Welcome to another amazing month of music from the incredible musicians that make up the Sonicbids.com community. We have chose a select group of amazing musicians that will be speaking directly to the Skope readers. As always we encourage readers to dig deeper and check out their EPK’s.
David Garlitz
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/davidgarlitz/
Melanie Dewey
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/melanie-dewey/
Skope: How long have you been making music and what do you love about having music in your life?
Melanie: A lot of people say that they have been making music for “as long as they can remember.” Well, not to be cliche, but I definitely can’t remember a time when music wasn’t a huge part of my life! I started singing at around four, and then my parents surprised me with a piano when I was seven. I pretty much never left it alone after that! I remember being the leader of a girl band when I was about ten years old, with two of my best friends. We wrote silly pop songs and were called “Tiger Eyes.” Needless to say, my “eye” was always on the prize. I was in several bands throughout high school of various genres and started writing my own music in college, after being accepted to the Bruce Hornsby songwriting program at the University of Miami. The rest is history in the making. Of all of the amazing things that music can do for a person, the thing I love most about having music in my life is the feeling one gets after writing a good song. I could have just experienced a bad break up, a fight with a friend, a death, or I could be dealing with general feelings of loneliness. Whatever the inspiration is, the feeling of turning some of that pain into a song, and into something beautiful that you can be proud of is the most amazing feeling in the world. Music is sort of like family to me. It’s always been there, and if I ever lost it, I would feel like I lost a piece of myself.
Skope: When are you most inspired to create music?
Melanie: I would say that I’m most inspired to create music during the period of time when I’m going through lots of changes. Usually though, it’s not right when those changes are happening, but a bit after they have already happened. It’s during those times of reflection, when emotion isn’t overwhelming but is still present, that I am most inspired.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Melanie: I just released my album, entitled “Between The Lines.” It is available on itunes, bandcamp, and will be on spotify shortly! I like to look at the album as a storybook encompassing the last three years of my life, with each song representing a different lesson-learning chapter. It’s a deeply personal album and I wanted people to know, when they’re listening to my music that they are not alone. On top of that, I have a single entitled “Murder He Wrote,” and a music video for that single on YouTube! I will be touring this summer to promote both!
Skope: Where do you turn to hear and discover music, social media, Pandora, FM radio, etc?
Melanie: I tend to use Spotify a lot. I have a subscription so I always have it on my phone when I’m on the go. I also use the Shazam app on my phone. Whenever I’m out and about and hear something I like, I immediately “Shazam” it and then add it to my Spotify playlist when I get home. If I love the album then I will buy it from iTunes.
Skope: Do you have any new Youtube videos or Soundcloud singles posted online we should hear?
Melanie: As I mentioned before, I have a music video up for my single “Murder He Wrote,” which you can find at this link here:
http://youtu.be/dUpFbI0QFj0
You can also check out my soundcloud for several tracks off the album I just released, along with a few live performances of new songs that aren’t on the album. “Why We Cry,” “Little Bit” and a radio appearance of mine that has both “Murder He Wrote” and “Still”, all from the new album, are all on my soundcloud! Here is the link:
https://soundcloud.com/melanie-dewey
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Melanie: This summer I will be playing lots of shows in the upstate New York area… and a few in the New England area. I will be opening for Quincy Mumford and the Reason Why, and for the highly acclaimed country artist Maggie Rose in Ogunquit, Maine. You can find out more information about these dates, and keep updated on whats next on my music facebook page! www.facebook.com/melaniedeweymusic. Hope to hear from you there!
Leila Hegazy
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/leilahegazy/
Skope: How long have you been making music and what do you love about having music in your life?
I’ve been singing since I was five years old, but I began writing my own songs when I was 11, shortly after I began playing the piano. I love that music gives me a way to observe the world around me and make sense of it (and let’s be honest, it rarely makes sense). It’s also awesome to know that as I continue to grow, my music will inevitably grow with me (and it has!). Sometimes I go back to old songs I wrote when I was a teenager and smile, because my music has matured so much since then. That doesn’t make what I wrote any less valid, it just shows where I was at a certain stage of life.
Skope: When are you most inspired to create music?
Whenever an extreme emotion jumps out at me, that’s when I’m most inspired to create music. So of course if I’m head-over-heels in love, heartbroken, angry, anxious. etc. I write a lot. But there are also times when I’m not sure exactly how I feel about something I’ve witnessed or experienced, and writing a song about it helps me figure out what I truly think. My best work happens when I can tap into my subconscious and write down what it’s in my head before I have a chance to judge it.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Lately my focus is on writing new material. I’d really like to release a single or short EP by the end of 2014 or the beginning of 2015. In the meantime I’m still promoting my album “Looking Glass” http://leilasmusic.bandcamp.com/album/looking-glass
Skope: Where do you turn to hear and discover music, social media, Pandora, FM radio, etc?
I find/listen to new music on Spotify, and if I like it, I make a point to buy the record, either on iTunes or Bandcamp (which is even better). I also keep an eye/ear on social media/music blogs – if a lot of people are talking about a particular artist/song/album they’re usually onto something.
Skope: Do you have any new Youtube videos or Soundcloud singles posted online we should hear?
Here’s the music video for “Mirror, Mirror”, a single off my recent album. More to come soon! http://youtu.be/vdRQlffUZG0
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Writing, hopefully recording, and filling in the gig calendar. I’ll be repping my home borough of Staten Island in the Ultimate Battle of the Boroughs at the Greenespace (WNYC/WQXR) so if you’re in the NYC, come check it out! When the new material is released, there will be some more US tour dates. Keep up with me on my website leilahegazy.com and follow me here:
http://facebook.com/leilasmusic
http://twitter.com/leilamusic
http://instagram.com/leilahegazy
http://leilasmusic.bandcamp.com
http://youtube.com/leilasongbird
Hilary Weaver
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/hilary-weaver/
Mumiy Troll
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/mumiytroll/
Pastel
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/pastellifestyl/
Skope: How long have you been making music and what do you love about having music in your life?
I’ve been writing music for 13 years, and I’ve been recording for 11 years. It’s the longest standing aspect of my life other than my family. The thing I love about music and the reason I actually started making it is because it’s a way for me to share my thoughts. I’m someone who has always had trouble opening up to people but always had a lot on my mind. So when I moved to Boston from Canada and had no friends or nothing to really do after school I started writing music to get my thoughts out. It enables me to flush my mind out, to free up some space, if you will. It’s a crucial part of my life and I’d honestly go crazy without that ability. It enables me the ability to also do everything that I love. I love to perform, I love to bring out certain emotions in people through my songs, to have someone say to me what my song meant to them or how it touched them in such a way is what I live for.
Skope: When are you most inspired to create music?
At night. I literally get 90% of my ideas about 30 minutes before I should go to sleep. Then end up staying up another 3-4 hours to get the ideas out haha. Night time is usually when I’m most alone and that’s when I think through everything in my mind. It’s the most alone I am with my thoughts all day. I also like the tranquility of night time. Walking around the city in the summer time with my headphones writing is one of my favorite things in the world.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
We have two projects we’re finishing up now. The first is an EP titled Passion Pt.1: The PrE-P which will be out August 26th. That’ll be 7 new tracks. The first single “Love With Me (Tonight) comes out July 15th. We’ll be putting out a lyric video for that. That’ll be followed by a couple of other singles and videos leading up to the main EP we’ve spent the last two years crafting, which is titled Paradigm. That’ll be out coming in October. Another 7 tracks, a lot more personal and in depth to my character and life over the last 2 and a half years. The first single for that will be the title track, also titled “Paradigm”. So we’ve got a lot for the fans in the coming months.
For now check out our song and video for Mine.
Skope: Where do you turn to hear and discover music, social media, Pandora, FM radio, etc?
Spotify is pretty much what me and my team live by. That, the blogs, Soundcloud, even just talking to each other. Everyday we come in the studio and spend at least an hour listening to stuff, whatever anybody found, whether they found it on Spotify, Hypemachine, Soundcloud, Skopemag, made it themselves, we sit and we listen. It’s keeps up privy to what’s going on in our industry, and in what direction trends are headed.
Skope: Do you have any new Youtube videos or Soundcloud singles posted online we should hear?
Yes. We’ll be releasing our first single Love With Me (Tonight) in the coming week but we’ll give you the link early. The link to the Lyric Video on Youtube is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEija9njOyo.
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
We have the EP Passion Pt.1: The Pre-P coming August 26th. The first single Love With Me (Tonight) comes out July 15th on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, my own website www.PastelLifestyl.com, wherever you can hear music it’ll be there. We’re setting up shows for the fall, have video shoots around the corner. So check back often, we’ll keep the new media coming.
Online you can find me at my own website www.PastelLifestyl.com , where you can also find my blog, that’ll connect you to all of my other social media and is the pretty much the epicenter of all things Pastel. But here are the links.
www.PastelLifestyl.com
www.Soundcloud.com/PastelLifestyl
www.Twitter.com/PastelLifestyl
www.Instagram.com/PastelLifestyl
www.YouTube.com/PastelLifestyl
White Hinterland
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/white-hinterland/
Özlem Bulut Band
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/ozlem-bulut-band/
Yury
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/yury/
Skope: How long have you been making music and what do you love about having music in your life?
A: I’ve been making music seriously. For roughly 4-5 years now. Music is my emotional and spiritual outlet. I simply love creating art that I can be proud of.
Skope: When are you most inspired to create music?
A: At the worst possible times. Usually at like 3am or when I’m doing something else that has me pre-occupied and my mind is clear.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
A: I’ve been wrapping up work on my upcoming EP which is all self produced, self recorded, self mix, etc. Aside from that I’ve been continually sharing my video for “Applaud” off my previous album.
Skope: Where do you turn to hear and discover music, social media, Pandora, FM radio, etc?
A: I use pandora, Rdio, and random blogs I find.
Skope: Do you have any new Youtube videos or Soundcloud singles posted online we should hear?
A: definitely check out my video for “Applaud”. Bill Paladino directed it and I just think it’s a great piece of visual art.
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Keep an eye out for my new EP, with a title and release coming soon.
And my social media is:
twitter.com/iamYURY
Facebook.com/iamYURY
iamYURY.com
Instagram.com/iamYURY
Craymer
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/craymermusic/
Skope: How long have you been making music and what do you love about having music in your life?
I began writing songs when I was in 8th grade, but I suppose it depends what you consider music. Every musician is continuously improving. It is great to look back and see the progress I have made. There is nothing like the reward of finishing a song, and the process and work that goes into it. Having a number of these products I am proud of is certainly a significant joy.
Skope: When are you most inspired to create music?
Honestly, I’m a shower writer. I always write from personal experiences. Simple to say that when something significant happens, or strong emotions arise from an event, I write about it.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Our EP “Disordered Loves” was released on iTunes and Spotify this past May, so it’s fresh on the promotion line. Individual song “Underneath You” has certainly been the most appraised from our listeners.
Skope: Where do you turn to hear and discover music, social media, Pandora, FM radio, etc?
I am a big fan of Pandora. And who’s to say they don’t like Spotify?
Skope: Do you have any new Youtube videos or Soundcloud singles posted online we should hear?
We are in the midst of shooting our music video for single “Underneath You.” It will be released late in August this year!
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
The music video is certainly a big production and on the forefront of our minds. Following that will be a national college tour this coming fall and winter. Keep in touch with us at www.facebook.com/craymermusic. Thanks for reading!
Whitewash
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/whitewashband/
Laura Lee Bishop
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/lauraleebishop/
Skope: How long have you been making music and what do you love about having music in your life?
I’ve been making music since my days of pretending I was The Little Mermaid, running around the house singing every line to every song. Even back then, I liked to put my own spin on it. I would try to change it up, sing it a little different than Ariel. As funny and seemingly insignificant as that seems, looking back, I think it started to put the idea in my mind that I could take something and make it mine, maybe even create something all my own. I started writing songs in high school, and I just kept progressing from there.
Skope: When are you most inspired to create music?
Unfortunately for me, creativity often strikes really late at night. When it gets quiet, and everyone is sleeping, I actually have time to think about things. Sometimes that’s a bad thing when you’re actually trying to get some sleep, but I’ve also written some of my best stuff at 2am. Also, like most artists, things really get going when I’m feeling intense emotions. I always write good music right after I’ve had fight with someone or while I’m in the middle of crying my eyes out. Those are the moments when we are the most honest with ourselves because we have no other choice. You can’t pretend you aren’t mad while you slam doors and stomp around. You can’t pretend you aren’t sad while you cry into your pillow. There it is, and there’s no way around it, so, I just give in and let it lead the way. A lot of the time it just kind of flows out, I step away, and then there’s a song. So basically, I run around picking fights with people all the time!
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
I released two singles with Tommy Boy this year: “Real Man” in February and “Within Me” in June. The video for “Real Man” is available on VEVO and YouTube, and the video for “Within Me” will premiere on those sites sometime this fall. I worked really hard on it, and I’m so excited to share it with everyone. Also, I’m playing a big show on November 7th at The Bitter End in NYC. I usually play my New York shows by myself on acoustic guitar, but I will have a full band for this one, so I can’t wait for my NYC fans to see it!
Skope: Where do you turn to hear and discover music, social media, Pandora, FM radio, etc?
I use Rdio a lot. They are support artists by encouraging us to network within the platform. They offer incentives to help you build your audience, and in turn, you help build their audience. Basically every music streaming platform has New Music Tuesday with features from various artists, so I usually browse through and try to find stuff I like. I also force myself to listen to the radio every week. It’s not always stuff I would choose to listen to, but I think it’s important to keep my ears open to the big hits. Regardless of the “radio is shit” attitude most artists have, there is a reason people are drawn to certain songs. Granted, some songs are forced down our throats, fifty times a day on every station, but a lot of them have an intangible quality that makes people love them, even if it’s in secret. I like to listen and try to figure out what that quality is exactly and how I can find a way to make people feel that way about my music.
Skope: Do you have any new Youtube videos or Soundcloud singles posted online we should hear?
YES. My “Real Man” music video is online, all my music is available on iTunes and Amazon, and you can stream my new single, “Within Me,” for free on Soundcloud. The links are below!
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
I really like releasing singles because I can be creative with each song without forcing it to sound a certain way in order for it to match the other songs that would be on an album. I’m writing and recording a lot and have so many songs I want to share. It’s a long process because I usually have a very specific vision for the song, so I spend a lot of time making sure it’s right. I hope to have some new music out this winter. Maybe I will write a Christmas song!
I keep all my fans updated on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and all my music is available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon. My videos are posted on my VEVO/YouTube channel. Stay tuned for my new video this fall! And I hope everyone can make it out to my show on November 7th at The Bitter End in New York City! Visit the links below for more info!
LauraLeeBishop.com
facebook.com/LauraLeeBishopMusic
YouTube.com/LauraLeeBishopVEVO
twitter.com/TheLauraLeeB
instagram.com/TheLauraLeeB
soundcloud.com/LauraLeeBishop
R3B3L
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/r3b3l-general/
Dana McKeon
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/danamckeon/
Skope: How long have you been making music and what do you love about having music in your life?
I started playing guitar when I was 9 years old and used to write poems which I’d apply to music since then. Around 6 years ago I began to focus more on songwriting and beatboxing, and I haven’t looked back since. Music allows me to express myself in a way which is unparalleled. It has taken me on an incredible journey where I’ve been able to share my music with others and meet lots of amazing people along the way.
Skope: When are you most inspired to create music?
Inspiration comes and goes haphazardly, but I tend to feel more inspired during difficult times and when I feel I have a message to convey.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
I’ve recently released my debut EP featuring the single, “Street Art”. It topped the Airplay Charts in Malta for a number of weeks and is currently featuring on radio stations worldwide. The “Street Art” music video introduced the concept of Reverse Graffiti in Malta and includes original artwork by the world-renowned Paul “Moose” Curtis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plpvYkMT24E
Skope: Where do you turn to hear and discover music, social media, Pandora, FM radio, etc?
I tend to find out about new music via social media and by word of mouth – my mates and I keep each other posted about bands and artists we discover.
Skope: Do you have any new Youtube videos or Soundcloud singles posted online we should hear?
Yep, you can check out my videos and singles via YouTube and SoundCloud pages:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plpvYkMT24E
http://soundcloud.com/danamckeon
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
I’ve got another single coming out later this year, as well as a couple of exciting collaborations. In the meantime, I’m gigging around Europe and doing of plenty of songwriting! Keep posted via:
www.facebook.com/DanaMcKeonMusic
www.twitter.com/Dana_McKeon
www.danamckeon.com
Amanda Lamb
https://www.sonicbids.com/band/amandalamb/
