Distinctive Assets, the LA-based entertainment marketing company credited with launching the promotional craze of celebrity swag nearly two decades ago, once again produced the one and only official backstage gift lounge for the 60th GRAMMY Awards. The legendary show’s presenters and performers were treated to a bevy of thank you gifts in acknowledgment and appreciation of their participation.
The GRAMMY Gift Lounge was open to presenters and performers during three full days of rehearsals at Madison Square Garden. This year’s gift lounge was presented by MTG for McLEAR gifted an innovative, fashionable and unobtrusive wearable technology to simplify life as the world’s first smart ring with contactless payment technology. Other #GRAMMYGiftLounge selections included Alpha Priority Worldwide VIP airport service including luxury ground transportation to or from airport, award- winning museum-quality costume jewelry from Grossé Japan, Happiest Tee luxury apparel (in partnership with the Stands giving community and Flores Lane sustainable luxury destination candles), a custom truth acoustic guitar, LumiDiet wearable light therapy smart diet belts, Oxygenetix breathable foundation, Safi Kilima Tanzanite Bolo Bracelets, Sixth Sense Lab beauty and wellness packages, SmileDirectClub invisible aligners and bright on premium whitening kits, Solstice Sunglasses featuring Polaroid Eyewear and Fingerlings by WowWee.
We spoke with 2018 nominee Bernie Herms at the lounge. Check out our exclusive interview below:
The Knockturnal: Tell us about your nomination.
So we’re nominated in a couple categories here. One is the Album of the Year for a project a produced with Danny Gokey. And then also a song I wrote for Casting Crowns in Best Song category for the Contemporary Christian song and performance called “O My Soul”.
The Knockturnal: How did those collaborations come about?
Well, the one with Danny Gokey, we worked on a whole album together and had a great time doing that last year, and that project was a lot of fun. But ever since Danny started recording in Nashville … We started back in 2014 so this is the second album that we’ve done together. And it was a total blast to do that. The collaboration with Mark Hall from Casting Crowns, Mark is a longtime friend and I’ve written songs for most of their albums since about 2003. And then so, this one came about, there’s a lyricist named Nichole Nordeman that we collaborated with, and so it was a big thrill. One of my favorite songs I’ve ever done with them.
The Knockturnal: Gospel / Christian music is becoming more mainstream. Is that exciting for you?
I think that’s not only exciting but necessary because I think the hope that’s in Christian music, a lot of people if you put that label on it they say “oh, that must be church music. That’s not my cup of tea.” When in fact a lot of the range of artists that are producing this kind of music are really stylistically very diverse. And it’s actually the most hope-filled joyful music out there. And so, it’s not necessarily “Church music” although that could be part of the genre but it’s really across a lot of different styles. And honestly, it’s a very uplifting kind of music. I’m really gratified that it’s finding larger audience now.
The Knockturnal: What’s coming up next for you that you’d like to share?
Well, currently I’m in the studio with an artist named Josh Groban. I’m doing a project for him. I’m really excited about that. We’re in the middle of that.
The Knockturnal: In New York? Or in Nashville?
Well at first we did a lot of it in LA and then Josh is now back here in New York, I think he’s actually filming a television show for Netflix, so we’re fitting in some music productions in between his shooting schedule.
The Knockturnal: And are you working on the full album? Or just parts of it? Or you don’t know yet?
Mostly the full album. There might be some songs that come in from other sources. But we’re working on a big chunk of it all at the same time.
The Knockturnal: And how did you connect with him?
Josh is a friend and collaborator, we’ve worked together probably about three years now or so. There was a album in 2015 that was a Broadway Album called “Stages”. That was the first project we worked together on. And then he’s just become a great friend and trusted collaborator. Amazing guy. He’s a musical force and also an amazing person.
The Knockturnal: Tell us about your beginnings and who your first mentor was and how you got your start in this industry.
Well, I moved to Nashville a long time ago. In 1995. And so, many moons ago. I started as just being an arranger and session keyboard player. But then I really started connecting with artists and really realizing that my gifts to play were only vehicles to write songs and to help people really discover their best performances. And it sort of just morphed. I can’t point to one moment where I really just suddenly decided on a path change, but it just morphed into music production and songwriting and that’s what I do exclusively now.
Talent also walked away with a preassembled GRAMMY Gift Bag which represented a diverse portfolio of brands ranging from fun to functional. The #GRAMMYGiftBag included items from Art Meets Art, Beal’s Lobster Pier, Book of the Month, Blush & Whimsy, Carrie’d NYC, Clear Ear, Cook Yourself Happy: The Danish Way, Cotton Canary, CO2Lift, Curlee Girlee, Dear Rain, DropMix, Emilie Heathe, Evolved Science, Fireman Hospitality Group, FREY, Go Beyond Here, Golden Door, GoodKarms, Hawke & Co, Healing Saint by Dr. Jane 360, Hydroxycut Organic, Inception of Beauty, iSOCiETY Cosmetics, Le Petit
Cirque, Liquor Lab, Lot18, Maison Atia, Mraz Family Farms, Music Connection, My Magic Mud, M·Y·O Cosmetic Cases, MyPurMist Free, Naipo Wireless Eye Massager, Nothing But The Fruit (NBTF), Nurse Gigi, Ocean Spray, Old Spice Red Collection, People Yearbook, Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skincare, philosophy, Prima Bella Luxury Products, Quincy Herbals, Quip, Rule #1 Don’t Be #2, RXBAR, Salt & Stone Soap Company, Sena-Series Media Training, SheaMoisture, Shop Modern Innovations, Southern Wicked Lemonade, Soundbites, Thankful, The Gentle Barn, The Giving Keys, The Lucky Box Club, TubShroom, Uber Eats, Unreal Snacks, Vaya, and ZO Skin Health. Guests attending the official GRAMMY Celebration also scored in the swag department with a 3-piece Argan Oil Hair Care Maintenance Kit from Crème of Nature that includes: ACV Rinse, Perfect 7 and Perfect Edge.
