DONORA: INTERVIEW

January 1, 2018

INTRO BY GRACE SERRAMBANA

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

Originally a brother/sister duo, Jake and Casey Hanner and Jake Churton teamed up and became a band named Donora. Donora recently came out with an album titled Sun To Me (purchase album here), which the band members say is all about choosing love. Their music is perfect for someone who wants a mix of a more calming and lively sound. We asked Donora about how they discovered their passion for music and their process for creating their recent single, This Heart. Also, Donora hints at a very exciting project in the works!

In October you released your new single This Heart. Can you tell us a little about the song and the inspiration behind it?

CASEY: "This Heart is a song about living passionately. I'm a pretty passionate person and when I decide to do something, I tend to jump in head first. It can be an exhausting way to live, but I think it's the only way to live."

You also recently released your latest album Sun To Me – what was the process like creating it?

CASEY: "When we were writing and recording these songs, there were a lot of terrible and confusing things happening in the world (and there still are today). I think working on this music was our way of dealing with that. This album is about choosing love."

Is there a song on the album that you found a difficult to create, whether it was the lyrics, melody, recording, etc.?

CASEY: "Some of these songs went through multiple versions before we got to the version that ended up on the album. So Simple was one of those songs. It took a while for us to figure out the right vibe for that one. But I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I'm glad we took the time to get it right!"

Because this is your fourth full-length album, how do you think your music has changed the most over the years?

CASEY: "When we first started writing songs as a band, we wrote in a more live setting all together. That has definitely changed over the years and we now do more writing in the studio. I also think that we've figured out our strengths (both as individuals and as a band) and that our songs reflect that a little more than they did in the past."

What do you love most about creating music?

CASEY: "Being able to capture a mood or a feeling with music is something that we love doing. It can be a challenge to have all of the elements come together in the right combination...but if you can achieve that, it becomes something really special."

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

CASEY: "There might be a covers album coming soon! ;)"

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'BRUISING PT. II' / AMANDA JAYNE: SINGLE REVIEW

December 27, 2017

BY EMMA SCHOORS

Amanda Jayne’s 2016 album “Strike a Match” left fans wanting more of the singer’s vulnerability and style. Just in time for the new year, Jayne released a new single titled “Bruising Pt. II,” putting the need for new music to rest. The song contains honest and thoughtful lyrics, paired with complimentary piano and gentle yet powerful vocals. It is the sequel to her 2016 song “Bruising,” hence the title, and tells the story told by the previous song in a different vibe and style. Amanda Jayne’s music can be found below.

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WE'RE NO GENTLEMEN: INTERVIEW

December 27, 2017

INTRO BY MADDEN LEVIN

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

With their debut EP released last year doing tremendously well, We’re No Gentlemen, a female-fronted alternative rock band, shares with us everything about their music and lives. This band is definitely not one to pass over and we promise you’ll enjoy their meaningful music. Below you can find our exclusive interview with the band!

In 2016 you guys released your debut self-titled EP. Do you personally feel that specific group of songs was a good introduction to you guys as a band?

"We feel like it was just the beginning for the band and helped established us as an act. The songs are catchy with memorable lyrics so it definitely got people interested in us. We always get excited whenever someone tells us what our music means to them so the feedback has been amazing. Our fans fuel our fire to keep writing great songs and to push ourselves in newer directions as well."

Your newest single is Night – why did you want this to be the next single off the EP?

"We feel this song has an epic feel to it as well a message that people can relate to. It is a fan favorite live and it has such a great atmosphere to it sonically that we thought it would translate well visually too."

You recently released a music video for Night. What was it like filming the video? Any favorite memories from filming?

"Making the video for Night was not only one of the best experiences we’ve had as a band, but one of our most memorable experiences as individuals. When we first met with our director Henry Arres (who also directed our video for Mirror, Mirror), we first discussed a simplistic performance-based concept in order to avoid having a storyline that might not be told in its full extent in a music video format. However, a few weeks before shooting, Henry came up with a great concept that was based off the lyrics of the song and we were confident that he could bring his vision to fruition. Every member of the band had their own storyline, which was all linked together with the theme of loss. Despite the deep and personal subject matter, the video crew created a fun and positive environment during the whole fourteen hour shoot, which allowed our emotions to come across the screen convincingly. The funny thing is we were trying to make each other laugh while filming these scenes, but we had to be really serious. It was great! Especially the scene where Daniele was thrown out of the bar!"

Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the song and the video?

"Night is a song about wanting to let go of hurt. It's a build up of all of the experiences that have now become you. It's about wanting to let go of negative and suicidal thoughts. Most of the band has been affected by loved ones taking their own life so this song is very dear to our hearts. The video shows each member of the band in situations that either cause emotional pain or are an outcome of coping with pain in negative ways. Although all of the images are dark and bleak, we are trying to depict that everyone goes through hardships and can come to terms with the loss in their life in order to set themselves free in positive ways."

For anyone that hasn’t heard your music before, how would you describe it to them?

"Overall, we are a high energy, female fronted alternative rock band. Each song has somewhat of a different vibe. Mirror, Mirror is definitely our pop-rock track, whereas Night has a darker, emo sound. The music we're currently writing is heavier than anything we've ever done."

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

"We just recorded a new EP that will be released early 2018."

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BEAT THE SYSTEM: INTERVIEW

December 26, 2017

INTRO BY GRACE SERRAMBANA

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

Dreaming to reach the stars in America is a Malaysian pop-rock band called Beat The System. They have achieved many record and radio successes in their home country, but have always craved to make their music known in America. Beat The System turns real life experiences into music, and hopes that their music can be relatable. The band members are excited about embarking on their upcoming journey with their fans - and sharing it all through their music. We caught up with the band to talk about how they came together to create their band, Beat The System, their recent singles, and any upcoming events!

How did you guys first come together to start the band?

Gerald: "Stewart founded Beat The System in 2004 and I joined a few years later as the drummer. Back then we were experimenting with different sounds, ranging from pop rock to nu metal music. After being discovered by the former world no.1 A&R Diana Meltzer, we made the move to New York City in 2014. At that time, we didn’t have a singer. Through a series of fortunate events, we met May Leigh at a Christmas party and we got to listen to a demo she was working on then. I remember being so blown away by her powerful and soulful voice. May was eventually inducted into the band as our lead vocalist. That is how Beat The System came to be."

Was it hard to choose a band name? How did you come up with ‘Beat The System’?

Stewart: "In Malaysia, music isn’t as celebrated as it is here in the States. In fact, telling your friends and relatives that you’re a serious musician is often frowned upon. Some people back home have this preconceived notion that if you’re a musician, you must be involved in drugs, or that you sleep around and all you do is play music and stay drunk the whole time. It was especially the case for Gerald and I. That is how the name ‘Beat The System’ came to be, to be a living testimonial that not all musicians engage in such negative activities, that music can be used for good and that musicians can lead a positive lifestyle as well."

Who are some of your musical influences?

May: "I’d say David Bowie and Dolly Parton."

Gerald: "MARIAH CAREY, caps intended!"

Stewart: "It’ll have to be Linkin Park."

You recently released another version of your first single, Be Your Own. Can you tell us a little about the song and the inspiration behind it?

"As anyone reading this would’ve guessed, our single title ‘Be Your Own’ is literally about being your own. You see, in wanting to belong to today’s competitive and demanding world, we more often than not do whatever it takes to please those around us even if it costs us dearly. We agree when we disagree, we show up at parties out of fear of being labelled as boring, we say what we don’t mean just to fit in, we stop acting like we care because it’s seen as being weak, we behave in ways that are just, well, not us. It’s a song of relevance, of hope, of encouragement, of an undying passion. It’s a reminder to everyone that we only have one life to live on this Earth, just one, so why not live it out loud? Live it big? Why fear being yourself when there is only one YOU? As you listen to ‘Be Your Own’ we hope that its words speak to you, better yet your soul, and just know that you are God’s special creation, one that is unique and can never be replicated."

Between Be Your Own and 2016 single, Hero, which would you say best represents you guys as a band?

"It’s impossible to choose between the two simply because it represents different aspect and mood of the band. Hero is more like an ass kicking, in-your-face song whereas Be Your Own is like a gentler anthem of courage. We’re the type of band that love to change things up, we’re always open to experimentation in order to stay relevant while maintaining our edge."

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be and why?

"Maroon 5. These guys have been around for the longest time and yet they remained relevant, a feat not many bands can pull off. They have a unique sound and they’re always open to experimenting different things."

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

"Look out for a tour in your nearest city!"

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FOREST KIDS: INTERVIEW

December 24, 2017

BY KAT H. WENTZELL

22-year-old Pennsylvanian Paul Marchesani is the electronic phenomenon known as Forest Kids. By day, he is a regular college student, and by night, he is an experimental innovator. His music is truly one of a kind, and those interested in experiencing his concepts are encouraged to start with his latest EP, titled Storefront, which just recently dropped on December 15th.

How exactly would you describe your music?

Marchesani: "Enticing. It’s less of 'OH F*CK,' and more of, like, 'Whoa, I haven’t heard of anything like this.' That’s at least what I’m going for. It’s at least something that I would enjoy, something that I would want to hear personally. [My music] is definitely conceptual and melodic. I just can’t not write a melody."

What genre would you classify your music as?

Marchesani: "Electronic and experimental, for sure. It’s also a mixture of IDM, lo-fi hip-hop, trip-pop….I don’t know, there’s a lot of subgenres."

What makes Forest Kids Collective unique?

Marchesani: "The cool thing about the Forest Kids records themselves is that they all combine to create one big record. It’s [my past records,] Hace, Xpress Window, Wave Complex, and Fever Aches all making a record together, and that’s the Forest Kids experience."

Can you talk about your most recent record, Storefront?

Marchesani: "It’s everywhere. Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon….you can [even] Shazam it. [The album’s] really cool because there are no taken samples at all, but you could be like, 'This sounds like it’s from something else.' [For example,] I did [audio production] a while ago at Mother Bethel Church, which was the first African-American church in America, and they had this amazing choir. I got a copy of the stems and reversed them. [The track] is this religious praise with a spiritual power to it, and it’s reversed, so you don’t know what they’re saying, but you can still feel the power in it. That track is in the first song of Storefront. There are a bunch of tracks on that record that can make you go, 'Where the hell did he get that?' I didn’t steal anything, I did it all myself. I’m really proud of that."

How long did it take you to put it all together?

Marchesani: "Probably about, in total, two years. Just getting all of the samples together took time."

Do you have any shows or important events coming up that people should know about?

Marchesani: "I’m playing a show at the Doom Saloon this month. I’ll be doing the whole EP live there. I will also be putting out an ambient Christmas album on Christmas."

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