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‘Hotel in a Hurry’ by Skylar Lee is a song of regret. She tries to uncover what was left behind after running from a relationship; where she didn’t know what she had until it was too late. “Now I’m thinking I forgot something behind I can’t replace, and all that I can do is hope the feeling goes away.” It evokes that gut-wrenching sensation you get when reality starts to kick in. That struggle to accept what happened makes you wish you could change the past a million times over. You’ll no doubt feel empathetic towards Lee as she speaks on her distress. A captivating piano melody creates an intimate setting for Lee to tell her story. “I wish I could take up all the space in my bag, so the memories didn’t fill up the emptiness; and here I am as I’m taking off from the past.” Lee’s wistful vocals are like echoes of the past, as if saying, “What could’ve been if I hadn’t left so soon?” Vocal harmonies and soft synths do an exceptional job of accentuating the mournful mood. Then, the bridge gets almost haunting as Lee gets to the heart of her struggle. In a way, she creates this safe space for you to process your own past alongside her. I got chills by the end of this! You’ll be just as amazed when you listen to the song yourself! Based in Nashville, Skylar Lee is a pop icon in the making. Relying on instinct, she’s a powerful storyteller who pens soul-stirring lyrics with ease. Her vocals are first-rate too! Her musical abilities have received recognition from Nashville radio, as well as the ASCAP’s Writers Showcase. 'Hotel in a Hurry’ brings Lee up to five singles that have been released under her name. Her ballads are nothing short of inspiring. In fact, her previous single ‘Roman Holiday’ has been featured in the “Artist Interviews” section of our blog! Go check it out and follow her for more! Written By Kevin Rodriguez FOLLOW SKYLAR:

Chloe Lilac is done being lied to in her new song, ‘how does your girlfriend feel about it’. She thought she was getting close to someone, a potential relationship in her future. After spending all this time together, Lilac finds out there’s already a girlfriend, and that she’s ‘the other girl’. Frustration is left where romance once lived. Not only was this person lying to Lilac, but also their girlfriend, disregarding the emotions of either woman. No one likes to be made a fool, especially when it’s by someone you thought you could trust. With lyrics inspired by her real life, Lilac lets her emotions out in this fresh pop-rock anthem. Some songs are meant to be sung; others are meant to be screamed at the top of your lungs. For any of us whose partners have lied about something massive, this song is one you’ll want to scream in the car, in the shower, and into your hairbrush that doubles as a microphone. Lilac’s lyrics hold a great deal of relatability. In one section she’s having a conversation with the person that tries to defend themselves, “Like that’s the old me, and you’re willing to change” When you find out you’ve been cheated on things go one of two ways. You either break up, or the other person vows to change, saying that they’ve grown from their bad decision. Either option is frustrating and offers itself to emotional turmoil. If you are ‘the other person’ another sea of emotions can hit you. Lilac expresses her shock and surprise through the chorus, “oh my god, all that I ask of you, how does you fucking girlfriend feel about it”. The way she presents the lyrics shows her range of emotion. When she exclaims ‘oh my god’ you can feel her emotional shock of finding out this information. Her voice is lighter and uncertain. By the time she’s asking about how the girlfriend feels about the situation, Lilac is angry, screaming her words. A heavy guitar break follows the ending of the chorus, adding to the anger of the lyrics. After the chorus and the guitar break, the following verses are quieter and express the conversations Lilac is having with the cheating person. She uses the verses to explore her own feelings before returning to the chorus, circling back to shock and anger. This song perfectly captures the confusion and emotion that one feels when finding out they’ve been lied to in the worst of ways. Chloe Lilac is quickly making her mark on the music industry. She currently has over 30-million streams on Spotify between her EP, collaborations, and almost twenty singles. If you liked ‘how does your girlfriend feel about it’, check out her other song ‘DOUCHEBAG’. Want to see Lilac live? Well, you’re in luck! She has upcoming dates in April, May, and August. Check out Lilac’s Spotify to stream her music and find out more about her live shows! Written By Maddy Mahady FOLLOW CHLOE:

“April” recounts a time where Beth Keeping experienced the perfect holiday romance. Have you ever had a moment so special, you wish you could stay in it forever? This is exactly what this latest single is about. Living in the moment and experiencing a magical moment even though you know it won’t last. This story is recounted so beautifully and in detail that it makes you feel like you’re living the story right along side Beth. “April” is the perfect song to listen to when you want to reminiscence on a love of your own. This latest single tells the romantic story of when Beth fell in love in a jungle. This tropical scene is reflected within the beats and instrumentation of “April”. All sounds are meant to mimic nature; the snares act as thunderclaps and the beats are meant to sound like the waves of the ocean. Combined with Beth’s smoothing vocals, “April” gives an organic and authentic telling of a story. My favorite lyrics were, “We flew fast/ Living in a movie montage”. I love the idea of being so in love, that you feel like it’s the perfect movie scene, it’s so sweet. Beth Keeping is known for being an artist that combines country storytelling and pop sounds to create infectious songs. Her inspiration draws from artists like John Mayer, Lauv, and Gabrielle Aplin. Before she recorded her debut EP in 2018, she wrote for other artists across the UK, USA, and Singapore. The stories she tells through her music are always attention grabbing yet truthful and honest. “April” is the third single from her EP which will be due early June 2022. Keep a look out for more great music from Beth, she’s not one to miss! Written By Emily Hancock FOLLOW BETH KEEPING:

“Shine” is such a fun, catchy song! What inspired you to write this new track? Alexander: Thank you so much! From the start I wanted a funky beat to follow my song ‘Alright’ that I had ready to release at the top of 2022. It needed to follow the vibe but be a slightly faster tempo. It began with a simple kick drum and snare, before adding the funky bass guitars, my signature bells, and distinctive chimes, which appear in all of my songs. I also envisaged a talkback for the bridge, but it didn’t really work so we had to re-write it at the top of the year to be more melodic. The song went through two different bridge / middle 8’s, three bass guitars, four mixes and four mastering sessions before the version you hear today. The lyrics are all things I love but we turned them into metaphors. For example, I am a keen astronomer. I have a massive telescope which, pre-pandemic I would volunteer my scope for the public star parties at Griffith Observatory (where they filmed La La Land) and teach people about the planets or the stars we could see that night. It seemed natural to develop ‘Shine’ from all things that sparkle in the night sky but with a metaphorical twist. I also love cheddar cheese so found a way to finesse that into the second verse along with gummy bears, one of my favorite go to candy! Vocally I wanted to use my voice range, so this song has the most vocal layers I have ever recorded on a song so far. Every vocal on the song is mine from backing vocals to adlibs. It has been one of my favorite songs to write and record. What inspired you to make the transition from acting into music? Alexander: I am still a SAG actor, but when the pandemic hit at the top of 2020 productions went on lock down, so I decided to write music until things could start up again. Two years later I am loving my music career, and hope to land a recording contract. I did film for a feature with Mickey Rourke at the end of last year, ‘Replica’ and it will be out later this year. I hope you’ll be able to see it when it releases. I trained in fight choreography for the first time. I was so scared I was going to really punch my co-star. I had to fake strangle him in a juvenile correction facility – it was wild! Who are your biggest inspirations when it comes to your music? Alexander: I love all types of music, and listen to a lot of 80’s pop. Actually I just listened to ‘Brothers in Arms’ from Dire Straits. Great album. The intros are so long! From today’s music I like Charlie Puth, Harry Styles, Dua, Bruno Mars (Silk Sonic), Justin Timberlake, mostly pop. We love the music video for “Shine’! What was your favorite moment from the shoot? Alexander: Thank you so much! I think my favorite was putting on the gold glitter jacket, satin shirt and getting to play that 70’s disco role. I had fun being in character. The snap at the end was my brain child to match the ending of the song itself. It wasn’t as easy as I thought though – the light switch was the other side of the door away from the music playing. The light really does go off at that moment in the video! Tell us a bit about your new talk show, ‘The Alexander Show’! Alexander: Oh wow, yes so I wanted to create a show similar to Graham Norton or James Corden but for teenagers about today’s working teenagers. We invite teens to the show to talk about their latest music or movies. It’s a 12 minute show that has an interview portion, quick fire facts and then a fun game to finish up. We play anything from What’s in the Box to Speak Out. Anything silly really! The whole set is British and we film in Hollywood. It was really hard to find the props on set – we had a lot of things sent over from England, and we pulled a lot of things from my bedroom. Each week I bring something new for the shelf and the team have to try and spot what it is! Congratulations on the Rising Star Award at the HMMA’s! What is on your bucket list to achieve in your career? We can’t wait to see what’s next for you! Alexander: Thank you, you guys are the best. My immediate bucket list is pretty solid. I really want a recording contract with Atlantic Records or Warner for example. I’d love to have their marketing support and go next level with my music career. I’d love to do a collab with other pop artists, turn on the radio and hear my songs, go on tour, and win a Grammy in 2023. I’m also manifesting to play young Robin during the backstory of Robin from ‘Batman’. I have read the comics and think I’d make a great Robin, for whenever they start casting! Aside from that, I am a Freshman in high school, and plan to leave the year with a 4.0 GPA, release new music, and continue to work hard at being the best I can. It’s a big bucket list… wish me luck! Interviewed By Sarah Curry FOLLOW ALEXANDER:

'Concrete Jungle' by Lisa Keane embodies the feeling you get when you're in the sweet spot of a relationship. Where it feels like nothing could go wrong as long as you have that person by your side. You haven't had your first fight yet and intentions are pure. Everything they do gives you butterflies, from their laugh, to the way they hold your hand, even to the sound of them breathing next to you in the car. 'Concrete Jungle' details all those little things that makes being in love special and it's something you never want to forget or let go of. When I think of a concrete jungle, I think of a city. Cities are very cramped and crowded as well as loud and overwhelming. Lisa expresses in this song that she wants to escape from the concrete jungle she's in with the person that she loves, even if it's not forever. She cherishes every moment she has with this person and if it ever were to end, she wants them to remember her and all the incredible memories they created together. The tone of this song is very soft, from Lisa Keane's kind vocals to the dreamy sound of the music itself which has a bit of Taylor Swift 1989 vibes. This communicates that this person makes Lisa feel a sense of euphoria and comfort. She feels safe and relaxed when she's with them, and she can't get enough of that feeling. Lisa Keane is a singer/songwriter based in Dublin, Ireland. She has been writing songs since the young age of 13 and has musical theatre experience as well as jazz vocal training. Lisa's passion for writing sparked when she discovered a music class that taught teenagers about writing, recording and performing. She currently holds a Bachelor's Degree in Commercial Modern Music and Songwriting from BIMM Dublin. 'Concrete Jungle' is her first single of the year with more to come. Written By Kaitlyn Nicole FOLLOW LISA:

Girl Pow-R is back again with a fun and uplifting dance-pop song­. “Galaxy” encourages people to realize the talent they have and be strong. This ties in well to celebrate Women’s History Month and remind women that they can do whatever they want to do. “So much you can achieve”, Girl Pow-R gives off the message that regardless of struggles and hardships, your potential is endless. “Galaxy” uses mainly electric synthesizers for the bass of their song, which helps create an “out of this world” spaceship feeling. The vocals are unique for a pop song considering the group is a trio of ladies. Their voices blend well to give a cute and young sounding tone. The trio of girls continue to sing about women empowerment– one of the most notable lines being, “All this power that you carry/ it’s so extraordinary.” They reinforce the ideas that the sky is the limit with what you can achieve. This message is especially good for younger listeners to hear! Girl Pow-R is an Alternative Dance-Pop group that aims to be an inspiration for young women around the world. They have seen much success with their debut album having over 2.2 million streams across all platforms. Girl Pow-R was also nominated for a JUNO award of “Children’s Album of the Year” along with many others. “Galaxy” is a small taste of what is to come from their upcoming album that will be released later this year. If you enjoy artists like Fifth Harmony and Jojo Siwa, you’ll love Girl Pow-R. Written By Emily Hancock FOLLOW GIRL POW-R:

We learn a lot of life lessons from experiencing romantic relationships, both good and bad. "I Fell In Love" by Sharl is the realization that the person you thought you'd love forever, wasn't the person you thought they were after all. After a breakup, at first you're completely devastated. Your mind and heart go into shock while you lay in bed for a few days and let all your emotions out onto your pillow. But the next phase of a break up is waking up and realizing why you needed to end it. So many things come to light and you know now that you're better off without them. Sometimes we don't realize how toxic someone is until they're gone, because love truly is blind. Behind Sharl's raw and emotional vocals is a strong, early 2000's HipHop influenced beat. You can feel the darkness and pain in every word Sharl sings as she tries to convince herself that she can survive the heartbreak she's going through no matter how bad it hurts. "I fell in love with the wrong guy; Broke me down 'til I had enough, times were hard but I'm better now." It's easy to let someone you love get away with things they shouldn't, but a person can only take so much before we break. There's a line in the bridge that really resonated with me, and it goes, "With more understanding, I found myself." This line seems so simple but it speaks beyond words. In relationships, we can lose ourselves in the other person until we don't know who we are anymore. But once we break away from that person and take the time to logically understand what we went through and why we went through it, we can learn to find ourselves again. Sharl is a singer/songwriter originally from the UK who now resides in Melbourne, Australia. Sharl is also a doctor and a fashionista. She has had a passion for music from a very young age and finally decided to pursue her dream within the past year. Her debut album, 'City Lights' is coming soon this year so keep an eye out! Sharl also has released two other singles off her upcoming album, "That Girl" and "Let Me Know". Her Spotify is linked below if you want to check them out! We also have done an interview with Sharl on her song "Let Me Know" which you can find with the link below! Click Here to Read Our Interview with Sharl! Written By Kaitlyn Nicole FOLLOW SHARL:

Your incredible songwriting skills are really on display on your new single “State of Mind”! What is the story behind your new track? Reva K: Thank you. I wrote the song in 2017 and the original demo had a mellower feel because of my initial inspiration for writing it. In 2021, I played it for my producer Stefan and told him I was unsure about whether or not it made sense to develop it further. He insisted that it was a potential hit and so we commenced work on it a few months later. As we re-tracked everything, the intent evolved and it really became what Stefan calls my anthem of desire. What sparked your interest in music and made you start writing songs when you were younger? Reva K: At an early age, I gravitated toward making music because it felt like a natural way to express my thoughts and feelings. It was less of a conscious decision but more instinctive back then. I’m certainly more aware of that inclination as an adult. Beyond that, writing and playing music can also offer me a form of escape from my thoughts and the sometimes chaotic world around me. What was your experience like being the mentee of Grammy-nominated producer, ill Factor? Reva K: ill Factor helped me get on my feet as a recording artist. His support and belief in me from day one has been invaluable. Through his online program Beat Academy, I learned how to arrange my songs and find my sound. The basic production knowledge I gained from ill has given me an advantage in communicating my ideas, when crafting new songs with Stefan. Who would you say are your biggest inspirations when it comes to other guitar players? Reva K: Honestly, I wasn’t ever focused on or inspired by specific guitarists. My focus has always been on songwriting. So, I wanted to learn guitar for the sake of having a tool with which I could sketch out my own song ideas. Over the years, my playing style evolved as a result of listening to countless guitarists playing in great songs. I love your modern-pop rock sound so much! Who would you say are some of your biggest influences when it comes to your music? Reva K: Thank you. Ed Sheeran, HAIM, Kacey Musgraves, Eminem and Taylor Swift have all had a significant impact on the way I approach my music. But even before that, I was first introduced to great hooks and clever lyrics from the band All Time Low. More recently, Stefan has turned me on to bands like New Order, Air and Lush, who are starting to infiltrate my psyche as I continually write new material. What is one of your biggest goals for your career? To play a certain venue/city or collaborate with another artist? I can’t wait to see where this journey takes you! Reva K: Well, I like the idea of playing some shows in Southern Europe or maybe Brazil, where there’s a rapidly growing interest in my work. I don’t know about collaborating as I really enjoy the process of writing and recording my raw ideas and then pulling Stefan in to further map out arrangements and the rest of the production process. That said, I would certainly embrace an opportunity to write with Kacey Musgraves or Haim. Interviewed By Sarah Curry FOLLOW REVA K:

Easy-going and fun, “Picture” arrives just in time to be the perfect summer pop track. Dee Holt’s latest single is about the excitement of being in a new relationship. “Let me take a picture, I’ll show you mine”. The groovy tune gives you that feeling of wanting to get to know someone and share yourself with them. With such an upbeat vibe, this song makes you automatically want to get up and dance. “I’d never thought I’d meet someone/don’t need to fake it”, these lyrics embody the deeper meaning of “Picture”. While this latest hit is about having fun and being in a relationship, it also has a message about opening up to someone and letting your guard down. While new relationships come with excitement, they can often times also be stressful. People may find themselves trying to please someone else no matter if that means they lie and change their personality. “Picture” is about when you’ve finally found that one person you can be totally 100% transparent with and you don’t have to fake a thing– and how relieving is that? Relationships should be natural and fun and “Picture” does a beautiful job of showing this through the lyrics of the song. Dee Holt comes from an artistic background of having a musical father and mother who paints. Dee studied art and music in high school and later animation in college. Having a natural creative talent, Dee connected with a local producer to release her first song, “Olivia”. Following her success, Dee continues to create music and does so passionately. We are obsessed with Dee Holt’s music and cannot wait for more hits. Chris James is a popular songwriter-producer based in Berlin. The German-American musician found much success at an early age playing guitar on his popular YouTube channel. From there, James broke out from German labels as an independent artist. Recently Chris co-wrote the #1 Billboard hot 100 song “Life Goes On” by Kpop sensation BTS. Chris’s writing has found other success with making it to the biggest global charts. He has released several songs of his own that have totaled over 20 million streams. Written By Emily Hancock FOLLOW DEE HOLT: FOLLOW CHRIS JAMES:

"What’s stopping us from being kids again?” SUM SUN makes a great point and brings nostalgia to the now with their new pop/EDM track. ‘Kids Again’ is a reflection on your carefree days, when you didn’t have to worry about bills or what others thought of you. Summer felt like a vacation, and nothing could stand in your way. Adulthood wasn’t nearly the fantasy we thought it was going to be, but why can’t we relive and recreate our happiest moments from back then?! This song has a similar vibe to watching your comfort childhood tv show: it’s easily replayable and enjoyable! One of the first things you’ll notice is the addictive, synth energy in the air. It courses through your whole body and gets you hyped up. The up-tempo beat is as refreshing as a dip in the pool. Some of my favorite lines are “used to play my DS, now I gotta de-stress" and “running up the stairs, the boogie man is scared of us now.” Not only is SUM SUN helping you recall core memories, but they’re also empowering you to take control of your life. You can flip the script on your life and embrace the main character you’ve always been. It’s compelling and inspiring! SUM SUN is a bi-coastal band comprised of Nick Benton, Eric Plummer and Ilan Pomerance. Each member of the trio has had prior experience as music artists, whether solo or in a group. Their sound is what they call “Big Room Indie.” It’s a mix of acoustic pop, indie and EDM that really fills the space. Like Glass Animals and Avicii, they fuse modern and throwback together to create timeless, feel-good music. ‘Kids Again’ is the band’s 2nd single. I love their style because it’s contagious and gets you in a party mood. If you want more from them, ‘2:38’ is another one of their summery songs and it’s awesome! Written By Kevin Rodriguez FOLLOW SUM SUN:

Akin to the music of Bruno Mars and other famous pop/funk artists, Liedah’s single “Lose My Mind” is a joyride worth jamming to. A driving beat with a thumping bass and memorable lyrics, “Lose My Mind” manages to turn a story of love and sorrow into an exciting and thrilling roller coaster. The line “I am gonna lose my mind if you say, ‘No’” is perfectly complemented by “baby, you got me good” as it shows the internal turmoil felt over this mysterious person. Despite sounding depressed, the lyrics actually inspire a sense of hope: the ability to love someone so wholeheartedly is something special and should be celebrated; a mood which Liedah captures beautifully. Featuring a variety of instruments including synths, 808 electronic beats, vocals, and more, the line up of this song is crafty to say the least. The song opens with a groovy bass and the lead vocal, using the effective idea of simplicity and slowly building on it as the song progresses. The chorus really shines through, presenting a hummable melody from a fantastic voice and a variety of interesting countermelodies panned to the sides. I was impressed with the mix of this song; the kick is present and isn’t drowned out by the bass, the vocals have some AMAZING layering, and the switch between synths/electronic instruments to real instruments feels natural and purposeful. Hailing from Bergen, Norway, Liedah is a recent addition to the pop/funk genre. Her energetic music will get you up on your feet in no time and have you dancing all night long. Using a blend of R&B, funk, soul, and pop, Liedah’s two singles “Heaven” and “Lose My Mind” are a promising outlook of the year. You can find her latest music on Spotify, Youtube, Apple Music, and Tidal. You can also visit her website, Instagram, or Facebook for the latest information on new releases or exciting news. This is a promising new artist with a bright future and she’s only hitting the gas! After all, as quoted on Liedah’s website, all through 2022 “singles will be dropping like a waterfall” so make sure to give this artist a listen! Written By Aaron Soltis FOLLOW LIEDAH:

We’ve all experienced this scenario. You’re looking through your beach vacation photos and seem to have found one to showcase on Instagram. You’re having a great hair day and your outfit is on point. You zoom in and discover that a big red zit had taken up residence on your forehead. What do you do? You proceed to apply your favorite photo filter to blur out the blemish. This is why we all love filters on photos. They make us look better with little to no effort. Even so, when we use these seemingly magical tools, we don’t embrace our natural beauty. Nieri’s upbeat dance tune, “Face,” is about how good it can feel to come out from behind the filter and show the world who you really are. The bass line of this song was the first thing that really stood out to me. It is really strong and sounds great behind the lyrics. Additionally, its rhythm makes the song very danceable. I also liked how the occasional harmonies add variations onto the beat. Nieri’s voice sounds firm and unwavering. The listener can really tell that Nieri believes in the lyrics he is singing. With that, I enjoyed how relatable the theme was. My favorite lyrics were: “I’m feeling like a cheater with the covers and the filters.” When we use filters, we show people an inaccurate version of who we are. What we should do is embrace our flaws, how ever big or small they may be. Nieri was raised in Milan and currently lives in L.A. If you need more songs for your at-home dance party, check out Nieri’s other song, “Beautiful Music.” He sings about a longing to be freed from the tiring work week. Once the chains are lifted, he’ll head straight to the club and release his energy through dance. Even if you’re not one to frequent the club, you should still get up and dance every once in a while! You’d be surprised at how freeing it is! Written By Kelli Dixon FOLLOW NIERI