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Livendure is an artist with a driving passion to curate real and authentic music. Being considered to be in the ambient grunge/pop genre, Livendure has a nice blended mix of a dark/haunting melody, with grungy vocals and tones underlying throughout the music. This artists music is truly an experience that every dark grunge pop fan needs to go through immediately. The sound of Livendure’s music is so familiar, yet also incredibly diversified and unique from what we tend to hear in this music category. The level of skill that Livendure has to have in order to blend the harmonies and lyricism together the way he did is mind-blowing to me. This can be a significantly difficult genre to produce music in—some artists can’t always tie together the melody with the mood they want the listeners to feel, but Livendure doesn’t have that problem at all, and his new single proves it entirely. “Gray” begins with a soft piano interlude, which is what definitely heightened my interest of the song. The piano slowly fades into a piano sound blended with a hard-hitting beat, and then introduces Livendure’s deep and fast-paced vocals. Livendure is changing up the ambient grunge category up with his modern approach to the underlying melody presented throughout the entirety of the track. It makes me feel calm, and instills a sense of purpose in the listener while listening on. One aspect of “Gray" I couldn’t help but notice the use of echoing melodies and vocals, which adds a certain haunting feel to the song, contributing to the overall mood and tone it sets for the listeners environment. Livendure gives me really heavy Lincoln Park vibes, but completely with his own unique twist to the production. Finally, the track ends off with the same soft piano set, and the listener is left on a tranquil note. I personally loved the whole length of the song and how you can easily tell that there was a lot of passion put into the craft of it. Listen to "Gray" here and get to know more about Livendure below! Hello Livendure! Tell our readers the kind of artist you view yourself as. I view myself, in a basic sense, as a self taught guitar/piano player and music composer. But I think in essence, I view myself as kind of an outsider/go my own way type, which I realize sounds like a really typical musician answer haha. But I grew up homeschooled, listening to punk and metal, and my mom really taught me to question the status quo. All that teamed with the fact that I grew up in a low income family made me really connect with the DIY philosophy. And music is no exception. My whole music process is DIY, from writing and recording (mostly in my car) up to mastering and promoting. And it's not that I'm the greatest at it by any means, I just have my own vision for how I want things to sound. Plus I don't like most popular music, and don't really care about the latest/greatest hits, and that has often made me feel ostrisized or "othered" by other artists haha. Did the production of “Gray” go smoothly? What were some complications you had with the song, if any? It didn't go smoothly haha. I wrote the instrumental demo for the song probably two years before the lyrics. I had a hard time writing the lyrics and melodies, I don't really consider myself a lyricist or vocalist. I actually had to rewrite the first verse 3 times, and even tried just ripping off a verse from one of my favorite local Reno bands Alldaydrive (rip) haha.. Just to see if it would get me out of my rut. And it did! I ended up keeping part of the melody, but changing all the lyrics obviously. Then it was another year before I finished mixing/mastering, because I was having to do research and teach myself, through grueling trial and error, how to do everything the "correct" way haha. All that on top of working a blue collar job to pay the bills.. it was a long, hard road for sure. What made you want to transition more into the dark grunge/pop genre? Partly, I just burned myself out with the kind of music I was trying to make beforehand, which was metal first, then really ambient instrumental stuff like Explosions In The Sky. My musical taste was switching to more hip-hop, jazz, and R&B type stuff. And mostly, I wanted to challenge myself with something I hadn't done before. So I taught myself how to sing not completely terribly, tried singing for the first time, and just kind of mixed the elements I like from my favorite genres. Who would you say are your top three inspirations within the music community? Thrice has always been one of my all time favorite bands. I get a lot of my song-writing style inspiration from their vocalist and song-writer, Dustin Kenrue. Phantogram is another one. Their overall sound, and especially Josh Carter's beat-making skills, have really inspired me lately. And lastly I'd say Miike Snow. Their production/mixing techniques are really creative, and make me want to try weird things. Are you coming out with any new music for the rest of the year? Yes. So, I just released my first batch of music, two singles and my debut full length album 'Gray', in the last couple weeks. I'll be releasing music videos/lyric videos for those songs in the next few weeks. And I already have more songs in the works for a second full length album, which I'll be shooting to release within the next 8-12 months. On top of that, I'll also be releasing some instrumental stuff in the near future under my real name (Jonjosef Holland). So there's LOTS of stuff for folks to check out and also look forward to. Connect with Livendure on social media www.instagram.com/Livendure www.facebook.com/Livendure

Johnny B is an electro-pop artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, and began playing guitar at the age of thirteen. He has dabbled in several genres from jazz, funk, pop and contemporary christian music. Johnny found himself in the electro pop sphere after buying a Teenage Engineering OP-1 synthesizer and immersing himself in it completely. He learned how to sample everyday sounds from sources like video games, hand percussion, and even things as far out as baby otters. Johnny feels that the incredibly supportive and compassionate community is the greatest aspect of being an electro-pop artist, and social media has aided him in finding this community. His ultimate goal is that his music can create a space for positivity for his listeners. All of Johnny’s expertise in the OP-1 synthesizer is culminated in his recently released single, “Welcome to OP-Wonderland”. True to his own description within the song title, this is a synthesizer wonderland. With such an eclectic mix of sounds, from vocal samples, video game sounds (Mario coin sample, anyone?), encompassed by a well produced beat, this song is a delight to listen to from start to finish. The structure of the song is light and uplifting, easy to listen to, and the only thing I wish for is more of it! At just under two minutes, this is a brief, but incredibly worthwhile tune to listen to. With the current atmosphere, sometimes music gets taken a little too seriously, and this is such a refreshing retreat from that mentality. If you put on “Welcome to OP-Wonderland”, you can prepare for a welcome retreat from the mundane realities of the world. Take yourself out of it for just a couple minutes and check this single out. If you need a couple more minutes of that, just put this thing on repeat! Listen to “Welcome to OP-Wonderland” here and get to know more about Johnny B below! Thanks for chatting with us, Johnny! Can you describe a bit about your background and how you first became involved in music? Thanks for having me! Let’s see, I started playing drums around 10 years old. I was this super tiny kid sitting behind this enormous drum set at my church. It was definitely a sight, haha! I come from a big musical family, so it wasn’t long until I picked up guitar and then started playing that in church bands, funk bands, and jazz bands. I also had a short stint writing and performing super emo music at local spots, like old school Dashboard Confessional type. It was super moody. Unfortunately I damaged my voice pretty badly from singing wrong all those years, and that led to getting into music  producing. I went to college for sound engineering for a few years, dropped out and moved to Nashville. I just felt like I was wasting time being in school when I should be out in the music world making connections and learning first hand. You’ve got a really uplifting spirit to your music. Is this something that comes naturally with your experimentation or was it intentional? Thank you very much! I guess it comes naturally? But recently I actually started being intentional about it. If you asked my friends they would probably tell you I’m a very optimistic and positive person. Even my wife would tell you she’s never seen me really mad or pissed off at anything haha! There’s certainly frustration in every day life, and there’s definitely a lot of negativity going on in the culture right now. But that’s why I make it a goal with everything I do, music and non music, to bring some form of positivity to everyone I encounter. Everyone deserves to be happy. Who would you consider to be your biggest influences? Oh man, first and foremost Shawn Wasabi is the jam! I definitely get a lot of inspiration from his music. He’s got so many weird and bubbly sounds that just make you happy. It’s so great! I try to bring that same bubbly vibe to my music. But I also grew up in New Orleans, so there’s definitely a hint of funk and blues in my music that I just can’t help. I love a good lazy beat that sits super behind the pocket. I would say my music is a cross between Shawn Wasabi and the Meters. If you can wrap your mind around that. How would you characterize the music scene in Nashville? This is actually pretty tricky, because everyone has a different experience with the music scene here in Nashville. Definitely a lot of country of course, and next to that I’d say Contemporary Christian Music is just as big here. I actually moved here to be a guitar player in the CCM scene, but there’s a TON of guitar players, and not too many OP-1ers. So I actually haven’t done too much guitar, just a lot of OP-1 and programming on other people’s records. One other thing I do need to say about this city, is that you won’t find a more kind and humble community of musicians than here in Nashville. I moved here thinking it would be super competitive and hard to make a living doing music, and it is, but the people you meet here make it a lot easier for sure. Even some “A-listers” I met were more than happy to help me make connections and improve my craft. I’m still blown away at how kind and helpful everyone is here. It’s like we’re all in the same boat, just trying to make good music. What can we hope to see from you in the future? I believe music isn’t just something you listen to, but an experience that brings people together. So I’m hoping to grow this OP-1 community on instagram more and put out more resources for them like tutorials and sample packs. I’m also working on some super fun collaborations with some YouTubers I can’t wait for everyone to see! It’s seriously some crazy off the wall stuff that’s about to go down. That’s probably the thing I’m exited for the most. So be on the look out for that! Connect with Johnny B on social media www.instagram.com/johnnybgood89 www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH50CfZ3B1c

Verses The Inevitable are bringing back a sound we used to be quite familiar with. Neo-soul and rock-blues are some heavy sounds we’re hearing in this bands music. The band consists of Daniel Hertel (Vocals/Guitar), Mad Dog Friedman (Harmonica), Taylor Biskup (Lead Guitar), Matt Certosimo (Bass), Michael Mckee (Drums), Will Snyder (Keys), and Madalynn Rose (Vocals). A combination of many various aspects of music in order to curate a sound that is not easy to master, but they’ve proven that they have the capability and skill to accomplish it. A sultry sound for sure in the jazz-rooted single “Hard Times” recently released by “Verses The Inevitable”. Once I began listening to this single, I knew for sure right away that there was a more mature sound behind the production. In specific, Madalynn’s vocals give us a reminiscent feeling of Amy Winehouse’s lustrous vocals. The song is crafted beautifully, with the various prominent and diverse sounds throughout we hear, such as the harmonica, and keys added for the hard-hitting melodies. We get a layered experience while listening to “Hard Times” beginning with the comfortable feel of jazz, slowly immersing into piercing and rich vocals, and then continuing on with a mellow and old-school sound we miss hearing nowadays. I loved how unique this style of music is in todays day and age, and the fact that it’s making a huge comeback—looks like Verses The Inevitable is releasing new music at the perfect time in history. Listen to "Hard Times" here and get to know more about Verses The Inevitable Hello everyone! Tell our readers a fun fact about your band! Hey friends my name is Daniel Hertel and I am the frontman for the band Verses The Inevitable a neo soul americana band out of Denver, Colorado. A fun fact about our band is that I not only wear overalls on stage but I wear them 92% of the time in real life. I also will not allow the band to rehearse unless everyone is wearing overalls. Do you ever find the curation process of your music difficult with so many band members? It can be tricky but I think having clearly defined roles and respect for one another's opinions in rehearsals and in the studio helps a lot. The usual process is that I write songs or write songs with Wil and when we have an album worth of material we go into the studio. I have a pretty clear idea going into the studio of what I want the record to sound like. I am always open to suggestions from the rest of the band both in the studio and in rehearsals. Most of the time we have recorded the songs in the studio before we play them live which allows us to have a really clear idea of what we are trying to accomplish on stage. I think respecting everyone's opinions and suggestions and weaving that into the final vision of the song is what allows us to maximize the creativity and talent of everyone in the band. How did you envision “Hard Times” at first? Hard Times came out of a break between songs in a rehearsal one night. Wil was fooling around with a progression he wrote and all of a sudden out of the blue the band had a really sweet groove going. I had written a poem about big pharma and the opiate epidemic and had it with me at the practice. I started just fooling around with the vocal melody and before the rehearsal was over we had the rough outline of what became the song Hard Times. The song is really an examination of who the real drug dealers are in this country and questioning the difference between drugs sold at the pharmacy and those available on the street corner. I think everyone in the United States knows someone close to them who has fallen into the dangerous cycle of opiate addiction. I think this song is seeking an answer to the question, "Who are the dealers?" We love the types of rhythms and sounds you’re able to compose, tell us a bit more about how you all came together to form “Verses The Inevitable” I started Verses The Inevitable in 2015 with the recording of a live trio set EP that was recorded in my friends living room. The EP was self titled and featured Mad Dog Friedman who plays in my opinion the best blues harp in Colorado. We started to book gigs in Denver and I decided to record a studio LP called All Debts Paid in 2016. I met Maddy Rose (vocalist) our amazing co-lead singer through a guitar player who was featured on that first record, and immediately realized that our voices sounded really amazing together. The addition of Wil Snyder on the keys in 2017 has been influential not just with his composition skills in song writing but as a theory aficionado has been able to push us into really genre bending realms. Michael Mckee our drummer was my studio drummer on the sophomore record Grit & Grace and his creativity in the studio and in rehearsals has added a whole new dynamic to the group. Matt Certosimo started playing bass for us in 2018 and is so creative and keeps a beautiful pocket with Michael. Last but not least Taylor Biskup joined us in 2019 and is an absolute beast on the electric guitar and I am so thrilled to get to play music with him. It is such an honor and I am so grateful to take the stage with such world class musicians. Are you planning on releasing any more new music in 2019? We are about 50% done with writing the third record so it is looking like 2020 will be the year we will release the third album! Connect with “Verses The Inevitable”  on social media www.instagram.com/versestheinevitable www.mobile.twitter.com/vstheinevitable www.facebook.com/versestheinevitable

From Tidewater, Virginia, J Hughes is a musical artist who has been working on his craft since his teenage years. His genres range from rap and R&B to 70’s soul, however he predominately focuses on rap. What sets him apart from other rappers is his mindfulness and respect. J Hughes deeply believes in the greater meaning of life and he sees past the materialistic things that most mainstream rappers tend to focus on in today’s music. He disagrees with objectifying women, glorifying money, power, violence, hate, etc. His music aligns with his beliefs, including his newest release, “Better Woman”. The intro has a bubbly and uplifting beat, then it transitions to J Hughes not only singing, but telling a story. The song is about a girl who unexpectedly breaks his heart. “Before I knew it, I was on my own, started losing hope, thought about giving up because I’m on my last hope. Finally, I gave up, until a new woman came and made me change it up”. J Hughes quickly switches the dismal tone of the song to positive when he starts singing about finding a new woman that changes his life and gives him the bliss he was missing due to his last heart break. He goes on to sing about the way she treats him “already proving to be trusting, also got my heartbeat jumping”. The way that he sings about this “Better Woman” is like the magical relationship that everybody dreams about. The song is inspiring and relatable, which makes it the perfect jam to blast this summer! Listen to "Better Woman" here and get to know more about J Hughes below! What are a few things that you want your fans to know about yourself? I'm the type who wants to let his music tell stories of actual experiences. Share with people reality, and not materialism. Want to show that there is one rapper who loves making love songs, whether it be finding love or losing it. Is “Better Woman” based on your personal experiences with love? "Better Woman" started off as a song dedicated to a special woman who I really liked. But I learned that she didn't have that interest in me anymore. I was finished with the first verse before she left me alone. So I decided to turn it into a "what if" song. That means its a song for a woman who I would want to be with and hopefully, she's out there. What was your writing process like for “Better Woman”? Like I stated earlier, it was for someone I really liked. The first fourteen verses started off with me talking about the relationship I was in before with my ex, who I loved through the good and bad. Then the rest of the song was about the woman who I really liked. I wrote the verses first and then the hook. While writing the song, I was also making the instrumental. Also added some melodic and harmonious vocals in the background. Where do you see yourself and your career in a few years from now? To be honest, not really sure, but probably still creating more music, as an artist and producer. Who are your biggest influences in the music industry?Biggest influences would have to be both younger and older. Older being the old school rappers and soul singers such as The Dells, Stylistics, as well as Eric B and Rakim, Notorious B.I.G., Kanye West (from The College Dropout). Currently, and as far as today's standards, I would have to say Travis Scott. Connect with J Hughes on social media www.soundcloud.com/jhughes87/betterwoman

Diva is a multi-faceted Lebanese artist that has lived all over the world. Her musical education covers everything from church choir music to heavy metal, but her music also has a nod to the classical Oriental music of her heritage. Diva’s love for music manifested at an early age; born in the United States to a Lebanese family, she began singing as soon as she began speaking. Shortly after, the family moved to Lebanon, and she received her first piano lesson at the age of 8. By age 14, she was writing and composing her own material, and started experimenting with bands at the age of 16. She performed in a wide variety of genres, in plugged and acoustic settings at school, and then eventually at pubs, weddings, corporate events, concert halls, national Lebanese television, and large-scale venues. In late 2012, Diva moved to Montreal, Canada to pursue her doctoral studios in medical science. Unsurprisingly, she connected to the music scene in this city, playing at local bars, the Festival Intarnational de Blues de Tremblent and the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal as part of Franky Selector’s jazz fusion show, as well as recording and writing with local Montreal based artists. April 2015 saw another move for Diva as she journeyed to sunny Los Angeles, California. In LA, she played at various bars and venues, continued to write and record and began working on her debut EP. In February 2017, she released her first single, a soulful acoustic piano ballad that is reflective of a more personal aspect of her writing. Later on in 2017, she moved back to Lebanon to focus on her debut EP called “Little Black Book”. “Temporary Lovers” is Diva’s latest release. This song has an incredible dance-able vibe, and right from the start you can tell that Diva has influences from several genres. There are flavors of jazz, pop and rock. The piano that begins the song is rhythmic and can even be compared to ragtime music of the 1920s. It becomes clear within the first minute that this artist knows what she’s doing. Her vocals are clear, passionate and delivered with confidence and soul. What really helps her vocals shine however is the arrangement and instrumentation behind it. The guitar work that exists around and in between Diva’s vocals is so tasteful, and the rest of the band follows suit, with the drums establishing a groove that will have you dancing for days. The song is so well structured, the band is so tight, and as soon as the song ends you’ll probably want to just play it again. Diva clearly has her musicianship under control, and we can’t wait to see what else this rising star has in store. Listen to “Temporary Lovers” here and get to know more about Diva below! Thank you for chatting with us! Can you begin by describing a bit about your background and why you first became interested in songwriting? Thank you for featuring me! My name is Diva, I'm a Lebanese American singer-songwriter. Music has been a huge part of my life since as far back as I can remember; we always had music on at home, and it wasn't genre-specific, so I was raised in a musically eclectic environment. I spent my early childhood in the US where I was born, but lived most of my life in Lebanon. I started taking classical piano lessons when I was around 7, but I have no formal vocal training...that was more of a learn-from-your-mistakes-as-you-go thing. I'm actually an immunologist, I completed my Master's degree in Lebanon and then moved to Montreal, Canada for my PhD, which I did not complete. Academia and arts have always gone hand-in-hand for me, but I was at a turning point in my life and decided to switch careers to what I love the most. Don't get me wrong, I'm all into science, I just needed to go with what makes me happiest, even if it is a bigger gamble so to say. As far as singing, I've been doing that since I could speak! Jingles, church choir, talent shows, experimenting with different genres, by the time I was 16 I started playing with bands and that was it for me. Writing is something I turned to for comfort and release, just like most writers I guess. It was mostly poetry and free association, and I was 13 when I got the bug so you can imagine the content...songwriting was a natural progression from there. I was lucky enough to write for and with other people in all the countries I've lived in so that definitely taught me a lot. Having spent lots of time in both Lebanon and the United States, how would you describe the differences between the music scenes between the two places? That's a very interesting question, I hope I do it justice as this is my humble opinion. Let's talk demographics first (to ignore the political/cultural/religious/economical influences on everyday life). As you know, Lebanon is at the center of the Arab world, an Arabic-speaking country (though most people are bi- or tri-lingual) very much dominated by Oriental music. That's not to say that Western culture has no presence. Simply, more people listen to Arabic music instead; this ultimately affects possibility for growth, bookings, etc. Which brings me to my next point, career opportunities. For any Arabic-singing artist, you have a plethora of labels, media, managers, producers etc available to help make, brand and sell the music. It’s not the same for what is dubbed the "English scene". Most local artists are their own managers, producers, promoters and agents, and self-fund on top of that. There is a shortage of support in that aspect, but plenty of talent lying around that markets in other countries might just not be aware of. Most venues or event organizers seek what sells, this is true everywhere in the world. But in a country where the market is geared towards an entirely different type of music, and all artistic endeavors are even more of a struggle for so many reasons, this could be demoralizing. The classic “sacrificing your standards or what you truly love to do in order to make a living” is way more prominent, which is why so many opt to leave if they can, play music they don’t necessarily want to play, or find jobs in entirely different fields to support themselves. However, there are people trying their best to change this and expose local talent to the world, be it on television, at clubbing venues, via joint ventures with people abroad etc. And you can use the limited market to your advantage in some ways. What I observed during my few years in the US is a very saturated market that can easily swallow up people who deserve to be where others may or may not. Sure, there are more ways you can artistically grow and hone your craft, more networking possibilities, but in reality as a start-up you are a very small statistic, it's a different kind of hustle. Love it or hate it, social media plays a big role everywhere, but the preferred platforms differ to a certain extent. At the end of the day, there are pros and cons to anywhere you live, you just have to choose your battles and work hard wherever you decide to be. Who would you say your biggest artistic influences are? My influences are as varied as the music I listen to haha! If I'm gonna name a few in no particular order: Tori Amos, Amy Winehouse, Steven Wilson, Muse, Lady Gaga...I always have a hard time answering this question. I listen to a lot of rock from the past 5 decades; mostly old and some new pop; blues, alternative music, stripped-down acoustic stuff...I love rocking out just as much as what's intimate and raw. I'm drawn to beautiful melodies and intelligent songwriting, let's put it that way. If I feel something, I'm sold, sad or happy, genre doesn't really matter. I can't stand some of the mainstream music going around though. It's like too many people trying to fit into a template. And not a really stimulating one. Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? How do you end up creating your music? I don't really have a specific process. Sometimes I'll come up with an interesting lyric, expand on that and lo and behold, a song. Sometimes I'll be doing something really mundane and a melody comes to me and sticks, in which case I'll hum it to myself till I can play it or record it for reference. Other times it's both at the same time. I use my phone recorder a lot. I do make sure to write down all my ideas (I'm old school, I prefer notebooks and pens) whether or not I feel there's potential there because you never know. I'm my own worst critic. Which is a double-edged sword really, but not a bad thing if you can keep it under control. I gotta say that sometimes I'm writing and it falls together so smoothly it just clicks, and that's when I know I have a good one, it's just a feeling. At the risk of sounding cliche, you have to put in the time and work that muscle if you expect the muses to be kind to you. Do your homework, and they will. Can we hope for future releases from you in 2019 and beyond? Absolutely! So this song I just released, Temporary Lovers, is off of my debut EP Little Black Book which should be out this summer. Temp Lovers is actually very different from the rest of the EP...I'm trying to consolidate all of my influences into one coherent bunch of songs, it's challenging but an honest reflection of who I am as a person so I'm enjoying the process! I don't plan on stopping once Little Black Book is out, I'm trying to make a career out of this haha. Ideally I'd love to be able to write songs for myself and for others and make enough to keep recording and eventually tour. That'll depend on how the music is received obviously, but it's what I love to do, and I hope to continue doing it :) Connect with Diva on social media www.instagram.com/diva_music www.facebook.com/DivaMusicPage www.divamusic.xyz

Singer/songwriter Dani Nisim comes to us straight from the beautiful place of Los Angeles, CA. We took one listen to the type of sound Dani curates within her music, and we’re hooked. We know that Dani produces quality tracks, and tracks that can really get the listener off their feet, and wanting to do anything that can release the excess energy Dani’s songs give off. Electro-Pop fans will go crazy over this artist, as she sounds so similar to Mr Little Jeans, but with her own dynamic twist on the type of music they produce. We’re loving the sound, especially in her most recent single, which thankfully will give listeners a true idea of what Dani Nisim is all about. Another great electro-pop single right in time for summer. Dani Nisim comes out with her latest single “Diamond Love” and I’m already preparing myself for hearing this on the radio as the newest summer bop. The catchy and entrancing beat immediately captures your attention, and then you’re hooked in once hearing Dani’s upbeat and buoyant melody and lyricism. It makes me want to tap my foot along with the beat—yes, one of those songs! It gave me some serious enchanting vibes with how whimsical Dani’s voice progresses within the track. We’re feeling lively and full of energy after “Diamond Love”—it’s the type of song I would want added to my workout playlist ASAP, I feel as if I could do a million squats to the beat of this track! And it can be so difficult to perfectly blend the lively aspect of a good workout song with quality lyricism on the artists part—we’re so used to the mediocrity in singles that can’t exactly get that aspect down.Dani Nisim is the prime example of an artist who can craft a beat, lyricism, and overall production with grace, and the knowledge of what the listener wants (needs) to hear. Listen to "Diamond Love" here and get to know more about Dani Nisim below! Hello Dani! Tell us about how you knew the electro-pop genre was the route you wanted to take in the music industry? Electro-pop and pop-R&B are the two main genres I’ve taken on in my career. Both of them have given me the opportunity to speak my truth, while still letting the audience vibe out and have fun. Rihanna is one of my biggest influences, as an artist, and her music ranges from all types of pop, r&b, reggae and so much more. Watching her career grow and take over, really moved me to take the reigns of my own career and write songs that make people feel empowered, understood, and inspired; all while keeping the music energetic and upbeat. What genre of music is your favorite to listen to? Though I love main stream pop and r&b, I’ll always be a sucker for pop rock music. I grew up listening to Billy Joel and Elton John, and used their music as a tool to learn how to write songs and play piano. To this day they are still my favorite artists. Did the production of “Diamond Love” execute the way you initially envision? The production of “Diamond Love” was actually one of the inspirations for the song! When JC, Clifford and I met up for our session, we sat down and listened to a bunch of different beats that Clifford laid out for us. The second we heard, what is now, “Diamond Love” we couldn’t help but sing out melodies and start throwing out ideas. The song is full of different influences and experiences each of us has had, along with some clever word play. If you could go back and change anything about your artistic career so far, what would you change? Though I have had some “interesting” experiences in this industry,to say the least, I don’t think I would change a thing. Every experience I’ve had has helped me grow as an artist, and has pushed me out of my comfort zone and has driven me to discover my identity as an artist. If I could tell my past self one thing, it would be to stop relying on other people to make things happen, the power was always in your hands. What are your plans for the rest of 2019 musically? For the rest of 2019, I plan to release a few more singles and song collabs I’ve done with other artists! I’m beyond excited to release my next single “Chase You”, which was produced by Scott Storch and co-written with Joelle James. I also plan to do a ton of live performances in the next few month, dates will be announced ASAP!! Connect with Dani Nisim on social media www.instagram.com/daninisim www.twitter.com/daninisim

Mari A is an Austrian singer-songwriter with Bosnian roots, who in 2016, was under the name “AZRAH”. the final candidate for the Eurovision Song Contests 2016 with her self-written song "The One" Mari A released her latest single titled, “Can’t Breathe” which was a song completely written and composed by herself, 4 years ago. “Can’t Breathe” begins with Mari A’s raspy and dynamically powerful vocal resonance that’s completely enticing and strikes its listener with a vocal force we can’t help but love. “Can’t Breathe” captures you with this vocal articulation that’s undeniably special to the artistry of Mari A. What we really loved about Mari A’s unique artist persona was how her style of singing, gave us a glimpse of her cultural background, and the way she was brought up. It was highly intriguing to see the Bosnian roots be inflicted in her sound. “Can’t Breathe” has a nice fusion of emotionally convicted ballad, to a sultry upbeat danceable tune. This showed me how Mari A was able to correctly weave between the two different vibes which was pleasant to hear. All in all, “Can’t Breathe” was a nice offering from an extremely talented woman, who sings in the most memorable vocal tone you could possibly hear from a recent vocalist. This song would undoubtedly serve her career justice. Listen to "Can't Breathe" here and get to know more about Mari A below! In what ways do you incorporate your background into your musical sound and style? I was born in a very small town in Bosnia Hercegowina, called Sanski Most. We used to exchange mix-tapes as children, of all famous Rock-Bands from Ex-Jugoslavian Rock Scene like Plavi Orkestar, Bajaga or Bijelo Dugme. The whole city was "infected" and I remember well about the "Growned-up" Boys in the neighbourhood discussed a lot about every new Release, arrangements, lyrics and do the same music as well. Also there was a famouy woman pop-singer called "Tajci" at this time. She had blond hair, great voice and she represented the former Yugoslavia at the Eurovision Song Contest. At this time I was about 8 years old and as I saw her on TV, many girls were fascinated of her - so many of us wanted to be like her. Today, I think, this power of this very easy Pop music as well the Rock'n'Roll Style of the 80s influenced me a lot in the process of my personal music style. Later as a teenager, I turned to Soul and Funk Divas like Aretha Frankling or Whitney Houston, as well as Michael Jackson or Mariah Carey. I think, both genres influenced my singing Style today. Tell us about “Can’t Breathe”, what does this song mean to you? A lot. Believe me or not, I wrote and composed this song about 4 years ago and after this I put it in my drawer. I really was not sure, if it's good enough for the production process. This song is about breaking a painful circle in a relationship as well as walls that block our everyday life and makes us blind to our view for the essentials. It's about feeling the other person - I am sure, we all had moments, when we think of someone, in the same moment we get a call of this person. So this Song adresses this "invisible" World - the "soul-connection" of every human, especially of the ones, who love each other. It's a kind of declaration of love. What was the most challenging aspect in creating “Can’t Breathe” ? I am very proud and happy about this song release. I had huge issues in finding a good producer for it. I changed about 4-5 producers, because they didn't hit the style I wanted. I mean, i am a very strong, dynamic woman with a very loud voice - So, the music has fit to my character and personality, and that's why I am very happy, that it worked out well after so many ups and downs. How do you hope “Can’t Breathe” translates to your fans? I got already great reactions from all over the world. Many of them write me via instagram or facebook, that they love and adore the song and that they put it already in their playlist. Some of them didn't expect this very new style of me. Also I changed my artist name recently, so many who already knew me, were critical or just confused. But as my surprise most of them are overwhelmed and actually they can't believe, that this is ME. I really hope that the Song reaches out many people, because I am not signed artist - into a big label - to have a big promotion. But I am just happy, when there are people, who can relate to my lyrics and message in the song. What can we expect next for you? I will release a Videospot for the Single "Can't breathe" on 24.05.2019 and I am recording already my next songs and want to release my first EP in autumn this year. We are working right now on a song called "Marry Me" and I already prepare a very great ballade (some kind of Adele-Style) to put it on the EP. So, I think "Can't Breathe" is just a kick-off to the other songs who are waiting to be showed to public. Connect with Mari A on social media www.instagram.com/mari_a.music www.twitter.com/theMari_A www.facebook.com/mari.a.musiclovers

B.D. Kold is a man with a story, and no matter what life threw at him, music was always there to help him push through. Growing up he often found himself getting into trouble, including altercations with the law and some addictions. At a certain point, he was unsure of where his future would take him. Lost and in need of direction, B.D. Kold stumbled across a pastor who led a religious program that instantly changed his life forever. It is no doubt that fate brought him to where he is today, and through music he shares his journey to inspire others to live their best and most wholesome lives. B.D. Kold is talented and is destined to do what he does, create music. In his song “Part of Me”, B.D. Kold keeps it 100% real and confesses that he feels lost and powerless, but with the lord he finds his way. “ I fall up on my knees since I call up on your name, I don’t know what way to go but you help me maintain, I give you full control, I can’t feel this way again, made me feel whole, fill me with your flame” This verse is so inspiring to me because he’s in a position of uncertainty, which everyone experiences from time to time, but instead of singing about materialistic things to conceal his pain, he turns to the Lord for help. He does better for himself by allowing faith to control his destiny by doing the right thing. This makes B.D. Kold an excellent role model and fills the listener with faith, encouragement, and insight on not only religion, but life itself. B.D. Kold’s expertise in intertwining a powerful message into a catchy beat that keeps you engaged is moving, and I highly recommend that you check him out to experience the hype for yourself! Listen to "Part of Me" here and get to know more about B.D. Kold below! Hello and welcome to BuzzMusic! Can you tell us a little more about yourself? My names brandon dwayne stovall i was born in Baton Rouge louisiana on may11th in 1988, for the last year and a half I have been making Gospel rap, I have released 4 projects walking in faith in March of 18, heart condition in July of 18, a free to download mixtape in dec. Of 18, and street gospel in March of 19, I also have started a production company that specialize in making quality beats for low prices, we have 250+ available for $25 apiece on bdkold.com How did you start creating music and why? I started writing around 11, not being able to control my emotions I found this to be my outlet, as I learned how to put my emotions down it began to be cultivated over the years of freestyling I found my flow and through writing I found my craft, after God changed my life I wanted to be able to tell my story and present people in the street life music that would positively feed their spirits What is the main message that you want listeners to take with them from “Part of Me”? no matter what your past says or what your trying to come out of God will meet you Can you tell us more about your song “Part of Me”? Part of me is a inter personal song, it’s plee to God telling him that through everything I’ve been through and everything that comes to me the only thing i know is I need him, I hope that listeners will take this and apply it to their life, it doesn’t matter what your facing if you ask God to be in it he will always provide what’s best for you, I tried to take this song and through the Holy Spirit lay down a basis of what that prayer sounds like in the chorus What is your main goal that you want to achieve through your music and why? to positively impact life’s, to see people who come up in crime syndicates,gangs, and prostitution have chains and shackles broken off them and to see them fulfill the calling that God created them for by telling them what he’s done for me Connect with B.D. Kold on social media www.instagram.com/bd_kold_the_king_225 www.twitter.com/b_d_kold www.facebook.com/b.d.kold

Kiara was born and raised in Stoney Creek, Ontario and has been singing and performing since the age of 4. She began singing with Canadian Rock icon Ray Lyell and Paula Tessaro from Rayne Records who were both big on the Canadian music scene in the 80s and 90s as members of the band Ray Lyell and the Storm. Recently coached by top talent Laura Cavacece, founder of the Hidden Talent Canada Vocal Competition, who taught Kiara how to both write and perform music with confidence, has worked on fine tuning vocal techniques and together they have written 3 original songs. Writing about things that matter, things that teenagers experience and the emotion that is felt through her music displays what it’s like going through different things as a teen. With teens so eager to want to grow up, Kiara and Laura wrote “Take It Back” that reminds Kiara of simpler times she has read about where summer time just meant fun at the beach with no agenda. Music is Kiara’s outlet, a passion, and performing is the way she brings her stories to life. Laid-back, down-to-earth and easy on the ears is the classic pop track “Take It Back” by Kiara and we can’t get enough! Guitar riffs that are fresh, and a voice that is going to sweep you away like the waves, “Take It Back” is sure to transport you to a relaxing time. Her voice is sweet, lively and has an innocence that is refreshing and extremely refined as she never hesitates when hitting each note–which she does perfectly! Kiara is a fantastic lyricist and write words that are easy to get lost in, and that paint the perfect picture of a beautiful summer day out by the water with that subtle mix of love thrown in there. The subtleness of the synth added in behind the guitar and vocals adds that laid-back vibe that you get from a lot of Reggae music mixed with the gentle Pop tones of the harmonies to give this an overall vibrant and vivacious sound. Just grab a towel, lay on the beach and crank up this refreshing track that is going to be a hit of the summer! Give a listen to Kiara's "Take It Back" here, and continue scrolling for the artists exclusive interview. Hey Kiara! Absolutely love your song! Can you give us a bit more background on yourself and how you found your passion for music? Thank you!! And I guess I found my passion for music from a very young age. I was 3 and at a birthday party for my great great aunt and I just picked up the microphone when I was with my papa and started singing. I fell in love with performing immediately. There’s a bit of a music background in my family; my Nana sang and performed when she was younger as did her sister. I believe her sister (my great aunt) performed with Tony DeFranco and the DeFranco family who were a 1970s pop music group from Port Colborne Ontario where my nana and my great aunt grew up. My mom listened a lot to a band called Ray Lyell and the Storm (late 80s, early 90s) and they were big on the Canadian music scene and even nominated for a Juno Award. So when Ray opened up a studio in Hamilton Ontario, I began taking vocal lessons there at age 3. I sang all different types of music and performed a lot at open mic nights. I was their youngest performer and loved the hype of performing. More recently, I have been experimenting with all different kinds of music and enjoy music from all different genres. What is the meaning behind “Take It Back” and what inspired you to write it? I am a beach girl by heart. I have always loved the beach and when I’m down in Florida or anywhere near water, that’s where you’ll find me. I was surfing on the beach in Hawaii when the idea for the song came to me. The salt air, the warm sun, the cool waves and the chill vibes.... I knew there was a song in there somewhere lol. I love the freedom I feel when I’m at the beach and it’s always been a place where I feel the most relaxed. I started writing some of my ideas for the song down then after sitting with my vocal coach (Laura Cavacece, Laura Cavacece Vocal School and founder of Hidden Talent Canada) a new song was born. I think it took us only a few hours to write because the ideas were flowing. The song to me just resonates freedom. As teens today there is just so much pressure in everything we do to succeed and there never seems to be enough time to just chill and relax. This song just reminds me of spending fun times on the beach with friends and many of my friends have told me that the song basically sums up my personality:) carefree and happy! Have you found any difficulties with being a performer from such a young age and how have you overcome any challenges? Not really. I mean I never even really felt nervous to perform in front of people. I guess because it was something I did when I was young, you’re just fearless when you’re young. Looking back I guess you wonder how people take you serious as a performer when you’re 3 or 4 but you just keep grinding and as you get older and perfecting your sound, they just do. I don’t let people’s opinions really faze me. I do what I do because I love it but I do take constructive criticism in and use it to help myself to improve.  I’ve been working more recently on performing and techniques when performing. I guess a challenge was when I was down in Florida and asked to perform at a community event. The crowd were older and I was afraid that maybe they wouldn’t like the choices of songs in the set but it was a worry quickly put to rest. It was a great night. Are there any specific genres and artists that inspire your sound? Growing up, I was exposed to different music. My mom was more into classic rock and my dad listened to mostly country music. My playlist includes music from almost every genre of music and the songs that I have released to date are also from all different genres; pop, reggae and country.  I sang a lot of Dixie Chicks songs as well as Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff and Avril Lavigne growing up. This song, Take it Back, was inspired by Cody Simpson and Jack Johnson and the reggae sound by Bob Marley. When Cody Simpson became an independent performer after leaving Atlantic Records I noticed that much of his music dealt with our oceans and the sea and the preservation of marine life. He is an advocate for these things and a member of UNDP and this is something I feel that we all need to work towards to help preserve our planet for future generations. Some of my other music is inspired by vocal powerhouses like Adele, Carrie Underwood, Bebe Rexha and Billie Eilish. My most recent song “Broken Story” was actually inspired by my vocal coach and mentor Laura Cavacece who is a country music performer and well on her way up in the Nashville and country Music scene. Her song Side Effects is so powerful and even though I never thought of writing or singing country music before, her song is definitely the inspiration behind Broken Story. What can we expect to see in 2019 from you? a rap song? Lol. No I’m not sure about that one but it is something I’d like to maybe try in the future. In the immediate future I am working on a music video for my song Take it Back with James Nickle from Cleveland Sound Lab and 188.Productions based in Toronto Ontario. Perfect timing for this video too as summer time is almost here. That’s my main focus at the moment. After that, what else? Writing more songs:)  maybe even a rap song!!! You just never know! Further connect with Kiara via the artists Instagram! #BuzzMusic

SHY, also known as Shyfi, was born in Providence raised in Miami and is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. SHY is equal parts a low-key, soulful, alternative R&B artist and high-key, vibrant, creative director/producer and is known for her eclectic, genre-blurring sound, versatile vocals and unique song writing. Touching down in LA to finish her debut EP “Losing Track” that’s love, pain, light, dark, bare-bones and mysterious but not at all that black and white. “Step It Up” is the mix of Pop and R&B that we didn’t know we needed in our playlist, but that we are happy we found this vibrant and unique track. Shy has vocals that give this energetic tune character and depth with remnants of Ariana Grande and a modern classic sound that has vibes of synth pop sprinkled throughout. We love the sections where she shows her vocal ability in “Step It Up” where she slides through her vocal range showcasing only notes and different tones with such finesse and style. Starting off on a more down-to-earth tone, then gaining traction after each verse-to-chorus section as the intensity of this track builds. With an eclectic combination of instruments and sounds, this track is another that is bound to have you up and dancing around in no time. “Step It Up” has a great lyrical flow to it, with every word being clearly sung and delivered to the listener allowing that connection between artist and audience begin. Shy has created a timeless, soulful sound that we highly recommend adding to your daily playlist – and you should probably have it on repeat, because we know we can’t get enough. Listen to "Step It Up" here and get to know more about Shy below! Hey Shy! Fantastic to chat with you – Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and how you got your start in making music? Hey! Thanks, it's great to talk with you too! So... art has always been my thing: whether it's music, writing, visuals etc.. creating gives me purpose. It's the most healing energy I've ever encountered. It started with this need to sing and express my deepest pains or joys.. and evolved with performing covers around NYC and New England. It wasn't until my last year in college, though, that I began taking it seriously. Once I knew who I was as a person, and as an artist, I could put that into my own original sound. What drives your passion to write new music with such a mix of sound and emotion? Typically, I try to draw inspiration from each living moment. So it's been about being present, and open to whatever signals my world is giving me, internally or externally. I also have a very particular ear. I know what I like, and so for a while it was about finding the right producers. Now that I've found them, it's about creating a sonic experience that people can feel. What is the meaning behind “Step It Up” and what was the creative process like writing this song? "Step it Up" came from a very unfinished beat I just needed to have. I sat on it for a while, until I met up with one of my producer's, who liked the demo too. From there he and I wrote the song in about 2 hours. The concept came from this idea, this feeling, of not wanting to be bothered by nonsensical men who attempted to challenge my worth as a woman. I remember saying out loud in the writing session, "he better come correct, or don't come at all" and we ran with it from there. The caribbean influence was there before my producer came along, but he flipped it and made it a master piece. The way he understands rhythm helped the writing process a whole lot. That, and the fact that there are so many men out there these days who do the bare minimum for women, and still want to get the whole pie is such a real issue that it bothered me enough to want to write about it. Do you find that having different backgrounds and areas of residence have contributed to your unique sound? For sure. My caribbean blood inspires the rhythmic artist in me. My time in Miami inspires the spiritual aspect, and fascination with nature within my music, and art. New York gave me the thick skin and confidence to be myself, and spending so much of my life in and out of Rhode Island aided my experimental phase, where I could try new things, and discover new parts of myself. All of these backgrounds and places also gave me such a variety of experiences to write about. What’s new for you in 2019? 2019 from here will be: live performances, new visuals, and more music for damn sure. Connect with Shy on social media www.instagram.com/shyfi www.twitter.com/Officialshyfi