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It practically felt like yesterday when Ballerina Black resurfaced to drop their electro-post-punk single, "Devils and Lilacs," immediately earning the attention of fans worldwide. Since then, the L.A. trio has recapitulated their musical development, focusing on their aesthetics, and polishing their musical catalog with their 2020 original, 'Microphones In The Mattress.' But most recently, on their latest track, 'Hologram,' Bobby Moynahan, Esli Sugich, and Scott Eton fully commit to their sonic expansion; plunge into a nutritive vignette of retro-futurist sonorities, fusing new-wave electronica, with post-punk, and synth-wave, rarely neglecting the 80s-inspired textures that come attached. The L.A. electronic trio has been propelling their music to the forefront of Spotify playlist with scintillating synth arrangements that super-charge the soul, drum back-beats that inspire the heart, and a sonic aura evokes dance since 2017. So naturally, the up-beat, reverb-heavy, forward-driving energy exposed within the paunches of Ballerina Black's 'Hologram' shouldn't come as a surprise by now. Over a diligent mid-tempo cadence, Bobby Moynahan's delectable vocals float buoyantly above echoing electric guitars, soaked bass-lines, and a manifold of viscid synths, working in tandem to diffuse 80s nostalgia throughout the entirety of this highway cruising soundtrack. Though the meter doesn't sway much from start to finish, 'Hologram' works its magic by orbiting around the adhesive top-lines, "tie you up, tie you down, tide you over, it's a tiny town." There's a sense of longing, romantic hope, and smothered honesty as if Ballerina Black is making a case for the good-natured intent behind their lyrics: "never gonna lie, never gonna leave you, only wanna try to keep you off the ground." It's a track that works out any kinks and avoids kitsch, feeling like a balanced mix between Depeche Mode and New Order, cooperating over the adhesive sonics penetrates through your headphones, and landing somewhere eager to be explored. 'Hologram' is an essential stanchion in Ballerina Black's shift towards more sonically enveloping territories, leveling-up from the foundations of their Post-Punk classifications, they've departed from the raw simplicity and traditionalism of mainstream, simmering over their new-age radioactivity, and broadcasting 80s nostalgia with every saturated synth component that endows their latest musical catalog. Listen to "Hologram" here. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

The Philadelphia-based 5-piece Humilitarian releases an agitated and relatable single titled, "She Said." Born out of dusty basements and indie Phili-based venues, Humilitarian draws their inviting sound from jam-band psychedelia and crunchy Alt-Rock with funk and jazz elements. Finally releasing their staple closing number "She Said," Humilitarian takes us through modern-day turmoil of unwanted criticism from loved ones that linger within the mind. The song brings listeners deep into the five minds within Humilitarian, as they noted that this is one of their more disturbing pieces. While delivering bright and lively Alt-Rock instrumentals, the band pointed out that this was their first completed track, making it incredibly close to their hearts. "She Said" begins with plucky electric guitar layered with drifting electric guitar melodies, both perfectly setting the track's reflective and deepened tone. As the lead vocalist begins describing scenes of judgment and criticism, the approaching chorus drops into this scorching hot atmosphere through the layered electric guitar, powerful drum patterns, and a gripping bassline. The front-person's vocals resemble a unique blend of Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks, giving us prime melodies that stick around our mind while evening out her lyrics with powerful delivery. We can't help but relate to the heavy lyricism portrayed on "She Said," and Humilitarian perfectly supports the song's lyrical theme with their lively and passionate Alt-Rock instrumentation, delivering heart and soul in a matter of minutes. Listen to "She Said" here. We're heavily relating to the lyrical theme within your blazing single, "She Said." Was the lyrical content a collective inspiration, and how did your group initially begin discussing the song's theme? While we do tend to collaborate on the musical elements of the song, the lyrical content is all produced by Kira. While some of us knew each other before the band formed, others of us were strangers, so in the beginning, we focused on jamming and getting to know each other more than we ever discussed lyrics. Kira: The way that I tend to come up with lyrics is to listen to the guy's jam and apply something that I’m feeling to come up with lyrics; it’s pretty standard but has been a reliable method for me so far. At the time when we were writing “She Said”, I was dealing with a lot of negative feelings following a breakup and processing residual family weirdness. When I first heard the beginnings of what became “She Said” as the guys played it, all I could think about was how frustrated I was with being spoken down to, and I just felt so done with it, but also hurt. I think that comes through in the lyrics of this track. Could you break down your creative process for "She Said?" How did the five of you go about your individual parts to build the track to what it is now? Brendan: I remember one of the first times we ever hung out as bandmates, Kira came over to my place in the winter of 2019. In my cold basement (which became the site of our very first show) she and I were just sitting there playing some tunes. Out of nowhere, I kinda just started playing the opening riff of She Said on my guitar while I was messing around. Kira immediately found the melody and some lyrics and we really liked what we had. A few days later I was hanging with Noah and Eli, and I showed them the song on my guitar. After hearing it the first time through, the first thing Noah played was the lead guitar melody that you hear on the track. Eli added his drums and it all came together very easily, despite having no real idea to start with. Seeing as "She Said" is a staple closing number for your group, what pushed you to finally release the track to the public on streaming services? We knew this song meant a lot to us and to our listeners, family, and friends, as it tends to be many people’s favorite song in our set. We waited to put it out because we wanted to be very selective and intentional about who we worked with on mixing and mastering, and we’re very happy with the results. We also waited to release this song because we felt that stylistically and thematically it is pretty different from anything on our first EP, “Humilitarian”, and it is definitely different from the new set of songs we are currently recording for our next EP. We had always planned to release it as a standout single. Would you say that your music is a reliable introduction to who Humilitarian is and what your band tends to stand for and represent? Kira: So far, yes, I think the five songs we have put out so far sort of showcasing the influences and elements that we often use in songwriting and jamming. I think it’s really cool because we have a wide range of styles that we like to touch on, from pretty indie rock to jazzier elements to the super emo-sound of “She Said”. Our first EP is really representative of these different ideas. If you listen to our song “Safe in the Center” immediately followed by “She Said”, you can definitely hear a stark difference in the structure of the song, the approach to lyricism, the guitar tones, everything. I really enjoy getting to put on many different hats when it comes to songwriting with Humilitarian. And as we continue to write for the next EP and eventually an album (someday), I think that you’ll see those elements coming out again, though interacting in new ways as we grow in cementing our style. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? Kira: Honestly… Just the fact that we are lucky enough to live close to each other, the fact that we have multiple spaces where we can jam and practice, and the fact that we have a home recording studio where one of our two guitarists, Noah, operates his engineering business and records almost all of our songs with Humilitarian. Just being lucky enough to have the opportunity to keep playing and writing and hanging out together during this quarantine is what has kept my head on straight as we all stomach the loss of live shows, among other things. Brendan: We genuinely like each other, and just really enjoy making music together and hanging out. In my experience, It’s very easy to stay inspired when you get to work with people you love, who also happen to be immensely talented at what they do. Eli: The release of “She Said” has been a big factor in our inspiration lately. Ever since it came out it seems like we are all on the same page of wanting to continue to write and develop new songs together. It’s just refreshing when everyone wants to work towards the same goal. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Dutch Artist and Singer/Songwriter JUDY releases her longing and desirous debut single titled, "Fool Yourself." With inspirations like BANKS, James Blake, Kevin Garrett, H.E.R., and Snoh Aleegra, JUDY blurs the lines between Alternative R&B and Soul/Jazz, allowing listeners to drift into a daydream with her tender instrumentals and angelic vocals. Her debut single "Fool Yourself" brings listeners deep into a reflective and passionate state of mind as JUDY sings a saddening tale of seeking clarity from someone's actions. The mellow R&B instrumentals bring an incredibly serene atmosphere through calming keys and soft drum patterns that add a slice of modernity to such a timeless track. "Fool Yourself" begins with sole R&B keys and JUDY's broad vocal range. As she begins to sing her story of wanting someone and dreaming of their love, she paints surreal images of passion and desire into her delicate lyricism. The surrounding R&B instrumentals subtly swell into a sublime downtempo tune that keeps listeners in a calm and reflective state of mind. With incredible use of slow trap drums that flutter through the song's high end, JUDY's broad vocal range adds to the vast atmosphere and pulls us in with her dynamic vocal delivery. JUDY has captured such poise and elegance within her debut single "Fool Yourself," while giving listeners lyrical content they can heavily relate with and find peace in. Congratulations on the hefty release of your passionate debut single, "Fool Yourself." What pushed you to take this desirous and wishful approach within your first debut single? Thank you so much!! Within my first single, I wanted to create an atmosphere that I connect with the most as an artist. Although the song is super minimalistic, I don’t think it needed a lot more to create this mellow and floaty feeling that I wanted. Also, I always feel more connected to the energy of a song than its lyrics, so the most important thing to me is that I express ‘my story’ through the vibe of the song. I felt like the instrumental vibe of ‘Fool Yourself’ was really intense, so I wanted the lyrics to match that intensity level. How did you go about merging genres like Alt-R&B, Soul, and Jazz within your sonic creative process for "Fool Yourself"? Did you have any producers help with the song's production and instrumentals? ‘Fool Yourself’ was produced by Kauwboy (Levi de Hoon) and has a real alt-r&b beat! People always tell me that my voice has a ‘soul vibe’ to it, but I can’t say this track is merged with any jazz. Of course, this is my first single and these are the genres that I want to create music in, but one day I’d love to create a song that has all 3 genres. In the end, almost every music genre descends from other music genres, so there are many similarities between them! Now that you've released a heavy R&B single as your debut, do you plan on sticking with this desirous tone in your songs? Or do you aspire to try different experimental songwriting approaches as well? I don’t really see myself as a ‘good’ songwriter (yet!), so I definitely want to challenge and improve myself and try different songwriting approaches! My most favorite genre would be this heavy r&b, but also in that department, I want to keep on challenging myself. I’ve been working my ass off to create more music and this ‘different approach’ might be closer than you think! You've mentioned that you express your music through colors and contrasts. Could you explain what you meant by this, and how you implement this statement into your brand? I’m a very visual person and therefore I find visual expressions almost as important as the music itself. With platforms like Instagram or just the artwork of a single, I think it’s so important that these visuals match the vibe of your song. That’s why I want to create artworks where there’s a main color who represents the ‘vibe’, in combination with other colors to create contrasts. For example: In the artwork of ‘Fool Yourself,’ the main colors are just black and white, because of the song’s intense but minimalistic approach. The song also has that floaty and spacy feeling and that’s why I created this holographic filter with ‘space colors’ like purple/blue and yellow/green. During the release week of Fool Yourself, I also uploaded teasers on my Instagram every day in that same style to match that vibe. The next main color is going to be orange, so start guessing! What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? I’ve always been someone that has had big dreams and wanted to do everything at once. Due to the Coronavirus and being more by myself, I’ve realized that it isn’t bad at all to take baby steps and enjoy the little accomplishments. I’m not quite where I want to be in taking more time for myself to relax, but I keep in mind… baby steps! Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Coming from Stockton, CA., the diverse Hip-Hop Artist and Rapper Jegotit drops heat with his latest rhythmic single, "Kobe (Bean)." Always having a knack for writing rhymes and natural rhythm, Jegotit found himself influenced by diverse sounds like Blink 182, Linkin Park, Tupac, and J. Cole. He's found that having such diverse artists/groups on his playlist has definitely impacted his creative process to expand even wider. With his latest single "Kobe (Bean)," Jegotit sizzles the rap scene with incredible rhythm and gets us moving right from the jump. The supporting production serves a haunting and darkly-lit vibe through pulsing and subtle piano, dynamic ghost vocals, and a sweltering mid-tempo trap beat. "Kobe (Bean)" begins with low-pitched ghost vocals that deliver this sultry tone over top of the faint piano and dominant drum patterns. As the first verse begins to approach, the production offers an incredibly modern tone through a deep kick that gets us anticipating Jegotit's bars. As Jegotit begins rapping, his flow is truly irresistible as his rhythm overpowers the track and acts as the prominent focal point. We instantly hear a similar sound and style to G-Eazy, delivering his bars in this calm and composed tone while exuding nothing but confidence. His bars are incredibly playful and catchy, perfect for a night ride down the freeway. Jegotit delivers his vast talent within "Kobe (Bean)," and gives listeners an irresistible bop through each aspect of the song's production and Jegotit's amazingly rhythmic bars. Listen to "Kobe (Bean)" here. Hello Jegotit and welcome to BuzzMusic. We love the vibes and infectious rhythm you deliver within your single "Kobe (Bean)." How did you begin creating the track, and what inspired you to take this dark and atmospheric approach? Just me being creative with my favorite athlete's name. I grew up watching Kobe Bryant dominate for years so to me having a song named after him was special to me. The whole vibe around the song was meant to match his killer mentality on the court but in a lyrical version for myself off the court. Regarding the textured production within your single "Kobe (Bean)," what did your creative process look like with Producer Jerrett Hartman? Was the beat pre-made, or was it composed solely for you? I always say the artist is nothing without the canvas so myz was extremely important to this song as he built the canvas. As soon as I heard what myz created I just knew I was going to go insane on it. Speaking on your bars and flow within "Kobe (Bean)," how did you go about writing bars that deliver your authenticity, yet also complement the production's rhythm as well? The beat was already premade but it felt like it was made specifically for me to be on. I don’t think there’s anybody that could do what I did on this beat better than me. You've mentioned that having different artists/groups of various genres in your playlist influences your creative process. Could you give us some examples of songs where you were somewhat experimental with your sound and approach? I just envisioned Kobe going out there destroying anybody in his path and that’s what I felt I needed to do the bar for bar. Myz did an amazing job laying down a blueprint nonetheless. I find it extremely easy to find a flow on a beat. I didn’t confine myself to just one flow on the beat once I wrote one line the song had essentially written itself. Believe it or not, I was listening to the band “The Killers - Mr.Brightside” the entire week before I found this beat. That song is fun to sing but has a very dark feeling and emotion to it. I heard what myz made and the entire melodic dark vibe pulled me in. I wanted something that sounded dark and moody but that would be fun to sing. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? Definitely, the people around me that are supporting and believing in me. Every single person that listens shows me that I can be heard. All I’ve ever wanted to do was be heard for my music and I know every single song and day that I grind for this that I’m one step closer to being heard by the world. Instagram Twitter #BUZZMUSIC

Would it be tacky to believe that when two artists with the affluence for manifesting their talents in more ways than one, collude together to create music, somewhere out there in the multi-verses, the stars aligned? Well, when you're talking about George Khouri & Joséphine, the aforementioned inquiry might make you think twice about your answer—which shouldn't really matter because that's what it feels like experiencing their latest collaborations as a musical duo. On one end, a lyricist absorbed by the embodiment of words on paper and experienced in the emcee cantor he was exposed to as a youngin'— think Tupac and Wiz Khalifa— and on the other, a timeless, nostalgia dripping songstress, with a propensity for garnishing her releases with their respective visual accompaniments. Together, they reach into their "pop-culture" titled sonic handbag and deliver "WILL & JADA," a song drawing influence from the gossip dripping celebrity relationship. Here, between the gyrating sonics of punchy R&B production, riffing clean-amplified electric guitars, Joséphine's vocals take flight atop a hooking top-line and a grooving "four to the floor" cadence. It isn't until one minute into the bouncy beat that you're met with George Khouri's low-resounding versifications; it's a Tupac-like tone where free-thinking and sister-respecting is the central ethos. Over his verses, he dispenses tangible bars that traverse between the seasons of love, channeling into a narrative that surrounds the Smith's infamous relationship. As you thump forward past the revolving filtering doors through one passage hook to the next, the mantra of this track sticks like adhesive to your memory, "do you think we'll ever love again, got to keep moving on, I'ma have to show yah." It's almost mesmerizing when you realize the unobtrusively infatuating synergism between the two artists' voices when they resound, "still not letting go!" together. When thinking back about the stars and planets aligning to bring this collaboration together over the buzzings of "WILL & JADA," don't feel surprised by the after-glow it adorns you, as you relish over the conquering feeling this song diffuses from the first moments the air pressure reached your ears. Hello George and Joséphine, thank you for sitting down with us to discuss your latest collaboration, "WILL & JADA." Can you run down how you produced this track? Where did it start, with pen and paper, a beat and a top-line, or a sample and a DAW? The production of this track started with the instrumental just like most of our songs. We felt out the vibe of the music, and the song concept was the first thing that came to us. The bass guitar melody in the intro of Will & Jada has set such a warm and “heartfelt” mood. What were the primary emotions each of you needed to tap-into for your performances on this track? The primary emotion we tapped into this song was 100% “vulnerability.” We completely let our guards down and performed with sincerity.  It was important for us to do this to express how we both felt about Will and Jada’s handlings of their relationship challenges. While the internet was making fun of their situation, we championed their vulnerability and courage to make things work. What is your favorite part about collaborating together, and what do you think makes your duo so successful in your musical inclinations? Our favorite part about collaborating is structuring our songs to have the perfect balance between Joséphine’s singing and my rapping. It’s always an exciting back and forth. We are successful in our musical inclinations because we speak from such open and honest female and male perspectives. It’s a treasure to have both of these insights on the same song. If you could preface this song by giving us a few words that would act as a Prologue for the experience behind "WILL & JADA," what would they be, and why? Will and Jada have shown us that it’s possible to overcome anything in a relationship, especially when you put love before pride. This song explores all the seasons of love. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020 More time inside in 2020 means more time in the studio. This has only brought us closer to our craft. For any artist, now is the time to tap in and create more than ever! George Khouri Instagram Joséphine Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

'Villain of the Piece' is like a bipartite playthrough with one end highlighting a motorcycle cruising hard-rock aesthetic, and the other fathering a southern swoon, swaggering to an acoustic guitar and the country drawl that comes appended. It's the latest album from the Swedish songster Johan Ruborg, who's on his way to becoming one of modern rock's innovators. His latest amalgamation of sonics has a potent magnetism to it, with character-driven lyrics and affluence concerning storytelling that can captivate any audience. What's most infatuating about this playback is how effortlessly Johan juggles between heavy-rock anthems and country-inspired ballads from track to track. Opening up with a hefty dose of high-tension and scintillating wattage, the Swedish rock-star inaugurates his playback with a story that leaves an impressionable afterglow, before detouring into more calm and balmy waters not too far in. "You Made Me A Criminal," is the scintillating rock anthem that initiates 'Villain of the Piece," with a story following a society-made lawbreaker, strung out on amphetamines, wearing a bulletproof-vest and equipped with a 38, who gets barred-down by the law; capsizing his quest for redemption and reparation. It's a good taste of the hard-knocking nature behind Johan's rock n roll treasures, which feel like the authentic gems on this latest album. The heated journey continues on through tracks like "Hard Streets." Here, Johan outlines the picture of a bad-ass raised in an urban jungle, who steals his first car at seventeen and takes life at the age of twenty-five, with an extreme propensity of high-octane living as he navigated life in a less than the safe environment. Johan seldom uses electric guitars for anything less than a hot-blood riff or a steamy solo throughout the album's playback. "Blood Meridian" is another track that benefits from the deep-plunging, southern-route hard-rock aesthetic that festers within 'Villain of the Piece.' It's the highlighting track on the album, coming in super-stocked with Johan's heavily saturated croons drifting over a fiery instrumental backing on a hot-blooded 'desperate times call for desperate measures' ethos, and landing like a raging stadium anthem held tight with industrial drums, overdriven amps, and lighter flames waving in the distance as far as the eye can see. On the other tailpiece of 'Villain of the Piece," Johan delivers a contrasting framework for songs like, "I'd Rather Be Alone With You," a song reminiscing about a past love, festooned with synergizing acoustic guitars, home-bound bridge sections, and Johan's direct southern-tinge, garnished with a low-registered tone that warms the heart and soul. Though these unique singles come from worlds away, compared to the leather vest trimmed Harley Davidson coasting sub-cultures that the opening track perfectly encapsulated, his influential roots of the south come baring the benefits of shifting audiences perspective. Embellishing his album with a full stretching experience, where listeners get to know all the sonic capabilities behind Johan's talents. "When The Going Gets Tough," comes steadfast on the cadence of a marching snare drum, with acoustics strings and prismatic vocal harmonies working in tandem to drive the infatuating melody homeward, while Johan's calls out in longing to be reunited with the woman he loves. It's a well-balanced ballad that grows on you as Johan's dynamic electric guitar resurfaces for a waft of the melodic display, while the marching rhythms chaperone listeners into another Nashville-winking hit titled, "Good Days Ahead." Corralling all the best melodies for a catchy top-line about better days, and making the best of what you've got, this is Johan's terminal song on the LP, and it's a feel-good anthem that anyone can sink into. Liberated with gooey harmonicas, prismatic acoustic guitars, and a well-rounded rhythm section, Johan soars across the expanse of the mix like a man who just seized another shot at happiness. In searching for an injunction, 'Villain of the Piece' fares strongest when Johan puts all in his eggs in the storytelling basket, and particularly when a hard-rocking soundtrack is driving the wheel. He finds drive and impulse on in the scintillating "You Made Me A Criminal," retreating to one his most well-known settings: on the highway, dejected, and grueling over the sonic exudation oozing from his amp. And just after the all-embracing hug of "I'd Rather Be With You," there's the power track "Blood Meridian," an example of the best elements of this playback, where Johan embraces his rock n roll intensities and invests in the boiling-point storylines he unveils so captivatingly. "The hate of man," he sings in the most eminent frontiers of this track, with a deep-seated voice, "became the testament of a now fatherless son." Whatever southern leaning, Hardrock festooned aesthetic Johan might singing on top of, he always sounds tapped into something special, filled with poetic purpose and astonishing purity, following wherever his creative intuitions guide him. Johan Ruborg sounds like himself but split into two variations: one half, a hard-rocking motorcycle riding anti-hero, and the other, a country swooning heart-throbber. What were some of the most powerful emotions you remember tapping into for the performances you've captured on 'Villain of the Piece?' I think this album really captures a raw and very soulful experience since it's almost exclusively recorded live in only a couple of days. For me, It was a combination of time pressure, determination, and musical instinct that gave the songs it's raw power. 'Where did most of your songs on 'Villain of the Piece' find their initial origin? Was it a few MIDI notes on a DAW, a melody stuck in your head, or a poem/story begging to come to life? I write all my music on guitar, so it always starts with a line, a melody, or just a phrase, then the idea of the story slowly begins to unfold. Almost every song on this album is written in a first-person narrative. Like 'You Made Me a Criminal', a song about a drug mule, based loosely on a guy I've met. Then you got a song like 'Blood Meridian' which is inspired by real events that took place at a solid waste plant in Houston in 2015. The title to that song is actually from one of my favorite books by Cormac Mccarthy, I thought it would be a fitting title for the scenery. I like to work as a movie director on my songs and build imagery for the listeners to navigate through. Not just lyrically but also musically. Can you walk us through your thought process behind incorporating hard-rock-driven songs amidst tracks that have more of a southern aesthetic on 'Villain of the Piece'? I grew up listening to 'album rock'. You know the classic rock albums that had the whole spectrum of songs, the 'up-tempo rocker', the 'heavier song', 'the ballad'. So I always loved the idea of recording albums that are diverse in its own musical genre. Also, guitar-driven music and especially hard rock have always been just as close to me as folk, blues, and country music. Can you tell us about some of the most impactful learning moments you can remember encountering throughout the production of 'Villain of the Piece'? As an independent artist you have to accept the limitations of your resources, then you have to learn to accept the actual end result or the finished 'product' so to speak. I've come to realize that it doesn't need to be fancy, expensive studios and overqualified producers to make a great album that you're proud of. It's all about working with committed people and believing in your own songs. If you could give us a few words that would act as the prologue to the musical and emotional experience behind 'Villian of the Piece,' what would you say and why? It's very much a statement. A tribute to all the music I grew up listening to, about reviving guitar-driven music in a kind of plastic and digitalized mainstream industry. It's also about these characters I'd like you to meet, the 'villains of the piece'. They're often displayed in difficult situations and maybe with a less promising outcome than for your 'average Joe'. Still, there's always some fighting spirit left in there, an underlying sense of faith and a small ounce of hope, but in the end, I guess it's only rock n roll isn't it? Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Born in South-East Colorado during the Golden Era of Hip-Hop, Mista Los has collaborated with rapper JohnnyBlazeMusic to release his new single “Still Bangin.’” Raised by his single mother after the tragic loss of his father, he developed his passion for music early thanks to his mom who always filled their house with melodies. Mista Los was a young prodigy and began to write his own verses at age eleven. Through his invincible-minded teenage years, he hit a rough patch that taught him countless life lessons, too young. It takes a strong person to learn from such experiences and channel his emotions into a productive outlet to come out on the other side. Mista Los has flipped his life upside down and has recently been growing his fan base performing live across Colorado. Picture Ocean Boulevard’s snail-paced lineup of lifted, exotic cars on a Friday night in South Beach, Miami, “Still Bangin’” would be one of the songs shaking the subwoofers so hard that the neon light kits are visibly vibrating onto the street. Mista Los has stayed true to his upbringing by giving the soundscape of “Still Bangin’” flavors of 90s Hip-Hop with its high pitched melody layered within the backtrack. The 808 trap beat places extreme emphasis on its bass about every four beats – a real subwoofer shaker. Mista Los’s gravelly, deep vocals fit seamlessly into the mesh of contemporary and Golden Age Hip-Hop. “Still Bangin’” is the type of song you will want to have on a loop to soundtrack a memorable night with your crew. Hello Mista Los and welcome to BuzzMusic. It's wonderful to have you with us. What was your inspiration during your songwriting process for “Still Bangin?” Could you tell us a bit about the lyrics? I had the beat for “Still Bangin” for a couple of years, n always saw the direction it was going in. But the words never came, the melody never presented itself for the chorus. I never force that, no matter how dope a beat is. Don P called the instrumental, “Compton Streets” n the vibe definitely matched. So when I came to terms with the fact that this record wasn’t gonna be a solo effort, the universe yelled out, “JohnnyBlazeMuzic”. He’s been killing the game for a hot second n we had mutual respect for one other. The collaboration was always in the cards because of this. But like I said I hate forcing sh*t. Anyway, I couldn’t leave this beat alone, n when I heard the yells, it made sense. This was the collab we’d been waiting for. He’s a Pueblo Native n I’m a Rocky Ford native, both from Colorado with similar upbringings. When I presented him with the beat n vibe I wanted to portray, everything started falling in place like clockwork. . The words I used to describe what I wanted were simple, all I said was, “ I wanna talk about Colorado Streets” and he hit me back with the chorus. I was lost for words when I heard his rough draft. It’s like we talked about it in detail. But really it was just our similarity and what we convey in our music that brought it full circle. He understood what the beat spoke and from that, the lyrics came naturally. We knew what needed to be said. To individuals that been associated with that thug life, and the street code, we elaborate on what they’ve endured. Thus “Still Bangin” was born. Can you tell us a bit about your rocky experience growing up, what you have learned from it, and how it has shaped you into the person you are today? Sheeit, where do I even start haha. Umm, well, my Dad was murdered when I was 9 months by his first cousin. Since birth, death has always been an arm's length away, so of course, that shaped who I am as a person. I wasn’t a straight goon because of it like most woulda been haha. Nahhhh who am I kidding, I was running a muck from 8-24, smh. My brother Ru calls me a chameleon cause certain situations to bring out certain parts of my personality, so I’ve never been outta place. I was blessed, with books and street smarts and I definitely used them to my advantage. The crazy little country town I call my hometown was like gladiator school, it was so diverse, it’s wild. I mean it still is but a bit different these days. I got in my first fight in ‘99 when I was like 6 or something, so that says a lot. It didn’t help that all my boys were either gang bangin, hustlin, or getting faded. So I got this “f*ck it” attitude way too early. Naturally, I dabbled in everything the streets had to offer, I was a wild child, to say the least. But all that craziness solidified my morals, as y’all probably know, there’s a code in the streets, and I’m no stranger to it - a matter of fact, I still live by it. Loyalty, family, dignity, honor, etc weigh heavy in how I move n the things I approve of or accept. Could you tell us about your collaboration with artist JohnnyBlazeMusic, and what he brought to the table for “Still Bangin?’” Like I was saying in the first question, I didn’t have really anything but the idea for this record. He took what little I told him and made one of the hottest songs to come out in Colorado, and I'll stand by that statement. JohnnyBlazeMuzic is an extremely talented artist with a vision. He speaks knowledge but ain’t too preachy with it. Definitely gotta check out his discography. But Still Bangin’ has to be one of my favorite records I’ve ever done. The vibe, the melody of the chorus, and how we flow with the beat with some real lyrics made this a top tier record. How does “Still Bangin’” compare to your other songs? How has your music evolved over time? “Still Bangin’” is one of my favorite records I’ve done, as of yet, but as far as my evolution with music, I’m always trying different things. I love music as a whole, every genre, all of it. I was an alto sax player throughout my school years, so yes, I love music. Honestly, I’m excited to see what’s next cause I really haven’t even scraped the surface of what I intend to do with the music. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? The battles that everyone around me, including myself, have been faced with. 2020 has been headhunting, but I ain’t going out without a fight. It’s been tearing up families and all, but my team, my family is still standing cause we stuck together and helped each other instead of being selfish. Loyalty has been tested like a motha, but when you are who you say you are, it speaks volumes. What's kept me inspired in 2020 is not being able to turn down a good fight. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Residing in Vancouver, BC is Canadian artist Delo Darya. Delo's goals for her music are to create and shape songs that have an affecting feel. Always involving herself with creative projects and outlooks, Delo Darya has consistently found comfort in the spirit of music, and she continues to manifest her own sound with the various influences she holds close to herself. Gathering insight from various genres such as R&B, Soul, Jazz, and Pop, Delo finds eccentric ways of combining flavourful components of each into her own music releases, and one of her recent releases, "Glitter or Gold", does exactly that. A soft jazz melody unravels and introduces "Glitter or Gold", setting up the right kind of sultry and sensual atmosphere. Delo combines smooth and softly carbonated harmonies, bringing playful tonalities that amplify the already buzzing energy pouring off the single. It's undeniable that Delo has stayed true to her creative intuition, subtly emulating calm recollections of empowerment. "Glitter or Gold" has a certain poise and elegance, mainly constructed from the production of the single, and Delo takes full advantage of it. We're excited to see how she'll continue the streak of glamorous performance, and the type of music that will arise from that. Hello Delo and a warm welcome to BuzzMusic. What was the initial vision that you had for the way you wanted to craft "Glitter or Gold" in order to impart the quality of ambiance the song unleashed? My vision was for it to the surroundings to reflect the story, of the death and rebirth, the winter and snowy environment to signify her cold memories, and the spring to signify a new beginning and the blossoming of her higher self. We filmed at two specific locations to allow for this ambiance. The Cabin in the mountains where I start the story looking out the window is where I start the story and the scenery allows the emotion of the song to be established. What aspects of "Glitter or Gold" during the writing and recording process did you feel you were challenged as an artist? During the writing of this song I wanted it to be authentic as possible because it is a piece of my history my diary, a story of survival of getting over being a victim of abuse. I wanted the lyrics to resonate with all the girls who have had a past that was dark but they overcame that and began to find their own identity and chose love over the pain. The challenges had to with how vulnerable I wanted to be sharing my story of pain with the world. This music video was filmed and edited by my best friend, she knows me so well that filming it was so easy because we work well together, I am comfortable with her direction and having someone direct you but keep in my what emotion you are trying to convey is very important and makes a huge difference to the overall message. How would you describe the theme presented within "Glitter or Gold" for those who have not yet listened? The theme lies in the questions, when you dig inside yourself you want to find the gold not just what glitters and looks like it's valuable like glitter. Digging for Gold means realizing you are Gold, and that takes digging into your soul and finding that part of you that you know has been there waiting to be discovered. What're some of your next plans for the rest of the 2020 year, especially regarding the release of new music potentially? I plan to be continuing doing live shows and my city of Vancouver and sharing my album with as many people as I can. This was my debut music video, and I plan to be making more music videos for the other songs on my album. I will also be working on some collaborations with other local artists. What can we expect next from you? What you can expect is more music videos more live performances and more new music as I develop and dive deeper into my musical artistry! Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

Los Angeles-based Alt-Pop Artist and Singer/Songwriter Livi Dillon, reminisce on past learning experiences with her sincere single, "Daydream." Putting her own spin on modern-day Pop music, Livi Dillon blurs the lines between various genres with lively drum patterns, poppy synths, and unique vocal stylings. With vast industry experience, her latest hit "Daydream" tells a story of Livi Dillon's journey from beginning to present-day. She sings a tale of reminiscing on past love and states that even though the relationship's toxicity impacted her, Dillon explains that love was present until the very end. "Daydream" softly opens with orchestral piano melodies and Livi's effortless and captivating vocal performance. Livi brings this syncopated rhythm that gives this dynamic back and forth between Livi and the supporting cinematic instrumentals. Livi Dillon's lyricism hits us straight in the heart as she continues to describe a past relationship she's experienced where she was utterly mesmerized by someone's "love." Around the hook, a serene string section enters the track and brings incredible depth, perfectly complementing Dillon's saddened lyricism. She brings this Taylor Swift flair through her passionate and forceful delivery, emphasizing phrases that will stick around the listener's mind. "Daydream" takes listeners through an unhealthy experience, all to come out strong in the end with help from Livi Dillon's sound message that reminds listeners of the way they deserve to be treated. We can't help but easily relate to the unfortunate storyline you told on "Daydream." What conjured up these emotions for you to write a song about a toxic past love? When I wrote this song, I was looking back on a relationship and finally, for the first time, accepting just how bad it was.  Writing songs has always been a sort of therapy for me, so I wrote Daydream to get my feelings about it out and be able to move on from the relationship.  I've found that once I write songs that capture all my emotions about whatever is happening in my life, I'm able to move forward and not get stuck in the past. Through your heavy lyrical content within "Daydream," what do you hope listeners take away from the piece? What message did you want to shine a light on within this song? For me, this song is about desperately wanting a relationship to be perfect and beautiful despite how toxic it really is and wanting everyone else to believe it’s perfect too.  It’s also about being young and not understanding that love isn’t supposed to hurt.  I think this song and this relationship were a lesson to me that staying in a toxic relationship because you want to cling to the abstract idea of love isn’t healthy for anyone involved. The supporting instrumentals within "Daydream" are highly cinematic and orchestral. What influenced you to take this deeply organic and natural route concerning the instrumentals? This is definitely a very different vibe from my usual alt-pop but I just think it’s so raw in a sense and really captures the intense emotions of this song.  I also wanted to challenge myself as a producer and writer, I’ve never produced something like this before so it was a really fun learning experience and something I’ve always wanted to try. What role does "Daydream" play in your EP 'For The Sake Of Honesty?' What does the track bring to the EP's concept? Daydream is the second song on the EP and it’s also the second song I wrote for it, way back when I was only 18.  This whole EP is full of raw, emotional songs that were written about moments in my life that felt like the end of the world and Daydream was one of those moments. Could you tell us about your latest EP 'For The Sake Of Honesty?' Does the EP give a glimpse of who you are to new listeners? While this EP is a very different sound for me, I think it captures a lot of who I am and what my life has been for the past five years.  I put the songs in chronological order of when they were written, Touched was written when I was 17 and Honey & Gold just this past July, so it really tells a story about all these different situations that felt like pivotal moments in my life.  Touched and Daydream are both about relationships that were my entire world at the time, Lately is about hitting an extremely low point with my mental health but realizing that it isn’t permanent and it will always pass, and Honey & Gold is about losing people you thought of as family and regretting the way the fight played out.  All of these songs are about fairly negative situations and yet I got through all of them and I think there’s something beautiful about that captured in this EP. Instagram Twitter #BUZZMUSIC

"I Hope You Know" is one of those songs that makes you stand up and dance because no one should listen to it sitting down. Within a few moments, this pop cut starts off as infatuating and heartfelt, then swiftly glammy and melancholic. With an electronic house backbeat, a wholly saturated bass, echoing adlib harmonies, and vocals from the superlatively monochromatic, Kate Gala, has taken dance-pop, and new-wave sound from her influences of the past, and charged them up a bit. "I Hope You Know," is rousing, groovy, and extra carbonated, it's easy to lose track of time and space amid all the dancing your feet will demand. Using the right tempo for swinging your hips from side to side as you strut to a dance floor, you'll certainly get lost in. "I Hope You Know" echoes the songwriting style of Taylor Swift, and craves out unspoiled terrain in the sandbox of radio-ready pop music. Gala—who began writing songs as an outlet to cope with the drudgeries of growing up, takes the reigning head of her anthem with a tonality that naturally blending into the prismatic and open-wide spaces of the verse, with a measure held tight by crispy snaps, and a mystifying synth pad melody. Here, she turns on a whim from the fluttering heartfelt lines, "he gently kissed my scar, make it all okay again" relating to her melancholic distress, and into an oddly contrasting chorus that sounds blithe over the biting words: "I'm forever broken." As the surge of sonics concentrates over an audible climax, Kate Gala issues a grand proclamation in her testimony to become the next pop star to flourish out of the Virginia state. It's like a personal trauma from the past, transformed into a testimony for her audience: an audible effort to remind listeners that they're not alone. Hello Kate and welcome to BuzzMusic. Can you walk us through the recording process behind "I Hope You Know?" Was this a remotely done project? Something you did in the studio? I recorded “I Hope You Know” in the middle of quarantine from my home studio. The idea for the song came to mind, and within 24 hours I was recording the vocals. What was the influence behind 'I Hope You Know's' upbeat energy synergizing over your lyrics' heart-broken narrative? My biggest influence for the track was the Chainsmokers— I was going for something similar to their upbeat style while encompassing my lyrics. What emotions enveloped your vocal performance throughout 'I Hope You Know,' and is that the same emotion you want your audience to feel or understand more clearly through this track's core message? I had the inspiration for the lyrics to “I Hope You Know” when I decided to stop waiting for change to happen in my life and take action myself. When I did, the universe had a funny way of positive reinforcement by sending someone into my life who's very special to me. This song was a result of everything coming together at the right time, acknowledging life is hard, relationships are hard, but it’ll all be okay. What's been a newly learned skill you have found yourself incorporating in your artistic workflow after the production experience behind 'I Hope You Know'? One newly learned skill is my ability to get vulnerable in my writing, and therefore connect better with listeners. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? Definitely my friends and family have been keeping me inspired. With all the craziness going on in the world in 2020, support and loved ones are more important than ever! Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC