With nothing but a fiddle and a dream, Phoebe Hunt embarked on the latest chapter of her life, and the soundtrack to that came together for her 2023 release, ‘Nothing Else Matters,’ available on all major music and streaming platforms now. Alone with an omelet, Hunt discussed the hurdles of being alone, glamorized realities, and more. 

Kendra: You’d played in bands before but as of late are taking on the world with just your fiddle in hand. Were there any unexpected hurdles you faced, or perhaps surprising joys you found in doing your own thing? 

Phoebe Hunt: I’ve been calling this the “alone but never alone” tour…to be fair, I am sitting alone at a diner in Annandale, NY as I respond to this question, eating an omelet and typing words on my phone. But later this evening I have a friend joining me after the show and have been invited to a dinner gathering at her home tomorrow for my night off. 

I have always enjoyed traveling alone because of the freedom and flexibility that it inspires…The spontaneity of being in a creative moment is exhilarating and there is no one to prove anything to. 

It’s still unfolding…and I am still learning what this is really all about for me on a spiritual level. On a physical level, being on the road alone has its perks and its drawbacks. One of the most difficult parts is the actual physical challenge of traveling alone – lugging the merch suitcase around, getting on shuttle buses, etc. is a bit physically strenuous. With a band, we can always have someone stay behind with the “stuff” and utilize the strength of being a part of a team. 

There is also the element of “if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it really fall?” Entering and exiting the travel experiences alone can bring me into a twilight zone existence. Of course, the people I meet along the way, and the audience help ground me in reality. 

On a musical level, of course, I miss my band! There is nothing like floating atop the musical genius of world-class musicians who catapult you into another dimension. However, there is something profoundly empowering about learning how to trust in my own ability to hold this sacred space for myself. Before the shows, I call in the great spirit and ask that she might channel through me the words and notes that will be most beneficial to those who gather in the audience. 

My connection to the listener becomes of even greater importance and a part of me, a sixth sense if you will, is reading the room and playing the songs that are called upon. I can’t explain it exactly, but sometimes I spontaneously write an instrumental interlude between two songs, which feels intended for a specific soul in the audience who needed that moment. When I play alone I can’t quite stick to the set list. The element of improvisation heightens and something takes over me that guides me to the next song. Sometimes it’s just a little flicker of an idea that pops in my mind or a melody that makes its way into my fingers. 

In that way, I feel taken away by the music. Again, I am still at the beginning of this journey so it has yet to fully reveal itself to me. But I know this much. This is a necessary part of my musical evolution and I am grateful for the opportunity to explore this aloneness…whatever its greater purpose reveals itself to be.

Kendra: Nevertheless, you’ve been releasing music for over a decade now. Which, when you get a second to sit back – do you listen back to your self-titled EP and take mental notes on how you’ve grown since then as an artist? 

Phoebe Hunt: Honestly it’s been a long time since I checked out the EP. Maybe I’ll listen back to it later today just because of this question… 

Each project seems to emerge as a vehicle to teach me the lessons I am meant to learn at that particular time. They each have their place and their own unique storylines in the greater narrative of my life. I honor each project for what it is and try not to compare the past versions of myself with the current one. I am a different person now, yet still the same girl just trying to understand life through a song. 

Kendra: How would you compare who you were on that EP to who you are now with ‘Nothing Else Matters?’ 

Phoebe Hunt: Hmmm…If I have to compare myself to a past version I would say this version is more fearless. I remember back then I had the idea of playing fiddle and singing at the same time and someone in the music biz told me that I should “keep my sound more in line with what people previously knew me as,” so I did. 

Now, I am finally realizing that dream of traveling with just my fiddle and would follow my own heart over some music industry advice any day. Back then I was just trying to wrap my mind around how it could be possible to build a career in this industry. Now, I feel more free to explore, it seems no one really knows how a real career is formed, and from what I have learned – it comes most directly from the artist’s pure, unadulterated heart. 

My goal on this project has always been to strip away any nonsense and just allow myself to express. Most of the nonsense, though it seems, is in my very own mind, so learning to strip that away is a challenge in itself. 

Kendra: This record is one I can fully relate to, especially “Galloping.” Do you think that social media has pushed us into dangerous territory when it comes to dreams and expectations since we’re always left comparing ourselves to the glamorized versions of reality people post online? That’s usually when I feel the lowest, where I’m like, well…I think I’m happy BUT I’m not traveling in Rome like her, or working a fancy job like him…so am I happy? 

Phoebe Hunt: Oh, absolutely. In Buddhist philosophy; comparison is the root of suffering. Our society is built upon consumerism that sells to the weak parts of ourselves that are stuck within the comparative mind. Social media was built upon this very stigma, feeding the weak parts of ourselves in a drive to sell more. Goodness is a double-sided sword. Of course, I buy into it too. You gotta play the game to win…so here we are, “Galloping” again.

Kendra: Let’s talk more about your fiddle. What inspired this choice of instrument? Was it a band, album, or song? 

Phoebe Hunt: This instrument came into my hands at six years old and stayed there. I have my momma to thank for signing me up for lessons and my papa to thank for showing me what real practice looks like. 

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? 

Phoebe Hunt: Nina Simone, “You’ve Got To Learn” because we all must do our best to learn. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Nothing Else Matters’ out now, what else is on the horizon for you at the moment? 

Phoebe Hunt: At the moment I am doing my best to keep up with the album release as well as to release any expectations of what exactly this will mean for me. My mind tends to be goal-oriented and has an idea of what it wants… but my work is to release this without any expectations and let the music be my guide through the wild ride.

The post Carrying On with Phoebe Hunt  appeared first on ZO Magazine.

What do a John Hughes classic, Nashville, and connection have in common? Well, in regards to what follows below, Jill Andrews and her 2023 release, ‘Modern Age,’ which drops on all major music and streaming platforms on August 18th. We discussed all of the above and then some as we dove into the record that finds itself somewhere between the past and the present. All of that and more await below…

Kendra: It’s been a few years since your last release, which happened to drop in March 2020, a month and year that’ll live forever in the trauma center of our minds. Do you ever look back at not just your own release then but all creative endeavors from 2020-21 and think many didn’t get the love they deserved because of the chaos that was going on in the world?

Jill Andrews: Absolutely. It was such a tragedy for our world and all the microcosms within it. There were so many hopes and dreams dashed during that period of time. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. I guess I count myself lucky when I look around at all of the suffering that fell upon so many people. My record may have not gotten the attention I was hoping for but I am so grateful that I was healthy and safe with my family. 

Kendra: Now you’re back with ‘Modern Age,’ and this album – I cannot wait for it because the themes and overall vibe of it are things that I am very well-versed in and love; nostalgia and this constant then vs. now ideology. With that, if you had a time machine and could go back and make ‘Modern Age’ the soundtrack for one of your favorite Friday night Blockbuster rentals, which movie from back in the day do you think would match perfectly with your 2023 release?

Jill Andrews: ‘The Breakfast Club’ would have been a dream come true. I loved that movie so much growing up. As a refresher, there are five main characters from very different backgrounds. There is a “princess,” “a brain,” “an outsider, “a jock,” and a “troubled” kid. They all find themselves in detention on a Saturday morning. As the day goes on, they come to find that their similarities are deeper than their differences. This movie actually served as an inspiration for my song “Kids,” which deals with the difficulties of trying to fit in as a teenager. It focuses on how different backgrounds affect how we navigate difficult situations and sends some hope that things will get better.

Kendra: Sticking with the past, do you think you would’ve arranged the album any differently if this was an album dropping in 1996 on cassette?

Jill Andrews: I probably would’ve had longer intros to the songs. People really used to dive into 5 or 6-minute songs; no problem. It feels a little more important these days to get to the heart of songs quicker because skipping to the next song requires so little effort. Lucas Morton, the producer, and I intentionally pulled sounds from the ‘80s era, especially a lot of synths, because it felt appropriate and they are also just so dreamy. 

Kendra: You’re exploring a lot on this album, including romance on “Connection.” Do you think that social media has clouded our perceptions of dating and love as a whole?

Jill Andrews: For sure. I think social media has clouded our perceptions in so many ways. We have become so performative as a culture. Truly experiencing moments with our senses feels like such a rarity. We always have our cameras out, ready to record instead. We curate our lives perfectly for everyone to see in pictures instead of being authentic. With dating, much like music, the options are endless, and skipping to the next person is easy and it’s mostly image-driven. There is no accounting for how a person smells, the sound of their voice, or how much they might make you laugh. All that being said, I met my husband on Bumble and that would not have been possible a decade ago. So I am grateful. Sometimes it really works out. It helped that he is a very authentic person and he was looking for something authentic.

Kendra: Let’s try and offer up some help for those looking to connect, well, in Nashville. So where in your city would you recommend people go if they were looking to make meaningful connections?

Jill Andrews: I would probably recommend finding meetup groups that people are interested in. For instance, there is a running club in East Nashville called East Nasty. If you’re into running, this could be a great way to meet your next running partner! ”I have found that when I’m around people with similar interests, conversation flows more naturally. Groups like that are generally safe environments where you are in a group of people as opposed to a one-on-one situation with a stranger. And if all fails, and no meaningful connections happen, there is still a good chance you could learn a new skill that could bring you happiness. 

Kendra: Time for a side note – So August is a huge month for me, with so many loved ones’ birthdays being celebrated, so I’d love to know what song you’d dedicate to your loved ones, be it friends, family, or both…

Jill Andrews: “Boundless Love” is the last song on ‘Modern Age.’ This is my love song to the world for all of its endless beauty. One of my greatest hopes for my family is that they always feel loved and cared for. When I look at a perfectly designed flower with its insanely bright petals, it feels like a true gift. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Modern Age’ out on August 18th and dates both in the US and the UK already booked, what else can the people out there expect from you as 2023 rolls along?

Jill Andrews: I’m so excited about going back to the U.K. I’ll be playing The Long Road Festival in England alongside other amazing artists like Margo Price, Nickel Creek, Sierra Ferrell, and Aoife O’Donovan in August. I’ll also be heading back there for a full tour through Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales in late September. I’ll also be hitting most of the U.S. during 2023 and 2024. I’ll be playing with a full band for most of it and I’m really looking forward to putting on some really great shows. Beyond that, I’m always writing new songs and playing monthly live streams for my active Patreon community.

The post Finding Connection with Jill Andrews appeared first on ZO Magazine.

The Wans have not been on a hiatus or the subject of a Missing Person poster. They’ve simply been living like the common bear during the winter in hibernation, but that period is over and done as they’re ready to take on the world again with their 2023 release, ‘Magical Touch,’ out everywhere on July 26th. We talked about where they’ve been, where they plan to go, and of course, the music that’s coming your way in this back-and-forth exchange. 

Kendra: Alright Simon, you noted that The Wans weren’t MIA, y’all were simply in “hibernation.” Did everything musical come to a halt during this hibernation period for you? 

The Wans: We had started writing a little bit before the pandemic then it came to a grinding halt. The songs started coming back to me around the middle of 2020 and by the time we were back together in a room in 2021, we had this batch of songs to choose from. These are definitely some of the strongest songs I’ve been a part of.

Kendra: Was there a specific moment you can pinpoint when you officially knew it was time to write and record a new record?

The Wans: After my solo record ‘Doldrums’ in 2018 I took a bit of a breather from music then I realized how much I needed music in my life to stay sane. That was around 2019. There was talk of releasing some singles or an EP, but I was dead set on releasing a full LP. I think this LP was worth the wait as I feel the excitement of our first record on this. The recording process happened so quickly (seven days), but it was a few years of building up to the recording process. There were a lot of songs that didn’t make it on the record that may see the light of day at some point. I’m surprised I stayed as patient as I did.

Kendra: Which, the new record, ‘Magical Touch,’ drops on the 11th anniversary of your debut self-titled EP. Now the gift for 11 years is steel. Would you say that’s the perfect thing to represent 11 years since ‘The Wans’, or would you go with another element? 

The Wans: Well, 11 happens to be my lucky number. I tend to see it everywhere and it just so happened that it was the 11-year anniversary of the first EP. 

The reason I love that it correlates with the first EP is that there was so much excitement with the first record and I felt that same excitement with this one. They say you have your whole life to write your first record and a year to record your second record. With this LP we had enough time to pick apart the songs and make sure they were right for this “comeback” record.

Kendra: The album features 11 new songs, including “Otherside,” a great song centering around love. For you though, what are the first sort of signs that someone special has made you see the other side clearly?

The Wans: I think finding someone who calls you out for your “bullshit” and someone that you’re in awe of is definitely a sign. Also, someone who makes you want to grow up. 

Kendra: So I am reading an interesting book right now that breaks down the ‘90s and just got to the part about Nirvana and the state of rock music at that time. It’s obviously been a long time since then, and we’ve had everything from nu-metal to emo rise and fall since then. All of that said, what do you think of the current state of rock music? 

The Wans: There are some amazing rock bands out there, but they’re just not getting the airplay that they used to. I mean, there’s King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Idles, QOSTA, Fontaines D.C. I could go on and on. The music scene moves in cycles. It’ll come back. It always does.

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? 

The Wans: Oh man. That’s a tough question. I’d say for a summer anthem I’d choose King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s song, “Kempler-22b.” I have no idea what the song is about, but it makes me feel good. The production is fantastic! 

Also, Blur just released a new song called “The Narcissist” that I LOVE. It’s not necessarily a summer anthem, but it makes me feel nostalgic as they were one of my favorite bands as a kid. I love that they’re still pushing the envelope. Hopefully, we’ll see an Oasis reunion soon too with Blur reforming and all.

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Magical Touch’ out on July 26th, what else is on the horizon for you at the moment? 

The Wans: We’ve got the release show on the horizon at the Basement East on July 30th here in Nashville that I’m really excited for. We’re also working on getting some tours together. I’ve been going with the flow recently (similar to the Dude from ‘Big Lebowski’) and just seeing what happens. The hard work of writing/recording is complete in my eyes. We’ll see what happens.

The post The Wans Emerge from Hibernation with the Magical Touch  appeared first on ZO Magazine.

There are always a multitude of directions conversations can take and when we linked up with Lincoln Mick from The Arcadian Wild, it led us towards the expected like the band’s new album, ‘Welcome,’ out on July 21st, but we also took a left turn and discussed whether or not AI was something musicians were starting to worry about. So music, AI, and more with The Arcadian Wild await in this back-and-forth exchange. 

Kendra: Let’s talk about the video for “Lara” first because as a band that got their start playing house shows, this sort of felt like an homage to the past. For artists that skip that part of touring, did you learn any life lessons about the road playing those shows back in the early days?

Lincoln Mick: Those first few years really shaped our perspective on the nature and the purpose of our work together. There was a lot of mutual trust thrown around between us and the fine folks who invited us to play in their living rooms or backyard and then fed and housed us. 

We had to get good at graciously and gratefully receiving hospitality, and then turn around and somehow become hosts in someone else’s home. It was a really interesting and deeply meaningful practice, and we attempt to come with a similar posture to all the club and theater shows we play in this era. We’re still playing host in someone else’s house, and we have an opportunity to make each person in the audience feel welcome and like they belong. Hopefully, we’ve set a good table, and everyone walks away at the end of the night with something nourishing and sustaining.

Kendra: As for the song, I want to get into the inspiration of it in a second but first – it’s been noted that the person who started writing this in 2019 came out the other end a year or so later changed. How do you think “Lara” would’ve wound up without the trauma from, well, 2020?

Lincoln: Isaac wrote that one, so speaking not as the primary writer on this one, but rather one of the humble collaborators, I think the lyric of “Lara” had mostly been finished pre-COVID, with maybe a little bit of team tinkering before everything shut down. I think good music has this lovely quality of acquiring richer meaning over time, and that has definitely happened with that tune. Isaac wrote a great song, and it’s richer when experienced through the lens of the last couple of years.

Kendra: What about your July 2023 release, ‘Welcome?’ What direction do you imagine it would’ve taken if we’d never been tossed into a collective whirlwind?

Lincoln: Again, I don’t know that Welcome would have necessarily been made manifest without the COVID experience. I think the songs are kind of buzzing with this renewed sense of gratitude for the practice of gathering. I’ve heard that for some writers, the time in isolation was creatively prolific, but that simply was not my experience. Once I sort of saw the little rays of hope shining through in the spring of ‘21, I was finally able to start making music again. The whole time we were writing and arranging these songs, we got so much energy from collectively asking ourselves, “Can you imagine what it will be like to finally be in a room with people again and share this music together?!” 

Kendra: Back to “Lara,” because this made me cry. You all started working on this after a friend mentioned her daughter was going through some stuff, so it’s so beautiful that you gave her this song – but when you were her age, what song or artist did you always turn to when you needed a boost?

Lincoln: The music we make is so incredibly different from what I was listening to during those years. I was super into alt-rock and pop-punk. Relient K was (and, honestly, probably still is) my favorite band. At 31, that music still makes me feel sixteen, in the most triumphant and exuberant way.

Kendra: Ahead of “Lara” you dropped “Dopamine,” which is such a fun song to listen to as you all layer your vocals throughout. What I also loved was this, like, “Expectation of the age of information” because with AI continuing to be pushed in our faces, it’s hard not to think about how far science and tech have come since even the ‘90s. I know the movie and TV industry is battling AI right now, but is this a conversation musicians are having as well in regards to AI taking their place? 

Lincoln: Hopefully we’re still a ways off from really coming under fire from the robots trying to make music, but I think it’s important to participate in and listen to the conversation long before it becomes a problem in our little corner. We’ve definitely started fooling with tools that we don’t fully know how to wield yet, and I feel for visual artists, authors, and other creative professionals who suffer in these uncharted waters. 

Kendra: AI can’t tour though, at least I hope it never can because I love live music and y’all have a lot of that coming up with over 30 dates on the books. When you aren’t playing or driving, do you get a chance to explore the cities you’re in?

Lincoln: That is a win on the human side of things for sure. Yeah, usually our tour schedule is pretty tight, but sometimes we’ll get a day off in a cool place, or a coveted short drive between gigs. We’ve got some rock climbers, gym bros (the friendly, sweet kind), and runners in this crew, and we try to fit in little outings so everyone has some kind of opportunity to scratch those itches and take care of themselves. In certain regions and cities, we run into friends or family, and we try to carve out time for our people to catch up with their people if it’s possible. Life lived on the road is expensive physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and it’s important for everyone to get these little individual or collective wins along the way.

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? 

Lincoln: I mentioned RK, so I’m going to advocate for “Bummin’” off their record Air For Free. It’s a fun tune, and as a Nashville resident, I like the “Wedgewood and 8th” reference.

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Welcome’ out on July 21st, what else is on the horizon for you at the moment?

Lincoln: Just LOTS of time on the road, which we mostly look forward to. We’ve been sitting on this record for about a year, just aching to finally be able to share the music in real life with real people in real rooms with real oxygen. It’s tough being away from home so much, but more often than not, one of the gifts our audience offers us is a sense of place and belonging. We step on stage wanting to make sure everyone else feels welcome and seen, but we typically walk away feeling pretty warm and fuzzy, too.

The post Welcome, The Arcadian Wild appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Whether it’s a song about his time in New York City or creating sounds in his own space in Nashville, Robin Eaton has always made sure to be satisfied with the result, and with his May 2023 release, ‘Memories of Misspent Youth,’ he is! We talked about the new album that’s out now, the significance of a certain long-haired neighbor, and more like building his own studio in a city constructed of music. All of that and then some with the one and only, Robin Eaton. 

Kendra: You’ve made quite the name for yourself as an established songwriter and composer. What pushed you towards wanting to get back out there as a performer with ‘Memories of Misspent Youth?’

Robin Eaton: I have always loved performing, and with my production work I’ve become friends with an awesome cast of musicians. I usually do a few gigs a year in Nashville with fab players. I hope to do shows with a full band this time around but also want to do solo…or duo. It is a bit scary, but I gotta do it

Kendra: Before you recorded the album you packed up, moved to Nashville, and built a whole studio where the album was then made. What would you say a city like Nashville inspires when it comes to being a performer, and also as a songwriter?

Robin Eaton: When I moved to Nashville I had just lost a record deal with Ze/Island Records, thought I was done, and got a job landscaping. I would jam at night at my girlfriend’s house, upstairs in a creaky attic.

One evening there was a knock at the door. It was the long-haired neighbor kid. He said, “Hey, ya know, I’ve been hearing you every night and I like what yer doing so much more than what my band is doing, can I play with you?” So we started a band, King Bub, and for a minute we were a band du jour in town, the Scene made us band of the year.

I met Brad Jones who would play with us and we made King Bub’s record together and he said, “That was so much fun, why don’t we start a studio!” So we did. That was back in the ‘90s and we are still doing it!!! 

I met Jill Sobule in the mid-90s at an Edgar Meyer bass concert and we started a writing relationship that is still going strong. I had a daughter, Alex Eaton, and I am now collaborating with her doing scores for her films. So, Nashville is just that sort of place where things happen. There is creativity in the air.

Kendra: Having your own studio comes with the obvious perks, but what’s been the biggest payoff in this investment in regards to your creativity?

Robin Eaton: Having space to create and help others create is enormously satisfying. We have always offered skill in songwriting, and production plus a great selection of instruments and gear, a total investment in our projects, and a chill vibe… so satisfying. Also, having interns and watching them go out and get Grammys and such. The studio biz is not a very financially sound way to make money, but I love it and regret nothing. 

Kendra: Did you pen “Wishing Well” while in Nashville? Just has that Americana, southern feel to it.

Robin Eaton: I don’t think it has an Americana Southern feel at all, haha but maybe I’ve been in Nashville long enough that I don’t even hear my own Southern accent! It was a song that fell out based on the wacky riff and the lyrics just happened while I was pondering old loves and such…

Kendra: Then there’s “Tell Me Your Dreams” which to me, is such a beautiful love song. From a songwriting perspective, what do you think is the best love song ever written by someone else?

Robin Eaton: “Wichita Lineman” is pretty great, “And I need you more than want you/And I want you for all time,” Jimmy Webb really nailed it. And what a melody!!

“Tell Me Your Dream” harkens back to New York City days…I wrote it in a barn in North Carolina. 

Kendra: So far we’ve gotten to hear three singles off ‘Memories of Misspent Youth,’ and they’ve proven you’re a variety pack – especially with “Drugs R 4 Kids.” This one was cinematic for me. I could see the main character in a movie standing atop a bar singing this near closing time to a few people. So if this song were picked up for a movie, what actor do you think would do it justice in a performance?

Robin Eaton: It would be great to hear Bing Crosby do it… or maybe Wallace Beery or perhaps Scarlett Johansen or Marlene Dietrich. Wow, what a great question!

Kendra: Now it’s time for a side note – with it being May, I always think of the end of the school year and all those memories of field trips, parties, and yearbooks. With that, I’d love to know what your fondest end-of-the-school-year memory was?

Robin Eaton: I went to an Episcopal boys’ school. At my graduation in the chapel my brother, Andy, brought a popper, and after we sang “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” He surprised me, popped it, and said, “Breathe this in bro,” and that was a kind of religious epiphany for the rest of my life. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Memories of Misspent Youth’ out on May 1st, what else can fans expect as we continue towards summer?

Robin Eaton: I love all the songs on the record, I realize I am an odd man out but hope you will let me in. Hey…that’s a decent lyric…I’m gonna use that. 

The post Wishing Robin Eaton Well  appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: When was the seed of pursuing music sort of planted in your head? 

Emilee Rose: I always loved performing and singing as I was growing up. I remember performing karaoke covers for my family in the living room when I was as young as five! I also did a lot of musical theater and classical training up and through middle and high school. I always knew deep down I wanted to do music as a career, but for a while, I didn’t think it would actually be possible, I thought it was just a big dream of mine. 

Music has always been my everything, so the idea of doing anything else beside it didn’t seem fulfilling. When I was 15, I started writing my own music and creating songs and it was so natural and freeing. My career opportunities just naturally started falling into my lap, everything happened so effortlessly. It felt meant to be. 

Kendra: Because you dropped a single back in 2020 that does lean more toward the pop/dance realm than country before your debut country single in 2022 came to light. What happened in those two years that made you want to reassess your musical path? 

Emilee Rose: I went through some major career losses that kind of put my creativity and career progress on a standstill. I had lost a lot of money and worked with lots of untrustworthy people. I felt like I was constantly running into a wall and I lost my passion for what I had going on at the time. I have always loved writing lots of genres, anything from R&B to Pop to Rock. 

I originally grew up listening to country music, which is what I would karaoke to in my living room. At the time in 2022 when I was at a standstill musically, I started writing country music with a close friend with intentions of selling it to other artists. We both were connecting to our old roots of growing up and were creating these incredible country anthems in only 30 minutes to an hour a session. 

I felt a creative spark I hadn’t felt in over a year and I actually felt excited again, it felt so natural singing the country songs as well. I originally did the demos for them and as we showed people the songs I was constantly asked why I wasn’t releasing them myself. After a while, I thought about how I really have nothing to lose. This could be my chance to start over and create a new path for myself that was exciting and inspiring for me, so that’s what I did. I am so happy I made that shift. 

Kendra: Now let’s talk about your latest single, “Small Town Dream.” Being from a very tiny spot rarely acknowledged on most maps, I always appreciate songs like this no matter the genre because they always make me feel seen. You know? With that, what do you believe are three elements one must possess in order to leave their small town in pursuit of bigger things? 

Emilee Rose: This is a great question! I didn’t grow up in a small town, but I did move around quite a lot as a child because of my parents’ work and it forced me to repeatedly step out of my comfort zone and find my way through so many different environments. 

I would say one must definitely have a sense of confidence. Confidence is key in any setting! When you believe in yourself you automatically radiate an energy that other people can read and respect, which leads to so many opportunities. I’d say you also have to have a sense of adventure; a curiosity for the unknown. It’s so easy to stay in our comfort zone, the places where we feel familiar and safe. But that causes us to be held back sometimes and not give ourselves the opportunity to see what we can really make for ourselves. You gotta be open to taking those risks and creating your own destiny! 

Lastly, I would say originality, owning who you are and what makes you stand out. You gotta be able to be a leader in your own way, using the qualities that make you unique and special as tools for success. 

Kendra: This song has a great line, “Face like Dolly, attitude like Reba.” Dolly is without a doubt one of the most beloved celebrities across the board, but it’s not every day we’re hearing about Reba – unless it’s memes about her hit TV series. What about Reba McEntire’s career has influenced how you approach your own? 

Emilee Rose: Reba is one of the most influential and bada** women of country music! She quite literally paved the way for her own career and other women in country music to this day. She has done everything from music to acting, to even being on Broadway. A true example of a woman doing it all, and being the best at everything she does, which is exactly what I want to do with my own career. She has never taken no as an answer and if someone does tell her no she still finds a way around it to succeed. I feel like I relate to that after a lot of the trials and tribulations I have gone through in my own career, I still never back down. Reba is a true example of confidence, hard work, independence, and empowerment. 

Kendra: This song also mentions lime and tequila and you have another song, “Burns Like Whiskey.” So I gotta ask, if your sound, your musical aesthetic were to be made into an adult beverage, what would the ingredients be and why? 

Emilee Rose: I love this question! I would have to say a Paloma. It’s light and refreshing with the grapefruit and lime but is a classic that packs a punch and a good time with the tequila. A perfect balance you might say, just like my music. 

Kendra: Time for a side note – So Easter is my favorite holiday. Don’t ask me what the holiday is actually about because it’s only my favorite. After all, I love Spring and the candy is top-notch. With that, if you were to receive an Easter basket, what sweet treat and album on vinyl would you hope was in said basket? 

Emilee Rose: Snickers, Twix, and Jolly Ranchers are musts in the candy category! I would love to see ‘Golden Hour’ by Kacey Musgraves or the ‘On The Rocks’ by Midland on vinyl! 

Kendra: Lastly, with “Small Town Dream” out now, what else can people expect as we continue into Spring and soon into Summer? 

Emilee Rose: Lots of new music! I hope to release a lot this year since 2022 was my start-up of country music. I’ll be releasing everything from disco country to traditional country. It’s gonna be a blast and I am super excited for the world to hear what I’ve been working on.

The post Small Town Dreams & Big Time Goals with Emilee Rose appeared first on ZO Magazine.

The beautiful thing about music in the 21st century is that we’ve gotten around to broadening what it means to be in this genre or that. Emo is no longer white men with swooped bangs, nor is Country just a cascade of men who look like Luke Bryan. For years women like Dolly Parton, Shania, and now Kacey Musgraves have given women a stance in the genre – but in recent years we’ve seen the genre slowly inch towards even more inclusion with the LGBTQ artists like Ty Herndon, and artists of color like Darius Rucker, Ashleigh Brae, and Brei Carter. 

Carter went as far as to highlight as much with her debut album, ‘Brand New Country.’ She explained to us what that meant, as well as got into her 2023 releases; a cover of “For The Good Times” out on April 14th, and her new original single, “Straight Up Country Crazy” slated for June. All of that and more awaits…

Kendra: You’re a highly educated veteran who could’ve gone down a very different path with your business degrees, so what made you pack a bag and move to Nashville to pursue music?

Brei Carter: That’s a great question, but it seems like I’ve lived so many lives with this one life. I think I just did some soul-searching and evaluated my life and realized that my passion has always been music. We can do anything we want in life, but our days are numbered whether we like it or not, so I figured I better follow the path that God was leading me on to find the fulfillment I always wanted.

Kendra: Music seems to come naturally to you though. On your debut album, ‘Brand New Country,’ you have writing credits on a majority of the record. You know, I think that many can sing but it’s a whole other level to be able to write what you sing. So when did you realize you had a knack for songwriting?

Brei Carter: I’ve always been a writer. I believe God gave me that gift also. I used to write songs, poems, and short stories about God and life. Writing really relaxes me, also.

Kendra: ‘Brand New Country’ can mean so much to so many. For you, what were you trying to say and establish about yourself with that debut LP?  

Brei Carter: ‘Brand New Country’ was meant to let people know that if they’d open up their eyes, ears, and hearts, they’d realize that country means so much to so many people and it looks different for many of us. Just my perspective about growing up and life now.

Kendra: We talked about your songwriting but I think to be a writer of any kind, you have to have an appreciation for the art form as a whole and you do. You’re able to recognize others’ work as grand, and in April are releasing a cover of a song you fully appreciate, “For The Good Times.” Do you remember the first time you heard that song and how it made you feel at that moment?

Brei Carter: I used to hear it all the time as a child, but when I first heard the song it was Al Green’s version. I later heard it by country singer Ray Price. It’s a heartfelt song that makes you take a step and realize that unfortunately life doesn’t always last or go the way you want it to. Makes me realize that I shouldn’t take anyone or anything for granted.

Kendra: That April single is more on the softer side. Then not too long after you have plans to crank up the volume with “Straight Up Country Crazy.” Are you someone that likes to have that level of balance in what you put out into the world?

Brei Carter: Honestly I really love those feel-good types of songs. The ones that make you happy and excited and like there aren’t any cares in the world. The reality is that I have to learn the balance of vulnerability and going to places and feelings that I’d like to forget, but it shows that I’m human too.

Kendra: Time for a side note – So Easter is my favorite holiday. Don’t ask me what the holiday is actually about because it’s only my favorite. After all, I love Spring and the candy is top-notch. With that, if you were to receive an Easter basket, what sweet treat and album on vinyl would you hope was in said basket?

Brei Carter: Haha, I love Easter also. I’d probably love some SweeTarts, something tart and tangy, some coconut marshmallow Easter bunnies, and whoever gave me the basket I’d honestly like it to be their favorite vinyl because it would be even more special because it was something meaningful to them. I’d appreciate that more. I think the connection would be that much greater and I could possibly learn something that I didn’t know or hear something new or old that I’d live just as much.

Kendra: Lastly, with “For The Good Times” out on April 14th, and “Straight Up Country Crazy” due out in June, what else can people expect as we continue into Spring and soon into Summer?

Brei Carter: Wow, time flies I just say. April seems to be here. I’d say another album, or EP is definitely coming out. I’m in the studio now working on new music, new music videos, and hopefully a lot more performances. 

The post Straight Up with Brei Carter appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: When you dropped your first record ‘Disguised As Fate’ in 2008, we were months away from one of the most historic elections in history, and since then…well, it’s been quite historical but in very different ways. It’s hard to say that in that time you haven’t been impacted by the world around you and just life in general. With that, do you think the person you were in 2008 (mentally, artistically, void of all the craziness that’s happened since 2008) could have made ‘Real & Fantasy’ or has all that’s gone on since 2008 impacted you in a way that’s impacted how you approached this record as an artist?

Ariel Bui: All that’s gone on between the release of my first record, ‘Disguised As Fate’ in 2008, and my new record, ‘Real & Fantasy’ in 2022, has certainly impacted me and how I’ve approached this record. As a person, I have learned and grown so much. ‘Real & Fantasy’ encapsulates that growth. It showcases a journey from my youth to my adulthood, learning to accept the person I was becoming and have become. I interweave themes of that same person I was then into a place of healing and liberation that is simultaneously hampered by the realities and restraints of adulthood, human relationships, and the world at large. As an artist, I have learned and grown so much. I have gained so much more experience in recording and performing. I have learned what I prefer the process to be like in the studio and how to advocate for myself as a female artist. 

With ‘Disguised As Fate,’ I was learning how to record music for the first time. Some of the recordings were done in a professional studio, but many of the recordings were done in very lo-fi home recording settings, which would be the case for not only my first record but the next two– ‘To Haiti, With Love’ (2011) and ‘Niche EP’ (2013) – which can only be found on Bandcamp currently. 

Between 2008 and 2022 a whole lot certainly has happened! 20 years have passed since I wrote many of the songs on my first record. In 2009, I graduated from college with a music degree during an economic crisis and decided not to go to grad school, gaining more student loan debt without the guarantee of a job. I instead pursued a path toward sustainability and off-grid building to address climate justice. That was until the calling towards music landed me in Nashville where friend Dylan Ethier, who helped record ‘Disguised As Fate,’ recorded my third record, ‘Niche EP.’ It wasn’t until recording ‘Niche EP’ that I discovered live, analog recording was my most authentic style of recording, which was how my 2016 self-titled release and my fifth and latest release ‘Real & Fantasy’ were recorded–analog at The Bomb Shelter. 

Since the Obama election you referred to, we traversed to a more dystopian world of the Trump era, the rise of white supremacist groups amidst the Black Lives Matter movement, #MeToo era, a pandemic, countless natural disasters, and the rise of Asian hate. Now, we have faced the overturning of Roe v Wade, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, book bans and criminalization of teachers, attacks on voter rights, and more. It is impossible to separate all of that from my life as a person and as an artist. I have subtly spun such themes in and out of my songs. 

All of this makes me think of a song, “How It Should Be,” that was on both my first record, ‘Disguised As Fate’, and my last, Self-Titled, record. The song is singing from my past self to my future self, acknowledging that they are the same person, yet different people, simultaneously. The two different versions of the song, the home recordings where I was sick and under-resourced, and the professionally-produced versions, give a nod to the fact that I’m the same person, yet, I am also a new person—forever interconnected but always growing, changing and evolving. 

Kendra: So the video for “Real & Fantasy” features you and an array of wonderful musicians doing what y’all do best in a studio. I know for “Sixteen” you went out and shot at the beach. What made you want to go back to basics for this video?

Ariel Bui: We filmed the video for “Real & Fantasy” during the recording of the album at The Bomb Shelter back in 2021, over a year before we shot the video for the single, “Sixteen.” I wanted to capture the magic of the studio and make the most of the occasion by capturing us all together. It was nerve-racking to be on camera the very first day of recording and getting settled in with all the musicians, but it was also really fun. 

Recording an album is a special time and I’m glad we’ll have this video to remember that special time by. At the time, we didn’t know which songs would be the singles, because we hadn’t even recorded them yet! So we filmed this one, anticipating it might become a single–it turned out to be the title track of the album. After Michael Mallicote shot this video & we had recorded the whole album, I had cinematic ideas for other music videos in my head, and “Sixteen” emerged as a single among early listeners. So, we eventually headed to the beach to do something a little different for the “Sixteen” video, where the story of the song was actually set.

Kendra: Speaking of “Sixteen,” from the ‘70s vibes to the lyrics – I was hooked in an instant. I particularly liked the hook, “I may be just a little girl/ I have something to say.” I can recall how aware I was at 16, even 12, and how it often felt as if I was more responsible than the adults around me. Because of that, I don’t like to disregard those younger than me. Especially knowing that just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’re wiser. With that, why do you think society has it in them that kids should be seen and not heard?

Ariel Bui: I think it’s easy to develop the perception that with life experience comes wisdom. Yet, as we grow older, we often get more jaded and weighed down by the world. I think that youth are at a really special time in their lives, where they are truly beginning to see and experience the world around them in a profound way, with fresh yet keen perspectives, with a more current knowledge of the changing world around them, and with deeper understanding, passion, and feeling than adults would often like to admit.

The world is full of “isms” that attempt to minimize the voices and experiences of “others”– age-ism is one, amongst sexism, racism, ableism, and so forth. Perhaps society views young people as incapable children, rather than fully developed human beings with legitimate viewpoints, unjaded wisdom, and strong leadership potential. I’m not quite sure why society generally believes youth should be seen and not heard, while at the same time putting the responsibility on them to be the future, to be the ones to make the world a better place, and to fix the mistakes of the older generations, all at the same time.

I believe that is why I love working with youth, because I love seeing the complete human in each person, no matter what stage they are at in their lives. I feel inspired by them and reinvigorated by them. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have become a jaded adult who jokes about younger generations not knowing what it was like before the internet and cell phones, but once again, those are superficial things compared to the humanness and wisdom of youth. I remember the profundity of my own younger years, and my desire to be heard and respected for my own wisdom, so I try to respect that in the youth in my life.

Kendra: This is likely something you run into being that you’re an educator, teaching young people the beauty of music. Has there ever been an instance where you’ve been inspired to go home and just create after a lesson?

Ariel Bui: I teach music to students of all ages at the music school I run called Melodia Studio, and feel just as inspired teaching young students the joy of music as I do encouraging adults as well. I have been feeling especially inspired lately by my long-term students who have been with me for nearly a decade. They are now studying Bach and Mozart or learning to sing their favorite pop and rock songs while accompanying themselves on piano. 

Not only is it miraculous to see that we all start as beginners and can progress so much, but I have found myself enjoying practicing the Bach Preludes and Fugues that I am teaching my students. It is helping me remember how meditative and enjoyable it is to challenge oneself to learn and play new things, just for fun. It brings me back to why I love playing piano–an instrument that I do not often write or perform on, but that I simply love to play for enjoyment and as a meditative practice.

And yes, there were also many times that I would come home from organizing and teaching at Southern Girls Rock’n’Roll Camp and Youth Empowerment Through the Arts & Humanities where I felt so inspired to go home and create– to stray from the solo-guitarist-singer-songwriter life and be in a rock band, to play a new instrument like the drums or the bass in addition to already playing guitar. My song “Sixteen” draws not only from my own experiences as a teenage girl and musician but also draws inspiration from the girls, boys, and youth I witnessed so bravely learning new instruments, collaborating, and rocking out.

As a self-taught and then classically trained musician, I feel this pressure to be perfect. But I feel inspired by the youth that I teach that it is not about being virtuosically skilled or perfect, but that it is about putting yourself out there and having fun. I know the youth are inspired by their educators, but we teaching artists are equally inspired by them.

Kendra: On top of educating and making music, you’re also an activist and focused on making the world a better place. I recently interviewed a UK singer-songwriter by the name of DiElle on my show, Crushgasm, and she noted she was jumping into the digital music space more so for the fact that it gets rid of plastic regarding physical music. What other ways can musicians help out the earth, because we all know she needs it?

Ariel Bui: I want to start by saying that I do believe governments and corporations should be held accountable for environmental stewardship and policies because they create the structures in which we all rely on. We place such a great deal of personal responsibility on individuals for saving the planet, and though I am 100% a believer in personal responsibility and direct action toward making the world a better place, I do believe things like regulating the creation and use of single-use plastics, regulating emissions, or providing policies that allow for sustainable housing and transportation, for example, are needed on a grander scale.

Currently, I am pursuing my long-time goal of building a self-sustainable, off-grid, Earthship-inspired, small studio in Taos, New Mexico. My goal is to have a space where I can retreat to from the city and remember what it’s like to be non-reliant on the grid, to feel inspired by nature and connect more deeply to my creative soul, to inspire and educate others about off-grid living, and if the climate crisis really hits the fan, a space where I can live without having to rely on the grid. 

I truly wish governments and policies would make it easier for more of us to live and work in sustainable buildings such as these, without having to go renegade and do it in wildly rural places where building codes are less inhibitive. My Earthship-inspired studio will passively heat and cool itself using physics (rather than electricity), will be built largely with recycled and natural materials, catch and filter rainwater, reuse and recycle that water for multiple uses, treat its own sewage (rather than have the sewage overflow into natural water sources), grow food, and rely on solar and wind power. Not to mention, its rounded walls built from tires and dirt, will be very sound-proofed, with great acoustics.

There are so many different ways that musicians and others can try to be more environmentally conscious, but I really wish we could all live and work in buildings that are just so much more self-sufficient, less reliant on fossil fuels and grid power.

Kendra: Time for a side note: With Thanksgiving being right around the corner I’d love to know what artist’s discography are you most thankful for?

Ariel Bui: There are so many artists that I am grateful for, but I would have to say, if I could only pick one, Fiona Apple is an artist whose discography I am extremely thankful for. When her first record, ‘Tidal,’ came out, I was in elementary school. Her single, “Criminal,” was an MTV sensation and very influential. It remains, to this day, my karaoke go-to.

Yet, it was her sophomore album, ‘When the Pawn…,’ which came out when I was in 7th grade, that was particularly impactful on me. Her erratic live performance on late-night TV of “Fast As You Can” had me hooked. I asked for the CD for Christmas and would listen obsessively to it, listening to all the layers in the lyrics and production, singing along, and recording myself to analyze how to become a better singer. Her honest anguish, beautiful attention to detail, and her openness about her trauma journey spoke to my own childhood trauma experience. In a time before the #MeToo era, she helped me feel less alone, and truly artistically inspired. 

I am inspired by her slow and steady approach to making records, valuing quality over quantity. I have become accustomed to the years of anticipation between her records, particularly when the original Jon Brion productions of ‘Extraordinary Machine’ were shelved (but leaked and fan-girl-style-pirated by me for the brief moments they would pop up on the internet) before the reproduction of it was released.

Infinite gratitude to her yet again for releasing ‘Fetch the Bolt Cutters’ at the onset and height of the pandemic and lockdown. It was the perfect timing and hit in just the right way. She recorded it at home, and we were all home, needing to get through the hard times. ‘Fetch the Bolt Cutters’ (mixed with Tiger King) really got me through the beginning of the pandemic.

I am also grateful to her for being vocal about acknowledging the Indigenous Lands that we live on. As you refer to Thanksgiving coming up, I want to express gratitude to the original stewards of the land we live on and want to acknowledge the indigenous communities that are still fighting for climate justice, social and racial justice, or just fighting for basic survival and sovereignty today.

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Real & Fantasy’ out now, what’s on the horizon as we head closer to 2023?

Ariel Bui: That is a great question. The major debate now is whether to submit to festivals and book tours for 2023, covid, and inflation-willing. If anyone reading out there is open to help with booking and touring, please reach out, because I could certainly use the support. 

The other consideration is whether to try and finish the next steps of my self-sustainable, off-grid studio build and host a hands-on sustainable building workshop. And of course, to keep growing my music school, Melodia Studio. Or all of the above?

Any updates will be on my website, so stay tuned.

The post Creating a Sustainable Reality with Ariel Bui  appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Nostalgic would probably be in the top five words people would use to describe me based on how much I can rattle on about the joys of my childhood and no-so-joys of the teen angst that followed. So when I caught wind of ‘Glory Daze’ by Rachel McIntyre, I knew I was going to be a fan. Country through and through, but as we discussed – country that leans towards being less polarizing than what you’d hear from the likes of Luke Bryan. We also talked about her grandaddy’s trips to Cracker Barrel, the lyrical ways of rose-colored glasses, and of course, ‘Glory Daze,’ which will be available on all major music and streaming sites on September 30th.

Kendra: It’s clear that your life was going to fall into a creative space because as a kid you seemed very determined from piano lessons to writing scholarships, but then you also learned new skills musicians seemed to have and that’s the art of content creation. Do you think that added layer of creating and maintaining social media accounts can sometimes be daunting for those who just want to write and perform, or is this just the new norm for artists coming out today that they don’t even think twice about having to make a TikTok?

Rachel McIntyre: I think it’s both. For better or for worse, I think that it can be both daunting and expected for artists to churn out content. Independent artists have to wear so many hats: booker, manager, band leader, songwriter, etc. Now we have to be content creators on top of that. For some, it’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Thankfully, I studied social media marketing, videography, and photography in college so I really enjoy creating content. 

My music has been able to connect with a lot of people through social media. I love it because I feel like it takes out the middleman. Twenty years ago, an independent artist would’ve had to pay a HUGE amount of money to launch a marketing campaign to get 400,000 impressions on their new single. I was able to get the same amount of impressions for free using TikTok. I can deliver my music straight to my audience. 

Kendra: Speaking of, you had a viral moment with the title track of your September release, “Glory Daze,” which has a line that I instantly jotted down because I loved it so, “Do I miss being young or the ignorance?” Being in a state of constant worry seems almost as normal to me as perhaps making content seems to an artist because of the constant news cycle of doom. I often think, was the world this bad when I was a kid and I was just distracted by MTV…or is it just really bad now? When do you think we start to lose those rose-colored glasses in life?

Rachel McIntyre: First of all, I’m so happy you related to that lyric. Seeing people connect with those really vulnerable lines makes me feel a lot less alone. Back to your question, I think we start to lose our rose-colored glasses when we go through something that really doesn’t go how we think it should’ve gone. I’m not sure anyone who has been cognizant the past few years still has rose-colored glasses. 

Kendra: ‘Glory Daze’ as a whole covers a handful of themes but as someone who is very much a nostalgic person, that’s what I’m drawn to most on the record. For you, is there an album or a song that will almost always take you back to what’s likely the most comforting chapter in your childhood?

Rachel McIntyre: A song that always takes me back is “Let Me In” by The Sensations featuring Yvonne Baker. After my grandmama died when I was six, my grandaddy spent a lot of time at our house. He made us breakfast in the morning before school. He took care of us when we got sick. He drove me to Cracker Barrel after school. He built an adorable yellow playhouse for my sister and me. 

Grandaddy really loved to teach us about his life growing up by playing old TV shows, classic movies, and retro music. He had this CD with hits from the 1950s/1960s and our favorite was “Let Me In.” We’d play it almost every time we were in his car. It instantly makes me think of eating Hershey’s nuggets in the backseat of my grandaddy’s Cadillac. 

Kendra: Going back to the lyrics, what I loved most is that this album reminds me of The Chicks and Kacey Musgraves in that it’s country but it’s not the typical country that’d come to people’s minds. It’s got that small town, Americana charm but I feel is more universal in that you touch on themes that even I, an elder emo from a tiny dot on the map, can appreciate. Which, if you had to compare ‘Glory Daze’ to an aspect of a small town, which would you say it’s like and why?

Rachel McIntyre: That’s a really interesting question. I think ‘Glory Daze’ is like a lot of aspects of small-town life. You know how in small towns nothing ever really changes? The grocery store is the same. The school is the same. It kind of seems frozen in time. In that way, it’s really comforting. It makes you feel forever young somehow. 

But then, one day something changes in town (a new store opens up, an old building is torn down, a road is updated), and it sends everyone into a frenzy? It causes you to panic because suddenly you remember something in town that doesn’t exist anymore. If you refer to it, young kids and newcomers won’t understand. All of the sudden, your age catches up to you. That’s what ‘Glory Daze’ is like. It’s about the day I woke up and realized that I was 25, not 17. 

Kendra: Now you started working on this record back in the fall of 2020. A lot can and did happen in the past two years. Were there any songs that you were working on then that perhaps didn’t make it on this record that we might hear on a later release?

Rachel McIntyre: I started working on this record in the fall of 2020 without realizing it. I recorded my debut single, “High School Reunion,” with my producer, Dran Michael, thinking it would be a stand-alone single. After I recorded that song, I released two other singles named “Baggage” and “Blue Hawaii.” Neither of those songs are on the EP. 

I didn’t even start thinking about making an EP until early 2022. After I realized that I wanted to make a record called ‘Glory Daze,’ it only made sense to include “High School Reunion” as the last track on it since it fit with the theme so well. 

I really like my other two singles (“Blue Hawaii” and “Baggage”) but they don’t flow with the theme of the project. I want the EP to tell a story. The theme of ‘Glory Daze’ is nostalgia and hometowns. It tells the story of adult life not living up to adolescent expectations. All of my favorite albums follow a theme, and I want to do that in my work as well!

Kendra: Side note time – with September being a Back 2 School month, I’d love to know your favorite field trip or just school memory.

Rachel McIntyre: I love this question! Growing up, we took Halloween very seriously in my house. Every year, my mom would create these incredible costumes for my siblings and me. 

There was a costume competition at my school, and we placed in it every year. We were obsessed with old TV shows. When I was in third grade, my sister, two of our friends, and I dressed up like ‘The Beverly Hillbillies.’ My sister was Elly May Clampett and carried around our dog Baxter (who was dressed up like a goat). Our two friends dressed up like Jedd and Jethro. I was Granny Clampett, and I chased Jethro around with a cast iron skillet. I really embodied the essence of Granny Clampett during the competition. I scrunched up my face and talked just like her. It was so much fun. We won first place. I’m pretty sure most of my classmates had no idea who I was dressed up as. 

It’s funny looking back on it because I was a really bashful kid. I think Halloween just unleashed something from within since I was pretending to be someone else. I never felt embarrassed about it either. I’m really lucky to have such a fun mom. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Glory Daze’ out on September 30th, and a handful of dates this fall already on the books – are you already looking ahead to 2023?

Rachel McIntyre: Yes and no. I’ve started booking some things for 2023. I’ve already got some fun releases planned for the start of the year! However, I’m really wanting to savor my debut EP release. I’m so excited to have my first physical CDs and merchandise for sale. I’ll be launching my first-ever radio campaign. I’ll be performing a bunch. I know that we are at the tail end of 2022, but I’ve got high hopes for the last few months.

The post The Glory of Rachel McIntyre appeared first on ZO Magazine.

East Nashville’s own Derek Hoke is here with us this week talking about his 2022 release, ‘Electric Mountain,’ out on September 9th. Not only did we dive into how he managed to keep this record light despite the negativity of the world around him (and the rest of us), but also where the locals go for music in the place he calls home, driving destinations, and more. 

Kendra: So ‘Goodbye Rock & Roll’ came out the year I wrapped up college. I barely had a Facebook and was a year or so from getting an iPod. Today, those are two things that feel a bit foreign because life keeps moving faster and faster with each passing year. As for music though, how do you feel the industry has changed for the better since then?

Derek Hoke: Streaming has become the go-to, for better or worse. Great for music lovers, but not so much for music makers. But we adapt. I sometimes find myself listening to Miles Davis on Spotify even though I own many of his LPs. It’s just easier, and more user-friendly, to type in an artist’s name and have a listen. 

Kendra: You’ve had a few records since then with your last being a handful of years go in 2017. You’ve noted that ‘Bring The Flood’ was moodier than what’s to come with ‘Electric Mountain.’ I found that interesting because it’s felt like a lot of recent albums I’ve heard are tackling the dark cloud that’s been ever-present since 2020. How’d you manage to find the light in all the recent darkness?

Derek Hoke: I wanted to stay positive throughout the last couple of years. Try to, at least! I knew there was a light at the end of this tunnel we were all in, so I just kept focusing on that. Don’t get me wrong, there are still a couple of moody tracks on the new album, but the subject matter has more of a hopeful message. 

Kendra: One of the songs off ‘Electric Mountain’ is “Wild and Free.” It’s been said you had to go in and basically cut it in half, but when it comes to performing live – are there going to be instances where the full-length version is on the table? 

Derek Hoke: I hope so. We cut off about four minutes of the outro. When we played it in the studio, no one spoke up to end it. We just kept playing. There are some stellar pedal steel moments in there. Listening to it as an album track, we just felt like we were entering jam band territory. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 

Kendra: “Wild and Free” is meant for a desert drive, at least that’s what came to mind when you were crafting it. With that, what desert were you thinking of? Perhaps Joshua Tree?

Derek Hoke: Yes. Definitely. Remote areas of southern California. Driving in the early morning hours just as the sun is coming up and the stars are fading away. A new day dawning. With wide open spaces around you. Like anything is possible.

Kendra: You’ve been in East Nashville for some time and I gotta say that the downtown area is one of the few places I’ve gotten to travel to that lives up to the hype of live music everywhere, and drinks from morning till night. That’s obviously where a tourist like me would go, but where would you find local music lovers on any given night?

Derek Hoke: Well, I’m contractually obligated to say The 5 Spot! Kidding, but it’s really a great place to check out a lot of what the local music scene is all about. There are also some new joints, such as The Underdog, where you can catch folks like Kacey Musgraves dropping by to sing a tune or Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top popping in to show everyone how it’s done.

Kendra: Side note time – with September being a Back 2 School month, I’d love to know your favorite field trip or just school memory.

Derek Hoke: Field trips rule. I used to love going to museums and old military forts. This was all around South Carolina. As a kid, I was naive about the history of the south. The Civil War. You get a glimpse of it in Charleston, SC. It’s pretty eye-opening. I liked the old ships, underground forts, and cannons. Had no idea who they were pointed at or why they were built in the first place. I was just happy to be out of school!

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Electric Mountain’ out on September 9th, what’s next? Touring this fall?

Derek Hoke: I’m so excited to finally be releasing this record. It’s been a long time coming. Yeah, hopefully, some touring, and a few more video releases. That’s probably where I’m heading. Filming a lot more, and putting out live and pre-taped performances. It kind of circles back to the way we listen to music now. Streaming. So, I’m gonna put footage out there that can be streamed as well. Adapting with the times.

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