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All the way from Brooklyn, New York, comes Nikmoody whose an rapper, lyricist, writer, and director. It’s been over two decades now since Nikmoody has been rapping his own individual lyrics while bringing a unique perspective to hip-hop that is both poetic and psychological by nature. Although the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Atmosphere, and Jcole fueled the aggression of his pen, it was his love for Nirvana that evoked his soul. Blending the elements of grunge rock, boom-bap hip-hop, and heavy lyrical content, he began to find himself as an artist. Nikmoody released his single titled “Keepin Score” and we absolutely loved this. The theatrical atmosphere is presented heavily while keeping a cinematic-like production. Especially in the video released alongside where the introduction gave us a climatic and hauntingly chilling plot. As the theatrics began to enhance and become more dynamic, the beat drops and Nikmoody’s aggressive delivery strikes the listener. With impressive word-play and a cohesive flow, Nikmoody can equally compete with the best of the best in the rap game right now. Not only is his skills impeccable but his appeal to the multi-faceted audiences of hip-hop was interesting. Nikmoody lyrical arrangement was compelling enough to impress the old-school hip hop heads, or even simply the conscious rappers. His style and projection can even be hyped enough to complement the trap rap that’s taking over the industry. Nikmoody was an wonderful artist we thoroughly enjoyed. Check out "Keepin Score" here!

Reail is an upcoming artist out of Orlando, Florida who dropped his first single titled “Roots” after years of dabbling in and out of music. Influenced by the flow and melody of artists like Future, Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, and Shy Glizzy as well as lyrics and imagery from those like Tupac, Biggie Smalls, and Big Pun there’s a combination in each song. With dreams and aspirations on being a household name rather than a “One Hit Wonder” there’s a lot of expectations just to have your name brought up with the hit makers. Reail proves to us that he’s living up to the expectations with this banging track. “Roots” bass hits so hard you’re bound to head-nod to the music. Reail style seems to represent the community of trap rappers. The type of rappers to get the party bumping with a hype song. “Roots” has some elements to the style of the song that complements the sound of dark-trap. Reail gives you multiple different dimensions of extravagant lyricism and catchy wordplay. The energy in “Roots” were just right and the arrangement of dynamics in this track were spot on. Reail proves to us that he’s next up in this game, and he doesn’t plan on stopping until he reaches what he righteously deserves! “Roots” was a killer song and we’re excited to see what else this promising artist will deliver! Check out "Roots" and keep scrolling for an exclusive interview with Reail! Thank you for sharing your music with us Reail! You have multiple different influences to credit for your complexed rap style. So we must ask, which artist do you feel inspired you the most? Man, thank you for really hearing me out, it feels good as an artist knowing at least it’s getting heard a little more than just in my state. I appreciate y’all but, if I’m really gonna be honest, it would be Drake. Now don’t take that it any fashion that I’m a singer or I be trying to in songs but, just listen to how he master his “sound” regardless of which record you can’t say drake doesn’t leave a stamp. Example he can go from Look Alive to Controller then to MIA and still take control with Nice For What, Hot Line Bling you know how the list goes. I’m just saying being able to branch out while still being classified as you and not an artist you sound like is the end goal and how I plan to end up so you gotta take notes. Let’s talk about this single “Roots”. This was a dope beat! Who produced the track? Maaaaaan when the beat first came on I had heard them in my beats and the way that the bass hit I was like 🤯 I gotta do this tbh I really didn’t know how I was gonna get on it but, back to the question that’s PoloBoyShawty “on the track so why you killing it”. Needless to say why it hits the way it does. Mind describing the lyrical arrangement of “Roots”? Well look, in the hook I’m sayin “Back in the bushes my roots”. So I’m just reflecting on the way I use to make money and letting them know that “don’t call it no comeback, I know what I’m doing the sixth man”. Meaning even tho it ain’t look like I had much going on at the end of the day there was still an end plan. And I start it off by saying it “These people still sleeping on me, I ain’t even waking them up boi I’m tip toeing and I’m stacking tha green”. (Fun fact - The third time i said that they sleeping on me it was an old song I did a couple years back that I remembered about and put it in with the song) Self explanatory I’ve tried to have people hear me out before tha flow on this song and you know that really never happens how you want it to, so regardless in my head whether it be Superstar or where I stand right now up and coming I just gotta do me and if it was meant to be it’ll fall in place so I just gotta stay out the way until then. How do you plan on elevating your next song from a hit like this? Being that Roots is my first Single that I put out i don’t want to sound cocky or come off that way but just off the 20 second previews I put on Instagram of other songs that I have I get dms telling me “Bro that snippet was hard” and what not but, just seeing those messages motivates me and let’s me know that I got something on the back burner ready to be released. Songs like “Sorry Momma”, “Sponsors” and “Racked Up” that are also produced by PoloBoyShawty along with “Doubt”, “Heart”, and “Itchin” which are produced by Fly Melodies are some of the snippets I put out and as you can see they look like they go in a couple different directions but one thing I can say is you will know that it’s “Reail” on the song. What’s next for you Reail? I plan on dropping visuals for Roots within the next month or two. A few new singles on the way and I have my EP in the works called “ A Reail Lyfe” along with a mixtape with Loc Hefner we have the work in motion but not the name yet. Honestly, I don’t know what the next step is but I know I’m “on go” so whatever comes I just know I’m ready for it. Like they say “You can’t rush greatness” and it’s different being proclaimed it rather than self proclaimed it so I have to convince my crowd that I can keep up with the “hit makers”. Stay connected through the artist's social! Instagram: www.instagram.com/reailhefner #BuzzMusic

Singer, songwriter Matteson Gregory is from Missouri and started to play guitar at the young age of 12 followed by writing her first songs that are inspired by her life experiences. Matteson believes that “real life is the most inspirational thing you can write from” and she draws inspiration from artists such as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. When writing music, Matteson tries to create out-of-the-norm songs and recently has been taking her talents to places like Nashville for recording, performances and co-writing along with playing various local venues. Her single “Comfortable” can be described as lively and is about “finding that person that makes you feel comfortable about being yourself.” “Comfortable” has tones that relax you right from the start of the track, and a voice that is soothing to listen to combined with the relatable lyrics that brings a slew emotions to the surface. Matteson’s voice is refined and it is clear that she draws inspiration from popular pop artists like Taylor Swift as her vocals have remnants of Taylor’s songs as well as some hints of Miley Cyrus scattered throughout the beautiful tones. Her vocals also give the listener a sense of security, that you can trust her as an artist as it connects with her audience personally and you can feel that she embeds herself in her music that is written so creatively. The combination of instruments and sounds that have been used to create the eclectic tones of “Comfortable” showcases that Matteson really knows how to make music that is catchy and makes her audience feel good. Overall, I personally love the gorgeous tone of Matteson’s voice as it has an innocence to it along with a musical structure that is unmatchable. Check out "Comfortable" here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Hey Matteson! You have a lovely voice! Can you tell us a little more about yourself? Thanks! You're too sweet! For starters I am a singer-songwriter. But other than my love of music and striving to do that professionally, I honestly just consider myself a 22 year old living and learning about life. Most of my time I either spend with my loving family and friends or my handsome golden Joey (You can say I am a proud dog mom.) I also love to dance and my coffee consumption is equal to that of a Gilmore Girl. Do you have a dream venue that you would love to perform at? Oh my gosh there are so many!!! I would have to say the dream would be to perform at places that I've seen some of my favorite concerts at like the BOK center or JQH Arena. I just think it would be so cool to be on a stage and go "Wow! And years ago I saw a concert here." That would be AMAZING!!! From an artist’s perspective, what do you feel sets your sound apart from other up-and-coming artists in the music industry? I feel like the one thing that sets my sound apart is that I'm always experimenting. I am always constantly trying to find new ways to make my music stand out. To be honest, most of my songs don't sound the same which, to me, is exactly what I aim for. What was the creative process like when writing “Comfortable”? Very natural. I remember sitting on my staircase with my guitar and the song just started coming out. I then went to Nashville and met with Sean Rogers (the producer of the song) and his assistant, Forrest Finn, who helped me dig deeper both lyrically and melodically. The song itself went through three different drafts before getting to the final version. Tell us what we can expect to see from you next in 2019. You can expect to see new music for sure. I've got a lot of ideas up my sleeve that I'm quite excited about. Actually, I'm really excited about! #BuzzMusic

Based out of Oulu, Finland, Ryder Sinclair is a 22 year old music engineer and electronic producer. Ryder’s work as a sound designer and music artist focuses on translating concepts and emotions in sonic form. As an artist, he values projects characterized by a strong artistic personality, which most of the time entail a certain degree of experimentalism and forward-looking vision. His New Wave sound is the future of mainstream music. His mission is to create music that people enjoy listening to music that will get people moving, and music that offers something extra, an emotional punch that sticks with you long after you hear it. We’ve heard nothing like it before but it’s experimental qualities have Ryder climbing to the top! Using inspirations from influences such as David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Kygo, and Flume, Ryder Sinclair launches into the music scene with a new single “I’m Not Gonna (Break Your Heart)” feat Joanna. This track starts off with an alluring acoustic intro and Joanna’s soft vocals which quickly leads to an incredibly heavy and deliberate drop. Hard-hitting synths and pop anthem beats are delivered effortlessly. “I’m Not Gonna” gradually transforms into ground-breaking layers of soundscapes that you’ll be instantly addicted to. The sounds are consistently changing while staying true to the overall melody and polished tempo. We can’t stop listening and we can’t wait to see what he delivers next! Stay on the lookout for this up and coming music engineer, Ryder Sinclair. Check out “I’m Not Gonna (Break Your Heart)” feat Joanna here. Stay connected! www.facebook.com/rydersinclairmusic www.instagram.com/rydersinclairmusic www.twitter.com/RyderSinclair #BuzzMusic

Rich Jacques use to go by the name of “JACQ” before realizing the complications that came along with an uncommon yet common name. It seemed appropriate for him to use his real name considering this is the most personal music he has done yet! Rich has built a career for himself as an artist and Grammy winning producer working in almost every musical genre imaginable. But once he realized it was time to explore his own sound, the route he took was quite unexpected. For someone who knows about as much as anyone about working in a studio and making a record, instead of embracing all of the technology, the gadgets and the clever tricks that he had familiarized himself with over the years. Very few musical colors from the sonic palette with which to paint his own songs. So that leaves us with the single “Every Time”. Here we have a smoothly produced track with even smoother vocals. A relaxed vibe surrounding the entire song creating a comforting presence for the listener. I can picture myself playing “Every Time” at any time of the day, with any mood and just instantly feeling at home with myself. The song is so inner atmospheric where you are floating through a different setting in your head. It’s so relaxing, and pure. Rich Jacques doesn’t add much pressure to his vocals, keeping the delivery at a subtle projection, while showcasing multiple registers and skill. The sweet sounding falsetto, and the at ease middle register were just mesmerizing. “Every Time” is a song many people will find themselves obsessing over. It instantly bring a certain feeling of joy that’s indescribable. If this is the image Rich Jacques is painting, then I want the whole collection! Listen to "Every Time" here. Connect with Rich Jacques on social media: www.instagram.com/jacqmusique www.facebook.com/Jacqmusique #BuzzMusic

Toronto-based pop artist Josh Tavares is yet another example of what the talent in the city has to offer. His debut single "Family Man" is a must listen. “Family Man” tells the story of a man who cheats on his wife, ultimately choosing to leave his family for his own happiness. This third person narrative dives into the heavy impact cheating can have on a family and those around them. “Family Man” has a strong vulnerable presence to add comfort to the listener. The lyrics represent something many people have experienced in their own personal lives. Therefore, hearing Joshua Tavares get vulnerable and emotionally unguarded , creates the safe haven for the listener. Josh co-produced this new record and the setting of the production complementing the theme of the song shows a high level of skill in Josh. his artistry is impeccable and he’s surely an unpredictable force to be reckoned with. “Family Man” was heart-rendering. Moving its listener with every note, you discover an amount of emotions you’re holding within. “Family Man” is a must-listen! Welcome to BuzzMusic Josh Tavares! Mind telling our readers a bit about your upbringing and background? Hey guys, I’m Josh. I’m a 23 year old singer/songwriter living in Toronto. I grew up just outside Toronto with four sisters and a brother and my parents who are still together despite the horrors we put them through growing up :) Music has always been important to me, whether it was forcing my siblings and cousins to put on shows at every family event we had, or begging my elementary school teachers to let me and a few friends perform new songs in front of the class (ALL of which were made up on the spot). EMBARRASSING. I don’t know if I’ll ever live that one down. I started writing music when I was about 13 and really got into writing when I was 18. I went to school for music and TV production and I’m currently working in the entertainment industry. Now I’m here, about to release my debut single. Nervous, but very excited! “Family Man” was an amazing song. What drove you to write this? I always start my writing process with a title. Not sure why, it’s just always been the way I’ve done it. I’ve had the idea for a song called “Family Man” since 2015 but never really knew what to do with it. Last year I was put into a pretty awkward situation when I found out a close friend of mine was being cheated on. I didn’t know what to do and was just sitting at home that night where I started mumbling some random lyrics and ended up putting what ended up being “Family Man” together in about thirty minutes. How would you describe the arrangement of “Family Man”? As the song goes on, the beat buildup represents the inner struggle of the man in question which can also be seen in the video. By the second verse the backing vocals are more present and continue to get louder into the chorus as a way to show the man’s thoughts getting the best of him. The song plateaus at the bridge when his entire world falls apart, leaving him confused, angry, sad, and sorry. Ultimately the last chorus has a lot going on, again to match all of the thoughts running through this character’s head all at once. What was the most challenging aspect in creating “Family Man”? How did you overcome the task! I’ve gotten so used to writing about me and my relationships with people that the idea of “Family Man” was so different for me. For a while I actually wasn’t going to release it at all but a few friends who I show all my music to told me that would be a big mistake. I knew I had to release it when my friend Kaitlyn started singing the lyrics randomly in her car before the final track was even recorded. The production of the song itself went pretty smoothly. What’s next for you Josh Tavares? I have a couple more singles and music videos I’d like to release in the next few months, and they’re all a lot more personal. “Family Man” is one of my favourite songs I’ve written, but I wrote it from a third person perspective. Anyone who listens to my music will definitely get to know me a little better with the next couple songs. Connect with Josh Tavares on social media: Instagram: www.instagram.com/joshtavares_7 Twitter: www.twitter.com/joshtavares_7 Facebook: www.facebook.com/joshtavaresmusic #BuzzMusic

Jamie Alimorad was attending Northeastern University in Boston where in the underground music scene he found a spark that lit his musical fire a blaze. Jamie started dedicating himself to becoming a singer-songwriter as well as multi-instrumentalist and perfecting the art of both. After graduating, Jamie released two albums which lead to the start of his first nationwide tour to cities like New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. With a large amount of attention following his tour’s success his single “Beautiful” gained over 2 million views on YouTube and Jamie has spent the past four years writing and recording new music for an upcoming album release “This Is Tomorrow Calling” that is in collaboration with Gino Vannelli and Ross Vanelli. The album delivers the story of Jamie’s younger years and his evolution as a songwriter, musician and vocalist. “Not Ready To Say Goodbye” starts off with a passionate guitar riff and funky electric like tones that create an ominous vibe followed by Jamie’s soothing and soulful vocals. This song right off the bat reminds me of the stylings of Enrique Iglesias where the guitar adds definite to the story being told, and also has a little bit of a Latin Pop flare, in my opinion. Diving further into the song, the melodies in “Not Ready To Say Goodbye” are really a beautiful combination of genres that accompany the meaningful and emotion-filled lyrics which are extremely well compiled by Jamie to tell this heartfelt story. I personally love the tone of voice that Jamie has as it really draws a listener into the song, and you can hear him embed himself into the lyrics to help more effectively deliver the meaning behind “Not Ready To Say Goodbye”. Jamie showcases his ability to glide over a large vocal range with ease, as well as his talent in writing and creating music as “Not Ready To Say Goodbye” is a breath-taking combination of instruments and vocals. Listen to “Not Ready To Say Goodbye” here and get to know more about the artist in our exclusive interview below! Hey Jamie! Fantastic to catch up with you! Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? Great to speak with you! Well let's see... My parents will tell you I was born musical, always bopping to a song as a baby. The first band I ever got into was Go West, when I was four, but it was The Tubes, when I reached the mature age of five, that really made me fall in love with music. I've been playing piano since I was seven, and I have a Bachelors of Science in Music Technology from Northeastern University. Music is my life. I definitely have a nerdy side with my love of Nintendo and all things Super Mario, and my encyclopedia knowledge of the Boston Red Sox. What first inspired you to start creating soulful music? I wrote my first song when I was nine years old, shortly after my grandpa passed away. We were very close and something just made me want to put my feelings into song. It was a natural reaction. I've always been a rock guy, but rock comes from blues and R&B, which comes from jazz, which comes from classical. Everything is connected somehow. As my chops have improved, so has my writing, and it's made me want to dig deeper. You don't have the same message at 15 as you do 25. I think the soul you're referring to is who you are. Is there a specific story behind “Not Ready To Say Goodbye”? "Not Ready To Say Goodbye" started as a songwriting exercise. I was in between recording sessions and in one of the previous tracks we stumbled upon an accidental key change, that we left in the final recording. It sounded awesome! Key changes used to be very common in pop music, so much so that they became cliché. I want to write a song with subtle and unexpected key changes, that was my intention. I had the title, "Not Ready To Say Goodbye", scribbled in my notes, and I happened to be playing with two riffs that were various keys that coming out of the transition, the title fit the melody. I wrote it about a year after a breakup, so I'm sure there was a cathartic nature to it, but in the moment it didn't feel that way. From an artist’s perspective, what do you feel sets you apart from other artists? We are all a product of our environment. The people, places, and things around us help shape who we are, and that maturation is who we become. I was raised on good music. Period. Whatever the genre, whatever the feel, the music is good. Those influences, along with my own musical and personal experiences have shaped me into the artist I am today. We're getting further and further removed from a time where people played live in the studio, where the computer couldn't fix your mistakes. The guys I listened to nailed it in the studio, and I've always aspired to be like them. Working with Gino Vannelli on my upcoming album, This Is Tomorrow Calling, really helped bring that aspiration to life. He would not accept anything but quality. There were no shortcuts, no letting the machine do the work. It was me. Whatever you hear on the recording, I can duplicate that live, the way it should be. Put that with a killer band, and you have something that, in a world where a guy with a MacBook is on stage, you have a live act that will blow you away. Tell us what we can expect to see from you in 2019! "Not Ready To Say Goodbye" is now available on all streaming platforms and digital stores. As I mentioned, my album This Is Tomorrow Calling releases this September, and you're going to love it! Love it! This is an album you can listen to from start to finish. There's no filler. Go old school, put it on, and get lost in it. I'll be playing some shows in LA throughout the year, and hoping to get some nationwide touring going sometime after the album release. I also have a joint project with an organization, that I'm not sure if I can go into too much detail yet, but it's for a very good cause, and is something I want to get a lot of people involved with. So stay tuned, and while you're waiting, come along for the ride. Connect with Jamie Alimorad on social media: instagram.com/jamiealimorad facebook.com/jamiealimorad twitter.com/JamieAlimorad #BuzzMusic

From Calgary, AB, Canada, FAYD (Forget All Your Doubts) is bringing a revolutionary sound to the hip-hop industry. His raspy vocals make him stand out but his skilled lyricism and flow re what he's known for. Formally known as Notebook, Fayd is back from hiatus and fresh off the release of his latest project “Music > All Vol.1”. “Fake Smile” is a dope track featured on the EP and we’re living for it. It has a classic hip-hop feel to it with the hypnotizing piano and upbeat melody. FAYD spits effortless bars about real life and human struggle. He talks about the pressures that society puts on people to live a straight edge life. Playing the safe route isn’t for everyone, FAYD spreads the message that pursuing what’s important to you is the most meaningful thing in life. For FAYD, that’s music and he’s definitely killing it. “Fake Smile” highlights vulnerabilities that we all share and FAYD knows how to create tracks that fans can relate to. “Everyday of my life I’ve been told the same sh*t, don’t live on the edge, or you might slip, but everyday’s so basic, never want to face it” is a lyric that perfectly describes the theme of the track. FAYD’s main motto is “Music >All” and he’s here to spread that message. Off to an explosive launch after hiatus, we can’t wait to see what FAYD delivers next! Check out “Fake Smile” here and read more below in our interview with FAYD! Hi FAYD! When and why did you change your stage name from Notebook? -Well, around 2016 i had started making friends in highschool which is something i didn’t have a lot of growing up. Making friends was a big thing for me at the time. I was so focused on partying with my homies and living in the moment that I kind of just stopped writing, recording and performing. That was when I stopped going by Notebook and decided to pursue a “normal” lifestyle. In 2017 I dropped out of highschool, moved out of my parents house and started working full time. Little did i know working a warehouse job and living a “normal life” wasn’t the life for me. At the end of 2018 I was partying with some homies and after intentionally trying to overdose on cocaine and MDMA (locked in my bedroom) and being successful. The next day I had a clear head and realised that doing music as a career is one of the only things in the world that make me feel genuinely happy.  So I started writing and recording and in early 2019 and I decided I would now go by FAYD (Forget all your doubts). I got the name FAYD during my hiatus when i was trying to come up with a graffiti tag. How does this track “Fake Smile” compare to one of your earliest tracks? How have you improved? -In my own personal opinion I have grown exceedingly in the presentation and structure of my lyrics overall, and my flow is much more consistent and timed better. Before (as Notebook) when i wrote songs a lot of the time I would end up saying the same thing but in different words (being repetitive) throughout the verses. Now in songs such as “Fake Smile” i have much more structure as the verse progress’ the story throughout the song.  As I have grown as a person and as an artist I have come to realize a lot of these flaws in my music and constantly work to fix them to further perfect my art form. What do you do to feed your passion for writing verses everyday? The main thing that feeds my passion for writing is the bullshit and daily struggles life throws at me. As I write mainly about my life and situations I have been in, I am often in the mindset of; if something bad happens in life all i can do is learn from it and better prepare myself for the future. That being said i feel that all my best songs are drawn from the shittiest situations in my life. Such as “Fake Smile” was originally written after a bad day at work when a college came over and took out of his shift to tell me how bad he thought my music was. What challenges have you faced in the music industry? How have you overcome these challenges? -The biggest challenge that I face as an artist in the industry would have to be the constant negativity you hear from people, so many people in the industry are helpful and positive. However hearing negative remarks from someone in the industry, you look up to or even some one you work with in the industry can definitely affect me and my music in a big way. It sounds hella cheesy but the only thing there is to do in these situations is simply just to stay positive and forget all your doubts. What do you want the listeners to take away from “Fake Smile”? -The message that I would hope that listeners take away from “Fake Smile” simply put is that no matter what your passion is; pursue it over all! In “Fake Smile” I make it relatively obvious that i am sick of working a normal 9-5 job and want to pursue music full time. Whatever makes you happy in life/your own personal happiness should be your number one priority. And sometimes even that means risking it all including you job to make your dream come true. If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would you choose and why? -This is an extremely hard question as i have a wide variety of artists i would absolutely love to collaborate with. However i think that i would have to choose Logic as my message of Forget All Your Doubts coincides with Logic's overall message. I also have a great respect for him and believe that if i was ever to do a collaboration with him the final project would be outstanding. Keep up with FAYD on his socials! Instagram: www.instagram.com/faydedhiphop Facebook: www.facebook.com/faydedhiphop #BuzzMusic

Baltimore rapper, singer and songwriter SHDW found music at a young age and was engulfed in creativity. Writing provided an escape from many life encounters such as financial, lack of self-worth and confidence struggles, and SHDW found rap was an outlet for him to show that he believes in creating music that is honest, true to his character and perspective. SHDW uses a variety of genres to compile his unique sound mixed with heavy dashes of Hip-Hop. “Way Up” has a subtle start to the song followed by beats that get your head bobbing along, and rapping that is clean and flows with the different accompanying sounds with style. SHDW has written lyrics that are catchy and a style that reminds me of artists like Drake, and Lil Wayne along with lyrical speed that is phenomenal. The tones that can be found in “Way Up” have an almost haunting and eerie vibe to them, yet mixed with an intense power that helps emphasize lyrics like “I know I get tough on the way up” and after listening to the track a couple times, I also get a Childish Gambino vibe from the song. I personally love the technique of repeating specific lines to signify that they are an important part of the meaning behind the song. SHDW has a tone of voice that is low and he is able to deliver each lyric with his own emotion and passion, with the accompaniment of subtle harmonic lines that can be found scattered throughout “Way Up”. Keep your eyes peeled for SHDW as he is bringing flare and style to the rap game that is fresh. Check out "Way Up" here and keep scrolling for an exclusive interview with SHDW. Hey SHDW! Love your creative sound! Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? Hey, I appreciate you taking the time out to listen. Sure. I’m an artist out of Baltimore, MD. I rap primarily, but I like to try my hand at writing different styles/genres. I’m also really into comics, some sci-fi, and mildly into anime. I hate to sometimes say I’m a “nerd” because now that’s the wave, but I am. What first drew you to music and when did you know music was your passion? I grew up in a super religious family. Great grandparents had a church, and everyone actively participated, from having cousins on guitar and organ; to my mom and aunts in the choir. I had always been surrounded by musically inclined people. For as long as I’ve been on earth music has always been a part of my life. I couldn’t pick a single moment that made me realize that I wanted to actively pursue music, but I do remember 3 things in particular that helped steer me in this direction, all of which happened not long after each other. Back in like 04, I was graduating elementary school and my teacher then had a daughter who wrote songs, so she wrote us a song to perform at graduation. It was a remix to an old Kanye song, but I can never remember the title, anyway they asked for a few students to do rap solos and I got one and that was the first time I had ever rapped in front of people. I just remember the rush and feeling so happy. The second was that summer. At the church my family had there was a lil side store where people could get snowballs, candy, chips, and on the right day Jordan’s, “designer bags” that kind of stuff. One of my older uncles ran it and one day I was up there, and he was sitting in his car, this old dark green Infiniti and he asked me out of nowhere if I could freestyle and we just sat there trying to rap. The last was when I started middle school and we had the wooden lunch tables and making beats on them and what have you. Some of us used to try and battle each other and I mean we all sucked, but it was fun. We ended up making a lil rap group. When I’d get off the bus and walk home after school I found myself rapping, sometimes it was fun stupid stuff and other times I’d rap about: how I hated the way I got treated by people at school, not having the girls and what have you. It was really all of that, that showed me exactly how much value music had in my life to that point. Tell us the meaning behind “Way Up”. “Way Up” stemmed from conversation I had with one of my bros where he just randomly hit me up asking how I was and it was during a time where I was in a bit of a rough head space and he was offering his 2 cents and literally said what I say in the hook, to keep my head up and that the journey comes with some difficult times. I used that conversation and fleshed out the idea with some of the things that were bothering me at the time (being upset over a failed situationship, struggles with organized religion and so on). I ended up writing the middle of the song first, then the hook, and that quasi-breakdown/verse where the beat switches a bit. From that point, I wanted to write the rest to feel like I’m big upping myself, so it comes off as “yea things aren’t all that great right now, but I’m still that guy”—almost like a pep talk. Are there any artists who have helped inspire your sound? Of course. I think that my sound and style ebb and flows and that’s a direct result of the artists I admire. I could give you maybe 30 artists that inspire me, but Childish Gambino and Drake are artists who come to mind quickly. Those are guys that earlier on in their careers were viewed as different and maybe a bit against the grain because they were making the music they wanted to make and that’s been the biggest inspiration to me, seeing artists feel comfortable speaking their truths even when it’s not necessarily what’s “hot”. Although I must say, I messed around and made entirely too many songs that sounded like poor attempts at being drake. Like I mentioned before there’s plenty of other folks who have inspired my sound, beat selection, writing approach all that. Hov, Ray Charles, Sade, outkast (both big boi and 3stacks. People gotta stop sleeping on big boi) XV, schoolboy q, slick Rick, snoop, Alicia Keys. Plenty of artists. What can we expect to see from you in 2019? Content for sure! In the past I’ve been entirely too inconsistent with regular content for a bevy of reasons. This year I will be dropping a new EP; ’Earthtones & Greyscale’. So, I’m very excited about that. I’m looking forward to getting over my camera shyness and getting a music video (or few) out there. Beyond that I’ll just be working on new tunes. I’ve got this r&b itch I have to scratch so we’ll see, maybe some of that stuff will see the light of day. Stay connected! Instagram: www.instagram.com/shdwraps Facebook: www.facebook.com/SHDWmusic #BuzzMusic

Los Angeles, California born singer-songwriter, actor and producer is Smolsky, who now resides in New York City and is well known in both the theatre and music industries. With attention being given to his upbeat performances in various venues such as The Mint in LA, The Bitter End in NYC and The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. At the age of 13, Smolsky started crafting his sound following a 2011 Ed Sheeran performance and is influenced by artists such as Bruce Springsteen along with Stephen Sondheim and his lyrical intensities. Singing and song writing has helped Smolsky prove that he is an artist that has immense talent and has been quoted as “one of the best [songwriters] of his generation” by SCV Magazine. Crazy Bitch Records was Smolsky’s own label/publisher that he created in 2014, and later released in May 2018 on all streaming platforms “Sea Salt + Strawberries: A Live Album” as well as starting to tour the United States and Europe. Look out for this 20 year old artist that is on his way to becoming one of the biggest names in the industry. “Sea Salt + Strawberries” begins with soft guitar tones and a smooth, tranquil voice that relaxes the mind and gives spark to the imagination through the creative combination of lyrics. The track gains traction slowly, but with the addition of drums and electric guitar Smolsky has showcased that he has the ability to craft a track that leaves his audience guessing what is coming next, always on the lookout for a surprising aspect of his songs as they listen. Smolsky utilizes the powerful and refined side of his voice to emphasize the lyrics throughout the chorus sections, in particular the lines “Your hair smelled like sea salt, your lips tasted like strawberries” that have been combined to create a title that give lift off to the possibilities that lie ahead throughout the song what is perceived as a sweet, heartfelt song simply from the title – almost like judging a book by its cover – and boy was I correct. The emotion packed melodies compiled with the meaningful lyrics that Smolsky has written for “Sea Salt + Strawberries” has taken my breath away, and truly solidified that he is an artist that really is defining a new genre of this generation, and bringing a talent to the music industry that is refreshing and pure. Check out “Sea Salt + Strawberries” here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Hey Smolsky! What a wonderful sound you have created! Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles as the middle triplet in a family of five kids, all the children of theatre majors so performing and showmanship is in my bloodline. As soon as I saw Ed Sheeran headline The Wiltern in Los Angeles in 2012 I knew exactly what I wanted to do: write songs well enough that people could sing them back to me. My parents would play me Springsteen and Sting and Sondheim on my morning car rides to school which is where my love for music, theatre, and lyrics started. My adoration of these art forms brought me across the country to Pace University in New York City, which is where I am currently entering my final year as a member of the top 5 ranked BFA program for Musical Theatre. What do you feel sets you apart from other artists? I really appreciate the art of storytelling. Both of my parents were theatre majors and taught me the importance of storytelling by taking my siblings and me to countless theatre performance throughout my youth.  think I saw Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan more than 10 times by the time I was 7. I believe it is this theatre background sets me apart from other artists when writing and composing music as the lyrics and words always come first and the rhyme and word choice has to be perfect. I will write and rewrite and rewrite those rewrites until the lyrics explain the exact narrative I want to convey in the three and a half minutes I am allotted to do so. Stephen Sondheim lectured that every great theatre song has a beginning, middle, and end. I try to do my best to bring that concept into the pop world with every song I write. What is the meaning behind “Sea Salt + Strawberries”? Sea Salt is a classic end-of-a-relationship love song. I wrote it at the end of an eighteen-month relationship that ended quite poorly. At the end of the most relationship, there is a ‘winner’ and ‘loser’ of the break-up. I wasn’t able to finish the song until I realized that one who thinks they have lost the break-up at the immediate drown yourself-in-ice-cream phase actually wins in the long run. The entirety of the album is kinda about this lesson which I guess is why I made this song the title track. Can you tell us about the process you used to create “Sea Salt + Strawberries” and were there any challenges during it? This song started out as a vague, slow, and quite depressing acoustic ballad. I thought nothing of the piece when I wrote it but I played it for my father and a best friend who said to be something there. I threw into my live sets and realized there was a lot of energy and passion in the lyric that justified a more anthemic production. I produced up part of the song myself, trying to draw on my Bowie glam and Sheeran pop influences but it wasn’t until I let my good friend and producer Alex Knezevic (@thealexknez) take over the production reigns. He really exploded this song and took it to a whole other level and I can't thank him enough for the work he did on it. This all goes to show how important collaboration is in creating art. What can we expect to see from you in 2019 and are there any upcoming performances? We just released Sea Salt + Strawberries: A Live Album which can be streamed on all music platforms. In addition to that, a music video for the single Sea Salt + Strawberries will be coming later this year as well as new music and new merchandise. I will be playing a handful of shows with Sofar Sounds on the west coast this summer as well as a few this fall in New York. Specific show dates, as well as other information regarding music, merchandise, and mailing lists, are all available on my website www.smolskymusic.com. Keep up with Smolsky on social media! Instagram: www.instagram.com/SmolskyMusic Facebook: www.facebook.com/SmolskyMusic #BuzzMusic