Rock & Roamer: Spring 2021

Editor's Note

&

There is light at the end of the tunnel… The total number of worldwide active COVID cases continues to drop as the vaccination rate soars. Over 476 million vaccine doses have been given worldwide, including over 128 million in the United States The live concerts and events scheduled for this summer seem more promising each day

This issue of Rock & Roamer is dedicated to you, COVID warriors You have spent over a year navigating your way through a global pandemic, supporting your community by wearing masks, staying home, and getting vaccinated when it becomes your time. But you have really never been alone, as we have all been going through this together.

Together we explored music from global artists on TikTok we may have never heard of otherwise, bonded over shared quarantine experiences, and watched our favorite artists virtually perform on Instagram Live.

This issue features Zach Person, The Backfires, Maika Rose, and OK Cool, all artists who have been working and releasing music during COVID

Person, an incredible guitarist, competed on American Idol in 2016 He will release his debut self-titled album this April

The Backfires hail from both the UK and US. Its three members are divided by the cities of Charleston, South Carolina, New York City, and London. They were accustomed to working remotely before the pandemic.

Rose, a new artist from Hamberg, Germany, just released her debut single "Your Smile" in March.

OK Cool, a musical duo from Chicago, worked together as bandmates of The Weekend Run Club before branching off to create their own incredible sound

I hope this issue of Rock & Roamer surprises you, moves you, and gives you something to look forward to.

Rock & Roamer Spring Playlist

2 1

Real Life

Claire Rosinkranz

Five Finger Exploding Heart Technique

OK Cool

3 6

Anything

The Backfires

Winnebago

Samia

Northern Lights

Death Cab for Cutie Moments

4 8

Micah Edwards

Tyrone

Erykah Badu

Two Haunted Houses

Charlie Hickey

Kyoto

Phoebe Bridgers

Can't Stop Running Zach Person

Your Smile

Maika Rose

Dancing on the People

Peg City

Flirted With You

All My Life

Bright Eyes

Match In The Rain

Alec Benjamin

Photo by Cortney Crump I Hollywood Bowl

Rock

Roamer caters to good music, both mainstream and indie, finds you the most interesting places to travel, and the food to get you there.

T a b l e o f

MAIKA ROSE

Photo 1 Courtesy of The Backfires |  Photo 2 by Christopher Durst |

Photo 3 by Lea Bostelmann

Cover Photo by Christopher Durst

ZACH PERSON

T H E B A C K F I R E S T H E B A C K F I R E S

D I V I D E D D I V I D E D B Y T H E B Y T H E A T L A N T I C A T L A N T I C

English/American rock band The Backfires released their first EP Consider the Backfires February 19th. Its members Matt Walter, Alex Gomez, and Harry Ruprecht respectively live in Charleston, South Carolina, New York City, and London. The band has toured across the East Coast (US) and London, and plans to again once it is safe to tour Get to know the rock band: "Anything" is such a great song - it also introduces your band’s unique circumstance, living "on different coastlines." What is it like being in a band that lives apart from each other?

Matt: Overall, I think it has provided us many different opportunities to grow as a band and musicians Traveling to NYC to work with Alex and London for Harry has never felt like a chore but dreams coming true. It has been hard at times to all be on the exact same page of life, but we are luckily all good mates I’d say that us being separated gives us each a unique life experience to express through our music and lyrics

Alex: Living on different sides of the Atlantic is a lot of FaceTime calls at random times of the day or week Usually, I’ll phone Harry after lunch and he’s had dinner Sometimes though if I’m going to bed particularly late, as I often do, I’ll call him when I go to sleep as he gets up fairly early. It’s definitely strange not being together all the time. As I’m writing this it’s been nearly a year to date since the last time we shared a stage, and even longer since we first got to recording these songs I think navigating the pandemic and all is difficult, but being a long-distance band from the get-go made it a bit of an easier transition because we had already been writing on FaceTime and such before

Harry: Being in a band that lives apart

from each other is a lot like a long-distance relationship It takes a lot of time on the phone and quite a lot of dedication from everyone involved to make it work That being said, it has a lot of benefits too. We’ve been able to play shows in both the UK and USA relatively easily and on a crazy low budget because we can bunk at each other’s places in the two countries For example, in the summer of 2019, I was able to fly over so we could play a series of gigs down the East Coast (US). It was an amazing experience that never would have happened if I’d been in a band with people from my town How would you describe The Backfires?

A: I like to think we’re rather adaptable There’s certainly been a lot of ups and downs since we first started playing music together. The world is a completely different place, too. I think The Backfires are the sort of band that you should throw on at the end of the week when you want to forget the

m u n d a n i t y o f Z o o m a n d b e i n g i n s i d e . O u r m u s i c h a s t h e s o r t o f e n e r g y t h a t I l o v e d a b o u t t h e 0 0 s b a n d s I g r e w u p l i s t e n i n g t o A l l t h a t b e i n g s a i d , t h o u g h , I t h i n k o u r m u s i c i s f a i r l y m a t t e r - o f - f a c t M o s t o f t h e l y r i c s a r e a b o u t o u r e x p e r i e n c e s o f g r o w i n g u p i n o n e w a y o r a n o t h e r . W h a t k i n d o f s o u n d o r m o o d d i d y o u h o p e t o c a p t u r e w i t h C o n s i d e r t h e B a c k f i r e s ?

M : C o n s i d e r t h e B a c k f i r e s i s v e r y m u c h a y o u n g p e r s o n ' s a c c o u n t o f t r a v e r s i n g t h e c o m m o n y e t u n f o r g i v i n g l a n d s c a p e o f f i g u r i n g o u t y o u r l i f e a n d w h a t y o u r e a l l y w a n t o u t o f i t . W h a t i s T h e B a c k f i r e s ’ c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s l i k e ?

H : A s w e ’ v e b e e n s e p a r a t e d b y t h e p a n d e m i c t h e c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s h a s t a k e n p l a c e m a i n l y o n F a c e T i m e i n t h e l a s t y e a r . I t g e n e r a l l y s t a r t s w i t h o n e o f u s c o m i n g u p w i t h a c h o r d p r o g r e s s i o n a n d m e l o d y w e l i k e W e t h e n d e c i d e w h a t w e w a n t t o w r i t e

I n t e r v i e w B y L a u r e n E l i z a b e t h C a m p b e l l E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f

Photos in This Story Courtesy of The Backfires | Pictured Left to Right: Matt Walter (Bass), Alex Gomez (Vocalist/Guitar), Harry Ruprecht (Lead Guitar)

a b o u t , s t a r t o f f w i t h o n e l i n e a n d b u i l d i t o u t f r o m t h e r e . U s u a l l y , o n e o f u s w i l l h a v e a l i n e w e ’ v e n o t e d d o w n w h i l e g o i n g a b o u t o u r d a y , a n d w e ’ l l t a k e t h a t a s a s t a r t i n g p o i n t T h e r e s t o f t h e p r o c e s s t h e n t a k e s p l a c e i n r e h e a r s a l r o o m s a s w e w o r k o u t o u r i n s t r u m e n t a l p a r t s . R e v i s i o n s a r e c o n s t a n t . W h i c h s o n g o f f t h e E P w o u l d y o u h a v e a n e w f a n l i s t e n t o f i r s t , w h y ?

M : I ’ d s a y ' F a l l i n g ' i s t h e s o n g I ' d s h o w a n e w f a n I t h i n k i t i s t h e m o s t a c c e s s i b l e d u e t o t h e i n t r o b e i n g v e r y c h i l l b u t b u i l d i n g u p t o o u r o w n c a t c h y r o c k s o u n d . A : I t h i n k t h e s o n g I a l w a y s c o m e b a c k t o i s ‘ G o i n g G e t s E a s y ’ . I r e m e m b e r w r i t i n g i t w i t h H a r r y w h e n w e w e r e j u s t t w o t e e n a g e r s i n L o n d o n g o i n g a b o u t o u r f i r s t y e a r o f s c h o o l W h e n w e w r o t e i t , i t w a s o r i g i n a l l y a b o u t g o i n g o u t a n d t h o s e o t h e r f e e l i n g s y o u o f t e n d r o w n o u t i n a n i g h t , b u t s i n c e t h e n I t h i n k t h e l y r i c s c a n b e t a k e n i n a d i f f e r e n t w a y W h e n I l i s t e n b a c k , i t f e e l s m o r e l i k e a m e m o r y i n t h e s e n s e t h a t l i v i n g i n a p a n d e m i c a l t e r e d w o r l d , m o s t c a n ’ t h e l p b u t m i s s t h e w a y t h i n g s w e r e b e f o r e . P e r h a p s i t ’ s w h e n y o u l i t e r a l l y c a n ’ t r e m e m b e r g o i n g o u t o r t h e w a y t h i n g s u s e d t o b e t h a t t h e g o i n g g e t s e a s y a n d y o u c a n a c c e p t t h e n e w w o r l d w e l i v e i n I s u p p o s e I j u s t l i k e t h e i d e a t h a t

s o m e o f t h e s e l y r i c s o r s o n g s c a n b e i n t e r p r e t e d i n d i f f e r e n t w a y s

H : I w o u l d p r o b a b l y a s k s o m e o n e I w a s t r y i n g t o c o n v i n c e t o b e a ‘ f a n ’ t o l i s t e n t o ‘ F a l l i n g ’ b e c a u s e I t h i n k i t ’ s t h e m o s t c h i l l e d o u t a n d t h e r e f o r e t h e s o n g t h a t t h e l a r g e s t n u m b e r o f p e o p l e w o u l d e n j o y B u t i f t h e y a r e a l r e a d y a ‘ f a n ’ I ’ d h a v e t h e m l i s t e n t o ‘ B e f o r e t h e S u n r i s e ’ b e c a u s e i t ’ s m y f a v o u r i t e . I t t a k e s t h e m o s t i n s p i r a t i o n f r o m B r i t i s h r o c k a n d I l o v e i t . W h a t a r t i s t ( s ) i n f l u e n c e y o u t h e m o s t ?

M : T h e B e a t l e s , C a t f i s h a n d t h e B o t t l e m e n , T h e B l a c k K e y s A : O v e r t h e y e a r s I ’ v e i n c r e a s i n g l y b e c o m e m o r e i n f l u e n c e d b y A l e x T u r n e r B e f o r e l i v i n g i n L o n d o n a n d m e e t i n g H a r r y , I h a d n ’ t l i s t e n e d t o m u c h A r c t i c M o n k e y s a s i d e f r o m A M , b u t s i n c e t h e n I ’ v e e x p l o r e d t h e d i s c o g r a p h y a n d h i s o t h e r p r o j e c t s w i t h A l e x a n d r a S a v i o r a n d t h e L a s t S h a d o w P u p p e t s I ’ m p a r t i c u l a r l y d r a w n t o h i s l y r i c i s m a n d h i s w a y w i t h m e t a p h o r s T h r o u g h h i m , I ’ v e g o t t e n i n t o t h e B e a c h B o y s a n d s o m e o f t h o s e o l d e r a r t i s t s . T h a t b e i n g s a i d , ‘ A n y t h i n g ’ a n d ‘ F a l l i n g ’ w h i c h w e r e w r i t t e n f i r s t o u t o f a n y o f t h e o t h e r t r a c k s a n d a r e d e f i n i t e l y i n f l u e n c e d b y J o h n M a y e r I l i s t e n e d t o h i m a l o t i n h i g h s c h o o l a n d w a s t r y i n g t o l e a r n " N e o n " w h e n I u l t i m a t e l y g o t f r u s t r a t e d a n d w r o t e

" A n y t h i n g " " F a l l i n g " w a s m o r e i n f l u e n c e d b y t h e w a y h e p l a y s g u i t a r H : A r c t i c M o n k e y s , S p o r t s T e a m , M e t a l l i c a . I p e r s o n a l l y t a k e a l o t o f i n s p i r a t i o n l y r i c a l l y f r o m A r c t i c M o n k e y s a n d S p o r t s T e a m . S u r p r i s i n g l y , M e t a l l i c a d e f i n i t e l y h a s s u b t l y i n f l u e n c e d t h e m u s i c I m a k e F o r e x a m p l e , t h e v e r s e g u i t a r o f t h e t h i r d s o n g o n t h e r e c o r d , " G o i n g G e t s E a s y , " w a s o r i g i n a l l y w r i t t e n a s o n e c o n t i n u o u s g u i t a r r i f f t h a t d e f i n i t e l y t o o k i n s p i r a t i o n f r o m B a y A r e a t h r a s h . B u t s i n c e i t g o t t u r n e d i n t o m u l t i p l e g u i t a r a n d b a s s p a r t s i t d e f i n i t e l y d o e s n ’ t s o u n d l i k e t h a t n o w !

T h e y ’ r e n o t a b a n d I w a n t t o s o u n d l i k e , b u t t h e y r e a l l y d o h a v e s u b t l e i n f l u e n c e s o n m y g u i t a r m u s i n g s . W h a t d i d y o u l e a r n m a k i n g t h i s E P ?

M : I ’ d s a y t h e n u m b e r o n e t h i n g I l e a r n e d f r o m p u t t i n g t o g e t h e r t h i s E P i s t h a t t h e i n i t i a l s o n g w r i t i n g p r o c e s s i s j u s t t h e t i p o f t h e i c e b e r g , a n d t h a t i t i s c a l l e d t h e r e c o r d i n g “ p r o c e s s ” f o r a r e a s o n

A : T h e b i g g e s t t a k e a w a y f r o m t h e p r o c e s s w a s t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f p a t i e n c e . I t h i n k b e f o r e t h e p a n d e m i c , a n d e v e n n o w , t h e r e w a s a s e n s e t h a t e v e r y t h i n g w a s g o - g o - g o

a n d y o u n e e d e d t o g e t t h i n g s d o n e a s s o o n a s p o s s i b l e T h e r e a l i t y i s t h a t i t ’ s v e r y d i f f i c u l t t o p l a n f o r a l l t h e d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s t h a t l i f e e n d s u p t h r o w i n g a t y o u . A l s o ,

nothing happens the way you expect it to

When we were in the studio in January 2020, we had a lot of ideas about how we wanted everything to sound but by the time we finished mixing remotely over the Summer, some of those ideas had changed. I think it’s important to be open-minded to wherever your mind takes you in those creative settings

H: I learnt a lot about how to add layers to our songs. Initially, going into the creative process I was thinking a lot about my own guitar parts. While that’s really important, I was neglecting thinking about the parts for the track more broadly: all the additional sonic elements that make the track feel full How to listen for them in other people’s music and how to use them in our own is definitely something I learned from. What songs are you currently listening to?

M: I’ve been obsessed with the second record by The Strokes recently, more specifically “Under Control ” Along those lines, I’m a massive fan of The Black Keys so songs like “Little Black Submarine” or even Dan Auerbach's spin-off band The Arcs’ “Velvet Ditch ”

A: I recently just discovered the Avalanches and have been listening to their most recent record quite a bit with their song ‘The Divine Chord’ being on repeat. ‘Sunflower Seeds’ by the Orielles is another one I found recently. ‘Right Around the Clock’ by Sorry is a very cool tune as well I’ll throw in ‘Foreign Room’ by Telekinesis As far as records, The Bends by Radiohead was one I’ve been listening to a lot as well

H: I'm listening to "Who Says" by John Mayer whilst writing this. Also been loving "Knuckle Tattoo" by Girlhouse in the car recently More generally though Alex, Matt, and I have been listening to a record a week and discussing it for a few weeks now Last week was "What did you expect from the Vaccines," so I have been pretty much exclusively listening to that. It’s pretty sweet. Follow the band on Instagram and Twitter @TheBackfires, and stream Consider the Backfires wherever music is available

D I S C O V E R N E W M U S I C

M U S I C R E L E A S I N G T H I S S P R I N G

M a r c h 2 6 t h

S u r r e a l i s t

O K C o o l O K C o o l , t w o C h i c a g o a n s s e l f - d e s c r i b e d a s " d u s t y d u s t y a c t i o n f i g u r e s u n d e r u r b e d , " w i l l r e l e a s e t h e i r m u c h a n t i c i p a t e d s e c o n d

E P M a r c h 2 6 t h

A p r i l 2 n d

S e l f - T i t l e d

Z a c h P e r s o n T h e A m e r i c a n I d o l a l u m n u s ' f i r s t s i n g l e , " C a n ’ t S t o p R u n n i n g , " c l i m b s c o l l e g e a n d n o n - c o m m r a d i o c h a r t s , a h e a d o f h i s d e b u t a l b u m

A p r i l 2 n d

D a n c i n g w i t h t h e D e v i l D e m i L o v a t o

L o v a t o w i l l r e l e a s e h e r s e v e n t h s t u d i o a l b u m , a l o n g w i t h a d o c u m e n t a r y s e r i e s o f t h e s a m e t i t l e a b o u t h e r l i f e , c a r e e r , a n d n e a r - f a t a l d r u g o v e r d o s e .

A p r i l 2 n d

C o m p a n y ' s C o m i n ' L e s l i e J o r d a n J o r d a n w i l l r e l e a s e a c o l l e c t i o n o f g o s p e l t u n e s r e c o r d e d i n N a s h v i l l e w i t h t h e h e l p o f m a n y f e a t u r e d a r t i s t s , i n c l u d i n g E d d i e V e d d e r a n d D o l l y P a r t o n

A p r i l 9 t h

I n t r o d u c i n g . . .

T h e P i n k S t o n e s

T h e P i n k S t o n e s o f A t h e n s ,

G A w i l l r e l e a s e t h e i r d e b u t a l b u m m i x i n g e l e m e n t s o f c l a s s i c c o s m i c c o u n t r y , r a u c o u s r o c k , h u m o r , a n d h e a r t a c h e

A p r i l 9 t h

F e a r l e s s ( T a y l o r ' s V e r s i o n )

T a y l o r S w i f t

S w i f t w i l l r e l e a s e h e r f i r s t r e r e c o r d e d a l b u m t h i s

A p r i l , a n a l b u m s h e w i l l e n t i r e l y o w n . I t i n c l u d e s s i x n e v e r b e f o r e r e l e a s e d s o n g s f r o m t h e S w i f t v a u l t .

A p r i l 1 6 t h

T h e B a t t l e A t G a r d e n ' s G a t e

G r e t a V a n F l e e t

T h e A m e r i c a n r o c k b a n d w i l l r e l e a s e t h e i r s e c o n d s t u d i o a l b u m i n A p r i l . T h e a l b u m ’ s f i r s t s i n g l e “ M y W a y , S o o n ” w a s r e l e a s e d i n O c t o b e r 2 0 2 0 .

A p r i l 3 0 t h

Y o u n g H e a r t

B i r d y

B i r d y ’ s f o u r t h s t u d i o a l b u m w a s a n n o u n c e d i n J a n u a r y w i t h i t s f i r s t s i n g l e “ S u r r e n d e r . ” I t w i l l b e r e l e a s e d t h r o u g h

A t l a n t i c R e c o r d s

A L L T H E W O R L D I S O N E S T A G E

Music is everywhere and discovery is travel Whether you are traveling literally or virtually, getting around is easier if you can read the maps and order from menus. 60% of the earth’s population has access to the internet, and English is the most common language European and African musicians often record in several languages, including English, to appeal to international fans On the internet, with some exceptions, borders disappear, the world is small, and every song from the last hundred years is a click away. To paraphrase Shakespeare, all the world is one stage

It’s like phoning your friend you can see through her window A Zoom to the other side of the world is like a local call, and a Spotify playlist goes seamlessly between decades, genres, and continents Musicians recording in English are next-door neighbors

That one big stage of earth is crowded though. So many musicians releasing so much content, and so much of it sounds like all the rest. And there is so much music history Moreover, hit songs are no longer simply songs that sell the most or are played most in media, but songs that have been streamed millions of times

Don’t let streaming monopolies and corporate awards limit your experience. Certainly you have favorite musicians who have millions of international fans But great musicians are out there without dominating social media, making more music than publicity. Discovery just takes a few more clicks.

TikTok, a company that originated in China, makes it easier to discover music If a song is new to you, it’s new You crave current shared experiences If this pandemic has changed anything about music, it’s that fans will pay to stream live performances. Live streaming will continue even as live venues reopen, because fans around the world will pay to zoom sold-out concerts Attending and streaming concerts will be the current shared experience drawing the

world together

Here are a few good singles from around the globe that you may not know. They have catchy lyrics in English, complex melodies and arrangements, expert musicians, and have been released in the last year Maybe these songs will draw you to travel, to rock and roam

To continue discovering more global music and to help you create your own international playlist, download Radiooooo in the App Store or visit radiooooo.com. Radiooooo allows users to pick a country on the map of the world and pick a decade from the 1900s to today to hear music from every country and era

W O R L D W I D E M U S I C

EXPLORE SONGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

NORTH AMERICA:

EUROPE:

Germany: Girls Like Us, Zoe Wees

Ireland:

City Unfolds, Ailbhe Reddy Falling In, Inhaler

Canada:

Wild Woman, Meg Warren

Governess Shadow, July Talk Slowly,

CARIBBEAN:

Antigua & Barbuda: Energy, Skillibeng

Grenada:

Country Badness: Evil Heights Riddim, Boyzie

Trinidad & Tobago:

Fall In Love, Prince Swanny

SOUTH AMERICA:

Guyana:

Overflow, Samuel Medas

Chile/Norway: hey girl, boy pablo

Norway: Stay, Sirusho & Alexander Rybak

Romania:

3 to 1, Monoir & Eneli

United Kingdom:

Wellerman, Nathan Evans ATM, Bree Runway & Missy Elliott

AFRICA:

(many songs regionally bilingual)

Ghana: Forever, Gyakie Spiritual, KiDi

Kenya:

Suzanna, Sauti Sol

Nigeria:

Damages, Tems

Sierra Leone: The Lion, Y.O.K 7

South Africa:

Find Me In The Trees, lordkez

AUSTRALIA:

Australia: Fly Away, Tones And I Christmas In July, Alex The Astronaut

My Happiness, Washington

Kim, Tkay Maidza & Yung Baby Tate

Love You To Death, Snowy Band

New Zealand: I Wonder Why, Kacy & Clayton & Marlon Williams JPA989, Thomston

PACIFIC ASIA:

Singapore: Departure Song, The Great Singapore Replay & whirring Off My Mind, RENE

Landmind, 10vacations

Blue Accordion, Islandeer

Z A C H P E R S O N Z A C H P E R S O N Y O U N G G U I T A R H E R O Y O U N G G U I T A R H E R O

Guitarist and singer-songwriter, Zach Person, will release his debut self-titled LP April 2nd, kicking off his release with a show at the Empire Control Room in Austin, Texas. First receiving national recognition as an American Idol Season 15 contestant, Zach became a House of Blues Music Forward Foundation Alumnus, which gave him the credit and opportunity to share stages with legendary guitarists, such as Buddy Guy, who said of Zach, “What can I say, this young man is hot!” His extraordinary guitar playing ability helps him stand out of the crowd. Get to know Zach: What artists and music have made the biggest impression on you?

As a teenager, I was heavily inspired by classic rock bands and bluesmen of the early to mid 20th century The emotion and energy of that music has an authenticity that resonates with me like nothing else. As I’ve gotten older and begun to experience more of the world, elements of pop, hip-hop, and Americana have also found their way into my playing and songwriting

When did you get your first guitar?

My first guitar was a First Act toy guitar from Wal-Mart that my mother bought for me when I was 10 After banging around on that for about a year, she bought me my first real guitar, an Epiphone Les Paul Standard, and started me taking lessons

What does it mean to have legendary artists, like Buddy Guy, complimenting your talent?

These are artists that I’d grown up watching videos of on the internet and television through my formative years After so much time of admiring and studying from these legendary artists, it’s very surreal to meet them in person…and having them appreciate what I’m doing feels like such an honor

What can fans expect to find in your upcoming LP?

I've been fortunate to have experienced a lot of different cultures and music in my life thus far. Each music scene and genre has elements within them that resonate with

Photos in This Story by Christopher Durst

m e . T h e h e a v y l o n g i n g o f t h e b l u e s , t h e e x c i t e m e n t a n d u n t a m e d e n e r g y o f r o c k , t h e m y s t i c a l s l i d e s o u n d s o f A m e r i c a n a a n d f o l k , t h e d e e p a n d m e a n i n g f u l s t o r yt e l l i n g o f c o u n t r y , t h e b r i g h t , t w a n g y l i c k s o f s o u t h e r n g u i t a r s t y l e s , t h e s o u l f u l v o c a l s a n d c o m p l e x c h o r d s o f N e o s o u l , a n d t h e “ f a t b e a t s ” a n d 8 0 8 ’ s o f h i p - h o p … O v e r t h e c o u r s e o f a s h o w ( o r a n a l b u m ) , m y h o p e i s t h a t I c a n e v o k e a l l o f t h e s e f e e l i n g s i n t h e l i s t e n e r , a n d c r e a t e r e a l m o m e n t s t h a t t h e y c a n h o l d o n t o a n d t r e a s u r e f o r a l i f e t i m e W i t h t h e s e t r a c k s , I b e l i e v e I a c c o m p l i s h e d j u s t t h a t ! H o w w o u l d y o u d e s c r i b e y o u r g u i t a r s t y l e a n d t o n e , a n d h o w d i d y o u g e t i t ? F o r t h e m a j o r i t y o f m y c a r e e r , I ’ v e b e e n l i m i t e d b y t h e n u m b e r o f p l a y e r s I ’ v e h a d o n s t a g e S o l o , d u o a n d t r i o s h o w s t e n d t o d e m a n d m o r e o f t h e m u s i c i a n s p e r f o r m i n g , a n d s o y e a r s o f b e i n g t h e o n l y m e l o d i c i n s t r u m e n t o n s t a g e f o r c e d m e t o l e a r n

h o w t o f i l l s p a c e w i t h j u s t m y g u i t a r T h a t ’ s h a d a b i g i n f l u e n c e o n h o w I a p p r o a c h e v e r y t h i n g f r o m s o n g w r i t i n g a n d a r r a n g i n g t o g u i t a r s o l o s a n d c h o r d p h r a s i n g . F i n d i n g a n i c e b a l a n c e o f s a t u r a t i o n , r e v e r b a n d d e l a y s ( i n m o d e r a t i o n ) , a n d n o t e s e l e c t i o n h a s r e a l l y h e l p e d r o u n d o u t m y s i d e o f t h e s t a g e T h e r e s t o f t h e e n e r g y c o m e s f r o m t h e d r u m m e r I ’ v e b e e n f o r t u n a t e t o b e a b l e t o w o r k w i t h a n i n c r e d i b l e d r u m m e r , J a k e W y b l e , w h o i s r e a l l y d y n a m i c o n s t a g e . T h e c o m b i n a t i o n o f t h e t w o ( p l u s t h e a d d i t i o n o f s u b b y e l e c t r o n i c b a s s t r a c k s ) m a k e f o r a n o f t e n s u r p r i s i n g l y b i g s o u n d ! W h o i n s p i r e d y o u t o p l a y g u i t a r ?

I n t h e b e g i n n i n g I w a s l i s t e n i n g t o a l o t o f h e a v i e r r o c k b a n d s . I t w a s n ’ t u n t i l m y g u i t a r i n s t r u c t o r ( B a x t e r C l e m e n t o f C a s i n o G u i t a r s , N C ) t u r n e d m e o n t o t h e b l u e s t h a t I b e g a n t o r e a l l y s t a r t h a v i n g g u i t a r h e r o e s P e o p l e l i k e S t e v i e R a y V a u g h a n , J i m i H e n d r i x , J o h n M a y e r , J o e

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i n f l u e n c e o n m y p l a y i n g T h e n i n h i g h s c h o o l

I s t a r t e d l i s t e n i n g t o m o r e i n d i e r o c k s o u n d s

l i k e , T h e B l a c k K e y s , J a c k W h i t e a n d T y l e r

B r y a n t . B o t h o f t h e s o u n d s h a v e s t u c k w i t h m e a n d r e m a i n a t t h e c o r e o f a l l o f t h e m u s i c

I c r e a t e t o t h i s d a y

W h a t m u s i c i s o n y o u r c u r r e n t p l a y l i s t ?

M o s t r e c e n t l y I ’ v e b e e n l i s t e n i n g o n r e p e a t t o a l i v e r e c o r d i n g o f t h i s a r t i s t f r o m

A u s t i n n a m e d D a v e S c h e r . H e ’ s o n e o f t h e m o s t t a l e n t e d m u s i c i a n s I ’ v e e v e r k n o w n ,

a n d d e f i n i t e l y m y f a v o r i t e g u i t a r i s t / m u s i c i a n H e p l a y s a r o u n d A u s t i n q u i t e a b i t w i t h h i s o w n b a n d , b u t y o u ’ r e j u s t a s l i k e l y t o s e e h i m r i p p i n g o n s t a g e n e x t t o E r i c J o h n s o n o n t o u r . Y o u s h o u l d d e f i n i t e l y g i v e h i m a l i s t e n .

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@ Z a c h P e r s o n a n d o n F a c e b o o k

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L P A p r i l 2 n d , w h e r e v e r m u s i c i s a v a i l a b l e

T W O S C O O T E R S O N E B A D A S S B A N D

OK Cool, the grungy, emo music duo, will release their second EP Surrealist March 26th. Its members Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist, both bandmates of The Weekend Run Club also, naturally branched off as a duo this past summer, releasing their first EP Anomia last June. Get to know the Chicago duo:

You are both a part of another indie band, The Weekend Run Club, what sparked you both to form OK Cool?

Bridget: It was more of a natural thing than a deliberate decision. Haley and I live super close to each other, so we would jam every so often by ourselves just for fun. Eventually, this got me wanting to get back into guitar again - up until then, I had never really written a song before, just my drum parts for TWRC Once we had come up with “I Can’t Stand in Ice Skates” (the first single we released), I think we were motivated to keep trying at this and see how far it could go

Haley: We’ve been playing music together for a while and we had talked about writing as a duo, but kept shutting that idea down because, at the time, neither of us wanted to sing and we weren’t nearly as confident writing. It took a while, but we started having some writing sessions and it just kind of grew from there

How would you describe OK Cool in 5 words?

B: Freaked out, yelling about it.

H: We’re the dream meme team. I saw your Instagram pictures where you both were wearing masks and taking COVID precautions while in the studio recording How has COVID impacted this release?

B: Luckily, COVID didn’t affect recording too much because the band is just the two of us We masked up for all of it except for me when I recorded the vocals However, it really sucks when it comes to promotionwe aren’t able to go on tour or even play local shows, which really dampens the reach any given local artist can expect from doing these things Both of our EPs are coming out

in quarantine, which means we have never played a show before It’s a really strange place to be in, artistically What is your favorite song off Surrealist? Why?

B: My favorite track is probably “Five Finger Exploding Heart Technique” because I am able to listen to it and not be embarrassed I’m proud of the message of the song, and I still think the intro rips Writing this song felt like a massive win for me, because I really struggle with my voice and being able to hear myself sing without feeling like this is all a mistake. I’m obviously not a trained vocalist, and after the release of “Anomia,” I wanted to explore treating the voice as more of an equal component of the mix rather than something to be displayed front and center.

H: It changes for me but right now I’d have to say Hypervigilant I like that it has a weird,

k i n d o f s w i r l i n g a m b i e n t v i b e A b i g p a r t o f m e c h o o s i n g w h i c h s o n g i s m y f a v o r i t e h a s a l w a y s b e e n h o w i t f e e l s t o p l a y i t l i v e , s o I t h i n k w h e n s h o w s s t a r t a g a i n I ’ l l h a v e a n a l l t i m e f a v o r i t e . W h o a r e y o u r b i g g e s t m u s i c i n f l u e n c e s ?

B : I f e e l l i k e i t ’ s a l w a y s c h a n g i n gi n f l u e n c e s o n t h i s r e c o r d i n c l u d e : J o y c e

M a n o r , S p i r i t o f t h e B e e h i v e , P U P , T h e O b s e s s i v e s , O r i g a m i A n g e l , a n d H i p p o

C a m p u s

H : A l o t o f i n d i e / a l t e r n a t i v e s t u f f . H a y l e y

W i l l i a m s , S l a u g h t e r B e a c h D o g , G r o u p l o v e ,

G e n e r a t i o n a l s , T h e A u b r e y s .

S u r r e a l i s t i s O K C o o l ’ s s e c o n d E P r e l e a s e .

H o w w o u l d y o u c o m p a r e i t t o y o u r f i r s t

r e l e a s e , A n o m i a ?

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q u a r a n t i n e . S u r r e a l i s t h a s a m o r e d e f i n e d

s o u n d t h a t c a r r i e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e a l b u m

Photo by Nina Gaulin | Pictured Left to Right: Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist

a n d i s m o r e r e f l e c t i v e o f h o w w e w a n t t o s o u n d r i g h t n o w . A n o m i a w a s v e r y m u c h u s f i g u r i n g o u t “ o k a y , c a n w e d o t h i s j u s t t h e t w o o f u s ? ” a n d g e t t i n g o u r b e a r i n g s

W i t h S u r r e a l i s t w e h a v e i t a l i t t l e m o r e f i g u r e d o u t

H o w w o u l d y o u d e s c r i b e t h e t h e m e o f S u r r e a l i s t ?

B : I t h i n k t h e o v e r a r c h i n g t h e m e o f t h e r e c o r d , a n d s u b s e q u e n t l y t h e t i t l e , i s t h e e x i s t e n t i a l a n x i e t y t h a t I ’ v e f e l t m y w h o l e l i f e I t h i n k t h e p r o l o n g e d i s o l a t i o n o f q u a r a n t i n e j u s t f o r c e d t h e s e i s s u e s i n t o t h e f o r e f r o n t o f m y m i n d . E v e n t u a l l y I f e l t

c o m p e l l e d t o w r i t e a b o u t t h e m a n d t o t r y a n d a s s i g n a m e a n i n g t o t h i s f e a r W h a t i s O K C o o l ' s c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s l i k e H : W e u s e e a c h o t h e r t o b o u n c e i d e a s b a c k a n d f o r t h u n t i l w e ’ r e h a p p y w i t h i t . S o s o m e o n e c a n c o m e u p w i t h a r i f f o r m e l o d y a n d w e ' l l p l a y w i t h i t u n t i l w e l i k e i t o r u n t i l w e d r o p i t S o m e t i m e s i t s t a r t s a s a m o r e f u l l y f o r m e d i d e a a n d s o m e t i m e s i t ’ s j u s t a f e w n o t e s , l i k e t h e i n t r o t o D i v e r s . F o l l o w O K C o o l o n I n s t a g r a m , F a c e b o o k , a n d T w i t t e r @ O K C o o l B a n d , a n d s t r e a m S u r r e a l i s t a n d A n o m i a w h e r e v e r m u s i c i s a v a i l a b l e .

Photo by Ryan Kiolbassa

C I T Y G U I D E T O

Known for its art, architecture, and deepdish pizza, the “Windy City” of Chicago lies on the western end of Lake Michigan. It’s the third largest city by population in the United States, however the city's Midwestern charm makes it feel like a small town with all the perks of a big city, such as its phenomenal restaurant scene and worldrenowned museums And due to its relatively low housing costs, it’s a great city to call home.

Chicago is an inspiring city filled with many of the country’s prime hidden gems This guide will help you find them and experience the best places to eat, stay, consume music, and find the cultural treasures in this inspiring town.

Eats

Chicago’s diverse and lively culture makes for its unique food scene From its most iconic dishes and street fare, such as the iconic deep-dish pizza and Vienna beef sausages to make what’s known as the Chicago-style hot dog, to more cuisine from all around the world, such as pierogis and sushi. Chicago has it all - just don't put ketchup on your hot dog Sugar in ketchup smothers the flavor of the dog, and is highly recognized in Chicago as a sin Here is your guide on everything else ok to eat:

Giordano’s vs. Lou Malnati's

Every Chicagoan has their favorite deepdish pizza, but it generally comes down to a debate between the two local franchises Giordano’s and Lou Malnati’s. Whether you are Team Giordano’s or Team Lou Malnati’s will most likely depend on what you appreciate most in a pizza

Giordano’s serves stuffed deep dish pizza with an additional layer of dough separating the cheese from the toppings, however there is undoubtably more cheese than crust in a Giordano’s pizza If you appreciate cheese more than crust, Giordano’s is most likely for you

Lou Malnati’s does not have as much cheese as Giordano’s, however its crust comes from a secret family recipe that makes

it flaky on the outside and soft in the middle

If you appreciate crust more than cheese, Lou Malnati's is most likely for you I recommend you try both to make your own decision.

Portillo's

Portillo’s Chicago-style hot dog is a musthave when visiting the Windy City A Chicago-style dog consists of a Vienna Beef wiener dragged through the garden with

Photo by Shannon Welch |  Chicago Theater, Chicago, IL

mustard, neon green relish, raw or grilled onions, tomatoes, and celery salt with optional sport peppers, and, of course, never ketchup. Their crinkle-cut fries are also a must.

around a rectangle in the area This is the perfect location because of the easy access to downtown attractions and public transportation. Here are some of the best places to stay in The Loop:

Music

Chicagoans take their music very seriously. From iconic listening rooms to full-blown music festivals, there is music in Chicago for everyone’s taste Innovative blues musicians who traveled to Chicago in the 1940s helped define the Chicago Blues sound Here are the best ways to get a sense of the Chicago music scene:

Lollapalooza

Podhalanka

Chicago is home to a huge Polish and Eastern European population, whose heritage plays a major part of the city’s food presence The no-frills Podhalanka serves some of the best Polish food in the city, including: golabki (stuffed cabbage), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and pierogi ruskie (potato and cheese dumplings). Helena, Podhalanka’s owner, came to the United States from Poland in 1983 via Pan Am Air and has been cooking traditional Polish dishes ever since

Chicago Athletic Association

The Chicago Athletic Association boutique hotel sits in a 1890s Gothic building that once was home to an exclusive sportsmen's club. Each of its 241 rooms feature unique flourishes to remind guests of the hotel’s past Rooms feature views of Millennium Park and Lake Michigan, and allow guests access to an expansive game room with bocce and shuffleboard. The Chicago Athletic Association has been temporary closed due to COVID, but will be reopening its doors this April

The Publishing House Bed and Breakfast

Lollapalooza, a four-day music festival in Chicago’s Grant Park draws over 400,000 attendees each year Artists from every genre wow crowds each year In 2020, due to the pandemic, the festival was held virtually, but the festival’s founder, Perry Ferrell, said in a video posted to his social media accounts on March 20th, “I will see you at Lollapalooza –soon ”

Green Mill Cocktail Lounge

The Green Mill, a former speakeasy that opened in 1907, is the longest continuously running jazz club in the country. Big-name artists, such as Billie Holiday and Al Jolson have graced the stage at the Green Mill, which also hosts local artists for late-night jam sessions

Culture

Sushi-San

Chief Kaze Chan came to Chicago in 1995 to become the original chef at Mirai After opening his own restaurants with his brother, Macku: Heat, Kaze, and Macku, he started another venture becoming the chef at SushiSan. The best way to experience Sushi-San is at the “hand roll bar,” where sushi masters behind the counter roll and serve sushi directly to you Chan says this experience and sushi should be eaten as soon as it is served, as even a 30-second delay in service could hurt the tasting experience.

Stays

If you’re traveling to Chicago for the first time, the best area to stay in is "The Loop," the downtown area of Chicago, that borders the Chicago River The neighborhood got its name because of the elevated Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) tracks that "loop"

Stay in the former Free Methodist Publishing House, built in 1909 With 11 unique rooms and a delicious breakfast cooked by its owners every morning, The Publishing House is the perfect Chicago retreat for fans of literature and/or Instagramable spaces This bed and breakfast provides guests with a retreat within the city Staypineapple

Those who are visiting Chicago for the architecture will enjoy Staypineapple. Within Chicago’s Reliance Building, built in 1895 and on the National Register of Historic Places, guests can awe at the hotel’s industrious, yet charming interior A small West Coast hotel chain, Pineapple Hospitality, bought the hotel in 2016, as it was known as Hotel Burnham from 1999 to 2016. Designed by architects Daniel Burnham, Charles Atwood and John Root, the building still features the original ornate grillwork on the elevators

Chicagoans embrace their city known for its arts, comedy, and architectural history. Going on one of Chicago's many architecture tours is a must, as well as visiting these beloved Chicago institutions:

Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field, the baseball park home to the Chicago Cubs, is beloved to Chicagoans and baseball fans alike. Whether or not you are a sports fan, a trip to Wrigley is essential

The Art Institute of Chicago

As seen in "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off," The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. It is home to "American Gothic," "Nighthawks," and "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte "

The Second City

See an improvisational comedy show at the famed Second City, where comedians like Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Catherine O’Hara, and Stephen Colbert got their start. You never know which comedian may someday star on Saturday Night Live or what alumnus may come back for a visit

F I N D A F R I E N D I N M U S I C

Spending the past several months isolated in our homes, music has helped us feel less alone. It's there whenever we need it and always has the right words to say Music has become one of the most important members of your quarantine crew.

Madeline Noelle, a University of Georgia student, is thankful music has comforted her during COVID

"Music has been my constant companion throughout COVID. It’s brought me a lot of joy and comforted me in some very difficult times. Specifically, Chromatica by Lady Gaga has been one of the albums that was released at such a pivotal point for me personally as well as it being around initial wave of the pandemic when the first singles were released."

Khaaliq Crowder, a recent University of New Haven graduate now working as a Community Curator at Snap Inc , says listening to music has always been a type of therapy for him, even before COVID

"Listening to music is a form of self-care and therapy for me. I would say that it gets my mind off of my troubles. Music is the soundtrack to my life I can put on my expensive earphones and feel like I'm in a completely different world Some days I'm sad Some days I want to feel like I'm in a club dancing even though we can't. Some days I'm enraged by the racial uprising in my country Some days I need to know that there's a light at the end of my tunnel There's a song for every different feeling It calms me down and lets me know everything is going to be okay."

For Noelle, COVID has influenced the

music she has listened to, finding comfort in listening to records her parents played for her as a kid

"COVID has absolutely influenced my taste in music. I’ve revisited a lot of artists and albums that I haven’t listened to in years. My parents grew up in the 1980s, so a huge part of my childhood was listening to the bands that brought them a lot of joy when they were teenagers Listening to Queen, KISS, and few 80s dark wave bands has been really nostalgic."

Crowder says that COVID has also had some impact on the music he has listened to.

"For most of 2020, the pandemic left me unemployed, isolated from face-to-face interaction with friends and family, broke, without a routine, and with few professional opportunities. That said, I got genuinely depressed, and so I sat at home and barely left my room some days When I’m sad, depressed, and dwelling on past trauma, I'll consume music that reflects that "

Crowder says he played many "depressing" songs at low points during isolation.

"Depressing songs include "Grand Piano" by Nicki Minaj, "Better in Time" by Leona Lewis, "Sumthin' Wicked This Way Comes" by TLC, "Bag Lady" by Erykah Badu It's mostly ballads and, to the lesser extent, midtempo that I play when I’m going through it. I played B7 by Brandy a lot, and that album centered around mental illness, which I was dealing with "

He also used music as an escape tactic

"At the same time, I also love escapism Hence, I played songs old and new that could be a distraction from this global health

crisis and racial uprisings, such as Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia and Teyana Taylor’s The Album I mostly listen to R&B and pop music "

Neither Noelle or Crowder have seen any social-distanced live performer during the pandemic, but Noelle appreciates all of the artists who had played livestreams during this time

"I've really appreciated how many artists have adapted to the times A local Athens, GA band, Vision Video, started doing livestreams on Twitch and it's been fun to interact with them online. Livestreams are a great option right now, but I'm looking forward to seeing live concerts again "

After feeling creatively cheated during COVID isolation, Noelle has recently felt inspired to start making music of her own.

"I'm actually starting to make music now. COVID kind of robbed me and so many others of creativity Spending a lot of time alone and has given me time to think about the music I want to make and the messages I want to share with people "

Noelle realizes how impactful music can be, and it’s important to her that the lyrics she releases make a positive imprint, specifically bringing awareness to mental health

"Right now, my lyrics and work are focused on talking about mental health because COVID has made it blatantly apparent that we still don’t talk about mental wellbeing enough."

Crowder says he has missed live music the most during COVID and is looking forward to when he can attend a show again

"I'm an avid concert-goer, and that's the biggest thing I miss."

M U S I C T O C O P E

S O N G S T O F E E L L E S S A L O N E

F u t u r e N o s t a l g i a

D u a L i p a

B e t t e r i n T i m e

L e o n a L e w i s

W e ' l l M e e t A g a i n

J o h n n y C a s h

L i f e G o e s O n

B T S

C o m e T o g e t h e r

T h e B e a t l e s

A p p l e P i e

T r a v i s S c o t t

C o m f o r t i n t h e G r a v e

V i s i o n V i d e o

B a g L a d y

E r y k a h B a d u

W e e k e n d F r i e n d

G o t h B a b e

I t A i n ' t O v e r ' T i l I t ' s O v e r

L e n n y K r a v i t z

G r a n d P i a n o

N i c k i M i n a j

W e A r e T h e C h a m p i o n s

Q u e e n U p s i d e D o w n

J a c k J o h n s o n

Y o u R e a l l y G o t M e

T h e K i n k s

W a k e U p L o v e

T e y a n a T a y l o r ( f e a t . I M A N )

9 1 1

L a d y G a g a

S o m e o n e Y o u L o v e d

L e w i s C a p a l d i

A l i v e

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M A I K A R O S E R E L E A S E S D E B U T S I N G L E

Maika Rose released her debut single "Your Smile" March 12th, the first song off her upcoming EP that will be released June 4th. Maika is native to Hamburg, Germany and bilingual in English and German, and equally happy to sing in both languages

Having recently graduated Cardiff University in Wales, Maika now spends her time writing and performing her own music, working as a vocal coach, and leading music workshops

Get to know Maika:

How would you describe "Your Smile?"

"Your Smile" is very much following the journey of a person, who is stuck in an unrequited love. It's their journey through the conflicting feelings of loving someone and wanting to help them get past their prior conflicts, wanting to be seen, but knocking against a closed door And then there’s the point of realization: they don’t have to be stuck on this person and that loving them is actually holding them back. In that moment, the strong thing is to be alone.

What is your creative process like?

It really varies from song to song

Sometimes I start with the lyrics, sometimes with a melody, sometimes with some chords. Sometimes I just sit at the piano and stare at it for ages, only to then give up. But it’s hard to describe, I feel like the lyrics influence my songwriting so much, that I craft melodies around what I want to say, sometimes even before knowing what that is

I find that when I start writing a song, it's about a problem or something that's close to my heart, something that I don’t see a solution to at that time So I write most of the song and then I let it sit for a couple of weeks Because in that time I will have found a solution, even if it's just emotionally closing the subject, and that will enable me to finish the song in a way that makes the journey complete

Who/what first got you into music?

That is a very good question I don’t really remember, I think my dad is very musical and both my parents love listening to music, so I grew up listening to the likes of Queen, Kate Bush, Aretha Franklin, Whitney

Houston, etc I've been singing for so long I don’t even remember when I started, but I used to be my family's radio.

I did musical theatre for many years growing up, was in school choirs, performances and the like and it just never left my life My voice was the one instrument I ever really stuck to When it came to decide what I should study, the choice was between chemistry and music and I just felt like I loved music more It wasn’t the safe option, but it was what I was passionate about So I went off and studied music and that’s really how I found my voice as a songwriter What is something you’d like everyone to know about you?

I love plants. I mean, I love music very

much, but I just love watching my plants grow. I love how green they are, although they come in all sorts of varieties, and how they make every apartment feel lighter and more comfy

What can fans expect next from you?

Throughout this year, I will be releasing two singles, in the lead up to my EP, which is coming out on the 4th of June. I’m currently working on the music videos for the songs and I am very excited about them, as they are partly the reason for me finding my genre niche I had a lot of difficulty placing my music in any genre I knew they were pop, but they weren’t the normal mainstream pop. But, I’ve been dancing for five years now and when I thought about it all, it just made

Photos in This Story by Lea Bostelmann Photos in This Story by Lea Bostelmann

sense to make Lyrical Dance videos. They're beautifully choreographed and I’m so excited I can't even begin to express it! There have been rehearsals happening these past weeks and the first video will be out shortly after my Single "Your Smile "

I knew then that my music fell into the genre "Lyrical Pop" as it’s just so based around storytelling, which is exactly where Lyrical Dance lays its emphasis on as well. I just love how dance adds this other layer

expression and interpretation to the music, something you can only really experience when you’re in the movement. Because I'm so involved already, I couldn't just leave it at one video, so there's going to be a crowdfunding campaign to facilitate the next couple of music videos Exciting times are lying ahead! Follow Maika on Instagram @MaikaRose and stream "Your Smile" wherever music is available.