IndiePulse Music Magazine Issue 1 Vol 1 July 2021 by IndiePulse Music Magazine

ISSUE: 01

VOLUME :01

ZaRio R&B, Soul and Activism ! One Man’s Vision 

J-SA: New Voice—Formidable Style

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DJ X Tech: The New Voice of Tampa Bay.

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BlastMusic 24-7: A New Online Tool for Musical Success.

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New Music From: Nun Habit Natalac Fred Hostetler Karen Lawrence & Blue By Nature

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SoundTech MOVO VSM-7 Microphone

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Interviews, Reviews and More Inside!

DATE : JULY 2021

Issue 01 : Volume 01 : July 2021

Contents: FEATURE STORIES : BLASTMUSIC 24-7

New Online Musician Resource Page 4 IPM is an XMG Media Company IndiePulse Music Magazine is a monthly publication available at distribution at various locations and by subscription. Any materials published here is by permission of subjects or supplied by subjects, and / or public aware topics or by express permission. Photographs supplied by subject of topics, credits where possible and use expressed permission or subject.

subjects or mentioned granted by implied by

Subscriptions my be obtained by contacting us at indiepulsemusic@gmail.com and going to our website at www.indiepulsemusic.com.

Advertising / sales inquiries may be made by contacting us at indiepulsemusic@gmail.com or at our website www.indiepulsemusic.com. Letters to the editor, submissions for review and correspondence may be mailed to the post office box below, we may respond via email or post.

Editor: Joseph Timmons

IndiePulse Music Magazine P.O. Box 6382 Santa Maria, CA 93456-6382 www.indiepulsemusic.com indiepulsemusic@gmail.com IndiePulse Music Magazine is a XMG Media Company and Entertainment News Service. Independent and privately owned.

DJ X TECH Interview:

Florida's New Online Voice Page 7 Ashleigh Harley Through Pain, Comes Passion Page 25

On The Cover : ZaRio: R&B, Soul and Activism !

An Introduction and Interview Page 18 Artist Spotlight:

J-SA: New Voice—Formidable Style Page 30

Artists in The News UK’s Nun Habit Release New Song — “Marigolds” -

Page 10

Rapper Natalac’s New Album:

All the Bling and He Can Sing! Page 11 Fred’s Blue Chair Blues

is an Acoustic Blues Triumph Page 12 Karen Lawrence & Blue By Nature Release New

Track Page 13

Sound Tech: MOVO VSM-7 Microphone Review Page 15

BlastMusic 24-7: A New Online Tool for Musical Success. By Tomasz Surzyn—IndiePulse Magazine Journalist

Recently, I learned about BLAST which can be found at https://www.blastmusic247.com – It immediately sparked my interest as, I’m always on the lookout for ways that artists can promote themselves and, their music. BLAST provides a wide variety of ways for artists to do promotions but, also encourages artists to be pro-active in making their music their career.

Are you guys musicians yourselves? What prompted you to start up such a platform for musicians? [Troy and Elliott shake heads.] We were both in a rap group back in the 90s, those were some very fun years for us. We have always loved music and I have always had a love for indie music. I understand the industry and I realized that Artist were constantly getting the short end of the stick. There was no creative control, the labels basically owned the artist. They own the masters, publishing and had last word on if and when a project would drop. I knew there had to be a better way.

After signing up to the site and taking a self tour, I found that the ease of navigation and, availability of information was on point. Creating a profile is an easy 1-2-3 process and anyone new will be able to navigate the site with ease.

Today an artist doesn’t need to sign with a label to get noticed, all they need is the right tools to allow them to do it themselves. That’s why we created BLAST, to provide artists, that are driven, with the tools necessary to promote themselves on multiple platforms, while maintaining full control of their art. We also wanted a platform to not only help artists showcase their talent but, also help them operate as a business.

blastmusic247.com highlights their artists by, not only allowing them the opportunity to be featured on the site itself but, adds a different level of interaction by also being promoted on their YouTube channel as well. I had the opportunity for a Q & A With The founders of blastmusic247.com –

Artists that want to sell their music, merchandise and, tickets to live streaming events have to create a bank account and a Stripe Account so money can be automatically deposited whenever anything is sold. They have their own Dashboard where they can change their stage to swap out new material and, a reporting module to track how their songs and videos are doing. Most people would have to pay thousands of dollars just to have their own site to house their music. BLAST gives them everything they need except the drive to succeed. That’s what separates the pretenders from the contenders.

Hey guys, glad to chat with you. Please introduce yourselves for everyone. Troy Saha, the VP of BLAST, Elliott Jackson President, CEO of BLAST. Thanks for having us. One thing that I personally find interesting, as I’m sure most artists will too, is the live streaming events that can be done on the platform. Give us a bit of a deeper dive inside that. Troy: Well the purpose of the live streaming is for the artist may be at a place where they just feel like performing and they can hit the ―go live‖ button and fans and other artists can check them out and enjoy the show. The beautiful thing of it is that it can be a monetary opportunity where the artists can sell tickets for a live showing and those that pay can get to view the show. And 97% of all sales go directly to the artist.

Where do you see blast in the next year? Troy: Next year I see BLAST hopefully in 22+ different countries, music of all types, and just how people would say Google it, I want people to say BLAST it! (Continued on page 22)

IndiePulse Interviews : DJ X TECH Tampa Bay Pulse Radio offers an eclectic mix of genres that allows you to experience new music along side of your personal favorite artists As Interviewed by Joseph Timmons; IndiePulse Music Magazine Journalist For a little more than a year now, the COVID 19 pandemic has radically changed how we do things in this country, and in many other places as well. The national concern for the public’s health and well being has seen many businesses severely hampered, and none more, in my opinion has been the arts and the music scene. Theatres closed and clubs shuttered, many artists took to expanding their online presence, and marketing themselves to fans, both old and new in many ingenious ways. Since America is a true capitalist society, by both need and nature. Many of these new methods came with high price tags. But, there have been some that are looking to change this, by opening online venue methodologies, new media services, alternative streaming applications and the resurgence of Online Radio, hosted by people that look to bring back music to the masses with substance and originality. This new media mentality, supported by the Indie music scene artists & record labels, have really helped to keep the music we love alive.

IndiePulse music found one new media agent in the mix, a man calling himself DJ X TECH, whom through both personal need and real necessity saw a chance to make a positive difference in the way we hear the music of artists old and new, with an imaginative flair that can entertain and enlighten, with the addition of interviews and new media journalism, DJ X TECH is making a name for himself and what he is doing. His station, Tampa Bay Pulse Radio offers an eclectic mix of genres that allows you to experience new music along side of your personal favorite artists, the station is doing quite well and DJ X TECH is presently expanding to do more to support music. His timing could not have been better, now with the world “opening back up” and the music scenes coming back into play, he sits at the forefront and is poised to be a leading voice in the new music scene’s redemption. We go now to our interview with DJ X TECH about his beginnings and where he plans to take us all to the next level IPM: DJ X TECH, Thank you for sitting with us for this interview, after finding out about you and what you are doing, I really wanted to get your story on our

magazine’s website and share it with our readers. I think I would like to begin by asking exactly when you first decided to create Tampa Bay Pulse Radio. First off, I want to say thank you for the interview. I am both, excited and, humbled. January of 2021, I received news that I would need surgery because I completely blew out a disc in my neck. Before I actually received the order to get an MRI from my doctor, I owned a construction company. I had severe pain in my arms that basically radiated across the top of my shoulders and, down my lower back. My hands were often completely numb and it got so bad that I was only sleeping about an hour per night and, I couldn’t even write anymore without at least some level of discomfort. When the results of the MRI came back and, I had the first meeting with my doctor… He told me that I could no longer work construction again. Because of the disc issues, my vertebrae were putting pressure on nerves and, the remnants of the disc were putting pressure on my spinal cord. We scheduled the surgery for late February but, I completely had to dissolve my construction business in the process because I knew that for the first year after surgery I would have a 15

Receiving news like that was… well, a bit heartbreaking for lack of a better word. I had never had surgery before. I didn’t know or fully understand what to expect afterwards. I didn’t know to what degree it would actually help with the pain. I was completely lost for a bit of time with that news. I have always been into music though and, when I sat down and ultimately started thinking about the recovery process, I decided that I would work more on my music career. That was without realizing how much things had changed in the music business since I last released an album. So basically the later portion of January up until late February I was really just kind of pushing my own music and brand basically. Once the surgery was completed, everything really hit home then. I was in a neck brace 24/7, I couldn’t have solid food as the entry point was from the front of my neck and the surgical team had to move all the tissue and muscles as well as my throat to reach the spine. My wife had to do literally everything for me. It was a task really just to do something as simple as take a shower. Well… I had a lot of time to think. My sleeping schedule was all sorts of “wacky” from the medication to just general discomfort. At this time in the process, I was listening to a lot of music. I would often stay up to 5,6,7 am with the headphones on just listening to new stuff on this site called slaps.com . There were a ton of artists on there that I thought were really good. There are some very talented people out there creating amazing music. I started to think about doing a podcast which would showcase artists of different genres in a variety type episode. I’m a fan of all types of music and I do not limit my boundaries by just rock, or just hip hop… I really enjoy it all. So, I began networking with some musicians on there and on Facebook groups looking for music to feature and, the response was amazing. Music submissions started coming in on a regular basis, I was just about finished with the podcast website when, the opportunity came along to get a radio station. I hopped on that with no hesitation at all really. That night I applied with the State of Florida for the new

business which is, Pulse Media LLC now. That was the birth of Tampa Bay’s Pulse Radio right there. IPM: How did you start, and what were some of the hurdles you had to overcome? The biggest hurdle of course is still, trying to really get the word out there to the masses. I’m not a marketing guru by any stretch of the imagination. My advertising experience is limited to what I know of Facebook, Google ads and, what I learned on YouTube to be honest. My main thing from day one was that I want this thing to grow organically. I don’t pay for streams, I don’t pay for follows, and I don’t pay for traffic. I really wanted to see if this is something that can progress on its own naturally with just simple advertising. The other hurdle at the moment is, I am 100% doing this by myself. From answering emails, to updating the websites, interviews, show, editing, everything… That’s 100% me. It’s a bit taxing at times but, the support that I’m getting from the musicians just, loving every moment of this is awesome. Fantastic support on IG for example, people making some dancing videos and sketches and reposting… Just massive love going on there and I thank everybody for it! IPM: On your website you have some great interviews and moments you have shared with your readers and followers, what are some of the things you look for when selecting artists to interview? I don’t really have selection criteria in place for this per-se. I always ask the musicians to provide as much information on themselves as possible when submitting music so, I know a bit about them and I am able to promote them a bit more thoroughly. Some just submit an mp3 with just a hello and here’s my music, while others include really every single link to their music or profiles and bios. The more information that I have, of course, gets me more engaged with who the artist is and, if their music is great as well then, that makes me want to know even more about them at which point I’ll shoot an interview out to them.

IPM: How has the response been on your YouTube videos? This is still relatively new. There were a good amount of artists that had asked for interviews. YouTube seemed like not only the next logical step but, it really puts a face behind the music too. I love doing as much promotion for the artists that I can and, having this little sit-down formula with them not only provides insight into themselves but, also information to the next artist that may watch that doesn’t really know where to start in getting the word out about their music. So far the videos are getting a lot of love. People seem to be into it and, again, the more information I can put out there on the artists, the better so, I’m really glad that I started down this path. IPM: Some of the features I personally like are the Forum, the 1’s and 2’s Podcasts and your Artist of the Week entries, you mentioned expansion, where do you plan to go from this humble yet awesome beginning? I think the next logical expansion will be Pulse Radio London. A lot of submissions come from the U.K. – if you look at like 50% of submissions come from all over Europe, Canada and, The U.S. then, the other 50% are coming from the U.K.. The show seems to be brightening up there nicely. There have even been some musicians that have expressed an interest in their own DJ spot there and… One musician in particular that I’ve been vibing well pretty nicely even threw out an idea for a show that we could possibly to together from different regions of the world. You have to love the internet for that. Being 5,000 – 6,000 miles apart and still be able to vibe with someone is awesome. IPM: What are some of the social media projects that have helped expand your reach, other than Facebook, where are you followed most? Instagram seems to be the one that picks up the most speed. I thought Facebook would be the one to actually generate more of a following but, it’s been Instagram. I started off the social media accounts at 0. 0 followers, 0 likes, 0 comments… everything at 0 because I wanted

IPM: You have an incredible and eclectic mix of music to listen to on your Online / On Air programming, are there any artists that you feel are trending, or have really set the music scene on a forward motion? As with anything else really, yes, there are some artists that are gaining a bit more of a following rather than others. It’s not to say that any of the music is bad or anything negative about it. It’s just the natural flow of things. Some musicians just have that automatic appeal to them. It really doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re on the top of their game either it’s just that magnetism factor that some people naturally possess. I would think many people don’t consider the Radio scene to be strongly affected by the recent Pandemic, but we all have seen the way it really slammed the music performance scenes globally, not just in the USA. IPM: How can artists reach you to see if you can help them like you have helped so many other artists looking for airplay? www.pulseradiotampabay.com or my other page www.djxtech12.com – Both of the websites have contact forms on them and that’s going to be the easiest way to get in touch so we can move forward. In addition to the contact forms, there are also social media links to my accounts as well. IPM: What are your closing thoughts and comments you wish to share with your fans and our readers? I really just want to thank everyone for reading this article. I want to thank you very much for the interview. Have to give a few shout-outs…to my wife, Amy and my Daughters Elise, and Alyssa. My Mom, My Stepdad, Chris. Friends and family close to home and overseas as well.

everything to be fresh at launch and see where the bigger followings would be landing and, that title definitely belongs to Instagram.

A shout out to Dr. Ali Zahrai and his staff, the entire surgical staff at Largo Medical Center, I want to thank you for the quality of life improvement.

IPM: Are there any music genres you specifically look for, or do you consider all music in your scope of interest?

Finally, to all the musicians out there, Keep doing what you’re doing, Follow your dreams!

All of it, I initially thought there would be more hip hop submissions than any other type of music. Rock and Alternative have actually been the biggest as far as submissions go but… No, I don’t stick to one genre; I want everybody to have a chance to be heard. One of the things I say to all the new people that tune into the show is, stay on for the whole thing. You’ll hear some rock, some electronic, some country, some hip hop… You never know what you’re going to hear that you’ll like. The only criteria that exists for music submissions to me is that you cannot have and direct racism.

Visit www.pulseradiotampabay.com and get in on what’s being seen as the best new online programming on your internet dial!

Each culture has their own appropriation for vocabulary that is ok to use and I respect your freedom of speech but, if it’s just malicious hate, no, there’s no room for that with me and frankly no room for that in the world. The second is you cannot be mainstream, I’m not hating on the mainstream artists by any means but, They have all the backing and exposure they could ask for. This is for the indie artists so they too, have that possibility of getting some recognition.

https://www.facebook.com/dougdeutschpublicity

and providing texture which is anchored by the discoinflected drums (Emma) and bass (Kate). Rachel’s keyboard line weaves through the rest, adding depth and atmosphere. First released as a demo in 2019, the song has evolved over time—developed through extensive live performances (the band have played every-where from the Edinburgh Fringe to the Albert Hall via Salford’s Sounds from the Other City festival) and with some final polish added by Ric James’ (Foals, Yassassin) production wizardry. A video for the song, filmed in self-iso with some card backgrounds and a whole load of rubber gloves, will be released on 14th June. The B-Side is a remix by Bristol-based DJ and producer Josh Albiston. Stripping away the vocals and bringing the driving bassline to the fore, Albiston’s new edit is a moody, house-influenced track running to almost twice the length of the original. The single follows a AA side, released in April, which drew praise from numerous outlets and gained radio play both in the UK and Australia, including repeat plays on Soho Radio. Hedge Fun, the band’s debut album, will follow in the summer.

Nun Habit dances among the Marigolds Nun Habit are Emma, Greg, Kate, Rachel and Selina – a London-based, queer 5-piece, who play fun, fuzzy gar-age pop. They write songs about eczema, the perils of online dating, otters, and people on Twitter continually announcing the death of Prince Philip in the months and years leading up to his actual death. The Nuns are all about loud noises and having a good time. They’ve spent the last four years writing, gigging, and looking after each other and are finally ready to release an album.

http://nunhabit.bandcamp.com

Formed in 2016, the band bonded over a shared love of Britpop, classic rock, adidas trainers and cooking delicious meals for each other. They’ve played the Edinburgh Fringe, the Roy-al Albert Hall (supporting “ILL”), and Salford’s “Sounds From The Other City”, but are best loved for their riot-ous packed-out headline shows at London venues like Paper Dress Vintage, The Victoria, The Amersham Arms. An imagined takedown of those that mock the Eczemaafflicted, Nun Habit’s new single Marigolds’ is a moody, rhythm-driven track with tongue placed firmly in cheek. Lyrically, the song was inspired by the disparaging comments which singer Greg (who has eczema) would occasionally attract for wearing rubber gloves for doing the washing up—one of the less serious but nonetheless annoying symptoms of a toxic-masculine culture. As with most Nun Habit songs, the track was written collaboratively: from this initial idea the band worked together to craft the sound and structure. The two guitar lines (played by Greg and fellow guitarist Selina) play off each other, both driving the song forward

Rapper Natalac Announces Featured Artists On His 12th Album “Love & Pimp-Hop” Being a rapper and managing a business with overarching responsibilities and business commitments, Natalac pioneers the American Dream, being a hardworking man who rose from rags to riches, founding an empire that continues to hit major headlines across the country. The African-American rapper and entrepreneur spent the past 25 years establishing his trucking business and a music career. He also has United States Military Service under his belt and being an ardent patriot, he embodies the success and representation of a true American who never backed down. His noteworthy records include ‘Pimp of the City’ and ‘Step Daddy’, which highlight his music career. On Feb. 19, 2018, Natalac was trending on the occasion of President’s Day, having released ‘Pimp of the Nation’; his fans applauded Natalac’s

Sheldon Davis, most notably known as the rapper, Natalac, has

singles with Sean Paul To Mi Thing, Bankroll Jonez Project Pat

announced the featured artists for his 12th album, “Love & Pimp

Me and U, La Chat Rachett Misses and The Last Mr. Bigg Hoe

-Hop.” They include La Chat, Kokane, Trey Songz, Suga Free,

Check II.

Benzino, Haze Karolina, Mr Mince, Yung L.A., Akineyle, Stormy Stori & Mr Smith aka Boss Money, to name a few. This Project

The news of a new album ‘Love & Pimp Hop’ has excited his fans

Promises to give Pimp-Hop Fans another classic album that may

and the rapping community, waiting for what Natalac is set to

Rival Natalac’s 11th Album “Pimp of the Nation.”

bring on the table this time around.

Davis adopted the stage name after he spun his music career,

More on his Website: http://natalac.com

having explored his passion for rap music. Natalac primarily is an entrepreneur who has a logistic business with 18 wheeler trucks. He started in the late 90s, driving a single truck to owning, managing and operating round the clock in a successful logistics business called “Natalac Express.” Apart from his trucking company, the American rapper is also looking to establish himself in the realm of music production, having founded “Natalac Records,” which is the parent company overseeing production and publishing of his exclusive music.

www.chooselovemusic.com

Fred’s Blue Chair Blues is an Acoustic Blues Triumph

The station of the American Folk Singer is that of a bard, to tell the stories of the past, while bringing the words to life, as in the video selected Taming The Wolf, there is a haunting chill when he softly coos a howl on the end of the chorus.

Fred Hostetler’s Fred’s Blue Chair Blues , an album which is a series of tracks and the artist’s personal favorite works is also making some fans hearts a flutter.

In much of Fred Hostetler’s other songs there is also the voice of social consciousness and a revolutionary’s call to action on the side of peace, understanding and civil rights. Fred Hostetler is a musical treasure that brings us solace in these troubled times.

Fred’s style on this album is relaxed and much in the way of the old folk and blues heroes of his inspiration. I have often reflected on Fred’s music as that of the legendary Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

In the album Fred’s Blue Chair Blues, produced by Fred Hostetler himself on the Mukthiland Records, Fred has created an Acoustic Blues album with his signature guitar and vocal talent. Eight delightfully tasty original songs and his rendition of the Jimmy Reed classic „Bright Lights, Big City‟. As an additional treat, the performance videos of each song are being uploaded to YouTube over the next 8 weeks, no small task for any artist, but Fred Hostetler, whom was awarded 2019 Best Singer Songwriter by LA Music Critic has a spark of genius and creativity that knows no end.

In commentary, Fred says “This is what I call living room blues. By that I mean stripped down, unplugged, and re(Continued on page 13)

performances, without the distraction of “technology”, electricity or effects, the music takes front and center. Fred is a truly gifted performer, and in this album, in its organic beauty, he is giving the Blues fan a spiritual calling to worship music in its purist and most perfect form.

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corded at home in my living room. Whatever you may think of it, I find it intimate and refreshing during this time of Covid 19 to see artists performing in their kitchen, barn, patio, bedroom, etc. It inspired me to video an hour show for the Facebook page/group Can’t Stop the Blues . It was shown in May 2020 and is still available to view. It is a platform supporting blues music and artists. I was able to make a little money and donate half of it back to organizations supporting unemployed blues musicians. After that I did a playlist on Spotify for artists who have appeared on Can’t Stop the Blues. I never thought much more about it until one September night when a voice woke me up with the words “release your living room recordings as an album. ” My first thought after sitting up in bed was…but they’re not good enough…they’re not perfect. The thought came back, “what does it matter…let the audience decide.” So

Fred’s Blue Chair Blues by Fred Hostetler is available for streaming and downloading at Amazon, Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, CDBaby and nearly everywhere. Physical CD and all his music can be purchased from https://fredsheartradio.com

IN RELATED NEWS

Karen Lawrence And Blue By Nature Release sultry and sensual new Electric Blues Track—BAD SPELL ―BAD SPELL‖ is the exciting new release from Blue By Nature founders Karen Lawrence and Fred Hostetler. The song, written by Lawrence, is a follow up to their 2018 ―Best of Live‖ release, as well as 2019’s single, ―I Couldn’t Help But Love You‖.

here we are with a really different kind of album made up focused living room recordings.” In Review: Fred’s Blue Chair Blues by Fred Hostetler has an Old-Fashioned Blues sound, as it was originally created, a natural and organic sound, with a wholesome feel, natural textures and melodies that inspire images of a simpler life, good times and warm summer evenings.

Both artists have a huge following and paved the way for this new beefed up guitar version of a favorite track from the 1998 acoustic LP, ―Hard Daze―. On this new arrangement, the track has the luxury of added electric guitar tracks by Hostetler and Tony Saracene, supporting Lawrence’s dynamically emotive vocal as well as the stinging lead guitar performance of the late Brad Ayers.

There is something magical about Fred’s voice in his performances of each song, lyrically, his emotional connection to the music is obvious, and in the instrument

Fueled by Lawrence’s rich song writing skills, powerful (Continued on page 20)

Cold, Earshot, & Ex-Breaking Benjamin Members Reignite Hard Rock Band Lifer Recently-reunited hard rockers Lifer, which comprises Cold, Earshot, and ex-Breaking Benjamin members, have unveiled details for the poignant new video to their latest hit single ―Hate Me Love Me.‖

LUTHARO TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM ‘Hiraeth’ the new full-length album from melodic death metal band Lutharö will be released on October 15th 2021. Hailing from Hamilton, Canada, the band formed in 2013 and have shared stages with the likes of Unleash The Archers, Alestorm, The Agonist, Battlecross, Nervosa, Exmortus, and Striker. Following their 2018 debut EP ‘Unleash the Beast’, and 2020 EP ‘Wings of Agony’, ‘Hiraeth’ sees the quintet push their compositional and performance skills further than ever before.

Exploring the polarizing, and often harrowing, nature of social media, the video was released Friday, June 11 on YouTube.. According to Lifer Lead Vocalist Nick Coyle (also Cold guitarist), the band turned to esteemed director and producer Frank Sepko of ConversionWorx Media to convey the song’s sobering but timely message.

The band strives to deliver an epic sound that sees aspects of power and death metal colliding. ‘Hiraeth’ unveils how Lutharö have elevated their sound through theatrical effects and intense moods. The atmosphere through the music is hauntingly beautiful while also capable of great power shown through the fierce breakdown which truly delves into the heavy depths.

“The „Hate Me Love Me‟ video depicts our society‟s obsession and interaction with, and on, social media,” said Coyle. “People casting judgment, whether positive or negative, without really knowing the whole story. Only we decided to show it through the lens of the protagonist; portray what it looks like to not care what anyone thinks.” ~Nick Coyle

Combining artfully crafted melodies, harmonies and precision with a hard-hitting power, Lutharö have created an album that hasn’t been afraid to explore above and beyond. They expertly balance an ethereal element of beauty with raw power and aggression. ‘Hiraeth’ is an astounding new album, a fantastically epic journey that needs to be experienced to be believed.

The “Hate Me Love Me” single was released late last month and is the fourth new track since the band’s 2018 reunion. Featuring original members Coyle, Guitarist Aaron Fink (also Earshot guitarist and formerly of Breaking Benjamin), and Tony Kruszka (original Lifer DJ), who moved to drums, Lifer added Bassist Mike Morgan (The Drama Club, Panacea), helping to diversify the group’s sound and leading many to tout the lineup as the strongest to date. Kruszka and Morgan are featured on all of Lifer’s new material, including “The Start of Something Else,” “Born Again,” and “Lightning in a Bottle,” which were written, recorded and released during the Pandemic.

Website: https://www.lutharo.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LutharoOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lutharo_official/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lutharoband

For more about Lifer, visit http://liferband.com

Sound Tech MOVO has developed many nice products for the new media genre, mobile recording units, light weight and portable journalism tools and gear for the creative elements that capture the new media scene. But they have also taken time to support and innovate technologies for the established music artist as well, a recent and superior unit in their catalog is then new MOVO VSM-7 Microphone.

MOVO VSM-7 Microphone The modern home studio, whether you may be a professional musician, voice over / voice actor, pod caster or video creator has a need for equipment that is long lasting, built to do the job and meet budget needs. The market for audio technologies and recording equipment is filled with many great names that have been developing equipment for a long time, and new yet innovative companies that have brought existing concepts into the new digital age.

Review Summary In our review of the MOVO VSM-7 Microphone we found it to be a sturdy and intelligently designed Microphone, solid metal construction yet not overly bulky, it can be free standing on the stand of your choice or from a desk mounted aperture such as the MOVO ASM-5 Articulating Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm with Desk Clamp. The VSM-7 is like having 3 microphones in 1, giving the user the convenience to select between Cardioid, bi-directional, and omni-directional microphone polar patterns for more audio control.

One such new company is MOVO Photo, based in Los Angeles, MOVO designs and creates equipment for filmmakers, photographers, musicians, and artists and look to empower creators of all levels. Everything MOVO does is based around and continually inspired by creativity.

A highly versatile unit, this microphone provide full studio quality sound like no other. the VSM-7 is a large diaphragm condenser microphone captures rich, vibrant sound for recording high quality audio. the VSM-7 has proven itself to be a true multi-purpose condenser mic that is excellent for recording ASMR, singing / vocals, podcast audio, YouTube content, music and any other applications that can be though of. The VSM-7 can be tailored to get the perfect sound for your recording. Also included with the VSM-7 are an XLR cable, a shock mount for reducing vibrations and handling noise, and a pop filter that eliminates plosives from your voice.

Tech Detail and Notes: The all-black metal design of MOVO VSM-7 is very solid in the hand. It comes cradled in its black metal shock mount with a plosives filter connected to it. Just beneath the grill, there are three sets of switches located around the circumference of the microphone. One is a low pass filter switch, the other is for selecting the polar pattern, and the third switch is a 0dB to 10dB Pad (attenuator) (Continued on page 16)

(Continued from page 15)

that allows you to quickly lower the output for louder talkers or singers. On the side of each switch are white colored indication symbols for your adjustments.

Audiostretch slows down audio without changing the pitch. It was designed to make it easier for musicians to master that lightning-fast solo or find the right register for their voices. Users can listen note by note, or loop sections they need to hear over and over. It’s been championed by musicians like Jordan Rudess of

Our considerations of the three polar patterns that are selectable via the switch near the center of the VSM-7 unit allowed us to choose from a cardioid, which is best for a single user, bi-directional worked excellently while interview conversation with immense clarity, and the omni-directional microphone polar pattern worked well while recording group interaction and instrument play. While recording, we tested the low-pass filter and the pad switch both of which functioned excellently, shaping the audio by increasing or lowering frequency sensitivity and response to ensure there was no distortion. The lowpass filter focused on our voices while keeping background noise to a minimum and, in combination with the 0dB pad switch 0dB and 10dB pad switch, helped to shape the audio to our liking and needs.

progressive metal band Dream Theater, who was voted “Best Keyboardist in the World” for his intricate work.

In Summary

Yet AudioStretch also lets you manipulate audio and video files, changing the speed and making some seriously quirky manipulations. TikTok creators discovered this feature and ran with it, racking up more than 7.3 million views for their videos. (See a sample of these videos here.)

We at IndiePulse Music Magazine highly recommend The MOVO VSM-7 Large Diaphragm Multi-Pattern Studio XLR Condenser Microphone, for its versatility, innovative design and durability, it was a joy to use, easy to record with and really shows what is possible in any studio environment possible.

“We brought AudioStretch into the BandLab family several years ago because its time stretching and pitch-scaling technology was so good,” explains BandLab CEO Meng Ru Kuok. “Great musicians used and highlighted it, but we never imagined a whole new creator community would embrace it.”

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AudioStretch Powered by BandLab Tops App Charts Thanks to TikTok Creators.

Part of BandLab‘s expanding creator tools, AudioStretch has been fully integrated into BandLab’s Mix Editor, giving BandLab users access to its features. Its recent renewed success shows how creator tools can morph in the hands of new users with different goals and ideas.

BandLab’s AudioStretch app has hit the top of the Apple App Store charts for paid music apps in the US and UK. Though the app had been in stores for several years, it saw a massive spike in downloads recently, more than 20 -30 times what the app experienced previously. As of early June, downloads were up 420% month over month.

“Our mission is to make music and audio creation tools available to as many people as possible who have something they want to create,” Kuok notes. “It’s always a thrill when you see a tool unlock new forms of artistic expression or entertainment, as we’ve recently seen with AudioStretch.”

Why? One word: TikTok.

http://www.audiostretch.com

Piki, the Music Discovery app, offers a new data algorithm defining popularity metrics for music. Since their spring release of the app, industry reaction has been tremendous.

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How does Piki work? Using a “like swipe” function, the Piki interface invites you to be a music critic!

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Piki will play the most impactful 30 seconds of a song. Next, you’ll have the option to Like, Dislike, or SuperLike.

Euclid is Audeze’s first closed -back in-ear headphone. Priced at $1,299 retail and featuring custom built 18mm Audeze planar magnetic drivers, MMCX cable terminations, and ergonomically designed precision milled aluminum housing, Euclid is engineered for high-end audiophiles looking for a premium mobile solution that doesn’t sacrifice comfort for style and durability.

The more songs you rate, the more rewards you’ll reap – $1 per level (though the real reward is the discovery of new music!) The more you use the app, the more the algorithm will get to know your taste. Think of it as musical roulette – you won’t know what’s coming, and the next song might just be your new favorite.

Features:

Piki processes the data and derives a quality score, which measures the probability a song will be liked by a new listener. Piki is aiming to work in tandem with labels and publishers to help determine the success of a new album or song. In short, you decide which new song will be the band’s new single!

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For 50.00 per year, 12 amazing issues and a free gift every month, CD’s, Vinyl, T-Shirts and other prizes !

COVER STORY:

ZaRio: R&B, Soul and Activism ! ZaRio takes his role as an inspiration seriously, and in addition to his music, he heeded the call to activism, ZaRio envisioned his role as one of being a graceful leader in both music and manner, carrying himself as a gentleman in all ways. As in the video for “She Don’t Know Love”, he offers his admiration with respect and with true sincerity. IPM: So, ZaRio, where did it all begin for you? I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. My music got started as a little boy listening to the greats, the Isley brothers, Jodeci, Prince and others. I was greatly inspired by performers like MC Hammer, Michael Jackson and Bobby Brown. Some of my personal inspirations were from the music I listen to. I have a love for a lot of different types of music, I’ve been inspired by MJ, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Usher to name a few. IPM: When you think R&B / Soul Music, in its traditional way, do you feel that is a music style that is neglected? ZaRio is an extremely talented artist, producer, and songwriter. Often being compared to music geniuses such as Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, and Brian McKnight, due to the likeness in musical style. The singer, songwriter was classically trained and is educated in the field of R&B by vocal coach, Cynamman. At just 8 years old ZaRio discovered his passion for music. After joining his middle school choir, he found himself falling even more in love with the arts. Fast forward to his teenage years, where he began to lead and organize the youth in Atlanta as well as other parts of the country. That jump-started his love for activism, which led him to become a seasoned, motivational speaker with a passion for leadership, change, and personal development in his community and around the world. Between music and activism, ZaRio found it hard to balance both with his activism, usually outshining his love for music. Now he’s set his sights on returning to music by releasing his debut single, She Don’t Know Love, with co -producer Errol “EZ” Taylor which includes catchy melodic sounds and beautiful harmonies that will touch your soul. ZaRio is bringing R&B back to the spotlight and doing so at an incredibly fast rate as he quickly climbs up the charts, and takes over streaming platforms as his latest song approaches 1,000,000 streams in its first few weeks and has hit the top ten on iTunes Charts.

Absolutely! There are so many things that have contributed to the fall and neglect of R&B. It’s definitely a neglected art form.

IPM: With the issues that are on everyone’s mind today, BLM and civil rights, and the current social and political climate do you find yourself torn between gut instinct and a compassionate message?

IPM: Were you always interested in this style of music, or was it a love that grew over time and practice?

Absolutely, part of the reason I named my project “ Sorry to Keep You Waiting” , because I was so entrenched in the work of helping our community that I put music on the back burner even though I knew I had something to contribute to the R&B world.

It definitely stole my heart. As a classically trained artist, I enjoy classical music. I pretty much enjoy every genre of music but R&B did steal my heart. IPM: Your recent track “She Don’t Know Love” is a great song and the video is both entertaining and visually exciting, how did you create it, and what are the details of production?

So yes I am often times torn because the condition of our community is in such dire need but I am learning to be patient with the process.

Well, thank you. It’s kind of a long story because we recorded this project in the middle of the pandemic. I recorded this in the middle of the pandemic. No studios were open so I was forced to record in my home in my basement. My producer was in an entirely different part of the country and we did 90% of this project over the phone.

IPM: On a personal note, what do you feel will be your next great accomplishment? I am locked in and focused on music striving to put out the best music and be the best artist that I can possibly be and have that translate to my fans and the world.

The mission of my project is to put love back into music, putting back the soulfulness of R&B. This video showcases love and affection and what better way to show that than being snuggled up in the mountains. We wanted to definitely paint that picture for the audience. It was a very cold setting and a lot of hard work and I thank everyone involved. IPM: Your image is one of grace and style, obviously an educated man, you carry yourself with a persona that is not frequently seen in today’s music scene, with what do you attribute your gentlemanly style? It’s my belief in God, my spiritual foundation and training, the rearing from my parents, and my appreciation and unique love for women. IPM: I understand you are involved with a sense of activism, what do you do in this, and how do you see yourself as a possible role model for today’s youth Absolutely, that’s the greater good, and as an artist, that is what this project represents. I have a background in working with the youth and a lot of them have changed their lives for the better given the work I was able to do with them by God’s Grace.

IPM: With your look, have you considered acting / theater, you have a natural command ng persona? Absolutely, I have a background in both and I have a few projects in the Works. IPM: In time to come, when you look back over your career, what would you hope is your legacy? I would hope that I made the greatest impact on this world that I could and I hope to have fulfilled my purpose and destiny and touch, heal and inspire as many people as I can. ZaRio also recently released a hit song to go along with his recent track which followed the singer through a beautiful snowy setting that takes your breath away in every scene. The video has attracted over 1,000,000 views globally in its first 30 days. The young star is just getting started as he plans to release his first EP, Sorry to Keep You Waiting, later in the year as a nod to R&B music fans across the world. You can download and stream his music on all platforms right now.

vocals and feisty stage presence, Blue By Nature’s Karen Lawrence—“BAD SPELL” ( continued from Pg 13)

Connect with ZaRio:http://www.zariosonrise.com guitar-based blues sound secured a solid core of faithful followers throughout the 1990’s across the USA, and has continued to appeal to blues lovers through perpetual internet exposure, including interviews, performances and airplay. This new release is sure to please both new and old fans. as of June 6th this track is now available on all streaming platforms. Fred Hostetler says ―This is one of our favorite Blue By Nature songs. It is a mid tempo bluesy ballad that delivers a stunning and powerful vocal performance by Karen and a great track with trademark Blue By Nature rhythm guitars and stinging leads that complement Karen’s evocative singing.

Available for streaming and downloading at Amazon, Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, and nearly everywhere online now.

Having only begun his venture into music eight years ago, Barista’s ‘learn as he goes’ mentality has been pivotal to the release of his first two albums. His debut release, ‘Daydream’, premiered in 2014 and was followed up by ’57’ in 2016. The tunes Han creates are heavily influenced by his own experiences, while also echoing musical inspiration from the likes of Toto, Journey, Supertramp, The Alan Parsons Project, and an array of Turkish folk tradition including Sufism. Above all, he is dedicated to bringing vibe back to music — it’s raw, liberating, authentic. In his words, Barista makes the music that he misses hearing. Fully focused on his creations, he possesses no drive for commercial success, allowing him to be fully free to create the type of music he loves. Barista says, “I am not targeting a specific audience or looking for tangible commercial success, all I want is for people to be aware of the existence of this album. I am aware that it is not in compliance with the current trends, but I also know there are many people like me

ITunes Chart-Topping Melodic Rocker Barista Returns With More Music Featuring Notable Session Players Bahadır Han Eryılmaz, better known as Barista, is an Istanbul-based musician, who has called upon a who’s who of studio musicians to create his latest album anthology, “Open Sesame.” The 26 -track opus began its 5 month-long release with “Volume 1: Her Dress” having been released in April 2021. Vol 1 featured the #1 iTunes South Africa hit, “Circular Lives.” Now, “Open Sesame Volume 2: Press Rewind” has been released. Launched on June 4th, “Volume 2” includes another #1 iTunes track, “Sweet.” Like Vol 1, the 6 song collection features a who’s who of A-list session players. By collaborating both live in-studio (all instrumentals are recorded live) and through modern tech, the album represents Barista’s vision.

out there who miss hearing music with body.

The recordings, excluding the Turkish vocals, were made at Carbonite Sound in the ‘musician’s colony’ of Ojai, CA. With features from Jesse Siebenberg (Supertramp, Kenny Loggins), Rudiger (Guns’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), Sara Azriel, (Pink Martini), and Lydia Salnikova (Kenny Rogers, BO) as well as Barista’s musical idol Simon Phillips on drums. All 26 tracks of “Open Sesame” were engineered by Jason Mariani (Kenny Loggins, Mumford & Sons) and released via Turkish indie label MonoPlay Records.

Troubadour Bill Abernathy Returns With First New Music In 8 Months. Kansas City, MO singer-songwriter Bill Abernathy has released a string of successful singles and albums, starting with 2017’s Find A Way, featuring the #1 Roots Music Chart single, “Goodbye Will Never Come Again.” Abernathy continued his streak with another hit album, (Continued on page 24)

What I find interesting is, that you guys are giving each artist the opportunity to be the main artist on the site. What prompted that idea?

(Continued from page 4)

Elliott Jackson: I see BLAST as the premier option for independent artists to get noticed and paid by doing what they love to do. We know who our competitors are and so do the artists that continue to spend money with them… only to get paid pennies on the dollar with no promotion. We aim to change the Industry One Artist at a Time. What, personally, do either of you feel is the strongest point of blastmusic247.com? Troy : The strongest point that I see BLAST is that music and technology form synergy to help promote the artist with a quicker means to the social media. Not only that, they can monetize their business and put money in their pocket. I think there’s nothing better than to get paid for doing what you love and it doesn’t feel like a job. Elliott: The strongest point of BLAST is that it exists to make a change in how the Music Business currently operates. The business is changing and we want BLAST to be the catalyst. BLAST gives artist the opportunity to create their own Brand, run their OWN BUSINESS, by harnessing all the different promotional avenues through one dynamic platform without costing the Artist an arm and a leg to do so. With the distance between the both of you, do find there’s times when it’s difficult getting points across to one another? Troy : Distance has never been an issue for us and even more so, during that time Covid had us locked in, we were able to lock in on BLAST and focus on it, form it and make it the way we wanted it to be. With Virtual meetings and abilities, we were able to build a plan with no hesitations or difficulties. Elliott: Nah, if anything we are closer than ever. We locked in on what we wanted for the artist and set a goal to get it created and make it work. We speak multiple times a day on multiple platforms. I we have an idea in the middle of the night we just leave a text and discuss it first thing the next morning.

Elliott: Yeah, each artist has the chance to set themselves apart by creating their own stage. The stage is where an artist performs, where they are most comfortable, so we want them to think of their BLAST Stage in the same way. Artists get to add images, music and video without have their audience looking and listening to other artists at the same time. It’s their own musical hub and artistic sanctuary. I have found that, as a musician myself, it’s really difficult to advertise your music. In todays age, with social media at the fingertips. How do you feel that blastmusic247.com differs from that of the major social media outlets available? BLAST is not a social media platform as we know those platforms to be in this day and age. We see the value of social media and we use those outlets to help artists multiply their audiences. We like to say we are social media marketing done right. On FB, Twitter, IG and other platforms I constantly see artist posting links and either hoping that someone finds their music or asking people to check out their music. We take away the randomness of that and give artists a more targeted approach to promoting on social media. Tell me more about “Blast Connectz” Troy: BLAST Connectz is actually the merging of music and social media. We are eliminating the gap between the fan and the artist, but also allow other artists to talk and network with other artist. Fans can also socialize with other fans, create groups, chat, share photos, and make new friends in the process. We’re trying to put the social back in social media by using the love of music as the bond. Are there any plans to possibly do concerts let’s say, on YouTube? Troy: Yes! Corporately we just added on what we call BLASTCast that allows us to do our podcast speak to business as well as artist and we will be doing an (Continued on page 30)

Crossing Willow Creek, which included the politically charged radio hit “Cry Wolf,” as well as 3 other international hits. His last single, another political release, “More Than Meets The Eye” reached the top of the iTunes charts in South Africa, and received 120K streams on Spotify, 45K Soundcloud plays and 37K views on Youtube. All totaled, Abernathy’s music has been streamed more than 1 million times. This is a testament to the connection that Bill has found with his fans, cultivated by countless livestreaming performances and a successful 2020 preCovid Southwestern US tour. Abernathy was instrumental in raising funds for small businesses affected by Covid, through livestream and video taped performances of fan-requested songs. With pandemic restrictions being lifted, Bill has returned to the studio and delivered his first new music since the lockdowns. “A Thousand Wild Horses,” a cover of the Gary Burr/Blue Sky Riders track, written by Burr with Sam and Annie Tate, was released by Abernathy on May 24, 2021. It shot immediately to the top of the iTunes South Africa Country Songs chart.

Dallas Bombshell Lady Redneck Delivers Country Confessional in her latest track-

“I Dented Your Truck”

Stephanie Lee aka Lady Redneck, writing songs about her down-home roots and everyday life comes naturally. Raised in a musical family from the small town of Howe, Idaho (population 23), Stephanie grew up playing mandolin, fiddle, bass, guitar and drums, performing all over the pacific northwest in Dusty Boots. The family band sold over 40,000 units!

Abernathy says, “When I

first heard "A Thousand Now, living in Dallas, Texas, the blonde bombshell has released a string of solo singles, including 2021’s cover of SixpenceNoneTheRicher’s “Kiss Me.” On June 25th, 2021, Lady Redneck will release her latest, “ I Dented Your Truck.” The quirky, tongue-in-cheek song, delivered with a memorable Betty Boop-meets-Madonna’s “Santa Baby” vocal style, is set to be the singer’s breakout release.

Wild Horses,‟ I thought it was a great song. The more I listened to it, I knew I would have to record it . The reason? It‟s perfect .”

Michael Stover of MTS said “She played me 2 songs she was working on: The first being a mashup of ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’ and ‘The Thunder Rolls’, and the other being ‘I Dented Your Truck.’ I thought to myself, ‘Who IS this girl?’ She has got mad talent for both writing and performing, and she does more than just sing a song.”

This fantastic song draws a beautifully accurate analogy between the personal baggage and drama we carry with us every day, and a thousand wild horses thundering behind us, hell bent on running us down. We all have our baggage, it’s clear, yet the key for success is to learn to manage it effectively in our lives. We are either going to get run over by it, or we will learn to ‘ride’ it into our futures.

Stephanie Lee is also a dark chocolate lover and a workout-a-holic. She loves her family, her Savior, and her country. Socials: www.facebook.com/ladyredneck.org www.instagram.com/lady_redneck_music www.twitter.com/ladyrednecky

For more information please visit www.billabernathy.com.

Ashleigh Harley

Through Her Pain, Comes Her Passion

Overcoming life threatening illness to become all that she could be Story Written by Joseph Timmons, IndiePulse Journalist

Ashleigh Harley (born in England, United Kingdom) is an award-winning storyteller, actor, musician and filmmaker known for her films ‘The Dark Horse’ and ‘The Wall of Lyon’.

School, received an internship with the BBC, recorded at Real World Studios and trained in numerous acting boot camps. She is driven by the mantra of ‘make your dreams happen’.

At the age of 12 she was diagnosed with a genetic tissue disorder that periodically impaired her ability to walk and continue going to school. Determined to overcome a life changing illness, Ashleigh began working on her novel ‘The Messenger’ whilst episodically paralyzed in a hospital bed.

For Ashleigh, the motivator is the struggle itself. In her case, the antagonist is an illness called EDS; a rare condition named Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which can leave people in crippling pain, suffering from weakness in muscles and tendons. But this , something that would take anyone else down, seems only to drive her to find the power within.

In 2017 she directed her first short The Wall of Lyon, loosely based on the origin’s world of her novel which went on to win over 40 awards and qualify for a BAFTA Cymru. In 2019 she began directing her second short The Dark Horse to raise awareness of invisible illnesses and hidden disabilities. Despite living with life-changing illness Ashleigh has already received a BAFTA mentorship, been selected for a much sought-after place with the National Film and Television

Ashleigh is a keen animal lover and previously trained horses in show jumping and dressage both nationally and internationally. The sport itself is physically straining, yet she finds the strength to follow her passions. But despite the problems EDS has caused her physically, often suffered behind closed doors, it has lead to Ashleigh feeling discriminated against, albeit unwittingly, by people when they comment "on how well she looks", looking at her physical beauty, and not the whole of her personage.

Her commentary on this was "I say, 'well you didn't see me throwing up this morning'. People don't understand that you can look well, and be living with a chronic condition." One of Ashleigh’s first major successes was a film she wrote and directed, a short sci-fi film called The Wall of Lyon, which showed at film festivals around the world. She has moved on to an autobiographical and documentary film, The Dark Horse, which aims to shed light on her disability. We Interviewed Ashleigh for this story, and we learned that she is most definitely a person that has her eyes on the prize. IPM: When did you first think of the concept of the movie The Dark Horse, and how does it relate to you?

Essentially, I was "informally" kicked out of school for my illness. The teachers looked at my parents one day and said “we can’t support her health needs, and if you don’t like it you can leave.” It was a shock. I had been diagnosed with a genetic tissue disorder that often meant I could not walk, affecting my ability to breath and lung function. The only thing I learnt from school was how to hide, and how to cover up suffering. Because my condition was so rare there was no education, no schemes, no future for someone like me.

We all dream of freedom. We all want a world where there is no pain or worry anymore. When a person finds a reason to live there pain can melt away, and their life can change.

We were out of options So when I received my diagnosis for an incurable genetic tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome we began shooting the film. Mum, dad and I teamed up with the Oscar® winning team at Slick Films recently to raise awareness of invisible disabilities. IPM: As a writer, filmmaker and musician, you must have a deep well of creativity; can you give me some insight into what creativity has done to ease the burdens of the illness you fight against? We often don’t realize how important something is until it’s gone. I didn’t realise how important all this was to my survival until somebody tried to take it away.

I know that sounds crazy but it’s true. I was blind much of the time writing The Messenger and couldn’t feel my hands. But that book changed my soul. It became a reason to stop hiding. The music and the films all cascaded from that moment Someday The Messenger may go on to help somebody else. That’s the ultimate dream. IPM: With all the incredible amount of work you are doing on the movie, have you had any time recently to work on your musical career. If so, what, may we ask, are some of your plans? (Can you also give some reflection on the past music based work you have done, as well on the track “Judge Me” from your last film. Joseph, I’ve got a funny story for you about my first song.

I was 12 years old when the teachers turned to us and said people like me didn’t belong and refused to let me go to school or sit any exams. From that moment, giving the world a story of value has been my reason to fight. And has been for some years now. I wrote a book called The Messenger when I first got sick in hospital, it saved my life.

A lucky group of teens and I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to record and mix my own song at the world famous studio ‘Real World Studios’. It was the first song I had ever written, Judge Me which was a dance/world sort of track which was intended to be the headline song for my last film The Wall of Lyon. (Continued on page 27)

thought to myself ‘gee they don’t know what their missing! Look at this place!’

(Continued from page 26)

Then about an hour later I see one of my friends come stumbling back in, white as a sheet and mumbling. They were acting so strange. I laughed, “What’s wrong you?” He made a noise that was vaguely human. “Robert…” “What?” I tried understand his arm movements but was lost. I tried to copy him. "Robert....?" “Plant… Robert Plant” He pulled out his phone and showed me a selfie he had just taken with rock freaking legend ROBERT PLANT FROM LED ZEPPLIN! As the doors opened we were all completely overwhelmed, Beyonce, Tear for Fears, Amy Winehouse, you name them all had been through the doors. A Yamaha grand piano sat elegantly from the corner of the beautiful panoramic windows, and right in the middle of the room the mixing console was overshadowed by the 10 foot speaker system that produced a sound so pure I could have dribbled.

My face practically fell off at this point. Here I‟d been working my butt off and everyone else had been hanging out with rockstars!!! Just my luck! So morale of the story kids… work hard. But not so hard you miss out on all the fun.

I dove into working on my song, but my group quickly wandered off to play pool and eat pizza whilst I kept working, I

(Continued on page 28)

(Continued from page 27)

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen when recording The Dark Horse movie’s album! Even though last year my lung capacity dropped by 50%, I can’t wait to get recording it. Over the next few months we’ll be releasing live performance dates, so hope to see you there!

I sat at that computer screen and stared for about 2 hours before posting that video online. My hands were shaking, I could feel the hits again from the day the kids in my classed had kicked me to the ground.

IPM: I have seen many of your photographs from your social media, and from your website, you are a beautiful young woman, glamorous and bright, you take photographs like a runway model, your character is charming in every way, and then I saw the video you did, where you asked what people saw when they see you, and it cut away to scenes of medical treatment and the pain you go through….This a long winded run -through to the actual question, what made you do that video, and what was the response?

Mum put her hand on my shoulder and reassured me that if I thought this was right, then she would be there to stand against the bullies. But they never came. Instead when I hit that button I was met with mass of other young people who were just like me. I was shocked, changed and profoundly moved because it meant one thing:

I was being bullied pretty badly, EDS was crawling into my like a monster and was controlling everything. Society forces us into these boxes, It tells us we do not belong if we are different.

I was not alone, and I never had been. The Dark Horse movie became so important in that moment, it made us realize that we have got to do something to ensure no child ever faces the same again. That thousands had lived through the exact same suffering I had, and had their future stolen too.

So I decided to make the Dark Horse movie to make a change to people who suffered like me, and it started with that online video ‘growing up invisible’.

So we knew we needed to stand up and make a difference.

IPM: You push yourself harder and harder every day, showing drive and determination, does it ever come into thinking that “the pain is too much” and if so, what motivates you to push through? Everyday that is a big battle. But the truth is undeniable in the world when we look around us and see. Pain connects us and pain creates us. It creates the stars, it creates people, friendships and music There was a test in the hadron collider, to take away all the negative charge (electrons) out of an atom (the building blocks of life). You know what

Bloodlines, Vol 1 by OurNova

happened? It created a molecular black hole and the atom di sa ppea red in to n obody kn ow s w here!

UK artist OurNova released a 3 track EP, Bloodlines, Vol 1, presently available on Spotify and Apple Music is a surrealistically eclectic and avant-garde series of emotional and vibrant songs.

So it tells you, irrefutably, that nothing in this world can exist if it does not have pain. It tells you, that if you have any kind of pain you have already been given the strength to overcome it. That you’ve actually been given a very powerful tool to do good with, and it will take you places no one has ever been before. A whole new world, just like that atom that disappeared in the collider.

The track Lights has an ethereal and melancholic vibe, visions of lonely in a room the silence deafening yet it is broken, if only momentarily buy the vocalists own heartbeat, the sirens in the track are well placed, accentuating a dire emergency, of one looking to be saved, if one can be saved from their own life.

I have a connective tissue disorder, so I have no what that means for me and if I’m doomed on a molecular scale or not

This song is followed by the track Chemtrails_ which is just as subtle as the opening track, though it has a more upbeat tone, the rhythm connecting on the off beats, the song supported by the harmonies droning on in the ether.

IPM: What parting thoughts would you have for people reading this, what would the message be that you want them to think about and share with others about you, your work and your spark?

The EP ends with Nicotine & Nosebleeds, a darkish and synth-pop trill and then opens up to a lighter singularity of hopeful and bright memory of times gone by, wishing to go back, to before it all came crashing down.

A challenge is never a sign of weakness, but always a sign of potential.

Yes, I sound dramatis, but this is the energy of this EP and it is astounding to get so much emotion, and so many brainwaves flowing from 3 songs that touch so deeply

Pretty simple really!

Ashleigh Harley is coming ever closer to the completion of the film The Dark Horse, in its finishing stages and she hopes to have it out soon, with the pandemic coming, hopefully to a close and the theatres opening up, I hope that her epic personal story comes to public exhibition ,. She is a person that could be, without ever wanting to be, a role model for those without heroes.

OurNova hails from a place that historically is drenched in mystery and fantastic lore, Wizards and Kings, rain drenched shores and brisk foggy mornings that last until sunset. And it plays into the music; there is a mysterious connection with the earth in his songs, a soul searching for a kindred soul.

For More information on Ashleigh Harley and her film, go to her website:

Find and Follow OurNova Online Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ournovamusic Twitter: https://twitter.com/our_nova

http://www.ashleighharley.com

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upcoming concert celebration at the end of this month and we will be multi streaming on platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. We have a lot of idea that we will openly share with the public in due time. Elliott: Live Performances are at the core of every successful musical endeavor. We have big plans in the months to come to bring live venue concerts and virtual concerts to our audience. Do you have dedicated customer service If artists were to have any issues with the site? Troy: We do. It is email based at this moment and, if ever you have an issue email support@blastmusic247.com and someone will get to you quickly; dare I say, within an hour to assist you. Thank you guys for this interview. Are there any closing thoughts? Troy: Yes we want to encourage all… not just artists but, fans of music to sign up to http://www.blastmusic247.com. We are doing some special gifts to random signees who join us within the month of June to July I believe. We do ask that we did launch on the first and some surprise technical gremlins are giving us some challenges but we will get this platform running smooth as butter so stay tuned and thank you. Elliot: Just that, If you are a musical artist looking for a way to get your music heard, promoted, showcased and, monetized you should run, not walk, to blastmusic247.com. Let us help you grow by growing with us. Find out more on BLAST at the links provided below. https://www.facebook.com/BLASTMUSIC247 https://www.instagram.com/blastmusic247/

J-SA: New Voice Formidable Style Las Vegas Hip Hop Artist J-Sa may be a newcomer to the music scene, but his combination of lyrics, flow and the tone of his voice is setting him apart from other artists. J-Sa (Justin Saha) was born in St. Thomas, The Virgin Islands. His family moved to Orlando, FL when he was six and this is where he spent his youth and teenage years. In 2007 J-Sa moved to Las Vegas and it was here that he began to find his voice. “I’ve only been writing for 2 years. I didn’t really know that I had this talent, but I went through a bad situation, and it gave me the opportunity to sit back collect my thoughts and get to know myself. Ever since then I’ve been pretty much writing nonstop”. And nonstop is an understatement. In the two years, J-Sa has written over 50 songs and has recorded over 11 songs in the studio. That’s more songs that are on most albums nowadays. While most artist stick to the standards for what they choose to talk about in their songs, J-Sa isn’t afraid to jump into the political arena. Just check out his banger WTF George Floyd, which you can find exclusively on BLAST at blastmusic247.com. (Continued on page 31)

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Blood Of The Phoenix Canadian progressive metal-Blood Of The Phoenix released a short teaser for their upcoming video for “Signs Of War” Premiering on Ghost Cult . Indie metal band Blood of the Phoenix rises to the top of the ranks with their shocking dynamic vocal style, powerful storytelling and robust instrumentation.

On this track, J-Sa chronicles the feelings he and many of us had when the George Floyd incident went down. His use of lyrics and symmetry helps the listeners see what he’s saying. This is something the most seasoned artist work to try and perfect. They want the audience to feel what they are seeing through the eyes of the artist. J-Sa has perfected this skill.

Drawing inspiration from early 2000s Metalcore, the band has created their niche pocket in the hardcore genre. This five-piece ensemble consists of Jess Escobar as lead vocalist, Bradley Hart & Manny Marwaha on guitar, and Jade Weekes on bass, and Nolan Moore on the drums.

Not About No Games is another joint that hits the listeners with some bomb ass lyrics and a hook you will have you singing it all day.

At its inception, Nolan and Bradley met in recovery on the downtown Vancouver eastside, struggling with personal addictions. During this process, they created a bond that would come full circle to the creation of Blood of the Phoenix. The name was directly inspired by each of the bandmate’s life experiences where they rose from the ashes and reinvented themselves. Their upcoming debut EP “From What We Used To Know” explores the darkness and healing within judgment, rejection, loss and addiction.

Having a unique, creative style is J-Sa’s calling card. Once you hear his flow you will know its him from that point on. J-Sa’s influences comes from Legendary Hip Artist Ludacris. “Ludacris is my favorite artist; his delivery and flow is second to none. I look up to him when I’m thinking outside the box. It’s almost like we know each other, and I can channel how he would attack a beat and go for it”. J-Sa may be new to the game, but he has the talent and drive to make a significant impact on the hip hop world. “It takes a lot to continue coming up with topics to talk about, but once I decide a topic the words just flow like water from a faucet”.

Throughout the pandemic, the band produced, recorded and wrote everything off of their new EP independently. They have also been featured in Star Pow-R’s “A Very Metal Christmas“, LockFest 2020, and Fallen Fest. Blood of the Phoenix is not your average metal band; they are a new age genre with a massive future ahead of them.

Be on the lookout for more from J-Sa as he is on his way to change Hip Hop from the inside out. You can find J-Sa exclusively on BLAST and blastmusic247.com. Check him out and show him some love.

“From What We Used To Know” will be released digitally on all major platforms July 2nd and can be pre-ordered online.

Till next time, Peace

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/bloodofthephoenix/fromwhat-we-used-to-know.

http://romanusrecords.com