CREATIVES COME TOGETHER FOR STARSIGHTED
Bella Rose Durante just wants to see other artists succeed. Especially rising genre-bending artists that she truly believes in.
That’s why, after years of hopes, dreams and aspirations that she confided in her closest friends, they got to stand front row and watch all of them come true: she created and hosted her very own show.
Consisting of five artists, Bella Rose Durante x Crust and Crumble Present: starsighted took place on Saturday, April 26.
She first brought Ethan Ross, Max Volante, Kiaura Rose, Wiseboy Jeremy and Ant Saunders together in the fall of 2024 for a photoshoot with the same inspiration: highlighting rising NJ artists.
Photo by Stella Feinstein
Durante knew THAT was her bill. Drawing a crowd of friends, family and fans from across the world, the audience was further proof she was right.
“It was such a great atmosphere, there was a lot of love in the room,” said Volante. “I have a lot of stage fright, and I’ve never really had a show that was this full of love and goodness. I just felt so f*cking good and connected to everybody up there.”
Ethan Ross opened the night in disguise, finally taking his mask off halfway through the set as his lyrics began to reveal more and more about himself. Ross reminded everyone in the crowd to smile, and that everyone’s just a human – something he says he reinforces to himself frequently.
From there, Max Volante brought jazzy, jammy, joy to the stage in a combination that the crowd deemed “a mixture of Dominic Fike and Maroon 5” (an interesting choice, but truly accurate). Kiaura Rose delivered a divine performance full of lyrics of life, love and rage that all people in the tri-state area should see as soon as possible.
Wiseboy Jeremy picked up on some of the beats that Volante began to drop, and brought the speed of the show up with his tracks. Finally, Ant Saunders practiced All Damn Day! to close out the night with a funky boom. The crowd was singing, dancing and even crying at some points – especially his family, some had driven up to five hours to be there.
Photo by Stella Feinstein
“I really loved watching everyone's performances, I was really wowed by the other people on the stage,” said Ross. “A lot of really nice people, I was able to get really vulnerable with people.”
With Bella, nothing is boring. The five artist bill wasn’t enough for the night, so she brought in DJ Love James to spin between sets. His 2000’s remixes kept the energy up the whole night, people of every age were grooving along. Additionally, creative and long-time friend of Durante, Justin Fuller, brought clothes from his brand Fuller and set up an interactive booth featuring a live video cam.
Photo by Stella Feinstein
None of this would have come together without a little bit of genius and a little bit of goals, and a big handful of support. Bella Rose Durante showed up and brought all of those to the stage. Every single artist on the bill should be seen quickly before they explode, and everyone should know Bella Rose Durante’s name.
“I’m so proud of Bella. Since I’ve known her she’s talked about doing this,” explained Rose. “The amount of things that she’s able to take on, and the amount of life she’s put into my career has been one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever been a part of.