Search this site

Sydni Tahra is an American Pop singer and songwriter born in Oakland, California. Her interest for music grew at her church at a young age. Later on as a freshman in high school, she began private vocal lessons and performed around the Bay Area. She picked up guitar and began writing songs about how frequently moving to new cities and being "the new kid" at school felt. She took interest in her school's choir in Danville, California and got a taste of how to arrange harmonies and use vocal dynamics. Sydni has been fortunate to work with vocal coaches such as Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes's coach Eric Vetro, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell's coach Robert Stevenson. She now has performed professionally since her teenage years, both as a solo artist and as a member of several musical groups based in Los Angeles and San Diego. Sydni has released two singles already this year, one of which we are tuning into today; “Warzone”. What an amazing duet! This single is the perfect couples night song. You can really hear the passion breaking through. The beat sounding much like a heartbeat is very subtle but adds depth to the song itself. Tying both the beat and lyrics together. Along with this single there is an amazing music video. The direction made in the visual really takes you through their emotions and what they other is feeling individually. They take you on this tumultuous battle they are willing to go through for love. We love the creativity built behind the video and showcasing the outstanding vocal and artistic talents of both artists. Sydni has an amazing talent and sure to shine! Listen to "Warzone" here, and learn more about Sydni in our interview below! Hi Sydni! Would you kindly introduce yourself to our readers? What's up lovely people, I'm Sydni Tahra. Im an artist from the SF Bay Area and I'm currently living in San Diego, CA. Ive been writing my own songs since I was 14. One Christmas, my dad bought me a guitar and from that day on I wrote the most salty, bitter, emo songs you'd imagine as a teenager. I was sick of being the new kid at school and it was my way to vent about the drama. And writing songs in high school made me feel better. So I kept playing, I kept writing and never stopped. And to this day I still write, sing, and produce music. Its just slightly less salty, but I keep enough in to add taste lol. Where has been one place you have traveled to that inspired you musically? I've always had a passion for traveling. I need to see new things, eat different foods, experience different cultures. Maybe its because I moved so much growing up. But I think traveling to the Maldives inspired me to dig deeper into the "why" I do music. I promise you, at the time, I wished my experience was something different than it had been. I was 10,000 miles away from anyone I loved and anyone who cared about me. I had to dig deep and discover my own strength in a whole different country, how to be my own support system and ultimately trust God had a reason why I was there. I wish I could say, "Oh man, the palm trees, warm sand and the snorkeling was the inspiration for beautiful music!". But I truly do believe struggle, pain, and finding where you stand in the midst of the storm is the biggest catalyst for growth and inspiration. And I got that. And today, I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. What is the story behind your single “Warzone”? "Warzone" started off as a songwriting session between Sheldon Botler and I in his apartment near downtown LA. We created a track for it the same day we wrote it. We wanted to create strong imagery through our lyrics to depict what it would actually look like to defend our love story amidst the trials life puts a relationship through. How was it collaborating with another artist on this song? what were some challenges you faced? Sheldon and I have been friends for a while, way before we began writing with one another. As artists, we both get passionate about the words or melodies we chose and try to find a way to make it all work out like a puzzle. However, I am known for being a perfectionist. Songs become my little baby and I put my heart and soul into making sure it turns out as great as it possibly can. And that can rub people the wrong way, even though my intentions are good. And Im working on it! But honestly, this song came together pretty fluidly. It was easy and we both loved the way it was pieced together. He wrote the part at the end of our song on his own. He is so poetic and in those lyrics it shows. I like that aspect of him as a writer. What's your favorite lyric line from "Warzone"? Why? My favorite lyric in the song is "God will take this love to new heights". I love it. I know as people we are imperfect, yet we still try to make things perfect around us. We idolize our significant other. But when their imperfections let us down, we feel crushed. We can't take our love to new heights alone, so might as well take the pressure off of ourselves and let God do his thing. What’s next for you through 2019? Sheldon and I are just excited. Sheldon has been in the studio creating new music and he's been doing live shows around Los Angeles doing big thangs! His stuff is dope and I believe in it. As for me, Im finally opening up the music vault. The next song I'm releasing is "Costume Party". I also made a pretty cool acoustic version too Ill be releasing right after. I collaborated with Mark Lettieri from Snarky Puppy. He was just recently on Tori Kelly's Grammy winning album, "Hiding Place" so I'm pumped to have him on my song. That worked out well for me! lol! Connect with Sydni Tahra: Instagram Facebook Twitter #BUzzMusic

Jay Miners is a singer, songwriter and composer with indie/folk/pop sounds. Born and raised in New York, she grew up playing classical piano and has written wide range of songs, including pop melodies and lyrics, instrumentals, and jazz pieces. Jay Miners released her EP titled “The Art We Make”, the beautiful chord progressions and atmospheric placements is the perfect ingredient for the extravagant EP. The first song released on The EP is titled “The Art We Make” , and I hypothesize that this is the opening and leading song of the project, defining what this album will consist of! Or giving a sneak peek rather. What stunned me the most about “The Art We Make” is her otherworldly vocal resonance. A sound so riveting it delivers chills up my spines. The augmented vocals goes up and down in dynamics, showing off her soft and more subtle side to singing. While sticking to her classical piano roots and adding a trendy twist to the song, “The Art We Make” serves as the perfect introduction to an overwhelming sensation of gorgeous sounds. The next track on this EP, “Favorite Dress” really brings her delicate vocal style to light the most. The folk sounding single projects warmth and comfortability to us while we are faced with the ability to feel relaxed listening to her ear-piercing voice. The incorporation of the violin and other orchestral instruments while still fusing along that folk home sound really characterize the record. Next to play, “With Our Hands” was one of my personal favorites due to the addicting tune. Her solid and hollow voice carries the tune from beginning to end and gives moments of vulnerability yet embracing the power she is equipped with. A beautiful tune that has an underlying message available for us to decode. Next, “Strawberry Mountain” was another personal favorite of ours because it had a slight difference than the other songs. It does stick to her artistry however this one felt the most atmospheric and allowed me to mentally escape within the music completely captivated by Jay Miners. It was a little more detailed and intricate compared to the other releases and we would definitely release a visual to this! However, our all time favorite from this entire EP would be the closing song, “Dog Walker”. The slight bluesy sound with broadway elements showcased her cute sass with instruments such as the harmonica, The piano, the guitar, and drums all becoming fused together to fabricate a hit record while you can hear a slight twang in the high-pitched voice of Jay Miners makes the single Pop. “The Art We Make” was a fun, charismatic but settled way for Jay miners to really come out the woodworks of music the right way. Listen to "The Art We Make" here, and learn more about Jay Miners in our interview below! Hi Jay, care to introduce yourself to our readers? Sure! I'm Jay Miners, and I'm a songwriter singing her own songs, which are usually hopeful and only sometimes sad. I grew up playing classical piano but really fell in love with writing songs when I was a teenager. Right now, I'm gearing up for my EP release show at The Bitter End on Monday, 2/18! I'm really excited for this one because it won't just be me alone up on stage -- I'll be with a bunch of talented musicians playing these new songs with cool live arrangements. How was it growing up in the big city of New York? I was born in Queens and lived there for the first few years of my life, but the majority of my childhood was spent in the suburbs of Long Island about 40 minutes away from the city. Now I'm back living in Queens. In that regard, I had a much different experience than a native NYC-er, but we visited Flushing and Chinatown a lot (where family + good Asian food lived) and I always looked forward to those trips. I was honestly a really quiet kid, always writing in my notebook and not really going out too much and dreaming I lived in a big, daunting city. Then I did, and now I'm still writing in my notebook and dreaming. When did you discover your talent for music and songwriting? I grew up playing classical piano, and I'm thankful for that foundation (thanks mom + dad for the lessons). I had a good ear and was always trying to figure out how to play songs I liked, and I'd hide in a secret corner and try to sing them. What got me into writing songs was listening to really great songwriters, like Joni Mitchell and Fleetwood Mac and Vienna Teng, and wanting to be able to write like them. I think once I started to share my own songs, around the time I was in college, was when I was like, "hey, maybe this could actually be a career of mine." Do you remember the first song you’ve ever written? I do, super vaguely. It's probably in a notebook somewhere at my parents' house. I have the melody in my head, and it was in the key of C. I probably wrote it when I was around 13, and I'm 95% sure it was an existentially inquisitive song about a boy. Knowing your past release “This Is How You Fight” was a work of songs reflecting observations and fading friendships, does “The Art We Make” have any specific message behind the EP? Definitely. This one's heavily inspired by my own creative process: the ups and downs of making something, what inspires me, treating music like a 9-5 job and establishing productivity with my work. "Strawberry Mountain" journeys through this path to your dream, wherever and whatever that might be. "Dog Walker" is inspired by the fortress of indie musicians I've met since I started my career. This album encompasses this past year, which has allowed me to spend that kind of precious time with music -- I'm really grateful for that, even if a big chunk of it was feeling frustrated and lost. Which has been the challenging part of your career so far? My career so far, and this past year especially, has given a lot of creative projects and new learning experiences. Something that has been challenging (and I imagine will always be challenging in this ever-evolving world that is the music industry) is keeping up with technology and the way folks discover music, and promoting/marketing yourself based on all that. I'll admit I've thrown my phone across the room because Instagram frustrates me and have gotten bogged down about Spotify streams. But what helps me stay grounded is reminding myself the kind of connections that have made me like I was meant to write and play music. Like performing for a crowd and hearing them sing the "oohs" to "Sunlight In Your Eyes." Or working with really awesome creative people to brainstorm a way my song can come across visually. It's easy to get stuck staring at numbers and likes, but I've been learning to avoid that by looking straight ahead and focusing on the parts of doing music that bring me most joy. Any personal favorite releases off “The Art We Make” ? if so which and why! I think there are strengths to each of these songs. I'm really proud of the production behind Something Alive, and this beautiful and exciting orchestral arrangement my producer Jerry Jean composed for it. Strawberry Mountain means a lot to me personally, because it's closely tied to my relationship with my partner and my own music. With Our Hands has always been my favorite lyrically. So I guess the short answer to this question is not really -- they each hold something special to me. Connect with Jay Miners: Instagram Facebook Website #BuzzMusic

From New York City, Kendra Black is a singer/songwriter and producer who is originally from a professional ballet background and was the youngest to graduate from the Kirov Academy of Ballet at the age of 17. After graduating Kendra decided to move her focus on music and performed in the U.S., France, Monte-Carlo, Italy, Egypt, and the Caribbean. Continuing her extensive resume, Kendra would train with teachers from the Music Conservatory of Cannes in France as well as The Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan. Kendra Black then relocated to New York where she perfected her vocal training. Kendra Black’s latest single, “This Love” is a mix of pop/modern EDM aligning with today’s pop music. The intro of the song starts with piano and leads into the verses with acoustic snapping that eventually leads into classic synth drums. The production quality is great with a good buildup to the beat drop of the track creating a cool dance track that could easily be played at a club. The sound is very bright and Kendra’s vocals are mastered well. The EDM sound is similar to that of Swedish house Mafia, and Kygo making this track a definite bop especially for mainstream radio airplay. Listen to "This Love" here. Connect with Kendra Black on social media: Instagram: www.instagram.com/kendrablackmusic Twitter: www.twitter.com/kendrablacklive Facebook: www.facebook.com/kendrablackmusic #BuzzMusic

James Ghareeb is a just your normal everyday guy who possesses a pop mentality, buttressed by acoustic excitement and hip-hop soul. With Take Me Home, featuring the penetrating vocals of KROST, we’re treated to a marshmallow hot chocolate of a tender tune. It’s a solid next step for a guy from the Midwest who’s had a thrilling musical ride to date. In short order this dude has managed to hit the upper fives on iTunes’ Top Pop New Music chart. Not bad for a first EP. This music is like lemonade on a sweltering Los Angeles Sunday, which is where he moved. The song is like Bon Iver studying Sufjan Stevens. It’s all over you, but soothing as fuck. Take Me Home makes you wonder what you did wrong, while the reverberating piano reminds you to make the most of what’s in front of you. KROST, the female vocalist that jumps on halfway through kills you with prescience. It’s an earnest, post-Grimes and Feist, sort of stab. Sometimes it’s okay to just clear your mind. Listen to "Take Me Home" here, and learn more about James Ghareeb in our interview below! Connect with James Ghareeb: Instagram Twitter Facebook #BuzzMusic

Remember when TV wasn’t so glossy? Remember when men could say it like it was. I’m thinking about the golden era of the Howard Stern, when he got his TV show around the time of the Gulf War. That’s the promise of Spencer Gonzalez. A music that is raw and rough, but a tad chivalrous, too. I’m saying this definitely needs to be the theme song for a nostalgic cable access show. We’re not worried about the concerns of the world, but rather the task at hand. It’s kind of like the way you feel when you leave the hipster nexus of Silverlake where cappuccinos cost an arm and a leg and head to some East LA haunt like Highland Park. They’re you’ll find beers for three bucks and enough room to breathe — if you aren’t swallowed by urban decay. And you’ll find this kind of music blaring from the "alternador shop. Spencer Gonzalez is a man who appreciates a good wailing guitar solo. And he’s about to reveal his unspoken word, aka The Untold Truth, his album dropping Feb. 23. This is the stuff of Guitar World tablature mags and dusty garage jam sessions. At a time when rap music is claiming the top spots at the Grammys and on music charts worldwide, Gonzalez is reaching back to a more familiar, rockin’ time. You can’t knock hard work. And you gotta love a guy that isn’t about the autotune or the mumbling — just clear-cut, well-executed rock n’ roll. "The Untold Truth" drops Feb.23rd, preorder it here, in the meantime though, learn more about Spencer in our interview below! Were are you from Spencer? I am from Alliance Nebraska, a small town in the Midwest How did you learn how to play guitar? How did you go from chords to intense solos etc.? I learned how to play guitar from listening and playing along with my favorite songs growing up. My father was a touring and session sax player that worked with and opened for many well known artists , it was a feather in my cap to learn music theory from him and site reading. He was fantastic a real showman. I learned all I could from him he is the inspiration and spirit that guides me to my successes. I started with instructional books from Mel Bay when I was seven years of age and when I got to my early teens I started trying to emulate my favorite players and spent hours on end perfecting solos scales rhythm patterns with a metronome and phrasing. I would shred to anything in jazz, metal, Rock or country but understanding when to come in and when to hold back, working at it till it was perfection. Who are some of your music influences? Influences, I would have to say my Father he was everything, not only a great sax player but a writer and arranger. I am very blessed to be following in his footsteps in music. When it comes to guitar players that were my idols growing up, it was a wide range from Santana to Benson to Frank Gambalie to Greg Howe, and Chet Atkins, Howard Roberts to Vai. So many guitar players that shaped my sound and made an impact on my style of playing. Given that you’re releasing this album under your name, I was wondering if you’re planning on proceeding more as a solo artist, or if you are thinking about becoming more of a “band” down the line? This album is very much a guitar album and is some music I had written in the past few years as well as one composition that was co written with my drummer and good friend Roger Rojas Jr. I got to really cut loose on this album and although the music is very much guitar based, there is hooks and different styles of music there on each cut off the album that people can relate to. Even though its only 6 songs the EP it will be very power packed with a lot of cool stuff going on with each track. I have a great band that is fantastic with Roger Rojas Jr. on Drums and Sam Landers on Bass. On this album I am playing everything except the drum work which Roger is playing on almost all of them and co wrote the song Aint No Blue Day on the Album With me. How does a typical Spencer Gonzalez song come together? The songs came together over 2018 and early 2019. I had written some guitar based music on electric guitars that was all set to go and needed a drummer to come step in to handle those tracks. That's when I contacted my drummer that I use to work with years back doing hired gun work backing up different artists and asked him to play on the album. This lead to us writing the song Aint No Blue Day together.  He had some lyrics a melody and a drum track and asked if I could make something with it to add to the album. That lead to me composing the music around it along with the keys, guitars bass ect. All the tunes on this album deliver in my opinion. After I finished Producing this album I was very pleased with the finished product. It really lead to a lot of great things including the Record/Production company S&R Records which is ran by Roger and myself which we will be recording and working with many different artists. We will be hitting the Road here in the Spring in support of the new album and will be on tour this Summer Backing Up  Randy Burghardt on his summer tour. its been a fantastic year so far, I am truly Blessed. Connect with Spencer Gonzalez: Instagram Facebook #BuzzMusic

Deify is a rock band based in Seattle, WA comprised of two brothers, Duncan (vocals/guitar) and Jared (drums/percussion) Byargeon. Inspired by AC/DC, Deify delivers a fresh take on rock n roll with a Seattle flare that’s sure to keep you dancing. In the years to come, the band’s live performances have been the driving force behind their success. Playing for some of the most renowned bars and clubs in Seattle, drawing comparisons to Velvet Revolver, Queens of the Stone Age, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Operating out of their parents’ basement, the band has spent the past decade performing around the greater Pacific Northwest. The band spent the better half of 2018 in the studio to bring their most popular songs to life. Let rock! This track, which is track 5 on their EP So Far Away - by the way, is a classic rocker! We love everything about this one. The drums banging in heavy, the electric guitars raspy blare, Then you hear those vocals WHOA! Can we say jam session. You can tell they know what they are doing and are seasoned artists in the rock game. And the fact that they both bring something unique being from the same bloodline. They stand out together and individually which is tough with smaller bands. These brothers are the real deal and such a cool cleancut rock band. Listen to "Missed My Shot" here, and learn more about Deify in our interview below! Hey Deify. Care to tell our readers a little about yourselves? Duncan - We grew up on classic rock and a wild mix of other stuff – from Pointer Sisters and ABBA to Tom Petty and Lyle Lovett. My mom put us in piano lessons at an early age, but it was our piano teacher Ken Roberts – and later my guitar teacher Mark Oslund – that really established how fun music could be. Ever since I started performing at piano recitals, I knew I wanted to write songs and perform. My folks got me a guitar when I was 12 and I haven’t looked back. Once guitar lessons started, I dived head first into old school rock n roll and hard rock (AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Guns n Roses, etc.). We’ve been a band for a decade now, which is insane to think about. When we first started this band, it was actually all three Byargeon brothers. We wrangled our brilliant, introverted middle-brother to play bass for us. That lasted about six or seven years before he pursued computer science. He’s doing quite well for himself. Jared - I’m the younger, better looking, and more dapper brother of the band. He knows I’m joking when I say that (even though I’m not). Although, I am jealous that he has such a nice beard. It’s like it’s dipped in finesse or something. Anyways, when it comes to my relationship with music, I have been drumming for as long as I can remember. I know I started when I was about 3 years old. My mom bought my dad an electric drum set for Christmas, but he barely touched it and I cautiously started tampering on it. Duncan already had a guitar (which he still uses today) and we began jamming in our family’s upstairs bonus room. That soon blossomed into writing our own songs and evolved into what we are today. There was a time where we had piano lessons once a week, but I bailed on that around 6th grade. I can still read music though! I played in my high school jazz band. While jazz is fun to play, it wasn’t where my heart was. My heart was with Deify by that point. What would you say defines you as a band? Duncan - I think there are a few things. Number one – the sibling connection. There’s truly something different when we jam together that I haven’t been able to find with any of the other amazing musicians I’ve worked with. We can truly create on the fly and rock out an entire song once we truly get into it. Number two – it’s that we love a lot of the same artists and were raised on the same music growing up, but have since branched out into very different styles. I think it’s fair to say I’ve explored a lot more rock and blues music, where Jared listens to a lot of R&B and Top-40. He’s also the biggest fan of The Weeknd out of anyone I know. Jared - That’s tough. I have a hard time answering what specific genre we are because we pull from so many. When it comes down to it, I’d say brotherhood. Like Duncan said, we used to be brotherly-trio. That tightness and emotional connection has remained – if not grown – ever since we started. We’re really close as a group – within our music and our personal relationships. This can be tough though, as even the slightest mistakes we make during jam sessions get to us because we’ve become so good at what we do – we want to make everything picture perfect. On a separate note, I feel our musical preferences are intertwined like a double-helix. We do branch out into some other genres, yet we come back together and love to jam to a lot of the same bands in the car. This includes AC/DC, Tom Petty, Green Day, Greta Van Fleet, Guns N’ Roses, and many more. Like I said, we definitely have some of our own preferences. Duncan explores a lot of blues-rock, while I will listen to R&B. I’m a huge fan of the deep subgenre labelled “Storm Ambiance R&B” with artists with a darker vibe like The Weeknd. It’s like angelic voices delivering lyrics from hell. I think our eclectic taste in music, and acceptance of the others’ preferences, gives us the advantage when writing together. Duncan - I’d literally never heard of that genre until this interview. Could you tell us a little more about your single “Missed My Shot”? Duncan - It’s a long story, but I’ll try to be brief. At the end of my senior year, my best friend had one of her best friends visiting the University of Oregon. We hit it off that weekend and I knew there was something special about her. It seemed silly to try and make anything of it, as we lived in different states and she was about to travel Europe for a month. After she left for the weekend we stayed in touch. Post-graduation, I went on a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco to hang out with my friends in Portland, Eugene, Sacramento, and SF. The two of us hung out while I was staying with my friend Emily in San Francisco. After hanging out all day, I got back to Em’s house and couldn’t stop thinking about her. Lying in bed, I literally wrote out all the lyrics in my Notes app and air guitared the chord progression. I stayed up all night writing the song. When I got back to Seattle I showed Jared and we jammed on it for a bit. It’s been one of our most popular live songs ever since. Now, three years later, it’s finally out to the public! Oh! And the gal that swept me off my feet now lives in Seattle and we’ve been dating nearly three-and-a-half years! Jared - Duncan would be of better help answering this since he wrote the lyrics, but to me this song has different meanings on how you look at it. It can have a bit of a comedic twist woven within it depending on how you view the main character in the story. If the main character views this missed opportunity as a short-term relationship, it’s quite comical. On the other hand, if it truly resonates with you it can be too real and quite sad because instead of being a romance, it’s about the girl or guy who missed their shot of being with someone who was really good for them. I can’t relate to the sad version because I took my shot and I’ve been with the same girl since my senior year of high school. Break the song down for us, who contributed what to the song? Do you usually write together or separately? Duncan - I wrote all the lyrics, melody, and guitar work. The intro is interesting, as we accidentally threw a 9-bar measure into the intro during pre-production – which made it difficult to execute in the studio. The guitar parts flew together when I was trying to create the chord progression for the lyrics/melody. Most songs begin with me and an acoustic guitar. I write a majority of the guitars, lyrics, and melody and bring them to Jared to arrange. Other times, I have a cool riff and we’ll just jam on it and see where the song takes us. In these cases, I take the structure and progressions we’ve laid out and write lyrics/melody to them, before bringing them back to Jared. It’s a fairly iterative process. Jared has an amazing sense of rhythm and is able to spice up ANYTHING I bring to him. It’s truly uncanny. Even if I’m on the fence about something, I’ll see what he adds in. 9 times out of 10 he’ll do something that breathes new life into the song and inspires changes in music/melody. Jared - For this song Duncan did most of the writing. He came to me with the melody, partial riffs, and the lyrics. Once he has the bare bones and structure, I’ll start adding the spice. Duncan doesn’t give himself enough credit. I’ve worked with some people on music at school and it’s painful. Not only do we not click but writing just doesn’t come naturally to them, which makes it hard to collaborate. Songwriting isn’t for everyone and you have to start somehow. I even look back at some of our early works and say, “holy shit that’s awful,” but that is only because of the progress we’ve made since then – especially when it came to evolving our sound in the studio. Luckily Duncan is fantastic at not only writing, but singing and guitar playing. He’s got the whole package which is rarer than a Statavarius. Typically, the first quarter of a song’s production is done separately. After that we will jam out to the riff and create verses, choruses, etc. If not in that order, a song will be completely molded from something we jam out of scratch together later to be composed separately. Who are a few of your musical influences who have helped shaped your band to where you are today in the music industry? Duncan - Geez this is so tough. Early on – about 10 years ago – it was Green Day, Avenged Sevenfold, Alice in Chains, and darker/angsty rock. Now, I’m much more into blues and blues rock. ZZ Ward has been my favorite artist for years now – though that may not come through in our band material. It’s a lot of AC/DC, Guns n Roses, Led Zeppelin, and Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. Tom Petty has been the biggest influence on me the entire time. I just love his story telling. What surprised me – upon the release of the EP – was people saying they hear a lot of Queens of the Stone Age and Velvet Revolver. The former surprises me a bit, as it’s not a band I’ve listened to very much. Jared - Tough question honestly. I wish I could just blurt out an answer. The first full song I ever learned on drums was “Welcome Home” by Coheed and Cambria, but I wouldn’t label them as an influence. For drumming, I’d put Green Day, Avenged Sevenfold (RIP to The Rev), Three Days Grace (for all them open-handed drummers out there), Bon Jovi (before he went country). For vocals, The Weeknd. He’s helped me be more comfortable singing in front of others. Could you ever swap band positions? Why or why not? Duncan - No way. Jared is the best drummer around. He’s been at it since he was three years old. I would love to play drums, but I can’t get my hands and my feet to work together outside of a standard 4/4 rock beat. Jared - Could we? Yes. Would I want to? HELL NAH! I can’t play guitar to save my life. Let’s keep Duncan on that please. What can we hope to see in 2019 for Deify? Duncan - We have a ton of content coming, which I’m really excited about. We’re going to be releasing our debut full-length album later this year, and we’re in the process of booking a tour. It’s early stages, but it’ll likely be happening late summer. Jared - I am amped to show you all what’s to come. We are releasing our first full-length and professionally recorded album later this year. Right now, other than our album release, we’re prepping for a tour this summer. No specifics yet, but hopefully mid to late summer. It’s pretty cool to say you’ve been on tour, so I’m hoping check that off my bucket list. Connect with Deify: Instagram Facebook Twitter Youtube #BuzzMusic

Candace Devine releases her electrifying, vocally dynamic and explosive EP called “Here We Are.” It begins with the jazzy pop single “Over Getting Over You”. “Getting Over You” begins with the sensational jazz like sounds of the piano keys and guitar. We became immensely impressed by Candace Devine’s solid vocal presence, she proves to be a singing powerhouse with the belt of the addictive hook. We interpreted from this record that it’s the empowering “Get him back” anthem. Candace continues the empowering female anthems with a more sultry and sensual record, “Treat Me Like A Lady”. With a hint of edge and grit, Candace showcases her delinquency in this electric rock hit. The feminine energy projected with a tough deliverance was a fascinating mix we thoroughly enjoyed. Next, “One More Night”, our personal favorite transitions in. It begins with a soulful serenaded melody, however the soul she produced becomes more apparent around the hook. It just felt like an orchestrated choir production yet it was just the exuberant vocals of Candace Devine. Her skills as a vocalist makes soulful records like this more sensational for the listener. You feel every note and become emotionally attached to the single. Next up, “Givin It Up” has this classic vibe while sticking to her soul pop aesthetic she has. I love how timeless Candace Devine voice is. With the right kind of backtrack instrumental, she can no doubt about it deliver memorable hits we will be singing along too, 10 years from now. “Givin It Up” is a representation of that. The next song to transition is called “Here We Are” the title of the actual EP project. The riveting record propels the entire meaning of the album forward. I believe it’s the feminine and powerful sound that makes the song pop alongside the already vibrant collective. The finishing record “Won’t Back Down” closes off the journey of freedom and liberation within oneself. Overall, Candace Devine delivered a well-rounded album with many moments of inversive lyricism and powerful vocals. The amount of soul contained in this made us huge fans. We thoroughly enjoyed listening to the melody of the different records, and “Here We Are” is a huge success. Pre-save Canace Devine's new EP "Here We Are" (releasing on February 22) here, and learn more about Candace Devine in our interview below! Mind introducing yourself to our readers Candace Devine? Hi Everyone, I’m Candace Devine. I’m here to sing songs for your listening pleasure! What has been the most prominent moment of your career thus far? Well, I look at my career thus far and feel like I’ve had a career chalked full of beginnings, starting points, prominent moments, dots that have been connected waiting for the next dot to line up… I was a backup singer for Christina Aguilera and that felt HUGE to me. I was in a successful Duo called “David & Devine,” we were signed to ICM and opened for incredible super stars and THAT felt grand and prominent to me. I had the absolute GREAT fortune to co-write a tune with Mindi Abair and have it make it onto her Grammy Nominated Album, “Wild Heart” and that felt MASSIVE and prominent to me. I have had placements with my songs which has helped me be able to keep making music (so that's amazing) and yet, here I am. “Here We Are.” I don’t want to sound ungrateful and I certainly don’t want to downplay the landmarks I have reached, but my guess is many of your listeners have never heard a note come out of my mouth or even know what my musical stylings sound like. Success, prominence, high notes…it’s all relative. I feel my WHOLE journey has been a wonderful one and one I wouldn’t trade. I continue working for my own heart happiness, the hope that what I have done has touched someone somewhere, and with the idea that my MOST PROMINENT moment is always yet to come. Tell us a little bit about “Here We Are” the EP in your own short summary? “Here We Are” is a compilation of groovy heart felt songs that have threads of 70’s singer songwriter, pop soul, r&b. As I was recording I kept calling it my “kitchen cleaning music.” The kind of EP you put on to feel comfortable in your home, in your own skin, sitting in traffic trying not to dislike every car around you. It is a whole piece. Something to take in and enjoy from top to bottom. Growing up I loved FULL albums. A journey from start to finish. That’s what my goal was for this EP. It’s an EP you can relax and be yourself to. Has there been any moments of distress during the production of this EP? I must be honest and say, no. I am aware that people instinctively like drama. The underdog, the triumph. This EP was quite the opposite. The whole project was positive, exciting, and FUN! This is my first SOLO project in a decade, and it took 3 years off just being a mommy to be ready to make it. Once I was ready, I was READY. All the stars lined up and the experience of recording at The Sound Emporium Studio (THEE LEGENDARY SOUND EMPORIUM) with my dear friend and mega bad ass, Slim Gambill (Lead Guitarist of Lady Antebellum) was beyond thrilling, it was SPECIAL! Everyone involved with this EP is an incredible human being from top to bottom and went out of their way to keep the energy vibrating at the highest possible level. I felt so loved, cared for, and in the best hands during the whole process. Which has been your favorite song to write so far and why? For me the title track is my favorite because of how and why it was written. I wrote it for my parents on their 30th wedding anniversary. I wrote it on my piano my grandmother gave me that was originally my Great Grandmothers piano (who I was named after). Now that I am married with a family of my own, it has taken on its own meaning to me in my own life. It's a picture of long lasting love. Love that isn’t perfect. Love that grows . Love that is challenged and love that wins. Out of all the releases on “Here We Are”, which in your opinion do you feel holds the most impactful meaning? I think my cover of “Won’t Back Down.” I believe my version of the song brings a new and different layer to its weight and fight. The original is flawless and I certainly never set out to in anyway improve it. There’s no doing that. However, bringing a female voice to such powerful words in my opinion just adds a different spice to it. We are in a time where we are all fighting for something. We are fighting to keep it together, to keep families together, to keep marriages together, to keep the earth together, to keep children safe at school, to keep people fed, racial equality, gender equality, religious equality, LGBTQ, #metoo, #timesup, fighting cancer - (sidenote - #f*ckcancer), healthcare, our debt, our mental health, our global position, our national divisiveness, our system, pharmaceuticals, what’s in our food, our own personal demons…and the list goes on and on. This song speaks to all of it for all of us. I hope my version of this song gives everyone a voice to keep their chin up, shake off the punches and bruises and keep fighting their fight. What’s next for you? Oh, who knows?! As I said in the beginning of these questions so many times I thought prominent moments would be “the thing” to get me to a place where I could do music solely and forever…and Here We Are. I don’t think that’s how life works. Connecting the dots. That’s all there is. But, if I’m gonna put something out there, lets just say I’d LOVE to be up for “Best New Artist” at the Grammys 2020 or 2021…why not? Stranger things have happened, I suppose. So let’s go with that. That’s what’s next. :) But there is one thing I can certainly tell you, the journey has been a BLAST and I am thankful…and you can find me playing shows and singing my butt off all over the place in the meantime. Connect with Candace Devine: Instagram Twitter Facebook Youtube #BuzzMusic

We touch down on “Earth” gently, in a mysterious fog. Stephanie Ward’s vocals are wistful as black luftballons, as the song opens. You can’t help but think the intro line would work well as an Anjunadeep trance sample. It’s chilling, probing, reflective. A great introduction to their Supernova album, which comes out May 4. But it isn’t long before you realize you’re headed down more of a classic rock route. That’s thanks to Thom Beckman (Lead Guitar), Jim Freeman (Bass) and Rodd Karp (Drums). Ward also comes through with some of the guitar work and the viola on the album. Sam Cobra is alternative in the best meaning of the term. Basically, the Seattle outfit puts their own spin on rocking out.If you play it at the right volume, you can almost hear tiny dogs howling of loneliness in unison somewhere off in the distance. But it’s all washed through with the crunch of powerful chords and a solid guitar solo. It’s what we’re in short supply of for quality live shows. Think the kind of rock hippies feared would die, but thankfully never did. Supernova releases May 4th, so keep your eyes out for the release! In the meantime, learn more about Sam Cobra in our interview below! Care to introduce yourself to our readers? Hi, we're Sam Cobra. We're a 4-piece band from Seattle that started in 2016. You're speaking with Stephanie (Vocals) and Thom (Lead Guitar) How would you say “Earth” fits into the overall astronomical phenomenon of “Supernova”? Stephanie: 'Earth' is part of a storyline behind the album. It describes what has happened to the planet and why it's in a state of uproar. People have neglected the planet for so long that Mother Nature has called upon the oceans, trees, winds to go nuts and destroy humankind. It's a happy song. Thom: For me, it's really funny because the original demo I wrote had a much different feel. It's now a respectable part of a storyline. The original music I wrote sounded more like a gorilla trying to parallel park a garbage truck. What is the typical songwriting process for you guys? Stephanie: Thom and I collaborate on the writing. One of us will bring a song to the table, they're usually pretty well thought out before we present them. And then from there we'll make adjustments to the arrangements as a band. Thom excels in coming up with big sexy hooks and I handle the lyrics. Thom: Fortunately, we are both pretty open about making changes if it makes the song better. I tend to throw a lot of stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Are there any musical sacred cows (in your approach to rock or otherwise) you will not touch? Or are you guys up to try anything musically? Stephanie: In general I think we're pretty open. But as we've grown as a band, our sound has evolved from what we affectionately call butt rock to a more psychedelic space sound. It happened really naturally and we were all on the same page. After completing this album, we realized we would probably love having some keys on our songs, so that may happen in the near future. Thom: I feel like this band will always be a work in progress, working towards the next musical "thing". So all options are on the table, from my perspective. It’s kind of crazy how radio has gone from playing a lot of pop-rock in the 90s to a lot of commercial hip-hop nowadays. Does it feel like you’re part of a scene that’s dying? Or does rock have more of an edge now that, in a way, it’s less mainstream? Stephanie: It probably depends a lot on where you live. Seattle still has a huge rock scene. And our local radio stations play all sorts of stuff, but we're lucky that way I guess. I personally try to avoid mainstream music because it's terrible. I think as musicians, we're just trying to make stuff that we like and are less concerned about what scene it fits into. Thom: I have always been part of a dying scene in one way or another so I don't really notice anymore. I just stick to my own misguided ideas of what music should sound like. Do you have a favorite moment on the song “Earth”? Stephanie: I love the beginning. Not because it's me singing alone I swear. Our producer, Don Farwell added some amazing effects to our album and that section for me nails the spacey vibe that we were going for. Thom: The whole intro was Stephanie's idea and it completely altered the song for the better. Brilliant move on her part. What's next for you? Stephanie: We took a long nap after we finished recording and are now gearing back up again. We'll continue to play shows in Seattle and beyond while we work on writing songs for our next album. Connect with Sam Cobra: Instagram Facebook Website #BuzzMusic

Connor Snow grew up in Maui, but moved to LA to follow his musical calling. He’s arrived with “Going Down,” a song that mines days with simple storylines for their sweetness. If sung with a twang you could imagine this as a pop-country song. But instead it's like cream cheese on your everything bagel. Snow learned how to play the ukulele by watching videos of legend Jake Shimabukuro, before graduating to the guitar and piano. Now he’s producing music that could find a home on the radio while you eat Applebee’s or shop with your girlfriend at Forever 21. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if it showed up while I was waiting for my burger at Shake Shack. There’s no M. Night Shyamalan twist, and you probably never wanted it. The words tell the story you hope is around the corner. And there’s just a tad of harmony exactly where you’d suspect. It make me think of cute couple taking selfies on Hermosa Beach — she in a simple floral print dress, he in Hollister jeans and a branded T-shirt. This is music you let distract yourself from your high school math homework. You won’t be surprised to learn Snow is influenced by Usher, Neyo, Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake. If pop is your thing then you will consider this a great foray into that universe. Listen to "Going Down" here, and learn more about Connor in our interview below! When did you know you wanted to pursue music seriously? I guess had my first inkling at the end of high school. I was gigging quite a bit around Maui at restaurants, hotels, local events, anywhere that would give me a shot. I remember thinking “Man, how awesome would it be to have this be my job”. But I was still set on the idea that school was what I was supposed to be doing. So then a few frustrating years went by, during which I became so stressed out and depressed about my own apathy towards the path that school seemed to be taking me down. I realized that the only thing I consistently loved doing was making music in my dorm room at the end of every day. I distinctly remember watching the video of Jim Carrey giving that commencement speech at Maharishi University in which he said “You can always fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.” That concept resonated SO clearly with me, it was like he’d given life to the exact feeling I was wrestling with inside. Within the year, I left college and moved to California. How do you come up with relevant themes for your songs? Obviously, events in my life or emotions that I’m feeling personally are often a starting point. But honestly, I’ve found that some of my best writing comes from talking to other people and writing about what they’re going through (with their permission, of course). I’ve always found it to be so fulfilling to give voice to what someone else is thinking or experiencing, to find words that perfectly encapsulates their experience. It makes me feel like I’m using music to do good instead of just using it for success, because I know that music has the power to heal and provide closure or validation to someone who’s going through some rough shit. Is there a difference between the musical worlds of Hawaii and Los Angeles? Sure! I’d say that because music itself is intrinsically tied to culture in Hawaii, it feels more wholesome, more like a tradition that carries weight. In LA, the attitude is decidedly more polished and business-like because it’s such an industry. Seems like the music you play is quite a crowded field. What will you do to stand out? Truthfully, I don’t worry about standing out anymore. I’ve learned that trying to stand out is an easy way to either be manipulated or simply become something you never wanted to be in the first place. I think when you just focus on being genuine, when you allow your art (and by extension your character) to speak for itself, you find your little patch of sunlight. So my goal as an artist is to just be authentic, to treat people with respect and love as often as I can and to speak my truth as best as I can. At the end of the day, it comes down to the music. Imagine a crazy plot twist to your career trajectory that none of your peers would expect. What happens? Hmmm plot twist...I discover a previously dormant but enduring love for opera, move to Italy, and after a lengthy and arduous apprenticeship become a world famous tenor What's next for you through 2019? Shows, shows and more shows! This year I just want to get out and play everywhere I can. I’ve also started working on some new music that I’m really excited about, so I’m preparing to release some of that while we’re out on the grind. I think It’s going to be a really fun year! Connect With Connor Snow on social media: Instagram Youtube #BuzzMusic

Pale Blue Dot, a band based in Charlottesville, Virginia, was founded by musician Tony LaRocco who wanted to bring together fellow musicians while exploring the realm of songwriting. The band’s sound is inspired by multiple genres that range from pop, alternative, progressive rock, folk and bepop jazz. Their single, “Only Love” is an upbeat song that has a very different sound that combines a somewhat folky guitar and rhythm section while accompanied by a lively trumpet most likely inspired by jazz.The beginning of the track starts with a simple yet effective walking bass line that gets the listener into the groove of things. The first voice that starts the first verse and chorus is very raw and real. The second voice brings a raw and real feeling as well but in a different timbre. Then when the two voices come together, they compliment each other well and it brings a sense of unity to the song and is pleasing to listen to. The arrangement and composition of the song itself is very impressive since they are able to make a slightly folky/alternative sound while tip toeing over the genre of indie music. If you are looking to widen your genres and playlist, this band will be on there for sure. Overall, there smooth and upbeat sound will have you playing this on repeat! Connect with Pale Blue Dot on social media: Website: www.palebluedotband.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/PalebluedotbandVA Twitter: www.twitter.com/palebluedotband Instagram: www.instagram.com/pbdband #BuzzMusic