ARTIST SPOTLIGHT JAY.WES March 7th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners I would say my music is a representation of whatever I feel I am drawn to in that monet. And it can vary depending on what’s happening in my life or what time of the year it is. I think in that way, it makes me unpredictable and a bit hard to pin down to a certain style of rap music. Describe your creative process My process can vary quite a bit at times too. There are times when I catch that “spark”, and in those moments, songs like “JACK SPARROW” will just write themselves, and you end up having a song by the end of that session. However, there are also times where I will have a few lines written down here and there and it is not until a certain beat is played or I have a conversation that inspires the rest of a song. Your single, “JACK SPARROW” is my personal favorite song of yours, describe how you made that song JACK SPARROW was actually a spur of the moment song. My friend JEM* was producing a beat and it just kinda snowballed. We were originally just messing around with some keys and some different drums sounds. To be honest, it was truly just the perfect storm. How’d you first get into making music? I got into making music about three years ago. I had always loved hip-hop but I had never written anything for myself. JEM* and I had been in class together, and I just remembered him inviting me over to his apartment to try to make some music. I was really prepared for it to be like a dream killing moment but it was the exact opposite. Shortly after, I decided to take it seriously and the rest is history. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? I would say my inspiration comes from around. I really try to take in all my experiences and process them. With that mindset, it sometimes can take a while for a song to form, but I believe that whatever is supposed to come out will eventually happen, so I do my best to not force the inspiration. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners? GOYARD or JACKSPARROW What’s next for JAY.WES? What are some goals for the rest of the year? I think this year I have a lot to prove. I have been really fortunate to have the resources and people around me to make what I have been doing possible, and on some level I want to live up to what they believe I can be. I definitely want to show that high level work is possible even without the backing of labels or major studios, and that it really takes having a dedication to the craft, a desire to take risk, and a whole lot of ingenuity. As far as what is next, I’ll see yall next Monday…

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Mei Semones January 31st 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners jazz-influenced indie j-pop Kabutomushi is a project I continuously return to, what was the process of making each of those songs? Thank you! Most of the songs were written summer '22-winter '22, and we recorded winter '22-spring '23. My process for songwriting starts with chords first, then melody, then lyrics last. Once the guitar/vocals are set, I bring the song to my band and we arrange all the parts together :) How’d you first get into making music? I started playing piano when I was 4, guitar when I was 11, and started writing songs shortly after that. But I didn't write a song I really liked until the first single I put out in 2022, called "Hfoas." Where do you find the inspiration to create such captivating music? I'm inspired by the music I love, like John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, and João Gilberto. I'm also inspired a lot by my friends & bandmates, who are also all incredible musicians. I also find a lot of inspiration in my everyday life living in Brooklyn, NY. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners I would suggest the Kabutomushi EP. I think it's a nice mix of genres and it showcases various aspects of our music well. What’s next for Mei Semones? What are some goals for 2025? We are putting out our debut album in May of 2025. I hope to do lots of touring this year, and hopefully do some international touring with my band :) What music have you been listening to recently? I have been listening to a lot of Michael Brecker & Wayne Shorter.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT YXNG MOE June 20th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners My music is a fun uptempo feel of a young & hype teen rapping about lifestyle & having fun for everyone to enjoy Describe your creative process My creative process is really just me getting together with my friends & making music that people could feel also while creating the music & the art we try to figure out how we could make it longevity instead of short time Your latest song, “How you cuffin that” is super cool! What went into making it? How you cuffin that really came from just me feeling how I feel in real life “how you cuffin that b*tch” so I decided to add to my song I’m deeply heavy into nostalgia music the old atl like Roscoe dash , Rick kids , young thug , Gucci mane & more so I wanted to give them a throw back feeling to my song How’d you first get into making music? I first got into music when I was 11 I , when I performed for my first church choir group on Christmas I always felt like yeah I love performing and crowd attention so ever since then I was always just singing to myself or rapping then I just got in that mode & started talking about my lifestyle & everything people do or I see around me Where do you find the inspiration to create music? My inspiration comes from young thug & speaker knockers always been a big fan since I was young when I was in Richmond Virginia & my cousin had house parties they used tell me don’t come out the room and I’ll always here thug all the time so it’s like a replaying memory stuck in my head so I always was inspired my him What have you been working on lately? Any new music soon? Lately I been working on more summer & trendy music before I get back on the heavy mainstream side to kind of get my fans/supporters ready for the wave so I’m kind of building my army before we take it to the next level Other than music, what else have you been up to? Lately I been up to just making this bigger than music I’m trying to make this a brand ! Just like how young money or any big successful artist was back then I want this to be bigger then music , I’m the future , the next generation so is a must a give it my all it’s not easy but I’m here for whatever it takes ! What music have you been listening to lately? Lately I been listening to Melodic wavy music & throwbacks like vontee the singer , Chris brown , Zeddy will , lil baby & people that just have that good energy uptempo vibe you know

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT SHOTY April 11th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners My music is a mix of all my favorite things about different music genres. I love catchy pop melodies, cool electronic beats, and the confidence rap lyrics tend to give you! Describe your creative process If I’m by myself I’ll listen to tons of beats until a good melody and cool lyrics pop into my head. I’ll record whatever melody and small amount of lyrics I have initially then go back and write the full song, sing it a bunch of times then record! When I’m working with people I feel a little more pressure to work quickly so I’ll usually have the full song written before the producer finishes the beat then jump straight into recording. I prefer creating in home studios because it’s a lot more comfortable and easier to be vulnerable. Your newest single, “NYG” is my personal favorite song of yours, describe how you made that song Thank you! I’ve never made a song the way I have NYG, I was pretty much just laying in my bed after a long day of work feeling pissed off and the “I wouldn’t hold your breath” line came to me. I recorded it all the way through in one take twice then it sat on my computer for a few months. Everything on that song is pretty much from the first take except a couple lines. How’d you first get into making music? I wanted to be a DJ, I was obsessed with flume so I got the same program he was using and a midi keyboard. I quickly found out I wasn’t about to be flume and naturally gravitated toward song writing and just kept at it. I really just wrote for fun, it was never something I thought I could pursue. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? I find inspiration from whatever is going on in my life. Usually I have to be feeling a very strong emotion whether good or bad to end up with a good song. To me, creating is sort of like fishing so if an idea just isn’t there I won’t force it, I’ll go do something else and come back when life inspires me or I really need to get something off my chest. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners? Call me I’m Lonely or Selfish seem to be most people’s favorite What’s next for SHOTY? What are some goals for the rest of the year? I have a song called “Flowers” dropping April 17th. My goal for the year is to just get all the sh!t off my computer! What music have you been listening to lately? I’m obsessed with Amyl and the Sniffers and recently discovered this artist Portraits of Tracy. You won’t be disappointed listening to either!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Smith Almighty March 7th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners indie pop/rock with inspiration from jazz and self reflection Describe your creative process Most of my songs start with my acoustic guitar. Once I have something I like on guitar I begin to add other instruments. Whether that be keyboard, synth, drums, brass, samples etc. Usually I write my lyrics as I am playing the guitar. Every time I get a new idea it gets put into my voice memos. I probably have over 50 songs on my voice memos. You’re new single, “so, what if i” is my personal favorite song of yours, describe how you made that song That is one of my favorite songs too! It started with the chorus actually. I loved the chord progression. After having the guitar part down for the chorus. I added the keys which gave the song a more somber and self reflective feel. The lyrics were inspired by something a friend of mine was going through. I took it to the abstract. How’d you first get into making music? i always loved listening to music. The Beatles, Queen, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and so many others have inspired me. I sang chorus for my high school and was even part of a band that performed annually. I wrote and put out my first song freshman year of college. I started taking classes on producing and engineering music. Since then i have been mixing and mastering all of my own music. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? I grew up in a super rural area, but went to college in Philadelphia. The blend of the extreme urban and the extreme rural definitely influenced my music. A lot of my songs spawned from life experiences, my imagination, and pop culture i have absorbed. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners? Its honestly a tie between (Ode to Former Prospects), (so, what if i), and (Wreckage) What’s next for Smith Almighty? What are some goals for 2025? I have been making so much music these past few months and just enjoying the writing process. I will probably have another song coming out in the next few months. What music have you been listening to recently? I like to listen to albums in full. Recently I went through the whole The Smiths discography and also the Weezer discography. Very good stuff!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Radicule September 6th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners I’ve been dubbing my music as “head massage music” for a minute now. My beat projects largely come from the school of [adult swim] bumps, while my most recent project has been a blend of anime raps with plugg & trap-inspired production. Describe your creative process Ooo, that’s a loaded question. I usually need some type of anime or cartoon on in the background, muted. Maybe a nice lil bev too and then I usually will start cooking up in FL. I always have a tendency of starting every beat with the hats, it’s the lil things that get me in a beat. Your new album, “Wannaknowthename1?” is so sick. What went into making it? Do you have a favorite song on it? Dawggg, I could talk for days about this one. It was a lot dark moments, but also a lot of light that went into it. I was going through love-life problems, lost my uncle, and just was trying to make sense of everything. I was bumping a lot of plugg music, messing with the Devil May Cry games, watching BLEACH, and the project just fully spawned from there. Fav track off my newest baby though? Definitely gotta be RADDYS WORLD. It’s my own spin on NY-Drill elements, but still rapping from my own lil nerd braggadocio bubble. How’d you first get into making music? It was mainly through my brother Bruce. We used to play Call of Duty 4 and talk smack over our lil Logitech headset. Realized I could probably record off it if I hooked it up to our computer, and then I started burning cds with me rapping over Lupe Fiasco , Gorillaz, and Nas instrumentals. He put me onto Nujabes too & through there I found Samurai Champloo, Dilla, Negrosaki, mad Youtube-notorious producers & ultimately started messing with beats as well. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? Honestly it comes from a lot of video games (JRPGs especially), anime/manga/ cartoons, cathartic reasons, and really my people. Living life with a lot more love and presence lately got me wanting to make music as a way of documenting the journey. What have you been working on lately? Any new music soon? Maneeee, we just got these t shirts orders out and gonna donate a portion of that to charity (pancreatic cancer research). I just shot a music video for RADDYS WORLD, directed by the homie King Z. The whole crew on that was amazing and we’re trying to get that out in October. New music? I’m working on the next project currently, which kinda focuses back on my [adult swim] bump roots and focusing on a more positive future. It’s gonna be titled “AFRMAYSHUNS” and the bulk of it is almost ready, there’s still a lot of finishing touches to be done though. Other than music, what else have you been up to? I’ve been chilling fam, for real. Big civilian hours just being outside with my people, coming home from work, watching Outlaw Star and looking for my next Lego set. What music have you been listening to lately? Man, y’all keep the loaded questions on deck. Right now I been bumping: Mexikodro, Tony Shhnow, Larry June, Sade, Kelela, TiaCorine, Anycia, Dazegxd, Teller Bank$, Kelly Moonstone, AJ Suede, the list goes on & on, but those are the main ones as of late!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Zoo St. October 9th 2025 Describe your music’s sound for unfamiliar listeners. How did you come across that sound? Dez: Mmmmmmmm.. maybe modern day Wu-Tang with south/midwestern roots. Not the same but similar. We have a bit of an attack style of approach with less emphasis on catchy hooks and more focus on deep-cutting lyricism and witty execution. Also Kendrick. Always Kendrick. Dee: I’d say a blend of Wu-Tang and OutKast and just being exposed to all different kinds of music from Wu-Tang to India arie to Odd Future. Kwon: I think we all developed our own sound from different pieces and paths which you hear in our songs. We’re built similar but made from different circumstances so it gels well. Honestly, I just liked free-styling, but then i wanted to sound better, so i started writing. I began to experience more in life and had something to talk about so i jotted it. Odd future was the initial group inspiration but personally, lil herb, earl, & mac miller, had me thinking maybe i could try writing. Your latest album, “DR. dr.” Has such chill vibes. What was the creative process behind that album? Rick: It’s funny you ask that. I was discussing this the other day with a colleague of mine. A lot of the tracks i made on ‘DR. dr.’ are sample free and that honestly is a step in a different direction for me. I think the difference in my production process kinda motivated how melancholic the vibe of the music is. I decided to explore untouched sounds that I normally wouldn’t fool with and what you hear in ‘DR. dr.’ is ultimately what manifested. Dez: To add onto that a bit, ‘DR. dr.’ stands for Dee, Rick, Dez, Rae. A simple acronym, but it’s a title we’ve used for a project far before we started doing public releases, and this time around we just felt it was a fitting title for what we had put together. What made you decide the album cover for that album? Dez: “The Leak” mixtape by Lil Wayne which were songs originally intended to be on the iconic Carter III. We referenced the color-way for the album from that cover and then we added some flavor with a spin on our first project ‘Zoology’. Using a neutral, paper-like color for the base and overlaying scientific drawings of different breeds of animals that may have been referenced in previous projects and/or in lyrics of ours. Finally, the mountain theme coming from a 4 song stretch in the middle of the album (Track 4 (Horsemen) to 7 (SmarterMan/CotterMan)). Where do you find inspiration to create music? Dez: From daily life experiences, to the sounds from Rick’s beats, to eachothers verses.Alliterations get the best of me a lot of times too. Dee: Yeah, man. LIFE! Life is the ultimate inspiration. Maybe it’s something I randomly heard that day or a one liner Dez sent in the chat. Sometimes the names of Rick’s beat can get me lyrically inspired. Kwon: Same thing really. Just my life and sometimes listening to other artists inspires me. But it’s more just me writing my thoughts or feelings, im not a rapper. How’d you get into making music? Rick: Beatmaking & engineering were basically handed down. My dad always stayed in the studio & I think I got a beatmaking machine for my 12th birthday. By the time I was 16 the studio was given to me too. I’ve built my own now, but all of that was originally inherited, really. ALL: For us; we’ve been rapping together since we can remember lowkey. Our older brother, Julius Keith, had us rapping from a very young age (Dee & The Easywey). Big bro had us believing we could rival any pen. I think we do. Kwon picked up the pen once we established ourselves as serious artists, but has literally always been there rhyming with us and just in the studio. Any new music coming out or being worked on? Anything else you’d like to promote? ALL: Z44 is meant to be the next release coming out of the Zoo St. camp. We’ve flirted with the idea of a solo EP for Kwon too but… Dez: I intend to rollout a solo catalogue soon. Including an EP executive produced by myself, with beat production from a talented young Donesunk. I also have a single scheduled to release this coming spring featuring a guest verse from Detroit’s own; Junii & production from TAKN. Dee: Was in the lab with Rick the other day talking about a possible EP. If the Lord wills it I’m with it. Kwon: Kwonny world tour suppose to be something im working on but the motivation hasnt really been there since i stopped hooping. Other than music, what else have you been up to? Dez: I’m committed to investing my time into my young family. I spend most my time heading to, or at work. Otherwise i’m making time for my family. In any spare time, if I’m not getting out to try and engage with the Chicago music community, I’m trying new foods in the city or even cooking. Dee: “Really I’m provider yeah I put that on my soul.” Dez: So yeah dee on the same thing. Kwon: 2k26 3-level scoring dimer. Dee: Bro being modest though, he the same archetype in real life and been playing pro ball for like 3 years. Rick: Trying to make a house a home if you know what I mean. Plus, I been in the gym a lot, really. Traveling a bit more for work in the past few years too. What music have you been listening to lately? Dez: Whew.. always a lot of unreleased from the family. Uhh Lifeofthom, Kaicrewsade, DC2Trill, 454, Jay Elec and Oddie Strangelove. Dee: Obviously, Zoo St. Forrest Frank, Jx.Zero, and that Malice record was tuff. Kwon: I’ve been on Steve lacy, Domo genesis, LUCKI, khamari. Rick: For me; I rediscovered my love for Radiohead hits like Nude & Videotape on my most recent vacation trip.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT OH CALLAGHAN November 29th 2024 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners. I would say that my music is grounded in an indie rock and shoegaze sound, but having a background in jazz, I like to incorporate some harmony that you might not commonly hear in indie music How and when did you get into music? I got into music when I was ten years old because I had the classic cool older brother who showed all the music he liked. Definitely hearing Metallica and Megadeth made me get into playing guitar. It wasn’t until the end of College though where I started exploring songwriting and how cool it can be channeling your emotions in that medium. Creative Process? My creative process is very simple: I have a super minimal setup (Scarlett 2i2 interface with one condenser mic,) and usually start with a guitar riff, guitar chords, or melody, and layer the other instruments from there. Almost all of the time, lyrics and vocal melody come once I have some sort of chords on guitar. The most interesting thing I can think of is sometimes I think of a feeling or memory, lots of the time having to do with nostalgia, and I try to capture how that would sound and feel to me. Where do you find inspiration? I find inspiration primarily from other people/musicians, and from experiences. I love when an artist makes something so compelling that it has my mind racing on the drive home, thinking about how I can formulate what they’re doing in my own music. Also, being a touring musician, seeing so many sights and having so many different experiences on the road provides a lot of material for creative endeavors. What song/project should unfamiliar listeners begin with? The only music I have out right now is an EP called, “A Friend in the End of the World,” and my favorite track is probably “Come Home.” Any new projects soon? Anything you'd like to promote Nothing cemented forsure, but now that I have more time off from the road be sure to look out for new music! What music have you been listening to recently? Lately, I’ve been listening to the U.K band, “Sorry.” I think they have such a unique sound and approach to their production and songwriting. I’ve also really been enjoying the heavy shoe gaze sounds of the band “Julie,” and I always am listening to Alex G (probably my favorite artist of all time).

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT DOMENICK BIERMAN December 13th 2024 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners. My music varies honestly. It ranges from pop music, to funk, to rock. It’s definitely for people in their feels. I promise i’m trying to change that though lol. it’s very premature, my music that’s out. It has a lot of angst in it. i definitely was not in the best state when i wrote most of it. but i think that’s when music really can be at its best. when you’re just pouring everything you got into it How and when did you get into music? I got into music since i was a baby. I wrote my first song when i was 8. But i got BIG into it when i was 15 2 (continued). writing music was always in the cards for me, in terms of like expression. sharing my mental state was never something i was a big fan of, so writing music allowed me to do that Creative Process? Nowadays, my creative process is i sit in a quiet room and feel my emotions for a little. Then, i grab my guitar and play chords that i think sound good. then when i get a progression, i start to write. i find it quite beautiful when i really unlock some good lines. then i can REALLY call it my work Where do you find inspiration? I find inspiration from whatever i’m listening to at the moment. But i’m always getting new inspiration. I do have like 3 artists that i always look up to. I take huge inspo from tyler the creators creativity. it’s hard to hear in my own music because i don’t rap, but i strive to be as from the heart and powerful as him. I try to get my music as enjoyable to listen to as Bruno mars. he’s been my favorite since i was a baby and i’ll always try and match his effect he has on people What song/project should unfamiliar listeners begin with? Probably “Right here (with you)”. I personally think it’s my best song. it’s my best produced song. It also is my best vocally done song in my personal opinion Any new projects soon? Anything you'd like to promote I’m trying to work on an album right now. It’s more rock based, but it’s on the pop side too. At the moment, the working title is “Still Learning”. if my last album was about angst and being a teen. “Still learning” is about growing up, but not fully out of that like teen stage. mistakes still get made, and you still just have to take the lessons life gives you What music have you been listening to recently? I’ve been listening to classic rock, metal, hiphop, alternative, pop, punk, grunge, funk. a whole lot

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Norah's World March 7th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners I would say a mix of plenty different things. I love alternative R&B as a descriptor for it, but I use a lot of interesting drums like sexy trail and Jersey club and I love soulful singing. upbeat and very much baddie music that anyone can get down to Describe your creative process I would say my process looks a lot like writing as soon as the first loop for the beat is made and I’ll have the first verse and hook ready in like 20 lol “Hit The Curb” is my personal favorite song of yours, describe how you made that song hit the curb is about wanting someone more than they want you and feeling it even if it’s not being explicitly stated. I wrote that song when I felt that way about somebody with my friend kenji. he executive produced and I think that’s the first time he ever produced a storm that he wasn’t singing on, but you can hear him here and there as a background vocal lol How’d you first get into making music? i’ve always seen my whole life lol my mum has an album and creole. I grew up hearing people singing in church and on YouTube and I always knew that’s what I wanted to do. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? making the music is the part of all of it that feels the best. It’s like a release or just such a great feeling when you make something you actually like so the motivation comes from always chasing that feeling What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners? I would say my last project or any of the songs I’ve dropped recently would be a fire intro to norah’s world What’s next for Norah’s World? What are some goals for 2025? i’m definitely dropping a project soon like very soon and a few singles will come before it so I guess that’s what you can look forward to What music have you been listening to recently? lately I’m super obsessed with artist favorite artist type of people people like leon thomas or isaiah falls or people that I know personally that drop music I listen to all of it! more than I listen to main stream artists to be honest, like shout out to dali and cecilian dang!!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Mawysashe January 17th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners Sometimes I rap over soul samples with no drums, sometimes I sing over pop instrumentals. You never know what you’re going to get but it’ll always be good. That’s the only thing that must remain constant. Earlier in your music career, you were rapping quite a lot, why do you think you transitioned to singing more recently? When I first started making music , I could not sing at all, it was horrible,like imagine the worst sound you ever heard….that was me! But I had good ideas so I kept practicing and stuff and now I’m lowkey like Beyoncé …. New Blue is my favorite song personally, how was that song created? Whew that song was quite a process. I recorded the melody 3 months before I started writing it and then it took me 2 more months to write it because the words just weren’t hitting right. I knew I wanted to make a song that was poetic with a lot of moments that hit hard and when you set a standard like that, word choice becomes very important. I don’t know if it’s a sad or happy song though, that’s up to whoever’s listening , I just wanted it to elicit some type of emotion. I love that song, I listen to it and be like damn I really made this. And then I reply to myself and say “yes, yes you did. “ How’d you first get into making music? One of my best friends in 8th grade made music and I was inspired by him. I’ve been recording ever since then. What song/project should unfamiliar listeners start with? Cyberfriends. It has a little bit of everything we do in it. Describe your creative process. It’s all over the place!! There’s no real methods besides focusing. When I’m making music that’s all I care about in that moment. I try my best to not settle for mediocre takes or lyrics , so sometimes it can be a lot when it’s 1am and you’re doing a take 20+ times, but I love the process. One thing about me though is that I need light. I don’t make music in dark settings, I need it to be a bright room, I’m really picky about that. What’s next for MawySashe? What are some goals for 2025? I’m going to drop a lot more music this year and take this whole thing to the next level. I’m looking forward to putting myself out there more and really promoting my stuff. What music have you been listening to recently? Hmmm….Bad Bunny’s new album, Stevie Wonder, Kendrick, Lauryn hill, and MawySashe

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Leo Soloway June 13th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners To sum it up, I’d say alternative rock/metal. I love ambient synthesizers and reverb-soaked guitars, but I’m also a sucker for huge distorted tones, epic orchestral elements, and wordy guitar solos. Describe your creative process For me, because I’m primarily a guitarist, it always starts with a riff or chord progression. From there, I add drums and bass as a guide to other places I can bring the song. If I continue to like the idea after a few days, I’ll begin to develop other sections that follow or precede the original idea. Vocals usually come last. Not everyone’s style, but it works for me. I’ve come up with riffs that were sat on for so long, and eventually just became the ending of a song. Your latest song, “Taboo” is super cool! What went into making it? That song is very special to me. It’s the only one of my songs that I recorded every part for. I always fully compose with lyrics and all, but this is the first time my own voice was on a track. The song features a groove that’s based around drums and bass, guitar playing a very little part in its initial phases. There’s a section where I (attempt to) rap. Rap is a stretch… How about… sing faster? As the song builds, a three part string ensemble takes the spotlight. Then, a melodic and soaring solo section, followed by a technical and uplifting “djent” style riff, which concludes the song. How’d you first get into making music? I was creating riffs and songs from a very young age. As soon as I acquired an electric guitar, I was playing stuff modeled after The White Stripes and The Black Keys. From there, I started to experiment with garageband. When my parents and music teachers saw my potential, I was given Logic Pro X, and an audio interface. It all escalated from there…(I have 7 guitars and no money) Where do you find the inspiration to create music? Being raised by my mom (a singer-songwriter) and my dad, (not a musician, but loves music) I was surrounded and immersed in music all the time. I think it was only natural that I had a desire to create it. What have you been working on lately? Any new music soon? I have quite a few unfinished songs in reserve at the moment. They’re all in different places. Will they be out soon? Maybe? Who knows? Other than music, what else have you been up to? Eh, the usual stuff… wine tasting, watch shopping, driving my Pagani. That reminds me actually, the McLaren F1 needs maintenance. What music have you been listening to lately? My favorite band at the moment is Thank You Scientist. They’re a seven-piece jazz/metal fusion band from New Jersey. Absolutely astonishing music. The guitarist, Tom Monda, cracked out of his mind. Aside from that, bands like Periphery, Haken, Protest The Hero, Dance Gavin Dance, and Knocked Loose have been in the rotation lately.