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Rags and Riches is a pop-rock band hailing from Lexington, Kentucky. With their adrenalized and American sound, the band originally consisted of brothers Tanner and Peyton Whitt. After months of writing together, they added their long-time friends Gabe Adkins and Seth Shirley. Over the past two years, the band has discovered their unique sound, identity and aesthetic. While Lexington is their home base, and where they’ve recorded two albums, they’ve also set up shop in Louisville, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee working alongside multiple producers and engineers, including two time Grammy Award winner Tedd Tjornhom (Celine Dion - Ashes (from "Deadpool 2" Motion Picture Soundtrack), for King & Country, Mutemath). BuzzMusic is thrilled to release a new single by Rags and Riches, “Speed of Sound”. The song immediately hooks you in with the first verse. The vocals draw you in with their magnetic charm, and the rest of the band grooves along seamlessly. This is a band that isn’t afraid to experiment with unconventional sounds either, with their guitar sometimes sounding like a powerful buzz saw. The arrangements are thoughtful and complex, and the band as a whole play together with an immense amount of composure. This is a great single from a polished sounding group. We recommend you give “Speed of Sound” a spin! Don't miss out on Rags and Riches new single "Speed of Sound" and add it to your Spotify playlist! Keep scrolling to read the bands exclusive interview! Hey guys, it's great to chat with you! You guys have moved around a bit, but being originally formed in Lexington, how would you describe the music scene there? Lexington is pretty saturated with Country and Folk music but there is a growing scene with a lot of genres represented. Can you briefly describe your process for writing music? How do you go from ideas to fully fledged songs? Honestly, it's different for every song. Sometimes one of us will have a voice memo with a lyric or melody or Peyton (Drummer/Producer) may have a specific sound that evolves to a full song from there. Who do you guys look up to as artists for inspiration or influence? We are really into twenty one pilots, Judah & the Lion, The Band Camino, and Imagine Dragons right now. All of us personally have tons of influences that really comes out when we create our songs. Is there a meaning or message in particular behind your new single, “Speed of Sound”? Make every moment count. Life moves very fast and you have to make time work for you. What can we hope to see from RAGS AND RICHES in the future? More music. More tours. More Energy. We are the future. Connect with the Rags and Riches via their website and social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter #BuzzMusic

All the way from Prince George County Maryland is the newest rap prodigy who goes by the name Toga Doin Work inspired by a documentary his favorite player Kobe Bryant did with Spike Lee called Toga Doin Work. He released his single titled “Snoop (Turn Up The Heat)” and I can definitely say right now that I will be adding this banger to my personal rap playlists! The addicting hook is just one of the many highlighting factors of the song. With an aggressive bass and super dope trap aesthetic, his catchy hook becomes addictive due to how the beat help enhances the delivery. Toga Doin Work gets the job done with witty lyricism and attractive bars that we can find ourselves un-subconsciously repeating. Although Toga Doin Work is an artist who likes to explore different type of vibes and sounds-making it difficult to categorize him in one specific genre, he embodies the entire hip-hop culture today and knows how to cultivate the trendy sounds into his unique artistry. “Snoop” is a song I can see myself riding around listening too simply because the beat goes so hard alongside his contextual flow. Don't miss out and add "Snoop" to your Spotify playlist now! Connect with Toga Doin Work on his Instagram and Twitter! #BuzzMusic

Suagee, the cousin of the late DOE. B, is an appealing and interesting artist who was born in Montgomery, Alabama. At the early age of just 15 he was signed with a local label called “Flame Ent”. He has performed with a wide range of different artists who helped collaborated on dope sound that’s sure to leave its marks on listeners! His new single titled “Wait A Minute” was everything but predictable! What I loved most about this was the catchy and addictive hook that highlighted his real cool southern accent. “Wait a minute wait a minute, hold on playa, what you think you doing mane” it reminds me of those popular vines me and my friends use to repeat all the time throughout high school. Suagee has this grimy rap flare that’s authentic to him and adds a stylistic detail to a typical hip-hop hit. He embodies the culture of rap by influencing his own unique persona within and it’s highly noticeable in “Wait A Minute”. Suagee’s “Wait A Minute” is an atypical rap hit, unorthodox from your regular music. You can most definitely tell he’s in his own lane and doesn’t shy too far away from creating a mainstream appeal. If you fiending for a new style of rap instead of the cultural norm of autotune and useless lyrics, then you might want to get a glimpse of this talented artist and his undeniable consistent hit making skills! Be sure to check out "Wait A Minute" here, and get to know the artist a little better through their exclusive interview below! What inspired you to go by the stage name Suagee? My name is Suagee is the contraction of suave gangster... suave G... suagee.Some know me to be a little on the rough side and there are others who think I am just as smooth and Suave off as the day is long. So my name head to describe me and be unique at the same time. To this day I wear it well only more evolved. Tell us a little bit about your first record deal when you were 15. Do you notice any major improvements from your talent back then to your skills now? What I took as my first serious record deal was with a company called Flame Entertainment . I was originally discovered by a great producer/DJ by the name of Freddie D Incredible Smith along with Reginald Tino Brooks. Those guys had me at venues ,shows and places that I had never even heard of before. They groom me well as a youngster and motivated me along with a great deal of knowledge for the business. Because of them a great deal of what I do and how I handle myself is implemented in the way I handle my business now. Even though we are not to gather we are still together flame on!!! What is “Wait A Minute”  about? It’s more so about some of the hard times that I had in my life. When going through these times I would always sit back and think to myself of how I would overcome whatever objection that was presented to me at that particular time be it a physical object, a man , woman or just a simple mental challenge. Along my journey so far they were individuals who had an opportunity to treat me a lot better than what they probably did at that particular time and instead of allowing it to crash me I allowed it to motivate me. So it is just me re-delivering that motivated energy in hopes that someone else who is down and out and may be going through something will be able to hear this song and be motivated appropriately themselves. We have all had those moments where we have had to ask an individual to hold up a second and let’s talk about what it is that you are trying to do because it just doesn’t feel right for me. Especially when you catch an individual in the act of trying to wrong you and you correct them right there on the spot.” Wait a minute wait a minute “ ...  hold up playa what do you think you doing man! You have plans of going into acting and comedy as well! Have you had any auditions for either form of art yet? I have not really had a formal opportunity to audition for either art just yet but informally if you know me you would understand why people are dying for me to venture into comedy and acting is just normal for me. Hopefully soon the opportunity to showcase my other talents will grace your presence sooner than we think ( hint...hint ) stayed tuned. What can we expect from you through 2019? 2019 is destined to be a GREAT year for me. Currently working on a book that will be titled Suagee “ THE FAILURE THAT FAIL TO FAIL “ which there is already talk of the movie with me doing the soundtrack also. Being able showcase some of my other talents as well as discovering new ways to do my part of giving back to the people in ways that it won’t just help them right then but will help them for life. I can’t go into a great deal of details on that but I can assure you it will be great! If I’m able to establish my label to the point where I can give some of this great undiscovered talent a chance then I definitely want to be a part of that ... trust me I know the feeling! Connect and keep up to date with Suagee on the artists Instagram! #BuzzMusic

Divi is an emerging artist from Toronto, Canada that’s bringing a variety of sounds and flavors to the table. Born in Toronto, raised in Jamaica, Divi produces an ear-catching sound fusing several elements together. Never afraid to speak his mind,Divi is all about speaking the truth through his music while painting a picture in his listeners’ minds. With a brand new single, “Boss $tatus”, Divi is presenting a catchy tune with a thoughtful arrangement. From the moment the song starts, my attention was captured. The beats are captivating and complex, the synths are varied and sit comfortably with everything else around it. The arrangement is well put together, using several elements and sounds working together in tandem. The vocals are free flowing with plenty of swagger, attitude and confidence. This single is full of hooks that are sure to become earworms, and Divi is confidently expressing his talents with every phrase. With Divi's new single “Boss $tatus”, it’s clear that we can expect great things in the future from this young rising star. Listen to the fresh new hit "Boss $tatus" from Divi here. Hey Divi, great to chat with you! First of all, how did you get involved with music and creating your own songs? I’ve always been an artist at heart. I’ve always loved & paid attention to music even when I was a little kid. I started free styling and writing a little bit around 15. I always had friends encouraging me to make songs. I started taking music seriously after I turned 19. I linked up with a couple old friends who had a studio. They produced beats and I was producing hooks and verses, making songs from scratch. Living in Toronto, how would you describe the music scene there? Living in Toronto is a huge blessing to me. It’s where I feel at home, so it’s where I work the best. The whole city is a vibe and the music scene is always popping. There are always opportunities to create new vibes. A lot of my supporters are from here so I have to appreciate the music scene. You were raised in Jamaica. Do you feel that your upbringing there had an influence on the way you make your music? Yeah for sure. I have experienced a lot from being in Jamaica & that influenced myself and my music all together. Sometimes I do catch myself speaking in patois in some of my verses. Which artists do you look up to for influence or inspiration? I mostly listen to my own music for inspiration. I’m always trying to better my sound as well. I look at different artists for motivation also. Artists like Future, JCole & Kanye are all I listened to through high school. They’ve influenced the way I hear music. I influence the way I make music the most. What can we hope to see from you in the future, Divi? This year I’m in my bag with the music. I have a music video I’m planning to release soon & an EP that’s in the works right now. We will see big things from Divi in the future! Connect with Divi on social media: Instagram Twitter #BuzzMusic

Aaron Salem is a rapper, singer, songwriter and actor. Salem is a Cuban/Canadian who was born and raised in Miami, Florida. At the age of 12, Aaron Salem started writing music as an escape from his sister’s drug addiction and the turmoil he was experiencing at home. After a 12 year battle with drug addiction, his sister died from an overdose on April 19th, 2014. This incident fueled Aaron with more drive and purpose towards his musical career. At his first event in Miami, there were so many fans that it had to be shut down due to overcrowding. With Salem’s vast catalogue of music videos, his “Only Way Out” EP and his extensive social media presence, he has a diverse following with fans from North America, Australia and Europe. BuzzMusic is happy to release Aaron Salem’s single, “It Is What It Is”. This song is catchy and modern with an old-school Cuban feel, coming together to make a catchy tune with a great balance of old and new. The beat features a sample of a nylon string guitar which makes it easy to hear how Miami’s Cuban influences have rubbed off on this artist. The vocals are rhythmic and poetically delivered with tons of emotion and attitude. At times the percussion stops and the backup vocals enter, creating a lush and rich texture. All of this contributes to a thoughtfully written song, and we encourage everyone to listen to “It Is What It Is”. Listen to Aaron Salem's new single "It Is What It Is" here. Hi Aaron! Did you grow up in Miami? How would you generally describe the music scene there? Yeah, I grew up in Miami. The music scene here is always popping though! There’s studios pretty much all over. From Major studios to people re-designing their entire house to try and be the next big time studio. Everyone wants to be a rapper here, but I stand out with my own sound, so I don’t think I have competition. Did you ever get formal training in music or did you figure all of this out for yourself? Naw, this is something I figured out on my own. I was 11 when I started writing. YouTube wasn’t around like that, so I used to memorize Eminem’s songs (who I idolized) and wrote songs a-cappella with the flow of one of his beats in my head. Who are some of the artists that you look up to for inspiration and influence? Em’ really got me started cause I went through a lot of trauma in my childhood, and I related to him a lot. Drake really broadened my ear when he came out, I was in High School. Take Care is still one of my favorite albums. And J. Cole always reminds me that you can make something mainstream without talking about all the cliche stuff lol. You’re open about your sister and her struggles with addiction and music as your own way to escape from the hardships of real life. Is this something that has a big influence on your music and creative process? Yes, this also shaped me a lot as a person. It made me really strict on my myself as a kid to become something because I didn’t want to feel like the second screw up to my parents. It made me put a wall up, but that wall also made me push through all the hard times. Music was my escape from reality, but also my inspiration for a new life. What can we hope to see from you throughout 2019? 2019 is going to be a great year! This is the first time that we have all the music and music videos ready before they’re even released. We’re planning on dropping some pretty major campaigns behind them, so don’t be surprised if something goes platinum. I wouldn’t be. Connect with Aaron Salem on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter #BuzzMusic

Times Like These is a group from the suburbs of New York City with a fresh take on classic pop punk. This dynamic group consists of vocalist Mike Acampora, bassist Zach Dyer, guitarist Eddie Giuffo and drummer Cody Omage. Times Like These has toured up and down the east coast, wooing fans with their energetic and passionate performances. With their new EP mixed by Rian Dawson of All Time Low, Times Like These continue to make an indelible mark on the music scene and those who have heard them play. BuzzMusic is proud to present a fresh single, “Take Me Home”. With a drum beat that sounds like an unmistakable call to action, this song starts with a build up into a bombastic and catchy chorus. Times Like These presents such a polished sound it seems like these four musicians have been playing together for many years. The lyrics are thoughtfully presented and the band all support the vocalist phenomenally. The middle of the song provides an ever-shifting arrangement which builds up to the final gratifying chorus. “Take Me Home” is a great performance that nails the nostalgic pop punk atmosphere perfectly. Listen to "Take Me Home" here! Hi guys! Great to chat with you! Can you tell us how you all met and formed Times Like These? Thanks for having us! Zach, Eddie and I (Mike) all met early in school, but it wasn’t until awhile after we graduated that we decided to peruse a band together. Which suburbs are you all from in New York City? How would you generally describe the music scene there today? We’re all from Long Island, and to to be honest, the music scene here is killing it!! There are shows all the time and everyone is super supportive of each other. It’s really wonderful. Can you describe a little bit what your writing process is like? It really depends honestly. We usually start with a rhythm and from there I build lyrics and melodies, which makes it easier to write leads and drums, so it all kinda gets put together piece by piece. Do you have a particular message behind your single “Take Me Home”? I wouldn’t say there’s a particular message behind Take Me Home. It’s more of a story about love at first sight and the early stages of love and lust. I guess if there is any message though it would be that things seem to find you when you’re not looking for them! Looking beyond your new EP, what’s in the future for Times Like These? We’re always writing new music so obviously more music will be coming out but right now touring is our main priority! Connect with Times Like These on social media: Instagram Facebook Website #BuzzMusic

Avise is a multi-faceted artist from Singapore who is comfortable in many genres. Realizing that the scope of the music industry in Singapore was limiting, Avise is hustling his best game to independently bring his music to a more international stage. His influences include the likes of Michael Jackson, Yuna Zarai and Kehlani. BuzzMusic presents Avise’s latest single, “Ringing Your Line”. This track begins with an all too familiar voicemail message which is seamlessly transitions into the soothing synths and crisp drum beats that follow. The simple arrangements of the drums and synths allow the vocals to shine through with a soulful intensity. Each verse builds seamlessly with the ever-changing rhythmic quality of the vocals, and each chorus is a welcome return to the hook. Avise is a promising artist who has created his own unique lane in the music industry, and we look forward to what he dreams up for the future! Listen to Avise's new single "Ringing Your Line" here! Learn more about Avise below with our exclusive interview below. Can you briefly describe how you got into music and songwriting? Well I've always had a thing for music since I was young but I never thought that I'd actually pursue it in the first place. It took a long time before I've actually decided that I wanted to make something out of myself through music. I've always been a big supporter of Yuna Zarai who is from Malaysia and knowing that she managed to make her music be known across the internet through Myspace and land a record deal with Fader Label in 2011, a US independent record label, sparked a fire in me to finally choose to do music though I still wasn't familiar with any instruments. I'm also a huge supporter of Michael Jackson and he played a big role in inspiring me to do music too. I slowly learned how to play the guitar and the keyboard by myself through online guides on Youtube whenever I have the time. I started to learn how to sing but it was awful at the start because I wasn't naturally a born singer. I just kept on practicing every day. I started mimicking voices of artists such as Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and a lot of other artists while in the process of trying to find my own voice. In 2018, I started taking up vocal lessons to learn proper vocal techniques and also to cancel out all of the bad habits. With the lessons, I slowly began picking up songwriting but it was never a smooth process. I'd have writer's block every time and I didn't really have an idea of what to write about because I was just starting off. At times, I felt like giving it all up but I chose to kept pushing the boundaries to see where I'll be at. After countless of hours and months, I started to see drastic improvements in my vocals and also, songwriting. This made me inspired and because I kept on writing and writing just about anything, ideas just started flowing naturally into my head and to the pen. At that point, I already had a song in mind but I knew I needed somebody else to work with. A producer who understands and knows exactly what I want in my songs. I got to know my current producer through a friend of mine who gave me his Instagram and I sent him a direct message. We talked and I sent him a lot of covers just to get him to work with me which eventually he did. After months of figuring out the music together, we came out with 2 tracks and we still have countless in the works. I was never a naturally born talent in music but I believed my patience and hard work have helped me to get closer to where I want to be and with the aid of my producer working closely beside me, the future is boundless. Growing up in Singapore, what was the music scene like there? To be completely honest, the music scene isn't big at all. A lot of local musicians and really talented individuals be it in any creative craft are not recognized because people here are more focused on education, securing jobs and getting as many certificates as possible. Not that I'm saying that is all bad but the creative and artistic side in the country is totally neglected. We still do have gigs and live performances over here but you can never compare the crowd to the ones overseas. It is a drastic difference. Most of the musicians who are successful now from Singapore are the ones who made the choice to do music outside of it. Would you describe your process of writing songs? How I get ideas for writing up songs at this point is that it just comes to me. I can just be lying on my bed, about to go to sleep and the idea just kicks in. I'll write it down on the notepad on my phone and record the vocal melody for it using the voice recorder on my phone as well and I'll wake up the next day and just start working on it. I'll usually focus on the chorus/hook part of the song because that is where all the energy is in so I want to put my whole focus on it first just so I get the best out of it. Once I'm done with that, I'll write the verse and then the pre-chorus and lastly, the bridge if there is any. Another process of writing songs for me would be working directly with my producer on it. He would listen to my vocal melody line and make a skeletal instrumental for it and we would both be writing the song together and it'd be done in a couple of days. You have a new single called "Ringing Your Line", is there a meaning or message behind this song? I wanted to relate to people who has been in this situation whereby the guy puts the girl in a very unfair situation and just completely breaks her down because she had all of her hopes up that he is the one that she should be with for the rest of her life but he was just leading her on all these while. It's just a toxic relationship because at the end of the day, the guy will regret his choices and try to reconcile and the girl will come back but after a few times, she'll definitely just give up and leave. My obvious message would be for guys, don't be a douchebag and as for girls, if you feel like you're the only one just giving the relationship a 100%, most of the time, it's never going to work out. What can we hope to see from you in the future? Definitely more creative and quality music. I'm expanding my catalogue with different genres so you can always expect me to come out with a different vibe. I'm in the works of trying to break myself out into the international scene. I do know that the music business market is completely saturated at this point but I believe that I do have what it takes to be the next one up. I want to show to the world that you can be from any part of this earth and still achieve whatever that you want in life and inspire people on a massive scale. Connect with Avise on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter #BuzzMusic

What better start your week with Alli5on's new hit single. "Fugazi" released on March 15, 2019, will provide you with a way to unwind, chill and help you gear up for the busy week ahead. When life gets busy, we love to zone out the world by putting on our headphones or cranking up your speakers and listening to your favorite music - "Fugazi" is definitely a song you're going to want to add to your favorite playlists! Set to ambient purrs and a pulsating beat, ‘Fugazi’ will send cascading vibes of release through your ears and down your spine. Alli5on’s soft, spellbinding voice hooks you on to this chilled R&B number. The song will have you pleasantly day dreaming, lifting you above your daily grind. Alli5on, born Allison Lynne Farler is a singer/songwriter born in Lim, OH. For fellow astrology lovers out there, Alli5on has used the pseudoscience in both her name and latest EP: “The Fifth House.” Alli5on was born a Leo and Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the zodiac, hence the importance of the numeral five. Her star sign has seemingly bled into her music; her soulful, creative, passionate and warm hearted aurora shines through in her compositions. "Fugazi" is available today for your streaming pleasure! Listen to "Fugazi" here and check out our new interview with Alli5on below! Hi Alli5on, it was a treat to listen to your latest single ‘Fugazi’, I admit I did need to look up what Fugazi meant. Can you tell your listeners what it means and how your chose to use it in your song? Fugazi means ‘fake’. I chose to use it in the song because I really wanted to say “you’re faker than fake” but in a different way, and “fugazi” fit that role. You’re clearly very spiritual, from your name to your latest EP “The fifth house”, how does that influence your writing and song creation? Yes, that always influences my songwriting. I want to write about things that mean something to me, but also that people can relate to. I know I am not alone in many experiences when I am talking about love or lust. The Fifth House is the house of creativity, romance and pleasure, so I really wanted to depict that in each song in some way. What atmosphere do you create for yourself when composing? A very peaceful and calm atmosphere. I love candles, incense and privacy. I don’t like there to be many people if any around while recording. Who would you say are your biggest musical influences are? What pieces of them do you feel lends to your music creation? My biggest musical influences are Mariah Carey, Sza, and Solange. In my lifetime, I think I’ve listened to more Mariah than anything else. Growing up, my oldest brother would play her albums NON STOP! Her songwriting is unmatched. I love SZA because she is truly the one who gave me the confidence to make music of my own. Her “Z” album really inspired me that you can create and be yourself and still be great. I love Solange because she is so original. Her creativity is so inspiring. Now that you’ve relocated to LA to further your career, what are you most looking forward to that this city can offer? Collaboration and performing. Those are the 2 things that I need to progress in as an artist. It’s very inspiring to be here in LA because there are so many talented people. I really just want to learn and collaborate as much as possible. Connect with Alli5on on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter #BuzzMusic

Ajia Clark is a singer and songwriter from Colorado. In 2007, after a gig as a backup singer, she decided to embark on her own solo career. Her roots are firmly placed in rhythm & blues, but she also draws inspiration from artists such as Etta James, Jill Scott, Tina Turner, and Lauryn Hill. Ajia grew up in a musical family and started her career through her friends who were performing in and around Nashville, where her growing reputation caused one audience member to ask “Who’s the new girl with the old school sound?” Currently, she is recording an album called “Finally Ajia”. BuzzMusic is proud to present Ajia Clark’s fresh single, “Ooo La La”. Immediately, this song recalls old-school vibes, with a melancholic piano chord progression in the intro. These nostalgic feelings continue with the vocals, harkening back to the fabulous singers that Ajia is influenced by. The vocals are scintillating and soulful, and the accompaniment reminiscent of a jazz trio, all of which make this song a modern take on something you could easily hear in an old school jazz club. With this mature and developed musical direction, we look forward to Ajia’s upcoming album, and encourage you to listen to her fabulous single, “Ooo La La”. Listen to Ajia Clark's new song "Ooo La La" here and check out our interview with Ajia below! Hi Ajia! Can you describe your background and how you got into music and songwriting? I grew up a poor kid and my music and my poetry were my daily escape from the world. I’ve always been in choir and band.  I got into music and songwriting on a professional note once I connected with some Nashville songwriters and artists. You have a lot of old-school vibes to your music. Would you attribute some of that to your upbringing? Did anyone in your family sing or play any instruments? I absolutely would attribute my vibe to my upbringing. I come from a family of talented musicians and singers. My father’s a singer/musician , my auntie was a Seattle jazz elite may she Rest In Peace and my brother is a phenomenal singer as well. I was lucky enough to grow up with a father who himself was a singer and made sure we were exposed to all kinds of different music all the time. On road trips we’d listen to Anita Baker whom is still one of my favorite artists to this day all the way to the other side of the music fence with ZZ Top. How would you describe your writing process? I let the music tell me what to do. The music will never steer you wrong. You just gotta open up and let it drive. Let it’s vibe sink into you. Do you have a meaning or message behind your single, “Ooo La La”? “Ooo La La” is a song about that good thang not “thing” but thaaang haha and how they make you feel. What does the future look like for Ajia Clark? The future is looking very very promising for Ajia Clark. I’ve got my album I’m working on coming out and a special project with some seriously talented and well known cats in the works as well. I also have a cut on a great country artists album coming out as well. I’m super excited about all of it! Connect with Ajia Clark on social media: Facebook Instagram Website #BuzzMusic

Hailing from Richmond Hill, Canada, Jay Dee has established her band as a high-voltage and spell-binding group. She has played at festivals such as Wintersong, Markham Village, Markham Ribfest, and has also graced some of Toronto’s premium venues such as the Hideout, C’est What, to name a few. She has recently released her debut EP, “Smiling Face”, featuring four original songs that transcend one particular genre. Jay Dee is a live act that is sure to impress with her versatility, creativity, and boundless energy. BuzzMusic is excited to share Jay Dee’s new single, “Smiling Face”, the title-track on her recently released EP. This energetic single is an example of Jay Dee’s genre-bending versatility. Beginning with a peppy ukulele chord progression, this is punctuated with slide guitar, an upbeat drum beat, and of course Jay Dee’s polished and uplifting vocals. At once there are hints of folk, rock, pop, and even bluegrass, with Jay Dee’s vocals almost reaching a yodeling quality at some points. This danceable delight of a tune is sure to impress with its unique charm simply radiating from each chord. Listen to Jay Dee's latest new song and EP "Smiling Face" here. Hey Jay Dee! Great to chat with you! Could you describe your background and how you became involved with songwriting and music? Thanks you too! I started singing at the age of 6 and from there was trained in Classical singing and my major in university was Classical voice and jazz trumpet. However, I always felt that as much as I enjoyed singing classically, it didn't hit me deep in my soul. I started singing in original rock bands as I have always loved rock music and have had a variety of original rock bands. I was even in a rock/pop cover band. But I didn't feel completely satisfied. I was always writing (I was really into poetry) and wrote all the lyrics in the original rock band I was in but I realized rock wasn't the only genre that my voice wanted to explore.  I am just a fan of music in general and am constantly diving into different genres and my voice reflects that. I am not necessarily trying to sound like a particular artist or fit into a particular genre, it's just what comes out when I write a song. I started writing even more when I started my first year of teaching elementary music (8 years ago) and have not stopped since then. 4 years ago I started seriously spending my time going to music open mics in which I met a ton of talented musicians that eventually became part of my band. Being from Richmond Hill in Canada, how would you describe the music scene in the Greater Toronto Area? I feel the music scene in the GTA is growing tremendously which makes me incredibly happy and privileged.  The open mics in Richmond Hill, Markham, and Stouffville are what encouraged me to keep writing and focus more on getting my music out there. Hosts like Kevin Ker, Derek Christie and Shane Joseph really motivated me to keep writing and performing. I have performed at a variety of festivals like Songs Under the Stars in Richmond Hill, Markham Village Music Fest, Markham Rib Fest, Taste of Stouffville, Wintersong in Markham, and was part of the Guinness World Record of the world's longest concert located in Stouffville coordinated by Epidemic Music. If it wasn't for these festivals and open mics I would not have met the incredible musicians that perform with me off and on the record such as: Todd Larter, Mark Stratton, John Shisko, Peter Han, Steve Frise, Michael Guinane, Michelle Rubinov, Tyler Reznick, and more. Your music uses sounds and aspects from several genres. How did you develop this mixture or was it something that always came naturally to you? Yeah as previously stated it's been something that has come naturally to me and has surprised me along the way. Growing up watching my mom sing country music I thought, "Ugh country, that will never happen". Not that I didn't enjoy my mom's singing; she is one of my biggest inspirations, but country music just wasn't my thing. Then one day 15 years later I picked up my guitar feeling emotional and out came a song that sounded like country. And that is one of the many genres that have made it's way to my voice. I like to think I blend a variety of genres and this is just what happens when I write. "Smiling Face" for example is more of a quirky folk song and that's just what came out when I started writing the lyrics. I have a lot of new songs that are not on Spotify yet but I perform continually in live performances that blend folk, rock, and even jazz. I have a lot of different sides to me as a person and I think it's important that my music reflects that. I just let my songwriting tell me what genre it wants to go to. Would you say that there is a particular meaning or message behind your new single “Smiling Face”? I was first inspired to write "Smiling Face" when I was on the subway in Toronto 8 years ago and just saw how a lot of people looked incredibly unhappy. I then felt inspired and wrote this song in my office during my first year of teaching, which just took me five minutes to write. The lyrics are not saying that I expect everyone to smile, because everyone has the right to feel upset or just simply feel like not smiling in that particular moment. It's more about the fact that I feel we need to try and not dwell on the little things in life that we let take over all the positive. There is always hope in times that we feel are hopeless. There is always someone out there that loves us. There is always a bright side when everything feels dark. Life is a gift and precious, and we need to embrace all the positive moments that come our way because they are always there; even if we need to look a little closer.  My simple song's secret mission (well not so secret now) is to put a smile on someone's face; especially during the chorus. I always get asked during my, I guess, almost yodeling part in the chorus if I did this on purpose. Honestly, it just happened without any outside influences; it somehow just came out of me. And for some reason I am unable to reproduce it in any other song. I feel if I made someone happy during the chorus, even if they are laughing in confusion, I have for that moment sparked happiness and that's why I wrote this song. Congratulations on your recent EP release! Is there anything in particular you have planned for the future? Thank you! I will be working to build my following on Spotify and other platforms. I will be playing more and more shows. My upcoming shows will be for a fundraising event for WWF at King Henry's in Richmond Hill on March 23 as well as a show on April 4 at The Hideout in Toronto at 8:30 pm. And there will be plenty more after that and will be continuing to look for more and more shows/festivals to play. I will also be working on creating a lyric video for "Smiling Face". In the summer I plan on releasing a single called "End of Time", a very personal song about my parents. I plan on making a music video for this song with my parents featured in it as well! I also plan on trying to get my songs on radio and just to continue writing and performing. I look forward to what's to come next. Connect with Jay Dee on social media: Instagram Facebook #BuzzMusic