Cured At Coachella

Song: "The Cure"

Artist: Lady Gaga

Story: For years, Tyler and I have somehow skipped riding the Ferris Wheel.  This year would be different: it would be our first stop.  Weeks earlier, part of my Coachella prep included a special trip to Cartier in Beverly Hills for a particular engagement ring.  My BFFs, Ben and Max, helped me pull things off -- a regular Nero Wolfe and Sherlock Holmes snuck the ring into the festival and sat adorably in the passenger pod next to ours (mainly for the air conditioning), cameras in hand -- and my dear friend Ashlyn was at the exit to snap our first picture.  Bring on that cycle of life and evolution symbolism! (Btw, he said yes!) The VIP Rose Garden is basically heaven minus the parts about religion, gods, angels, death and location -- traditionally depicted as being above the sky.  Instead, think Tier 1 prep school on a sunny day with fresh cut grass, a menu curated by the Food Network's Bobby Flay, fashion freedom, and -- the best perk -- being Sahara Tent adjacent. This is where our home base is and essentially where we fueled up before… What can I say?  Mother Monster Lady Gaga dropped a monster 19-song set for her headlining performance on Saturday night.  Renewed classics, acoustic versions of recent hits, a David Bowie cover, and the live debut of her brand new single "The Cure" all graced the Main Stage.  Left at home were Gaga's outlandish costumes and shock values, replaced with a more subtle variety of denim and leather ensembles with her blonde locks worn down -- still, paired with her stage presence, she definitely shocked and awed the appreciative crowd that stretched out for miles.  Oh, and “The Cure” - This is where we first heard what’s now ‘our song.’

From Save The Date Soundtrack to Folk Pop

Song: "Yeah You"

Artist: Freedom Fry

Story: We'd been a band for two years when we decided to make the band a bit more permanent and get married. This was in 2013. Wedding planning is stressful, as anyone who's ever been married can attest to, but the most fun we had during that process was making our "Save The Date" announcement video. We had these wedding cake toppers that looked a lot like us. The groom was holding an acoustic guitar and had dark hair and the bride was blonde. The idea of doing a stop-motion animation with them came up and so we started to make it. Eventually we needed a soundtrack for the video so we came up with an "Ooo" melody overtop of an acoustic guitar and that was that. Years later, we were have a songwriting, brainstorming session and we remembered the "Ooo" melody and talked about turning it into something more. In our iPhone voice memos we had two other melody ideas in different keys that we adjusted and they became the verse and the chorus. We posted a demo on Soundcloud in 2015 and it ended up going to #3 on Hypem and gaining 250k plays on there. It was one of our first successful steps into the folk sound. We just now, in 2018, have released our official version. I guess the moral of this story is that inspiration can come from the least expected places.

Fighting the Good Fight

Song: "Good for Goodness"

Artist: Brittain Ashford

Story: In this political climate, I find it really easy to feel small and empty, like someone’s taken a melon baller to my insides and scooped them out, leaving nothing of the person I was. And that’s sadly become the norm. So I, like you, I bet, turn to music, one favorite being “Good for Goodness” by Brittain Ashford: a gentle but resounding reminder to keep hope and lead with kindness. There’s something about Brittain’s voice and autoharp that is soothing and grounding. For me, it amounts to audible Prozac. And without the potential weight gain, so it might beat the real thing! I didn’t know this before I heard it, but I needed these lyrics. I needed to hear lines like “If you're feeling forgotten, like you’re among strangers and you've lost the only way you know how. If you're feeling restless, like this all seems endless Those sleepless nights in front of our screens, searching for something beyond our reach.” It was validating to hear something so relatable come from someone who has clearly felt it, too. To hear a feeling you know articulated in a new way is healing and freeing. It can make you feel human. But Brittain’s lyrics are also empowering, not in spite of their gentleness, but because of it. We must mobilize, we must act - but we do not have to harden or drain ourselves. We can’t. And I couldn't always grasp that. This song’s message has touched me deeply; when I am faced with the melon baller, when I am emptied or threatened with emptiness, these words fill me. And if you're anything like me, I think that they’ll fill you, too,

Sibling Rivalry Saw Us Standing There

Song: "I Saw Him Standing There"

Artist: Tiffany

Story: Long before the age of social media and music streaming apps, us kids used to entertain ourselves with things like cassette tapes. The year was 1987. Who knows where we were driving to but my dad was at the wheel, my sister rode shotgun and I was in the back. In Keith Morrison’s voice from Dateline: “It was a calm afternoon as the Burns family drove through a neighborhood street in San Diego....UNTIL...” Tiffany’s “I Saw Him Standing There” came on one of my mixtapes. Naturally, me and my sister - who I did not normally get along with - were fully obsessed at the time, and started screaming at the top of our lungs. My dad did not share the same excitement. In fact, he mistook our excitement as immediate code red danger as we nearly rolled off road and down a ditch. He thought from the intensity of our voices that we were fighting or about to run something over or crash so he flung the car to the side and screeched one wheel up a sidewalk. For the record, I remember I spent a lot of time on that mixtape. I'd even use a boombox to splice in extra choruses to my favorite songs! In any case, and I'm sure Tiffany would agree, my dad ejecting the tape and holding it long enough to throw out the car window on the 8 freeway going westbound was not only rude but actually dangerous.

John & Mary

Song: "Thunder Road"

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Story: John & Mary New York in the seventies was something from a dream. It’s hard now to imagine it ever really existed, with its smells and filth and danger, sweltering subway cars covered lavishly in graffiti, homeless people on cardboard at every corner. A world was coming to an end. The federal government refused to rescue the city from bankruptcy, and most of middle America saw the place as a cess pool made up of deviants and too many blacks and Puerto Ricans for comfort, Jews that controlled too much, and freakish fags in tight bell bottoms and platform shoes parading unashamedly in the streets. Whatever New York was was just too much. It was what I stepped into when I took a semester off from Yale to do a play off-off-Broadway with my new boyfriend, Paul. We miraculously found a sublet in the Village and rehearsed during the day in Times Square -- eyes wide open with every step from Port Authority to Theater Row; the drug addicts were desperate for cash and too fucked up not to try to rob you in broad daylight, or grope your crotch, offering quick sex for quick money. We worked at night as waiters. I was lucky that my older brother, John, a writer living in Brooklyn, bartended at a restaurant on the Upper West Side and got me a job serving burgers and quiche in the kind of place that was common at the time – ferns everywhere, Chablis in carafes, Roquefort dressing for that exotic touch – a place out of a Jill Clayburgh movie that suited me just fine because it meant I could subway home to Paul at night with my pockets stuffed with sweaty cash. I was a fish out of water in New York, not just because I’d been living safely behind the cloistered walls of Yale, but because, in many ways, what New York represented was just what I’d spent my young life running away from – the kind of chaos and barely suppressed insanity I’d grown up with. I was one of eight kids being raised by a widowed mother with no money and even less emotional bandwidth, a situation and environment in which I’d often felt like a pinball being flung around with little sense of purpose or meaning. Yale was giving me what I’d longed for: structure, order, Old World convention. It was there I was safe at last. Musically speaking, I was also retrograde, playing L.P.s on our second rate Hi-Fi at home, chosen to smooth out rough edges and soothe a queasy stomach, music almost always classical and low-key: Corelli, Telemann, Bach – all of it lovely, but if you were to visit our place when I was D.J.-ing you’d think you’d entered a retirement home for decaying English professors and dowagers in lace. There was one night, though, after work, that I sat at the restaurant bar, having a beer before heading downtown to Paul and our bed -- a night and a song that changed things, musically speaking, and more. John was wrapping things up at the bar, wiping it down and re-stocking the shelves behind him. He was a romantic figure to me. Startlingly handsome, he turned the heads of men and women just by coming up out of the subway, and was just as startlingly smart, the most well-read person I knew – Cervantes and Joyce to pulp science fiction and comic books. He’d already had two novels and a slew of short stories published. His customers at the bar loved him, came in just to debate him on whether Norman Mailer was a genius or a fraud, or to flirt, or to hear him regale them with filthy jokes that were too erudite to be mere smut. The night I’m talking about, I watched him close up shop while I sipped my beer. He was just about to turn off the music that filled the place when he stopped short. “Hear that?” he said to me. “Hear that?” “Hear what?” “The music. That lyric.” I knew it was Bruce Springsteen, whom I’d never much listened to, and I even recognized the song, which was played a lot at the time. Thunder Road. “Bruce Springsteen,” I said, wanting him to see that I wasn’t just a nerd, that I could recognize things that other people listened to. “’The screen door slams,’” he said. “’Mary’s dress waves.’” “Oh. Uh huh.” “It’s a poem,” he said. “The guy’s a poet.” “Bruce Springsteen?” “He writes poetry. He makes everyday things into poetry and then into songs.” “Right.” “’The screen door slams, Mary’s dress waves.’ It couldn’t be simpler, but it tells you so much.” “Yeah?” “Right from the top of the song, you know where you are even if you don’t know where you are.” “Huh.” “It’s summer and this girl’s just stepped out to get some fresh air. You know it’s summer because it’s a screen door and because her dress waves from the slamming door. It’s a lightweight dress.” He took a sip of the Johnnie Walker he’d been drinking all night and stacked some glasses. “Her name’s Mary. A straightforward girl with a straightforward name. A wholesome name, but her waving dress is sexy. There might be more to her than you think.” He smiled. He didn’t go on to the next lines. The song had ended by then, and he turned off the music and lights, locked up the place, and headed home to Brooklyn, while I took the IRT train to the Village. It doesn’t sound like much. It didn’t seem like anything at the time. But John’s take on the first eight syllables of Thunder Road, a song I’d never paid much attention to before, stayed with me. I thought about what he’d said as I walked the streets of New York with Paul that summer, learning all the tricks for surviving in an expensive city without much money – where to get falafels for two dollars each, what nights to pick up discarded furniture in the streets, how to jump the subway turnstiles when you had to. I never would have done any of those things, wouldn’t have lived in New York at all if it hadn’t been for Paul and his much-more razor’s edge way of living. New York cracked me open. So did Springsteen’s song, gently. Every once in a while I’d hear it on the radio, blasting out of someone’s car, and I’d sing the part I knew -- “The screen door slams, Mary’s dress waves” – all of seven words, and I came slowly to figure out that poetry wasn’t only John Donne or T.S. Eliot, that it didn’t need to be lofty or accessible only to someone with a PhD, that poetry wasn’t to be found only in torturously complex ideas or in ridiculously expensive universities. That it was a girl in a dress on a porch. It was the obnoxious guys from Jersey or Staten Island who’d come into the city on Saturdays and get drunk and scream in the streets in the night. That it was pop music written by people not much older than me, who hadn’t gone to college, who just got out of bed in the morning and opened their eyes. That it was all around me and wasn’t always pretty and wasn’t always soothing. That if you spent your life addicted to serenity, as I had been, you’d miss out on most of it. I realize now, too, that it was the simplicity of those lyrics that made it possible for me to expand. I could only take Springsteen in small doses – it was all too raw and emotional. If John had focused on an entire song, or some more muscular or butch set of lyrics, they wouldn’t have entered me in the same way. Instead, those seven simple words were like a daisy growing slowly through a crack in a sidewalk, was a daisy making the crack, through me. Come September, Paul and I headed back to Yale, full of ourselves for having broken ground on our theatrical careers and for becoming bona fide New Yorkers, at least in our own eyes. But in the comfort and safety of the cloistered halls again, everything seemed a little pale. Since that time, forty years have passed in minutes. Paul and I are still together, which is itself a kind of poem. John, who never produced another novel, but who saw poetry all around him, slipped away from the world, quietly, in a California hospice and at an early age, the victim of the alcoholism that had taken hold of him in his days as a bartender in New York. He never was able to shake it. He’d remained good to me -- came to see me in plays and lavished me with praise, read my own stories and my own poetry. When it was time for me to clean out his apartment in San Diego, I sifted through his big collection of books, DVDs, and CDs, all of which he’d left to me. One of the CDs was Born to Run, which I took home, along with the rest of his things, and kept in a box in the basement. I don’t play it very often. I almost never play it. When I do, I take a breath and close my eyes. There’s a silence, and then the music. I see the door and there’s the porch. Mary’s in a dress that waves. John is in the summer day.

Do you love Bjork? Check out Sigrid

Song: "High Five"

Artist: Sigrid

Story: I recently discovered Sigrid through a story I read here - and thought she might be related to Bjork the first time I heard her voice. She's poppy, happy and upbeat -- and has the hint of a Bjork to her voice. I highly recommend you check her out! This song is probably my favorite - however, she's got tracks with more listens on Spotify. One was on an Apple commercial, I think...

I Do vs Lost Without You

Song: "Lost Without You"

Artist: Freya Ridings

Story: There are songs that give you goosebumps and there are songs that burrow deep into your soul. Well, Freya Ridings’ “Lost Without You” must have been sponsored by Patagonia because it trailblazed into my soul and set up camp. It brought a weather storm of emotions that poured out my eyes, in fact, I was actually caught happy-crying and singing along on my first string of listens. Anyone else replay songs in succession until you can’t stand them? It took about a week with this one until I had to take a break, but it only made my relationship with the song stronger. So much so, I had the song edited from “I’m lost without you” to “I’d be lost without you” (along with more lyric tweaks) and had the song performed as part of my wedding vows. The setting: Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms estate in Palm Springs. Performed by Heather Russell on a baby grand piano, poolside, surrounded by me and my (now) husband's closest family and friends. It was a moment embedded in my brain forever. The original is nearly impossible to outdo but who doesn't love a custom fit...

Isla Vista - DP Days

Song: "Feeling Alright"

Artist: Rebelution

Story: I was in an Isla Vista band in my college days and so much fun playing on popular blocks of Del Playa and Trigo Roads. I remember opening for bands like Thriving Ivory - and getting a bigger crowd. So sweet. The greatest band I met during my tenure was Rebelution. Almost every weekend they played somewhere in Isla Vista or Santa Barbara. I still remember sitting on someone's roof, sipping on a beer and enjoying as they set the vibe for a large party overlooking the ocean. A moment I'll never forget! Here we are years later and they are one of the biggest Reggae bands on the scene. My hat off to you guys!

This is almost all of us at one point in our life.

Song: "Wish You the Best"

Artist: Brevner

Story: Oddly enough I found out about this song over Facebook, and it talks about how Brevner found out his ex is getting married, over Facebook. This shit is fate at it's finest.

Lost.

Song: "Crystals"

Artist: Of Monsters and Men

Story: I was at the Squamish Valley Music Festival in 2015 having the time of my life when I was separated from my team in an aggressive crowd of Drake fans. I surface confused, slightly high and lost AF. I took and chance and journeyed to the Stawamus Stage in desperate hopes of finding my friends. I stood by the entrance for what seemed like days scanning the faces of every festival goer that passed. I almost burst into tears when I saw my tribe dancing towards me. Of Monsters and Men where peaking and I had finally come home. *Extra special side note* I'm going to marry one of the girls that rescued me this summer.

In Miley We Trust...

Song: "Party In The U.S.A."

Artist: Miley Cyrus

Story: As a budding producer, there's no production more buttoned up and and bursting with perfection than Miley Cyrus' 'Party In The U.S.A.' I first heard the song when everyone else heard it, in the late Summer of 2009, but something was different for me. It resonated with for years and years. At that time, I was just getting started at University, starting what I thought would be a 4 year degree in Physics. (Trust me, I have no clue what I was thinking either.) But as time went on and the pop songs kept parading along the charts, I couldn't bring myself to focus solely on my degree, and by my 3rd year into college I went full hermit. I'd lock myself in my dorm room and work on remixes day in and day out. To be completely honest, I don't even think I went to a bar until I was 22 or 23. It was music 24/7. And by the time graduation rolled around, I found myself getting ready to take that leap and commit to music full time. Throughout that entire process, Miley was there. From that inimitable guitar lick all the way to the bombastic descending lazers that coat each chorus in bubblegum delight. Every time I had trouble decoding a production trick, every time a mix didn't turn out right, I'd pop on Party In The U.S.A. and know that one day, some day, I'd figure it out. Fast forward 5 years later and I'm still here. Doing music full time and still listening to Miley on the regular. I wouldn't go so far as to say Party In The U.S.A. saved my life, but it sure did inspire most of my career. Shout out forever to one of the top ten most perfect songs and our nation's second national anthem.

The Bones Of What I Believe

Song: "The Mother We Share"

Artist: CHVRCHES

Story: CHVRCHES may be one of my favorite bands to emerge in the last few years. Their debut album, The Bones of What You Believe, grew on me like a tattoo and it all started with "The Mother We Share." I know it's not their first single, hipsters, but watching them perform it at Virgin Mobile FreeFest in 2013 shook the soul from my very body. I needed to know everything about them -- I was hooked. Thankfully, the album came out a month later and my life was forever changed.

Struggling with love

Song: "Skeletons"

Artist: Jerusalem Vice

Story: It can be quite a dilemma to live as an artist and try to pursue love as well. Chasing the game is time consuming and sometimes we push people aside without even realizing it. This is applicable to many aspects of life and music is certainly no exception. The challenge is finding a balance between out personal lives and our careers. Our career can consume as, become us even. This can be chalked up to passion, but loved ones may believe that we only care about ourselves. It may certainly be necessary to be selfish while chasing a dream, but at what cost?

Feelings last even when relationships don't

Song: "Safe And Sound"

Artist: Capital Cities

Story: I remember meeting him at a bar in Salt Lake when I was visiting. He captivated my attention from the moment I met him, and more than just because he was a cute face. He was carefree in some ways, and not your typical guy. He wanted to show me around town while I was there for a few days, and he did. But he didn't show me sights or attractions, he showed me views - the places he loved to go in the city just to experience and "live" life. What began as a weekend fling minus the actual fling part--he wanted to take things slow--developed into a flying back and forth to see each other for three months as we developed a rapport of wit and support and smiles. The relationship developed slowly, but at every step filled with joy. And the happiest moment came in LA with just a casual Sunday afternoon in the gardens around LACMA. A picnic with the perfect cheese, crackers, and a portable boom box. As we sat and talked, and shared what we thought we wanted our lives to be--maybe even together if it go that far--it was all smiles. Then, out of nowhere, Capital Cities's "Safe and Sound" hit the portable speaker, and out of nowhere he dragged to me to my feet and started jumping around, encouraging me to do the same. It was a moment of carefree abandon, dancing around in the park to a song I barely knew, all smiles and joy. And while that relationship wouldn't last--and indeed, ended badly--my feelings about that moment and that song did not. To this day, when I have a bad day, or a stressful moment, I can put on "Safe & Sound" and even when I'm not dancing with carefree wild abandon in the middle of a park, in love, surrounded by food, architecture, and joy--I feel like I am.

Is Gabrielle Aplin Living Inside My Brain?

Song: "Waking up Slow - Piano Version"

Artist: Gabrielle Aplin

Story: Dang isn't this song just the prettiest/most heartbreaking piano ballad you ever did hear? The first time I heard it I was having a "poor single me" moment. Oh, isn't it sad to be alone? Then my dog looked at me like I was an idiot. His scruffy ass is always around. And even when I had a human man in my bed, we weren't waking up slowly. We were waking up to the aggressive kisses of a dog that wanted to go outside. So, thanks to Gabrielle, I can enjoy the beauty of this tune and its sentiment. But before I fall into the abyss of sads, I can laugh because nobody's waking up slow with a spoiled pup around.

Mental health balance in modern life

Song: "Tough Love"

Artist: Bright Light Bright Light

Story: I wrote this song after seeing drastically increased numbers of friends posting about their mental health struggles in 2018. Many had been downplaying or hiding mental health struggles for quite some time and with the public social media shift into finally talking about the issues, felt able to come forward. As someone who has many friends with a range of struggles from bipolar, depression or even just chronic work fatigue, I've seen friends struggle not only with the issues, but with their ability to address and confront them. As an independent musician myself, often working unhealthy hours, I've had to work really hard to keep my balance, so I wrote this song as a reminder to us all that nobody is alone in feeling overwhelmed, and nobody is alone in feeling embarrassed about that. The song deals most directly with removing toxic people from your life - lovers, friends, colleagues, enemies - whose negative language and behaviour brings you down. There are so many people, especially with social media's insidious nature, who get under our skin that don't need to be there. So I wrote it as a song to help me remember that you don't need to be best friends with everyone, you cannot please everyone, and you cannot see eye to eye with everyone. And that's ok. Social media has made a public drive to be liked by everyone which many find crushing as it's just not achievable. And watching people brag post to make their feeds look gorgeous is also crushing when you don't behave like that, leaving lots of people feeling like their lives don't compare. Weed the poisonous people, and keep those who help you flourish close. Probably the heaviest subject matter in any of my songs, but so important to me. I also worked with local charities across the UK when touring the EP of the same name to help raise awareness and money for charities dealing with immigrants and LGBTQIA youth and adults, hoping to be able to tackle at least some issues along the way.

My first CD!

Song: "Tomorrow - Remastered"

Artist: Silverchair

Story: All you Millennials and older remember your first CD? Do you remember popping that delicate, fingerprint-less mirrored disc into your DiscMan? Ahh, it was so incredible. I got three CDs for my first purchase (obviously had tons of tape cassettes before that - I'm a Xennial). This album was one of those. I remember thinking this Australian band was going to be huge. Eh - not so much - but I did really enjoy some of the tracks off of this album as a kid.

Saw this for the first time at Coachella 2017...

Song: "The Cure"

Artist: Lady Gaga

Story: ...Weekend 1, might I add, with the best people in the entire world - and to quote Ms. Germanotta, it was "Talented, Brilliant, Incredible, Amazing, Show Stopping, Spectacular, Never The Same, Totally Unique, Completely Not Ever Been Done Before." But like actually this song is beyond and every time I hear it, I'm immediately ripped from whatever situation I'm in and transported back to Empire Polo in one of the rare times I ventured out away from the VIP section only to find my friends and I surrounded by a semi-sketchy crew who claimed to be Gaga's street team (do these even exist anymore?) dancing around us like a weird Wiccan ceremony. This song is emotionally good, technically amazing, and 10 out of 10 times would listen to this on repeat for the rest of my life than ever sit through the heinous THREE HOURS garbage situation otherwise referred to as 'A Star Is Born."

The moment you stop!

Song: "Scream"

Artist: Michael Jackson

Story: I remember watching this music video on MTV for the first time. It was life changing for me and so inspiring. I can remember being in my early teens and this comes on the TV, I literally stopped and watched it intently. I would wait for it to come back on again so I could try and remember the dance moves. I just found this to be one of the first music videos that really inspired me and shook up the video world. It had so many effects, which were new at that time, and since I was a dancer, the dance moves where everything. I still to this day can see this video in my head.

Something Coporate

Song: "I Want To Save You"

Artist: Something Corporate

Story: During middle school I distinctly remember what it was like exploring music, especially with friends. As we developed our likes and dislikes, I remember feeling out of place because I wasn't into the same stuff as everyone. I loved Blink, but I also was a huge fan of pop music. In the 6th grade, for my birthday, my dad bought me this CD because I listened to "If You C Jordan" all the time. Not a month goes by that I don't take time to enjoy this album start to finish. Pretty much everything I listened to or bought in middle school was from Drive-Thru Records. This album helped me define what I knew I really liked.

My Debut

Song: "Obsessed"

Artist: CUB

Story: Hello all! This is my first post on this Beta and so I think it's appropriate that this song happens to be my debut as an artist on Spotify! I wanted my debut record to be up-beat, fun and full of positive energy. I will leave it for you guys to decide whether I have achieved that will this production. Lyrically the song tries to capture the intense feelings of a new relationship. There's lots more to come from myself as an artist, and the In A Box Records label so WATCH OUT! 🐻🎧

Once a disenchanted child star, now an idiosyncratic pop force

Song: "Know My Name"

Artist: Sara Diamond

Story: Montreal-based artist Sara Diamond has released her anticipated debut EP, Foreword. The EP is about crossing the barrier of fear into the unknown and includes four of her previously released singles in addition to three new tracks. Sara has spent the past year releasing music about the ups and downs of love. Those songs have amassed over 13 million plays and landed her in the Spotify Viral Top 50 Chart. She’s now following with a fully formed idea via Foreword. Of the new EP, Sara says: “My brain had a lot of processing to do over the past year. When fantasy meets reality type vibes. These songs are a representation of that time - somewhat scattered in direction, very visceral and sexually driven… playing with ideas of love, loss, lust, and everything in between.” Sara had been through many iterations of her musical career before the success of her recent releases. She was given the gift of song through her family lineage and sang on her mother’s record label for many years as a child. Her first album was recorded at 11 and at 14 Sara moved to LA to continue recording. Quickly disenchanted with the grind and lack of control over her trajectory, Sara returned home and put music on the back burner. Now she is fully committed and is releasing original music that explores the world from her own perspective without any compromises. Sara has come to appreciate the healing power of music - it has been a constant that, through the trials and tribulations of her life, has stuck around in some capacity. Her goal is to inspire others to look inwards and appreciate the myriad of feelings that come along with being human. In accepting the beauty of who we are as individuals, we can learn to love each other without judgment and fear.

Tijuana Drives

Song: "Wonderwall"

Artist: Oasis

Story: When I was 16, I went to Tijuana, Mexico with a youth group to build homes for families in the surrounding areas. Each evening, after a day spent sanding, nailing, painting, etc. we drove back to our temporary residence, St. Innocent Orphanage and listened to Wonderwall in the car. Every evening, as a group, we sang Wonderwall together. To me, the song is synonymous with gratitude. It reminds me to be grateful for the roof I have over my head, for the food on my table and for my family and friends that offer their unconditional love and support.

Legendary - Beyonce

Song: "Partition"

Artist: Beyoncé

Story: Loved watching this performance at Coachella with my man. Every time I hear it I have an ultimate flashback!

an Italian promenade

Song: "Coffee"

Artist: Sylvan Esso

Story: I was living in Italy during the winter of 2017. I was an au pair, spending my afternoons playing with my host siblings, and my mornings walking around my small town, exploring different coffee bars, different alleyways. Coffee by Sylvan Esso was the soundtrack to my morning walks. Every time I listen to it now I remember what it felt like to be a stranger in a town that had welcomed me like family, one cappuccino at a time.

Deeply personal story telling from Vancouver's I M U R.

Song: "Miss You Hate You"

Artist: I M U R

Story: When listening to this song I feel like it's 4am at the after hours and we are crammed into a corner booth in the back while Jenny shares her deepest struggles with addiction, abuse and consent. It's lyrics are darkly personal but also provide a sliver of light.

Life Is Better Blonde brings off kilter indie-electronica to new heights with

Song: "Strange Organism"

Artist: Life Is Better Blonde

Story: It's been two years since I came across Melbourne producer and songwriter Life Is Better Blonde, when he piqued my interest with a stunning cover of Frank Oceans "Swim Good". He proves his still the king of glitchy, R&B tinged gems with new track "Strange Organism" - off kilter as ever. The track is both noisy and spacious - a heady mix of confusing elements which serve to both sooth and disrupt a listeners state of mind.

My first *real* dip into the music world...

Song: "Blue Love"

Artist: Easton

Story: I wrote this song with two good friends of mine late last year and released it in May of this year. The feeling of being in love and getting lost in it, drowning almost. Music is therapy. I am so happy to be creating music again and sharing with the world. I remember when I was younger listening to jazz and country with my dad -- he really inspired me and instilled in me my love for music. What songs/music did you grow up listening to? And did music play a big part in your childhood?

Sweet Dreams

Song: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Remastered"

Artist: Eurythmics

Story: My Mom used to play this song around the house. When she wasn't playing Abba or my Dad wasn't playing some obscure grunge rock band, this was what filled the space in between. It played so often that it was the first song to ever get stuck in my head. My Mom told me the babysitter quit because it was the only song I knew how to sing and I would sing it often...too often for the babysitter I guess. That's the power of a song. It can make you comfortable or it can make you uncomfortable. Everything else must have just been noise.

Want That Old Time Back

Song: "Old Thing Back (feat. Ja Rule and Ralph Tresvant)"

Artist: Matoma

Story: When I remember college I don’t remember the crazy times as much as I feel nostalgic about the times we would just hangout. Freshman year - everyday from about 5pm-3am twenty dormmates and I would sit in couches in the 3rd floor Donlon lounge. We’d have a speaker and people would take turns playing tunes but somehow this always made the playlist. It was such a magical blend of different types of people who wouldn’t normally be friends but were because of proximity. As the year ended people moved out to live with their respective Greek life, clubs, teams etc. We all went our separate ways but carried with us the same fond memory of our first college friends. Years later I saw Matoma in concert. When he played this song I realized how profound it is that some people who are in your life for a short amount of time shape the music you listen to / the humor you have / the things you say and moreover the type of person you become.

Lovesick

Song: "Mal De Amores"

Artist: Juan Magán

Story: This song was my anthem during my high school summer in Spain. I lived in a small town of 1000 people for one month. There wasn’t much to do but get to know people. I’ve never missed people more in my life than when I left my family and friends. As you can imagine I only played this song (and many others) when I was back in America because it Was one of the few ways transport back into Spanish culture.

Like a cop car

Song: "Mrs. Officer"

Artist: Lil Wayne

Story: This inspired me so much I was a cop for Halloween 2k17 - walked around singing wee oo weee ooo weeee

Carly Rae Gets It

Song: "Party For One"

Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen

Story: Ok, real talk - Carly Rae Jepsen is a full-blown QUEEN. I don't want to sound overly aggressive, but her last record, Emotion, was a smash and seeing her perform that album live made all my dance dance revolution dreams come true. So, to say I've been counting down the days until our girl CRJ dropped new tunes is an understatement. Yesterday when I blasted "Party for One" through my headphones, pre-coffee on a morning walk with my dog, I wasn't disappointed. The world turned Technicolor. Well, not really, I don't have synesthesia, but I suppose a gal can dream! The beauty of this song is that it's catchy AF and it makes all the single ladies out there feel whole. As an avid solo traveler whose spent weeks on the road, in weird hotels, and dining out with only a canine companion, I feel this vibe. When I'm craving the company of a human being, I hold my pup like a crazy person and remind myself that I can do everything I want on my own and still have a good time. Now instead of talking to myself and ruminating over whether I need extra therapy, I can just hit play on Party for One!

I wanted to and I did

Song: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"

Artist: Whitney Houston

Story: Growing up, I've always had a very special place for disco and dance music in my heart. Whitney's Dance with Someday always fulfilled that need. I could just as easily dance by myself, but dancing with someone, specially someone you love or loves you, is an experience in a whole new level. You feed off each other's energy, you learn new moves together, and you sing every single word. Now, this song is so meaningful to me because it was part of two love stories. One in which I was brokenhearted and the other when my heart was full and hopeful. I had been through a break up with my boyfriend of five years. Now, this was a long distance relationship that turned manipulative and time consuming. Months later, I met a guy that was funny and sweet. I thought things were going great. We were making plans to go to shows together and so forth. The day of Stockholm California, he told me that he was just using me to get over his ex. It broke my heart to hear this on a day that should have been filled with fun. The music was great and I was able to forget about it from time to time, but it still hurt like hell. I got to see Elliphant, Icona Pop, Otto Knows and many more others, but the cathartic moment came when Otto Knows played a remix of Whitney Houston's "Dance with Somebody". It was at this moment in time that I realized that I was dancing with somebody who loved me; I was dancing with my best friend, the one person that had been with me through thick and thin. I remember just dancing, jumping and even crying at this realization. Now fast-forward to February 2018, it was time for 80's prom at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. I was there with my fiance. He looked gorgeous and I just remember them playing "Dance with Somebody" and falling in love with it all over again and doing what I had previously mentioned, dancing, singing, loving him. The song was part of my love life in two different instances and that is why it means so much to me.

Trouble in Mexico

Song: "The Road"

Artist: Beacon

Story: I'm fresh across the border from Mexico, where my car doors were drilled open and my side windows smashed in. Yet, oddly, with a car full of random goodies and personal things, nothing seems to have been stolen. We just put out a new LP on Friday from Beacon on Ghostly International, and with one of my favorite songs being called "The Road", I figured this would be a perfect time to share a song for the first time on the all new KKS!

I DON'T WANNA BE JUST FRIENDS

Song: "Just Friends"

Artist: JORDY

Story: The best thing in music discovery, are those songs / artists that someone you trust, informs you to pay attention to. Jordy is that for me this week. I am constantly looking to be excited by new music, new voices, and new art. Jordy's "Just Friends" is the perfect mid-tempo track with an upbeat message of "hope". Jordy's voice is a confectioners ear candy jam, sweet with just the right range for this perfectly crafted pop-perfection. Looking forward to many more tunes from this new talent.

The Original UK Dubstep

Song: "Gully Brook Lane - Original Mix"

Artist: Joker

Story: The funny thing about being from Detroit is that not only is this a hub for some of the most innovative music of all time, but we are also innately connected to the other innovators around the world. Detroit music both influences others and feeds off their energy. This is how I came across an amazing budding sound from Croydon, South London in the mid-2000s called dubstep. At the time, I was a heavy advocate of Detroit hip-hop online with my website Renaissance Soul that centered around the works of J. Dilla and adjacent artists. In this pre-social media Internet world, it was chat rooms, message boards, and our own crudely designed websites that connected like-minded music fans globally. Everything had its own community and niche fandom. I miss the old Internet in that way. When you're the main advocate online for Detroit hip-hop, you get to connect with people all over the world that love the music of J. Dilla, Slum Village, Waajeed, and the countless others from the Motor City. While on the surface, this is just hip-hop, Detroit hip-hop found its influences everywhere. It was through these doors that I would start checking out a variety of online radio shows at the time. I would find myself listening to BBC Radio online. I was able to listen to Benji B's Deviation on BBC Radio 1Xtra and that show was probably one of the most eye-opening shows I ever heard. There was such a variety of music on there that had this underlying vibe that was similar. Benji B also was an advocate for Detroit music and I used to send him, by mail, a box of Detroit CDs and vinyl, and he would play some of the stuff on Deviation. This is the time I would find out about the UK original dubstep sound. Benji B would play tracks like Joker's "Gully Brook Lane", Skream's "Midnight Request Line", or Coki's "Spongebob", among so many other amazing songs from this thing they called dubstep. Shortly after, as I was continuing to educate myself on this exciting underground movement, I was interviewing Tadd Mullinix (aka Dabrye) for an article and after we were done, we got into a big conversation about all these dubstep records. He game me a bunch of CD-R's with a few dubstep mixes (not sure who did them, not him) and everything on these mixes were amazing. Those early years of discovering the original dubstep music still has a warm place in my heart. Through all the iterations of what is called "dubstep" over the past 10+ years, all of those early records that came from South London are timeless and there is reinvention of that sound going on right now with a new generation of producers. In its original, organic form, dubstep is a powerful and meditative sound, so its something that really can ever go away. Just hit play on "Gully Brook Lane" and it will take you on a mental journey.

Making Pop, for Pop Haters

Song: "Show You"

Artist: CXLOE

Story: Ive been a massive fan of pop music from a very young age. The fact that an audio file can cause goosebumps and trigger real feelings and emotions is beyond powerful. It has always stumped me however, how so many people still consider pop a "guilty pleasure" as I feel music was meant for one thing and one thing only - to inspire, regardless of genre. I met CXLOE, about 3.5 years ago and she was an artist fighting the pop sound, wanting to steer clear of being caught in the box of manufactured pop music. After hundreds of sessions and producers, she started to find and develop her sound. Gradually it became more.. "pop", but there was a confidence and pride she had in it now. She figured out that good pop music had a science to it and was nothing to be guilty about but instead found it empowering to "make pop for pop haters". Her third and most noticeably POP single 'Show You', is now approaching 5 million streams on Spotify, has all her dream labels lined up and she is touring with Maroon 5 on their Australian arena tour. This one, little, pop audio file launched this artists career in such an amazing way.. and she never would have released it had she not gotten over the "guilty pleasure" stigma of pop music.

Eat More Cake Creates A Rendition of Marlena Shaw's Woman Of The Ghetto

Song: "Memories"

Artist: Eat More Cake

Story: Who Remembers Marlena Shaw's Woman Of The Ghetto? It was rehashed back in the late 90s by Blue Boy with their single 'Remember Me' too. Now, Eat More Cake a DJ/Production/song-writing collective from Harrow in North-west London, whose sound incorporates elements of Dance, Chill-out and Hip-hop provide a new take on this absolute classic of a tune. At the forefront of the group Is Andrew Briggs, who’s musical skills range from song-writing, production, djing, vocals and rap - a true multi-talented creative who’s vision is to set himself apart from the norm of electronic dance music and break boundaries. With releases and remixes on Strictly Rhythm, BBE, D:Vision, Big Beat, Toolroom and radio plays on Radio 1, Kiss FM, Capital Xtra, Xfm, BBC 6Music, KCRW along with DJ support from the likes of Pete Tong, Danny Howard and Mistajam, it seems the big time beckons. Memories is the groups follow up single after their recent release Long Shadows/My Love using elements from Marelena Shaw’s Remember Me mixed with Eat More Cake’s slick and fresh production mixing break beat with electronic dance alongside a catchy vocal melody written by UK songwriters Lauren Miles and Nicole Blair. In the last year the group have released frequently on Hoxon based label and management company Perfect Havoc with tracks such as Heat Of The Night - included in the Dream League Soccer app and went to No. 1 on Hype Machine along with receiving support from Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1, Coco Cole on Capital Xtra, Judge Jules, Oliver Heldens, and The Aston Shuffle. Further releases included Hide From The Light which has surpassed over 1 million streams on Spotify, Animal, Set On You and Music Sounds Better With You, generating the trio over 4.5 million streams on Spotify alone. Eat More Cake are accomplished DJs - They have played at Ministry Of Sound, XOYO, Lovebox, Gatecrasher, Pacha and many more clubs and bars in the UK and Ibiza as well as private parties for Google, Twitter, Channel 4, Punch drunk productions, Chelsea and Arsenal F.C.

Thankful For The Music

Song: "The Glow"

Artist: Monogem

Story: Getting into the music business wasn't exactly how I imagined it would be. But what a journey. Sure enough growing up, music was always an integral part of my life and I was fortunate to have my mum constantly playing music around the house. In retrospect, you could say this is where it all started. Even though I'm a 90s kid, I was always drawn to the 80s music she played (mostly a mix of early Madonna and Duran Duran, etc), something about the synths and the way music was back then, remains timeless even to this day. Fast forward to my teenage years. Career choices. I always knew I wanted to be around music whether it was working for a major label or being on tour with musicians and so applied everywhere I could think of. I started trawling through SoundCloud, going to more gigs and eventually started a blog to keep track of my discoveries. That ended up growing into something much bigger I didn't anticipate (more on that another time). One of my treasured discoveries from that moment was an LA based musician by the name of Monogem and what a gem she is. It was her song "The Glow" edited to a video montage of the 80s movie Breakin' The combination of that, the glistening production and 80s synths as well as her incredible voice, took me back to my childhood and intrigued me. Modern artists with a sound of the past?! I could go as far to say this is what sparked my interest in discovering more music and delving into more unsigned/emerging artists. Finding those rare gem's that are worthy of shining and being shared with the world. For me, that is Monogem. To be continued...

This song used to scare me.

Song: "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"

Artist: AC/DC

Story: I love AC/DC, they were one the first bands I ever fell in love with as a kid. This song always gives me a vibe that something bad is going to happen. I remember feeling like I was listening to something I wasn't supposed to. Bon Scott's menacing vocal combined with Malcom Youngs groove puts me in a mood. I always associated this track with violence and chaos. As a kid in the midwest this was all very foreign to me. While I certainly never acted on it I always imagined someone out there was. I like an element of danger in music and AC/DC certainly delivers that danger.

Ivy Mairi is shifting from folk to pop with a glossy new single!

Song: "Strange Love"

Artist: Ivy Mairi

Story: Toronto artist Ivy Mairi is shifting from folk to pop with a glossy new single, "Strange Love". Ivy started to realize how a lot of who she is as a singer and songwriter couldn’t be expressed through the folk music she was previously making, so she made the jump to electro-pop. She worked with producer Kieran Adams (DIANA) on the new track as well as the additional songs on her upcoming EP Polarity, which explores the extremes of love, experience, and growing up.

Inspired

Song: "Express Myself"

Artist: Ricky Reed

Story: I wish I wrote this song. Every time I hear it it puts me in a better mood. This song should have been soooooo big but hey, the point of music is to touch people and this song has touched me. I get so inspired every time I listen to it and scream it in the car. Such a 90’s throwback vibe In the best way. This song captures what it’s like being in the entertainment industry and the struggles we go through every day of how hard it is to put yourself out there and if it’s worth it or not. “I don’t wanna wait to express myself...” damn. Hope you love as much as I do. ❤️

New Phase

Song: "Show Your Name"

Artist: jgg

Story: Along with a lot of other exciting stuff, this is a new project that I will be focusing on in the coming months and years. 'j g g' represents my ability to be my most authentic self. As some of you might know, my full name is Jason Gallo-Gaffner and growing up that was who I was and what people said when they called me by name. For some reason, I felt pressure to drift away from that as I grew older. Maybe because hyphenated names are not the easiest thing to grasp for people or maybe because I felt like I had to choose one. Either way, it was never for a reason that was in line with my self and my own desires. This project really came about because one night after working a shitty job I was just so incredibly upset and disappointed with myself. I cried the whole way home because I felt like all I wanted to do was make authentic music. Though I was happy with some of music I had been making, I was trying too hard to stay in between the lines at times. After hours of questioning my direction and my purpose, I had a lightbulb moment. Only make music that you are fully passionate, engulfed and enthralled by. Anything else is a complete disservice to yourself and to your soul, your talent and your being. The whole reason I loved music so much growing up was the joy and emotion it could bring to other people. The feeling of creating something special that you love is something that is so important. It also means not trying to be perfect. I think this song showcases my desire to focus on painting a picture, setting an emotional tone, and using perfectly imperfect analog musical elements. I wrote and sang everything, played acoustic/electric guitars and bass, programmed all the instruments, mixed and fully produced this whole song. So I hope you enjoy it. It means a lot to me as it’s one of the first big steps of many I plan to take in this new phase of my musical journey. Hope you enjoy! -jason gallo-gaffner 'jgg'

Freshman Year

Song: "Molasses"

Artist: Hiatus Kaiyote

Story: At the end of my freshman year studying music in LA, I met up with a friend to hang and play music in one of the small brightly lit practice rooms provided for us by the school. My friend and I had become close over the year, bonding over many things, including our love for R&B and artists like Prince, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. After spending some time catching up, singing and playing, he asked me if I'd heard of a group called "Hiatus Kaiyote." I immediately said no but that it was the most interesting band name I'd ever heard. He then quickly grabbed his computer opening up Spotify and searched for a song called "Molasses," a song that went on to define the rest of my time at school and began a serious obsession with this incredible group. As soon as I heard Nai Palm's voice I felt like a whole new world of music had opened up for me. Never had I heard such a complex, interesting and soothing song like this. I didn't fully grasp what the song was even about lyrically, yet there was so much energy and emotion I felt in the instrumentation and her voice. As the song worked its way through the breakdown and then into the final chorus, I was fully entranced by all of Nai Palm's riffs, ad libs and interesting rhythms. As she made her way through the song's final line, I felt out of breath and completely stunned by what I'd heard. And I couldn't wait to hear it again.

9 year old popstar dreams

Song: "Breakaway"

Artist: Kelly Clarkson

Story: Every time I hear this song I feel like I'm 9 years old again, back at home and dancing around my baby blue colored bedroom. I remember obsessing over this Kelly Clarkson album and falling in love with this particular song. As soon as I got this CD I had it playing over and over again on my little CD player in my bedroom. I would dance around the room pretending I was Kelly and dreaming of singing this song for crowds of people. I wrote out all the lyrics to the song on big blank canvas paper meant for drawing and painting. I'd use a rainbow of colored markers and write out the lyrics, analyzing every line in each section of the song. This song felt so deep and personal to me, even as a 9 year old in a suburb outside of LA. I wasn't really from a small town, but felt like she was singing directly to me.

A Familiar Place

Song: "Every Breath You Take - Remastered 2003"

Artist: The Police

Story: I remember waking up to this song on Saturday mornings. Whenever I hear it I am taken back to a time when my dad and I were really close and able to spend quality time together, which I miss so dearly. My dad may struggle to be happy most of the time, but when this song or anything from Sting was on I feel he got a rare mental peace that was such a joy to see. The guitar at the beginning immediately brings an image and vibe of the weekend visits we used to look forward to so much. I am sure my love for music came from him.

Music With A View

Song: "My Mistake"

Artist: Gabrielle Aplin

Story: It was Tuesday, Oct 23, 2018. I was mid-honeymoon currently in Perugia, Italy, at a private villa overlooking miles of unobstructed countryside. Aside from having a Tumblr account, I’ve never been diagnosed with any sort of anxiety disorder. But I do work for myself, by myself, email for hours on end, hunched over my laptop and part of a community of people I likely couldn’t pick out of a crowd. I’m a half-full kind of guy albeit a textbook introvert guilty for scaring easily, having a colorful imagination, letting hours waste away between walls that keep caving in that amplify my thoughts. Even though I’ve chosen to put myself there, we all have our vulnerable moments. I was lucky to get an early copy of Gabrielle Aplin’s latest single, “My Mistake,” which I knew was going to be great, so I brought this listening party (me and my now husband!) outside, parked two chairs on the edge of our view, and connected a small, yet mighty, portable bluetooth Anker speaker to my phone. “Ready?” I asked Tyler. “Yes.” In Gabrielle’s own words, the song is “about finding a strange sense of comfort in admitting to yourself that you’re not feeling 100% and completely owning it.” I’m a strong believer in brutal honestly. And the title…*grabs popcorn* Maybe it’s the publicist in me, or maybe it’s a series of life events that have left me jaded, but at this moment with Gabrielle’s voice spilling over the lush landscape in vibrant color something unlocked. Have you ever been told by someone, “you have the power to make yourself happy”? I fucking hate those people. Ever wonder why some people manage to smile even when it's raining on their proverbial parade? Good for them! Ever stop yourself in own own tracks and plead with whatever higher power you believe in to give you a “you’re OK” sign? I think this was mine. It was like the good, bad, ugly, beautiful, everything was put into perspective. Magic is this misery and I don’t plan on changing. Also, Gabrielle’s voice gives the sun a run for its warmth, I mean, dang.

The Ultimate Love Song

Song: "You And I"

Artist: Stevie Wonder

Story: My wife & I used to listen to this song (track 4 on one of my Love CD Mixtapes obviously) on drives up to the Colorado Mountains & all around the Denver when we were seventeen.. We'd pretty much get in the car & drive.. Sometimes to a park to lay on our backs under the stars, sometimes to a parking lot to make-out (BTW - a cop tapping on your window with his flashlight mid make-out sesh to tell you to move along is mortifying in case you were wondering). This track was always the one that stood out above all the others on the 4 mixtapes I made for her. It's like it had the words that our 17 year old selves were lacking to try to somehow say that we were made for each other. Fast forward 6 years and, of course, it's the song for our first dance at our wedding! And here we are married 10 years today... So there's gotta be some magic in it! PLUS, I just listened to "Becoming" by Michelle Obama on audiobooks & turns out -- it was THEIR first dance song at THEIR wedding too! So if it works for Mr. & Mrs. President, it works for me.

Ryan Hurd Knows His Audience Down To a T

Song: "To a T"

Artist: Ryan Hurd

Story: The Troubadour is one of my favorite venues in Los Angeles. I’d say its best frill is its intimate setting - one that puts you within loud talking, or soft shouting, distance from the artist on stage. Out of the countless shows I’ve seen there, my most recent may go down as my most memorable; Enter: Ryan Hurd, specifically during - and following - the country singer’s single “To a T.” Not only did we get to witness it live at Ryan’s first sold out headlining show, but his hot other half, Maren Morris, made a special cameo which leads me to the “following” part. Following the song, Ryan took a moment to share how appreciative and humbled he was for everyone coming out to support him. With a full heart noted it didn’t matter what color of skin you had, what your sexual preference was, none of that mattered, everyone was welcome. We were all there surrounded by family bound together by our shared love of music. To a T.

From Montauk to Paris and back to Brooklyn

Song: "All Eyes on You"

Artist: St. Lucia

Story: I first heard St Lucia perform on July 4th, 2013 at arguably one of the coolest summer venues ever, The Surf Lodge. As the sun set over Montauk, it was one of those perfect summer evenings ... surrounded by friends, sand between your toes, drinks in hand, music & salt in the air. I remember holding hands with my then-boyfriend as we swayed to the catchy beat of "All Eyes On You". It was a song that felt both familiar and fresh at the same time. I listened to that song on repeat in the months that followed. Flash forward two years later -- that boyfriend became my husband and that song was the first we played at our wedding reception in Paris. Five years after that night at Surf Lodge, we had the opportunity to meet the lead singer Jean-Philip Grobler and back-up vocalist Patti Beranek at an intimate concern in Brooklyn. "All Eyes On You" had become my husband's & my song, but we still didn't totally understand its meaning or know whether it was a true love song after all ... so we asked. Grobler explained that he wrote it at a turning point in his own relationship with Beranek. I pried further, asking if that turning point was a breakup or makeup. Groberl and Beranek looked at each other knowingly, smiled and said, "Well we're married and have a child now, so I guess things worked out alright." I'll take that to mean the song is as much a love song as any ... Filled with twists and turns, but always finding a way to work out in the end.

My Favorite Song And Here’s Why

Song: "Groove Is in the Heart"

Artist: Deee-Lite

Story: Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on? Testing testing 1-2-3. Is this thing on?

Road trip to California

Song: "Californication"

Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Story: We went to Hollywood - a dream - a wish - a disaster. I've always heard that if you want to make it as a musician, you have to move to LA. Well, my band members and I packed our things in our van in Cleveland, Ohio and made our way across the country. At the time, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were hot... and we listened to their album on repeat for I'd say 90% of the trip. The other 10% of the time we were listening to nothing... so arguably, we were listening to them 100% of the time. This song captured it for us. We were off to California - and this was our anthem. We covered the song in every set we played when we got to Hollywood. It didn't work out - we broke up the band. But the memories of this road trip I'll never forget.

EMAN8 (formerly Brandyn Burnette) comes forth with a new sound

Song: "Amen"

Artist: EMAN8

Story: EMAN8 (formerly Brandyn Burnette) is an MC & artist from Saint Louis currently living in LA. Illuminating his own path, Eman8 radiates in the forefront of modern music, immersing audiences with pop sensibilities and R&B notes. Hoping to emanate the true authentic vibration of his experiences, soundscapes, and songwriting, EMAN8 combines hip-hop, soul, ska, electronic, & pop music with an edge that is simultaneously both prolific and transcendent. The name comes from his Jamaican middle name “Emanate” which means to “come forth”. First release Amen out October 30th.

LOUIS COLE's got Halloween feels

Song: "When You're Ugly"

Artist: Louis Cole

Story: Watch the video, get freaky Halloween feels, or come witness this live in November. LOUIS COLE - Tour Dates 
11.21.2018 | Parkteatret, Oslo, Norway 
11.23.2018 | Islington Assembly Hall, London, UK 
11.25.2018 | La Machine du Moulin Rouge, Paris, France  11.26.2018 | Fasching, Stockholm, Sweden 11.28.2018 Wed | Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall 11.29.2018 Thu | New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom

Keeping It To Yourself

Song: "Always Been You"

Artist: Dylan Emmet

Story: I wrote Always Been You about falling for someone and not knowing if you should tell them. Whether it’s a close friend, someone you work with, or a long distance thing, it sucks to be in love with someone that you are not “supposed” to have feelings for. All you think about is telling them how you really feel, ”but you know that you risk losing them completely if they don’t feel the same way. This song is really a snapshot of my mind-frame as I realized how deep my feelings went for this girl...I still haven’t told her…

Inspiration

Song: "Blessings (feat. ARGHTEE)"

Artist: Gangsigns

Story: When I first heard this song with was directly from the artist Gangsigns FB chat. It totally resonated with me on so many levels. The style of this song has an island/dancehall feel about it and ever since my honeymoon in Jamaica i've been attracted to the island vibe. It brings me back to some amazing times with my new wife. With lyrics like "When I'm around you, Feeling so hopeful, Everything is goin to be ok" it brings me back to how me and my wife both support each other in so many ways. I can't count how many times i've told her and she's told me, "Everything is going to be ok" When times are dire, and hard to deal with, sometimes you just need to hear these words from a loved one or the love of your life. These words bring calming and inspiration. To keep striving for the best. Just gotta keep on counting your blessings, and not let the small stuff or big stuff get you down.

Bonding Over Music

Song: "Twist And Shout - Remastered 2009"

Artist: The Beatles

Story: When my first son started enjoying music, we showed him this song - the version they released on the Ed Sullivan Show which made the US go bonkers. The Bitish Invasion was just getting started... Well, this song, over 40 some odd years later, has made a similar impact on my son. We listened to this song hundreds... maybe thousands of times. Maybe millions? I have to say - every time I’ve heard it, I can’t help but enjoy it. It is the perfectly architected pop song. I hope people share their stories about this song too. I’d love to hear a story from someone who was there at that fateful Ed Sullivan Show!!!!!!

My "Helium"

Song: "Helium"

Artist: CRÈME

Story: A while ago I went off the grid completely. I thought I’d only take a year or two off when I got pregnant but something unexpected happened and I was thrown into another role that demanded all of me. My 2 year old son was diagnosed with autism and my world fell into silence. I couldn’t bring myself to sing or write any music, I was completely crushed by the situation. Instead I spent every day worrying about his future and trying to help him. At the time, I had no idea how elastic a young child's brain can be and everything we did to help him eventually worked and instead of descending into my idea of a nightmare, his progress seemed miraculous! By the time he was in 3rd grade he was no longer autistic. I had spent all my waking hours researching everything I could find about autism and being a part of that world, which honestly, although I understood, I never felt at home in. I was functioning, because I had to, but in a depressed state for years. Suddenly I didn’t have to spend all my hours thinking about autism! I had time to return to my first love, music. "Helium" was one of the first songs I made. When I sang over some chords I put down, the words and melody instantly poured out. It was like all those emotions that had been bottled up inside me for so long were suddenly rushing out of me like a waterfall. That song became my Helium and literally lifted me out of my dark world. It opened a door and let the light (my music), back into my life. That’s when my heart began to heal and I began to feel reconnected to what I care so deeply about. I began to feel a glimmering of how I felt before my son was born. Back then, in my mind, I had lived in a place of celebration and freedom. It almost felt like living on another level, in a happy place somewhere above the daily grind. And I felt blessed by luck, the way I feel when songs I write get noticed and loved and become a part of so many lives.

SWIMM - Weekend

Song: "Weekend"

Artist: Swimm

Story: Weekend" is meant to be a mindless escape inspired by all our friends that work really hard and at times get paid very little for it... Aka operating as a 'freelance anything'. I've always been obsessed with Kim Gordon... especially Experimental Jet Set Trash and Star era, and basically wore my WWKD bracelet for this one. To harken back to the cruiser vibe of our last single "Mind's Eye", we decided we'd take a left turn with the bridge. Every party has a bossa nova inspired 'cigarette break' at some point ya know? So maybe you spent more on tequila than what you got paid, maybe you didn't find love but pretended a little, maybe things got weirder than you intended... as long as your buds are there, it's all good.

That distinct autumnal feeling.

Song: "Before the Bridge"

Artist: Future Islands

Story: Leaves have nearly disappeared from the trees along the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, France. A usually popular destination during the summer months and hot days for its rather trendy neighbourhood, cool air swishing off the water and easy access to beverages (beer or wine) from bodegas conveniently placed along this famous waterway. The long walk home is rather calm today with nobody taking any chances at having an "apéro" in these hopelessly cold temperatures we've experienced in the past few days. One single track warms my insides and lights a comforting mindset as I walk back home today. That is Future Islands' "Before The Bridge" from their 3rd album "On The Water". A fantastic piece of music that depicts that very autumnal feeling every time it lures its symptoms around October or November. "Whatever has us now / I can't forget somehow / For to forget a love is to regret / And what is love is regret / And what isn't love is a test" Forever will this song be associated with that feeling for me. Coupled largely with Autumn in Paris, and more specifically Autumn in the charming neighbourhood of the Canal Saint Martin, walking through dead leaves trying to shelter any inch of exposed skin.

It Was Halloween Night

Song: "Cemeteries Of London"

Artist: Coldplay

Story: It took me until I was 15 years old to go to my first pop show. I grew up in a house that listened primarily to classical music. I've played classical piano since I was 4, and the only music I listened to that wasn't classical was Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, and Michael Jackson. That changed in seventh grade, when my friend showed me Linkin Park. I was hooked. Once I discovered that other music existed, I dove in and tried to explore every genre I could. What really morphed my life for the better, though, was my first show: Coldplay. The scene: Washington, DC. The date: October 31, 2008, just days before Barack Obama would be elected President. My friend asked me last-minute if I could come to the show; little did I know she had seats in the first ten rows. I already loved Coldplay's then-new record, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (my friends at classical music camp introduced me to it that summer!). Seeing it live was a completely new experience. Lasers and strobes illuminated the entire arena. Butterfly confetti flew from the sky. Chris Martin and the band, each clad with a guitar, walked to the back of the crowd to sing an acoustic version of The Scientist. I knew the lyrics to almost every song, except one. When they started playing it, I remember loving the first verse, but asked my friend the name of the song. "Cemeteries of London!" Of course. I remembered the track name on the album, but had never listened it. This moment sticks with me, and the whole evening was transformative in my life. I have been to countless shows and festivals since that night, and 10 years later, I'm living out my dream as a professional performing musician. When I perform, I always remember Cemeteries of London and that mystical, unforgettable night.

Cross-continental creativity

Song: "Bridges"

Artist: Koresma

Story: As both an artist manager and fan, Spotify has helped me discover so much great new music. Anyone in "the industry" will agree it's become both the holy grail and biggest challenge to tackle for everyone in music, and it's for a reason. They're excellent curators and their playlists are on point. If you've ever listened to "chill electronic" playlists like Chill Tracks, Atmospheric Calm, etc. you've probably heard Koresma. He's a guitarist/producer based in Asheville, NC who paints gorgeous organic-electronic soundscapes with his ambient, mostly-instrumental music. When I first started managing Axel Mansoor, he showed me his demos and asked me how we should go about finishing them. We knew we needed to bring in a producer to really polish the tracks and make them shine, so I asked Axel to put together a list of 10 artists/producers/songs from Spotify that sounded close to what he wanted the production of his music to sound like. On that list was Koresma and his single "Bridges". At the time it had just over a million plays and had been released relatively recently by Majestic Casual. While Axel didn't have anywhere near this amount of play at the time, getting in touch with Koresma didn't sound impossible. We sent him a cold email, and lo and behold he responded and the two creatives began chatting and hit it off. We eventually flew Koresma out to LA from North Carolina to work on what would become Axel's debut and sophomore singles, "Wasted My Love" and "Out Of My Head". Koresma's crystalline beats and mellow textures were a perfect compliment to Axel's guitar playing and songwriting. They ended up finishing the records remotely over some late night calls, and we released them a few months later to overwhelming positive response. They continue to work together occasionally on new music to this day. It's amazing the power one song can have in changing the course of people's lives.

Feel Better

Song: "Feel Better"

Artist: Honors

Story: Sometimes you find a song at the time you needed it most. This has become a personal anthem and mantra. It is about self acceptance, and continuing to push through a difficult situation. I feel better when I'm broken I feel better when I'm lonely I feel better with no money

The clear stand-out from two back to back festivals

Song: "Killing In The Name"

Artist: Rage Against The Machine

Story: Still one of the most iconic festivals moments in my lifetime, and I don't foresee it being topped any time soon. At only 19, and really experiencing music, concerts and festivals for the first time, this was simply put, an unbelievable experience. After attending (the once small and budding) Rainbow Serpent festival in Victoria for 3 days, which in itself was an eye-opening experience, my friends and I decided to drive back to Melbourne for Big Day Out (RIP!!). On the 3 hours drive from one festival to the other, we listened to the self-titled Rage Against The Machine LP. And although I'm sure I had heard it blasted many times before from my older brothers bedroom, this time listening to it, it really caught my attention. Fast forward a couple hours, and there I am in the Rage Against The Machine mosh pit, singing/screaming along to all their famous tracks, and all I can say is I've never looked back. Between 2 festivals, and 4 days of partying, this set was all I could think about for weeks. Becoming absolutely hooked for life. Even though I was actually a toddler when the album was released, it is easily in my top 5 albums of all time, and nothing gets me more excited than hearing it at full volume!

First time i almost made a baby

Song: "First Time"

Artist: Seven Lions

Story: forgot to use protection my first time, almost made a baby!

high school cab rides

Song: "Lover, You Should've Come Over"

Artist: Jeff Buckley

Story: When I was high school I dated a girl...let’s call her V. V was the most stunningly beautiful girl I had ever seen...literally had one of those bad 90s teen movie tunnel vision moments when I first saw her. Think “She’s All That” but take away the horrible plot where Rachel Lee Cook (think that’s her name) was only perceived as beautiful when the popular kids removed her glasses to reveal a major BABE. Any way, to my dismay within the first 5 minutes of introducing myself V mentioned she had a boyfriend who was at another school. So, cool. I’ll go fuck myself, right? Wrong. V and I started hanging out as “friends” and we kinda fell in love. “But waiiit. Isn’t that cheating?” No. V broke up with her former dude and we started dating shortly after. Any way, the night she told me she ended things, we had met at the Angelica to see some horrid indie movie...I think I repressed the title it was so bad but after the movie she kissed me for the first time. I had one of those dancing in the streets to Hall and Oats moments. Think 500 Days of Summer. On the cab ride home I put this Jeff Buckley song on and felt a sense of meloncolia which was confusing because I had just felt so happy a few moments before. I pondered why I was feeling these mixed emotions and I realized I was terrible of it becoming a reality. That maybe it wouldn’t work. Maybe it would be a great build only to fizzle our a few weeks later. Either way, we dated for the better part of a year before breaking up my freshman year of college, but I’ll always have a soft spot for that song and that mixed emotional filled late night cab ride.

Islands away from corporate politics and office drama

Song: "Islands"

Artist: Rynn

Story: It was another day of scouring the internet for new music at work, when I happened to hear “Islands” by Rynn on a Spotify playlist. Rynn’s voice instantly grabbed my attention and the song calmed every bone in my body. I felt like I had been transported to an island. In reality I was still at a desk in my windowless office. I was doing A&R research at the time but dreaming of the day when I wouldn't need a fancier title to decide if something was worthy of being signed. After getting ahold of Rynn, the artist and writer behind the song, we briefly chatted about her upcoming plans and her story. “Islands” had connected with many people and when I discovered it it already had millions of Spotify streams. When I left the company I was at to pursue artist management full time, I reconnected with Rynn and we discussed getting her second EP finished and released. I have been managing Rynn ever since and I am proud to be apart of her journey.

Noble Kin

Song: "Yesterday's Broadcast"

Artist: Noble Kin

Story: Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter, Noble Kin, just released their new full-length - Let The End Times Roll. It a collection of diverse, meticulously arranged tracks premiered with B-Sides & Badlands yesterday afternoon and will be celebrated with a hometown show at The Way Station in Brooklyn at the end of the month. On Let the End Times Roll, Polasko manages to expertly keep the balance between the rhythmically intriguing and emotionally engaging, while still having enough pop appeal to keep a more mainstream audience bobbing their heads. The record provides curious glimpses into Polasko’s view of civilization as a cycle of violence and inequality couched in cryptic lyrics and incongruous classic rock grooves.

Feeling It All Around, and All Of The Time...

Song: "Feel It All Around"

Artist: Washed Out

Story: This song has sort of been following me for damn near a decade now. When I first heard it, I was in the thick of my college tenure, and my whole life outside of the walls of my classes was consumed by music. I was getting my hands dirty every single day scrounging through blogs of all sizes, looking for new music, turning over ever break on every little independent music blog from the furthest corners of the blog bubble, that in 2008/9; seemed to be growing exponentially. I was insatiable. The rate at which music was being released, documented on the net, and made available for immediate consumption had never been this fast, and I couldn't get enough. This is the era of aughts music that birthed "blog house", "Bedroom Pop", and more to the point of this story: "chillwave"; a type of descriptor for a new wave of EDM music that seemed to be finding infamy through these new democratic sources of media, where anyone and everyone could be and often were a purveyor of taste, and anyone reading was a participant. The lines between artists, critic, and audience had never been this blurred before. It was exciting. A lot of great music that influenced my own creative process came out around this time. The music industry started to really feel a shift in the landscape as they saw their gilded link as the middle-man in the chain of commerce start to buckle and break. DIY resources for artists to self release to a massive audience like Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and YouTube weren't just taking off, they were misplacing generations old institutions and cutting out every facet of the middle-man paradigm altogether: labels (major and otherwise), managers, publicists, producers...every.one. This really was the new DIY movement for a new generation. The music was pretty and sweet, but don't get it wrong...there was something very 'punk' about all of this. This song was sort of a catalyst for the 'chillwave' boom that immediately followed it's release. Neon Indian, Toro Y Moi, Memory Tapes, and other notable luminaries in the electronic-pop scene cut their teeth during this fertile and much blogged about period. When I first heard it, I remember thinking that it sounded the way nostalgia feels...warm but distant, familiar yet hazy. Whether it was pure circumstance and practicality at play, or artful intention (no doubt the latter more than the former after all the success a lot of these artists found), so much of the music from this time sounds like this. It sounds like it was made by someone with cheap equipment, alone in their bedroom because it was. And it was beautiful. It was inspiring. It inspired my friend and I to do the same thing, and to also make our own found footage music videos (which were the trendy visual component that often accompanied all of these lo-fi gems). After having been in rock bands for close to a decade, my best friend and I dropped the guitars and picked up the synths and computers and started making our own brand of dreamy lo-fi music. We we're getting coverage on the very same blogs that I had been discovering all of these artists on just a few months prior. I made a website for the band and installed a little tracker that told me where people were visiting the website from and the hits we're coming from all over the world. The UK, Japan, Canada, Jamaica, Chile, Brazil, all over Europe, and on and on. Seeing this from my desk, in my room, in a tiny backwater town in the panhandle of Florida...it was overwhelming. There were more people listening to us on this website than people that lived in my actual town, where we played the same bar twice a month. The return time in this feedback loop, within this new music landscape, was immediate. It was mind boggling. Two years after I first heard this song my friend and I moved to New York, along with a handful of other local cohorts with big city dreams, or at the very least; the desire to get out of that backwoods shithole we called home most of our lives. The funny thing is I didn't want to move. I just followed all of my friends because I didn't want to be alone in that shithole. But it was *my* backwoods shithole...it was ours! And what my musical compatriot failed to understand was that the days of needing to move to NY or LA to find exposure and success as an independent musician were gone. Long gone. We didn't need to be in NY to be heard in Japan, or be in LA to get a vinyl deal with a label in Prague (which we were offered). I would try to talk to him about these ideas, but to no avail. My words fell on deaf ears; the romantic notion of 70s New York running rampant through his mind. He reminded me of Rob Lowe's character in St. Elmo's Fire who jumps on a greyhound with nothing but his sax and smokes and blindly heads into the great unknown, comforted by sheer sense of self, delusion, and tight pants. (It probably worked out for him. It eventually worked for my friend). The band broke up only a few months after moving there. We had to work too much. And when we weren't working, we were getting distracted. I hated NYC for the first year. My friend loved it. All of that lazy, humid, Florida free time we were so accustomed to was gone, rushed away like air pushed through a tunnel by a speeding subway car. My friend started a bedroom pop group with his girlfriend. Lol. Four years later I moved to Portland, Oregon. I won't go into all the reasons that led me to this little town in the Pacific North West, but let's just say that New York is a cruel mistress. I loved her, but she hurt me so. Anyway, you might've heard of this little show called 'Portlandia'. It's a satirical comedy about the area I now live in, but I find it hard to watch as it comes across less 'comedic fiction' and more 'sardonic documentary', and it just hits too close to home to be outright funny. More often than not, I'm just shaking my head at the accuracy of the barbs thrown than laughing at the jokes. Now this song, which had meant so many things to me, so many years ago, was introducing a thing which seemed to mock where I inevitably wound up. There was some sort of cruel irony about it. It was like a front cover and back cover to a story that started out great and ended just kind of...'meh'. Something you wouldn't want to read more than once. Hearing it made me sad. It made me nostalgic but not in that warm romantic way it originally did. I wasn't reminiscing, I was lamenting. I put this song away. For years. If I heard it, I would just ignore it...tune it out, as jaded by the song as locals were by the show it was prefacing. But in thinking for a song to write a story about, I couldn't help but think of this. I can't recall another song that was bookmarked so many pages in my own story thus far. And today, maybe ten or so years after hearing it for the first time, I actually read the lyrics that have always just been a wash of sounds and melody to me: "You feel it all around yourself You know it's yours and no one else You feel the thought of love again It's all alright In spite of all the things you did We'll work it out" And I can't help but smile, and think of my friend and our band, and that little window in time and space we made together and I know, in spite of all the things that happened then and since, we'll work it out. For Jorge, Love Thom

Sans Suffer

Song: "Suffer"

Artist: Petit Biscuit

Story: This is a beat that has the Goldilocks effect❤️ Not too fast not too slow and this 18 year old’s présence fills up a room live as well! Check Petit out!

Introducing Tommy Newport

Song: "On Top"

Artist: Tommy Newport

Story: Introducing multi-talented musician Tommy Newport. He's got a funky style and super soulful sound to boot. His new single On Top”, produced by Tommy Newport & 4th Pyramid, comes ahead of his album to be released this Friday. "On Top is a funky alt track that I’ve been excited to share for a while. I have always loved tracks that make you want to get up as soon as they start and dance and I wanted to have one of my own for people to resonate with," Tommy shares. 'Just To Be Ironic' is the debut album from Tommy and it's out on Friday!

I Got The Pinot Noir, Bitch

Song: "Juice (feat. YG)"

Artist: Bhad Bhabie

Story: During my honeymoon in Italy, one might assume I'd opt for Marvin Gaye or something romantic to help set the mood. This was not the case. Sorry cute cobblestone streets, wisteria-draped hotels, vertiginous sunsets of peach, pink and terracotta - and especially sorry to Tyler. Instead, much of the trip was soundtracked by my Bhad Bhabie phase (the one I'm currently still in). My favorite moment was at a restaurant in Positano where I finally found a much deserved bottle of pinot noir and all I wanted to do was IG Story it and use the music option to put Bhad Bhabie's "Juice" over it. Long story short, Instagram still hasn't pushed through the music option to my phone. Now, because the event was so obviously tramatic (not really), every time I have a glass of wine guess what song I'm singing?

Love RÜFÜS DU SOL? Try fellow Aussie LUBOKU

Song: "Without You"

Artist: Luboku

Story: For me RÜFÜS DU SOL are all about the feels. From their sound design, emotive cadences and earnest songwriting, they're music is a warm blanket of self-reflection and zero judgement. Something we all need on the reg. As the boys are spending the bulk of their time in the US, Australia's have had to adjust not having their RÜFÜS DU SOL (yes, we like to say we own bands) perform regularly on home soil. Among the talent pool here, a name which is causing a stir has been Luboku. Like RÜFÜS DU SOL, Luboku is no average-sounding affair. He creates deep, shadowy production – a swirling haze of harmonies, marked with dark and brooding melodies – crafted into tracks that are at the same time uplifting and melancholic. His euphoric recent single 'Without You' saw support from around the world - with the likes of XLR8R and Indie Shuffle giving it their tick of approval. The track also put him in the sights of triple j Unearthed, who selected him as their Feature Artist around the release. Recently announcing his signing with one of Australia's most reputable labels, etcetc - the home to artists like PNAU, Fever Ray and Digitalism, Luboku's debut EP is just around the corner marked for 23 November. If you need the feels like I do, I'd really start investing in this rising electronic talent. What you put in, you'll get out in spades.

Emerson Nights— A Cliché In The Making

Song: "Latch"

Artist: Disclosure

Story: Every time I hear Latch by Disclosure and Sam Smith, I am instantly transported back to 2014. Twenty years old with the help of some borrowed IDs, my friends and I were at our favorite club in Hollywood. (Which has since been closed, Emerson— we miss you!) Heavily supplied with promoter vodka cranberries, we were in the middle of the dance floor engulfed in light, and glitter, and happiness. Literally the definition of young and care-free, living our best lives. After a string of the usual club pop/hip-hop/edm mix you’d hear at any club at any given night in LA, that beat came on. We all stopped, looked at each-other, did a little head-tilt and smiled. Not just a regular smile, but one of those big full body, opened-mouth kind of smiles. The crowd around us had a similar reaction, and then Sam’s voice comes in as the dancing picked back up, and then we all realized how amazing this voice was that we were hearing for the first time. The open-mouthed smiles were back, accompanied by a few squeals, and attempting to sing along with these new lyrics. I tried to Shazam the song while we danced, but of course we were in a concrete box, so there was no service. But have no fear, all-knowing new-music-savant Felipe was there! Felipe then informed us all that Disclosure and Sam Smith were about to blow up, and that Latch had been out for a while now but was just hitting the US. Sure enough Latch went to radio, and you couldn’t go to a bar or club in LA without hearing it. It’s one of my top 10 moments of my life, and every time it comes on, that wave of happiness and freedom washes over me all over again and I’m right back there at Emerson having the best time with my best friends. Yes, I know that’s the biggest cliché sounding story ever, but its one of my favorites.

Move to California

Song: "California"

Artist: Claire Ridgely

Story: Over the past two years Claire has amassed over 30 million streams on Spotify as a featured artist. Her first solo track "Days Under the Sun" was released in September of this year and she's following it up with "California". Claire on the song's inspiration: "This song is about my idealization of the Los Angeles lifestyle and dreaming about the wonders this place could do for me as a musician. Although California seems like a shining beacon of hope for creatives, many artists have been lost along the way. “California” is about deciding to follow your heart regardless of a fear of falling short of your dreams."

So Below or So Phenomenal?

Song: "Ruin"

Artist: So Below

Story: Do you remember how you came across a track/artist for the first time? Perhaps it was a favourite blog (here on KickKickSnare maybe?), through one of many playlists on a streaming platform, word of mouth or even the radio? What about waking up mid sleep at 3am to find your Spotify related tracks has been playing in the background all night and hearing the soothing magic of So Below? That's exactly how I discovered this phenomenal artist. Funnily enough she has a song called "Sleep" about not being able to fall asleep which probably would have been more fitting! Discovering new music in my sleep seems to be a regular occurrence and each time I'm usually gifted with something great, which just goes to show that sometimes great music can be unearthed in the least possible way you'd expect. Could this be the future of music discovery? Probably not. But it is a story worth sharing right?

Drifting with Benji Lewis

Song: "Drift"

Artist: Benji Lewis

Story: I smashed this song quite a lot throughout 2017. Each time I played it I just felt so warm & free, and so whenever I'm feeling a little bit down or under the weather I put on 'Drift' by Benji Lewis and it just makes everything feel a whole lot better. I also got to see Benji Lewis perform this one live at SXSW in 2018 and it gave me shivers. I was totally blown away.

Kazyak is my new Pinback

Song: "First Do No Harm"

Artist: Kazyak

Story: This song simply melts around my ears, neck and head. I offer that it fills a void where others have slipped away; bands like Pinback, Grandaddy and Rogue Wave. This album made my Top 10 albums for the year not far behind Phosphorescent C'est la Vie. Both brilliant recordings. For Fans of: Grandaddy, Rogue Wave, The Shins, War On Drugs, Death Cab., Kurt Vile Cheers, Nelson @ team Clermont #indiepop #indierock #americana #indie

Van Show

Song: "Highlight on the Hill"

Artist: Beta Radio

Story: Last summer I bought tickets to see Beta Radio open for Handsome Ghost in Chicago. It was about a 4 1/2 hour drive from my house in Michigan. I hadn't seen my girlfriend in a while and met her there, so the whole day was pretty exciting. The tickets said the show starts at 8pm so we arrived at the venue around 8:15. We walked into Schubas Tavern to see a sign on the window saying Beta Radio starts at 7:45, and caught the last 2 songs of their set. After their set the headliner went on and Ben and Brent relaxed at their merch table. My pesty self explained the day, how they've been a huge inspiration to my writing, and asked if they would jam after the show for my girlfriend and I. To my absolute and thrilling surprise they said yes and told us to meet them at their van after the show. So, we ran to grab Chipotle quick and then headed to their van as they welcomed us onto the twin mattress in the backseat. We had a few requests from their first album and they remembered how to play the songs about halfway through each one. I wanted to give back, so I played an original of mine which was heavily inspired by Highlight on a Hill. They seemed to enjoy it and appeared very thankful while complimenting specific areas of the song, but who really knows. Going from missing 3/4 of the set to getting a private acoustic set in a 15 seater van was quite memorable. So, if you have a chance to go to their show, make it happen! (Handsome Ghost was great too)

Slow Dancing is Rather Cliche

Song: "Fallingforyou"

Artist: The 1975

Story: In a sort of John Hughes-y meets bad 80's rom com I slow danced to this song with an ex girlfriend who had never gone to a school dance (damn you NYC schools and your lack of American conformity). So yes, in my apartment. Drunk off a bottle of wine. We slow danced to this song. Quite nauseating to think about now. UGH.

Teammates

Song: "Long Live"

Artist: Taylor Swift

Story: Long live was the song that played on the bus rides on the way to high school field hockey games. It was the song we made people sing out loud while they listened to it with headphones in (duh we recorded that ish). It was also the last song we played when all of us were together for the last time. We sang in unison staring at the seat in front of us face streaming with water knowing it was the end. It’s the only song I listen to where I will cry.

Its Important To Get Good Sleep

Song: "16 19 20suum"

Artist: Mimic

Story: Being recklessly innocent, mindlessly adaptive then finally, self aware. These are all the changes, if I dare call them changes at all, that sufficed amongst the pivotal ages of sixteen, nineteen & um, twenty-*whatever i am now*. The song came to my head a metaphor & exited as its own baggy jean wearing, hypocritically brained juvenile, diving off the roof of my mouth & into a pool of desire, with absolutely NO parental supervision. I made the gooey instrumental moments after drinking one too many cups of burnt coffee & not enough hours of dream-soaked sleep. Placed between a feeling of comfort & complete nakedness, my vocals explain the story of my everlasting youth. I sing, "Baggy jeans & a t-shirt I was like sixteen in the bleachers, then I turned nineteen & my feet hurt, now I'm bout twenty-*something* looking at the world like it owes me something". This; ridiculously catchy, hook, quietly sums up the feelings that I felt at the most monumental moments in my life. At sixteen years old I allowed the role of an outcast to transform into my cape. I look back on the days in high school when I finally called for my art to become an extension of myself & smile at the victory of a radiant confidence that was born. At nineteen, nearly three years later, after all of the necessary experimentation & unnecasary friendships; I see myself tired, yet ready for whats ahead. I become myself & all but what I had never been before. I trudge down the all too familiar streets of the "I dont know's" & the "Have not's". At twenty it was tattooed on the mirror before my eyes. I was me. But whats to show for it if I feel the world that I've birthed can not yet see what I see ? I guess we still have just a little bit left to wait. The song is an ode to myself yet an anthem to those who still seek that certain reassurance. I believe that the song, though built with certain purpose, can be molded to whatever it is the listener sonically & spiritually seeks. Often two things that go hand in hand. Whatever your age & wherever your brain, always whisper yourself to sleep in an experimental version of your favorite childhood lullaby. Its important to get good sleep.

Behind the song

Song: "Going to Berlin"

Artist: Karolina Rose

Story: Behind the song "Going to Berlin"🖤🕰🍓⏳ When I think about this song, I see a pomegranate representing the fruit of ambition. Ancient Egyptians regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. It was the seeds of the same fruit that tempted Persephone in the underworld. The pomegranate is something strong & empowering that shows the world is your oyster. The song tells the story of a woman focused on indulging in her dreams and how to achieve them. She is not looking back. She’s got her eyes set on fulfilling herself. She’s going to Berlin. I usually write from a serious, introspective place. This song is an exception. It's intended to be a bit more fun and to tell a story. A true story. The concept first came to me when I was hanging at the Russian baths in downtown Manhattan with a good friend discussing her growth as a human being and how much she's changed. She had left an old love behind in Europe to move to NYC and fearlessly follow her dreams. She then of course went to Berlin. I was just so proud of her and I started coming up with lyrics in my head, which I quickly jotted down and it eventually became this song. "Going to Berlin" is the 2nd single from my upcoming EP « Invicta.» 🖤🕰️🍓⏳ Join: karolinarose.com/join

Summertime Nostalgia

Song: "Lady - Hear Me Tonight"

Artist: Modjo

Story: I took a week long beach camping holiday with some friends this summer and while cruising down the coast one day we put this song on and it just brought back a flood of nostalgic feelings. It is the perfect summer soundtrack that makes everyone feel good and gets you in the mood to groove.

Fading Away

Song: "Fading Away"

Artist: Chandler Prisk

Story: I wrote this song for a couple of my friends who were going through a rough part of life. They were having suicidal thoughts and I put their feelings and words into this song. This song offers very little hope. The bridge is a cry for help and we should be there for our friends when they need us. When they call out, be there. A life is more important than whatever we find ourselves occupied with.

Loveday x PYNGU - Breathless (Like This)

Song: "Breathless (Like This)"

Artist: Loveday

Story: Let's start off the week with something new and exciting. This single comes from new project PYNGU who has teamed up with Loveday for "Breathless (Like This)". The two have created nothing more than pure bliss thanks to a boatload of emotion-filled electro pop vibes, great vocals and a kickass bass line. Despite PYNGU being a new name in the game, you can tell from the sound that it's a seasoned producer who has worked his magic here. Under his former name Kyco, he managed to play Ultra Europe, released official remixes for The Him and 3LAU and reached the German top 10 viral charts on Spotify with his single "Little Bit Closer". With "Breathless (Like This)" the young producer is off to a blazing start. Can't wait for more! Out now via Ferocious Label Services (AWAL), you can stream the single on most major platforms.

Imagining Nothing

Song: "Imagining Nothing At All"

Artist: The Chesterfield Band

Story: We wrote this song about a friend who was struggling with life. They were not able to see the or feel any joy around them and we would say 'come on let's go for a cruise' and drive around, radio blaring. The song is about those that 'imagine nothing at all' and that thought brings them peace. It's a song about hope too. That through connection there can be life.

Hers my story!

Song: "Sun Models (feat. Madelyn Grant)"

Artist: ODESZA

Story: this is a good story

ANIMA! - Ear to Ear

Song: "Ear to Ear"

Artist: ANIMA!

Story: Ear to Ear is brain food! A light little ditty that celebrates the power of intention; “It's all you, you do you”. Ear to Ear is from the upcoming album Grow Your Garden, out May 10.

Tulum experience

Song: "Sun Models (feat. Madelyn Grant)"

Artist: ODESZA

Story: This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story. This is my story.

My Number One Song In 2021 on Spotify

Song: "pink party"

Artist: Isaac Dunbar

Story: Apparently I listened over 200 times which I think x 3 minutes equals about 10 hours? Is that right? Spend a full day’s work on that one. What I think did it for me was ***** have you heard the song? What did you think? And what was your #1?

Test

Song: "Ocean Avenue"

Artist: Yellowcard

Story: Test tests test kdaskfjslfjlk skjfdl

Got a little story and it goes like

Song: "Sexy Villain"

Artist: Remi Wolf

Story: This. Sexy Villain was written about me. Remi Wild won’t admit it but I’m obviously sexy and *shhh* and a villain so now you know.

Test story

Song: "Need to Know"

Artist: Doja Cat

Story: Hello

Test

Song: "Treehouse"

Artist: toastool

Story: Sadf Sadf

Test

Song: "Fat Lip"

Artist: Sum 41

Story: Testsd

Ad

Song: "Fat Lip"

Artist: Sum 41

Story: Adf

Musac

Song: "Listen to the Music"

Artist: The Doobie Brothers

Story: Addles Selkirk sdlksfj lsfjsdal skfs

Gggtg

Song: "Little Lion Man"

Artist: Mumford & Sons

Story: Fhuuu

Title Must Mean This One’s Dedicated To Me

Song: "Forever Young"

Artist: Kurtis Wells

Story: Move over Yoncé, this is my fountain of youth and I am not trying to deal with any unauthorized splash choreo thanks.

Beatles Mania

Song: "I Will - Remastered 2009"

Artist: The Beatles

Story: Ben’s she sis sis sis sis sis sis s

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t

Song: "Shapeshifter Chameleon"

Artist: Terror Jr

Story: Why? Because I’m shapeshifting, duh. Jokes aside, I’ve played this song so many times I’m surprised it’s not triple platinum by now.