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2Cellos

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2Cellos
2Cellos in Glendale, California on August 4, 2011
Background information
OriginCroatia
GenresRock, classical
Years active2011 (2011)–present
LabelsSony Masterworks
MembersLuka Šulić
Stjepan Hauser
Website2cellos.com
Stjepan Hauser
Luka Šulić

2Cellos (stylized 2CELLOS) is a cello duo consisting of Croatian cellists Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser. Signed to Sony Masterworks since 12 April 2011,[1] the two were discovered after uploading a music video of their cello-only cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" to YouTube.

Background

Šulić, born in Dubrovnik, Croatia[2], and Hauser, from Pula, Croatia, met at a master class in Croatia while still in their teens. Šulić—the younger of the two by a year—and Hauser attended the Academy of Music in Zagreb together, and both then travelled to study in Vienna. Šulić later entered London's Royal Academy of Music, while Hauser attended the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.[3] The duo rose to fame after their cover of "Smooth Criminal" became a hit on YouTube,[4] receiving over three million views in the first two weeks[3] and more than five million views in all.[5] The creation of the music video was prompted by the cellists' financial difficulties, despite their musical success in the UK. The duo met in Pula, where one of Hauser's friends, a director, proposed that they try the pop music market by creating a video to "Smooth Criminal." The video, originally posted on 20 January 2011,[6] features Šulić and Hauser facing off alone in a large white room, playing Jackson's tune.[3] In fact, before they became partners, the two cellists were sometimes considered rivals, competing against each other in music contests.[6]

Career

2Cellos is currently signed to record label Sony Masterworks[7] and finished recording their first album in May 2011,[8] which will carry the Menart Records name in Croatia.[9] Released on July 19, 2011,[10] the album includes covers of songs by U2, Guns N' Roses, Nine Inch Nails, Sting, Coldplay, Nirvana, Muse, and Kings of Leon. Hauser told la Repubblica that the album would also feature a cello version of Jackson's "Human Nature."[3] The duo said that they chose songs that could be adapted into covers playable on only two cellos.[11] In anticipation of the release, 2Cellos released their second single "Welcome to the Jungle," a cover of the Guns N' Roses song of the same name.[6][12]

As a result of 2Cellos' success, English singer Elton John asked the duo to appear with him on his summer tour,[4] which began in Cardiff on 8 June 2011.[3] John, who personally called Šulić, said that he had watched the "Smooth Criminal" video and wanted 2Cellos to participate in the thirty-city tour.[13] The two had previously performed on the 25 April 2011 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show,[7] as well as on Perez Hilton's Perez TV several days before that.[14] 2Cellos also performed on 25 July 2011 at the 2011 iTunes Festival in London.[13]

The duo performed an arrangement of "Smooth Criminal" in the third season of the television show Glee.[15] The episode in which they appeared, titled "Michael", aired on 31 January 2012, and was the first time that the series highlighted instrumental musicians. The scene featuring "Smooth Criminal" was set up similar to 2Cellos' original music video for the song.[16]

Although the two record covers of mainly rock songs, Šulić and Hauser say they still play with orchestras and will not abandon playing classical music. The cellists say they would someday like to go on tour with both a classical and a contemporary orchestra.[6]

2Cellos

2Cellos' debut studio album comprises twelve tracks and one additional bonus track from iTunes.[17]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Where The Streets Have No Name"U24:02
2."Misirlou (Theme From Pulp Fiction)"Dick Dale2:13
3."Use Somebody"Kings of Leon3:27
4."Smooth Criminal"Michael Jackson4:10
5."Fragile"Sting3:26
6."Resistance"Muse3:49
7."Hurt"Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)4:29
8."Welcome to the Jungle"Guns N' Roses3:08
9."Human Nature"Michael Jackson2:47
10."Viva La Vida"Coldplay3:41
11."Smells Like Teen Spirit"Nirvana2:50
12."With or Without You"U24:51
13."Fields of Gold" (iTunes bonus track)Sting2:54
Total length:53:15

Reception

Chad Grischow of IGN Music called the duo's Nirvana cover "astonishing" and the U2 covers "nothing short of magical." However, he was unimpressed by "The Resistance," and wrote that "'Viva La Vida' is too obvious a choice" for the album.[18]

References

  1. ^ Koruga, Igor (14 April 2011). "Hrvatski violončelisti potpisali ugovor sa Sony Music Entertainmentom". Nacional (in Croatian). Nacional. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  2. ^ "Biografija Luke Šulića". www.matica.hr (in Croatian). Matica hrvatska.
  3. ^ a b c d e Videtti, Giuseppe (6 June 2011). "Il violoncello da favola di Luka e Stjepan da YouTube ai concerti di Elton John". la Repubblica (in Italian). Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Slovenian, Croatian Cellists Make Breakthrough on YouTube". STA. Slovenian Press Agency. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  5. ^ "Video: Hrvaška violončelista videlo na milijone Američanov". Radiotelevizija Slovenija (in Slovene). MMC RTV Slovenija. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  6. ^ a b c d Cervera, Marty (7 June 2011). "Los chelos del pop". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Grupo Zeta. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Sony MASTERWORKS Signs Viral Internet Sensation 2CELLOS". TalkTunesworld.com. Wisdom Digital Media. 19 April 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
  8. ^ "Mariborski čelist bo z Eltonom Johnom nastopil tudi v Izoli". Radiotelevizija Slovenija (in Slovene). MMC RTV Slovenija. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  9. ^ "2CELLOS Luka Šulic & Stjepan Hausar izdaju album". MTV Croatia (in Croatian). MTV. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  10. ^ D'Andrea, Niki (6 June 2011). ""Welcome to the Jungle," As Performed by 2Cellos". Phoenix New Times. Phoenix New Times, LLC. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  11. ^ Došen, Vanja (12 April 2011). "Telefonski poziv koji im je promijenio život". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). Europapress Holding. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  12. ^ Hartsell, Carol (8 June 2011). "2Cellos Covers 'Welcome To The Jungle'". The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  13. ^ a b "2CELLOS snimaju za Sony i sviraju s Eltonom Johnom". tportal.hr (in Croatian). Hrvatski Telekom. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  14. ^ Vugrinec, Goran (25 April 2011). "Vatreni duet nastupio u showu Ellen DeGeneres: Stjepan od žestine slomio gudalo!". Dubrovački Vjesnik (in Croatian). Europapress Holding. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  15. ^ Keck, William (6 January 2012). "Keck's Exclusives: More Details on Glee's Salute to Michael Jackson". TV Guide. TV Guide Online Holdings, LLC. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  16. ^ Jurgensen, John (13 January 2012). "The Cello Shredders". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  17. ^ "2Cellos". iTunes. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  18. ^ Grischow, Chad (July 22, 2011). "Indie Music Watch". IGN. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved August 4, 2011.

External links

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