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Interview: Kyle Richardson keeps it golden on the heart-wide open chat about his cosy new release Anything

Posted on 18 August 2023

Vancouver-based pop artist and renowned writer Kyle Richardson recently dropped his brand new single Anything and we wanted to know more about it. We sat down with Kyle and learned more about the Canadian music landscape, his career, the creative process, diversity and representation in music, gaming, and his ideal pre-gig routine.

Hi Kyle, thanks so much for blessing us with your valuable time. How is Vancouver today and how do you normally start your day? A cuppa coffee or a long walk? Or straight to the studio for some vocal warm-ups?

Thanks for chatting with me! Today is a very nice, warm summer day here in Vancouver. Usually I sleep pretty late (I’m a night owl), start the day with some form of caffeine, watch some entertainment business related stuff on YouTube, listen to some music, and either chill before heading into my job, or work on some music (either learn a cover song, practice singing something of mine, work on new song ideas).

Anything. This is your hot new single and we love the vibe. Who have you made the track for and what does it all mean to you? Also the video was tremendous. Who was the team behind it all?

Thank you for the kind words! I’m so happy with how Anything turned out.

It’s truly been a labor of love, and time. I wrote the song many years ago before I ever even moved to Vancouver. I had shown collaborators the demo I made at the time, and no one really took the bait in terms of turning it into a full production. Years later, I circled back to the demo and again showed it to collaborators as I still loved the song. This time, producer Jeff Dawson loved the demo and we quickly finished the single version you hear today!

I wrote the song about the belief that small moments of kindness can really make all the difference in your relationships, whether it’s a romantic relationship, or a friendship. It’s also about making sure you take the time to let your loved ones know how much they mean to you.

The video was directed by AJ Astle of Roadhouse Productions in Toronto. It was a really fun day of shooting. We had a very limited window of time to get those beautiful beams of light through the windows you see during the chorus of the song, but I really wanted that bright, ethereal kind of look to bring out the vibe that the choruses are delivering.

Louder Than Words is your debut album that is due to be dropped into our awaiting ears this fall. What can fans expect and what was the process like to create something you’re proud of? It must be quite the journey. What have you learnt along the way?

It was a really fun process to create the album. We really went song by song. I basically had a period of time in which I wanted to commit to writing and recording one song at a time. I really wanted to focus on vocals and melody, and create some beautiful and heartfelt songs to comprise the album. Doing the album one song at a time – and truly taking time with each one to make sure they were perfect – really meant no songs were wasted. We really only wrote and recorded exactly what’s being presented on the album, and towards the end of the process we looked back at some older demos I had worked on throughout the years (for example, Anything, Can You Hear Me, and Keep The Faith were all older songs I had always wanted to do something special with), and filled out the project with the best songs that I had never given proper time to finish and get fully produced.

We see that you love your gaming. What kind of games do you like and which is the best platform, PC, Playstation or XBox?

Honestly I am pretty diverse in terms of which platform I choose to game on, except PC. I’m not really into PC gaming as I’m more of a Mac user. My favorite gaming platform is Nintendo Switch, as I’m a huge Mario junkie. I love basically all the major Nintendo franchises like of course Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Splatoon, Yoshi, and the party games like Mario Kart, Mario Party, and fun stuff like that to play with friends. I do really enjoy Playstation 5 and the Xbox platforms as well for games like the recent (and upcoming) Spider-Man games as I love Marvel comics, also games like Uncharted and Tomb Raider. The Lego games are fun takes on some of my favorite franchises, and the recent Star Wars Jedi games are also incredible and have such good storylines!

What are your top 5 favourite movies ever and why? In any order. You can even sneak in a few more if you like, we don’t mind.

I love movies. I go to the theatre almost every week and sometimes more than once in a week. So a favorites list is tough! I will say my fave movie trilogy of all time is Back To The Future. I love pretty much the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe and all the older Spider-Man movies (even the infamous Spider-Man 3). I love The Conjuring franchise, even if all the spin-off movies aren’t necessarily as good as the first two original movies. The two Sister Act movies starring Whoopi Goldberg are movies I’ve turned to my entire life as fun, musical, escapist movies and I probably watch them both once a year when I need a good cheer-up.

Carly Rae Jepsen, DYLN, and Garrett Neiles. You’ve written songs for these outstanding artists. What makes a great hit song and what does it feel like when one of the songs you write makes it onto TV or into the mainstream so successfully? It must make all the hard work worth it surely? How do you stay humble throughout this discovery?

Well in terms of Carly Rae Jepsen and DYLN,I wrote songs with them that were intended to be released by me! These two songs haven’t ever seen the light of day as fully-finished tracks but never say never. I was writing with a lot of artists to get a better grip on who I am myself as an artist, and collaboration is such a good chance to really see what works and what doesn’t work. I did write a song with Jeff Dawson and Garrett Neiles for Garrett’s project, and I am not sure if he’s recorded the tune yet, but it was a lovely ballad as he wanted to write a more emotional song.

It’s really cool when I see a song I’ve been a part of get picked up for a placement on a TV show, it really does give a sense of being on the right track, and it makes me want to create more songs that are even better and can have an even broader scope to reach more people! Creating a hit song is not something that can always be planned. I find I just want to create something honest and fun that I would want to listen to myself, and see how that can resonate with others.

Lastly, how do you feel the music industry can be better with diversity and representation in the industry? Also, does Ai music scare you and do you feel it threatens the long-term future of musicians?

The music industry, and any industry whether creative or otherwise, can only be improved with more diversity and inclusiveness for all people. Everyone has a different background, a different story, and a different perspective. I think everyone wants to feel represented in the media they consume, and I think the more diverse that art and media gets, the more potential audience it can reach. I am not sure how I feel about AI music, I think the human touch and perspective, and talent is important to create something emotional that will have a better chance of really connecting with an audience.

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Check out this fine new single on YouTube.

See more of this journey on IG.

Interviewed by Llewelyn Screen

IMMORTALIZER unified a legion of metal fans with ‘We Were Born for Metal’, featuring Ralf Scheepers

Posted on 15 August 2023

The one-man metal powerhouse Dave D.R. has been storming through the Ontario rock and metal scene with his project, IMMORTALIZER, especially after the release of his debut LP, Born for Metal, produced by none other than Ralf Scheepers of Primal Fear fame.

The standout single, We Were Born for Metal, sees IMMORTALIZER wear their influences on their sleeve, but there was plenty of room for the originality engineered by their determination to bring something new to the metal genre. Giving Black Sabbath and Metallica fans a reason to turn away from their favourite records is no easy feat. By breeding something devilishly distinctive in the atmosphere of his seminal single, attention was soon piqued by the tune of fresh blood entering the territory.

The phenomenon that We Were Born for Metal became after its debut earlier this year goes to show how intrinsically linked identity and music are. Scenes are more than tribes; they’re lifeblood, and if anyone can mainline metal into your veins, it is IMMORTALIZER with their classic metal riffs and vocals that galvanise as they unify and defy expectation.

The official music video has garnered over 321k streams. Indulge in the furore by heading to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Songs My Mother Never Taught Me: Manella sparks our imagination to life in a thought-provoking interview you have to read to believe

Posted on 13 August 2023

Gracing us with a remarkable interview to teach us all about her emotional debut album, Songs My Mother Never Taught Me, the tenderly expressive Canadian artist Manella shows us through the different stages of heartbreak and healing. Inspired by her Mom and her 1st music teacher, we are blessed to be in the presence of a proper musician who sings with a spine-tingling beauty to behold.

Q: Hello Manella. Thank you for chatting with us today. Where in the world are you located currently and what was the last song you listened to?

A: I am in Montréal, Canada, and the last song I listened to was The Mysterious Vanishing of Electra by Anna von Hausswolf, really powerful stuff!

Q”Please tell us more about your new album Songs My Mother Never Taught Me?

A: Songs My Mother Never Taught Me is a concept album about the stages of a breakup and then subsequent healing. It’s not your typical breakup album, however, diving into themes such as mental health, objectification, sexual violence, and the loss of innocence as we grow older. The lessons of life that a parent couldn’t prepare you for, but rather you have to live through. But don’t worry it comes with a pretty hopeful ending!

Q: Why did you release this music to the world and has it been scary dropping your first release?

A: For sure the whole process has been scary but also incredibly exciting! It’s wonderful to be able to share the music I’ve been making over the past year and a half and finally show it to the world! The why is that during the pandemic as live music stopped, venues closed their doors, and I graduated from music school, it was finally time to believe in myself and record my music. It has been a slow process and I’m a perfectionist so it took even longer to get everything to where I wanted it to be, but I had a great team of people who helped and supported me every step of the way, I’m definitely eternally grateful for them!

Q: How did you get into music and do you remember the first time you were on stage?

Q: Ever since I can remember I’ve been singing, and I started playing piano from an early age as well. My first music teacher in elementary school, Ms. Primeau, encouraged my mom to get me piano lessons and got me singing in all types of musical projects at school. My first time on stage was in those days as well, I was 5 and had to get dragged off stage by my parents after singing for a classroom of students in Mexico via Skype.

A: Who inspires you to be the best at whatever you do?

A: My parents for sure, they are incredibly encouraging, inspiring, supportive as well as honest when they need to be. Whenever they give me advice or motivation it comes from the heart, and I always want to do my best for them.

Q: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

A: “Be a sponge!” It sounds kind of weird but I remember going to a Meredith Monk masterclass in university and when she said this, it stuck with me! She was saying that in whatever artistic environment you’re in you should be taking all the lessons and knowledge in, like a sponge! So I take this advice into every collaboration, workshop, lesson and session. You can learn so much from fellow artists if you’re willing to open yourself up to their knowledge and experience, it’s definitely how I’ve grown the most as an artist.

Q: Are there any special music spots in your local area we should check out?

A: Oh man, there’s so many! I’ll give three local spots I love that host a variety of diverse local and indie acts! The Diving Bell Social Club, L’escogriffe, and Verre Bouteille! I love going and hearing new music at all these venues, and have also had the chance to perform at each as well! I highly recommend checking them out if you’re ever in Montréal!

Q: Last, what are your goals for the rest of 2023?

A: To collaborate as much as I can, and of course, be a sponge! I really love working with and learning from other musicians and artists, it’s one of the best ways to grow not only artistically but as an individual. I have some great collaborations lined up this next year that I’m really looking forward to, and I hope to be a fully drenched sponge full of ideas, lessons, and musical moments by the end of 2023.

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Hear more from this fine artist on Spotify.

Interview by Llewelyn Screen

Move Over Eilish, Rallen is Reigning Supreme as the Ultimate Bad Guy in His New RnB Hit, Berserk

Posted on 10 August 2023

Winnipeg-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Rallen caressed the roots of RnB with the dreamily nostalgic melodicism in his latest single, Berserk.

Much like the rest of his discography, the short and salaciously sweet release gives an intimate view into his psyche around the soaring sax notes and 80s-esque synth lines. The contrast between his candour and honeyed harmonies gives the release an oceanic depth as he attests to choosing pleasure over peace and professes to be anything but the perfect romantic protagonist.

If any single proves that we’re all just tormented people trying to get by, using sexual currency to find our worth, it is Berserk. Rallen’s commitment to sonically visualising his experience of adversity and affliction has established him as one of the most authentic acts on the RnB scene. It is only a matter of time before he reigns as supreme as the Weeknd.

Berserk was officially released on July 14^th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pick up Propter Hawk’s seminal blues rock release, Telephone

Posted on 5 August 2023

Fill up your whiskey glass and pick up the seminal single, Telephone, from Propter Hawk – if you can lift the heavy with swaggering rock n roll riffs, that is.

As a born rock frontwoman, Malorie Blake on lead vocals knows just how to pay homage to bluesy overdriven rock with her authentically Americana high-octane vocal lines which effortlessly gel with the if-they’d-be-any-tighter-they’d-be-claustrophobic instrumentals as they weave through eras and genres with ease.

With influence from The Beatles, The Band, and Otis Redding feeding into their amalgamated free bird sonic signature, you’ve never encountered an outfit quite like Propter Hawk before, nor are you ever likely to with their commitment to authenticity and their devilishly distinctive use of distortion on their vintage gear.

If you’re desperate to hear more after Telephone, you only have two weeks to wait before the release to wait before the official launch of the debut eponymous LP, which is due for release on August 18th.

Telephone is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

For more info on Propter Hawk, check out their official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Don’t you tie me Down: OCILIO drops ear-opening debut track Give Me Light

Posted on 24 July 2023

Tired of being left in the dark and feeling so cold for far too long, OCILIO needs his bones to recover from all past pain via the body-grooving new single to be enthralled by, Give Me Light.

OCILIO is a Mykonos, Greece-born, Canada-based indie electronic music producer and chill house artist who assembles the kind of songs that will beam a smile on previously miserable faces.

Taking us by our hand and guiding us into a much better time and place, OCILIO has superpowers that will surely enchant everyone who takes a worthwhile listen. This is a special soundtrack which is worthy of all playlists.

Give Me Light from the Canada-based electronic music producer OCILIO is such a massive song that is monumental in nature and important in context. This is the kind of single to change moods around and strike away any frightening energy, which needs to be vanquished forever.

If you need the pulse to wake up again, this is the single you needed.

Hear the vibe manifest on Spotify.

See more of his energy come to life on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Dream Baby Dream with Cati Landry’s indie pop installation of etherealism, Mind’s Eye

Posted on 22 July 2023

With vocal lines that hypnotise as they harmonise, Cati Landry’s indie dream pop single, Mind’s Eye, will instantly put you under its ethereal spell. As the lead guitars bend licks of Americana into the notes, the rhythm guitars keep the 90s indie dream alive in their steady spills of instrumental romanticism.

The Canadian singer-songwriter set to create the ultimate anthem for the diehard romantics who find themselves consistently contending with the juxtaposition between dreams and reality; given that she made romantic expectations all the more unrealistic with her butterfly-releasing release, it is safe to say she succeeded in her enchanting record, which deserves to be just as revered as Swift’s latest LP. I highly recommend investing in Cati Landry’s promising career before you have to take out a second mortgage for her gig tickets too.

Mind’s Eye was officially released on July 14; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The world humbled me: Othello pulls away from the darkness on SZA 4 NGAZ

Posted on 1 July 2023

On a steamy track to heat up fragile windows, Othello is in no mood for loneliness and performs with a stunning brilliance which will certainly heal all sad hearts on SZA 4 NGAZ.

Othello is a well-travelled New York City-based RnB/neo-soul artist who was born in Montreal with Congolese heritage deep in his veins and shows us his inspiring determination on each track.

Moving away from those previously harsh tough times which threatened to sway him into the darkness of gloom, Othello is in top form and sings with so much love and rides the wave inside a whirlpool of the confusing romantic world we find ourselves in.

Fueled with his gospel energy and featuring terrific lyrics to lather deeper into, we are treated to a rising musician who sings from the heart.

SZA 4 NGAZ from New York City-based RnB/neo-soul artist Othello is a rather special ear-tingling experience to turn up on full volume. There is much to be thrilled about no matter what genre you’re usually into, as our emotions are taken on a breathless voyage to that happy place.

Listen up deeper on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Bring The Party: ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE drops from the sky to sends us into a new galaxy with an enlightning interview

Posted on 20 June 2023

Teaching us much about the music scene, fearless self-taught artist/sound engineer ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE tells us all about his hot new party-all-night new single Earthquake and about life as a Canadian musician plus an in-depth look into what his ideal Maserati looks like while kindly letting us ride shotgun with him.

Llewelyn: Thanks so much for joining us ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE as we appreciate you taking the time. Firstly, what is your ideal night out and who is joining you?

ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE: Hi, thank you very much for having me. It’s an honor to have a chance to be interviewed by such a respected music blog as yourselves. My ideal night out would definitely have to be hitting a club or bar downtown with my people and having many drinks. I love seeing where the night takes us and being able to create great memories to inspire future music. If I’m not going out, I love spending long nights in the studio creating music. That’s where I truly find inner peace.

Llewelyn: Let’s chat about your latest sizzler. Earthquake might have stunned our speakers awake and we like it a lot. What was the vision behind the track and please tell us who was involved in the creation.

ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE: Very glad to hear that you guys loved it. I appreciate the kind words. When talking about the vision of this song, it starts with me and my brother from Nigeria, Pupa Tee. Now with this being our third release together, we knew we had to make it as good as our first two. I had asked him if he wanted to try something smoother this time since our last two were party songs. However, he insisted that we should keep the party going even stronger. That’s when I knew that I had to make something harder than we ever have so far. This is what inspired me to write the first two lines of the song as soon as I heard the beat; “So they say they wanna party, so you know I’ll bring the party,” & the rest of it kind of just followed effortlessly.

I am fortunate to be able to work alongside such a talented artist as Pupa Tee because he’s always able to match my energy on whatever curve ball I throw his way. I had asked him to find another artist that would be able to do the same cause I figured this song needed a third artist to make it even more compelling. This is when he brought on his friend Rhaffy who usually sticks to his producing / sound engineering side. However this time, Rhaffy clearly demonstrated how effortless it is for him to sing and flow just as well. This is how it all came together and we genuinely hope it can light up the summer for everyone.

Llewelyn: What is your favourite kind of Maserati and what colour is it? Also, would you let us ride shotgun with you (even for a little while)?

ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE: Hahaha, I’d definitely let you guys ride shotgun any time you’d like. If I’m lucky maybe our next interview can take place inside a Maserati. The funny part of the Maserati lyric in the song, is that Maserati isn’t even my favourite sports car. A Rolls Royce would probably have to be. The lyric was supposed to represent that as two girls are fighting over me, like the historic battles between Ford and Ferrari, that I had already moved on to another girl. I’m not a fan of drama. However, if I was fortunate enough to own a Maserati, I would definitely black out the entire car and rims.

Llewelyn: Montreal, Canada is your home. What is the local music scene like at the moment and where are the best spots to find the next great artists who are on the rise?

ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE: Montreal is actually so culturally diverse, which is one of my favourite parts of living here. You have food, music & art from all around the world at your disposal at any time. There are so many talented artists in the city, many of which I’m lucky to call friends. If you’re looking to find upcoming artists, the best way is to go downtown and there are many bars and clubs that host live shows and you’ll surely find some dope artists that are still under the radar.

Llewelyn: You love making midnight songs. Is that who you make music for? Those who love to live a little and get away from real life for a few hours?

ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE: Yes, I describe my sound as midnight music. The reason behind the name is because every chance I get, I’m usually awake till 5-6 am in the studio. It’s when the world is the quietest and I can feel the most. I like to keep my music as realistic as possible & I believe the listener can tell if you’re faking it. So if I’m trying to make music for those who love the nightlife then I have to ensure that I’m making music at night time. I believe my sound carries a darkness to it and I can credit the smooth feelings I feel at night as the reason behind it.

Llewelyn: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received in life and has there been a specific moment when you went..wow…that is actually so true?

ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE: Wow, that’s a tough question. I have definitely been fortunate enough to have many mentors outside of the music industry and trying to narrow one down isn’t easy. Off the top of my head, I remember hearing that being grateful is the key to happiness and long-term success. The more I stopped looking at what I don’t have and started appreciating what I do have, each day became easier to live. I truly believe that if you take the time to be grateful each day, for even the smallest things, it helps you stay grounded and allows you to focus on moving towards a positive direction instead of dwelling on the things that aren’t going as well. We all are struggling, some worse than others, but instead of looking at things we can’t control, we can take a step forward each day to focus on bettering ourselves and our surroundings through the things that we actually have control of, such as being grateful.

Llewelyn: Last question. What is the end goal? Where do you want to be in 5 years and do you see your sound changing at all?

ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE: My true end goal is to find happiness. I believe that is what we are all searching for. Making music every day truly allows me to feel inner peace and takes me one step closer to that goal every day. I truly just want to make enough money off of my music to be able to do it for a living. I also want to touch as many people around the globe as possible and allow them to feel the feelings I feel while creating the music. My sound is always growing since I started making music and whichever direction my sound takes me in the future, my goal is just to stay true to myself and maintain that ACTHEKIDFROMSPACE sound that I’ve always had.

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Turn up this up louder on Spotify and get the party started.

Follow the vibes and upcoming show news on IG.

Interviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Spotlight Feature: Ella Rossi negated adorated anxiety in her ethereal indie soul pop sophomore single, Linen

Posted on 16 June 2023

After finding her voice as a jazz singer, the LA-born, Montreal-based artist Ella Rossi has flourished as one of the most seminal RnB Pop singers of her generation. With a vocal timbre as rich as the staccato guitar chords, few ethereal indie RnB Pop soundscapes spill as much tonal sanctity as her sophomore single, Linen, which explores the sensual highs and the tormenting lows of a relationship you can’t leave in the rearview mirror, despite never knowing where you stand in it, or how the severe the wounds will be when time finally closes on it.

With a vocal range so luxe and rich it would make Elon Musk feel inferior, Ella Rossi is a diamond in the rough; it is only a matter of time before major record labels want to mine her. Her capacity to captivate with her honeyed harmonies and so-radiant-they-glow soundscapes is second to none. Rossi is the ultimate proof that if you stay in your own creative lane, there will be no one out of your expressive league.

Ella Rossi said:

“Linen is about a passionate but complicated relationship and being unable to resist the attraction, despite the potential consequences. The lyric, “wrapped in this linen”, represents a sense of comfort and intimacy while alluding to a feeling of entrapment in a dynamic where there is no longer a clear view of how the other person feels.”

Linen will release ahead of Ella Rossi’s debut EP; stream it via Spotify and SoundCloud from June 16th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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