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LOGAN was born and raised on the west coast and has been making music ever since he could remember. However, when he was younger he endured a roadblock in the way of his dreams which included drugs and a negative lifestyle. Unfortunate events has transpired in his life which included the tragedy passing of his mother to terminal cancer. The loss of his mother took a heavy toll on LOGAN and put him in a dark place in his life which included depression and suicidal thoughts. One day, he had a conversation between himself and God in which he asked “Before I go, let me help some people.” he booked a flight ticket to Los Angeles the next day and has recorded over 20 songs and 2 music videos in the span of 1 month taking the ultimate leap of faith. His story is definitely one for the books, and this incredible artist has more of that to come from but for now, he’s letting “Think About It” tell the story for him. “Think About It” was everything and more! There’s so many components of this song in which attracted us and transformed it into a hit for us! Starting with the beat, it had a more laid-back and chilled vibe with elements of aggressive trap lightly treading the track. The lyrics to “Think About It” stood out the most in our opinion. Not only were they personable to LOGAN but he had punchlines and witty verses in which showcased his whimsical and charismatic nature in his personality. The lyrics had unique metaphors while still possessing a sense of authentic realness behind it. LOGAN has a rap voice we haven’t heard prior to listening to this record. It’s abundantly distinguishable from other rappers, but who would want to sound like somebody else? The moment you hear LOGAN voice you can already detect who the rapper is and that’s a brilliant asset to have to your artistry! LOGAN also delivered a nice visual to go alongside the video with graphic art subtly being possessed in the background, motorcycles, good friends, and a fresh fit. We’re rooting for LOGAN and we know his passion can’t be taken from him alongside his raw talent. Check out "Think About It". Read more with LOGAN in our interview below! You had an incredible story to share with us, do you ever find any challenges channeling your personal life experiences/feelings into your music? Yes I do my life experiences have been pretty crazy along with my energy sometimes it can get complicated but what makes it easier for me to channel all these emotions is realizing that I am not the only one going through the situations I go through. I aspire to be a voice for the people that are not strong enough yet to speak for themselves. My vision is to shine light on the darkness that people go through with the everyday struggles just to survive. My goal is to try to bring the best out of people and to help them find there gift supporting one another its a contagious thing that is why I make music. Tell us about “Think About it” and the meaning behind it? I wrote the song Think About It because you always have a choice when you make a decision. A lot of the time we as humans make a lot of bad choices and if we just took a breath and thought about it for a second a lot of those bad choices could be reversed. One bad decision can change your life forever Think About It make the right one. What inspired you to write “Think About It” ? What inspired me to right the song was not worrying about other peoples opinions when you make a life decision if its not for your best interest Think About It, analyze it and go with your gut feeling. How does “Think About It” differentiate itself from your other releases? Its probably the hardest most versatile song I have ever wrote it doesnt just address one thing. The song brings out the rough rugged texture of me but also a little charisma which as time goes along people will get to know thats who I am. What’s next for you on your personal journey? Whats next for me is to start performing like a mad man that's when I know I will truly get to shine. When people can see the goofiness, happiness, joy, motivation and inspiration that I have to bring that's when I will shine. That's whats next for me to reveal me to the world, Logan. Keep up with LOGAN on social media! Instagram: www.instagram.com/4everlogan #BuzzMusic

Kietell is a rapper and producer all the way from Toronto, Canada whose been making music and producing since he was sixteen years old. He began taking rap seriously when he was nineteen years old and played the piano and trumpet for a few years! Kietell released his latest single titled “Work Hard, Play Hard” and we were completely in love with it. We actually watched the video while listening to the song and one thing for certain, Kietell has what it takes. The entire vibe of the song was raw and underground. It’s like we’re witnessing the beginning of a long-awaited career filled with success and longevity. The way Kietell spit is rapid and fast-paced at a usain-bolt type speed while punching his listeners with every bar and effortless line. Kietell doesn’t fabricate any transparent style to his character or artistry. Everything is just natural, authentic, and him. No auto tune, no flashy cars and jewelry, no designer clothes, just himself, his talent, his story, and his environment. These elements to his song made us more engrossed by his artistry. We became a fan due to how real he was, but not only as an artist but as a person. His true persona completely translates through his music the way a rapper should aspire to do. A complete lyricist with an fire delivery and perfect flow, Kietell can be the missing factor today’s hip-hop culture needs Listen to “Work Hard, Play Hard” here and get to know more about Kietell below! Tell us a little bit about how your upbringing impacted your music!? My parents are the ones that introduced me to music from when I was very young. I was heavily influenced by east coast rap which is where I get my rap style from but I listened to all kinds of music from reggae, R&B and of course rap. My favourite artists as a kid were Eminem, Jay Z, Kanye, Nas, Pac, Biggie, Usher, Bob Marley, and Angie Stone. I always had a passion for music to the point where I wanted to create my own music and I've been making my own music since I was sixteen. What’s the meaning behind “Work Hard, Play Hard” and how does the title of the song reflect the theme? The meaning behind my song "Work Hard Play Hard" Is me basically telling people that doubt me that I'm really going after my passion to become a rapper and producer and don't care about other people's opinions about it. And that I'm willing to put in the work to get to where I want to be in my music career and I'll have fun later on in my life when Iv'e accomplished every goal I set for myself. What inspired you to write this? I was on youtube listening to instrumentals and I came across the Mos Def instrumental for "Respiration" and from when the beat started, the lyrics just flowed together easily for me. When I was done writing I didn't want to use the same beat so I went on the internet and found a beat that best matched with my lyrics. I got the beat from dlowbeats. What are some frequent challenges you face in writing a song? Some challenges I have when writing a song is that there are times where I don't want to release what I have because it's not mainstream but as I keep releasing music I get more confident with my music. What’s next for you? I'm going to continue pushing out singles and pushing out the beats I create which I drop every Monday and Friday on my Instagram page, youtube and my beat website. Connect with Kietell on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/kietell Twitter: www.twitter.com/maticentertain

Tobi O is the next emerging artist from the UK whose bringing a hypnotic sound to this generation with blending together soulful rich vocals, unique melodies, funk rhythms, and alternative beats, keeping R&B alive. Each track brings a nostalgic old school vibe with a new aged flare. Citing Luther Vandross, Patti Labelle, Lagbaja, Old Skool Soul/Disco, Nigerian High Life & Indie music as some of his inspirations, there’s no telling where this sound will take you. Tobi O released his single titled “Chillin In Coachella” and this was one of the most extravagant records we’ve heard in a while! It begins with a retro introduction, paying homage to the turntables with a classic funky kick in the beat to bring that vintage old-school hip hop alive. "Chillin In Coachella" reaches its highest point for me in the hook when the vocals transforms into this sultry, and soulful R&B resonance. “It feels so good, Chillin in Coachella, Chillin In Coachella” the hook sings. He drags the notes out with “It feels so good” delivering the melody in a smooth-sailing legato delivery while keeping the next line “Chillin in Coachella” in a staccato projectory, showcasing his skills as a vocalist while it floats above an addictive light-hearted hip-hop beat, weaving the lines between contemporary trap R&B and classic blues. The beat enters new dimensions while delivering charismatic disco tempos and funky synths to help expand “Chillin In Coachella” to a more multifaceted record instead of a singular layered song. "Chillin In Coachella" is the perfect party anthem we can add to our playlists this summer for all the good vibes and energy we’re aiming to radiate! Check it out here! Catch up with Tobi O in our exclusive interview below! Hi Tobi O, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself and how you got into music? I was born in UK but grew up in Nigeria for the first 6 years of my life living with my grandmother Winifred Funmilayo Fashola. She would always sing church hymns around the house and teach me songs to sing back to her. I grew a love for sound through her, and i also grew a love for music whilst living in Nigeria. Live music is very prominent in Nigeria, from churches, to schools to parties. Nigerians love exploring sound. I also grew a love for the talking drum and high life music. When i moved back to the UK, a particular day stood out to me as a child. My aunty Nicole Samuel heard me singing a parody version of I Believe i Can Fly, she was so shocked by my voice that she decided to call my mum into the room and told me to sing the song again, she declared that day that music was my destiny. This was a big day for me because it gave me confidence in my abilities, it was also a great feeling to know i had people that believed in my potential. I grew up listening to a lot of "old skool music", from Midnight Star to SOS Band. My 3 biggest musical influences are Luther Vandross, Patti Labelle and Whitney Houston. I like to think that they were my personal vocal coaches via YouTube. My aunty helped me fine tune my craft through vocals lessons, teaching me about mic control, and stage presence. Since then the musical world has been my oyster, despite its ups and downs. Tell us about “Chillin In Coachella”? Have you been to Coachella? Is it one of your goals to play? Ironically when i wrote Chillin In Coachella, I was sat in a 2 bed flat in Essex, Chelmsford. I have actually never been to America! I was inspired to write the song because after i produced the beat and listened back, i imagined myself having a good time in Coachella. I imagined how epic it would be to hear a song like that in Coachella with all your friends around you, so care free, young and happy. I also imagined the emotion i would feel if i found love in Coachella. Would we sing along to music together? Would we dance together? What would we be wearing? If i wanted to get better acquainted will I lose my friends along the way? Chillin In Coachella is a song that makes me feel like I am king of the world, a very powerful man. Coachella is where i felt this power could be portrayed. What’s your favorite part about “Chillin In Coachella” ? I love the last part of the song where the beat changes. It really takes me back to a time i believe i would have enjoyed music A LOT more, that feel good era. I also love that Chillin In Coachella is now on its way to being the anthem for Coachella Festival and maybe even others to come. Are their any key influences for “Chillin In Coachella” ? I listened to a lot of classic house music when producing Chillin In Coachella, but i must say the following artists played a big part: Inner City, Susanne Vega, Sybil, Crystal Waters, BREACH, Storm Queen, and Azealia Banks. I had to take Chillin In Coahella back to the essence but with a new school swag. What’s next for you? My EP "Masquerade"!!! Chillin In Coachella is one of the songs on my 6 track EP. It will be released in summer 2019, dates tbc. The whole EP is a feel good, dance anthem. It plays on "Old Skool" narratives, but with a current attitude. I am really excited about it and i think my EP "Masquerade" will be the sound track to many peoples happy memories. Connect with Tobi O on social media! Instagram: www.instagram.com/tobiosings Facebook: www.facebook.com/tobiosings #BuzzMusic

MC Mont, who was first known as Pe$o Mont and Money Mont, is an artist born in Michigan City, Indiana but moved to Atlanta at the age of 5. He has various of influences ranging from Young Thug, Future, and Drake. He got his foot in the door as a local producer at the age of 14 before slowly crafting his own sound at the age of 18. By the time he graduated high school, he created his first mixtape. Coming up, MC Mont had to self-teach himself everything he knew before he caught the eyes of a professional who helped enhance his skills and knowledge of production. MC Mont is now 21 years old and is searching for more opportunities to better his craft and meet and collaborate with new creative innovative musicians. MC Mont released his single titled “Focus”, featuring artist Edub. "Focus” sounds like something we could most definitely hear on the radio. It has this trendy hip-hop sound we so used to clubbing and dancing too, we automatically find ourselves getting hooked on the groove of it. “Focus” has vocals that reminds us of MC Mont's influences, including Future and Young Thug. The raspy and brittle sound complemented by some autotune is what we noticed in the song and we were completely hypnotized by it! We enjoyed the lyricism in this song more than anything. From what we’ve interpreted by listening, "Focus" reflects on themes including dedication, determination, and hustling for your dream and what you want in life. Who doesn’t love a good song that has us encouraged to attain our goals in life? With a head nodding beat, MC Mont was able to develop a substantial uplifting message in a trap sounding record that’s perfectly digestible to the taste buds of today’s generation and lovers of hip-hop. Listen to "Focus" here. Check out our interview with MC Mont below! Hello, it's great to be talking with you - welcome to BuzzMusic! Can you tell our readers a little about yourself and your music? Hey my name is Lamont Hawkins I was originally born in Michigan city Indiana but I moved to Atlanta when I was 5 and was raised in in the Marietta area my music right now is hip hop but my hope is that one day I can make that kind of viral music that touches the hearts and souls of people around the world not just people who like hip hop. What are some challenges you face during the production portion of creating a song? For me the must difficult part is the beginning getting the idea started once I get it started and I have theme and flow I’m able to roll like a boulder it just usually takes a hard push start. Tell us about “Focus” and how does the title reflect the theme of the song? Well the main thing I’m saying and my main point In the song is that I need to stop focusing on women and fake friends and I need to get my money right and focus on my passion this music and so since I said focus so many times in the hook it just made since to name the song focus. What motivated you to create “Focus”? Originally it was my grandma that motivated we’ve been going through a really rough time lately and we just lost our place in Atlanta and had to run all the way to Texas with relatives to even survive and I’ve been pursuing my music dream for so long but I haven’t really mad it anywhere because I wasn’t as focused as I should have been due to me being young and having attention did order that causes me to be impulsive and get distracted very easily. What's your favorite part about “Focus” and why? My favorite part is the beginning of my verse when I say “had to cut off the h*e she was thotty so I gave her to one of my n****s”.. There’s actually a long story behind that I started dating a girl and she left me to date one of my friends and so at the time it was something I said to make me feel better about losing my girl and a friend all at once. What’s next for you? What’s next for me is going to be experimenting with different genres and really expanding the amount and kinda of listeners I have my ultimate goal is not hip hop I just started there because I’m from Atlanta my real true dream and goal is to get into Pop and house and edm A little alternative country and rock my ultimate goal is to make the kind of music they use in people’s movies and touch hundreds of millions of views on YouTube my ultimate goal is a one billion views. Connect with MC Mont on social media! Instagram: www.instagram.com/officialmcmont4l Twitter: www.twitter.com/peso_mont #BuzzMusic

Tarik is a 25 year old businessman, college graduate, and rapper born raised in mobile Alabama. Initially, Tarik began writing music for fun in his early teenage years but he started taking it seriously in 2018. He always had a ear for good music due to coming from a musically inclined household and background. His father plays guitar and his older brother Maxx Payne is a well known musician and producer who has worked with various popular artists like YFN Lucci, Bankroll Fresh, Boosie, and many more. Smoke Tape Chronicles, a joint project with childhood friend, BIGSYX, was Tarik's first body of work released in the summer of 2018. Tarik has a broad variety of music influences ranging from Curren$y, Nipsey Hussle, Nas, to Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Erykah Badu, and Coltrane. Altogether, he cultivated and crafted his own individualistic style in cadence of those who inspired him. In his spare time, Tarik teaches people how to invest and create generational wealth. In addition to helping people with their finances Tarik enjoys traveling and has even been to Hong Kong and Costa Rica! And now that we’re on the topic of travels and geography, we took a listen to Tarik’s newest single titled “World Wide” which begins with an ethereal and stratospheric introduction. The beat reminds me similar to the lo-fi chilled rap we’re a fan of. It’s not the type of rap song to head bang to or blast in a club, but it’s the perfect hip-hop song to become consciously in tuned with the inverse lyrics. Tarik has delivered his verses with simplicity while projecting complex lyrics. The poignant record breathes life into its listeners by simply soothing their mood and creating a setting of relaxation and peace. It’s difficult to envision anybody listening to “World Wide” in a tensed mood. The song serves as a subdued electrolyte that could be used as our personal musical Gatorade to give us the energy we need in an oddly satisfying demeanor. Tarik exceeded past our expectations with this one, and we’re almost sure if he consistently continues to release addictive tunes like “World Wide” then we will most definitely be hearing a lot more from this mobile artist! Listen to “World Wide” here and get to know more about Tarik Hi there, welcome to BuzzMusic! Tell a little about yourself and how you started your career in music? I’m a 25 year old laid back guy from Mobile, Alabama about my business just trying to make my mark on the world and inspire others. I graduated with a Bachelors degree majoring in Accounting. I currently work in the financial services industry but I’ve always  loved music. My dad plays guitar and my brother is a music producer that’s worked with quite a few well known artists so music has always will been a big part of my life. I started writing at a young age but just recently started spending more time in the studio. The music is just in me so I’ve got to put it out. Tell us about “World Wide”. What’s the meaning behind it? World Wide is a fun upbeat track with a summer vibe. Basically this song is the introduction of me as an artist. In the song I let you know where I’m coming from which is the dirty south all the way down in Mobile, AL (we call it the Port City) Even though I’m from a small town in Alabama I’m trying to take this music World Wide. What inspired you to write this? Honestly it was the beat. It just had a dope vibe to it and felt epic. A legend by the name of Nas told us “The World is Yours” so not only do I want to make a name for myself in my city but the whole world. Any special moments in “World Wide” you thought best highlighted the theme of the song? There’s a line in the second verse “2016 I was all the way in Asia, smashed a broad from the motherland I’m way too playa”. Funny, but it’s actually a true story. I flew to HongKong for my 23rd birthday and ended up taking a ferry to Macau for a few days. I ended up meeting a girl from Africa at a nightclub and yeah... I’ll leave it at that Ha. What’s next for you Tarik? My first solo EP (Panoramic ) is dropping in May, God willing. The music is all done I’m just working on visuals and a marketing plan. Other than that I plan to keep stacking this money and taking risk, investing in myself. I think this is a really critical time in my life and I’m just trying to keep goin Up. Connect with Tarik on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/_jtarik Twitter: www.twitter.com/_jtarik Facebook: www.facebook.com/_jtarik

Richard Berger is a songwriter based out of Los Angeles, California. He’s originally from the east coast and has been writing and recording music for many years. In the early 90's, he had a band called the Shrinking Violets that played smaller venues in the East Village of New York City and New Jersey. He always kept his day job, and would always write for his own enjoyment whenever he found the time. Upon the realization that the internet made it so much easier to distribute your music independently, he made the move to sunny Los Angeles to connect with his audience. His first EP, “Not There”, was released in November of 2018 and is a collection of alt-rock songs with a strong focus on melody and hooks. Richard writes and plays everything himself in his home studio. He is a singer, keyboardist and guitarist. All of his music is mixed and mastered by John Melillo. “In My Head” is a recently released single by Richard Berger. There is an immediate sense of relaxing vibes, with the guitar setting the stage under the sultry and delicate vocals. The vocals themselves are pure, heartfelt, and have an unmistakable dream-like quality. The song is nicely arranged, with a great use of space and silence, complete with some electric piano accompanying the vocals. At just two minutes long, it’s impressive that Berger is able to captivate the listener and have them lost in their own thoughts in such a short amount of time. This is the sort of song you can easily have on repeat, and we highly recommend you give “In My Head” a listen today! Check out "In My Head" and read our exclusive interview with Richard Berger below! Hey Richard, thanks for chatting with us! To begin, would you mind describing your background and how you first got involved with music? The first music that I fell in love with as very young kid was by the Beatles and Beach Boys … and then artists like Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, and Steely Dan. I took piano lessons, but rebelled against the formal/classical “boring" lessons and structure of that and just started making up my own stuff. I began writing my first real songs during high school and started to get into home recording — This was back in the 80’s- I bought my first synthesizer and was using a sequencer and a 4-track multi-track recorder.  I continued to write during college and after graduating, I formed an original band called The Shrinking Violets to perform all the originals I wrote. We played mostly in the East Village in NY and some spots in NJ. I always kept my day job, but would write, record and play on week nights and weekends. You’re originally from the east coast, but you now reside in Los Angeles. How would you describe the differences in the music scenes between East and West? Hard for me to compare but I will say this… There was a pretty vibrant music scene going on in NY back in the early 90’s. There were so many bands shuffling on and off stages in the East Village to play 40 minute all original sets.  It was a great time. But I really only experienced that for a short time because after I finished grad school, my band broke up and I moved around a bit for work until finally settling in LA in 2005.  During that time, I focused more on my career and had a family so I just kept writing music and recording by myself whenever I had extra time.  I never really got a feel for the LA music scene because I didn’t perform live and only recently have started releasing music. Would you mind describing what your creative process looks like? How does your music all come together? For me, I always start with the music before lyrics. I generally start on my keyboard setting the mood with chord changes, feeling my way around. It is more organic for me that way. I use a sequencer to capture these ideas and to structure the song.  I then start singing melodies on top of the music until I find something that feels good.  At this point, I really have created the “vibe” for the song and I then focus on verbalizing what I feel when listening to it.  This ultimately results in lyrics that not only tell my story, but that also “fit" the song.  Then I go back to the various tracks and re-work the chord voicings, instrument patches, and refine the arrangement and final performances. Once I have everything in a good place, I send it to my friend John Melillo (in NY) who does the final mixing and mastering remotely. That said, I actually started writing “In My Head” on guitar first, and then pretty much followed the process above. You’ve released a single called “In My Head”. Would you say there is a meaning or message behind the music in this case? "In My Head”  is about a guy who "falls in love” or more accurately is infatuated with a woman who he doesn’t know very well…he just has this image of her that he has built up in his own mind. He is pretty sure that in reality, she isn’t in to him so he plays it safe and just dreams about her instead. It may not be real, but he somehow can have moment of happiness with her in his imagination.  In the chorus section, there is a trippy, psychedelic dream sequence which takes place in his imagination. What’s on the horizon for you, Richard? Any grand plans? Probably not any grand plans… I have a new single “All the Love” coming out on April 12 and several songs in the pipeline.  I am planning to release a new single every 2-3 months leading up to an album later this year. I am really just enjoying writing and putting my music out there… and ultimately, if someone else connects with my music, that’s great. Connect with Richard Berger on social media! Instagram: www.instagram.com/rberger25 Twitter: www.twitter.com/rberger25 #BuzzMusic

Born and raised from the “hyphy” bay areas of Oakland and Sacramento California, Rno Gudah is bringing “good music” back to our ears! He released his single “Impatient Remix” with an introduction giving a shout out to his friends and his city, showing his humble side he begins paying homage to the popular record “Impatient” by Jeremih. We were instantly a fan of the song due to us personally loving the original and we were wondering how Rno would switch this record into his own personal style and he delivered! Keeping the highlighting melody of the hook up to the known falsettos, he delivers a rapid, usain-bolt like flow while remaining on beat, clocking his listeners with his bars, and sustaining note-worthy breath control. The fused together elements of hip-hop and Rno makes this a vibe many people will love! In my opinion, when people listen to an original they already love, they’re prone to wonder how the artist is going to turn the song into their own. Rno Gudah impressed us thoroughly with how he presented his unique flare and individuality to a mainstream record. We could definitely context that this specific style of music is the lane for him. He instantly brought an urge of joy on his listener and we’re assured he’s going to be the artist who brings back “feel good” music in today’s culture. Listen to “Impatient Remix” here and get to know more about Rno Gudah Hey, welcome to BuzzMusic! Can you tell our readers about yourself and your music? Hello my name is Rno gudah born in Oakland raised Sacramento thank you for all love What are some challenges you found yourself facing in remixing a popular hit? The problem I had faced was me perfecting my own unique sound What inspired you to pick “Impatient” to remix? What made me do it was Drako the Ruler how he rapped. But in my own way In your artist point of view, what’s your favorite part about the entire song as a whole? I just really loved how the song came together especially the course What’s next for you? My New Mixtape out on all platforms in a day or two. Connect with Rno Gudah on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/rno_gudah

Riley Phillips is a 16 year old singer and songwriter from Roanoke, Virginia. Now a junior, Phillips fell in love with songwriting as a sophomore in high school. His single, “15”, tells his story of the first time music sparked his interest, and his gratefulness for that new found love. Riley’s ultimate goal is to tell stories with his music and share his passion with the world, and he is certainly grateful for the opportunity to do so. “15” is a simple and wonderfully relaxing song. With just guitar and voice, there is no clutter in the arrangement. The themes of the song seem to focus on the artist’s youth and his journey through life discovering a passion for music. These themes come across effortlessly, and there is a certain poised quality to this young man’s voice. Phillips never seems to have to try too hard to express himself, and this genuine style is something perhaps our modern music industry is missing. This young artist, at just 16 years of age, has a treasure trove of talent, and we can’t wait to see what else he does with it. Give “15” a listen today, and support this young talent! Listen to “15” here and get to know more about Riley Phillips Hey Riley, thanks for chatting with us! You’re a resident of Roanoke, Virginia. How would you describe the overall music scene there? Hey, thank you guys for the chance I’ve always dreamed of having the opportunity to do interviews and I’m really excited to get to do one! Roanoke’s music scene is really great! I really just got myself involved with it last summer where I started playing a couple of open mics around town. The musicians I’ve met at these are some of my favorite people, they’re all very supportive even at my first open mic when I was shaking with my acoustic guitar playing Ed Sheeran covers and messing up every 5 seconds there was support. The genres that I’ve been exposed to have really been inspirational as well, from old fashion garage bands to rappers to straight up blues guys it’s all just a bunch of musicians supporting and listening to each other. The audience that comes out to these open mics is also amazing everyone really likes to listen to music and they’re all extremely friendly people. I even had my first gig a few months ago and several musicians I’d met through the open mics showed up to support me it really is an awesome community. Would you mind briefly describing your background and how it is you first got involved with music and songwriting? Growing up I spent a lot of time with the kids in my neighborhood. We’d spend hours on Sunday nights just walking around together or playing games and a lot of the lyrics in my song “15” came from memories of those times. The story of how I got involved into songwriting is actually kind of funny. When I was in 5th grade we had an assignment to come up with a way to convey something we had learned in math, so me and a few friends decided we’d make a song. In the 2012 version of GarageBand we remixed Justin Timberlake’s “Suit and Tie” into a song about math. I wrote and sang it and never really stopped writing songs after that. I always tried to write them growing up but it took a certain age for me to have gone through enough things to write a song that I felt was something people would relate to and wasn’t inherently awful. Guitar I picked up in November 2017, I taught myself off YouTube and just poured hours and hours a day into it and still do constantly play every day it’s something I instantly fell in love with. You’ve been at this for a short time, but you’ve already written and released a single. How would you describe your journey into music? My journey into making music really started when I began with the guitar. After I had learned the basic chords and could play a little I started writing full music in January of 2018. I had a lot of songs that I just made and was too scared to release, I went back to using GarageBand for most of the year, although now I use Ableton. I think the speed of me getting into things really came from a one place. My mom was one of the best musicians in her class when she was in high school, she played viola and while in high school she was playing with colleges. I think I have to have gotten some natural ability from her. Another thing that really helped us just support from my family and the people around me I’ve never had someone tell me they don’t think I can do it and my family is very supportive of me doing it which really has given me more confidence in making it. Who would you describe as your biggest artistic influences? Artistically my biggest influences I would say are John Mayer and Ed Sheeran. When I first got started on guitar almost all of the songs I learned where Ed Sheeran and that just pulled me fully into guitar and making music. The person who “15” is about actually introduced me to John Mayer, maybe two months into guitar I started learning Slow Dancing in A Burning Room. That song was miles above my skill level at the time but I kept trying to learn it no matter what. It took months for me to get it but once I did that brought me into a more electric and blues style of guitar. That style is something I really try to bring to my music not necessarily blues but that guitar influence in things like solos. Another genre as a whole that really got my was R&B the spirit that whole genre carries has really inspired me especially artists like The Weeknd and Drake. Another album I listened to a lot is Frank Ocean’s “Channel Orange” which it seems like I find a different inspiration from every time I listen. Anne Marie is another artist I’ve really come to love and her song “2002” was one where the idea of this song came from along with songs like “Castle on The Hill” by Ed Sheeran and “Sixteen” by Thomas Rhett, what I really wanted to do was tell a story about a time in my life that gave me a lot of the things I write about and has been a major part of my life. What can we hope to see from you in the future, Riley? In the future there’s definitely going to be a lot more music from me. I really make it because I’m just a kid that wants to be heard and these songs are me screaming out to the world and telling my story and saying what I want need to say. Music is such a great outlet for me that I think it will always be a part of my life. For 2019 I’m definitely planning on releasing a few more songs I’m not quite sure how many yet but I’ve definitely got plenty of ideas and I’m hoping to feature on a few things I love playing music with anyone I can even if it’s just a guitar solo. Another goal of mine is to have an album out before I graduate from high school in May of 2020; however, I think I need to develop a bit more artistically before I do that. I’ll definitely have something out before we hit fall though and I’m really excited to keep making music and I just hope people keep listening. Thank you guys so much for the interview opportunity again this means the world to me. Connect with Riley Phillips on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/rileyphillipssongs Twitter: www.twitter.com/rileycphillips

C.J. May is a 23-year-old guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from Los Angeles, California. Although his first single “Me and Your Mama” is a cover of a Childish Gambino song, and not intended to act as a statement on the entirety of his sound, or the musical direction he's headed in, it is clear that C.J. May is a true rock and roller at heart. His guitar work switches between bluesy vintage distortion and hypnotic delays. The highlight is his passionate vocals which sound like a cross between The Glorious Sons and Led Zeppelin. They shine through effortlessly and his high notes make you feel like his heart's in his hand while he bleeds out of his chest. Complimenting C.J. May is his backing band, The Paperboys, who help this song sound like it was performed live in a tiny basement rehearsal space. In other words, it's as raw and truthful as rock and roll can possibly get. The rhythm section transitions between soft gospel and hard hitting garage rock, almost reminiscent of The Black Keys. If there's any indication from listening to this cover song, it's that C.J. May is here to stay and he's always got something to say. Check out "Me and Your Mama". Read more about C.J. May in our interview below! Hey there! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your music? I started playing guitar when I was 11, started singing when I was 16, and writing music at 18. I’m self taught so my approach to music is personal and somewhat unconventional. I grew up mainly on blues and classic rock, but was exposed to various styles of music along the way. My music is a culmination of various genres, all while hoping to create something fresh and original. What made you decide to cover this song? I decided to cover this song because I love it.  Also I thought it would sound interesting coming from a three piece rock band. Who are your biggest influences? My biggest influences are Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and The Who, and many many others. Who are the other members of your band and how did you meet them? I consider this group more of a solo project, but I’m lucky to have friends that are proficient in both bass and drums, and we’re happy to make up the rhythm section. What's next for you through 2019? In 2019 I’ll be releasing a few singles, all originals. Then I hope to top it off with an EP by the end of the year. Connect with C.J. May on social media! Instagram: www.instagram.com/cjmaymusic Facebook: www.facebook.com/cjmaymusic #BuzzMusic

“Girl you know I'ma set the mood right, You be so fine you be looking so nice”, with lyrics like that we know all too well what BIL¥EN is promising with this track, and he delivers. This smooth, suave R&B track offers subtle, dreamy beats and hypnotic lyrics. The main character in this song is a hopeless romantic who can’t seem to pry himself away from these femme fatales who take advantage of his gifts of love and affection, which only contributes to his mounting frustration and heartache. BIL¥EN is a musician based in Toronto, Canada who shows us with his quirky lyrics and flowy verses, his ability to go against the flow and introduce some fresh sounds to the city. This fun loving artist is quoted describing himself as “someone that likes to have fun, whether it’s with my homies or my grandmother”. Que the ‘aww’s’! BIL¥EN hopes his music paints a vivid picture in your mind as you nod your head along and brings a smile to your face. We are defiantly smiling after listening to “Promises”. Stream this new, fresh track today! Listen to “Promises” here and get to know more about BIL¥EN below Can you tell us a bit about your latest single “Promises” and the meaning behind the song? My latest single, Promises, is really for the ladies. Letting them know they can feel safe with me and that I'm "looking for a ring" not a fling type deal. I also wanted to drive home another point is that I grew up in a part of the GTA where it was just quiet suburbs surrounding high and elementary schools. So I grew up not having picked up any social baggage, no gangs, no crazy ex's. Just a few Asian mama spankings here and there with either a rainbow duster, plastic hangers or chopsticks... Where does your song ideas come from and what is the process you go through to bring them to formation? There are three ways I generally come up with song ideas. First would be if I heard a beat, mumble some jibberish and fill in the words. Second, if I can't stop whistling or humming a hooky melody under my breath I voice note it. Third, if I thought about a topic and wrote 2-4 bars that are juicy punchlines the rest of the song would usually bang. Then I'd bring these ideas to my producer, Matt Law. Then he vibes to it and does his magic, touch up lyrics and bam, that's the track. Most of the time I put myself in the space where my lyrics are headed in my head, almost like I'm daydreaming myself being in the position of the song I'm writing. Where would I be? What do I see? Smell? Hear? Feel? These can all be major BARS haha. You mentioned you want to break out of the “Asian shell”. Do you feel that plays a strong role in the content you are releasing? This heavily influences the content I'm releasing. I don't want to generalize but I feel a lot of my friends, whom are Asian, are often discouraged to follow their artistic paths being who they are. I aspire to become someone who can show other Asians and non-asians that there is a promise in pursuing art. I want to continue to release all sorts of different types of sounds going forward from pop, rap, EDM you name it. I just want to show that if I can achieve this, anyone can as well. You seem like a fun, kind person, what does it mean to be able to bring your music to the masses and what are you hoping they feel from your music? What it means to me is that they enjoy it and I sincerely hope that when they hear my music they understand that I'm just having fun with it all. I try to have my songs as visual as possible, from the lyrics to adlibs to any sound choices. I know those types of lyrics are the most powerful for me personally. I don't care to get all technical and clinical with what "music" should be. I just wanna be carefree and vibe! What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming year? I'm excited in releasing the songs I'm sitting on for everyone! Then start doing shows when my discography is a little bigger. I also just got out of film school so I'm looking forward in directing my own first music video. Right now, I can't wait to keep putting out music. I don't even care if a million people like it. As long as I can jam to it with a friend, that's what's fun to me. But hey, the more the merrier! Connect with BIL¥EN on social media instagram.com/bilyenn twitter.com/bilyenn facebook.com/bilyenn