Browsing Tag

film

You’re The One To Blame: Areeyedee grows tired of the complaining on You Can SMC

With new music out every two weeks while his prodigious mind sparks new possibilities, Areeyedee is in no mood to have his time squandered by someone who just doesn’t get it on You Can SMC.

Areeyedee is a multi-genre artist who was born in Kansas, raised in Texas and is now residing in Darmstadt, Germany while making mesmerizing tracks not many humans thought possible before.

In his younger years, Areeyedee was the lead singer in a rock band in the 90’s. Hip Hop came into his life several years ago as he was offered the role of a hip-hop artist in a feature film. As he dove deep into this character he fell in love with the history behind hip-hop music.” ~ Areeyedee

You Can SMC from Darmstadt, Germany-based indie hip-hop, rock, pop, country and EDM-fused creative Areeyedee is a fiery statement track which will fuel many fires within.

Performed with a terrific edge and never letting go for even a second, we find ourselves swept into a wind-filled tunnel of honesty. There are raw elements to unpack with gleeful abandon here, with a rather ear-tingling beat to turn up rather loud too.

Listen up on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Lucy Chan Interview on A&R Factory: Mr Apologetic and letting us into her vulnerable new release

The A&R Factory Team recently had the pleasure of sitting down with the ultra-talented 19-year-old singer-songwriter and actress, Lucy Chan. Showing us deeply into her young music career so far, her debut album, and her love of film, we find a truly focused creative who is ready for world domination.

Hello there Lucy Chan. We truly appreciate you taking the time to speak with us. How are you doing today and please let us know where you are in the world as we speak?

Lucy: Hi!! Thank you so much for having me! I’m currently based in Sydney, Australia. I’m doing alright, hope you are too!

Mr Apologetic is your latest single and this is an absolute anthem. What does this song mean to you and what should listeners take from this experience?

Lucy: Thank you so much! This song is super close to my heart. I wrote this song about a person that meant a lot to me. It’s definitely my most vulnerable and honest song that I’ve released so far. I truly believe that everyone has a person in their love life that floats in and out, but it never really is the end of your story with them. It’s often that same person that you constantly forgive, even after everything that’s happened. So, I wrote this for that person in my life. This song is the second single from a project that I’ve been working on for a while – my debut album. I’m super excited to put it out there sometime this year, I feel like it’s definitely a lot more mature than my EP. The rest of the album also comes from a very honest place, which isn’t something that I really explored on my EP. It’s a scary thing to face your true emotions, but it’s also super important.

Songwriting is the one place where I can truly be myself, and completely face what I’m feeling and dealing with. Every song off my album comes from either a place of heartbreak or true happiness. As for what listeners should take from this experience, I really hope that everyone can relate to it on some level. I know everyone has that person in their life, so hopefully, this song can remind them of that person. If it provides some sort of escapism for listeners, then I’d be very content.

What is it like being the niece of the legendary band manager Leslie Chan? Does it add extra pressure on you or has it helped with your career instead?

Lucy: Honestly, coming from such a musical family, and being the niece of Leslie Chan has definitely helped with my career and goals a lot. My uncle is a very helpful and honest person when it comes to me and my career. Because of this, I am able to constantly improve my songwriting, and performing. I’m super grateful to have been guided by his advice so far in my career. It allows me to have greater expectations of myself as an artist so I’m definitely very grateful.

My mum has been a super helpful person in my life as well. She’s a Chinese classical musician, so her guidance has always been very appreciated. I am also classically trained – I began piano lessons at the age of 4, so having that kind of background has been a really great influence on my pop music. I definitely do acknowledge my privilege, and I’m super grateful for it. But I also feel that without hard work, nothing will work out. So even though there is that connection, there is a lot of hard work that comes after it.

Besides music, what else are you most passionate about at the moment?

Lucy: I’ve always been very passionate about film and acting, along with my music! During the pandemic, my dad managed to write a few short films, that are currently in the making. I got to be a part of it, so I’m super grateful for that. I’m currently on my uni break, so I’ve been working on a lot of my own scriptwriting and acting on the side as well. Fingers crossed that one day they’ll take off and become real films!

Please tell us more about your experiences at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and how the studies advanced your songwriting process and skillset in general.

Lucy: The con (which is the nickname for the Sydney Conservatorium of Music) is an incredible place. I just finished up my second year there, so I’m going into my third year this year! I study musicology at the con, which is so different from what I’m doing with my career, but it’s definitely helped a lot. Studying classical music, alongside theory subjects and music history has definitely shaped the way I compose my pop songs. When you study classical music, you’re essentially studying the basis for all music. It’s fundamental to any musician.

For example, when I sit down at my piano in my room to write songs, I always consider adding classical elements to my pop songs, even if it is a small factor. Most of the time, it’ll be a chord progression. Studying at the con is an amazing experience. You’re surrounded by the most talented musicians in the country, which gives you a lot of motivation to constantly improve your art. On the other hand, it gives you chances to work with other incredibly talented musicians.

What advice would you give to young artists trying to make it in this fickle business?

Lucy: I think that if you truly want to succeed in this industry, you have got to have a strong mindset, and the ability to deal with pressure and constant failure. You’ve got to focus on yourself and career, and not get distracted by anything that comes your way. In this industry, you’ll constantly be put down again and again, but if you’re able to grow and learn from those failures, and still keep trying, then you’re on the right road. It’s also important to remember that not everyone will like you, so if you’re ready to put up with all of that, and spend most of your time on your craft, then you’ll get somewhere.

Last question. What are your long-term goals in music and where do you see everything headed creative-wise?

Lucy: I’ve had the same goals in music for as long as I can remember. I’ve always wanted to sing and write songs and perform them. I just want to keep making music and keep doing what I love and see where that takes me. I have so many dreams and goals – I’d love to move to Los Angeles after graduation. I have got a lot of improvement to do in my art, and a lot to learn, so I’m keen for that. As an artist, it’s crucial to constantly set new goals and try to improve yourself. There’s a lot of space for improvement in my music. Hopefully, in the next 10 years, I’ll be able to achieve my goals and aspirations for my career!

Listen up to this fine song on Spotify. View more news on her IG.

Interview by Llewelyn Screen

Hua-Hsuan Tseng shows us what true serenity sounds like with the exceptional instrumental, ‘Dreaming’

With her glorious elegance on full display and we find a marvellous visionary who is headed for the top, Hua-Hsuan Tseng might have your whole body in happy raptures with her new gem, ‘Dreaming‘.

Hua-Hsuan Tseng is a Taiwan-born, Los Angeles-based composer and sound designer who makes remarkable soundscapes for film and visual media.

Her music blends a wide range of genres, including classical, electronic, Chinese, and pop. A dedicated collaborator, Hua strives to create a unique soundscape for each project by blurring the line between music and sound design to make a cohesive score.​” ~ Hua-Hsuan Tseng

After gaining respect from her graduation awards at the National Taiwanese University of Arts and Columbia College Chicago, Hua-Hsuan Tseng presents us with something rather dynamic and wrapped with intricate goodness that has taken her years to form in her incredibly innovative mind.

Owing to her diverse musical background, Hua’s compositions cover a variety of genres, from orchestral scores to hybrid compositions.” ~ Hua-Hsuan Tseng

Dreaming‘ from Taiwan-born, Los Angeles-based composer and sound designer Hua-Hsuan Tseng is a slice of peace that has been missing from the world for too long. Urging us to open up our minds and to never give up from where we want to go in life, this is a a brilliant single that might have you smiling rather broadly.

Delightful music like this is exactly what the world needs more of.

Hear this lovely single on Spotify and see more vibes on the IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Finding Yourself: New Zealand legend Keith Ballantyne finds the right path on ‘WhereAreYou?’

From the pit orchestra in his youth, to touring South Africa for nine months, performing live with James Brown and studying jazz, Keith Ballantyne has done it all in the music world and is back with a majestic instrumental creation called ‘WhereAreYou?‘.

Keith Ballantyne is a supremely multi-talented Ponsonby in Auckland, New Zealand-based acclaimed music composer for over thirty-five years. He makes that classic music for film, television and theater, his special touch heard throughout as he shows us what timeless creations sound like.

A true music connoisseur who’s had a highly impressive career, who started his journey as a professional trumpet player touring around New Zealand in the early 1970’s. Soon after, Keith’s life changed forever after selling a house and joined Keith Hunter and Bruce Morrison to create Sprocket Films. It was a huge risk at the time as fairly few New Zealand documentaries were selling overseas, but the gamble was certainly worth it.

You feel like you are in a time machine while turning this one up loud, as the varying layers has you so intrigued, as you get lost for a minute and wonder how it feels when he makes music. His mind is so in tune with countless many different facets and genres that he has experienced. This is so far away from the cheese of today, his skillful art flows above all else and makes you appreciate a true student of the game.

WhereAreYou?‘ from Auckland’s legendary music composer Keith Ballantyne, is a fascinating journey through the layers of this phenomenally talented composers soul, who uses his wide variety of skills to formulate something so pure.

Finding where you are in life is so important in this overly complicated world after all, so that you may walk down the right road for your soul to be content and happy in.

Stream this fine song on Soundcloud and see his FB for more.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

When you need saving: Daniel Ryan-Astley sings about the ‘The Darkness’ all around him during these challenging times

Daniel Ryan-Astley makes his fascinating foray into the often-fickle music world with his dashing debut track called ‘The Darkness‘.

Brantford, southwestern Ontario, Canada-based indie-folk singer-songwriter, actor, future film actor and social activist Daniel Ryan-Astley, is a creative force who makes music to explore his boundaries from within, so he can eloquently express his deepest fears and dreams.

After many years of community theatre productions, this intense training helps him make meaningful art that goes beyond normal conventions. His music is from the heart and you can feel the pain entrenched into the deepest fibers of his beating heart.

This is a debut to remember as we are treated to a young man with bags of potential and he seems like a soul who when he sets his mind to something, he achieves his goals no matter what the obstacle he needs to climb.. With an eager attitude to be in music and slowly get into the film, he shows that extra courage and belief needed to grab that star and shine brightly from within.

The Darkness‘ from Brantford, Canada’s Daniel Ryan-Astley is a message of pain and disillusionment with the worlds current affairs as he struggles to keep his head above water. This is a sadly common trait that is unfortunately very common at the moment and fighting this feeling to look deep within himself to find goodness, is the key to staying afloat on this wind-hit yacht of life.

A little help from a good friend or kind face is the way to finding that extra positive motivation to swim with your head up high and glide to new waters.

Hear this creative soul on his Spotify and see more via IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

A Christmas song to bring shelter to those less fortunate: ‘New Beginnings’ from the sweet soul Julia Thomsen ushers in light from darkness

‘The things you take for granted someone else is praying for’.

New Beginnings‘ from the music wonder that is Julia Thomsen, gives the world a peaceful song to embrace and never let go, Despite all the doom and gloom in the world, we must always remember that away from the tv sets, there is still beauty out there and we must never give up while looking for it.

Julia Thomsen is a London-based Neo-classical film tv composer who makes music to relax the tired body, mind and soul, who is a leading light in everything that is pure with the world. She is a supremely talented creative who brings back that genuine feel, that washes away all of your self-doubt and replaces it with a cinematic piece of magnificence.

The spectacular instrumental is so peaceful and reminds you of a romantic movie, the carefully crafted song is something so needed and a small tear will probably roll down your cheek, as you smile and know that life will be back to almost-normal this time next year. The rainbow will come again and we can see close friends and family, albeit with a bit more caution than before; until we can fully heal inside.

New Beginnings‘ is a song made to help others less fortunate during this time of year and Julia Thomsen shows us that love and light is still around and strong during this incredibly challenging time. This is a new melody of beauty that will help you relax and think positive thoughts while you mediate or listen to this while you are working from home. Love does win in the end and together, we can all help in some way.

Please support this worthwhile cause of assisting those homeless right now and help Julia to get to the desired target on Justgiving.

Stream her peaceful message via Spotify and see more from Julia on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen