OTTAWA: INTERVIEW

July 2, 2018

INTRO BY KATARZYNA MONIKA SKŁADANOWSKA

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

Dale DeLong (vocals), Will Hooper (guitar), Tim Czajka (guitar) and Jeremy Barnes (bass) teamed up in 2014, forming a new, unique band – OTTAWA. The band from Cleveland, Ohio, gives us a fresh, energetic sound – and what makes them so outstanding is the fact that Ottawa have created something really different –something that is a reflection of who they are as artists.

This one-and-only indie rock sound is a result of the band’s various influences including The Beatles, Rush, The Killers, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac and others. After releasing an album in 2014, titled "Random Lights” and their EP "Small Talk” in 2017, it’s time for some new music. Their new single "Strangers” was released on the 21st of June.

Dale (vocalist) talked with Unclear Magazine about the beginnings of the band, their influences, "Strangers” (proving us they aren’t any strangers to us at all!) and what he thinks the future holds for the band – and for us their future shines really bright!

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

DALE: "Tim and I met in high school; I knew he played guitar so I kept bugging him to start a band and he didn't take me seriously until Will came on board 3 years after we graduated. I'm still not entirely sure how seriously he takes me ;-). Jeremy joined two years ago when we were looking for a new bassist. It was a perfect fit and we haven't looked back."

How would you describe your music in three words?

DALE: "Ambitious, melodic, catchy."

Who are some of your musical influences?

DALE: "So many, but ones we all agree on would be: The Cure, Wilco, Tom Petty, Oasis, The Beatles."

You recently released your single “Strangers” later this month. Can you tell us a little about the song and the inspiration behind it?

DALE: "It happened super fast - It's one of those ones that wrote it self. I wrote the melody and Tim had an awesome riff. During recording, however, we wrote an entirely new chorus, which also took like 15 min. it's one of our favorite new songs."

Where do you hope to see the band go in the future?

DALE: "It's hard to not be cliché when talking about band goals, but we want it all- SNL, The Tonight Show, Glastonbury, MSG, the whole bit, lol."

Is there anything else we can expect from you soon?

DALE: "More songs, music videos, shows and content galore."

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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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