YouTube Goes a-Caroling

I've never actually gone out caroling myself around the holidays, but it sounds like fun. Drinking hot cocoa, hanging with your friends, freezing your behind off while you chatter carols to people who are slightly less freezing than you are. At least that was the world of caroling according to my mom.

Now, we have the Internet. This year, "YouTube Caroling" (be sure to check out contest details) is aiming to breathe a little more warmth into our holiday cheer by giving us the chance to sing our carols, nice and cozy, from in front of our very own computer screens. No freezing or chattering necessary. To pass on some of that cheer, here are a few of my favorite "YouTube Caroling" videos that are sure to get you smiling wider than a nice kid on Christmas:

Mitchell Davis Says His Thank-Yous

I don't know about the rest of the world, but "Snow Day" and zebra masks are definitely how I'll remember Mitchell Davis. Not that he's going anywhere anytime soon. With his and Kyle Sibert's "in the flesh" live performance coming up this month, I have no doubt this is only the beginning of...something. The beginning of, as he calls it, a new chapter in his life. And with this new chapter, it only seems fitting that he's saying "farewell" to the room that started it all.

Not only that, but he's saying "thank you" as well. Thank you to District Lines, thank you to his grandparents...thank you to his fans for making everything possible. You can't say the kid was never humble.

And I don't about you guys, but watching him sit there in that room made me myself a little nostalgia. Seemed like it was only yesterday my sister was yelling at me to come into the room to watch "Snow Day"...again. On my own laptop.

But no need to cry. Wouldn't want to break the rules twice.

Megan and Liz: From YouTube to Oprah

Image belongs to Megan and Liz

The Internet might have very well put an end to kids just singing in barber shops and talent shows, but it sure hasn't put an end to the talent. Meet Megan and Liz, 17-year-old twin guitarist-and-songwriter combo, who have not only ranked high in YouTube subscribers but have also been on the Oprah Winfrey show.

From covering such popular songs as Miley Cyrus' The Climb and Owl City's Fireflies to composing and performing their own original songs, Megan and Liz have been singing since the age of little girls. And they don't need a record label to keep going strong. Though, the girls admit, it would be cool to record in-studio.

But in spite of getting to meet their performing idol Taylor Swift herself and interviewed by Hollywood The Write Way, both Megan and Liz still seem pretty down-to-earth. Of course all the attention is nice, but the only thing really driving these two girls is the desire to be heard.

"We just love the fact that so many people want to hear our music," Liz maintains. "If fame comes out of that then that’s just one more amazing benefit!"
- 21st Century Celebrities, Agoravox

Listen to more from Megan and Liz on their Myspace and YouTube pages, and if you like what you hear, why not follow them on Twitter?

Young GLEEks Be Heard

There's only one thing more fun than listening to your favorite songs on Fox's new TV series, Glee - singing 'em yourself, of course! Back in September, Myspace Karaoke launched its first Glee Contest, and through Myspace Karaoke, fans got to show their stuff performing fan favorites, such as Gold Digger and Can't Fight This Feeling. Now, this November, Myspace Karaoke launched its second Glee Contest, and up until November 30, fans can submit their renditions of Sweet Caroline, Keep Holding On, Hate On Me, Bust A Move, and I Could Have Danced All Night.

Usually these type of contests are a great way to find people that genuinely scare you...but I've been browsing through the entries, and some submissions from the younger Glee audience really caught my ears. Take a listen/look at these fun and fantastic entries to Myspace's Second Glee Karaoke Contest, then head on over here to check out more submissions.

Sweet Caroline by Michael
(originally performed by Neil Diamond)

Keep Holding On by Marysol
(originally performed by Avril Lavigne)

Hate On Me by Chantel
(originally performed by Jill Scott)

Bust A Move by K.C.
(originally performed by Young MC)

I Could Have Danced All Night by Miss Lilah Ann
(originally performed for My Fair Lady)

Knock, Knock - Who's There? BOO!

It was a dark and stormy night; five teens fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when they were checked by a frightened friend who swept up the halls...rattling along the stairs, and fiercely agitating one other teen that struggled with their birthday plan of pranks.

BOO!

Halloween brought us not only tricks, treats, and stinky feet but the debut of the (short) trailer for YUTE Productions' new short, BOO!, and November 2nd, the short was released via their YouTube channel, YUTETV. Directed by young actor David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place) and cousin Johnny Salvatore, the short follows the plight of six teens as they have a run-in with a spooky janitor legend...and soon only one teen remains.

Triggering a lot of scares and a lot of laughs, BOO! creates the perfect blend of humor and suspense. Watching BOO! fondly reminded me of the student shorts (the good ones) filmed by my peers during my high school years, and the talented cast and crew do an excellent job of entertaining toward the youth audience (with just a regular camera and zero financing to boot). David Henrie has quite a directing career ahead of him.

And finally, what you've been waiting for - in case you missed it, catch David Henrie's (YUTE Productions) thrilling short, BOO! right here:

YUTE Productions is a production company founded and developed by David Henrie, a collaborative side project geared toward creating "'Y-Gen' content". Visit the "Producing" page on his official website for more information.

Mitchell Davis: Off the Screen & in the Flesh

Whenever "YouTube" comes up around our house, my sister's eyes light up, and the first name to fly out of her mouth is...Mitchell Davis. To be honest, it took me a while to warm up to the guy (and only did when he mentioned Double Dare 2000), but he has always been on her list of favorites.

So naturally, I flipped when I found out the one and only Mitchell Davis of livelavalive would be doing a live performance with Kyle Sibert this December. Off the screen and in the flesh. My sister's convinced we're going, but...not quite sure how we're getting to New Jersey yet.

Featuring a night of new skits, a mini dance party, and a meet-and-greet, Mitchell Davis and Kyle Sibert will perform live for one night only on Saturday, December 19th. Check out the online flyer for details and to snag your tickets.

This Should Get You Howling

Come this November, the kiddOvision blog is going to be different. Different how, you say? Well, let's just say I'm in the middle of giving this place a make-over. While I can't reveal any specifics, I will say that the end result will be something truly awesome. And the most awesome part? You get to be a part of it. So tell your friends early so they can be a part of the awesomeness before it even happens.

But let me guess, you guys want details, right? Will this be cuter? Funnier? Stranger? Scarier? Well, I don't know about that...but if you want to see something scary, look no further than BalloonShop's video, Halloween Night. They just might get you hooked on their YouTube prowess.

Video source: BalloonShop on YouTube