6 Ways Custom Cloth Wristbands Can Fire Up Music Shows

Wristbands are staples at music festivals, and they’re getting more popular, especially when organizers can use them to manage attendees. Music festivals can go on for a few days, and cloth wristbands are some of the simplest solutions for artist promotions. Additionally, cloth wristbands have been evolving with new features that made events even more worth the price of admission.

Here are some ways custom cloth wristbands can fire up music shows:

1. Versatile And Comes With Options

Organizing a music event isn’t easy. Apart from the musical act, organizers need to mind the venue arrangements, as well as the comfort and safety of both attendees and staff. Fortunately, aside from serving as IDs, custom cloth wristbands are water-resistant, stretch-resistant, and hypoallergenic, which is good news for those who are allergic to rubber wristbands.

Some companies will offer variants of cloth wristbands such as ones that come with RFID and QR codes for faster identification.

2. Organized Staff And Guest Management

Staff members should be at a particular place and time; there will be people who are needed backstage, while some will ensure that the flow of people is as smooth as possible. The staff will also need to identify those who have day passes and weekend passes with perks.

To help with identification and segregation, organizers can use color-coded custom cloth wristbands that come with a level of access. This is important since some music festivals and conferences use wristbands as an option for attendees who can choose to see only a fraction of the show.

Custom cloth wristbands are printable with texts, graphics, and barcodes. The staff will have an easier time guiding the guests at their designated spots. Thus, with a custom wristband, there’s no need to use erasable stamp marks on people’s hands and bulky ID cards on lanyards.

3. Versatile And Durable

Custom cloth wristbands offer security to the wearer because they have locks that make them easy to take off and put on. This means that it’s also reusable.

Cloth wristbands also come in different types, like full-color cloth wristbands and woven wristbands. Full-color options are sublimated with high-quality color printing, while the woven alternative uses a woven thread for the designs. Custom wristbands act as merchandise from the event, which you can take home and keep.

Some creators have even gone beyond the usual fabric and are using sustainable bamboo cloth for custom wristbands. They can take on dye sublimation colors and still be good for the environment. This means even if attendees left them behind the venue, they’re still easily disposable.

4. Serves As Accessories After The Event

Printable custom cloth wristbands double as merchandise or keepsake after the event. Bands and artists at music shows can sell these wristbands as they can be specially designed for their fans.

These wristbands are comfortable and are fashion-forward because they can be printed with logos or images of their favorite musicians or singers. The event can also be a memorable time, and you have the wristband to wear and show off to your friends.

5. Prevents Fraud

These variants of wristbands can replace paper tickets, which are susceptible to fraud. The chips inside the wristbands use a technology that’s not easy for anyone to reproduce or tamper with to sell and fool other people. Event organizers can boost revenue by using cloth wristbands with RFID technology that some cloth wristband creators are offering. Attendees who lose their tickets only need to inform the ticketing section, show the wristband, and then get new tickets and a matching RFID wristband. The old wristband with the lost tickets will be quickly deactivated.

This helps the organizers keep track of the ticket sales, and at the same time, people who paid to see the show can still have a good time.

6. Saves Time And Resources

Paper tickets have always been the admission item for any show or event as proof that people paid to attend. Organizers who have been printing three days' worth of tickets will be dealing with people who keep losing them. Not to mention, the use of paper for tickets is just wasteful.

With custom cloth wristbands, especially the ones with RFID chips, people don’t have to keep checking if they still have their tickets. All they need to do is to wear the wristband to show to the staff to get inside the venue

In Conclusion

Custom cloth wristbands make it easier for attendees because it improves their experience. They don’t have to worry about losing tickets and they can still keep the wristband as a souvenir. At the same time, the organizers can easily manage the flow of attendees and provide a safer and secure event for attendees to enjoy.

Interview: King Cole Discusses His Latest Single "Your Story Is Mine", Featuring Xavier Keyz

“I originally wrote this song for my wife. I always write from the heart and I hold nothing back. As a songwriter I have to come up with something that’s universal to everyone.”

— King Cole

How did you get started as a songwriter? Who were some artists and/or songwriters that influenced you early on?

I started writing songs when I was 18 or 19 years old and my influences are anything Motown, all the great funk and soul of The Black Counterculture Movement in the late 60s and 70s, as well as the British invasion, specifically the Beatles.

So the songwriters that influenced me would obviously be Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Holland Dozier Holland, Ashford and Simpson, Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards, Jimmy Web, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Walter Becker and Donald Fagan, and so many more.

Congratulations on the release of your new single "Your Story Is Mine", featuring Xavier Keyz; what inspired you to write the song and how did you decide that Xavier was the right artist to bring your lyrics to life? Also, who produced the song?

I originally wrote this song for my wife. I always write from the heart and I hold nothing back. As a songwriter I have to come up with something that’s universal to everyone.

The first time I became aware of Xavier Keyz was I believe in January of this year at the Springboard Festival. It was during Covid and so it was the first one that they did by Zoom. I was streaming it to my television and when Xavier came on it felt like he jumped out of the screen into my living room.

My wife and I were mesmerized by his performance and presence. I knew right away that he was the one for the song. I went to YouTube and listened to his music and found out that he’s also a very good songwriter. I flew Xavier down to Houston and he spent three days in the studio with Barry as I watched the session on Zoom from Miami. Once again I knew that we had made the right decision because Xavier‘s work ethic is second to none. He didn’t want to stop until he was perfect. He delivered big time. He was able to capture exactly what we wanted. He’s a singer who can make someone else’s song his own.

Veteran producer Barry Coffing produced the song.

Can we expect a music video for "Your Story Is Mine" to follow next? If not, do you have another song release on the way?

Yes you can most definitely expect an official music video. In the meantime we have a lyric video that is doing quite well with over 12,000 views in about 2 weeks since it’s release.

What can you tell us about the compilation album that "Your Story Is Mine" is featured on? Do you have a release date confirmed yet?

“Your Story Is Mine” will be part of an album do in 2022 (no release date yet) called “Troll the Troll.” This project was created along with master painter and visual artist Barry Gross (collected by Elton John, the Forbes Foundation, Coca-Cola, etc.)

Barry is providing a unique oil painting as a cover for each single and of course the final album.

With "Your Story Is Mine" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of the year?

For the next many months our team along with Xavier‘s manager Durell Peart we will be concentrating on this single and promoting Xavier in a big way. When I feature an artist I go all in.

My brand, believe it or not, is not about me. It’s about helping young independent creatives break out. We’ll also be in the studio for the entire remainder of the year.

Connect with King Cole: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Interview: Melbourne Based Artist Acoustic Foxx Discusses His New Single "The Fire Is Alive"

“So many times and moments in life that could have easily burnt me out and had me thrown in the towel. Despite all the self-loathing and disappointment I’ve thrown at myself over the years, I kept going and it was that fire burning inside of me that kept me alive.”

— Acoustic Foxx

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

Raw, Dark, Thoughtful.

Congratulations on the release of your new single "The Fire is Alive"; tell us what inspired you from a songwriting perspective.

Thank you! The song-writing process usually begins with the guitar, a chord structure or riff and ‘The Fire is Alive’ is no different. I often mess around in different tunings on the guitar, I like not knowing standard chord shapes and just fumbling around trying to come up with chords and parts that sound cool. I tuned down my old Maton acoustic guitar to open C6 tuning and I wrote ‘The Fire is Alive’.

I played in hard rock/grunge bands for years and lately I’ve really been missing an aspect of that so I wanted to incorporate more of my electric guitar influence in this song. I recently brought myself a new sunburst Fender Tele and I fell in love and ended up recording heaps of extra guitar parts.

Lyrically I approached the song by recognizing I still had that fire burning inside of me to create music and succeed much like I had when I was younger. That seems to burn out over the years for a lot of people, so I’m grateful I still feel it.

So many times and moments in life that could have easily burnt me out and had me thrown in the towel. Despite all the self-loathing and disappointment I’ve thrown at myself over the years, I kept going and it was that fire burning inside of me that kept me alive. The Fire IS Alive, indeed.

I think that is more important than ever to feel connected with that during these trying times. The Fire is real, learn how to feel it, harness it and use it for whatever you are doing.

How did you connect with the song's producer, Joshua Whitehead, and what was you and his creative process musically?

The first time I worked with Joshua Whitehead I was in a band as lead guitarist called ‘Old Etiquettes’ and we were recording our debut album. The bands singer and chief songwriter James Harrison had worked with Joshua on many different projects for years. I really enjoyed working with him so I booked in to record my second album “Blustery Winter” in 2018 and I’ve recorded everything with Joshua since then.

With my latest single ‘The Fire is Alive’ it’s actually the first time I’ve had drums on any of my songs since my debut EP in 2012. A good friend of mine Luciano Alvaro picked up the sticks and couldn’t wait to get into the studio along with Hugh Heller on bass. Joshua had us record live in the big room at Crosstown Sound-studio and that was awesome. He wanted to capture that raw energy of a band playing the song and we played it over and over.

I actually recorded a ton of additional guitar tracks at home but I went a little overboard because I was having too much fun but we ended up culling what we didn’t need.

With "The Fire is Alive" now released, can we expect a music video to follow; if not, what are some of your goals for the rest of 2021?

Unfortunately here in Melbourne, we are in our 6th lockdown and it’s pretty nasty. The ideas I had for a music video are just not possible so I decided not to do one at all.

I’ve got another single half-finished that Joshua recorded and Hugh and Luciano played on so I’ll finish that and release it before the end of the year, as well as keeping on writing new material. It’s important I keep being creative.

I also run a music podcast called ‘Foxx on the Wire’ that’s been a huge blessing during all these lockdowns as I’ve been able to still connect with other musicians and talk about all things music.

How has the shutdown in Australia over the past year plus impacted you as a songwriter? Also, what do you miss most about performing live for audiences?

The lockdowns haven’t really impacted my creativity as such, but it has impacted the cycle of what being a musician is all about. Write songs – record – go out and play live and promote. Repeat cycle.

Lyrically there’s not a lot to be inspired about which is why I have a heap of music written but not a lot of lyrics. A few instrumental tracks perhaps?

I really miss playing live because it helps me connect with people and with myself. Having gigs coming up helps me keep my skills sharp and myself in good health so I’m fit enough to play gigs and test out any new songs. I didn’t really get into the whole live streaming thing but it’s cool that so many artists did.

Stream and Share “The Fire is Alive” on Soundcloud

Connect with Acoustic Foxx: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Baby Queen Releases Her Debut Mixtape "The Yearbook", and New Single "Narcissist"

Baby Queen rightfully ascends the anti-pop throne with the release of her hotly awaited debut mixtape “The Yearbook” and new single “Narcissist,” one of five brand new tracks featured on it.

Displaying characteristic wit and candor, Baby Queen says “Narcissist” is “an admission of my own narcissistic tendencies but also me trying to make sense of where those tendencies came from in the first place. I think women are told from the moment they are born until they can form their own opinions that beauty and vanity are the key to their success, and then they are berated when they are older for being self-obsessed or apathetic. Cosmetic companies want us to hate ourselves. There is money being made off our obsession with improving ourselves and our appearances. This song is just saying, 'Yeah fuck you, I am a narcissist, and I am self-obsessed, but why do you think that is?'”

The ten songs that make up “The Yearbook” are born from personal experiences Baby Queen -aka South African-born, London-adoptee Bella Latham - had chosen to keep under wraps for years. Taking us as far back as 2018, they’re the 24-year old’s most diaristic work to date, chronicling her coming-of-age. “It’s an American coming-of-age film,” she says of the final project’s concept. “It feels confusing, happy, free, lonely… all of these things you go through when you are growing up.”

The release of “The Yearbook” marks the culmination of the new musical era of Baby Queen, which was ushered in at the top end of 2021 with “Raw Thoughts” and follows the release of her debut “Medicine” EP in November. The experiences that informed the songs on “The Yearbook” unfolded when Bella moved to London at 18, joined rock bands and fell in love and headfirst into the city’s party scene. They are bittersweet and brilliant. “It’s important to be able to capture a full range of emotion,” she says of the songs on “The Yearbook”, which include previous releases ‘These Drugs’, ‘Dover Beach’, ‘American Dream’ and ‘You Shaped Hole’. “I want the listener to feel like they’re on the top of a London bus, traveling through a city they’ve moved to for the very first time, seeing the world through new eyes.”

Baby Queen has performed at a number of festivals throughout the summer, including Reading & Leeds, and recently added a third date to her debut headline shows at Omeara on November 9th & 10th, which sold out in a matter of days. The third and final show will take place on the 11th.

Listen to “The Yearbook” mixtape below, stream it on your preferred music service and connect with Baby Queen on her social media.

Stream and Share “The Yearbook”

Connect with Baby Queen: Twitter | TikTok | Facebook

Interview: Vancouver Rock Trio Bute Street Talk About Their New Single "Fentanyl"

“Our biggest accomplishment is the upcoming album. It feel like everything was building toward this.”

— Bute Street

How did you three initially meet and decide to form Bute Street? Also, what does the band's name represent?

Myself and Liam met through mutual friends. It's a small world when you're an Irish immigrant. We jammed once or twice then lined up cover gigs for money as Mop And Beard. I've wrote songs since I was 15 and played a lot of them to Liam. He really liked them and we started working together and threw originals on the set. After a while we decided to get full band together. We went without a bassist for at least a year. Our first EP was recorded without a bassist by trade and in hindsight would have been much better with Jory. I found Jory on Craigslist and once he came in to the fold we hit the ground running. Hes the only Canadian, so he balances the band in many ways and he’s by far got the best stage presence.

The name Bute Street was suggested by our first drummer Connor Morrissey because I lived on Haro and Bute in downtown Vancouver. Bute Street sounded better than Haro Street so we went for that.

In Belfast, Bute is slang for good as well so I think that clinched it Haha. Connor put us on to Craig when he had to leave over work commitments.

Congratulations on the release of your new single "Fentanyl", and its soon to be unveiled music video. Tell us about your creative process for the song itself, and working with its producer Dan Ponich.

I (Colm) moved to Vancouver in 2016 and by 2019 had met 4 people who overdosed and died on fentanyl laced cocaine. I met others who woke up in an ambulance and told me first hand on a building site a few days after the fact so I thought it was pretty messed up situation.

Growing up in Belfast I'd been around a lot of recreational drugs but the potential of death in Vancouver seemed crazy to me so I wrote the tune with all that fresh in my mind. Musically we wanted a rockier sound in general from our first EP so I tried to write a pumped up punk song with a chorus people could sing along to live.

I didn’t want to be preachy either despite the subject matter. I wanted to address it in our matter of fact way with even a little dark wit I dare say. Our producer Dan Ponich was the man who picked the right guitars, effects and amps to get that big sound. We worked with Dan previously on “Superficial Times” but knew each other a lot better by the time we were recording this song. So the production is a lot better here as I think he got us by this stage and helped us get that rock and roll sound we wanted.

Regarding Fentanyl's animated music video, how did you and the director, Kara Fernstrom, come up with its treatment?

Our bass player Jory owns the legs you see walking at the start of video before it goes into animation. He filmed that and came up with the video intro. We threw tons of ideas at Kara and she picked a few that was possible without a million dollar budget Haha.

I think I came up with the roulette wheel and the ambulance but Kara came up with most the visuals that made the cut and she done a fine job. She is Jory’s cousin and just as well because it was a crazy long endeavor and might not have got finished otherwise.

Me and liam haven't actually met her but corresponded by email and threw dozens of ideas at her. I think as we all have worked in construction we wanted that theme in there too of hardworking man who likes to enjoy himself but that threat of death looming because "they poisoned the sugar".

Kara got all the visual themes we wanted in beautifully without too much repetition or confusing narrative. But most importantly it looks cool as fuck.

What can you tell us about your upcoming debut album "Eclectic Taste"? How long did it take to record all of the 15 songs, and were there any that you recorded that did not make the final track list?

We done an album by accident really. Our drummer Craig informed us in August 2020 that he was return to Ireland in November. We thought well we won’t be gigging for a long time by the looks of it so we might as well get few drum tracks down before he goes. After conversation with our producer Dan who said Craig is unusually talented and efficient in the studio 4 turned to 6 to 8 to 10. We rehearsed for 6 weeks and had to finalize structures and Craig went in late October and done all the drum tracks in one day.

Craig went home and the three left went in every month and worked on 2 songs at a time. We finished our 15 song album in May 2021. It’s now mastered and ready to go but now we need content before release so we are working on that.

Believe it or not I dropped several songs and 15 was as ruthless as I could be. It may be the only album we ever do so I wanted every song that made the cut on it. I'm very proud of it. It's a huge step up in quality for a lot of reasons like better arranging, better production, better harmonies and the development of our working relationship coming to fruition.

After the first 2 we all hit our stride and Dan was a massive help playing synth and little guitar when liam broke his hand. He got the songs sonically better and was def like our 5th member. If you like “Fentanyl” you will love our new album. It's ballsy rock and roll with a few softer songs in between hence “Eclectic Taste”.

What would you say has been Bute Street's biggest accomplishment musically thus far since you began in 2018?

Our biggest accomplishment is the upcoming album. It feel like everything was building toward this. I have been at this a long time and try to be realistic with my assessments of my own music but the timing, the people, the talent and work rate was all right for this project which is almost impossible in band life and I think we've produced a special piece of art with these group of songs.

The hard part will be to get it heard so I thank you for listening to us and hope your readers will.

Connect with Bute Street: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | ReverbNation

Stream “‘U.L.A’ (U Look Asian)”, the Debut EP by Producer/DJ Maggie Tra

Lost within the realms of Asia and its surroundings, emerging producer and friend of the DCWS brand, Maggie Tra, releases her empowering debut EP “‘U.L.A’ (U Look Asian)”.

Leaning on the connotations of the title, the tongue-in-cheek EP ‘U.L.A’ acts as homage to Maggie’s upbringing. The 4-track EP is a composition of sounds from Khmer and Vietnamese samples that digs into her heritage and seeps through her inner identities on being an Asian brought up in the western world.

Now based in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Australian born Khmer/Vietnamese artist has channeled her inner thoughts and feelings from her upbringing into the EP showcasing a side of Asia that sometimes gets left out.

“‘U.L.A’ is a playful way of me describing what my life is like. Whether a Westerner or an Asian person asks me where I am from after I respond with Australia, they usually say, “But you look Asian”. To be honest it always makes me laugh, because they're not wrong”

“I often find in modern music that Cambodian and Vietnamese artists’ and music aren’t so integrated. That really what was my main drive to be a producer, I want more people to see my culture for what it is, and embrace the beauty of it for those who have been to these places as well as introducing people who haven’t. And whilst they see my world, I want them to dance,”

The ethereal/electronic EP has a vast variety of sounds compiled into it, alongside Khmer and Vietnamese language entangled between.

Marking a prodigious milestone in her accelerating career, from a DJ to now producer Maggie Tra’s debut EP allows her significance as one of the modern-day Asian artists’ to be appreciated in all of its glory.

Preserving a strong presence within the world Maggie masterfully balances individuality and embraces the cultures she’s in. Allowing her to bridge the gap between Australia and Asia assisted by carefully curated DJ sets and production.

A weaver of musical fibres, her creations entwine melody, genres and tempos to create her own tapestries. Maggie’s music has been seen on NTS, Worldwide FM, Mixmag Asia and more.

Vibe out to Maggie’s DOPE debut EP now, and connect with her on social media!

Connect with Maggie Tra: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud

Greek Producer Terry Da Libra Releases Mellow "Reminiscent" EP on Monstercat Silk

Leuteris Pimenidis, better known as Terry da Libra, is without a doubt one of Greece’s hidden treasures! Melody and harmony-- these are the two words you will remember after listening to Terry da Libra's sound.

Terry continues to make hearts bleed out with his uplifting, optimistic-sounding, heartwarming anthems. Leuteris Pimenidis or simply put, Terry da Libra, is a Greek producer who started to make music when he was fourteen. Backed with a rich musical background from being part of a rock band as well as being inducted in several clubs/Bars as a resident DJ. Terry is definitely equipped with much inspiration and dedication & his potentials & creativity will surely take him soaring higher than his own harmonies.. It is true that music can take us to places we have never been to before, and music from Terry da Libra always puts this statement into play.

Terry returns with his soothing EP, ‘Reminiscent.’ The four-track package immerses listeners in a vibrant soundscape characterized by warm synth leads, floating vocals, and atmospheric pads. The crisp percussion and rich basslines sustain the energy introduced by the upbeat arpeggiators, allowing for seamless transitions between tracks. Inspired by the natural beauty of his home, ‘Reminiscent’ reminds listeners to slow down and take in their surroundings.

Listen to ‘Reminiscent’ right now, stream it on your preferred music service and connect with Terry Da Libra on his social media.

Stream and Share ‘Reminiscent’

Connect with Terry Da Libra: Twitter | Instagram

Singer-Songwriter/Producer Zeph Announces Her Debut EP "Scared of Everything", and Releases Her Single/Video "friends or not"

Maryland-based singer-songwriter/producer, Zeph (Zephani Jong, 22), has released her self-produced single about platonic mixed signals, “friends or not”, which will be part of her debut EP “Scared of Everything” to be released on October 15th with Neon Gold Records (MARINA, Charli XCX, HAIM, Christine and the Queens, et. al).

Last month, she debuted “are you?” alongside her first music video, filmed in Los Angeles and directed by Erik Rojas (Isaac Dunbar, Rich Brian, Jessie J etc).

Zeph was born and raised in Maryland and homeschooled until the 10th grade. Her interest in musical production and songwriting began with a field trip to the Apple store for a children's tutorial of Garageband at the age of 10. It wasn't until 2018 when Zeph began writing lyrics and songs, over time discovering her own sound and production style by experimenting with friends' equipment in her bedroom. It was then she self-released her first song, “Forever & Always” which has now amassed over 13 million global streams to date, followed by “Lucky” and “Ways To Go”. Like her singles before it, “are you?” is written, recorded and produced by Zeph herself, and follows on the heels of her stunning Thomston collaboration “Magnolia” from earlier this year.

Inspired in equal parts by film composers like Hans Zimmer as she is her pop contemporaries, Zeph has continued to hone in on her own cinematic alternative-pop songs, which sound like they were pulled right from her diary and onto the silver screen. Channeling this medium to share her own insecurities and emotions, Zeph often creates soundtrack clips set to anime and comic shorts posted to her Instagram feed. She likes to describe her music as a soundtrack to a coming of age movie where everyone is the main character, especially those who feel like they are not.

Watch the visual for “friends or not” now, stream it on Spotify and connect with Zeph on her IG. Also, be on the lookout for “Scared of Everything”, which drops on October 15th.

Stream and Share “friends or not”

Connect with Zeph: Instagram

Korean-American “Substance Pop” Artist AZRA Representing LA’s Koreatown in Ep. 3 of Barrio Fino Docu-Series

Korean-American “Substance Pop” creator and artist, AZRA, is proudly headlining this Wednesday’s episode of Barrio Fino, a 5-part music docu-series exploring the communities surrounding MacArthur Park in Los Angeles. Presented by AAX Media, the 60-minute episode entitled Koreatown 3.0 will explore the music and cultural diversity of Los Angeles’ Koreatown.

AZRA shares, “As a 1.0 generation immigrant myself who moved to the Bay Area from South Korea, then eventually to LA, Koreatown has always been a very special and warm place for me growing up. I strongly believe that LA wouldn’t be LA without K-Town due to its awesome food, entertainment, ever growing diverse community, and the impact it has on our Los Angeles city culture and beyond. Koreatown also has one of the most coveted venues for musicians and singers to perform at, the Wiltern, a place I hope to one day perform. I am honored and grateful to be representing Koreatown and performing for this festival to promote and celebrate the greater Los Angeles community, youth development, diversity and our continued efforts in Asian American representation in Media and our American culture.”

AZRA’s performance will be livestreamed and screened at 7:00 PM PT on September 1st from the rooftop of Walter J. Towers. For more information, please visit: https://levittlosangeles.org/.

Connect with AZRA: Website | Twitter | Instagram | LinkTree

Vancouver Pop Singer Jessicka Releases Her "Mistress/Queen" EP and "I Hear You Calling" Music Video

To say it’s been a year of change could be considered quite the understatement. But for Vancouver-based musician Jessicka, it’s been the perfect time to truly realize who she wanted to be as an artist.

While her past work has been said to be anchored by heady and dark lyrical content, her new project has taken the artist in a somewhat different direction, evoking a kind of electric energy and exuberance much needed in the current social climate. “I want to get the crowd as pumped to be up and moving as I am when I’m on stage,” she explained. “I just want them to have a more elevated experience. To feel that power and that intensity.”

Having already taken the Canadian pop world by storm with three previous lauded EPs, as well as standout tracks “Wake Up,” and “Broke and Drunk,” Jessicka has continued to move forward – evolving her sound into something she hopes continues to maintain its intense relatability, but in a whole new way.

“It was all about writing songs about the most fun we’ve ever had,” she recalled. “I want to release a record that’s going to slay in a club, and everyone will get sweaty and dance-y. I want to invoke that energy.”

The result is a project entitled “Mistress/Queen”, steeped with the kind of trance-like beats and melodic lyrics meant to conjure positivity, and an infectious sense of rhythm, peace and genuine joy.

For the “Mistress/Queen” EP, which is about allowing despair to have a voice while maintaining queen status, Jessicka teamed up with Grammy Award-winning producer John Congleton.

Coinciding with the EP’s release, Jessicka has unveiled her newest single, "I Hear You Calling," which captures the inner battle of giving up on yourself versus the confidence to overcome the darkness.

Watch the accompanying music video below, stream “Mistress/Queen” on your preferred music service, and connect with Jessicka on her social media.

Stream and Share “Mistress/Queen”

Connect with Jessicka: Twitter | Instagram

Interview: Columbus, OH Artist/Producer Voxcore Talks About His Self Titled Debut Album "Voxcore"

“I like to describe it like a mad scientist as I work in variations and lay out all the options. Once I find a sound or melody that I like I start to build and layer on top of it. Piece by piece working to create a final sound.”

— Voxcore

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

Emotional Audio Experience

Vibrant, Neon, Synth, 80s, Visual Narrative, transcending

Tell us about your creative process when you are working on new music.

I like to describe it like a mad scientist as I work in variations and lay out all the options. Once I find a sound or melody that I like I start to build and layer on top of it. Piece by piece working to create a final sound.

Then I shift my focus to the song's structure and presentation, moving around all the puzzle pieces until I find something that feels right.

Congratulations on the completion and release of your debut album "Voxcore"; tell us about its development and whether it was self-produced.

Thanks a lot, the album has been the culmination of several years of work.

It was self-produced and promoted, even the album artwork, visuals, and videos are all done by me.

Would you say that the "Voxcore" album has an overarching theme or concept?

Absolutely, the album tells a story from start to finish. With the rise of Perpetuance and Fabrication to the fade of Reign I wanted the album to be a reflection of the journey we all experience through life, love and the pursuit of happiness.

Were there songs that you recorded that did not appear on the "Voxcore" album? If so, why didn't they make the final cut?

Yeah there were a few, I think every artist knows that the final piece or presentation doesn't always match the original idea or vision.

I had an idea of how many songs I wanted to include, but only you decide what's complete and not. So yeah, there were a handful of songs that I was on the fence about that ended up going back into the oven for some more TLC.

Maybe you’ll hear them on my next album, stay tuned. I'm not committing to a specific date just yet, but I am happy to share that my next album is well underway. Look out for the first single in the next couple weeks and expect to listen to the full album before the end of the year.

Stream and Share “Voxcore” on Spotify

Dopecausewesaid’s review of “Voxcore”

Connect with Voxcore: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Interview: Milwaukee Based Artist/Producer Monti Korbelle Discusses His New Single/Video "Dreamlike"

“As much as I would like to grind and produce and get more stuff out there, I have to take some time to absorb and process. One needs input before there can be output.”

— Monti Korbelle

What are some things/people/places that inspire your creativity when you are working on new music?

In many ways I feel art is universal; it all starts with a vision. I found that music producers and cartoon animators are similar in their process and technique, and of course you can branch out and include instrumentalists, sketch artists, photographers, 3D sculptors, and pretty soon you have an umbrella over all types of artists all linked in some way with their artistry approach.

Someone who inspires me— there's a YouTube channel called The Art of Photography that did a series called Artist Series, which I recommend. Episode 3 features a photographer named Laura Wilson, and she deeply connects with me on her approach to art. I'm not a photographer, but her techniques in how to approach the art of bringing a vision to life is the same energy I like to apply to my music.

Congratulations on the completion and release of your album "Mount Moon", which includes your single "Dreamlike". Tell us about your creative process for this song and the album overall.

The album is about looking within and uncovering the hidden pieces of oneself. A functional society requires us to mask our emotions, but this leads to our emotions becoming masked from ourselves. In the process of looking within, we find positive and negative, and this album emphasizes the negative.

"Dreamlike," on the other hand, is a moment of peace— euphoria, even. We all have the chemical cocktail in the chamber ready for release within our own brains; it's like free drugs— a rush of joy produced by one's own thoughts. Except triggering this mental response is the challenge. "Dreamlike" is that moment of bliss one is able to feel, even when the person exists in a slump of depression.

The music video for "Dreamlike" is awesome; how did you come up with its treatment and can you describe how you developed it?

Yeah, this is sort of a funny story. I was at a bar with friends on a Friday night; I don't drink much, but I was at a bar. It was a hip bar that played popular music loud with rows of televisions on the walls showing the music video. That's where I heard for the first time a song called "Astronaut In The Ocean" by Masked Wolf.

I didn't realize it at the time, but this song was going to be the biggest song of the year. Nevertheless, I'm watching the music video at this bar, drunk, mind you, and I can't help but become upset with how much I thought the music video looked like shit. The transitions and effects looked cheap and corny, and there were shots of the music artist wearing a space suit standing in-front of a green-screen with outer-space as the digital backdrop. He was blatantly standing in a film studio accompanied by a very obvious amount of Earth's gravity.

I was so upset with how this music video looked. I thought, "Why didn't they suspend him mid-air to create the illusion of no gravity? He's in space— is he not?" The anger over this music video got me thinking about how I would have done it better— how I would have made a music video that didn't look as crappy as "Astronaut In The Ocean" by Masked Wolf did. Then, I decided to take that energy and apply it to a music video of my own.

How would you compare the "Mount Moon" album to your first, "Global Carbon Tax Economy", from a sonic and thematic standpoint?

I hate to admit it, but I do feel like I suffered a mild case of mental illness during the production of my first album, "Global Carbon Tax Economy." For some reason, where I found value in myself was through my intellect, and with that I wanted to move people. While I was getting mind-blown by political podcasts and conspiracy theorists, further increasing my knowledge, I was wishing to recreate the same mind-blowing effect through my music.

The idea sounds fine when briefly explained as such, except with art comes suffering, and when the source of suffering is the paranoia of oligarchical shadows that wish to strike down the middle to lower class for capital gain, then the pain is more intense than simply trying to create great art.

One of the first songs I produced for my second album, "Mount Moon," was a song called "Find a New Direction," and that's exactly what I was doing for the new album— finding a new direction. Becoming obsessed with politics and current events works fine for many, but not for the mentally fragile, which is something I unfortunately had to discover for myself.

With the "Dreamlike" music video now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of 2021?

From my first album to my second, I found a new direction, and I wish to repeat the process for the third. I've been listening to a lot of artists, especially artists that don't fit into a specific genre, but instead create their own sonic signature— genreless.

There are a lot of music artists featured on DOPECAUSEWESAID that I plan to listen to as well. As much as I would like to grind and produce and get more stuff out there, I have to take some time to absorb and process. One needs input before there can be output.

I wish I could predict what my album 3 will sound like. Currently, I am thinking less drums, less rapping, more cohesiveness, but these ideas are very broad for now. I work slow, I take my time, and I only put out what satisfies me.

Stream and Share “Dreamlike” on Spotify

Stream and Share “Mount Moon”

Connect with Monti Korbelle: Instagram

Interview: Autogramm Talk About Their New Music Video "I Am a Situation"

“...this song is just an acknowledgement of my own fucked-up-ness at that time, and also a reminder to really check in with your friends, because they may be having a hard time, despite appearances.”

— The Silo, Autogramm

How did the members of Autogramm initially meet and decide to form the trio? Also, what does the group's name mean?

C.C.: This is where Berlin comes into the picture again. We've all spent a lot of time in the city either visiting friends or touring with our bands. I happened to live there 7 years as well. Jeff and I talked about starting something new while he was living in Berlin one summer. Autogramm was just one of a handful of German names we picked after a long search for a band name. Something German seemed appropriate. It means Autograph.

Jiffy Marx: And there's already a band called Autograph!

Congratulations on the release of your new music video for "I Am a Situation"; tell us about your creative process for the song itself.

The Silo: I wrote the lyrics to “I Am a Situation” a little more than a year ago, right at the beginning of the COVID pandemic lockdown. It was perhaps for the first time in a long while seeing myself at a distance.

These very unusual events can force us to re-evaluate our lives in a way that life as usual tends to blind us to. I was thinking about how a person's life can appear from the outside to be so settled, ideal, in the right place, while on the inside they may be struggling, drifting, gone awry.

This sort of thing tends to be exacerbated by our suddenly very isolated lives, when all we get to see from our friends and loved ones is an idyllic representation that we're fed through social media. Not everyone is comfortable sharing their fears and struggles in the public forum. So this song is just an acknowledgement of my own fucked-up-ness at that time, and also a reminder to really check in with your friends, because they may be having a hard time, despite appearances.

How did the band and the director Dana Tucker come up with the treatment for the video, and how did actress Kim Kraczon end up starring?

C.C.: Dana and Kim are friends from when I lived in Berlin. We wanted a subway themed, day-in-the-life video, with nods to Kraftwerk.

The video was originally supposed to include friends from all over the world riding their city's respective subway trains, but the pandemic got in the way. Kim and Dana said they'd still do something less "transit" oriented so we let them film what they wanted. Dana has pro gear and has worked on videos for Peaches and others in Berlin, so we knew it'd turn out well.

From all the songs on the "No Rules" album, what led to the band deciding to film a music video for "I Am a Situation"?

C.C.: Seeing as we knew we wouldn't be able to tour around the release of this album, we decided we'd make a video for almost every song on the record. This one just happened to be the next in line!

With "No Rules", and the clip for "I Am a Situation" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the remainder of 2021?

Jiffy Marx: We have been shooting stuff for a couple more videos. I thought maybe if we couldn't tour maybe we'd try to make a video for every song on the album? So far there are four and shooting for at least two more so that's like half!?

Stream and Share “I Am a Situation” on Spotify

Stream and Share “No Rules”

Connect with Autogramm: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Interview: Bados Beats' Allan Lee Talks About His New Song "Electroc"

“If I’m working on a certain project I will explore not only the musical background/history but also anything else that surrounds it, the time period, the culture, fashion, state of art at the time.”

— Allan Lee

Congratulations on the release of your new song "Electroc"; tell us about your creative process for its development.

I was diving deep into early rap and breakdancing so I hooked up all the drum machines and synths I had and started experimenting with beats, manipulating the beats, twisting knobs, adding effects. Once I had something solid like "Electroc" then I would spend time orchestrating it.

I would record several different takes and decide which one had the best overall feel and orchestration. "Electroc" in particular is quite long with many different sections reflecting the trade off in breakdancing battles between the two crews. During the orchestration I was totally visualizing the trade offs between battle crews and tapping into the energies from it.

Do you plan on filming a music video for "Electroc"? If not, do you have another single on the way soon?

Yes, eventually there will be a video for "Electroc" but essentially it really is just the audio that is most important because it's meant to take into a breakdance battle and pumped out of a PA or old school ghettoblaster.

I'm thinking that there will be a few more singles released eventually leading to a Bados Beats compilation titled "Body Breakers" and that's when some videos might be presented. Bados Beats "Body Breakers" comp should be solid by early next year.

Tell us about Crucified Music and the Bados Beats project, and your goals with these creative endeavors.

Bados Beats is one of many projects within the Crucified Music production company. Crucified Music showcases exclusive and collaborative art, film, and music works. Photography, drawing, painting, sculpture, poetry, films, videos, and music and beyond. Crucified Music is only half of it though.

Amasia Music, the mother company, mirrors the creative menus of art, film, and music. Crucified Music and Amasia Music are yin and yang companies, separate but interconnected or innerconnected, light and dark, sharing certain similarities of course. Between the two they cover the entire spectrum of creativity and content.

Crucified Music contains more raw or heavy extreme work ranging from country to grinding industrial/black death and speed metal to geto rock like Bados Beats and punk and punk pop. Crucified Music has come to mean many things, giving yourself over to the entire world of music and or/arts, exorcising the ego to be open fully to the muses/inspirations from all directions of creation, devotion to being possessed by creative passion.

I went as far as contacting Ruben Enaje in the Philippines who has re-enacted the Crucifixion several times around Easter for several years literally being nailed to a wooden cross in an extreme display of faith asking if the nails caused nerve damage to the hands. No was his answer. I was feeling strongly enough to want to incorporate my arms being outstretched and hands nailed to a couple stacks of guitar amps during a performance for a certain project that was filmed.

Guitar being my main instrument I felt hesitant about possible damage and never being able to play again. The performance was filmed but I alternatively was lashed to the amps with guitar strings. I felt I had still expressed devotion to how I felt about the artistic path I was giving myself over to.

Crucified Music and Amasia Music are just labyrinths of creativity open to the universal arts. Amasia Music, Mother Amasia, the mother company is as equally important in it's creative focus. This is where you find a somewhat different garden of groove, the light of acoustics, or root music from all over the world and a brighter palette of art all from the angel of art inside.

Both companies are multifaceted in every scope. For every project already within or conceived being exclusive or collaborative, the goal has been to house, showcase, and share all efforts with other creative entities and business avenues that might be interested in collaborations, production, licensing, or booking performances of any Crucified Music or Amasia Music project.

What are some things/people/places that inspire you creatively when you are working on new music?

Inspiration can arrive in so many forms at any given time. Some days can be a challenge to get anything out but even then there might be decent moments. The Edge had mentioned sometimes the energies are just not always there in full capacity but then there is the floodgate and clarity when you create something when the elation is overwhelming.

There have been times when I can fill page after page front and back in an afternoon in a hurricane of thought, might be lyrics for whatever project, titles, or mapping out ideas. Then I have to go back and decipher and piece together the furious scribbles to place the information. It's a madness. Definitely inspired by a broad musical soundscape from all over the world and genres.

I absorb what comes my way and I explore it to the fullest then it filters out. I've amassed quite a collection of instruments being touched by certain musics and put a lot of time into an invested instrument involved in whatever area it might be. If I'm working on a certain project I will explore not only the musical background/history but also anything else that surrounds it, the time period, the culture, fashion, state of art at the time. What can really add to the spiral is always one thing leading to another and discovering something completely off the wall and fresh. A few of my main musical inspirations/influences are Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin, Slayer, Ice-T, Miles Davis, Beethoven, Niccolo Paganini, Ravi Shankar.

Places I have and haven't been to are always inspiring. Growing up in Hawaii affected me deeply musically, the ancient mele, contemporary hula 'auana songs, and slack key guitar. A 17 song album recorded with authentic Hawaiian instruments and a short film arrived out of that affection.

Haven't been to Greece yet but own and experiment with the aulos, the ancient double flute. I've been playing sitar for almost ten years but have not made it to mother India. Yet. I can conjure India though on a hot day burning Vrindravan incense playing sitar on the shores of Holy City located about 20 miles west of here.

There is a short film capturing that scenario titled WAKATAKEHMUKWA featured on both Amasia Music and Crucified Music Youtube channels. Even though it's an artistic dead zone and got Kanye West harassing wildlife ripping up and altering the landscape just outside of town then in contrast the local KKK klubhouse downtown in the next town over is all boring and uninspiring except for possible fuel for some metal projects, my home base of Wyoming is sacred to me and has influenced much music and many projects and continues to do so heavily.

It's unfortunate that most venues, the arts councils, and public media cap out at the Americana or country and western genres and imported lounge acts here. That's why I designed Crucified Music and Amasia Music to cover all areas of music, art, and film and to be a true reflection of the open wonder of Wyoming. You won't get that from any other organization here.

With "Electroc" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of 2021?

There are a handful of projects that I will be focusing on for the remainder of 2021, some will probably not be finished until early 2022 or deep into 2022. I hope to get the Bados Beats "Body Breakers" compilation of all the singles together and a video for "Electroc" finished fall/winter 2021.

There is an exclusive (solo) project performance that was filmed this summer that just needs to be edited and released, hoping by October. This one in particular is somewhat of an extension of the Bados Beats raw urban energy with influence from Mos Def "Ghetto Rock" Queen "We Will Rock You" Gary Glitter "Rock'n Roll Part 2" Jimmy Page/Robert Plant "Yallah", Robert Johnson, the Kaaba, and the 2001: A Space Odyssey monolith. It consists of a percussion loop, guitar, and theramin. This song is the gem that got singled out from a 20 song electric blues guitar album completed this summer.

For an Amasia Music release there is an all piano invitation/collaboration album I would like to get started on inviting various pianists to submit a track to. Piano is cool I've managed to get a few original pieces out of it. Mutilated Vomit is a collaborative death and speed metal entity which there are about 50 drum tracks recorded ready to add guitar, possible bass, and vocals to. That won't take too much cuz some of the tracks are only one minute grinds or less. 50 songs spread over 4 different album concepts.

Funeral For A Prostitute is the main master creation of Crucified Music. My main solo industrial/grind metal effort. There have been several filmed performances so far with music from a handful of albums and now focused on the next Funeral For A Prostitute album. It will be started but definitely won't be complete until 2022. Another solo project is the vast and wild tribal UXU with a planned filmed performance just outside of town in the Chasm, a rock climbing area where eagles and huge ravens hangout and I think a few giants because there's this big rock staircase leading to the upper level looking down upon the area where the performance will take place. Didgeridoo, cajon, djembe, darbuka, toubeleki, quijada, ocarina, cuica, & ocean drum are on the instrument list for the performance. I have a specific pedalboard for looping so that will be utilized heavily. I was looping some cajon the other day and the grooves were so fat that i almost considered them Bados Beats. There is a Miles Davis inspired project the beats could be worked into.

Bados Beats is best electric, electroc, synthesized. Being the lead guitarist and other half of a country/50's rock duo called Small Country can be very demanding with performances booked into the fall/winter so that is also a part of the handful of things going on for the remainder of 2021.

Connect with Bados Beats: Website

Raleigh's Own Madison Jay Releases His Latest Project Entitled "Wake County's Finest"

Raleigh, NC based rap artist Madison Jay returns with one of 2021’s best overall projects with “Wake County’s Finest”. The Wake County, North Carolina representative brings along a few guests this go around (Swiffa, D. Chamberz, SWANK, J. Outlaw, FIU Safe, and More) to give the album a diverse lineup.

Production is handled by Malenko Beatz, Sam Perez, Louin Haze, Q100, and more! Consisting of a full 15 tracks, “Wake County’s Finest” is the album you needed yet knew all along!

Listen to Madison Jay’s DOPE new album right now, and connect with him on his social media.

Connect with Madison Jay: Instagram | Twitter

Fave Welcoming BTS ARMY as the Latest Unlocked Fandom, Launches New Fan Marketplace

Anyone who has spent time on the Internet has seen them: superfans so passionate they can hardly contain their adoration. Fave (faveforfans.com) has made it their mission to create a safe, creative, fan-centered space for those superfans. With Fave’s latest update, fans of the K-pop band BTS, a fandom known as ARMY, will now have their own dedicated community within the app.

The multi-day launch will be full of opportunities for fans to get involved, such as live "cupsleeve" events around the US where fans will gather to immerse in BTS together, a virtual dance class to learn choreography to their hits, watch parties, celebrations for members’ birthdays, and much more.

Some of those dedicated enthusiasts are already excited for the fandom’s arrival to Fave, and are getting fellow ARMY members on the hype train.“We’re on several platforms, this is true, but imagine a place where we have our own VIP section with no unneeded drama, and having fun expressing our love for BTS in the several ways we as ARMY know how!” wrote BTS fan influencer Dani.

Fave will also feature a Fan Marketplace, something BTS fans have been excited about since the early whisperings of the ARMY’s inclusion. The marketplace, which is launching in coordination with BTS’ introduction to the platform, will provide an Etsy-like space to showcase fan creativity and sell goods and services from fans to fans, such as fan-made accessories or unique merchandise. This next step in the creator economy will make it easier for fans to monetize their own fandom passion and potentially make a living from it, now on the Fave platform.

Artists and bands that choose to do so will be able to participate in a passive incremental revenue stream from fan-to-fan sales within the marketplace, making it a win-win scenario for all parties involved.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the BTS ARMY onto Fave - one of the most passionate fandoms we’ve witnessed. They’ve proven how important it is to them to support fellow ARMY and empower each other, not only the artist they love, which aligns exactly with the mission of Fave. It’s been humbling to see the depth of support and genuine excitement from ARMY across the world from Fave’s impending launch, and we’re grateful to partner with many of the fans directly to make this happen strongly. We can’t wait to give them this dedicated home to let this fandom connect even more deeply and have a blast together.” said Jacquelle Amankonah Horton, Fave’s Founder and CEO.

Fave enjoys the support of HYBE, who already boasts a robust K-POP fandom platform for fans of BTS with more than 10 million downloads, and is a current Fave investor. “Through its investment in Fave, HYBE plans to seek new opportunities in the fan-to-fan platform business while expanding synergy in the fandom business” said Tae-Ho Kim, CEO of HYBE’s Weverse Company, at the time of their investment. "We expect Fave, which has know-how and technical skills in the U.S. fandom platform market, to bring synergy to HYBE's platform business."

While Fave is fan-driven and partners closely with fan influencers, artists can also use the platform to gain direct feedback from fans and encourage their creativity. “I hope to watch ARMY thrive even further together by allowing ARMYs to have a place to showcase their amazing creativity and fan stories about how much BTS means to them, provide many methods for fans across the globe to feel connected, and so much more. This is just the beginning,” Horton said. “We can’t wait to evolve Fave in partnership with these fans as we continue.”

LAUNCH EVENT SCHEDULE:

8/21 Dynamite Celebrations:

- Many activities to celebrate the one year release of Dynamite

- Channels dedicated to favorite Dynamite performance, Dynamite covers, Dynamite fanart, Dynamite edits, and more

- Collaboration with Euphoria Dance NY to teach the choreography of Dynamite virtually to fans

- Dynamite Dance Challenge Channel where fans show off what they learned from the virtual Dynamite dance class

8/23 Eat ARMY:

- A spinoff of Eat Jin where ARMYs will create videos trying out new recipes and make mukbang style videos

- A recurring series with new recipes each month

8/24 Album Discussion: 2 Cool 4 Skool:

- Fans can discuss their favorite track, conduct lyric analysis, discuss performances, music videos from the album 2 Cool 4 Skool

- An ongoing series for BTS music that includes collaborations, solo projects, covers, SoundCloud music, and more

8/27 BTS Karaoke Night:

- ARMYs can join in on a BTS Karaoke night, where fans can create the playlist of BTS tracks to stream on Fave

- Post karaoke night, fans can go on Fave and continue the jam session by sharing covers of the songs they missed or other tracks they want to belt out

8/31-9/1 Jungkook Birthday Festivities:

- In celebration of BTS member Jungkook’s birthday, fans can share everything they love about Jungkook, including but not limited to favorite tracks, projects, interview moments, performances, quotes, and more

- Fans can also share how they are celebrating Jungkook’s Birthday by mentioning cupsleeve events they attend, streaming parties they host, fan art and fan edits they create, and more

Run BTS:

- Fave will host watch parties for BTS content such as Run BTS

- Occasionally recreate certain activities and challenges that occur on these shows on the platform

- Over the coming weeks, Fave will also be able to host watch parties for BTS performances, interviews, exclusive content, and more

Connect with Fave: Website | Twitter | Instagram