Mental health. A buzzing topic in this day and age. We’re often given the advice to love ourselves the same way that a friend would. But learning to “love yourself” is a tough journey that requires a great deal of exertion. That shouldn’t stop you though! ‘Like I Do’ by Melanie Wehbe is about self-love and giving yourself permission to be authentically you. “No one’s gonna love me the way I’m gonna love you, so I’m just gonna love like I do.” As you’re in the driver’s seat of your life, you can be your own cheerleader! Like Wehbe, you have the power to change the script. Listen to your heart and allow yourself to feel the same love that you share with others! The intro to this song is amazing! With a quick “Like I do,” Wehbe sets the vibe with a bang! She commands your undivided attention, as if saying, “I’m here now! Listen up!” Accompanied by 80s synths and powerful downbeats, Wehbe’s confident vocals astound and amaze as she unveils her innermost thoughts. “I just can’t believe I put my heart in silence, but when you’re lost that’s what you do.” I think what’s amazing about Wehbe is how she approaches her darkest emotions with a legendary level of compassion. She acknowledges them, but she also forgives her past self for not knowing how to give herself love. These beautiful soul-searching moments in the song are such great advice! Multi-platinum synthpop artist Melanie Wehbe grew up in a musical family, where she learned to express herself through music. As an extension of herself, Wehbe’s very personal writing style is authentic and captivating, often revolving around self-acceptance and identity. Her talents in this arena have led to her writing two entries for Eurovision Song Contest and two Swedish Idol winner songs. She’s also been featured on the cover of QX Magazine, Sweden’s most popular LGBTQ+ publication. Along with several #1 hits on Spotify and radio, Wehbe is truly in tune with herself. As a result, she’s a great role model for creatives everywhere. ‘Like I Do’ spearheads her new EP ‘Bloom’ which comes out later this year! Written By Kevin Rodriguez FOLLOW MELANIE:

Sometimes we have a hard time coping with change. Moving on to bigger and better things means you must sacrifice some or all of your old comforts. Sometimes, that fear alone is enough to keep our feet frozen in place. Is that really the best decision? You could be missing out on many great opportunities. In her song, Greta Isaac reflects on her fear of change and settling for mediocrity. One thing I liked about the song is the folk-sounding guitar. The minimal instrumentation blended in great with Isaac’s rich, velvety voice. With that, I liked her harmonies on the chorus that begin with the words: “slowly I’m losing my mind…” The chorus ends with the words, “swimming in my mediocrity.” I thought these were powerful lyrics. Everything is staying the same, yet Isaac is implying that she’s still feeling overwhelmed. Isaac is from the United Kingdom. If you liked “Mediocrity” and want to hear more of her, you should listen to her other song called “how are you not freaking out?” Similar to “Mediocrity,” this song also has a simple guitar melody. Additionally, she sings about being frightened of change. This time, she is referring to the world around her. My favorite line in the song was, “humans are so f**king weird.” Written By Kelli Dixon FOLLOW GRETA ISAAC:

The dance beat in your new song "Back Alive" emphasizes the anticipation to return to a more social life mentioned in your lyrics that talk about pandemic-era living. What was it like to write about these feelings and put them out into the public sphere? Sinejan: I think it was a bit of nostalgia and a bit of stating the obvious, to be honest. I felt so excited and fed up at the same time. I think the pandemic era taught us so much and the silence of it, especially in the music industry was a shock. I totally meant what I said! I was feeling ready to party again and I felt like the only way to get over that stuck feeling was to put it into a song and then into the universe to hopefully move through it to the next FUN era! What first inspired you to pursue music professionally? Sinejan: Cliché alert! I have always wanted to do music professionally ever since I was 5. I am a generalist and I have multiple passions. I did not study music extensively in school but I feel like it's in my blood. I first started on the media side of the music industry, writing for blogs and interviewing artists, I then moved to the label side and finally to the events space in Toronto, Canada. Throughout this journey, it became clear to me that I needed to give my artistry a propper go! This is what I am doing now, and it feels extremely rewarding and WAY less scary than I thought it would be! How have you had to adapt your music career to fit the pandemic-era constraints/limitations? Sinejan: In a way, yes! I was working for a company that basically created custom bands for events in Toronto (St.Royal) and I learned so much about the events side of the music industry as well as the commitment musicians have to their craft. When the pandemic hit, there were very few positions available in the industry, especially on the events side because events were obviously not happening! This drought was very eye-opening. I ended up shifting careers for my day job in a completely different field and it actually pushed me to pursue my own artistry so I am both grateful and still kind of shocked that we went almost two years without any live music!! What a time! How has living in Canada influenced you and your music career? Sinejan: I am originally from Turkey, but I mainly grew up in Canada. I absolutely see so much talent in the Canadian music industry. It is also a small tight community that works quite well together. The artists are phenomenal! I mean look at the global stage, so many huge Canadian names! It has always been very motivating being from Canada and never more when considering living and working amongst the wonderful talent we have up here in Canada! Much of the population loves music, even if they do not do it professionally and it was awesome getting to be a part of the Canadian music industry in Toronto. When you're not writing songs or making music, what do you like to do? Sinejan: I am blessed with a lot of amazing friends and family so I mainly like to spend time with them. I have always been a bit of a social butterfly and I love bringing people together. I have recently moved from Toronto to Vancouver and I have picked up some more physically active hobbies (hiking and rowing). If I am not with friends, I am either sleeping or working or trying to keep active. What goals have you set for yourself in terms of your music career? Sinejan: I started out in the industry in the electronic music space, blogging for EDM Canada. I would love to work on collaborations in electronic music as well as work on more originals in the pop genre. I don't want to give away too much but I definitely have plans for a few more singles this year and an album in the works for next year! Overall, I am very aware, working on both the creative and the business side of things, that things move quickly when you are committed. My ultimate goal is to develop a great team and take this show on the road and enjoy every minute of it! I hope to develop my live performances in the coming years and be able to celebrate with music lovers everywhere! Interviewed By Hannah Conkin FOLLOW SINEJAN:

The beginning of new love is surely one of the most outstanding feelings in the world. Getting that spark upon the first eye contact, experiencing the rush of adrenaline you get just thinking about them, and the anticipation of a possible relationship leaves you buzzing for a long time. There always seems to be one specific period of time where one of you just has to seize the moment and make this spark into something everlasting. Francisco Martin is in this exact spot with his song "KISSING ON A BALCONY." He feels absolutely alive when he's around this special person, and just needs to know if both their feelings are in sync. The lyricism makes it evident that Francisco is dead set on how he feels about this other person. Even from the first line, he expresses "I love the way you make me feel I'm alive." All he's waiting on is the green light to turn their situation into a committed relationship. The anticipation in the lyrics matches the beat and melody to create this fast-paced tune. The song as a whole portrays this anticipation of "something is about to happen." He keeps his voice soft to match the lighter melody and at certain points, inserts some stronger vocals in the background to add some extra depth. The overall tone of this song is light-hearted and emits all of the good feelings that are involved with new love. Francisco Martin charted his path in music by competing on the eighteenth season of American Idol. Luke Bryan gave Martin a major compliment by saying that he could see Martin in the top 5, and Martin proved that statement to be true. After his time on the show, he continued releasing music, such as his EP "Beautiful Ramblings of a Restless Mind," and has performed on a national tour. He recently released two other songs as well as this one titled "Nobody Listens To Me!" and "stay." His music career is just getting started and he will continue to create incredible pieces just as he has been doing. Written By Melina Darlas FOLLOW FRANCISCO MARTIN:

“Don’t Go Yet” is a soft pop song about the perfect idealization of being with someone you’re in awe of. Even through hard times and moments that may seem like a bad reality, it’s really not that way at all. It’s just life and it’s beautiful. This song doesn’t have to be about a significant other, in fact when you listen to it, want names might come to mind. Just the pure appreciation of a person you care about, and they may never know that this song was about them or that you thought of them when listening to it. It makes you really think about your life and the people in it. “Don’t Go Now” is a great reminder to tell those around us that we love them. RBVY has beautiful vocals that create this overall soft sound to this track. The song use contemporary pop writing with a combination of 80s groove to create a new kind of mix. Fusing these unique beats with the sweetness of RBVY’s voice, “Don’t Go Yet” becomes a really catchy and upbeat hit. I think a lot of the elements that RBVY chose, give me a musical theater feel. The chord progression in the keyboard during the chorus especially builds in the same way a lot of theater music does. I really really liked that in the song. It’s not something you usually feel in pop music, but it was a really cool touch that became my favorite part of the tune! *Third Paragraph*Beginning her musical career as a teen country singer, RBVY has evolved to become a pop icon. In her early years of musicianship, RBVY always wrote songs that were meaningful and relatable to the audience. She draws inspiration from artists like Elton John, Cyndi Lauper, Maggie Rogers, and Robyn. She’s spent the last few years recording and releasing her first few singles, which showcases her wide range of style. Keep up with RBVY so you don’t miss any pop hits! Written By Emily Hancock FOLLOW RVBY:

The music video for your new song “Not a Criminal” is intense and thrilling! What was the inspiration behind it? Timur: Thank you! Well, when we were coming up with concepts for the music video, we looked at the lyrics and meaning of the song and it very much reminded us a bit of Robin Hood. This seemed like a natural fit for the music video and definitely is a key inspiration for the concept. We were also inspired by musical movies like Step Up and In The Heights and how they present songs in a cinematographic way. The end of the music video for "Not a Criminal" ends with a cliffhanger. Can you tell us where we might see the storyline going for the song and video? Timur: Sure! In this music video, we have already set up all the key players for the next part of the story, if you pay close attention to the end of the music video you will also see that there is a small hint of what is going to happen next. In addition, the hint that I will give is that “Josh” the policeman character is going to play a larger part going forward. You showcased a lot of dancing in the music video for this new song. What has your experience been with dancing in the past? Timur: Unlike the style of dance you can see in my music video, I actually started out learning ballet when I was about 5 or 6 years old. It gave me a great foundation in dance, though admittedly it wouldn’t have been my style of choice as I wasn’t the most elegant or flexible child. Since then I’ve continued to dance but mostly in more urban styles which have led us to where we are now! Growing up, did you know you wanted to be a musician and how did you go about pursuing this passion? Timur: I always knew that music and performing was a passion of mine, but I had never really considered that being a musician could be a viable career path. I definitely had the Asian mentality where I thought to succeed in life, you either had to be a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer, so much so that I ended up getting a Master's degree in engineering from the University of Oxford. I then ended up working at a bank and realizing that I wanted a career where I could actually do something I’m passionate about and I’ve been pursuing my career as a musician by writing and now releasing music. Going off of that question, who were some of the most influential people in your family or popular culture who inspired you to pursue a music career? Timur: My whole family is very supportive of me, but I think my dad is definitely one of the people who influenced me the most. When I was younger he was always the one who would encourage me to sing and he would love it when I would perform for him. How do you start a new project? Timur: I guess it really depends on what you mean by a project. If it’s a small project like writing a song, I always like to start with a key idea, whether that be a melody or a concept and just see where it takes me. Because it’s not a huge project, it doesn’t take a significant amount of time to get the idea down so if I don’t like it, it’s not a big deal. I can always revisit it again in the future if I feel like it. However, if we’re talking about a bigger project, I like to start with idea generation and just brainstorming all the possibilities before narrowing down the options till we reach a consensus on what we want to do, before planning out the steps we need to take to execute it. Interviewed By Hannah Conkin FOLLOW TIMUR:

Having to face the hardships of life can honestly take a considerable toll on an individual. Depending on the situation, it can leave us feeling empty, broken, and worn down. Something that makes the healing process easier is having your love stand by you. Their words, their presence, and their love eases these hardships that we face. Lisa Pac expresses this sort of relief she feels by being with her love in her new single "Work of Art." This song illustrates how healing powered by love turns past scars into a work of art. Healing is such a painful yet beautiful process, and the beauty can magnify when being supported by love. "Work of Art" has such an ethereal and electric feel. Between the instrumentals, the lyricism, and Lisa's vocals, there is something very celestial about this melody. Lisa has such a smooth voice that portrays the theme of the song in the perfect tone. The underlying theme of finding beauty in the storms of life is portrayed as art. The lyrics express the story of "painting around her scars," and "coloring her in" to repair the broken parts of her. With this song, Lisa changed the stigma about how dealing with pain in life is such a negative and draining thing to endure. She turned this around and made dealing with the pain something that one can face with their love, making their relationship and themselves even stronger. Growing up in a musically inclined family, Lisa began her music journey very early in her life. She began writing pieces at age twelve, joined a band in her teen years, and then moved from Austria to London to study at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance. After a while, Lisa moved back to her hometown and began creating more music. She released her self-produced single, "What Did You Call Me?" in 2017, and performed at WUK in Vienna beginning in 2018. Since then she has grown her music career through radio play, live performances, and releasing new tracks including her What If ..?! album. Written By Melina Darlas FOLLOW LISA PAC:

Life can throw you many curveballs. For instance, the coronavirus pandemic took away the aspect of a “normal” life. For a while, we weren’t allowed to eat at a sit-down restaurant or see a movie in a theater. A lot of times it gets to be more than you can handle. What makes it even worse is when you see other people getting what they want and thriving. You wonder, “when will it be my turn to be happy?” In his song, “Obvious,” Rauly sings about being in this unfortunate type of limbo. I really liked Rauly’s voice. It sounded very calming and perfectly fit into the mood of the song. Even though Rauly is upset, the acoustic guitar instrumentation was light and happy. It really gave the song a theme of hope. Additionally, the fact that the melody keeps repeating can be a musical representation of the action of waiting. In other words, each day is the same and you’re waiting on that big break. You just have to take each day as it comes. In time, the clouds will roll away and the sun will shine. Fate will reward your patience. Music is a great way to cope with difficult times in life. If you liked “Obvious” and want to hear more of Rauly’s songs, you should check out “Thinkin Bout It.”. The track is about the post-breakup feeling of regret. Like “Obvious,” it also uses an acoustic guitar. This time, though, the music is a lot more upbeat and Rauly shows off a different side of himself. Written By Kelli Dixon FOLLOW RAULY:

We hurt the ones we love. Whether we meant to do so or by accident, it's bound to happen at some point in every relationship. We make mistakes, and our actions could negatively impact our loved ones and our relationships with them. The act could even be enough for the other person to walk away from you. The only way to get that person to come back to you, asking for forgiveness is the only way. Caleb Kopta is begging his loved one for a second chance in his new single "Forgiveness." This is a piece about the anxious moments right before you plead for forgiveness to the one that you had hurt. This chill melody with Caleb's vocals gives this piece that relaxing, bubbly feel. The guitar in this song comes to the surface a few times throughout the song, especially the break right before the final chorus. Emphasizing the guitar at different points in the song adds variety to the piece, giving listeners multiple different aspects to pay attention to throughout the song. As for Caleb's vocals, he expresses his vocal range by jumping to a higher tone during the chorus. The higher tone makes the chorus even more impactful, as it feels that he is revealing stronger emotion in these lines. The lyricism of this song perfectly translates the feeling of wanting nothing more than forgiveness from that one person. Caleb's lyrics express the suffering that comes with losing someone because of your own actions and the uncertainty of if they will accept your apology. Asking for forgiveness is a very anxiety-provoking conversation to have, but if the person is that important then it has to be done. Caleb comes from a small town in Pennsylvania and has made music the center of his life from the beginning. Caleb attended his very first concert at two months old and has never stepped away from the music since. He owes his inspiration for creating his modern alternative rock pieces to artists such as The Killers, Bruce Springsteen, and Bleachers. Caleb released his first single "Burning House" in 2018, and has consistently created singles in the years following. Caleb has also performed with artists including Parachute, Motherfolk, and Billy Raffoul. A special thing about Caleb's music is that he truly pours everything he's got into each and every one of his songs, and creates personal connections through his work. Written By Melina Darlas FOLLOW CALEB KOPTA:

All we want is for people to reciprocate the same effort back to us to our relationships. When they’re not doing the bare minimum, it’s draining to simply maintain the connection. It’s time to reclaim your time and energy from them! ‘Light the Way’ by Alana Rich and Lo Lytes is a great option to help raise your vibration and effectively distance yourself from toxic friends. This amazing dance-pop anthem is like a positive affirmation to help your intuition guide your heart. Once they’re out of the picture, don’t even THINK about going back! Instead, find people on your wavelength that’ll treat you 1000 times better! There’s several reasons why this is the ultimate summer anthem! First, there’s a nostalgic beat consisting of swirling synths, jazzy guitars and drum loops. It feels like you’re living in the stars! Second, Rich and Lo Lytes create a savory blend of vocals that’s irresistible. In their respective verses, Rich glistens with goddess energy, while Lo Lytes gives you butterflies! Not to mention that their harmonies in the chorus are perfectly in sync. Finally, the line delivery is phenomenal. A couple of my favorite lyrics are “Did a full 180, vibe elevating; now you’re only like an echo sound.” and “Don’t play me cuz I wish your energy was better.” Sassy and straight to the point, Rich and Lo Lytes know how to draw you in with the catchiest of vibes! Genre-fluid artist Alana Rich uses her diverse influences to create danceable pop hits. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, her passions for performing and writing poetry quickly led to her posting acoustic music covers on YouTube. She quickly rose to prominence, eventually sharing the stage with artists like Jojo and Hot Chelle Rae. Fellow pop artist Lo Lytes worked with Rich on 'Light the Way’ and seamlessly adds his signature 70s/80s influence to the track. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen an energy pairing that works this perfectly. Their unique styles are even more compelling when put together. These are two rising stars that you definitely don’t want to miss out on! Written By Kevin Rodriguez FOLLOW ALANA: FOLLOW LO LYTES:

“Gravity” is a powerful pop anthem about forging your own path, nothing holding you back. Sometimes, it’s all too easy to give up and succumb to the crowd, but Söderberg makes sure that we’re living with no regrets. While sometimes the safe option seems to blend in with the crowd, Söderberg reminds us to make our own choices based on ourselves, rather than how we might be perceived. It’s ok to make mistakes, because “you live and you learn”. The highlight of this song is the powerful chorus that Soderberg delivers; her soaring voice paired with a catchy chorus makes for quite an earworm. Throughout the song, Söderberg's voice rises and falls, accenting the emotion of suddenly breaking free and on your own. The music is bouncy and upbeat, carrying a general feeling of accomplishment and joy to the soundscapes. During the pre-chorus, the sound of claps creeps in as they serve as the backdrop of Söderberg's triumphant chorus. Hanna Söderberg, a Swedish-born singer-songwriter born in Gothenberg, is a lyricist and vocal coach. Learning piano and voice at a young age, Söderberg began studying gospel and jazz music before obtaining her Masters of Education from Malmoe Academy of Music, profiling in rock and pop music. Writing and releasing music with a diverse cast of artists, from kpop to latin pop and Swedish house, Söderberg decided to pursue her solo artist career. She’s got a lot to offer, and it’s exciting to see how her sound evolves. Written By Megan Cao FOLLOW HANNA:

"I'm bleaching those red flags white tonight!" is the common phrase on Liv Charette's hot new single titled "Red Flags White" which revolves around the red flags that wave around a relationship and trying to conform with the red flags by turning the canvas to white and starting over. Everyone is in the negative in a relationship and sometimes we have to change the synesthetic-esque color of the companionship by either agreeing to start over and break bad habits OR agreeing to break up altogether. Most relationships create those red flags BUT it's how we escape those zones of red that can lead to the stage of solace and then the stage of peace again. This song is a disco-pop jam! The synthesizers being used from start to finish in the song are upbeat and injects so much enthusiasm into the instrumentation of the song. Liv has so much range with her vocals and sings very heartfelt about getting out of these bad habits and bad relationships. The repetition of the chorus creates a great catchiness to a fragment of the tune near the end and the rhythm of the instrumental fits so well together with Liv's vocals. NO RED FLAGS HERE! Liv Charette is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter who has called the Music City of Nashville, Tennessee home for a while. A former figure skater turned musician has been creating music and performing live at various events around the country. Not only is "Red Flags White" a hit but check out Liv's newest single titled "Game Over." Go give her a shot! Written By Miles Tutor FOLLOW LIV: