MALIA: INTERVIEW

June 28, 2018

INTRO BY DANA GALO

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

Rising singer-songwriter Malia just recently returned from touring with popular singer and producer, Syd. Having just released her first LP, “Late Bloomer," after collecting a strong following from her singles and music video for “Simple Things,” she has only continued to gain popularity. As an LA-based artist, she is known for her positive vibes and casually easygoing energy that translates into her music. She has since gained over 1 million streams on Spotify, and is featured on numerous hits with other artists.

How old were you when you first became interested in music? When did you realize that you wanted to make it your career?

"I first became interested in music at age 5 when we would have music time at school and I noticed it was always my favorite time. I didn’t realize I wanted to make it a career until I was 26 and I hit a turning point in my life where I started to change my mindset."

In your own words, how would you describe your music?

"My music is really just vibrations of different parts of my soul. I would call it refreshing and pure and stems from my soul and or what I’m feeling or experiencing. I think it makes people feel good."

You recently finished up the “Always Never Home Tour”. How was it? What are some of your favorite memories from the tour?

"Tour was awesome, it was my first time and the experience was great. The whole time was fun really, I was surrounded by friends and the audiences were really kind to me so it made it easier."

You also recently released your debut album “Late Bloomer”. What was the process like creating the album?

"It happened pretty fast actually, I flew out to LA for what was supposed to be 2 weeks to create with Nick Green and Rose Tan, but it turned into about a month of solid work of long studio days and then a couple added live recording days at another studio with other musicians. I’m grateful to have had an opportunity to work with a producer in that capacity and also for all the time and hard work on everyone’s part who was involved, including the behind the scenes support. It was a huge learning experience and a symbol of a lot of growth for me so overall a positive experience! And I’m proud of the music and of what we made."

Of the songs on the album, which would you say best represent you as an artist?

"Naked is my favorite song and represents me because its the type of R&B my ears love, and I really enjoy making that feel of music."

Where do you find most inspiration when creating music?

"I find inspiration everywhere, from nature to people, to peers, family, to my reading, etc. It can strike at any moment and comes in many forms for me."

Is there anything else we can expect from you in the near future?

"I would say to never expect anything from me lol, but there will definitely be new music in the mix at some point this year as I continue to share my path and my journey with all the listeners. I’ve been spending a lot of time with self care and becoming more and more aware of my thoughts & the creation of my reality…Actively focusing on the present and not allowing the planning of future events to be too rigid or time consuming. Id like to continue to go deeper with this practice. Basically working to be as authentic as possible with my creations and give a raw, real vibe to the people out there who are listening, supporting, sending love, and honestly those who aren’t as well."

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'OH RIVER' / HANNAH GRACE: SINGLE REVIEW

June 25, 2018

BY DEMI MARSHALL

Up-and-coming artist Hannah Grace recently released a new single “Oh River”, which truly showcases her strong, timeless voice. With sound and vocals that remind me of folk/indie artists such as Florence and The Machine, this single was very intriguing and impressive. Bringing a calming sense of peace, but also empowerment, Grace’s powerful voice carries the listener through a beautiful experience in this song.

The music in this song is a content mix of piano and violin, which perfectly flows with Grace’s airy vocals. The background music does a great job of mimicking the power or frailty in Grace’s voice, and never takes away from the driving force of her vocals. The music also maintains the listener’s interest by utilizing a variety of crescendos and decrescendos that build the song up, and finally ease it into a close, adding to the fact that the song itself feels like it is telling a story. This aspect also comes from the song’s unique and poetic lyrics.

Using a metaphorical idea of a river taking you through many years of life and experiences, Grace paints a picture that listeners can relate to, while also appreciating the beauty and precision of these lyrics. Building up to one of the highest points in the music when debating whether or not “going with the flow” will help ease her pain, these lyrics not only tell a story, but also leave the listener with a lingering question that could pertain to their own lives.

Grace’s voice is also nothing short of amazing. Her vocals do not sound heavily edited, but rather flow naturally, making it evident that she possesses a lot of raw talent. She showcases quite a range throughout this song, oftentimes hitting low notes, but also letting some falsetto peek through near the end. Grace’s voice has a lot of power and support under it, and she also seems to have great vocal control as well. Her variety of range and power she uses in her voice throughout the song gives it the empowering yet soothing feel it evokes, which keeps the song unique and interesting.

Overall, Hannah Grace’s new single “Oh River” presents her amazing vocal ability, while also producing a calming and interesting song that listeners can easily relate to and enjoy. It isn’t everyday that an artist with such raw talent breaks into the music scene, so it is definitely worth giving Grace a listen. If you like indie/folk music, or you can just appreciate a talented musician with strong vocals, then Hannah Grace is definitely for you.

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'EVERYTHING IS LOVE' / THE CARTERS: ALBUM REVIEW

June 23, 2018

BY DANA GALO

Beyonce and Jay-Z’s latest joint album came as a surprise to all, as the power couple dropped it during the first leg of their international summer tour. The album celebrates the strength of the artists’ marriage. After scrutiny in the media regarding cheating and divorce scandals, Beyonce and Jay-Z’s relationship became infinitely stronger. Listeners are taken through an emotional journey of betrayal, forgiveness, and love. In addition to showcasing themes of resilience, power, and money, Everything is Love also tackles important social issues, including race and police brutality. While Beyonce and Jay-Z have been very careful about exposing personal information to the public, often releasing only a few selected images to control their narrative, their latest album holds nothing back. Essentially, Beyonce’s Lemonade and Jay-Z’s 4:44 are two sides of a story that resulted in Everything is Love.

The opening track “SUMMER” immediately reminds fans of Beyonce’s previous hit album, Lemonade. Beyonce sings warmly about her love for Jay-Z, complemented by a soulful band. After the last melodic strings disappear, “APESHIT” instantly takes the album in a different direction, aggressively addressing power and status. Quavo and Offset are also featured on the Pharrell-produced track. Beyonce flawlessly raps in this song, which proves to be a massively pleasant surprise. She shares great verses, including “Put some respect on my check / Or pay me in equity / Watch me reverse out of debt (skrt!).” “APESHIT” remains the only video yet to be released from the album, which takes place ironically in the Louvre, juxtaposing a museum that is filled with priceless art created by and depicting mainly white people, which is instead crowded with black creators and artists. The two colors, black and white, are contradicted throughout the entirety of the video, a piece of artwork itself.

“BOSS” continues the prominent themes of generational wealth and the overlooked strength of the black community. Beyonce declares “My great-great-grandchildren already rich / That’s a lot of brown children on your Forbes list.” While the song addresses the couple’s financial sustainability, the music is a beautiful collaboration of an electronic beat paired with horned instruments, easily making it one of the best songs on the 9 track album.

Both “NICE” and “713,” the are toned down a little, but are no less intoxicating. Jay-Z discusses his controversial past and limitless future, while “713” continues to establish how ambitious their children are able to be. “FRIENDS” and “HEARD ABOUT US” alternatively demonstrate a softer, keyboard heavy vibe, where the couple gives shoutouts to their friends. Beyonce sings “I love my life / They my ride or dies / My friends are goals.” “HEARD ABOUT US” again melodically connotes nostalgia to Lemonade, as Jay raps praises for his wife. Finally, “BLACK EFFECT” and “LOVEHAPPY” conclude the album on a happy note, stating how the couple uses their unstoppable power to benefit community and achieve social justice. Overall, Everything is Love fits much more into the rap genre than Beyonce’s typical pop category. This hit album will no doubt cause ticket sales for the “On the Run II” tour to skyrocket.

RAYE ZARAGOZA: INTERVIEW

June 22, 2018

INTRO BY KAT VISTI

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

Raye Zaragoza's music carries a meaning about things that are close to her heart, which is hard to find in popular music these days. Her Native American, Mexican, and Japanese heritage influences her music. Her song "In The River" quickly gained popularity due to it's powerful response to the Dakota Access Pipeline. We sat down with Raye to learn more about her debut album entitled Fight For You plus much more!

When was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be a musician?

"When I was a kid, maybe 8 or 9, I remember thinking to myself that writing a song was the “coolest thing” a person could ever do. But the moment I knew I wanted to play music for the rest of my life was definitely at my first show ever (other than playing at farmers markets) that was at The House of Blues Restaurant Stage on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles. I had the most euphoric feeling during that performance and I knew that this was going to make me happy for the rest of my life."

How would you describe your music for those who have not heard it yet?

"I would describe it as contemporary folk with a message. Music made to make you feel but also think."

Last year you released your debut album “Fight For You” – what was the process like creating the album?

"The process was exhilarating! My friend & mixing engineer Justin Hergett & I decided to collaborate on making the album in October 2016. We sat in his studio and I played through all of my songs. We chose which songs would work best for the album, and also talked about ideas for songs I should write for it. In March 2017, I tracked the album with musicians In New York at Dubway Studios with engineer Chris Montgomery. Justin finished vocals with me in Los Angeles. He mixed it, passed it along to Dale Becker for mastering, and by June it was released! It was a truly invigorating creative experience and I had a blast touring on the album all summer and fall. I’m already excited for making another one."

Of the songs on the album, which would you say you’re most proud of?

"American Dream for sure. It was the last song that I wrote for the album and really feels like the through line for the whole album."

Where do you find most inspiration when creating music?

"I find inspiration from everything around me, from people I meet, places I go and stories I hear. I also get inspiration from current events that have an emotional effect on me."

If you could collaborate with any artist whether it be on a song, tour, or something else who would it be and why?

"There is an artist I’ve just discovered that I would truly love to work with - Milck. She is also using her music to inspire change and I think we’d write a great songs together. Or have an awesome tour together!"

Is there anything that we can expect from you in the near future?

"I will be touring with DISPATCH and Nahko and Medicine for the People this summer! I’ll be doing sixteen tour dates with them including Red Rocks and Central Park Summerstage. Super excited for this summer!"

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JOSIE DUNNE: INTERVIEW

June 21, 2018

INTRO BY DANA GALO

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

Since Josie Dunne released her debut single “Old School,” she has already been top on the charts, as well as featured on numerous top Spotify playlists. Instantly, her fanbase continued growing as she released her second single off of her first EP, “To Be The Little Fish,” in addition to accompanying music videos. What we have heard from Josie is not only fun, but also inspired by a mixture of pop music and the soul of Motown. Although she has lots of experience in the industry, having written songs for artists like Kelly Clarkson and Jacob Sartorius, this is the first time fans will hear her music straight from the source. We got a chance to sit down with her to find out more about her as an artist and where she is headed.

How old were you when you first found your love for music?

"I grew up in a really creative family, so I was always around art and music as a kid. Because of that, I’ve been really into music for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t till I was in middle school that I started playing shows and taking it seriously, though."

When did you realize you wanted to pursue music as your career?

"I grew up in a small suburb of Chicago and I think that I realized I could pursue music as my career when I started getting attention for being the “music girl” around that town. And that was about when I was about 13 years old. I would call the locals bars or restaurants and ask them if I could play there. I knew it was a good sign when they started calling me instead of the other way around. Ha!"

Who are some of your musical influences?

"I grew up on a lot of MoTown and RnB Soul. So my favorite artists are Amy Winehouse, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder. At the same time, my parents would just play the radio around the house and in the car, so I also loved all the 90s and early 00’s pop music. So I’m also definitely influenced by Britney Spears, N’SYNC, and Mariah Carey, too. With my music, I’ve tried to blend the worlds of those two, combining the heart and grit of MoTown with the fun of that era’s tight pop songs."

You recently released your debut single “Old School”. Why did you choose for it to be your first single?

"Old School was the first song I wrote that I felt like was exactly the sound I was going for. Plus, lyrically I thought it was really fun and happy, which is always what I aim for. The rest of the EP was written around Old School. I think that song always being the centerpiece made it the obvious choice for the first single."

You also recently released your EP “To Be The Little Fish” – can you tell us a little about the EP as a whole and the process creating it?

"I’m so insanely excited for the EP to come out! It took me over 3 years of writing to find what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it, so it feels like it’s been a long time coming getting this thing into the world. I’ve been really lucky that in my artistic development, I’ve gotten to work with people in the music industry that are my heroes- my favorite songwriters, producers, and artists. I wanted to call the EP “To Be The Little Fish” because of everything I’ve learned from these people about navigating the tough waters of the industry and growing yourself as a person. Someone gave me great advice that I should always strive to be the little fish. That way, I can hang out with the big fish and learn from them on how they got to be so big. Kind of like the saying ‘if you’re the smartest one in the room, you’re hanging out with the wrong people’. The people that have helped me create these 6 songs have really let me be their “little fish”- I’ve learned so much from them. So, that’s how the EP got it’s title."

How would you describe the EP in three words?

"Fun. Groovy. Soulful."

Is there anything else we can expect from you soon?

"My goal is to start touring as soon as I can! I really want to get out there and meet some of the people that have been streaming and buying the music. So, hopefully I’ll be booking some shows soon!"

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