Ellis Music Magazine Issue 23 by Ellis Music Magazine

Twenty Three

KYLE // Ella Vos // Gary Clark Jr // Lights All Night // Laura Pergolizzi // Masego // Maya B // Oshun // PJ Morton // Darius Scott // Ryan Kelly // State Champs//

EDITION

Twenty Three IN THIS ISSUE OWNER Danielle Ellis HEAD EDITOR Daniel Zewde CREATIVE DIRECTOR Betsy Schuller SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Stephanie Tacy PHOTOGRAPHER Cristobal Arellano

Light Speed World Tour...................................... 3 The Milky Way Tour..............................................4 Ella Vos......................................................................6 Freaky Deaky..........................................................8 Gary Clark Jr.........................................................10 Lights All Night....................................................12

PHOTOGRAPHER Kimani Graham

Laura Pergolizzi...................................................16

PHOTOGRAPHER Jake Tovar

Maya B....................................................................19

Masego...................................................................18

PHOTOGRAPHER Jr Gonzalez

Oshun.....................................................................22

PHOTOGRAPHER Jaron Menzimer

Poetry in Motion.................................................24

PJ Morton & Darius Scott ................................23

REPORTER Gabealla Jasso

Ryan Kelly..............................................................26

CONTRIBUTOR Kris Lori

State Champs.......................................................28

Our Last Night.....................................................27

CONTRIBUTOR Chris Maldonado

SXSW.......................................................................30

MAGAZINE DESIGN Kelly Davenport

Violet Days............................................................43

The Knocks............................................................42

SHOW REVIEW LIGHT SPEED WORLD TOUR Written by: Stephanie tacy Photos by: Stephanie tacy

yle took us to the moon on his Light Speed World Tour stop in Houston, TX November 8th. Concert-goers filed into House of Blues to watch Tobi Lou, Marc E Bassy, and Super Duper Kyle perform. After a brief set from Tobi Lou, Marc E Bassy took the stage. Bassy had all of the ladies in the room swooning as he performed songs including “Do You There” and “You & Me.” He ended his set by jumping into the crowd. A short DJ set later, the crowd was ready for the performance they came for. Super Duper Kyle took to the stage with extreme energy. With the stage as his spaceship, Kyle navigated us through his journey performing songs such as “To the Moon,” “Zoom,” and “Rodeo.” His energy remained high as he jumped and danced around the stage the entire set only stopping for brief banter with his LED screen, the “control” of his spaceship. Kyle continued on to perform “Superduperkyle,” “Playinwitme,” “It’s Yours,” and radio hit “ISpy.”

Ba s

SHOW REVIEW THE MILKY WAY TOUR Written by: Stephanie tacy Photos by: Stephanie tacy

reamville is known for its talented lineup of artists including Ari Lennox, J.I.D., Cozz, Earthgang, and rap powerhouse J. Cole. Despite the immense talent Dreamville artists typically get overlooked especially Abbas Hamad better known by his stage name Bas. The Queens rapper has been making music since 2011 with his debut album with Dreamville and Interscope Records entitled Last Winter. Despite his continuous releases, Bas has not been officially recognized outside of the underground.

On February 20th, hundreds packed tightly into Come and Take It Live in Austin, Texas for The Milky Way Tour in support of Bas’ latest album Milky Way. The intimate venue provided the perfect transfer of energy from performers to the crowd and vice versa. The night began with brief sets from Innanet James and Correy C followed by renowned SoundCloud rapper Rexx Life Raj. Rexx Life focused on getting the crowd hyped as he performed tracks including “Time,” “The Otherside,” “Shit n’ Floss.” He later asked for everyone’s cell phone to be raised in the air. He critiqued our dependence on them as he performed “Handheld GPS.” Once the energy was set, Rexx Life exited the stage, cell phones filled the air as the lights dimmed...

Bas took to the stage in a “Fiends” t-shirt. Bas performed

hits from his newest album, Milky Way, including “Barack Obama,” “Icarus,” and “Front Desk.” The Sudanese rapper even made sure to throw it back for his day one fans with songs including “Night Job,” “Clouds Never Get Old,” and “My N**** Just Made Bail.” Throughout the night Bas proved why he is a staple to the Dreamville label.

INTERVIEW Written by: Stephanie tacy Photos by: Stephanie tacy

Ella Vos How would you describe Ella Vos to someone who has no idea who you are? “My favorite description is like a warm bath for your senses and emotions” What was the inspiration behind your EP Watch & Wait? “I wrote Watch & Wait while I was going through cancer treatment last spring. I set up to write the EP as a way to document what I was going through and I didn’t want to restrict it to just how much this sucks or how sad I am or whatever but to cover all the emotions of what I was feeling during the time and a lot of it ended up being about where I felt I was at in my life and at this point of needing to accept myself again for who I am and where I’m at.” What was the biggest lesson cancer taught you? “It’s just been an ongoing lesson of persistence and just pushing through riding things out.” What are the top 3 most played artists on your phone/ mp3 player? “Lana Del Rey, Joni Mitchell, and White Noise.”

Fans packed tightly into Stubbs Indoors in Austin, Texas September 2nd for a sold out show starring Brent Faiyaz. Faiyaz came into the spotlight after singing the hook on Goldlink’s radio hit single “Crew” in 2017. Last fall he dropped his debut album Sonder Son which served as a autobiography of the Maryland singer’s life and the basis for his tour. Adoring screams filled what little space was left in the venue as a door opened and Brent Faiyaz made his way to the stage in a royal blue stanley cup dad hat, LA Kings shirt, silver chain, black jeans, and Nikes. The tightly filled venue set the atmosphere for what would be an intimate show with plenty of audience engagement. Excited shrieks rose in volume every time Brent made contact with a fan’s hand. Backed by talented bandmates, Faiyaz flexed his vocal range over the hour long set as he performed songs including “Stay Down,” and, “Home.” He continued on to bounce between

What’s your favorite song of the ones you’ve released and why? “ “Cast Away” It just gives me a really good feeling every time I listen to it. It’s one of the few songs that after writing and recording it, I’m not sick to hear it again, I can have it on repeat.” What’s your favorite thing to do outside of music? Do you have any hobbies? “Music is everything. Actually, I hated baking while growing up but only recently have been really into baking. I do it when I am really stressed out and I’ll go in the kitchen at like midnight and bake a cake”

What’s your favorite thing to bake? “Brownies” If you were not doing music, what job do you think you would have? “I think I would be a creative director” If you could live in any other era, past or future, what decade would you live in? “The 20s” Do you have a pre-performance ritual? If so, what is it? “I usually do a short inward reflection but the last two shows me and my keyboardist have done tarot card readings and that was really cool to do before the show” What projects can we expect from you in the near or semi-near future? “I am going to Europe after this [for tour]. I have a collaboration coming up next month. It’s not announced yet but it is with a producer that I love, so that’ll be a good one and then I’m just going to start working on the next album.”

What’s the weirdest DM you have ever received from a fan?? “Oh man, I’ve gotten some really good ones. There’s a gazillion good ones. Okay, this is not the most outrageous, but someone sent me a video of their bird singing along to my song, and I thought that was pretty incredible. I get a lot of animals, a lot of people’s pictures of them and their cats, or just videos of dogs playing together without anything else in it”

PHOTOSET FREAKY DEAKY Written by: Felix tavera Photos by: Felix tavera

PHOTOSET Written by: Stephanie tacy Photos by: Stephanie tacy

FelixTavera

FESTIVAL REVIEW LIGHTS ALL NIGHT Written by: Stephanie tacy Photos by: Stephanie tacy

Thousands crowded into Dallas Market Hall on December 28 and 29th for one of the biggest New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve EDM festivals.

Lights All Night (LAN) celebrated their ninth year with their biggest installment of the fest which provided a music experience that spanned five stages, a new Dreamhack gaming lounge, and art installations. With 30,000 attendees, the sold out festival provided sounds from some of the hottest artists in the EDM realm including Rezz, Kaskade, Tiesto, Diplo, Jai Wolf, Whats So Not, and more.

Despite the crippling cold, attendees dressed in neon, minimalist attire made to show off on the dance floor. The festivals 5 stages were spread out amongst the venue with 3 inside, and 2 outdoors. Supernova, the main stage, was backed by numerous LED screens and lasers providing visually appealing light shows while DJ's spun their hottest tracks. The stage featured sets from Kaskade, Sofi Tukker, Rezz, Diplo, Luca Lush, Ekali, Excision, Tiesto, and Hip hop artist Gucci Mane. Standout sets were provided by Sofi Tukker and Gucci Mane. Sofi Tukker made sure to keep the audience amped by standing and jumping on top of the DJ booth during their set. Gucci Mane took the stage in a Gucci peacoat and beanie as he performed his hits “Trap house 3,” “Wake Up In The Sky,” and the “St. Brick Intro.” Festival-goers belted the lyrics right back as Gucci rapped his hour long set. With a spherical shaped DJ booth, artists such as Quix, Madhatter, Mr.Carmack, Oliver Tree, Jai Wolf, Funtcase, and What So Not graced the indoor Intergalactic stage as festival goers danced, vibed, and head banged to the beat. Along with the two main stages, there was an indoor silent disco where attendees could listen to artists through headphones. Penthouse Penthouse, Lick, Grensta, Krewx, Oxygenate, and more performed under a combination of disco balls and lights which reflected onto the walls making festival-goers feel like they were dancing under the stars. The festival provided numerous creative visuals including performance artists who danced, played with fire, hula hooped, walked on stilts, as well as twisted and turned above the crowd on aerial silk. Alongside these were new interactive art scenes by Sweet Tooth Hotel, “Kinetic Balls,” and 30 foot “Fallen Stars” which provided the perfect backdrop for festival photos. The festivals two outside stages provided an escape from the dark indoors as well as the chance to listen to music while attendees ordered food or warmed up by the fire pits. Lights All Night provided a fun atmosphere and an unforgettable weekend.

PHOTOSET LIGHTS ALL NIGHT

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Written by: Stephanie tacy Photos by: Stephanie tacy

Singer/songwriter Laura Pergolizzi, better known by her stage name LP, has quite the reputation. The LA based artist has had a string of successes including her breakthrough album, Lost On You, as well as writing for some of pop’s hottest stars including Rihanna and Christina Aguilera. LP’s Heart to Mouth Tour brought out hundreds to Emo’s in Austin, TX for a sold out show on March 2nd. The tour follows up LP’s release of her fifth full length album, Heart to Mouth. Couple and music duo Jim & Sam opened up for LP. They joked and laughed in between songs as they performed “Holy Water,” “Pull Over Now,” and “Saturday Morning” in the tightly packed venue. After a brief stage shift, LP and her band made their way to the stage. Audience members shrieked in excitement as LP took to the stage performing “Dreamcatcher” dressed in a style reminiscent of an 80’s rockstar. Concert-goers sang along as LP continued on to perform her songs “When We’re High,” “Dreamer,” “When I’m Over You,” “Sex on Fire,” “The Power,” “Girls Go Wild,” “One Night in the Sun,” and “Recovery.”

Follow LP on Instagram, Twitter, and check her website to see where she is headed next.

LauraPergolizzI

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

Concert-goers packed tightly into The Studio at Warehouse Live in Houston, TX on Sunday November 4th for a sold out performance by trap house jazz guru, Masego. The intimate show presented a noticeable and unwavering exchange of positive energy between the crowd and the musicians. Nigerian-American R&B duo VanJess got the night started performing songs from their debut album, Silk Canvas, including “Addicted,” “Through Enough,” and “Cool Off the Rain.” With a sound reminiscent of 1990s R&B, the duo had the crowd cheering every time they hit a high note. After a brief stage rearrangement, lights dimmed and the Trap House Jazz band took to the stage.Cheers roared as Masego entered the room playing the saxophone. Masego’s energy radiated

Masego through the audience as he performed “Wifeable,” “Ooh Nah Nah,” “Black Love,” and “Lady, Lady.”Masego a selftaught saxophonist, pianist, singer, and producer took time to flex his talents on stage but made sure to give each member of his band the chance to show off their skills as well. Crowd favorites of the night included “Tadow,” “Queen Tings,” “I Had a Vision” and “Old Age”as concert-goers belted out the lyrics alongside the singer. After an hour long set, the Virginia based singer and his band exited the stage only to return a few minutes later after unrelenting chants from the crowd for an encore. Masego electric performance and soulful sound make him an artist to watch.

MayaB

INTERVIEW written by: Stephanie tacy

photos by: Jaron Menzimer

Maya B is a 20 year old writer, drummer, pianist, artist, and producer based out of LA. We caught up with her after The Girls Need Love Tour where she opened for Summer Walker. We discussed her music, her zine, and much more. Check out the full interview below.

How would you describe Maya B to those who do not know you or your music? “ I would describe my music as artful, honest, and bops.” How long have you been doing music? What made you get into music? “I’ve been doing music ever since I can remember honestly. I fell in love with it when I was like 5 and started making music when I was 7. What made me get into music was my mom putting my sisters and I into a girl band. I soon started taking much more seriously than my older sisters did ahaha.” What is the inspiration behind your breakout single, “Dollar To A Diamond”? “Dollar To A Diamond” was written in a very vulnerable moment. I wrote it when I was couch hopping like a month before I got signed. Growing up if I was confident about my original music people would view it as cocky or unrealistic. I always say Dollar is my ode to all dreams cocky and unrealistic. That song is kinda my hero haha, so I’m super appreciative of those who love it.” What do you do outside of music that contributes to your musicality? “When I’m not making music I’m painting, drawing, spending time with family, getting a spontaneous tat, or driving around with my friends. All of those things refuel my creative engine.” What’s your favorite song that you have written or have out? “My favorite song I’ve written is a tie between “Dollar To A Diamond” and “Real Life” (coming soon). They’re very different from each other but lyrically I think it’s my best to date.”

INTERVIEW CONTINUED written by: Stephanie tacy

photos by: Jaron Menzimer

What has being on tour with Summer Walker been like? What is your favorite tour moment so far? “The Girls Need Love tour was so much fun. It was my first tour so It was a whirlwind of new but I honestly cannot wait to get back on the road again. My favorite moment touring had to have been performing in my hometown of LA.” I had the opportunity to look at your zine, do you also sell art or is that just for fun? If so, where can we buy it? “My zine is for you, for the culture, for the sake of having something tangible that people cannot swipe away and forget about. I’m working on incorporating my art into merch, If I do sell a zine it’ll be different than the ones that are out now.” How do you get yourself hyped or performance ready? Is there a preperformance ritual such as a certain song you listen to each time, a prayer, a food you have to eat, etc.? “Pre- performance I do a lot of jumping around and high five any living thing haha. I always say a prayer. I always dance to my favorite tunes. I listen to “We Are The Champions” before I go on stage because I’ve paid my dues time after time haha. I like to stay in the mindset of “this is the fun part”. I spend a lot of time getting my energy right basically. It’s important for people to feel that positive energy when they watch me.” 20

MayaB What are the top 3 most played songs on your phone/mp3 device? “Beach Baby” by Bon Iver. “These Days” by Nico. “Pristine” by Snail Mail” Who is your dream collaboration with? “Just one? Gosh. Recently I’ve been in love with Juice WRLD. But overall I’ve always been in love with Tame Impala or Angel Olsen.” If you could go back in time and give yourself advice as a kid, what would you say? “Fuck the haters, do your thing.” How do you ensure time for self-care when you’re on the road? “I haven’t mastered that honestly. There has been a lot of hot showers, ginger tea, and ginger shots. I think it’s a mindset though. I find that when I stress about staying healthy I tend to get sick or lose my voice so I personally have to make it a year round habit.” What’s the weirdest DM you have received from a fan? “Omg. This one girl kept sending nudes. She’s like a serial nude sender and I’m too awkward to respond cause like- what do you say to that? So I just muted her hahaha. Sorry chick if you’re reading this.”

REVIEW written by:Jaron Menzimer photos by: Jaron Menzimer

MayaB

Dallas concert-goers lined up for several blocks in anticipation for Saturday night’s show at South Side Music hall. As Janiyah, Maya B, and Summer Walker prepared for their performance, everyone rushed to get as close to the stage as possible. Fans were greeted by Janiyah with a short set that featured “Pretend”, “New Chick”, and a few more of her soulful songs. Janiyah emphasized self love and confidence throughout her brief, yet heartfelt performance by taking a moment to talk about her past struggles and how she dealt with them. After Janiyah left stage, Maya B took the spotlight. She introduced herself and almost immediately, Music Hall guests felt connected with her and looked forward to what she had to offer. Each song was performed with passion, soul and tons of energy as she switched from energetic singing to contributing to each beat with a drum pad in company with her keyboardist and drummer. “Selenas”, “Kiss On My Neck”, and “Dollar To A Diamond” were some of the tracks presented during the show. Audience members described her performance as “powerful, energetic and full of true emotion and talent”, and some who had not known of her before said that they’ll definitely be checking out her music. After Maya’s set ended, both her and Janiyah went down to the pit to meet and take pictures with their fans. Maya spoke with everyone she could about how they enjoyed the show which further built her connection with them. A sweep of cheer and excitement filled the venue as Summer Walker entered. The Atlanta R&B singer performed hits such as “ Grave”, “Session 32”, “CPR”, and others off her latest album, Last Day Of Summer. She concluded with “Girls Need Love” which featured a verse by Drake. Attendees to Saturday night’s concert were not disappointed by the three powerful performances they saw and left with a sense of empowerment and confidence.

SHOW REVIEW written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

Independent Hip-hop soul duo OSHUN took us to their universe on Thanksgiving at Barracuda in Austin, TX. The duo recently released their debut album Bittersweet, Vol 1 which layers harmonic melodies, heavy drums, and bass to form Afrofuturistic beats. Producer Proda served as their DJ for the night getting the crowd pumped with a brief set until OSHUN took the stage. Follow their moves on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Oshun

SHOW REVIEW written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

PJMort on&DariusScot t PJ Morton and Darius Scott brought soul to Austin on November 25th. The More Gumbo Tour started off in Japan following the release of Gumbo Unplugged (Live) and brought its way back to the states earlier this month. Concert-goers packed tightly into Stubb’s Indoors on a cold Sunday night for the sold out show. The intimate venue provided the perfect energy exchange from artist to audience and vice versa. Former The Voice contestant Darius Scott opened the show in place of Grace Weber. Scott

took the audience to church as he performed “They,” “Soca”, and “I Want You” flexing his vocal range. Audience members shrieked in excitement for every high note he nailed. After a brief intermission, PJ Morton emerged on stage behind a keyboard backed by a full band and two vocalists. The New Orleans native had the audience swaying and singing along as he performed “Have You Seen Her.” Morton paused to remind the audience to always be themselves no matter who tries to change them before performing “Claustrophobic.” The song from his album Gumbo explains how the industry tried to change him and why he returned to his roots. With flawless transitions Morton continued on to perform songs including “Superstar” and “Religion.”

SHOW REVIEW written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

Poet ryInMot ion

eggae band, SOJA brought their Poetry In Motion Tour to Austin’s Stubb’s Amphitheater November 17th. With over seven hundred concert-goers in attendance Xiuthtezcatl got the night started with a brief set. Jam band, Twiddle, followed with their genre bending sound including influences from reggae, rock, and bluegrass. Twiddle set the vibe with acoustic heavy songs including “White Light” and “Lost In The Cold.” The lights dimmed as stage hands prepped for the headliner. As audience members squealed, SOJA band members appeared one at a time in spotlighted silhouette performing “Fire In The Sky.” SOJA continued to perform songs from their latest album Poetry In Motion including “Moving Stones,” “I Found You,” and “Tried My Best.” Lead singer Jacob Hemphill brought out opener Xiuthtezcatl to perform “Bad News” a song about climate change. The band made sure to throw it back for day one fans as they performed songs from earlier projects including “Be Aware” and “She Still Loves Me.” SOJA took the time to perform hits from one of their more popular albums Born In Babylon which released in 2009 including “I Don’t Want to Wait,” “Rest Of My

Life,” and “Not Done Yet” After an hour and 30 minute set, SOJA members said goodnight and left the stage. With unwavering crowd cheers the band re-emerged for an encore ending the night with “Everything Changes.”

PHOTOSET photos by:

Jacob Tovar

RyanKey

PHOTOSET photos by:

Jaron Menzimer

OneLastNight

PHOTOSET photos by:

Jaron Menzimer

St at eChamps

FESTIVAL REVIEW SXSW - SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

evolt TV is known for its one day showcase that takes place at Vulcan Gas Co. On 6th street during SXSW with past headliners including Wu-Tang Clan and a Swisha House Reunion. The unofficial showcase has become a staple for the SXSW week as all you need is a VIP invite or an RSVP to attend. This year the showcase featured headliner DMX who was juxtaposed with new age rappers creating a lineup of about 18 artists total. Showcase highlights included performances by Adé, Dreezy, YFN Lucci, and DMX. Early performances included those by Steven

Malcolm, T-Dubb-O & Twoodley, Destiny Rogers, N7 & PWAP, Leigh Paris, Sada Baby, and Oswin Benjamin. Around 7:30 pm Maryland rapper Adé took to the stage performing songs from his most recent EP, Always Something, including “Something’s Up” and “Something New.” The lyricist recently signed to Epic Records and provides a nice contrast to the mumble and trap rappers who dominate the industry today. Performances by Cantrell, Childish Major, and Thutmose. As Thutmose exited the stage, an organizer came onto the stage and instructed

everyone in general admission had to exit and re-enter per fire Marshall orders. The break came mostly unexplained as workers tried to readjust the VIP sections and get the venue back up to par with fire marshall standards. Meanwhile, those of us still in VIP contemplated whether or not the show was going to be canceled. As about 45 minutes had past and we began to conclude that the show was being shut down, doors reopened and general admission began to fill back up. With minimal hesitation Dreezy took to the stage with two backup dancers who twerked around

stage as she performed hits “Body,” “We Gon' Ride,” and “Chanel Slides.” The time delay brought on by emptying and refilling the venue led to shorter set times for the artists leading up to the main event of the night. Flipp Dinero performed next featuring two of his hottest songs of the moment, “Leave Me Alone” and “Feelin' Like.” YFN Lucci followed as attendees eagerly reached out for the rapper to touch their hands. Lucci performed songs including “Everyday We Lit” and “Key to The Streets.” After brief underwhelming performances by Think It’s

A Game, Q Money, and POSA, the DJ prepped the crowd for the headliner’s arrival. Songs like “Swag Surf” played before the DJ noticed the arrival of CeeLo Green, Big Boi, and Goodie Mob into the VIP section. After the DJ’s brief two song tribute to these artists, the lights dimmed. Shrieks of excitement, barks, and championship game winning cheers filled the venue as Hip Hop legend, DMX, made his way to the stage in a white Ruff Ryder’s football jersey performing “We Right Here.” The show marked the rapper’s first performance in Texas and one of his first shows period since his release from prison a couple of months ago (after serving a year for tax fraud). Throughout the night DMX fueled his performance off of the crowd’s energy as he took us back to the golden age of hip hop performing legendary hits including “X Gon Give It to Ya,” “What’s My Name,” and “What These Bitches Want.” The Ruff Ryder legend took a moment to share with fans how he was feeling as he compared “being on stage in front of a room full of people that love you” to being better than the “best p*ssy” he ever got in his life. He continued on to state that he would not be where he was without them [the fans]. DMX then hopped up on top of the tallest speaker on the stage to perform “Ruff Ryders Anthem.” As the infectious hook could be heard around the venue, attendees lifted their cell phones up to record. DMX continued on, pulling various songs out of his seven album catalog, including “Where the Hood At” “One More Road To Cross” “The Professional” “It’s All Good,” and “Get It On The Floor.” As the night progressed X debuted his newest single “Get At Me Dog.” Towards the end of the night, X took a few moments to publicly pray thanking God for everything in his life even the bad. Lights then dimmed as attendees used their lighters and cell phone lights to illuminate the venue as he performed “Slippin” a song that sort of narrarates X’s life as it discusses hitting rock bottom and overcoming obstacles to better yourself as a person. The night was definitely one for the books and the highlight of the SXSW experience. As a DMX fan myself, it was a moment I never thought I would be able to experience.

FESTIVAL REVIEW SXSW CONTINUED written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

wisher Haus came out to Fair Market in Austin, TX for SXSW on March 10th with a lineup of 20 different artists ranging in genres for a one day, two showcase event. Activities included free haircuts from Redd’s Barber Shop, manicurists, interactive photo booths, food trucks, karaoke on the lawn, and a chance to tour the Swisher Sweets whip. The unofficial showcase brought out some talented names from the industry including Desiigner, Taylor Bennett, Valee, Saint Jhn, Asian Doll, and Lil Baby. Along with artists, the free showcase drew out a huge crowd of eager fans waiting to get in. The event was hosted by tastemaker, Rob Markman. Highlights of Swisher Haus included performances by Chance The Rapper’s brother Taylor Bennett, Valee, Desiigner, Saint Jhn,

and Lil Baby. Taylor Bennett backed by a bass player performed “Be Yourself” before Chicago rapper Valee took to the stage performing “Skinny” and “Womp Womp.” Saint Jhn headlined the day portion of Swisher Haus with an energetic performance of “Trap,” “3 Below,” “Reflex,” “Nigga Shit,” “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night,” and “Lust.” After an hour long intermission, attendees were let back in the venue for the second round of artists. Desiigner, who missed his initial performance slot, kicked off the nighttime showcase with a hyped performance of hits “Outlet,” “Timmy Turner,” and viral hit “Panda.” The night show continued with performances from local J Soulja, Asian Doll, Hoodrich Pablo Juan, Childish Major, and headliner Lil Baby. 33

ARTIST INTERVIEW SXSW CONTINUED written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

How did you come up with your stage name? “My original stage name was Phil Adé and that was really a shortened version of my real name, which is Phillip Adetumbi. More recently, I changed it to just Adé. It’s more simple and I just felt like I was in a new chapter in my career and I wanted to start fresh and that’s my way of doing it.” What is your favorite part about being an artist? Do you prefer recording, writing, or performing? “I love all of it the same. Recording and being able to create, that’s fun but then being able to perform it and see people’s reactions, that’s fun too. So it’s kind of a combination of everything is kind of the same level to me but if I had to pick I would say creating” How does being from Mar yland influence your sound? “My sound feels like a little bit of everything. I have a wide appreciation for music.But my sound is a little bit of everything; live instrumentation, R&B, hip hop, rap.”

What projects are you working on as far as what’s coming out? “Always Something, the EP is out right now. We just released that in February and now I’m moving onto the next. I’m working on an album. Hopefully I can get that out by the end of the year but I’m definitely going to drop some music between that.” What’s your favorite song of those that you have out and why? “Man! You know, it varies from time to time because every day is a different mood, a different vibe. On a day like this that was beautiful, good weather, “Something Sweet” is my favorite song. On a day when I’m chilling, laid back, maybe in the crib cooling, “Something New” is my record. If I’m feeling like going to the club, going to a party, or something, “Something From Nothing.” So it really just depends on my vibe and I made the music to be like that for a reason because I wanted something everybody could fuck with.”

Who’s your dream collaboration with? “Man, I would love to work with Pharell because I feel like he’s somebody that’s like me, that has an appreciation for all forms of music and he’s from an area which is not far from mine, you know, a couple hours down the road, so he understands the go,go culture of D.C. so I think we’d be able to fuse all of that together and make something dope.” If you could be any superhero, who would you be? “If I could be a certain superhero, it would be Batman. I feel like Batman was the most relatable superhero because he had no wild crazy powers, he was just a regular dude who did a lot of pull-ups and sit-ups and could destroy the shit out of somebody” What’s your favorite thing to do outside of music? “Watching movies”

What’s your favorite movie? “I think my favorite movie right now in the last couple of years is Infinity War. I was locked in and you know what makes a great movie to me is when I forget that people are acting.” Who is in your top 5? “Sheesh, man. You know, I’m just going to just throw some names out there. I wouldn’t say this is my ultimate top five but this is the top five that’s on my mind right now. I would say Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, Future, I have to Wale in there you know he [Wale] broke down the bill for me to even be able to make hip hop music in the DC area. Without Wale it would have been a lot tougher, and Brian McNight, his vocals are amazing.”

FESTIVAL REVIEW SXSW CONTINUED written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

s one of the most sought after live music events, Fader Fort draws in a large crowd. The invite only showcase often has an overflow of festival goers standing outside its barriers to avoid a FOMO (fear of missing out). The fort is known for the highly regarded artists it brings to the stage as well as its setting as a tastemaker. 2019’s Fader Fort took place from March 13-15th. The three day showcase brought in the likes of Rico Nasty, Da Baby, Big Boi, Japanese Breakfast, Novelist, Omar Apollo, Da Baby, Pink Sweat$, Big Boi, and Megan Thee Stallion. DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS included performances from Japanese Breakfast, Kari Faux, and Rico Nasty. Four member band Japanese Breakfast had an electric set. Later in the day, Kari Faux, whose songs have appeared in the HBO series Insecure took to the stage to perform “No Small Talk,” “Top Down,” and “Low Key.” The night’s headliner was “Poppin Ass Bitch” Rico Nasty. The New York artist got the crowd bumpin as she performed hits “Trust Issues,” “Sandy,” “Tia Tamera,” and “Countin’ Up.”

as her performed “Ugotme,” “Erase,” and “Hijo De Su Madre” backed by a full band. Things pumped back up as IDK made his way out in a mask. After his first song, IDK peeled off the mask revealing himself to festival goers who shrieked in excitement. IDK proceeded to provide the most energetic set of the day as he jumped around and shook attendees hands performing “Trigger Happy,” “Star,” and “17 Wit A 38.” Though the night ended with Young Nudy, the true headliner of the night was Houston’s own Megan Thee Stallion. Thee Stallion aka Trina Snow has been gaining traction recently as her on air freestyles have gone viral on social media. The Hot Girl twerked around stage as she performed her hits “Freak Nasty,” “Big Ole Freak,” and “Hot Girl.” Fader Fort continues to live up to the hype. Fader Fort is a mainstay for the SXSW festival. The unofficial showcase never fails to bring in talented performers who go on to ….

DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS included performances by Novelist, Q Da Fool, Pink Sweat$, and surprise guest Da Baby. London rapper Novelist took to the stage smiling as he performed “Wait Wait Wait,” “Dot Dot Dot,” and “Afro Pick.” Later on Pink Sweat$ headed to the stage with his guitarist In his notorious pink sweatpants, Sweat$ serenaded the crowd with songs “Honesty,” “Call Me,” and “Drama.” The mood flipped when Q Da Fool took to the stage with special guest Rico Nasty as he performed songs including “Where I Come From.” Fader brought out Da Baby as a surprise addition to the days’ lineup. It did not take Da Baby long to jump into the crowd on his bodyguard’s shoulders. The energy was unmatched as he performed songs including “Goin Baby,” “Suge,” and “Pony.” DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS included Hot Girl Megan Thee Stallion, Flipp Dinero, Omar Apollo, IDK and surprise guest Young Nudy. Flipp Dinero showed up iced out and ready to go. After one song, he brought out Houston legend Trae Tha Truth to perform a number. After paying homage to Truth, Dinero made his way off the stage to interact with the crowd as he performed “Leave Me Alone” and “Feelin Like.” The paced changed as bilingual artist Omar Apollo hit the stage gliding and dancing around the stage

FESTIVAL REVIEW SXSW CONTINUED written by: Stephanie tacy photos by: Stephanie tacy

SXSW is a week long conference, film, and music festival that takes place annually in Austin, TX. The music festival brings in over two thousand artists and takes place across multiple venues. Due to the mass offerings of events, it is often hard to find time for a break let alone some peace and quiet. Michelob Ultra Pure Gold and The Big Quiet set out to do just that as they brought the first ever sunset mass meditation to SXSW on March 10th at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.Jesse Israel of The Big Quiet led over 2000 guests through a meditation exercise equipped with participatory exercises and guiding sounds. The Pure Golden Hour Showcase focused on mindfulness and finding the balance in life as it helped festival goers find some moments of calm during an otherwise busy music festival. The meditation ended as attendees were instructed to open their eyes as Cautious Clay took to the stage backed by a small orchestra performing “Cold War.” Bishop Briggs then joined violinist and The Big Quiet musical director Jenavieve Vargas for a special rendition of “Be Your Love. After a brief pause in music, shrieks filled the space as R&B heavyweight Miguel was spotted walking to the stage. Miguel serenaded the crowd with a performance of “Now” before bringing Cautious Clay back to the stage for a special performance of “Adorn.” Each artist performed a new rendition of their hits as they were backed by a small orchestra. After performances were complete attendees were encouraged to stick around for bites, beer, and sounds by DJ Captain Planet. The Pure Golden Hour showcase provided a unique break from the chaos that is SXSW.

TheKnocks

PHOTOSET photos by: Stephanie Tacy

undreds gathered at the Historic Scoot Inn on February 9th adorned in their warmest coats on an unusually cold and rainy night in Austin, Texas for the The Knocks’ New York Narcotic Tour. 20 year old musician and bass player Blu DeTiger got the grooves started with a unique set that blended sounds of disco, funk, and EDM. The New York City songwriter performed an array of songs including her single, “In My Head” as well as some unreleased tracks. Her set was greeted with much enthusiasm as audience members danced around the venue. Most even hurried over to meet her at the merch booth after the set. Blu’s set was followed by a brief set from Young & Sick as rain began to fall. The rain nor the cold stopped the grooves as concertgoers continued to dance around. Cheers filled the

uncovered venue as The Knocks, made up of Ben Roc and Mr. JPatt, took to the stage backed by a 3 member band including bass player Blu DeTiger. The Knocks performed songs including “New York Narcotic,” and “Big Bills.”Despite the weather, the funky disco beats kept everyone in a great mood as they danced around in the mud. Check out more about Blu DeTiger here or The Knocks here.

PHOTOSET

ViolentDay s Name: Lina Hansson Hometown: Vansbro/Stockholm Birthday: 9 November Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

How did you get into music? "My family was always playing and singing for and with me since I was a child, so it came very naturally for me" Are there any teachers/mentors you had who influenced you to pursue or keep pursuing music ?

"My big brother has always been a huge inspiration to me, he’s a multi instrumentalist. It doesn’t matter what instrument you hand him, he always figures out how to play it and he was never even taught. He’s been a great mentor for me" How do you think of lyrics? Personal experience? Movies? Books? "It’s very based on personal experiences, but I also get a lot of inspiration from movies and books... I usually react when someone says something in a unique way. I’m always ready with my notebook haha" What is your favorite part of performing? "To get to meet the audience and connect with them! It’s a beautiful thing, and it’s so nice to share that moment together" Who do you wish to perform with one day? "I’ve always wanted to do something with Chris Martín from Coldplay, that would be a dream"

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