Issue #6 - Summer 2014 Verity Mag

VER

ITY SUMMER 2014

MELANIE MARTINEZ AMERICAN AUTHORS / RAELYNN / JAMES DURBIN / +MORE

V M

EDITORS Emily Kirchner Adrianna Velazquez

DESIGN/PHOTOGRAPHY Amber Ainsworth Danyyil Nosovskiy Brian Puninske Adrianna Velazquez

WRITERS

Amber Ainsworth Courtney Rose Adrianna Velazquez Nikole Vendl

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www.veritymag.com veritymag@gmail.com @VerityMag

WHO WE ARE Verity Mag is a digital magazine dedicated to bringing you the latest news in the music industry. We are passionate about promoting both local and well-known artists through interviews, album reviews, concert coverage and other exclusive features.

FEATURES NGHBRS [04]

RaeLynn [06] James Durbin [10] American Authors [12] Melanie Martinez [16] Chiodos [18] Olivia Somerlyn [22]

EDITORIAL Rocket + Lace [08]

Reviews [24] Live Performances [26]

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER Dear readers, This issue is extremely special for all of us here at Verity Mag. This summer issue represents our one-year anniversary since kick-starting this incredible journey and it wouldn’t be possible without each and every one of you.

As a result of your continued support, we get to continue doing what we love and share our experiences with you. This first year has been absolutely incredible to say the least and we’ve met some wonderful people along the way.

Thank you for reading our stories, connecting with us on Twitter and most of all, supporting us.

We look forward to many more!

Sincerely, Adrianna Velazquez

NGHBRS Words by Nikole Vendl

It was practically fate how Long Island natives, NGHBRS came to be when they banded together in late 2009 and it was all thanks to some impeccable timing and a rare sense of chemistry.

As lead singer, Ian Kenny explained, “We had all been playing in the Long Island scene in different bands for a while and then those bands kind of dismantled and we all found each other and wanted to keep playing music and it kind of just worked.”

Once Kenny joined with Jordan Schneider, Tommy Fleischmann, and Eric Vivelo it became clear that this was no ordinary band and they’ve been nothing less than unique from day one, starting with their band name. “NGHBRS was the first song that we titled.

We wrote a bunch of old demos and that was the first one and we titled it NGHBRS and when it came time to be like, ‘Okay, let’s become a band and name ourselves,’ that kind of stuck out,” explained Kenny. “We took out the vowels because if you type in NGHBRS spelled out into Google you get real estate agents, a soda brand in Australia and a bunch of other things. We wanted to make our mark.”

This fearless creativity continued when the professional video for their single “Hold Up Girl” didn’t turn out the way that they 04|VERITY MAG

anticipated. “We had a production company working with us, we had a day of shooting and it just didn’t turn out the way that we had planned. There were just some issues with creativity in that department,” explained Kenny. Instead of settling, the band decided to take it upon themselves to create an entirely new music video. “We wound up scratching the whole thing and starting from square one and we had taken a loss on spending money on that shoot.”

Shortly after Instagram made the announcement that users would be able to upload short video clips, the band went to work to create their own music video. “We’re fortunate enough to have Jordan in our band who is also a video editor,” said Kenney. “It was basically a big math equation we had to put together, do it in a certain order, in a certain time frame, it was a lot of pre-planning.

Two months of pre-planning, taking the actual footage we wanted and lining it up with the song.” The video went viral by becoming Instagram’s first official music video. “Within a half hour after we released the video my phone was going nuts from people tweeting about it all over the world because once Instagram retweeted it, that’s when it exploded,” Kenny recalled.

Social media has undoubtedly played a major role in the band’s success, from rave reviews of their Instagram video for “Hold Up Girl” to connecting with fans to share news of major announcements. “It’s just a direct connection with your fans. I can talk to pretty much any of our NGHBRS fans at any time, any point of the day. Twenty years ago I wouldn’t even know the mindset of how to release information for tour dates and new song announcements and stuff like that,” explained Kenney. “I couldn’t even fathom that process twenty years ago, it’s just completely integrated into an artist’s lifestyle.”

In 2013, NGHBRS released their debut album, Twenty One Rooms to rave reviews by once again showcasing their unique style.

According to Kenny, the recording process of their debut album accurately depicts the band’s raw edge. “We moved into an abandoned mansion on Long Island, built a studio, and were there for about two months. One room of the house was used for all the guitar amps and we used one wing of the house for all the bass amps.” While the rest of the band recorded together in one room, “I was recording vocals on the third floor right above them.”

On the album’s overall sound, he described it as, “Very dark and

light. I’d say the record is definitely to be listened to front to back.

It was a completely life changing, beautiful experience. We wanted it to be personal and raw and I think we accomplished that.”

Beyond the recording studio, NGHBRS also takes an unusual approach to both their songwriting process and their live shows that easily sets them apart from other bands. “When we’re writing a song we’ll ask each other what color we see when we’re writing it,” Kenny explained. He also revealed why the band’s live concert is not one to be missed. “Definitely see us live. If you have the option to either buy our album or come to our show, definitely come to the show and I’ll give you our record. It’s crafted in a way that we’re entertainers, we’re putting on a show.”

While they have already shared the stage with bands like New Politics and Third Eye Blind, NGHBRS dreams of performing at big music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo in the near future. In the meantime, they are currently spending their summer playing smaller festival shows and embarking on a nationwide tour later this fall that is sure to be anything but typical.

NGHBRS|05

RAE Words by Adrianna Velazquez

From sharing a house with seven other kids to chasing her dreams along the streets of L.A., RaeLynn’s window of opportunity foreshadowed what was yet to come.

Born Rachael Lynn Woodward in a small area known as Baytown, Texas a spunky blonde who most knew as RaeLynn was raised by a very musical family with a spiritual background. Never missing an Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving or Christmas program, RaeLynn fell into acting, something she thought would set her apart from the rest of her family.

“Everybody in my family sings, they all knew what was good and what was bad,” she began. “I grew up and I was like, ‘You know what? I think I want to do something different than music’ because then my family can’t tell me what’s good or not.”

Her dream to someday become an actress led her to leave home at a young age to pursue her dreams in Los Angeles. According to RaeLynn, leaving home at a young age is something that was always expected.

“It was hard but I’ve been such an independent person my whole life. I’ve always been wise beyond my years, I’ve always been a few steps ahead of myself. I think my momma expected it. It was hard, but I’ve always been really independent, going after what I loved helped me with being away from home,” she explained.

While in Los Angeles, doors for music, the very thing she was trying to escape, began to open. It became evident that much like the rest of her family, music was her true calling. RaeLynn started playing little clubs singing original songs and performing covers of hit songs.

“It’s one of those things where you can’t just wait for doors to open that aren’t opening and if the doors are opening for music then you have to go through that door,” explained RaeLynn. “You can’t just sit around and let those doors close. Whatever is working, you got to work with it.”

Despite her passion for acting, her love for country music surfaced, leading her to Nashville, Tennessee where she met Nicolle Galyon who insisted she tryout for NBC’s The Voice. Already living in Music City pursuing music, RaeLynn saw no reason to audition until Galyon brought it to her attention that Blake Shelton was a mentor on the show.

“I was like ‘Oh my gosh, Blake! He’s married to Miranda, maybe I can meet Miranda,” RaeLynn exclaimed.

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LYNN Photo by Sarah Barlow

The possibility that she could meet her idol was enough for the spunky blonde to audition for The Voice where she caught the attention of Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.

“When Blake turned around—I’ve never had an out of body experience in my whole entire life—good thing I practiced “Hell on Heels” five hundred times because I wasn’t even thinking about the song,” recalled RaeLynn. “I was just thinking ‘Holy crap, there’s Adam Levine and he is so beautiful and he just turned around!

Holy crap, I can meet Miranda Lambert, there’s Blake Shelton!’ I was so freaking amazed that they both turned around for me. The best decision of my life was choosing Blake.”

Aside from the rapport fan base she acquired during her time on The Voice, there’s one experience from The Voice she’ll never forget, meeting her idol, Miranda Lambert.

“My favorite memory was when I walked in, we were finding out who our advisor was and I walked in and I saw Miranda,” RaeLynn began. “She’s the whole reason I started loving country music. I was nervous to meet her because I didn’t want her to be everything I didn’t dream of her being, I didn’t want her to ruin that for me.

When I met her, she told me she saw herself in me, I didn’t cry, but I teared up and hugged her. Sitting between those two and getting mentored by them, it’s still a dream come true today.”

Her relationship with Blake and Miranda has continued to thrive since her time on The Voice, both personally and professionally.

RaeLynn was featured as backing vocals on Blake’s hit single, “Boys ‘Round Here” and co-wrote “Lie” with Miranda. “The Voice started a relationship that’ll never end,” said RaeLynn. “That’s the best thing The Voice did for me was fuel my relationship with Blake and Miranda.”

Aside from working with Blake and Miranda, RaeLynn has been working on her debut album. Her debut single, “God Made Girls” recently hit radio following her RAEdio tour. While there is no specific date for when the album is expected to release one thing is certain, it’s going to be special.

“When my fans get my record they’re going to go through a journey of what I’ve been through these last two years and what I’ve been through being a girl in this world,” said RaeLynn. “It’s my life and it’s my story and my hand has been in every song. This record is my baby. That’s the whole thing about being an artist, it’s about being vulnerable and letting them see every side of you.”

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RAELYNN|07

ROCKET + LACE

Photo by Blythe Thomas

Rocket + Lace originated from a random idea to start a fashion blog by Anna Rocket and her dear friend, Sadie Lace. The two had very different styles, Anna was more punk rock while her friend was more girly, thus they combined their names to create Rocket + Lace. Although the blog never launched, the name stuck.

Shortly after moving to Nashville from her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, Anna Rocket began Rocket + Lace, a brand that started as an Etsy store in 2012 selling custom hair accessories. As a single mother having a hard time finding a job she began to experiment with spikes and florals to create custom hair accessories from headbands to hair clips that she sold online.

Not long after Rocket + Lace debuted, British pop star, Marina and the Diamonds wore a custom piece at a few shows which sold out the store. Rocket + Lace took a year hiatus after inventory ran out so that Anna could pursue other things. During that time she met Raelynn from NBC’s The Voice who Anna discovered, shared a very similar sense of style.

Raelynn adored a custom made jacket with spikes on the shoulders and a

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unicorn on the back that she spotted hanging from her closet door. Anna made a replica of the jacket as a Christmas gift for Raelynn that she customized with three dimensional flowers. With a steady following as a result of her time on The Voice, Anna received an overwhelming response after Raelynn posted a picture of her gift online. The response led her to create a line of custom made jackets and release it a few months later.

While most brands seem to have a specific aesthetic— dark or light, edgy or girly— Rocket + Lace combines the two with customized jackets and vests that embody a unique image that Anna describes as, “finding beautiful things in an ugly place.”

With no specific target market, Rocket + Lace aims to reach girls that are fearless and confident, girls who radiate light all while showcasing their rough edges because they aren’t ashamed to embrace who they are.

Inspired by film, music, travel, light, glitter, punk rock and real life experiences, Rocket + Lace aims to send one message through its unique designs: embrace both sides of yourself, the rose and the thorns.

Stay Connected

www.rocketandlace.com www.twitter.com/rocketandlace ROCKET + LACE|09

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When he was just eight years old, James Durbin didn’t know that attending his older sister’s high school plays would spark a passion that would later translate into a music career.

“My sister was doing a musical, she had the lead and I went to as many shows as I could. I knew all the songs and the last night of the show they let me on stage with the high school cast so it was pretty cool. I got up on the stage, got bit by the bug and I was like ‘Man, I like this being on stage stuff ’,” reminisced Durbin. “At that point, I didn’t know that would translate to a music career.”

Inspired by his fiancee Heidi at the time, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter of Santa Cruz, California combined his love for music and theatre when he auditioned for Season 10 of American Idol.

“I knew Steven Tyler was going to be a judge. If I got a chance to sing in front of a legend, just someone that inspires me so much that would be worth it, even if I didn’t make it,” said Durbin.

He earned a golden ticket to Hollywood where he brought something to the show that viewers have never seen before— spunk, extraordinary visuals and stand-out personality. James immediately became a stand-out personality among other contestants on the singing competition with his introduction of heavy metal and rock n’ roll through jaw-dropping performances.

“The thing I love about metal and heavy metal is that it’s so over the top. It’s very theatrical,” said James. “Everything [is] about the performance; it’s about visuals, explosions, the hair and the costumes and everything. It’s about adding flavor to the show and keeping it fresh.”

Although his originality and out-ofthe-box performances made him a fan favorite, James’ success isn’t measured by millions of votes that led him to the top of Idol, but rather by his courage to overcome adversity he’s been faced with along the way.

“I auditioned back in 2008 and didn’t make it and just kinda said forget that for a while, but they were coming back through, and I had been practicing, and had been in a couple bands. I felt like I was getting really solid at what I do,” explained James. ”I felt like I approached the opportunity like I had a good chance at it.”

His passion for music and courage to audition for a second time proved that his talent was explosive, landing him a

spot in the top 4 on Season 10. Shortly after his Idol run, James released his debut album, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster with little time to piece it together. The album binded Durbin for his rockstar standing, containing an anxious heavy metal influence behind each track that peaked the album at number 8 on Billboard’s Rock Charts.

Although Memories of a Beautiful Disaster mirrored his live performances on Idol, it only captured his rockstar persona. “I think it’s fun to change up from record to record, it keeps music interesting, it keeps what I do interesting.

Because when it gets stale it just becomes routine and everything becomes expected,” said James.

His recent studio album, Celebrate, did just that— kept things interesting. With more time to produce his second studio album, Celebrate explores James’ creativity and represents his growth since Idol while still keeping spontaneity.

“I never wanted to be someone you can expect something from. If you think i’m going to make a right turn I’m going to make a left. Celebrate is a perfect example of that.”

As a product from a family with strong musical roots, grandparents who played multiple instruments, a single mother who enjoyed oldies and older sisters that favored 90s pop boy bands and hip hop, James’ musical influences range from pop, hip hop all the down way to Motown favorites.

“Parachute,” the first single off the album is a perfect example of the musical diversity Durbin is capable of. James took it into his own hands to lead the album by co-writing 10 of the 11 tracks.

“Something I learned with Memories and having to sing them on tour is that if you’re singing these words that don’t mean anything to you, it doesn’t come from your heart. Trying to translate them to the audience is easier said than done,” he explained.

Spending time writing nearly every song on his second studio album allowed him to connect with his fans on a more personal level. While the album is portrayed as an open love letter to his wife, James’ personal life shines through each track on the album as he gives listeners a a look into his life.

From spending sleepless nights in the studio to being a father and loving husband, James does well when it comes to juggling the

different roles he plays on a daily basis which includes being a voice for causes he’s passionate about.

It was through his journey that he discovered music was more than just music, but a voice of empowerment. “When I was auditioning for Idol and starting out with all of this stuff, that wasn’t part of the plan, but it quickly started happening and I was like ‘Wait, this is about more than me singing’,” said James. “I love that I have this voice, not just for singing but to also stand up to people, for people, people that may feel like they don’t have the voice or power to stand up for themselves.”

For James, having a voice for people who aren’t able to stand up for themselves is personal. Growing up he was often bullied and around the time of his 10th birthday James was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and Asperger syndrome, making him an open target for bullies. Discovering his musical interest has served as a refuge for James from years of bullying and the neurological disorders he suffers from.

“I’m up here kind of as a slap in the face to the doctors that told kids they would never amount to anything, the teachers that are telling people that just because you’re different, or you’re slow or you have something that stops you from society standards of what you’re supposed to achieve. Just because those people say that doesn’t mean that’s your mark in life,” said James. His perseverance to pursue his dreams, fight for what he believes in and courage to overcome the odds he faced.

“I feel like I’m successful by my own definition and by my own standards because I get to be that voice for people,” explained James. “When you think about these things that you want, and you put them out to the universe and use positive energy to obtain it, it will open doors where the was only walls before.”

ames J D urbin Words by Courtney Rose

JAMES DURBIN|11

AMERICAN

AUTHORS Words & Photos by Adrianna Velazquez

“An author is someone who tells a story through written words.”

Songs are like poems. With every word that is written on a piece of paper, a new world is created, metaphorically that is.

The person behind every verse or stanza becomes an author of a story they created.

Rock band American Authors, has done just that.

The story began at Berklee College of Music in Boston where students Zack Barnett (lead vocals/guitar), James Adam Shelley (guitar/banjo), Matt Sanchez (drums) and Dave Rublin (bass) came together and began writing and recording. Together they spent their time playing shows in and around Boston as The Blue Pages. It wasn’t long before they realized that the bond they shared was something special.

“We ended up dropping out of school and took our music to Brooklyn where we shared a tiny little apartment and lived the dream,” recalled Zack. “Pushing and struggling and just writing, recording and booking shows ourselves until we got to where we are today.”

After moving to Brooklyn, the quartet experienced major changes in their sound and as a result, renamed to American Authors. “Our name change was a really big part of our music changing,” explained Zack. “Once we moved to New York our music just morphed into such a different thing and we were inspired by so many different things like the new city we were living in and everything, it was just time for a fresh start.”

According to Zack, American Authors only seemed like a natural change. “An author is someone who tells a story through written words,” he explained.

“We feel that we’re authors since we tell stories through our lyrics and the American part is before we met at Berklee College of Music, we all came from different parts of the United States.”

For the band, the change was a natural progression from inevitable growth as musicians. “In college, when we were first starting out, we would see other bands around us and feel this pressure to conform to a specific style. So when we would go in and write songs we would focus on one type of sound whereas American Authors, it’s just so much more 14|VERITY MAG

free,” said Zack.

Although most would imagine that living in a tiny little Brooklyn apartment would jeopardize their potential as a band, living in close quarters never threatened their dreams. “You’ll always have those roommate arguments when you’re living in a tiny apartment with someone, but we’ve never disagreed when it comes to music,” Zack confessed. “We’ve always been on the same page with the music we create ever since we first met in college.”

Their diverse backgrounds and upbringings have certainly influenced the band’s overall sound. According to Zack, the different variety of instrumentation within a single song is what defines American Authors. “In one song alone you can find everything from modern synths, hip hop drum grooves mixed with Irish melodies and classic rock and I think because you can find all that within our songs it has created what is American Authors,” he concluded.

Earlier this year, the band released their Oh, What A Life album which peaked at No.3 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart. Overall, the album carries an unforgettable euphoric vibe containing a track list of uplifting and empowering anthems, a goal American Authors intended to achieve.

“The whole idea with those songs is this idea of hope and working hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel and never give up. The main theme of the entire album is this idea of being able to look back on this life that we live and look at the good times, the bad times, the ups and downs and everything and still think, ‘Man, we’ve had a crazy ride’,” exclaimed Zack.

While the album explored new depths as songwriters, it also exposed their creativity by accurately depicting their artistry, something many musicians struggle to do. “We had complete artistic control over the album. There was no one telling us it need to sound a certain way or that we had to have a certain song,” said Zack.

“There was never a moment where someone else was telling us what we needed for this record. It was just us being us and

writing the songs that we like to write.”

With the release of their latest record and their lead single, “Best Day Of My Life” being certified double-platinum, the ride is just beginning for American Authors.

Currently, the band is out on tour with The Script and OneRepublic promoting the album by sharing songs they love while making each night memorable for both themselves and for the fans.

“It’s always interesting to see how different cities react to our songs, that’s what makes each night different. It’s pretty incredible to go so far from home and see these people connecting with your music and singing along to the lyrics,” said Zack.

“We like to go into each show thinking that this can be somebody’s first show or somebody’s last show and so we just want to make it as special and memorable as we can.”

Following their run with tourmates, The Script and OneRepublic, American Authors will be on the road again this fall headlining their own Honda Civic tour with full production that is sure to amplify their studio work. “We’re really excited, it’s going to be great. Not only just to be headlining, but we’re really excited to be performing new songs no one has ever heard before. We’re excited, it’s going to be our first show with full production,” said Zack.

While off days for the quartet are rare with a full tour schedule and studio time,they take full advantage of them when they do have them and always manage to keep things interesting. “When we do have off days we like to have fun and get a little crazy,” chuckled Zack.

“There was a week where one day we went skydiving, the next day we went bungee jumping, the day after that we went ziplining and then to follow that up, we went cliff diving.”

It’s the band’s fearless and relentless nature that undoubtedly sets them apart.

From meeting at Berklee College of Music to moving to New York as struggling musicians living in a tiny Brooklyn apartment to touring the country, American Authors have written an incredible story worth reading.

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Martinez elanie

Words by Courtney Rose

Growing up as an adolescent in Baldwin, New York on Long Island, Melanie Martinez knew she didn’t fit in.

When she was 13-years-old she began posting videos on YouTube of her singing, something her classmates taunted her for.

“I really liked to sing when I was younger, and I started writing when I was 14 because I started playing guitar. I also wrote poems so I feel like that helped with songwriting,” explained Melanie.

Bullied for her dream to someday become a singer, Melanie resorted to photography, another form of art she often used to express herself. Although photography was more accepted by her classmates, she felt limited and slowly fell back into music, which for Melanie, was the most true form of self-expression.

Despite the lack of support from classmates who undermined her dreams, Melanie auditioned for Season 3 of NBC’s The Voice after seeing an advertisement online. “It was kind of a random decision, I didn’t really see a lot of shows, I was just really into music and I like writing songs,” she began. “I saw it online and I got one of those registers, I was registered online and then I went to the city and auditioned. I didn’t expect to get anywhere, I just wanted to see what would happen.”

The two-toned hair songstress wowed the audience within seconds of her astounding rendition of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” during blind auditions, leading to three of the four judges to turn their chairs.

Her random act landed her a spot on Team Adam where she advanced to the knockout round. Melanie proceeded to dominate most of the competition weekby-week despite all the negativity being written about her. “People were kind of mean during that time in my high school.

The only real supportive people were the

teachers,” she confessed. “The kids were really mean about it, a lot of them wrote really nasty things about me online.

I think it’s just because I wasn’t really friends with the people, some of them I never talked to at all,” she continued. In reality, those who blasted the internet with negative comments were people she didn’t know and that didn’t know her, “I never met the people that were writing mean things about me. I think they just thought that I changed and thought I was too good but that wasn’t the case, they just didn’t know me at all and they didn’t care to,” Melanie concluded.

Her adventure on The Voice eventually came to an end after a touching performance of Alex Clare’s “Too Close” in week five after being eliminated by the audience. She walked away with no bitter feelings because for Melanie, her experience on The Voice was impeccable having walked away with lessons learned her mentor and the reality TV show itself. “I think I just learned a lot about the whole TV world and stuff like that, how it’s not all real,” began Martinez “I’m just thankful that I got to be on such a big platform and was able to gain exposure from it, and now I’m excited to be putting out my own music and doing my own thing.”

The 19-year-old quickly moved on and began working with producers Kinetics & One Love on her debut EP, Dollhouse.“Dollhouse was written in our first session so it was actually the first time that we met. We kind of just hit it off and it just started a whole vibe, like a scary childhood story based EP,” she began.

“We just wanted to write about an honest story that I wasn’t going through, because I wanted to try to write about something else like sad love songs.”

According to Melanie, “Dollhouse” was

just the beginning to an unintentional story that she and Kinetics & One Love subconsciously created. While the EP contains five tracks that are all different and unique in their own terms, they also create a cohesive sound and storyline. “It’s really interesting because we wrote that song and it kept piling up and we didn’t really mold it into into a body of work until we were on our seventh song together, that’s why the EP is the way it is,” she began “‘Carousel’ and ‘Bittersweet Tragedy’ kinda go into each other, ‘Carousel’ was the beginning about me falling for someone and they led me to the carousel and it was the same ride over and over and I was never able to reach them and they were okay with that. ‘Bittersweet Tragedy’ was was the aftermath, it was me trying to get rid of that person.”

For Melanie, Dollhouse served as a window of opportunity for her to transition fans from The Voice from covers to original work by exploring new depths as a songwriter and hone her sound all while mirroring her artistry both lyrically and visually. “The hardest obstacle was transitioning the people that started following me from The Voice and making them aware that I’m a songwriter first and that I’m not a cover artist,” Melanie explained.

Dollhouse did just that and earned a peak position at No.4 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart.

Aside from having a hand in writing her debut single alongside Kinetics & One Love, Melanie also took part in writing and directing the official music video.

“When we were writing the song I had a vision for the video. Most of the time when I’m writing a song or a story, I see a lot visuals already so music videos are super important to me,” she explained.

Not having enough money to create the MELANIE MARTINEZ|17

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video she wanted, Melanie launched an Indiegogo fund in hopes to raise enough money to bring her vision to life. “I was just trying to raise money for it. I didn’t really have enough money for what I wanted to do so I just put out an Indiegogo and I raised close to $10,000 in a week and it was insane,” she exclaimed. “It’s just really awesome and I’m really grateful for such awesome support.”

Thanks to the support from her fans and their generous donations to fund the official music video for “Dollhouse,” Melanie was able to have more creative control while working with a production team that brought her visuals to life. “It was really fun working on the music video and being on set. Everyone was really amazing, the directors were super awesome and I’m happy they were able to get my vision out there on video.”

Prior to The Voice, Melanie only played small shows close to home where her family were her fans. She recently wrapped up a short tour to promote the release of her debut EP, Dollhouse where she introduced fans to new songs. “I really like performing live, it’s really fun. It’s awesome because I get to play new songs that I’ve been writing and that are going to be on the album too,” said Melanie.

“I like being able to thank fans and tell stories live.”

Being overpowered by voices that weren’t hers, Melanie’s vulnerability led her to abandon her love for music only to discover that music was her only outlet.

Despite the criticism she received, she constantly found herself naturally gravitating toward one thing, a voice within that she realized was her own, music.

MELANIE MARTINEZ|19

Chiodos

Words by Amber Ainsworth Photo by Graham Fielder

It started as a dream fueled by a school talent show.

“Did I think it would happen? No. Did I dream about it? Yes,” began frontman Craig Owens. “There was a point, and I don’t exactly know when that was, but there was a point when we said we’re not taking no for an answer and we made our passion our job, really, our occupation.”

After winning their school talent show, a group of high school guys from Davison, Michigan better known as Chiodos, had a dream that took off in 2001. With the help of a strong local following, Chiodos took their local support beyond the walls of their high school theater and began performing at local venues and eventually released several EPs. Chiodos, originally known as The Chiodos Brothers, is a group that has been heavily influenced by the genre of horror films which are in fact an essential aspect of who the band is and what they represent; the project being a tribute to horror filmmakers Stephan, Charles, and Edwin Chiodo.

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According to lead singer Craig Owens, his love of scary movies presented through his music is dictated by visions in his mind.

“You can hear them everywhere in the melodies. Also, when I write lyrics, if it is not an overwhelming emotion I need to get out, if it’s not burning from the inside of my stomach then what will happen is I’ll have a vision. These things are evident in my subconscious so when it pops through I try to describe them lyrically.”

Though Owens parted from Chiodos in 2009, he was able to pick up experiences that would directly influence the work of the group when he returned. “I had to work on myself. If you’re not taking care of yourself then everything around you is going to fall and collapse. I worked on myself a bunch and what that did was it brought me to better suit my role in this band,” he explained. “Everybody has their own role within the group and I can be the leader that we need now because I can help communicate. Everybody got to touch the ball this time around. It’s easy to fall into old habits but it’s not something we can’t get over, now we can communicate through it. A lot of that had to come with me working on myself before any of that could happen.”

Specifically, working with John Feldman of D.R.U.G.S. was extremely beneficial to Owens and the band as a whole as he grew as an artist and songwriter. Through Feldman’s help, Owens was able to better focus his writing style, something he had never really done before, as he describes the music of Chiodos as being, “all over the spectrum.”

After working away from the group, a joke was all it took to bring Chiodos back together and making music again. Craig Owens was the very one to make that joke that changed everything. “I jokingly said I wanted to make another Chiodos record and that was enough to put it out in the universe and let it happen,” said Owens.

Originally, the band was coming together for a show in hopes to get closure that had not been obtained from the split, but the group was able to be reborn from their attempt at closure.

“We didn’t get proper closer when the split happened and we came back together to do a show to get closure and from there it made sense to continue on, it felt right so we continued on and here we are today.”

In 2012, Owens and a former drummer, Derrick Frost, returned to Chiodos and in 2013, the announcement of new

music was made. Earlier this year Chiodo’s fourth studio album Devil was released, exemplifying the changes the band has encountered throughout the years. Craig Owens describes the transformations as growth rather than something completely new, noting, “It’s evolution because we’ve all grown but at the same time it’s not a whole new thing. Chiodos is Chiodos. It comes from the soul of Chiodos, of so many collected personalities combined.”

Since their reunion, Chiodos has spent much of their time out on the road where they subconsciously evolve along the way.

“You have to unwind, you have to slowly get back to form, figure out who it is that you are again and who it is that you’ve become because of the evolution of touring,” explained Owens.

Aside from touring and promoting their latest album, the band is focused on what started it all: their fans. “Right now, our goal is to earn the trust back of the fans that supported us in the first place; move it past nostalgia and get them together and reform the Chiodos Army so we can all decide together to take that next step forward.”

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After moving to Los Angeles from her hometown of San Francisco, California to pursue music, one fateful dinner with friends in LA was all it took for Olivia Somerlyn’s dreams to unfold right before her eyes.

It all started when Olivia and her friends ate out one night and spotted their favorite band, the Jonas Brothers, along with their family, eating at the same restaurant. Not wanting to bother them while they ate, Olivia encouraged her friends not to go over to their table and disrupt them. By the end of the night, the security guard invited them over to meet the guys and the rest was history.

Excited to have the opportunity to meet her idols, Olivia approached them that evening with no idea that it would change her life forever. “We just sort of connected that night and then we all kept running into each other— my family and their family— around LA. It was almost like fate and eventually we just started becoming friends, which is so surreal as a Jonas Brothers fan,” she recalled. What she didn’t tell them that night was that she was an aspiring musician. “I ran into Kevin at a recording studio one time and he was like ‘What are you doing here?’,” explained Olivia. Before she knew it, their father and manager Kevin Jonas Sr. was visiting one of her rehearsals and has been her manager ever since.

Being at the right place at the right time along with her combined talents, Olivia has had the opportunity to perform her music across the world with superstars like Jessie J, Big Time Rush, Victoria Justice, and the Jonas Brothers. The most memorable experience being when she performed at the iconic O2 Arena in London with Jessie J. “I can’t even believe that happened and that was my biggest show to date too; it was about 20,000 people. It was very nerve-wracking,” reminisced Olivia. “It’s been really surreal and amazing to just be involved with these tours because the acts are so incredible and the fans are so incredible.”

One of the most rewarding parts of touring has been the invaluable advice she has received from some of her tourmates.

“Carlos from Big Time Rush told me about halfway through the tour that I should be teaching the audience to sing along to one of my songs,” said Olivia. “He walked me through how he does it and then he actually joined me one night and taught them with me.”

Such learning experiences have led to her eccentric live shows, but her passion and dedication should come as no surprise.

Olivia’s love for both music and performing is something that has been present her entire life. “My mom would always tell stories about how when I was little she would catch me

SOMERLYN

OLIVIA Words by Nikole Vendl Photo by Meeno Peluce

going off and doing my own made up musical numbers when I thought nobody was listening and I started writing my own songs right before graduating 8th grade,” she recalled.

After relocating to LA to live out her dream, the now 20-yearold singer-songwriter began joining co-writing and producing circles, allowing her to work with different songwriters and producers throughout her musical journey. For Olivia, songwriting is more than just creating something for herself, but for her fans as well and connecting with them on a personal level through her work. “Songwriting is integral to being an artist and that connection with the fans from personally sharing the words of my life with them is so important,” said Olivia. So important that she spends most of her free time in the studio writing in hopes to soon release an album or EP. Earlier this year, she achieved one of her biggest dreams as both a songwriter and a Jonas Brothers fan when she wrote with none other than Nick Jonas. The product of that writing session was what is now her newest single, “Parachute,” a catchy, uptempo ballad about leaving a roller coaster-like relationship.

Her sound has been described as Taylor Swift meets Sarah McLachlan due to her lyrical honesty and affinity towards piano ballads. “I really like to start songs from the piano a lot of the time so [my sound] does have a little piano ballad influence but is definitely pop,” explained Olivia. “I’ve been trying to bring my music more pop because my writing tends to veer toward a more melancholy piano ballad place but I try to keep things positive,” much like her bubbly, effervescent personality that is nothing less than infectious.

With the help of her dedicated fans known as SomerLovers and their special relationship, Olivia is well on her way to a successful career. “I really try to make it like a friend relationship because I really feel that my success is their success - is our success and I just want all of us to succeed together,” explained Olivia. Her success if fueled by her talent and one of her most impressive assets, a steady business mindset and constant involvement. “My hobby is basically my career. I love writing and tweeting with fans and I’m a part of all aspects of it too, whether it’s graphic design or social media. I’m a part of every conversation.”

Olivia’s involvement in all aspects of the music industry as it relates to her career shows her dedication and passion for what she does and despite the odds, she faithfully believes in her dreams. “People will say that it’s impossible and that it’s not worth trying, and even that you’re silly to try, but I think that it’s not silly. If it’s something that you really want to do and you really love to do, you owe it to yourself to try it and you never know” and that is exactly what Olivia Somerlyn has done.

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ALBUM The Hunting Party

RATING 5/5

By Amber Ainsworth but to compare the sound of LP’s most recent effort The Hunting Party to a sound from the early 2000’s is actually quite accurate.

From the album’s start, the mood is set as heavy hitting when Chester Bennington’s grizzly vocals are paired with pounding drums in the first track, Rockers Linkin Park have been chang- “Keys to the Kingdom,” while Mike ing drastically for their past few albums, Shinoda joins in with rapping. Both causing mixed reactions when the band of the guys’ familiar vocal patterns announced a new album would be continue throughout the twelve-song released in 2014. record, tracing LP back to their roots Their work has constantly been comas a nu-metal group. Songs like “War” pared to music that has been put out and “Wastelands” really pack a punch, previously. The way the group has though the entire album is an extremely grown, comparisons really aren’t fair

SONG MAPS

intense composition.

Of course Bennington’s soothing voice has to be present somewhere in the tracks. “Mark the Graves” captures a sound similar to the mood of 2007’s Minutes to Midnight, with a more relaxed atmosphere mixed with a deep enough sound to not slow the pace down too much.

It wouldn’t be a Linkin Park album without a song entirely dedicated to instruments and “Drawbar” is 2:47 minutes of spine-tingling serenity.

If LP’s constant changes in sound were deliberately done in an attempt to find the perfect sound, they have definitely found the winning combination.

RATING 3/5

By Nikole Vendl hitmakers Max Martin, Benny Blanco, Shellback and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, the upbeat tune is the perfect mix of a fun, catchy summer anthem and a pop hit that can potentially stand the test of time.

“Maps” has a unique sound, blending pop, rock and R&B influences into a On their new song, “Maps,” Maroon 5 Top 40 mold, reminiscent to that of the has once again proven why they are the band’s second studio album, It Won’t Be kings of pop/rock.

Soon Before Long.

Written by Adam Levine with legandary If there is one thing that will never get

SONG Rude

By Courtney Rose Canada’s own reggae/pop band MAGIC! has quickly become a fan favorite with their hit single, “Rude.”

The track is said to be based off a real life relationship between frontman Nasri Atweh, and his ex girlfriend. “Rude” has been a summer favorite with its tempo that supposedly contains seventy-two beats per 24|VERITY MAG

old, it’s Levine’s piercing, soulful falsetto that never fails to make girls swoon, which probably explains why it is significantly displayed on this track, only adding to its brilliance.

As the first single from their highly anticipated fifth studio album, V (expected to release later this year), what “Maps” does is raise the bar of the band’s potential to a new level and make evident that they are headed down the path of tremendous continued success.

RATING 4.5/5 minute, and its nonstop appearance on almost every hit radio station in America.

“Rude” has reached No.2 on Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs, and Billboards Hot 100 since its release in 2013. Luckily for MAGIC!, “Rude” has impressed listeners with their artistic creativity.

RATING 3.5/5

ALBUM Sorry I’m Late

By Nikole Vendl

X-Factor UK finalist, Cher Lloyd has released her sophomore album, Sorry I’m Late, which displays a major growth in both maturity and artistry since her first album and establishes Lloyd’s potential as a serious industry contender.

After collaborating with hit songwriters like Max Martin, Shellback, Savan Kotecha and Rami Yacoub, the finished

product is a catchy 11-track collection of pure bubblegum pop that teens and tweens will be racing to grab off the shelves.

Notable tracks on the album include “Sirens” and “Sweet Despair,” both midtempo ballads in which listeners are introduced to Lloyd’s strongest vocals to date, as well as a much softer and more mature side to the sassy singer. “Bind Your Love” is a perfect combination of many genres, incorporating more soulful vocals mixed with pop hooks and a reggae-style tempo and phrasing.

“Human,” serves as an anthem she created that promotes self-acceptance and vulnerability.

Overall, when it’s good, it’s great but unfortunately this can’t be said for every track, including the forgettable lead single, “I Wish” featuring T.I. and the cheesy, overly vulgar, “M.F.P.O.T.Y.” What Lloyd has shown on this album though is her ability to grow and mature as an artist, which is something that will give us even more to look forward to from her in the future.

SONG Amnesia

RATING 5/5

By Courtney Rose its emotive, heartbreaking ballad and on your toes with “Amnesia” allowing you to relate to the track, as well as regretful lyrics.

The track— cowritten by the Good Charlotte brothers, Joel and Benji Madden, creates a visual of a unbearable broken relationship. With the haunting memories that don’t seem to fade, the lyrics interpret a hope to wake up with “Amnesia,” a track off of The Australian no memory of the relationship. pop/punk band 5SOS’s debut album, 5 With vocals that send chills up your Seconds of Summer seems to be the silspine and their ability to capture your ver lining in every girl’s playbook with attention with the sorrow held behind

making you feel as if you it were you in their position.

“Amnesia” seems to stray away from the rest of the album as it holds a more serious, underlying tone compared to other songs on the album that are more light spirited, and subtle. The single defies a somber quality the band portrays allowing people to see their vulnerable side.

SONG I Don’t Want To Be Here Anymore

By Amber Ainsworth

Rock group, Rise Against, never fail to create hit after hit of fast paced songs and “I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore” from their highly anticipated album, The Black Market is no exception.

The song is heavy and features the relatable lyrics that have become a common trend in the band’s songs. The verses are deep and powerful.

“Won’t back down, won’t take no for

RATING 5/5

answers anymore,” shows off the song’s assertive and calculated lyrics that make it a track full of energy and hype. It could be compared side-by-side with previous songs by the group but still grasps onto a new wave of vigor.

“I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore” is a power anthem that takes listeners by storm and sets the stage for what could come from The Black Market when it is released later this summer.

REVIEWS|25

NEON TREES The Fillmore Detroit, MI

Photo by Amber Ainsworth

CHIODOS The Fillmore Detroit, MI

Photo by Brian Puninske

OCD: MOOSH & TWIST The Pike Room Pontiac, MI

Photos by Danyyil Nosovskiy

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