Based out of Tel Aviv, Gidon Schocken has been creating music most of his life. After playing with several bands and various projects, performing locally and abroad he has lately embarked on a solo project which focuses on electronic music, although his main purpose is to try to sound as acoustic as possible, sampling and modulating mostly live instruments.
Influenced by several musical genres and bands such as Massive Attack, Throwing Snow, DJ Shadow, Lorn, NosajThing, Gidon seeks to create dreamy beat driven tracks that take you on a journey and feel immersed in sound. Schocken’s first single “Sunn” features singer Afik Doari and is accompanied by a music video directed by Stephan Stelman. This single is marking an upcoming EP, which will be released a few months from now.
Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Rodger Hodgsen, Nat King Cole, Otis Redding, Done Henley.
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Mention the name of the artist you can regard as the “Greatest Of All Time”.
Paul McCartney.
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Discuss composition.
“For me, it’s best to start with an idea that has been sparked by some emotional feeling, experience or event.”
I enjoy writing about the ups and downs of life. The joy and the tragedy of it.
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Share your press release and reviews with us.
“Joey Green has gone back to his own “roots”, performing his original songs in Purkersdorf. In his protest song, “Trumpty Dumpty” , the US entertainer expounds mercilessly on the absurdity of the current US president. Many of Joey Green Band songs are now online on iTunes, Spotify and Deezer, where they have been played over 2 million times. In his fourth performance at “The Stage” in Purkersdorf, Joey Green & Band created an emotional spark that jumped to the third rail of rock & roll!”
– Wien Bezirks Blatt.
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Elaborate on this song.
“Love, Love, Love” was written to remind myself how fast my time is going by. It’s about the impermanence of not only the moment, but an entire lifetime! And how dealing with that reality is very hard. It’s sort of a cliché, but it is true. I have found the only way to reconcile my life with its finite nature is to hold onto whatever love I have found in my life and to continually “give it back to others”.
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Rate the social media and tell us the platform that works best for you in promoting your music.
I don’t really use them. It’s over saturation. Playing live is for me, the best way to build an audience. (Radio is good too, but impossible to access due to the Record Industry.)
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State the areas that need improvement in the music industry.
They need to broaden their content net to include music that inspires people to have a better relationship to their community, themselves and the planet.
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Explain how you are getting your songs to stores and getting it to fans.
I use Spotify, Deezer, Reverbnation and Apple iTunes. I also play live whenever we can land a gig that pays us nominally.
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Tell us how you prepare yourself for a live performance or show.
Plenty of rest the night before. A decent rehearsal a few days before as well and keep in mind that you need to enjoy what you are doing.
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Tell us your opinion on frequent releasing of singles or just an album in a while.
I like releasing regularly. There is not so much pressure and it is more relaxing than taking a year or so to make an “album”. Plus it makes me feel like my listeners are with me from day to day — week to week.
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Mention the name of the artist you will be glad to see the live performance.
Rodger Hodgsen from Supertramp.
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Tell us the theme of most of your songs.
Usually stories or narratives that are sometimes based on partial or a made-up experience. Sometimes they are political as in the case of the anti-Trump rant I wrote called “Trumpty Dumpty”.
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Discuss your recording.
We record and mix our tracks with Pro Logic 10.
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Tell us how boring or exciting the music career can be.
I don’t think it is ever boring — at least not for me. I love not knowing what might or might not happen. It’s more like a roller-coaster ride. Up and down a lot. The best though is to perform a new song for the first time in front of an audience … Of course it does not happen with every song the first time you perform it, but when it does, it is when you know you are doing something very special with your life and that long after you have gone; you know you will have left something good behind.
Two of the UK’s hottest and most influential producers in the current UK soundsphere go head to head as Rude Kid & FTSE release brand new joint ‘Honey Dew’, which features Birmingham’s own Jaykae.
Featuring the unmistakable and wholly Brummy vocals of grime legend Jaykae, ‘Honey Dew’ is a testament to all three of its creators. Delving in to all of the awesome elements that make genres such as Grime, UKG and House, timeless and loveable, the record instantly stands out as a future club classic and was clearly created to emit feel-good vibes rather than being governed by the constraints of any genre.
With a soft female vocal opening the track against the magical, melody of strings, ‘Honey Dew’ is an instant ear grabber, but as soon as the bass drops out with reverb and Rude Kid’s ‘Are You Ready’ tag kicks in, you know this one is about to get even more serious. Queue Jaykae’s skippy flows, witty, magnetizing lyricism and a vibsey bassline, and this one will instantly have you hooked.
Having become a vital component in the rise of the UK urban scene, Rude Kid has put his sound to remixes for the likes of Marshmello, Laura Mvula, Gorgon City, Chase & Status and Wilkinson. His own productions are probably some of your favourite records by the likes of Skepta, Wiley, Kano or Ghetts whilst his passion and understanding of musical genres has seen him take the helm at Kiss FM’s destination grime show #KissGrime.
Meanwhile Birmingham producer FTSE has been on the buttons for remixes for the likes of Little Mix, Kideko and Elderbrook as well as writing and producing tracks for Mø, Peking Duk and Burna Boy whilst also releasing his own catalogue of music including the Donae’O & Shola Ama featuring ‘Work U Out’, followed by ‘Pork Chop’ and ‘I’ll Show U A Good Time’.
Grime master Jaykae is the final piece of the puzzle to make up the anthemic ‘Honey Dew’. Known equally for his dexterity and ferocity in MC battles as he is for his lyrical genius and delivery in his singles, Jaykae has worked with everyone from Skepta, Rudimental and Mike Skinner to Lotto Boyz and Mist. Stand out singles such as ‘Moscow’, ‘Pull Up’, ‘No’ and ‘Toothache’, which featured on hit TV series Power, all roll in to millions of streams and views making him one of the biggest and most popular UK emcees.
Tipped for big things by everyone from DJ Mag, who states “it’s time for the Rude Kid to have his moment to shine” to DJ’s at the BBC who have tipped FTSE as “one to watch”, the producers are individually in high demand for their ever evolving sound and ability to create monster records. With their collaboration for ‘Honey Dew’ and their unique styles merging together, the results couldn’t get any sweeter.
David Stone is a Canadian singer/songwriter and musician, born and raised on the shores of Georgian Bay, Ontario.
“David Stone’s songs are carefully written and could easily stand alone as poetry. The fact that he can accompany them with strong melodies that lend themselves to sing-alongs, a voice just this side of gravelly, and delicate guitar work when the occasion calls for it makes Stone a quadruple-threat.”
– Rachel Cholst (Adobe and Teardrops).
I got my first guitar when I was 11, and just never put it down. I started trying to write my own songs right away, and never really had much interest in learning other people’s music at first. I was lucky enough to have a music program at my elementary school, so I learned tenor sax, and learned to read music in the process. Around the same time, I also had access to a hand-me-down drum kit I was able to fool around with, and eventually become half-decent at playing. I enjoyed writing poetry, short stories and little comics, mostly when I should have been doing school work, but that’s eventually what evolved into putting words to the music I was writing.
The year I started high school was also the first year I made the local minor “A” hockey team after being a goalie for house-league teams since I was really young. The other goalie on that team ended being the bass player for one of my first bands, along with my best-friend who I convinced to play drums so that we could enter our high school battle of the bands. I was playing some of the best hockey of my life, while at the same time becoming more and more involved in music. Eventually I made the decision to quit hockey when I was 17, and put all my energy into music. A bad concussion the previous year, and frequent hand injuries, which made playing guitar less-than-comfortable, probably played a role in that decision.
When I was 19, I put together an EP of 7 songs that I’d written overt the previous 4 years. I named it after my song “Ashes” and gave a free copy to anyone who would have one. A few months later, after my then girlfriend (now wife) and I moved from our Collingwood, ON apartment to one in Barrie, ON, I released the “Hollow Heart” EP. It was a mix of songs I’d written years earlier, and some new songs, all newly recorded for the EP.
In 2012 I released “Hemp Cord Demo” which got its name from the hemp cord wrapped CD case that would become its artwork. The “Hemp Cord Demo” featured 8 totally new songs, and a stronger, although unintentional focus on story-telling. In September of 2012 my wife moved into a dorm in Mississauga to attend university, and I was staying with family in Borden. After a little more than a month, I quit my job, packed a few things and drove to her dorm with no plan, other than being with her and continuing to pursue music. After a few months of living in a dorm, busking, booking gigs and continuing to write I had the opportunity to work on another collection of songs at a studio in Waterloo, ON. I ended up recording a few new songs, and re-recording some songs from previous releases. The 2013 (Dance Like Smoke) EP was my first release to be produced by someone else, and my first release to get radio play. Throughout 2012 and 2013 I performed constantly throughout Ontario, selling my CD’s, and building an audience for my music.
In 2014 I started working on the songs that would eventually become the “Northern Exposure” EP. 2 years later, while I was laid off from work I poured all my time into music again. I would drive my wife to her university classes, take our boxer, Scarlett for a hike, and then sit in my car with my ukulele and note pad writing songs like “Over Coffee” while snow fell around my car, and Scarlett napped. The following summer I wrote and recorded the 4 songs on “Grandest of Gestures” and that Autumn I played my first Canadian tour.
“Sound of a Spark” was released, along with a handful of bonus tracks in 2017. The 15 track album featured a range of stories and poems set to music, including re-recorded versions of “The Northern Wind” and “Prepared” to fill out the mix. Songs like “Sound of a Spark” and “Lottery” found an audience with the help of music curators, and laid a strong foundation for future releases.
My wife and I got married in 2017, and her Dad asked me to write, and perform a song for their father-daughter dance. The result was “Hours”, a song I was able record at Red Room Recordings in Thornbury, ON with the help of producer Josh Maitland. “Hours” found an audience online, and on a number of radio stations, and even helped me to sign with a publisher, and shortly thereafter release my “Alright” EP. The week of its release “Alright” charted on iTunes, and songs like “The Wasp” reached tens of thousands of listeners online. In the months to follow, I added a few more bonus tracks to the EP, and released two more singles, “Hummingbirds & Bees” and “On Her Mind”. Along with opening for The Trews and Chilliwack in the summer of 2018, I’ve been fortunate enough to be busier than ever performing, reaching new audiences and continuing to pursue my dream.
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Discuss your personality.
I’m a pretty light-hearted person, but thoughtful I guess. I enjoy being outdoors, any time of the year. I love being creative in any setting, playing with words and sounds, and challenging myself.
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Discuss your existence as a musician.
I am a songwriter, performer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer. I write and record music and perform as often as possible.
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Go into details on the changes in your life for choosing music as a career.
I played hockey for 12 years, and eventually became more and more involved with music until it just made sense to take it on full-time.
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Tell us the benefits and drawbacks of choosing music as a career.
The benefit is that I love what I do, and I am able to travel, meet new people and see new places, along with being creative. A drawback may be the odd hours and long drives at night.
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Tell us how you will manage fame as an established artist.
I honestly have no idea how I would manage fame, but I think staying grounded is really important.
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Elaborate on the storyline of this song.
“On Her Mind” was inspired by my wife and our relationship. It’s basically a story of everyday married people, spending time apart for work, thinking of each other and wishing they were together.
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Let us know the greatest moment of your music career.
There are too many moments to just name one.
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Discuss your experience pertaining live performances, gigs, shows and tours.
I love playing live, feeling the energy of the people in the audience. Making that connection is a really important thing for an artist.
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Discuss the changes in your life as an artist.
It is getting better for me day by day as an artist. My life has maybe become more organized, and gained a little more purpose and direction.
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State the names of the most important people that boosted your music career and how you met them.
My music teacher in high school made a huge impact on me when I was younger, getting me some of my first gigs and pushing me to be the best I could be. After that musical friends like Alex Mungal and Shawn Crozier have made a positive impact on my career. More recently my publisher (FBP Music) has really helped too.
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Explain what you have in mind before considering music as a career.
I just really loved making music and it just evolved from there.
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Discuss your experience in life.
I’ve been fortunate to have great friends, family and wonderful wife.
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Name the artists that have influenced the world.
Gord Downie, Noah Gundersen, Jadea Kelly, Dallas Green, Barenaked Ladies, Hozier, Propagandhi, Protest The Hero, Neil Young. Ed Sheeran.
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Discuss your moment of rejections as a musician/artist and how you are able to cope and move on with your career.
I’ve never really let hearing “no” bother me; I love what I do, so I just keep pushing forward.
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Tell us the most negative comment you have ever received.
I have heard some fairly rude things online, but nothing worth mentioning.
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Elaborate on the song.
“On Her Mind” is a song for my wife. It’s a stripped-back, folky song about love in the real world.
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State your artist’s name and elaborate on it.
My name is David Stone, that’s all.
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State the title of the song and the meaning.
“On Her Mind” was lifted from the end of the chorus.
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State the title of the album and the reason for choosing the title.
“Alright” is the name of the first song to be recorded for the album!
Daniel Jude is an Indie Rock singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from Florida. Daniel has always been a musician from a young age. During high school, after not making the baseball team and not being very popular, guitar was the only thing Daniel turned to. As a way of expressing himself he played around in multiple bands where he fostered his talents and eventually found his voice. At age 19, Daniel moved to Manhattan working as a high fashion model. There he participated in New York Fashion week where he represented Ozzy Osbourne and Tom Waites for Jeans for Refugees runway show. Daniel Jude was inspired by the world of fashion and the sounds and styles of New York City and Miami. From these inspirations, he crafted the sound that is Daniel Jude. With influences of pop, rock, indie and alternative, Daniel produced singles like Fire of Your Gun, Haunts Me, and most recently, Dancing Slowly. Daniel Jude has been featured at multiple music festivals around Florida, performing at The University of Miami and featured on Spectrum News Channel 13.
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Discuss music royalties and how to get paid.
Music royalties are the one of the most important sources of income that a musician can have. So it’s important to be in control of where your music is playing and make sure to collect your royalties. Signing with a music rights organization like BMI or ASCAP can help you monitor where your music is being played and help you collect your royalties.
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Brief us on how to impress fans during a live performance.
The best way that I impress the audience is by not holding back. A live performance is meant to be intimate, entertaining, and engaging. Whether it’s a passionate song, a huge guitar solo, or a belting high note, make sure to go all out.
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List the names of your biggest supporters.
I would say that my parents have been my biggest supporters. Even from an early age they always encouraged me to keep going. I guess they recognized I had musical talents or something haha.
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Explain what has motivated you so far in your music career.
My fans have been my biggest motivation for me so far. There’s nothing better than having people come together and genuinely enjoy my music. It’s great.
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Discuss your experience as an artist.
Music has been the only thing that allows me to truly express myself. I can’t remember a time I wasn’t making music of some sort. I’m glad that I can call it a career and share my art with people around the world.
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Tell us the biggest mistake you have ever made in your music career.
My biggest mistake was waiting. You always want to be moving and pushing your music forward. Every step counts no matter how big or small.
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Discuss the story behind the song.
This song, like many others before, was inspired by an attraction to someone. It explains two people that might not be perfect or have the best pasts, but together, they can make something right.
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Tell us how to fund a music project.
I have a day to day job that I use to fund expenses. Luckily the job is paying off for me! I do graphic design, music production, and photography for brands, bands, and whoever else might need those services!
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Discuss your opinion on the safety of fans during shows and live performances.
The number one thing a venue should focus on is the safety of the fans. Security, metal detectors, etc.; I feel should be required at any venue or event.
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Tell us the greatest piece of advice someone has given you as an artist.
Don’t leave the place unless everyone knows your name.
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Tell us what you will improve or change in your music.
I am always looking to improve my live performances and songwriting. I feel there can always be a better show or a better song. There is no limit.
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Discuss vocal training and how you protect your vocal.
You always want to warm up your vocals before and after you sing. I need to practice what I preach! But a good technique is to fill a glass half full of water and grab a straw and blow bubbles through the straw into the water while humming your lyrics. Try it out.
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Discuss your best mood during performance.
My best mood is just purely energized. Once you step on the stage and hit that first note, nothing is better.
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List your best artists with reasons.
Led Zeppelin- They inspired me from a young age to write rock songs. There’s not much to say about them that hasn’t already been said. They’re just a phenomenal band.
The Doors- I’m always inspired by Jim Morrison’s live performances and the energy he exhibits. No one comes close.
And I might as well add a modern artist…
Arctic Monkeys- I love the way they create rock songs but still keep that modern cool vibe going. I’m really inspired by some of their songwriting for that very reason.
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Discuss your existence as an artist.
I’m here to share my experiences with everyone and try to inspire and entertain a few people along the way!
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Tell us the greatest problem you think is facing the society and the solution.
I feel that the sense of community and one-ness is being fractured. Get rid of all the labels put on humans and just be.
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Discuss your songwriting and recording.
I’m very personal with my songwriting so I typically do it alone, but once I have something good I show to my closest friends to get opinions! They’re always honest with me, maybe more that I would like haha! I typically record in my home studio. I have a semi-professional setup including sound treated rooms, professional monitors, etc. I like to record every instrument on my own so I know I capture the exact sound I’m looking for.
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State your artist’s name and elaborate on it.
Daniel Jude. There’s not much to explain other than it’s my name.
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State the title of the song and the meaning.
Dancing Slowly. It’s a metaphor for taking your time with someone.
Always start with a title or concept. Personal situations can spark an idea. In some cases, I work with a lyricist, who I may share a title, concept or idea. Some co-writers bring a completed lyric with or without music.
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Discuss your music career.
I have been in bands since the 1980’s, with the band “HARDKNOX”, we released two singles and one EP – “Rough Cut”. These records have been bought and sold in many countries at record collector conventions and the internet. The EP was reviewed in Billboard Magazine and was produced by Ron Bacchiocchi who had previously worked with REO Speedwagon and Harry Chapin thru Connecticut Sound Recording owned by Paul Leka. Ron also worked with Cyndi Lauper, The Hooters, Arch Angel and Rory Block.
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Elaborate on your artist’s name.
With my new CD, “Get In The Game”, I have chosen my last name to identify the group – Gamache. I have also had a previous release in 2014 – PGM Experience – “Porri- Gamache -Messier”. Both CDs are on the Mansion Road Music label.
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Tell us your source of inspiration.
Inspiration comes from many sources including daily life, movie, TV or other musicians/bands. I sometimes pick up on lines in other songs I hear on the radio or internet. A line on its own could give you a direction or title to develop into a new tune.
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Elaborate on the recording of Voodoo Woman.
This is a song which I wrote and originally recorded as a song demo for pitching around 2004 time frame. I liked the song, but I needed to re-record it to have it fit into this release – Get in The Game. The lyric was slightly tweaked from the original version, but the arrangement pretty much is the same.
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Tell us your future projects.
Currently working with two of the former members of the group HARDKNOX pulling together songs originally wrote for that band and re-recording for a possible CD release. We still have our fans out there.
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List the names of those that have supported you so far.
Jeff Cannata (Arch Angel, Jasper Wrath, Cannata) was instrumental in mixing all the songs which appear on the CD -“Get In The Game”.
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Tell us your point of view on vocal tuning.
Autotune and melodyne are good tools to tweak a vocal performance; however they cannot create the performance. As a vocalist you need to hone and practice, once you get the performance down, running the vocal through these software packages can sharpen up the overall pitchy-ness. I still rely a lot upon my ear, but with the software you can actually see where the notes are falling. They are also great teaching tools.
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Tell us your thought on quality and quantity for the release of songs.
I went with 15 songs on this latest release. These songs were written, recorded and mixed over the last 2-1/2 years. I took my time with each song to assure I was putting in equal effort on all 15 tunes.
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Tell us your opinion on categorizing music into genres and sub-genres.
I spent 3 1/2 years being the Music Director of a Radio Station-WNHU-88.7 FM in West Haven , CT. There I had to work with many categories of music and also be able to help create shows which featured certain musical formats. Categories can be deceiving, so I try to keep my music in a general category of Rock.
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State the title of the song and the meaning.
Voodoo Woman was a lyric presented to me by a co-writer -Stan Prosco. It was strictly a creation of his, but I think it’s clear when you listen to the song, as it has a story telling aspect.
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State the title of the album and the reason for choosing the title.
If you look at the art work which comes with the CD, I’m basically looking at “Get in The Game”, as the Game of Life. It’s all a gamble, but you must participate to get to where you want to be. No one is gonna come knockin’ at your door offering opportunity, you’ve got to do it yourself and if you’re lucky a few will lend a hand along the way.
Go into detail on why you decided to choose music as a career.
I chose music as a career because I’ve always loved music and realized it is my passion.
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Brief us the feedback you are getting from fans on your music.
My fans really like my music, so it’s good.
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Discuss the relevance of social networking to music.
The relevance of social networking to music is artist can get their music to the people who like it and can get feedback from the fans on their music.
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Tell us how you record your song.
Well I make a couple beats then I find one that I like and put a chorus to it then I finish with the verses. At the end I mix and master myself or I get my homie Dracostayhigh to mix and master.
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Tell us the story behind the song.
My song is about a time I freestyled a verse for the homies and everyone said I was a savage and I just went with that.
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State your musical skills.
Freestyle and beat making.
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Tell us how long it takes to complete a song from the start.
From start to finish it takes about a week.
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Go into detail on how you develop your lyrics and melody.
Just freestyling and practicing on fruity loops every day until I develop a style I am comfortable with.
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State your five favorite genres of music with reasons.
Hip-hop – I love the beats.
Classic Rock – I love the guitar riffs.
Techno – Crazy beats.
R&B – I love a good love song.
Soul – I just groove with it.
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Discuss your rehearsal.
I just listen to my music a lot.
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State your favourite musical instruments.
The guitar and violin.
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Describe the chemistry between you and your fans during a live performance.
The chemistry is everyone is hyped and that’s the energy I love.
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Discuss your personality in full details.
I’m a quiet person but I will come at you if you come at me. I like to laugh and I like making the people around me laugh.
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Discuss your music career.
I used to be with a group called the C.S.G.’s, but now I am a solo artist.
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List your musical works.
All my musical works are on my Reverbnation page.
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Share your memorable experiences with us.
My most memorable moment was the day I met lil Rob I was star struck.
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State your artist’s name and elaborate on it.
Gmoney and it came from the fact that all of the money I made was gangsta the way I did it …
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State the title of the song and the meaning.
“I’m a savage” and it came from a night of freestyling.
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State the title of the album and the reason for choosing the title.
It’s a self-titled album, because I can’t think of anything that best describes it better than my name.
Lyricist Brian K. Moore believes singing is a tool that allows believers to share the goodness of God, testifying how God saved us from ourselves and utter destruction intended to destroy the effectiveness of the Good News…
At 19 years of age, Brian married his lovely wife, Adriane. Soon afterwards, he left for basic training to begin a 20-year career in the U.S. Army. He and his wife have four children. At some point during his time in the Army, a desire to write poetry would return from his youth. After rededicating his life to the Lord in the summer of 1999, a yearning to write songs was birthed. He began writing lyrics and using digital audio workstation software to create music. “God has given me a great task to turn the hearts of men towards Him through music.” says Brian.
It is Brian’s desire to serve that compels him to write lyrics and create the kind of music that ministers to the very soul and spirit of the listener. He is a member of the True Word Christian Center (TWCC) in Old Hickory, TN, and serves on the Praise Team. Brian earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and has been an employee of Tennessee Department of Health for more than 10 years.
I don’t think I ever chose music as a career… Music chose me. It has just always been a part of my life since I was a child. Music, to me, is the best way to express yourself, the best outlet for your thoughts or feelings, and it is the universal language… so what better way to get all those messages across? Music has always been this important channel for me.
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Tell us how you write the lyrics to your song.
I use a few different methods… My daughter and I tend to have our conversations with melody… we sing everything. That’s pretty much how my songs are written. I sing what I’m feeling; our thinking, and if I feel the vibe, I continue writing the song. Sometimes I just write my thoughts down on paper and if I see I have a song, I begin to structure it accordingly. Other times, my husband would be in the studio creating a beat or a full track, and lyrics just tend to flow naturally from there.
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Share your press release and reviews with us.
Here are some reviews received for this song:
“I like the beat to this song. I would recommend this song to others. I would like to hear more from this artist in the future. I think this will be a hit.”
“I liked the techno sound. The lyrics are inspiring and encouraging that you can survive after a break up. Makes my foot tap involuntarily! Song structure is good.”
“Overall, this was a great song and I really enjoyed listening to it. The vocals were beautiful. The sound quality was excellent! I look forward to more from this artist in the future.”
“The vocalist is the best part of this song. She has a very nice melodic voice that is very clear and controlled. I like the beat of the song – great for dancing. This is a fun song for hanging out or for a party.”
“This definitely sounds like a polished song I would hear on the radio or even in a TV show. The singer sounds like any one of the Disney or Nick alumni artists that are out now, and would fit right in with that style of music.”
“I like the way the singer sounds, very clean and precise. I like the energy and the message of this. The beat is catchy and makes me want to go clubbing. Very good.”
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Discuss your life outside the music world.
First and foremost, I’m a mom. I have a beautiful 6-year-old handful who is just as passionate as I am. I volunteer at school, take her to and from gymnastics, do laundry, cook, and all the other normal mom things. I have a wonderful husband/best friend that I love spending time with. I run two businesses from home mostly, we have band rehearsals every week, tour a few times a year, and in our spare time, we love to travel, especially via cruise. We’re huge cruise fanatics. Spare time at home consists of movie nights or random studio or piano time as my husband is a producer and has produced almost all of my songs the past 20 years, and my daughter does vocals warm-ups and exercises with me. She’s got an incredible range, can sing beautifully, and freestyles her own lyrics, but she’s still too shy to sing in front of others. We also try to do a lot of charitable work whenever we can. I would say we’re a pretty normal family who just loves music.
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Discuss your music career.
I have been singing for over 20 years now as the lead female vocalist and song-writer for The Supertones Band, USA’s most-toured Chutney Soca band. We have toured all across the US, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Holland, Spain and more. We are the first Chutney Soca band to ever play off-Broadway, which we’ve done 2 years in a row, once as the backing band, the second time as the backing band and actors/actresses in the play. We have had our songs featured in a few movies, as well. I won “Video of the Year” at the 2011 West Indian Music Awards for my hit single, “Tek Sunita”, as well as “Female Singer of the Year” at the 2013 West Indian Music Awards. Our band has won lots of awards over the years, as well, like “Best Recording Band”, “Best Performing Stage Band”, and “Best Crossover Band”, just to name a few. Because of our love for so many other genres and styles of music, I decided to crossover into the mainstream American market where I can do more than just Chutney Soca. “Warrior’ is my first pop/dance single, with many others being released soon on my upcoming pop album.
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Elaborate on your artist’s name.
For the past 20 years, I’ve been called “Princess Anisa”. I never chose that name, it was given to me as a stage name, and that’s how people knew me. As I got older, I started to dislike it. I was never a “Princess”, I was always a tom-boy, rough and rugged, never liked make up or heels much and always worked hard, so I felt like that the name “Princess” gave the wrong impression of me. Add that to the fact that I’m older now and my husband and I decided to crossover into the mainstream American pop market, we thought it was the right opportunity to drop “Princess” and I can finally be me, just “Anisa”.
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List your five favourite music videos with reasons.
THRILLER – Michael Jackson – What a unique, out-of-the-box video for its time!
FIGHTER – Christina Aguilera – Christina Aguilera did an amazing job depicting the powerful lyrics of this song. It was innovative and captivating.
GANJA BURN – Nicki Minaj – Nicki Minaj has done a truly amazing job with this video… the story line, the setting, the cinematography, and the unexpected content for this particular song.
JUST LIKE FIRE – P!nk – In her own magical world… again, I love the originality… the craziness, really.
SHAKE IT OFF – Taylor Swift – I love Taylor Swift’s raw, down-to-earth personality in this video. Different from the majority of videos where the artist is flawless, perfect, sitting in a throne, etc.
RISE – Katy Perry…. Wanted to throw this one in, too… the content is simple, yet powerful and her acting skills totally did it justice.
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Tell us your source of inspiration.
Life. I think I’ve had a pretty interesting life, lived in many different places, and encountered many different things, both good and bad. I’ve grown as a person tremendously through each phase of my life, as everyone else does, but always with an interesting story. These experiences are my inspiration. Almost every song I have written comes from either my personal experience or those of someone else in my life.
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Tell us your impression on dealing with paparazzi.
Everyone’s got a job to do, and I could imagine that would be a pretty exciting job for the right person. As long as they know their boundaries, you can’t blame them for doing their job. Plus, sometimes it’s the paparazzi that help make an artist popular anyway. (Any publicity is good, right?) If they can make a buck off of giving an artist publicity, then it’s a win-win… AS LONG AS they know their boundaries and they don’t skew anything the wrong way.
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Elaborate on the recording of this song.
The recording of this song was pretty interesting. This story describes my experience with domestic abuse, albeit in a very general way, and so it was a difficult song to record in the studio. I did my vocals in my husband’s studio, and knowing my story, he was very patient with me, and very encouraging. We decided to pass this song to Trey Vittetoe for production because we felt that Trey’s experience with this style of music would bring something fresh to our repertoire, and we were right. The video shoot for this song was even tougher, though. The first day, we shot all the action shots, B-role, with our good friend, Paul Clukey. He’s always such a happy person, so loving with a great big heart, and to see him act that role was so interesting. At first, he caught me so off guard and I giggled a lot because in my head, “This is Paul, he’s one of the sweetest guys we know and here he is trying to be all tough, cursing me and stuff.” But as we progressed and got more into our roles, there were a lot less laughs. I remember, as it got more physical and we had to do more takes, Paul said quietly, “OK so we have to do this part again”… and it made me realize that everyone in that room was feeling uncomfortable, just as I was. Almost everyone in that room has had some experience with domestic abuse and it was not an easy thing to act or see. We all knew, though, that this video would help many people out there. That was our motivation to keep going. We had a great team for the song and the video, and we know the main purpose of this project.
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Tell us your future projects.
This song, “Warrior”, is the first single in my upcoming album. I am hoping to release that album by early 2019, if not the end of the year. In addition to that, I am currently in the process of publishing my first book, which is based on my experience with domestic abuse. I feel that having a platform to talk about this topic will help give courage to those going through that now.
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List the names of those that have supported you so far.
My band, Supertones, including my stage partner for many years, King Raj. He’s always shared the same positive philosophy that my husband and I share, focusing on the Law of Attraction and Gratitude. I also have to thank my new band members for their support in helping me through this journey crossing over into the American pop market… Artie, Creighton and Alan. My mom was always been a huge supporter, and right now my biggest fan is my 6-year-old daughter… But everything I am today as an artist comes from my husband, Avi. He was my best friend since we were 15, when I used to be a dancer for the band. After a car accident injured my back, Avi suggested that I try to sing until it gets better, knowing that music runs through my veins and I needed to be in it somehow. My back never got to 100%, and I’ve been singing for over 20 years now. During all this time, he has been my manager, my producer, my director, my motivation, my rock, and has opened so many doors of opportunity for me.
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Tell us your point of view on vocal tuning.
I think it can be used stylistically in a recording, but not to the point where an artist won’t sound the same singing a song live.
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Tell us your thought on quality and quantity for the release of songs.
Of course quality is much more important than quantity, however, an artist should be able to be consistent and produce music regularly… out of sight, out of mind is twice as crazy in the music industry.
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Tell us your viewpoint on comparing music career to non-music career.
I think the biggest difference between a music career and a non-music career is that with music, you never know what tomorrow holds. Each day is different, it’s magical, but it’s also harder in the sense that you can’t expect a steady paycheck… at least not when you’re just starting out. It’s a lot of unpaid hours, sleepless nights, let-downs, a lot of “No’s”, but yet somehow, it’s all worth it… I can’t think of another career where one would go through all of that for no paycheck and still kept going, unless of course, it’s some charitable or humanitarian work. Music just gives you this drive out of nowhere. You do it out of heart, not a need for a paycheck.
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Tell us your opinion on categorizing music into genres and sub-genres.
This helps in many situations, but today, a lot of music has become this amazing fusion of different styles and sounds, making it possible to be categorized in multiples genres or even creating new sub-genres. Honestly, there are a few songs that we’ve done with so many different elements from jazz, chutney, soca, reggaeton, that when we asked other musicians to classify it, each one gave something completely different. That’s the beauty of music, though. It’s an art and you can make it whatever you feel.
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State the genre you despise most with reason.
I don’t think I despise any genre at all… Being a multi-cultural person, I am influenced by so many genres… I’ve been performing Chutney, Soca, Reggae, Bollywood, Dancehall, Pop, Dance, R&B, Hip-Hop, Latin, and more for so many years, and grew up listening to Gospel, Bhajans, Qaseedas, Country, Jazz, Disco, Rap, K-Pop, Golden Oldies… it’s so hard to not be influenced by any genre as an artist. If anything, I think my least favorite is Disco, but I surely don’t despise it.
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List your five favourite movies with reasons.
TITANIC – I honestly don’t know why, but I can’t ever stop watching it when it’s on TV. I think it may be the fact that such a horrible tragedy actually happened. I love true stories, and history, etc.
COUPLES RETREAT – This has to be one of the funniest modern comedies and I love all the actors/actresses in it. It also touches on real issues most people face in their relationships.
COCO – I’m a huge Disney fan and I love so many Disney movies, but this one got me right in the feels.
TAKEN – C’mon, you gotta admit the Taken series is a great set of movies. I love the action, the suspense, the acting is great, and honestly any movie with Liam Neeson is a hit for me.
AIRPLANE – I hate to admit this to my husband, but yes, Airplane. He says you have to “lower your IQ to enjoy this movie”, but it’s still one of those movies you can’t stop watching if it’s on. Every line is hilarious.
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State the title of the song and the meaning.
WARRIOR – This song is about someone breaking out of an abusive relationship after being “kept frozen alive like a prisoner”. It describes the warrior having to come out in order to break free from the chains, fighting for her right, fighting for freedom.
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State the title of the album and the reason for choosing the title.
Still trying to decide on a title. I have a few in mind, but as I wrap up the other songs for the album, I’ll be better able to decide which is a better fit. Till then, I don’t want to rush into a name. This album is very special and important to me. I’ve been singing for over 20 years and have dozens and dozens of recordings, been featured on many albums, but this is my very first solo album, and it is the first time I am able to have my songs reflect… me.
