Greetings from the editors of The Chord. Rise to Fame is a music-based magazine that takes you into the life and experiences of small music artists. Music is a form of expression that many partake in, and it is an essential part of life and culture. Music is so important to many, but as a listener, do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes? What is the process behind music creation and how do music artists participate in this? How do they rise to fame?
In this magazine, we hope you can take away some of the aspects music artists encounter when in the music industry. We also hope that you can discover some fresh artists and learn more about music. These musicians, who work in many genres, have one thing in common: despite creating amazing music and working hard, they are not receiving the attention they deserve, and we hope to bring this to light.
We’re proud of how efficiently we’ve worked as a team, and that the effort we’ve all put in individually has paid off. Each piece was created with careful consideration, and each word was a conscious decision. The infographics, formatting, and artistic accents have all been made through our hard work and time, and we spent months putting together a magazine worthy of showing off.
Throughout our magazine, we hope you can learn more about different genres and the music industry. You will also see our well-thought-out infographics and stories made by The Chord. We hope you appreciate our magazine and the information we gathered. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Srinithi Ilangovan (she/her) is a LASA High School freshman and a contributor to The Chord. She loves to listen to music, write songs, learn dances, and play piano in her free time. She is also in the debate club and enjoys competing in debate tournaments. Srinithi wrote a story about the lives of small pop artists and inside the music industry from their perspectives. She also created an infographic displaying the results of a music genre survey as well as the development of pop culture. Srinithi is hoping to enter law in the future and pursue a side career in music creation.
Ezekiel Gregory (he/him) is a freshman at LASA, a magnet high school in Texas, and is a contributor to The Chord. He has participated in multiple theatre productions since the start of the year and is the lead in one of the current plays. Ezekiel’s story revolves around the life of a small indie folk artist, including their early start, songwriting, and performing process, and the best ways to support them. His infographic includes the history and origins of indie folk music throughout centuries of evolution. Ezekiel hopes that his future profession, whatever that may be, opens up new opportunities and makes him happy.
Abel Perez (he/him) is a freshman at LASA High School and a contributor to The Chord. In his free time, he likes to make money. He won district, bi-district, and area championships for soccer and went undefeated on the LASA Boys Soccer Team. Abel wrote a story about different psychedelic rock bands, how their music has evolved since they rose to fame, and why Austin is perfect for psychedelic rock. He also created an infographic that represents a timeline of psychedelic rock. In the future, Abel would like to be an aerospace engineer for NASA.
Iris Hernandez (she/her) is a freshman at LASA High School and a contributor to The Chord. She likes to listen to many forms of music and enjoys partaking in robotics projects. Iris wrote a story about the production of an R&B song featuring three incredible artists with high aspirations and potential. She also created an infographic on the history of R&B to help bring recognition of how diverse the genre is. Iris is unsure of her particular career goals for the future, but she is interested in the STEM field to help those around her.
Pop music originated in the 1950s in the US.
Pop spread as the invention of radio and TV created more oppurtunities for music to be heard.
“The Billboard Top 100,” was created in 1958, to record the evolution of music.
Pop music is light-hearted and easy to listen to.
Pop songs are rythmic and catchy.
Pop songs prioritize melodies, harmonies, and addictive lyrics.
Pop often contains themes of love and relationships.
Pop is a genre that is consistently evolving throughout the years.
First No. 1 Billboard Song: Poor Little Fool by Ricky Nelson
Four Time Chart Topper: All I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey
Longest Record in the Top 100: Blinding Lights by The Weeknd; Time: 90 weeks
Youngest Person to Debut No. 1: Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo
Most Viewed Song in 24 Hours: Butter by BTS
No. 1 in Top Album Sales Within a Week: Oddinary by Stray Kids
17 out of 80 students prefer pop
6 out of 80 students prefer kpop
psychedelic Rock
15 out of 80 students prefer psychedelic rock
12 out of 80 students prefer indie folk
R&B
10 out of 80 students prefer R&B
Rap/Hip Hop: 7 out of 80 students prefer this genre
Classical: 5 out of 80 students prefer this genre
Miscellaneous: 8 out of 80 students had miscellaneous answers
We asked 80 students in Austin, Texas, what their favorite music genre is, and the results may surprise you!
By Srinithi Ilangovan
Music is a creative outlet that people utilize for inspiration and motivation to endure life. Music artists specifically face many obstacles to achieve their goals: to create music that can not only be enjoyed but can also support people through times of struggle. Many independent artists are out there creating music that takes hard work, dedication, and passion. Their lives have been changed forever by the impact of music and will continue to change as they rise to fame.
I was six. I have had fleeting thoughts of trying other careers, but singing has always been my main goal. I feel that it’s the perfect career for me, and now I can’t imagine doing anything else. I’m obsessed with it because I’m so passionate about it” Rose talks about how she wants to use her singing career for good. “I want to write songs that inspire people. I have
friends, and then later mustered up the confidence to start self-releasing some of my own songs,” she said.
Music creation depends on the process, which is different for everybody. Many music artists have particular methods to get ideas flowing, while some such as Ellis feel the lyrics flow out of them.
Up and coming pop musicians practice artistic expression. Music artists aspire to enhance their range of capabilities.
Photo Courtisies Clockwise Left to Right
Linnea Sigglekow (Ellis)
Michelle Rose
Will Hunter (Pacific)
Ethan Oroshiba (Work in Progress)
Some people such as Michelle Rose, a music artist, discover what they’re passionate about early on in their lives, while for some it takes more time and dedication to truly understand what path to take in life. For some, music inspires an immediate attachment, while for others it is a growing fondness that takes time to discover, explained Michelle Rose.
“I started taking singing lessons when I was six,” said Rose. “I immediately fell in love with singing and never looked back. I love the creativity of it, the self-expression, and the way it helps me to harness my emotions.” She describes how she can convey her emotions through the tone of her voice, which helps her to connect with her audience more. “Singing has been my dream ever since I started training in singing when
so many messages that I want to get out into the world. It’s my way of trying to help make the world a better place.”
Many people strive to and dream of creating music for a living, but thinking about starting a music career may be frightening if you feel like you don’t know where to start and have no direction to go. However, everybody has to start somewhere. Linnea Siggelkow, also known as Ellis, started on her own but was gradually able to grow her career.
“I started to very badly record songs on Garageband when I got my first computer,” Ellis said. “I would sometimes put them up, and usually delete them shortly after out of embarrassment. Eventually, I started to play in bands with
“Writing seems to happen in two different ways: either a song literally pours out of me in a matter of minutes in its full and final form, or I spend hours/weeks/ months laboring over every little detail until it feels right,” Ellis said. “Either way, I like to keep the process very insular.”
Ethan Oroshiba, a part of the musical duo Work in Progress, talks about his unique writing process.
Courtesy of Michelle RoseMusic has such a special way of bringing people together, whether it’s through relating to a song or experiencing a live show in a room full of people - it creates a really special sort of community and makes me feel less alone.
- Linnea Siggelkow (Ellis), Music Artist
Songs allow people to say things they’re sometimes too afraid to say out loud in conversation. I love the creativity of it, and the fact that you can make something out of nothing. I love that art will live on after we’re gone, and it’s a way to express who we are and what we believe in.
- Michelle Rose, Music ArtistSince I was a kid, music has been a place to help me feel my emotions and give words to hard things in life that I couldn’t understand on my own. It’s been with me in the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. And because of that, it connects people together, which is the best thing in life.
- Will Hunter (Pacific), Music ArtistOne of the most appealing aspects of music, to me, is its ability to affect people emotionally. I think it’s an incredibly powerful thing, and seeing how it affects different people as well as feeling its effect on me is a surreal experience.
- Ethan Oroshiba (Work in Progress), Music Artist“My music-making process differs by what I am creating,” Oroshiba said. “Usually, songs I write start with some sort of idea, whether it be lyrical or musical. Personally, I find it easier to start with a musical idea and come up with the lyrics after. He describes how there is a lot of trial and error in his process. “Figuring out which chords work, which lyrics work, and then looking back at what I’ve written to make sure it’s emotionally compelling,” he says. Oroshiba describes how his methods have changed over time and as of late. “Lately, an increasing amount of the creative work for me has also taken place during the recording process, as I try to find little bits to make the songs sound more full, complex, and driving. No two songs are the same in their creative process, but I found that over time, I have developed these tools to help keep the music-making on track and create the best song I can.”
It may be frustrating to go into the music industry with no experience, but exposure is what helps you learn and grow to be a better musician. Sometimes this requires help from those more adept in the music industry.
“Talk to other artists! See what works and doesn’t work - if you’re thinking of signing a deal, talk to the other artists on the label and ask them about their experiences,” said Ellis. “Talk to people about what kind of advances they’ve gotten, how they cut down on tour costs, who they like working with,
and who they don’t. It feels like more than ever it’s important for artists to look out for and protect each other.”
Michelle Rose gives her advice from her experiences in the music business.
“Work as hard as you can, and connect with people who have more experience and success than you,” Rose said. They can mentor and uplift you. Practice your craft every day, and don’t settle for being mediocre. Go after this full force. And really get in touch with your soul and creativity. When you really know yourself well, it’s much easier to show that to the world through your art. They will see the raw, true you coming through your music,” she explains.
Will Hunter, a part of the band Pacific gives his suggestions to make it in the industry.
“I would say get ready for it to be nothing like you expect,” he said. “Fall in love with the work and not the results cause that’s what you’ll have at the end of the day. The entertainment industry is fickle. Don’t let it be everything to you.”
Ethan Oroshiba, talks about his experiences and advice to others who are looking to pursue music. “I’ve received a couple of pieces of advice through the years that have stuck with me,” Oroshiba said. He explains how connections are everything in the music industry and the fastest way up is to know people at the top who will vouch for you. “Another piece of advice
I’ve gotten is that if you like your music and think it’s good, other people will as well. This doesn’t mean everyone will like your music but is rather to say that you have to make music you’re proud of and you like. If you don’t like your own music, how can you expect others to,” he said.
The music industry impacts everyone in different ways and there will never be a scarcity of passion and talent. Artists with new things to offer are always emerging from the industry and they will continue to. Music and the industry is constantly changing, but music artists that work hard to pursue their dreams will continue to evolve and grow.
Folk music, much like folk tales, was passed down orally through generations of families.
This genre encorporates others like blues, early country and bluegrass, and protest songs.
“Folk” originated from the German word “volk” which means “of the people.”
It focuses on acoustic instruments such as banjo, guitar, pipes, mandolin, harmonica, and violin.
The origins of folk music can be traced back to western Europe and the Americas.
1700’s There was a folk song writing tradition in the 18th century among the working class.
1800’s In the 19th century, folk music and art music began merging into a single genre.
1900’s Folk music became part of the recording industry in the early to mid 20th century.
“Music has been an outlet for artists for generations,” according to Grace Rowland, lead singer of the indie folk band The Deer.
“I needed to release some extra energy,” Rowland said. “Tantra
Coffeehouse had an open mic night where I played some of my first songs,” she said. Austin offers many entertaining venues, including the Kerrville Folk Festival, which is frequented by The Deer.
The city of Austin is bursting with sound, an atmosphere well suited for the “Live Music Capital of the World.” The community is tight-knit, and there’s nothing that brings Austinites together like the desire to support an up-and-coming artist. Indie folk music is a popular genre in the heart of Texas, its soulful sound and cadence helping to attract listeners.
Courtesy of Grace Rowland“We met a lot of people while traveling,” Rowland said. “Anais Mitchell was one of them, and before she’d become famous, she came to Kerrville and absolutely blew my mind. We went on a road trip together, and she made me feel so much stronger, and also helped me figure out some stuff about the music industry.”
She and her bandmate Jesse Dalton explained the importance of having connections with other artists within the industry.
“Our friend group has really pushed one another to feel comfortable in this creative bubble as artists,” Dalton, lead guitarist, said. “We didn’t have a mentor dynamic, but we were teaching each other nonetheless. We’d built this
artistic community that was more about friendship than instruction.”
“Music has always brought out emotions and strong feelings for me and I wanted to make other people feel that way about my own music as well,” said Kylan Court, one half of the sister duo Let Flo Go.
It’s kind of like reading a book, but you don’t have to use your hands or your eyes, you can just listen.
- Grace Rowland, Lead Singer of The Deer“I have always loved things that bring people together and unite all walks of life,” said Bogan Court, Kylan’s sister and artistic partner. “Music is an incredibly powerful tool that can connect people who would normally never see eye-to-eye on anything.” Though both sisters work side
jobs, music has been their passion and first choice since they were young.
“I love performing our music and being a part of something that can unite friends and strangers.” They had been performing together since they were kids, but only became an
Courtesy of Bogan and Kylan Courtofficial band after a few years of college. As children, they were a part of the youth rock band scene.
“We were the youngest band and so we looked up to pretty much everyone that played alongside us,” said Kylan. She and her sister were homeschooled, which strengthened their bond as a band.
The two sisters focus more on rock, but have knowledge of indie folk regardless. “We respect most artists and their art, I think it’s an interesting genre full of fun stories and times,” said Bogan.
“Music is a way of decorating time,” Rowland said. The way every note hits depends not only on the creator, but also on the listener. Rowland reverently spoke about her view on folk music’s personal influence.
“Like you would decorate your walls with art, you can decorate your space and your time with sounds that make you feel different things.” The lyrics and style are unlike pop, country, rock,
hip-hop, or anything other genre in that the acoustics give it such a raw, unfiltered quality.
“There’s a certain spirit to it, a freedom,” Rowland said. Dalton had similar opinions, having started the band in college with Rowland. “We met at Texas State University in music school, in ear training class,” Dalton said.
Courtesy of Jesse Dalton
I always liked that folk music was seen as ‘for the people.’
- Grace Rowland, Lead Singer of The Deer
“It was January of 2004 that we met. That was 19 years ago!” Rowland had added. Many groups form as a hobby, then flourish into a full-blown career. Austin is the perfect place for up-and-coming indie folk singer-songwriters. It offers festivals for artists to meet each other and show off their skills to a live audience and spread their influence.
An aspect of indie folk music that attracts people to it the most is its instrumentation and poetic attributes. Dalton said, “Breaking it down to a very simplistic relationship between you, your voice, and a piece of wood with strings on it is the most amazing thing you can do.”
He’s had experience with multiple different instruments and genres, but he prefers indie folk above all. “It’s the cheapest and most unobtrusive way of producing and creating music, and that’s always attracted me to it.”
and what their parents listened to or what their neighbors are listening to all affects what kind of music an artist will release.”
They value diversity within their music to bring a unique sound to their listeners. “We definitely are interested in branching out and creating different sounds for our band.”
It’s really fun to jam out and plug in huge amps and keyboards and get really loud, but sometimes the best writing sessions will be in a dark room with just a guitar.
- Jesse Dalton, Member of The DeerThe sister duo also loves going to and performing in concerts, and having their friends and family there to support them
encourages them greatly. “Music is so beautifully fluid and constantly evolving. It’s amazing.”
Let Flo Go has a strong opinion on what influences the music industry’s priorities as well. “I think peoples’ cultures and backgrounds
Courtesy of Bogan and Kylan Court1960
Psych rock was popularized in the 1960. This style of rock music was largely inspired by the effect of “tripping out.
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Sources: psychedelicscene.com
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Spring 2023 The Chord 19Practicing days before preforming. this shows how upand-coming bands prepare for big shows.
Nestled in the heart of Texas, Austin is known for its thriving music scene. For psychedelic bands, it’s a haven. From the legendary psych rock acts of the ‘60s, to the current underground psych scene, the history of psychedelic rock runs deep in the city, according to Zapot, who also goes by Topaz, lead singer for the Austin band Golden Dawn Arkestra. “The history of psychedelic rock here is deep,” Topaz said.
The roots of psychedelic rock can be traced back to the 1960s, when musicians used their sounds as a form of protest against the social and political norms of the time.
The genre is characterized by its use of distorted guitar riffs, trippy lyrics, and experimental instrumentation, often incorporating elements of folk, blues, and jazz.
“We look up to some Austin Bands for sure.
You see some bands and they make an impact on you and how you see the music, but people like Roky Erickson and Marley are some inspiration” Said Marco, singer for Psychic Love Child.
Austin has a reputation for being a creative hub, with an arts scene and a community of musicians and artists. Austin can help bands achieve their glory and rise to fame in many ways.
Topaz home studio where he produced music during the pandemic. This shows the diversity of tools he used to evolve his music
“The acceptance of something that’s out of the usual here is beautiful,” Topaz said.
The city’s culture and atmosphere encourages
Photograph By Abel Perez Psychic Love Child band Photo courtesy of Psychic love child bandTopaz producing music in his production room. Since he wasn;t able to leave his house during the pandemic he created his own studio room to create his art.
Golden Dawn Arkestra Badge. Topaz, Lead singer of Golden Dawn Arkestra.
Photographs by Abel Perez
Graphics by Abel Perez
Spring 2023 The Chord 21
fans in a meaningful way. As Topaz said, “Austin is really the perfect place for our band to be.” For Psychic Love Child band members like Parker Hernandez, Mathew Posey, Marcos Mateus, Zach Rojas, and Justin Zawiskie, the psych rock genre provides a platform for artistic expression, connection, and spreading a message of love and unity. “You can do whatever you want, which is beautiful,” said Parker Hernandez, Lead singer and guitarist for Psychic Love Child.
Topaz is passionate about sending messages and connecting with fans through music. “My favorite part about playing is creating an emotional response in people and connecting with people, and hopefully making the world a little bit of a better place and a little bit of a happier place,” he explained. “And, specifically with this project, with Golden Dawn, I like to try to bring a little bit of a message to the consciousness. Like trying to remind people to take care
of their planet and their Earth, and take care of each other and stop fighting.”
For Topaz and his band, psychedelic rock is the perfect genre for delivering their message of love and unity.
Psychic Love Child, another band in the psychedelic rock scene, is drawn to the connection with their fans and the communal atmosphere that surrounds the genre. “Man, doing it with buds and friends, also the connection with other people that are listening to your
“Playing psychedelic music comes with a certain freedom, because anything goes. you can do whatever you want, which is beautiful.
take on a more modern, neo-psychedelic sound. “It’s gone from a 60’s dark theme to a more neopsych now and more
synthesizers,” he said. One of the biggest changes in their sound has been the increased use of electronic instruments and loops. Topaz’s latest album, in particular, has a distinctly electro-disco feel.
“We’ve got some loops and we’re even using those live, like some drum loops and stuff like that,” explained Topaz. “And, like I said, we’ll go back to the other stuff too. But that’s the main difference. Some loops, and more synthesizers, and some drum loops.”
Despite the changes in their
“
Trying to remind people to take care of their planetand the Earth, and stop fighting each other.
- Topaz, Lead Singer of Golden Dawn Akestra
- Topaz, Lead Singer of Golden Dawn Arkestra
music,” explained Zach, the bassist for Psychic Love Child. “Typically, I think we identify more with that type of crowd other than some other genres out there.”
For the Duel Band, the experience of making and listening to psychedelic music is transformative. “We really like how different it is, and for us as a band, we get taken
into a different mindset when listening or even making psychedelic music,” said Tom Frank Duels guitarist and vocalist. Although many bands love their psych rock. They also go through many changes in their career. The sound of psychedelic rock has gone through significant evolution in recent years. The bands, known for their unique blend
of rock and electronic music, has been experimenting with new sounds and techniques, resulting in a distinct change in their musical style.
Parker Hernandez, explained that the band’s earlier sound was heavily influenced by the dark themes of 1960s psychedelic rock. However, as they continued to experiment with different sounds, their music began to
sound, Psychic Love Child emphasizes that the band’s enthusiasm for creating music remains the same. “When we sit down and write a song, we still have the same excitement,” said Mathew Posey, drummer for Psychic Love Child. One of the band’s biggest
challenges has been finding a balance between their sounds. “We’re definitely trying to mix the old sound with the new sound,” said Topaz. “We want to keep some of the old guitar and drum sounds, but also incorporate the new sounds we’re experimenting with.”
The evolution of Psychic Love Child, Golden Dawn Arkestra, and Duel band sound is a reflection of the
band’s creative growth and willingness to experiment with contemporary ideas. As they continue to evolve and develop their musical style, their fans can expect to hear a unique blend of old and new sounds that showcase the band’s versatility and passion for music.
Psychic Love Child band preforming latest project live. Photo courtesy of by Psychic Love Child band Graphics by Abel PerezWhile R&B is a popular genre, there is more going on behind the scenes than people might know!
R&Bis alotof genresmerged into one,These includeJazz,Folk, Soul,Traditional Blues,and some Rockn’Roll
In the 1950’s, white artists who played bluesbased pop music were categorized as rock ‘n’ roll, while
black musicians playing the songs with the same influences were branded as R&B Artists.
In the 1960’s, Etta James and Sam Cooke brought a softer tone to R&B, while white ‘rockers’ were pushing towards heavier psychedelic sounds.
Source: Masterclass.com
The process for everyone is different and there are no harsh boundaries to creating a song because R&B is composed of many genres. This is just the rough process R&B artist go through. Just have fun with it and create something that gets your point across or makes you happy! Remember to have patience throughout this artistic process.
Create a beat! Play around and have fun with the instruments and/or equipment you have! Dont be afraid to take inspiration from your favorite R&B artists.
Recall back on a memory you cherish or wish to share about. The memory could hit you out of nowhere so make sure to have a notebook nearby! Make sure to think about what you felt, saw, smelled, etc.
Turn these descriptions into lyrics! This process has no range, it could take from hours to years. You could start recording the lyrics, while doing this there could be some new ideas popping up so make sure to keep that notebook from the beginning.
Once you are satisfied with your end product, you have created an R&B song!
Graphics by Iris Hernandez
Smooth R&B, which popular artists followed, such as Mariah Carey, and Michael Jackson.
R&B kept on experimenting with sounds and genres in the 1970’s. This is when it became
R&B has recently exploded, and it will continue developing as new minds start creating music for this genre.
when the calm beat of R&B comes in, it can sooth nerves and help people become less stressed out by listening to something relatable. Ghanaian R&B creator Koyo Appiah, who performs as Koyo, said this is why he makes music.
“With me, music is a way of expressing my emotions, a way to breathe and be recognized by something that connects with you,” Koyo said.
The composition of songs is one of the many ways people are able to express themselves and be in
touch with their feelings. R&B is a popular genre which the lyrics mainly consist of reflecting on past experiences to spread the message to everyone else that they are not alone in their situations. Through the diverse genre of R&B, the creation of songs to come to life does not follow a specific process and can take different forms for everyone.
While some artists may get started in elementary or high school, Naomi Sutton, known by the stage name Nayome, is an R&B artist who got her start in Austin and began creating music in college.
¨It wasn’t until sophomore year in college when I actually started getting into music, writing music and performing in public,” Nayome said.
Koyo had a similar experience, being involved with fine arts activities during highschool such as creative writing, dancing, and singing, junior year established what he wanted to do.
“To write a song that’s like junior year I was like, let me put something here and see if I am feeling it and just getting everything from my head onto paper,” Koyo said.
The Puerto Rican R&B artist Nayome (Left) performing live at KUTX 98.9 and Alondra Marie (Right) performing at PRMTD. Courtesy of Naomi Suttonknown as Alondra Marie has also long known she had a passion for music.
“I was a band nerd for all of middle school and highschool so I always liked making music and playing instruments so it’s always been a part of my life,” Alondra Marie said.
However, to choose a genre, there must be a connection between the artist and the genre. Nayome had this connection with R&B from her experiences in Jersey.
¨I’ve always loved music,” Nayome said. “I was always around it growing up, also in Jersey where my grandfather had a soul food restaurant and would always have a lot of blues influences at the restaurant.¨
Alondra Marie decided to pursue R&B because when she was in America dealing with culture shock after coming from Puerto Rico, it was the genre that reminded her of what she grew up around.
“I would say that’s the genre that I connected with the most to when I was in America and dealing with culture shock,” said
Alondra Marie. “It felt the closest to the kind of music I would listen to in Puerto Rico so over the years I kinda just connected with it more and what I like about it is that I can express my emotions and vulnerability through it.”
To write the lyrics, inspiration can be found anywhere, and the process for the end product of the music is unbounded. Nayome explains music is all about expressing what’s inside of her and translating it into a song to bring those feelings out.
“It’s all about getting the feeling out. Whatever gets built up inside me, or if I want to think back on an experience, sometimes it just flows out,” Nayome said.
For some, the creation of a beat could initiate this process, it allows for the whole structure of the song to come together.
“The beat is what inspires the lyrics for me,” Nayome said. “It helps me paint a picture in my mind and helps me translate on the production”
Alondra Marie shares the same experience.
“Most of the time I hear a track or a sample that sounds
good in the line play and then I just start mumbling gibberish and record gibberish” said Alondra Marie “I take that as the theme of the song and I write around that or I take previous poems I’ve written to create the song”
Although, the creation of a beat could need someone else’s ideas
“I collaborated with a friend to finish the beat because I couldn’t figure out how to do it and I didn’t want the idea to go away and that’s how it came to be, so it was completely external,” said Alondra Marie.
The beat is a crucial part to the song because it will dictate what the listener will feel like. It is import ant to have input from the fans
Koyo and his team in their studio working on their upcoming songs. Photo credits to Koyo Appiah. Cover for the album “Memory Lane”. Courtesy of Koyo Appiah“ It’s all about getting the feeling out. Whatever gets built up inside me, or if I want to think back on an experience, sometimes it just flows out.
- Naomi Sutton, R&B Artist
Alondra Marie recording her tracks. Courtesy of Alondra Marie, photo credits to Philip Adcock.
“ With me, music is a way of expressing my emotions, a way to breathe and be recognized by something that connects with you.
- Koyo Appiah, R&B Artist
to see what beats are the most likable.
“‘Dance Wit Me’ is a slightly faster up tempo beat, a song that makes you want to dance,” said Koyo.
When it comes to the lyrics, experiences that can be shared are the only component required for songwriting. Those experiences could range from wholesome childhood memories to tragedies.
“Most of my inspiration, I’m going to be real with you, is all going to come from my experience,” said Nayome.
That’s true for a lot of artists, Alondra Marie explained. She said her own life is the primary source for songwriting.
“Heartbreaks, disappointment, situationships, personal relationships or situations that I go through,” said Alondra Marie.
But all that matters is that the moment holds value towards the artist, which is why it is important to have enough exposure from life to learn and overcome.
“As an artist you really want to have enough experiences in life. Like you want to turn your passion into anything you see,” said Koyo.
To complete the song, there is no saying for how long it will take. With Koyo, recording a song can take three days.
“The fastest I wrote something, I want to say maybe 3 days tops,” said Koyo.
Alondra Marie says she can take from minutes up to months to finish a song.
“I can make it happen in 30 minutes, and the next song I’m about to release has been in the works since December,” said Alondra Marie
If she feels her music has a good foundation, writing lyrics and returning to the original plan whenever she feels more inspired is not out of the ordinary.
In order for an artist to rise to fame, it is no secret that a big social media platform is required in order to gain more attention.
That is why a song that is trending on TikTok is likely to be trending on all other music platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. This is the reason why Nayome has been leaning towards her social media
“I am really working on my social media because although I am not a big fan of it, I’m training myself to get more and more into it because really this is the way you are going to capture more listeners,’’ said Nayome.
Alondra Marie has also begun to see the effects of social media.
“I’m starting to see how if a lot of people get their hands on it will spread to more people then it will be good and then they will start listening to it,” said Alondra Marie. This helps with giving the artists more insight to what their listeners are feeling about their music, how the artist is able to improve and what is attractive about their music.
Even with enough insight from fans and being popular on social media, being an R&B singer is not easy. Just like any other career, the sense of giving up is unavoidable. It is important to keep in mind regularity and further expanding skills is the key to success in the music industry.
“I do have to remind myself that it’s a long game, it’s not a short game, it doesn’t happen overnight,” Nayome said. “Its consistency, constant consistency.”
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