Interview: Lebanese Rap Duo R.Y.M Discuss Their New Single/Animated Video "Al Qiyama"

“R.Y.M aims to make a positive impact in the world, and in the way the youth reasons and acts. We want to show today’s youth a more sustainable model, a new way of being “gangster” or “dope”, far from the guns, violence, drugs and blasphemy.”

— R.Y.M

Congratulations on the release of your new single entitled "Al Qiyama"; tell us what initially inspired its writing and who provided the production.

When we turned 18, we stopped pursuing our dreams and followed society’s “traditional” path. Life in Lebanon comes with a lot of challenges and setbacks. We didn’t have the needed mindset nor resources and didn’t feel empowered to move up our musical passion.

Around 10 years later, knees deep in our professional careers, thousands of miles apart, trying to advance despite crises, conflicts, and social turmoils we decided to resurrect our ambitions and dreams.

“Al Qiyama” translates to resurrection and reflects our return to rap more determined and at peace than ever. “Al Qiyama” is also a calling for spiritual, and behavioral change of today’s youth and future leaders particularly in our region. A calling to rise above inter-generational reflexes and perceptions, to question and challenge indoctrinated narratives, and forge a new truth by means of reason, education, wisdom and kindness.

This song was recorded and produced at RedBooth Lebanon (@redbooth), under the direction of Scarlette Saad. The track is a fusion of Oriental and Western cultures, a sort of bridge between the two civilizations.

The animated lyric video is really dope as well; how did you connect with its creator Roudy el Hajj?

A good conscious rap song excels in 3 factors: the message, the delivery, and and the relatability. The process of delivering the message requires the activation of many sensory features from both the artist and the listener. The message of a song can be either found or lost in its delivery. Hence, the decision to proceed with an animated lyric video came naturally, for two main reasons: first the idea could be fulfilled independently of the geographical distance between us. Second, it was only natural to release “Al Qiyama” through a video that prioritizes the lyrics while remaining visually artistic and creative.

We got introduced to Roudy el Hajj via a cousin working in the United Arab Emirates. @roudy.elhajj is also an expatriate who left Lebanon seeking a better future. We scheduled a call and shared our initial thoughts and were amazed by Roudy’s level of enthusiasm, professionalism and innovative thinking.

We are very blessed and grateful that our musical journey is allowing us to meet such amazing talents and beautiful individuals like Roudy. We are currently working together on a new project and are really excited to explore new possibilities and concepts.

How would you say that the Leave a Mark Project (LAMP) is represented in the music that R.Y.M creates?

Each release has its purpose and its aim. It’s like with each verse, chorus, and song, we seek to convey a message that will hopefully resonate within the soul and mind of each listener.

We want to break barriers, stereotypes and traditional ways of thinking. By addressing various themes pertaining to human life, and presenting them in daring and bold ways, we want for each song to leave a certain impact on individuals. Accordingly, we are consciously and continuously choosing quality over quantity, targeted heavy impact over large scale light reach.

Will "Al Qiyama" be a featured track on an upcoming EP or album you have in development? If so, what can you tell us about the project?

“Al Qiyama” was just the beginning. We are working with several other producers and talented professionals to produce more original songs that will eventually fall under the Leave a Mark Project. We purposely worked with producers from various, non-rap backgrounds to give a creative and innovative sound to our music.

Alongside “Al Qiyama”, two tracks are already finalized and, as said earlier, we’re constantly adapting and finding solutions to progress despite the geographical distance and the work pressure.

The Leave a Mark Project is our way of making an impact. Each song in the Project will address a specific theme and embrace a different style. We pour our souls into every track with the aim that LAMP, as a constantly growing and evolving organism, will in its entirety constitute our memoir, the narrative of two Lebanese brothers who were not afraid to stand out, be transparent and advocate for what is right.

This project is our contribution to the world, for ideas are eternal; and we hope that one day, could be today or in a hundred years, those ideas will influence and spark the rebirth of a nation.

For first time listeners/viewers of "AI Qiyama" and R.Y.M's music overall, would you say that it is the voice of Lebanese hip-hop, or is your music representative of something else?

Actually, it is both. “Al Qiyama” is representative of the voice of Lebanese hip-hop in the sense that its message is politically and socially engaged. Lebanese hip-hop artists all share the burden of a perplexed and disenchanted country/region. As a result, generated music is more than often nuanced with such hot topics. However, our music is representative of something else. There are very few rappers in the Middle-East, let alone in Lebanon, who decided to express their voices in English in a region still strongly arabicized in its forms of artistic expression.

R.Y.M represents familiarity and novelty. We offer listeners a raw and emotional performance, a symbiosis of conscious rap accompanied with oriental melodies/vibes. R.Y.M aims to make a positive impact in the world, and in the way the youth reasons and acts. We want to show today’s youth a more sustainable model, a new way of being “gangster” or “dope”, far from the guns, violence, drugs and blasphemy.

Our model is built on the concept of self-questioning, self-acceptance, and self-development. We try to always be true to ourselves and avoid creating a dishonest and harmful persona behind the comfort of a microphone.

With "Al Qiyama" single and animated lyric clip now unveiled, what's next for R.Y.M musically?

Musically, we’re trying to advance on all fronts. We have dozens of lyrics, melodies, and choruses developed; we are working with several music producers and studios to create variant tracks and beats; we are expanding our horizons in terms of video production and featured tracks, and are strengthening our knowledge about brand management as well as music distribution and promotion. Being independent is not easy but the taste of freedom is sweet.

Stay tuned, our upcoming song “Lost” will present a completely different side to R.Y.M; more personal, and vulnerable. The song is for every individual, who at one point in his/her life felt tired, not good enough, or depressed. It is important to accept and deal with our emotions, but also to know that nothing lasts forever; and the key for change lies within us. R.Y.M will also be doing some singing in that one … we hope you stay with us for the ride.

Stream and Share “Al Qiyama”

Connect with R.Y.M: Facebook | Instagram

Interview: Manchester, UK Artist/Producer Stefano Ark Talks About His New Song "You Want Me to Hush Hush?"

“I have many different sides to myself with fashion, interests, music genres. I grew up listening to Rnb and Hip Hop but also loved the pop punk/rock era that was big while I was growing up...”

— Stefano Ark

We're blown away by your new single "You Want Me to Hush Hush"?; congratulations on its release. Tell us about your creative process for its production and your songwriting.

Thank you! The creative process for this track was very relaxed in contrast to my other songs for the EP. I did this whole track pretty quick, started making the beat at around 7 and finished vocals for it before midnight. The whole songs idea came about when I was eating dinner and came across the “hush little baby lullaby” sample I had on my computer, I built the instrumental around that and just thought I’d record and not think about writing too much like I normally do, just say what’s on my mind- just respond to the sample and go from there, that’s how the chorus came about and the begging of the first “you want me to hush hush? Hush hush? That lullaby won’t make me blush blush? No blush blush. Genius but still clueless like I’m in a dash dash, dash dash! myself I’ll always bash bash so please hush hush!”

I mixed this with the intent of it sounding ambient and heavy in reverb! Alfred Hitchcock is a big inspiration of mine, because of this I’m a big horror movie fan and draw musical influence from watching horror films; I’m always paying attention to the sounds used in them. The rap verses & hook needed to match the texture of ”hush hush little baby” sample, ambient (mix wise) but my vocal delivery and performance also had to match the sample, so I was sure to perform in a slow, less varied style of delivery.

You mentioned that "You Want Me to Hush Hush?" will be featured on your upcoming EP; what can you tell us about the project, and do you have a title in mind for it?

The EP is titled “‘MARTIAN!”. The project is a full circle moment for me, I recorded a couple of the tracks in 2013 and finished them this present year (2023). “STEFANOS RHAPSODY!” It's one of them and it’s my thoughts in 2013 vs my thoughts currently in 2023 and where I’m at in life- really excited to share that one. My friends who heard the demo back in 2013 still quote the lyrics.

I have many different sides to myself with fashion, interests, music genres. I grew up listening to Rnb and Hip Hop but also loved the pop punk/rock era that was big while I was growing up. I remember heading to my friends house in primary school, we would sit and watch Kerrang the entire day. When I was home my mum played Rnb from the morning until evening, every day. My mum loves music and would play the same music on loop everyday growing up, that fueled my interest also.

The EP will have a blend of different genres but most importantly represent who I am, and what I love the most about music.

Pop Punk & Hip Hop are genres that I loved the most growing up and have had the biggest influence on who I am today.

I’ve experimented with a lot of sub genres over the last year and I’ve been working everyday on the ways I use and adapt my voice, on the EP you’ll hear my voice used in different ways- multiple flows and cadence with my raps and opera inspired singing.

The EP will be out July 13th!

Tell us about the music scene in Manchester for Hip-Hop and whether it is easy to establish a fan based there as an emerging artist.

Manchester has most definitely got an emerging hip hop scene, there’s many talented rappers performing at gigs around the city! I was actually playing some of my material for the EP to a rapper from the city a couple days ago, Pwynter, he’s a good example for the hip hop talent in this city.

The music scene here overall is very unique, with many gifted artists. Developing a fan base here isn’t as difficult as it is in bigger cities like London. Networking & performing its key, social media alone isn’t sufficient.

How did you get started writing lyrics and making beats and who were some artists and/or producers that influenced you musically?

I started songwriting and poetry at age 11 back in 2009; the Michael Jackson “This Is It” album had been released and I listened to the album over & over at the time. There was a second CD in the album which was just his poetry- I really enjoyed that also.

I spent most of my summer indoors watching MJ’s performances, learning to dance from watching him perform. Just in my room for hours, practicing the dance moves he did on his word tours.

I wrote multiple songs daily. I still remember a few of them, I still need to record a couple, they’ve been on repeat in my head since 2009 so they need to see the light of day.

With rap, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj & Busta Rhymes most definitely influence me. What drew me most to them was their theatrical and animated delivery with their flows and also the humour while doing so. Nicki & Kendrick can rap on any beat, regardless of genre and complement the instrumental. That’s what I do my best to do, understand the importance of delivery on different instruments and genres and focus on lyricism, being clever with lyrics and rhyme schemes.

I started making beats in 2013! I studied Music Technology/Acting after high school, I used Logic when studying but Fruity Loops at home. I was 16 at the time and did work enough hours to afford a MacBook; FL studio was my go to when producing at home until I was 18!

I studied Music Technology at university and the first thing I did with my student loan was get a MacBook and Logic Pro X; that was in 2015 and I still use that MacBook sometimes currently.

If you could pick any artist to appear in a remix to "You Want Me to Hush Hush?", who would you select and why?

If I could pick any artist it would be JID, he’s very talented and his cadence is so dope- I can hear him on a track like “You Want Me to Hush Hush?”. I think he would compliment the record nicely.

Connect with Stefano Ark: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify

Interview: Fredericton, NB Rap Artist Ms.Thomas Talks About Her Latest Track "Bad Habits"

“I am on a personal health and well-being journey. My plans are to release a track once a week while I’m on a mini mental health leave. This project is called ‘Sober & Medicated’.”

— Ms.Thomas

Congratulations on the release of your new song "Bad Habits", which features Aaron Pond; how did you two initially connect with each other and have you collaborated on other material before?

Thank you, Aaron is such a talented artist located in my city, Fredericton, NB. We had met through a common group of hip-hop artists in the city. He and I share some similarities in the sense that we are both parents to young children and at the time when I had wrote “Bad Habits”, I thought it would be cool to diversity the acoustic track with a male rap vocal.

It couldn’t just be anyone, it had to be someone who could relate to the challenges one faces with mental health and raising children. Aaron’s devotion to his daughter and step daughter is beautiful. He is truly a great role model.

It was a no brainer that he would be perfect for this track. He really captured the emotion of the track and it turned out great!

Tell us about you and Aaron's creative process for the development of the "Bad Habits" song; what inspired your lyrics, and also, who produced it?

I had written the chorus and my verse a while back. I had this empty verse and didn’t know which direction to go. I sent the track over to Aaron and he instantly said yes to the collaboration. I am truly grateful!

The track was then completed at Higher Vibrations Studio and his verse at Raw Heart Records, both located in Fredericton, NB.

Can we expect a music video for "Bad Habits" to follow, and will it be appearing on an upcoming EP or album?

I don’t think there will be a video for this track, mainly due to lack of funding, but never say never! I have applied for a couple grants. We shall see if I get selected.

This track will remain as a single on all streaming platforms.

How would you describe the music scene in Fredericton specifically, and New Brunswick, overall? Would you say that it is easy to build a fanbase there for emerging artists?

Fredericton is a hip-hop hub! We are a growing community filled with talent! Definitely underrated if you ask me!

The hardest part about being in hip-hop is building a local fan base. As artists we all support each other, the challenges is getting an audience out to shows. The demographic here tends to be more live bands in the soft rock & folk genre. The music scene is thriving, but with hip-hop, it remains more of an underground scene. It is growing!

With "Bad Habits" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of 2023?

I am on a personal health and well-being journey. My plans are to release a track once a week while I’m on a mini mental health leave. This project is called ‘Sober & Medicated’. It’s really just a project to place my restless energy while I quit cannabis and alcohol consumption.

I will be releasing 1.30 to 2min tracks each week based on the emotions and thoughts I have throughout this journey. The first track was released April 19th called ‘People Pleasure’. There is a mini visual video out on my social platforms and YouTube. Once the project is complete, my intention is to release an EP with all the tracks.

If you had to pick one song from your catalog as the best introduction for a new listener to your music, which one would you select, and why?

Definitely head over to my artist page on any streaming service, I would recommend ‘Woah’ a collaboration I did with Michael J Foxx, a rapper from NYC/Moncton. My second suggestion would be ‘Trust Somebody’ an afrovibe track featuring Sasky Mail from Toronto. It is a great one!

Connect with Ms.Thomas: Website | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook

Interview: Shaney Poo Talks About His Newly Released Single/Video "POM"

“POM” was a smash song from the moment we cooked it up. There was this feeling in the studio where everyone just knew how special it was...Back in 2015 we made other videos to songs on the project like “Been Loving U” and “Girl Next Door”, so it only made sense to do a video for “POM.”

— Shaney Poo

Salute to you on the re-release of your debut album “Touch By An Angel”. What motivated you to release this project again in 2023?

When I first started releasing music I really didn't know what I was doing, at that time I was just enjoying being a new artist on the scene. I only understood how to make the music and how I wanted it to look, I had no O.G's, no manager or label to give me advice or point me in the right direction, I was pretty much winging the whole process.

I also had a handful of songs I didn't include on the album back in 2015 so this time around I was motivated to include those unreleased songs so my full vision would be realized for that album. I also wanted to reintroduce myself to a new audience.

Of all the songs on your debut album, why did you select “POM” to create a music video for?

“POM” was a smash song from the moment we cooked it up. There was this feeling in the studio where everyone just knew how special it was.

Back in 2015 we made other videos to songs on the project like “Been Loving U” and “Girl Next Door”, so it only made sense to do a video for “POM”.

At first the idea was to shoot a performance video for “POM” but then the video took a life of it's own, and here we are today.

Tell us about your creative process for the “POM” visual, which was directed by XdaGod.

Me and XdaGod go way back like rice and beans. We've been working since 2012, even before “Touch By An Angel”. He actually shot and directed most of all my early videos so working with him is always easy. But like I said before I originally just wanted to shoot a performance video but once I came up with the idea of using a green screen, I knew we had to go all out.

The video is about having fun, not taking life serious and just celebrating for no reason. It's a vibe hopefully any age could enjoy.

What’s your greatest memory of the period when you were songwriting and recording the “Touch By An Angel” album 8 years ago?

The best part were the people that were around me at that time. Some of these same people are still around today, but it's still very hard to replicate the same feeling you had back then. So many people inside and outside of the studio contributed to the creation of the album. Like I wouldn't have been able to make “Been Loving U” if I wasn't in love at the time, I wouldn't have been able to make some of the songs if it wasn't for Roosevelt Browns production and I wouldn't have been able to make “POM” without Che Afrique.

There's a lot of people to thank. But the best memory that stands out, was the reaction I was getting from the people who loved the music...that feeling is absolutely priceless.

With “Touch By An Angel” now re-released, what’s next up for you musically when it comes to new music?

The next step is to release my newest album “Alien Priest” dropping April 28th 2023. It's my best work yet in my humble opinion. It's my first album since my 2020 release "Mr Shane".

This album means so much to me because first; the music is dope and second there's a spiritual energy around this project that aligns with my real life experiences. I've always planned to release this album for a while now, I just didn't know when...but now is the perfect time.

Stream and Share “POM” on Spotify

Stream and Share “Touch By An Angel” on Spotify

Connect with Shaney Poo: Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok

Interview: The Velvoids Discuss Their Latest Single "While You Shine"

“In 2022 we had pretty much decided on the tracks for the new album and finished recording everything when we rediscovered “Shine” on the Tascam, it was just a keyboard melody and a guitar vamping on C, so we started messing around with it.”

— Vice, The Velvoids

Congratulations on the release of the band's incredible new single "While You Shine"; tell us about your creative process for the track, especially with 2 new bandmates added to the group, and the restrictions you were under during the CV lockdowns.

Thanks! “Shine” was done during a series of home recordings Dorah and I did shortly after those lockdowns happened in 2020, our album ‘MOTHER’ had just come out in late March of that year and we were suddenly locked indoors, it was bizarre. We eventually recorded a bunch of songs and when the lockdowns lifted, we had about 3 or 4 artists on our label looking to put out new material they’d also done during that time, so our project kind of took a back seat for a while.

In 2022 we had pretty much decided on the tracks for the new album and finished recording everything when we rediscovered “Shine” on the Tascam, it was just a keyboard melody and a guitar vamping on C, so we started messing around with it. I was also involved with the individual solo projects from both Yorgos Elàson and George Sapuntzis, which gradually turned into hanging out together more until things just clicked and we ended up playing together.

We were as restricted as anyone else during that period, it just so happened we had a couple decent microphones lying around along with a 24-track, all our gear was there, it was inevitable.

Speaking of the new bandmates, George and Yorgos, how was it decided that they would be essential additions to the 2-piece?

George (Sapuntzis) got in touch with me last year about a project he was working on, which I got involved in because it’s phenomenal, and I ended up co-producing it with him. I had known him scarcely for a few years but we got close after that, I think I just called him one day and asked if he wanted to swing by and do some guitars on the song. As a guitarist, I’m generally into the basics like finding a good rhythmic part or creating situations, I like playing around the melody while my use of pedals extends to a Fuzz Factory, a Crybaby, and my Boss tuner. George is far more well-rounded as a player and into exploring the sonic potential of a song in a totally different way, he’s got his 20-something pedals going which brings a unique tone to the band.

I’ve known Yorgos (Elàson) for 20 years, he was the guitarist with our band back in 2003 when we were starting out, such a talented musician on so many levels. We collaborated on one of his solo tracks last year during a 12-hour session in his studio, there’s a good flow when we’re creating, it took off from there.

As of now, do you expect that "While You Shine" will be featured on your upcoming album due out later this year? Also, can we expect a music video for it?

Not really, “Shine” wasn’t intended on being on the album, those songs are pretty different in vibe and feel, but yea, we could potentially do a video for it, everybody’s into it.

What can you tell us about the album thus far? How many songs have been completed and do you have a working title yet?

We did 15 songs on those home recordings but we’re putting out about 8. (Laughs) yea I’ve had a working title for it from the start but no one else in the band likes it.

The new stuff is pretty much a continuation of what we’ve been doing, maybe stripped down more, sonically, considering the circumstances they were recorded in. We’re also tweaking a few things with George and Yorgos aboard now.

How do you go about sequencing your albums? Using "Mother" as an example, why did you decide to place "Let It Breathe" as the first song, followed by "Annah", and end the tracklist with "Psycho Death Poem"?

We'll usually put out the songs in the order that we record them in, we've gotten used to it and probably prefer it. We tend to write most of the material while we're tracking it so the sequence plays a role in all that.

On ‘Mother’, we just took on those songs in that particular order. ‘Psycho Death Poem’ was a track I surprised Dorah with because I wrote it for her, that’s why it’s last.

Stream and Share “MOTHER” on Spotify

Connect with The Velvoids: Instagram | Facebook

Interview: Los Angeles Based Musician/Filmmaker KS Talks About His New Album "The Dancing Cavaliers"

“Every album has a concept or a theme in my case. This time I just wanted to put out an album of songs, period. No concept, just songs.”

— KS

Congratulations on the completion and release of your new album "The Dancing Cavaliers"; what inspired the title and how long did it take to complete?

The title is kind of an inside film joke. In the movie "Singing in the Rain", the main characters are making a movie that is a complete disaster, everything is going wrong and fast, their movie is called "The Fighting Cavaliers", at the very end, out of desperation they decide to change the movie, which is a serious drama, into a musical by just adding a few dance numbers, which is funny, and they call it "The Dancing Cavaliers”. I just thought it would be funny to call my album that.

The inspiration for the record was really just doing something to keep myself busy, to keep creating during a really tough year for a lot of us in the business, plus it had been two years since the previous album so....I had to create:)

Of all the 14 songs on the album, why did you decide to film a music video for "Boludo"?

A friend heard the album and really liked that track, to be honest I was going to use another one (the track "Danse"), but since he's a musician and because I trust his instincts I went for "Boludo".

Were there any songs that you decided not to include on the album? If so, how come they did not make the cut?

Yeah, like I said before, I have around 20 tracks that didn't make it, I just got impatient and didn't work on those, I had to release this album first. Plus those tracks were more guitar oriented, they didn't fit the style of this one. But next album...yeah, hoping to have the new music out mid 2023. To me it is not about money, as there isn't much money in the record business, it is not what it used to be.

To me it is about having fun creating something and putting it out there. I already had my fun making it, I'm fine, if someone else likes it and gets pleasure out of it, then that is all gravy, a plus, to me.

Tell us about your creative process for this new album overall, and how would you say it differs musically from your last project?

Every album has a concept or a theme in my case. This time I just wanted to put out an album of songs, period. No concept, just songs. I really can't sing so I used a computerized voice generator to sing my words and color the songs here and there. Because those voice generators are not perfect and sometimes you can't really understand what he or she are saying, lol, I decided to be bad/naughty, and add a few "provocative" curse words here and there to see if anybody would catch them. Cos, this is my kind of humor.

With the year coming to a close, what are some of your biggest goals as a creative in 2023?

Professionally, I am set to make a couple of films early in the year, I also want this album to reach a wider audience, and I have about 20 songs left over from this current album that didn't make the cut, they were not finished, so I would like to work on them, and release another album midway 2023.

This one will definitely be different, more acoustic, lots of guitars, I think I will get off the electronics for that one.

Stream and Share “The Dancing Cavaliers” on: Spotify | Apple Music | Hear Now | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

Connect with KS: Website

Interview: Country Pop Artist Jennifer Alvarado Discusses Her New Single "Catfish"

“I love fishing and I have always been told about the sounds a catfish will make to throw off predators. The same is true with social media and people these days. Anyone can be anyone they want to be.”

— Jennifer Alvarado

Growing up in Vale, North Carolina, what was your first exposure to country pop music and what artists or bands inspired you to start writing and recording your own music?

I grew up listening to country music when at my grandparents’ house. They loved 90’s country and classic country. Artists like Reba McEntire, Deana Carter and Martina McBride were some of my favorites. But then I listened to classic rock and Top40 with my mom…so artists like Richard Marx, Chicago, The Eagles and Tom Petty were huge inspirations.

Congratulations on the release of your new single "Catfish"; tell us about your creative process for its development and whether it was based on a real life experience.

I love fishing and I have always been told about the sounds a catfish will make to throw off predators. The same is true with social media and people these days. Anyone can be anyone they want to be.

I don’t have prior experience being “catfished” by someone thank goodness…however, I have met many people that turn out to not be who they pretend to be.

If you could select any artist to appear on a remix to "Catfish", who would it be, and why?

Hmm…that’s a great question. I really like the idea of mixing genres…so my initial thought is to include a Hip Hop or Rap. Or go bluegrass and have a breakdown banjo and mandolin solo. I think Post Malone could bring a fun twist to things.

"Catfish" will be a featured song on your upcoming EP "Songbird: Part 2"; what can you tell us about the project, and how it will be different from Part 1.

Part One of Songbird outlined a toxic relationship from start to finish. It left the listener with all the questions you are left with once that relationship ends and you are messing parts of yourself.

Part Two is about putting blame where it needs to be and beginning to find your voice again.

Can we expect a music video for "Catfish" or any other songs on the upcoming EP?

At some point, yes. I have a concept in my head for pretty much every song I write…so one of my goals is bringing some of those visuals to life in the coming year.

With "Songbird: Part 2" dropping soon, what are some of your other goals musically heading into 2023?

I am releasing my new holiday single on 11/25. It is the first sneak peak from my Christmas project I am working on for next year.

I have been playing a lot of shows this year, so I want to continue that while also taking part in festivals like SXSW this upcoming year. I also want to expand my touring area to California and Texas.

Connect with Jennifer Alvarado: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Interview: Atlanta's Kay Soul Talks About Her New EP "Connections"

“Musically, I wanted to fuse genres and create an environment that was soulful, edgy, and lyrical. The stories you hear are a mix of personal experience, life observation, and inner desire.”

— Kay Soul

If you had to describe your music to a stranger in three words, which ones would you select?

Soulful, Transparent, and Empowering.

Congratulations on the completion and release of your EP "Connections"; tell us about your creative process for the six songs, and how long did it take to write and record overall?

Thank you so much. I always like to demo my songs before I go in to lay down the official vocals. It gives me an opportunity to try different ideas and really sit with the story I'm telling to make sure that my listeners are getting a complete picture.

I started working on the EP in December of 2020 right after I released my last full length album "In My MInd" (Listen HERE). It took me about 6 months to finish recording the songs and complete the lead music video.

What would you say the overall thematic concept of "Connections" is, and would you say that it is based on your personal experiences or your imagination?

It really is all about the vital role that the connections we have with ourselves and others play in relation to our growth and mental wellness. I knew that with this project I wanted to really get deep into the conversation and share stories that people could relate to in parallel to their own life circumstances. Musically, I wanted to fuse genres and create an environment that was soulful, edgy, and lyrical. The stories you hear are a mix of personal experience, life observation, and inner desire.

You're not just a talented artist and songwriter, but a model and actress as well. How do you juggle all of these responsibilities without compromising? I really try to stay focused on my purpose which is to spread love and healing through my music and overall brand. I work to make sure that I maintain my integrity in everything I do. It's important for me to actually live my life as the light that I portray to others.

When someone hears the "Connections" EP for the first time, what do you want them to take away from the listening experience? I want them to feel high vibrations and take away hope and inspiration. I want them to feel more self love and be encouraged to do the work required to heal themselves so that they can go from bad connection to strong connection in every aspect of their lives.

Stream and Share “Connections” on Spotify

Connect with Kay Soul: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Interview: Chicago Based Rap Artist/Producer Smokey Smothers Talks About Her New Single "Hollywood"

“For as long as I can remember I’ve been drawn to everything music related. I was messing around with a keyboard and boombox recording tapes at 6 and 7 years old...”

— Smokey Smothers

Big salute to you on the release of your new song "Hollywood"; it's a dope track. What was your creative process for its development?

Thank you so much. The creative process for this track was completely random. I made the beat first. Just wanted to try something different and do a throwback west coast vibe. When I got the foundation for the beat down the hook came to me immediately.

The song as a whole is loosely based on some experiences I’ve had in life with partying.

"Hollywood" will be featured on your upcoming EP "Hollywood Smoke"; can you describe the project for us, and whether there is an overarching theme to all of its songs?

This project is showcasing my rockstar, player type alter ego named Hollywood Smoke. The theme is just me having fun and showing a side of myself I don’t always show.

Each song has its own unique vibe. You get two bangers, a party track and a little something you can ride to at the end.

How did you initially get started as an artist and producer? Were there any artists/producers that motivated you as a creative when you were growing up?

For as long as I can remember I’ve been drawn to everything music related. I was messing around with a keyboard and boombox recording tapes at 6 and 7 years old, but I got my first drum machine and started rapping and making beats seriously around age 10.

Timbaland and Pharrell were my earliest influences beat wise. I’ve always been a big Aaliyah fan so Tim’s early work influenced me a lot.

By the time I got into 9th grade Kanye dropped Through the Wire and I thought it was cool as hell to see someone from the Midwest not only rap but produce as well. He’s still an inspiration of mine today.

Would you say that the city of Chicago inspires your songwriting at all?

Chicago definitely inspired my songwriting. Being from Kenosha, WI I think we are heavily influenced by Chicago’s music. A lot of us Kenosha kids grew up on Do or Die, Crucial Conflict, Twista. I think Chicago started somewhat of the foundation of Midwest hip hop honestly.

Growing up I spent a lot of summers here and living here as an adult has somewhat reignited an old flame in me.

With the year slowly winding down, have you thought about some goals musically for 2023? If so, what are they?

2023 I plan to keep the momentum going and putting out even better content. I like to be free with my music and next year I’ll be trying out some different sounds, digging into my alternative side a little more.

Connect with Smokey Smothers: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | YouTube

Interview: Shreveport, LA Based RnB Artist Donalveon Discusses His New Song "Tell Me"

“...here I am a 29-year-old man, living on some real grown man shit, seen some things and been through more. So I actually have something to sing about now.”

— Donalveon

1. Your brand new single "Tell Me" is great; what inspired you to write and record it, and who produced it?

I really appreciate that! “Tell Me” was produced by Kevin Posey.

Myxr App, this great L.A. music platform is where it all started. The owner LJ Moody made the link with Kevin possible and he laced me with the track in June, I cut the record that same month. Bryan Johnson, the studio engineer for the session, came through with slick assistance by laying a dope mix on the outro that sealed the deal with me, when I heard it I knew we made something special.

The instrumental alone was on a sexy vibe, so I kind of just put myself in that mode mixed with some personal experiences, the words just fell in place. Very smooth session and I love how the track came out.

2. "Tell Me" will be featured on your upcoming debut album “Sodium.Chromium.Uranium”; what can you tell us about this project, and what are you most proud of with it?

“Tell Me” is actually the very last song added to this album! Mane if I had the pages to tell you the full story on this album I would, but in short it’s my long awaited debut and how it all came to be is what I’m most proud of!

I wanted the playlist to reflect not only just things I felt and went through, but more so the chronology of the tracklist. From start to finish, I want my fans to know Sodium is sequenced as songs I chose as early as 2007!

Yea, I literally was a 14-year-old freshman at CE Byrd in my hometown Shreveport, LA in the embryo stages of what is to eventually become my first LP. My heart kind of smiles when I think back on how far my brother(and executive producer) El “E:R” Robinson started working on this album because I wasn’t even old enough to sing some of the material that I chose to sing. My parents were strict but still trusting enough to allow me to develop my sound so it all worked out.

Fast forward unbelievably 15 years and 4 underground EPs later, here I am a 29-year-old man, living on some real grown man shit, seen some things and been through more. So I actually have something to sing about now.

This album is a life soundtrack in a sense on a sensually rhythmic tip, but it also introduces my New Age R&B sound that I plan to seep into the genre’s soundscape of tomorrow! Very galactic and strange, I use new sounds and classic reminders along the way, it’s a beautiful entry into this R&B music game!

3. How did you initially become interested in music? Have there been any artists in your life or that you heard on the radio that really motivated you to start songwriting and perfecting your craft as a musician?

I started singing at age 4 and I got initial influence from both sides of my family with music basically; my Mom’s mother was the choir director of our family church choral department for many years and almost everyone on my Dad’s side is musically inclined!

My cousins are in a classic R&B band called Profyle that went on to top the charts and it really opened my eyes at an early age to R&B; although I credit Usher and Timbaland’s work with Ginuwine and Aaliyah for inspiring me at age 5 to slide through this R&B game with my own next-era sound!

I started building my style around age 9, the same year I started writing along with the Space Age idea I worked into my brand; an angle inspired by my Dad who’s big on Sci-fi and all things time travel and it made me love futurism and incorporate it into my music.

I want what I’m doing now to become the standard or an inspiration to the standard of the R&B scene of the 2040s! New sounds, instruments, melodies, languages and foreign samples are kind of my formula to creating the magic I’m creating; no one knows what I’m going to do next!

4. When someone listens to "Tell Me" or “Sodium.Chromium.Uranium” for the first time, what do you want them to take away from the experience?

“Tell Me” is a straight up baby maker *laughs* so my fellas out there they have to score on me; just play this track I swear you in there!

My ladies I want them to escape for those almost 4 minutes and channel the sexiest mindset they can: it’s a time and place for everything and this track will do it, every time! I want my fans to get a prophetic R&B experience from Sodium, it’s truly like no other sound out there and I want them to know I will take R&B into another era!

5. With 2022 winding down, what are some of your goals musically for 2023?

I plan to definitely release this album in this last quarter! My birthday is November 24th and the title of this album actually represents that, just in periodic element form: Sodium 11, Chromium 24 and Uranium 92, so this album is the biggest mark on my agenda in addition to releasing visuals for the first single “Get Better” and “Tell Me” to follow.

Connect with Donalveon: TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Interview: Casey Smith of the Casey Smith Project Talks About His New Single/Video "Red Carpet"

“Creatively, tapping into the sad emotion is easiest, and it can trigger me to write a beautiful tragedy. “Red Carpet” was inspired by an argument I had with someone...”

— Casey Smith

Congratulations on the release of your new single/video for "Red Carpet"; tell us about your creative process for the song's development overall and what inspired you to write it initially.

Creatively, tapping into the sad emotion is easiest, and it can trigger me to write a beautiful tragedy. “Red Carpet” was inspired by an argument I had with someone; it sucked, I felt bullied and taken advantage of.

Somehow though, I took the high road, and managed to write a song about it. Like the chorus says, “Every time it rains it’s all the same?”

How did the trio that comprised the Casey Smith Project come together? Are your two bandmates based in Alaska as well?

The core of the band currently is Scott Joyce on bass, Derek Haukaas on drums and myself. We have been together for about a year and a half in some form or another.

We all currently reside in Alaska, however, Scott and Derek both live in Anchorage and I live in Fairbanks. I met Scott through his old band, Good Hank when he lived in Fairbanks and Derek joined the band after mixing and mastering our last album, Lose Face.

Our chemistry developed quickly performing live together as Scott and Derek have similar backgrounds in music and a love for jazz.

What about "Red Carpet" sonically made it the right choice as the lead single for your upcoming album "Red Lights and Whiskey", and to shoot a music video for?

I think “Red Carpet” has all the elements I wanted in a single; it’s not overly complicated, there are lots of studio production tricks especially on the vocals, it’s groovy, sexy and it doesn’t follow any one set of rules like verse chorus etc.

“Red Carpet” has delicate acoustic guitar, heavy synths, and pop drums. I think it covers everything that I was shooting for on the new album.

I worked with Landsick Media for the music video, and they are just so fun and easy to trust. I pretty much let them run with their vision for the video and we had a blast making it.

Speaking of the upcoming album, what can you tell us about it? How many songs will be featured, and was it all self-produced and written?

There are eight tracks on the new album, “Red Lights and Whiskey”. These songs were written and recorded over a year and a half period during the pandemic at Wattage Studios in Anchorage, Alaska.

We self-produced all of the songs, wrote and arranged them by sharing demos back and forth before going into the studio. Derek Haukaas mastered the songs at Frostline Studios.

How would you say that your surroundings in Alaska, whether it be nature or the people you interact with, inspire the music that you create?

I have always been inspired by bands from the west coast. Bands like Modest Mouse, Built to Spill and Fleet Foxes. You can hear those influences on the new album.

Music from Alaska is primarily blue grass, but there are so many great bands that we love locally like Medium Build, and Matt Hopper & the Roman Candles to name just a few.

Alaska is unbelievably beautiful and pristine. Sonically, those dark winter nights and open blue skies in the summer bring a soft ambient texture to our sound and mood.

Stream and Share “Red Carpet” on Spotify

Connect with Casey Smith Project: Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp

Interview: Danish Rock Band Vinyl Floor Discuss Their New Album "Funhouse Mirror"

“During the demo process I brought in the song ‘Funhouse Mirror’ and it kind of seemed to wrap up the entire feel of the album in just three verses. We´ve always tried to come up with album titles which weren´t the title of one of the tracks but this time it seemed to fit.”

— Vinyl Floor

Congratulations on the completion and release of your new album "Funhouse Mirror"; tell us about your creative process for the development of its ten songs, and how long it took to complete the project.

Thomas Charlie Pedersen: Thank you! I think we started out demoing songs for ‘Funhouse Mirror’ during 2019. When we did the demos for our ‘Apogee’ album way back in 2015/2016 we quickly discovered that we had one batch of rock songs and a different batch of songs & ideas for a somewhat more mellow and melodic album but also material which was a bit more dramatic in texture and which perhaps demanded bigger arrangements.

Thus, we decided to do the first batch for ‘Apogee’ and save the rest for later. I seem to recall songs like ‘Between Lines Undone’, ‘Dear Apollon’ & ‘Death of a Poet’ were already in the 2015 batch. At least as instrumentals. The work on ‘Funhouse Mirror’ intensified and really took off during lockdown in 2020. We don´t do a lot of talking, we kind of instinctively know what to do.

I wrote a lot during that time, mainly as a way for me to stay sane and focused. We also did some writing together and demoed the songs in different versions.

Songs like ‘Death of a Poet’ and especially ‘Pretty Predictable’ have been through many stages and different versions. So, yeah, it actually started out as a left-over project and we always spend a lot of time on the demos.

The album preparations took years but once we hit the studio we knew exactly what we wanted to do and it was recorded fairly quick.

What inspired the title of the album, "Funhouse Mirror", and would you say that there is an overarching concept or theme throughout the songs?

During the demo process I brought in the song ‘Funhouse Mirror’ and it kind of seemed to wrap up the entire feel of the album in just three verses. We´ve always tried to come up with album titles which weren´t the title of one of the tracks but this time it seemed to fit.

The album had quite a few working titles until Daniel got the idea of making a funhouse mirror the theme for the artwork. During lockdown it felt as if we were living in some kind of parallel world and everything just felt so uncertain. I wouldn´t say we decidedly aimed for an album concept since we did talk about our desires to avoid just that, but again, it seemed to fit. Daniel suggested that we put ourselves on the front cover for once and that we presented some sort of distorted image of ourselves.

The album deals a lot with communication and some of the lyrics deal with how easy it has become to be misunderstood on social media platforms. Humans are generally quick to judge one another and you will set foot on not very solid ground if you don´t tread carefully. I would say there´s a certain theme running through the album – especially during the second half.

At what point when you both were younger did you first discover your love of music and that you were talented enough to make it your career?

Being brothers and being raised in a musical family with instruments laying around everywhere it was something that perhaps was just supposed to happen. I think I started drumming at the age of five and Daniel likewise so.

When I was three and before Daniel was even born, our father took me to a show in Copenhagen to see the Swedish singer Björn Afzelius. That was my first concert and something I still remember vividly. I discovered I wanted to play myself. I spent years just noodling around with instruments, curious, self-taught. It wasn´t until I became a teenager that I found out that songwriting could be the thing for me, the one thing I should try and figure out.

Already in high school I played with people who were much better musicians than me, so I decided that writing songs might make a difference. I´m sure Daniel has felt much the same way. And we still love doing it. Though the band is still pretty much underground, I might add. And by the way, I fricking still love Björn Afzelius.

What does the band name, Vinyl Floor, represent and how did it originate?

It doesn´t really mean anything and some days I think it´s a silly name haha but you’ve got to call it something, right? It probably does represent our love for vinyl records though and if I remember correctly I came up with the name when I visited Daniel one day and he was sorting some records lying on the floor. He lives in an apartment on the first floor so we both thought, well that´s it. We do opt for a vintage sound when we write and record so maybe we could have done worse with it.

With the album now released, what can we expect next musically from Vinyl Floor? Also, with the world opening back up now, are you planning to tour a lot in 2023?

Because we take our time with the preparations for a record we´re always ahead songwriting-wise which means that we already have new songs in the can as we speak. We´re in the very early stages of discovering what exactly we´ve got so I don´t know which direction we will go from here.

The variety of ‘Funhouse Mirror’ can take us down many paths, I believe. I could envision us doing a more low-key, folky record. Or maybe a weird record in which we do some more experimenting. I´d love for that to happen. Either way, I do think we have some wonderful stuff waiting around. And we might go out and perform acoustically as a duo. We´ve talked about that so we´ll see. Come 2023 I´m sure we also will be recording new demos once again.

Stream and Share “Funhouse Mirror” on Spotify

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Interview: Los Angeles Based Artist Adonis Faison Talks About His New Project "The Red Eye"

“Maryland will forever be my home but LA is the land of opportunity and you know opportunities won’t just fall in your lap, so I just took that leap of faith.”

— Adonis Faison

Congratulations on the completion and release of your new project "The Red Eye"; tell us about your creative process for its seven songs, and who produced it.

The creative process behind the project was a long stressful one; it actually took me a year to put this project together. I was dealing with a horrible writers block and relationship issues, so there wasn't any kind of inspiration. So I went to LA to visit to take a mental break and clear my head and when I came back home the creativeness was just pouring.

Shoutout to Benji Yang, Flavrboy, and Nathan Spieser for producing the project. Their beats really helped the process as well; they had that perfect sound that I was looking for.

Can you tell us what "The Red Eye", the project's title, represents, and would you say that it has an overall theme or concept?

I could say that the theme is very versatile, like if you in ya feelings on a late night drive, TheRedEye got you. You just wanna chill and relax with a good vibe, TheRedEye got u. You feeling yourself very confident, TheRedEye got you. So TheRedEye is basically a mood, a vibe.

Also, I wrote a majority of the songs on Red Eye flights, so it all just came together lol.

What prompted your move from Maryland to Los Angeles, and how has it impacted you as a music creator in regards to songwriting?

Ahh man Maryland will forever be my home but LA is the land of opportunity and you know opportunities won't just fall in your lap, so I just took that leap of faith.

As far as songwriting goes, it's so much inspiration here that my day to day life at this point I can make song from. I'm used to just hearing a beat and would just freestyle the song and up until now ot worked, but I feel like writing has taken me to a whole different level.

Do you plan to shoot a music video for "Medusa", or any of the other six songs on "The Red Eye"?

As we speak, I actually am in the process of shooting a video for “Medusa” which should be dropping in Oct. The songs “Mike Lowry”, “For Me”, and “Yea Yea” will also have videos coming soon so be on the lookout.

With "The Red Eye" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the remainder of 2022?

Some of my goals would be booking performances and growing my fan base.

And networking with other upcoming artist and potentially rubbing shoulders with some major ones.

Stream and Share “The Red Eye” on Spotify

Connect with Adonis Faison: Instagram

Jessie Reyez Debuts Her New Single/Video “Mutual Friend” and Announces Upcoming Album "Yessie!"

Grammy-nominated, 4x Juno-winning, singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez announces her upcoming sophomore album, Yessie, coming soon via FMLY / Island Records. In anticipation of Yessie – her first album in nearly two years - Jessie has released a brand new track, "Mutual Friend," proving yet again she is an unstoppable force. Yessie picks up where her 2020 debut studio album Before Love Came To Kill Us left off - a highly anticipated release from a now unforgettable era. Her writing on the new album captures the human experience in a way that is at once unique and relatable.

Jessie took the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Stage last week with a show stopping performance of “Mutual Friend.” On the record, Jessie clears the air to an ex lover and releases any lingering emotion she carries while declaring her independence – shown as scenes of beautiful rage, dying flowers symbolic of the relationship, and fluid dancing in the music video directed by Peter Huang.

After releasing two critically acclaimed EPs, Kiddo & Being Human In Public, Jessie released Before Love Came To Kill Us in March of 2020. Against unenviable odds, the album charted Top 5 on Billboard’s R&B Album Chart, amassed over 1.2 billion global streams, and earned the title of Top Female Debut Album and Top R&B Album of 2020 - cementing Reyez as a worldwide phenomenon. Last week’s Jimmy Kimmel performance is Jessie’s second on that show in two years and follows a string of late night appearances including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night With Seth Meyers, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. She made live appearances at 2021 Lollapalooza, 2022 Coachella and just opened on Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever world tour. Earlier this summer, Jessie shared her first preview track “Fraud,” which is at 5.6M streams to date and garnered attention from MTV, Hypebae, and Rolling Stone.

Watch the performance and “Mutual Friend” video and stay tuned for more to come soon.

Stream and Share “Mutual Friend”

Pre-save “Yessie”

Connect with Jessie Reyez: Instagram | Twitter

Interview: Toronto Rap Artist GTech Discusses His New Single "I Met Her At Caribana"

“I honestly want to eliminate this dark cloud of Toronto’s negative reputations, and furthermore push a more positive narrative, because Toronto is filled with endless talent that is untapped.”

— GTech

Congratulations on the release of your new single "I Met Her At Caribana"; for those of us who have never attended the event, how did it inspire you to write the song and is it based on a true story?

The inspiration behind “I Met Her At Caribana” derives from my love to the Caribbean culture while celebrating different events during Caribana. I am actually not from the Caribbean, but I’ve always enjoyed going to Caribana every year. And it is not actually based on a true story haha. It was just a song I wanted to create based on all the memories I had during all the Caribana events.

With Caribana kicking off later this month on the 28th, can we expect a music video for this track to be released?

I definitely wanted to shoot music video for it, but my timeline right now is not aligning for this plan. Hopefully in the near future!

Since the spotlight has been on Toronto for a long time now due to artists like Drake and the Weekend, would you say that artists in your hometown are very competitive and cutthroat or are generally open to work together to achieve the goal of success?

Toronto is filled with a plethora of talented artists with many big names that have opened doors for upcoming artists. So yes, the competition is immensely competitive. This naturally has created wedges between many artists not wanting to work with each other, which is a common reputation for Toronto. However, all the Toronto artists I know personally have been down to earth, and willing to support my music with the willingness to work together.

I honestly want to eliminate this dark cloud of Toronto’s negative reputations, and furthermore push a more positive narrative, because Toronto is filled with endless talent that is untapped.

What can you tell us about Foxpack, the hip hop group you're a part of? Who are the members and how did you all connect?

Foxpack is a music group that originally formed back in 2012. We broke down doors with our debut single “House Party.” We shot the music video at an actual house party and it accumulated to 11,000 views on YouTube. Back in the day, that was a lot. We subsequently released a few music videos that would hit thousands of views as well. We created a decent buzz in the city for us.

Foxpack consists of myself, Epic, D-Sciple, and Pablo Tha Don. As a collective, we are a super lyrical group. Individually we are emcees, but together we are a mythical creature when it comes to hip-hop lyricism. I’ve always compared us to Slaughterhouse. Myself and D-Sciple are actually old high-school friends, and the same with Epic and Pablo. We ended up connecting through mutual friends, and then we joined forces to form Foxpack.

With "I Met Her At Caribana" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of 2022?

I plan to promote “I Met Her At Caribana” until the end of the summer. After that, my next single, “Euphoria” will release in the Fall.

I plan to create a website and release merch some time this year. My plan is monetize and brand my music. Even though I have been making music for 20 years, I feel like I have just started.

Connect with GTech: Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

Interview: Amar Miller Talks About His Newly Released Music Video "Long Road (Never Coming Home Pt. 1)"

“I don’t like being called a “rapper,” honestly. It puts me into a box that I’m bigger than. I like to sing, I like to write, I like to create. I like to feel, I like to be happy, I like to express frustrations and be sad sometimes.”

— Amar Miller

Congratulations on the release of the music video for your track "Long Road (Never Coming Home Pt. 1)”, which you also directed. What initially inspired you to write the song, and what led to you directing the clip?

Thank you, for real!! The song was written in the spring of 2021. Within the previous months, I had a falling out with someone who is probably in my top ten most positive influences in my life. It’s about going back through the memories, and realizing that I care for that person probably more than I could willingly admit to myself and friends. When you know someone in and out, you know what makes them happy, but you also know their struggles. The song was doing my best to reach out and to be positive about facing the hardships of what’s going on in their life.

As far as directing the music video, videography and cinematic shoots have always been something I wanted to do. It seemed like their was no better time to try it out for myself.

I saw my favorite artists appear in videos with a similar style, so I wanted to see if I could put my own spin on it. Shoutout to MeHere Productions for helping me shoot some of the shots.

The song appears on your album "Better Late Than Never..."; why did you decide to film a video for it and will there be other visuals released from the project?

Long Road is was my first lead single for the project. It’s one of my most viewed songs, and it’s been more places than a lot of my other music. The song also just means a lot to me, so it’s great that I could continue to expand on that song creatively.

I definitely want to shoot more visuals. I’m working on one right now with a few of my friends. All directed by me again. Very excited to share it!

If you had to pick one song from the album that would represent you the most as an artist to a stranger, which one would you select and why?

That is a great flippin’ question, man…

I don’t like being called a “rapper,” honestly. It puts me into a box that I’m bigger than. I like to sing, I like to write, I like to create. I like to feel, I like to be happy, I like to express frustrations and be sad sometimes. That’s why it’s hard to pick one song from the album; there’s so many different sounds and moods.

I think I sing the best on “Wake Up Call,” but I think “Last Night,” is the most catchy. My answer probably would be “Last Night.” It’s the song I’m most proud of, and the song that most people tend to gravitate towards; but I always want people to know that there’s so much more to me than that sound and that style.

You're currently a student at Oklahoma State University; how difficult is it to juggle your academic responsibilities and your musical aspirations?

I’m gonna be honest, it’s hell. Even so, I’ve found a group of artists who are just amazing at their craft. Shout-out to my friends Abunndance, JustBrae, and DaProphet. We’re all students, but these guys have been driving me to create the best music I can, all the while being the best person I can be.

Aside from my friends, on a more personal level, it’s very hard to balance school and music. Money is always a the biggest factor, and nobody has their financial situation in order at this age. Finding places to record is also really challenging. I usually record back home in Toledo, and spending time in Oklahoma going to school really challenges what you can do creatively.

With the visual for "Long Road (Never Coming Home Pt. 1)” now released and the year winding down, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of 2022?

More appearances. I’ve been really heavy on trying to conduct myself more like a brand and a business, and I’ve got great people around me who help a lot with that. More magazines, more interviews, more placements. I need all that.

There’s one song I want to drop for the whole rest of the year, and that’s a song I’ve been hoarding for a bit called “Balance.” This song features well known Chicago/Philly artist, theMIND, and my friend DIVERZE. from Buffalo. Both individuals have done wonders for me with their work, so I’m very happy to finally make a record where both of them are on it.

Stream and Share “Better Late Than Never…” on Spotify

Connect with Amar Miller: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify