A song and music video that showcases the incredible artistic talent of youngsters in Penticton - and across the Okanagan Valley - has now been released by songwriter and music producer Bill Bogaardt, who continues his efforts to get the song played on radio stations around in Canada and around the world.
Bogaardt, a founder of the Brothers Bogaardt Band back in the 1970s, wrote the song Push It Up, along with Kelowna-based singer-songwriter Kyle Haynes, two years ago.
Bogaardt is also the owner of Songsearch Music International Co. Ltd., a Penticton-based music production company.
A glossy music video under the tagline Sofia Boal: Push It Up was recorded several months ago, featuring talented Lake Country teenager singer-songwriter Boal, Penticton actor-singer Avery Barnett and a group of two dozen dancers from the Okanagan Dance Studios in Penticton.
On Wednesday evening, Bogaardt officially released the Push It Up YouTube video in Summerland, where Boal and her mother were performing as part of a summer concert series.
Boal and her mother perform in a group called the J.S. Garcia Band and the large group who gathered to watch them perform had the bonus treat of being able to view the video, said Bogaardt.
“We had the official release of the Push It Up video and now it’s gone on to worldwide distribution,” said Bogaardt, a youthful 76, who has sang, written, produced and performed music his entire adult life. “The video is now on YouTube and I couldn’t be happier.”
A group of almost two dozen dancers who train under Shannon Cote at the Okanagan Dance Studios, who are featured in the video, were asked to join the video launch party in Summerland, as was Cote, said Bogaardt.
To read about Cote’s remarkable career as a singer, dancer and performer, click here.
“All of the people who were involved in the video were invited,” he said.
The next step for the song and the video is for him to engage in a radio campaign within the next two weeks through an international organization called AirPlay Direct out of the United States, which has direct contact with 11,000 radio stations around the world, said Bogaardt.
“AirPlay Direct is an incredible distributor of radio material and it’s very, very well organized,” he said. “These people are out of Los Angeles and known around the music world.
“I hope we’re going to make some impact with the DJs around the globe and tie it in with the music video as well.”
Having the video posted on YouTube, which will allow viewers to watch and listen from around the world, is a giant step forward in promoting a song he really believes could become a big hit on Top 40 radio, said Bogaardt.
All of the young people who sang, danced and performed on this video were wonderful to work with and made him feel young, said Bogaardt.
“They were just incredible,” he said. “They were all very enthusiastic and I loved working with all of them. They were very co-operative … it was a joint effort by many, many people and a lot of sweat and practice went into this.
“The kids were just very talented and enthusiastic. It’s a good, clean approach to having fun.”
The footage for the video was shot over three “very long days” at the Shatford Centre and Orchard House in Penticton late last summer.
“We had incredible support from the community as well,” he said.
Bogaardt said he wanted to write a song that would empower youth and the message in Push It Up encourages teenagers to have fun and stay away from alcohol and drug abuse.
“I have two daughters and I wanted to give back and empower youth as young people today are getting a bad rap,” said Bogaardt. “Because of the internet and social media, there’s also a disconnect among many young people and I wanted to get involved in a project that would bring youth together and inspire them.”
Haynes has an outstanding reputation as a talented songwriter and guitar player and he brought youthful enthusiasm to the project, he said.
“Kyle’s an incredibly talented guy … and real rocker,” he said. “I thought he could really bring a young person’s perspective to this project.”
Bogaardt and Haynes play all the musical instruments on Push It Up.
Bogaardt has spent the past 18 months editing and producing the video and is thrilled with how things have turned out.
“I think it’s amazing,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more actually.”
Working with talented young people was a labour of love, said Bogaardt.
“I’m 76 and going to be 77 soon and working with these kids made me feel like a kid again,” he said. “Their level of talent and commitment on this project was incredible.”
For more on Songsearch Music International, click here.
For more on AirPlay Direct, click here.
