Yep it's that time. I'm trying to find a song for a soloist. Age 15 in the lyrical age division. I am so sick of my usuals: Missy Higgins, Charlotte Martins, Imogen Heap, Tori Amos, etc. Songs I've used in the past:

Warning Signs by Coldplay, Slow Me Down (Emmy Rossum) Beth Hart stuff, David Gray, James Morrison, ADELE, Ingrid Michaelson, Kate Nash, Yail Naim, Elisa, some Dave Matthews. Don't mention Vitamin String Quartet. (overdone.) Nothing from SYTYCD.

Am I jaded? Am I at the end of my rope? I just feel like I've used everything "special". If I have to hear "Belief" one more time at a dance competition I'm going to go nuts. That and Lifehouse's "Storm".

So, if anyone can mention anything new: HUGE KUDOS!!!
Thanks.

This year I'm using....Priscilla Ahn-Dream, Chris Garneau - Baby's Romance, and Come Down To Me - Saving Jane

kendall payne???

Yeah unfortunately I've already choreographed a group number to that Saving Jane song and yes I've already used "Scratch" and "On My Bones" which in my opinion are the really only 2 good songs from Kendall Payne, unless anyone else has any ideas?

I've also used Anouk's "Lost". I once had a choreographer say that a lot of Anouk's stuff was really good but so far Lost is the only one I really liked. Hope people are benefiting from artists I've used and listed. Also, a really good song for those choreographers out there is Ryan Adam's "Wonderwall". I've used it in class a lot.

Also, who has time to use the itunes "genius" and I use Pandora a lot. But so far, for performance music? Nothing.

Thanks for the input guys. Keep em coming!

I shy away from anything in the Top 40 and tend to go back in time with music, or look for stuff in other places. There is a lot of beautiful music from other countries.

I am tired, as teacher and a judge, of hearing the same stuff over and over, again.

Similar artists to those you mentioned: sara bareilles, keri noble, leona naess, the rescues, telepopmusik, eva cassidy, regina spektor, kate havnevik, anya marina

Are you sick of those artists you mentioned or those "type" (singer/songwriter/Starbucks) genre? I second JLL's suggestion of looking in to different countries and genres. Artists: Carla Bruni, Psapp, Kodo

I'd also check soundtracks - I've found good songs off of Grey's Anatomy, the Hills, Weeds, and other popular shows. Often times dramatic movies will also have good instrumental music for lyrical/modern dances. HTH!

Yes, remember that lyrical dance has nothing to do with the lyrics of a song. Long before anyone thought of lyrical dance as a separate dance discipline (it is not, it is just another style of jazz), it was used in dance. The possibilities are endless if you stay away from the most popular music.

Try Shane Koyczan and the Short Story Long. He does spoken poetry and it's absolutely amazing. It's the stuff where you finish watching the performance and it's like...woah..

As much as i love dance, i love music more I have some good suggestions:

This would be more contemporary, but check out:

Passion Pit (Sleepyhead is great as well as "Little Secrets"
School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep

Challengers - The New Pornographers (fantastic song )

West Coast - Coconut Records

"Closer", "revelry" - Kings of Leon

Devotchka - they have a lot of good tracks

Asleep - The Smiths

"Maps" "Hysteric" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Left and Leaving - The Weakerthans

Lemme know if you choose any of these!

"Bruises" - Chairlift
"Dark Blue" - Jack's Mannequin
"Far Behind" - Candlebox
"What I Am" - Edie Brickell
"Forever" - Ben Harper
"Crayola Doesn't Make A Color For Your Eyes" - Kristin Andreassen
"Turn Me On" - Norah Jones
"L-O-V-E" - Joss Stone

Leona Lewis has a new song called "Happy" It's pretty good too

Lucy - Candlebox
Secret - the Pierces
Rain - The Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack
Blue - The Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack
Werewolf - CocoRosie
Psychotic Girl - The Black Keys
It's All Over - The Broken Family Band
Extraordinary Machine - Fiona Apple
Old Fashioned Morphine - Jolie Holland
Dance Me To The End Of Love - Madeleine Peyroux
Blue Light - Mazzy Star
Tonight And The Rest Of My Life - Nina Gordon
The Noose - A Perfect Circle
Dreams of Reason - The Tea Party
Sunshower - Chris Cornell
Talk Show Host - Radiohead (needs to be edited)

One of my new favorites is Augustana. The song Twenty Years is very pretty. They use a lot of piano is their music.

I am so with you. I have used all of those artists as well. Have you tried John Mayer? He's great.

Try Marie Digby, Sliimy, Caitlyn Smith

Angie- The Rolling Stones
Beth - Kiss
As Lovers Go (Ron Fair Remix) - Dashboard Confessional
Look at KT Tunstall, Laura Veirs,

Great Day by Paul McCartney
Joanna Newsom
Train
Jamestown Story

I know you posted this ages ago, but three New Zealand artists you should check out are Brooke Fraser, Rachel Hope and Kimbra.

Brooke Fraser's music will be significantly easier to get hold of, but all three of them have some awesome music to use for lyrical.

Almost Lover-A Fine Frenzy
Dreamer-Kari Kimmel
Imagine-Allison Crowe
Let It Be-Allison Crowe
Let Go-Boys Like Girls
Missing You-Tyler Hilton
A Drop In the Ocean-Ron Pope
Gravity of Love-Enigma
Love, Save the Empty-Erin McCarley
Try-Nelly Furtado
Try-Asher Book
Proud-Heather Small
Let It Be-Carol Woods
Imagine-Avril Lavigne
Colors-Kira Willey
What I've Done-Marié Digby
A Little More of You-Ashley Chambliss
Trouble Is a Friend-Lenka
The Show-Lenka
It's Only Life-Kate Voegele
You Can't Break a Broken Heart-Kate Voegele
Fragile-Maria Mena
You Raise Me Up-Celtic Woman
Colorblind-Natalie Walker

Listen to some of Delta Goodrem's song, an Australian Artist. I used Beleive Again last year.

I like to stay out of the mainstream for my lyrical dances, too. A few songs I've used that have been successful:

-Aphex Twin (many)
-Neko Case, Maybe Sparrow and Funeral Room Lullaby
-Emily Autumn, 4 O'clock
-Camille, Senza
-Sheila Chandra, Roots and Wings
-Tom Waits (many)

Also, Rachel's does amazing stuff and I'll be using her this year. Ane Brun is interesting and I love CocoRosie. Some of the dudes I love are Anthony and the Johnsons and Seth Lakeman.

Sometimes I also like to dip into classical music or jazz for inspiration. Nothing wrong with Ray Charles or Nina Simone!

Hope that helps. Some of the other suggestions on this page are great, too!