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London native, Libby Phippard stepped into the music scene at a young age before studying music at the University of York and later going on to train as an opera singer. Each of these distinct experiences has led her to write and release her own singles that blamed folk and very traditional choir and opera elements. This ability to genre blend gives Phippard’s tracks a musical theatre-scene and orchestral sound that centers into a simple core melody. Her new single “Please don’t ask me to stay” focuses on the feeling of outgrowing individuals around her and moving towards a feeling of comfort within herself. The touching lyrics have a gripping emotional nature and each whole filled high octave vocal draws listeners into the depth of her story. Phippard’s production includes a backing choir to bring this single back to her roots while still remaining a traditional folk song. The instrumentals perfectly complement her rich vocal tone and enhance each rolling verse into themes of love, loss, letting go, and ultimately, personal growth. Phippard’s musical ability has grown dramatically since she begins her choral career over a decade ago making her new single the perfect return to the classical music industry early last year. Your new single is filled with such rich vocals and meanings, tell us what the process was like when creating this single? Well, the funny thing about "Please Don’t Ask Me To Stay," is that it’s probably the single that feels almost like a cheat in terms of the composition process. I normally work out the lyrics and the melody and the chords and build it from there and that’s usually the hardest part, but that part practically came fully formed with this one! I started playing around with a tune that felt familiar like I’d heard it from somewhere before. (Incidentally, if you can tell me where I nicked it from, I’d be very grateful, it’s been driving me up the wall for months!) But I started vaguely singing some words along a familiar theme about letting go of people holding you back, who may or may not have the best of intentions, and twenty minutes later I had a song that felt fully formed! So yes, I say it feels like a cheat because there’s usually a lot more work that goes into that part and the lyrical construction, but with this one, I literally started singing and the words practically wrote themselves. But afterward, I sent off a demo to my producer Danny, who works at The Online Recording Studio, and we started working together and built it up from there. You mentioned the importance of choir and opera in your musical background, how has this created your distinct sound as an artist and how do you attempt to carry these traits into each of your singles? What’s fun about my background in opera is that I’ve got quite a big range, but I can’t belt to save my life. So I can sing in my chest register for a lot of the lower parts which is the sound most people are used to in pop music but if I want to do anything higher than about an A then I’ve got to go into my head register to get those higher notes. So I’ve been playing around with the different sounds of those top notes and finding a way to sing those higher passages in a way that sounds like I’m not just singing opera because it’s not really appropriate for the music I’m trying to sing. So particularly with this single, because it’s quite an understated song, with the main vocals, whenever I needed to go into the upper register I kept it quite soft and quite breathy to make it feel intimate, but with some of my other songs when I want to get up to those top notes and have them really hit hard, I tend to create quite a hard, bright sound. However, in this single as well, there’s basically a choir going on in the background which helps bring a new dimension to it, because while the melody itself is very simple, I wanted to have a feeling of growth throughout to build to these (to me, at least,) really impactful lyrics at the end of the song before bringing it back and the choir was a really good way of doing that because it starts off very quiet, very gentle, to the point where you don’t really notice it’s there, and then the upper voices just start to rise out of the texture towards the climax of the song before coming back into the rest of the texture. “Please Don’t Ask Me To Stay” has more of a traditional folk nature than some of your previous pieces, can you explain why you decided to move along this route and how you were able to adapt your sound to fit that traditional folk nature? So as I said, the song itself was written in about twenty minutes, (which I would not recommend as a course of action if you wanted to write a song because I have never been able to do it since,) but by the time I’d reached the end, I had two verses and I didn’t really think there was anything more to be said, and it felt like anything I did add was actually detrimental to the song. I listened back to it and even when I was writing it, it felt much more like a traditional folk song than anything else and I wanted to keep it that way, with very soft and very intimate sounds. I also explored some slightly more musical theatre aspects of the accompaniment, so we’ve got some string sounds going on in the background and of course there’s the choir I mentioned, but Danny suggested keeping the modern drums and the bass there as something to ground it in more modern music. Do you have any specific artists or individuals that you draw influence from when creating your music? I love this question! Probably the big one at the moment is Hozier, who is one of the best lyricists I’ve ever heard, but depending on the song there’s also people like Ed Sheeran, Mumford and Sons, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, and probably loads more if I stopped to think about it! ‘Please Don’t Ask Me To Stay’ draws a bit on Simon and Garfunkel too, just to really get that folk element, but really it depends on the song – I’m always on the lookout for different artists and types of music and techniques to draw on that help inspire my music. What's next for you? Well, to celebrate ‘Please Don’t Ask Me To Stay’ I put on a virtual concert which I really enjoyed doing, so I’d like to put on some more of those! It was great to actually perform again, even to a screen with people tuning in from home, and of course, the perk of doing it virtually is that people aren’t limited by geographical constraints, so I can reach people from all over the world, which has just been incredible! I’d like to do some more live performances, whether virtual or – dare I say it – in person, but I’ve also got a big back catalog of songs I’d like to get produced, so what’s next is probably working through those. Instagram Website

Desarae Dee is continuously in evolution mode. A fusion pianist, she is widely known for her unconventional and spontaneous playing style. Often compared to the likes of Robert Glasper, she has the unique ability to fuse many musical styles while creating unique, unusual chord structures and powerful melodic lines, which has given her the range to share the stage with some of Toronto's biggest and brightest stars. Serving her audience up another hefty spoonful of the enigmatic Jazz descants that she exemplifies so well, Desarae Dee is fresh off the release of her most recent "Change is Good." A purely instrumental canvas to feast upon, Desarae Dee teams up with Becca Toft to deliver an enthralling ambiance of golden sax notes, electrifying synths, and captivating tenors of inevitable change. With this piece being written by Desarae Dee in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020, she enforces that in order to see things change, it starts within each one of us. Fueling her illuminating fire, there is hopefulness in her best attempts to inspire individuals to think differently as they embrace and accept the changes happening all around them. Vibrancy has never shimmered so eccentrically with Desarae Dee. The poise radiating from the euphonious notes being played speaks for themselves as you are encouraged to escape to a sense of realism in the tranquil hues that highlight a tantalizing bliss. Known for her ethereal soundscapes, Desarae Dee is no stranger to capturing our hearts with her musical progressions. Creating a dynamic field in the calming ethers that resonate with her fan base, there is no doubt that this alluring message will provoke the thoughts of all seeking change. Thanks for joining us at BuzzMusic, Desarae Dee, welcome back, and congratulations on the release of, “Change is Good,” featuring Becca Toft. Could you please take us into how this striking collaboration came to be? It’s a new year and it’s great to back! I wrote Change is Good as a part of my #DailyVibes series that I curated in 2020 just before the COVID-19 Pandemic hit and this song came to me as the world as I saw it was changing before my eyes. I wanted myself and others to stay uplifted during these difficult times. The collaboration with Becca happened about 2 weeks after I posted the video for my series and we met during the pandemic via another mutual friend. She loved what I did with the song and wanted to add some Trumpet to it. We eventually ended up doing a dual video on social media and it was a comment from one of my followers that eventually prompted me to release the song. Your creativity always impresses us! What did the creative process for “Change is Good” entail? The creative process for this song was simple. My first thoughts were “Let’s write something that will uplift others during these difficult times we’re living in, with the hopes that they would embrace the changes and the new reality happening around them.” As soon as I thought of that, I instantly heard a melody in my head, formulated the chords, and added everything else. I definitely wanted to have a song that screamed “positivity, light and embracing the new (change).” With each artist being vastly different from one another, how do you know when a song is finally complete? I ultimately know when a song is complete when I don’t find anything else to add to it. I listen back to my songs a lot and I knew with this one, I didn’t want to overdo it with too much because of the true meaning behind it. Even though there are no words to my music, I want listeners to feel the message that the music is portraying. So once I know that I don’t need anything else, then I know my song is complete. Since “Change is Good,” revolves around positive change, how have you managed to conjure up positive change in your life? My life has been a roller coaster for quite some time and 2021 to me really felt like my year for GOOD CHANGE, POSITIVE CHANGES; from my personal life, to my career, to my relationships; I knew deep down that 2021 was going to be a year where the heaviness that I’d been dealing with would finally be lifted and positive things were going to happen in my life. I embrace change because I know that ultimately I will continue to grow and evolve as long as I’m willing to accept the changes happening in my life and around me. What has been keeping you inspired to create music? Knowing that there are so many more lives out there that need some positivity, some inspiration, and some motivation in their lives inspired me to create. I’m inspired by so many things around me and I continue to learn and grow and I want that to be present in the music that I continue to create. Knowing that I’m continuing to pave the way for other black woman musicians in Canada keeps me motivated to create music. Knowing that I will continue to break barriers in the industry inspires me to create. Knowing that I have so much more inside of me to share with the world inspires me to create. Overall, I’m excited about what’s to come and what surprises my creative proceeds have for me. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Bringing us some passion from Fredricton, New Brunswick, Odum Abekah is a singer and songwriter who will have fans feeling enlightened through the ameliorating atmospheres created from each of his songs. The Canadian multi-instrumentalist has recently released the dance-pop single “Tell Me Something,” which features an uplifting message. During his songwriting process, Odum Abekah draws inspiration from his own learning experiences, allowing his fans to feel a deeper connection by validating feelings that people tend to keep to themselves. In addition to his writing poetics and creativity, Odum Abekah can project the exact electronic soundscapes he imagines by personally composing and programming most of his songs. As a lover of every genre of music, he occasionally teams up with producer Nick Katz which further increases the diversity of his sounds. OdumAbekah has been spending this past year working and experimenting with his music. With hopes to prioritize his intentions when it comes to making new tracks, he plans to release his music more consistently over the next six months. Check out Odem Abekah's article here. Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

Emerging pop artist Grace Day initially made waves within the Irish music scene before gaining the attention of artists and listeners alike in Nashville, Tennessee. Teaming up with various producers and DJs across the country, Grace Day offers listeners insight into her view as she wanders through one of France's most romantic cities in her newest single, "Bordeaux." The bright acoustic guitar paired with each passionate, soothing string of vocals depicts a memory of a past love while falling head over heels for someone new in a city filled with love. "Bordeaux" is a genuine, tender, and heartfelt pop production that will remind listeners of a Taylor Swift style romance. With each highly serene and organic element in the melody, Day's single compares to one written by Dennis Lloyd. When asked about the production process for "Bordeaux" in an interview, she explained she felt inspired to create a single filled with dream synths and electro-pop drums. This musical nostalgia is what sets her apart with this single as well as an artist. Read more with Grace Day here. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Offering listeners a memorable experience through ethereal vocals and dreamy undertones, the Anatolian-inspired musical group Minor Empire releases a powerful music video in honor of international women's day with "Uyuttum Atları." With singer-songwriter and vocalist Ozgu Ozman leading the way, Minor Empire has seen incredible attention and critical acclaim over its years of creating. Through their unique Turkish rhythms and dreamy melodies, Minor Empire offers a unique sound that defies categorization and stereotypes. Honoring international women's day with their latest music video, "Uyuttum Atları," viewers are able to watch lead vocalist Ozgu Ozman sink herself into introspection while laying upon nature's surfaces. All while a different young woman trudges through the forest searching for her stolen sisters in the reflection of mother nature. As the video for "Uyuttum Atları" begins, scenes of a time-lapsed sky open the video while transitioning to a meditative Ozgu Ozman, laying upon a flat rock and floating herself into thought. Moving into shots of a flower-filled field and another young woman lying upon the grass, she begins daydreaming of blessing her sisters with a warm embrace. Once Ozgu Ozman begins singing her tender lyricism, it almost sparks something within the mind of the field-laying woman as she jumps to her feet and begins venturing deep into the forest. In search of her sisters, she later finds shadows of women on trees, fluidly moving to the sweet sounds of Minor Empire. We genuinely feel refreshed after experiencing such a thorough and calming music video like Minor Empires. Allow Minor Empire to send you into a state of trance with their serene music video for "Uyuttum Atları," available now on YouTube. We highly appreciate the ode to international women's day you've created through your music video, "Uyuttum Atları." What inspired the creation of this video? Women murders are on the rise in my home country over the past few years. But again, looking around, it is a global issue, an epidemic around the world. It’s just that some societies are dealing with it openly, some are trying to underplay it. In Canada, there was this campaign called “No more stolen sisters”, which I thought was very impactful. We simply wanted to do our part and contribute to raising awareness on the issue. What message did you want to convey through your lyricism within "Uyuttum Atları," and how did you emphasize the song's meaning within the music video? In the lyrics, women who lost their lives are talking and telling their stories. How they were full of dreams, how they could have made the world a better place, how society failed them. Uyuttum Atlari translates “I lulled the horses to sleep”. The easier translation would have been “I put the horses to sleep”, but that alternatively suggested killing the horse, so we went with the more indirect translation. Horses for me symbolize noble feelings, noble ideas, and hopes, but also a heightened sensitivity. They are very perceptive of the injustice around them. When you numb or disable that sensitivity, what happens? How about in society, when no one talks about injustice, or no one is bothered by it, what happens? What I learned and experienced in my home country is that when democracy gets a hit, women get 10 times of it. Education, justice, social security...Name one. And fiddle with it, and see what happens first. You see the effect on women first, very dramatically. That erosion has been so fast in my home country that now we’re unable to stop and reverse it. That is what the title is talking about. While talking about our stolen sisters, we also wanted to explore our connection with one another through our mother nature. Every time a woman is hurt, treated unfairly, abused, I feel I lose a part of me. And I believe that is our nature. We are connected, we are geared to feel each other’s pain. But that also means we can also help each other get stronger and empower each other. That collective strength needs to be explored, nurtured and utilized. Was your group accompanied by any videographers, directors, or producers when creating your music video for "Uyuttum Atları?" The video was directed by Ozan Boz himself, who happens to be the leader of the band, and who wrote the music. We also had a DOP with Mike Rilstone. Seeing as your group created a music video for international women's day, do you usually release music that touches on broader and more meaningful concepts? Our most recent album Uprooted is basically a concept album. It was created around the concept of being uprooted, from home, from life, from dreams. So I’d say yes, we like creating music within broad, meaningful concepts, and attempting to tackle our issues through that. What would you like new listeners and fans to know about the music that you create? I’d say, we try to make music with its own unique language. So even if you don’t understand the lyrics I trust that the music will lead you into the universe we designed and intended. Have an open mind, let go and meet us there. Instagram Facebook

Northern Carolina native Patreka Wortham finds herself singing with pure inspiration and gratitude In her newest single, “Fighter.” As an individual who has taken part in the predestined journey of ministry, Patreka Wortham has used her opportunity to spread her love for music through praise anthems. “Fighter” is an upbeat single that can motivate any listener with its inspirational lyrics and fast-paced instrumentals. Each trumpet and jazz background instrument works to emphasize Wortham’s high-quality vocals and pushes her to the next octave level! Pairing together various layers of lyrics and backing track, “Fighter” is filled with excitement at every turn! With Patreka Wortham’s excellent musical resume, it is no surprise “Fighter” is a sure hit. Being selected to perform as a main stage performer at the Radio One Women’s Empowerment Conference was just the beginning as was selected as the Stellar Awards independent artist showcase winner in 2018. Having the ability to pair together gospel and minister with such upbeat, catchy singles that all can enjoy is truly a gift that sets Patreka Wortham apart from any other artists in this genre. Can you walk us through your inspiration behind your newest single “Fighter?" Sure! "Fighter" was written at a time when I was experiencing a big dose of "life". I had become somewhat discouraged (as we all do at times), but I was still trying to push through. While moving around at home, I began encouraging myself despite the challenges, and Fighter was laid on my heart; almost like a "pep talk" to myself. Now, after having lived and to still be living through the pandemic of our lifetime, it continues to be a reminder to me (and hopefully to those who listen) that we don't have to rely only on our own strength when confronted with life's battles. Do you have any individuals or other artists that you draw influence from when writing and producing your singles? When I'm writing a song, there's typically an event, memory, or emotion that triggers the song's flow and lyrical content. However, there are definitely artists that I hear in the sound as I go along the way. Mary Mary, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams, Ledisi, Whitney Houston to name a few as well as some R&B and Rock influences. We saw that you were selected as North Carolina’s winner for the Walmart Gospel contest, how have you enjoyed performing in your home state and how did North Carolina shape you as an individual and an artist? I love North Carolina from the beach to the mountains! It's filled with so many incredible singers and musicians. Here in NC, since my youth, I've had a front-row seat to great music within my family and my home church who both recorded several albums professionally. Additionally, there was always an endless array of choir or quartet concerts to go to. My parents often had our young family perform on local concert stages and churches where we'd hear North Carolina's gospel sound outside of our church and household. These early experiences gave me some insight into recording and producing original music and trained me in what it means to perform in front of large audiences. My later recording experiences here, most notably with Pastor Shirley Caesar, furthered my exposure to creating music and messaging at an exceptional level. For listeners who may not be very familiar with gospel-style music would you be able to explain its stylistic nature and how the process is set apart from other genre styles? Gospel music gives the ultimate gratitude and credit to our God. There is a very distinct message that aims to turn listeners' thoughts off of people and situations to point their focus to God himself. In the traditional sense, it can include a call and response approach and/or have a very rich, steady, pulsating drive with rhythmic music. It can also be soulful like what you may hear from an uplifting, full voice choir. More contemporary gospel musicality may sound similar at times to other genres like Jazz or Hip Hop, but the message is always God-focused. What is next for you Patreka? More music! "Fighter" is just the beginning of what is to come and I'm excited that we will be continuing to share more music in the future. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Fafiélla may be small in stature, but her soul is brimming over with love and light and her sound is anything but small. Her lyrics are a fusion of whatever she is feeling that day, so they are always authentic. Her whimsical, goofy, and chill nature seeps into your soul and sets your heart on fire. Although Fafiélla has only officially been making music seriously for a year, she has been performing on and off for most of her pre-teen, teen, and young adult life. Fafiélla has dedicated the last year to step out of the shadow of fear and into her own as an empowered female artist and vocalist. Reaching to the soul-infused quintessence that Fafiélla renders in “GingerTea,” we’re presented with an all-access pass to the inner mechanisms of this mystical artist’s creative canvas. Opulent acoustic guitar strums hint at warm tones that have us flocking to Fafiélla’s embrace in a glib motion. With the themes of “GingerTea,” basking in the contrast of mind control from the perspective of the actions, thoughts, and emotions of self, versus society and how it affects our soul’s freedom, Fafiélla aims to inspire the likes of her audience to embrace their own genuine selves as she herself learns to bask in the glory of her authentic self. The way that her buttery notes collide in a swift motion as she croons “I’ve been sipping on my ginger tea,” has us fully immersed in the sweet dominance that Fafiélla portrays in her musical creations. Produced by production architect Daniel Jay, the dynamism that jumps from the intensity of “GingerTea,” screams a match made in heaven. The perfectly balanced fusion rejoices in prevailing chimes and sultry passion that clasps onto the spirited charisma of Fafiélla. Submit yourselves to taking in all that is Fafiélla. Prepare to sink into your seat, and sip on a warm beverage of choice; might we suggest some ginger tea? Congratulations on the release of, “GingerTea.” What moment or story inspired the creation of this single? Peace and Love BuzzMusic and thank you so much. "GingerTea" was written during a time of intense self-reflection, realization, and transformation. It was so internally messy because my perspective on life was changing a lot faster than I could ever have anticipated. I was seeing things through a completely different lens, and feeling my emotions so intensely, it was crazy. Little did I know, that was just the beginning. I can confidently say now, that although life definitely has not gotten much easier or less intense, in the same token it has and will continue to, as I continue to evolve and grow. In your own words, what do you hope that listeners feel when listening to this song? Honestly, I made this song as a kind of reminder or note to myself, so I did not go into it thinking about how it would make others feel. However, as I continued to listen to it before the release, I realized it was kind of like a reality check (from my perspective), as well as a whole bunch of affirmations. It makes me feel present and reminds me to be there for myself and to be patient as I get to know myself on a soul level. My hope is that the song will spark an interest and inspire others to become more aware of themselves and how their energy contributes to the environment of the collective. We’re assuming that ginger tea has a special place in your life if you’ve named a track after it! What is the significance of ginger tea to you? Ginger tea is definitely my favorite kind of tea to drink. If it's made available to me, I'm having all of it :) Also, I really do spend a lot of time sipping on ginger tea and thinking about life. Could you please take us into the creative and recording process of “GingerTea”? A really cool producer in Toronto named "Daniel Jay" reached out to me and sent me a couple of samples of his work and I was really connecting with his artistic energy. So, we planned to meet one day and create a song just to feel the vibe and chemistry of an artist and producer. During that time I was going through my realizations about life, and various other aspects of existence, so as he started to create the beat I just wrote what was in my head. "GingerTea" to me is like a melodic list of reminders, and so it was born that day with a producer I had met and worked with for the first time. Safe to say, the chemistry is there and I plan to work with him in the future! What can fans anticipate to hear next from you? I'm working on some very exciting projects right now and plan to share them with everyone in 2021. instagram.com/fafiellaa

The Minnesota-based trans artist, activist, and producer Daughter of Dawn releases her haunting escape with a memorable single entitled "Juniper Boughs Collide Upon My Shores." Known for her highly spiritual sound, Daughter of Dawn's career began in 2018 and quickly took off in 2020 after releasing her debut self-recorded and produced album, 'Crushed into Dust By the Weight of the World.' After twenty years in punk, metal, and hardcore bands, Daughter of Dawn turned to a vulnerable, spiritual, and passion-driven sound. Also releasing a music video for the single, "Juniper Boughs Collide Upon My Shores," Daughter of Dawn drenches the video's atmosphere in black and white tones while offering her vulnerable lyricism alongside her melancholy guitar. Through Daughter of Dawn's haunting vocals and the song's tender instrumentals, listeners are bound to feel their hearts skip a beat. "Juniper Boughs Collide Upon My Shores" softly begins with Daughter of Dawn's saddened electric guitar melodies soaked in reverb. Once her mesmerizing vocals appear, Daughter of Dawn truly lifts listeners into a melancholy lullaby, primarily through the unique and ghostly vocal layering. Accompanied by an array of down-tempo drums and claps, Daughter of Dawn offers a magnetic and chilling performance while floating overtop of the ethereal instrumentals and production. As Daughter of Dawn holds our hand and leads us to the outro, the instrumentals begin to groan and ache with power, especially the robust electric guitar that serenades us until the very last second. Introduce yourself to Daughter of Dawn's discography on all digital streaming platforms, and begin your venture with the haunting release, "Juniper Boughs Collide Upon My Shores." instagram.com/daughter.of.dawn.music facebook.com/daughterofdawnmusic

Aussie Aus is a passionate musician and talented singer/songwriter with critics and fans alike. Born and raised in sunny Southern-California, Aussie Aus' R&B career began with a bang in November 2018. The emerging artist feels that his purpose as an artist is to create an experience and atmosphere in which the listener can extend the limits of their capacity for love. With the release of his second EP, ‘Par 7,’ the project's tracklist includes Aussie Aus' three hit singles as well as four brand new, never-before-heard original tracks, featuring other Southern-California grown artists such as Morgan Clae, Rodiswell, and others. Shining a special spotlight on the EP’s hit single, “Bungee,” we’re offered up a tantalizing environment of divine guitar riffs drowning your speakers in a thorough coating of ecstasy. Aussie Aus serenades us in luxurious vocals that reign supreme with the gracious tenors that he strikes. The heavenly vocalization follows the concept of the ideal-self and an attempted circumnavigation of transparency in an effort to avoid the premature disclosure of one’s imperfections. Having us eating right out of the palm of his hand, we’re swayed by the overall composition and how seamlessly it fuses together in the vivid portrayal of romantic gestures strained. Cascading upon the poignant instrumentation, we find ourselves gravitating toward the warm embrace that Aussie Aus lures us into. His lyrical motifs illustrate animated transmissions of the words that he places forth in a sentimental manner. Buoyant upon impact, you find yourself covering the mass ground of your inner emotions as you find peaks of bliss, and melancholy all at the same time. “I would never lie to you, but I’d stretch the truth like bungee,” is the alluring opening line to the hook that lingers on your mind long after the song is complete. Clever and forward, Aussie Aus has taken his talents to the next level with “Bungee.” Equally captivating at a Top 40 tier, and unique as an independent artist, Aussie Aus is one to keep on your radar as he immerses the soundwaves in a melodic utopia. Could you please take us into what moment or story inspired the songwriting for this single? I drew inspiration for “Bungee” from my experience with being put on a pedestal in the early stages of my romantic relationships. There’s a point, quite early on, when love, lust, and infatuation seem to be indistinguishable from one another and so they mesh together into this big, heavy ball that rolls over you continuously. The size of that ball diminishes over time until its existence is merely peripheral, but in the beginning, it’s quite overwhelming. It’s all you can see for a while, really. It blocks you from the ability to see the imperfections of your partner and so you place them on a pedestal of perfection that begins to seem like a mistake as the ball shrinks over time. “Bungee” pursues the concept of the ideal-self and an attempted circumnavigation of “transparency” in an effort to avoid the disclosure of one’s imperfections as that ball shrinks. Accompanied by sultry electric guitar riffs, I try to paint a romantic picture of an apology for words unspoken, asking for exoneration from deeds unknown. In an attempt to lace my undisclosed shortcomings with sentimentality, I sing “I would never lie to you, but I’d stretch the truth like a bungee.” As the second song on my EP, “Bungee” acts as a gauge, reminding the listener that while love isn’t infallible, it is devout, deliberate, and ultimately cleansing. Did you know that “Bungee,” would have the success that it has when placing it on the tracklist, or did this come as a surprise? You can never truly know how the listener is going to react to the music you release. Regardless of the medium you use, as a creator, you always hope that you’re able to properly convey a jumbled and passionate thought into an actionable, palatable entity. But in attempting to do so, you’ve gotta be realistic in your expectations of a critic who doesn’t share your same creative passion. The mindset of the producer and the consumer are quite different, I’ve come to realize. So needless to say, I set my expectations relatively low, even after pouring my heart and soul into the song. I will admit though that “Bungee” was and still is my personal favorite from the project and I silently hoped that the listener would share that sentiment. Luckily for me, those hopes were actualized. What happened to be your favorite part of creating “Bungee,” and the entire soundscape of ‘Par 7?' My favorite part of creating “Bungee” and the entire soundscape of “Par 7” wasn’t writing the lyrics or even hearing the final mix. I felt the most joy after singing the full song into the mic for the first time and then hearing it all the way through. I get excited when I’m able to perceive my music through the lens of the listener. It’s amazing to me that I can pour all my negative emotions into a box, outside of myself, only to realize that when others open that box, they’re affected positively. It’s like turning coal into diamonds. I love it. What do listeners have in store when listening to ‘Par 7,’ from front to back? Being that this is only my second project, I took this time to make sure that I showcased my versatility as an artist. You can expect to hear a myriad of different genres and cadences when listening to “Par 7”. I made sure to display my singing ability as well as my rapping potential. “Bungee” is a perfect example of this adaptability. The track begins with me belting a ballad and ends with me spitting more than 16 bars before the final chorus comes back in. I hope to connect with a wider audience by allowing them to bob their heads and hold their hearts for the same track. What would you like listeners to know about you and the music that you create? More than anything, I want the listener to know that I’m lost just like everyone else. When I sing, it’s not my goal to be a teacher in front of a class. If anything, my songs are meant to showcase my flaws, flaws that the listener may also possess. I’ve realized that when flaws are shared they become a means of connectivity between you and those lawfully akin to you. You don’t build bonds by pretending you’re perfect. The best way to empower yourself and others is through vulnerability. So here I am, flaws and all. instagram.com/aussieaus

Jane Handcock is known for her ability to create relatable music for her growing fan base in both the rap and songwriting sectors. The Oakland native felt a motivation to begin creating this track as she was moving between the Bay and Los Angeles as she felt inner growth and maturity. “ION LIKE DAT” exhibits every aspect of her multifaceted talent and self-expression as an artist with strong catchy beats, emotional-filled lyrics, and catchy melodies. Hancock catches listeners' attention and covers feelings felt by many as she vocalizes honest inner feelings. The unique, strong body of work is shown within this single as she is able to add a light flow to a powerful backing track. Her immense musical talent has not gone unnoticed within the industry as her singles have been featured on the HBO television show Insecure and given her the opportunity to work with other powerful artists like Kelly Rowland, Rick Ross, and Tyrese. Jane's natural talent, paired with influence from these power-house artists has catapulted her in a movement towards being the next R & B sensation of our generation! “ION LIKE DAT” is a vital step in her music career that proves to listeners and other artists once again that Jane Handcock is filled with immense talent and self-expression. Instagram Facebook