XS10 Magazine - April 2021 by Xs10Magazine

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design&print Page 22 // Cover Feature Table of Contents Page 4 Anya Keelie

Page 18 Elijah Hunt

Page 34 Armando

Page 8 John Larchick of JL Universe

Page 22 Bobby Dee of Bobby Dee Presents and Uncle Snoop’s Army

Page 39 Motor Wade

Page 11 Perla Cordero Page 15 Sharma MacDonald

Page 26 The Birthplace of Jazz

Page 41 BUEL Page 43 Samantha Bailey

Page 31 Mathieu Silverman

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ANYA KEELIE Actress with a Mission

Photo by @hdfacreative @hdfaphotography

We caught up with the talented, actress/director, Anya Keelie.

amazing acting coach, Cheryl Powell, who encouraged me to follow that path and never give up.

When did you first get involved in acting? Acting came naturally to me at a very young age. As a child in the 90’s, I was obsessed with Disney movies.I would spend my days watching them over and over again. One of my dearest memories is watching The Lion King so much that I memorized every single word. Then, I would go and reenact the entire movie in front of a mirror. I was also drawn to improvising situations or conversations and playing them back to myself. I didn’t know back then that I was, in fact, acting. It was not until I joined the Theater Club in Sophia-Antipolis University, Nice, France, and started acting classes that I realized I was meant to be an actress.

I’m sure you have met a lot of celebrities along the way. Would you share 1 or 2 of your favorite stories with us? Surprisingly, my favorite celebrity story did not happen in the Film Industry. Back in 2014, I used to work for an airline when, one day, we greeted Chris Hemsworth for his flight from Boston to LA. He asked to be boarded last to avoid fan gathering and a possible delay on the flight. After boarding all the passengers, I took the employee radio and announced “We’re all set, just waiting for his ‘Thorness’ to show up”. Little did I know, my co-worker was right next to Chris at that moment, with the radio volume up. When he showed up at the gate, he looked at me straight in the eyes and said “His Thorness has arrived” before laughing out loud. I was so embarrassed I couldn’t say a word. At the end, I really appreciated his sense of humor and how down to earth he was.

What or Who inspired you to pursue a career as an actor? Ironically, what inspired me to pursue my career as an actress was not being able to act. Growing up in a household where both parents are successful physicians, I put pressure on myself to pursue a “serious” career, just like them. I always kept that passion to myself until I started acting classes. I switched from a scientific curriculum to linguistics and continued acting. When I moved to the US in 2013, I met an

What has been your ideal character, so far? And why? As a woman in the film industry, my ideal character would be a woman who is strong, confident, smart, intimidating without having to go through an emotional trauma first, especially one caused by a male character.

Unfortunately, in films or shows, we often see women becoming empowered after an abusive relationship, abusive male family members, rape, etc. I would like this vision to change. Recently, after watching The Queen’s Gambit, I was happily surprised to see an empowered and confident character, such as Beth Harmon, fighting off this stereotype. How has your acting evolved since you first became involved in the film industry? I started off my acting path on a Theater stage. As you know, stage and screen acting are very different from each other. When I was studying stage acting, my professors made an emphasis on emoting, exaggerating our movements, facial expressions and voice to reach the audience. After switching to screen acting, I first had a hard time adjusting to the subtlety of facial expressions and emotions. The camera catches the slightest frown, eye movement, muscle twitch, body gesture. However, with practice and great coaching, I was able to modify and adjust my acting quickly. The other principal point is how important it is, as an actor, to work closely and efficiently with the Director and the film crew. Understanding and following the Director’s guidance is crucial to the success of the actor’s work on set.

If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why? I would definitely say passion. This industry is tough and does not spare actors who lack drive, perseverance and, most of all, passion. Without passion, it is hard to stay motivated through all the rejection when auditioning. What most people, as well as new actors, ignore is that for every role booked, there are dozens of failed auditions. And most of the time, we do not even hear back from the Casting Director or the production. Every single actor can tell you that there are times when we feel defeated, like there’s no point continuing. It’s in these times we have to count on passion. Because we know this is the career we want to pursue. Because we don’t see ourselves doing anything else. Because we love it. Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas? The Film industry is filled with new and upcoming talented actors. With that said, it might seem difficult to stand out. When it comes to me, one of my biggest qualities is my ability to adapt. For instance, when an actor enters an audition room, it is not only about their acting skills. Casting Director analyzes various parts of the actor’s behavior and personality. As an actor, it is important to read the room, assess the right course of action and adapt to it. Pay attention to the atmosphere, if the directors seem relaxed, talkative, or maybe in a rush. Make sure to follow any given directions. Paying attention to the details will make you stand out as a working professional. What has been your biggest challenge as an actor? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? As a native French-speaking actress starting a career in the USA, one of my biggest challenges was the language. I was able to learn English quickly and easily, however, there were a few challenges behind that. I act by being in the moment, feeling, listening to my scene partner and reacting to them. Nevertheless, I was more focused on pronouncing the words correctly and overthinking the language part instead of being in that moment. For every side or script, I had to work arduously to be more comfortable with the words, their meaning and pronunciation. After several years in the USA, I got accustomed to the language and expression, yet, a small accent from my native language resides. This is another challenge since it restricts the variety of roles I can be cast for. Despite all those challenges, I am certain that I can use them to make myself unique and stand out.

Photo by @uniquefotos_

A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art”. Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art? Each profession has its ups and downs, pros and cons. Personally, I don’t think one must suffer for their art. When it comes to acting, it all starts with our emotions, and the ability to produce and portray that emotion. However, that emotion does not always have to come from pain or suffering. It could come from delight, awkwardness, excitement, joy, amusement, strength, dejection etc. An actor must be able to impersonate all kinds of emotions and make them theirs, to feel them, to become them for an instant. Now, when it comes to the Film Industry in particular, I think every actor goes through the suffering of rejection and a feeling of underappreciation from time to time. The best way to go through this is to keep reminding ourselves that despite the hard times, we know that perseverance, practice and passion will take us to where we want to be. How do you feel the Internet has impacted the film business? Now more than ever, the Internet has a great impact on the film industry. The audience has now a platform to reach out and communicate to the filmmakers to make their voices heard. For instance, we all remember the impact on the design of Sonic The Hedgehog when the audience voiced their opinion on it. Additionally, the Internet created a link and a connection between the film industry and its audience through social media. It is now easier to follow our favorite Film Directors and Actors and be impacted by their work as well. If you could change anything about the film industry, what would it be? The lack of communication between the production and actors auditioning for the role is very notorious in the industry. In a perfect world, every single audition would be followed by the production reaching back to the actor, giving them the result of their audition and any feedback or constructive criticism. It would benefit the actors tremendously and help them work on the necessary skills to land a role in the future if not cast. What is the best advice you have received? It might seem cheesy, but one of the best advice I was given is “Don’t give up”. The only actors who don’t make it are the ones who abandon and give up on their goals before they reach them. It is also very important to ignore people who will try to overwhelm you with the negative aspects of this career for a more stable job. If this is the way you want to live your life, if you know that you want to be a working actor, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Secondly, stay humble, genuine and true to yourself. You might reach a point where things start working out and it might go to one’s head quickly. Don’t to succeed.

forget that the industry is small, and the network is strong. It is easy for one incident to quickly travel word to mouth and end up slimming your chances What projects are you currently working on... that you can talk about? I am currently working on an independent feature film called Imaginary Friend produced by Dark Echo Productions (IG @darkechoproductions). The film is inspired by a true story mixed with fiction about an innocent little girl, Kelly, who had the misfortune of adopting a possessed doll. The story follows Nikki who will soon find out that her easy task to babysit her cousin Kelly was more challenging after all. It will be streaming on Netflix by the end of 2021/beginning of 2022. If you like ghosts, spirits and paranormal, this movie is for you! What’s next for you? Please explain. In addition to acting, I aslo pride myself in working behind the camera. In March this year, depending on the COVID-19 safety guidelines, I will be joining One Less Media Group (IG @OneLessBTS) as Art Director to discover the beauty of Puerto Rico in a miniseries called Puerto Rico on the Rise. We will be following Boston-based actor Alexander Rivera as he visits the island of his ancestors to discover the beauty, the history and the culture previously lost to him. How can fans-to-be follow your career? You can follow me on my Instagram @anyakeelie or my Facebook @anyakeelieactress. I post meaningful moments of my career, funny Behind the Scene photos and all updates on my work.

Photo by @joshpshanks

Baileysinger-songwriter Elora Facebook: @baileyeloramusic + Instagram: @baileyelora YouTube: Bailey Elora + SoundCloud: Bailey-Elora

JOHN LARCHICK Finding Truth in the Music We caught up with John Larchick, talented musician and producer with Time Stamp Records and founding member of JL Universe. When did you first get into music? Please explain. I’ve loved music since I can remember. But my personal experience with it started with the drums. I was 11years old, my older brother wanted to take drum lessons and my parents reluctantly signed him up. I couldn’t resist playing his practice kit at home. My mom saw that I was playing them regularly and soon got me in with my brother’s drum teacher. I had lessons from a Denver drum legend Chad Johnson (ChadZilla) who gave me that real taste of playing and jamming with other players. I am forever thankful for those lessons and his instruction which planted that musical seed in me to want to learn, push myself to get better and understand new aspects of music and of course start to create my own original music. Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in music? I have to say that my mom and grandma are huge influences in my love of music and my desire to make music/art a career. Mom always had records on in the house growing up. Everything from Blues, R&B, and Rock n Roll. She always loves a good jam. My Grandma Bubbles and Grandpa Lue are a couple of my other biggest inspirations to pursue this industry and to

achieve the highest level of success. Grandma’s good vibrations push me to strive for greatness. How has your music evolved since you first began creating music? Being a 90’s kid, I was raised in the Golden age of hip-hop, grunge, funk, blues, Reggae and so much more. All of these styles pushed me and continue to move me to this day. But now my main purpose is to reach a space of pure expression. For me, it is less about fitting into a particular genre and more about making music that demonstrates me as a person and an artist. My creations are constantly evolving based upon my life, my surroundings, people I may be collaborating with, my current playlist. Tell us about the JL Universe. How did it all get started? I’ve been a part of several groups over the years. When I split from a group in 2012 I decided I wanted to create more of a solo project, which is how JL Universe began. It has since grown into more of a collective project. I have somewhat of a revolving door of artists that collaborate with me now. We write, create and perform songs together, using creativity and ideas from everyone involved for each particular song. Although I did release two songs in 2020 that I, understandably, recorded and produced 100% solo. The Battle Royale video I produced, directed and shot

was one of the highlights in my world when the rest of the world was shut down. Check it out! JL Universe, Battle Royale The one artist who I’ve collaborated with most in recent years is my homie Colin Smith(a.k.a. Funky Fingers a.k.a. Hippy C). Colin and I are working closely on some new materials , hoping to drop some new tracks and are working together on other productions in the studio. If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why? It is virtually impossible to choose one of these since they are all driving forces of life and therefore driving forces of music as well. But, if I have to choose one, I’d have to go with passion. Music pumps in my blood. I am blessed to be producing and collaborating with other artists and businesses as well. I get excited writing, producing and performing. Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas? Me. And all those good vibes;) .

What has been your biggest challenge as a performing artist? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? There are so many challenges but one challenge is the need to be constantly creating new content and balancing that with live shows/streams, family etc. All of these aspects take a great deal of work to develop and maintain. By launching Time Stamp Records I’ve been able to take these challenges on with others. TSR has and is building the team that handles the live show/stream process for various artists and presents a plan to follow. This in turn, helps me to achieve this balance for myself and my own project., Basically, in helping others it also helps everyone. A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art.” Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art? Yeah, absolutely! Without the suffering, this wouldn’t be life. I believe anything in which you strive for success, you will also suffer for it. But it all stems from the vision. Through suffering and through experience, we develop our best expression. How do you feel the internet has impacted the music business? The internet has been such a big part of the music business for some time now. It’s almost hard to remember music before the internet. Ha! Not really, but the impact is obvious. Access to all and everything online is a different reality. I was a part of the music business as the internet was entering. The hardest part has had to do with learning how to do the marketing In some ways it’s easier. In other ways, it’s more difficult because of the demand. Creating social media content is a new creative process in itself and it may not be something you come by naturally. It’s quite a big job regardless and is vastly different from the marketing in the pre-internet music business some may remember. Have you done or plan on doing any Live-stream Concerts? If you have, how has the response been from your fans? Yes, I have been doing a live stream every other week with Time Stamp Records. Since the reality of the pandemic really hit in March of 2020, I have been testing the waters with doing live-streaming. As we all saw, the demand for that sort of content was high because people were just so starved of live music and that feeling and culture which just stopped in its tracks. Since the end of 2020, I teamed up with the Campus Lounge in Denver and started doing these safely distanced, happy hour, outside events (even in the bitter winter cold) and we live stream these events. We’ve done about 9 shows now. As a matter of fact we are doing another one in two weeks. Myself and a handful of artists that I’m working with perform at them in person for a limited seating beer garden at @CampusLoungeDenver and then we broadcast to the Time Stamp Records Facebook and YouTube pages.

The fans have been super receptive and it’s really been a strong way to work with another small business to create revenue and original music. If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be? My label Time Stamp Records is part of this change. I feel the music culture should use the unification of artists to develop music. Like the old saying goes, “it takes a village”. We have a lot of artists working solo but, by partnering we can build something bigger together. That’s the vision. MUSIC/ART/CULTURE. What are the 5 albums that have helped make you the person you are today? And why? This is a big question. Too many to list really. In recent years I have been diving into storytelling songwriters and have also become a huge fan of the Funk-Tronica, EDM beats and Reggae. I love the feeling it gives and have been infusing these styles into my original works. I would have to say, most of my influential albums came to me in the 90’s. I will try with this list, it really doesn’t scratch the surface of music/albums that helped make me who I am today. Justice System - Rooftop Soundcheck

What’s next for you? Please explain. I’m in the thick of it all as we speak. I’m dropping new music, Working on building a couple of other companies through multimedia and branding. TSR has a spring clothing line coming soon and we are working on contracts with a few artists. We have big plans for the future. Taking it one day at a time and shooting for greatness. How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Websites: Sign up on our mailing lists and contact us here. TimeStampRecords.com JLuniverse.com Both JL Universe and Time Stamp Records are up and running on Facebook and Instagram and YouTube. https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoRecordLabel/ https://www.instagram.com/timestamprecords/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4AkQNNeUQjyOD_bVm4Yb2Q

Beastie Boys - The in Sound from way out Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy Adam Sandler - They’re all gonna laugh at you NIN - The Downward Spiral Nirvana - NeverMind Beck - Mellow Gold Rage Against the Machine - 1992 Self titled Dinosaur Jr. - Where you Been What is the best advice you have received? Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, then don’t be afraid to go and make magic. Bottom line, I guess…. don’t be afraid! Tell us about your new endeavor, Time Stamp Records. This is a label that I have been building for some time. A lot of people don’t know that TSR(Time Stamp Records) is a collaboration of my three businesses (audio, video and apparel). TSR’s tagline is MUSIC/ART/CULTURE. We are developing with and bouncing off of the music, art and culture which surrounds us. The idea is to develop the system/process of making timeless music, video, apparel and events at the highest level. A lot of artists have a hard time developing and taking a project full circle from conception to release. We have the vision, resources and ideas to build this creative empire.

PERLA CORDERO Sight on The Prize Perla Cordero is an driven model based in New Mexico. When did you first get into modeling? I first got into modeling when I was 14; sometime between 2011 and 2012, but that didn’t last very long. I was still under parental supervision, and my parents didn’t have time to take me to every casting. However, it wasn’t until 2019 when i finally got the courage to get in front of the camera once again.

Who or What inspired you to be a model? To be honest, this is a difficult question. To me modeling has somehow always been in my system. As a child I was always going into my mother and grandmother’s closet in search of their high heels; or sticking my little feet into plastic cups to make myself taller. Since the day I learned to walk I always walked one foot in front of the other. I adored dressing up and taking photos. Every day I’m inspired by old and new artists whether it is Char, Prince, Rihanna, or Gaga.

Photo: @ar1photography

What style of model do you consider your work to be? I consider my modeling style to be artistic. I love visual arts. Whether it is designing or wearing designer items, creating art by cosplay, or just creating visual appeal. I love wearing not your average wardrobe. Some days I’m classy, some days I’m edgy, but most days I’m playful. If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why? I would have to say the emotion that drives me through life would be passion. I love to find the beauty in everything I do or anything I see. I like to say that everything I do I do it with passion whether it be my job or a hobby. Passion is really something that drives me to pursue anything in life really. With enough passion for any dream it can become a reality.

What do you think makes you stand out in an industry overflowing with new faces? What I think that makes me stand out in this industry would be a couple different things. For one I believe my personality is of good character. Second, I believe myself to be fun; I’m always trying to find ways to be creative and make any shoot or run away fun. I’m not a fan of being serious all the time. I love letting my inner child come out and that’s something I’m not scared to show. Finally a third reason would be because I tried to keep my professionalism up to standards. I always try to say hello, goodbye, please, thank you and I especially always try to have good etiquette. The reason why I say “I try” is because I’m only human, and no human and this world is perfect. We can only strive to be. What has been your biggest challenge as a model? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? My biggest challenge as a model is overcome social anxiety and negativity. As an empath, I picked up on everybody’s frequencies, so being surrounded by a lot of individuals messes up my receptors per stay. It’s funny to hear but it’s true. Before I would have panic attacks if I went to any social events, and now I have learned to control this through breathing exercises. Just like anyone in this field, there will always be individuals that like to speak negative. My way of overcoming this would be with a smile on my face and just keep walking forward. There’s no point in listening to the negativity. Whether people are talking negatively about you or talking negatively about somebody else. To meet these types of individuals will only influence you to go down some path and that’s something that I don’t feel is necessary. A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art”. Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art? “You must suffer for your art.” That’s an interesting subject, but yes in many ways I have had to suffer in order to follow your dreams. For instant, people who don’t believe in me, in my dreams, or frankly just individuals that don’t want to see me progress. There’s the financial side. In order to follow any dream it requires money. In my case money to buy shoes, clothing, to build a portfolio, my camp cards, and for an agent; I have to pay them too. There’s physical pain that I have to endure, posing for instance. You’ve got to have a lot of stamina to hold a pose for a certain amount of seconds to get the perfect image. Or when doing multiple designers in one runway; you have to endure the pain of having to wear heels throughout an 8-hour day of just standing. Yes runway shows will only last about 2 hours at most, but the prep time is unbelievable. You get there and you have to have your hair and Photos: Top Right @tiffany.casias.9256 Bottom Right @dtphotography

make-up done. The rest of the time after that is prepping for the show. Practice in the outfit you’re going to model. How you’re going to be lined up. Is there a specific way that the designer wants you to show off the outfit. Forget about being a mannequin model. Being a mannequin model is intense because you have to hold a certain pose for minutes at a time without moving without taking breaks, the only thing you can really do is breathe and hope you don’t fall.

name as a model, and has helped me stay away from drama. Being authentic has helped me stay true to myself and who I want to be. Not being scared to say no to photo-shoots that I am uncomfortable with. I don’t want to later on in my career be told that I won’t be able to be part of something because there are misleading photographs in inconvenient places giving the wrong impression of my name. Staying authentic has also given me an opportunity to expand my love onto other people.

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the modeling industry? I feel like the internet has been a benefit for modeling. The internet has helped a lot of models, from getting started to becoming a freelance model. Definitely helps freelance models to get their names out and be recognized by agencies. It helps models find agencies in different states and even overseas. The internet helps to connect with other photographers or designers in a different state before you travel. The internet also helps to research individuals. Investigating an individual is important because you need to make sure that these individuals are safe, and they’re not someone that can cause harm to the model or vice versa the model to a photographer.

What’s next for you? Please explain. The next step that I would like to take, or in other words, the next step I’m in the process of taking would be public speaking and commercial modeling. I would like to do public speaking for big events, events that will help me expand as a person. This could range from be public speaking as a radio show hosts to announcing at a runway. I would also like to start doing commercial modeling, whether it is photographed commercial or an actual ad commercial.

What is the best advice you have received? The best advice that I have received is to stay away from negativity and always be authentic. Staying away from negativity has helped me reinforce my

How can fans-to-be follow your career? My fans-to-be can follow me on Instagram. I have two pages, @laperla3407 for my more creative side or @perla.model for my more professional model look. Thank you for your consideration and support. It has been wonderful to participate in this interview, and I look forward to cooperating in the future. Much love and blessings to everyone reading this.

Photo: @ar1photography

SHARMA MACDONALD Award-Winning Actress & Filmmaker We caught up with actress, Sharma MacDonald. Tell us a little bit about yourself Ms Sharma MacDonald? I am an award-winning actress and filmmaker born and residing in Toronto, Canada. I am also passionate about serving my community. My television credits include Breakout series on National Geographic/Discovery Channel and CTV/NBC’s Saving Hope as well as Host on YES TV Canada’s Let’s Talk. Moreover, I have stepped onto the stage in theater performances of Nora and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore. In honour of “Canada 150”, I was recognized as one of the top 150 Black Canadians for my contributions as an actress, filmmaker, and community role model. My current short film titled 2020, which I co-wrote and star as lead actor, is a winner at New York’s Kwanzaa Film Festival, and an official selection at Ritu Rangam Festival in India, Toronto Black Film Festival, and Halifax Black Film Festival thus far. I am born to Jamaican parents who always instilled in me the importance of using my platform for good and it has been my goal through life to tell untold stories.

How did you get involved in acting and becoming a filmmaker? Please explain. I got involved in acting through classes I was taking

with an acting agency at the time; we had a mock audition workshop with a notable casting director in the city. The casting director was impressed with my audition, so much so, that I got booked on the spot for my first television role. However, as I started to audition for more roles, I realized that not as many were being offered to BIPOC. This is when I became involved in filmmaking as I began writing my own scripts and creating my own films, telling stories that were reflective of the multicultural community around me. How did you get started? I started in the industry as a model, actually. Through modeling I got a hint of what it was like going to castings but acting was always my first love. Thus, I did some cold calling to different acting agencies, went to audition for them and finally found an agency that I felt was a good fit. Then, as they say, the rest is history. What pushed you to become an actor/actress? I’ve always been interested in acting. When I was younger, I would love watching soap operas like The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. To this day, it is a dream of mine to have a role on B&B! I remember that my teacher in Junior High

loved the dramatic arts and developed a show to perform in front of the school; that was my first performance, but a career as an actress wasn’t even a thought at the time. My father was always supportive of me and my passion for television and film, so when he passed away a few years ago it taught me that life is too short and that I needed to pursue my passion! How do you feel about directing a movie? I love creating camera shots and being involved in the direction that a movie is going so I definitely see myself taking on more director roles in the future. Tell us about “No Way Out” which you also directed? No Way Out is the first short film that I wrote and directed so I was elated to have it selected at the Women’s Director International Film Festival. The short film is about a young boy named Aiden growing up in an at-risk neighborhood in Toronto. It is set inside his home and we see his family come in and out of the family room while Aiden watches television. He is being ignored by those around him; only to find out that he was a ghost all along who lost his life in crossfire. The topic of gun violence was prominent in Toronto during the making of the film and I wanted to draw attention to that. It was a tribute to all those in the community who senselessly lost their lives. I approached a friend of mine to be cinematographer, scouted locations, and conducted casting calls while selecting black youth that may have never gotten the opportunity to experience the film and tv industry. It was amazing to see something that I had written c ome to life!

dle-aged, truck-stop sex-worker of the same name, who feels lost and unwanted in the area of romance; a definite change from the projects I usually work on, so should be interesting! I am also in the process of developing a drama television series surrounding Generation Z and Mental Health titled Jade, with the goal of hopefully getting picked up by a streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video…fingers crossed! What field do you like best? The field that I like best is acting because of the human connection that it represents, meaning how the audience members can see themselves through an actor’s performance. Furthermore, there is nothing more liberating than acting with a scene partner. What do you prefer theater acting or movie acting? I prefer movie and television acting over theater acting. However, I must admit that I learned what it truly takes to be an actress by being on stage. I view theater acting as the foundation, and I highly recommend every actor to experience it. Theater is as real as it gets, no retakes, and no edits. If I were to mess up (and trust me, it has happened), I have no choice but to recover right there on stage; it is a challenge like no other yet freeing at the same time. It also doesn’t hurt getting live reactions from the audience whether it’s a gasp, laugh or applause! Who is your favorite actor? My favorite actor is Denzel Washington. He is a trailblazer, especially for black actors and actresses in the industry.

Can you tell us about the film, 2020 and the psychologist? 2020 is a film that that exposes the ‘two’ pandemics, Covid-19 and Racism, that occurred during the year 2020 through the eyes of a black female psychologist, my namesake. The irony is that the psychologist, whose profession is to help others cope mentally, is now forced to confront her own suppressed emotions and mental state amid the rising tension. The film is a reminder that as black people, it doesn’t matter what our contributions are to society or how ‘successful’ we are; unfortunately, what others see first is the colour of our skin. 2020 showcases the present as well as past thoughts of this black female psychologist as she narrates the film. For example, she experiences being pulled over by police and the anxiety that comes with that, in addition to a racially motivated loss. I believe her character represents the mental exhaustion that many, if not all black people experienced that year, especially as a black woman. My hope is that this film serves as a ‘blueprint’ for 2020 and that it ultimately allows people of all races to come together and heal. Are you working on any movies right now? Yes, I am Assistant Director on an upcoming feature film, called Mary. It is a Dark Comedy about a mid-

Who is your favorite actress? My favorite actress is Viola Davis. The rawness and vulnerability that she brings to the screen is awe-inspiring. What is some advice that you would give to someone aspiring to become an actor? The advice that I would give, is to understand that rejection is inevitable in this industry. Becoming an actor is hard work. You’ll need to maintain your skills by taking good acting classes, learn how to breakdown scripts and listen to your scene partner; also go on as many auditions as you can and practice! Take advantage of resources online if you’re not financially able to take a class, there are plenty of online groups (even on Facebook) where you can join a community of actors. Find scripts online from your favorite television show, grab a friend and practice. Furthermore, find a reputable agency who will get you into auditions. Always remember that you can even write your own film and be the lead! That said, understand the importance of self-care in the process to prevent burnout; I am an advocate of mental health for creatives. Is it true the saying “if you set your mind to it you can do it”? Yes, absolutely. Perseverance is key. When I felt that the opportunities weren’t coming my way, instead of quitting I shifted my focus to creating my

own work. As a result, more acting roles opened up for me. I constantly reminded myself that “If I don’t believe in myself, why would anybody else?” Contrary to what others may say, you deserve to be in this space just as much as the next person. Obstacles will get in the way, but it is important stay focused. What advice will you give to upcoming filmmakers / Actresses? My advice to upcoming filmmakers and actresses firstly, would be not be afraid to share a little about your project or ideas with others in general because you never know ‘who knows who’ and can help make your project happen! Secondly, there’s no need for fancy equipment; get started just by shooting and editing on your smartphone! Thirdly, actresses should always be prepared because you never know when you’ll be approached to audition for a role or even offered a role. This includes having your information up to date, such as recent headshots, a demo reel, and resume of your work (this applies to filmmakers as well). Fourthly, especially for female filmmakers and actresses, know your worth. Learn as much about the industry on a whole as possible. The film and television industry remains male-dominated which is why now more than ever our presence needs to be known. Do you have a website or an IMDb? Website: www.sharmamacdonald.com IMDb: imdb.me/sharmamacdonald FB/IG/TW: @sharmamacdonald

Thank you for having me!

ELIJAH HUNT Shaping His Future with His Words We caught up with super talented Hip Hop Artist, Elijah Hunt. When did you first get into music? Please explain. I first got into music when I was really little. My dad has an album store collection of vinyl. I grew up on all the blues, classic rock and jazz greats. At any given time you could hear, Janis, dizzy or Otis at my house. Me personally. I got my first taste of music in school choir (4th grade). Then in 5th grade played trumpet until 10th grade. Started writing poetry at the age of 12 and it kinda just went into the direction of Hip Hop. Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in music? Please explain. The first time I heard Treach from Naughty by Nature and I had to be a Hip Hop artist. I was 4 when I heard Big Daddy Kane, 6 when I heard Rakim the first time but it was Treach at the age of 8 with Ghetto Bastard and OPP, that made me want to rap so bad. How has your music evolved since you first began performing/writing music? When I first started writing music, I was just concerned

with writing flashy cars, clothes, drugs, money, sex… You know, the cliché rap subjects. But as my skills grew and I grew, i started wanting complex rhyme schemes that had meaning or extreme word play. I’m sure you have shared the stage with a lot of talented artists/celebrities along the way. Would you share 1 or 2 of your favorite stories with us? Lol. So check this out… Back in 2012, we opened for Yuck Mouth from the Luniz. The openers killed it. Club was packed. Then yuck mouth came on and vocalized he had a problem with the local DJ which happened to be my crews DJ, bla bla bla, bad start to the show. They played 2 hits from operation stack kola, then the third song came on, which was, I got 5 on it. All of a sudden a fight breaks out in the crowd. And before you know it the whole crowd is fighting. Throwing tables, mother fuckers getting knocked out left and right, lol holy shit. It was wild. If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why? As far as what keeps me going in this game? Its just apart of me. I have to do it. It won’t let me quit. It’s

How do you feel the internet has impacted the music business? Well, at first the internet made music free. The start of the downfall of the CD. Once social media hit, there was a huge surge of internet rappers. Kinda saturated the market. Made clown rappers like 69 famous or whatever those weird guys that rap off their phone and sound like wrestlers famous. That shits wack. But.... I like the fact I can now make money on Spotify for plays. That’s fucking RAD! If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be? If I could change anything about the music industry??? Make being smart cool again. Stop pushing sex and drug use to our kids. Now... I know what you’re saying....”but cloudy... you grew up on violent music, too!” Well you’re right. But, I grew up on drug dealer music. I grew up on struggle music, making a better way music. Brenda had a baby, not Brenda learned how to twerk. But shit..... I digress. I was a 2 live crew fan.... What are the 5 albums that have helped make you the person you are today? And why? 5 albums that changed my life are... who I am. With out it I couldn’t even be me... you know? Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas? What makes me special? Man I freestyle. I love to flow, its just that ol Cypher feeling I’m always after. Also when I do a set I am 100% live, my crew is my adlibs. I am their adlibs. I gotta know the whole song, not just my verse. What has been your biggest challenge as a hip hop artist? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? My biggest challenge as a hiphop artist? Its definitely crossing genres. Im hip hop. I have trouble crossing into r&b or trap. Trap became so popular. I just recently starting writing in that cadence. Im not a fan but its whats popular. A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art.” Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art? So, this one is a funny one. Hip Hop often times is a form of blues. My dad always used to tell me “you gotta suffer if you want to sing the blues”. My music often reflects my feelings on a subject. Shit, sometimes it’s the only way I can get things off my chest. Also, there is a sacrifice you gotta make. This shit ain’t free. I’ve paid for my tickets before and had to hustle them to make money back. Studio time. Merch. Videos.. all that cost money. Gotta have money to make money. Not always the preferred way to live.

1. Big daddy Kane, cold chillin... it was the first time i heard rap in my life. I couldn’t step away after it. But really it was naughty by natures self title that made me want to rap. 2. Fleetwood Mac, Rumors. It probably is the most emotional album I have ever heard. It can make you feel all the emotions that life offers. 3. Atmosphere, God Loves Ugly. That album is special to me. It holds such a set of basic rules to life. I identify with it out of any other album in the world. 4. Sublime, 40oz. to Freedom. Its a album that forever captures my youth. From the wild times to the struggles of drug addiction and love. Its just a great album from start to end. Bradley’s voice is one of a kind. 5. Bob Marley, Lively Up Yourself. This album was always there for me when I was sad or alone. Even the songs about struggle made you want to stand up and fight. It always made me feel confident and at ease. What is your baseball walk out onto the field song? My baseball walk out to the field song? Lol. Jokingly, John Fogerty, centerfield lol, but in real life it would be Nas, all I need is one mic. Tell us about your current project. Are you working on new music? An EP or Album? I am working on my first solo album. I’ve done 4

different group albums, 1 with slaughterhouse roots, 1 with ground broken entertainment and 2 with Society 5280. The album I’m working on now, like I said, it is my first solo album entitled Hue Mann. 100% produced by my homie Jason Cave over at Beat Hogs. This album dives deep into the human psyche, politics and what its like to live in the modern Era. Yeah, I’ve got a few turn up tracks but you can mostly expect to hear complex rhyme schemes and subject that covers mental illness, the state of the media, love and politics. Its a deep one. What’s next for you? Please explain. What’s next for me? More merchandise, shows, and videos. I’d also like to break into writing children’s educational stories. I tell these elaborate bedtime stories to my son. He keeps telling me to write one for him. I’m going to. Then, I’m going to publish it. Something easy for 2nd graders to read, but adventurous and intelligent for an adult to enjoy. How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? You can find our/my music all over the place. I’m going to drop a ton of links. Please enjoy all of it. Sound cloud. Beat hogs/ cloud9 https://soundcloud.com/beat-hogs/dear-who-everby-ol-cloudy-prod-by-beat-hogs?ref=clipboard ReverbNation. Olcloudy Have you heard this yet? “Beat Hog (produced By Beat Hogs)” by yours truly. http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/ song/31008592 SoundCloud. Ol Cloudy Cloud9 https://soundcloud.com/ol-cloudy-cloud9/ gods-most-beautiful-creation?ref=clipboard And last but not least: Fancytrackz.com Just hit the menu button and click on Society 5280. So many outlets!

We caught up with...

Bobby Dee Founder of Bobby Dee Presents and Partner with Uncle Snoop’s Army.

Interview by Ms.Louise Conley

turned me down. I was able to catch my big break at the Freestyle Festival.

We caught up with Bobby Dee of Bobby Dee Presents & Uncle Snoop’s Army during some of his down time…

We would love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on, what else should we know? Right now, I am working on a lot of artist development with artists like Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, Lisa Lisa, Too Short, and B-Real. Apart from artist development, I’ve been working hard on all our shows and events that were supposed to happen this year but have been pushed to the summer of 2021 due to COVID-19; I am very much looking forward to the upcoming summer.

Bobby, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today? I’m a Junior and my father, Bobby Dee, was the owner of a nightclub. I pretty much followed in my father’s footsteps, working as my father’s personal assistant and I eventually took over his business about 15 years ago. Since then, I started out with small night clubs then worked my way up to where I am today. How long have you been in the entertainment industry? I’ve been in this industry for 34 years because like I mentioned before I grew up working alongside my father being an owner of a nightclub. How did it come around that you ended up on uncle Snoop’s camp? Snoop had reached out to me after seeing our lineups and shows; about 4 years ago we were finally able to have time to sit down and talk. Has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you had to overcome? Definitely wasn’t an easy path! I was turned down by a lot of artists - actually I mean a lot of artists’ agents had

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success? One thing I had to do to get where I’m at today was to ‘STAY PERSISTENT’! If I didn’t do that and didn’t continue to keep pushing, you and I definitely would not be having this interview right now. What advice could you give indie artists that are trying to be a major artist? Use social media to your advantage! When I was started out, social media wasn’t around yet so definitely utilize it to your advantage, but also be very careful of what you post and share online, it reflects who you are and what you’re about. Another word of advice would be, don’t give up and don’t get brokenhearted over the rejections. I went through a

lot of those, but I had to keep trying so you have to keep trying too. Do you like your celebrity status? It’s flattering, but all I’m doing is really just representing celebrity artists. I don’t take the celebrity status all that serious, because I’m simply just doing my job and enjoying what I do; I love my work! What is your favorite food and favorite place to eat? Pizza, and the place to eat it is in Chicago: Giordano’s! Can you share with us any talent that you have booked and what is your affiliation with them? Jesus Adame – whom I am co-manager of, he has a voice that you wouldn’t believe! What comes to mind when working with these artists? 1. @snoopdogg – “living legend” 2. @warreng – “super professional” 3. @breal – “another living legend, someone that genuinely loves the Latino heritage” 4. @berner415 – “amazing; the epitome of a self-made man” 5. @bonethugsnharmony_ - “classic” 6. @traeabn – “the people’s champ; charitable and all FOR THE PEOPLE” 7. @tayf3rd – “the future” 8. @otgenasis – “wild, crazy and talented” Tell us something about you most people may not know? Aside from being in a crazy business, I really just love being home with my dogs. I have 3 Yorkies: Princess, Binky, and Daisy. What is your most positive quote you say to people getting into the entertainment business? “Si tu puedes” or “Yes you can” Please list all your social media accounts. www.BobbyDeePresents.com Facebook: @BobbyDeeLive Instagram: @BobbyDeePresents Twitter: @BobbyDeePresent SnapChat: bobbydeesnap Tik Tok: @bobbydeepresents, @UncleSnoopsArmy

MATHIEU SILVERMAN Finding His Way on Set Please tell us who Mathieu is. I am 5 days away from turning 15. I live in NYC and in the 9th grade. I have an older sister and a 3 year old Bernese Mountain Dog named Bailey. I consider myself to be an easy going, go with the flow kind of kid. I am a foodie - I love cooking and going to nice restaurants. I’ve been taking flying lessons for the past year. I like hanging out with my friends. I also love to be on set and meeting the new people that I am going to be working with. This year I won the Young Entertainer Award© for Best Young Actor in a Short Film. How did you get started as an Actor/Artist? When I was in 4th grade, I auditioned for the lead role in a school play. It was a comedic role and I was more surprised than anyone that I got it. After that, I was hooked!

What drives you to stay to be an actor? While being an actor is actually a lot of hard work, it is also really rewarding. It’s a challenge to learn my lines and the character while also getting all my homework and studying done for school. Sometimes when my school workload is really heavy, I don’t feel like I should be acting. But, my parents support my acting and the moment I step onto the set it always feels so good and I then remember why it’s worth it and how much I love it.

Who is someone you respect in your industry? Liam Neeson! He’s a great actor and when I was younger he was so nice to meet with me in his home and talk to me about acting and all the challenges actors face. It was an amazing experience and he was so down to earth. Most people think actors like him are aloof or snobbish. Maybe some are, I don’t know. But Liam was really nice. Can you tell us how the last few months of COVID (Stay-at-Home) has made a positive or negative impact on your acting career? Covid started off being really tough on my acting career. I live in NYC and most of the productions were shut down for a long time. I tried to make the best of this break by taking a lot of online acting classes and webinars. Hopefully I’m a better actor for it. How have you stayed busy in your industry during COVID these last few months? I got together with a bunch of acting friends, the ones I often audition with for roles, and using Zoom we filmed a web series called The Quaran-Teen(s). I even got to write one of the episodes, which was a first. That was a lot of fun.

Can you tell us what have been some of your favorite roles (characters) you have played? One of the most fun characters to play was my very first one – the role that got me hooked on acting. It was the role of Miss Rhonda Vanhudelen Doodeler, the disheveled and quirky substitute teacher. To prepare for the role, I went with my sister to a discount store and found the ugliest clothes and a funny wig that only an eccentric older person would wear. Then I used this high pitched funny voice and had a blast being someone completely different from who I really am. I had the entire audience laughing and no one even knew it was me! Once people did find out, they were still coming up to me as much as 6 months later telling me how funny it was. I still smile thinking about it. What are some of the hobbies you have? Flying. I am currently taking flying lessons and earning hours towards my private pilot’s license, which I can get when I turn 17. I love to ski and play tennis. I love to cook. I play piano. And I also love to play Minecraft and video games with my friends. What would be your dream acting role? A lead comedic role in a feature film. I love making people laugh and think it would be so much fun working on a film like that. What is up next for Mathieu Silverman? I’m auditioning and earning hours for my pilot’s license. I’m also studying hard so I can finish my first year of High School strong. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? Being a pilot for a ma jor airline and acting. Is there anything else you would like your fans to know about you? Stay true to yourself. I don’t tolerate bullying and neither should anyone else! Work hard and follow your dreams! Please list all your social media links. IG @theofficialmathieu Twitter: @theofficialmat4 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathieu-silverman-42231b1b5 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9696014/

www.rsvpcigars.com

ARMANDO International Producer & Artist Armando is a Canadian born International recording Artist, singer-songwriter from Toronto. He has opened up for acts like “Offset from Migos, “Loud Luxury” and “DJ Pauly D” from MTV’s hit reality show Jersey Shore. His works have been featured on some of the biggest labels in the world, such as Sony Music France, Armada Music and Kontor Records out of Germany. Armando is quickly becoming known as the “Sunset Singer” with his enchanting emotionally driven top lines and euphoric olive oil voice. Tell us who is Armando? Armando is a loving, forward thinking, music making, Teddy Bear who loves to travel! What made you decide to go in the direction of music and producing? How do you approach the sensitive task of discussing changes and rearrangements with artists? I always had the music bug from early on in life, but it wasn’t until my sister bought me my first acoustic guitar on my 18th birthday that I began writing and singing. As for the music approach, I discuss possible structure, melody, and composition

arrangements based on the type of song I’m going for, or the type of song that is being brought to me via a producer or other artist. My approach is simple and I make sure to let whoever i’m working with know that I don’t have all the answers and music making doesn’t come with a manual, but it does come down to feeling the music/song, instead of hearing it, you need to feel it first! What is the one thing every song must have for it to be solid? The song has to have a feeling and a catchy melody! People feel the music before they hear it in my opinion. Who is the best music producer working in the industry today? My boy Assaf aka Avira! This guy is legit in a position to be the next sound in the Dance, Electronic Music scene and is already signed to Armada and dropping some next level records. Tell us about the creative side to producing the single called “Who Stole Your Smile”? A friend of mine’s mother had passed away and she posted a picture on instagram with a very sad face

with no smile a few weeks after her passing, and I sincerely commented “who stole your smile”. I was having my morning coffee, went into my piano room, picked up my acoustic guitar and the song literally wrote itself. This happened maybe once or twice to me in my career. What is the first thing you listen for when listening to a new recording? I listen to the beat and instrumental melody because they will already speak to you. I listen to see if I feel something first, and if I do, I begin experimenting with the melodies that come to me or I try to find. 9/10 it’s usually my first melody that is the one I end up going with. Other times I already have the melody or hook idea’s in my head. What is the biggest budget you’ve worked with? The “EL Paradiso” Music video with DJ Antoine and my boy Jimmi The Dealer. We were flown out to the Swiss Alps (St. Moritz) and I was actually flown from Italy to St. Moritz in a Helicopter because we had a show in Italy the night before the music video (Myself & DJ Antoine). Hublot sponsored the “EL Paradiso” music video and I’m sure it was a 30,000 to 40,000 euro production, you just gotta check it out, it’s a movie. What skills have you learned that will help you in your singing career? I’m still trying to figure that out, lol. I don’t really

take singing lessons, even though my sister is a singing teacher and an amazing Soprano (Soprano Scarlato). What made you decide to pursue a career in entertainment? It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. When I was playing pro hockey in Europe, I would always find myself reaching out to the local DJ’s in the clubs and slipping them my songs on a USB stick. I was always natural on that hustle and creative music wave on my down time. It is what made me happy and what I was naturally drawn to. I was always writing and humming melodies. What kind of singer would you classify yourself as? Emotionally Driven, singer with a distinct, clean, strong style, with a distinct olive oil voice. You know it’s me singing when you hear my song, especially my dance EDM songs like “Symphony” & “Strangers in Sunlight (Kidmyn Remixes). What has been the best performance of your career, so far? My personal best performance was in the Fall of 2019 at the Opera House in Toronto where I performed my unreleased song “Got Away”. My most memorable one was in Germany in the summer of 2019, performing in front of 10,000 people. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMWBgtt1hw8 How do you cope with being away from home for long periods of time? I haven’t had the privilege of experiencing that yet. I’ve always come and gone when I needed to. What advice can you give to upcoming producers? No means yes and never stop your hustle. Learn from the lows, and be patient with things, but at the same time keep on top of them. Hit up 20 to 50 new people a day to build your network. Do you have a website and social media? www.armandomusic.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/musicarmando Instagram https://www.instagram.com/armandoscarlatojr/ Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/4JSChvgYDHRIC9CbaxReS9?si=YcrNv759SZeMMjurQB_d7A YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDjyCqL2QpV2sMyF_7wdWeg?app=desktop

DeWayne Harvey feat. Fred Hammond

Coined the Renaissance Man of Gospel by Word Network’s Dr. Bobby Jones, DeWayne Harvey makes his triumphant return to Gospel music through the release of his first solo project, DeWayne Harvey & Friends - “What The Lord Allows”. The title track, which is the first single from the album, features Grammy, Dove, and Stellar Award winning artist, Fred Hammond - who recently had a number one Gospel smash with “Alright”, is known for countless hits as a solo artist as well as being one of the founding members of the iconic Gospel group Commissioned. The upbeat single, “What The Lord Allows”- written and produced by DeWayne Harvey - is destined to be a Gospel staple. The recording was leaked to YouTube and in the first 60 days of posting - without any publicity - garnered over 300,000 views. The lyric video of the song boasts over 700,000 views to date. The online success of the tune prompted several radio stations to download the song from YouTube to add to their playlists. Music video here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=sNrHzOzbrk8 An inductee in the Florida Gospel Music Hall of Fame, DeWayne Harvey is known for his previous body of work as a singer, songwriter and producer. He led the groups, DeWayne Harvey & Unrestrained Praise as well as Pastor DeWayne Harvey & the Greater Blessings Praise Team. With the group Unrestrained Praise they

enjoyed the following hits - “Tell It”, “I Can See My Storm”, “Shine A Lil Light”, “Keep Looking Up” and “God Will Deliver” - while the Greater Blessings Praise Team is known for the album “The Report of The Lord” (their first Billboard charting hit album - #16/Gospel Albums) which produced such smashes as “Whose Report”, “Celebrate”, “All To Him” and “So Great”. Based in Tallahassee, Florida - Mr. Harvey is a pastor, businessman, civic leaderand label owner of Innovative Records. While he is indeed well known in Gospel music thanks to prior works with larger groups, “What The Lord Allows” is his first solo release. Mr. Harvey’s aim through Innovative Records and his music is to capture the attention of a broad audience, across all ages, races and religious denominations through his works in urban music. www.dewayneharvey.com

GOURMET BRAND SYMPHONY CHIPS ANNOUNCES NEW BRAND PARTNERSHIP... Black-owned gourmet brand Symphony Chips is excited to announce their new brand partnership with multi-Grammy nominated R&B star Stokley (former lead singer of the legendary group Mint Condition), who is preparing for the release of his sophomore album Sankofa this summer. Together, Symphony Chips and Stokley will work to inspire chip lovers to choose a healthier snack option. “We’re excited to have such an acclaimed artist like Stokley to bring his Symphony spirit to our brand and customers. As a brand, we truly believe in authenticity and originality,” said Dondre. Symphony Chips has emerged as one of the industry’s fastest-growing gourmet potato chip brands since its inception and is now sold around the country in stores like Whole Foods, Target, and Walmart. Symphony Chips is the only chip created from a special signature proprietary blend of 28 herbs and spice that will awaken your tastebuds with every bite leaving you with a harmonious experience. Symphony Chips contains non-GMO, no MSG, All-Natural, and vegan friendly. They come in three dynamic flavors: Original, Smoked, and Balsamic. The brand has been highlighted by many outlets, including Good Morning America Deals and Steals segment. Visit www.symphonychips.com for more information.

WITH GRAMMY-NOMINATED R&B SINGER-SONGWRITER STOKLEY

MOTOR WADE Bending Sound Waves We caught up with international artists, Motor Wade. When did each of you get into music? Bhavneet: I started playing keys and harmonica in 3rd standard. But discontinued when marks dropped :D :P. I picked up guitar again in 2006. Then kept on playing at a slow pace throughout so far. Was involved with a few groups over the years, it got serious when I met Motor Wade folks. Played a lot of cover songs but then realised it’s the right time to get to some originals as well. Rakesh: I always loved music but started pursuing it seriously during my college. I one day bought a guitar & since then I have been into music. Varun: I was attending Carnatic vocal classes when I was in class 6. But music piqued my interest significantly when I was in class 11. It was around this time I started exploring classics like Oasis and The Beatles. I started out singing, and I felt like exploring instruments as well. I’d tried my hands on violin and mandolin before, before switching to bass. I spent hours listening to music across genres, interviews and clinics, and developed a good ear. I got my first bass on 26th August 2018, and it has been a different life from then on. Santosh: Interest in music started fairly late in my life, about when I was 17 years old. But when it hit me, there was no looking back. It was a re-discovery, a liberation.

Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in music? We really can’t point at a single person or an isolated incident which inspired us to pursue a career in music. Overall the freedom of expression, happiness and satisfaction it gives keeps us driving. Especially when someone genuinely appreciates our music, that acts as a rocket fuel. The understanding we have as a band has improved and it’s starting to show in the music as well. Things which as a process used to take time are getting smoother day by day. How has your music as a band evolved since you first began creating music together? Music has been a great medium of expression for all of us. One could say a lot without saying. Our taste differences in the band helped to add multiple dimensions and color to the music that would come to make. If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why? Desire. It helps you to dream. The other emotions mentioned here can be interwoven with desire - the desire to experience joy, the desire to deal/not to deal with anger, the desire to follow one’s passion, and the desire to make oneself proud. A lot of songwriting prompts here. xD!

Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique a band in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas? Openness, natural and free form of expression. Our creative differences have actually helped us in bringing out interesting elements in the songs we’re working on. Our songs (work in progress) are an amalgam of personal elements combined with a variety of influences, with each song driven by a member of the band while the others contribute and bring the song to shape. What has been your biggest challenge as musicians? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? One of our challenges has been to find forums to take our music to a wider audience. In that way we are very thankful to xs10. We are making efforts to make ourselves visible to the listeners and we have let the art speak for itself. We want to pour our heart out via our music. A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art.” Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art? Partially agreeable, suffer may not be the right word, may be “you must work for your art”. It does take quite an effort to get your music to people’s attention. And the music business is not an easy place. Sacrifices/ compromises are needed. Constant work and consistent discipline is required. It’s as they say “nothing comes easy”. We have made sure to overcome our personal challenges to meet for a common cause, setting aside our differences and united by passion for music. We try to seize every opportunity to display our art to justify its importance. How do you feel the internet has impacted the music business? The internet has actually twisted the topography of the music business. The emphasis during the cassette and CD age was on album making. The internet age has emphasized more on live streaming, bigger outreach and digital platforms for music. On the contrary, it has downplayed supporting music as a career, upcoming artists face challenges as piracy or free art is exercised without boundaries. It has also provided listeners and music enthusiasts with option paralysis. The best of both worlds would be a great platform to uphold the art of making music in the coming days. Have you done or plan on doing any Live-stream Concerts? If you have, how has the response been from your fans? We haven’t done any live-streams, yet. But we would absolutely love to do it.

If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be? Music Industry has been compressed and confined. We would like to see more live show opportunities and sustainability. A re-birth in music vinyls, or copies would be great making it a tactile experience. What are the 5 albums that have helped make each of you who you are today? And why? Bhavneet: GnR’s Appetite for Destruction was the one that got me. I am totally crazy about the solos that Slash plays. Rakesh: It’s definitely The Wall by Pink Floyd, Roja by A.R. Rahman, Greenday’s American Idiot, Stadium Arcadium by RHCP & Toxicity by System of a Down. Each of these albums is way different from the others but there is one thing in common. They all are genius compositions. The song structure is not very common yet the songs are popular among every common man. Varun: City Of Evil by Avenged Sevenfold has shaped my music persona. I’m a sucker for harmonies, be it vocal or instrumental. This album has both. Raspy vocals with several layers delivered with immaculate control, melodic lead guitar harmonies, solid bass rhythm that packs a punch, and intricate yet catchy guitar solos appeal to me a lot. Santosh: Dark side of the moon, In absentia. Both albums are a sonic spectacle, they are great pieces of art to experience. Tell us about your current project. Are you working on new music? An EP or Album? Currently, an “untitled” album is in progress. The songs are based on several concepts and emotions. What’s next for Motor Wade? Motor Wade is young, there are new doors to open and newer places to be. More music would follow as it falls to place. We are looking forward to playing live and reaching out to the world with our own material. How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Fans can access our music on all ma jor streaming platforms by searching “Motor Wade”. They can also head down to motorwade.com to learn more about us.

BUEL

Talented Pop Artist We caught up with talented artist named, BUEL. Tell us a little bit about yourself? I’m Buel, I write songs and make music videos. I live in LA. How did you come up with the name BUEL ? I wanted to find a name that wouldn’t chain me to be a certain type of person with it’s own meaning or associations. B, U, E, L were some of the letters I had to use because of my birth name, I wanted it to phonetically sound close to me. With this mission in my head, I was just surfing on Google, I don’t remember how I got there, but I found myself reading Liv Tyler’s Wikipedia. I saw her mom’s name right there. Bebe Buell. I started to read about her, looked at her pictures, listened to her music and just felt a weird affinity. The last name Buell, could be my name with one L. So that’s the story.

Which artist inspired you the most growing up? Kurt Cobain did. His lyrics, interviews, level of non judgmental acceptance, neutralness, respectfulness, and his open mindedness is what inspired me.

How did you get into Pop Music? I don’t know, I didn’t realize I got into it until people heard my music and said it’s Pop. Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with? The last alive member of Bee Gees, Barry Gibb. Their music always made me feel safe and comfortable and calm. It makes me feel like everything is alright, which I need to hear pretty often. So it would be great to have that spirit at least in one of my records. What’s something you learned early on in your career that made you a better artist? That I can never be controlled by others’ vision. I was in a lot of bands before I decided to go solo and I had a lot of uncomfortable experiences. Being a musical artist is like a body for my soul and if I let other people’s decisions represent me then It’s worse than not having a body. What does Pop music mean to you? I think it means that music is easy to listen to by people. When you get used to hearing certain

sounds it becomes pop. When you hear something new and feel it’s foreign, you call it other names, until you feel a familiarity to it. So I think pop means popular = familiarity. What’s an important cause or issue you support? I support that people with Down Syndrome and Autism should not be excluded from society and be treated like they can not add something to our society. I find people in these conditions to have very unique and authentic perspectives on people and life and that we can learn from differences, instead of comparing other people’s skills with ours and thinking they don’t qualify. What’s a subject you’ve always wanted to write a song/sing about? There’s not many subjects I put on hold for a while. If I want to write about something I just do :) Do you think there’s a double standard in the industry, or in entertainment in general? I think so. I see people who get privilege from fame and money, accusing others on doing the same. I think lack of self awareness or being too programmed to protect our ego causes this trouble. Who are some of your musical inspirations? and why? Mazzy Star, because it felt good knowing I can sing without having to push my voice to where it doesn’t want to go. Kate Bush, because it felt good to see someone so unique with their movements and facial expressions and hysterical lyrics. Yoko Ono, because it felt good to see someone who writes amazingly simplistic lyrics, poems about the most complicated ideologies in the world. It encouraged me to try to

If you could cover any song what would it be? I think I just covered Smells Like Teen Spirit because it was the one. If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be? If people could stop making rationalizations about why things did or didn’t work. Because things usually work for a bit until they don’t anymore or don’t work until they do. I think if people could quit treating time as a linear thing and accept that things are in constant change, the music industry would be a better place. What makes your music so different compared to regular music? This is not something I focus on much, but people say it’s different and I don’t ask them why either. Because I think it has a lot to do with delivery and it’s hard to describe. All I could say as an answer would be that, I try to stay focused on myself while creating. simplify mine and to write about conceptual things. Meredith Monk, because it felt good to see someone who is free to do whatever she wants with their voice. Morphine, because I liked Mark Sandman’s way of angling others from himself in his lyrics and of course I’m a huge fan of his voice and delivery. Do you have social media and/or a website? www.buelmusic.com www.instagram.com/buelmusic www.facebook.com/buelmusic www.twitter.com/buelmusic

SAMANTHA BAILEY Actress on the Rise We caught up with rising actress, Samantha Bailey. What is the favorite character you’ve played? I have played several different types of characters but I had the most fun playing Young Rebecca (Becky) Quinn from the Amazon Prime Series “Just Add Magic”. What sort of person is going to love this character? The target audience for this show is mainly tweens and early teens but I think this show is intriguing for any age. The characters on this show really focus on the power of friendship and the importance of learning to work together even when times get tough. How is this character like you? Different? This character is very relatable for me because she is caring and always tries to find the bright side of any situation. She loves her friends and wants to help them in any way she can. She also loves cooking and creating things in the kitchen which I find a lot of fun!

Is it easier to play this character or to be yourself on camera? I don’t get to play myself on camera very often so I always try to find elements of myself within the characters personality and dialogue. I wouldn’t say this character was easy to play because there was a certain complexity to her that needed to shine through but it was fun getting to bring her to life on screen.

What do you love about this character? I played the younger version of one of the grandmothers in the series, so my scenes took place in the 1960’s. I loved the style of clothing that I got to wear in the scenes and loved playing with the dialogue to include words that were used in the time period. What do you hate about this character? There really is nothing that I could hate about Becky Quinn because of her big heart and thoughtful personality. What’s the biggest challenge about taking on this role? The biggest challenge I had with taking on this role was matching my character to Dee Wallace’s older version of the character so that I was a believable younger version of her. Dee is an absolutely amazing actress and unbelievably talented so I knew I was going to be in for a challenge. I was able to sit down and talk with Dee for a little bit before filming to get an idea of her personality and presence. This was incredibly helpful so that our characters were realistic. Besides yourself, what celebrity would you like to see tackle this character? I think Millie Bobby Brown would be amazing in this role. She is such a talented actress and can take on any character that she is given.

Without giving anything away, what’s your favorite line of dialogue? “We have to make a pact. Let’s swear that this book will never come between us.” Besides yourself, which actor in this production is going to/ has blown people away? I am so proud of all that Olivia Sanabia, Aubrey Miller, and Abby Donnelly have done since being on Just Add Magic. They are amazing actresses and I can’t wait to see what else they are going to do! If you could play any other character in this show, who would it be? I think it would be fun to switch roles with Olivia Sanabia and play Kelly Quinn since I play a younger version of her character’s grandmother. I feel like all three of those characters are very similar. What makes a good scene partner? I think a good scene partner is someone that, even though they know the dialogue and what’s going to happen next, they still live in the moment and react to the other character as if they were hearing the lines for the first time. Listening and responding are the most important factors that build trust and a connection between scene partners. What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to continue acting for as long as I can. I have a Theatre AA and a Communications AA right now. I am currently working on my Theatre BA and Communications BA. Even though my passion is with performing, I think it would be fun to explore some behind the camera work in the future too. If someone was going to make your life into a movie, who would play you? That’s a hard one. Popsugar had an app feature a few years ago calling #twinning where it matched your picture with your celebrity look alike. A little girl named Hendrix Yancey matched with me and tagged me in her post on Instagram. We ended up meeting at the GenZ Social Summit in 2019 and she was just so sweet. She is an awesome actress and I would be honored to have her play me. When did you first perform? My family always jokes that I was born dancing and acting. I have seen pictures of me performing in diapers and tap shoes with my aunts in their recitals. I have always loved being on stage and entertaining others. Who do you look up to (as an actor/director/etc.)? I have always looked up to Kristin Chenoweth & Reese Witherspoon. They are both strong, talented and empowering women. They are role models that girls of all ages can look up to and be proud of.

What’s your perfect Sunday afternoon look like? My perfect Sunday afternoon would be going to Cafe Habana in Malibu with friends for an early lunch then walking over to the beach and relaxing by the water. When you have a five-minute break during rehearsal, what do you spend that time doing? If I get a break, I will usually go over and find somebody to talk to in the cast or crew. I am always looking to introduce myself to new people and see what they do. When I was on The Young & The Restless, the camera operators would teach me how to use the cameras which I always found super fun! Who’s the funniest person in this cast in real life? When I was working on Just Add Magic, Tiane Le, Harper Quaintance and I had the absolute best time! We were always joking around and playing games. When the first season was released on Amazon, the three of us had a sleepover and binge watched all of the episodes in one night! What do you do when you’re not doing tv/film? I love to hang out with my friends. It has been hard because of Covid since I can’t see my friends as

much as I used to but we are making it work by playing games and chatting over Zoom. I am also learning how to rollerblade so that is a fun way that I can get out of the house and still be safe. I have also been teaching Princess Ballet classes to toddlers, both in person and over Zoom. It is so fun watching them learn how to express themselves with dance. If you had a magic wand, what show would you do next? If I had a magic wand, I would bring back Pushing Daisies. That show was so amazing and it was so before it’s time. What’s the last thing you do before you step out on set? I make sure I am hydrated and have my lines prepared. Then I leave the rest up to my director and let any creativity and play happen naturally. What are your social media handles? My Instagram is: @SamanthaABailey1 My Twitter is: @SamanthaABailey My Facebook is: @SamanthaBailey My TikTok is: @SamanthaABailey1

XS10 Magazine - April 2021

Articles inside

SAMANTHA BAILEY

BUEL

MOTOR WADE

ARMANDO

MATHIEU SILVERMAN

BOBBY DEE

ELIJAH HUNT

SHARMA MACDONALD

PERLA CORDERO

JOHN LARCHICK

ANYA KEELIE