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Riley Wells is the kind of Pop artist that can deliver singles that holds a ton of zest. Riley Wells is confident with her vocal delivery, which is why her music often has a certain kind of sparkle. There are tons of influences that Riley Wells stems her music from, and if you listen carefully, you may be able to hear a few of them. Besides the various plays with inspiration, Riley Wells ultimately adds her own music ear, which showcases itself as lightly upbeat and entirely luscious. Recently completing her musical education at the Berklee College of Music, Riley Wells is all geared up to share her intuition and knowledge in the form of spunky yet luxe pop collections. Riley Wells continues her glamour-pop saga with her recent single release, "That Kinda Love." You already know what to expect with Riley Wells, but that truly comes off as a blessing. You know that you're going to receive a quality and catchy production combined with Riley's bubbly and light vocals. "That Kinda Love" embodies this perfectly and provides a melody that compels listeners to sway along with. "That Kinda Love" is more of a laidback pop track, which makes it perfect for listening to on a car adventure, or even apart of your in-the-sun playlists. Take in all that Riley Wells and her perfect pitch has to offer because although "That Kinda Love" will effortlessly glide across your musical taste buds, the song ends quickly just under the 3-minute mark. Good thing there's a replay button. Congratulations on releasing your fun and spirited single, "That Kinda Love"! What would you say immediately inspired the initial vision for this track? Hi! Thank you! I’m super excited about this one. I wrote That Kinda Love when I was feeling encapsulated by love and it was basically driving me crazy, but that in itself was so exciting. It’s a fun way of delighting in the kind of love that is indulgent and crave-worthy, with a feel-good and upbeat atmosphere that showcases all of the heat and passion that comes with it. You clearly have a relaxed delivery, which attributes so much towards the calming essence of your songs. Did you craft this specific style over time, or would you say that this type of delivery comes naturally to you as an artist? When I’m recording, I’m in my natural creative flow and I get into a calm energy. It’s sort of my essence as a songwriter. I let the content carry the weight while I’m telling it like it is, just being real. And, at the same time, being a little saucy about it. I feel like that’s the most honest way for me to be telling my story, you know? I let the words speak for themselves and let the vocal embellishments be a further expression of the emotion surrounding them. How would you describe the way that "That Kinda Love" contrasts from your other singles? At the time I started telling my story through music with my first release last year, I was navigating knowing my worth and being confident in who I am. My EP was very reflective, whereas now I’m in a space where I’m celebrating life and love and that definitely comes through in this song. As a woman, I’m all about owning my sacredness and my sensuality. That Kinda Love definitely lends itself to the unapologetic enjoyment of that. With current goals to move to California to further pursue music, can you describe all of your emotions towards taking the big step to uproot your life as an artist? Moving from the east coast after living here my whole life is definitely going to be a huge change of scenery. But I’m feeling called to go in that direction right now, the influences and the artistry happening there feels like it resonates with me and who I am as an artist. I’m excited for that next chapter in my life! What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? Ah, a really good question. When our ‘normal’ world stopped and in other words, turned upside down, suddenly we were all wondering what to do with our time. For me, this was life-altering but super reflective too, because it’s caused me to dig deeper, like, how do I actually want to be spending my time? With life getting so simplistic, I started finding inspiration in stillness. I noticed that what I longed for the most couldn't be translated through a screen. For me, really that’s love and connection. So when I’ve been writing, I’ve been exploring love’s different colors and the ways it’s shown up in my life. The warm, the innocent, the passionate. Of course, the title of my new single is only fitting for the theme :) instagram.com/itsrileywells facebook.com/rileywellsmusic rileywellsmusic.com #BUZZMUSIC

On her 2020 single "Other Side," Kaylee Patterson layers her emotions of reprisal. She interjects them amongst love-sick notions in a way that strikes like an improvised passage from the privacy of her bedroom. Composer and love-sick artist Kaylee Patterson is not so inclined toward big crashes and sundering crescendos in her music. Her productions tread more on delicate symmetry and multicolored melancholy, articulating like an amalgamation of synchronized harmonious vocals. It's all intimate in how the warm space surrounding the way "Other Side" is toyed with, carrying a sense of weightlessness as the mascarade of synthesizer pads flourish in the backdrop. Everything flows together like puzzle pieces slipping into place. The most playful accessories found here are the sparkling guitars and the flamboyant bassline that gives a sound of swagger, and its jovial coloration amongst its melancholic hymns. "Other Side" fastens down on us with mainly the same themes found in most indie-pop, but here Kaylee extends into more expansive territory with her homogenous and unique disposition. That statement shouldn't supervise the way you marvel over "Other Side," but it does afford you a useful trope for the way it smoothes its way into your hearts gradually, before darting forward with a punitive fervor over this journey. Kaylee Patterson's voice is bolstered nominally, with barely any reverb, giving her performance a more up-front and ear whispering quality. It soon settles into an obbligato type scenario, allowing a series of her harmonies an opportunity to cleanse the air as her euphonies to take flight for the choruses. Catchy, pleasant, and over in less than three minutes to the second, it's this Independent artist freshest take on contemporary pop music as she imparts her own shade of despondence on the subject of love. What's the story behind your six-year toxic relationship, and how did this song benefit in its figure from that specific experience in your life, if at all? My first relationship was very hard for me. I started dating someone when I was 15 and ended up isolating myself from every friendship I had because I didn't think I needed anyone else. He was my everything. I was too young to realize that my own worth was not based on what he thought of me. I wanted to run away but I was stuck, made to believe that I wouldn't ever find anybody else. That he was the only one who would ever love me. Other Side was the first song I ever wrote about running away from it and not hurting anymore. It took me a few years to finally gain the courage to run away, even though I had already done so in my music. As an artist from Montreal, do you believe the east coast has imparted its own unique influence on your music and writing? As a Montreal musician, I've been very inspired by Leonard Cohen and his way of conveying compelling stories through his very visual style of songwriting. I grew up listening to him, dancing to his songs, and walking through his neighborhood, when others my age would be listening to more mainstream artists. Most of my songs actually make their start as poems and grow from there, similarly to Cohen. Otherwise, another huge inspiration of mine would be Lana Del Rey. Her dreamy vocal style and her lyrics about love and heartbreak have absolutely impacted my own music. If you could make sure that anyone who listens to your music is left with one resounding message, what would you endeavor for that message to be and why? Even if one person listens to my music, I want them to know that they don't have to be unhappy in a relationship. The number one reason people don't actively engage in life is fear, and I've been there. We don't have to hurt anymore. It's okay to be happy! You owe it to yourself. Can we expect more music from you before the summer formally transitions into autumn? More music is absolutely coming very shortly! What has been keeping you inspired this year? What can we expect to see next from you? This year has been extremely hard for the whole world. Instead of shutting down, which is a very valid response, I decided that there was no better time to start producing songs to keep busy. I had around 15 songs just sitting around and nothing else to do but music. I'm actually releasing my next single "Over You" on September 4th, which I'm super excited about. I don't have a release date for my EP yet, but definitely sometime in the early fall. instagram.com/ukekaylee twitter.com/kayleepatts #BUZZMUSIC

The zestfully serene Ontario-based Songwriter Heather Janssen's first single since last year's debut 'Fear Of Falling' EP doesn't waver far off course from the trajectory that any music her voice accompanies produces naturally—upwards. "Keeping Secrets" blends together pop with some sort of suave-mastery that you usually blossoms amongst the sweet afterglow of confident vocalists' cantor or as typically inherited as a veteran illustrator to his preferred color palate. Within this embodiment of production quality, shots of profoundly vibey electric guitar saturate the mix as Heather Janssen's swooning takes on a scat, synergizing amongst the guitar's orchestrations and resonating within the sharp contours of this track's chorus. "Keeping secrets, oh keeping secrets, sweet Jesus, I can't go breaking his heart," Heather Janssen purrs in the palpable spaces between "Keeping Secrets." Here, her sensuality has a knee-buckling vibe: The chorus reveals that she's still wrapped around someone else's fingertips—in more ways than one. A feathering of staccato-like notes on the accompanying piano pairs seamlessly with a smoldering bass groove undertowing downwind. Heather Janssen's lyrics befall little details meticulous enough to become laborious; instead, her intimate and upfront vocals shimmer with enough sensation to simply overwhelm our spirits. What's transmitted is that she has every fiber of confidence in her own aesthetics and tone. Like finding refuge from a storm under the shelter of a tree, Heather Janssen's "Keeping Secrets" comes out unscathed, rooted underneath the songstress and her sensuous vocal performance—allowing the music scene another glimpse into the magnetic songwriting world of a promising young artist. Hello Heather, it's wonderful to have you with us at BuzzMusic. What were the most distinguishable challenges you've encountered when tasked with writing a single versus an extended play featuring four or five songs? For me, the challenge is never with writing the songs - there’s a constant stream of ideas flowing in my head and onto paper. What’s been challenging is that I write in a variety of genres - pop, hip hop-r&b, country, folk - and so the challenge is figuring out how to release the songs and get them out in a thought out way. Maybe that’s doing a single, maybe that’s grouping three or four songs of a similar style into an EP. At the end of the day, I don’t want to confine myself to one genre or sound, so I’m working out what that looks like. Where do you think the influences responsible for developing the affluence you have with singing and songwriting come from generally? My family has always been extremely musical. My grandparents, my parents - their musicality trickled down to all us kids. My mom was a piano teacher, so naturally, my siblings and I were taught piano at a young age. My Dad would play guitar at our cottage, around the campfire, at church, and one day I decided to teach myself. The writing was just always there, it was a need and a desire, from a young age. I think a lot of my influence just comes from a passion for art, really. Creating something out of nothing. When I sing a melody or write a lyric, I almost picture it in color and lines and movement, as if I’m painting it on canvas. It becomes a puzzle to me, of where to put this word, and where it needs to lift, and finding out what splash of color it’s still missing. In the end, you’ve got something you can hang on the wall, and let it make you feel something. Art really is always the influence. There’s a number of amazing musicians and poets I look up to that have done an incredible job turning a simple string of lines and melody into something you want to be painted across your entire living room wall. Is artistic expression something that you need to fuel with practice every day, or has it all developed into second nature for you? I think artistic expression is ever-changing. It’s taken time, experience, different places, and people, and growing into my own skin to figure out what I want my artistic expression to be. It’s never really been the same thing for too long, and even now, as I think that I’m just beginning to figure it out, it’ll change. All throughout that time of exploring though, I was constantly pushing myself in my songwriting, or in my singing, learning new chords, or even learning how to paint. Anything to make me a better songwriter and creator. My writing turned into a craft rather than a hobby because I was doing it day in and day out. I could hardly listen to a song on the radio without mentally noting everything they were doing, the way it was produced, or how the structure was arranged. I think in that sense, I was practicing every day, which yes, fuelled my artistic expression. But it’s definitely ever-changing. Your artistry is a reflection of who you are, and you’re never the same person for too long. People, places, moments change you, and the way you make art. The need to make that art though will forever be simply part of me. Have there been any notable collaborations or records released recently that have inspired some creative visions for your own musical endeavors in the remainder of 2020? Despite the chaos of things, I’ve had some amazing moments in 2020. One of my newest single’s Dancing When I Die got a lovely response, which has been extremely encouraging. It’s a song that has a special place in my heart, and so to have people from across the world connect to it in their own unique way has been extremely special to me. To be honest, there’s been quite a lot of time lately to reflect, and that downtime has really inspired the vision for the rest of the singles coming out 2020. I’ve done a lot of self-reflecting, and in a way, it’s allowed me to come into my skin a little more. I’m excited to be releasing these next couple of songs, and that’s a relieving feeling to be releasing something that just feels right. What has been keeping you inspired this year? What can we expect to see next from you? I’ve been diving back into a lot of jazz and classical piano actually, and exploring new artists in these genres has been so inspiring. Just hearing different chord progressions, how things move and change, how words are sung differently has allowed me to challenge myself and switch things up. I’m also a huge fan of DIY projects, canvas art, and cooking haha. So if I’m not writing, then I’m creating something one way or another, and that keeps a constant stream of inspiration flowing. There’s a lot of new music that’s coming from this time of reflection and growth, which means a number of releases coming next. I can’t wait to share, and I truly hope that it finds a home with whoever hears it! instagram.com/heatherjanssenmusic #BUZZMUSIC

Ronald Gacayan Jr., the San Francisco producer, performing under the name—Racayan—has a thing for producing simmering vibes. There are hot electric energy and a psycho-sensual propensity in his music, which presents with a pristine character through its productions and fervent swells of R&B-Pop personality. That is especially true of his smooth sailing ventures in singles like "Bad," "Day Dream," and now "Deep End." Whimsical and fleshy, but continually present by eruptions of authentic and passionate harmonies, they play out as a significant sensual doctrine concerning the powers of desire and love. "Deep End," the leading solo-track from the Racayan this year, is particularly filled with the even-tempered flow. It begins sounding relatively reserved—just a swaying rhythm and Racayan's juicy register synergizing to the groove. But as we dive deeper amongst the electric guitar and crisp drums, some hooks and sparkles become more apparent as they develop. There are dynamic flickerings in the mix's margins from atypical electronic percussion that add color to the mix, and that fade as swiftly as they arise. The mood is pliable and sexy, like dancing in the rain dressed to the T on a night out with your date embraced. The beat oozes and simmers before it drops into a more boundless domain: "I'm going off the deep end, cause you give me life when you're next to me," he sings, in a dreamy tenor and soprano that's pitched perfectly, "you got me going deep." Here the toplines adhere to our more profound sentiments, finding a comfy home in our hearts. What yields are a kind of short, hazy state of love-sickness that flourishes amongst a pristinely rendered spectacle of vulnerability while refined sets of harmonies disrupt our insides like a bath bomb. "I'm losing all my sense of time," he expresses before proceeding, " but I just wanna stay here in the moment." "Deep End" continually evolves and develops on its tantalizing tone with smooth consistency. It's an unhinged and seductive gift from Racayan: a submission to our senses, all wrapped up in an R&B performance that proves as an outstanding example of talent and skill for all to witness. Having experience working closely with significant groups like Blackalicious in the past, what was the experience like releasing your own single independently this year? I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from some great mentors, which is important for anybody in any craft. Having been exposed to the whole process, releasing my own single felt a bit familiar, but at the same time, it is exciting because it’s my vision and artistry coming through. Who do you try and channel most with relation to your top influences while also adhering to the themes, character, and textures you've worked hard to develop and incorporate? A lot of times I channel more of a feeling I get when I hear a song that moves me, and that comes from all types of genres and artists. When I create, I try to recapture that moment I felt, so all themes, characters, and textures stem from that. As a music producer having a vision is key, and with this particular record “Deep End”, I was fortunate enough to collaborate with the talented singer/ songwriter Jimmy Burney. I wanted to capture a certain feeling stemming from an instrumental and a poem I wrote, and I sent those to Jimmy because I felt that he was the perfect artist to take the record to where it needed to go creatively. What inspired you to become an artist? Initially, it was seeing people like Jay-Z in the late 90s and early 2000s on TV doing fly things, thinking once I get older that’s how I want to live. So, I started writing & creating my own beats, and then I fell in love with that process. It was a feeling I became addicted to and it’s something that just came naturally to me. What are you most excited about concerning your artistic career this year? Any milestone goals you care to share with us? Just having the opportunity to have people feel something through my art. Every time somebody reaches out to me and expresses how my music resonates with them, that is a milestone all on its own. So, just continuing to push this energy out there is what I’m excited about. What has been keeping you inspired throughout 2020? My purpose has been keeping me inspired. I believe that music is my vehicle to help aid my purpose. Music and art is a healer, it has done so much for me and I just want to give that energy back as best as I can. instagram.com/racayan #BUZZMUSIC

Black Note Graffiti, the outspoken Ann Arbor, MI. Rock band, have proven themselves once again to be a strong force in the music world with their crunchy guitar riffs and intense vocals. Their new single, “Knights” off of their forthcoming EP Rise Volume III, is no exception. Black Note Graffiti is Gabrielle Bryant (vocals/keys), Kris Keller (guitar/vocals), Kurt Keller (drums), Ricardo Ortiz (vocals/guitar), and Adam Nine (bass). Ortiz says, "Knights runs two simultaneous themes conflicting both within themselves and to that which is greater: systematic oppression and toxic masculinity. With systematic oppression, we have a culture that only now recognizes the inherent imbalance of class that has been sewn into the fabric of our society. Concerning toxic masculinity, one can sometimes get lost in trying to “save” someone you love who is in a tough situation when you should just be there on their terms. Both require introspection, change of action, and empathy, not pity. Ultimately, Knights are about showing some fucking compassion." "Knights" was produced by Grammy Award-winning Producer/Engineer Chuck Alkazian (Pop Evil, Soundgarden, Tantric) at legendary Pearl Sound Studios (Asking Alexandria, Eminem, Filter). Listen to "Knights" here. blacknotegraffiti.com facebook.com/pg/BlackNoteGraffiti twitter.com/blacknotegraffi instagram.com/blacknotegraffiti #BUZZMUSIC

Brain Andrew, the L.A. based electronic pop artist, feels like a well-kept secret. The enigmatic songwriter borrowing from R&B soul and dance music vehemence, and endeavors to present it in an ethereal form, drenched with reverb. In this way, Andrew isn't the only artist testing the limits of blending enigmatic production with danceable beats, but his interests seem more intricate than mere aesthetics. Through decades of following his creative energy before finally relocating to Los Angeles, the Jacksonville native has consistently developed his sound, always refining in tone and sharpening in execution. With 2020 as a fresh start, Brian Andrew proves that he has a propensity for infusing electro-pop danceability with ambient quality. "My Baby" and "Break Me," are the freshest cuts from the L.A. artist, and in them, he gives us two distinctive taste of his musical truisms. With these two songs, Brian Andrews takes us from what feels like vibing out in an after-hours night club to being burnt out somewhere on the corner street of a late-night shawarma watering hole. It's Danceable mixed with Enigma, and lethargy infused with haze. Even though each track finds a highlight in their unique individual applications, we're split between awaiting more out of the production and just accepting it for what is it—an experimental and minimalistic variation in electro-dance-pop. "Break Me," takes on a ghostlike silhouette with a minimalistic production consisting of ambient pads and a clattering of hi-hats atop a laid back and reserved drum-beat. The topline mostly consists of ominous swoons and wavering lyrics that sometimes present unintelligible in their volume. However, still, the mantra manages to seep into our subconscious, inducing a hypnotized state. "Break Me" is reminiscent of the type of overlooked interlude track you find on a dark-pop record, whimsically murky, ominously reserved, and somewhat minimalistic in nature. It slowly grows on you, even if it seems to waiver in the shadow of its predecessor track. The highlight amongst the two tracks is "My Baby." Here, Brian Andrew possesses a propensity for taking '90s dance energy—prominent from the "Four to the Flour" beat on the kick drum—and manifests a unique ethereal and ominous atmosphere with his filtered out, and saturated vocal croons. Drenched in reverb, Andrew's voice grabs hold at the wheel, commandeering our attention with a pitch bending topline. As the lyrics comment on love, an electromagnetic field builds up in the piece as a whole. It slowly begins to indicate some sense of development as the drum production keeps things moving together, providing a steadfast route for Andrew's vocals to swim in the ambiance of his hanging atmosphere. He establishes the creative concepts behind his electro-pop application with high accuracy, settling into a more dance-based framework with easy. It comes off durable in nature, only really appearing short-sited in its uniformity and lack of progression over the verbose synth topline. But still, Brian Andrew demonstrates an accurate representation of what makes electro-pop songs work under the pretenses of his unique aesthetic. Brian Andrews' only solidifies 2020 as a significant step in his development and progression as an electro-pop artist with these two releases—incorporating addictive backbeats into his ambient sonic landscapes that drive his music home. What was your mindset like going into the writing and production process of these two tracks? Producing the tracks was kind of tricky for me because I made the basis of both on my phone. I had never done that before and wasn’t sure of how they’d turn out. Surprisingly to me, I loved them and decided to write to them. When it came to lyrics I just wanted to write on my thoughts about love; not just about the emotion, but the spirit and the true experience of it. Can you comment on any of the primary emotions or themes you wanted to highlight in each track individually? With “My Baby” I drew inspiration from my relationship to start with, but then started elaborating on it with the experiences I’ve gained. I feel too many people give up on love, especially when things get rough; instead of realizing that it takes patience, understanding, and seeing things through the eyes of others. It is definitely a journey into the unknown because I feel what society has dubbed as love is a fabrication or a fantasy. It goes way deeper than any of our understanding. That goes for love in general whether it be in a romantic relationship, family, friends, or even with one's self. For “Break Me,” I used this song to speak on how I was when confronted by love. I put up so many emotional barriers, because of past burns instead of treating a new experience, as such. I felt like I needed to be broken in order to recalibrate how I went about learning to love someone new and to let go of the fear of past experiences; because they truly have no place in my new life. If someone is there for you through every moment whether it be the good or the terrible or your most crazy, that is a person worth becoming vulnerable and opening up for. What has been the most challenging part of settling into the city of Los Angeles as someone relocating from Jacksonville, Florida? It’s pretty cliché, but being away from my family and my closest friends were and are still kind of a hurdle I’m getting over. Not having that source of comfort being a 15-minute drive away makes you have to find comfort within yourself, and for me; in the Almighty. Even though I’m in a relationship and have them to lean on, that feeling of home is only understood by those from home. While there is a lot of love that is abundantly shared between other artists here, this city is very cut-throat in so many aspects. If you’re not trying to make something out of yourself and really work at it as you’ve never done before, don’t move here. What can we expect from you in the next coming months? Do you plan on collaborating with anyone soon, or maybe releasing a full-length EP? I have many plans for the rest of the year. I find it important to have at the very least “soft goals” to work towards. I am currently recording the rest of my first EP and hope to have it out soon. I do have some collaborations planned, but nothing set in stone just yet. Right now I’m mainly focused on getting this first EP done and out. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? Oh, 2020 ... haha! You know, this year is definitely a blessing in disguise. It really is about shifting your perspective. I personally lost my job and means of transportation and felt incredibly discouraged at first. I then realized I only got what I had been begging God for; more time to focus on my music! I guess my main inspiration has just been life in general. Should you decide to see and acknowledge it, life is really what you make it. It’s easy to make excuses or convince yourself your excuses are legit “reasons” for not living to your highest potential. But easy gets you nowhere, and I like to go places. instagram.com/briandrew87 #BUZZMUSIC

2xcali sounds whimsical and airy on his three-track cut, NOW, where he opens up about his struggles surrounding starting up with all the odds being set against him — and prospering despite them. On "Martyr," the first track off this record, 2xcali explores the cycling of his introspections and resonates on mantras in his subconscious: "Back against the wall, but I won't give up easily, I can't sleep knowing my daughter needed me." It comes off as melancholy concealed withing a staggering flow simulating the underlining trepidations of Toriano Howard's past, but then his true tone is unveiled. "Die by my respect cause I'm a Martyr, I was thinking small, but I'm thinking larger," he stabs with the words leaving his lips, "finna crash out, but I'm thinking smarter, time be getting hard, but I'm going harder." Here, 2xcali somehow finds reservation for cheerfulness in the opaque descriptions of his adolescence. The delightful if somewhat ominous-sounding melody signifies the return of one of Rap's most secret weapons: amongst all his storytelling, he provokes a carefree bounciness, amplifying in the way his flow allures you with his magnetic topline melody. Few are better at triggering this phenomenon than the Mississippi rapper himself. As more is divulged about the story, he warbles and trills with the spirit of someone who doesn't care what others deem as unsurpassable and life breaking; because for him, anything is surpassable if you believe in it. As is often the case, 2xcali does much of the heavy lifting for his productions as most of the attention tends to be absorbed in his presence; but honestly, that that's how it should be. He always works in a funhouse entirely constructed out of booming 808s, dripped out reverbs reminiscent of some of his influencers, and hook samples—and the rapper embraces it a like squire becoming a knight, flourishing in his new merited form. It's hard to imagine anything flustering him in this die-hard mindset that he displays on "Martyr." Hello 2xcali and welcome to BuzzMusic. What usually stimulates your urge to create music, and does it resonate the same way it did when you first started making music at fifteen years old? When I hear an instrumental I get excited, there are so many things I can say about my life that connects with the listener and so many ideas I have to make the song great, The passion to make music from 15 years old to now is always been the same, I have fun with it, I make sure that its real and educational. Do you work with any producers that help achieve some of the qualities and tones you highlight in your music? Or has this always been a solo venture? Yes I work with different producers, but all of the melodic work and writing I do myself, I'm open to constructive criticism and will make any adjustments if needed, for a while I was a solo act, buying Mp3 leases from producers and making the song When did you know which direction you wanted to go with NOW, and how do you think Martyr fits into that methodological mind-frame? I knew the direction after I made the song “Time Zone” which was the last installment for the 3 song EP, The “Now “ Ep captures what I was going through at that moment, gathering all my emotions, taking highlights from personal conversations and implementing that information into the songs. Martyr was used as a metaphorical/symbolic term for the EP and song, just me saying that for the things I believe, I am willing to die for them, Also the song was inspired by my favorite historian Malcolm X and his “By Any Mean Necessary” Speech. What do you hope to keep challenging and improving your artistic process and performance this year? I hope to challenge my storytelling capabilities, my vocal presence, and energy on stage. Also connection with my fans base, I hope to bring in new fans to share music with, hopefully, educate and help others with my songs. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020? My innovative process, my team, just being a creator keep me inspired. Also, I have a lot to prove. instagram.com/2xcali #BUZZMUSIC

The Pittsburgh-based pop artist Rocky Paterra is a long time friend of ours and continues to show how music can shine a little light no matter where there is darkness. Since he's released an EP, album, and countless singles, Rocky Paterra has made a conceptual impact on the nation and has a special place in our hearts. Keeping true to his inspirational self, Rocky Paterra is back at it again with his brand new single "Gonna Feel So Good." "Gonna Feel So Good" instantly opens up with feel-good energy and vibes. It has an underlining rhythm that has our bodies moving - it's a fantastic experience when you take in how Rocky Paterra's lush vocals beautifully dance with the drums and bass to bring forth something that helps us forget about all of our problems. With lyrics like "It's gonna feel so good, to make it out alive," we felt a shimmer of hope that speaks deeply to everyone who has not been feeling themselves since many current events. But have no fear, Rocky Paterra is here to show us all that everything is going to turn out alright and not to give up. We are loving how hopeful “Gonna Feel So Good” was to listen to, how has this tune helped relieve any mental stress you may have and bounce back to feeling good? Thank you so much! I’m pleased that the song has a hopeful tone. I wanted to put out a track that you can pump up in your car or blast in the shower, something with a hook in the chorus that allows you to feel powerful if you’re singing along. There’s certainly no shortage of mental stress in the world right now, myself included, and so it was important that the sound and the lyrics give off an optimistic vibe, with a feeling of there being light at the end of the tunnel. We are loving the pop instrumentation you have for this one, what was the whole inspiration behind the instrumental aspect of the song? Being created in quarantine, what kind of challenges did you face? I really wanted to have this song live in the more electronic pop world for its instrumentation - the energy that can come from that kind of sound is exciting to me, and I tried to lean into it in a way that I haven’t before. One of the main features is the strong synth bass line, which I wanted to feel like a constant driving force of the song, like an electric pulse. The challenge of creating this track in quarantine was daunting at first, but as I worked with my amazing producer Michael Wuerth, we found the virtual sessions to be very successful and fun! Michael produced my 2019 holiday pop album, Naughty List, so we’ve been working together closely for quite some time now which made me feel confident going into our quarantine virtual sessions. Our biggest challenge was just an occasional unstable WiFi connection! Speaking of the inspiration, what led you to begin to write this one? Is there any specific event or feeling that made you want to write “Gonna Feel So Good”? I started writing “Gonna Feel So Good” during the spring of this year. My partner and I were quarantined in our tiny one-bedroom apartment in New York City, which was a very scary place to be at that time because Covid-19 was surging there. That period of time created very strong feelings of hopelessness, and every day not leaving the apartment just led to more and more frustration and fear. There were few moments when I could get into a positive mental state and look towards the future with hope, and writing this song was therapeutic because it was the product of one of those fleeting feelings of hopefulness. Ever since your first release “Thoughts from the A Train”, how do you feel you have grown as a songwriter and as an artist? Where do you see yourself going in future releases? In the three years since my first release, I have learned so much about songwriting and the process of recording and collaborating! I have improved at crafting my demos to be a reflection of the final product that I’m seeking, and I am able to better communicate with musicians and producers to articulate my vision. I no longer go into sessions with fear - I go into them with excitement! The production side of music is a language in and of itself, and working so closely with my producer Michael Wuerth on the holiday album and a few subsequent singles has allowed me the opportunity to better speak that language. My ultimate dream as a songwriter is to be able to write for other artists. I really do find that with a lot of the music I write, I don’t necessarily see myself being the artist singing it. And I’m so inspired by the vastness of talent in New York City that I wish I could spend all day every day just sitting in a room writing music with all of these incredible voices in mind. What has been keeping you inspired throughout 2020? I am inspired by our health care professionals, like my good friend Emily. I am inspired by teachers, like my good friend Molly. I’m inspired by wearing masks to protect our fellow Americans who might be at risk. I’m inspired by the ways in which people around the country are standing up for social justice and necessary reform. I also want to emphasize that mental health is beyond essential at this time, and I think there can be a lot of intrusive pressure put onto people to feel like they need to be handling this year in a certain way. It’s okay to lean into your emotions right now, whatever they may be. That’s certainly where this new song came from. Checking in with yourself and your loved ones is so important, so I am inspired by the ways in which I have observed people coming together to show each other love. I think that’s a beautiful thing. instagram.com/rockypaterra rockyemidiopaterra.com #BUZZMUSIC

Berklee College of Music graduate Sarah Keyser has developed her musicianship and overall artistry over many years and is now creating her own music in order to share personal collections to listeners. Sarah Keyser has that kind of artistic persona that's very captivating. Listening to her songs, you'll realize that Sarah has a ton to say, and often, there's a bit of wisdom that listeners can extract if they're looking to. Some of Sarah Keyser's most recent releases embody. Harmonious and confident vocals surge from Sarah Keyser in her latest song, "Broken Record Fool." Sarah Keyser tells the narrative throughout the song of hardship within a romantic relationship. She further courses through the innate emotions involved with trying to give up parts of yourself to maintain toxicity. "Broken Record Fool" outlines interpersonal conflict, especially regarding one's own thoughts and perceptions. The track predominantly seethes vigor, and Sarah Keyser doesn't let up one bit when it comes to passion. Sarah Keyser does a fantastic job at crafting her vocal intonation, as "Broken Record Fool" has incredible resilience. Ensure that you listen carefully along to Sarah Keyser's newest track, as she packs in an enormous amount of character into the song. What kind of sonic approach were you looking to take with "Broken Record Fool"? My approach for "Broken Record Fool" was to create a song that shared the classic elements of a pop/rock tune as well as my voice as a songwriter. I really admire Hayley Williams as a performer and I wanted to add in elements of that world, while still staying true to my vision as an independent artist. "Broken Record Fool" was packed full of heartfelt lyricism, and your vocal performance was incredibly on point. Do you often find it natural to share such a passionate performance? I think that the song was a good representation of how I felt at the time I wrote it in college. In the studio, one of my good friends, Amanda Marsh, helped vocal produce it. She pushed me to really embody what the song meant to me through the vocal performance. I'm just happy that it came through the recording! What kind of lessons do you feel you've learned from your education that highly attributes towards the way you create your music today? My experience in college as well as working in the industry for the past year has taught me that patience and lifting up other local artists is the key to being a successful artist yourself. I have also learned that money isn't the only way we should be measuring success, especially as a creative person. Taking critique well over social media has also been a tough but necessary lesson for me through my process as a growing musician. Where are you hoping to be within your music career in six months from now? One year? In the next six months, I hope that I can expand my fanbase by getting my music into more music licensing opportunities as well as performing out at new venues & maybe even touring once it is safe to do so. In the more distant future, I would love to song write for bigger artists and keep learning new ways to contribute to the creative community in California. I also have an EP coming out in the next couple of months that I'm very excited about! instagram.com/sarahkeysermusic sarahkeysermusic.com #BUZZMUSIC

The Brooklyn based Experimental Pop songwriter and performer who performs under the guise That Brunette, Madeline Mondrala is an airy, ethereal-pop visionary. She shines bright and penetrating through in her career of empyreal creations with shimmering textures and polished vocals. With the release of her newest single "Coolest Girl," That Brunette announces her latest addition to a growing family of ornate pieces that perpetually translate from pen to playlist. "Coolest Girl" arrives with a sense of spectacle that could only be described as looking up from the rooftop and into the celestial midnight sky, reminiscing with real sentiment over cherished past experiences. Here, Formulated as a passionate letter to a long-term friend who has turned long-distance, feeling like an Indie-anthem of retrospection over two souls displaced across opposed ends of the country, following their dreams independently. With the predominant weight carrier behind "Coolest Girl" being Mondrala's vocal performance, the lyrics never fail to merge into her brand of authenticity. "But, I'm here, hustling without you, no tears, thinking about you," she sings as a tangy steel-string guitars sweep and teeter closeby, "cause when all is said and done, we are both the lucky ones." She is expressing her gratitude in her experience of maturing into who she is alongside her friend, and it's that statement that envelopes us wholly with a warm embrace. "Coolest Girl" manifests itself with a commanding vocal topline and a trendy sampling of synths over a steadfast low-end. And as we edge-on, this track provokes a tantalizing flirt with vulnerability—bursting with an electro-pop spirit that can only be produced when this Brooklyn songstress follows her artistic intuitions. What's the storyline behind this particular friend you've highlighted in "Coolest Girl?" How long did this impacting friendship last before becoming cross-country, and are you still in contact today? Coolest Girl is about one of my best friends from college. She’s a brilliant photographer so we’ve done lots of photoshoots together. We have a great creative bond. We also share a deep love for reality TV and Taylor Swift and pontificate on those topics regularly. We’ve spent many nights together galavanting, dancing, talking, and laughing over the past six years on the streets of NYC and Brooklyn. We still talk all the time! Where do you find the inspiration to keep evolving and developing your artistic persona and tone? Is there some mantra or rituals you adhere to that mirror some of your success creatively? I feel like I’m constantly peeling back layers of myself as an artist/person in order to get closer to my most authentic state. There are layers of ego, perception, expectation, performance that I try to dispose of as I become aware of them. I want my art to be unpretentious and true to who I am. In the past, I’ve tried to shape myself into what others have told me to be or what I thought would make me more successful. I’ve realized over the years that success starts from within. The better I get to know myself, the more my music will reflect my truth, and the more people will relate to it. I practice tarot regularly in order to connect with my spirit guides and uncover the hidden corners of my psyche. What's been the most fulfilling moment for you in 2020 as an artist? Being forced to slow down and take stock of how I’m spending my time on this planet has been really nourishing. I think for a lot of people quarantine was a wake-up call to discover what we truly want our lives to be. When I was hustling and working and pursuing music before the pandemic, it was very distracting. I felt rushed, like I was always just a little behind, and would never catch up. Now I feel like I’m in a more natural flow with my creativity. I’m not chasing anything. I’m moving at my own pace and it feels much nicer. How often do you find yourself reconnecting with some of your influences and inspirations in music? Do you find it helpful to remind you of your individual style and the milestones you have? I love taking walks down memory lane. I’ll listen to Joni Mitchell, Avril Lavigne, Bjork, Lauryn Hill, the list goes on and on. I stay connected to the artists that have influenced me. I’m a very nostalgic person. The passage of time inspires me. When I listen to songs I loved when I was younger, they act as a gauge for me to measure how I’ve grown and changed as a person from then to now. It helps me to acknowledge my evolution. What can fans anticipate to hear next from you? I have lots of music waiting in the wings. My next two-song EP “Millennium Fig” drops on August 28th. I’m really excited to share it! instagram.com/is_thatbrunette thatbrunettemusic.com #BUZZMUSIC