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Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Country Singer, and Songwriter Carrie Cunningham has a new release for the holiday season titled, “Eggnog.” Picture this: You’re walking into your local grocery store to grab some Christmas essentials; ribbons, crackers, wrapping paper, the works. As you’re sauntering along in autopilot you’re bopping your head to the Christmas carols you’ve heard a trillion times each year. Whether you’re a Christmas carol lover or not, we’re all looking for a little spice in our lives, and Carrie Cunningham has brought us just that. With her new Christmas release “Eggnog,” you’ll have another excuse to hype yourself up for the holiday season. The song incorporates flavors of country and pop, all while maintaining the spirited energy of holiday songs that we all love. With its quick-paced percussion, chimes, jingle bells, and enthusiastic trumpets, the cheerful duet is exactly what you need to boost your holiday spirit this year. In collaboration with musician Daniel Mason, Carrie Cunningham sings “Eggnog” as a vibrant duet. They keep the track dynamic by singing the verses individually, then coming together to highlight “Eggnog’s” magnetic melody by harmonizing the chorus. The romantic and playful lyrics are the cherry on top of the vivacious experience that is “Eggnog.” With her contagious holiday spirit, Carrie Cunningham has created an essence of vibrancy that has the power to reverse a bad mood and have fans setting up their Christmas trees early before they even realize it. Listen to "Eggnog," here. The spirit of “Eggnog” was simply contagious, and exactly what we needed to hear as we enter the holiday season! What was your inspiration behind the song? Awe thank you!  It's funny how the whole thing came about.  Last Christmas I was driving my 2nd-grade son home from school, and " I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" was playing on the radio.  My son asked me if I would ever kiss Santa and the response of "Depends on what's in the Eggnog" just fell out of my mouth, lol!  My son immediately yells back "Mom"!  Totally caught him off guard. I also love "What Christmas means to me" by Stevie Wonder so, I wanted this song to take in that style. What made you decide to come up with a holiday song? After listening to “Eggnog,” it seems like you’ve nailed your first one, do you plan on releasing more? For many years I have wanted to do a Christmas album, but time gets away from me and by the time I think about it again, it's too late.  I was planning on doing it this year, but I am releasing a full album early next year and I needed to put the funds towards that instead.  This is my 2nd Christmas single.  I released "Sand Beneath the Mistletoe" last year.  It's a laid-back reggae style song. We love a holiday song that can be sung as a duet! The harmonious chorus was one of our favorite parts of “Eggnog.” Could you tell us about your collaboration with Daniel Mason? When my co-writer Hal Odell and I started writing the song, we thought about many ways we could take the concept.  At first, we were going to have it as just me singing it, but the more we got into the writing process, we decided it would be fun to make it a duet.  I could hear a specific sound I was going for as far as the male vocals were concerned.  I wanted a singer who had a soul in his voice.  Hal said he had a friend in Nashville who might just fit what I was looking for.  I heard his voice and loved it.  You should check out his band, "Brother Maven."  Daniel did a great job and it was fun working with him in the studio. Many artists go through their fair share of ups and downs within the music industry. Can you tell us a little bit about your experiences as a country artist? Boy, ain't that the truth!  I've always been a hard worker and my drive to stay in the country music business is no exception.  Being a woman makes it difficult.  I've lost out on gigs because of it.  I've been told I didn't get the gig because I was a woman.  I've been told my only position on stage is to make a guy want to have sex with me.  Age makes it difficult.  It's always been that if you were a woman in country music and you were over 26, you were pretty much too old.  But things are changing, at least I hope they are.  On a brighter note, I have opened for over 50 national acts and I am truly thankful.  I love being a country artist.  I love being able to make people dance and feel something. What has been keeping you inspired throughout 2020? I have been working on building my business Sound Barn LLC.   I'm a benefit auctioneer and motivational speaker also.   I have been working on building my brand to really be a resource to people who need my help.  I'm a giver and I want to give more.  I am incorporating music into my philanthropy.  So for the past 11 months, I have been working on the upcoming album, taking music business courses, and really honing into how I want the next chapter of my life to be. carrielive.com

An incredible Rap artist to grace the music scene hails from Miami and delivers feel-good Hip Hop music for everyone to enjoy. Mi.Yayø didn't grow up with a lot, and it wasn’t long before he was absolutely sure there was something more out there for him. Mi.Yayø brings to his music a sense of realness, telling it like it is and reeling in listeners with his honest lyrics and hardcore beats. Having been compared to the likes of Ty Dolla $ign, Mi.Yayø’s music such as his latest single “Milestone” just keeps giving and drawing an audience. Mi.Yayø takes advantage of everything the production world has to offer, swirling in electric guitar and textured drums with his heart-stopping Hip Hop beats. His music becomes very carefree and loose as a result of his easygoing and peaceful personality. Mi.Yayø has always been one to appreciate the small things, and this authenticity that comes out in his music is what keeps him going. He has gathered a devoted following stemming from his hard work and dedication, and his refreshing music will only go up from here. Check out our recent interview with Mi.Yayø here. Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

Based out of Toronto, Canada, this multi-talented inventor has a passion for melodic waves and an even bigger passion for Contemporary R&B. Saintblu strives with his creative mind and also has a knack for photography, an outlet that allows him to explore new and exciting aesthetics in fashion editorial. Whether it be through the genuine emotion in his performances or the visual aspects of art he captures, the “DIE 4 ME,” up and coming artist displays vulnerability and hunger. “DIE 4 ME,” drips in desire when you’re greeted with the progression of the instrumentation right from the jump. The melodic and downtempo effects from this record allow you to instantly swoon over Saintblu’s artistry in a blissful utopia. Saintblu delivers a heartfelt performance as he serenades us all in a story of having that significant person by your side through this roller coaster we call life. Captivated by the memorable hook, we’re encouraged to tap into our deepest emotions as we sing, “You would die for me, you know what I’m saying,” repeatedly. Saintblu offers his listeners a piece of himself as he exudes passion and soul into the reverberated sounds of his vocals. “DIE 4 ME,” is an earnest ballad that you can very easily add to your playlist and hit repeat, before you notice the evening has passed you by. Saintblu has a gift for profound words coming to life and he showcased that with his latest single, “DIE 4 ME.” Listen to "DIE 4 ME" here. We love the smooth execution of your latest single. Was “DIE 4 ME,” inspired by a specific moment or person, and can we have all the details? "DIE 4 ME" started off as a freestyle. I was in the studio looking for beats and I heard the first 10 seconds of the song and just started spitting lyrics. I think I had a lot of built-up frustration and mixed emotions. I battle between wanting to date someone/is in a relationship but also fear heartbreak. I'm too scared to be vulnerable with someone. I'm afraid my partner would take it as a sign of weakness and use it against me, because when I really fall for someone. I fall. I will cancel all my plans just to hang with you. I truly will put them above all. How important is it for you to take real-life experiences and sprinkle that into your music? I would say it's really important to sprinkle real-life experiences in my music because it makes things more authentic and true. However, on the other hand, I love writing creatively. I’m a storyteller. With a record like, “DIE 4 ME,” what does the creative process look like when fashioning a song of this caliber? Honestly after writing and producing any song that I make I get so creatively drained. Which is why I like to welcome in my close friends who are creators. Usually, I will play the song for them and ask them what they see. From there we try to build the vision and overall aesthetic. My best friend Tyler not only plays my love interest in the music video but also designed the cover art for the single. Whilst my friends at 109 studios production took full creative control for the video and painted a picture of what the song meant to them. Very happy with what they created and can’t for everyone to experience it. What do you hope your listeners take away from, “DIE 4 ME?" I don’t know. I just hope that they enjoy it and wanna blast it through their speakers. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020 and what can we expect to see next from you? My friends are the ones that are constantly keeping me inspired. They give me stories to write about and they’re always the first ones to listen to my music. They give me the thumbs upon whether it’s a bop or flop as of what’s next for me in 2021 definitely more music and music videos. “As he pleases” the EP drops 2021. Instagram Website #BUZZMUSIC

Coming in from Winnipeg, Manitoba, the flavorful Singer/Songwriter HAVS releases an empowering yet soothing single for the soul with "Godspeed (feat. Marcothatsall)." Known for her broad and adaptable sound, HAVS pushes the boundaries of genres while continuing to garner inspiration from timeless R&B. Through her recent single, "Godspeed (feat. Marcothatsall)," HAVS teamed up with Producer Marcothatsall who continues to challenge Hip-Hop and R&B through his 6+ years of knowledge towards writing and composing. Regarding the powerful single, "Godspeed (feat. Marcothatsall)," we hear the soulful stylings of HAVS while accompanied by the serene and gripping production by Marcothatsall. HAVS provides listeners a spiteful and spicy tune through her reminiscent lyricism while pushing to overcome the situation and reminding herself of the trouble her past relationship caused. "Godspeed (feat. Marcothatsall)" opens with Marcothatsall's sweet-sounding production through ambient keys and delicate percussion patterns. As HAVS enters the song with her warm and melodic vocals, she graces our ears with lyrics surrounding the journey towards independence and leaving someone behind. Around the chorus, we hear nothing but Marcothatsall's vibrant R&B production highlighting HAVS' vocals dropping f-bombs left, right, and center. The track truly sends us into a place of empowering bliss through Marcothatsall's tender and intricate production and HAVS' relatable lyricism. HAVS has honestly outdone herself with her sultry, empowering, and stimulating single, "Godspeed (feat. Marcothatsall)," and the surrounding production by Marcothatsall brings the track incredible power and stamina to keep moving until the very last beat. What initially inspired you to create such an empowering, relatable, and spiteful tune with "Godspeed (Marcothatsall)?" HAVS: This song started as a freestyle. It was supposed to be a venting song. I recorded it at home using the beat that Marco sent me a couple of days before and sent it to him as a joke (kind of, half-serious). He liked it and suggested releasing it as his first song as a producer. We've been wanting to work on something together for a while so this seemed like a kismet opportunity. I think the realness in the song is what makes it so empowering. I wasn't worrying about what anyone would think, it was purely for me. You mentioned that Producer Marcothatsall and yourself went 50/50 on the creation of "Godspeed (feat. Marcothatsall)." What was your collaboration like when making the track from the ground up? HAVS: Marco made the beat in his time, and I put together the lyrics and melody/flow in my time. From there we've been working collaboratively on the artwork, release, and any other decisions or ideas. He sent over a few beats that he made with me in mind and Godspeed is the one that I felt the most aligned with. Did Marcothatsall help you write the lyrics for "Godspeed (feat. Marcothatsall)," or was your songwriting process an internal experience? HAVS: The process of writing the lyrics was very internal. Like I said it was initially just me venting to the mic. I pressed record and liked what I got from it. From there I finalized a few lines and turned it into what it is now. How did Marcothatsall manage to formulate the production to offer such serenity and warmth within "Godspeed (feat. Marcothatsall)"? What sort of feeling and atmosphere did you want the production to provide? Marco: I was listening to a lot of "partynextdoor" at the time that I made this. I wanted to implement some of the darker sounds with a heavy bass line. I made a few beats with HAVS in mind and this was the one that she ended up using. What can we expect to see next from you? HAVS: I have a couple of singles and videos lined up for 2021. I've also been collaboratively working on some healing songs to accompany meditations. Marco: I'll be going public with my beat store (Marcothatsall.com) on November 27th with a ton of vibes including trap, afrobeat, etc. HAVS Instagram Marcothatsall Instagram

Cali Rodi is LA's latest newcomer who gathers from the musical touchstones of Pop and Alternative and amalgamates them with nostalgia from the early 2000s and the feeling you'd get from fist-gesturing and moshing at Warped Tour, for her latest single, "blink 182 + u." A Native of Cave Creek, Arizona, this alt-pop artist found herself interjected within the sonics of punk and pop—a typical musical itinerary for a millennial. Naturally, when her music caught the attention of Keith Urban, landing her a publishing deal and instigating her to move to LA., it was no shock that her heart would return to the tune of her teenage years amidst her newest musical endeavor. With a punchy arrangement of oscillating pads, prismatic harmonies, suggestive electro-inspired hip-hop beats, and droning guitars that almost sound like a synth with how saturated they present, "blink 182 + u" feels like Cali Rodi's strongest song to date. It's a jaunty and fresh-skinned number with roots bolstered by the skate-punk band's 2004 hit "I Miss You," but, with heart-throbbing lyrics that would make you want to hug the love-sick artist in an attempt to comfort her aching heart: "cuz you said you were sorry but you were unapologetic, so even though I don't hear from you anymore, my heart still hits the floorboards." When Cali sings, her execution never falls short of immaculate, floating with a cadence that renders-up the descriptive lyrics with an innovative style that comes around once in a blue moon or every other decade. As you transition through the pre-chorus where Cali decries about the way things ended up ("when it's 1 am and you haven't called, why am I waiting? I'm waiting for nothing at all"), she lands you into the magnetic hook of her chorus: "I miss the old blink-182, and you, I miss you, I miss you." As she resounds and the guitars chug fervently into the last half of the track, an aura of keys and synths swirl up into the atmosphere of the mix, generating a pulling bridge-section that denotes the final crescendo of "blink 182 + u." If there's one thing to be said about the budding young artist, Cali Rodi, it's that in the time since of moshing at Warped Tour and crying over boys, shes become a pop musical doyen, entering new territories with her latest single, and sounding more potent than ever. Can you tell us how the recording and production process for "Blink 182 + U" went? What came first in terms of instrumentals, and how did you come up with such a catchy top-line melody? “blink-182 + u” had such an organic recording process! It started out just the bare bones-an acoustic guitar and me singing into an iPhone voice memo. My co-writer Emily Haber and I had written the entire song this way, and we knew the song was special when we finished it, but we weren’t quite sure how to bring it to life. For a while, the song was a crowd favorite during my live shows and the most requested song after I posted a snippet of it on Instagram. Fast forward a couple of years, I was knee-deep into working on my artist project, and “blink-182 + u” just kept coming up. It’s such a great representation of who I am, so I knew it had to be one of the first songs that were released. My friends Aaron Z and Luke Arens put their magical producer touch on it and added punchy guitars, hip-hop drum sounds, and other dynamic musical moments. I’m usually a “lyric-first” type of songwriter, so as far as the melody goes, we just mumbled different ideas to help the lyric shine as much as possible until it felt right! What was your anecdotal message to fans behind "Blink 182 + U," and do you feel like this song will resound with your fan-base? I feel this wave of nostalgia comes over me every time I sing this song, and I hope listeners will get carried away remembering all their own crazy-stupid, carefree moments too before we had bigger things to worry about. I think my fan-base will find pieces of their own (not so) wasted youth in this song. Have there been any lessons you've learned about yourself behind the artistic process in "blink 182 + u"? If so, do you think this is a lesson you'll carry with you on to your next musical endeavors? Up until “blink-182 + u,” my releases have been primarily empowering anthems, but I have a LOT of stories to tell, and I’m not afraid to tell them. Being a 20-something gives me a lot to work with; whether it’s heartbreak, loving yourself, growing up, or even social commentary - I have a song for that. I carry all these experiences with me on my musical journey. If you could give your fans a few words that would act as the prologue to the experience you've created within "Blink 182 + U" and the rest of the music you have coming down the line, what would you say? These songs are freeze-frames of feelings I want to feel out loud. Let’s sing at the top of our lungs together. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? What can we anticipate to see next from you as we enter a new year? 2020 has definitely been a rollercoaster and it honestly takes a lot to stay inspired. I do feel like the more I put the pen to paper, the more inventive I am in my everyday life. Other than that, neighborhood walks, re-watching “How I Met Your Mother,” baking pumpkin everything, getting teary-eyed listening to “Folklore,” and reading “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle are keeping the creative juices flowing right now! In the new year, there’s going to be a lot of new singles, some collabs, and an EP full of all my favorite songs and some surprises! instagram.com/calirodi

Coming at us from South London, Singer and Songwriter Naviyah is well known for her recent birthday banger “Birthday Drink,” which energetically represents her signature sonic fusion of Pop and Rap. As both a born again Christian and a Pop/Rap artist, she is a fusion of spirituality and sonic triumphs. With each rambunctious track, she creates an anthem for youthful crowds looking for something to celebrate. Naviyah stands out in the industry with her subtle lyrical message to her young fans. She aims to motivate her listeners to drink responsibly. With the acceptance that people will drink during festivities, she focuses her attention on drinking safely – rather than abstaining completely. While maintaining a joyous energy Naviyah successfully spreads a message of accountability and maturity during those carefree moments. Fans can expect to be showered with new songs and videos from Naviyah in the next year, and can even get their hopes up for an album release. She plans to diversify her music style by experimenting with a variety of genres and collaborating with other artists in the new year. Learn more about Naviyah and her music here. Instagram Twitter #BUZZMUSIC

Multi-talented San Francisco based artist Afterthought teams up with natural born lyricist Aura to give listeners a taste of their collaboration, “Growth.” Afterthought wears many hats as a rapper, producer & songwriter fusing together the genres of R&B and Hip-Hop. Afterthought fills his creations with nostalgia but fueled by futuristic elements. Music has always found a way to surround him at a young age. This led him to begin producing and songwriting predominantly R&B, Soul, and Pop music for other artists. Afterthought brings a multidimensional skillset to the music industry. He has teamed up with Brooklyn based artist Aura for their smooth record, “Growth.” Unafraid to push the boundaries of her sound Aura continues to surprise us all while serenading us sweetly by adding her own unique flavor to the melodies she creates. Together, they are unstoppable with their latest collaborative efforts. “Growth,” carries a deep and wistful vibration as this R&B instrumentation gets fused with Jazz and Soul components to bring you this unique composition. The opulent production and catchy guitar riff instantly set out to soothe your soul on a deeper level of emotion. While being transported to a blissful utopia in the essence of “Growth,” this record hits home while painting a picture of growing and moving forward with yourself, taking in your own personal beauty. We are immersed in the delicate reverberations of Aura’s vocals that sing sweet and sultry tunes of passion and desire. The way that her vocals blend into the instrumentation in such an effortless manner is truly a sonic delicacy. We are then struck with Afterthought’s descriptive lyricism in the second verse as he gushes a deep cadence while delivering his carefully crafted lyrics. Together this dynamic duo is a force to be reckoned with as their artistic styles complement one another as they come together in the striking development of “Growth.” Both artists showcase the depth of their versatility and allow us in on a sentimental level as we get to know these up and comers in the industry. Welcome to BuzzMusic, Afterthought, and Aura, and congratulations on the release of “Growth.” With such an intimate record, we would love to know, how did this collaboration come to be? Afterthought: I had been working on collaborations with various artists when Covid-19 hit the US and most cities went into Lockdown, I had been a fan of Aura’s music and when quarantine hit I tapped in with her about making music in general, we went back and forth on a bunch of things, and eventually started working on the instrumental that would become “Growth.” For me, this was the first song I made entirely digitally during querying, a collaboration through texts and FaceTime only. Aura: I shared the admiration for Afts music, I loved that he could effortlessly switch from killer production to insane lyricism. He is truly a jack of all trades, so when he reached out with a fire beat I immediately started writing. We were both within the same virtual circle of artists called GFM (shoutout Tori), which served as a constant reminder of his artistry and made virtual collaboration feel easy during the quarantine. What did the creative process look like for each of you going into the creation of “Growth?” Afterthought: After I and Conner made the beat and I sent the beat to Aura the process was almost instant. We talked about growing as a concept before any lyrics. She sent me a rough of her verse and bits of the chorus and then I began writing my verse of those lyrics and melodies and from there the song just kinda grew naturally. Aura: Once I started writing, the vision for the topic and tone of the song came instantly and was born out of previous conversations that we had about growth. From there, we collaborated back and forth on Facetime on arrangement, melodies, and harmonies. We were always open to each other's ideas which made collaborating easy. We were always open to trying out different things, but we were also honest with each other when we felt like something didn't work. What would you like listeners to take away from the profundity of this record? Afterthought: I just want people to be able to vibe, to be able to relax, and tap in with their own personal growth, especially in these times. In the chorus Aura notes “take that weight off your shoulder,” I think that was I want folks to do, take the weight off and focus on themselves in the purest form. Aura: Man, Aft took the words out my mouth. But seriously, during quarantine, it is especially easy to put pressure on yourself to achieve all the things that have been sitting on the back burner. As I've grown I realized that being busy doesn't equate to success. Taking care of yourself spiritually, mentally, and physically does. Sometimes that looks like lying in bed eating ice cream, and sometimes that looks like writing a new song, working out, and cooking dinner. Whichever it is, I just hope that people take the time to take the weight off their shoulders and treat themselves with the love and care they deserve. Could you please take us into what the studio session looked like when recording “Growth?" Afterthought: Well we were separated the whole time, so for me, it was most important that we're able to be on the same page and the same vibe! And so I thought about that constantly while working on the production and lyrics from my standpoint. Aura: Studio sessions are lonely these days haha, just me in my home studio. It's different because it forces you to communicate even better outside of the studio since you don't have that live feedback and collaboration process that the studio environment creates. That's exactly what Aft and I did. What can we expect to see from you as we enter a new year? Afterthought: I have a collaborative project with one of the childhood friends, Arun Desai dropping November 24th and then my sequel to Family First comes out next spring. Aura: I just released my new single "The fall" and have another joint called "lay low" coming out with my friend J P Rose later in November. After that, you can expect new tracks from me at the top of the year. Afterthought Instagram Aura Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

Hailing from Hartford, CT, the Singer/Songwriter, and Guitarist Coleus releases a coming of age single surrounding the years he's stayed hidden with, "Strangers." Stating that writing music has always been a form of therapy, Coleus is diving headfirst towards his mission of providing a safe space for listeners to feel his heartfelt stories and relate with them. Whether he's solo or with his full band, one is bound to be captivated by the likes of Coleus. With his latest single, "Strangers," Coleus mentioned that the song surrounds themes of living as one's true and authentic self after many years of comparing oneself to others. The song's natural warmth and playfulness allow listeners to groove away and forget their woes while staying fully engaged with Coleus' relatable lyricism regarding a massive inner shift. "Strangers" opens with bright electric guitar chords and upbeat percussion patterns awaiting the appearance of Coleus' vocals. Once he begins to sing with his tender and soft vocals, Coleus slowly increases the energy within his voice to match the song's lively instrumentals. Listening to his lyrical message, Coleus sings a powerful story of basking in his inner glory and ditching the old comparative mindset while living for himself and no one else. The instrumentals continue to groove with bright electric guitar melodies, punchy percussion breaks, and sweet bass licks, which offer the song a naturally uplifting atmosphere that perfectly matches Coleus' reflective lyricism. We're very appreciative of an optimistic single like "Strangers," as Coleus goes incredibly deep and analyzes his past self while reminding listeners to stand firm in their authentic and unique power. Could you describe the moment you felt compelled to create a song surrounding the need to embrace one's authentic self, leading you to your single "Strangers?" I wrote the lyrics to this song in a parking garage in Hartford, CT right after seeing a Josh Ritter show. I was very inspired by his individualism and uniqueness in his songwriting. I realized that being true to myself was a feeling and that I wanted to follow that feeling in my artform. I knew that it was time for me to devote myself to my music, to go after my sound. “I made a deal with myself.” Seeing as you're a guitarist as well, how did you formulate your instrumentals within "Strangers" to offer such warmth? What did your creative process look like regarding the song's entire instrumentation? I sat down one day and came up with that intro guitar line. Then I went back to those lyrics from the parking garage cause I knew they fit the vibe I was going for. After playing the song on a lot of solo gigs, I sent a demo to my band to hear how they interpreted it. I knew I wanted to leave a bunch of space throughout the verses, and let the bass and vocals set the tone. We then played it at some shows and it felt great to me. My producer Dave Swanson (Legend Studios) helped a lot with the guitar sound, specifically on the chorus. He recommended we lay down some percussive acoustic guitars to bulk up the chords. After being in the studio with the song, I felt a connection with George Michael’s “Faith”. I was fascinated by the instrumentation on that album and song specifically, which inspired me to add that clapping rhythm over the intro. I think that’s about it in a nutshell…not too much work when I write it in a paragraph of course. haha. When writing your lyrics for "Strangers," how did you write your lyrics to tell your story, while also offering listeners a 'safe space' that you strive to deliver? Well, I mostly strive to write songs that are true to me and my life. This song was a reflection of my teenage years in particular. I wrote them in a way of talking to myself while also talking to the listener. “Don’t you see, I’ve been hiding, playing myself for a mannequin, I’ve been wearing all black in the dark.” My teenage years were very potent relating to the theme of this song. I knew that I wanted to be a professional musician, an original artist to be exact but I was terrified of stepping out, being seen. I was used to hiding, blending in with the crowd. As a shy and insecure kid, I used to fantasize about being other people, thinking that I wasn’t good enough. At the end of the day, the ‘safe space’ is not really a conscious thing when I write my songs. I just know that songs were and are some of my best friends throughout life, always giving me a safe outlet. If I can do that for somebody else, that is a powerful thing for me. When I think of “Strangers”, it is a light at the end of the tunnel for that teenage version of myself. A song that reminds me that life has only gotten better with age because I’ve only become more confident in who I am. We've noticed that you have two singles released, being "Raining" and "Strangers." How do these two tracks help listeners get to know you better? Do the single's offer any similarities between them? Well, I would hope they let you in on getting to know me, whether that is personally or musically. “Raining” is a song that means a lot to me, in expressing the journey I’ve been on with my wife. Now that I think of it, it’s another song that feels like a light at the end of a tunnel. My wife and I have been together for over 10 years and struggled like hell to commit to each other for the first 3 of those years. We were doing our own things in life, rightfully so, and met each other at an unexpected time, 3 months before I was moving across the country. Summer of love, so to speak, the cliché! We’ve met a bunch of different versions of ourselves over the years, individually and as a collective. The two songs share the thread of evolving in a relationship over time, whether with myself or someone else. What can listeners anticipate to hear next from you? I have my self-titled debut EP coming in mid-January 2021! When the EP drops, you will hear two totally different songs about my life, along with hearing these two singles in context. These other two songs are some of my favorites and I am thrilled for them to be born. I plan on dropping another single after that and I also want to release a cover or two. I love interpreting other peoples’ music, so I definitely want to let people in on that realm as well. Stay tuned. Instagram Website #BUZZMUSIC

The Chicago-bred Singer/Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist Natalie Oliveri returns to BuzzMusic, this time teaming up with Gabriela Riley to pay homage to their Columbian and Brazilian roots with their soulful single, "MAR." We've seen the talented likes of Natalie Oliveri come and go over the last few months, and we're impressed with her decision to expand her sound and offer a tribute to her heritage and background through her latest single, "MAR." Teaming up with the stylings of Gabriela Riley for their single, "MAR," the song serenades us in the beautiful tongues of Portuguese and Spanish while offering soulful elements through their jazzy and worldly instrumentals. With a team of musical masterminds behind this song's creation, it's no wonder why we feel such texture and depth from the single without completely comprehending their languages. "MAR" opens with serene keys and ambient electric guitar strumming at a mellow and downtempo pace. Once Natalie Oliveri and Gabriela Riley's layered and ethereal vocals appear, the song instantly transcends into a higher and warmer atmosphere through their incredibly complimentary vocal tones. We can't help but groove away with the song's natural and organic ease, especially through the mild jazz-infused instrumentals and the two artists singing with the utmost passion. Although we're not entirely educated on the beautiful languages they serenade us in, Oliveri mentioned that the song surrounds earthly themes of nature's power and beauty. "MAR" brings listeners into a sonic sweet-escape with help from Natalie Oliveri's warm vocals accompanied by Gabriela Riley's equally soothing tone and the song's overall peaceful instrumentals that reach deep into our hearts. We're impressed with the shift you've made within your music through the release of your single, "MAR." What inspired you to create a song in your native tongue alongside Gabriela Riley? Natalie: I grew up with Colombian music throughout my childhood and enjoy creating music solely in Spanish from time to time. I see myself more as a songwriter than an artist these days so it's super enjoyable for me to tap into different genres of music with every season. It's hard to stay in one category which is why I started a music catalog company called Melody to Beats. It's much more enjoyable to create in a way that doesn't box me into a single style. Also, love to collaborate with other artists including Gabriela! We both wanted to create something that came from our ethnic background. Gabriela: Spanish and Portuguese possess a natural musicality. There is something very special, as the children of South American women, about singing in our mother tongues, to me it feels as if there is more raw depth that comes through when singing in our first languages, more directness in the lyrics. I do a lot of backing vocal work for others and lyric writing, mostly in Brazil, so genre-bending feels natural, I just recorded vocals for a Marcos Valle track which felt like a serendipitous way to follow up our release of "MAR" which dances around the Valle realm of Brazilian sounds. I dream in Portuguese mostly, so working with Natalie in Spanish opened my mind up to do more of my own music in the language, so I intend to keep the Portuguese ball rolling. Speaking on your lyrical content within "MAR," you mentioned that the song praises mother nature's elements and organic power. How does your lyricism pay tribute to this statement? Natalie: The theme of the lyrics actually came to me in a dream! "Respira profundamente antes de dormir, resa por los mares que dan vida, anter de dormir." Sometimes we forget about the importance of mother nature and what it gives us as humans. Air, water, etc...It's such a phenomenal thing that we can sometimes take for granted. . I've been super inspired by watching an ocean sunset whenever I get the chance. It's a moment of magic and makes me appreciate the beauty of life even more. For some reason, I felt that the song needed to be in Portuguese as well and thought, hmmm maybe a collaboration with Gabriela would be the missing piece for this song to come to life. She has a warm tone and a beautiful quality in her voice. Plus, she is a great lyricist so it was wonderful to join forces with another artist/vocalist that understands conscious metaphorical thinking amongst lyricism. Gabriela: In the first phrase Natalie urges the listener to breathe deeply and to pray for the life-giving oceans, setting a scene of serenity, the type of holistic serenity that is most purely experienced in nature. Water is the most powerful element and it is said that the ocean is similar to the plasmic fluid of a mother's womb, space all of us had to pass through to arrive here on earth. Beginning a song with a prompt for listeners to breathe is powerful, it's the ultimate involuntary mediation, to build lyrics around this theme was very fun to do alongside a co-author. Co-writing lyrics is new to me, I love the experience. Seeing as you and Gabriela Riley teamed up with various musicians to create your single "MAR," what was your creative process like, taking the world's circumstance into account? Natalie: I started with the initial melodic idea/concept on guitar and Gabriela fine-tuned it adding her musical and lyrical skills. We actually starting working on this track about a year ago in my little Brooklyn apartment. I was looping some guitar chords and melody lines, we had a few of the vocals parts and started working out the harmonies and lyrics one piece at a time. Once we had a general idea of the verse and chorus structure, Gabriela asked her friend and Brazilian guitarist extraordinaire Guilherme Monteiro (Bebel Gilberto's guitarist) to help us finish the full structure. He added some great parts towards the end which gave us a good foundation of beautiful jazz/Brazilian style rhythms and harmonies. We then asked other musician friends from Brazil and New York. All of the guys had different musical backgrounds which we thought would be perfect in creating a nice fusion of world and chill 70's retro-soul/jazz in the mix. Everything was done remotely with each individual that took part which was the only way to do it with our circumstance during this time. Gabriela and I managed to finish the vocal parts in Chicago this past year, while the others finished their bits in Brazil and New York separately. Pretty worldly collaboration I would say! lol. Gabriela: It was quite smooth, technology has made it easier to connect to our communities all over the world, musicians far and wide are tuned in to the necessity to continue creating despite the distance that has been imposed. As Natalie mentions, we were seated in a small Brooklyn apartment going through the natural motions of songwriting, writing as we play, tinkering with melodies and arbitrary sounds that fit into the melodies which eventually turned into thematic words to match the opening phrase's sentiments. I am spoiled by many years in Brazil, where we tended to record all at once, so to produce a track with every spread throughout different parts of the world was a huge learning curve. "Mar" makes me feel the word "Saudades" which is a Portuguese sensory word that has no English translation, it's like having a Deju Vu or fondly missing a memory yet to be made, and I think part of that is a lot of love went into the track. I listen and can see Guilherme Monteiro's fender amp glistening in the sun that poked through his Williamsburg balcony as we three played "Mar" together, though I was not present, I can see Mauro Refosco's detailed percussion setup filling his Super Legal studio as he explored our voices paired with Guilherme's guitars; the essence of Alberto Continentino's classic Brazilian bass soaking up then injecting the sounds around him from Rio de Janeiro's Lagoa into "Mar", and I can hear the rainforest of Petropolis and the metropolis, yet still tropical, the ambiance of the fiery and motivating São Paulo air. It was fantastic to branch out into this ever more common world of long-distance recording. With the rest of your discography in mind, should we anticipate more of your culture's elements and sound in your upcoming music? What can we expect to see next from you? Natalie: Yes! One of the reasons I started my new brand MTB was so I can add the old discography of Motown, Latin, Rnb, Jazz, etc... and continue to just create beautiful music without boundaries of what genre it should be in. Will definitely be doing more Spanish music for years to come. Gabriela and I are also planning to continue with creating more tracks together influenced by our South American roots. It's fun being able to mesh what we grew up listening to from our parent's background within the American culture of Hip-hop, Rock, Jazz, Soul, Funk, etc... Can definitely expect more collaborations soon in all genres. Gabriela: Definitely, in 2020 and beyond, I think it is becoming more and more important to stay connected to our roots. More singles and collaborations with the global community will be on the way. I am and will always be open to all music styles, my friend and musical life mentor, Wilson das Neves, the seasoned drummer from Rio de Janeiro, used to say "genres don't exist" it's either music or it isn't." That spoke to me because I like to wander all over the genre map, from experimental records to funk, soul, Musica Popular Brasileira (MPB) and I definitely intend to keep going deeper into our shared South American sounds. I have compositions with Alberto Continentino, who plays bass on "Mar", that should be out early next year. My door is always open to new musical experiences. Natalie Instagram Gabriela Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

Multi-talented music producer, Ionika delivers a triumphant performance in his latest single, “Perfect (feat. 808 Carter)” Eddie Cai, better known as Ionika, is a gifted producer who works within the creative realms of Electronic, Hip-Hop, and Pop music. Born in New Jersey but hailing from Philadelphia, he began writing and producing dance music influenced by a variety of artists including Skrillex and Avicii. In the summer of 2018, he grew to become more comfortable with writing music, and now raps and records his own lyrics rather than having other artists featured on his productions. Ionika finds a way to incorporate his Chinese background with modern music in a way to convey his musical journey. With his latest release, “Perfect (feat. 808 Carter),” Ionika continues to captivate his listeners and gain attention from people all over the world. “Perfect (feat. 808 Carter)” carries an up-tempo ambiance with every sparkling element displayed through the production. The enticing hi-hats add that bop to the music that truly has you tapping your fingers and toes to the beat. The smooth and reverberated sounds of 808 Carter’s vocals create a euphoric ambiance that has you instantly lost in the sounds of the top-notch production quality. The instrumentation matches the theme of this record in such an effortless manner by fusing Contemporary R&B, Hip-hop, and Electronic music together in this mesmerizing melody about having your eyes on that significant other and letting your guard down to be with them, even if just for the night. Ionika fascinates listeners by the passion that is put into the finer details of the production elements. Every single vocal effect and ongoing progression of the composition stands out and takes listeners on a sonic voyage. Captivated by the unforgettable chorus, we’re able to allow our emotions to flow as we sing, “Yeah, your smile shines deeper than the surface. Yeah, your smile shines deeper than the surface,” at the top of our lungs. Ionika and 808 Carter offers listeners an exhibition of desire in, “Perfect.” This record is a heartfelt display of talent and you can easily listen to it in all settings. Congratulations on the release of “Perfect (feat. 808 Carter” Welcome to BuzzMusic, Ionika! Could you please take us into the creative process of how this record was made? So this song was made after I hit up my good producer friend, Jad Walker. He loves producing R&B beats and making really space-like atmospheres in his music, so he played for me a couple of beats over Zoom, and this one really stuck to me because I loved how simple, yet alive it was. Before this song was even conceived, I took a songwriting class at Drexel and wrote part of this song to a completely different beat in a completely different tempo. For some reason, the song sounded a LOT better after I was messing around with melodies and rhythms over the beat Jad Walker sent me. I rearranged the flow of the chorus "You're so perfect, and girl you're worth it" and it stuck with me that the chorus you're hearing in the song was the one that was it. So I laid down everything I had and decided the chorus was so catchy and dope that I should repeat it twice, so that's exactly what I did after the first one. How did you come to collaborate with 808 Carter for this beautiful piece of work? 808 Carter is one of Jad Walker and I's best friends, and when I played this beat for him, I didn't know exactly what he would come up with, but he came up with something completely different from what I was talking about. Instead of talking about how amazing this girl was, he was talking about the negatives in the relationship, and when his second verse hits, he's meeting this new girl and just vibing with her. It really tells a story in my opinion, of how two different guys see meeting a potential partner. He's really creative with his words and storytelling, and I think that his verses in the song made it THAT much more visual and interesting to listen to. What does this song mean to you? Was the same vision always there? Like I said in the previous answer, it was a very spontaneous collaboration that just happened to work out the way it did. I didn't envision the song to be your typical R&B song, being very romantic and happy, but rather being more realistic. I talk about someone being so perfect and amazing, but Carter helps anchor it back down to reality by talking about that even though a girl is perfect, there are always going to be issues in a relationship because you're with a stranger who is completely different from who you are. In my opinion, the song really ties to the saying "No one is ever perfect", but we like to think that the people we look up to and adore are. What would you like listeners to take away from, “Perfect (feat. 808 Carter)”? Don't set your expectations too high, and be realistic about meeting someone. It's interesting because Carter and I are two very different people. The way I describe this girl is very dreamy, very fantasy-like whereas Carter is extremely down-to-earth and honest about his emotions and feelings. Despite that, however, you can view your potential partner as 'perfect' but in reality, you have to understand that there will be hardships that arise from that relationship. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? 2020 for me has been a very reflective year. I kinda looked into myself and realized what I needed to do and what I didn't need to do. And in terms of musical creativity and drive, for me, it was experimentation. It has always been experimentation. I don't like to be tied down to genres of music or categorized as a "rapper" or "singer". I like to jump all over the place. So to be very honest, like, this was my first ever R&B song I have ever written and performed. I think that my voice has the potential to be a very powerful tool in music, and developing it was important to me so that I could expand my horizons and dive into more genres such as R&B instead of being stuck with the same hip-hop cycle every day. So, now I just make whatever music sounds good to me, and if it makes me feel good, then I know the fans and audience will like it as well. soundcloud.com/ionika youtube.com/c/ionikamusic instagram.com/ionikamusic twitter.com/ionikamusic tiktok.com/ionikamusic