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“Star of the Show” welcomes both the melancholic embrace of a hypnotizing backdrop and the heartfelt, passionate connection of a song written with depth and intention. That balance is crucial, and really well executed. You relate to that honesty with that vulnerability within “Star of the Show”, and at the same time, it’s easy to turn up loud and escape within. Shelby Neubauer has mastered the art of melodic satisfaction, so the song lingers in your mind long after listening. Despite the lyrical turmoil, the track energizes and brings together everyone who has felt these emotions and been down these pathways. Shelby Neubauer has fused a brilliantly uplifting and progressive melody, with a warm and comforting musicality, and a story that seems just personal enough to connect, but also vague enough for listeners to make it their own. The perfect twang of country roots fuses perfectly with a catchy pop backtrack. It’s a pleasure to know there are artists and songwriters creating and performing the music of this nature with such clear passion and a love for the process right now. It’s easy to hear why fans have taken to the rising star so notably in recent months. “Star of the Show” speaks volumes on behalf of the quality and content that’s to come. Listen to “Star of the Show” here and read more in our interview below! Hey Shelby! Welcome to BuzzMusic! What inspired you to first begin making music and releasing it to the public? I’ve been involved and around music my whole life. My dad is a musician, as are many of his family members. My parents actually met at a gig my dad was playing in the 80s! So in a way, I’m a product of the art. I grew up singing with my dad.. starting at about 7 years old. I sang in church, recorded music with my dad in both our home studio and a professional studio in San Antonio, and recorded covers of songs my dad wrote. I grew up doing all the forms of singing I could - classical lessons, school choir, show choir, musical theatre... but the commercial style (stuff on the radio with a full band) was where I felt most at home. I ended up playing in a cover band with my dad starting in high school and that continued to be my summer job when home from college. In college, I majored in music (at Belmont University in Nashville) but it wasn’t until after college that I really started getting into writing. I guess you can say music has been a part of my life since day 1, and I have no intention of ever changing that. You seem to be an artist that puts more thought into your lyrics than most. What can you tell us about the lyrical depth within “Star of the Show”? - Oh what a loaded question... ha! I tend to write about what I know.. so personal experiences usually inspire my lyrics. For “Star is the Show” specifically, the lyrics are true to what happened at the end of my last relationship. Ya know, the typical story... girl goes out of town, the guy gets on dating apps trying to cheat on a girl, the girl finds out (because we ALWAYS find out). A very relatable story for many. However, in my story.. the girl ends up putting the guy on blast for being a cheater. Think episode of Cheaters.. remember that show?! Anyway.. the guy I was dating has a large social media following and wants nothing more than to be on a cover of a magazine someday. After doing what he did to me... and my sharing the news.. everyone in this town knew about it. My bad :) So “Star of the Show” became a sarcastic jab at him for wanting to be so popular. It’s easily my favorite song I’ve written thus far... and I’ve never been so thankful for an ex. Since you’ve been making music for several years, how would you compare some of the earlier material you’ve written to your newest release “Star of the Show” in terms of your switch to a more pop sound? This song is definitely the most pop forward song I’ve ever released. When writing... I’m typically sitting with a co-writer or two and one of them has a guitar. With an acoustic setting like that, you never really know exactly which genre the song will go. It could honestly go many. It’s what happens in the studio that really establishes the genre. I knew when taking this song to the guys who produced it that we wanted something totally different than than the last stuff I released, which was more of a country-pop sound. Though I still love my former sound, it felt safe to me. It was safe FOR me. I still love the songs but just wanted to try something more outside my box and see how people reacted to it. We decided to take a little more risks with “Star of the Show”, get a little weirder and artsy. So far... everyone seems to love it, so we’re going to roll this direction for a while. What have been some of your proudest or most memorable moments in music so far? I think one of my proudest moments was when I released my country/pop EP last year and it charted on the iTunes Country charts on release day! We cracked into the top 40 on the charts so that was an amazing feeling. I have a lot of wonderful people in my corner, rooting for me, and they really came through on preordering and purchasing that EP. I’m hoping all of those people and more love this new sound just as much. We really appreciate you chatting with us about your incredible music! What’s next for you artistically? Does your creativity manifest itself in other ways? I think my creativity comes in waves. Sometimes it finds me - an idea for a song, whether a lyric idea or melodic idea, may just pop into my head. Maybe because of something I experienced... something someone close to me experienced.. or maybe even an idea I saw in a movie or read in a book. So I’ll go write it down or record it on my phone real quick. But other times, I have to seek out creativity. I have to sit down and consciously dig into my soul, my mind, my heart to create. Creativity is funny like that. It’s not consistent. It’s not always easy. But the act of creating can be so beautiful and the idea of my art touching someone personally, meaning something to them, relating to them.. is reason enough to continue creating. As for what’s up next? Keep going. Keep writing, keep singing, keep recording, keep getting in front of as many people as possible. Share my music so much that people know it. And never stop. instagram.com/shelbyneubauer twitter.com/shelbyneubauer facebook.com/shelbyneubauer shelbyneubauer.com #BuzzMusic

Hailing from the state of Ohio, Ghost Train is an eclectic rock n roll band combining elements of pop, classic rock, country, and reggae into their authentic sound. Ghost Train was formed by drummer Ryan T. Griffis and guitarist Eric Moss in 2017 at Miami University in Oxford. Ghost Train released their self-titled debut album in September of 2018 with the addition of Sean Stone on bass and shortly afterward added Andrew Stuve on keyboard. The band is currently writing new material for 2020 and plays on continuing to tour throughout Ohio and hopefully beyond! Ghost Train’s debut album includes 7 tracks of completely captivating real rock. “Manifest Destiny” is the opener and begins with a fitting eerie train whistle. “Manifest Destiny”  lays out the vocal depth and the alt-rock rhythms in a manner that keeps your focus on the concept and on the progression of the ideas. Meanwhile, this raw rock ambiance drives a certain sense of escapism in the way that a live show from a classic band might. “Millennial Bop” follows the opener and injects way more personality into the mix. A fruitful guitar line kicks things off and a subsequently rhythmic, spoken word vocal. The simplicity reigns once more and breathes a certain theme or mood into the project. A second listen lets the story-line sink in a little more poignantly. “Somebody Like Me” adds an element of brightness in terms of the musical mood. The melody captivates as a few notes rise up and fall back down to layout the personal story-line. A hint of lightness follows later and helps build an interesting structure. “Out of the Woods (Going Inside)” afterward leads with more entrancing riffs and quickly captures your affection for its fine balancing between the quick and the mellow. An easy favorite for the simple yet still huge hook section. The simplicity allows for creative freedoms with smooth guitar and punching vocals. “Booze in My Blood” is another highlight for the contrast between the secure rhythm of the riff and the beat with the steady pace of the vocal creates something easily memorable and quite classic feeling. Again, the lyrics seem to hit less intensely than the general vibe of the music, but with a second listen you start to form those connections! “The Cave” comes into the mix with a soulful guitar line. As the percussion sections move in, we’re graced with a bluesy, sultry 8 minutes of instrumental brilliance to take us further into this incredible project. “In a Land That We Call Home” features harmonically rich and emotional vocals to paint a soundscape in your mind, Ghost Train allows the listener to escape into an alternate reality and live in the music. “In a Land That We Call Home” changes the pace of the album, with light guitar strumming and a simple melody. The vocals are perfectly suiting the sentiments and light-hearted aura of this song. A great way to go out, superb guitar work yet again and an overall enjoyable, entertaining piece of music and performance. Ghost Train’s sound as it stands today is easy to spot. There’s plenty of individuality in the approach, and just enough familiarity to really appeal to the rock outcasts who crave that original, authentic aura. “Ghost Train” is a strong release start to finish. We can’t wait to hear more! Check out the album here and read more with Ghost Train below! Welcome to BuzzMusic Ghost Train! Can you briefly introduce yourselves to our readers? How did you go about choosing your stage name? We are a dynamic rock n roll band from the Great State of Ohio who brings life, liberty and the pursuit of greatness into each and every one of our songs. Our music is inspired through various sounds of classic rock intertwined with modern pop, country, reggae, and hip hop. Ghost Train was founded by drummer and singer/songwriter Ryan T. Griffis & guitarist and singer/songwriter Eric Moss while attending college at Miami University (Oxford, OH.) Our idea for Ghost Train was to incorporate most, if not all, mainstream musical genres into our sound. Using the train as the general concept and analogy, each car associated with Ghost Train should represent some sort of commentary on American culture. The people who #RideTheTrain aka the "passengers," are essentially the ones who keep Ghost Train rolling down the tracks. How was the production of your latest album? Did your initial vision for the album end up executing as you thought it would? The production on our debut album was very satisfying for knowing how inexperienced we were with the overall process of writing, recording and producing an album. The process started with writing the music which took us roughly ten weeks to write all of the songs on our debut album. We were still going to college and taking classes full time so it was a struggle at times, but we managed to set aside time for music and we were determined to accomplish what we set out to do. After we had written all of our songs, we went to the studio and began recording our music. It took us several sessions at the studio to record everything that we wanted to be done and after all the recording was done, we began the mixing phase of the production process. Mixing is probably the most important aspect of the music besides the actual recording itself. If we could go back in time, we would spend the majority of our budget on the mixing process. "Money buys time and time is perfection" - Ryan T. Griffis. After the mixing phase, mastering was the next step. Mastering is like putting the icing on the cake, it just makes the song that much better. When all of the recordings, mixing, and mastering phases were over with, it was time to release the album. We used an independent distributing resource called DistroKid. DistroKid allowed us to get our music onto downloading and streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Google, Deezer, Tidal, YouTube, etc. Once our music was out there on these services, we promoted it by advertising on social media, handing out free CDs at our shows, and by launching Spotify campaigns. Social media advertising has helped us tremendously especially on Facebook. Handing out free CDs at our shows allows people to have another opportunity to listen to us while they're at home, at work, or driving in their cars. The possibility of one person showing another person a song of ours is highly probable with regards to handing out free copies of our album at our shows. Launching Spotify campaigns has really sparked a new beginning for us. The return on investment is the main goal of using Spotify promotion because it helps get our music onto Spotify playlists that have hundreds to thousands of followers. By using Spotify promotion, we've seen an increase in almost every category Spotify has to offer like monthly listeners, the numbers of streams, and followers. As a result of the increasing numbers on social media, streaming, and downloads, and audience at our shows has led us to want to create another album. Our initial vision for the album was to create a buzz with our music and see what opportunities it could potentially open up for us. We played a total of 15 shows throughout 2019 which was a great step in the right direction. We have put out new music since the release of our debut album and are already booking shows in 2020. We learned a lot from the whole experience and are eager to get back to work. "Millennial Bop" was that type of track that pulsates with energy! What kind of vibe were you going for when curating the track? When we first started writing the song, we knew it was going to be the hit on the album. Griffis came to Moss with the song title "Millennial Bop" and Moss sort of laughed jokingly at the name. Once Griffis explained how he visioned the song to go and what the song represented, Moss loved the idea of it. Griffis based the backbeat of the song off of Beastie Boys "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" and Moss wanted the song to have a reggae/rock/hip hop vibe, so when the two put their heads together on writing this song, it became prevalent that it was going to be a hit. A little known fact is that nearly 95% of Moss' lyrics are freestyled in "Millennial Bop." The other 5% of the song that isn't freestyled are original lyrics from the Notorious B.I.G from his song "Going Back to Cali" The whole album is extremely versatile and impressive! What would you say is the track that holds the most emotion? What’s the story or inspiration behind this song? The song that holds the most emotion would have to be "In a Land That We Call Home." The song was written by Ryan T. Griffis as a poem and brought to the drawing board as the final track for the album. "The song is the definition of hard work, dedication, and persistence all in one track," Griffis says after the song took him nearly four years to finish writing. There are two storylines associated with the song. The first storyline is about the birth of America from where we were back then to where we are now and the other storyline is the birth of Ghost Train from where we started to where we are now. The overall message of the song is that if America can compromise its differences and focus on being the greatest country to ever be established on planet Earth, then Ghost Train can compromise its differences and focus on the music being some of the greatest to ever be made. "We might hit a few bumps along the way, but there is no stopping Ghost Train on the track to greatness" - Griffis says. Thank you so much for chatting with us! Do you have any upcoming events or shows to tell us about? We just want to say thanks and we appreciate BuzzMusic for taking the time to review our music and post about Ghost Train. Our first show of 2020 will be at Taffy's "Music Mecca of the Universe" in Eaton, Ohio on Saturday, January 25th, 2020. We will also be releasing a new song titled "Jailhouse Woman" around that same time! facebook.com/ghostrainmusic1 instagram.com/ghostrainmusic1 twitter.com/ghostrainmusic1 #BuzzMusic

Hailing from Los Angeles but currently based in New York, singer/songwriter Janani Shankar is hard at work preparing to release his debut album “Black”. Janani comes from an entirely musical family and was trained in  Indian Classical vocals and violin from a young age and picked up the guitar, keys, and bass later on in life. Janani's unique sound pulls inspiration from artists like PJ Harvey, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Oasis, and Amy Winehouse. Janani Shankar has a slew of singles and an EP available for streaming, but her latest release “Forgettable” serves as the first single from her upcoming album “Black”. “Forgettable” features Swiss drummer Carlo Ribaux, Brooklyn-based musician Ernest Hampson, and was recorded by John Ried at Brick by Brick Studios. Brilliant acoustics start off Janani Shankar’s single “Forgettable”. Her angelic vocals are finely-calibrated well beyond her years. They echo and trail alongside the guitar with sweet precision and grace. “Forgettable” talks about the trials and tribulations of love but having the confidence to know it’s time to move on. An empowering anthem, “Forgettable” leaves room for the listener to interpret the emotive lyrics in whichever way feels suitable for their own life. Heartwarming and pure vocals give a calming and soothing effect on the meaningful message. Janani brings a natural and authentic presence to contemporary music. Stay on the lookout for Janani Shankar, with releases like “Forgettable”, we’ll be hearing a lot more of that name! Check out “Forgettable” here and read more below in our exclusive interview. Welcome to BuzzMusic Janani Shankar! We gave a listen to your latest single "Forgettable" and thought it was a spectacular production! Tell us how the overall process went? Thank you so much! I basically wrote the lyrics, guitar, and melody for the song first and played with it until I got it to exactly where I wanted it. I recorded the guitar and vocals almost a year later at Brick by Brick Studios with my engineer John Ried. We sent the track to Swiss drummer Carlo Ribaux and Brooklyn based musician Ernesto Hex to write their parts, and then brought them into the studio one day and finished the track in Brooklyn. I picked out their parts which I liked and gave notes on what to change and eventually the whole song came together quite nicely in the studio. It was mixed by John Ried and mastered by Alex Saltz at APS mastering. For us here at BuzzMusic, "Forgettable" had a very honest feel and delivered a genuine sense of tranquility. How were you intending listeners to feel when they hear this song? Thank you so much. That is what I want to hear! I wanted it to have an honest feel and a genuine sense of, not only tranquility but of sadness and nostalgia as well. “Forgettable” was truly an incredible song. What was the inspiration for this track? Forgettable is going to be part of an 8 track album called Black. I gained the inspiration and wrote most of it last year when I was spending much of my time in London and traveling through Europe. I wrote Forgettable after I left. London has always felt like home to me and I have a lot of people who I consider family out there, so I felt really sad about leaving. I always feel sad when I leave there. Do you personally express your own experiences within your music? On what level are you intending to connect with your listeners? I do personally express my own experiences within my music. But sometimes I like to keep the lyrics vague. So if I'm talking about one thing specifically, I make it sound like I could also be talking about something else, Iike an ex-lover or something. I intend to connect with my listeners on a very personal level, but there are some things I would rather keep vague and not be so in your face about. Also, I feel like if you keep it vague, you have the option of connecting with more people because the lyrics could be taken either way or even both. It was a treat having you here on BuzzMusic! Can you give us any hints towards when you’re releasing your upcoming album “Black”? What will the overall concept of this project be? Thank you so much! I'm hoping to release Black by mid-2020. It will be my first studio album with a full live band and most of the songs were inspired by my time last year in London and traveling through Europe which I said before. facebook.com/JananiShankarMusic instagram.com/janani_shankar jananishankar.com #BuzzMusic

Tom Quell is a singer/songwriter and musician based in Berkeley, California. Her creates dreamy, soulful-pop that is both deeply personal, yet accessible for listeners from all walks of life. New to the Bay Area music scene, Tom’s vivid melodies fly high above his captivating vocals while injecting just enough funky soul-pop into his soundscapes. With his debut album “Marrow” out now, Tom Quell is a substitute teacher by day and promotes his new album at local shows since it’s release in June 2019. Bringing together delicacy of concept and tone, “Even In Love” rises up from acoustic purity to captivating vocal warmth throughout its uplifting few minute journeys, impressing all the more so with each new moment that passes. The single implies a soulful-pop sentiment, acoustic minimalism, and an intimate and emotional vocal and story-line. As things progress, rhythm takes over, passion stands tall, and those solo beginnings evolve into a well-round moment of escapism for any listener. You appreciate the raw and honest set-up just the way it is, the live show is laid bare, and the prospect of that appeals immensely for its color, openness, and for the clear heart and soul that Tom Quell injects into the entire performance. “Even in Love” is a gorgeous song with a surprisingly unique edge of character to it. Hopefully, there’s more to come. Listen to “Even In Love” here and read our exclusive interview with Tom Quell below! Hey there Tom Quell! Welcome to BuzzMusic! We're incredibly excited to be featuring your newest album "Marrow"! Tell us about the recording process, and how the overall curative process was for this album? Hello! It's an honor to be featured. The recording process was mostly completed back in February during a 9-day binge where I holed up with the two producers—Nate Bauld and Robin Applewood—and spent all day and all night recording. Some of these songs were written years ago, and some of them were written just before we started recording, but they all developed a similar luster in that process because I was working together with Nate and Robin to optimize the arrangements and the overall sound. We knew we were going for a smooth, dreamy sound, and we knew we wanted lots of vocal harmony and reverby electric guitars—but other than that, we just rode that studio wave. To put it simply, I chose the songs that I believed in the most, buckled down in the studio, and allowed myself to be open to the songs changing, which they did—a lot! 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 song “Even In Love”? It's hard to choose just one. If I'm being honest, my biggest musical influence is the early 2000s boy band sound: particularly *NSYNC. Current me doesn't love that excessive production style, but as a 10-year-old kid finding my singing voice by means of singing along to CDs on my Walkman, *NSYNC was the one. I wouldn't say that *NSYNC is one of my current influences, but the effect they had on my musical sensibilities at a young age will always remain with me. Even In Love is a good example of the vocal-harmony-rich sound that I love (sometimes to a fault), and *NSYNC's vocal harmonies certainly live within me somewhere and demand to be brought to the fore every now and then. I'm also a strong believer in the importance of a strong, catchy melody, which I think is present in Even In Love and is, of course, present in *NSYNC's sound. So I think Even In Love is where the melody and harmony of *NSYNC collide with simple, pared-down production. What are some of your ultimate goals as an artist? Are any of these goals currently being put into place/being worked on? I'd like to make a living with music—whether that be via performing, recording or songwriting— and I've certainly augmented the portion of my income that comes from music over the past year. But I'm not currently doing music full-time. My ultimate goal—as cheesy as this sounds—is to stay in touch with my love for music and the joy that it induces in me. Since I released my first album and have been trying to self-promote and do social media and all that stuff, I've lost touch with the essential simplicity that's at the foundation of my relationship with music. The amount of time and energy I spend on "music" that isn't actually doing music (i.e. social media, booking, promotion, etc.) frightens me and often discourages me. I feel like a shadow of myself a lot of times because that soul-sucking side of things doesn't seem real or important in the grand scheme of things. But the sad part is: the practical importance of doing such things is undeniably important if you want to make a living as a musician. At least I think it is. I'm figuring it out, but the truth is I'm often at odds with myself and the direction I'm aiming to go with music. “Even In Love" obviously had a powerful underlying story to it. Are you able to dive deeper into the honest meaning of the track? Sure. The song is about one of my all-time closest friends. After many years of friendship, she and I had a stint as lovers, and it was wonderful and beautiful. Then—in the midst of the recording process!—it ended in a way that was very painful for me and it was hard for me to let go. Within that pain, I realized that we still loved "the f**k out of each other" and that we always would: love wasn't the issue, wasn't what was lacking. But even the deepest and most enduring love doesn't necessarily equate to a successful relationship. Bonus fact: we didn't plan for Even In Love to be on the album. I wrote it at Hyde Street Studios as we were finishing up the final tracks, on a beautiful grand piano, blurry-eyed, through tears so hysterical it was almost hilarious. When Nate heard me perform it live, he insisted that we make it the 11th track on the album and voilà: now it's my most-streamed song on Spotify! Good call, Nate. It was great having you here on BuzzMusic! Tell us more about what's next for you after this album release? Any shows in the near future?! These were great questions and it was a pleasure answering them! I have a few solo shows in Oakland/Berkeley in the coming weeks and a full-band show in San Francisco in December (more details to come). I'm also working on booking a full-band show or two in November, and solo gigs pop up pretty frequently, so you can definitely catch me in the East Bay. I'm most active on Instagram—that and my website are where you'll find info about upcoming shows. Other than that, I'm trying to keep writing every day, keep improving at the guitar, and (as I said earlier) stay in touch with my foundational love for music. Oh, and I just bought a clarinet and I've been practicing that—you wouldn't believe how bad I am at it! Thanks so much for featuring me. Until next time. instagram.com/tomquellmusic facebook.com/tomquellmusic tomquell.com #BuzzMusic

Sam Louis is a rare artist who has the admirable ability to fuse pop and alt-rock with dreamy synths and layers of emotional lyricism and depth. Through his authentic new sound and years of experience, Sam Louis aims to get listeners up off of their feet and get moving to the music. He graduated from Humber College with a Contemporary Music Degree and recorded a 7-song EP titled “Hallejuah Nights” with notable engineer Kevin O’Leary. With the release of his new single “This Love”, produced by Los Angeles based Shayan Amiri (A-Major and Andy Boy), Toronto-based artist Sam Louis shows no signs of slowing down with his upcoming EP “NIGHT/SWEATS” coming soon in 2020. Stay tuned! “This Love” is a dreamy new pop track that hones in on the inconsistencies and bad habits of a past relationship. Ultimately, and despite the ongoing turmoil, “This Love” is about persevering through everything and knowing that love concurs all obstacles. Sam Louis meanders through the music with the meaningful lyricism that urges you to press that repeat button. The main lyric throughout the hook is “This love is all we got”, and it couldn’t fit the sentiment of the track any better. This song is easily accessible for a wide variety of listeners. Many people will resonate with the feeling of holding on to what you have because you strongly believe the love is stronger than any trial or tribulation you’re put through. We love the inspiring message and vast soundscape throughout. Sam Louis is a gifted artist with nowhere to go but to the top! We’re looking forward to his future musical endeavors! Check out “This Love” here and read more with Sam Louis below! Welcome to BuzzMusic Sam Louis! What prompted you to first start recording your music? Hey BuzzMusic, thanks for listening. I first started writing/producing and recording music about 10 years ago in my hometown Thunder Bay with my pop/punk band at the time. I always loved and craved the process. In writing, there's something about throwing all these ideas (melody, lyrics, rhythm, production) into a pot and creating a unique track that no one's ever heard before. With recording, it's really special, your song comes to life, it can grow even more in the studio, something I learned later on in my solo career. The steps of music creation are what I really love most about music, the process behind the madness. “This Love” is a great song! What inspired it, and what does it mean to you? Thanks a lot, guys. The song was inspired by a past relationship that was inconsistent and broken. It’s almost a cry for help, even though the relationship is constantly falling apart, the one thing that remains is the subconscious love they both share. This song goes out to the leftover lovers, the broken heroes of a relationship. The ones who keep fighting for not only their person but for themselves. It's the most vulnerable song I've ever released, an anthem about not giving up on something you believe in. What can fans expect from your upcoming EP “NIGHT/SWEATS”? This EP is going to be more personal and emotional than my last. It's going to take a few pop/hip-hop notes from my first album "Daydream" and slam them together with the alt-rock energy of my last EP "Hallelujah Nights". The NIGHT's tracks will lean more to the emotional, introspective side while SWEATs will feature songs that are all about groove and feeling. It's going to be coming out summer 2020. Who or what would you say inspires you the most to pursue and put your time and passion into music? Music is medicine, it's something I always say. When I was growing up, music was a way for me to connect to a greater medium. It allowed me to escape if I needed to, hide, fight, love. It gave me courage and release, it's a healer, it's an answer if you have questions. It's so much and means so many different things to different people. I want to be apart of that, for as long as I can remember I've wanted to be apart of the movement that is music. If I can inspire/influence someone with one of my records, that's enough to keep me going. What’s next for Sam Louis? This 2019/2020 year is going to be a big developmental one. I’ve been working with many producers and artists this summer writing and creating new music and we’re currently in the process of bringing it all to life. After the release of the single and the music video, we got a hell of a tour starting up that will kick off in Los Angeles! This is the first tour that we’ve ever had and we’re so excited to start spreading our sound around not only in Canada but the US as well. There are about 5 other songs currently in development that will be featured in the NIGHT/SWEATS ep all pouring out this 2020. www.instagram.com/samlouismusic #BuzzMusic

Based in New York City, PETRA is an up and coming alternative pop artist. Her infectious singles are described as a personal diary of her experiences. Her versatility and diverse influences are evident through her eclectic pop tunes. PETRA is also a classically trained musician that has won notoriety for her work as a composer, pianist and violinist as well as being an incredible songwriter! “Luckboy” is an incredible empowering new single from PETRA. The brand new music video focuses on the struggles we all deal with when experiencing the dating world. In a hilarious and cinematic fashion, the music sees a 70’s inspired dating show set including the worst kinds of male stereotypes like The Gym Rat, The Hipster Musician, The Frat Boy and of course, The F*ckboy. Each scene sees PETRA rejecting these men in the most unapologetic way. She moves through the music while remaining charismatic and whimsical. PETRA’s attitude towards her music and her free-spirited nature really set her apart in the music industry today. “Luckboy” is completely relatable for women and men alike who have been through the routine of a terrible date from beginning to end. The danceable and optimistic ringing of the hook is guaranteed to stick in your head, while PETRA’s impressive vocals take you on a musical journey. A track that absolutely worth a few listens and a completely entertaining video to match, “Luckboy” is a captivating new release from PETRA. We’re looking forward to hearing more! Check out “Luckboy” here and read more with PETRA below! Welcome to BuzzMusic PETRA! We love hearing about how artists originally got started! What inspired you to first begin recording and releasing your music? Hi BuzzMusic! So happy to be chatting with you. I got started in music before I could even walk; my brother, who is two years older than me, taught me how to play the piano by pressing my keys on the fingers. After years of classical training, I told my mom at the prime age of 6 that I wanted to be different than my brother. So, she bought my first guitar, a black and white Fender strat. I also loved writing poetry and entered numerous school contests. However. it wasn't till I was 12 when I wrote my first song. I became OBSESSED with writing music and eventually learned how to use Garageband (then gradually Logic and Protools) to self produce my tunes. I taught myself everything because I wanted to be an artist that understood both the creative and technical aspects of what makes a song. After attending college at the New School, it wasn't until I formed my first band and started touring the local New York scene that I felt compelled to release my first song. It was such an exciting and liberating experience! However, after the release of that song, my father was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer and passed away shortly after. I took a hiatus from recording and focused mostly on live shows because it was hard to come up with songs after he died, nothing truly felt write and I didn't always have the words I wanted to say. However, a year ago, I reconnected with my former producer, Richie Beretta, and we collaborated together on recording a bunch of songs. And now, we're back to releasing music! I couldn't be more excited. Your song “Luckboy” is so catchy! Tell us about the sentiments behind the lyrics. What the significance of the title with the main theme of the song? Thank you! Well, "Luckboy" is a song where I wanted to rewrite the narrative on dating. Women are often seen as "the problem" and the reason relationships don't work out. There was on specific experience that I had which inspired me, and it was one where a guy who I was going out with ended things by giving me a high-five and asked, "we're still gonna be friends, right?" I was in SHOCK because there are many ways to kindly end a relationship but that was not one of them. I began writing up this really angry lyrics about the incident and few others I previously had, and sorta realized that instead of writing another angry breakup song, to take on the nonchalant attitude of a "Luckboy" (to know what that means, switch the L to an F) and say my piece on how awful dating can be sometimes. The new music video had us captivated start to finish! It’s so fun yet holds a heavier meaning behind it. What was the overall concept and vision you had for this video? To be honest, there’s nothing heavy about it but the 5lb weights I used in the gym scene! It's meant to be a whimsical, weird and silly music video, playing on the idea of the games most guys play while dating. I came up with the concept with my director, Carlos Vasquez. We thought it'd be kind of funny to do a video where I go on a series of dates in an almost dating-show style set up and explore four main dating stereotypes: The Gym Rat, The Hipster Musician, The Frat Boy, and The Luckboy. I go on each of these dates to only find myself so much better of without them in the end. Miguel Vasquez played all four roles and did a stellar job at really showing off the true colors of each guy. Personally, I wanted one actor to play all four roles because I wanted to dig into the idea that "all guys are the same, just disguised in sheep's clothing." Do you feel that your music is an accurate depiction of who you are as an artist? Do you feel ultimately connected to your listeners through your music? Absolutely. I've always had an idea of what I wanted my music to sound like; my music is inspired by 60s rock and 70s disco-like Fleetwood Mac, Abba, Cher, The Beatles, just to name a few. I also love old school pop artists like Britney (how could you not love her), Madonna, P!nk, among others. I wanted to find a way to blend the things I love into a unified sound and pull influences from my musical inspirations. I try to pique my follower's interest and make sure my songs after different musically but always have that "Petra" inspired sound, or lyricism they can identify me with It was such a pleasure to have you and we can’t wait to hear more! Do you have plans to release a longer project? What are you working on going forward? I have my full-length debut album, "Dancing Without You" coming out on November 12th! I can't wait for everyone to hear what I have been up to. facebook.com/soundslikepetra instagram.com/soundslikepetra soundslikepetra.com #BuzzMusic

Jennifer Klein aims to create music that speaks to the soul. She bases her songwriting on real-life experiences of everyday life, making her original songs completely captivating as well as relatable. Jennifer spent a large portion of her childhood with musicians and artists in a communal setting. This allowed her to discover her true passion for music and begin developing it along the way. Jennifer released three full-length albums years ago to kick start her musical momentum in Nashville. Her most recent album “Lean into Joy” was released in February of 2019 and is a dive into the heart and soul of Jennifer Klein. It provides a comforting wave of escapism and nourishment for any listener. Jennifer Klein’s “Lean Into Joy” album is on the first-round ballot for the GRAMMYs for Best Pop Vocal Album and is making waves throughout the US. With the intro and title track kicking things off to a powerful start, we can already recommend you check out this project in full before Jennifer Klein’s upcoming album, “Looking for Comfort” releases October 10, 2019! “Lean into Joy” the single is a beautiful song, a classic feeling piece yet with a mildly alternative to the melodic development. There’s a captivating style to the verses, and this leads well towards the ultimately simple and memorable resolve of the hook. In the meantime, the classic and organic musicality that is Jennifer Klein’s musical style fills the room in a quickly soothing and likable way. A great start to an album that consistently gets you pondering the intricacies of life in a new and refreshing manner. As things progress, Jennifer delves into a number of topics, showcasing an artist with a broad range of interests and inspirations, as well as a notably clever and artistic way with expression. “Move” is all of this, gorgeous again and building up beautifully around you. Then “Passing You By” afterward is quite stunning. The blissful acoustic guitar work and piano lays out a gentle Americana ambiance, which supports the sudden passion and detailed imagery of Jennifer’s performance perfectly well. A definite early highlight and a personal favorite. Arrangement wise, this playlist holds your attention and affection brilliantly. “Waste of Time” sees Jennifer get somewhat candid and personal in a more specific way than seemed to show itself before. The delicacy of the stripped-down piano set-up suits this moment well, and again highlights the artist’s understanding of the importance of arrangement. Her voice progresses to captivate wonderfully here. Another highlight, slowly but surely enveloping the listener in a powerful moment of emotion and painfully relevant poetic observations. “You Are Truth” adds a touch of story-telling that feels immediately nostalgic – the arrangments, the imagery, the harmonies. Then “What If Anything Was Possible” works to reignite a spark of optimism, musically, and overcomes that melancholic moment with something a little fuller and warmer. Bringing things to a decidedly thoughtful finish, ending the album in a similar manner to which it began, “Little Things” is a sensational piece of music and writing. Gentle and mellow by nature, but decidedly big seeming overall. The sentiment and the way the chords and the melody unite helps build a sense of togetherness, of vastness and possibility. A song well worth hearing a few times over, it brings through a classically impressive and immersive style of songwriting that seems all but gone from much of modern mainstream music. Jennifer Klein writes and performs because it’s simply a part of who she is. You can hear this, and you can feel it, throughout “Lean into Joy” and indeed throughout all of her music to date. Always an artist worthy of a listener’s trust. A lovely new album, a pleasure to feature on BuzzMusic. Listen to “Lean into Joy” here Welcome to BuzzMusic Jennifer Klein! We're completely captivated by your sound--you have such a strong and warming presence throughout your tracks. Can you tell us more about your intentions when you first began to curate your recent album "Lean into Joy”? Thank you for those kind words about my music! I never plan on writing my songs - they come out of me when they are ready, and I am always surprised when they do! With that said, "Lean into Joy” as an album came together during a time when I was doing a lot of souls searching. I have gone through some beautiful and hard life lessons in marriage and in raising my three daughters, and when I experience strong emotions whether they are joyful or painful, I feel the need to let them out through song. Songwriting is how I feel I express myself best, and I also figure out what I am actually feeling in the process. I truly hope that my songs will resonate with people, and touch their hearts. You've had such a strong love and passion for music for many years! How do you think you and your music have grown since you first started writing, versus now? Yes - I fell first fell in love with singing when I was four years old - I remember the moment walking on the beach in Santa Monica:-) I taught myself how to play guitar at the age of 12 just so I could sing, but had no idea I would someday actually write songs. When I was young, there were not nearly as many singer/songwriters around like there are now. I wrote my first song in my early twenties, and when I listen or sing it now, it takes me back to before I learned so many life lessons - I was so innocent and naive! My songwriting has grown over the years for tangible reasons like studying songwriting in college courses, studying music theory and practicing my guitar daily, but also my life experiences have made my songwriting more interesting and expressive. I will continue to work on evolving as a human, and as an artist. "Lean Into Joy" is the perfect track to open up your recent album. Where did you draw inspiration for this particular track? Thank you!  The inspiration for this track was when my youngest daughter was around 10 years old, she was dancing in our living room with so much freedom and joy. I realized that I had almost missed the moment doing unimportant tasks and chores, and was so grateful that I was aware enough to stop, and just witness this beautiful girl who I love so much, as she was showing me what being in the moment truly looked like.  I remember that I consciously "leaned" into the Joy I was feeling and was so grateful. We’re so looking forward to your upcoming album “Looking for Comfort”! What can you tell us about this project? The songs on "Looking for Comfort" are a mix of old and new, so it's been interesting for me to toggle back and forth with where I was in my life when I wrote them.  Many of the songs on this album are more about love relationships. The more recent songs tend to have a happier, more hopeful theme, while the older ones have more of searching, heartache feel to them.  These songs show a very vulnerable side to me, so that can be scary, but I do feel people will recognize and relate to them because of this. Thank you for sharing your music with us and congratulations on “Lean into Joy” being on the first-round ballot for the GRAMMYs for Best Pop Vocal Album!! How does this achievement feel? It is so exciting to be on the GRAMMYs ballot!! Obviously, the GRAMMY's are my favorite time of the year! I always look forward to them- I am in awe of the amazing musicians every year, so to get a nomination is wonderful, and I am beyond grateful to be considered. www.facebook.com/JenniferKleinMusic www.instagram.com/JenniferKleinMusic #BuzzMusic

Belgium singer/songwriter Nelson Falé is blowing us away with his eclectic and powerful sound. As an artist who blends a variety of genres to curate unique musical stylings, Nelson Falé knows exactly what he's doing, and what kind of artist he is. The confidence pours off of Nelson, and his music is the perfect representation of his passion and vigor. Writing music from the early age of 5, we can easily tell Nelson takes the time and energy to craft his sounding to absolute eccentric perfection. You can count on his latest release, "Don't Wanna Know" to have you up and moving for sure! What an eccentric music styling Nelson Falé captures in "Don't Wanna Know"! We feel rejuvenated with the imminent energy surging from the track, and the bubbly appearance Nelson's vocals bring is what ties the song in that perfect pop/electro/funk beat! Nelson Fale doesn't disappoint with the choice of production either--he nailed it with "Don't Wanna Know"! You can hear the extensive vocal experience within his music, and especially so in "Don't Wanna Know", where he's able to focus on a wide range of vocal dynamics for listeners. It's vivacious in every way possible, and we have to admit that we can't get enough of this feeling his music instills in us! We love hearing songs that can immediately turn your mood, and even day, around. Nelson Faléis the type of artist that can do exactly that, and with absolute grace. Nothing is fabricated about Nelson Falé, and that's what we ultimately appreciate the most. Nelson Falé is undoubtedly qualified as an artist, and continuously showcases such artistic abilities within every track he releases. Catch "Don't Wanna Know" below! Access "Don't Wanna Know" here! Keep scrolling for our interview with Nelson! Welcome to BuzzMusic Nelson! It's great to be showcasing "Don't Wanna Know" to our BuzzMusic community! Can you tell us about how the overall writing and recording process went for your latest release? Thanks for the warm welcome, hmm Don't Wanna Know's a special song for me, as my 1st release, it's a story about my 1st love. I wrote it one evening i think of December 2016, then i kept it until October 2k18 when i read the lyrics and decided to hit the studio to record it. Thanks to my friend à producer Ivo Trilby, we made a good job and am pretty proud of it. Yet except Don't Wanna Know, you can here Somebody Help Me which I wrote when I was emotionally unstable it really expresses my state of mind during 2k16 and 2k17. Humm, I was sad, I was depressed, recording these made me get better. Do you think that your extensive history within music has aided in the slow craft of your prominent sound today? How do you feel your music would have progressed without your musical history? Yeah, I really think my writing and even singing has been influenced by this constant venture in experiencing different artists and their various genres and even their sound, it's made me kind of understand what i wanted to stand on as an independent artist and the directions i want to take. hahahaha, I would surely be doing trap music which i enjoy too. "Don't Wanna Know" is contemporary and full of excitement! How did you intend for your listeners to feel once giving a listen to this particular track? To be sincere I didn't think of that but want I want people out there listening to Don't Wanna Know is that, when you love whatever shit your partner has been into doesn't matter, what is important is what you both feel for each other.  So just learn to be forgiving, be happy and love. Your vocal range is incredibly insane! Does this vocal intensity come naturally, or was it crafted over time? Hummm it comes naturally but as a boy when your voice begins to change thanks to puberty, you have to learn to understand it and polish it. We can't wait to see what's next for you as an artist Nelson! Any future venues we can expect to see you performing at? For now, I have no shows up but y'all have to follow my Instagram @nelsonfale in order to keep up with what's coming. Thanks a lot, I wish you the best, stay blessed. Connect with Nelson Fale on social media: www.Instagram.com/nelsonfale #BuzzMusic

The love for creating music started early in Joshua Martinez and Denise Nunez and it hasn't stopped since. Based in Valencia, CA, the couple has come together to make the musical group Belenn, an alternative/electronic rock duo. With influences like Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Radiohead, and Pink Floyd, they use their many talents to create songs from the start to finish. Together they write the lyrics and provide vocals, while Joshua produces and engineers the sound. Their main goal is to make music that complements the personal stories illustrated in its lyrics. Their work is truly captivating, so let's take a look at their debut single! "Evanesce" is a beautifully crafted song with a dreamy sound. It's an incredibly fresh take on the classic breakup song. The feelings shown throughout are raw and are set perfectly in the electronic soundscape that Joshua has constructed. Denise's vocals are that of a wounded angel. She plays a broken girl, who is contemplating the condition of her crumbling relationship. We can sense the damage in her delicate voice. It may be odd to say, but it shows the beauty of heartbreak. The rough, stuttered transition into her counterpart's vocals emulates the disconnect between the two lovers. There are so many subtle touches within the song, it's a technicolored story worth experiencing. Listen to "Evanesce" here and get to know more about Belenn in our interview below! Hello Belenn! We are so happy to have you two! "Evanesce" is your debut single and it's about breaking up. How did you all choose this as the topic of the first song you released as Belenn? Joshua: Thank you for having us! We appreciate you taking the time to set this up. Evanesce is an interesting song that I would describe is about a slow breakup. One that is still trying to stand, but in the end is better off letting go. The way we decided on this topic was we would just listen to the instrumental and figure what we felt from it. When making music I tend to just go based on however I’m feeling & then finding the words to what we feel best describes the music. Denise: I would have to agree with Joshua, regarding the stance of the song. Evanesce is the result of a failing relationship gradually falling to its detriment. It is a breakup song, but it is also a farewell to an enduring chapter. As for the song topic, I use the same method as Joshua and we come to a consensus from there. Did creating "Evanesce" bring you two closer together as a couple? Joshua: I believe creating a song together has brought us closer to where we are more comfortable with sharing really personal thoughts and ideas that we can put into creating our music. Because the things we create come from deep within us and it’s kind of nerve-wracking when you’re about to share such an intimate part of yourself with someone. I’m really happy that we can share that with each other knowing that we won’t be shut down or judged by one another. Denise: I feel the song creating process definitely strengthened our bond as a couple. It has really allowed us to be vulnerable with one another, in the sense that we were, in fact, sharing very intimate details. Of course, we’re always respectful towards one another and it’s simply a great feeling when you’re able to connect with your partner on a different level of intimacy. How do you go about writing song lyrics together? Is it easier or harder than writing alone? Joshua: We try to start off with what concept of the theme we are getting from how the music sounds like. We ask ourselves how does the music makes us feel and what we think about when we hear it. After that is decided, we usually go off our own and try to come up with lyrics to then share with each other. I usually come up with lyrics when I’m driving and listening to the instrumental on blast. But when we’re together, it’s nice to give an idea on a lyric and then the other person expanding on that idea making it better. I do find it easier to write alone though because I can really get lost inside my mind and just focus on the song. Denise: I actually find myself working more efficiently on writing lyrics when Joshua is with me. When working with a partner there are moments when the two of you are just spitting out ideas and there’s agreeing and disagreeing, and there’s this fantastic moment when ideas are building off one another. I find that way of working more enjoyable for me rather than working alone. Do you feel your shared heritage and religious backgrounds helped you two to find common ground in music? Joshua: I think our upbringing in heritage and religious background has helped us to relate a lot and become as close as we are now, but our similar musical taste is what really has helped us find common ground in music I believe. It allows us to both be satisfied with what we create with little to no compromise. Denise: Our similar music taste is what allows us to agree on what genre of music we wish to create. I feel if our music taste was drastically different it would’ve been a bit difficult to come to a consensus on what genre to focus on. Our heritage and religious past serve as a good conversation starter and it allows us to relate on various topics, but no, I wouldn’t say it helped us find common ground in music. Thank you guys! What's next for Belenn? Are there any upcoming projects you can tell us about? Joshua: We are currently working on a new song called Just Us that we hope to release sometime in November, along with a music video. We are really excited about this song which has an 80s Alternative Vibe to it. We also just released a clip called Lover on Soundcloud. This is not a song, but more of a moment we had together with no preconceived ideas or notions about what we were about to create. I believe that Lover sets a tone for our listeners to show them that we aren’t afraid to be vulnerable in our music. Especially after following up Evanesce, which was a song that had a lot of thought and works put into it. But we hope to just keep releasing more stuff that people can enjoy and hopefully connect to in a personal way. And hopefully you can also enjoy our upcoming projects as well. Thank you again for having us! Denise: Yes, thank you so much for taking the time to interview us. We hope we can do this again soon. www.instagram.com/belennofficial #BuzzMusic

Hailing from Brooklyn is the gifted singer/songwriter, Elle Baez, bursting into the music scene with an energizing sound and smokey vocals. Her soulful style and soundscapes influenced by Latin culture are making waves in the music industry in a big way. Elle Baez lives by a motto; be curvy, be sexy, and above all, be confident. She strives to be a role model for women and aims to empower through her message of body positivity and self-love. “Elle Baez doesn’t ask for your attention; she demands it.” Elle’s new single “Your Lips” is a dance-pop crossover hit! With a catchy hook and Elle’s notably sultry vocals, “Your Lips” is sure to be stuck in your head and urge you to press that repeat button. Including an underlying message of sexual frustration when a man won’t make the first move, “Your Lips” manages to effectively deliver quirky lyrics in a sensual manner. Elle Baez's confidence and overall attitude come exploding through the speakers as the power of the music moves the listener through every word. The song is inspiring and meaningful, while still keeping a contemporary pop vibe that will be running through your head all day long! Stay on the lookout for Elle Baez and be sure to check out the brand new music video for “Your Lips”. Listen to “Your Lips” here and keep scrolling for an interview with Elle Baez. Hi Elle! For those who don’t know, how would you describe your sound and your approach to songwriting? Hi! I would describe my sound as pop-soul with some elements of funk, jazz & Latin. I grew up in a Puerto Rican & Dominican household surrounded by music and I instantly felt connected to singing & songwriting. My dad was a DJ in the ‘70s! I think my sound stems from what I heard around me growing up and the music I love to listen to today. My songwriting starts with a brainstorm, or a bad day, or just fooling around with friends. Sometimes, a melody will come to me in random moments like on the subway or at a party with all my friends and I’ll usually run to a quiet spot (before I forget) and quickly record it on my phone. From there, I feel what the melody or phrase of lyrics means to me or what I think the story behind them is. “Your Lips” seems to have a diverse lyrical depth to it! What was the writing process like for this track? I wrote the pre-chorus and chorus one summer while I was falling pretty hard for a guy. We went to a lake house for a party that I recreated in my music video. The pre-chorus and hook came from a deeper emotional place. I was really into this guy and he was saying all the right things but wasn’t following through. It was written from a place of passion, longing, and love. Once I brought it over to my producer, he felt a real drive and funk to it that I immediately vibed with. From there, the verses just flowed out of me and I used the story I had to make it come to life! What is the meaning behind the lyrics? What do you hope your fans and new listeners take away from it? I hope my fans and new listeners can all relate to my lyrics. We’ve all experienced that crush or unrequited love that can truly drive us crazy! I love putting those emotions to music and sharing it with my listeners J I also hope they can get up and dance to this track specifically because it is such a bop! Who or what would you say inspires you the most, creatively? I am really inspired by so many artists. I listen to music all day long! To name a few: Adele, Ariana Grande, Ella Mai, Demi Lovato, and Christina Aguilera. I was also insanely inspired to pursue a career in music by the plus-size model Ashley Graham. My ethos is “be curvy, be sexy, be confident, BE YOU” I have always been curvy. When I decided to pursue this I wanted my main focus to be body positivity because I had found my strength in my curves. I then decided that I wanted to honor my role models through my music and show how I found my confidence. That’s why my first single and music video “That’s It” (Boy) was a tribute to Ashley Graham! She truly changed my life. It was the first time I saw someone who looked like me be considered beautiful and sexy. She gave me such a confidence boost and I wanted that song to show power and dominance as a female. That song is about going out and getting what you want and deserve! What are your main aspirations as an artist going forward? My goal is to inspire other young girls who look like me to love themselves and follow their dreams. I never had that as a little girl. I would love to be the next body-positive plus-sized Latina Pop Star! With artists like Lizzo charting at number 1 today, I know it can happen! I would love to keep making music that people can connect with and jam to! I want people to see me perform and feel invincible; that they can do anything and that no one can tell them no. Keep yourself updated with the latest on Elle and her music via her social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter #BuzzMusic