SAINT MOTEL - The Awards Show

Founded by vocalist A/J Jackson and guitarist Aaron Sharp—film-school classmates with a shared appreciation of obscurist cinema—and later rounded out by bassist Dak Lerdamornpong and drummer Greg Erwin, Saint Motel first revealed their imaginative take on alt-pop with their 2009 debut EP ForPlay. The band soon amassed a devoted underground following, thanks in part to a series of “experiential concerts” with such themes as Zombie Prom and Judgment Day, then found breakout success with their critically acclaimed 2012 debut album Voyeur. After signing to Elektra Records, Saint Motel saw their fanbase grow exponentially with the release of My Type EP, a 2014 effort whose platinum-certified title track became a top 10 alternative radio hit. In 2016, they flipped the script once again with saintmotelevision—a first-of-its-kind full-length accompanied by virtual music videos for all ten of its tracks, making it the world’s first-ever virtual-reality album. In addition to touring with acts like Arctic Monkeys, Imagine Dragons, Band of Skulls, and Weezer, Saint Motel have also spent much of the last half-decade bringing their captivating live show to leading festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo.

“Some moments are best described by music,” offered Zachary Stein, P.K.A Steinza, “and I try my best to bring those moments to life with my songs.” The Virginia Beach native is an impassioned singer/songwriter, with a soulful-pop production style that sets him apart from others in his space. From the age of seven, when he picked up his older sister’s guitar aLer she abandoned the hobby, Steinza has had an intimate relationship with his music. Early on he focused on the guitar, and later branched out to play piano and sing. As his skills progressed, he began playing in the band at his church and playing guitar in studio sessions. He would spend years honing his production skills on an old computer in a storage closet that his church provided him. Citing influences from John Mayer to Bon Iver & Dallas Green, Steinza relishes in navigating through genres, with his signature, recognizable soulful touch. His newest records are the result of his deep musical intrigue combining with his passion to create a melodic canvas. Frequent collaborators include the likes of hometown rising stars Matt Maeson and Rozwell (together known as the duo USERx) and mentor Dave Hummel (Missy Elliott, Pharrell, Timbaland).