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spicypeak · 3 years

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Song Liner Notes

Ecstasy ver of album came with a little booklet of liner notes for all the songs Also as a side note I'm back in school so after this current round of TLs updates will be even more sporadic

01. What is mine Toxin: The title track of our first album. Yoru: The only thing I remember from when we were composing and recording was how much of a shitshow it was. Neight: Well, we were all completely motivated since it was a song for our first album. Creha: Toxin even went on a rampage. Byakuya: But we got a good song in the end, thank goodness♥ Pien!

02. The Sun Also Rises Creha: This was a new song for the album too. Toxin: Right. A song that hypes you up right from the start, it's perfect for lives. Yoru: When ya put it that way it makes me wanna start singing. Byakuya: Ahaha! That's a great idea, why don't we? Right here, right now! Neight: Oi. Can you two at least hold off until we go to the studio again.

03. Vigilante Neight: One of my favorites despite how short it is. Toxin: It's a very atmospheric song. Yoru: It was a pain in the ass though since you couldn't get the lyrics down. Byakuya: You were totally hung up over the way the chorus read too♥ Creha: Mhm. We had to be really careful about the way we sang during recording.

04. From a Spicy Peak Yoru: We looked like dumbasses having to do all those retakes of this song because of Toxin. Toxin: Urk. Well what was I supposed to do, I wanted us to sing until we got the best result. Yoru: Yeah, but you were askin' for way too much dumbass! Neight: But, it was thanks to that, that the result wasn't that bad, right? Byakuya: It wasn't bad at all, it was the best, bestiest, bestest! ... Don'tcha think♥ Creha: Of course, it's our song after all.

05. Underdogs Toxin: "Underdogs" was also the title of our first live. Neight: I'd say it's probably EROSION's most well-known song. Yoru: But who gives a shit about popularity. 'Cuz when I sing this I get all hyped up. Creha: I get it. Byakuya: Let's sing it at the live house again!

06. Lighthouse Neight: This song... We wrote it way back when we were on that island. Yoru: Ah, nostalgic as hell ain't it? Creha: It was really hard for us to make something original back then since all we did was copy others. Byakuya: So true! ... Y'know when I sing Lighthouse my chest feels all tight. Toxin: I think I get what you mean. It's like, for just a moment a gentle light shines through the haze in my mind. That's the feeling I get. Neight: You're being as abstract as ever. ... But, I can't help but agree with that sentiment.

07. Aspiration Toxin: If I'm remembering right, I believe we went over the direction of this song while at school. Neight: Right. At first we couldn't come to any agreements. Byakuya: Toxin lost it that time, it was hilarious♥ Didn't you do the lyrics for it Crehachin? Creha: Uh huh. My brain felt like mush while I was writing them. Yoru: Well, it ain't that bad being yourself, right? Creha: ... Mhm. Toxin: Ah, wait Creha are you embarrassed? Creha: I'm not, shut up.

08. The Oath Byakuya: This songs my favorite♥ Creha: Didn't you make this one? Toxin: He wrote the lyrics for it too. It's really powerful at that... Yoru: I didn't know 'bout that part, did ya have an image in mind for it or somethin'? Byakuya: Well that's~ A se・cret♥ Yoru: Hah!? The hell man!! Neight: Well for what it's worth, this song gave us a small glimpse into Byakuya's inner world.

09. RAD HEAD Yoru: Of course, it was gonna be a fuckin’ banger from the beginning. Creha: The MV for this was pretty sick too. Neight: Right. It was worth the overseas trip. Byakuya: Let's go again! Let's have a year long trip this time! Toxin: Byakuya, we can't just do that...

10. Get Out!!!!! Byakuya: I really like the "Ao!!!!" part♥ Toxin: Your voice in that part was really good. It's a perfect way to hype things up before the chorus. Yoru: Oi, don't lay on the praises like that it'll make them dumbasses. Creha: I don't want to hear that from you Yoru. Neight: That's fair. Yoru: The fuck is that supposed to mean!?

11. Sham'ing Toxin: "Sham'ing" has a bit of a different vibe compared to our other songs. Byakuya: I'd say it's kind of like a kids story?? Toxin: It's a song that's filled with our depressing thoughts and the hazy memories of our younger days. Creha: I don't hate the song but... But singing it... Yoru: It reminds you of that guy? Creha: ... Mhm. Neight: This song must really remind you of Father, huh?

12. CRIER!! CRIER!! Neight: Though it doesn't come with this version, this is also a new song for our album. Byakuya: I can't get it out of my head! Pien. Toxin: Similarly to "Vigilante" I was really hung up on the way it's supposed to be read... I wonder if you've noticed? Creha: I wonder. Yoru: Y'all better listen carefully, 'kay?

#carnelian blood #erosion

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manjuhitorie · 5 years

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HOWLS Digest - Hitorie Skream! Interview

Interview by Hata Riee! Translated by Manju!

With evolution upon them, Hitorie show their fangs with confidence.

Summary: HOWLS

[First section: ygarshy fanboys over HOWLS. Discussions about the impressions and mindsets which went into the album. “Many of the songs on HOWLS are the result of my battles with painful, excruciating, frustrated feelings.” “Though in reality it was the most fun I've ever had, in regards to the music. We tried out things, we challenged new things... These bandmates right here, their ideas and curiosity were like saviors to me.”] [Second section: ygarshy fanboys over Ao and how liberating for his heart it is. Ao’s “We got shit-faced” backstory. Disclosure that Sappukei, Garandou Mae Zero Machi, Coyote and Ghost all were the result of unrestrained integrated jam sessions. Diligence in musically thrashing, all hail guitar cuddling! Members are glad that leader is getting nice and lax.] [Third section: The reasons those jams were able to cause such a bang. What values they had to throw away and which they had to adopt, such as simple melodies or not. Synopsis on the journeys they took to hone their new conjurations, to solve their frustrations and stagnations they felt with the band. wowaka being stupid and selfish by not sharing his problems per usual. STUPID. Band confesses to being socially awkward but still trying to understand each other subliminally.... Plus Idol Junkfeed lore/jokes, also SLEEPWALK]. [Fourth section: Overall the writer equates HOWLS lyrics to a discussion, with simple human language that is easy to convey. The power of words is more than just as a tool for expression, but music can help unlock those shackles of perception so don’t worry leader.... Balance, desires, future pavement laid - The “I think we’re so revved up that we could even explode right in this moment!” quote. It, it matches up with their new year’s resolution which was about living in the moment!]

Your new album blew my mind. Each song alone even has the power to strike into the minds of old and new listeners alike.

wowaka: Happy to hear it. Shinoda: It feels like we’ve created something really amazing. wowaka: Even after many years of finishing countless pieces and thinking “This is good I did good.”... This time I’m especially smiley and giddy about this piece. Yumao: We covered a way more broad scope of genre. ygarshy: It feels like the people’s album. wowaka: The people’s (laughing)?! ygarshy: Up until now, as an honest listener I couldn't consider our pieces an object of interest, but this time I could listen forever and ever I like it so much.

In our 2016 interview for the release of IKI, ygarshy you had also exclaimed “I’ve been listening to it forever”.

Everyone: Ahahaha! wowaka: Effort makes confidence. ygarshy: Though the undertones are different. With IKI I had the perspective of a musician looking back upon their work with pride, but this time I’m uninterested in that sense. I’m akin to an uninvolved consumer, honestly enjoying my favorite album. Shinoda: We ourselves barely understand this phenomenon.

Then let’s use this interview as a chance to divulge the mystery.

Shinoda: Let’s do it.

In between your most recent full album IKI, there was the release of the mini album ai/SOlate (2017) and the single Polaris (2018), but when did you first start considering the possibilities of an album?

wowaka: We had been on tour for ai/SOlate, The UNKNOWN-TOUR 2018 “Loveless", spanning over about four months... so it was directly after that. Our single Polaris was used as an ending theme for the anime Boruto (NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS), which helped ease us into our next full album.

So you had been working on this album during the later months of last year.

wowaka: Yes. Between about July and October. Yumao: Though SLEEPWALK was an older song. wowaka: Ah, that’s true. Yumao: Windmill or Sappuukei even also, we had about one chorus in tow of each even before we began the hard-core production of HOWLS.

With IKI, wowaka said he went into a “I can’t stop writing songs” beast mode, but how did the pace pan out this time?

wowaka: I struggled a lot. Writing the songs of IKI had been prompting revelations within me, for the first time I was finding the meaning behind being human and the fact that I’m alive. It was like the first time I properly stood on two legs. Positive vibes were popping songs out of me. But in contrast, many of the songs on HOWLS are the result of my battles with painful, excruciating, frustrated feelings.

I do see the subject of solitude shows up frequently.

wowaka: Yes. Though in reality it was the most fun I've ever had, in regards to the music. We tried out things, we challenged new things... These bandmates right here, their ideas and curiosity were like saviors to me.

Were you able to pinpoint the album’s direction during the prototype stages?

　wowaka: “What am I to do with these feelings?” was my only sense of direction (laughing). Yumao: Though as we proceeded further and further, we did realize “We can add a bunch of different types of songs into this next one”.

ygarshy: The demo for Ao was made fairly early in the scheme of HOWLS production, and it was so good I wanted to cry. You can interpret it as a so-called breakup song, but it’s the first time we’ve ever done such. So no matter the circumstances, I want to show this song to the world, I want to show our band’s becomings to the world. That was my impression. It was then when I let go of any ego I had as a musician. And I'm now able to see the full picture, to figure out what elements may match up with what song… Which not only brought the album into broader territories, but also freed me from so many restrictions.

So Ao has had those lyrics ever since the demo version.

wowaka: Well it’s my first heartbreak song ever. ygarshy: It’s such a good song that, I had contemplated long and hard as to how best turn these emotions into something universally understandable. wowaka: My extremely personal experiences and universal concepts alike, they're both contacting by a hair’s breadth. As a result of me always spilling out my personal experiences in goops, I somehow truly am hoping that the band, our audience, and others alike will be able to take a plunge into the core of the person and the world within.

Was Ao a pivotal piece for any one else in the band also?

wowaka: I’m pretty positive that when I was recording my guitar, Ao was the most emotional. I felt "Ahh, this is what I’ve always wanted to do”. This is probably the extremity I’ve always been aiming for. The singing and the melody are in the dead center. Yet, at the antipode is…. something else also. Effort went into incorporating an almost elaborate aesthetic. If I could only say one thing about this song, I want to tell you about how the recording all began with us saying something like “What if we turned the volume up really crazy loud?”. I have an amp which normally never sees any action it’s so gargantuan, but I turned the knobs up all the way from the get-go. Shinoda: We got shit-faced.

It’s a ballad and yet you chose to start with the instruments loud, that idea is interesting.

wowaka: Because it's a ballad, that's exactly the reason why I wanted to have the intensity to equate it. Then through the process of trial and error, were we able to create a sound unlike ever before. I feel like we stumbled into a strange trance almost.

Shinoda: Up until now, I’ve always been the one who yearned to do the extreme. He (wowaka) has always been the one who acted as my safety net, but this time, his screws came loose too. wowaka: No matter as to how elaborately we made it, no matter as to how we may have thrashed open our gates, the message still managed to hold “We are who we are.” ygarshy: For me, I felt that as long as we have this song, everything we turn out okay. I was no longer questioning myself over trying to be this or that. During recording I pondered the question “What is my own ultimate talent, that only I have as a bassist?” and, the answer is that my bandmates and their skill. It makes no difference what I do: the bandmates around me are skilled so everything will turn out fine. That's why I'm no longer putting much time and worry into my bass playing. The song Sappuukei uses my first take, simply as was. And with Windmill I decided not to practice at all. wowaka: Is that so (laughing). ygarshy: I realized it works out well if I don’t think much and just return fire back directly at the moment. I think that’s all thanks to the existence of the song Ao.

I see. The mood which develops over the span of this album, it may be just as ygarshy says, it may be because you as Hitorie you discovered new methods and means.

Shinoda: Well basically, we had pitted ideas against each other and cherry-picked from there. Like the guitar in the background of Coyote and Ghost’s chorus is something which would’ve definitely never ever been OK-ed before. I was permitted to have a go at throwing myself into spontaneousness. Yumao: Hence, we’ve gained a lot more freedom bit by bit.

So I’m guessing you set your guitars loud for Coyote and Ghost also (laughing).

Shinoda: Yeah yeah (laughing). Yumao: It didn’t even have a prototype either, we just huddled together to say “Ready… Go!” and played from there. I’m positive that Sappuukei and Garandou Mae Zero Machi both took the same route also. I remember discussing “We need some fast songs huh”.. So that was when Shinoda went and cuddled up with his guitar at home. Shinoda: Though working from home comes with too many problems. After I come up with one phrase, the temperature of it won't match with the one before it, then I’ll jump into my own advancement, and before I know it it'll turn into an unsalvageable mess. The phrase I play behind the choruses all the time are already unique melodies in themselves after all. I’m amazed Leader is able to make vocals to fit on top of them. wowaka: Cause it’s not vocals behind the guitar, it’s the guitar that goes behind the vocals. Everyone: Ahahahaha! Shinoda: With this song especially, I didn’t know what the vocals were until the designated vocal day. So when I saw the lyrics, the mass of words on the page was astounding. “Is this guy serious!?” I thought.

Yumao claiming an 8-beat time on this sort of aggressive song was yet another surprise for me.

Yumao: If it were 3 or 4 years ago, I’m sure I would’ve played in the typical rock song 4/4 time. That idea also occurred to me but, my core values seemed to have changed.

Though you said you were ailed by how playing simple beats for the sake of the vocals unsettles your reputation as a drummer? During our interview for Polaris.

Yumao: That was true. But with this album I think I was able to find an answer or something. ygarshy: As we were writing, we often had moments where we’d agree that a simple phrase is best. Even if we have to tear away ourselves and our ideas, if it’s to conjure the melody conspicuous, in the end it still becomes one of Hitorie’s songs.

I’m starting to perceive how this album was able to evolve into such a masterpiece. It’s evident that each of your priorities and wants for the band have changed over the last 2-3 years.

wowaka: I just remembered now but, after our designated ai/SOlate tour, after trekking over oceans and roads, we had found a concrete resolution in regards to our progress as a band. Which ironically made us feel frustration over ourselves as music creators. The songs we make made us think “Ah, we’re kinda always trying to do the same thing huh...” We felt we had to change that, or else we’re headed down a slippy slope.

Ahh, I see how it is.

wowaka: Then something struck me like lightning, so I took a sudden solo trip all the way to India. “What will happen to my mind if I throw myself into a place completely unknown to me, where even my language is rendered ineffective?” I thought... So specifically what did happen to that mind, you ask? Well, nothing really actually. They say that your perspective on the world will change right. Nothing that powerful came to me. Yet that's very reason I realized “Ahh, I’m simply the human called me.” That sentiment is seeping into the album this time I think. The album is somewhat nomadic, it feels a bit pessimistic, it’s dry and arid… and overall just so fuzzy.

Back then, did you discuss that stale stagnated feeling with any of the other members?

wowaka: I didn’t. It was my own selfish inner implosion, like gaaah. So after the tour it was almost as if I went into shock therapy: going to India, going out drinking with people I don’t usually hang with, etc. Thinking back, I may have been in a bit of a daring phase.

Could that solve Shinoda’s initial puzzle of "We ourselves barely understand this phenomenon”? You each subconsciously clicked with a need to revitalize the band, and your hunt for more funk became your spunk.

wowaka: It’s true that after spending 5 whole years taking various shots together, our collective conscience was “What are we gonna do next?” Shinoda: It’s not as if we sat down and discussed it though, we each felt it in our soul. wowaka: We all suck at sitting down and talking to each other though. So even choosing a theme and sticking to it itself is impossible for us, instead we’ve taken to each doing whatever we like, and that’s the kind of band we are. Yumao: The bits and pieces we notice about each other, and the bits we don't, are half-and-half both in this album… That's why song-wise, there’s opening up and shutting up, both merging together as one. When we were writing we ourselves even saw where it was headed. And so the hope that “Maybe listeners will change their view on Hitorie after they hear this.” was hammered in.

—Onward. Shinoda participated in the production for Idol Junkfeed right?

Shinoda: When production was in a slump, I chimed in “I’ll make a song”. I was told “Just make it a high-spirited one” and so I went. Yumao: It has a Shinoda taste to it, but it also sounds as if it's parodying Hitorie. wowaka: It’s like a song written by a Hitorie fan (laughing). Everyone: Ahahahaha! wowaka: I don’t know if I said that right but…. Shinoda: Naw, you’re right. 'Cause I did lean towards that. I definitely did want to make it a Hitorie-sounding song. Yumao: These two handling the director job together was a refreshing sight to behold. The leadership was half-and-half but, the brains were slightly more on Shinoda’s side with it. Him going “This is good, but this is good too, I can’t choose what to do!” was hilarious. Shinoda: I did something I’m not used to after all (laughing). Yet, in the end it still became Hitorie. wowaka: If we put our strengths together, then it becomes our's. That fact was proven yet again by this song. Even if I’m not in the middle pulling the strings, this song gave me the confidence that “Ahh this band is capable of so so much”.

SLEEPWALK has a similar vibe to current trendy foreign pop music, that sound is by virtue of ai/SOlate isn’t it.

wowaka: It’s a direct descendant of ai/SOlate. It’s a song that exposes how much of a music fiend and too avid of a listener I am. Before we started album productions I had trained by making about a singular chorus. At that time I would never believe I would be showing that chorus to the band, rather off completing it as a one-off. In the sea of all the various styles in this album, I came to realize “If I write a whole song solo then it will truly seal the deal, that this has become Hitorie”. In the end I really did write it all by myself. Yumao: I had nothing to do with it. Shinoda: I didn’t do anything officer.

As his bandmates, did you want to do it as a band?

ygarshy: It was more along the lines of “We want to hear how it would sound, so please do it”. We typically play our instruments strictly based on wowaka’s demos, but no matter how much effort we put into being loyal to his original, there's parts which will alter. That's why we wanted him to make it exactly as he saw fit. wowaka: Even if I produce it alone, there's also the saving grace in playing it together during concerts.

So you're planning on performing this song together in upcoming concerts?

wowaka: I sense that we must.

Was there anything you kept in mind as you wrote the lyrics for the album?

wowaka: I feel it’s all a discussion. I've mentioned this in many interviews before but, confining words only to mean only their meaning - there's a me who holds utter abhorrence for the basic functionality of words. I feel like this world is wrong, handling words as nothing but tools and merely getting controlled by them. They don't really believe in the power of words. I'm still staunch on that idea but... Even so I know I have to face the reality of being understood by people. By the audience, staff, friends, lovers, parents, family alike. I had also talked about this in our past Polaris interview didn’t I, about how at the concert in Fukuoka I received a revelation from the heavens almost.

Ah, you said there was a moment when you figured out “This is exactly what I want to tell people!”

wowaka: Retrospectively that was huge for me. That’s why I aimed to tell people things this time, I poured special consideration into how to share word through song.

The lyrics of the final track Windmill, “I’m here where I belong/We are here where we belong”: it seems cohesive that you want to tell people this, now that it’s the 5 year anniversary of Hitorie’s debut.

wowaka: Yep. After all these years I have new stories to tell, and now that I’ve figured out how to write lyrics like those, I want a lot of people to see them, I want people who have never heard us to hear them. That’s how I’ve come to see it.

I see. After finishing this album, has it laid down the pavement for Hitorie’s future in any way?

wowaka: This year will mark seven years since we originally banded up, and after spending this much time together.. at this point our moments are human, our perceptions are human, our emotions are human. Hence we have no clue what lies ahead. That's why each member will surely figure out how best to push the band, and they'll show me the way forward. I think we’re so revved up that we could even explode right in this moment. ygarshy: Leader (wowaka) has learned how to say “It’s actually the best when you’re each going all-out on your own accords”. There were still times when he wanted us to play parallel to his image, but ultimately the times when we're playing freely, do turn out to be the best, he says. That’s ridiculously rivetingly huge. So we took that exact method with Coyote and Ghost and it turned out so good. If we continue just like this, I think the balance of our band will change exponentially. SLEEPWALK, the songs we are bursting out in, and Shinoda’s song alike, they all became one of Hitorie’s songs. So It gives me so much confidence to hear you say “It might just reach new listeners”.

~~END~~

youtube

Bonus video at the bottom!

To all viewers of Skream, we’re Hitorie! I’m the vocal/guitarist wowaka. - I’m the guitarist Shinoda. - The bassist ygarshy. - The drummer Yumao. wowaka: Us, Hitorie, in this 2019th… century…? Shinoda: Yes. wowaka: Are, this February, Shinoda: That’s it. wowaka: on the 27th, Shinoda: That’s right. wowaka: We're releasing our new album HOWLS! Shinoda: So give it a listen. (All members clap) wowaka: With 10 songs, that are all itchy…. Irritated.. Hairy? Fuzzy? Shinoda: Fuzzy. wowaka: Hmm, that’s still not right.. It’s more… animalish? Outlawish? ...Anyway, it’s fast-paced with sadness looming over, yet despite that, there’s still a bit of love and-. Shinoda: (Snickers). wowaka: My explanation is starting to make less and less sense (laughing). It’s thick, it’s good, we have confidence in how this album turned out. So we’d be happy if you could acquire it and give it a listen, please. All members: Please (bow). wowaka: Furthermore, starting on March 1st at Osaka’s Big Cat, and heading on and on to the final destination on June 1st at Shinkiba’s Studio COAST, we’ll be touring the country on Hitorie’s "Coyote Howling” tour. It’s our first tour in a damn while. So dear the people who will follow us anywhere- Or the people who may hate us- Shinoda: People who hate us? wowaka: There’s the chance they’ll come too right? Yumao: I think so. wowaka: For example when someone drags a friend along, who may not have much interest, Yumao: They think “It might be fun” and just tag along, wowaka: Yeah yeah, you might be able to have an experience like that! So by all means, come and play with us. Bye-bye~

#The tiny video at the bottom says volumes about their dynamics so I recommend #This isn’t emo I’m not getting emo. I’m not reading this right now I am on autodrive #automata mode i am numb yeah #DONT WAKE ME UP RIE'S RIVERTING GUITAR RIFFS #NOOOOO #Anyway... Thank you very very much for reading...#long post

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umusicians · 4 years

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UM Interview: Lexi Mariah

21-year-old American pop Lexi Mariah has been pursuing music since she was 14 years old. Confining her emotions into her music as a personal diary, this bedroom pop artist took her songs to the stage. Lexi’s music is an instant indicator of her personality, sharing distinctive lyrics that take you on a journey through her struggles of past losses and how she has learned to cope.

Amandah Opoku sat down with Lexi Mariah to talk about her new single “SOURPATCH”, musical inspirations and more!

Amandah Opoku: Lexi, thank you for doing this interview today! Before we kick off please tell our readers about yourself and one random fact people do not know about you Lexi Mariah: Hey! Thank you so much for having me! I’m a singer-songwriter from the east coast. Music has always been a huge part of my life, but I’ve been pursuing it as an actual profession since I was around 14, when I started taking vocal lessons and writing songs that I could actually see people enjoying. A few years later, I started recording those original songs in a studio, met some incredibly talented producers and released my debut single in April 2019. I’m 21 now and I recently released my third single, which I’m still really excited about!

A random fact that most people don’t know about me...around the time I started pursuing music, I was actually torn between that and becoming an actress. I was looking into TV show auditions and acting schools at the same time that I started voice lessons, but ended up getting too busy with music to actually go any further with that. I’d still love to do something with acting in the future though!

AO: You decided to move your love for music from a hobby into a career. What inspired you to want to pursue a career in music? LM: I see so many people every day who are so unhappy with their jobs and the life path that they chose. I knew from a young age that I never want to find myself feeling that way. Music is something that has always been important to me and it’s always been fun for me. It was also one of the first things that I ever felt I was good at. Of course there were people who thought I was crazy for choosing this as my career and who didn’t take me seriously, but I just wanted to do something that I genuinely loved. My family and close friends have always been really supportive as well, so that has definitely made things easier. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get where I am today and I still have ways to go, but I’m so happy with the path that I chose.

AO: Your musical inspirations include Cher Lloyd and Taylor Swift, how did these artists inspire/influence the kind of music you make and songs you write? LM: These women are absolutely amazing and I’m so lucky to have had them as such great role models while I was growing up. The first time I heard a Cher Lloyd song when I was like 13, I completely fell in love with her sound. I was like “I need to make songs as good as this some day”. She was actually kind enough to give me some advice on songwriting a few years back through a Twitter message. That was really encouraging and meant so much to me! As far as Taylor Swift, I personally think she’s one of the greatest songwriters of all time. I’ve learned so much about writing lyrics just by listening to her songs and analyzing them. Her latest album “folklore” has been inspiring my writing so much lately. That entire album is a lyrical masterpiece. It would be a dream come true to write with her some day.

AO: You started to pursue music as a career last year, marked with the release of your debut single “Strange”. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced? And some of your achievements? LM: The music industry is full of challenges. As a young woman especially, I’ve met plenty of people who didn’t take me seriously as a musician. When I made the decision to independently pursue a music career instead of going to college, I faced a lot of judgement from my high school peers and even from my teachers. Not many people from school, even my closest friends at the time, supported my decision or understood why I was doing this instead of going to college like they were. I just wasn’t into that, I wouldn’t have been happy doing that.

I feel like I’ve achieved a lot in the past year since I started releasing music and I’m proud of myself. My latest single “SOURPATCH” hit over 1k streams on release day and over 10k in the first month. That was huge for me. The fact that I’ve been able to build up an audience to support me this way makes me really happy and I see that as a big achievement.

AO: As you pursue a music career, what is one thing you hope to achieve? LM: Signing with a major label is one of my ultimate goals. If I can accomplish that in the next few years, I’ll be incredibly proud of myself.

AO: To anyone who may be thinking of pursuing a career in music as a singer or songwriter, what would your advice be to them? LM: You’re going to hear the word “no” a lot and you can’t let it discourage you. Understand going into this industry that not every person you meet is going to like you and what you do. Also, build up your team of people who truly want to support and help you. I think that having the right team surrounding you is extremely important for a musician.

AO: You released your new single “SOURPATCH” in June, what inspired the song? LM: I wanted to release a song that was more fun and lighthearted than my previous singles. I’d been planning from the start to release “SOURPATCH” at the beginning of summer and I wanted it to have a chilled summertime vibe. Something that you could just drive to with the windows down, you know? The song is about finding the fine line between the different sides of your personality. It’s about growing up, letting go of your innocence and doing what YOU want to do rather than what everyone else wants you to do.

AO: What was the writing and recording process like for “SOURPATCH”? LM: It was honestly so much fun. I wrote this song with some of my good friends who are also my producers. We wrote and recorded it over a span of about 5 months with the pandemic slowing us down a little. Overall, I had a great time writing and recording this song. The title actually came up completely by accident one day when I was in the studio working on my song “Oh Boy”. I was talking with my producers and one of them kept saying the word “sour”. I was like “wait I love that word for a song”. Shortly after that, I started writing the rest of the song based off the title and decided to call it “SOURPATCH”

AO: Did the writing and record process for “SOURPATCH” differ from the process you undertook for your first two singles, “Strange” and “Oh Boy”? If so, how? LM: Yeah it was completely different! I wrote “Strange” entirely by myself. I consider that song to be a thing of my past. I actually wrote it so long ago, but unfortunately there were some things that prevented it from getting released when I wanted it to. I just hadn’t met the right people to work with yet. It was before I met my current producers, and I’d honestly love to re-record “Strange” now with them. The recording process for “Oh Boy” and “SOURPATCH” was so much more fun and laid back. There were a lot of laughs, 3 AM studio nights and a lot of hard work. I think that it’s so important to have some fun in the studio alongside getting work done. I’ve learned that if I stop taking it all so seriously, I have more creative and better ideas!

AO: For new fans who come across your music, what would you like them to take away from your music? LM: I really want my music to be something that a wide variety of people can relate to and keep coming back to. I like to keep the production and instrumentation of my songs as interesting as possible, but writing lyrics that will stick with people and make them feel something is what’s most important to me.

AO: With “SOURPATCH” out now, what can fans expect from you next? LM: I’ve been planning my next single since before “SOURPATCH” was even released! I’ve been putting a lot of work into that and it’s really coming along, so that’s definitely something to keep an eye on my social media for. I also really want to release an EP, but I’ve just been having so much fun releasing singles! An EP is definitely a main goal of mine for the beginning of 2021. A tour as well. I want to go on tour so bad as soon as it’s safe to do so.

AO: Lexi, thank you for sitting down with me! Before we close this interview is there anything you want to say to your fans and our readers? LM: Thank you so much for having me. I’ve enjoyed answering your questions! To the readers and my followers, thank you so much for taking the time to listen to my stories and get to know me a little better, either from listening to my music or reading this interview. All of the support on “SOURPATCH” has meant the absolute world to me and it makes me that much more excited to share brand new music with you all very soon. Find me on social media @leximariahmusic if you’d like to follow along and see what kind of exciting things I have coming next!

Connect with Lexi Mariah on the following websites: https://www.facebook.com/leximariahmusic https://twitter.com/leximariahmusic https://www.instagram.com/leximariahmusic https://www.tiktok.com/@leximariahmusic

#Interviews #Amandah Opoku #Lexi Mariah

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jazzworldquest-blog · 4 years

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BRAZIL: Brazilian jazz pianist Ricardo Bacelar makes a "Live" statement with "Nothing Will Be As It Was"

Brazilian jazz pianist Ricardo Bacelar makes a “Live” statement with “Nothing Will Be As It Was”

His “Live in Rio” album drops August 21 preceded by the single that aptly reflects our times

FORTALEZA, BRAZIL (10 June 2020): Brazil is leading the world per capita in coronavirus cases making it unlikely that people will be cramming into a concert venue anytime soon to hear live music. Then there is the recent unrest that erupted in response to civil injustices in the US that bodes to spark meaningful change around the world. These are the events that inspired contemporary jazz pianist Ricardo Bacelar to release a new version of the Milton Nascimento classic “Nothing Will Be As It Was (Nada Sera Como Antes)” as a single ahead of the release of his “Live in Rio (Ao Vivo No Rio)” album, which drops August 21 from Bacelar Productions.

“‘Nothing Will Be As It Was’ summarizes the existential questions raised globally by the coronavirus pandemic. Add to it the civil injustice and unrest that has surfaced over the last couple of weeks with Black Lives Matter, which is an especially important movement. We’re talking about the subject here in Brazil, too. We have a lot of problems with racism here, but our people have not yet taken the streets to protest and have social demonstrations. The world is watching the United States and people are talking about these issues everywhere,” said Bacelar who produced the 11-song “Live in Rio” collection.

Bacelar’s 2018 album, “Sebastiana,” contains a very different version of “Nothing Will Be As It Was,” which was sung in English by American singer Maye Osorio and accompanied by an animated video that suited the pop-electronic rendition of the song. The new live version has a different arrangement and features Bacelar dueting with Brazilian vocalist-pianist Delia Fischer in Portuguese backed by a jazz band.

“I chose to release this single thinking about this moment and the lyrics of the song. The lyrics are like a photograph of the moment. It’s a very famous song in Brazil that was originally recorded in 1976 when we were under a military dictatorship. The lyrics say ‘I know that tomorrow nothing will be like before, What news of my friends will they give me? What news of you will they give me?’ People were disappearing at the hands of the dictatorial military regime. And now people are disappearing – dying – because of the virus. Everyone in Brazil, the United States and all over the world have lost friends due to the virus,” said Bacelar.

“Live in Rio” was recorded in May 2018 at The Blue Note in Rio while Bacelar was promoting “Sebastiana.” He trimmed the 17-song set to the eleven tunes that appear on the live record feeling that the selected song list on the disc represents a balanced sampling of his repertoire and body of work. The outing includes tunes penned by Brazilian icons Nascimento, Tom Jobim,Gilberto Gil and Flora Purim along with American greats Benny Golson, Horace Silver, Pat Metheny and Chick Corea. Also included is a composition that Bacelar wrote with producer Cesar Lemos (Ricky Martin, Paulina Rubio) titled “Sernambetiba, 1992” from “Sebastiana.”

“I love the sound of the album because you can hear the energy of the live performance and the sound of playing in a jazz club. The Blue Note isn’t a big place – about 300 people – so you can hear the ambiance of playing in a small club. The microphone on the piano picked up the other instruments like the drums and saxophone because it’s a small place. The sound is very different than what you get in the studio where the sound is more clean,” said Bacelar who was accompanied by guitarist João Castilho, saxophonist-flutist Danilo Sina, double bassist Alexandre Katatau, drummer Renato Endrigo and percussionistAndré Siqueira.

The idea of dropping the live album now began earlier in quarantine when Bacelar sat to record a solo piano piece for his social media. It made him think about the isolation people were feeling and the role live music plays and the unique energy it possesses.

“The time in isolation is accompanied by multiple experiences and music is a fundamental vehicle for perception, connection and the formation of perspectives that bring meaning to the events on personal, spiritual and emotional levels. I wanted to remind people of the sound of live music. People need the warm sound and feelings of live music as opposed to the electronic stuff we hear on studio recordings. By listening to this live album, you can embrace the warm sound from the safety and comfort of your home.”

As an artist, Bacelar wants “Live in Rio” to be viewed as more than just a live recording. He wants the album to have impact, to say something, which is clearly reflected in his choice of the first single.

“The album is not only about the songs. Without art and abstraction, life is meaningless. Artists have to have a position, make a statement about something and have a voice – not just sing and play piano. The album is a concept – with the arrangements, the cover, the lyrics. It’s important to me to send an important message.”

“Live in Rio (Ao Vivo No Rio)” contains the following songs:

“Killer Joe”

“Toda Menina Bahiana”

“Nothing Will Be As It Was”

“Senõr Blues”

“Partido Alto”

“So May It Secretly Begin”

“Caicó Cantiga”

“Água de Beber”

“Sernambetiba, 1992”

“Nanã”

“Blue Miles”

For more information, please visit http://ricardobacelar.com.br.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/30Q8KQa

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umusicians · 4 years

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UM Interview: LO LA

Los Angeles based artist LO LA has been performing her whole life. Since the age of five, LO LA began playing piano and at the age 16 began writing music. The now 20 year old artist has performed at venues and events across Los Angeles including the Autism Speaks Gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel and being accompanied by Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) at one of her past performances. Since launching her music career, LO LA has achieved over 2 million plays on Spotify.

Amandah Opoku sat down with LO LA to talk about her new single “Cherries & Lemonade”, performing with Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) & more!

Amandah Opoku: Hi LO LA, thank you for doing this interview with UMusicians! Can you introduce yourself to our viewers and tell us about one new song you’ve discovered in the last few months that you love! LO LA: Hi! I’m Lola (LO LA). I’m 20 years old, and I’m an independent artist. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and grew up listening to a lot of music and playing instruments! I started writing music when I was 16 and haven’t stopped since then! The genre I write in the most is pop!

One new song I’ve discovered in the last few months that I love is “Radio” by Lana Del Rey! I really connected with the song. The chorus goes “Now my life is sweet like cinnamon, like a f*****g dream I'm living in, baby love me cause I'm playing on the radio, (how do you like me now?).” My music recently played on the radio for the first time ever (in Indonesia) and I was so elated after finding out the news! Around the same time I discovered this song and it literally described how I was feeling! I haven’t been able to stop listening!

AO: In kindergarten you were drawn to the piano, which one can say sparked your interest in music. What was it about this instrument that drew you to it? LO LA: The piano definitely had a role in sparking my interest in music! I grew up playing classical music, but when I was around 15 years old, my piano teacher started teaching me chords and had me start playing pop songs. Then, I started to experiment with the chords and started writing music! Before I was born, my parents bought a piano for the house, but they didn’t know how to play, so they put me in lessons as soon as I could sit on the bench!

AO: And now as you pursue a career as a singer and songwriter, what inspired you to choose this career path? LO LA: Growing up, up until high school, I had always done musical theatre, but really only enjoyed the singing aspect of it. When I started high school, I was in different school-run pop/jazz bands for three years and fell in love with performing. There was actually one moment, though, where I knew performing was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. At the end of my junior year of high school, I was really stressed out because it seemed like all of my friends knew what they wanted to do with their lives, but I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do.

Towards the last month of school, my school went on its annual school-wide retreat. There was a festival a bunch of music students were putting on, and as a part of my set, I performed “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” During that song, right before that last chorus, I swear I had an out of body experience. I looked around me at all of my friends instrumentally backing me up, at my best friend who was singing the song with me, and down at all of my peers cheering in the audience. During that moment everything slowed down and it felt like I was floating. It was so surreal. It was like a crazy out-of-body experience. After that performance, I knew that performing was what I had to do for the rest of my life. I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.

AO: Are there any musical influences that inspired you to make music? If so, who are they and do they still inspire you today? LO LA: The biggest musical influence that inspired me to make music was the Beatles. I was in a house band at my high school in 10th grade and the other band members were huge Beatles fans, but I had never really listened to that much Beatles music before. We performed so many Beatles songs that year, and the following year once I was no longer in the band, it really made me miss Beatles music, and I really just became obsessed with them after that. I started listening to all of their albums, and during that same time, I also began writing music. A lot of people who have listened to my earlier songs I wrote often point out how they sound very Beatle-esqe. They definitely still inspire me every day. Without them, I don’t know if I would’ve become a songwriter. Some other big influences on my writing are Queen, The Zombies, Tyler the Creator, Boy Pablo, Rex Orange County, ELO, and Lily Allen.

AO: You released a new single “Cherries & Lemonade” on July 10th, what was the inspiration for the single? LO LA: I began writing the song right around the time when I listened to Harry Styles’ song “Watermelon Sugar” for the first time. What I loved about Harry’s song was that it had super happy, summery vibes and just sounded really free. After hearing it, I wanted to make a song similar to it! It’s actually the first really happy song I’ve ever written (I usually write songs about past relationships) so I was super excited when I finished writing this one! The song was also written during this quarantine period, and the inspiration for it (besides Harry’s song) was thinking about all the carefree fun times I had with friends before the coronavirus. I’m hoping that “Cherries & Lemonade” will remind people of all the fun, carefree times they had before COVID-19! I’m hoping that the song will cause people to feel nostalgic about fun summer times, and put them in a better mood (as times are kind of rough right now in the world!)

AO: What was the writing and recording process for “Cherries & Lemonade” and does it differ from your writing and recording process for music you’ve previously released? LO LA: The song started off with a beat that one of my good friends/one of my producers I met at college, Dariush (@darshmadebeats), made. He produced my songs “Overthinking” and “Jealous (Acoustic)” as well. I had always told him that I wanted to write a happy, flowy, chill, carefree song (similar to the songs that one of my favorite bands, Boy Pablo, makes. When he showed me the beat, I immediately fell in love with it and it made me think of summer right away! I started writing the song with one of my friends and the song practically wrote itself! The song differs in many ways from the music I’ve previously released!

It’s the first happy song I’m releasing!

It’s the first song I wrote over a beat that I’m releasing (usually I compose the songs as well)

It’s the first song I’m releasing that I wrote with someone else!

It’s the first song I’m releasing where only people who have gone to my college have worked on it. My co-writer, producer, and bass player all went to my university!

AO: As you work on your debut album, without giving too much away, what is the overarching theme of the record? What kind of story do you want the record to tell? LO LA: There’s not much I can say about it, since I’m just beginning to work on it, but with the singles I plan on releasing soon, I can say that there definitely is an overarching theme with those (overcoming/reminiscing on past relationships). With all the music I put out I really try to tell stories from the heart that other people can relate to. When someone tells me they listened to one of my songs and related to it, it always feels so good because that means they can know they’re not the only ones going through what they are going through, and it also reassures me that I’m not the only one going through the situation as well.

AO: If you could describe your music in three words. What words would you choose and why? LO LA: If I had to describe my music in three words, I would choose storytelling, passion, & love.

Storytelling because every song I’ve written this far tells a story or captures a memory.

Passion because I am very passionate about the stories I write about and have only released songs in which I am passionate about the subject

Love because literally all of the songs I have released thus far are about how love has affected me.

AO: One of your favorite performances was when you sang and were accompanied by Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac). Tell us about that moment and what it meant to you. LO LA: It was one of the coolest, most surreal moments of my life. It was back in high school, when I was a senior in band. I was the singer for the band and our school was putting on a gala and wanted the band to perform at it. I knew I was going to be performing at it, but I had no idea what song I would be performing. One day, out of the blue, my band teacher called me and asked me “how would you like to sing a Fleetwood Mac song while being accompanied on the drums by Mick Fleetwood?” I was so shocked and excited! The song we ended up performing was “Don’t Stop.” Mick Fleetwood flew in his golden-plated drums from Hawaii to the gala venue! I got to meet him before and after the performance and it was just so surreal to be singing one of his songs. I’ll never forget that day! I’ll include a picture at the bottom!

AO: If you could pick any 3 artists to collaborate with, who would you pick and why? LO LA: This is such a hard question because there are SO many artists I want to collaborate with!

Tyler, The Creator for sure. I love his music so so so much. One of my favorite songs of all time is his song “See You Again” which was a collaboration he did with Kali Uchis. I hope one day I can make a song like that with him. It would be a DREAM.

Boy Pablo. They are one of my favorite bands and I’ve loved their music since the beginning! One day I hope I can go to Norway and collaborate with them.

Lily Allen. Lily Allen is another huge influence on my music and I’ve always wanted to meet her and collaborate with her. So many of her songs inspired my songs and I would love to see what we would write together! I love how she tells stories in her songs as well!

AO: Your artist name is “LO LA”, what inspired you to present your name artistically in this way? LO LA: When I was coming up with a name, I knew I wanted to use my real name, and really didn’t want to make many adjustments to it. I saw that there were already a few “Lola’s out there,” but I hadn’t seen any “LO LA’s” and I really liked how the capital letters looked!

AO: For a new fan that may across your music on digital music platforms, what do you want them to take away from your music? LO LA: I want them to listen to my music and see that it’s normal to get upset about things & overthink. Love definitely isn’t easy, but is often portrayed that way in the media and in music. I want people to hear my songs and know that they’re not alone with what they’re going through. I hope that my music will help people get through tough situations. I write for fun, but my ultimate goal is to be able to reach people and help them through my music.

AO: LO LA, thank you for sitting down with me to do this interview! Before you go, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans and our readers? LO LA: Thank you so much for reading this and for listening to my music. It means the world to me that there’s actually people out there that enjoy listening to my music and my stories. It’s still hard to fathom that people are out there all around the world listening to my music! I never thought that it would happen! Thank you so much again! Also! To pass on my mantra, everything happens for a reason! :) Through writing my music, there’s been times where I haven’t understood why things have happened to me, but everything seems to always end up falling into place! Even if it’s not the way I intended it or imagined it to be!

Connect with LO LA on the following websites: https://www.twitter.com/musicbylola_ https://www.instagram.com/musicbylola_ https://www.tiktok.com/@musicbylola_

#Interviews #Amandah Opoku #LO LA

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umusicians · 4 years

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UM Interview: Mike Ruby

Canadian pop artist Mike Ruby is just getting started. The toronto native moved to New York to attend school and study music, where he began playing sax with Brooklyn based synth-pop band St. Lucia. This experience led Mike to pursue music as a solo artist, resulting in the release of his debut single “Close” last year which as over 1 million streams on streaming platforms and broke top 40 radio in Canada and on the Billboard Charts. On June 26th, 2020, Mike will be releasing his debut EP ‘You Wrote These Songs’.

Amandah Opoku sat down with Mike to discuss his debut EP ‘You Wrote These Songs’. Check out the interview below!

Amandah Opoku: Mike, thank you for doing this interview today! Before we kick off please tell our readers about yourself and one new artist you've discovered in the last month. Mike Ruby: Thanks for having me. My name is actually Mike Ruby, I was born in Toronto and started my music career as a jazz saxophonist living in NY. I made a U-turn into the singer songwriter lane after playing with some pop bands in New York, spent some time in LA and Nashville writing songs, and am now releasing my first album/EP on June 26th as a pop artist. That’s me in a nutshell. Hmm new artist – she’s really not too new but she is new to me. Fletcher. Her new song “Bitter” is so well written, I heard it for the first time and was a fan.

AO: What inspired you to pursue a career as an artist? And what drew you to create Pop music? MR: I was always a musician, but I wasn’t moving people with my own words, and I guess I just needed that fulfillment in my life, so picked up a guitar and started writing songs. Being a sideman and a front man are two totally different experiences and connecting with my fans now means everything to me. As a sideman, I played and opened for some pretty big pop acts and fell in love with that type of music and culture.

AO: In college you played saxophone with synth-band St. Lucia, what did you learn from your experience with your band? Do you think your time playing with the band has directly influenced the music you create? MR: I learned a ton from the front man of that band, Jean. His energy on stage is unparalleled, and every song is so tightly rehearsed, so on stage the band can take it to the next level and interact with the crowd. It has 100% indirectly influenced my music. Jean and I write very differently, and of course come from very different places, but I think he’s one of the most brilliant writers I’ve come across and am honored to have been a part of his project.

AO: Would you say there are any artists or songwriters that have inspired the music you create and the way you write? MR: I wish I could say one artist, but I really can’t. It’s been a mix of my favorite artists that have their own strengths that find their way into my music subconsciously. For example, I love the way Lauv writes melodies. I love the inflections Julia Michaels and Jessie Reyez put into their songs. The lyrical depth of early John Mayer records and the subtle messages Frank Ocean has in his songs, and not so subtle pockets that Jon Bellion has in his music. Even dating back to the jazz musicians I used to listen to like John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau. They all play a role.

AO: You'll be releasing your debut EP, You Wrote These Songs on June 26th. What was the writing and recording process like for the record? MR: These were all songs I couldn’t give away as a writer – I had to sing them for myself, so they hold a lot of meaning to me. I got to work with some incredible producers on this record in Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles including Ryan Stewart (Carly Rae Jepson) Jamey Heath (Andy Grammer) Joel Stouffer and Ben Nudds. They’re great guys and incredibly talented musical minds, so they made the recording process easy. We had a great time making these songs and hope you have some fun listening to them.

AO: When you began working on You Wrote These Songs, did you have any idea/plan of what type of record you wanted to make? MR: Not. At. All. I wasn’t even writing for a record, EP or anything to be honest. I was writing songs for other artists, one offs here and there, and before I knew it had written almost a thousand songs in three years between writing songs daily myself and doing lots of cowrites. At a certain point, I had a handful of songs that were written about very important people in my life that I couldn’t let go of, and that’s when the EP/record idea hit me. I needed to say these things out loud, so naturally the title You Wrote These Songs made a lot of sense.

AO: Thinking about the songs on your EP from a lyrical standpoint, what is your favorite lyric you wrote and why? MR: That’s a tough one to answer. Just took a moment to myself to think about it and there are actually three that come to mind, all with extremely different meanings. One, the heaviest, is from a song I wrote about my dad who passed away when I was in high school. The lyric is “And I get pissed cuz I’ll have kids one day and I know you’ll miss it all. Can I be angry even though it’s not your fault.” It’s blunt and to the point, and the truth in it speaks volumes. Another is in the last song on the record called “The Story Never Ends” and that lyric is “I don’t know when you became my friend, when pencil changed to pen, when every cut began to sting” talking about being in a relationship with someone and then all of a sudden feeling their pain like it’s your own. The last I’d say is from the feature track “Don’t Want You Back (wtf).” It’s the lyric I love singing the most from the whole record. The song sounds super sweet and melodic, and at first the lyrics are too, but by the end of the first chorus you know what’s up. “What the f%^# is that, I don’t want you back” is the line. It’s about an ex that didn’t deserve you, and we’ve all been there.

AO: “Close” was your debut single which will be included on your upcoming EP. Did the success of the song inform your sound and what you've created on the EP? MR: All the songs were written a year ago, so the sound had already been formed. I’m definitely happy “Close” was the first single though – once you hear that one, you get a good sense for how the record will sound.

AO: On the EP, what song do you think truly captures the essence, theme and/or message that you want people to take away from the record? MR: I’d have to say the feature track to the record, “Don’t Want You Back (wtf)” because it’s about realizing your self-worth and moving on. The whole EP is a journey about moving forward.

AO: I recently had a chance to listen to the record and “Not Your Fault” is one of my favorites. It's very personal and deep. Can you take me through what the writing and recording process was like for the track? MR: Thank you so much. It’s definitely the most personal on the EP. I co-wrote it with Jamey Heath at his studio in LA. To be honest, a few days before I was in his studio co-writing a pop song for another artist’s project as a writer. It was a great song but nothing too deep. When I went into the studio to work on my own record with Jamey, he said “let’s write something deep today. What’s your muse?” I mentioned a few things like some ex relationships, moving city to city, etc. and he said “OK” with a high pitched voice like yeah we could go there but what else you got? Haha. I told him about my dad, and he said “Yep, we’re writing that.” He started playing voicings on the piano and after we got the chord progression, I started pouring out the words and to be honest trying to hold in the tears. It was a very traumatic experience for me in high school with a lot of unresolved emotions that I’ve since dealt with, so writing about it was difficult and rewarding at the same time. I spent a lot of time refining the lyrics after the session to the point where I finally felt everything was said in the way I wanted, then I went back in for a couple more sessions to record the vocals. “Not Your Fault” is the song on the back of the record that means the most to me, and I think I’m most proud of this one for its vulnerability.

AO: Going into the release of your debut EP, You Wrote These Songs, what do you want people to take away from the record? MR: I want each of these songs to be about someone in your life. The “You” in the EP title can be about anyone – whoever comes to mind when you listen to each song is meant to be about that person.

AO: I know we're sitting in an interesting time, given what is going on in the world right now. Were you hesitant to release the EP now? Or even contemplate pushing the release date back? MR: I wasn’t due to Covid-19. It’s such a terrible unfortunate tragedy and pandemic, and no I can’t tour, but I think people are still listening to music online and checking out music videos, so I’ve always been of the mindset to keep pushing forwards. After the video of George Floyd came out though, that’s a whole other story. I was outraged and so hurt. I stopped posting about my project and started posting about equality, human rights, and racism. Today marks 10 days since I saw it, and I have not posted about my own project since, and although I will start to as the EP is coming out soon, I will continue to donate, inform myself and others, and be a part of this movement. We are in the middle of making history for the better right now, and we’re starting to take baby steps in the right direction. We need to continue pushing forwards to see equality and justice and I don’t intend to stop until we do.

AO: Mike, thank you for sitting down with me! Before we close this interview, is there anything you want to say to your fans and our readers? MR: Thank you for reading! I feel truly blessed to have the best fans out there, and I’m always open to talking to all of you guys about anything. You can find me on all socials @mikerubymusic. I have lots of new music videos and news coming your way, so make sure to follow me on Spotify or your social media of choice. Hope to see you soon at a show after Covid-19 settles down!

Connect with Mike on the following websites: www.mikeruby.com www.twitter.com/mikerubymusic www.facebook.com/mikerubymusic www.instagram.com/mikerubymusic https://www.youtube.com/user/mikerubymusic

#Interviews #Amandah Opoku #Mike Ruby #EP #You Wrote These Songs

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