Kendra: Looking back at, say 2018’s “Flowerbomb” and comparing that musically and lyrically to where you are now, what do you feel has contributed the most to your artistic growth? 

Siena Liggins: I’ve grown a lot since “Flowerbomb.” Obviously, the subject matter of my songs has maintained some consistency. I’m still singing about love, sex, and connection. I think I’ve got a new perspective now. I’ve lived a lot more life, so there’s more experience, and you can hear that in the music.

Kendra: For a few years, you were dropping singles and making a name for yourself, and then ‘Ms. Out Tonight’ seemed to take you to the next level. After that album, you took a bit of a step back from releasing but came back stronger than ever with three singles out so far this year; “3 Bad,” “Sneaky Links,” and “RENT FREE.” Are there plans to drop a few more? 

Siena Liggins: “RENT FREE” was the last single release before the album, ‘FLOOZY.’ comes out. Coming off the success of ‘Ms. Out Tonight,’ I wanted to give it time to breathe while also creating and planning the release of my next body of work. I wouldn’t say I took time off because I’m always working, but it’s not easy for everyone to understand all the moving pieces for an independent artist. The behind-the-scenes takes time, relentlessness, and perseverance, and when you like things to be beautiful, flawless, and BIG (like me), it takes time. 

Kendra: Since we just mentioned it, “Rent Free” is such a fun listen. When it kicks off, I sort of feel like I’m in a 2000s teen movie with that sort of pop-rock intro, and then we get into this cool pop sound. Are your musical influences as eclectic as your latest single? 

Siena Liggins: Sometimes I feel guilty about how all over the place my musical influences are. I wanted “RENT FREE” to feel nostalgic. It’s a nod to millennialism, and it’s supposed to be reminiscent of the 2000s pop hits, but it’s my song. So, all the things that impress me are inevitably going to influence what I make. That’s why it’s hard to box me. My music is pop and R&B and hip-hop and alternative and hyperpop, and… and… and…

Kendra: Your music also lingers in a good way. I think that’s because of that pop base. Pop music is meant to stay around and wiggle into the base of your brain. With that, what do you think are some of the most quintessential pop earworms to date?

Siena Liggins: There are too many good answers to name just one; “Oops I Did It Again,” “Single Ladies,” “Super Bass,” “We Found Love,” “We Belong Together,”… the list goes on forever.  

Kendra: On the flip side, on top of music, you’re also involved with activism. Being a Black woman, I know all too well the reality that comes with that, but how does being part of the LGBTQ+ community also play into how you navigate the world because, let’s face it – being anything but a straight, white, rich, Christian man in America is wild right now…

Siena Liggins: I like to look at my life and existence as an expression of my activism. I move strategically through the world, not because I want to, but because I have to in order to maintain the integrity of my identity in a way that feels true and right for me. I’ve become less concerned with spreading a message and letting my work speak for itself. I’m not going anywhere.

Kendra: Time for a side note – this month, we’re asking everyone to pick a song for our ‘ZO Summer 2023’ playlist. So what summer anthem would you add, and why? 

Siena Liggins: My summer anthem is “RENT FREE,” of course. But if I have to pick a song that isn’t mine– I’m gonna go with “Put It On The Floor” by Latto. Rip me out the plastic!

Kendra: Lastly, with a few singles out now, including “Rent Free” and the Wonderstruck Festival on July 8th, what else is on the horizon for you at the moment? 

Siena Liggins: Everything is always changing and moving fast in today’s world. I’ve got an album next week and a few shows to close out the summer, but you’ve really got to follow the journey to make sure you don’t miss anything.

The post Living Rent Free with Siena Liggins appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: You’ve seemed to have kept busy since the last time we talked…saw that you performed at Pride down in Atlanta. I’ve only ever gotten to go to LA’s Pride once many years ago, but I remember it being such a fun and lively time. Which I hope mirrors your first Pride performance, but yes – how was that experience? 

Sophia Dashing: Performing at Atlanta Pride was truly amazing. It was a dream come true for me, being a Queer artist that has attended Atlanta pride for years! So to be up on that stage amongst my community felt absolutely electric. Atlanta Pride was canceled for the past two years due to Covid-19, so the energy was impeccable and I loved seeing everyone’s beautiful faces in the crowd, so many people were singing along to my songs and it was the best feeling in the world!!!

Kendra: Your new single, “Lonely” dropped the weekend of Pride in October. Were they the first crowd to hear it in all its glory? 

Sophia Dashing: Absolutely! It was cool because I had a lot of the LGBTQ+ clubs that week that were supporting by playing “Lonely” which felt amazing. I have a music video that’s dropping for “Lonely” soon, and there’s some great choreography that we debuted for the performance in Atlanta Pride as well!

Kendra: Having a podcast dedicated to crushes, “Lonely” speaks to me on another level. I’m not alone though because having a crush, and those initial feelings of infatuation – who hasn’t been there, right? With that, for you – what’s a telltale sign that you have a crush on someone? Like, have you noticed a pattern in yourself when a crush starts to develop? 

Sophia Dashing: 100%! We’ve all been there. That’s why this song is super relatable. Loneliness is a feeling that every human has most likely felt at some point or another with meeting someone that catches our eye or sparks feelings. A tell-tale sign that I have a crush on someone, is when I’m thinking about them non-stop. And honestly, I’m kind of an “all-in lover” so if I start imagining fantasies, I know I am in deep with my crush.

Kendra: You noted that “Lonely” sort of takes us on this journey through pop and I felt that. To me, “Lonely” feels like the musical baby of Meghan Trainor and early Britney Spears. Each of them has gifted the world with inescapable pop songs. With that, what do you think makes a pop song timeless? 

Sophia Dashing: Wow, that’s such a compliment. Thank you so much! What makes a pop song timeless to me, is truly just the ability of “feeling and dance”. When I walk in a club and I hear a pop song that came out 20 years ago but you would never know because everyone is dancing to it on the dance floor. I think timeless songs create feelings and energies that make your body want to move and dance and to me, that’s just an indescribable feeling that only our bodies can translate.

Kendra: Speaking of gifts, with the holidays being right around the corner I’d love to know what artist’s discography you consider a true gift to music as a whole?

Sophia Dashing: Tinashe’s artistry is absolutely beyond and she’s an underrated artist that deserves her flowers any chance she gets. Her visuals, her dancing, her musicality, everything! I would love to collaborate with her one day and I truly think her discography is unmatched.

Kendra: Lastly, with “Lonely” out now, what’s on the horizon as we head closer to 2023?

Sophia Dashing: People can expect more music, more visuals, more performances and I would love to get into acting soon as well. All-in-all I would love to expand my brand and artistry to the next level because I’m doing what I love each and every day so I’m letting the universe guide me with that and wherever I go I’ll be grateful!

The post Anything but Lonely with Sophia Dashing appeared first on ZO Magazine.

You ever want something, gotten it, and then yearn for what you already had? Drew Beskin found himself in that predicament once upon a time and from that yearning came something he wasn’t really planning on making something of. Well, he can tell you better than I can how Drew Beskin & The Sunshine came to be. So that’s where this back and forth started, and we started to unravel the layers of this new endeavor with Drew we came across pizza joints, Nicolas Cage, Drew Beskin & The Sunshine’s debut ‘Somewhere Sideways Same As You,’ and more. 

Kendra: Over the years it’s been pretty normal to see someone go from being in a band to breaking out on their own, but here you are doing the opposite. You four were only supposed to record together on this sort of one-off thing, so what made you realize that you wanted to move forward and add The Sunshine to the mix? 

Drew Beskin: It’s funny, I released my first solo album in 2017 to force myself to break free from hiding behind the moniker of a band and find out what “my” music would sound like and I have been inching my way back toward wanting a real band ever since. 

This Sunshine project was never meant to be anything. I had no plans to record or release music. I had just finished tracking 2021’s ‘Problematic for the People’ and I just wanted to try recording a new song with my friends Tommy and Elijah who I had always wanted to collaborate with. They brought Gideon (Johnston, drums) to the session and we recorded one full song in a day and had such a great experience we naturally would just come back every few weeks and record a new tune until we had a full album on our hands. It felt too special to be under my name. The album belongs to my bandmates as much as it belongs to me.  

Kendra: Speaking of realizations and moments, in “Pear Plum Blues” you sing of a freeze frame. With that, if you could freeze frame a moment from the past couple of years working together, which would it be and why? 

Drew Beskin: I could pinpoint several moments in each song that I cherish because they were magic moments in the studio. Unplanned guitar licks, drum fills, or on-the-spot harmony ideas that completely change the song for the better. 

One of my favorite moments was recording the title track to the album ‘Somewhere Sideways Same As You.’ That song was one of the more taxing sessions because there are a lot of changes in the song and we were trying to crack it and make it feel natural. We had gotten to a place that had felt really good. We were almost done and Tommy and Elijah came up with this harmony bit where they sing “Somewhere Sideways.” 

It originally only happened in the second chorus. The part felt so great that we realized it was a hook that needed to start and end the song. When we figured that out the whole song felt complete and everyone was jumping up and down like we discovered something. Little moments like that in the studio remind you of what you are chasing and when it works there is nothing better. We had that all over this record.

Kendra: What I love about that song and so many others on ‘Sideways Same As You’ is how they all remind me of a movie soundtrack in the ‘90s; very ‘Reality Bites.’ I know you’re a fan of Oasis, so is that where this throwback sound stems from? 

Drew Beskin: I am a huge Oasis and Elliott Smith fan. There will always be a little bit of that in anything I do. I was born in 1987 so I love the music of the ‘90s and the ‘80s, and I am always looking for references when I am recording a new song. Robert Palmer’s “Johnny & Mary” was a song I played non-stop during the pandemic. When it came time to record “Sun Cancer” I knew I wanted to chase that dark ‘80s vibe mixed with some of The Cure. 

The band and recording techniques we discussed the most were early Beatles records and trying to go for that warm crisp sound while really experimenting with adding as many elements as we could. We are actually putting together a Beatles tribute set for our album release show in Athens on 10/28. We are going to play our album and then close the night by playing an hour’s worth of Beatles tunes. I personally was also heavily influenced by Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’ and I would call upon that in songs like “All Along Your Way” and “Horror Movie Plot.” I love ‘Reality Bites’ and Ben Stiller by the way!

Kendra: I’ve never gotten a chance to see Georgia, only stayed overnight in the Atlanta airport once on a layover. So I’d love to know if you had to compare ‘Sideways Same As You’ to a restaurant in Athens, which one’s menu do you feel matches the overall feel of this debut LP? 

Drew Beskin: If I had to associate an Athens restaurant with this album it would be Automatic Pizza. Mainly because that was the go-to lunch spot while we were on break from recording. Big fans of the Chicken Parm sandwich and, of course, the pizza. The album is very much about camaraderie and sharing ideas with each other. You order an extra large pizza to share amongst your friends/band mates you are eating something that has topping choices from everyone involved. Everyone puts in their pizza topping suggestions and you discuss and debate until you land on a pizza that everyone is happy with. It’s about compromise and working to achieve the same goal. We are still talking about pizza right haha?

Kendra: Also, being that I have Lisa Simpson tattooed on me for life, I did get giddy listening to “Lisa Simpson Fangs.” So I gotta know, what ‘Simpsons’’ characters do you think best represent each of you and what you bring to Drew Beskin & The Sunshine?

Drew Beskin: I am so glad you like that song. The episode where Lisa gets braces was always one that stuck in my head. When she sees what could happen if she does not get dental work. It’s pretty scary and ended up being a fun basis for a song. Gideon is Bart Simpson and the rebel of the group, Elijah is Millhouse the thoughtful one with a little tinge of Sideshow Bob’s charisma, Tommy is Ned Flanders, the almost too polite neighbor you trust. I have always felt a kindred spirit with Gil Gunderson the doomed salesman. I am a mix of Gil and Comic Book Store guy. I wish I was as good-natured as Lisa Simpson. That’s who I strive to be. 

Kendra: It’s time for a side note: With it being spooky season, I’d love for you to share your favorite movie to watch around Halloween – could be scary, funny, or a little of both!

Drew Beskin: I’ve recently been rewatching ‘Heat’ a lot. It has been my go-to movie for the last few weeks. I had the double VHS when I was a kid. Al Pacino is so electric in that movie and it flows so well. Great dialogue. I just got a copy of the sequel book ‘Heat 2’ by Michael Mann that I can’t wait to start reading. ‘Mandy’ with Nicolas Cage lately has been getting me in the October mood with the Halloween season coming around the corner. Visually you can’t beat that film and Nic Cage is about as original as they come. Sometimes you just can’t beat ‘A Clockwork Orange’ when you want a classic and need to feel a little disturbed. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Sideways Same As You’ out now and a few fall dates in Georgia already on the books, are there any plans to head north or west come 2023? 

Drew Beskin: We are doing a few more shows in Athens and Atlanta through the rest of the year. Right now there are no plans to tour the record but if there is a good reaction we may do a few more dates. I have a young daughter now and the road is not something I am thinking about too much these days. I love to play live but writing, recording, and doing a few local shows are my sweet spot for right now, but never say never. 

The post Every Which Way with Drew Beskin & The Sunshine  appeared first on ZO Magazine.

It takes seeing, or in this case, hearing something you never thought possible to make you believe – hell, I can do that too. That’s what happened to Linqua Franqa after hearing one rapper in particular. That’s where this conversation started, but as it went forward we unraveled Linqua Franqa’s thoughts on growing up online, their lifelong activism, and more like their new album, ‘Bellringer,’ out April 22nd. 

Kendra: What led you towards music? Was it an artist, an album, a feeling you had growing up?

Linqua Franqa: I grew up in a household saturated with funk, soul, disco, and classic R&B and regularly road tripped the Carolina coast with my mama and aunties, who sang back up for beach music bands. I swam through music like water growing up, and dreamed of being a writer when I grew up, but it wasn’t until I discovered Aesop Rock in college that I found the courage to synthesize these things into an art career of my own. 

Shock at what Aesop Rock proved you could do with Hip Hop– rap about your mom not letting you go play with neighborhood kids because you won’t eat your vegetables, or buying a kitten out of the trunk of a witch’s car in a parking lot– is what really propelled me to tell my own oddball stories.

Kendra: Looking back at ‘Lingua Franca,’ how do you believe you’ve grown as a lyricist between then and ‘Bellringer?’

Linqua Franqa: I don’t even think my skills have grown per se as much as they have become more automatic. I still have the same toolkit at my disposal, and use it in similar ways, I just work more fluidly, with less hesitation and greater exactitude. Some of the stuff on ‘Lingua Franca’ took me nearly a decade to refine, whereas I wrote and memorized several verses on ‘Bellringer’ in my head in about an hour, for example. 

Kendra: The title track for ‘Bellringer’ takes us back over two decades to something that’s sadly still pretty familiar in the news today and that’s the murder of Latasha Harlins. In it you proclaim, “If I die don’t pray, you better riot,” and not only has that hook been in my head for days now, it’s how I’ve felt for years. How ironic do you think our country is for being called the United States when it’s clear that there is such an imbalance in how we’re all treated by our government from non-white Americans to LGBTQ people to women and a division in how things should be? 

Linqua Franqa: As I say on “Overture”, the system isn’t broken; it’s fully operational. The United States felt united for wealthy white men when the Constitution was penned, and it still feels united for the oligarchs that run the economy and the government. It’s just united under a system of exploitation that serves their interest. They never meant for us to be united on our own terms; indeed, history shows numerous examples where these folks profit off divisions between us, pitting white against Black, men against women, the middle class against the poor. There’s nothing more terrifying to the ruling class than the prospect of us little people actually being united to fight for collective liberation from their whims. 

Kendra: ‘Bellringer’ covers a lot of the injustices of the world, but you also have moments about our addiction to social media and mental health. Do you think we’d be better mentally in some way if we got offline more? 

Linqua Franqa: Oh yeah, I immediately felt a difference in my mental health when I ditched socials, for a time. 

Kendra: How damaging do you think it is for a generation to be raised online? 

Linqua Franqa: I think being raised by the internet is a large source of internal turmoil for me to this day. When you grow up in online communities, as I did, you feel like a marooned Martian walking the halls of your high school. You have little idea of how to relate to others and no other kind of social outlet that scratches the same itch as talking about that one really specific interest with that one really small internet forum. I think that definitely led me to drugs in my early adolescence, as a way to relax into trying to make real-life human connections. Among other troubles. Add to that the ways social media are increasingly engineered to explicitly foment addiction, I imagine the same is true, if not worse, for Gen Z. 

Kendra: For those who can’t put two and two together, you’re not just an artist you’re an activist. Where did you find your passion for that? 

Linqua Franqa: My mama raised me to fight for something and always supported me in the random causes I took up. Speaking of internet wormholes, I got really into PETA in middle school and she’d drive me to picket outside of KFC in protest of their cruelty to chickens, etc. And the longer you live, the more injustice you see, the harder it is to look away and the more sophisticated your attacks on injustice become. 

My fights have evolved as I have developed a more consistent political framework, learned more history, fought, and lost some fights. But it’s all an outcrop of the feistiness instilled in me from birth. 

Kendra: You speak about a lot of this and more on your podcast alongside Dope KNife, ‘Waiting on Reparations.’ Do you ever do an episode and immediately feel inspired to pen a new track? 

Linqua Franqa: Indeed. Rhyme writing remains a critical tool I use to make sense of the world’s happenings, so often we’d either build an episode around current events I’d written verses on, or I’d write verses to summarize understandings of current events that I’d hashed out talking with Mack for the show. It’s definitely been a symbiotic process. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Bellringer’ out April 22nd, what’s next for you as spring continues to roll into summer?

Linqua Franqa: Well, ‘Bellringer’ is also my dissertation for my Ph.D., and I hope to defend it before my committee sometime in May and graduate in August. With school done, it would be rad to tour about while the weather’s nice; I miss traveling so much. 

The post Linqua Franqa: Putting in Wurk appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Despite Sophia Dashing penning a whole song about not taking a chance when it comes to love, the Atlanta-based singer has never been afraid to make creative moves. She danced through childhood, later focused on fashion, and today is all hands on deck when it comes to her music, including her latest single, “way i.” We talked about her journey to get to where she is, as well as where she’s heading in this back and forth exchange.

Kendra: Your journey in the arts spans back to childhood when you were in choirs and took up dance. Having been a professional dancer for over a decade now, how do you think that discipline has helped when it’s come to songwriting and singing?

Sophia Dashing: I danced professionally in my childhood, but throughout my teen years took a break from dance to focus on the arts and Fashion Design. I was homeschooled throughout my childhood as well due to my strenuous schedule of dancing and singing, so with that, I’ve withheld discipline for sure, and applied it to my daily life! It’s not hard to keep up discipline and drive when you’re doing what you truly love though! I’m very grateful that I’ve found my passions in this life.

Kendra: An interest in fashion led you to Paris a couple of years ago, but then COVID forced you to pack up and head back to the US and it’s then you sort of started to focus more on music. Do you think that everything does indeed happen for a reason in this regard?

Sophia Dashing: I 100% believe that everything is orchestrated and aligned the way that it is supposed to. I let my faith lead me with everything I do in life, and I find a lot of comfort in the phrase “Everything happens for a reason”. I think it’s beautiful that the universe tugged and pulled me to jump back into what I truly have loved more than anything since I was a little girl which is singing, dancing, writing, and performing. Sometimes you have to try different avenues and lanes of things that interest you in life to come to a conclusion that you’ve always known what you’re meant to do from the very beginning!

Kendra: You’re back in Atlanta now. A great place to build a career in entertainment. Have you been able to take advantage of what that city has to offer despite the awkwardness we’re currently living in?

Sophia Dashing: Absolutely, Atlanta is a phenomenal entertainment capital and I’m blessed to be born and raised in this amazing city filled with outstanding talent and admirable creators. I work with Grammy award-winning producers and choreographers that have long lists of working with the top artists and performers, which inspires me daily. I’ve met some wonderful people in the entertainment community in Atlanta and I’m grateful that I’ve found an amazing team that pushes and motivates me to be the best artist I can possibly be.

Kendra: You dropped your fourth single, “way i” back in December. It’s one many can relate to, that idea of being into someone but standing still, not taking any sort of action. Was this inspired by anyone in particular, or is this more a culmination and imagination?

Sophia Dashing: I am a songwriter first, and I’m heavily inspired by the day-to-day events that take place in my life. I write a new song every single day. I’m inspired by anything and everything, and all of my music contributes to personal experiences that I have gone through. ‘way i’ was a true story of a situation I went through. It was difficult for me to navigate through the feelings of longing and desire that came from wanting more with the person that I had caught feelings for. So of course, I decided to write the song and it came very naturally. A lot of healing came through just writing out how I was feeling. Songwriting does that for me, and I’m so in awe and in love with the entire process of making music. It’s beautiful to me how art can be healing and empowering even if it came from a difficult experience. Just the release of it all is incredible to me.

Kendra: On top of all your creative endeavors, you’re also an LGBTQ advocate. How do you feel more artists could help push things forward for the community?

Sophia Dashing: Yes! I’m a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I am bisexual. It is so incredibly important to me as a Queer artist and human to advocate for human rights and equality. I am a huge humanitarian and will always do whatever I can to use my privilege and voice to speak up for what is right. I think educating yourself is very important, and is the first step for anyone who wants to help with pushing forward change for the community. We still have a long way to go, but listening, understanding, and compassion with people educating themselves on propelling change in the LGBTQ+ community, goes a long way!

Kendra: With it being March, I’d love to know what song you feel lucky enough to have heard in your lifetime? Like, what’s a song you’re thankful has existed while you’ve been here?

Sophia Dashing: One of my favorite songs of all time is “Spotless Mind” by Jhené Aiko. The song is about embracing change, and understanding that is inevitable in our lives, so why fight it? Embracing the beauty of each cycle and transition and life while staying grounded, and grateful for what initiated the change. It’s gotten me through several spiritual awakenings. I love all of her music and am very inspired by the spiritualness of it all.

Kendra: Lastly, with a handful of singles out now – what can fans both new and old be on the lookout for from you in the coming months?

Sophia Dashing: Fans can be on the lookout for new performances I’m getting ready for, new singles on the way, and lots of changes that are equipping me to move forward and get out there more as an artist! May will mark one year of me releasing music. 2022 will be so beautiful for change and expansion. I’m so excited for all that is to come this year. Thank you so much!

The post Sophia Dashing: From Atlanta to the World appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: You all come from different backgrounds, so how did you three come together and get 3D The Boss off the ground running?

C Lei Boss Lady: Day and I met in 2001 after being introduced by a mutual friend, Jennifer Bliss. He was her personal trainer. I didn’t realize at the time that he was also a singer, dancer, and drummer. I didn’t find that out until many years later when I started training with him myself. We struck up a bartering deal to support me because his rates were outside of my musician’s budget. In exchange for training, I taught his daughter piano and laid down keyboard tracks in his home studio. That was the beginning of our musical partnership.

Donna (Lady Bass) and I go way back musically to 2002. We had both been hired by Irene Cara to start an all-female band that would co-write, record, and perform original music together. We were all flown to Orlando and met at a studio there called Phat Planet. Donna and I quickly became close friends when she moved up to Atlanta later that same year. I introduced her to Day much later, say 2012. I’d invite her to come to the Playground (that’s the name of our gym, where all the magic happens!) with me; she eventually came into playing for her own fitness. And we’ve been playing in bands together ever since.

Lady Bass: Yes, so true. Our backgrounds are largely different, with Boss Lady and I having very similar upbringings. Both of our fathers are gospel preachers. It goes in very unique directions after that. Boss Lady and Day offered me the opportunity to join them in 2016 and I quickly accepted. I’d always wanted a musical family. 3D was already a well-oiled machine, Boss Lady and I have known each other since 2002 through a musical relationship with Irene Cara. In 2012, she introduced me to Day and invited me to be a part of the Your Day Balance Game with her. She’d been playing the Game already through training with Day. It’s a health and fitness game inspired by Love and Balance and 3D is the Brand Agent for it. Day created this awesome and fascinating healing modality. I was recovering from a divorce and heart attack when I started playing the game, so I was looking for a way to build and improve my health in a sustainable way.

Kendra: Health and fitness aren’t something we necessarily hear when talking about a musical artist. Was that always part of the foundation of the group?

C Lei Boss Lady: Yes, health and fitness were always a part of the foundation of 3DTB. I met Day as a personal trainer, and he met me as a musician. So literally, we personified and represented both passions that we both cared about. At the time we met, Day didn’t know I was into my fitness, and I didn’t know he was a musician! When we initially formed 3DTB in 2011, 10 years after we met, we were all about the integration of health and fitness into the music. 3DTB is the flagship artist and spokesperson for the YDBG, a health and fitness platform powered by Balance and Love.

Lady Bass: Most definitely! Day is a coach, a Transformational Specialist, actually. This band is the result of what he envisioned. We’ve experienced putting our wealth before our health and have received a lot of feedback that shows us that there’s no point in having wealth if your health is “bankrupt.” We intend to be a unique band in that we’re literally bringing our healthy habits, fitness, and musicality to the stage to inspire the world to see that they can create a balanced life that’s fun and healing.

Kendra: Speaking of groups, they aren’t as common as they once were back in the ‘90s and early ‘00s. Why do you think that is? Because frankly, where would we be without some of the iconic pop groups that shaped music back in the day?

C Lei Boss Lady: Great question. I think there was a shift in the consciousness of the music business when social media, self-publishing, and internet radio became popular, available, and accessible to independent artists. That shift created a ‘me’ over ‘we’ way of thinking and operating. Literally, an artist could sit in their room with a midi keyboard, speakers, and a laptop and make a whole album. Even the instrument is optional! So that shifted the whole collaborative mindset and process. I think a lot of artists who were not inspired to collaborate with others during a time when the industry was shifting. I see the pendulum has begun to swing in the other direction again recently. Lots of collaborations happening. I love it! And I’m certainly game to do some collaborations as well.

Lady Bass: Groups were definitely the thing at one point. Even from the ‘70s and ‘80s with Earth Wind and Fire, The Eagles, Gap Band, and so forth. They all put out such awesome, collaborative music! What comes to mind for me is the bottom dollar, when it comes to labels. I imagine it not being economical and cost-effective in their minds. It’s also possible that some band members really wanted to be solo artists and the band was what helped them get there. I always feel a sense of family when I listen to music from groups that are actual bands. I love family and 3D is that for me.

Kendra: Now onto the music you three create together. Your album, ‘Push It,’ dropped in April 2021, and since you’re all about health and being active, I want to know which type of workout do you feel ‘Push It’ was meant for? Cardio, spin class, pilates, etc.?

C Lei Boss Lady: I feel that ‘Push It’ would be great for Hip Hop Cardio, Dance Fitness, and Spin Class. Those are all class types that require a person to go beyond their comfort zone and past what they think they can do. But mostly, our Cardio Concert concept is the ideal workout model for our music! We created the concept of Cardio Concert back in 2017. Imagine what it might be like to marry dance fitness with a live concert in a large enough space for people to move and dance freely…

Lady Bass: All except for the pilates. I’m sure an instructor could spice it up a little for a pilates class, though. That would be very interesting. Actually, I’d love to see someone do a dance routine for it. All of our music has an energy that inspires movement and the style of ‘Push It’ comes from an era where movement and dance were a part of that culture and time.

Kendra: One of the singles from ‘Push It’ was the addicting, tantalizing “Sneaky Peeky.” Rather than asking which celebrity you’d like a sneaky peaky at in that regard, I’d like to know which artist’s creative process would you love to get an inside look at?

C Lei Boss Lady: Great spin on that question! I’ve always been curious about the creative process for other artists. In particular, Adam Levine and Maroon 5, who are formulaic writers, in my estimation. How do they stay inspired to make similar types of songs over and over and what does that process look like? Does it start with one person and a pen or do they sit in a room as a group with a bunch of seasoned writers and just crank?

Also, Bruno Mars, prior to his Silk Sonic collaboration with Anderson Paak fascinates me. I’d love to know his process as well. And if I could go back in time, I’d love to sit in on a session with Michael Jackson and Prince. Both of those artists had such a unique approach to making music and I know very little about their processes. Of course, there are so many more: Isley Brothers, Whitney Houston, etc.

Lady Bass: Prince and Dirty Loops, for sure! I’ve heard that he was very open to sharing his wisdom beyond music. That’s really inspiring. Sometimes, I just want to know “why” or “how” a performer came to that note or lyric. What were they thinking or feeling? I imagine those kinds of experiences as very contributing because you go beyond the allure of them on stage and get in touch with them as people and creators. That is sexy as hell for me!

Kendra: Now, each of you coaches in some capacity whether it’s life coaching or musically. I was wondering if that aspect of your life has any impact on how you approach your more creative side when it’s time to put on your artist hat?

C Lei Boss Lady: I can tell you, as a performer, coach, teacher, parent – I am always finding creative ways to reach people and share what I can. I’ve used musical analogies in life coaching and I for sure use life analogies in music coaching and parenting! We live a highly integrated life that flows from one role to another. There’s not much separation between them. Maybe a wardrobe change or two. But that’s about it!

Lady Bass: Ah, yes. Then there’s that! HA! What I’m most grateful about in my growth and process as a coach is my awareness. Coaching others is a great opportunity to see myself in them. There are easier days than others and I really appreciate my courage to consciously choose to align to my creative flow with humility and gratitude. My creativity is my intimate time with God, or Source, or whatever name or description people use today. It continues to be a great exercise in making the coaching, creativity, and artist aspects one. The more congruent these experiences are, the more empowered I become and it shows in my artistry.

Kendra: Speaking of art, being in Atlanta – I’d love to get your opinion on what spot in your city best represented Black excellence in regards to artistic expression?

C Lei Boss Lady: There was a place called Apache Cafe which was the premier place to showcase your talent if you were a neo-soul, R&B, or hip hop artist. It’s since moved, but all kinds of great artists got their start there. Both myself and Lady Bass have played there many times as well.

Lady Bass: Morehouse and Spelman College come to mind for me. Not only do they continue to support the tradition and history of the black family but their choir

Kendra: Since it’s still the new year, I’m asking everyone…not for a lengthy resolution, but for a resolution, a goal they have for this month. What’s yours?

C Lei Boss Lady: Our goal for this next month is to prepare for the release of our new music video, “Heaven and Paradise.” And also some supportive content about the making of the video and a breakdown of the dance routines. We are excited about putting it out!

Kendra: With the new album out and about now, what can fans – both new and old – expect from you as we break in the early months of 2022?

C Lei Boss Lady: Our fans can expect more videos on our YouTube channel with meaningful and entertaining content. We will be sharing more about our creative process, our Abundant Loving Lifestyle, and our Balance Lifestyle Coaching. Stay tuned!

The post Bust a Move with 3D The Boss appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: It seems like we had very similar upbringings musically. Being into all types of genres and not leaning towards one or the other. For me, liking punk and emo bands and even the likes of Garth Brooks, I was often told I wasn’t “Black enough.” Did you experience that, and if so – did it ever bother you?

Tyler-Simone Molton: Fortunately, I have never been accused (to my face) of not being “black enough.” I feel like if I had it wouldn’t have bothered me much because I know that my blackness is measured in the fact that I am a black person so that’s all it takes to be black enough according to my standards. I think I never came across that experience because I grew up in a time period and neighborhood that was racially diverse and all of the folks I spent time with listened to a little of everything too. I know we as a country have a long way to go but, I think one good thing about our generation is that we don’t put people in a box based on their musical preferences. And yes it’s true that I listen to a lot of alternative music like Paramore, Panic! At the Disco, and Florence and the Machine and I sing in a rock band. However, I enjoy and have many playlists filled with Minnie Riperton, Erykah Badu, Beyonce, and Stevie Wonder too.

Kendra: In hindsight, your varied interests is what likely led to Lesibu Grand having this indie sound surrounded by bursts of soul. Of course, you have John too. What did each of you initially bring to the table when you two started getting creative together?

Tyler-Simone Molton: John has more experience with songwriting and being in rock bands, and he is really good at developing “the bones” of a song, meaning the chord structure. I write a lot of the lyrics and also add lots of subtleties with my voice. I’m also really detail-oriented so I play a big role in fixing or optimizing the song, improving transitions, and adding ear candy. Together I feel we make catchy music from the heart that connects with people.

Kendra: Do each of you wonder where you’d be if you hadn’t met that fateful night?

Tyler-Simone Molton: I think we would both be happy and would have potentially been doing our own things musically. But meeting each other gave us the ability to see music through each other’s eyes, and developed us into more expressive musicians than we would have been otherwise.

Kendra: Your latest single, “Mi Sueno,” is larger than the individual’s dreams. You’ve noted it was in part inspired by the lengthy history Black people in America have with dreams; MLK Jr’s iconic speech. With that, when people speak of the “American Dream” do you feel Black people in this country are chasing something more than picket fences and two kids in the front yard?

Tyler-Simone Molton: Yes, I believe that ideally people — and black people in particular — are chasing an American dream that includes a legacy. I think that a family legacy is important to African Americans in particular because many of us came from families who can only trace our family tree back a few generations. Since slavery eliminated a lot of potential documentation of African history, a lot of African Americans do not know the full depth of their heritage and can never find out. I believe that going forward, African Americans want to prevent that from happening again so leaving a legacy is a way we can ensure a footprint of our history is left behind when we pass.

Kendra: You just released ‘The Legend of Miranda’ last October, but with the recent stay at home orders have either of you found time to create any new songs or at least set the foundation for new material?

Tyler-Simone Molton: In mid-February, we finished recording our second record and will be hoping to release some time this year. With COVID-19 it has become difficult to have band rehearsals so those have been put on hold, but we’ve shifted our focus towards video ideas for the new tracks. We have a green screen set up in our garage so we are able to still record videos and add effects in post-production. We are also focusing on live streaming, and have adapted our set so that we can perform as a duo, thus reducing the number of people having to perform close to each other. We did that recently with a live streaming Facebook group based out of Atlanta called Kimono My House, and it was really fun.

Kendra: Usually, this is where I ask people what they have planned in the coming months but with the world in a strange place right now, plans aren’t as concrete as they typically are. You can go ahead and let us know what you have tentatively planned but can you also share a song that never fails to get you through when the world around you feels like a mess?

Tyler-Simone Molton: We had a bunch of really cool shows planned for this Spring and of course they have all been canceled. We have a show scheduled at the famed Atlanta burlesque strip club, The Clermont Lounge, on May 25th, but I’m honestly not sure we’ll be out of this social distancing phase by then. So, in the meantime, I’ve been vibin’ hard to Daft Punk’s “Veridis Quo!”

The post Lesibu Grand: Soulful Interpretations appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: You’ve mentioned that you two had a business before Rooted and Grounded. Was it in the same arena or something completely the opposite?

Travis McDaniel: I had a local service business in Florida before. So an online product business was completely new for us.

Kendra: Have you always had an entrepreneur’s spirit or did that develop with time after perhaps not being in love with working under someone else but rather for yourself?

Travis McDaniel: I have always wanted to work for myself. I went to school and got a business degree. But don’t feel like I learned a lot of practical things there. I never used my degree to get a “real” job. I started working for myself in 2007 when I got married. But also had two side jobs to help with income for the first year.

Kendra: Were there any business-minded folks you looked to for inspiration or guidance?

Travis McDaniel: Pretty much anyone who had a successful business. I’ve always been intrigued by self-employed people. Anytime I meet anyone with a business, I ask a ton of questions. You start noticing similar answers from the successful ones, and it shapes your thinking.

Kendra: You’re all about home decor that in turn inspires. Which I get. I don’t like walking into a home and not seeing what drives the person who lives there. With that, what three things have driven you this far?

Travis McDaniel: The business initially started because we made a move. We sold our other business and needed an income. So it was sort of a necessity thing, which is common for a lot of people I think. But it needs to go from the necessity to make a living, to an actual vision at some point. That happened for us about 4 or 5 months into this business. We hired our first employee and our vision for what this could be grew. We wanted a brand that had inspirational word art on a multitude of products. We are Christians and most of our products are themed that way as well. The concept of creating attractive products that also served as a reminder of something deeper and truer, that has been our main driving force.

Kendra: When did fashion come into the mix? And was that an easy thing to start incorporating into the brand?

Travis McDaniel: Right now, our brand kind of looks like a wall decor company that also sells clothing. Truthfully though, clothing was just the second addition in a much longer product line. In the next year, we are launching pillows, journals, letter ledges, and mugs. Pretty much anything that we can put our word designs on. Our motto is “words that remind. words that inspire.” so that is the direction we want to go. The physical products themselves are almost secondary. The word art and it’s message, are the main concept behind the brand.

Kendra: As we look ahead to 2020, what’s in store for Rooted and Grounded?

Travis McDaniel: We have lots of new products in store for next year. We picked up seven new employees in 2019 as well as multiple additions to our building and equipment. I would imagine we will need the same amount of productional growth in 2020 to keep up with sales, and the vision we have.

The post Rooted and Grounded: Making Homes & Lives Feel Complete appeared first on ZO Magazine.

A scavenger hunt done to a rhythm. That is what comes to mind whenever I gaze upon a piece from Eric Mack. This Atlanta-based artist’s work is no stranger to movement. To call it stagnant would be a crime. Which is probably why his art will be featured on the debut album of Afriqua. We talked about how that pairing came to be, I Spy, and what’s to come.

Kendra: What medium would you say made you not only want to become an artist but made you feel something when you looked at it as a spectator for the first time?

Eric Mack: The mediums that I feel made me want to become an artist were pencil and charcoal. When I was young, my uncle Reginald was an excellent portrait artist who worked in this medium. The texture and feel of the material captivated me! I can honestly say that I was forever changed when I saw him creating beauty from nothingness. It also made me feel like anything was possible.

My most comfortable medium was pen and ink as I began to create my own works of art. I was also very inspired by calligraphy letters, and fonts around first grade, or so. My mother worked as a librarian at the local technical college in Charleston, South Carolina. The kindergarten I attended was two miles away from her job. When I would get dropped off after school I would spend my free time looking at books about Louis Pasteur, and copying/tracing the decorative fonts from various handwriting manuals since I could not read them.

Kendra: Your work has a lot going on in every piece. There is so much movement with all the patterns and formations. They remind me a lot of those I Spy books that were popular in the ’90s. Do you ever hide little things here and there for people to find?

Eric Mack: The work I create is known to have movement and pattern. Many times when laying down the composition, I insert comedic or simply random bits that I find amusing. When creating the work I always like to entertain myself by doing, and using media or material that I find stimulating. I don’t want to be bored with a piece, and I do not wish for this for the viewer, either.

Viewers seem to appreciate being able to see/find something new in my paintings as they spend time with them. In one of my older works, I have incorporated old high school suspension slip where I had cursed out my Spanish teacher. It makes me laugh every time I see it.

While working on Afriqua’s debut album cover art I utilized this method of working. We were trying to decide how we wanted to incorporate his portrait into the overall composition. I am not really a portrait artist but wanted his true likeness in the work. They mentioned the possibility of using a Where’s Waldo? concept and I thought that would be perfect!

I knew Adam (Afriqua) had a love for krautrock and early German electronic producers such as Popol Vuh, Can, and Kraftwerk. The computer on Kraftwerk’s first album was appropriated by placing Adam’s portrait within the screen of the well-known symbol for the group.

Kendra: You’ve noted that your work also reflects rhythm. With that, if you had to pick a musician to do a performance piece based off one of your pieces, which piece and musician would you pair up?

Eric Mack: If I had to choose a musician to create a performance-based piece on my work it would be Stereolab. I was introduced to their sound in 1994, while in college at The Atlanta College of Art by my friend Dana. When I first heard the album Dots and Loops I was instantly hooked, and began to collect every album that I could find from them!

Their style of layered melodies blended with live instrumentation and Moog synth experimentation was the perfect fuel to power my creative journey. In the mid-2000s, they performed at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta where I met their manager, Martin. I proceeded to tell him how inspirational the band had been in my artistic production, and I would love the chance to collaborate on artwork for the group.

Three months later, Martin responded by informing me that the band liked my work, but they had been working with one graphic designer for many years and had no plans in changing that. Although, I did not get the chance to work Stereolab I still feel a great deal of happiness that they respected my work as well.

I would pair any work from my “Composites” series to accompany their Dots and Loops album.

Kendra: Speaking of musicians, let’s talk more about this collaboration with Afriqua and the album art for his upcoming September release. How did that come about and did you listen to the whole album and come up with something or did he guide you towards what he was looking for?

Eric Mack: I am very honored and excited to be a part of Afriqua’s musical journey! This all came about by Adam looking for an artist who could translate his sound and represent it in a visual form. His team reached out to me and asked if I was interested in collaborating with Afriqua on his upcoming album cover.

Once I heard what he was creating, I immediately felt a kinship and wanted to be a part of his upcoming project. As we began to throw around ideas about the direction for the cover, he informed me that he wanted to show the unifying power of Black culture through the prism of electronic music.

I asked him to send me his influences, and things that represented him as a person and musician. In turn, I collected vintage southern blues sheet music scores, 80’s Chicago House music club flyers, 70’s German electronic/Krautrock influences, Roland TR-808 schematic diagrams, Gemini horoscope symbols, and native plants from West Africa & of the Southeastern United States that would help form the visual narrative.

I requested his guidance on which direction I should gravitate towards. Once that was established he gave me total artistic freedom to bring the project to life!

Kendra: Afriqua’s noted that as a Black electronic musician from Virginia living in Berlin, he’s challenging a lot in his industry in terms of not only race but locale. Do you feel the same in any way in your art scene?

Eric Mack: I feel that the work I am creating sometimes comes as a surprise to some viewers. As an artist born and raised in the south, there is a bit of a challenge when it comes to overcoming expectations in regards to the type of artwork I make. Over the years, there have heard collectors/viewers tell me “I like your painting…, but do you make black art?”

I have always been amazed by this perspective. The fact that I am black constitutes as black art to me. To many viewers, the work is not black art unless a black person is shown, or cultural symbols are presented.

In the early 2000s, a collector told me one of my paintings reminded him of a noted local artist. That was never my angle, and I did not appreciate it. Ever since that comment was made, I have striven to make work that would never warrant that response, again.

I never wanted to “spoon-feed” the audience with the expected. I always want to inspire the viewer to look closer within my blackness, and all of the influences/experiences that have brought me to this point. I grew up woodworking, skateboarding, barbering, boy scouting, fishing, traveling, building woodland forts, boogie boarding and loving all types of music. These are some influences that go into my artwork creation.

I am still a black artist making black art.

Kendra: Other than working on this album art, can you let the people know what you have coming their way as we head towards the latter half of the year?

Eric Mack: The upcoming year for me is quite exciting! Currently, I’m awaiting the global release of Colored by Afriqua, out October 5th on R&S Record; where I was commissioned to create the original album artwork.

New works are also underway for my 2020 exhibition at Whitespace Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. The work explores the intersection between sustainable architecture and nature. Over the last two years, I have immersed myself in the world of gardening. I am very happy to share this new body of work with the public. The exhibition will consist of sculptural, and two-dimensional pieces.

The post Eric Mack: Rhythmic Visuals appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Out of all the creative mediums, art will always be the one that continues to impress me the most. How the human mind and hand can work together to create a painting is forever mind boggling to me, but not to those like Tran Nguyen. While people like me simply ate our traditional Saturday Morning cereal alongside our favorite anime and video games in the ’90s, Tran got a lot more. The likes of Serial Experiment Lain and Street Fighter were not only pastimes but her muses when it came to stepping into the art world.

In regards to the real world, as a youth Tran and her family found themselves on a one-way trip from Vietnam to Georgia. Wanting to escape poverty, she recalls being very fortunate her family was able to be sponsored by the US embassy to begin anew in the states. No one can say for sure where Tran would be today if that had not happened. What we can say for sure is she’s a talented painter and illustrator whose art has been seen around the world and on platforms such as everyone’s favorite streaming service to chill with. It was a pleasure getting to exchange words with such a talent and we started off with her arrival in the states and how that did or didn’t impact what she does today.

Kendra: Did the change in not only location but everyday life inspire a change at all in how you approached your art?

Tran Nguyen: Though I moved to the States when I was very young, my parents kept our home life deeply rooted in our Vietnamese culture. Outside the home, I assimilated to the American culture. I wouldn’t say it changed my art but rather allowed me to see things in two different perspectives.

Kendra: What do you feel an education taught you about art that you most definitely would have never learned just painting and creating on your own?

Tran Nguyen: Going to school for illustration gave me structure. It also exposed me to all the different forms of art that I probably wouldn’t have been able to come across on my own. It also gave me an art community full of passionate artists which are difficult to build from scratch.

Kendra: Your use a lot of colored pencils and acrylics. Were those you started with or was it after trial and error?

Tran Nguyen: I did a lot of experimenting, for sure. I explored all sorts of art materials. Things such as graphite, watercolor, digital, and pastel, before concluding to my technique of mixing acrylic and colored pencil.

Kendra: Where on the map is on your bucket list to show your work?

Tran Nguyen: I’ve previously shown in a few parts of Europe but I don’t think I’ve exhibited in France yet. I think that’ll be my next destination.

Kendra: It’s easy to spot your work because you have such a signature style. When approached by the likes of Vh1 or Netflix do they want things done in your aesthetic?

Tran Nguyen: Absolutely, I think that’s the only reason why they’ve hired me is because of my specific aesthetic. My style is established enough so that is what gets me hired. I don’t think I would do a fabulous job if a client were to ask me to emulate another style. It would be a lose-lose situation for both of us.

Kendra: Overall your paintings are whimsical, romantic, powerful fantasies come to life. On the flip side your illustrations have more of a modern design feel. Do you draw from different places when you do paintings versus illustrations/murals?

Tran Nguyen: My gallery work is much more personal and I can be free with the narrative. For illustration work, I’m telling someone else’s story. I also have to keep in mind the design and how it’ll look as a product. For example, book covers need to read immediately at a distance. So I have to make a mental note about where type would fit into it.

Kendra: What’s coming up for you in the next few months? Any new gallery shows?

Tran Nguyen: I’m currently putting together my first ever art book with the help of Flesk Publications. It’s a retrospective book titled Ambedo, which will encompass all the works I’ve done from 2009-2018. We’re hoping to launch the Kickstarter for it in early March. I’m super excited to share this with everyone!

The post The Whimsical World of Tran Nguyen appeared first on ZO Magazine.