ULTRA Q: INTERVIEW

October 18, 2021

by lys ziada

On September 21st, rock band Ultra Q released their latest single, “Handheld.” In this interview hear more about the song, the band's dynamic, and one of their most memorable moments on tour. After falling in love with the band, don't forget to check out the music video for “Handheld” below!

How did the group meet?

Jakob: “Chris, Enzo, and I all met in elementary school after a school play dinner where Enzo played Elvis in Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat. One day shortly after that Chris and I decided to join the after school rock band where we started jamming both in that band and outside of school. Kevin met Enzo in middle school and joined the band in high school.”

What do you like to do as a group outside of music?

Jakob: “We like to play video games together. We also enjoy a good home cooked meal by Enzo.”

How would you describe your genre of music?

Jakob: “We play rock music with a focus on guitars. Our favorite bands are The Cure, The Strokes, Interpol, My Bloody Valentine, and Slowdive.”

What was the process of making the music video for “Handheld” like?

Jakob: “We met Hassan on Instagram and he came up with the idea for the video. We all drove down to LA for a weekend and filmed the video with Hassan at his house and in various parts of the city. Very fun!”

What message do you want listeners to take away from the song?

Jakob: “The message of our song isn’t specific, but we hope it inspires people to go out and experience things. Including coming to our live shows. :)”

What is your funniest tour or show memory?

J: “On one of the tours in high school, we had warned a band member (who shall not be named) to not get high before shows. Shortly after, we found said member completely zoinked and having just remembered that his grandparents were going to be at the show that night. He proceeded to have a bad time during the show.”

What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?

Jakob: “We opened up for The Matches at The Fillmore which is a venue we’ve all dreamed of playing.”

Do you have any projects in mind that you are excited for?

Jakob: “We’re very excited for the Title Track music video to come out this November. We had a great time making that one.”

Where do you see yourself at the height of your career?

Jakob: “It would be an absolute dream to play The Greek Theatre in Berkeley at some point. It has been a lifelong dream of ours.”

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ALEX PORAT: INTERVIEW

October 16, 2021

by danielle holian

Alex Porat delivers lighthearted pop with serious skill, effortlessly combining memorable melodies with fresh electronic production and crystalline vocal delivery. Following much success on uploading covers on YouTube, now she's gained 900k+ monthly Spotify listeners, almost a million YouTube subscribers, and 150 million+ total YouTube views. She's back with a mini album titled miss sick world. We caught up with the songstress about her musical past, present, and what she's up to now.

Congratulations on your mini album miss sick world — what inspired this musical project?

Alex: “Thank you! My life was, in some cases unfortunately, the pivot point for this project. It’s hard to open up and write about your struggles but it’s also very freeing and very healing. ‘miss sick world’ is the title track because it became the overarching theme of the project. I feel like I found myself through writing these songs.”

You address typical 20-something relationship struggles throughout the project, also tackling social issues like racial prejudice and gender norms. Why was it important to discuss a wide range of important topics?

A: “It’s important to me because I’ve really struggled with my identity growing up. I feel like I’ve had to do a lot of work to even admit that. It’s ingrained in me to put on a strong face and keep pushing forward but it feels really nice for once to be free of that and just open up and say it for what it is. I feel like a lot of people struggle with their identities in different ways and for me it comes down to growing up mixed race in North America, whose entertainment industries had deeply lacked Asian representation. There’s been some progress made but still a long way to go. As I’ve been finding myself, I find it more and more important to talk about issues like this when I can, in daily life, in music, wherever I have a voice.”

And who or what are your musical influences?

A: “From childhood, mostly Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, and Celine Dion. I feel like I started the journey of figuring out my voice through their movies, The Bodyguard, Mulan, and Titanic. I also grew up listening to a lot of K-Pop, Britney Spears, and Miley Cyrus, which is also where I think my love for pop music really grew.”

You originally turned to YouTube and started singing covers to build an audience while simultaneously working on your own music. How did this experience build your musical abilities and confidence compared to making music behind the scenes?

A: “I feel really lucky to have been able to connect with people through YouTube, it’s so special to me because it was the first time I had people I didn’t know root for me so hard. I was doing so much at that time too, balancing school with filming, recording, working part-time jobs, and it felt like I was living a double life. Making music behind the scenes became my escape because it was the only time I had to myself. But everything I was doing on YouTube gave me comfort in knowing that someone out there would listen to my original music when I put it out, so it was all worth it.”

What do you want the listeners to take away from your music?

A: “I want someone to feel a little less alone in their struggles. Music connects people and when someone says, ‘I completely understand how you feel, I’ve been there too,’ I feel so comforted.”

How has the pandemic helped your creative juices?

A: “It’s forced me to be with myself and understand myself more than ever. I feel like a different person than the one who entered the pandemic in 2020. I’ve never looked more inward for inspiration. The only thing I could reflect on was myself since I wasn’t experiencing life outside of my home.”

What drives you forward as an artist?

A: “Confronting my struggles with my identity was a really important step for me and has helped me understand my purpose and continues to drive me forward. It motivates me knowing that I have a voice and an opportunity to make even the slightest impact.”

And finally, what’s one fun fact about yourself for our readers?

A: “I love Game of Thrones so much and named my dog after Arya. She’s a German Shepherd and super adorable.”

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SARA DIAMOND: INTERVIEW

October 15, 2021

by tiffany arunarsirakul

Canadian singer Sara Diamond released her single "Hollywood (U & Me)" on September 10th. This song's inspiration was the various partners Sara had in the past. This song displays the strength of these relationships, helping further her career and musical endeavors. Her musical inspirations are due to her falling in love. Sara mentions that self-doubt is a challenge faced in the industry, where "it's so easy to compare yourself to others, and gauge your growth disproportionally to others' success."

Your newest single "Hollywood (U & Me)" was released on September 10th. What feelings or reflections do you get when releasing new music?

Sara: “I’ve definitely experienced an array of emotions around releases! I’ve been excited (like I was for Hollywood) and nervous for different reasons. Usually having to do with the content, and who the song is about.”

What was your inspiration for “Hollywood (U & Me)?"

S: “Hollywood was inspired by supportive partners I’ve had in my life. I’ve been fortunate to have had boyfriends that championed my career and musical endeavors. The allure of Hollywood comes with a lot of factors, so I wanted to write a song that showcased the strength of beautiful, symbiotic relationships.”

In 2000, you sang for the children's record label The Kiboomers. Did you know at the age of five that the music industry was something you wanted to pursue?

S: “It took a few years before I knew I wanted to pursue music! I did a ton of after school activities as a kid, and when any threatened to take up too much time from the other, I wouldn’t pursue them competitively. But at a certain point, at around 10, I knew I wanted to give it my all.”

You had the honor of singing both the Canadian National Anthem and American National Anthem for the Montreal Canadiens. How did it feel to be playing in front of such a crowd representing your country?

S: “It was a really beautiful experience, and I will be forever grateful for it. The crowd was incredible! It definitely gave me the performing itch.”

What is a challenge that you face in the music industry and how do you overcome it?

S: “Self doubt is a big one. It’s so easy to compare yourself to others, and gauge your growth disproportionally to others’ success. I overcome it by leaning on my team, and honestly sometimes listening through my catalogue or unreleased demos to see how far I’ve come. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!”

How do you find the inspiration and muse for your music?

S: “I fall in love. ;)”

What is an advice you would give to those who are interested in pursuing music?

S: “Do it for the love, and keep your goals close to motivate you. Surround yourself with supportive, yet critical people, and keep the spark alive.”

Considering how you are a Canadian musician, are there challenges you face when interacting with artists who are not from the country?

S: “Not at all! I love it. One of the beautiful things about music is that it brings people together from around the world. While there is a lovely camaraderie with fellow Canadian artists, I love meeting and working with people from other countries.”

Is there any additional information you would like your audience with Unclear Magazine to know?

S: “Follow me on Spotify and Instagram! (@iamsaradiamond) xx.”

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'SEVENTEEN GOING UNDER' / SAM FENDER: REVIEW

October 14, 2021

by emma schoors

Sam Fender’s ascent to worldwide attention is inevitable, and Seventeen Going Under is a lyrically pristine second album from the North Shields-based musician.

“I remember the sickness was forever,” Fender confesses seconds into the title track, not collapsing in a rasp or yell; instead switching between high and low notes, as if the recollections are both of the highest and lowest moments of his life. Every lyric after is packed to the brim with uncomfortable truth, and the closeness of “Seventeen Going Under” to Fender both as a song and as an album is clear by the time the first track bursts into, “…Well, luck came and died 'round here / I see my mother, the DWP see a number.”

The second single released from and third track on the album is “Aye,” a stinging commentary on how the working class is broken apart over issues that should be further reason to unite. “It’s a rant about my disdain for the greedy tax-dodging billionaires of the world among other things,” Fender explained in an August Instagram post promoting the single. This justified anger carries into the thundering “Long Way Off”: “I heard a hundred million voices sound the same both left and right / We're still a long way off.”

Fender pays homage to his father in “Spit Of You.” One of the lighter tracks musically, “It’s about how the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as I get further into my twenties I see so much of myself in him, especially when it comes to being stubborn,” Fender wrote. “If anything, it is a declaration of my love for him.” Love is a blinding theme throughout the entire record, but Fender recognizes how he sometimes falls short of loving himself in “Last To Make It Home:” “Though I am a soundboard to some / With myself I am not so forgiving.”

One of the many highlights of the album is “The Leveller,” a vocally divine track spotlighted by thumping drums and adrenaline-driven lyrics. “The fear is the closest thing to fun that I have,” Fender sings, a reflection that most wouldn’t be able to verbalize, which seems to be a common thread in his lyricism. If there’s one track that’s a must-listen for those struggling with the need to belong, it’s “Mantra.” Fender pleads with himself, “Please stop tryin' to find comfort in these sociopaths / Their beauty is exclusively on the surface / As they pull you side to side with all their drugs and who's who stories.” Growing up, more specifically how non-linear it is, is a deep-rooted centerpiece of the album, and Fender approaches it beautifully in “The Dying Light” and “Better Of Me.”

Seventeen Going Under is Sam Fender’s latest masterpiece, solidifying his reputation as one of the strongest artists this decade has seen.

MALACHIII: INTERVIEW

October 13, 2021

by emily harris

The singer, producer, and rapper Malachiii is working to redefine artistry within the industry one track at a time. Blending the energies of pop, rap, and R&B, his three singles have created the beginnings of a diverse and strong discography. We had the pleasure of speaking with him about his newest track, "Love Me," and the inspiration behind the project!

Congrats on the release of your newest single “Love Me!” Can you talk us through the writing process for this track?

Malachiii: “The music always leads the way. Usually the feeling that the music gives me determines the vibe of the song. I wanted to make something that told a multidimensional story of love, while also reflecting on what I’m currently experiencing in life and expressing the importance of having someone that's there for me and loves me authentically regardless of the changes happening around me.”

What was the inspiration behind the single artwork that accompanies the track?

M: “Initially, the concept for the video that I had was a love story told through a space mission, but it's meaning developed into something deeper and symbolic as well as a sort of ‘launching’ of my career and this new chapter in my life with this being my first official release with Motown.”

How do you think this single sits alongside your previously released tracks?

M: “It's a bit different, which will be common with my music because I create a lot of different music and I want that to be apparent with these new releases. I want to give my audience a taste of all of the worlds my music can live in.”

You also released a music video for the track! What was the filming process like?

M: “It was amazing! It was a two day shoot with the first day being in the desert and being in 110 degree weather in an aluminum jumpsuit was hotter than hell, but all worth it and also gave a bit of real fatigue for me to use while filming the crash landing scene.”

You also just posted the first episode of In The (Treehouse) on YouTube as well! What inspired you to film the entire process of recording?

M: “Well, as far as me and the team are concerned, we are making history and so we felt it was necessary to film as much of the process of working on my album as possible to document the history being made and to give my audience a peek into my world.”

What do you hope fans get out of seeing the process firsthand?

M: “I hope that they’ll be introduced to the type of artist and human being that I am by getting a chance to see me and hear me in a candid way while also getting an inside look at my creative process.”

As your sound transcends the usual boundaries, who would you coin as inspirations to you, from a songwriting and production perspective?

M: “Kanye, Pharrell, Michael Jackson. Transcendent artists who have inspired generations of artists and creatives worldwide.”

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