𝐀 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤’𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬!

Candy Apple Blue - Then There Was You (Cover Art Photo Winners Chosen by Fans)

🏆🏆🏆 𝐀 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤’𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬! 🏆🏆🏆

Hoyt, Nick, and I wanted to send you guys a warm thank you 🙏🏻 for participating in our poll. You guys have GREAT taste and picked the best photos of us to be used on the official cover art of our forthcoming 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 ☠ cover of 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮!

Candy Kisses 💋, Carly

*Then There Was You is a deep cut taken from Dead Or Alive's 1986 album, Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know. 

𝐈𝐬 𝐀𝐈 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐟𝐭?

Hoyt Emerick (An AI Generated Poster)

Please take a moment to read this. 🙏🏻

A well-meaning Candy Apple Blue enthusiast recently sent in this AI interpretation of our original photograph of Hoyt. This image won our poll earlier this week. Despite its fabulousness, it now appears to be a bombastic, over-the-top rock-star movie poster.

A task that, likely, required only a few minutes to execute with a simple command prompt in AI would have taken me days to design in Photoshop. But at what cost?

AI "command prompters" might be unintentionally stealing or plagiarizing from real human authors' copyrighted works. This not-so-great AI takeover is replacing artists, musicians, filmmakers, book authors, mastering engineers, cartoonists, and photographers. It's even infiltrating the job market.

I don't know about you, but my electric bill has almost doubled since the AI takeover. Information-mining data centers are polluting our country, evaporating our water, distorting our perception of reality, and destroying lives. The environmental impact alone is grossly negligent.

I might sound old here, but maybe it's because I am. I'll be 54 this year, and I'm a proud Gen Xer. If these big tech companies don't stop putting profits before people, there will be no real art left. Hell, there might not even be a planet left. What will become of future generations?

I know all of this might sound trite or even contradictory coming from someone who's in an indie synth-pop band. Our original music is produced with vintage drum machines and synthesizers, most of which date back to the 1980s. But please know that we work hard to compose original lyrics, melodies, and chord progressions. It's our greatest hope that our works will make a real human connection. We use our own voices and put our lived experiences into our music creation.

So, let me ask you this. Do you think that AI technology has gone too far? And, if so, where do you draw the line? Could you answer honestly? Is this image AI slop or true artistry?

Sincerely, Carly Emerick (songwriter, audio engineer)

Which Picture of Carly Won the Popular 𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 ?

Carly Emerick of Candy Apple Blue

The time has come to reveal which picture of Carly won the popular 𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 ☑️! No. 4 was the winner by a landslide with a total of 38 votes!

The VOTES came in from all of our social media platforms. (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky) We want to thank everyone who contributed their feedback to help us decide which pictures of Nick, Hoyt, and Carly should be used on the official cover art of our forthcoming 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 cover of 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮.

#4 got the most love and the most votes. So the decision has been made. 🏆 Thank you all for your participation. 🙏🏻

1) xxxxx xxxxx xxx (13 Votes)  

 2) xxxxx xxx (8 Votes)

 3) xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxx (18 Votes)

4) xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxx (38 Votes)

The song is now in the final mixing and mastering stages, so we can move forward with creating eye-catching, Pete-esque-inspired artwork. Stay tuned for more updates!

Vote for Your Favorite Pic of Carly!

Carly Emerick Photo Session for Then There Was You (Cover Art)

Our 3rd and final voting poll is now open! 𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 ☑️ to help us decide which picture of 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘 should be used on the official cover art of our forthcoming 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 ☠ cover of 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮.

The popular vote is the winner, and only you can decide! Carly, Carly on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? #1 #2 #3 or #4 🤔 🧐 

Vote for Your Favorite Pic of Hoyt!

Hoyt Emerick Photo Session for Then There Was You (Cover Art)

The polls are open again! 𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 to help us decide which picture of 𝐇𝐎𝐘𝐓 we should use for the official cover art of our forthcoming 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 ☠ cover of 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮. 

Which image will win the popular vote? Only you can decide. Which one is your personal favorite? 

~ Candy Kisses 💋, Carly

Vote for Your Favorite Pic of Nick!

Nick Bramlett Photo Session for Then There Was You (Cover Art)

𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 to help me decide which picture of 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐤 I should use for the official cover art of our forthcoming 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 ☠ cover of 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮. I'm leaning towards #𝟏, but I really like some of the other options too. I thought it would be best if we all had an "emergency meeting" of the minds to decide which picture of Nick is worthy of the cover art design. Nick is so photogenic. Which is your favorite? ~ Candy Kisses 💋, Carly

Billy Steinberg (Songwriter)

Billy Steinberg (Songwriter)

It's hard for me to put into words just how important this man's music & lyrics are to me. Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly's compositions inspired Hoyt and me to become songwriters ourselves. He was one of the great composers of our time.

His songs like True Colors, Eternal Flame, Alone, I'll Stand By You, and Taking a Cold Look spoke to us on a primal level. He was right up there with the very best of them. (e.g., Holly Knight, Jim Steinman, and Diane Warren)

When Hoyt and I first composed "Game Over," I remember saying to Hoyt that this could be a Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg song.  Then we both imagined what it might sound like if Heart had recorded it. 

Back in the 80s & 90s, when we were out record shopping, we'd often look at songwriting credits on albums and CDs to see if there was a Steinberg/Kelly song we didn't know. We'd always pick it up if we found one. 

Interestingly enough, last year, I got in touch with Billy via Instagram to discuss the idea of professionally recording True Colors with its original lyrics intact. He originally wrote True Colors for his mom. His first rough draft of the lyrics was very personal and very different. Tom Kelly rightly asked Billy to rewrite the song to make it more universal so that they could shop it to major artists. Anyway, this idea never came to fruition.

This one hits hard. You left us with so much, Billy. 🙏🏻

Sincerely, Carly

I Can See the Finish Line in Sight

Carly Emerick of Candy Apple Blue 

It's no secret that we've been working tirelessly, endlessly, and meticulously on our forthcoming DOA ☠️ cover of Then There Was You. 

Over these past few months, this song has completely consumed me. But having said that, it's also been artistically rewarding. Working with Project K on this collab feels like jumping into a safety net. James has been remarkably kind and patient with my process. Sometimes I feel like a turtle 🐢 in a rabbit 🐰 race. As an audio engineer, I work slowly, but I assure you it's for the greater good of the final output.

I am happy to report that I can finally see the finish line in sight. I have a few more hurdles to jump before I forward my work over to James in the UK for final mixing. 

Thank you for cheering us on! We are doing everything within our human powers to deliver another TOP NOTCH Dead Or Alive cover that will exceed your expectations. 

Candy Kisses 💋, Carly 

Candy Apple Blue Delays Dead or Alive ☠ Cover to Perfect the Sound!

 

Candy Apple Blue Delays Dead or Alive ☠ Cover to Perfect the Sound!

The wait continues, but the payoff is coming! 

Originally planned for Valentine's Day, the release of Then There Was You was postponed. Why? Because Nick Bramlett and the band refuse to compromise on quality. They've already captured foundational vocals and are now layering additional elements to craft something truly special.

This deliberate approach to deliver excellence reveals what separates artists who care: the willingness to delay rather than deliver mediocre work. The band is meticulously building atmosphere in the studio, ensuring every note serves their vision (because this level of perfection and dedication can't be rushed or scheduled). The sonic details matter, and Candy Apple Blue is investing the time to nail them.

This isn't just any cover—it's a full collaboration with Project K, and the team is committed to getting every detail right. They're committed to quality over deadlines. Candy Apple Blue's message to fans is clear: your support means everything, and the final track will deliver and deeply resonate! 

This postponement isn't a setback—it's a commitment to delivering something worth waiting for. In a world obsessed with content calendars and hitting deadlines, this feels rare. Candy Apple Blue is investing more time in the studio, creating the right atmosphere, and building something they know their fans will genuinely enjoy for years to come.

Key Takeaways:

• **Quality over timeliness** – Candy Apple Blue deliberately postponed their Dead or Alive cover past the Valentine's Day deadline to avoid rushing, prioritizing the final product over meeting an arbitrary release date.

• **Collaborative layering process** – The band is building the track in multiple stages, starting with foundational, vocals, then progressively adding layers, rather than completing it all at once.

• **Studio atmosphere matters** – Carly emphasized creating a special studio environment to capture the perfect sound, suggesting that metaphysics and emotional space will influence the quality of their musical output.