Tag: 2019

Tay the Don [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2020, alternative, Artist Bio, dark pop, Edits, Emo Pop, Hip Hop, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Music, Pop, Pop Music, R&B, Rap, Singer, SoundOff, Spotify, USATagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

Tay the Don

Independent Artist

@jocronin65

At some point in a failing relationship, we’ve all been there. It gets to the point were when you look at the person you once loved enough to date, and instead of love… You feel nothing.

Breaking someone’s heart is probably the hardest thing to do, just like saying good bye to someone for the last time.

According to her, Linda Lee Couch never got the chance to break it off with her abusive husband. Instead she ended it in a way she never wanted to… She killed her husband… She picked up a gun before he did and pulled the trigger.

Somewhere in the back of her mind during the time she has been waiting on death row, she must of thought something like what Tay the Don says in his song… Don’t Save Me.

I have never killed someone, and I am not planning to… But the things that must go through someone’s head has to be guilt. You can’t just say to yourself that you did the right thing in killing that person, unless you’re a cold-blooded killer.

I know for a fact if I were to spend my life in prison, I’d tell people not to prison because what I did was inhumane… But that’s just me. I’d tell my friends and family… Don’t Save Me.

What inspired you to start making music?

I’ve been interested in music since I was little of course but I really had my real taste of music and being in a studio was when I was 13 and my Uncle let me record. He made music all the time so I wanted to impress him and record and show him I could do it. It was a terrible song at the time it was about slapping Santa with a Christmas tree but it was my first time ever recording and I felt so at home doing it, so I guess you could say my uncle honestly, he helped realize that I had a talent for music.

What is your fan base like?

My fan base, it’s very diverse for the most part that I’ve noticed. Majority of my fan base they’re around my age but then I get a lot of older fans like they’ll be around 30 and different races, the main thing I’ve seen when it comes to my fans is that it’s something new about every person who starts to like my music. They’re not like the last one, everyone is from different parts of the world and I love it. Internationally and In the states. They’re all amazing and I won’t allow myself to disappoint them.

Honestly, ‘Don’t Save Me’ is about me being able to admit the fact that I can be wrong at times but as much as I hurt you, I still want you around. Even with all my flaws will you still be able to see the good in me… Eventually the person you’re hurting is going to get tired of saving you all the time but they don’t want to save you because you’re the villain.

Tay the Don (8/15/2020)

If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?

I’m not really in the industry yet officially so my answer is extremely opinionated but if I could change anything about it, it was most definitely be to drop the artist that get signed once a year just they have one viral song because majority of the time the way the game goes is there’s a fad and once that fad starts to dull away, so does the light that helped that artist shine so I guess what I would change would be just to sign artist with actual potential instead of one hit wonders, see what they’re worth before they get signed on

I’m hoping by the time I turn 21 my music will be popping and out everywhere but with a goal you gotta have a plan and work for it so my plans for the future are to just stay positive and keep hustling until I’m satisfied with where I am in life.

Tay the Don

What kind of direction do you want to take with your music?

My goal for my music is to hit everyone in a certain way. I want my music to touch everybody so I have to show I have versatility. I always tell people that my music is so different that a person is going to like at least one of my songs. I’ll find a way to please you, so the direction I aim to go with my music is everywhere.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m hoping by the time I turn 21 my music will be popping and out everywhere but with a goal you gotta have a plan and work for it so my plans for the future are to just stay positive and keep hustling until I’m satisfied with where I am in life

I would like to thank Tay the Don for waiting patiently for this review, I love talking to this old soul! I would also like to thank Morris Ravis, co-founder Soundoff for showing me him. If you haven’t checked out SoundOff yet definitely do!

Tay the Don’s links:

Soundoff App’s links:

Unedited Music Blog’s links:

Have a wonderful rest of the week, and remember to respect others and stay safe. If you need to go outside then wear a mask, and if you feel sick then get tested!

My Decisions (2020) by Tay the Don

Overall:

My Decisions: 5/5

Understand It: 4.8/5

It Get Ugly: 4.5/5

Wish Me Well: 5/5

Don’t Save Me: 5/5

Inevitable: 4.7/5

A Few Throwaways: 4.9/5

Keep Ya Head Up: 4.8/5

Between Us: 4.7/5

Miss Faithful: 5/5

The Difference: 5/5

Top song:

Elliot Lee Review: Bubble Gum Pop

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Backstory, Blues, Change Campaign, dark pop, dream pop, dreampop, electronic, Emo Pop, Facebook, Future Star, Good Vibes Only, Guitar, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Music, New York City, Pop, Pop Music, Pop Rock, Soundcloud, Spotify, USATagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Elliot Lee

Shore Fire Media

@jocronin65

Photo taken by Shervin Lainz

Editorial

This month I have focused on musicians who are passionate about mental health. If I could give a megaphone to them, they’d all speak strongly in these subjects that they believe in.

The first week I wrote about Sarabean. Sarah is a 16-year-old musician from Florida, and has been open about her struggle with depression and loneliness in her music. She wants to make music that other people her age and/or are lonely too, and let them know they are not alone.

The second week I wrote about Trish Discord. After Trish graduated from college with a degree in psychology, she integrated her love in psychology and music by making songs that talk about mental disorders. She did this by writing about what people with a certain mental diagnosis go through both symptomatically and emotionally. She did this as a way to raise awareness for those disorders.

Last week I wrote about Seepeoples. After Will Bradford and the band decided to halt their music journey in 2011, Will went into rehab because he was struggling with addiction. When he came out of rehab and decided to return from Seepeople’s hiatus, the band continued to be a voice for their fans who have very different opinions and views than most of the society. The band stood for something that others are afraid to stand for, just like how so many who struggle with mental health are afraid to stand up for themselves.

This week I am writing about Elliot Lee. Elliot stands for a lot. She stands for mental health, stigmas, and much more. If you browse through her Instagram, she has been very vocal about standing with the Black Lives Matter movement too. Her music is for the masses as she says in her song Dirt, and if I could give the megaphone to anyone of these musicians I’ve mentioned above.

I wouldn’t hesitate to give it to her.

Table of Contents

  • Editorial
  • Who is Elliot Lee?
  • Inspiration Behind Elliot Lee’s Music
  • What’s Next for Elliot Lee?
  • Thank You Notes
  • Conclusion

Who is Elliot Lee?

Music has always been a huge part of Elliot‘s life for as far back as she can remember. “My earliest memory is of laying in a red flyer wagon & listening to music on my portable CD player while my mom pulled me around the parking lot on a warm, humid night in Hawaii,” she tells me.

As a child she had to move on from many homes and friends who were her people/things to lean on. At one point she found it hard to open up to people and kept everything bottled up inside her. According to American Songwriter, Elliot said that “I started listening to music that really spoke to me and I realized that I could use music as an outlet for myself”. As a result, she pulled out her ukulele and put her thoughts and feelings on paper as she played various chords.

Today Elliot doesn’t only have music to help her with her baggage, she also has fan base that is like a family. “It feels like life put us through so much & one of our rewards for surviving so long is this comfortable little community of fellow misfits, a place where we can finally feel understood & safe. That’s what it is for me, at least. I hope others feel the same,” Elliot says about her fan base.

(At one point) I went through a really dark time in my life, music felt like the only friend I could turn to. I started using songwriting as a means of venting & coping with my experiences. Since then, creating music has kind of become a survival tactic for me.

Elliot Lee (8/5/2020)

Inspiration Behind Elliot Lee’s Music

There are many people in society that struggle to keep a smile on their face without masking their emotions. There are also many people in society who don’t struggle to keep a smile on their face without masking their emotions. But what music does for everyone rather they like it or not is so powerful. Music finds that happy medium.

Elliot explains that Upside Down is “a deep dive into what it feels like to go through hardships & continually struggle to get out of bed while grappling with all the ‘what if’s’. What if l didn’t care so much about others’ opinions? What if l didn’t always feel inadequate? If I didn’t struggle with all of this, maybe 8 would be strong enough to lead my bubblegum soldiers to the top of the world, but for now I’m content with keeping them company down here. :)”

Music like hers is why so many people like myself consider music as an essential piece of their life, if there was no music then there is no coping strategies, no meaning to life, no purpose to share our thoughts or opinions, etc. This is why I admire her so much, and even the word “admires” doesn’t do the justice of how much her music means to me and so many others.

Four years ago I saw so few reasons to live. I felt like my voice wasn’t worth being heard, so I kept everything behind a closed door. But since finding this outlet, I’ve been able to help people, and that alone is my new reason to live…. I want people to hear my music & know that they deserve to be heard too.

Elliot Lee

What’s Next for Elliot Lee?

Elliot wants to continue making music that allows her listeners to have a safe space, but she also wants to try new things as well. “I sort of just plan to go in whatever direction feels fun & true to who I am as a person!” she says.

But for now, the pandemic is quite literally putting a pause to everything. She wants to meet her fans, but right now she’ll have to wait. However, that is not stopping her from writing and other creative things.

I implore everyone who enjoy her work as much as I do to click on the links below, and keep an eye on them for more content in the future!

Thank You Notes

Not to make Elliot feel bad, but this article literally took over a year to prepare. The reason why it took so long was because Elliot had a lot of moving pieces happening within that year. Long story short, I eventually tracked her down through her record label (Photo Finish Records). Who may I say are very nice and professional people! At the end of the day, everyone including myself is happy, and I wouldn’t of had it any other way.

Elliot Lee’s links:

Photo Finish Records:

Unedited Music Blog’s Links:

Conclusion

Have a wonderful week, and remember to respect other people and to stay safe. If you feel sick then stay home until a doctor or medical professional clears you. If you have to go into public also remember to wear a mask.

GoodBadUgly by Elliot Lee (2020)

Cooper Phillip [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2017, 2018, 2019 Pop Music, 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Backstory, California, dream pop, electronic, Europe, Future Star, Good Vibes Only, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Music, New York City, Pop, Pop Music, Remixes, Russia, Singer, Soundcloud, Spotify, USA, YoutubeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Cooper Phillip

According to Coalition for the Homeless, in April of this year there were a total of over 60 thousand people who were homeless in New York City. Just over 19 thousand were single adults. But that only counts for the people who live in homeless shelters.

There is very minimal to no information on the percentage of people who were homeless and then proceeded to live a more productive life. But if you ask me what that percentage would look like, I would tell you probably pretty small.

Fortunately, Cooper Phillip is one of those extremely lucky people to rise from the burden of homelessness in a city where the homeless population is the worst in the country.

She came into the situation with endless possibilities. She knew she could accomplish whatever she set out to do, because her mother who was a successful musician saw a lot of talent in her daughter.

“I believe we underestimate ourselves often and our fear takes over. My goal is to show people that they are stronger and can do much more than they think they can”, Cooper says.

Phillip’s story is nothing short from inspirational. And the fact that she is using her story to inspire her listeners makes her one of the up-coming role model figures of today.

Cooper was born in a small town in Russia, raised mainly by her grandmother and Aunt. Her mother was rarely ever around as she was touring the world as a master violin player. With the absence of her mother, Phillip found comfort in music and more specifically Ella Fitzgerald’s music. She taught herself every Fitzgerald song in detail.

As a kid Cooper grew up in an opera house, watching a lot of classic ballets, operas, and classical music. “Growing up in musical theater inspired me to continue learning music,” she says. Not too long after, she enrolled in the well-known Moscow State Classical Academy, where she worked tirelessly on her voice and other musical skills.

When her mother realized her daughter’s pure talent she quit her own career that was flourishing and took her daughter on tour with her across Russia.

At age 17, Cooper moved to New York City with very little money. However, she was determined to pursue a successful career in international music just like her mother. She hustled and worked, performed at weddings and clubs, and slept in the storerooms of restaurants she sang in. She was relentless and set on her goal.

When offered to perform at an important performance in Los Angeles, she didn’t hesitate to take it and never looked back.

With music underlying themes of strength, grace, and empowerment, Cooper has already attracted 10 million followers online with her previous singles. “They love music that makes them feel a certain way,” she says.

“(Living on my own in New York) was a rough experience, but it was so vivid and full of life, so I think it’s one of the best periods of my life. I think it inspired me so much because I saw how many opportunities I can explore. Also, I found a true character in myself because I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone I just found my true self.”

~Cooper Phillip (6/23/2020)

Cooper’s music is a mix of catchy and inspirational pop, there’s a lot to like about her. Thank You Heartbreak really stuck out to me when I was listening to her music, the two parts of what her music usually is were present in this song. The song’s verses were about her story, her chorus was catchy, and the song ends in an empowering way.

Phillip doesn’t really hold anything back in her songs, and seems to be the kind of writer that gets genuinely bothered by holding back something. Her most recent single, Not Perfect, is another example of expressing her true emotions. The song talks about the importance of self-love and confidence.

She hopes this single and her story help people find their own confidence.

“As soon as the lockdown is over I’m going on a world tour.”

~Cooper P.

Cooper tells me that she wants her musical direction to stay honest. “I want my music to speak the truth about me and how I feel about the world,” she says.

She didn’t speak of any more music to be release at any point soon, so I am not expecting much on that end. But nevertheless as always keep your eyes glued to our socials, which you can follow below.

I would like to thank Alex High for connecting me with Cooper Phillip for this week’s article, I am very honored to review such a confident woman and musician.

You can follow Cooper Phillip on Instagram, and Twitter. You can stream her music on Spotify, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

You can follow Unedited Music Blog on Instagram,  Facebook, and Twitter. You can listen to our playlists on Spotify, and SoundCloud.

Have a fantastic week, and please remember to respect the ones around you and stay home if you don’t feel well. The pandemic feels like it’s settling down, but it isn’t so please stay safe!

Not Perfect (2020) by Cooper Phillip
Not Perfect (2020) by Cooper Phillip

Overall: 4.8/5

Not Perfect: 5/5

Speaking in Tongues: 5/5

Exceptional Feelings: 4.5/5

Thank You Heartbreak: 5/5

Low Key: 5/5

Party By Myself: 5/5

Silence: 5/5

Top Song: Party By Myself (2016)

Samuel Jack [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2020, Artist Bio, Backstory, Blues, Britpop, Europe, Facebook, Future Star, Good Vibes Only, Guitar, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Music, Pop, Pop Music, Pop Rock, Rock, Singer, Soundcloud, Spotify, UK, UKViral50, YoutubeTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Samuel Jack (2020)

Sometimes all you need to hear are those 4 words, it’s gonna be alright, to remember that there’s still hope. I feel like people can easily fall into that dark mindset that nothing will change. Like there will never be a vaccine, and there will never be justice for the lives that are senselessly taken away.

But that’s not true, and it’s gonna be alright because human’s can always adjust and justice doesn’t get pushed aside when the world is enraged.

Sam didn’t originally write this song for what the world is going through, but the timing to release this to the world could never be better.

Gonna Be Alright is about Sam celebrating how far he’s come, from struggling with mental health problems and coming out on the other side as a better person.

Sam was always surrounded by great music, including his parents who were avid music listeners. He was also raised on blues, soul, and gospel in his town. “It wasn’t until my later years in school that I married that with my love for poetry,” he says.

With a steady growth, right now listeners from across the world are finding Samuel’s music. The fan base he has now is very loyal, and for this he is thankful. “It’s so nice to be able to share the journey with them,” he tells me.

“Been stuck on you forever,

The scars start to fade.

I might look a little like ya,

But there’s nothing else the same.”

~Mama Don’t Know Better (2017) by Samuel Jack

Samuel is the ultimate product of a musician who successfully molds all the music he was brought up listening to and music he is inspired by. The best part of this mold is how unique it is, and that is a soulful and jazzy collection of music made by one of the most honest writers you’ll find in today’s music industry.

There really isn’t a lot to not like, and that’s because he knows what he is doing and rather than be driven by passion or experience… Who really gives an s**t? Good music is good music even if the person who made it has no idea what they’re doing!

Honesty is what drives this musician, and he even says that other artists should be driven by this factor as well. “Embrace how you feel and love with all of your heart,” he remarks.

Some of my favorite songs (apart from Gonna Be Alright) are Closer, In My Head, Let You Go, Feels Like Summer, Stone Cold, and the list is long, so I’ll unfortunately have to stop there because I don’t want to make this block too long lol.

“When I’m black and I’m blue and losing my mind,

Waiting for the sunlight, sunlight.

To tell me that I’m gonna be alright.”

~Gonna Be Alright (2020), Samuel Jack

Like I said previously, Samuel’s biggest part to what he does is built on honesty and “my music will always be a cathartic experience for me,” he tells me. 

As of right now, there will be a Volume 2 of Empty Pockets Crowded Heart, but… I have no idea when that album will come out. I wouldn’t be surprised if, like he did for Vol. 1, there will be a few singles released prior to the next album… But don’t take my word for it…

For now, it seems like Samuel’s really working on improving himself as a person and is probably doing a lot of writing during that process. I hope everyone does the same more or less, and I say everyone because no one is perfect.

When everything’s back to normal or if I get more information on plans for the future I’ll be sure to send them out via social media so keep your eyes out for something by him!

I would like to thank Joseph Shillabeer for introducing me to Samuel Jack, he’s quite an amazing musician. I would also like to thank Samuel for answering my questions, and really hope to keep in touch!

You can follow Samuel Jack on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can stream his music on Spotify, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

You can follow Unedited Music Blog on Facebook, and Instagram. You can stream our playlists on Spotify, and SoundCloud.

Have a wonderful week ahead, stay safe and don’t forget your mask when you go out in public! Remember that Black Lives Matter, and treat everyone the way you would want to be treated!

Empty Pockets Crowded Heart (2020) by Samuel Jack

Overall: 4.9/5

Empty Pockets Crowded Heart: 5/5

It Don’t Have to Change: 5/5

In My Head: 5/5

We Are the Future: 4.9/5

Fighting Fires: 5/5

Feels like Summer: 5/5

Perfect: 4.5/5

Lovin’ Heart: 5/5

Big City Heart: 5/5

Fire and Ice: 5/5

Surrender: 5/5

Top Song: Gonna be Alright (2020)

Zilla with Her Eyes Shut [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, Backstory, electronic, Europe, Facebook, Future Star, Good Vibes Only, House, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, indie pop playlist, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Music, Psyche, Recording Label, Soundcloud, Spotify, UK, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Zilla with Her Eyes Shut (Accidental Records)
Zilla with Her Eyes Shut
(source: Accidental Records)

I was told for years that I always talked in my sleep, and most of the time the things I would say were the most bizarre things ever. I was always interested to hear what I said, so I downloaded an app that records what you say in your sleep. I had it for years, and caught a lot of funny moments.

But then one night I had a horrifying nightmare…

I never heard myself scream like I did in that recording, it was like I saw something that would effect my life in the worst way possible. I cried as I heard myself crying in fear, and I shut the recording off immediately.

I deleted that app after I captured that, and I haven’t downloaded since… And I probably won’t ever again.

Zilla with her Eyes Shut’s song Sleepwalker is about her own sleep talking and her own adventures with sleepwalking.

“Based around the artist’s own sleepwalking adventures and even featuring her own ‘sleeptalking’, the track takes on an almost dub vibe at times, laced with heavy beats, deft vocal work and a penchant for the strange. It does well to delve into the singer’s fears as she opens up about anything and everything these night terrors can bring out in her: ‘I’m scared of who I might become if I never wake.'” ~(Vinyl Chapters)

Zilla’s musical path begun by learning classical music with a piano teacher in Paris, France. She quickly discovered her true passion was to make music, “I’d always been into painting as a kid and writing poems but piano hit me really hard. That day I knew I had found my passion,” she tells me.

In the beginning, she was only learning and playing classical piano, wanting to learn as much melodies and compositions. “There’s something surreal about playing someone else’s piece to the point where it becomes part of you and the experience never leaves you, it’s like biting a piece of the composer’s memory and intentions and adding it to your psyche,” she says.

She naturally progressed into writing music, because that “is what songs do, they travel with you, get you through pain and joy and they compliment your psyche,” she says.

Her music is about what happens whenever she dreams, what she calls her “creative gifts” that come up when she’s asleep. These things that come about in her dreams more often than not could be related to whatever trauma she endured in her childhood.

The music she creates lacks a description, and defies any boundaries of a specific topic. “I’m inspired by so many things, moments of the day, sounds around me, people’s accents, there is flow everywhere. I like to call it surrealist pop because I layer unexpected vocals with unexpected sounds of unexpected objects,” she explains. She equally values a fan base that likes to be surprised, but is unclear if this has been achieved.

“Instead of denying my trauma, I tend to embrace it through music and even celebrate it. There’s no other way to get over it for me. I recorded myself sleeping talking and sleepwalking. We used objects that are related to the songs as instruments.”

~Zilla with her Eyes Shut (4/20/2020)

I am absolutely inspired by Zilla’s music and songwriting, especially since I can relate to having such vivid dreams and nightmares myself. The fact that she finds her dreams to be a source of musical inspiration is very unique, and makes me want to explore this on my own.

Whisper Whisper was written “when I was about 10 I started hearing whispers when I played the piano, it was really scary until I turned the whisper into my imaginary friend that would help me go through sh*t,” she says. It’s really cool to see that Zilla could take a really scary scenerio and make it into a very unique song that looks on the bright side.

If you’re a fan of Billie Eilish and Bjork, then Zilla’s music is definitely a must listen to. Her style of music is definitely a mix of those two artists, but more.

There definitely is a storyline in each song, it’s just a matter of time until the whole story is told. But not everyone needs to know everything about everyone… But I hope this article can provide more clarity to her story.

“Although the inspiration is my trauma, it’s so important that it is not a self pitying song, the trauma made me strong because I accepted it and turned it into something else. It’s an explosion of innocence and control.”

~Zilla

At the moment, Zilla is working on songs that take a brand new approach. She wants to maintain a sense of surprise for her listeners, but is not to compelled to release any more music at the moment.

I would like to thank CEO of Independent Music Promotions Inc., James Moore, for connecting me with Zilla. I would also like Zilla for answering my questions and also staying in touch through Instagram.

You can follow Independent Music Promotions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can stream their playlists on Spotify, SoundCloud, and Youtube. Also, you can follow Zilla’s record label (Accidental Records) on Facebook, and Twitter. Stream Accidental Records on Spotify, Bandcamp, and SoundCloud.

You can follow Zilla with her Eyes Shut on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also stream her music on Spotify, and Bandcamp.

Finally, you can follow Unedited Music Blog on Instagram and Facebook . You can also stream our playlists on Spotify and SoundCloud.

Zilla with Her Eyes Shut [self-titled album] (2020)

Overall: 4.7/5

Zilla with her Eyes Shut: 4.7/5

Top Song: Sleepwalker (2020)

Fjøra [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in 2018, 2019 Pop Music, 2020, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Canada, electronic, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Instagram, InterviewTagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Alexandra Petrkovski (Fjora)

“Remember the first time you went to a show and saw your favorite band. You wore their shirt, and sang every word. You didn’t know anything about scene politics, haircuts, or what was cool. All you knew was that this music made you feel different from anyone you shared a locker with. Someone finally understood you. This is what music is about,” Gerard Way.

“To be honest, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t creating and existing in the music space,” says Alexandra. “I come from a very musical family; both of my parents completed their piano levels and my father was a musician (I grew up with a home studio).”

Fjora’s music is primarily inspired by dramatic and emotive musical aspects. She admires cinematic music and film, from which she has a deep musical background. 

Her fan base is made up of a wide variety of different listeners, which she loves. Her music is used on multiple TV and film platforms, along with playlists on Spotify and Apple music. She’s very thankful to be connecting with many listeners of all ages and from the across the world. “My music is all-inclusive, my motto is: the more the merrier,” she says. 

“I have an extreme love of cinematic music and film scoring (my background is actually in these musical styles) and so no matter what kind of direction a song takes with me, it always begins from a need to move people and to tell a story.”

-Alexandra Petrkovski (4/13/2020)

To begin my critique I’ll first say this… Why is her music not featured on Game of Thrones???!!!

It’s almost impossible to explain how amazing and different her music is. She really uses her powerful voice to her advantage. Her cinematic and dark pop style is something that seperates her from the regular pop musician.

Focusing on storytelling is not too common nowadays I feel, this generation of musicians really love sharing their own story versus telling a story that’s made up. However, the one’s who choose to go against the grain usually create the most unique and creative sounds in their music. This is the exact case for Fjora.

One of Alexandra’s more popular songs is Hurricane, which is a duet she did with Zayde Wolf. The song is about the whirlwind of emotion and potential conflict between two people. “This song is special to me as it ´flips the image´ – instead of the storm being the external, it is the very result of the intrinsic and internal relation,” she says.

Hurricane is one of my favorite songs by her, other amazing collaborative songs that she’s released has been with producers and musicians like Duke & Jones, Mario Ayuda, and Unedited Band of the Day’s Bhavior… “Not many moments where we aren’t laughing and goofing around, which is part of some of my own personal favourite moments of the creative process generally. I think it’s important to work with creatives who let you be yourself; from the serious sides to the silly sides,” says Alexandra.

Her song with Duke & Jones called Delusions can also be found on one of my favorite Spotify playlists called Creamy, which features artists like Louis the Child, Illenium, and San Holo. Another amazing Spotify playlist called Bass Arcade features her song Shivers featuring Jaenga, this playlist features Rezz, Cheat Codes, Loyal by ODESZA, and Pills by Svniivan!

“There is a new video game that I had the pleasure of being involved with, as well as am currently working on a vocal sample pack for Splice, which is very exciting! So, all amazing things on the rise!”

-Alexandra

With someone who’s been collaborating with a very long list of musicians on top of her own projects, it doesn’t shock me to hear that she is very very busy with more projects. “I am working on several awesome collaborations in the EDM/pop world that I’m pretty pumped on, as well as some killer cinematronic ´film trailer sounding´ songs. I also just finished some emotionally-charged songs that explore my softer side,” says Alexandra.

She also hopes to continue creating music for film and TV shows. It’s her goal to day to create music for a featured film.

“I’ve got upcoming releases very soon actually! Later this month I’ve got several releases, and then throughout May, June, and July be ready for some summer bangers,” says Fjora.

It’s always really cool to connect with musicians who have worked with people I’ve featured on UMB too. That’s exactly how I connected with Alexandra, she actually was the vocalist for Bhavior who was one of the first Unedited Band of the Day on Instagram. I highly suggest you go listen to their song called Loser now on all streaming platforms!

You can follow Fjora on Instagram and Facebook, as well stream her unbelievable collection of music on YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

You can follow Unedited Music Blog on Facebook (@uneditedmb) and Instagram (@unedited_music_blog), and listen to other musicians who’ve been covered on Spotify!

Please continue to stay home and healthy, musicians and the world needs you to! Have a good week as well!!!!

Cruel World by Fjora (2019)

Overall: 4.9/5

Ready for Anything: 5/5

Devilś Worst Nightmare: 5/5

Touch: 5/5

Love Me Like Forever: 4.8/5

Don´t Miss You: 4.7/5

Delusions: 5/5

Cruel World: 5/5

Hurricane: 5/5

Top song: Run, Run, Run (2018)

Damien Gibson (unedited) Music Review

Posted on Posted in 2020, alternative, California, Chill, electronic, Facebook, Future Star, Hip Hop, Indie, indie music, Indie pop, Inspirational person, Interview, Music, Pop Music, R&B, Rap, Singer, Soundcloud, Spotify, USA, Warped Tour, YoutubeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Damien Gibson taken by rollovbaer

I was going to add a nice long quote, like I’ve been doing recently for past articles, but you know what… You can’t really philosophies a philosopher. And that’s how I view Damien, he’s wise beyond his years… And those kind of people you can’t really find wiser words than their own. So I will begin this article by saying something Damien would be surprised to hear… I was actually kind of hesitant to review his work. I was afraid that after 2 years of really exploring and taste testing soo many different genres of music, I would change so much as to dislike his kind of music. But I was pleasently surprised because I actually didn’t hate it. I loved and still love his unique videos (especially his new music video for 18 Pañatas) and his tracks that had a feel of Frenship, Drake, Blackbear, and such artists. All in all, I feel like if you enjoy R&B, hip hop, and electropop then you’d definitely enjoy his most recent album called Domenika.

Then, I was going to dive into Damien Gibson’s answers to my questions about his past… But I think he was high cause here are his answers…

John: are you high? Damien: Depends. John: Okay um so, What inspired you to start making music? Damien: Pass John: What influences your songs? Damien: Totally random stuff John: So, What is your fanbase like? Damien: I don’t know. if you mean demographically or numbers. I’ll just say my fan base is amazing and I love them very much.

I took on this blog because I’ve always had a big passion for music and invested a lot of time in my life to discovering new music. The blog was a thing I wanted to do to prove that a boy from a small town can make something bigger than themselves. But not all people are living to improve the person they were, and that’s okay. This is true for Damien. Sure the guy always wanted to make music for his career, but he isn’t doing it to prove a point. He’s doing it to prove that a dream can be fulfilled through a pure passion. And honestly, that’s really cool because that’s why music is music… Now back to his review…

“What makes (my music) different is there an overwhelming sense of impending doom. Like you can just tell my crazy side is about to pop out at any moment.”

-Damien Gibson (8/8/2018)

I find myself listening to Damien’s music on my own time and keep liking it more and more as I do. His favorite song he’s made he said is Media Mirror, however I can’t find that song so I’ll just have to take his word for it. For a very long time I tried to comprehend what it was about his music that I loved so much. I knew that I absolutely loved the alternative sound mixed with electronic and dark pop… But he said it best with the quote above that refers to the sense of “impending doom” in each song. It’s an infectious sound he’s got, and it’s hard not to like and/or appreciate it.

“I don’t really have any. Just be an entertainer. Make music that feels good. That takes life to the next level I don’t know about five years but I know that I want to have 1,000 songs before I die so there’s that.“

-Damien Gibson

I don’t actually know what is in the works at the moment for Damien, but that’s cause I haven’t talked to him for a while. As soon as he tells me something that he’s working on I’ll probably announce it on Facebook and/or Instagram. Either way as soon as I hear he released new music I will share it on social media.

I wanted to thank Damien Gibson for being very patient with me, it’s been about two years since the interview was done. This article has been a long time coming, and I guess you could say I was waiting for the right timing. Anyways you can follow Damien on Facebook and Instagram. You can listen his music on Soundcloud and Spotify, and watch his awesome music videos on YouTube. You can follow Unedited Music Blog on Facebook (@uneditedmb) and Instagram (@unedited_music_blog). You can listen to other songs that have been previously reviewed on Spotify. Have a fabulous week!!!!

Continue reading “Damien Gibson (unedited) Music Review” →

Make Like a Tree (unedited) Music Review

Posted on Posted in alternative, ambient, Backstory, Chill, electronic, Europe, Facebook, indie music, Inspirational person, Instagram, Instrumental, Music, SpotifyTagged , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments
Photo taken by Arkadiy SosninPhoto of Sergey Onischenko by Arkadiy Sosnin

To Sergey Onischenko of Make Like a Tree, traveling and going outside is the main inspiration behind his music.All tastes, smells, fragrances that stay with me, all strangers who I meet on my way and they turn to be my best friends, all landscapes from bus, train, airplane windows – all these things stay deep inside my heart and later on when I start working on a new song,” says Onischenko. That’s a big reason why I choose Arkadiy Sosnin’s photo of Sergey. The photo represents a man surrounded by water and mountains in the horizon. It is calm… Peaceful… And that’s exactly what Mothernight is.

Sergey Onischenko, singer songwriter for Make Like a Tree, isn’t just a musician. He’s also a traveller. “I travel with a pocket size recorder and do some field sessions capturing nature sounds, noises of the big cities, symphonies of big factories and solos of subway and intercity trains. I’m always happy to use them as a background  for some of my songs where it fits to the ideas of the song,” says Sergey. His influences also include the music he listens to on his own time. He dreams to produce an album where every track is different then the others… “Let’s say after an ambient track – there would be hip-hop track, and then midwest-emo song, then hardcore tune and finishing the album with some classically composed fugue for strings quartet,” says Onischenko. Sergey’s fan base is mainly people who’ve been lucky enough to hear his music played live. He often play small venues of 20-50 people. While he does play larger venues and festivals, he actually prefers smaller venues. “I actually like it a lot as every show becomes a very intimate dialogue between me and audience and I feel like I can really be heard and understood by those people,” reflects Sergey.

“Sometimes I feel that I know most of my biggest fans personally. As I keep in touch with some people who are deeply inspired by my project and it makes me feel very motivated to write new songs and release new albums.“

– Sergey Onischenko (Make Like a Tree vocalist and producer) [7/23/2019]

Under Water is the 4th most popular song on his Spotify library and also the opening song for his most recent album Mothernight. The song features Sergey Savenko (Owl Clarinet) and was recorded/composed on the island of Zanzibar. Savenko’s part in the song is his clarinet, sax, and akai ewi melodies that fit beautiful upon creating the song. “I met Sergey long time ago seeing him performing with other bands in clubs of my hometown Kharkiv where we all used to grow up. Some solos that he played from stage got carved in my memory and when coming back home from his shows these melodies were always on repeat in my mind,” says Sergey. Under Water is focused around the feeling of being united with someone for no reason. Unity and togetherness is actually what Sergey discovered during a 3 year journey through the world. “I can definitely say that travelling changed my life, changed myself – hopefully to a better person, helped me to overcome many complexes, get rid of stereotypes and I actually started trusting people much more than in the beginning of my big trip,” reflects Sergey. This world journey was more than just collecting nature sounds for background in tracks like Birdwatcher. It was also a time for him to find himself and his own peace in the world around him. “When I came back from my long journey home (Savenko and I) made our collaboration happen. Being ‘Under Water’ with other people means finding out that you have something in common that makes you feel a strong connection even without knowing each other well,” Sergey says. That connectedness is common when you travel and meet new people he tells me. Mothernight is not only an attempt to connect with more people around the world, it’s also Sergey giving back to the people who he connected with on his long journey. “Travelling alone somewhere on the edge of the world and being saved by complete strangers who shared everything with me and never asked anything in return. I feel I came back home as an updated version of myself and I realized that this world has no limits,” Sergey says.

“The main idea of my performance is to take the audience on a journey with the help of my music, photos, and videos to the places and experiences that I have seen and witnessed. The deeper that journey can be – the more my concert and music would mean something special to myself and to my listeners.”

– Sergey

Sergey is currently working on improving his performance in live venues… As mentioned above… He is also focusing on releasing an album sometime around 2021. That way he “will have enough time to work on a more quality record and trying to express my emotions and feelings more accurate in lyrics and music,” says Sergey.

I would like to thank Sergey Onischenko for the response to my questions and being so patient in waiting for this review. You can follow and like Make Like a Tree on Facebook and Instagram. You can listen to Sergey’s music on Spotify and SoundCloud. I would like to also thank Johnattan Suckling and Arkadiy Sosnin for taken the two photos used in this article. You can follow and like Unedited Music Blog on Facebook and Instagram. Finally, you can also listen to previous music that has been reviewed on Unedited’s Spotify playlist. Have a good rest of your weekend and upcoming week!

Mothernight (2019)Mothernight by Make Like a Tree (2019)

Overall: 4.9/5

Mothernight: 5/5

Animal: 4.8/5

Top Song: Under Water (2019)

Bree Lefler [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in 2019 Pop Music, alternative, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Indie Rock, Pop, Pop Music, Singer, SpotifyTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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In my personal opinion, a song should never be forcefully written. Making a song should be about something that is meaningful. Now I understand all songwriters are different, and there are many or some writers that can just write a song without any personal influences. But to people who are rather emotionally creative people like Bree Lefler, music isn’t meant to be created forcefully… It’s meant to be therapeutic… “I’ve never been a formulaic songwriter, and all of my best songs have been inspired by my real, messy, beautiful life: ups, downs and all,” Bree says.

“I’ve always been very creative” says Bree, who at a young age started singing Disney songs. Then found passion and love for poetry. At age 14 she learned how to play the guitar and booked her first show in her hometown of Colorado Springs. “I remember preparing for the show and looking up videos of people like Taylor Swift performing live and thinking to myself, ‘this is it.  This is what I want to do with my life.'”  Bree says she´s inspired by life and mental health. Her fan base draws a lot of dedicated inspiration from her, rather younger or older then her. Young fans are dedicated to support her music online, while her older fans really relate to her music. “While I was on tour, I talked to some people who are substantially older than me about some really deep stuff and have heard so many inspiring stories about how these people have overcome addiction, mental health issues, you name it.  It’s all very cool to be a part of,” Bree shares with me.

“I strive to make real music and that brings light to the tough s**t that we all go through but don’t want to talk about. And the fact that it’s drawing in people of all ages and backgrounds is so great.”

-Bree Lefler (7/10/19)

Bree asked for a review of Hypochondriac, and her other music. “Hypochondriac is such a multi faceted song that it’s difficult to pinpoint one thing that it’s about.” When she was growing up Bree struggled from a debilitating autoimmune disorder that would have her on the couch for weeks at a time and found it to be too personal to describe to classmates much less her school administrators, and people usually told her that it was all in her head.  “And it made me feel crazy! I neglected my health for years after that because I was worried that my pain really was just in my head. So, I took that concept of being made to feel like you’re crazy and applied it to a very toxic on-and-off relationship I had been a part of,” says Bree. The idea of the song is about a very manipulative person tearing someone else down and tells the person struggling that they’re the crazy manipulative one. This idea for a song is unique, and I find a lot of inspiration from her creations such as this song. As a song writer it can be hard to be creative with such a frustrating subject, but Bree definitely has created something that is powerful after all her years of struggling  to believe in what she was dealing with.

What is something most fans don’t know about you?

“Oh jeez, I’m kind of an oddball so there’s tons of weird stuff about me that none of my fans know.  One fun fact is that I love boxing! I used to be in the boxing gym 5 days a week and I still make my way over there whenever I get the chance!  It’s a great work out and there’s something so therapeutic about getting to punch a 100lb bag for an hour straight!”

-Bree   

I have very few things to say about Bree, all of it is good. I will repeat that I really draw so much inspiration from Bree after listening to her music and getting to know more about her. Her music has already touched so many people, and she should look forward to touching even more in the future. I really like the first EP she came out with towards the beginning of her musical career in 2015. Her new song called Atmosphere is a great song added to the collection. All her songs are personal, and that’s why I really like them. As a musician who doesn’t seem to mind to be open about her past I hope this is something she continues to do in the future. Now I want her to go forward with bettering her musical sound, and maybe even produce a song that sounds like a song you hear on the radio.

“(Tin Can Telephone is) definitely one of my darkest songs and I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to put it on this EP.  But after sending it to some friends and sitting on it for a while, I decided that I had to record it. It’s one of my most honest songs ever and the message is so powerful.  It’s also one of my heaviest rock songs, so it’s a blast to perform live!”

-Bree Lefler

Bree says she will be coming out with another EP on August 22nd called That’s Sobriety, “I knew I wanted to make it very reminiscent of 90’s rock.  It still has some cool pop elements to it, but it’s definitely a rock record.” This kind of new direction from her pop-rock music to 90’s rock is something she’s excited about. “Some of my favorite artists are rock bands from the 90’s and early 2000’s, so that’s definitely the sound I’m diving into with my music,” Bree says. For the future, she is planning to be a full-time artist and stay true to her “artistic vision”. She just released a new single called Atmosphere that came on July 12nd. She will be headlining at The End in Nashville for my album release show. “I’m so incredibly excited to finally be sharing this project with the world” she says.

I would like to thank Bree for the request to review her music and answering my interview questions almost instantaneously. If you would like to check out Bree’s music you can by visiting her Spotify profile, and if you would like to follow her then you can find her on Instagram (@breelefler) and Facebook. For future updates, please follow our Facebook and Instagram (@unedited_music_blog) pages as well as listen to our Spotify playlist to check out all the rest of the music we have already reviewed. Have a great day, and congratulations for the Apollo 11 crew who are celebrating their 50th anniversary of their moon landing!!!

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Overall: 5/5

Atmosphere: 5/5

Hypochondriac: 5/5

Through The Walls: 5/5

Tides: 5/5

The Bree Lefler- EP: 5/5

Top Song: Hypochondriac (2019)