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Born in Boston and raised on a farm in Georgia, Da’wan Gold is no stranger to hard work and drive. Before becoming an emerging international artist, he bravely fought in two Iraq wars. Suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury he was medically discharged from the Army and went on to pursue his passion for songwriting. Making the bold move to Hollywood, California, Da’wan experienced a bit of a rocky start. Wanting to get away from his doctors and many appointments the artist again travels abroad. While on this journey he managed to meet other talented musicians and producers. Lucky for us he plans to release the various collaborations created on this path in what he refers to as “the change after Army life”. “One Day” was inspired by Gold’s musical and spiritual darkness, a point he recalls feeling lost and derailed from his path to becoming an artist. Gold talks about the disconnect he felt from friends, family, as well as his experience traveling in the army and working with different labels around the world. “One Day” is an excellent combination of meaningful lyrics with pop/ hip-hop vibes. One part that stuck out the most for me was when he sings, “I hope you find your way”. Sometimes when you’re on a dark path it can be hard to find the light. Luckily, Da’wan was able to overcome these thoughts and go on to produce amazing music. Listen to "One Day" here. Welcome to BuzzMusic! What was it like fighting in Iraq to getting lost in aboard on your musical journey? Peace, Love & Blessings! First of all thanks for this cover, you're doing on me BuzzMusic! I really appreciate your time. For starters, fighting two wars was never what I had in mind. I just wanted to get off the streets and help my family, as well as not be forced to sell drugs anymore, which seemed to be the norm coming from where I was raised. My grandfather and eldest brother were also in the service. So with no aspirations for college at the time, I joined the Army, which eventually led to going to Iraq twice, this changed my life for the bad and good. It broke up a lot of my relationships with family and friends because I was gone so much. I lost a lot of great friends down the range and even a few more when we returned home due to certain addictions and trauma. My job while in the Army was a Combat Engineer (same as the Rapper Mystikal). That job requires you to search for bombs day and night, keeping the routes clear for Army personnel and other Coalition Forces. These bombs often explode on your vehicle, killing and injuring soldiers and civilians. I was placed out of the Army due to combat. When I came home seeking treatment for the trauma I had experienced, it became super difficult. One reason was that I look so young and the other one was that the communication between the branch I was into the outside or transitional stage was not the best. I eventually ended up in Los Angeles, working with Capitol Records as a back-up vocalist alongside my nephew. I used music as therapy, but with all the appointments with doctors and the VA, it threw me off balance and eventually led to me leaving the country to get a break. I ended up In Berlin where I met a lot of aspiring producers, rappers, singers/songwriters and creative individuals from all over the world. During this time my song Berlin Nights came about, which I created with the help of my Rochester-to-Berlin music brother and producer Anthony Mangier (Sonytoprano). This song gained great traction but I was still facing personal demons that I needed to confront. We eventually went separate ways, unfortunately, and I headed home to get back to my roots. I coped with Post-War stress and begin to write my EP Soul Vibes to explain a bit of this journey. Which artists have had the biggest impact on your album and why? Motivational and impact-wise I would say the late great Nipsey Hussle. I never got to meet him but his purpose and goal to be an inspiration to others, along with being real with oneself, stuck with me. Seeing his career and watching his interviews reminded me to keep pushing and never give up. It’s sad to see that our own race targets each other. I’ve been in a dark place for so long and spent a lot of time listening to people like Master P, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, and a few more. Out of all your productions which one was the hardest to create and how did you overcome this struggle? It's funny you ask because the last song I created was a struggle (Do or Die). I had a different instrumental a year prior and hadn’t cleared it. I finally wrote Do or Die in a day and realized after that someone had already purchased the track. I reached out to my great friend and producer Eren Leib Tolga (who also produced Hollywood Acting and Even Fuxin Try) and asked if he could produce something over the vocals. He agreed but unlike the other tracks, I wasn’t able to be there physically. I was 7 hours ahead in Malaysia and this was a struggle with him being in Berlin. We went back and forth in emails and Skype messages to get the song done. With the release date being November 11th (Veteran’s day), we literally finished the song on the 8th that Friday for him and the 9th early Saturday morning for me. I wasn’t sure if we would hit the deadline because I had to submit the song and it may not have gotten cleared over the weekend. In the end, it worked out and we were able to hit our target date. I was super stoked about that! Traveling and performing all over the world must be exciting. Where do you plan on performing next? It has been an amazing experience traveling and performing! I found it even more exciting to see other cultures and how they live, this has been one of the biggest joys. Where I’m from this isn’t seen as possible. No one really has a passport or traveled outside of a 3-state radius. Which isn’t bad, but I knew after fighting two wars I wanted to see more of the world and what it had to offer. I’ve been offered to join a tour, so if this will happen that’s where you’ll see me next. We thank you for your years of service and love touching single, “One Day”. How do you see your music evolving in the coming years? You’re welcome! It really means a lot that you enjoy this track as it was my debut single. Big thanks also to producer Klae Beats from Canada, who also produced City Vibes and Wishing on a shooting star (Woast). We talk through email but have never met in person, but he’s been a supporter and a real humble guy. Also thanks to the other producers that were involved, including Yung Nab from France who produced MPR (Money, Power, Respect) and Eren Leib Tolga from Berlin. I think the fact that I get to work on songs with people from different places around the world shows the diversity I’ve learned. I hope to keep creating on an international level. The rest is just a journey that I like to explore and engage my listeners with. Thanks for chatting with us at BuzzMusic! What's next for you as 2019 comes to an end? I have my mixtape "The Radicals Vol 1" dropping late November or early December. I’m very excited about that! This two-week project will include an 11-song mixtape with only 1 feature. I grabbed the dopest free tracks that I could find online and wrote lyrics to them. This project isn’t for money, but solely to express my love for creating music. I want to show the producers that I’ve chosen that I have respect for them and that out of the millions of instrumentals online, their track stood out the most. This is really gonna be something for everyone! dawangold.com twitter.com/DaawanGold https://soundcloud.com/dawangold instagram.com/DawanGold #BuzzMusic

Hey BonifAce it's great to have you here on BuzzMusic with us. Congratulations on your recent album release of "Phase 1"! Who or what was your biggest inspiration in the makings of this album? Is there an overall theme throughout "Phase 1" or the message that you're trying to get across? Phase I is really an ode to the grind that my producer, 5000, and I have been on for the past year or so. I feel like with this project, I finally presented a sound that is truly mine and represents the type of vibe I want people to remember me for. I just wanted people to enjoy this collection as much as I did create the songs and tap into my world. I think we achieved that. I notice that you like to do a lot of word repeats, especially throughout "RiRI". Can you tell us a little bit about this? I've been rapping since like 2012, and when I started making music, I was heavily influenced by more lyrically inclined artists and wordplay. A lot of BeastCoast shit, like Joey Badass, Flatbush Zombies, shit like that. As I developed my own style, I found that my verses were mad wordy and I tried to figure out ways to simplify my delivery. I will still be gassin my verses but I try to have memorable, simple hooks. That's where things like RiRi come along. As an artist, what are some of your ultimate goals? Are they currently being put to work/ being worked on? As an artist, I just want to keep making music and never lose the love for it. Whether I'm rapping or producing, music is mad fun for me. A big old check from the sh*t will be cool too. Do you see yourself collaborating with any other artists in the near future? if so, is there anyone you have in mind? Other than the people already part of the camp, I ain't really thought about it. I and my boy Trev Deshon out of LA got some stuff on the way. Two major artists that I aspire and dream of working with are Curren$y (da hot spitta) and Hamza out of Belgium. Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer some of our questions. We look forward to what has yet still to come from you.  Can we expect a "Phase 2" and if so, how will it defer from this current album? Phase 2 is for sure on the way. 5K and I got so much music in the vault it's insane. All the tracks for Phase I was recorded like 2 years ago, so as we continue with the "Phase" projects, I want to showcase my growth holistically with new vibes and higher sound quality all around. Phase 2 probably coming in January or 2020. instagram.com/dayoungswag twitter.com/BonifAceWYN #BuzzMusic

Josh Tavares released a groundbreaking album titled “Anonymous” that you will become highly emotionally invested in. This album begins with the single “Fake”. This emotionally heart-rendering record moves you with every element of the song. What I loved most about this track was the vulnerability and sentimental delivery in it. This song gave me the idea that there was a deep meaning behind the lyricism. “Fake” feels as if it was written like a personal expression from Josh Tavares himself. The way the song was arranged gave us a more insightful look at the emotions and mindset of Josh Tavares. The next single that transitions in on this album are “Actress”. “Actress” along with “Fake” was another emotionally convicted record that felt like it had a deeper meaning behind the surface lyrics. It’s clear by now, that Josh Tavares' passionate vocal delivery is carrying us through this thought-provoking album that gives us a reflection of our emotions. Singles like “I Don’t Know What I Want” & “Sleepless Nights” continued this poetically driven and unguarded emotional vibe to the album. However, “Sleepless Nights” stood out to me the most because it enhanced my emotions the most. I really felt connected to this song and was able to personally relate to the soaring passionate melody. What’s unique about “Sleepless Nights” was the inclusion of a rough raw rap segment that helped the song pop out even more for me. “Family Man” and “Come Back In A Dream” continued this atmospheric and hazy vibe filled with exposed feelings that’s underlined behind the lyrics. A single on this album that really triggered the focus for me was “Anonymous”. “Anonymous” is the title of the album, so when I saw that there was a song on this project that complemented the title of the album, I immediately wanted to take a listen to the track and analyze it in-depth. “I just want to feel like myself again” was a leading and standout lyric on this song that showed us a lot about not only the album but how Josh Tavares is unforgivingly expressing himself through his music. This is highly commendable and showed us that he was able to strip away from his artist’s outlook and let us know that he to, go through many emotions we experience. The next song that transitions in “West Coast” was a descriptive display with an aesthetic that offers an escape from your day to day realities. The vibes of this album so far remind me of a more sentimental version of “The Neighbourhood”. Despite the amazing comparison, Josh Tavares style is quite unique and still holds its own torch. The singles “Falling” and “All This Time” was extremely relatable for me. These songs evoked the themes of heartbreak, lost love, and disappointment. These are feelings mostly everyone will experience at least once in this lifetime. Josh Tavares has this raspy, gritty vocal tone that’s super digestible and specifically caters to this sad & dwell some vibe of his music. The closing song on “Anonymous” was “Room 307”. “Room 307”. “Room 307” was a song that showcased Josh Tavares storytelling abilities. You were able to follow along with the song due to how the lyrics gave a cinematic approach to the arrangement. Josh Tavares opens up in the album “Anonymous”. He allows his emotions to vent through his lyrics with a mystical atmosphere that leaves you wondering for more. You can listen to this breathtaking album “Anonymous” here. Welcome back to BuzzMusic Josh Tavares! Tell us about your background! How was it growing up and what motivated you to pursue music? From a very young age, I was always making up songs and insisting anyone who I crossed paths with to listen to. Family, friends, classmates, neighbors. LITERALLY ANYONE. I still cringe thinking about forcing my entire class to watch me perform a song that I was really making up on the spot (being stranded on a desk was one of those groundbreaking concepts from grade four me) *slumps into the corner forever*. I can't remember the exact moment I decided I wanted to pursue music, but I also can't remember a time in my life when music wasn't important to me. Let’s talk about your album “Anonymous”. What are some of the themes we can find in this project? The album as a whole is about finding yourself and moving on after losing yourself in another person (or a group of people). The album touches on the betrayal of someone who meant the world to you, to losing sleep over it, to wishing they'd come back, and ultimately looking back and realizing that what you thought was sunshine and rainbows was really rotting flowers and sewage water. The lyrics were all beautifully well-written with a good emotional conviction. What inspired most of the songs from “Anonymous”? Well, thanks :) A lot of the songs came from a situation that put me in a very sad, angry place. But I'm not in that place anymore. All of the songs come from the idea of betrayal but also realizing that it wasn't one-sided. I messed up. The people the songs are about messed up. The entire album is about losing someone and going through withdrawal (and all the emotions that come from that). “Room 307” was a song with a storytelling appeal. In what ways were you able to personally relate to this record? Room 307 is very much about my life when I was finally getting out of that "funk" I was in. The song references driving back East, which plays on the idea of another song on the album, West Coast (which is about putting yourself in a different headspace expecting everything to be bright and sunny, but it ultimately is the opposite). Room 307 is about leaving the past behind and "checking in" to a new place of moving on. Did you stumble upon any challenges when creating “Anonymous”? If so mind describing them? I've been writing songs for a loooooong time but I've only been working with producers since early this year. The biggest challenge for me in every song I do is putting what I want a song to sound like into words. My notes to producers are usually just me rambling on and sending voice notes of weird sounds that sound a lot better in my head. Yet somehow, they usually exceed my expectations. What’s next for you Josh Tavares? I'm still writing - not sure what the next project will be yet, but I don't plan on taking a break anytime soon. I've also just started performing my songs and I plan on doing a lot more showcases in 2020. twitter.com/joshtavares_7 instagram.com/joshtavares_7 facebook.com/joshtavaresmusic #BuzzMusic

Thriving and continuously chasing her passion for singing and songwriting, fifteen-year-old Joanna Gabrielle has released her second single, “Time and Again”. Given the opportunity of a lifetime, Gabrielle eagerly began to write and record her own music when approaching on Instagram, by Shannon McArthur (Nashville-based producer, known for producing Dashboard Confessional). Joanna has such an angelic and memorable voice we can't get enough of it! Listening to “Time and Again”, the song reminds us of a young Taylor Swift just with less country and twang! Starting with smooth and classic acoustics and building up to the emotional journey of being involved in a love triangle, Joanna expresses her frustration with love in a gentle and appealing fusion of pop and indie styles while moving the listener. It’s hard to put into words how her words impact me but the best way to describe it is a chest lifting, airy experience, similar to butterflies in my stomach! Joanna makes me remember my first love and past experiences of having a crush that didn’t work out. I think we all wish we “could take back what we gave” when it comes to some relationships. I love the emotion she draws and the sweet subtleties of her voice. “Caus I’m sick of tired falling time and again for the same old stories”, so relatable Joanna! Listen to "Time and Again" here. instagram.com/joannaagabrielle twitter.com/joannagabrii facebook.com/joanna.gabrielle.549 #BuzzMusic

Austin David, originally from Michigan, has spent a large portion of his life exploring the field of music and what it has to offer. Always fascinated by music and the many different forms it can take, Austin has worked tirelessly to explore different styles of writing. After traveling to the Midwest, and performing covers for a few years, he decided to shift his focus from covers to original songs and moved his career to Los Angeles. Austin’s main inspirations are pop and blues but he does not limit himself creatively when it comes to music genres. Instead, he lets the music flow naturally during a writing session and has fun mixing sounds to create new and unique pieces. The last few years have been mainly writing focused for Austin David, and his dedication and persistence comes alive in his music. Austin David’s recent single “Good As Gold” puts a spirited twist on a traditional pop song, quickly hooking the listener with soothing vocals and a delicate backing track. His voice is gentle yet dynamic, perfectly accompanied by simple acoustics throughout the song. Austin transports his audience with passionate lyrics and leaves you feeling peaceful and uplifted. “Good As Gold” has a catchy melody that is sure to be stuck in your head for the rest of the day, and would be perfect for an intimate live performance between Austin and his fans. The name Austin Davis is surely one to look out for, he is working hard to create music that can be enjoyed for years to come. Check out “Good As Gold” by Austin David here. What inspired you to write this particular track? It's hard to pin down what inspired it. The lyrics all hit me in a flash. I did a very little editing. When did you realize your love of performing? Probably around 16 or 17 when I started playing local clubs around Michigan. Have you always known that music was the right career for you? Not so much career (at this point) but passion project for sure. What does a typical songwriting session look like for you? Do you typically start with lyrics or a general melody/sound? Most usually it starts with a little guitar hook and a strong theme I can riff on lyrically. I write mostly alone, but I have been co-writing a lot more lately. My next single coming out after this was written by two incredible writer friends along with myself. You spent a long time performing covers across the country, who would you say is your biggest inspiration musically? Bob Marley. Kurt Cobain. Paul & John etc Are there any new projects we can look forward to following “Good As Gold”? An album perhaps? More singles. More Videos. A great live set in 2020. :) maybe a grammy? :) facebook.com/austindavidmusic twitter.com/austindavidjams instagram.com/austindavidmusic #BuzzMusic

Straight out of Portland, Oregon comes indie rock and roll band, Ayla Ray! The collective of Alaskan hometown friends features, lead singer/ songwriter Sam Tenhoff, bassist Raven Liss, guitarist Brandon Shaw, Keys, and soundscape synthesis, Minoka Kaizaki, and drummer, Tobin Tanner. Sam and Raven go way back, first meeting in elementary school. The duo grew as friends and bandmates to create a sick rock and roll sound with undertones of electronic, indie, folk and soul styles. They strive to bend genres and create a full dance experience with their high energy music collaborative use of artful stage props and lighting. The band recently released their debut album and we got a chance to check out their music video release for their single 'Liquor Witch". “Liquor Witch” debuted today on YouTube and it's is full of life video that had us bumping right out of our seats within 10 seconds of watching! The band has found a similar sound to bands such as The Killers, Arkells, and a dash of The Black Keys. Throughout the entire video, the vocalist displays a unique sense of gentle and softness in his voice which is very alluring and leaves your ears craving for more. "Liquor Witch" describes a young man and woman in love, enjoying their time with one another no matter what their daily life circumstances are. The young man in the video wakes up one morning in a dumpster (Suggesting he lives in the dumpster). He goes to his friend's house to borrow clothing and to 'clean up' his appearance before meeting the woman of his dreams for a date. He 'glams' up, she 'glams' up, they meet and realize there's more to love than meets the eye. Their personalities connect perfectly and both of them enjoy an evening of laughing, eating, drinking and companionship. The video ends with both of them waking up in the dumpster the next morning, still smiling and enjoying each other's company. This is a mental peace of mind for anyone who's going through a personal challenge. The message here is strong and we're living for it. It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what you have done etc. Love is love. Love is happiness. Watch "Liquor Witch" below! Hi Ayla Ray and welcome to BuzzMusic! Tell us how did the two of you come up with the name Ayla Ray? Hey, thanks for having us! The name of the group was inspired by bringing together equal parts of feminine and masculine.  Ayla was Sams older sister that died at birth but being the only girl of his three siblings the name was always felt like part of his character. Ray was his grandfather's name, who was a test pilot for the military in the '60s and invented the rocket-powered ejection seat. Those two strong influences inspired a dynamic that resonates with the band and our vision. Is "Liquor Witch" a symbol or a real girl? What is the inspiration behind this song? Writing a song is a great way to process specific personal experiences, sure, but the core inspiration for Liquor Witch stems more from that universal search for mental peace in the face of vice and addiction. We all have our own Wiley temptress, and we want to contribute to the magic of music as a bandage for the injury of circumstance. I get such an indie vibe when listening to this single, which artists do you draw creativity from? Our influences are pretty wide-ranging, and bringing that together is always an interesting ride. Different aspects pull from various wells I suppose. Vocally, Man Man and Tom Waitshave had a major impact. The production of artists like Jai Paul, Marian Hill, and Lorn will only become more relevant for us as we move towards a more electronic sound. We also have a lot of love for those visionary icons of immersive experience and performance aesthetic, from Bowie to Gorillaz. That being said, a lot of it also comes from growing up in Alaskan nature, fantasy and sci-fi writing, and various lores and mythologies. What is the vision of your newest album? Is there a central theme or message you wish to convey? We've been working on this first album for a few years now, with some of the tracks evolving from Sam's solo songwriting endeavors even before that. So for us, this has been a process of discovery and development. We hope to convey a message of self-empowerment to find your own connection to magic through whatever channels make sense for you. A lot of the songs deal with personal growth and reflection, and finding ways to transmute harsh realities or toxic situations into positive energy and intention is only going to become more important for all of us to focus on in this crazy world. Thanks for chatting with us! We love the video and energic performance. What does the future of Ayla Ray look like? Thanks so much! This video was the first we planned, shot, and edited ourselves and it was a lot of fun. We're looking forward to a busy year. There's a pretty sizable cache of music we've been sitting on because it may not correlate exactly to what Ayla Ray has grown into so far, but having the first album out as a fulfillment of this particular cocktail is getting us really excited to broaden that scope and create a fuller representation of everything we're about. In 2020, we'll be releasing a lot more material, branching out with the creative process, and developing more performative and experiential aspects of the live show. instagram.com/aylaraymusic facebook.com/AylaRaymusic #BuzzMusic

If your a lover of high energy bands like; ACDC, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Black Sabbath and Alice In Chains then you’ll love the explosive sounds of Nervcast. This Canadian rock and roll band based out of Toronto is composed of guitarist and vocals, Everett Mason, guitarist-Kevin Daliri, bassist-Galen Weir and drummer-Matthew Humphreys. First hitting the rock scene, October 2017 with their debut EP, “Locked and Loaded”. After a year and a half of writing and performing various live venues including; Toronto Heavy Metal boat cruise. Additionally, they have opened for the Killer Dwarfs and Warrior Soul. Nervcast draws creativity and inspiration from artists including but not limited to; Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica and Judas Priest. Back at it again the band has recently released its newest debut, “Two Weeks Notice”. Starting off with a strong headbanging instrumental sound, these men have really captured the essence of rock and roll. If I were to ever quit my job this is definitely the song I want blaring behind me. That statement is sure to put a visual in your head, and it's exactly what you're imagining! It's raw, edgy and fun all in one. Making this song even more memorable the music video incorporates a famous scene from “Office Space” where Nervcast reenacts the famous baseball bat destroying the printer scene. I love how powerful, badass and energic this band is. Listen to "Two Weeks Notice" below! Welcome to BuzzMusic, thanks for chatting with us. Can you tell us what inspired the four of you to form, Nervcast? The four of us met jamming in a previous band called Laugh At The Fakes. At the time Galen and I were looking for a new guitar player and drummer so we put an ad up in search of some new members. Kevin and Matt came to try out and it just clicked. We immediately realized we needed a better band name and since Kevin was adding a lot to the writing process, we decided to form a new band with the same members called Nervcast. How does “Two Weeks Notice” related to your previous works? Any particular message you are trying to send with it? With it being our second release, I think we had a lot more familiarity with each other in the making of this EP. We recorded it in the same studio as before, so it was very comfortable. In terms of the message of "Two Weeks Notice," I think it's a statement a lot of people can relate to. Everybody wants to feel like they are valued and getting what they deserve, not just at work but everywhere in life. There's something empowering about just saying fuck it, I quit. A lot of people each shit for way too long. How do you see the sound of Nervcast evolving? Any collaborative works in the future? I think our songwriting has evolved and that our songs keep getting better. Kevin, Galen, and I all write so that in itself makes the music more diverse than if one guy is doing all the writing. We are always coming up with new ideas and we have enough material for our next release, so we're excited to see where this goes. We feel like we are just scratching the surface of what we can come up with. Are you open to fusing other genres into your tracks? If so, which ones and why? Not really to be honest. I've never been a big fan of genres that fuse. At this point, I don't think it would be genuine. We just wanna rock! Thank you for this badass, high energy EP. We’re excited to hear more and fans would love to know where they can go to see your next live performance? December 7th at The Rockpile. We are opening for Sven Gali and Slyde! All of our tour dates should be up on our bandsintown and Spotify page facebook.com/nervcast instagram.com/nervcast #BuzzMusic

CXC released the single titled “AWAKE”. Awake has soaring melodies, electric guitars, and dynamic soundscapes of indie-pop artists like Lana Del Rey, and more. Carmen & Camille create music with an inescapable desire to unleash moments through the song. Awake has organic guitars and retro synths taking us on a heartfelt journey that we will remember. With lyrics of hope and growth, CXC delivers a message behind the hauntingly beautiful delivery. Their vocals were so beautifully combined that it sounded like an orchestra of augmented angels serenading you into this dimension of music. CXC emerged as their own unique indietronica sound that you will appreciate due to the originality that this record is equipped with. What we loved most about the lyricism behind “AWAKE” was how it channeled our thinking. The lyrics were poignant yet poetic, keeping us alive with our sensory feeling of thoughts and emotions. CXC elevates you with their dream-like aesthetic that’s softly produced behind classic rock components. “AWAKE” was a hazy song that you will find yourself absorbed in and completely in love with. Don’t believe us? You can take a listen for yourself and we’re certain you will become attracted to many multiple arrangements. If it isn’t their stylistic voices, it’s the production of the beat. You can listen to “AWAKE” here. Welcome to BuzzMusic. Congratulations on all your success. What has been the most exciting project to work on? Carmen: Thanks for having us and thank you! This new project and body of work we’re releasing have been such a journey to create and we are really proud of how it’s turned out. This music feels different for us stylistically than our previous music so we decided to release it under a new brand name, CXC. It almost feels like starting over in a way, but we’re taking a leap of faith with a fresh start. As twin sisters with individual musical talents, was there ever doubt to working together? Camille: Absolutely. We’ve had some ups and downs being siblings over the years but we get over fights really quickly. We established years ago that we want to make music together and we’re actually a really good team. Carmen is a badass business boss and I handle music production. We love the airy and mellow feel to this track. What was the inspiration behind the lyrics? Are you speaking about past relationships? Camille: This song started as a co-write with an ex-boyfriend (we are friends now, all is well). It started with the first few lines of the song and we painted in the meaning. To me, it’s about longing for something more in life and wanting to be better. Better at life and love. As mentioned above artists like Lana Del Rey and other indie-pop artists have influenced your sound. What is it about this artist that you find inspiring? Camille: I love artists that are hands-on. From what I’ve read about her process she is a part of it all from the writing to the sound of her vocals. She’s at every session making sure it’s her vision that is at the core of it all. That’s important as an artist. It’s so easy to have things get away from you. I co-produced this song with two talented producers, Ken Hankins (Joy) and Gregg Allen. I’ve learned a lot about music production with them and it’s such a rewarding feeling. I start the demo and they add their ears and talents and experience. We all really work well together. I also met Lana at a Robert Plant concert. She was funny and such a babe. Given that “Awake” is your newest single are there more to be released within the next months? We’re dying for more! Carmen: Yes we have an EP’s worth of songs and will be releasing a new single every month for the next while. We also have a ton of new songs that we’re dying to get recorded. It’s such a fun process and this time around we really wanted to enjoy it. The whole making of the art is what really matters. As a human, that’s the journey. It’s easy to get caught up in the business aspect of things. But we’ve taken our time and really enjoyed creating all the new music we’re about to release. cxcband.com #BuzzMusic

After gaining almost half a million streams for her first to singles "Honest" and "Exodus", soulful pop singer/songwriter Nikitaa brings something brilliantly unique to the scene with her new single “Majesty”. Fusing a quickly engaging, rhythmically entrancing soundscape, with blissfully delicate vocals, and a substantial, intentional and meaningful lyrical substance, “Majesty” is the R&B/Pop hit we’ve all been craving. This single is an easily relatable anthem about reclaiming your freedom, worth, and money as a woman in a man's world. What Nikitaa has built with this song is a somewhat melancholic, melodically memorable pop track, that walks hand-in-hand with a mildly tribal, almost down-tempo dance-hall aura. Her self-coined genre “Goddess Pop” brings undeniable confidence to “Majesty”. There’s a powerful sense of contrast between the two parts, but in the end, they’re undoubtedly sides of the same coin. That groove is hypnotic for its consistency and warmth, for the spacious yet creative web it weaves around you, and those vocals are equally entrancing but in a whole different way. “Majesty” is beautiful, powerful and memorable pop writing but with a definite edge of refreshing perspective and poetry. We look forward to hearing more from Nikitaa! "Every person has that Goddess power within them that honors the feminine within and without. I hope to remind people of this and uplift and empower them with my music, giving them space to express all their feelings no matter what it is they feel." Listen to “Majesty” here. Hey Nikitaa! Welcome to BuzzMusic. We’re hypnotized by your voice! Have you had any professional training or have you honed your vocal style over time? Hey! Thank you so much for having me! I'm flattered that I'm hypnotizing, hehe. I definitely have had professional training! I was born and raised in Mumbai, India and I started with an Indian classical vocal trainer when I was about 3 or 4 years old; I was always singing in choir for both Indian classical and Western Contemporary all through school as well. And when I confessed to my parents that I wanted to take my music more seriously they enrolled me in proper one-on-one vocal lessons at the age of 17 that I kept up until I came out to LA at the age of 20 to attend Musicians Institute where I pretty much ate, lived, breathed and dreamt music. I graduated in 2017 and my music and career became even more of my 24x7 obsession and the centre of my world. I will say however that it took a while to hone in on my vocal style despite all my training. I've had so many varying influences - I grew up with an elder brother who listened to hardcore rock and being the younger sibling naturally I followed suit. But I also grew up with a mother who loved 60's and 70's Bollywood music. And then in my teens, I fell in love with Pop, Hip Hop and RnB. So honing in on my sound was definitely about finding ways to marry all of those things into one cohesive thing. We’re really vibing with your new single! What does your track “Majesty” mean to you? What inspired this song? Thank you, that means so much to me! It was originally just a beat already titled "Majesty" that my producer sent my way for me to write to! And it just inspired this whole idea of a Queen/Royalty reclaiming what is rightfully theirs and empowering themselves. The instrumentation just screamed feminine power to me, and I could almost visualize a Queen in her castle when I first heard it. The lyrics for Majesty came out of a really raw and honest place of just speaking to all of these patriarchal constructs that attempt to keep womxn and femmes in a disempowered space - and reminding anybody that upholds such patriarchal ideals that when you hurt womxn and femmes you only hurt yourself. My artistry has always been about invoking the various Goddess archetypes across cultures and reclaiming them not just as the counterparts of Gods that no one talks much about, but forces to be reckoned with who were able to use their typification to their strengths and overcome major hurdles. Which is why I referenced so many different legendary mythic women throughout the song - Durga and Persephone, Laxmi, and Eve. I wanted to redefine Persephone and Eve as heroes of their stories and reemphasize all that Durga and Laxmi already stand for - bravery, justice, and ferocity, & abundance and wealth. Who has had the biggest influence on your life musically thus far? Can you describe the impact this particular individual has had in terms of your new song “Majesty”? I don't know if I can name one artist to call my biggest influence because I feel like so many different artists have influenced different aspects of my artistry! I feel like I definitely feel inspired by Beyonce's ferocity and the level of detail and thought she always puts into her vocal performances, stage presence, brand image, and persona. I'm definitely inspired by Jon Bellion, Frank Ocean and Banks when it comes to lyrics and melody - I feel like they have mastered the art of being intelligent but relatable and even sassy with their lyrical content. I feel like all of those elements are so key to my music and specifically to Majesty - it's a big, well thought out and lyrically clever record that was intentionally created to highlight this bold and fierce persona that really is who I am on the regular even when I'm not singing. You've had such a strong love and passion for music at such a young age! How do you think you and your music have grown since you first started writing, versus now? I started writing poetry when I was 3 - actually, my aunt had to write the first one down as I dictated because I was so little! I only started writing song lyrics at 13 though, and although I've been singing my whole life I didn't really work with melodies for my own songs until I was about 17. I feel like when I first started writing lyrics my structure and writing wasn't really all there because I don't think I really had any idea what I truly wanted to say. I was only 13! I don't think I could've known specifically what I wanted to say and share with the world at 13. Then when I started adding melodies to my words it was the same feeling - I didn't know what would work best with my voice or how much of my range I wanted to use or what I wanted to do stylistically. After music school, it took about a year and a half of being in the studio nearly every day to condense my sound and style into something I felt really represented who I am and what I stand for. I feel like music really is such a process of self-discovery and that's exactly how it felt. I really had to understand what I wanted to say as a person to understand how to write better songs that actually represented me. It's always been a fun process though - every time I write a song I feel like I get to play and be a curious kid again and see what all I can do. I made it a point to approach my songwriting in this way from day 1 and I think that's such a big part of what I love about it. Thank you so much for chatting with us! What are you working on through the end of 2019? Thank you so much for having me! I'm actually really excited about the rest of 2019! I'm headed back to India for a few months to write and record out there and play live shows! So expect a lot of music and content coming from me at the top of 2020! instagram.com/nikitaathewild twitter.com/nikitaathewild #BuzzMusic

Martize is an artist that is the epitome of ambitious, especially when looking at the year he’s had so far. A songwriter, producer, rapper, and singer Martize is truly independent and hell-bent on getting his message across through music. An extremely versatile talent, Martize delivers everything from smooth R&B harmonies to quirky wordplay and everything in between. He kicked off 2019 with the release of his single “500 degrees” which garnered the up and coming artist much attention for his EP “Two Birds One Stone”, which featured two more brand new original singles from Martize. “Yfm” is my personal favorite for the seductive writing and captivating soundscape. His full-length album “0919” released later in the year, featuring 20 original songs and only one feature from Yellow Wood. More recently, Martize took his most successful; single “500 Degrees” and dropped a new music video and says his fans can expect more video for songs featured on “0919” Martize has used his multi-skillset to amassed thousands of fans, streams, and views combined. His original content and consistent releases set him apart in a big way. The way he’s able to switch from vocalizing to rapping and back makes him the artist watch as he spearheads into 2020! Check out the “0919” album here. Welcome back to BuzzMusic Martize! It’s such a pleasure to be chatting with you again. You seem to be an artist that puts a substantial amount of thought into your lyrics! Who/what has inspired you to be the artist you are today? Life as a whole inspires me, I take whatever emotion I feel and put it in a song or use it as a start off for an idea. But if we’re talking about sounds that inspire me, we could say the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Jay Z, Kanye West and a host of others. This journey in itself has been inspiring to be honest. “Yfm” is an energizing and refreshing new song. Where did you draw inspiration for this particular track? Well, this song actually was put together in an ironic way. I had this song for some time, I just didn’t know how to approach it. So one day Shanno created this beat, and I just had begun humming over this beat and before you know it YFM was created. This song actually took no more than 30 minutes it was just pure emotion and vocal exercises that took place all in one sitting. “0919” is a huge project! It’s a super impressive release from an independent artist. What do you hope your new listeners gain from experiencing this release? Thank you. I want to listen or to gain just confidence in themselves he learns his self-love is a big thing like throughout this album hours I guess you could say battling but in the end, if like I got to the point where it is like yo all I need is me and myself. Also, I wanted to inspire the people that want to give up to let them know that it’s more about where you start it’s about where you finish what are you doing to get to point a to point B. This album represents a tenure journey for a reason to inspire. “Sky Blue” gives us an introspective look at your thoughts. Can you tell us the meaning behind the lyrics on this track? Well with sky blue it was more so of a feeling where artists have to portray a certain type of a Persona to be successful rather than being themselves and it’s like the game was based on a saying which goes “fake it till you make it”. I was bringing it to light that no need to do that beer so you have gray clouds right now but one day the great cloud will be a blue sky. The new music video for “500 Degrees” is brilliant! What song are you choosing next to drop visuals for? So this might sound crazy but I am shooting a video to every single song on this album. Yes, that is 20 videos I’m shooting for this album. The next video will be coming soon so definitely be on the lookout for that. Thank you so much for chatting with us. What else are you working on artistically through the end of 2019? I’m gearing towards launching my Prosperous One's line which will include album Merch And brand merch. Also, as I mentioned earlier I will be shooting videos for every single song on this album. instagram.com/4martize #BuzzMusic