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Hey there Samuel L Jackson Jr! Welcome to BuzzMusic! “Recess Reloaded” is category transforming! Tell us how you came to produce this track! Well, my first official song “Recess” was something I did just to get a feel of how the creative process is for artists... I actually recorded Recess & Recess Reloaded at the same studio & the same engineer Lil Nas X used to create the original “Old Town Road”. With Recess Reloaded I wanted to create a sound that had the new school sound, with a flow mixed with the new & old with a storyline behind it all. "Recess Reloaded” is definitively lively, with such an eclectic, yet modern take on production. How did you intend to connect with your listeners with this particular track? I desire to have my own sound, meaningful lyrics at all times that get better each time you listen to them. Tell us more about the meaning of the lyrics within "Recess Reloaded”! I wanted to create a similar storyline that tied together to my first song Recess while Recess Reloaded displays the improvements, and confidence I’ve made through making music, and in life. It’s almost that confident, cocky, but humble approach through the whole song. With multiple different flows. What would you say is the most useful piece of criticism you’ve received thus far within your career? Do you typically take criticism to your advantage? I don’t sound like anyone else but Samuel L Jackson Jr, I already have the mindset I can’t make everyone happy. Or not everyone is going to like the music I create, but I focus on those people who do even if it’s just me, myself & I. It was a treat being able to showcase "Recess Reloaded” on BuzzMusic! We can’t wait to see what else you have in store for us as listeners! What’s the next goal for you artistically within the music world, now that you’ve just released a new single? Staying independent while working through the industry, and to continue enjoying the process, taking each step day by day... And of course, enjoying what I do and being grateful for those who enjoy the music. www.instagram.com/sammiejackj #BuzzMusic

Tae Kwasii is an artist that subtly blends R&B, alternative, and Neo-Soul. He brings back the nostalgic aura of the early 2000’s R&B and focuses on spreading good energy and positivity through his music. Aiming to uplift and inspire, the 21-year-old is currently hard at work in the studio preparing his next EP “Urban Diaspora”, coming early 2020. Everything Tae Kwasii does within his tracks is creatively expressive and intentional – ideas and feelings don’t emerge purely through the lyrics, but through every single building block that makes up the audio journey. For this reason, his songs are incredibly immersive, and blissfully easy to escape within. His new track “Kerry Krishna” is all of this and more. The hook in “Herri Krishna” is easily the main thing you take away, Tae Kwasii’s voice is stunning throughout but this moment, in particular, lets his meandering melody really showcase the best of his abilities. Production-wise everything works well, the structure throughout “Herri Krishna” allows contrast to having a strong effect. Quiet instrumental whispers are juxtaposed by prior or subsequent drops back to rhythm and multi-color. It’s a unique and somewhat humble single, with good intentions, and it connects in a memorable way. Check out “Herri Krishna” here Hey Tae Kwasii, it’s such a pleasure to be featuring your music to our BuzzMusic community! How did you get originally started in the music industry? Was there a specific event/person in your life that made you get into music/ start recording your material? Thank you, I was always in chorus during grade school once I transitioned to a performing arts Highschool I began recording in the studio and learning all the ins and out of making a song. My father was rapping in the 90s and he inspired me to want to pursue music and put myself out there. I auditioned for the X-Factor in 2012 and I didn’t make it but this pushed me to pursue my dreams and manifestations to be an artist. We immediately found that “Herri Krishna” captured an alluring melody with hypnotizing vocals! It's what caught, and ultimately kept our attention! What was the overall mood you wanted to set for listeners in this particular track? The overall mood and vibe of this track are purely euphoric, uplifting, & seductive it takes you on a short trip of spiritually and sensuality. The second hook “it’s hard to know you can’t be real” You have such a real love for your significant other this love is too good to be real in this reality. Hare Krishna is also a mantra from the Hindu culture so it’s sacred and pure. When people listen to it I wanted them to feel positive like their spirit has been uplifted & healed they feel the love that’s what Krishna represents. How did the songwriting and recording process execute for “Herri Krishna”? Did you fall into any creative slumps while initially writing the track, or does the curation process flow naturally for you? The writing and recording process was a smooth one it was co-written with artist & producer Jacari in 2015. At the time I was new to the recording I was really inspired by Buddhism & Hinduism I was growing and finding the sound that felt like me. I was experimenting with working on my EP & this concept fit perfectly with my aesthetic and what I felt like represented me. At first, I was hesitant to put this out but it became the most played song that put me where I am today. Tell our readers more about your definitive aspirations as an artist! What would you say is the ultimate goal, artistic wise? My aspirations stem from  My life path number which 11 and my purpose is to heal and help others through art, fashion & music. When people hear Tae Kwasii I want them to connect to me & feel the magic and soul that goes into my songs may it be healing and helping. Visual wise I plan on putting out videos for my singles I feel like without that my story is missing a small piece so it completes the story. My ultimate goal is for music to heal my people and empower them with Love & positive music that raises vibrations. Thanks for sharing your recent music here on BuzzMusic! A pleasure to have you here! Any parting words for the BuzzMusic readers?! Thank you all so much for having me again, be sure to stream & Download my new Single Herri Krishna off my upcoming EP Urban Diaspora. Everyone be sure to follow me on social media @TaeKwasii much love & Blessings Ashe. Connect with Tae Kwasii on social media instagram.com/taekwasii twitter.com/taekwasii #BuzzMusic

Indie-rock trio Populuxe present stunning rock vocals and a seductive blues-rock groove on this latest release “Where Did I Go Wrong?” Featured on their new album “Beauty In The Broken Place”, “Where Did I Go Wrong?” is easy to love, a smooth track with a slightly retro-style hook melody but a gritty and crisp instrumental set-up that lets the live-vibe shine through. The song is made of up short lines and moments, distinct riffs and lyrics, plenty of space and rhythm, this gives it a memorable aura, not unlike the way that effective pop music tends to work. You get a slightly indie-rock, anthem-vibe from this set-up. In among this though, Populuxe makes sure to keep bringing you back to these elements that make the style their own. “Where Did I Go Wrong?” is well worth listening to in full more than just the one time. The groove is easy to get into anyway, partly nostalgic but generally just a pleasure to play at volume, the lyrics offer a little bit more each time connecting for their originality and the mild sense of vulnerability they seem to share. Can’t wait to hear more from Populuxe! Listen to “Where Did I Go Wrong?” here workingbrilliantly.com/populuxe #BuzzMusic

One of the best things about today's music is independent artist's ability to create full pieces of work in their own space, on their own time, and with the freedom to say what they want. The brand new album by Flower Church is a prime example of all of these things. The album can be a bit brooding, but with style. A record that at times, talks about things we can all feel but are maybe unable to express or talk about. "Born A Burden" displays a great alternative pop song with somber yet catchy singing and a ton of honesty. This is quite the theme of the record as it goes on to more songs ranging from garage pop, singer-songwriter, indie rock, and more. A full and tonally beautiful album, this work shows anger, sadness, and even light at the end of the tunnel. A relatable and pure record should be listened to through and through. The best place to do that is HERE. Flower Church on Soundcloud Flower Church on Bandcamp Flower Church on Instagram

Dogheart was formed in Portland, Oregon in 2014 by Matt Jenkins, Gray Hildreth, and Cameron Hering. After releasing a debut album in 2016, Cameron ultimately decided to leave the band, leaving it to just a duo. What seemed overwhelming in the beginning turned into an incredible learning curve for Matt and Gray. They established their sound by enhancing their songwriting and learning to the record right at home. After two more albums in 2017, Dogheart knew that they had found their sound. Fast forward to today, Dogheart has released another album titled “Yeah No For Sure” and an EP titled “Blue Guts”. Dogheart is now a 4 piece including the newest members of the group, Ryan Fox on lead guitar and Eric Rubalcava on drums. Featured on “Blue Guts”, “I Never Knew How I Got Here” is an acoustic single, a soft-rock piece with a certain intimate realness that completely captivates. If the intro alone doesn’t blow you away, the vocals will and especially the honest, profound lyrics. Balancing beautiful metaphors with a clear and unwavering understanding and embrace of the subject matter, “I Never Knew How I Got Here” pours through in a manner that gives it such an emotive and timeless appearance. “I Never Knew How I Got Here” is easily one of those songs that should and will take your breath away a little, each and every time it reappears. Dogheart is a superb band and far from the more common, seekers of recognition. Real independent artists through and through with pure love for the art form. “I Never Knew How I Got Here” is something special. Sit back and let it play. Listen to “I Never Knew How I Got Here” here Welcome to BuzzMusic Dogheart! It’s such a pleasure to be chatting with you. You seem to be a band that puts a substantial amount of thought into your lyrics! Who/what has inspired each of you to be the artist you are today? I think, collectively as songwriters we are continuously being inspired and influenced by the people around us and the ever-evolving roster of bands we listen to- Yo La Tengo, Cass Mccombs, Smog, Wilco. "I Never Knew How I Got Here" seems like a deeply personal track. Is vulnerability something your fans can always expect from your music? Can you tell us more about this particular song? MJ-  Yes, I think our fans can always expect some sort of vulnerability. I've always been pretty open in the lyrics I write without being too over the top and making it strictly about me. I try and just say what I’m thinking at the moment in hopes that someone else will be able to identify with it and possibly make them feel better because of it. This particular song is about reminiscing on the good ol days as a kid and how easy it was back then. From hanging out in the field to homemade slip and slides, to throwing garbage in the burn pile. Even some of the bad memories become good memories. How have you honed your songwriting style over time, and what do you think are the main qualities that make a song truly connect and last in the long-run? I think we honed in our songwriting style by having fun and naturally progressing over time. Never thinking that we’re done learning. Our intent to writing songs is always to make the next song better than the last and to improve our work. We’re always looking to try new things, take advice from each other and be open to new ideas. I think the main qualities in a song to truly connect and last, in the long run, is knowing your audience and who you are trying to speak to. For us, we try to do what comes naturally and add to the song what we feel is necessary or what the song calls for. We like to take our time while writing and not take things too seriously. If something doesn’t click the first time around, we’ll walk away from it and come back with a more clear mindset the next day. When Dogheart became a duo back in 2016, were there feelings of discouragement during that time? How did you push through and manage to release SO much more new music? I think we had some feelings of discouragement at first, along with lots of questions as far as what to do now and how to do it but we ended up using some of that discouragement to fuel something better for us. We moved on quickly and bought an 8 track realizing we could write as many songs as we wanted and record em all for way less money. Since then we’ve learned a lot about ourselves in the recording process and how to keep it fun and do it our own way. Thank you for chatting with us and letting us get to know you in the process! What’s next for you? We’re expecting big things now that you have a full 4-piece band! We are currently writing new songs as a 4 piece for a new record! Thank you for taking the time to get to know us a little. We appreciate you all! www.instagram.com/dogheartband #BuzzMusic

Downer Syndrome is a grunge/metal artist who has had a love for music in his DNA since childhood. Ever since he was seven years old he was begging for a guitar. Downer Syndrome also went through a discovery of finding his love for songwriting. He enjoys fusing lyricism filled with riddles and combining it with riveting new styles of music. He’s played with a variety of different band members and is currently playing gigs out of Arizona. Downer Syndrome’s new single “Depths Of Into” is a softer, acoustic single than what Downer Syndrome is used to. Although the vocals are still full of passion and grit, the guitar is isolated and charmingly simplistic. The music does the majority of the talking, while the vocals add an element of realness and humanity. The themes force the listener to picture the writing and recording process, even a live show. “Depths Of Into” offers a sense of space and a haunting melody that stops you in your tracks a little. There’s a vulnerability in the voice or a feeling that Downer Syndrome is at breaking point. It adds a new layer of realness, of struggle and perhaps of desperately reaching out to connect. “Depths Of Into” is far from obvious, clear-cut and squeaky clean, but it’s something of its own, and it makes no apologies for that. We look forward to hearing more from Downer Syndrome! Check out “Depths Of Into” here and read more with Downer Syndrome below! Welcome to BuzzMusic! For those who aren’t aware, how did you first get into songwriting? I was sucked into songwriting when I was little, but I didn't actually start writing until I was in middle school. I felt alive when I first heard riddle filled lyrics applied to soul grabbing music. You know it when you still shiver at the songs you listened to when you were younger. This caused me start coming up with my own lyrics. I wanted to create something that sounded different and confusing at first, but as you keep listening to each word after, you begin to slowly unlock the riddle. I use the sound of music to draw you into the message that would help release some of the weight that keeps you down allowing you to feel a sense of peace. This is what pushes me to write and create. How would you describe your approach to making original music? When I write something, I create the sound of the song first. My hands just do what they do base on the emotion I'm going through and then after I keep hearing the sound, lyrics just come out of nowhere that create a solid system emotion that applies to what anyone is going through. I do this to reach out to everyone. It's my way of originality because I'm giving my personal view of a complex emotional understanding applied to the subject at hand using what is hidden deep inside myself. 99 times out of 100, when I play a show, I do no covers. I didn't show up to play what other people created. I came to give a piece of myself. Now when I do play a cover, it's usually a song that I grew up listening to and was inspired by. I give my respects and want to show people what tastes influence me. We're completely captivated by “Depths Of Into”, you have such a strong love for the art form throughout your tracks. Can you tell us more about your intentions when you first began to curate this single? Now as for that song "Depths Of Into", I was caught by a sign on the side of a bus that said Mental Illness. Which gave me this weird thought that when you are attracted to a girl and she's attracted to you (vise versa) I try to let you know that you may not know what you're getting into if we start seeing each other. I explain perfectly what kind of person I am in just the lyrics. For example: "If I ever could...Would you let me in...I'll drop my disguise...If you want to know.....I'm the mental ...illness of all...The way of my thoughts..., such a full phenomenal ." In simple terms, I'm just saying my soul is a wonderland that never gets old so be ready for adventure. We know that you're a lover of integrating a variety of elements in your music. Would you ever incorporate contrasting genres into your music, or do you think it would ruin the type of sound you're attempting to reach? When it comes to my style of music that I write, I don't ever want any song to sound like another song I have written. It takes away the flavor. So I warp genres. I have indie/grunge songs , grunge/metal, experimental/acoustic, rap/metal ext ext . The only thing I don't want to mix in there is the sound of country and pop or just rap with beats. It bores me too much. But I do love blending and creating new styles. I have to have warped sense of an idea when I cross blend. It has to catch me in order to pursue the intention of creating the whole song. It has to come to me. What would you say inspires you and your music the most? What inspired me more than anything, in the beginning, was when I first saw a guitar and heard the sound. I wanted one so bad when I was a kid. But when I first heard Nirvana, I was hooked. What inspires me now is the fact that I have never taken a lesson at any instrument that I can play now. The first song I showed you(The Gentle) my drummer was to busy to record with me, so I played every instrument in that song. I'm just grateful for being able to do this. God gave this to me and I will never let it go. It was great having you here on BuzzMusic! Tell us more about what’s next for you artistically? Well...I have so many songs to show you and as of now, I'm recording 2 new ones of which I'm growing fond of. Out of everything I've done in life, I have never gotten tired of writing music. When I sit down and just start playing, I get lost in my own personal dimension. I feel at peace. I want to give people that feeling. My friends say I love people too much, but everyone lives life on a battlefield. I want to be there to help lift people up. It feels great when you do because you feel worth something for once. My music is my testimony, my autobiography, my life. This is my mission. Thank you for being a part of it. ;) www.instagram.com/eightchdeeaidie #BuzzMusic

Songwriter Joe Mysterio knows how to write a pop-rock song and the proof is in the pudding. His new, self-titled Joe Mysterio EP showcases 3 songs that run the gambit of pop-oriented indie rock and crosses things seamlessly into radio friendliness with each one. The spacey alt rock-based "Like You" introduces you to what you can expect from the record well. Massive chorus and a catchy melody vocally along with an energy that doesn't let up. "Tricks" gives you a great positive feel, bright and free while taking things into a slightly 70's style guitar riff. These songs feel like summer songs, strong and relatable all around. An outstanding effort from the artist and gives promise of more great songs to come. You can check out the EP right here. joemysterio.com joemysterio.bandcamp.com instagram.com/joe.mysterio #BuzzMusic

PongoFromTheS aka PFTS is an independent recording artist, songwriter, and producer from Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada. At only 24 years old PongoFromTheShas established himself an impressive and versatile musical catalog. Since making his debut in 2016, he’s released an incredible amount of refreshing material. Teaming up with skilled producer YNLSTACKINGBNDZ, PFTS released project “The Coolest Tape On The Planet” in early 2019. Equipped with five original tracks, the mixtape includes features from artists Jaco, LPG, Raph D’Amours, and Juice Rose. This project garnered PongoFromTheS an incredible amount of success. He went on to release a 2-track project later in 2019 titled “The First Breeze” which features PFTS’ latest singles “Playroom” and “Need” with YNLSTACKINGBNDZ. PFTS is about the graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Public Communications and credits music as being an outlet to get him through school and the stresses that come along with that. He’s an artist that has the knowledge, ambition, and motivation to make it. PongoFromTheS is unapologetic and energizing, he effortlessly goes against the grain and is making waves throughout the music industry with his alternative hip-hop aura. Keep up with PongoFromTheS and his future musical endeavors! Check out PongoFromTheS’ music here and read more with the artist below! Welcome back to BuzzMusic PongoFromTheS! 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? Thanks for having me back, it's always a pleasure. I do put a lot of thoughts in my lyrics because not only I want to represent my reality as it is but I also want to deliver my stories to my audience in an entertaining way. When you're listening to my music I want you to be able to imagine all the scenes I'm referring to. Theses days what inspires me the most is the journey I've been on trying to make it into the music industry. All the sleepless nights, all the investments, all the time and energy... And I still got so much to give. I'm only 24, I gotta wait until 26 to put on some Jay Z type of lyrics ahaha. But for real tho, I think my best tracks, lyrically speaking, are ahead of me. I still got a lot to learn. "Playroom" is an energizing and refreshing new song. Where did you draw inspiration for this particular track? I wrote and recorded Playroom on February 11th of 2019. My inspiration came from the fact that it was about to be Valentines day and I had nobody with me. So I wanted to write something for the woman I wanted to be with at the time. To seduce her, and to make her feel sexy. I think it's actually the sexiest track I ever did yet, even tho the lyrics are not even that explicit. You can feel the energy that I'm on. I was listening to Wizkid's and Burna Boy's records on repeat at the time. So one morning I woke up with theses words in my head "Addictive, like the first sip of coffee in the morning" . I can't even tell you where it came from because I don't even drink coffee ahaha. I basically built the song from theses lyrics. I first recorded an a capella version. I had the lyrics and the flow but no beat. So of course I sent the audio to YNL (YNLSTACKINGBNDZ.). We went to the studio a few months later and he did this instrumental that perfectly matches with the lyrics. “PERFECT” seems like a deeply personal track. Is vulnerability something your fans can always expect from your music? Can you tell us more about this particular song? It is personal indeed. It's a song about accepting who I am, taking control of my life, making my own decisions, dealing with my past mistakes, dealing with people who turned their back on me, and of course being thankful for the ones that are still rocking with me. Shoutout to my 4B brothers. Right now I got another unreleased track that is even deeper than PERFECT, like I really go into details, and I will only release it when I'll have the reach that this record actually deserves. You know you always gotta keep your best songs for the right moment. Other than that I won't always be vulnerable, but I'll be transparent as a Ziploc bag ahaha. We know that you're a lover of integrating a variety of elements into your music. Would you ever incorporate contrasting genres into your music, or do you think it would ruin the type of sound you're attempting to reach? I think I'm already doing it. If you're listening to our last project "The First Breeze", my flow on both songs are originally dancehall/afro flows, but on rap/hiphop type beats which brings a whole new genre that YNL and I like to call trap-dancehall. Otherwise, to be honest, I don't envision myself mixing rock and hip hop, or country and hip hop. Not that I don't like it, but I already got my own unique style, and I want to push it even further. I want people to hear the first note of the song and immediately say "oh ye that's PFTS" just like when you hear a Rick Ross' record. Thank you so much for chatting with us. What else are you working on artistically through the end of 2019? All I can say is me and YNL haven't said our last word. Thanks to you for the interview! It surely won't be the last time. Bless. Connect with PongoFromTheS on social media www.instagram.com/pongofromthes

Founded in 2016, Away from here is a pop-punk band fronted by Francesca Urso (vocals) and Andrea Ricchetti (vocals/guitar). The other members of Away From Here include Fabiano Dall'asta (guitar) and Luca Bajardi (drums). The eclectic four-piece just released their debut EP “All The Feelings Come Out”, which focuses on themes of happiness, melancholy, love, and everything in between. The second single released from their project “Daydream” comes equipped with a brand new music video to match. “Daydream” highlights the feelings of holding on to a relationship that has ended. Letting the memories linger in your mind makes it harder to move on, but ultimately we all know we have to leave things behind to truly go forward. Storming through the speakers with nothing so much as an introduction or a moment of quiet, “Daydream” is a brilliantly upbeat and deeply thoughtful pop-punk song. With its fast-paced power-chords and the often grunge-soaked nature of the leading melody, “Daydream” is sure to be stuck in your head long after listening. The lead singers appear immediately connected to the subject matter at hand; you can hear this in both the lyrics and the emotional, energetic manner in which they’re presented. “Daydream” is a powerful song, enveloping you in the concept and the beautifully melodic chaos of the moment, with professionally arranged guitar-work and a mighty drum-line. Away From Here is currently touring Italy to promote their new EP, check them out! Listen to “Daydream” here How did Away From Here originally come to fruition? How do you all know each other? Me (Francesca) and Andrea, we know for a long time. We are best friends and we have a strong music connection, together we founded our band in 2016. At the same time, Andre already knew Fabiano, because they went to the same music school together, Andre then proposed him to join the band. Then, Luca joined the band. How long has your release “All The Feelings Come Out” been in the making? What is the overall concept of this EP in entirety? We spent one year between writing and producing. "All The Feelings Come Out" has 5 songs, each one of them represents a different emotion: "Daydream" expresses the emotion of the melancholy of a love story that ended between two people. "Alien" symbolizes the happiness and serenity of self-acceptance when feeling different from the rest of society. "People Always Leave" expresses the sadness, the feeling of abandonment caused by the people we loved, who decided not to be part of our lives anymore. "Look at You" is the classic love song that can be perfectly dedicated to someone, it symbolizes love and the desire of being with someone. The last track that closes the EP is "Enemy" which represents anger, a feeling unleashed by the distance that prevents two people from being together, generating between the two people continuous conflicts. The EP is born spontaneously, especially the lyrics which in each song tell something different, letting us coping with our feelings. “Daydream” is an incredible track and we loved the new music video! What emotions were necessary to channel when creating this particular song? In our EP are told positive and negative emotions, and Daydream is one of those songs which expresses a negative emotion, as said before, letting us coping with our feelings and our lives turning every everyday experience in the art (in this case, negative ones). A truly beautiful feeling especially when other people reflect on what you write. What was the concept for the music video? What was the filming process like? We opted to use the double exposure to materialize emotions and feelings into a "Daydream" through the four natural elements: earth, fire, water, and air. Filming this music video was as easy as fun since we made it in a garage with the help of our friends. What is the pop-punk music scene like in your hometown? Do you think you’re able to reach your full potential in your current city? In our hometown, there's a little pop-punk scene with a small community searching for its identity. Our main goal is to bring our music outside Italy. What’s next for Away From Here? Right now we're writing new stuff for our new EP, releasing it before the end of 2020 hoping to play in other Europe countries. www.instagram.com/awayfromhereband www.twitter.com/__awayfromhere #BuzzMusic

What a refreshing artist! JRtheBand is unusual enough to intrigue, musically skillful enough to captivate and entertain, and lyrically fascinating enough to feel genuinely new. All of this fuses brilliantly to create a sound that’s engaging, effective, and utterly unique right now. JrTheBand officially has 4 singles released so far. His debut “Hologram” kicks into gear with a vocal tone and melodic development that appeals from the offset for its sense of personality and the sheer grit and melody combined. More than this though, “Hologram” is ready and waiting to be that addictive little anthem that gets you geared up to take on the weekend and the world with the best possible energy. Eclecticism runs wild throughout this record, though always holding close to those familiar, recognizable threads, the songwriting, the vocal performance, the mild theatrics, and clear emotion. “Live My Grace” leads with a contagious simplicity, starting with quiet expression before exploding into something much more striking. That contrast works beautifully, and once again, the set-up is superb! Dashes of color and instrumental optimism help make an already attractive song all the more immersive and enjoyable. Impressing all the more so is JR’s songwriting that lets his original music stand so tall. These melodies hold your attention, and the stories told seem accessible and relevant yet presented in a new, exciting way. “Live My Grace” in particular is all of this, brilliantly fresh yet surprisingly relatable and easy to connect with. JR’s leading voice reaches peak identity and tone here. “Jamaica” ft. YT Manderelli pours through with precisely the upbeat pop-rock edge required to keep things moving. Great guitar rhythm meets with a rising and falling melody that washes over like a hypnotic series of waves. Then you get the completely unexpected hook, stunning with rock and roll brightness and intensity. There are so many sides to JRtheBand, and yet once the music starts it’s a familiar enough sound to recognize the artist. YT Manderelliadds a spoken-word verse and a refreshing touch of dynamics to a tropical anthem. Just released is JRtheBand’s “Not the Enemy”, another absolute anthem that builds up awesomely, enveloping its audience and reminding them that a live show is likely to be where this sound really finds its feet. "Not the Enemy", explores how fear, uncertainty, doubt, and/or righteous anger can turn each of us into an uncontrollable beast and hopefully this sparks the mindfulness necessary for each of us to have a conversation with that inner beast. That underlying concept also intrigues and connects in a somewhat profound and thoughtful manner adding further fuel to the fire. The sound is unique, free from the confines of genre, inspired by the classics yet walking its own pathway regardless. On top of this though, the songwriting is superb. A gorgeous guitar-led outro leads things through a gentle finish. JRtheBand has plans to release a new single each month, stay on the lookout! Listen to JR’s new music here and read more below in our interview! Welcome to BuzzMusic! It’s such a pleasure to chat with you You’ve had a really incredible year! What would you say you’re the proudest of? Just the sheer volume of music that I've composed and written. When I went into this I had 5 songs finished and it was just a matter of recording them. I never had any idea how much more music I would have the capability to create until I got into the studio. It sparked something, and I ended up writing 15 more songs, and I continue to write a new song every month or two. If anything came of this, I am proud to now have a "process" that I came up with on my own that works for me in terms of how I approach a song concept and then create the music and lyrics. I know it can't last forever, but right now I am in such a groove where I can write for days. “Not the Enemy” is a great new track but it seems to have a meaningful message behind the lyrics. Can you tell us more about this song in particular? In today's world we the people are more divided than ever. What I don't see people talking about too much are the unfortunate ties that bind us - deep human emotions dealing with fear, uncertainty, doubt and/or anger. For me - righteous anger rears its ugly head whenever I feel someone slights me. I tend to think I am much more important than I actually am and will typically cancel anyone who I feel disrespects me or doesn't support me. So I wrote "Not the Enemy" about developing the mindfulness about how these internal beasts could end up turning us all into hermits if we don't nip it in the bud. Moral of the story - don't let it spiral. "Hologram" is the perfect track to introduce new listeners to your sound. Where did you draw inspiration for this particular track? I had just seen footage of Prince as a hologram - it was amazing. There he was, alive but no longer with us. It reminded me of experiencing the first Star Wars movie as a child. There was a scene in particular - where R2D2 is showing Luke and Obi-Wan a recorded hologram message from Princess Leah. "Luke, you're our only hope." Then it ends. I remember the absolute feeling of wonder as a kid seeing Princess Leah as a hologram, and then feeling a carbon copy of that wonder as an adult seeing one of the best performing artists of all time as a hologram. It makes me feel like anything is possible, beyond what we can just "see". Do you prefer the more intimate recording process over live performance? How do you personally feel when you're performing your music live? It's not that I don't enjoy performing live, but I would much rather be in the studio. When I set out to do this, my goal was to land a licensing deal with a publisher or film/tv producer. While I am not closed off to anything that comes of this, I remain primarily interested in being a full-time songwriter. If it turns out I have actual fans and they want to see me perform, then great. Like, I said, I am not closing any doors. Thank you for talking with us once again! What can you tell us about your upcoming release!? My plan is to release a song a month until I get noticed by a publisher that will swoop in and pay me millions of dollars to license the entire catalog. Hey, you gotta set your sights high right? "Not the Enemy" just dropped on 10/28, my fourth release so far. Look for my next release on mid-to-late November! Folks can stay alert to my current and new releases by visiting my website jrtheband.com and signing up on the contact list. They can also follow me on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play and/or Amazon Music. Connect with JRtheBand on social media www.instagram.com/jrtheband #BuzzMusic