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Chicago based musician John Love releases his entity of a song titled “The Corontina Fantasia (Mvmt. I, II & III)”. While noting that the entirety of the song had to be uploaded in three movements, it gives us a peek into the creative depths that run deep in John Love’s mind. After quitting piano as the known “unprepared student”, John Love took it onto himself to be self-taught and learn by ear. We can really hear how deep his creative process runs with “The Corontina Fantasia (Mvmt. I, II & III)”. Taking us on a textured piano instrumental ride, we’re left putting placid imagery in our own minds. Peacefully opening with “Mvmt. I (Colossale Con Moto)”, John Love brings versatility and a very dynamic intro. Starting with serene melodies that uplift our emotions, then swiftly moving into an exciting rhythm and quick-moving chords. As we move into “Mvmt. II (Valzer Adagio)”, John Love takes the energy back down to cinematic and calming melodies. The switch between major and minor gives off a haunting yet warm atmosphere. As he emphasizes certain notes to stand out, we can sense a storyline within. Ending off with the outro piece “Mvmt. III (Andantino Con Amore)”, John Love provides a beautiful crescendo into a stunning range from high notes to low notes. Ending off the project with power and poise, John Love has brought a soulful experience with the entity that is “The Corontina Fantasia (Mvmt. I, II & III)”. You can listen to “The Corontina Fantasia (Mvmt. I, II & III)” here. Hey John Love, welcome to BuzzMusic! We’re captivated by your brilliant piano work within your entity “The Corontina Fantasia (Mvmt. I, II & III)”. Was there any storyline or concept that you wanted to portray with this song? Thank you! Well this piece was written towards the beginning of all this crazy COVID-19/quarantine mess. That's how the name of it came to be. My roommate/bandmate, Sam Roth, and I "cleverly" came up with a combination of the two (coronavirus & quarantine) to get "Corontina". So with the three movements of the piece, I wanted to express a narrative of three different stages in my personal COVID-19 experience. With the first movement, "Colossale con Moto", it is supposed to represent the ominous, rapid-pace at which this all started. The immensity of it all. Like millions of other people, it seemed like I was at work on Thursday, and then on Friday I was getting an email saying my work was closed for the "foreseeable future." The second movement, "Valzer Adagio," was my attempt at portraying the relatively tedious, redundant, and simple lifestyle of not leaving my apartment. Wake up, eat, walk in circles, eat, more circles, eat, sleep, repeat. I do want to recognize however, that I am unbelievably and incredibly blessed in my experience with this scary time in history. I am lucky enough to say that I don't really know anyone in my immediate circle of family/friends who have been fatally affected by COVID-19 and I know there are so many others who haven't been so lucky and my heart truly does go out to those dealing with worse circumstances. Which is why the third movement, "Andantino con Amore," was meant to serve as a sort of sound of hope for everyone. I wanted to paint a picture of love and assurance to everyone and remind people that things will get better. Sure it will take time, and it will always be in the back of our minds (represented by the reprise of the first movement in the last 40 seconds), but if we all stick together and follow the necessary steps to better our situation, we will get through this. Besides this literal interpretation, I really just wanted to write a piece of music that would be relaxing for people to hear. Something they can close their eyes to and imagine their own story. Escape for 11 minutes of their day. Speaking on “The Corontina Fantasia (Mvmt. I, II & III)” and how John Love had to break it up into three movements, it’s clear that your creativity can run forever. Could you highlight your creative process and how you blended this array of sounds together cohesively? I am not a classically trained pianist and I don't know how to read music, so a lot of my creative process, honestly, is trial and error! The word "fantasia" is defined as "a musical composition with a free form and often improvisatory style." And that's basically my creative process! I had fiddled with some of these motifs previously so it was a matter of improvising around with them, expanding in greater detail, until I heard something that I liked that would continue the progression. In regards to “The Corontina Fantasia (Mvmt. I, II & III)”, because the song is split into three movements, are there any moments that are John Love’s personal favorite to play and perform within “The Corontina Fantasia (Mvmt. I, II & III)”? Out of the three, the second movement is my favorite! It makes the most sense to me. I tend to write and play a lot in 3/4 time, so it is more comfortable and familiar. The last 60 seconds is my favorite to play! I had a wonderful friend and mentor who I gigged around with in high school and college who had a tremendous impact on my piano playing. Lots of honky-tonk, ragtime-y, bluesy riffs. So I wanted to have a signature "JohnLove" section, if you will, where I returned to what I'm best at and just let a little nasty, bluesy solo loose amidst the waltz-y atmosphere! The last 60 seconds is definitely paying homage to my dear friend, KB. I'll always be reminded of him when I play it! We’ve heard that John Love was known as the “unprepared student” before you quit lessons and learned piano on your own. Why do you think your passion and talent grew after taking on piano at your own terms? Ah yes! A title I still tend to don even as an adult... Bless my Aunt Jill for giving her all to teach me when I was a young, hyper, sports-crazed grade-schooler! I think when it boils down to it, laziness and a distracted mind were the real culprits to my unpreparedness as a child! I was distracted by playing outside and not wanting to be inside learning a new skill. So, as I grew mentally and physically, so did my passion and talent. Rhythm has always seemed to come naturally to me. I realized music was something that made sense but I enjoyed doing it my own way. No offense to my Aunt who tried to teach me, it's just I wanted to learn my way, I suppose. I'm a loose cannon who doesn't play by anyone's rules! Or maybe it's just because I can be stubborn like that... My passion grew because I wanted to do something with music and I wanted to entertain people. That's the real culprit; my hunger to entertain. I also get my passion for watching great pianists and striving to be like them. My Aunt Jill Briggs and Aunt Kellee Love Haselton. My cousins Nat and Sarah Zegree. My good friends, Brock Gwaltney and Ken Bradbury. My so-called "talent' comes from years of just practicing, being ardent about this skill. I have worked really hard at learning the piano in a way that makes sense to me. And there is so much more I strive to learn, so the passion is still burning! What can we expect to see from you throughout 2020? Oh with these uncertain times, I have been able to write a lot of original music. So I have many things in the works! Music that is going to require more studio time to add live drums and guitar, vocals. With this release being only piano, it was simpler for me to just record and mix/master it on my own laptop software. So hopefully later in the year, when the world is returning to normal (I'm trying to put those good vibes and hopefulness out there!) I'll release an EP or something that highlights the music I wrote during quarantine. Who knows! What I can tell you is that you'll definitely hear some new music from the band I play in - The North and Wells Band! We plan to put out music, whether in the form of an EP or more singles, as soon as possible. No specific dates, but ASAP! Thanks for your time!! instagram.com/johnnylove34 facebook.com/john.love.777 #BUZZMUSIC

Budding rapper Nathaniel, who creates music under the stage name NateThePrnce, was born in Mississauga and raised in Brampton, Ontario. He discovered his passion for music very young and entered the game by freestyling to his favorite songs on YouTube. After realizing his true rapping talents, he decided to pursue his dreams of becoming an artist. NateThePrnce hopes that his fans experience as much pleasure listening to his songs as he has created them. His most recent single, “No Janitor,” gets straight to the point and avoids a time-consuming introduction for the song. NateThePrcne immediately tells his fans what they can expect from the track in the first few moments. There is a catchy melody that repeats as the background music and is paired with an 808 trap beat. NateThePrnce creates a chill vibe with “No Janitor” by holding back his intensity with his rapping. His deep voice sounds laid back and relaxed throughout the whole song. Lyrically, NateThePrnce creates an energy that will excite the listener up and emit feelings of power – and many of these types of phrases in the form of basketball references. NateThePrnce’s lyrical self-confidence in his new single “No Janitor,” is merely contagious. You can find "No Janitor" here. Welcome to BuzzMusic NateThePrnce! Your new single “No Janitor” is both laid back and catchy. Can you tell us about the meaning behind your lyrics? The meaning behind my lyrics was basically me trying to sauce it up, as soon as I heard the beat I knew how I wanted to approach the song, and I feel like I executed my plan very well. I had fun making this song and as a songwriter who writes all his stuff it didn’t take long for me to finish writing to it. Can you tell us about the entire creative process of “No Janitor?” For the creative process I went through my regular process of just freestyling to it and whatever stuck with me within the first line I would create the song around that, I wanted to add some basketball references and one that I think might’ve went over the listeners heads is when I said “Blazing on the trail got me feeling like I’m B. Roy” as he was one of the best players in the league at one point who played for the Portland Trailblazers, so when I said that and made that connection I was like yea that’s hard lol.  Everything else after that was just me finding ways to connect to the next bar in a way that when you hear the song it sticks with you.  I can’t forget to talk about the song title.  When it comes to titles of my tracks I go based off my hook, so at the ending of my hook when I say “Sweep you with the broom but no I am not a janitor” I was like yes “No Janitor” is the title for the song which just so happens to refer to another thing basketball-related, because around Playoff time if a team loses 4-0 it means they get swept but by me saying I’m sweeping you, in this case, it means I beat you every time not me cleaning up any actual mess. Your stage name NateThePrnce emits a sense of power similar to your single “No Janitor.” Why did you choose this name, and how does it represent your style as an artist? I chose the name NateThePrnce because while growing up my favorite show was “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and Will Smith was and is a person I look up to so I took prince from that but took out the “I” as I felt it looked better without it there and it was something different, as long as you understand what I’m saying that’s what matters, it’s not because I don’t know how to spell lol.  But yes my artist name represents my style because when you hear it you think of positivity, something of high status and I like to lift myself up as I know what I’m capable of when it comes to my music. You used a variety of basketball references in your lyrics including “shattered glass call me Shaq with the backboard.” Why did you choose to include these types of references? Back to the basketball references, I like it!  So probably my favorite line of the song which just so happens to be the first thing I say in the song “Shatter glass call me Shaq with the backboard” I chose to include that because it represents dominance, the ability to take control of whatever is you’re doing, even when I say that I picture how he brought down the rim which shows you that he not someone to play with he’s a serious guy. And I like to bring that force and make my presence felt. What can we expect to see from you throughout 2020? Throughout the rest of 2020 you can expect visuals to “No Janitor” which is coming soon.  You can also expect an EP from me coming this Summer!  With that being said I hope everyone is staying safe as we go through these different times together. Just keeping positive and thank you! twitter.com/natetheprnce instagram.com/natetheprnce #BUZZMUSIC

Initially forming within the corners of Detroit's underrated music scene, Visitor is an elusive combination of modern rock, gritty metal—and even by self-proclamation "a hint of Motown" — to create their unmistakable sound. This culmination of musical endeavors between four life long friends draws on years of exposure in the music scene, offering venues across the Motor City a vigorous and captivating live show. This year Visitors have endowed us with a release of their latest single, "Involuntary Crimes," a zenith collection of smoldering guitar riffs, dynamic vocal harmonies, and a solid rhythm section with all the bells and whistles attached. It's more surreal and atmospheric than anything they've recorded before, with Dustin Buckley's bass taking a predominant role in supporting the vicious guitar riffs. And once they hit their peak, over Billy Pierce's rippling blast beat, they evoke their '90s forefathers. They reserve vocalist Randy Gray for a plentiful, fiery performance that emerges from the song's infinite expanses before evaporating back into the atmosphere. As with all their best work, Steve Dombroski is forever screeching out dynamic guitar solos, opening a portal to a world that feels hopeful, new, and breathtakingly alive. Ultimately, "Involuntary Crimes," is a husky song where protocol and compliance are stripped down into a valiant turn around with urgent hardcore riffs, heavy-handed guitar melodies, hypnotic vocal harmonies, an energizing rhythm. This single is an endeavor to strip back the covers to reveal a new side of the coin, revealing their undisputable path to alt-rock dominancy. Be sure to listen to "Involuntary Crimes" here. facebook.com/visitormusicofficial twitter.com/visitormusic333 instagram.com/visitormusic #BUZZMUSIC

Being based out of uptown Philadelphia, the rap artist JM Haze has a style that the culmination of hip-hop, trap, soul, and alternative fusion. Since beginning his career at the age of 17, JM Haze has toured around Washington DC., New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia, and continues to step in in times of need to help others with their music to bring the best out of them. JM Haze recently released his flaming hot new record with Natanya “The Way She Talk,” and we can’t get enough of it. “The Way She Talk” is one of those tunes that instantly hits you in the chest as soon as you put it on. Something about it can quickly get a whole dance floor to move. Part of this has to do with those ever groovy and heavy 808 drums. The incredibly passionate vocal performances from both JM Haze and Natanya, JM Haze, brings the heat with his master-crafted flows where Natanya brings out the sexy qualities and almost brings it to a low key vibe that quickly will get you swaying. “The Way She Talk” feels almost like a love tune, one person confessing the love and how the other person essentially sweeps them off their feet; the dynamic duo between JM Haze and Natanya perfectly complements this idea in their storytelling and sense of cohesion and feeling complete. This an incredible release that is full of energy has a story and has a deep vibe to it, we couldn’t recommend enough to give this record a listen, you’ll be sure to regret missing it. You can find “The Way She Talk” here. Welcome to BuzzMusic JM Haze! Your latest release “The Way She Talk” has such a great vibe to it, what was it like to work with Natanya?  Did she help out with any of the songwriting here? Thank you for having me and I’m glad the Buzz Music team enjoyed the song! Working with Natanya was great, she is an amazing artist and pushed me to be my best. She wrote and sang the hook, which was indeed a big help and one of my most favorite parts of the track. We are definitely getting some emotional feelings in the lyrics, what kind of deep connection do you have with them? Is there a specific way you want the audience to perceive this tune? As an artist, I think we are all deeply connected to everything we write. For this song specifically, I had to tap into a more emotional side of myself, which was a tad challenging in the beginning writing stage. I would like for this song to engage with a broader audience. I want them to walk away from the song feeling joyful and charged. People can add it to their favorite playlists and either ride around and vibe or turn up and dance. Having toured around the North East end of the U.S., did you ever have any particular “wow” moments during a show? What kinds of things inspired you when traveling to different cities? For the bulk of my career, I have performed mostly in Philadelphia. That crowd can be hard to please, so I would say performing in different places was the “wow” factor for me. It helped grow my confidence and comfortability on stage. Though, the performance that I took the most away from was when I performed in DC. I thought Philadelphia had the toughest crowd, but DC gave me a truly unique performing experience. I walked away from it learning a lot and inspired to be better, do better. Do you remember what was the inspiration behind you wanting to start rapping at 17 years old? What had made you want to help out your friend which led to the career you have now? Did you ever think you would be where you are now? The inspiration was always there- my friend definitely bought it out of me and I will forever appreciate him for that. I’d always had an interest in music, even before 17, but what made me want to help him was his drive for the arts and my support for him. I honestly picked up the pen about a week or two after he suggested. Also, my mom heard me rapping some Eminem lyrics and told me I had a nice voice and that I should try and write. After that, I figured two people telling me to write lyrics must be a sign. That’s how it all began! Without those two people in my life and their help in sparking this interest- I definitely wouldn’t be here now! What can we expect to see from you next? This is going to sound cliché, but more music first before anything else. I have a lot of different interests and a bunch of goals I would like to accomplish as an entertainer, but the music is what’s most important to me. I don’t have a lot of music out there yet, so my main goal is getting listeners more excited and engaged with what I have coming up. facebook.com/Jmhazemuziq twitter.com/jmhazemuziq instagram.com/wittheflows__ #BUZZMUSIC

Hey Algorhythm, welcome to BuzzMusic! Just off your latest single “Collections”, we’re easily able to grasp Algorhythm’s textured creativity. What made Algorhythm want to release a dynamic piano instrumental, rather than your usual 5-piece sound? We felt like it was time to present the leader of the band under a different angle. The EP that we released last year was quite upbeat and very energetically driving. The single that we released earlier this year "Earth" is rather on the experimental side. So, this was the perfect time to put forward something completely different. And we have more explorative material on the way. We can’t help but hear an authentic and talented blend of jazz and classical off Algorhythm’s latest single “Collections”. Could you share how frontman Alexander Lioubimenko went about composing the melodies for “Collections” and how you planned to shift back and forth between jazz and classical? The piece that brings everything together is the interlude theme between each contrasting section. Everything in between came naturally in a spontaneous manner. I tend to compose in splurges that seem to flow naturally. Collections was born in this same manner, all that I had to do was tie the pieces together in a logical way. In regards to Algorhythm’s recent single “Collections”, even though the track consists of complex piano playing, did you want to infuse a storyline within the song? Did you have any initial inspirations that fuelled the fire for creating “Collections’? Collections is a song that speaks of putting aside our differences and living in harmony. We may be different in appearance, culture, etc., yet there is one element that brings us together and that is our humanity. Off-hand, the various sections in Collections are coming from completely contrasting genres and styles, yet they all coexist in the piece itself. It just goes to show that the freedom we have in music allows us to pretty much do virtually anything. Our music has no limits or at least we'd like to think so ;) With a 5-piece prog-rock/jazz sound on the majority of Algorhythm’s songs, could you share what makes your band’s style different from other prog-rock bands today? Our style differs from other prog-rock bands primarily because we rely on improvisation as a means of exploration and we have a very prominent jazz influence. Our live performances - even if we were to play the same setlist - are never the same since the improvisational element is so important. We have a strong thematic which is space/exploration that we try to convey in our music and in fact in everything that we put out. Our music is highly adaptive and is inspired by a variety of different genres that go beyond classical and jazz music. instagram.com/thealgorhythmband facebook.com/thealgorhythmband algorhythm-mtl.com #BUZZMUSIC

Coming from New York City, alternative artist Aaron Rizzo releases his groovy and mood-setting single "Push." Starting out in quite a few bands, he began expanding his own personal sound by familiarizing himself with not only guitar but vocals, piano, and production techniques. Heavily influenced by groove-based drummers like; Steve Jordan, Mikey Miley, and Nate Smith, Aaron Rizzo brings show-stopping rhythm with each track. Especially on his recent sultry single "Push," Aaron Rizzo brings top-flight melodies through layered vocals all to a blissful harmony. He haunts up the track with passion and pleasure, giving us the closest thing to human touch. Starting with a pulsing rhythm that's set free at the groovy downbeat on "Push," Aaron Rizzo gives us almost a mix of jazz and funk through weighted beats and funky electric guitars. The track's seductive rhythm alongside Aaron Rizzo's charming vocals creates a sort of ambiance that purely serves food for the soul. From indulgent bass lines that shape "Push" to get you moving, to Aaron Rizzo's layered harmonies, he serves an all-around heated atmosphere full of life and tempting desire. The highlight of "Push" has to be the eclectic instrumentation at the chorus that serves quality rhythm and emotion, coming together to give a vibe like no other. Aaron Rizzo's talent shines right through on "Push," feeding us everything that we've been searching for nowadays. You can listen to "Push" here. instagram.com/aaronrizzomusic facebook.com/aaronrizzomusic twitter.com/aaronrizzomusic #BUZZMUSIC

From the garage to the stage, alt-rock band Mental Friction releases their blazing single “Show Me Some Love.” After being in development for five years, Mental Friction has taken their drive and persistence and used it to turn heads with every release and live performance. Always striving for something different yet intriguing, Mental Friction’s latest release “Show Me Some Love” brings a variety of emotions to the forefront. Singing about needing love, yet through high energy rock instrumentals and soaring vocals, Mental Friction has made “Show Me Some Love” to be incredibly anthemic. Kicking off with energetic drum and percussion patterns that move into the guitar’s striking power chords giving “Show Me Some Love,” a strident and sharp rock atmosphere. Reaching the chorus, Mental Friction comes together. It serves catchy melodies that let us all sing along while providing us with tightly wound instrumentals that give Mental Friction an edge of precision and detail. With the lead vocals having some muffled filter overtop, we can feel the depth and a sense of breathing room. With hi-fi electric guitar solo’s and an incredibly ear-pleasing chorus, Mental Friction’s single “Show Me Some Love” brings high energy and endless passion that speaks volumes today. Fall in love with "Show Me Some Love" here. facebook.com/mentalfrictionband instagram.com/mentalfrictionband youtube.com/user/MentalFrictionBand #BUZZMUSIC

Hey Pavy, welcome back to BuzzMusic! We’re very excited to feature yet another powerful single of yours “2 Blues”. Could you what inspired you to write and create “2 Blues”? I was browsing YouTube for instrumentals when I stumbled upon this one. Once I found the beat I knew right away that I had something to say; the song spilled right out. I wrote the hook and from there it was just a matter of staying consistent. Your artwork for your single “2 Blues” really enhances the track’s dark and mysterious vibe. Could you speak on Pavy’s end goal for how you wanted “2 Blues” to sound and feel to your audience? I wanted this song to hit my listeners a little differently than my previous pieces. Past projects have been very loud and hysterical, while 2 Blues sounds more mainstream. I had never really worked with low-end vocals, I believed for so long that my voice was only captivating when it was belting. I wanted listeners to hear this as a “car song.” Something you listen to when you're driving at night.  In regards to Pavy’s dynamic approach to Rap and Hip Hop, could you speak on your creative process, and how you approach laying down lyrics for each track to make them different and unique? I’m always trying to experiment with my voice. As meaningful as the lyrics are to me, it’s the cadence of an artist that really penetrates the audience today. For my lyrics, however, I try to write verses in silence in order to cultivate something deep, about who I am or what I’m facing; whereas I write hooks with the instrumental in-ear in order to achieve something catchier. Again, as important as the lyrics are to me and others, it's the "catchiness" of a song that really determines its' success today. During Pavy’s last interview with BuzzMusic, you answered that two of your main aspirations are exposure and artistic growth. Do you feel that you’ve attained these goals, or are on the right path? I do feel I’m on the right path! I’ve consistently grown my fan base and monthly listeners, but I’m nowhere close to being satisfied in that aspect. I'm doing my best to consistently learn about marketing and how to maximize exposure within the Vancouver/West Coast area. I don't think I'll really be happy with myself until something of mine hits 1million streams. In regard to vocal experimentation, 2 blues is a good example of me playing with new sounds. Like I said previously, I'm used to being loud and angry on the microphone, high pitched, and hysterical. In this new single I made the hook more low-end and trappy, which is something new for me. But just like the exposure game, I still have very far to go with my vocals. What are you doing during quarantine to stay inspired? What can we expect to see from you throughout 2020? The quarantine has many pros and cons for artists. I'm accustomed to working with a team, and this isolation has deprived me of that luxury, which is a con. On the other hand, I have way more free time to write lyrics and build up a serious catalog of material I can use when my team finally meets up again. I don't enjoy being dependent on others, and this quarantine could be the perfect moment for me to become self-sufficient; however, the process of learning how to make and mix music is incredibly tedious and time-consuming that without the equipment or the schooling I am unlikely to accomplish that on my own. I intend to continue writing as much as possible so that my team and I can hit the road running once this is all over. Listen to "2 Blues" here. facebook.com/itspavy instagram.com/ncpavy #BUZZMUSIC

Welcome, Nikitaa! We love that we get the chance to talk about your recent release, "Clutch". With the release being so incredibly fresh, how do you feel your listeners internalized the song? Were you hoping for a certain kind of response from the music scene with the release of "Clutch", as well as its music video? Thank you so much for having me! I tend to not have expectations for a specific response when I release music. I feel like it creates an unnecessary sense of pressure around a process that should feel light, fun, and enjoyable even if it is my "work". I tend to focus on translating the message I want to deliver into the song and the visuals and then leave the rest up to the listeners. Once a song is out it doesn't just belong to me, after all. It now belongs to everyone who listens to it. I was, however, kind of nervous when it came to the music video. This was my first music video for any of my English releases and it happened to be shot at home during the lockdown on an iPhone with the help of my family. It was the first time I was fully directing and editing a video for release and I just wanted to do the song justice. So far, the reaction has been super duper positive: listeners and my peers really love the song and were taken aback with the quality and execution of the video! It seems like people really understand what Clutch stands for - feminine confidence, boldness, and sensual agency. And moreover, they've really been enjoying it! That's all I could ask for. When you were creating the music video for "Clutch", how did you go about matching the visuals with the ambiance the track brings to light? Honestly, I had to work with what I had. I'm currently in Mumbai, and the lockdown here is very very strict. I had no way of leaving the house or having anybody over to assist. All I had at home to shoot was a ring light with 3 different warm settings, my brother's gimble to set my iPhone into and my family to help out. It's great in a way that I got to do this at home though, cause I had access to my own, my mother's, and my sister-in-law's closet. So when it came down to styling I got to be pickier. With all of that being said, having restrictions wasn't a bad thing. It made decisions like where to shoot and what kind of shots I wanted pretty easy. I wanted the video and my performance to exude confidence and sensuality without really being too over the top, and so I really focused on that. I felt like the vocal delivery on the song teases you, is flirty, and has a confidence that speaks for itself. And so I wanted the visuals to do the same thing. Knowing how expressive your sound is, as well as how diversified it's designed, are you able to explain to our listeners on how you constructed your sound to house components of both contemporary pop soundings, as well as the classic sounds from your childhood? Of course! My sound is definitely something my producer Mukund Komanduri also deserves immense credit for. Over the past three years, we've really been on a collective journey (and still are) to flesh it out to the best of our abilities. There are certain elements that I love to incorporate that remind me of the sounds of my childhood, as you've so perfectly put it. I've always been drawn to Indian percussion instruments like the tabla, pakhawaj, and nagara. I've also always loved the sound and textures that Indian string instruments bring - like the sitar, santoor, tanpura, and oud (that last one is more of a middle eastern instrument). Of course, we created Clutch and a lot of my upcoming discography while sitting in LA and so we didn't necessarily have the kind of access to real-time versions of these instruments or their players as we'd have liked. And so we primarily took samples when it came to Indian percussions and chopped them up or reconstructed them to tailor them to the music we were making. For strings, appropriate samples are harder to get to, but Mukund found ways to manipulate the guitar to either sound similar to those instruments or come up with riffs and melodies that echoed those normally played on the string instruments I mentioned above. I also trained in Indian classical vocals as a child, and that training definitely sneaks into some of my melodies. All of that being said, the percussive elements in Clutch - specifically the chorus and post-chorus prominently contain the tabla and a little peek from the pakhawaj as well, and a lot of the riffs in the chorus and post-chorus were created to echo both melodically and sonically some of the string instruments mentioned above. We finished it off with a couple of vocal samples (you can hear it from the very beginning of the song, one of them being my own as I speak in Hindi) that we used a few different ways to accentuate the soundscape we were creating. My sound is definitely a blend of RnB, Pop, and some Trap elements here and there - and it's not ever complete to me without that inclusion of the sounds I was used to hearing growing up. But this combination in and of itself is something we've all heard in the past (most famously: Timbaland's Indian Flute, Bombay, etc). And so I wanted to bring some freshness to it and a different perspective - which was "what would it sound like if an actual Indian girl reclaimed that aesthetic and made it her absolute own?" It hadn't really been done before. And that's kind of always been my goal. My music is as much about the reclamation of something some commercial artists in the west have previously exploited as it is about creating a soundscape for myself that accurately represents who I am, which is this blend of two very different cultures. As a result, even though redefinition was on my mind while crafting my aesthetic sonically, it has become what you hear now - commercial, yes, but absolutely unique at the same time, and nothing like any of its predecessors. We appreciate the time, Nikitaa! Where can listeners expect to hear your Goddess Pop sound extending to from here? Again, thank you so much for having me! My vibe and intention have always been to empower womxn and femmes through my music and my journey, as well as create the sonic space I was talking extensively about just before this. I intend to take my listeners deeper and deeper into this space, and actually have several releases lined up this year that I'm really excited to share. I've always aimed to leave my listeners with a dose of sass and confidence, and I intend to keep doing that. We're gonna delve deeper into the Goddess aspect of things over the next two releases to follow for sure! And I'm really excited about it! I've also been working on incorporating more of my native languages (which are Hindi and Punjabi) into my music long term, and I'm looking to build this world of Nikitaa and Goddess Pop accordingly so that I can eventually share those songs and that linguistic blend with the world! Listen to Nikitaa here. instagram.com/nikitathewild twitter.com/nikitaathewild facebook.com/thewildnikita #BUZZMUSIC

R&B/Hip-Hop recording artist, songwriter, and dancer Erin B. graces us once again with his artistic versatility. While being born in Jamaica and moving to Toronto, Canada, Erin B. found his unique background to be the main force behind his music. First, developing his skills as a writer by creating poetry for his grandmother at just eight years old. He became instantly inspired to craft something with more power to it. After being influenced by artists like Drake, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Vybz Kartel, and many more, he was determined to create universal music that emotionally reaches people across the world. Highlighting that his mission as an artist is to make his dreams of positively impacting the music industry a reality, Erin B. brings resilience with every endeavor. Erin B. also spoke on how he strives for nothing but the feeling of letting others resonate with his textured and indulgent lyrics. Even writing from sincere places, he mentioned that his recent EP 'In The Meantime' surrounds the positives and negatives that we endure in relationships. While also working on an upcoming project that is said to speak on Erin B.'s journey and how he observes present-day society, we're incredibly excited to see what conceptual piece Erin B. will conjure up next time around. Listen to "In The Meantime" here. #BUZZMUSIC