HAVEN: INTERVIEW

May 11, 2020

BY PANKHURI BHUTANI

She was only 12 when she decided to move to Nashville in order to build up a music career. Coming from a small town of Moville, Iowa, HAVEN was successful in proving her talent and passion for music to others. HAVEN began touring the nation by the age of 15 with talented country acts such as Thomas Rhett, Lady Antebellum, Toby Keith, and Hunter Hayes.

In November 2019, the talented HAVEN released her debut pop single titled “Swimming In Your Feelings,” which turned out to be a global success. The song instantly hit #6 on the Radio Disney Top Songs chart. The song also went viral on TikTok as the #SwimmingInYourFeelings challenge and led to her gaining 3.7 million views on the video sharing platform.

Following the success of her debut pop single, HAVEN released her new song in February 2020 titled, “Be With You”. Upon release, the song was listed on both the Radio Disney Top 10 Songs chart and Apple Music x Shazam’s “Recommended New Music” playlist.

Her latest single “Sad & Successful,” has already been a huge success. HAVEN will also be touring and opening for former Fifth Harmony member Dinah Jane and the talented Agnez Mo. Haven took out some time to talk to Unclear Magazine about her music roots and future plans in music!

Hello! Thank you for joining us at Unclear magazine. Kindly tell us something about yourself!

HAVEN: “Hey! I’m HAVEN! I write songs, love hugs, and eat ice cream for breakfast regularly.”

When was the moment you decided to start your journey as a music artist?

H: “Music was always something I loved, ever since I can remember. My mom took me to my first concert to see Shania Twain when I was four years old and I looked up at her and said, ‘I want to do that’. I’ve always had the dream of selling out stadiums. I bought a guitar with my birthday money when I was nine and started writing, but I didn’t start really pursuing music seriously until I was 12. I started fronting a band doing around 100 dates a year and traveling to Nashville to be in writing sessions every day. Then, I home-schooled all of high school so that I would be available to travel and pursue music as well. I lived in my band trailer at 15 with my mom, so I could have the ability to tour and write in Nashville. At around the age of 19, I started traveling to Los Angeles to write for this pop project. I feel like naturally I’ve always had the passion and dream to write and be an artist. It’s just been somethings that’s always been in me.”

Who do you consider to be the biggest source of inspiration?

H: “My biggest inspiration growing up was Shania Twain!”

If you could choose one emotion to describe your music, what might it be and why?

H: “Moody, I feel like most of my songs have a lil’ sass. I write whatever my mood is and that varies day by day [laughs].”

What was the idea behind your new single “Sad & Successful”? What message are you trying to convey through it?

H: “My latest single ‘Sad & Successful’ is probably the most personal song I’ve written and released. I was in a writing session in LA and my family was celebrating my dad’s birthday in Nashville, without me. They were sending me videos and I was feeling super homesick and just creatively drained. I remember just thinking is me being here in this studio worth being away from the people I love, like at the end of the day when I’m successful will all of this be worth it? The song just poured out of me. My producer was actually recording me watching the videos from my family, so at the end of the song you can hear my mom say, ‘We love you Kelsey,’ (which is my real name) and it’s just so special to me. Obviously, I love what I do, I love my team and LA so much, but sometimes you just have those moments of being homesick and I think we definitely captured that. It took a few hours to complete but months to finally release it. So, I’m so excited that it is finally out!!”

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You’ll be joining the talented Dinah Jane for an upcoming tour. What are the things that you are looking forward to from that experience?

H: “I CANNOT WAIT to go on tour when it is safe!! I’m most looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to play all of this new music! I love performing and traveling!”

Lastly, what can the fans expect from your music in the future?

H: “LOTS OF IT! I’ll be releasing new music every six weeks this year, so there will be lots more on the way!”

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MY KID BROTHER: INTERVIEW

May 9, 2020

BY EMILY HARRIS

Reigning from Leesburg, Virginia, My Kid Brother has exploded as a promising addition to Fearless Records. The band, including Christian Neonakis [vocals, guitar], Piano Whitman [keyboard, vocals], Sam Athanas [drums], Dylan Savopolous [guitar], and Richard Smith [bass], have blended their punk background into addictive melodies and catchy choruses. Their past three singles, “Native Tongue,” “Pastels,” and “Daydream” each have their own sound but entirely encapsulate the newest era of alternative music.

Christian Neonakis was able to talk to us here at Unclear Magazine about the quintet and what’s to come next.

Hey guys! Why don’t you tell us a little bit about the beginnings of the band?

Christian: “The band started back in 2016 when Sam and Christian (who had both recently left other bands) started playing music together at the bar they worked at after hours. For some-time we didn’t know if it was the type of thing that would ever get out to the world or just something fun for us to do for our friends… but eventually we decided to put together a full band and play some shows. We had become friends with Dylan at the bar and learned that he was a great guitar player AND had a very sweet place for us to play music. We eventually met Richard by playing shows and getting to know other musicians in the area. He immediately became close friends with all of us and it was only a matter of time before we asked him to start playing full time with MKB. After around two years of playing our last keyboardist was unable to continue playing for personal reasons, so we began searching for someone to take that spot. Richard knew of a lot of local musicians and after meeting Piano and jamming with her, we were all extremely impressed and asked her the next day if she wanted to become a permanent member in the band.”

How has being a quintet help define the sound you make? How have you been able to lace the male-female vocals into your work?

C: “I don't really think we could do the music justice without five people. In the recording process we all get so instrument happy and want to keep layering more sounds and instruments that eventually we have to pull back and realize that there are only five of us playing live. Vocally it's very smooth. Most times we all come together on a lead vocal part, then Piano harmonizes beautifully with the part. It always feels easy and natural. That balance is super important to us. We feel like it is one of the most important elements of our sound.”

What was the process like of being signed to Fearless Records in 2019?

C: “It was an amazing experience. Getting to do something that you could only ever dream of doing with a label that you absolutely love. Fearless has been so encouraging and kind to us, it truly feels like a family. They made the process as smooth as possible.”

How has being signed to a major label, like Fearless, changed the way you approach writing and recording?

C: “I don't know that it has. Even now we all still do our bedroom recordings. Once we have something we like, we present it to the band, practice the hell out of it, then show it to the production team. That’s one of the great things about working with Fearless is that they really do trust us to handle all of that on our own.”

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your debut single, “Native Tongue”? What was the writing process like?

C: “Native Tongue was inspired by the feeling of being away from home in a city that feels foreign. It's really about learning how to understand new experiences, while being honest with yourself.

The writing process for the song was amazing. It was written with the producers of the album, Noah and Jamie, while we were out in L.A. for the first time. It was an amazing experience being able to sit and write with producers as talented as they are.”

What was the inspiration behind the music video for your recent single, “Daydream”?

C: “We wanted the video to reflect the lyrics of the song, while having its own unique narrative. A dystopian future theme seemed fitting. The song is really about encouraging the counter culture and not being afraid to break social norms.”

What are your plans for the future once music venues begin reopening? Can we look forward to you touring soon?

C: “Once venues open again, definitely expect us to be touring and playing shows a lot. I think every musician in the world right now is just counting down the seconds until everyone can play live again. We miss performing live so much.”

Speaking of touring, on May 9th you’ll be performing at Fearless at Home, a live stream concert event. What can we aspect from your acoustic set?

C: “We can’t say too much about the Fearless live stream event… but we hope you’re hungry...”

Thanks for talking with us! Anything you want to say to your fans, both old and new?

C: “We love you. Take care of each other.”

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BILLYRACXX: INTERVIEW

May 8, 2020

BY PANKHURI BHUTANI

This Houston rapper is one of the upcoming rappers in the music industry. Known for his unique tracks and stunning visual productions, Billyracxx is an artist worth listening to. Originally hailing from Florida, Billyracxx has a special place in his heart reserved for Houston. He even calls Houston his home. Billyracxx showcases his talent in writing as well as being a creative director for all of his music projects.

He recently released his new album Butterflies PT.1, which left the fans asking for more. He then released the second half of his album — Butterflies PT.2 — which includes phenomenal tracks such as “Caterpillar”, “Hype”, and “Renegade”. To talk about his journey with music, Billyracxx sat down with Unclear Magazine for an interview.

What was the experience like with your first song?

Billyracxx: “It was probably exciting as hell. I can’t remember exactly; I’ve come so far since then and it still feels like the first time over and over.”

Was there anything you planned out to do before setting out in the music industry?

B: “I never wanted to be just a regular rapper doing normal rapper shit, rapping about normal rap shit and super trendy shit. Creatively I’m like a walking character of myself. So, I’m trying to leave a whole different type of mark on the world and my fans. Everything I do through any creative medium is going to be big. I don’t want to speak too much on how I want to impact the industry, the world, everything. I want to just let it play out and explain after I’ve done it.”

How did you come up with the name “Billyracxx”?

B: “Well, my last name is Billy. I’ve never been the type of artist who wanted to come up with some out there name just to draw attention. I didn’t want to stray too far away from who I am for real, so I went by BILL$ at first. Then one day one of the lil homies in Austin was like, ‘Bro, you live like you’re rich already, your name should be Billyracxx.’ I know a gem when I hear it so I just ran with it. That quick. He wasn’t even thinking that deep when he said it. But I low key saw the vision.”

What are the things that you always keep in mind before creating your music?

B: “Nothing. I’m all vibes and subconscious.”

Kindly tell us something about your recent EP Butterflies Pt.2. What was your source of inspiration for it?

B: “I became obsessed with the idea of how butterflies are so beautiful, but nobody knows what they sound like. Every time a butterfly comes around you notice it. I feel exactly like that in this rap shit, but instead I just went ahead and created the sound because I want people to hear it and know it.”

What is the kind of message that you want to convey through your music?

B: “Influence over clout and anything else that’s short lived and unreal.”

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THOMAS ORTIZ: INTERVIEW

May 5, 2020

BY PANKHURI BHUTANI

This artist recently came out with his new single “You Know It”. Having more than 10,000 Instagram followers and thousands of monthly Spotify listeners, Thomas Ortiz is an artist worth listening to!

From posting covers of different songs to creating his own music, Thomas has won the hearts of many people. He has released many successful tracks such as “To Let Go”, “Paradise”, “No Alcohol”, and “Another Chance”. Thomas has big plans for the future. Thomas took out some of his precious time to sit down and talk to Unclear Magazine about his music and share what the fans can expect from his work in the future!

Hello! Thank you for joining us at Unclear Magazine. Kindly tell us something about yourself.

Thomas: “Thanks for the interview! I’m just a dude who loves to produce music and sing.”

When was the moment you decided to start your journey as a music artist?

T: “I decided to pursue music 100% after I decided to leave my former religion. I have no problem with religious people whatsoever. However, my upbringing was very controlled. I wasn’t allowed to pursue music completely or else it would result in shunning, by my friends and family. Pretty intense stuff.”

What were the challenges that you faced during this journey and how did you cope up with them?

T: “I guess the first challenge was how was I going to learn the ins and outs of producing. Luckily, I was able to teach myself as well as get some help. My co-producer, Rob Parks played a role in helping me learn a few things about music production. Another challenge that I think all artists face is comparing themselves to others who have ‘made it’ in the industry. You simply can’t do that. Just be YOU and make music that speaks to YOU.”

Who do you consider to be the biggest source of inspiration?

T: “I would say, Michael Jackson. He was just something else. A force to be reckoned with. I think all artists aspiring to portray if only some of his performance and work ethic qualities. When he would perform, it looked like he was in a trance; nothing but him and the music.”

If you could choose one word to describe your music, what might it be and why?

T: “Ever-changing if that’s one word. Seriously, I love all kinds of music. Maybe not all in the same way, but I can definitely see myself in many genres, maybe with just a pop veneer. I really do think that all genres have something to offer to pop-culture, as they should.”

What can the fans expect from your music in the future?

T: “More of it. That’s for sure. I plan to release a song every month for the foreseeable future. I can’t wait to see how they will be received. As for the sound, some new disco stuff, trappy stuff, slow ballads, anthems, everything.”

What are the things that you put into your mind before creating your music?

T: “I try to avoid thinking about other music. I sit down at the keyboard and won’t decide to proceed until I find a chord progression and melody that makes me FEEL something. My thinking is that if just the melody evokes emotion, the song will only get better with lyrics.”

Lastly, is there any message that you would like to give to your fans?

T: “Just thank you. Thanks to the ones that have been there from the start. Thanks to my new listeners. Thank you! It just wouldn’t be close to the same without you guys to share my music with!”

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'I KNOW ALONE' / HAIM: SINGLE REVIEW

May 4, 2020

BY EMMA SCHOORS

HAIM’s latest single, “I Know Alone”, is a beautifully arranged announcement that we collectively know alone, and we don’t want to talk about it.

Redundancy seems to be the only certainty nowadays, and the gorgeously sung lyrics in this single eloquently describe the frustration and anxiety that comes along with that. “Nights turn into days that turn to grey, keep turning over.”

“Some things never change. They never fade. It’s never over.” Overthinking has become countless people’s vice these past couple of months, and pondering what once was, or what’s to come, is only natural.

These lines could also refer to the seemingly never-ending schedule of nothingness (or worse, pain) that people have been thrown into. Our entire lives have been put on hold, and for some, their lives have been cut short. Even the mere idea of that is jarring, and nothing we could have ever mentally prepared for.

The thought of losing loved ones, mixed with the day-to-day lifesaving work essential workers have been faced with doing, is a recipe for grief and pain for too many people around the world right now.

“I Know Alone”, is, ironically, the perfect reminder that we don’t have to stay within this void of loneliness forever, nor do we have to admit defeat and cling to that loneliness for some semblance of belonging.