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The Michigan-bred Songwriter Nathaniel Stephen "Comfort Zone (Out Of My)" feels like an Indie-Pop performance routing influence from the waffling synth orchestrations behind "Hot-chip" and the tender soul-searcher narratives Andrew Bird endows his Indie-Rock instrumentals with. Like a connoisseur at a wine-taster, Stephen lives utterly in-tune with these unspoiled fruits of influence, reflecting over losing-self and highlighting aching turbulence for love in his opening cut from the heartfelt Extended Play, "North Store." When Nathaniel mentions love over every stanza that looks in-wards over, "can you commit to something for once in your life?" or, "do you remember what the light feels like?" his reproaches lead the way into one same inquiry: "and the last time you felt love?" Here, in the verses, Stephen's voice swims in a vast minimalistic expanse where electric guitars denote hypnotizing vibes—garnished with a mystifying vibrato effect—while a gooey low-end operates as melodic support. What's most infatuating is how captivating Stephen manages to deliver his instrumental support with evolving energy. Whenever he mentions the word "love," the stanza punctually sinks into a hooking chorus: an ocean of oscillating synths, burgeoning drums, and a gooey low-end bass that detaches away from its mid-range stanza and dips its notes into a juicer register for the fleshiest portions of this cut. As Nathaniel Stephen diffuses his anecdote of self-reflection that ends up feeling like communal gospels, "Comfort Zone (Out Of My)" beings to render-up like a spiritual waltz between minimalistic verses, buoyantly swimming in an ocean festooned with supernal guitars, and heaving choruses, where Stephen's unified vocals ring over librettos that brim with electronically fueled enthusiasm: "did we lose ourselves? Is there more than one way home? Did we lose our way again?". These hooking lines make this latest take on losing-yourself an instant-classic, especially when the leading chorus slaps across your ear-drums behind the reactive word: "love." For the indie-natured Michigan-based songwriter, it's an exciting first set to more ubiquitous Musical horizons to come. Can you walk us how you made "Comfort Zone (Out Of My)"? Where did the idea present itself to you initially? Was it through a melody, a profound life experience, or a few MIDI notes on your DAW? When I write I typically approach a song or an idea in several different ways. Sometimes I write starting with a bass line, or on an acoustic or electric riff, or even sometimes with a drumbeat or a few chords on the piano. With this song, I started with a sample that caught my ear and then added some fuzzy chords and harmonies for the verses to create some dissonance. What was the narrative behind "Comfort Zone (Out Of My,)" and why did you feel it was the song you needed to open "North Star" with? I guess the reason for the title is because this isn't necessarily the style of music I typically write or make, so I decided to challenge myself by jumping out of my comfort zone to see where it took me. I opened the album with this song as an attention grabber, in hopes you might stay for some of the stories and melodies presented later in the EP. What were some of the emotions you found yourself channeling into for the performances you've captured on "Comfort Zone (Out Of My)?" In this song, I was channeling a want/need to return to a more innocent time, a better time before COVID, before adulthood, before responsibility.. when time moved slower and friends were kinder. A time before moving around the country every 3-6 months. It sort of turned into a song about hope and love essentially and trying to find a way back to feeling those emotions, or perhaps a longing to put down roots somewhere. What been some musical influences you've found yourself tunning into during "Comfort Zone's" production process? Was there something that sparked your interest in using synths on "Comfort Zone (Out Of My)?" At the time I was listening to Simon and Garfunkel a ton! Not really a synth inspiration to be true, but definitely had a part in sending my mind back to a more innocent time. In their song "Old Friends/Bookends" The Bookends outro says: "And what a time it was, a time of innocence, a time of confidences. Long ago it must be, I have a photograph. Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you." - And that was on my mind while writing this song. What has been your biggest inspiration while creating new music this year, Nathaniel? My biggest inspiration has been experiencing new places around the country over the last few years and seeing how the local music and local culture affects my songwriting. I lived in New Orleans for over a year and then moved to New Mexico, and before that, I lived in Boston and also Michigan. I'm now in California and am very excited to create more original music here as well. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

From Adelanto, California, Steven Montes is a Singer, Songwriter, and Producer on the rise who has just released a ‘must listen’ single called “20 Minutes.” Refusing to box himself into a specific niche genre, Montes pushes boundaries and draws his songwriting inspiration from diverse genres including hip-hop, pop, and punk. His recent single will catch the attention of music lovers who can appreciate introspective lyricism. Steven Montes’ “20 Minutes” includes a laid back 808 trap beat with its own unique percussion spin, giving it a softer effect. The background melody comes from a skillful rendition of an acoustic guitar. Each note is plucked, and the occasional finger sliding up and down the strings can be heard, which gives the song an organic feeling. The beat paired with the guitar is maintained throughout the entirety of “20 Minutes,” leaving the audience with a comforting sense of stability. Fans will be pleasantly surprised as Steven Montes joins the mellow soundscape and begins to sing. His deep voice is extremely relaxed and doesn’t fluctuate much between pitches. Steven Monte creates a soothing effect with his intoner-like vocals and ends up creating melancholic energy. In addition to its magnetic production, “20 Minutes” has a story behind its poetic lyrics. Steven Montes writes from the first person as he articulates feeling stuck in today's society. Many of his phrases in the song are common thoughts for his fans, and often not spoken aloud. By bringing awareness to struggles with mental health such as anxiety, depression, and addiction, Steven Montes ensures that his music is meaningful, and will contribute to advancements in our society. Can you tell us a little bit more about the message behind your lyrics in “20 Minutes?” What is the main thing you want your audience to hear? The lyrics for “20 Minutes” are pretty straight forward, I just laid all of my problems and insecurities on the table for everyone to hear, hoping someone out there can relate. I want my audience to hear my words and know that whatever they’re going through, it doesn’t have to be alone. As a singer, songwriter, and producer, could you walk us through the whole process of creating “20 Minutes?” What was your inspiration for the song? The process for this one was actually pretty crazy. I was going through a rough week where I couldn’t get any work done, then one night after a Taco Bell run with my sister it all hit me. I started scanning my laptop for drum loops and put together the instrumental, then got to writing and recording. I recorded the whole song from my car around 2 am but I still wasn’t satisfied, so we shot and edited a video for it on the same day. A whole song and music video did within 24 hours. Wild. Your vocals for “20 Minutes” are extremely laid back and relaxed, why did you choose this style of music? If I had a good voice I probably wouldn’t be singing so laid back and relaxed, but I think that’s where I sound best at. I also like to listen to music while I sleep and my songs lately haven’t been the most relaxing, so I wanted to change that. How does “20 Minutes” compare to your other songs? How has your music style evolved over time? Most of my other songs are very aggressive, this one is a little on the softer side but that’s what makes me like it. I don’t have to scream to get my point across, and over time I’m learning to control that. I’ve evolved in a way where I can express emotions through different paths, not just screaming. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? 2020 has been a rough year for everyone, but I like to think it’s been the best when it comes to lessons learned. Bonds I thought would never break have fallen under pressure, and new relationships have sparked, bringing me more happiness than I’ve ever felt. The people I keep in my circle inspire me, and I hope to inspire them just as much. For now, I’m just stocking up on these songs, waiting for the day I can play them all for you live. Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

Los Angeles sextet Hologram Empire started out as a band who liked to set up parties, chill-out with good friends and meet new friends along the way down their distinctive Alternative-Rock amalgamating career path. With "Long Board," their first proper alt-rock single since the Spirit Animal Compilations of 2019, they fashion a more fruitful and imaginative sonic dance amongst their synergistic characters. Their bewildering, alt-post-punk approach samples freely but meticulously among an immense and long alternative-rock catalog, stimulant-blasting choruses of the 90s, and more contemporary aesthetics that can't be described without sounding cliché or dogmatic. This is a song with an anthemic, brash colored psych-rock "ooos" and "aahs," scintillating guitar riffs, with bombastic pounding drums, from the minds of party enthusiasts, Mandrew, his brother Dave behind the kit, Thomas supporting on bass, Wes on lead guitar, Andrew with the rhythm guitar, and Lauren's incandescent voice, who together, compose a tightly-knit manifestation of 90s nostalgic alternative rock from a local mom-and-pop record store's worth of musical influences on "Long Board." Delivering hot-blooded sonics over a well-saturated bass-line with a crunchy trove of booming drums not far behind, Hologram Empire's "Long Board" traverses effortlessly between a verse that sounds half-distorted and half-inebriated, in the way Kurt Cobain took to singing over Nirvana's best, and an anthemic chorus that inserts Lauren's cherubic harmonies in tandem with a The Strokes reminiscent guitar tone, for the purpose of ringing nostalgia-inductive murmurs straight into your heart, coupling together to create an experience that pulls you out of the present, and slams you back down to reality with an ample shot of audible dopamine by the time the opening verse and head chorus transpire. By the time they reach the apex of their explosive and climactic uproar, it's almost impossible not to feel like getting up from your chair for a well-prompted mosh around the house, fueled by the invigorating energy behind Hologram Empire's latest single "Long Board." What were the inspirations behind Longboard's aesthetics, the dynamics from verse to chorus, and the over-all emotion it urges its listeners to feel? We have been wanting to make an LA song for a while now. The emotion behind it is taking a road trip with your friends to LA to ride around and explore your longboards. Adventure emotions! Can you tell us more about some of the emotions you found yourselves tuning into for the performances you captured on Longboard? We have not gotten a chance to perform longboard live yet, but we know it’s going to be a party! Where did Long Board first find its inception? Was it over a collaborative songwriting session, the tail-end, and final offerings of a previously unfinished project or a simple resounding melody on a DAW? Longboard has been the most collaborative song we have created so far. It has a little bit of everyone’s style in that song. We started working on a bass line Thomas made and it grew from there. What are some of the Milestones you've set out for yourselves as a band this year? And what are some of the sets you've taken thus far as a band to reach those ambitions? Our main goal is to get back to playing shows consistently again, but until that happens we are working on our live stream game at our studio. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? We draw inspiration from other artists; Deftones, The Neighbourhood, and a lot of other amazing bands released albums today and we are just happy to be part of the action. We also have been collaborating with a lot of new artists to help us stay inspired and keep us in the writing process. We just released a song with Brittney Burchett a couple of months ago and in the near future, we will be releasing a song with Zarenae, Domingo Juarez, and Chris Marsh. Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

Coming from South Tyrol, the artist and Rapper Kontent never thought that his hometown's music scene would impact him. Through a previous interview with us, Kontent stated that his home's music serves textured folk and singer/songwriter, which inevitably inspired him to create vast depth within his "Kontent." Influenced by Alternative Hip-Hop artists such as Tyler, The Creator, Kontent found himself pushing modern-day boundaries of traditional sounds. With the release of his heartfelt single "2015," Kontent planned to transport listeners back to their first moments experiencing love while enforcing that vulnerability is a positive thing. Placing love, vulnerability, and gratitude into this sweet-sounding single, Kontent felt inspired by today's turmoil and wanted listeners to feel grateful for their lives thus far, which is why he wished to channel their first experience with love. If there were one message Kontent wanted listeners to take away from "2015," it would be to remain grateful for each experience with love you endure, as it's a learning experience that makes for picturesque memories. More recently, Kontent pushes himself outdoors to reconnect with nature and find musical inspiration through life's natural gifts. Opening his mind to new experiences and creative endeavors, we definitely haven't seen the last of Kontent and his dynamic sound. Learn more about Kontent here. instagram.com/onlykontent facebook.com/onlykontent #BUZZMUSIC

Based out of Chicago, Illinois, Natalie Oliveri is a multitalented R&B/Soul artist who is diving headfirst into the music scene with great success. She is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who has showcased her talents on stage internationally from Tokyo to Paris to New York. With such a natural musical talent, Oliveri was scooped up early as a vocalist and hook writer for a variety of projects. She has even shared the stage with huge names such as Gloria Estefan and Estelle. Musically, she hooks her fans through her unique vocals layered over a masterful production. Growing up, Oliveri was heavily exposed to Retro Soul music and uses that as one of her many songwriting inspirations today. In addition, the half-Colombian artist is fluent in Spanish and often incorporates Cumbia instrumentations and rhythms into her music. By sharing both sides of her culture through music, Natalie Oliveri is able to capture a wider audience and expose her listeners to new cultures. Learn more about Natalie Oliveri here. Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

With a single released each week this year, Josh Waters is up to something we all want to be a part of. Going into depth on a previous interview with us regarding his 35th-week single "Don't Go," Josh Waters explained that even though working with WLPWR was semi-intimidating, the 3-4 AM creative aura was in full tilt as he naturally grew more comfortable within the process. Also noting that "Don't Go" was the first time Josh Waters placed his personal experiences into a track, we're easily able to relate with his lyrics of opening yourself up vulnerably to someone else. Finding a rhythm in his writing made it easier for Waters to narrow down the 52 releases he's planned to take place this year. Impacted by the talented team accompanying the creative process, Josh Waters was inevitably inspired to open up and show vulnerability within his music, which clearly pushed him in the right direction. Along the way of recording each song, Josh Waters wisely chose to switch up the producers and offer a different sonic approach and atmosphere within each track. Continually keeping us engaged with his weekly releases that he's put his heart and soul into, Josh Waters continues to impress us with his ever-changing and expanding sound. Discover more about Josh Waters here. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Douglas Joyman's music is a something like an archaic projection of light, the kind you might find beaming through the window of an antique, clandestine-looking new-york apartment. At a first look, the France-born, Brazilian-bred Singer-Songwriter's music sounds like suave lounge-music with a twist, extra garnished with string orchestrations and the transitioning flamenco guitars. It's only when you get uptight to the radiant light and squint through the glass, out into the outside world, that the beautiful panorama becomes vividly apparent through the visual direction of Marco Villard on their latest collaborative music video. On the exterior, "Crimes and Blooms," the newest single from the NYC-based songster's upcoming EP, is a love song: a dance touched with horns, strings, and reverb steel, with a soundscape so expressive and dynamic it might have been recorded in a vintage studio under the direction of some of the greatest poets and producers. Meandering within the vintage textured captures of New York's streets, and dousing the surrounding with his elegist stanzas, Joyman's enamoring sense of artistry declares itself wholeheartedly throughout the playback. Shot on an antique 1943 keystone criterion 16mm camera, the vintage characters featured both on film and sonically, mimics the best of sentimentality; Joyman's sharp, transparent, and nonchalant voice is hedged with weaving strings that pluck and dance, while horns accent each falsetto rise that expresses like a solemn singing maestro lost at heart. It's relatively pastiching of antique cinema, traversing between black and white shots and recreating scenes from the French 60s cult classics 'Bande à part' and 'Breathless,' through the choice of aesthetic. The visuals and lyrics render-up a man perpetually lost in a Byronic experience within New York City, which mirrors the Paris of his fantasies, and the emotion behind it is potent, feeling genuine with each romantic trill. When Joyman's voice peaks over the lines, "changing the sun into crimes and blooms," dawdling into a swooning falsetto, you can feel him channeling in the gloom of his melancholic world, festooned with twinkling pianos, sophisticated strings, and rendering up like timeless cinema. With the help of Marco Villard's visual standards, Douglas Joyman, and all his creative expression comes to life on "Crimes and Blooms." What were your most cherished moments of filming the video for 'Crimes and Blooms'? Nothing can beat an empty Times Square at night. It was incredible to be in the middle of it, without a soul in sight, and feel the silent immensity. Why was reimagining Paris through your video such an integral part of 'Crimes and Blooms' message and, does it relate to your birth-place in a way? We were lucky to have an old fashioned roll camera and we decided to honor the French New-wave with some "Breathless" scenes inspirations. Paris in a way, tagged along during the shoot on its own. What were some of the most profound emotions you found yourself channeling into during the recording of 'Crimes and Blooms,' and were those emotions any different during the video's filming? The emotions of this music came from a place that I am still trying to find. Very different sorts of feelings appeared on the set. It was more about improvisation, being influenced by everything that surrounded us. Being alert. Catching every instant moment. If you could give us a few words that would act as a prologue to the experience behind the sonics and visuals in 'Crimes and Blooms,' what would you say and why? The video of "Crimes and Blooms" is a succession of happy and random encounters. We got this marvelous camera from the mother of the girlfriend's director, a 1943 Keystone Criterion, then we added some sounds that I recorded at the Jack White's studio in Detroit (Third Man Records), the pandemic gave us these stunning empty streets and the apocalypse aspect. We revealed the film in a very special lab called Metropolis Post NYC where Jim Jarmusch, David Lynch, used to work with. Nothing was planned. So I guess it's a beautiful Ode to the City. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? Moving to New York City with Ziggy and meeting Luna. Instagram #BUZZMUSIC

A new music streaming platform sure to sweep the industry, Ryddm brings clarity and ease to the tedious trade of music promotion for the average independent artist/group. Founded by John Kane with vast expertise in technology and streaming, he felt that this type of platform was seemingly needed for the modern-day 'starving artist' to attain opportunities that might not have presented themselves before. Ryddm's priority is to expose independent artists/groups and flawlessly showcase their talent through the streaming platform's focus on new music discovery. Not to mention familiarizing artists/groups with possibilities that are easier to achieve than they appear, Ryddm regularly updates their trending tunes to fit the freshest sounds that are sure to make waves. Not only does Ryddm prioritize the exposure of upcoming and emerging acts, but they also make it incredibly easy for indies to earn money through creative endeavors. Introducing them to various monetary opportunities that maximize exposure, plan merchandise lines, and solidify live shows and collaborations. It's evident that John Kane's Ryddm will be the first choice for upcoming independent acts to maximize time and energy into promoting their brand and music. "Made for artists, by artists," Ryddm allows acts to steer away from trial and error and find a guaranteed helpful promotion strategy suited to their individual needs and standards. Website Instagram

Telling a fictional tale sure to intrigue us all, the Alternative-Rock band Neon the Bishop releases the second chapter of an in-depth story with their latest single, "A Death Full of Life." The 5-piece band noted that their eclectic sound provides stimulating and electrifying climates while also getting down and dirty with their lyricism. Neon the Bishop was merely formed to tell the fictional story of a fallen clergyman, who after death, embarks on greater journey's that he missed when alive. With their latest single "A Death Full of Life," Neon the Bishop brings a scorching atmosphere through lively alt-rock instrumentation and the lead vocalist's powerful and engaging vocals that keep us locked in. Not to mention his lyricism that depicts more extraordinary journeys laying ahead, Neon the Bishop takes us through bright and heavily dynamic instrumentals that perfectly reflect the song's unique message. Opening with soft piano chords, "A Death Full of Life" perfectly begins with the track's haunting tone while reflecting the clergyman's upcoming adventure. Once the surrounding instrumentation starts to swell with powerful alt-rock instrumentals, the entire atmosphere delivers such strength and force. Giving listeners a sense of renewal and rebirth through this single, Neon the Bishop depicts that our journey is much longer than our years here on earth. Passionately moving back and forth between powerful and softened instrumentals, we can't help but get down with Neon the Bishop's textured and stimulating sophomore single "A Death Full of Life," and we're excited to see where their story takes us next. Your single "A Death Full of Life" has indeed taken us on a ride. Could you enlighten us as to how the band initially found inspiration for the story of a fallen clergyman? It was kind of by accident that we came up with the original concept. When we decided we were going to move forward with this project, we began looking for a name. Upon stumbling through some band name generators online, we found two words we liked. “Neon” and “bishop.” From there it grew into something that wrote itself. I knew from the start that if we were going to pursue success, that we would need to be different. Not necessarily just musically, but in how we operate as a band, how we treat others, and how we write. We want to tell a story that inspires and encourages people in the darkest of places. It is very much my own personal story coming out in an alter-ego if you will. It’s also a story I believe anyone can relate to. I was presenting myself to be something I wasn’t. I hurt myself, and a lot of people with my pride and selfishness. The same is true of Neon’s former self (yet to be revealed). His is a story of second chances, and killing his former self was the beginning of finding his true purpose. His story is “A Death Full of Life” in fact, not just in the story. Regarding "A Death Full of Life," we can hear these sweltering and anticipatory instrumentals that resemble bands like Journey and Whitesnake. Would you say that your sound has this natural 80s flair to it? Absolutely. Of course, when we set out to make music, we didn’t set out to sound like anything specific. We all had different bands and genres we liked, but we were excited to see what would come without forcing anything. Our great diversity of musical tastes and even our ages (youngest 18 and oldest 39) has led to a pretty original sound. Future releases are set to put off even more of this vibe. The “Neon the Bishop” sound is distinct but eclectic enough not to sound homogenized. How does "A Death Full of Life" continue the original story told on "Ignite"? How do the two singles work off each other to add to the tale? Our first single, “Ignite” represents Neon’s and our passion for what we do and sharing it with others who we hope will also share with others. “A Death Full of Life” is Neon’s origin story, so it becomes the prequel to “Ignite” and its music video. You can see glimpses of this story on our Instagram feed in the form of a kind of comic book. This will also be made more obvious with the “A Death Full of Life” music video release, coming soon. Could you tell us about the group's inception, and how you came to the consensus that you would be releasing fictional and conceptual pieces of music? We started as a group of guys just wanting to jam together back in January of 2019. We really liked what we were creating and decided to take it out of the basement. We played our first show on May 11th to a sold-out crowd of about 150 people at a little venue in Lone Tree, CO. The energy and excitement buzzing at that show told us that we were on to something special. We wanted to pursue something beyond just a hobby, and make a living doing what we love. In order to do this, we needed to do something that set us apart from other projects. Though many bands have done the conceptual thing, we wanted to do it in a way that came across in our live shows and that really brought a positive influence to those around us. The best part is that the story doesn’t have an ending. It’s writing itself as we go and as we write new music. That makes it just as entertaining to us as to those we create it for. We are still working hard at making this a “living” and the fun we’re still having makes it more than worth it. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? This year has been difficult for most, and we are no exception. After a great 2019 creating a lot of buzz here in the Denver scene, our eyes were fixed on a very successful 2020. No need to explain what happened at this point, but we’ve kept up on creating and planning for the future. We’ve kept inspired by finding ways to highlight other artists here in Denver and beyond. We feel it’s part of our purpose as a band. It's too often that music scenes can feel cutthroat and bands step over one another to get to the top. We are here to support other bands and if that means they pass us up, then we feel we’ve done our job to support the music community and art as a whole. The arts and music scene everywhere are in need of mutual support and community more than ever. We should all be happy to lift one another up. It’s good for our cities and our communities. I am very excited that most artists here in Denver believe this as well, and for many, you can hear that playful harmony in their performances and releases. It's one of the many reasons we love the Denver music scene. Instagram Facebook #BUZZMUSIC

Hailing from Nashville, the dreamy Alt-Pop artist, and Singer/Songwriter Kenna releases her celestial single and music video, "Static." Using her platform to speak on social injustices, Kenna empowers listeners to be themselves unapologetically through her music inspired by life experiences and the power of healing through sound. As an LGBTQIA+ identifying artist, Kenna clarifies that her music will naturally intrigue listeners to find the strength within and stand firm in who they are. With her latest single "Static," Kenna takes listeners through a modern-day blend of Fleetwood Mac and MUNA, with a daydream atmosphere that transports us into the celestials with each beat. Not to mention Kenna's beautifully engaging vocals, her delicate delivery brings us deep into the song's concept. "Static" begins with Kenna's reflective lyricism while she elegantly sings about trusting the process of healing and finding a place where she feels comfortable. The supporting instrumentals deliver this highly nostalgic synth that takes us back to the early 2000s, while Kenna's vocals bring us into a simpler time with a natural and organic delivery. She begins to sing a more positive and optimistic outlook that depicts a worthwhile wait for abundance to follow. With such a beautiful release that brings a sound message of keeping optimism and hope, Kenna's latest single "Static" reminds us of patience while sending us amongst the stars with the instrumental's ambiance. We can't get enough of the warm atmosphere you've delivered with your single, "Static." What inspired you to write a song regarding the healing process and staying optimistic about the future? Wow, thank you so much! I wrote this song with Jake Ohlbaum and Jared Anderson back in May of this year. We actually wrote this song over Zoom and had a long conversation about how we’ve been feeling, with the current climate of this year. I think it really makes sense to feel so stuck in this moment of pain and grief, to feel stunted by helplessness and hopelessness. I’ve begun to realize though if I don’t look up, I miss out on a lot. I miss out on the grocery store employee smiling at me (just an eye smile through the mask, of course), I miss out on laughing with a friend over FaceTime, and the sun and soft breeze on my face. Even amidst this struggle right here, I’m learning the lesson that I can still hold both beauty and pain simultaneously. It’s part of the human experience. We’re complex beings! Beauty is essential for survival. Hope is essential for moving forward. Within your single "Static," how did you create your instrumentals to be incredibly memorable and catchy? Did you team up with any Producers for the track's sonics? Yes! Jake started riffing on that main synth line with his keyboard and it all flowed so easy from there. We all work really well together and it's so fun to be in the process together, bouncing ideas off of each other, even over Zoom! Jared Anderson, who wrote it with me, is also my producer. We’ve worked together for just about 8 years now. He’s a musical sound genius and is behind the beautiful sonics of “Static”. We can hear this retro-inspired approach through your sonics within "Static." Would you say this is a typical instrumental approach for you? This is actually a pretty new sound for me to be putting out into the world! This is definitely not something we’ve done before but I had such a good time experimenting with this sound. I’d say my songs coming out over the next year are not all this straight-ahead 80’s, but they do have some 80’s inspired synths because it's just so fun to use that vibe. Our approach has always been to combine organic-sounding instruments with pop/synth-based music. A lot of what you’ll hear in the future centers around that idea ;) We've heard that you're incredibly passionate about using your platform to bring awareness to social justice issues at large. Could you enlighten us on how you go about this? I think it’s so important to use music as a platform and vehicle for moving forward. Music has always been a tool for political and social change. We, as artists, have to use our voices and our art to bring meaning and healing to our listeners, but we also have to bring them into the conversation about the reality of what’s happening in our country and world at large. We have to recognize the ways we can take part and be a part of making something better for all of us. Right now, COVID has brought to light how broken our system is, and how many folks it has left behind for hundreds of years. Though I certainly can’t fix everything, I hope that my art can bring a moment of peace to my listeners so that they can continue to show up for themselves. When we can show up for ourselves, we can better show up for the community at large, use our voices and support movements like Black Lives Matter, for indigenous folks, for folks with disabilities, for members of the LGBQIA+ community, and all other marginalized communities. I identify as a member of the queer community and sometimes I think back on my 16-year-old self, grappling with her sexuality and trying to figure out what it means. If I listened to a musician that was open and willing to be honest with being queer, it would’ve meant the world to me to see representation like that. Representation matters, our voices matter, and our art matters. My intention is to always write how I’m feeling. I know if I feel that way, someone else probably does too and maybe they will feel less alone. What has been keeping you inspired this year? Nature, music, journaling, silence, my dog, rest, my girlfriend Alexis. I’m trying to lean into the moment because I know it’s all I’ll ever have. Even though the moment we’re in is scary and uncertain, I’ve learned that I can’t run away from right now. I’m inspired by the hope that maybe one-day things can get better. I’m making room for hope every day, even when it feels unknown. Instagram Website #BUZZMUSIC