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Originally from Baltimore, Maryland but now attending Berklee College, is the talented singer/songwriter and composer Zach Seals. The gifted 21 year old prides himself on making dramatic indie pop power ballads and sad bops that you can ironically dance to. Zach was able to write his debut single “Exi$tential Cri$i$” after his creative and sleepless mind hadn’t rested for 30 hours. “Exi$tential Cri$i$” was produced by Davin Kingston and is available on all streaming platforms! “Exi$tential Cri$i$” is a powerful ballad by Zach Seals that feature an experimental mix of genres. From hard-hitting Beastie Boy vibes that transition into a Sam Smith, piano laden sounding hook. The brilliant chaos blends flawlessly to create a masterpiece. Let your mind escape to the mind-bending instrumentals and artistry that is “Exi$tential Cri$i$”. Zach Seals makes his explosive debut with this single and we can’t wait to see what he delivers next. His vocals are versatile and his music is mesmerizing and refreshing. With his debut EP “It Was Never That Deep” on the way next month, stay tuned for more from Zach Seals. Check out “Exi$tential Cri$i$” here and keep scrolling for our interview with Zach Seals. Hi Zach! Can you start by telling us more about yourself and your upbringing? Well I was born and raised in a suburb outside of Baltimore MD. I started singing when my mom signed me up for the church choir when i was 4 and it was game over since then. I immediately fell in love with music. My mom sung gospel at my local church and she was a huge influence in my immersion into music. The area a grew up in was a primarily white aflluent suburb and i felt very isolated and was bullied a lot growing up because i was the weird chubby black gay kid and music was always something that was there for me.In high school i did a lot of theatre and choir. My senior year of high school i ended up winning an award for songwriting from the National youngarts foundation. I went to Holland College my first 2 years of college before Transferring to Berklee in Boston where i currently reside. What inspired you to start writing songs and creating this music? I started writing songs when I was 12 to try and make sense of the life i was living and the world around me, It's always been a coping mechanism for me, and i started making this song in particular after 30 hrs of no sleep and finished writing and created a rough demo before passing tf out. What is the meaning behind your single, “Exi$tential Cri$i$”? This song is about my own personal experiences with mental illness,anxiety, mania, self destruction, suicidal ideation and just generally feeling like your life is spiraling out of your control and what it feels like in that moment when you feel almost totally apathetic towards the outcome of your life but a small part of you is aware of whats happening and is trying to exercise self preservation . Thats the reason why the perspective in the song changes between the verse and the chorus and the bridge. What artists inspire you? Amy Winehouse,Lana Del Rey, Janis Joplin, Freddy Mercury, Sia, Lauryn Hill, the fugees, Rosalia,Lizzo, just to name a few but Amy and Lana are at the top of my pyramid. What can listeners expect from your upcoming EP “It Was Never That Deep”? Exi$tential Cri$i$ was the most experimental and intense track on the ep but the whole ep is intensely personal and varies very differently from song to song but it's primarily gonna be Dramatic indie pop power ballads and sad bops that you twerk to. Every song has it's own influences and i'm just excited to be finally releasing an ep after years of threatening to release music. Connect with Zach Seals on social media www.instagram.com/z_seals www.twitter.com/zsealsmusic

Maddie Corinne is a talented singer/songwriter residing in Toronto, Canada. Writing since she was 15, Maddie has established her folk/country curations from the ground up. Drawing from lyrical influences such as Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves, John Mayer, Jewel, and Trixie Mattel, Maddie is able to add her own authenticity to her sound. She was drawn to folk music because, at her core, she is a storyteller and the personal narratives that come with folk songs have always been her favorite part about music. Brilliant acoustics start off Maddie Corinne’s single “Seasick”. Her angelic vocals are finely-calibrated well beyond her years. They echo and trail alongside her guitar with sweet precision and grace. “Seasick” talks about the trials and tribulations of losing a complicated love, but having the confidence to know it’s time to move on. An empowering anthem, “Seasick” leaves room for the listener to interpret the emotive lyrics in whichever way feels suitable for their own life.  Heart warming and pure vocals give a calming and soothing effect to the meaningful message. Maddie brings a natural and authentic presence to contemporary music. Stay on the lookout for Maddie Corinne, with releases like “Seasick”, we’ll be hearing a lot more of that name! Check out “Seasick” here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Hi Maddie! Can you tell us more about your upbringing and musical influences growing up? I grew up in a family that was very invested in music – both of my parents worked in the radio and music industry, so I was constantly being exposed to new genres of music and developed an appreciation of music at a very young age. I was the first of my family to fall in love with folk music – I have always been obsessed with the amazing storytellers found within folk/country music. June Carter-Cash, Dolly Parton, and later on artists like Jewel and Kacey Musgraves have all had an incredible ability to paint a vivid picture with their words, and I have always strived to do the same. In the last couple of years my biggest inspiration has been drag folk musician, Trixie Mattel. She was the one who really inspired me to stop singing my songs alone in my bedroom, and start sharing them. My favorite kind of songwriting is writing with a personal specificity, writing where you know those lyrics were plucked directly from their life and laid out in a simple, yet beautiful way. Trixie’s music gives me that feeling, and it’s what I’ve always worked towards as a songwriter. What’s the main message you want to spread in “Seasick”? Seasick was actually written the morning before I recorded the last of the vocals for my EP, and I knew I had to add it to the record, regardless of how unrehearsed it was. Seasick was written about a very dizzy and disorienting place in my life, and I think it’s a song that everyone is able to take their own meaning from and have it impact them in some way. Seasick taught me to find steadiness in my life – the only person who can rock the own boat of your life is yourself. I used poetry and metaphors to describe an uneasiness in any relationship, and I am very proud of the lyrics and feeling the song conveys. It’s a song I wrote very quickly and a song I hold very dear to my heart. What do you hope listeners take away from your music as a whole? A feeling I wanted to convey with my EP was the same feeling you get when you finish a book that you really enjoyed. I think “Blue Front Door” and “Home” are bookends to a story I wanted to tell once I finally got the confidence to release my music out into the world. I hope they find narrative, crystal-clear pictures, and even imperfections within “Four Chords”, because that is what my EP was always meant to be. I literally wrote these songs on my bathroom floor in the middle of the night and recorded them in my friend’s basement, and I want that journey to reflect in my music. Of course, I also hope they aren’t able to get the songs out of their head. That’s always a bonus! What is your writing process like? I always say that if you are not able to write a song easily, it is not a good song. Some of the most amazing folk songs were written in twenty minutes or less – so if it does not come naturally I try not to get too frustrated and come back to it another time. Most of my songwriting takes place between midnight-2am, usually on my bathroom floor (which is very tiny). I try to spend some time listening to my favorite songs before I go into writing, sort of like an inspiration warm-up. When a song is working for me, I tend to write very quickly, because when it’s natural it feels easy. Sometimes it doesn’t go so well and I end up crying on my bathroom floor, but then you just take a break and come back to it another time. Eventually, a song will come. What’s next for Maddie Corinne? I am currently playing gigs in Toronto and trying to spread the tunes of “Four Chords” as much as I can! I am working on expanding not only as a performer myself but as a songwriter in any form. I love writing songs for other people just as much as I enjoy writing them for myself, so writing songs and giving them to other people to raise them well is something I am always interested in. I am constantly writing/working on my craft, so you can definitely expect more music on its way! Connect with Maddie Corinne on social media www.instagram.com/maddiecorinnemusic

The Collab is a group from Nashville, TN. When performing, they operate as a duo but the collective consists of 4 members. The artists are Senseilit and Sasquatch and specialize in hip-hop and R&B music. They always dabble into different genres while keeping their themes relevant and catchy. The Collab’s newest single “Han Solo” is a high energy song that focuses on rich bars and rhythmic textures. The track “Han Solo” is all about turning up and spreading good vibes. It’s guaranteed to get a crowd going through its multiple Star Wars references and quirky verses. It features the talented Ten80pDrèko, a close friend to The Collab. We love the heavy, deliberate and thunderous bass that comes blasting through the speakers. The chemistry between The Collab does not go unnoticed through their master lyricism, addicting backbeat and overall production. “Han Solo” gets the listeners hyped and is most definitely a summer banger. I highly recommend you check it out and keep up with The Collab for their future musical endeavors! Stay tuned! Check out “Han Solo” here and read more below in our exclusive interview! How did you start making music? And how did the Collab come to fruition? We started making music official in 2016 but have been rapping and playing instruments since we were little. The Collab came from Senseilit as far as the name goes. He needed a name to represent the vision he had for his label. The name represents the community between the group Collab, the drive to work strong as a unit, the willingness to venture out and make great track with other artist outside the group, and strong bonds between friends. As far as us coming together to form The Collab it was on some “I know we wanna make music and know one is gonna help or make it for us so we might as well do it ourselves vibes”. After realizing people can’t always help with your dream or don’t understand the vision, Senseilit bought his first mic and stated cooking up music with The Collab. What is your new track “Han Solo” all about? What is your favorite lyric? Han Solo is about talking your shit and showing that you are the hottest out. It’s a song that is all about turning up and creating good energy. The vibes of the song are all about a flex. Your letting the listener know that we bring the energy, we get the girls, we are the young gods, and we are here to live life. Along with that message there are plenty of Star Wars based references to add more depth to the song. Senseilit’s favorite lyric is “Bitch I’m captain of the falcon, your bitch wetter than a fountain, pussy be leaking”. This bar is saying that Senseilit is captain, which means he runs The Collab and is CEO. The next part is saying because Senseilit is so great at running his business that girl are all over him. The last part of the phrase is saying that when your girl gets around Senseilit she gonna get in the mood to do some horny things with the young boss. “Han Solo has a very powerful lyrical presence. What was your writing process like? Senseilit wrote the song in 10 minutes before he had to go to the studio to record it. He was inspired by his old roommate Aliyah Allen because she had a Han Solo POP figure and Senseilit thought it was cool. He told Aliyah he would make a song called Han Solo and dedicate the song to her for giving him the idea. The hook didn’t take long to write after finding the instrumental on YouTube the rest came easy. All that was left was to make some Star Wars references and bring the energy to the track. The vibes that were made were pure fun and they came natural. After being inspired and finding the hook, the rest of the song came together and all that was left was to get the artist Ten80pDrèko to get on as a feature. Do you have an shows, events, or tour dates you’d like to talk about? We have a show at the end of the month with Nashville base brand Localz Only. We have a show on August 7th and 8th Called “Camp” that we are preforming at on both days.  This show is also in Nashville. We also just dropped a music video on our YouTube channel called “Moving on” along with our 3rd podcast episode that will be dropping soon. What is next for the Collab? We will be shooting more music videos for our upcoming singles. We are working on group and individual projects. The project you can expect in the near future are “Raw Tapes” by Sasquatch and a single from Senseilit’s upcoming project called “Kill Sensei”. We are also working on features for other artist, and gearing up to drop our second line of merchandise for the fall. Connect with Collab And Ten80pDrèko on social media www.instagram.com/TheCollab615 www.instagram.com/silly_negro23 www.instagram.com/Senpai.senseilit

Growing up in Jersey, music was always part of Anthony Lee Erik’s life. There was a song for every mood, event, every heartbreak, and every good time. As time went on, Anthony began playing background guitar to some of his favorite tracks. He further established his craft and can now play anything from jazz to heavy metal. No matter the genre, Anthony can figure out a way to play it, arrange it, and record it. ALways travelling and always writing new material, say tuned for what Anthony Lee Erik delivers next. “Touch Of Blue” is a groovy and flowing ballad by Anthony that features no vocals. Music itself is a language of its own and Anthony Lee Erik knows that. He uses various rhythmic textures to really hone in on the blues undertones of the track. It’s smooth sailing vibe and catchy riffs take the listener on a journey. No words are needed to experience to soundscape that Anthony has created. The flawless mixing of instrumentals is precise and finely-tuned. The lead guitar weaves through ups and downs of intricate sound as it paints a story. Rather than using vocals, the use of instrumentals is much more satisfying. Anthonyt knows what his fans want to hear and delivers it effortlessly. With so much success already, I can’t wait to hear what project Anthony Lee Erik has for us next! Check out “Touch Of Blue” here and read more below in our exclusive interview? How did you get started making music? I actually stated on the drums when I was very young but basically just did that to beat the crap out of something with sticks, but then by chance I wound up at the parents house of a pretty famous guitar player. Being a pretty nosy kid I was spying all over the guys room and happened to somehow look under the bed, under some magazines and other junk I see a guitar. I pull it out from under the bed, what caught my eye was the sunburst finish which I would later find out was a vintage Fender Strat...there was a crappy little amp under there too (can't remember the brand), being a kid and not caring I ask if I can have it even though it sounded horrible because it was so out of tune. The dad says "sure, he never uses it anymore" and off I go guitar and amp in the back of my dads car wondering how I was going to make this thing sound good - - - shortly thereafter the drums sticks got thrown in a drawer and a week later sold with the drum set... Do you have any musical influences? How do you pull from them for inspiration? My influences are music and life itself. It could be a line, a lyric, a beat or a feeling that a texture of music creates - - - that starts my imagination on the thought process of creating new music or sometimes a beat or a riff will just pop into my head and I'll wake up, lean over and play a few bars or find a way to mentally note it and go back to sleep or whatever and get back to it when I wake up... What's your writing process like? I have to hit when the creative process taps me, it's not like a switch you can turn on and off because then it feels forced, which I have done for deadlines or whatever reason and have always not been completely satisfied with the result so when it strikes I just follow along and do my thing. It's where I feel most comfortable... “Touch Of Blue” has such a great sound! What is the meaning behind this song? What do you want your listeners to take away from it? Thank you, that means a lot. I'm glad you asked about the meaning of the song, I am sure it will mean different things to different people which is the whole idea behind music. But my idea of "blue" in this instance was not meant to be sadness, instead it was meant to always have a  moment of "calm" or "peace in your life" - - - just a "touch" of blue, a moment to maintain balance in the crazy lives we lead. Take a breath, close your eyes and let the song take you away for 3 minutes and 24 seconds... When you’re not all busy making music, what do you do? I own and run a Computer and Network Solutions company... What are some challenges you’ve faced as an up and coming artist? How have you overcome those challenges? None really, I just do what I do. I don't feel the need to become famous, but, yes I would like my music to make it around the world to all kinds of people so that it can give them the hope, energy and imagination we all need to be creative in this world. Music helps people, sometimes saves them and points their lives in the right direction or as I said previously "just a moment of peace". If I can do that I'm happy... Connect with Anthony Lee Erik on social media www.instagram.com/anthony.lee.erik

Liv Hanna is a 16-year-old rising star from Long Island, New York who dropped her promising single titled “Aftermath”. The record was completely magical. Liv’s vocal resonance is unbelievably moving and striking with poise and a full range register. She serenades her listener with her warm and soft vocal tone before elevating the dynamics and us with a more powerful belt at the correctly arranged measurement in the single. “Aftermath” is an emotionally heart-rendering song that will leave you speechless. From the production to her gorgeous tone, “Aftermath” is purely enchanting. What I loved most about this single was how unintentionally theatrical it was. It sounded so beautiful it felt as if this record belonged in a Disney film. I could most definitely see A Disney Princess singing this song and becoming a timeless single for all ages to enjoy and digest thoroughly. To be so young and skilled is a killer combination. Liv Hanna Is just getting started, and what’s in store for her will be as glamorous as “Aftermath”. Listen to "Aftermath" here and get to know more about Liv Hanna below! Thank you for joining us Liv Hanna! Mind telling us a bit about your background and upbringing? I was born and raised in Garden City, New York. I am an only child. I have always been surrounded by music because of my family. My dad plays guitar, piano, and the drums and has made me more familiar with the genre of jazz. I went to a private school for kindergarten through 8th grade and currently attend Sacred Heart academy and am entering junior year. I have always loved music and have been singing and playing piano for many years. When I was younger I also participated in musical theater but then I discovered that I had a greater attraction to singing and songwriting. My recording studio, Loft Sound Studios, helps me record and film covers and music videos now for instagram and youtube. I am currently at the Berklee Five Week program and it has made me want to pursue music. Who would you consider some of your musical influences or inspirations and why? One of my musical influences is Billie Eilish because she was young when she first started her career and it inspires me to pursue a music career at my age. Although she is only seventeen, she has gone on many tours, released many songs, and has grown as an artist. I aspire to accomplish these things in the future. “Aftermath” is a gorgeous song. What inspired you to write this? Thank you!! By definition, “aftermath” is the aftereffects of a significant and unpleasant event. The message of the song is saying that after any hard time such as a breakup, or anything going on in ones life, you can’t go back but you must learn to move forward and grow from the event. What would you consider the major theme behind this single and why? I believe a major theme present in “Aftermath” is acceptance. The message is to move forward, grow from experience and not go back. What’s next for you Liv Hanna? How has summer been treating you? As of now, Aftermath is available on google play and it should be on Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes within the week. My two other songs out on my youtube channel, “Doll House, and “Advice to Yourself” will also be put on these platforms as well as the new songs I’m working on while I’m here at Berklee. My summer has been great because Berklee Five week has altered my perspective of people and expanded my knowledge about the world. Although we are from different places, I have met some of my best friends here because our love of music has brought us together. Connect with Liv Hanna on social media www.instagram.com/livvhannaa

Residing in South Florida, talented singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and performer, CAROLENA has made a name for herself. She’s established her craft from the ground up through her experimental creativity and flare. She has an authentic, soulful sound as an Alternative- Pop artist with a Reggae/R&B influence and has honed in on her sound by collaborating with artists of all genres. Her acoustic, stripped down writing brings out a more vulnerable and relatable essence that allows the listener to see beyond her edgy and sultry image. CAROLENA's energy on stage is not only intense, but also has a very humbling and playful aura to it. Her most recent stylistic and musical influences are Jon Bellion, Julia Michaels, and Sara Bareilles. “Love You Some You” is an empowering anthem for everyone and we’re obsessed. The track focuses on the importance of loving ourselves. We can’t truly love someone else until we love ourselves! CAROLENA expertly spits verses about her personal experience with dealing with this important topic. Equipped with undertones of electronic dancehall vibes and alternative pop, “Love You Some You” is a sound we’ve never heard before but we’re loving it. The reggae and R&B fusion blends perfectly with the versatile artists vocals and style. The powerful delivery of every word demands to be heard. A meaningful message, “Love You Some You” is a track to both galvanize and truly inspire the music industry today. Check out “Love You Some You” here and read more with CAROLENA in our exclusive interview below. Can you start by introducing yourself and telling us more about your launch into music? My name is Carolena and I am based in Miami, FL— originally from Queens, New York! I’m of Ecuadorean and Italian descent and have been performing and writing music for about 12 years now. My roots and training are in Musical Theater, which helped me to develop my technique as a vocalist and confidence as a performer. I eventually taught myself how to play the piano, guitar, ukulele, and drums so I would be able to write and produce my own music and find my sound as an artist. Music has always driven me and kept me motivated to connect with as many people as possible, inside and outside of the industry. Human connection and experience has always inspired me and taught me more about myself and my specific goals in this field. Moving forward, I received my Bachelor of Science in Popular & Commercial Music in New Orleans while being able to intern with The Recording Academy and lead worship at student ministries. I’ve worked at multiple companies and studios as a music instructor, live sound engineer, and songwriter alongside pursuing my career as an artist. Throughout the years, I’ve honed in on my sound as a recording artist as well as a live performer— which are two completely separate elements, although they do entwine. Depending on the venue, I either play with a full live band or acoustically and have performed at places such as House of Blues, C&I Studios, and The Hard Rock Cafe, to name a few. I’ve had a few radio interviews and song debuts on stations such as RadioX (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and WWOZ (New Orleans)—I have continued to work with many different producers, creatives, and engineers to have an outcome that I am proud of when it comes to releasing my own music. I am grateful for every opportunity and encounter in this industry and look forward to exploring more avenues. My most prevalent and current stylistic influences are Jon Bellion and Sara Bareilles, and have been compared to acts such as Alessia Cara, Tori Kelly, and Julia Michaels. “Love You Some You” is a powerful track! How did you come up with it? Thank you! In the past, I was so used to writing about how much love I had for other people and how it affected me, good or bad. With this record in particular, I wanted to take it in a more universal direction.  I thought about how people define worth and the behaviors that I’ve seen take place in terms of settling or looking for themselves in all the wrong places. The lyrics were meant to address all of the unanswered questions that people may have in any situation and to handle feelings that may be hard to articulate. I wanted to offer somewhat of an anthem and a movement for what people should really be focusing on when coming out of a difficult situation. My goal for this song is for people to feel like they’re being spoken to in a direct and genuine way and remind them that they are valued and understood in a very confusing world. What challenges do you face when writing? The main challenges I face when writing are trying to speak on particular topics in ways that no one has thought about or addressed them before. I always try to maintain a consistent point of view or perspective to stay on topic and actually attain the point that is trying to be made. It can be easy to use a lot of symbolism and imagery without actually directly saying what it is I’m trying to express. How do you overcome those challenges? Having a formula and structure to a song from the jump has been really helpful through the writing process. I try to make sure that I don’t force anything if I’m not feeling the track or where the song is headed, and I make it a point to listen to and dissect all different styles of music. I’ve had to get out of my own head at times to make sure I remind myself of the specific audience that will be reached with the outcome. Having an honest and personable approach to a song also makes the process more fluid and natural, for sure. How do you feel about today’s mainstream music? What makes you stand out? I feel that mainstream music definitely has its own value and quality to it, but has also become a bit redundant in a sense. I rarely find songs that move me unless it’s artists that aren’t exactly “mainstream” or songs that aren’t getting as much radio time. I don’t always feel or hear the soul in the topics of today’s music, as it almost feels forced or manufactured. I appreciate all music and the energy that goes into the product, but I also feel that artists and labels can definitely be using their influence to touch on topics that are more uplifting and organic as opposed to the typical "sex, money, drugs” idea. Not all music is like this, but much of what is trending is. I think authenticity is slowly being brought back into the picture with not being able to pin point what genre a song is anymore, and being heavily influenced by many different styles— which is highly commendable. I think what makes me stand out is the fact that I can’t necessarily put a box around my music. I’ve written top- line to EDM tracks, raps to hip-hop beats, and my favorite, accompanying myself in the most pure form on piano or guitar. I know that I vocally have a distinct color in my tone of voice and I try to bring out the best quality that I can whether in a performance or recorded setting. In terms of my writing, I am influenced and intrigued by many different genres. In some songs, I will have Latin/Reggae syncopation while in others, I will utilize very mellow and jazzy chords. Some of my records have been eccentric, while others have been acoustic and alternative. Most of my melodies are very much driven by an R&B flow or catchy, repetitive Pop music. I usually picture the entire arrangement of a song through the writing process and hope that the actual delivery of the production is appealing to anyone that hears it. What’s next for you!? Cultivating the next chapter of my original content and material, for sure. There are a lot of collaborations in the works with artists of all genres and calibers. I have been focusing on TV/Film as well in terms of acting and music placements. I try to keep things as diverse as possible with an underlying consistency in my style, being that I don’t like to limit myself when opportunity is presented. I will also continue to write for myself and other artists as well as performing consistently and hopefully traveling more to line up a tour. Connect with CAROLENA on social media www.instagram.com/carolenamusic www.twitter.com/carolenamusic

Talented artist Mawi is making waves in the music industry from New York City, he flawlessly blends urban pop, R&B and funk to create his authentic sound. Mawi has garnered a strong fanbase, allowing him to perform across the U.S., ranging from small concert bars to college music festivals. Mawi’s sound isn’t as straightforward as a single adjective, and that’s his intention. Mawi’s music details the complex emotions of everyday struggles, especially in regards to relationships, which explains his contrasting tones with songs ranging from “How You Want It” to “You’ve Once Known”. “How You Want It” is Mawi latest confident anthem. The track boasts Mawi superiority over this girls man. He proves himself through his catchy verses and intricate hook. Blending old school R&B elements with contemporary hip-hop, funk and undertones of EDM, Mwi creates an absolute fire single. “How You Want It” will have you up and dancing, or is perfect to just chill and escape to the music. Mawi proves his talents over and over again through his addicting rhythmic textures and contagious melodies. We love what we’ve heard so far and we’re stoked for what Mawi will deliver next. Check out “How You Want It” here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Hi Mawi! Can you tell us more about your upbringing and how you got started in music? I'm originally from Oakland, CA and I've been involved in music since I was really young starting with singing in school talent shows and playing the clarinet up through the 9th grade. At that point I wanted to pursue other interests but music kept coming back to me as something I wanted to continue doing, but this time I wanted to create my own music rather than sing covers or perform written pieces. I started writing songs, and really liked the process of creating music. By the end of 10th grade I released my first mixtape on soundcloud, and subsequently released a mixtape every year I until I graduated. As much as I enjoyed releasing music, I saw it as a hobby and didn't think I would continue in college. However, once I got to college I still wrote and eventually people on campus would push me take music seriously and pursue it as a passion. From there, I began releasing music under the name "Mawi" and have been doing so since 2016. What’s your song “How You Want It” all about? Can you dive into the lyricism? How You Want It is me telling a girl I'm interested in that she's in a relationship for the wrong reasons, and at the same time I can offer a better relationship, or at least "how she wants it". Much of the song doesn't really describe this other man as I'm trying to spend more time talking about us and the connection that I believe we both recognize is there. The kicker is that she seems to be unhappy with this other man, and my role here is simply to offer another option that hopefully would make her happier. I'm extremely confident in this underlying notion that she's unhappy, so much so that "I might even end the song" and that I'm willing to "put my money where my mouth is" when it comes to betting that I'm a significantly better option for her. Who are your top musical influences? How do they inspire you? I feel like my musical influences has changed so much over the past couple years since my music has changed so much as well. I think the biggest influence is The Weeknd. I've almost learned to sing by listening to his music, specifically paying attention to his vocal techniques and how utilizes his voice as an instrument. My other big influences are Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Drake is one of the first rappers to embody this new "singing-rap" style of music, which in my opinion has influenced genres outside of hip-hop so I look to Drake to understand how an artist's sound can change the music industry. For Kendrick, I truly admire the cohesiveness of his albums, and although I'm currently releasing singles, I want my EPs and albums in the future to feel like a singular piece of work with a larger meaning, much like Kendrick does. How would you describe your live performance? My performances are very energetic yet intimate. I don't usually have a lot of lights or stage effects when I perform so it forces me to ensure the fans are engaged with my performance, thus forcing me to bring out the energy. I believe the artist has to carry the energy in order for the fans to get hype and feel involved in the show. When I'm performing, I'm paying attention to what the fans are feeling, and know whether it may be a good time to have them sing along, or wave hands, or do something that will enhance not only the strength of the show, but the intimacy that each individual fan feels to the music. Do you have any upcoming shows or events you’d like to talk about? I currently do not have any upcoming shows but I'm always looking for venues and events to bring my talents to. Connect with Mawi on social media www.instagram.com/therealmawi510

New R&B/hip-hop artist Mike Nova is making a huge impact within the music scene. Mike enters our music world as a relatively new artist, but creates music that is all but inexperienced. Mike Nova curates tracks that are elemental and present a harsh, yet calming tone. Aggressive lyrical delivery, and some seriously intriguing rhythms integrated within his music, Mike Nova releases tracks that have an obvious hype and eccentric energy. His latest track "Vibes" proves this exact element of Mike Nova. Mike Nova really knows how to captivate and entrance his listeners in "Vibes". First, we HAVE to comment on how killer the production of this track was on Juno Adonis' part. As listeners, we felt completely involved in the atmospheric vibe (no pun intended) of the track. You wouldn't be able to tell that Mike Nova is a new artist--his talent extends so far out you'd think he'd been curating music his entire life. "Vibes" contains J.Cole production elements, mixed with a more hard-hitting vocal delivery that's unique to Mike Nova. "Vibes" is doubtlessly our favorite R&B/hip-hop track of the week. Mike Nova clearly killed it again with his overall execution, and we feel only further connected with him as an artist as he continues to release more tracks. We know we're going to have to get used to being impressed with the effortless flow that pours off of Mike, and we're obsessively checking to see what he puts out next! Give a listen to "Vibes" here, and keep on reading for Mike's exclusive interview! Welcome to BuzzMusic! Let’s talk about your upbringing! Before discovering music, did you have any other hobbies for yourself? Thanks for having me again BuzzMusic , I always appreciate the opportunities. Before discovering music honestly I was always dabbling in different things from Different types of sports such as swimming,track ,basketball and even martial arts. As I got older I realized I was always musically inclined you know . All these other activities I found myself not giving a 100 percent or quitting halfway . With music it was different I could be away from it an still find myself together it with you know an the same feeling of being ecstatic would always be there. What would you say is the most integral element of your music? That’s a great question. To start off I have to have like a meaning to the song . What are you saying in this song ?? What’s the point ? It can be simple as just flexing my ability or actually story telling giving you perspective. It can be a prototype to something I’m trying ,so having an Object is number one .Lyrics is key , like that’s 100 percent my element . I need every bar to be sharp , I want to make people go ouuuu an have that stank ass face like that’s the best part of being a MC you know creating , an saying something clever that’s never heard of , but also at the same time staying relevant to what the song is about . So between my object an my lyrics , In between that everything falls in place. I would know how I want to deliver it and the type of beat I need . It will just flow to me. What verse in “Vibes” would you say is the most impactful for the meaning of the song? I fein on To be on, To be on again I'm beyond a phenom Let's not play pretend Now she on an he on Let's all tell a friend That Nigga is hot boy now He on again This verse right is the most impactful to me , because it gives off a sense of empowerment and Confidence. Like bro I’m dope I’m fire .. I want to better than the best , an someone hears this song they tell they friend , from a he a she an then I’m hot again cause of word of mouth.. That’s a vibe feeling like no one can F ‘wit you that’s a vibe we all have experienced. Would you say that your music is a big reflection of your personal life and experiences? I would say yes . Honestly I use to have trouble putting my emotions in song but the more I continue you to develop an go through lives hardships , the more easier it becomes to draw you know inspiration an tap into it. A lot of my music are not only my stories but of others. I want to be able to tell other people’s stories for them , it’s cool to talk about yourself because the listener can relate to you right , but what about the person who is going through way worst then you an you can’t relate to them .but some of your listeners can relate . Do it for the people not only yourself. What can we expect to see from you as an artist in the near future? As an artist you’ll see me become more multilayered.That’s currently my objective to show you I can do everything ,Not every project will be the same ,because I’m not only an artist I’m a person  an we all change . My music will document my progression as an artist but also as a human. Connect with Mike Nova on social media www.instagram.com/_mike.nova

Florence, Alabama based collective WILLIS has just released their 3rd album titled “Locals 3”. The 5-piece indie/rock band is comprised of Murphy Billings, Edward Armstead, Trey Murphy, Glenn O'Steen and Will O'Steen. The band that is already known for singles like “Real Estate Sale” and “Fight the Vegans” is coming out with an album full of melodic and surf-rock vibes. The album is a fully written, composed and well produced selection of 7 tracks that definitely show the characteristics of the band. All songs are recorded, arranged, written and performed by WILLIS. The second single on the album and my personal favorite is a beachy tune titled “Now & Then”. The rhythmic attitude and chill rock vibe takes the listener on a journey through the hypnotizing and mellow rock sound arrangements. “Now & Then” has slight undertones of alternative blues and soulful roots. The track focuses on the ups and downs of love and the dating world. “I’m starting to get tired, The same old conversations, And all this time I've wasted is adding up, And maybe I’m just out of touch.” is my favorite lyric because it perfectly explains everyone's frustrations and struggles. I think “Now & The” can be interpreted differently depending on the listeners situation. The pummeling guitar, echoing vocals, surf-rock vibes and overall chemistry on “Now & Then” are a brilliant indication of what’s to come on the rest of their album “Locals 3”. I highly recommend you check out this track and the whole album. Stay on the lookout for WILLIS who will be heading out on tour and announcing dates in the near future! Check out “Now & Then” here and keep scrolling for our interview with WILLIS! Hey guys welcome to BuzzMusic! Can you start by introducing yourselves? What role does each of you play within WILLIS? - Murphy Billings (vocals and bass, songwriter), Glenn O’Steen (drums and producer), Trey Murphy (guitarist), Will O’Steen (keys/synth), and Edward Armstead (guitarist) How and when did WILLIS come to fruition? How did you choose the band name? WILLIS started in 2016 in Florence, AL. Glenn and I had been playing music together for around two or three years with other groups and wrote songs but we wanted to start our own band with our own sound. We decided to team up with some of our friends from high school that played guitar, Edward and Trey. Will, Glenn’s brother was the final piece. He had always known and been around music and would just hang while we were just jamming so we kind of made him join.  Glenn and I (Murphy) were just sitting around thinking of names for around 3 months. We wanted it to be short and something that people could remember so we chose the name Willis. Willis is actually Glenn’s first name and I thought it matched the vibe of what we were trying to make so it just stuck with us. Can you dive into more details on the lyrics of “Now & Then”? What inspired this song? I went through and reread a lot of old text messages and stuff like that I had and that really inspired me to write this. Now & Then is about the end of a relationship and closure. Sometimes closure isn’t exactly what you thought it would be. This song about not even wasting time expecting a different ending and realizing that closure doesnt actually change anything in the end, honestly. What’s the overall theme of your new album “Locals 3”? What do you hope your fans take away from it? I would say that the theme of the record is just about moving on. Sometimes moving on can be really hard but it will be worth it eventually. I hope fans can listen to Locals 3 and feel something. Hopefully it helps fans feel like they can move on from whatever they need to. Do you have any hints of tour dates or upcoming show you can talk about Right now, we’re just moving into our new place in Nashville, TN. But we have some things lined up in late September for the east coast. Then in late fall we’ll be doing the west coast. It’ll be dope and we hope to see everyone there. Connect with WILLIS on social media www.instagram.com/thebandwillis

K.Credle is an artist, screenwriter, and music consultant from Queens, New York. The 24-year-old pours his heart and soul into his music career and has since seen online radio airplay across the world. K.Credle graduated  from Becker College in May 2017 with a business degree. Now putting his degree to use in conjunction with his passion for music, K.Credle launched his own record label and music consulting business known as "Credle Entertainment”. His spectacular debut album “Lone Wolf 2, Part 1” has launched in to the music scene and focuses on mental health, depression, black excellence and black entrepreneurship. One of the singles featured on K.Credle’s new album “Lone Wolf 2, Part 1” is the high energy track “Vibez”. The banging single is all about having a good time and turning up. It’s the perfect track to bump at any event this summer and we can’t get enough. “Vibez” showcases K.Credle’s precise flow and unique vocals. The echoing and auto-tune on his voice adds an alluring feature to an already addicting new track. I highly recommend you bump this track on repeat to get the full “Vibez” experience! Make sure to check out “Lone Wolf 2, Part 1” and stay on the lookout for K.Credle and his future musical endeavors! Listen to “Vibez” here and read more below in our interview with K.Credle. Hey K.Credle! Welcome to BuzzMusic! We love your sound, can you tell us how you originally got started making music? What got me started with music was my father and older sister who are Gospel/Soul and R&B music artist. Started off in the church and school choirs from the age of 6. Heavily began writing poetry in high school and by the age of 18, I fully began writing records. Did your upbringing influence your music career? How so? My upbringing as a child definitely was influenced by my father always hearing him sing around the house nonstop. By the time I was 8 years old I always already created melodies and song ideas in my head. It’s since a blessing to see where I am now with music. Tell us about how you created you track “Vibez”! During the creation of ‘Vibez’ I really took my time with each part of the record. As a songwriter I love to figure out the hook first and then the rest after. I came up with the hook less than 30 minutes after hearing the instrumental from the producer Tyrel Wilson aka ‘TheBeatGeek’. I kept writing the verses and bridges over and over and wanted to perfect it because I knew how much potential this record has. Between writing and recording It was done by late 2017 but continued to make mixing edits throughout 2018 and decided to place this masterpiece on ice for the debut album “Lone Wolf 2 Pt.1” What overall theme can listeners expect from “Lone Wolf 2, Part 1”? The overall theme that listeners can expect from “Lone Wolf 2 Pt.1” is the fight on mental health, depression, suicide and how dealing with inner dark voices. Learning how to fight through adversity and coming up victorious. This is no “push me to the edge, all my friends are dead” type of energy but more on how to tackle those mental health issues and not drown in sorrow. Listeners will also take away black empowerment, entrepreneurship, ownership and taking destiny into your own hands. Rebelling against the traditional way of life and bettering yourself. Lastly, I expect listeners to stop running away from who they truly are but accept it and embrace it. Know whose there for you and accept 100% of you. What’s next for K.Credle and Credle Entertainment? What’s next for K.Credle is to get the album heard by the world because I know there’s someone out there whose life I can be saving. A ton of music doesn’t address the topics that need to be talked about, so I know my music will be beneficial. What’s next for Credle Entertainment is to continue to build and eventually help other artist that need not only creative assistance but music business assistance as well. #BuzzMusic