EDITION VII
BETH MILLION
MATTHEW CHAIM
MATTHEW CHAIM
Image credit: Artist
________
" Everyone will always tell you to be realistic when it comes to your dreams, but I disagree. Allow your dreams to be unrealistic and use that to fuel your ambition.
Instead, be realistic about the effort you're putting into making those dreams come true. Learning this completely changed my perception of myself and my career, this mentality is what fuels me to this day! "
________
R&B
[NYC, NEW YORK]
MATTHEW CHAIM
MATTHEW CHAIM
MATTHEW CHAIM
Image credit: Artist
________
" I was in school studying finance and entrepreneurship. I thought I was meant to be a “business person”, whatever that means. But music was creeping more and more into my life, first with the drums and then with songwriting. I thought it would stay put in a corner of my life as a fun hobby I enjoyed in the evenings and weekends. But it seemed to have different plans.
Creating music was engulfing my days until I finally quit my job and drove to LA. There I found a community of friends I could create with, and both my productivity and creativity ignited. “Form” came at the top of this year. I was writing with my friend and then roommate Jason Wu (aka Rabitt), and the verses poured out instantly. It was cathartic to make, so I knew we had to put it out straight away. "
________
INDIE/ALTERNATIVE
[MONTREAL, CANADA]
ADAM TURLEY
MATTHEW CHAIM
ADAM TURLEY
Image credit: Artist
________
" My name’s Adam and I’m obsessed with songs. I really like listening to songs but I like making them even more and that’s pretty much how I spend most of my time. I’ve been making music since I was like 13 and it’s been a huge part of my life since then.
This year I’m releasing my first full-length project called ‘Color’ and I’m so excited about it, I already peed my pants twice. Anyways, that’s me."
________
POP
[SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH]
THE IMAGE
THE IMAGE
ADAM TURLEY
Image credit: Artist
________
" We were thinking of the idea you have to present an image of yourself to be more than just an artist. You have to be a persona, create something unique, and stand out. We wanted to build a little world where the music could sit nicely. We pave our own lane you can connect to. It’s more than just sound, but it starts there.
To accompany the music, we created a world of superheroes and supervillains in a power struggle under the backdrop of press suppression and a nascent new renaissance.
The Image is not just us. It’s hundreds of thousands of people throughout history. We’re just the latest to don the masks. "
________
POP, HIP-HOP AND ELECTRONIC
[LA, CALIFORNIA]
JOLIANNE
THE IMAGE
JOLIANNE
Image credit: Artist
________
" I was 11 when I kickstarted my career by joining @nbcthevoice Kids Philippines. I tried out only because I was an avid fan of a contestant from the previous season.
Even though I didn’t make it far, the experience prompted me to do music more than just as a hobby. Since then I’ve been writing and releasing original songs.
I don’t do it for a celebrity crush anymore. I do it because I have a message to put out. "
________
POP AND R&B
[CEBU, PHILIPPINES]
WATTS
THE IMAGE
JOLIANNE
Image credit: Artist
________
" I'm just a pretty normal dude with a wife, 2 dogs and a sort-of "full time" job outside of playing music.
Writing and recording has always been a huge part of my life and I'd love to get to a point where I can do it full time.
Until then, I'm just here trying to write some stuff that, if I'm lucky, might get stuck in your head. "
________
POP
[NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE]
Edition VI
LILI CASELEY
LILI CASELEY
LILI CASELEY
May 11
Image credit: Artist
________
" I've lost myself in many places, things and people, all to end up understanding it was myself I was running from.
I’ve taken drugs, controlled my diet excessively, escaped into relationships, numbed my brain with constant technology, all to realise I could never switch off from the pain that was within.
So with music, I think I’ve understood I can utilise that darkness to write songs, to make music and to develop meaningful connections with an audience.
To turn the negativity that consumes, into something constructive. I just want to be honest really. I want my soul involved in all the songs.
I know I haven’t always managed before, but that’s what I’ll keep trying to do till the day I die. I’m not here for long, I feel the days going by, and I want to find that source of Soul.
Maybe it’s the God we all have within. "
________
POP, R&B AND SOUL
[LONDON, UK]
DAMAGED.
LILI CASELEY
LILI CASELEY
May 2
Image credit: Artist
________
" I get a lot of inspiration from relationships because emotionally they inspire a lot of genuine creativity in my music.
I'm grateful for all the life experiences I've had because they make me write about the unrequited love I long for at times.
Whenever I put something out, I give it every piece of me that I can in order to relate to others that might be feeling the same emotions but have a hard time expressing them.
Funeral is about toxic love and the push and pull of a relationship which I think a lot of people can relate to that heartache.
I think about this quote I heard by Sherwin Nuland whenever I grow as an artist or human.
"Everybody wants to know the details of dying, though few are willing to say so."
I feel like I'm constantly letting go of my old self and trying to give the details in art about how I'm evolving yet battling to let go. For the EP soon to come, I hope it takes people to a place of relief and understanding. It’s okay to not be okay.
The next morning brings light and music is just communicating that sonically. I hope I can say the right words in my songs that make people feel like they belong. "
________
FULL OF FEELS
[LA, CALIFORNIA]
ROUNDROBIN
LILI CASELEY
JONTHA LINKS
April 27
Image credit: Artist
________
" I have like 200+ unfinished or finished tracks on my laptop, tons of demos that will never go anywhere.
I don't know why, but there are some tracks that talk to you and "Kill My Vibes" was one of those tracks I always knew somehow had to be released.
I remember the night I wrote it; it was 2 years ago and I felt that connection between the lyrics, melody and what I wanted to express in that moment of my life. I was like "damn, that's exactly who I am now".
I took the precaution to release the track for 2 years but now that it's out it feels great. "
________
POP
[LIMANA, ITALY]
JONTHA LINKS
SMOKEY MARKUS
JONTHA LINKS
April 18
Image credit: Artist
________
" Music is something that's been in front of us our entire lives. But when we first moved to California, we actually headed straight to "Silicon Valley" to pursue careers in tech.
Things were good but they didn't feel quite right. For the first time in our lives, we didn't feel present as creators.
After a lot of reflection, we decided to return to our roots and prioritize what made us happy.
Since moving to LA, we've begun to find our niche, blending genres like punk, electronic and hip-hop that we listened to a lot growing up.
It's super exciting and we're looking forward to dropping more projects this year. "
________
HIP-HOP/RAP, PUNK AND ELECTRONIC
[LA, CALIFORNIA]
SMOKEY MARKUS
SMOKEY MARKUS
SMOKEY MARKUS
March 23
Image credit: Artist
________
" A couple years ago when I just got back home from the States I was looking for a purpose, something to do that would fulfill me after my studies.
As I started experimenting with some close friends’ passions, I realized how I've always vibed and responded instinctively with music.
Around that same time, my big brother had just been diagnosed with cancer and probably gave me the best piece of advice I’ve ever received.
He said "whatever that is, make sure you choose one lane, and stick with it, through everything. No matter what anybody says, if you think you're supposed to do this, just go all in so you never have any regrets." "
________
HIP-HOP/RAP
[PARIS, FRANCE]
AUSTIN LAM
SMOKEY MARKUS
SMOKEY MARKUS
March 16
Image credit: Sapphire HeaArt
________
" I’m just a kid who doesn’t know how to do anything else but make music. Born to entertain and nothing is ever enough.
Singing has been my passion since I learned that I could when I was little. Bands never worked out so I decided to become a solo artist because I can’t be without music in my life. "
________
R&B
[ATLANTA, GEORGIA]
SHADOW JENKINS
SHADOW JENKINS
SHADOW JENKINS
February 1
Image credit: Artist
________
" Shadow Jenkins is a musical project by Sloane Simpson, Tom Furby and Joe Thiang. We started out in Joe's home garage studio experimenting on analog synths, samples we've collected over years of making music combined with Sloane improvising random lyrics and melodies.
The chorus melody for the song "Wild" was the last thing that was recorded one night after Sloane was ready to call it. Joe convinced Sloane to just try singing over one more idea - and that's how we arrived at our first single.
We then developed the song further with our friends @cambomusic and @lou_koo_music in Los Angeles. Tom and Joe happened to be in LA together and were able to get studio time with Cambo.
He helped develop the production and the unique vocal tonality you hear on the finished song. This was the first time Sloane had heard his vocal recorded with this type of production - his reaction was pretty funny and he was super amazed.
We've had a great time so far creating music, playing a small run of live shows in Australia with our friends @vancouversleepclinic - but looking forward to creating more in the studio and live in 2020. "
________
ELECTRONIC POP
[BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA]
KVNE
SHADOW JENKINS
SHADOW JENKINS
January 27
Image credit: Teagan Walker
________
" I started doing this as a writer and engineer, writing songs for artists that either had no real drive or means of releasing and marketing the music.
Being a single dad I didn’t really know how well it would go pursuing this as a career, but within a year and a half, I’ve surpassed a million streams on Spotify, had multiple placements on some of Spotify’s bigger editorial playlists (such as New Music Friday Latin, Nuevo Flow, Shisha Lounge, & Just Vibing), 4 tours and over 50 shows including opening for for @virginiatovegas, @madchild & @lilwindex.
2020 is about to blow. That’s a promise. "
________
HIP-HOP/RAP AND R&B
[CAMBRIDGE, CANADA]
CASSIE MARIN
SHADOW JENKINS
CASSIE MARIN
January 7
Image credit: Artist
________
" It always felt like I was doing something wrong if I wasn't writing or singing. I was and still am quite shy at times, and singing in front of strangers always felt easier than singing for my family or loved ones.
It seems a little corny to say but I don't feel as if I chose the artistic path of music for my career, it's simply all I know how to do.
Fashion and other creative outlets have become fascinating to me as I've grown, but nothing would matter without music at my very core.
There is this lightheaded feeling I get when I'm performing. All thoughts leave my mind and it is almost blank other than the emotion I'm allowing to flow through me like a current of electricity that connects me and whomever I am singing to.
This is the feeling I live for. An implicit understanding. I wouldn't give it up for the world. "
________
ELECTRONIC POP AND R&B
[LA, CALIFORNIA]
WOLF SAGA
DON KENOBI
CASSIE MARIN
December 16
Image credit: Artist
________
" At the age of 18, I reconnected with my culture when I started working at N'Amerind, a friendship centre in London, Ontario.
I remember that was the first real experience dealing with proud Indigenous people. I learned quite a lot in the four months I worked there, about finding my own identity, and where I kind of belong in the Indigenous community.
That time really started to mold me too as an artist … hearing about Indigenous issues, and subconsciously deep down knowing that it would be something that I'd like to push in my artistry. "
________
ELECTRONIC POP
[LONDON, ONTARIO]
DON KENOBI
DON KENOBI
DON KENOBI
December 5
Image credit: Artist
________
" Before fully going into music, I played college baseball at Walsh University. We had a weekend series in Nashville, Tennessee my Junior Year in 2016.
Somehow, the school we played, Treveca, knew I made music and they really messed with it so when we were taking batting practice before the game my song “This Afternoon” was playing in the stadium.
It was a fire moment for sure. "
________
HIP-HOP/RAP
[CANTON, OHIO]