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Occam's razor suggests that, often, the simplest answer is the best solution. Consider "Next to You" to be an "Occam's razor" for needless relationship squabble. On the soaring pop duet from Miles Away with Mercedes Arn-Horn, the two find harmony in the purest desires. Over rumbling bass and a sleek trip-hop beat, Miles Away and Arn-Horn trade verses with their complimentary, commanding vocals. The gentle picking of a guitar places an anxiety distinctly atop the mix, bringing out the turmoil in its lyrical context. Best of all is the bridge, which allows the layered vocals to really take center stage. The performances are so impassioned, there's the sense that the song might implode into pure chaos. Right in the sweet spot, before that can happen, the floor drops out and the chorus builds back up again. Even when it feels like everything is in shambles, sometimes all it takes is a gentle reminder of the love we share to make those problems seem relatively simple. "I don't know what we're doing this for," Miles Away opens the first verse. We aren't provided the context of what "this" is, but that's really the point: it's unimportant in the face of togetherness. "Cause I just wanna wake up next to you," he finishes with a silky falsetto. It's this softness that thaws whatever coldness invaded their relationship: a simple reinstatement of common desire. Little bumps in the road can turn into trench-like rifts if they aren't managed healthily. When Mercedes Arn-Horn opens the second verse feeling lost, ("I don't know how to feel anymore,") it's entirely believable. But peering into her subconscious desire for that same, shared closeness, the chorus serves to quash those doubts. When their brilliant vocals blend to repeat the titular phrase, it becomes both a mission statement and a loving reminder. It's a love worth fighting for, not over. Canadian-based artist, Miles Away, began releasing music in 2017. Since releasing his self-titled, debut EP in 2020, he's seen a meteoric rise to indie-stardom: collaborations, award nominations, and millions of streams. "Next to You" is his first single of 2023, but it follows six, incredible singles released just last year. His confessional lyricism and distinct vocals create a unity across the wide variety of genres Miles Away fuses in his music. His collaboration with fellow Canadian artist, Mercedes Arn-Horn, marks another landmark in his diverse catalogue. Arn-Horn is the vocalist behind the band Courage My Love, garnering millions of streams across platforms. Written By Andy Mockbee FOLLOW Miles Away:

Sometimes I find myself stuck in a negative mental loop for hours. With mental loops in general, we find ourselves replaying events or situations over and over in our heads. In a negative mental loop, we’re replaying events that deeply bother us. And more often than not, negative loops arouse unwanted, antipathetic feelings about ourselves that become increasingly intrusive. Holly Wild’s newly released single, “Inside My Head”, showcases the internal struggle with living within this loop when all we want is to be mentally free. “Inside My Head” is an alt-pop single that explores how we transform into our own worst critic when stuck in a negative mental loop. The song opens with a deep guitar melody that’s heavily reminiscent of Creed and Incubus. Simultaneously in the music video, the audience sees Wild lighting a candle before quick flashes of their eye and a darken hallway occupy the screen. This symbolizes how easy it is to trigger a negative mental loop. Wild then begins the first verse by describing what their loop is. This is followed up with how the loop brings on feelings of shame that feed into low self-esteem in the second verse. The sudden crashing of the cymbals brings on both the chorus and a temporary moment of freedom from the negative mental loop. Here listeners are reminded that the things we tell ourselves when stuck in a loop are cruel, intensified imaginations – they’re just simply not true despite our inner critic convincing us otherwise. Unfortunately, the ending of the chorus within the music video is met with a fire breather exhaling a plume of fire – quite figuratively, a trigger has breathed new life into the negative mental loop. It effectively demonstrates that an awareness of our inner critic’s illegitimacy sometimes is not enough to ward off their persuasive but invasive nature. Wild reveals how their inner critic has interrupted and ruined opportunities within their life in the third and fourth verses before being teased with the chorus’s momentary liberation. While the chorus is progressing this time around, the music video flashes through multiple visuals of places and things that evoke the same feelings of entrapment; providing listeners with direct imagery of what being stuck in a negative mental loop is like. In the final verse, Wild makes an emotional plea to be released from the grasp of their inner critic and in turn, the negative mental loop. But listeners and watchers of the music video can sense an air of ambiguity regarding whether this plea was accepted. As the powerful, melancholy song nears its end two different projections repeatedly run over Wild: a blackened gridlocked pattern and bright pink waves with whitened edges. Ending the song in uncertainty flawlessly embodies how there are no definitive answers or solutions when dealing with such a prominent internal struggle – we just simply find a way live alongside it. Australian singer and songwriter, Holly Wild, grew up in a musically inclined family. Her childhood was filled with grand evenings of familial harmonies sang alongside recordings of Roy Orbison. Classic 60’s and 70’s rock and folk music would later become inspirations for the artist’s own projects. Wild believes music is the window into the soul and the foundation for establishing deep relationships. All of which can be seen in the artist’s discography. If you’ve enjoyed Wild’s music as much as I have, you’ll be thrilled to know their debut EP, Wild, is coming out soon. While patiently waiting for its release, you can show the artist some virtual love in the form of streams, likes, and follows. Written by Giavanna Gradaille FOLLOW HOLLY WILD:

“Lost In Your Eyes” by Ronna Riva captures the essence of a night out with your friends at the club. The music transports you right to the stage, with beats and rhythms perfect for dancing, singing along, and truly getting lost in the music, as Riva sings about being lost in someone’s eyes. She sings about how she is transported into another world every time she looks into someone’s eyes, unable to think about anyone or anything else upon just one glance. Very similar to how once you listen to this song, it becomes hard to think of any other as the catchy tune becomes imprinted in all of our heads after just one single listen. The intro to this song features a low beat with a masked over, distant voice. This creates a very cool and attention-grabbing effect. It leads beautifully into the first verse, which shows off Riva’s soft voice that blends perfectly with the surrounding music. With the beginning of the chorus, we are once again graced with the pleasure of hearing that same voice from the intro. Coupled with the beat and catchy tone, it makes for a very pop and memorable chorus. “Lost In Your Eyes” also features a bridge that matches impeccably with the song, housing the very vibey voice of Riva urging us all to feel the energy of both her song and the night, which we most definitely do after listening to it in full! Originally born in Constanta, Romania, Ronna Riva has been on the path to stardom from a very young age. Performing in front of an audience was always something that Riva loved and wanted to pursue. As early as thirteen years old she was part of a project called Viva, which is an organization that allowed Riva to do what she loved and sing in front of huge audiences nationwide. Upon graduation and obtaining her degrees, Ronna shifted her focus wholly to music where she has continued to grow as an artist. She has accumulated a fanbase over the years, with over 100,000 followers on Instagram supporting her. We are excited to see Ronna’s music and career continue! Written By Molly Schiff FOLLOW RONNA:

One of the most difficult challenges in life is accepting your self-worth and cutting out the source of pain which causes damage. It’s part of the fulfillment of saving yourself in order to grow into the person you want to become. This is what “Better,” the new track by Lucy Warr, is praising. It’s about breaking those chains that keep us trapped within our fears and insecurities, and how it’s time to escape and be free. Along with the motivational lyricism Warr gifts us, the music itself is so captivating that it has you headbanging along throughout the song. This, paired with Warr’s strong vocal performance adds up to a memorable experience that will leave you feeling consumed by self-love. So, whenever you’re in your next rut, know that Lucy Warr has your back to pick you back up. The song does a very interesting thing in the beginning, as the intro fades in with a retro feel as if we’re hearing it on an old car radio. The transition into the first verse is smooth, and the verse itself is a nice introduction to the song's subject matter. The line “the quantum leap” especially works so well as it rolls off the tongue nicely as one sings along to the track. The instrumentals during the verse are kept to a minimum, a steady bass line and beat, but this aids Warr because it allows for her strong vocals to shine. We hear this, especially in the pre-chorus where she does a short, but smooth vocal run. The chorus itself is loud in the best way, the instrumentals are fun and upbeat. The repeating line “never going back” helps emphasize the significance of standing strong and not backing down from a struggle. Additionally, this idea is reassured with the line “cause I deserve more.” The bridge of the song is nice and somewhat muted, which creates a wonderful contrast to the final chorus that adds some melodic harmonies to the previous version of the chorus. As the song ends, we are left stunned and empowered, and it shows how Lucy Warr was truly able to accomplish what she intended. Lucy Warr is a unique artist that specializes in making inspirational music that fits perfectly in the soundtrack of a coming-of-age film. Her goal is to create music that is hopeful and empowering. Warr has consistently been releasing music and has received praise from several sources, such as CLOUT, Pit Records, A1234, FV music, and more. These outlets have taken note of how exceptional and positive her sound is. Warr has especially received praise for her past tracks, such as “Energy” and “Rip It Off.” She is very active on social media where she not only promotes her music but also spreads positive and motivational messages to her audience. It’s clear that Lucy Warr is an outstanding individual and is someone who is a breath of fresh air in the music scene. Written By Chantal Charles FOLLOW LUCY WARR:

I think a lot of us turn to music when we're struggling with our emotions. Music is such a beautiful and powerful thing. It acts an outlet for our negative feelings and has the ability to make us feel better when we need a pick-me-up. When we have no one else around to tell us things will be alright, music is always there for us and acts as a shoulder to cry on. Music can be our best friend in a time of emotional need and unlike people, music is something that will never leave us. "Look Up Kid" by Lydia Oliver is one of those songs that will be there for you. It's a refreshing reminder that you are strong and can make it through anything, paired with one of the most beautiful soundscapes to grace your ears. The vibe of "Look Up Kid" is a very raw, singer-songwriter and folk influenced indie-pop sound. Even though it's very soft in nature, it still manages to feel positive and upbeat at the same time. Lydia's vocals are very bright and innocent in tone, which gives the song a bit of a twee type of sound quality. The instrumental consists of a very light acoustic guitar picking pattern and my personal favorite type of instrument in any emotional song - orchestral strings. The soundscape of this song is dreamy and euphoric; and paired with the uplifting lyrics, it's bound to make your day better. It might even make you shed a tear or two, just so you can let all the negativity flow out of you. Lydia Oliver is a Paris, France born and raised artist who has recently moved to London in the United Kingdom. Upon moving, she met multi-platinum producer Eliot James and signed to his label. In 2022 she released 3 singles, including her debut, 'Rain On Your Parade '. 'Look Up Kid ' is her first single of 2023 and is in anticipation of a brand new EP that is in the works for this year. She also is plans to be featured on a song with Eliot's alternative/indie rock band, REUNIØN. If you're excited to hear more from Lydia, make sure to check out her other songs 'Million' and 'Heart Beats Back' while we wait. Written By Kaitlyn Nicole FOLLOW LYDIA:

Has love ever made you feel exhausted? In the song "Home", Phoenix Rose explores feeling so tired and heartbroken by a relationship that now all she wants is the comfort that her home can bring her. The emotion she describes is akin to the aching feeling of being homesick, but for a person instead of a place. She details feeling used and trying to find herself after a whirlwind relationship. This singer is able to express the gut-wrenching feeling of no longer feeling connected to a partner. The raw and emotional delivery is complemented by the soft instrumental. Overall, this track needs to be added to your next break-up playlist. The song begins with a delicate piano that is soon joined by Rose's smooth and breathy vocals. Before the chorus, the singer is able to show off her wide vocal range, with her low alto tone while singing " How the devil showed his ugly face just like we know ." As she continues into the chorus, you can see the R&B influence when there are subtle layered and harmonized vocals that enhance the songwriter's desperate feeling of wanting to be home, in her safe space. In the final lines, the singer repeats the lyrics "Can we get back?/ Can we get back home?". In these last moments of the songs, she shows off her incredible vocal talent, doing a stunningly gorgeous run and a breathtaking falsetto for the final line. Rachel Rose now known as Phoenix Rose is a veteran in the music industry. She released her debut single in August 2022, titled "Five Minutes". Since then she's released 2 more singles, "Waiting for the World" and "The Thing About Love" as well as a brand new EP that came out this vear "How Do You See This?" which features "Home". This EP includes a more experimental sound, with a techno remix and acoustic track, but the passionate vocal delivery is a constant in this singer's music. This singer/songwriter dreams of connecting people through her fusion of pop music. Rose describes her unique sound as pop with soul elements and R&B vocals. Written By Stephanie Berning FOLLOW PHOENIX ROSE:

Kayla Mercuri’s latest single is a fiery track that is guaranteed to replay in the minds of listeners. “crazy bout u” is about the unmistakable chemistry between two people. It depicts the kind of desire that cannot be ignored, like a magnetic force pulling them together. Mercuri wrote this song to encourage listeners to take a leap of faith and chase the one they want the most. The track contains passionate lyrics that effortlessly describe this irresistible attraction. The first verse introduces the audience to the picture-perfect scene, with Mercuri illustrating her partner and the effect they have on her. In the pre-chorus, she sings, “Is this a safe place to fall?// But part of me don’t care at all,” providing a brief glimpse into her fear, before she shoves it into the depths of her mind and switches focus on the desire. Then in the chorus, Mercuri sings the unforgettable hook: “Crazy bout you// And the way that you move//Doesn’t matter what you do// I want you more and more.” She is completely smitten by her partner. She is obsessed with everything they do and everything they say. She reinforces this in the bridge with the lyrics: “I steal one look and I want you baby, want you baby// You’re on my mind and I think about you on the daily// You call my name and my vision’s hazy, can you blame me?// You keep this up, I’ll be forever yours, forever baby.” Mercuri confesses that this is not just a temporary fling, but that she is fully committed, if they will have her. This serves as a reminder that, sometimes, throwing all caution to the wind and jumping into this type of compelling romance can lead to a forever partnership. Furthermore, these lines fulfill Mercuri’s purpose for writing this track—to inspire listeners to take a chance. With “crazy bout u”, she showcases her undeniable talent while encouraging audiences to do things they may never have had the courage to do before. “crazy bout u” is an infectious pop song composed of a sultry production that complements the seductive lyrics. The song begins with a dark synth intro that is swiftly cut off by Mercuri’s alluring vocals and the soothing keyboard sounds. As the song continues, synth sound effects are added periodically to the background, providing a unique element to the track. Once the pre-chorus hits, the song begins to intensify before breaking out to the full production in the chorus. At this point, the beat switches gears by transforming the track into a sensual dance pop production. The song reveals itself as the perfect single for a night out with friends at a club, dancing along to the enticing rhythm. Throughout the track, a hi-hat cymbal sound ebbs and flows adding a satisfying dynamic to the song. Additionally, the beat patterns of the bass are reminiscent of the R&B style, further enhancing the unique production. After the bridge ends, the production becomes muffled with Mercuri’s vocals faintly heard in the background. This creates a feeling of anticipation within the listener as they await the inevitable explosion back into the full production. The chorus returns for one last time, before the song completely switches to the intense electronica outro that catches the listener off guard. Mercuri astonishes fans with the diverse production paired with her angelic voice. “crazy bout u” is a flawless dance song that utilizes influences from multiple subgenres to create one ultimate pop dance track. Kayla Mercuri is an independent pop singer-songwriter based in Boston. Her music career kicked off in 2014 when she traveled to Los Angeles to record three original songs. These tracks debuted on a Boston-area college radio. Then in 2015, she released her debut EP, Notions, which was produced by Michael Bruno of the band Honor Society. Her lead single, “Trusted”, earned Mercuri recognition as a top-ten finalist for the 2016 New England Music Radar Award. After a five-year hiatus, she returned with her sophomore EP, No Turning Back. Since then, she has continued to dedicate her time to her music career. After a couple standalone singles throughout the past few years, “crazy bout u” is her first track of 2023. She is ready to take the world by storm and show the music industry what she has to offer. Written By Karlee Skipper FOLLOW KAYLA:

“Girl With Headphones” by Love You Later is an honest alt-pop song that delves into feeling out of control in your own life. She beautifully sings about those secrets we keep in our mind when we greet the world with a fake smile. We hurry to get to sleep because maybe tomorrow will be better. We let our apartment mirror life’s messiness because we simply don’t have the energy today to act like we have it all together. We obsess over little moments from the past and anxiously await what tomorrow holds. We can’t seem to find the remote to turn off our ever-racing mind, and we wish for just a moment of peace. We remember a time when life was good, and we felt free, and we impatiently await for that version to return. Music is an ironically quiet savior. No matter what life throws at us, there’s one thing we can control, and that’s our playlist. Even if it doesn’t heal us, it’s a momentary bandaid that helps us escape. Whether you’re singing a happy song to forget the negativity, or screaming a sad song to sulk in your pain, you’re able to express yourself in a way that is not only necessary, but momentarily freeing. The moment this song begins, you completely understand the title. Love You Later was able to convey the exact feeling as when you’re walking down a busy street, surrounded by noise and chaos, and then you put your headphones on, and turn the volume up to 10 to drown it all out, and escape your own thoughts. When Love You Later discusses real world issues and mental health struggles, you can’t help but feel empowered and realize you are not alone in this world in feeling alone. The backing track makes you want to step outside, and face the world where you will pass many other people in headphones doing the same exact thing. The intro music quickly races and any outside thoughts are immediately drowned out, and then she contrasts that with raw, thought-provoking lyrics. It’s so important to talk about these struggles we all face, and are sometimes ashamed to admit to even ourselves, and Love You Later does it in a remarkable, catchy way that will leave her audience comforted and in camaraderie with a world full of strangers. Love You Later is the solo alt-pop project of Lexi Aviles. This Nashville-based artist pairs vulnerable, candid lyrics with electric melodies, captivating guitar riffs and euphoric synths. Lexi’s career began to takeoff with her debut single, “Lost In Lost Angeles”, that charted at #12 on Spotify’s Viral Top 50 in Global, US, and Canada. At just 24 years old, Love You Later has gained over 7.9 million streams, and she continues to collaborate with the industry’s top artists. She has received attention from tastemakers like LADYGUNN, MTV, Euphoria, and more. “Girl With Headphones” is Love You Later’s latest single, and we know she’ll be in our headphones on repeat. Check out her social media pages below, and follow to stay in the know about future music and her rising success! Written By Grace Chapman FOLLOW LOVE YOU LATER:

Photo Credits: Joseph Cartwright In our competitive society, it's easy for doubt and fear to overwhelm us. AZRA’s new single, “ALL OUT” is all about embracing confidence and power. This anthem of empowerment motivates audiences to accept their authentic selves and break free of societal norms. AZRA’s electrifying lyrics encourage listeners to channel their feelings of anger and rage into power and fearlessness. For instance, the lines, “They wanna keep me silent, I wanna liberate” and “When hatred breaks against your bones, remember you are not alone” strike notes of courage and resilience. We’ve all had feelings of self-consciousness and doubt and the relatable messaging in “ALL OUT” reminds us that we are not alone. AZRA’s mesmerizing vocals and complex lyricism help to create not only a beautiful piece of music, but also an inspiring statement of self-love and strength. “ALL OUT” is introduced with intricate guitar strumming and fast-paced, playful percussion. The addition of electronic synth noise helps capture that iconic pop sound, reminiscent of the early 2000’s music scene. AZRA’s haunting vocals immediately exert elements of confidence and grit. The single’s exhilarating chorus contains powerful vocals and booming percussion. The use of vocal layering highlights AZRA’s impressive vocal range, hitting both high-pitched soprano tones and deep, raspy notes. The song’s magical bridge contains hypnotizing harmonies and slower-paced instrumentation that builds back up to the next verse with increased intensity. AZRA’s energetic singing, meaningful lyricism and vivacious instrumentation make “ALL OUT” a powerful anthem, calling for self-love and never-ending confidence. Born in South Korea and raised in San Jose, California, AZRA is a talented pop-rock musician, motivational speaker, model and an accomplished author. She classifies her music within her own signature sound, substance pop, an entirely new genre of music that channels cathartic power pop, rock, dance and metal. From a young age, AZRA knew she wanted to create music and art. She experimented with various musical genres before curating her unique sound, including pop, R&B, K-pop, hip-hop, rock and even classical compositions. AZRA’s debut EP, “Freedom” was released in 2017 and featured five passion-filled tracks, most notably “Right Here”. Since her debut, AZRA’s discography has grown exponentially with tunes such as “Dirty”, “Hell & Back”, “Skyline”, “Miracle” and her biggest hit, “Dimension” which has accumulated over 294k streams on Spotify alone. AZRA’s new single, “ALL OUT” is only the first track introducing her upcoming summer EP, setting the tone for her new era of strength and unapologetic determination. The energetic single embodies influence from pop-icons such as, Kelly Clarckson, Lady Gaga and P!nk who are known for powerhouse vocals laced with passion, meaning and charisma. Keep an eye out for AZRA as she reaches new heights in her musical career and releases more songs that beautifully capture power and freedom. Written By Julia Hooper FOLLOW AZRA:

Anyone who has gone through a breakup knows how hard it is to forget the other person. You can take their number out of your phone and rip all the pictures apart. Even after taking these drastic measures, some thoughts may still creep in. When I first saw the title of PENNY X’s “single song,” I thought it was going to be about the freedom that comes with a breakup. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that she actually sings about how hard it is to get over an ex. PENNY X uses this upbeat pop tune to express all her feelings because she can’t let them swim around in her mind any longer. It just goes to show how great of a coping mechanism music can be. I really enjoyed the instrumentation in this song and how it progresses. It is calm on the verses as PENNY X sings, “trying to find something that I can say that’s not about you.” The music builds until the chorus when she asks “ why do I keep writing all these lines about you?” and declares, “you don’t deserve a single song.” It is almost as if the music represents a buildup of emotion. Additionally, the warped electronic sound with the echos was a good stylistic choice for this track because it sounds like we are inside of PENNY X’s mind as she cleanses it of all the negative energy. When listening to this song, I also liked how ironic it was. PENNY X is saying that her ex doesn’t deserve a single song, yet the whole song ends up being about them. PENNY X is an independent artist from Berlin who does self therapy through songwriting. This is definitely the case with “single song.” The track comes off her very fittingly titled EP, “how (not to) get over your X.” If you need recommendations on what to listen to next, you should check out “stupid,” another song off of that EP. It has a sound similar to “single song” and is about wanting to go back to better times in a relationship. On the other hand, “back to your dad’s” is a more edgy song about wishing the worst on an ex. Needless to say, you will find the perfect breakup anthem on this EP to scream out and to help get over your own relationship woes. Written By Kelli Dixon FOLLOW PENNY X

Photo Credits: Joesph Cartright "ALL OUT" is a very empowering song and a rebellious anthem against society's standards. Can you tell us what this song means to you? AZRA: “ALL OUT” to me means feeling and loving from a place of 100% self-acceptance and living as the whole, authentic version of you. “ALL OUT” brings out the array of feelings I went through when I was at the pinnacle of experiencing self doubt and anger towards everything and then realizing all of those feelings and emotions were just a fear and cautiousness instilled in me by society as I lived through my childhood. I was able to free myself from these feelings once I identified the exact experiences that caused these stringing calamitous feelings. For example when I was 6 years old, I was in art class and instead of sticking to my 1st level assignment, I wanted to draw what the older students were creating. So I stayed after class and proudly worked on it to share with my class and teacher the next day. When I did, my classmates wanted to learn too, however the teacher got angry, ripped up my artwork and told me to stick to my level. I remember being hurt, confused and asking myself ‘why can’t I do what I want? Is my work too different? Is this bad? Wrong? It’s not like I didn’t do what I was supposed to do for my class so what’s the problem.’ Looking back on it now as I'm older may sound minuscule, but I realized these events negatively affected a part of me and I was carrying the burden of these feelings into adulthood without even realizing it. It’s small feelings that when left unresolved grow into bigger issues. Unbeknownst to me, I started sticking up for myself by rebelling and doing things like skipping violin class to work on a dance hip hop routine for a recital I was preparing for. I got in trouble a lot and thus always felt like I was doing things wrong but something deep inside told me to keep doing what I'm doing. Writing “ALL OUT” was a way for me to recognize the root cause of my angry, frustrated feelings of doubt in order to start my first step in healing. I remember being in the writing session and actually having a dialogue with my younger self as if we are facing a situation again, but handling it differently. Almost as if my co-writer, Esjay Jones, and I tapped into a different dimension of time to experience that moment in art class but rewrote my handling of the situation differently. Instead of subduing the feelings of doubt, confusion and shame, this time, I chose to go ALL OUT and show up for myself. This song promotes rebellion, liberation, and the celebration of ourselves as who we are and dissolves haters and doubts. At the end of the day, we will experience this repeating situation throughout our lives but in different forms. We just have to be able to recognize that we have a choice to say yes or no to what’s put on us and realize the only right answer for us is to go through all our authentic feelings, positive and negative. So I hope “ALL OUT” reminds people to stay empowered as who they are and when moments of doubt arise, have the courage to dance in their recklessness, turn the table upside down and tell themselves… “hello, not like I’ve never been here before” You describe your unique sound as "Substance Pop" - a mixture of cathartic power pop, rock, dance, and metal. What was the process like of discovering your sound and how did you know this was the right one for you? AZRA: I would say the process was very gradual, natural, and subconscious. I knew back when I recovered from having juvenile glaucoma and going from being half blind to seeing again that I wanted to create music and art that has substance and deeper meaning than what meets the eye. However, translating this to sound and making it sound exactly like how I wanted took a series of single releases, experimentation with various types of my musical influences ranging from pop, r&b, Kpop, hiphop, rock/metal, and even classical compositions. Finally, I figured out what sounds and styles I wanted to blend and mix to come up with the sound I’ve always been longing for. I was born into a musical family with my mom being a singer in her church choir and an avid vinyl collector and listener of pop, Kpop, classical musicians like the Beatles, Micheal Jackson, John Lennon, Patti Page, Smokey Robinson, Lee Moon Sae, Lee Soo Man, Franz Schubert and Beethoven. Listening to her play these types of music while her cooking my family food, drinking coffee and brushing my hair, naturally influenced me in shaping my musical taste. As I grew up I had various phases of my life which shaped my musical taste from playing classical piano and violin, singing and dancing while living in South Korea, learning English through pop music while continuing my Korean language skills through Kpop after immigrating to California, being heavily exposed to punk, classic rock, heavy metal and r&b in high school, then listening and choreograph dancing to hip hop and dance music in College. I was always introduced to new musical realms where I got the opportunity to figure out where my sweet spots were in each vibes of music. Then came time for me to create and share my voice with the world… Since releasing my first EP Freedom back in 2017, releasing 12 singles afterwards, and now, releasing “ALL OUT,” it took a lot of discovery in every aspect of me as an artist, creator, collaborator, and human. Sound to me is emotion, music helps capture and amplify one’s slice/nano second of feeling in their life. Substance Pop depicts just that. Not a single straightforward sound that packages up someone's feeling in one category, but embraces the various feelings one experiences even with a single thought. You were born in South-Korea and immigrated to California with your family when you were only 9 years old. How do you think this change influenced your music and who you are today? AZRA: This move from South Korea to San Jose influenced me in every way and definitely in the music I create today. Sonically, my music combines sounds and influences from American Pop, K-pop, Rock, Musical Theater and Hip-Hop, which are the types of music I grew up listening to and singing. On another hand, being thrown into a completely new country as a kid and having to accept that “your past environment was just a memory” was not an easy transition or a reality to accept as a young girl who was so active, involved in her community, and full of spirit. I had to learn, rebuild, recreate, and ultimately find my voice and place in the “new world.” Thankfully, this transition which also included accomplishing various goals along the way, made me positive, strong, resilient, and insightful. I also learned that anything is possible and that we all have the ability to pave our own paths towards our dreams. This DNA flows through my music. Surprisingly to me, I realized in 2014 when I revisited South Korea that my musical journey is more similar to that of an artist growing up in America, not in Korea, and so were my values and mannerisms. I am now proud to be able to have experiences from both countries to express through my music. You're not only a musician, but a dancer, motivational speaker, model and an accomplished author of your self-help book The Cupcake Theory. What draws you to not only music, but all types of art and expression? AZRA: I view all of my artistic expressions whether it be through music, writing, speaking, dancing, acting, or modeling all as various manifestations of the same energy in different forms. Art is art and it can come through any form, just depending on where my energy aligns at the time. Photo Credits: Joesph Cartright Your "real" name is Clara. How did you come up with the stage name AZRA and what's the meaning behind it? AZRA: AZRA came to me before I even knew how to speak English. It was a cool sounding word at first, like some sort of a superhero or mystical figure… At first I thought the name would be good for my future daughter if I ever have one. Then, I started getting images of a little girl inside of me who seemed to be my emotional barometer. Whenever I was sad or doing something I didn’t feel 100% about, I would always picture this little girl in a corner upset and unhappy in the dark, and whenever I was happy and excited I would imagine this little girl being ecstatic and elated jumping around laughing hysterically. After I graduated from college and landed a corporate consulting career at one of the big four consulting firms, this image got stronger… Because though I was excelling in the field, transforming fortune 50 companies, rising up the corporate ladder, flying lavishly in first class and checking into the nicest hotel suites all over the country, I didn’t feel completely whole, like I was not addressing something inside of me that wanted to be recognized and come out… and the little girl’s sad images and voices started getting more vivid and loud. When I finally decided to professionally pursue my passion as a singer and leave my consulting career behind to what I called “Obeying my soul,” I remember being in the studio one day writing music for my first EP and trying to figure out what my stage name would be. I remembered AZRA and realized that it was not the name I’m supposed to give to my future daughter, but it was the little girl inside of me who’s been wanting to express herself fully doing what she’s meant to do: sing, perform, express herself to serve and touch others. AZRA has become so intertwined with my identity that I recently added AZRA to my middle name. Any big plans for this year you'd like to share? AZRA: My big goals for this year is to release my new singles and EP Project that add more of my rock influences to my prior sound, and to connect with more people through my live shows and events! Be on the lookout for more new music and show dates @theazraofficial and all my socials! Interviewed By Kaitlyn Nicole FOLLOW AZRA:

Most of us have experienced what it's like to fall in love with someone for the first time. It's a feeling that you've never felt before which makes it a new and exciting adventure. It’s all butterflies and rainbows and makes you feel the happiest you’ve ever been. “FELL IN LOVE AT 15” by Sam Free is a song we can all fall in love with. It's about being smitten by someone as a teenager for the first time and those feelings you get when you’re head over heels for them. It’s thrilling and all you can think about. All those romantic emotions forming when you’re with the person you adore can make you say and feel special things. Click here to listen to "FELL IN LOVE AT 15!" Free draws you in with her soft vocals and catchy melody. Experiencing love for the first time creates an exciting and scary feeling because you’re learning to be vulnerable with them, like letting them kiss you and being honest about the strong feelings you give each other. Free brings those feelings to life through her relatable lyrics paired with a catchy electro-pop soundscape. The naive infatuation described in this track is something some of us long to feel again. The song ends with one final, “you were the one” before going into a dreamy and soft outro. It describes the end of a first love; just remembering and cherishing those moments that were exhilarating when you were younger. Sam Free is a singer/songwriter from Las Vegas, Nevada. She started her music journey at the age of 4 when her family noticed her love for singing. After high school, she began working under Josh Conley (who has worked with Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Santana, Kendrick Lamar) at Studio A where she learned Pro Tools and music engineering. Her debut single, “WHY” was released in 2020 which was a breakup anthem. Since then, she’s released a few more singles, “Bare,” “Lie So Good,” and “Come Thru” which are all songs that people can relate to and you'll love. At the start of 2023, she auditioned for American Idol in her hometown which aired on February 19th on ABC. Make sure to check out Sam Free and watch her grow as an artist! Written By Lyndsey Cheng FOLLOW SAM FREE: