members would meet his now manager and mentor out of Los Angeles at a wine tasting on the North side. From there, Joseph's young career changed immediately.
"A lot of people talk but he was someone who really was about the action. He showed me how to brand myself and network on a industry level. He is someone who has experienced success working with celebrities, big companies and other influencers. He is a leader, he gives me knowledge about real life, the good & bad in the industry and genuinely wants to see me win. My resume and brand is a 360 from when we first met. I went from working with local artists to working with Billboard artists, Platinum & Gold artists, legends of different genres of music, producing soundtracks for major media companies, documentaries with professional sports athletes, iconic Pin Ups, Emmy winners, crossing over in other countries, songs being on radio and even becoming an artist myself." (Vernon Hill)
In other words, the young guy who was Joseph Bonadonna has now transformed into his stage name which is Vernon Hill. His manager gave him that name because it felt good and he wanted Joseph to represent his community. He wants Joseph to be proud of Vernon Hills and put it on the map which is currently happening. The first step of transitioning to Vernon Hill was stepping outside of his comfort zone. He went to Miami and brought the image to life. He had a photo shoot with A-List photographer Robin V who shoots for the top stars in Miami and is the wife of a music legend. He shot a music video there to his "305 Theater" single that brought the brand to life through song and now his direction is stronger than it's ever been.
Joseph started off impressing local musicians in his neighborhood. He is now impressing celebrities, influencers, legends, major companies from the national and international markets.
"I had a pleasant time at Studio Kai. The music was good and the song was relatable."(CeCe Peniston/ Dance, R & B Legend)
"As soon as they sent us the record we was jamming to it and knew it was special." (Tanto Metro & Devonte/ Caribbean Legends)
"Vernon Hill produced some hot records that was perfect for the vibe of the basketball film" (Gerry Cisneros/ Producer & Editor of Complex/Go 90's T.J McConnell Documentary)
"Trinidad is known for Soca music but the crossover record I did with him got a lot of love from media and fans." ( J Angel/ Reggae Artist, former radio personality at Slam 100.5)
"Great energy and teamwork at Studio Kai. We recorded some fire records." (Ben One/ R&B Billboard Artist)
Joseph's resume and brand has elevated in the past year and a half, a process that his father would definitely be proud of. His mom lights up when speaking of his new found success and is very pleased with his growth.
"Since Joe and Monroe have met I've seen many positive changes and progress in him. As a Mom, it's great to see your child happy and living their dream." (Mrs. Bonadonna)
"I saw a young kid that was talented but most importantly I saw a kid who wanted to be a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as possible. That's why I chose to work with him. Talent is not everything in this business, you have to be willing to learn from the people who did it before you. I always preach to him about never being content, never get to high or low. This game is about inspiration, loyalty, balance and being humble. All a ego do is make relationships and projects go downhill. That's why we work great together because we understand each other. We understand that the business is irrelevant without the loyalty. I look at him as a little brother and I told him from day one that if he followed my lead he would see overall positive results." (Monroe/ Vernon Hill's Manager & Mentor)
Joseph is hard at work on upcoming projects where he will continue to rise. He is gearing up for his artist campaign, he is producing a compilation album titled "Roses In Vernon Hills" with established artists, he is scoring a impactful Pin Up Documentary that is produced by Emmy Winners & stars iconic figures from that world, he is apart of a new media company focusing on celebrity/influencer content and more projects along the way. The kid from Vernon Hills who now goes by his hometown name is putting the suburbs on his back. He is creating a new wave and showing that music dreams are possible on the North side.
"Sometimes I sit back thinking and I'm amazed of how far I've come. A couple of years ago my life was completely different than it is now. I just kept believing, working hard, staying true to who I am and I was Blessed with the right person to come in my life with the right opportunities. My thinking and overall approach has opened up. I will continue to bet on myself, grow as a musician, grow as a person and see how the dice roll." (Vernon Hill)
http://www.officialstudiokai.com/team
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