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Black is the New AP Style

Photo courtesy of Will Shellhorn

I always knew I loved music, but I didn’t know I couldn’t live without it until I didn’t have it. When I went to NYU to play basketball and study finance, I had it in my head that I would pursue opportunities in music on the side - as if that’s how it works. I even wrote in my basketball profile bio, “Aspires to either work on Wall Street or become a singer/songwriter.” I was naive and afraid. Naive to the fact that defying all odds takes everything you’ve got, not just what’s left over. And afraid of jumping ship without any sight of land or another ship. But here I am, going on a few years of treading water wondering if my legs or my lungs will give out first.

The moment I knew I was going to make music as a career was not when I jumped; it was when I wound myself up so hard that not jumping would have left me so unbalanced that I would’ve gone overboard anyway. It was the summer of 2019, when I worked a miserable unpaid internship in FiDi while living in Washington Heights. My commute was an hour each way. I was working from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, then going to work out for two to three hours, and finally making it back to my apartment around 9 p.m. or so where I ate my first meal of the day. On top of everything, I had no piano, no guitar, no way of writing or playing music. The real punchline is that I’m sure there would have been a lot of great melodramatic songs that came out of that summer had I been able to write them.

Around the end of that summer, my whole perspective changed. My biggest music influence growing up, Ben Folds, came to town for an event talking with Sara Bareilles about his new memoir. It was at the Cooper Union near Washington Square, so I was back on my “old” NYU stomping grounds. I remember walking around to kill some time before the event started, listening to my favorite Ben Folds music. Then his song “Evaporated” came on my playlist. It was my first-ever concert in 2014 (which led me to write my first song a few weeks later) and I’d seen him perform four times since then, but he had never played that song. I remember it resonating with me more than usual. I remember letting myself feel emotions I’d been pretending I didn’t have. I remember pressing “replay”. Again. And again. I remember thinking, “I need him to play this tonight. I need to hear this tonight.”

At the event, Ben and Sara talked for about an hour. I hung onto every word - listening to two people who dedicated their lives to doing exactly what I wanted to do, talking about what it’s taken to actually do it. At the end, sure enough, he went over to the grand piano onstage and announced that he’d be playing a couple of songs before signing our copies of the book. He launched into a beautiful, more recent song of his, “So There”, as the audience all practically craned their necks in unison to see his hands move across the keys. When he finished, he started describing the writing process of the song he was going to play next. “I sat down at the piano and played these two notes over and over again,” he said (loosely), “And it somehow perfectly described the emotional state I was in.” I already knew what song it was and I could already feel my eyes start to tear up.

“What I’ve kept with me/And what I’ve thrown away/And where the hell I’ve ended up on this glary, random day/Were the things I really cared about/Just left along the way/For being too pent up and proud?” That’s how the song starts. I felt every word as deep as one can feel words, maybe even deeper. For a moment, it was unclear what were my own thoughts in my head and what was being sung on stage. All at once, I realized exactly what had made this summer so miserable and what I needed to do to change and get things back on track, even though I had no idea how to do it yet.

The rest of the evening was a blur besides when I met Ben which seemed to move in slow motion. I shook his hand and told him how I started writing songs because of him and how the first song I ever wrote was basically a rip-off of his song “Fred Jones, Pt. II” and how grateful I was for all his music had done for me. A flurry of words carefully crafted to let him know how he fits into my life story, while simultaneously conveying to him between the lines that I’d love to work with him someday and that I believe it will happen. You know… keeping it cool. But he was so gracious and humble; he looked at me and said something like, “That’s exactly how it’s supposed to start. If this is what you want to do then you gotta just keep going.”

I didn’t know it yet, but I was ready to jump - properly wound up, far past the point of no return. Over the next year, I discovered just how necessary the jump was. I think most of that discovery was realizing that sure, it’s scary to jump ship with no sight of land or another ship, but less so if said ship is on fire. Then you’d better put as much distance between you and the ship as possible. I think the biggest lesson I learned from that summer is that I was on a sinking ship, and I could either go down with it or I could jump into the water and pray it was warm.

Turns out it’s not too bad down here. It’s just pruned fingers, sunburns and every shade of endless blue. Like I said, it’s tiring treading water, but at least I’ve floated far away from the ship’s wreckage by now. I almost can’t even remember being on the ship at all. And I have no choice but to believe that if I tread water long enough, I’ll wash up on some shore eventually.
March 23, 2023 No comments

Growing up in a small town in Maine, I learned very quickly that I didn’t exactly fit in with most of the other kids.

While my friends were playing outside, I was discovering “Make It Big” by Wham! and “Please Please Me” by the Beatles. I spent countless hours exploring my parents’ record collection, finding old instruments in the basement (or even the dump) and writing songs in my room. My father tried to get me interested in sports, but I just couldn’t find the same passion for it. Music was my calling.

To my benefit, my parents recognized very early on that music was my thing. They encouraged me to pursue my dreams, even if it wasn’t a traditional career path. From open mic nights to American Idol auditions, they did everything to get me there and were my biggest cheerleaders. They saw the joy it brought me and knew that I had the potential to do great things with it.

As I grew older, the infatuation intensified. I started taking lessons, performing at local events and collaborating with other musicians in the area. I was always seeking to improve my skills and learn more about music theory, composition and performance.

By age 15, I was recording and releasing my own music and playing shows booked by my best friend, Jason, who just so happens to now be my manager.

Now, 20+ years into my career, I can confidently say that choosing a life of music was the best decision. I’ve had the opportunity to perform on stages across the country, collaborate with some of the most talented musicians in the industry and share my music with countless people. It has given me a sense of purpose and fulfillment that I never could have found in any other career. It all started with the unwavering support of my family and my own passion to step out and be a little weird.

March 21, 2023 No comments

Photo courtesy of Emma Lee Photography

I was home-schooled until my university years, so my family and I had the chance to travel to the United States quite a bit. Given that there are a lot more country radio stations in the United States than back home near Montreal, I was initially introduced to the country music genre that way. My mom also introduced me to singers like Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, Lady A and Carrie Underwood, and through these experiences, I fell in love with the genre for its down-to-earth lyrics and catchy melodies.

When I was 11, I was hospitalized for sepsis and a burst appendix. I spent three weeks in the hospital recovering from an invasive surgery. I was just a few weeks from turning 12 years old and I felt as though I had gotten a second chance at life. As odd as that might sound coming from a 12-year-old, experiences like the one I had just gone through really did change my view about life.

At the time, I also heard about this 13-year-old opera singer who was rapidly rising to fame for being so talented. I figured if she could do it, I probably could as well.

I began taking singing classes and tried to sing opera. I entered a variety of competitions and won first place when I was 13 years old. Winning first place meant that I got the chance to tour Quebec and parts of Ontario with a brass band and have my own set. That experience really made me enjoy performing on stage. I continued to sing opera music until I was 15 years old. Even so, I had no attachment to the genre, so I decided to switch to country music after a conversation with my singing teacher. I’m sure that my first trip to Nashville a year earlier might have had something to do with that. Once I started singing country music, I began to write it as well.

When I was 16 years old, I got the chance to return to Nashville for the second time and to perform at the Bluebird Cafe during an open mic night. It’s a moment I will forever remember because it was a step forward towards being the performer I wanted to be in the city where I wanted to do it. It was the moment I wanted to make music and share stories that I believed that listeners would relate to and that maybe someday, I would be able to share their stories as well.

Today, I live most of the year in Nashville. I’ve written and performed with amazing musicians around town and I’m wrapping up my debut EP of tracks I’ve recorded right here in town. Never would 13-year-old me singing opera have ever believed that I would be living out my country music dream in Nashville. But here I am, and this dream came true.
March 07, 2023 No comments
Photo courtesy of Dana Gorab

Destin Cavazos, vocalist/bassist: Hey there! This is Destin, Alec and Henry and we are exPorter out of Santa Barbara, California. Usually we’re out here promoting our shows but this time we’re going to tell you all about shows that have made us cry… or almost cry. I don’t know how many shows we’ve seen between the three of us but it’s a lot and there have been some pretty special ones for sure.

Henry Kish, drummer: Well, I can't say I've ever cried at a show but whenever I see a band I love live for the first time, I always have this weird feeling of realization that these people actually exist. It’s almost a guilty thing, as if, “how have I never heard of this band before” but no crying.

Alec Cavazos, vocalist/guitarist: Yeah, I’ve cried at a couple of shows and they’re mostly Blink-182/Tom DeLonge related. He’s the reason I play guitar today and one time Blink came to the Santa Barbara Bowl so we were all stoked to go see that show. 

I don’t know how it happened but Destin and I got to go backstage to meet Atlas Genius who was one of the openers. That was cool but it was really cool when it looked like we were going to get to go back to meet all of the bands, including Blink. But when the time came, they wouldn’t let us go back for that. I was fricken crushed. I was this little kid about to go backstage to meet my hero and they said no. I started bawling!

Destin: Yeah, that was bullshit for sure. That show also included New Politics and we had a friend that knew the New Politics dudes so we had already been hooked up to go backstage to meet them. The local radio station were the ones that for some reason took us back to meet Atlas Genius. I think we were just at the right spot at the right time. 

Anyway, we thought we were going to get to meet Blink too and just as we were about to go back, the guy told us we couldn’t go. Totally lame and Alec was crushed. I mean, he was a kid and all but it was Tom DeLonge, his hero, and it was all ripped away… what sucked the most was when you saw who they did take back you could totally tell they didn’t even really care about it, and then here’s little Alec left behind. 

The best was the dude that wouldn’t let us go back for Blink saw us when we were backstage for New Politics and he had this shit look on his face like, ‘OMG what did I do, who are these kids, why are they back here, are they record folks, am I about to get fired??????’ It was classic. We joke about that show in our family all the time. Poor little Alec.

Alec: Yeah, that totally sucked and I for sure was crying. I know I definitely cried after meeting and seeing Tom in 2019 and probably would today. I think we’re going to the Blink-182 shows in LA and if for some reason we get to meet him again, yeah, I will probably freak out again.
March 02, 2023 No comments
Photo courtesy of Dana Gorab

Back in 2019, Otherworldly Entity was lucky enough to open for the legendary nu metal band, Cold, at Buffalo Iron Works in Buffalo, NY. It was such an amazing experience because we didn't just play the show and do our opener thing.

We loaded into the venue about five hours before the doors opened, so we had a lot of time to kill. I lived in Buffalo for about 10 years, and even though I had moved away by this point, I still had a lot of friends around, so we invited a couple to the venue to hang out with us. We ended up spending a large chunk of the day sitting around with Sam, Lindsay, Jon, Nick and Scooter, better known as Cold. It was such an amazing, eye-opening and surreal experience. But why?

For this, we need to rewind back to 2001. I had just started dating a girl named Meg, and it was the day of her birthday party. We were both 14 years old; I had just started playing in my first band the same month, and I invited my friend Phil over to help us set up for the birthday party. The day before, I purchased Cold's 13 Ways to Bleed On Stage album, so while we were setting up, we put the CD in. By the time we made it to track four, “End of the World”, I was absolutely in love with what I was hearing. There was a darkness to it; a genuine humanity, the raw emotion coming out of those speakers spoke to me. I turned to Meg and Phil and said, "Some day, I will play with Cold." Phil said, "I think your band needs to get better." I said, "I don't care if it takes 20 years, it'll happen."

In 2008, I married Meg. In 2011, Phil lost his battle with depression and took his own life. In 2017, Meg and I went through a difficult divorce, and I ended up surviving a serious suicide attempt as a result. By the time 2019 had rolled around, I had lost these two people that shared in that decisive moment with me in 2001, and to some extent, I felt like I had lost myself, too. Two of my closest friends for over a decade, and my own sense of self. But here I was, 18 years later, sitting in lawn chairs behind Buffalo Iron Works, smoking cigarettes, having drinks, warming up to share a stage with these legends.

We killed our set, we really brought the energy. We even covered System of a Down's "Spiders", an homage to Cold's spider logo. When Cold took the stage, I went nuts. That is, until I heard "End of the World". My world had ended multiple times since that day in 2001. But here I was, in the most epic of circumstances. I had to go backstage and just relax for a while.

After the show, when the fans had all left, Scooter came up to me and gave me a hug. He said that he saw my story of my divorce, my suicide attempt and my unlikely survival. He said, "I'm glad you're here." I said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." He said, "No...I'm glad you're HERE." I knew what he meant. He didn't need to say more. That day changed my life - it started a new chapter in my life, and a new push in the future of Otherworldly Entity.

- John Harris, Otherworldly Entity
January 24, 2023 No comments
Photo courtesy of Dana Gorab

It began with a movie. A British movie that was released in 1990 starring Martin and Gary Kemp as East London gangsters, titled The Krays. As a child I was obsessed with this movie. I was 9 when I first saw it; 9 years old and I’m watching the true story of the Kray brothers causing carnage all over East London. Martin Kemp as Reggie, and Gary Kemp as the slightly more sociopathic Ronnie.

It was during this period that I discovered that my new favourite east enders were the bassist and guitarist from the 1980s, new romantic powerhouse unit, otherwise known as Spandau Ballet. So, after successfully completing a full decade of existence, my parents decided to take me to see my new favourite band as a birthday present.

Now this is where my now 10-year-old mind got a little confused. I believed I was going to see Spandau Ballet. I did not know that Spandau Ballet didn’t exist as they once did. I was also unaware that Martin and Gary Kemp were the actors/musicians who played the characters of the Krays in a movie. I believed they were them, if that makes sense? So I genuinely believed that I was going to actually see the real Ronnie and Reggie Kray playing in my new favourite band.

Instead I ended up going to see Tony Hadley perform with some original members of Spandau, but not Martin and Gary… and definitely not Ronnie and Reggie.

I was sold a lie by my parents. I felt betrayed.

“Where’s Ronnie and Reggie?” I would inevitably ask. My mum laughed.

“Martin and Gary you mean?”

“Who?” I replied.

It was during the show that my mum explained to me that Ronnie and Reggie Kray, although they were real people, were not the people in the movie. They were merely portrayed in the movie by actors, who also happened to be in Spandau Ballet, but were no longer in the band. I was utterly disappointed.

It was pretty much instant. I lost all interest in what was going on in front of me. I looked down at the greatest hits CD I’d brought along with the hope of meeting the Krays and getting them to sign it, and felt deflated. I leafed through the inside cover looking for some hard evidence that my mum was wrong, but instead I found the exact opposite. Written evidence that she was telling the truth. How could I have been so blind?!?! Reggie was in prison and Ronnie died in prison. The mathematics of them ever being able to form a 1980s, new romantic powerhouse unit was impossible.

Although quite upset, I decided to try to enjoy the rest of the show. To my surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was back-to-back hits, from “Lifeline” to “Gold”, from “Chant No.1” to “Through the Barricades”. It was awesome. I’d almost forgotten that my two favourite east-end gangsters were not here. I even enjoyed it so much I still wanted to get my CD signed, so I begged my parents to let us stay a little longer with the hope of meeting Tony Hadley, the charmingly charismatic frontman of my favourite band. After about an hour of loitering, I got lucky. There he was: Tony Hadley. The only man to ever fight with the Kray twins and live to tell the tale.

Now was my moment. I plucked up the courage, felt my marker pen in my pocket and shuffled over to say hi. I can’t remember what I exactly said to him at the time, but I do remember him shouting, “Here’s a little geeza,” at me. I held out my CD and marker pen with enthusiasm. He reached out his hand to take them from me and then abruptly paused.

“Naaaah sorry mate, I can’t touch that.” He exclaimed tapping his finger on the pictures of Martin and Gary Kemp on the front. “That’s naffin’ to do with me mate. I could get sued.”

He then chuckled, turned his back and left the venue, leaving me stood there with my pen, my CD, my parents and a single tear trickling down my 10-year-old cheek… I hoped the Krays would get him.

That was the time I cried at a Spandau Ballet show.

- Tom Ogilvie, Luna Kiss
January 05, 2023 No comments
Photo courtesy of Jessica Paige Photography

Music was a part of my world before I was even born. It runs through me.

My grandpa was a fantastic country musician, playing in a band in the early 1970s. That music gene was passed down to my dad and my aunts, who are incredible singers and players. I remember countless evenings, curled up by the campfire while they played the nights away.

I grew up surrounded by music, and I just blossomed right into it. I was always singing and dancing as a child, and really connected with music from a young age. I started piano lessons at the age of 6, and I used to make up these whole musicals and elaborate concerts that I would make my relatives sit and watch. It was mostly me just improvising lyrics on the spot!

I always wanted to be a “star” and had this huge sense of confidence. It wasn’t until I started tuning into pop and modern music culture that I realized it was my true desire to make music in a professional way.

A huge turning point happened when I was about 12 years old and Taylor Swift came onto the scene. I was enamoured. I wanted to do that so bad… to write my own songs and play them. I convinced my dad to teach me the basic chords on guitar, and I completely dedicated myself to it. I started posting cover videos on YouTube, and writing my own songs on guitar and piano. Then I joined choir, band, vocal jazz, and basically immersed myself into all music outlets.

These experiences brought me to where I am today…

I truly believe I was born to make music.
January 03, 2023 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what GRLwood founder Rej Forester had to say:
 

Learn more about GRLwood and don't forget to listen to our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
December 24, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what transatlantic band The Backfires had to say: 

Alex Gomez, frontman: My dad’s half of the family is all Columbian, so traditional South American customs are celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve. We would go with my grandparents to church and then we’d come back and the presents had all magically gotten there. I don’t know how my parents/anyone did this to this day! I’d be waiting by the Christmas tree until we would leave to go to church, and we’d come back two hours later and there’s all the gifts there that I could never work out how it happened. I’m convinced one of them would leave during church for home, sort it out and then come back. I also do Christmas cookies with my mom and it is a tradition that I look forward to every year.

Harry Ruprecht, lead guitar: In England, everybody eats turkey on Christmas but I’ve never eaten meat so I haven’t had turkey. In my family, we do a liquid gravy, stuffing and bread sauce. The Queen also gives a speech called the Royal Christmas Message, which will now be the King’s speech this year. We would leave carrots outside the front door for the reindeer, which didn’t make any sense because they wouldn’t land there. Sometimes we would leave a key out; not a real key, a big, fake key. We didn’t have a chimney so how else would Father Christmas get in?

Max Wanduragala, drums: My Christmas Eve is very pretty much the same every year down to the minute. The same sort of family friends come round and on Christmas Day we do a bit of a split because my mum’s English and my dad’s from Sri Lanka. We have half typical English food like a roast turkey and then half Sri Lankan foods. My mum does have one weird thing: if you don’t take down a decoration after the 12 days of Christmas, it has to stay up the whole year. I don’t know if that’s just her. Once I had a little snowman that I painted in school when I was about five years old and I forgot to take it down one year so it was there the whole year.

Learn more about The Backfires and listen to the songs they chose for our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
"Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney
"Step Into Christmas" by Elton John
"Driving Home For Christmas" by Chris Rea
December 23, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what singer/songwriter Brianna Ruelas had to say: 

If you’re looking for a holiday hit, this appetizer will leave your guests counting down the days until next year’s gathering!


Learn more about Brianna Ruelas and don't forget to listen to our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
December 22, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's singer/songwriter Nicole Sumerlyn had to say: 

Christmas time is one of the most special times of year. Family, close friends, delicious treats and holiday happiness! For me, when I think back on this time of year, I’m reminded of one of my core memories that helped me discover my love of singing.

Growing up, I had attended a fine arts school, and was always a dancer. For my eighth grade December recital, I decided to make the jump from dance to singing. Singing was new and strange at first, but on this night I was not only nervous but ecstatic to perform.

For this moment – my very first live singing performance – I had written one of my first songs, titled “Christmas Without You”. As soon as I sat at my piano and started to sing, I was addicted.

From there, I played the same song at the Christmas tree lighting in my hometown of Abbotsford, British Columbia. Each time I sang it, I would fall in love all over again with singing for people. All these years later, I still get the feels at every live show.

So now, this time of year not only reminds me of the Christmas magic, but also the start of my musical journey.


Learn more about Nicole Sumerlyn and listen to the song she chose for our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
"Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt
December 21, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what singer/songwriter Melissa Marchese had to say: 

My family has always been pretty traditional around the holidays. My Christmas memories are filled with large, chaotic gatherings of aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbours, always with lots of food and lots of fun. Put it this way: if you’re around my family at Christmas time, it's hard to feel lonely. Between the games of musical chairs, basketball, karaoke, bonfires, music, and dancing, there’s never a dull moment.

I couldn’t imagine spending the holidays any other way, until I got accepted to return to study with my Ashtanga Yoga teacher, Paramaguru Sharath Jois. My period of study was to be during the month of December, which meant Christmas in India; halfway around the world, oceans apart from the warmth of my family and friends and anything that felt familiar.

But it was a chance to spend time with my teacher, so off I went. I felt homesick and a pang in my heart that ached to be near my friends. I was sad to miss out on Mom and Dad’s Christmas dinner, and the annual holiday show I looked forward to playing every year with my pals. The FOMO was real.

But before I knew it, I was all wrapped up in my studies and my new life in India. December crept on, and something magical began to happen. My fellow yoga students, who too had made the pilgrimage from various places all around the globe, quickly became family, and together we found new ways to honour the holidays.

We put on a Christmas carol sing-a-long concert at a local cafe and sold Santa hats to raise funds to support a local orphanage. We visited a “snow park” to play around in man-made snow. Instead of buying gifts, I got a new tattoo to honour my grandmother. And instead of a traditional Christmas dinner, a couple dozen of us crammed into a little living room and feasted Indian style; sitting on the floor, eating with our hands and filling our bellies with various permutations of dhal and rice.

Melissa Marchese and fellow yoga students spent the holidays in India.
 
It was the dream Christmas I never even knew I wanted. No hustle and bustle, no shopping malls, no over indulgence; but the essence of the holidays remained. Joining together in love and appreciation, basking in the magical energy of the season, we experienced Christmas through a whole new lens.

The holiday experience I thought I was missing out on truly became the ultimate gift. And this, I notice, more often than not; the universe continues to hand me not always what I want, but always just what I need.

Learn more about Melissa Marchese and listen to the song she chose for our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
"Christmas Makes Me Cry" by Kacey Musgraves
December 20, 2022 No comments

Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what multi-genre artist and songwriter Ekelle had to say: 

I love the Christmas season! I’m not Captain Christmas or anything like that but I do love hot cocoa, snowflakes, gifts and good food. You won’t see me in a Santa outfit though. Another thing I love about the holiday season is all the movies, shows and specials that come out each year. I love to get together with family and friends to share in preparing meals for general togetherness or Christmas itself. When you’re making a holiday meal or festive snacks you definitely need to have something on theme playing in the background.

To prepare for Christmas and get those festive feelings flowing, I’m going to give you a recipe for some delicious shortbread cookies and my Top 10 Christmas Movies list to enjoy while you bake. Grab a friend and get started!

I chose shortbread because I consider them to be a traditional Christmas treat. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s quite simple and doesn’t take too much time to make. The recipe can easily become vegetarian or vegan by subbing out ingredients with alternative options.


Ekelle’s Top 10 Christmas Movies

1. Home Alone & Home Alone 2 - I had to put parts 1 and 2 because they are the originals and the absolute best in the franchise. I personally haven’t watched the others and won’t. The original casts made these films absolutely iconic.

2. Last Holiday - I love watching Queen Latifah on screen. She gets into your feels and your funny bone in this romantic comedy.

3. Almost Christmas - This movie has a star-studded hilarious cast that cracks me up every year. Mo’Nique steals the show for me!

4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - I’ve loved this one since childhood. It’s not Christmas for me until I’ve watched this stop-motion classic.

5. Jingle All The Way - You absolutely have to watch Arnold Schwarzenegger fight Sinbad over the hottest Christmas toy of the year!

6. The Holiday Calendar - A newer Netflix movie that got me in my feels. I also love that the story centers around two artists following their dreams.

7. Christopher the Christmas Tree - Another special I’ve been watching since childhood. Hootie the Owl and Christopher the Christmas Tree go on a journey of growth and come into their own.

8. Cool Runnings - Technically not a Christmas movie, but the snow and the winter Olympics say otherwise to me. The ending will also put you in the Christmas spirit.

9. The Prince of Egypt - This isn’t really a Christmas movie either, however it did premiere in December. The soundtrack features Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, K-Ci & JoJo and Boyz II Men, need I say more? Those voices singing gospel music definitely remind me of the religious meaning and elements of the Christmas holiday.

10. Christmas With the Kranks - Ending on a funny note we have Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen trying to escape Christmas... Until they can’t. I always laugh the whole way through this movie.

Hopefully you enjoy these movies as much as I do every year. And I hope that you don’t burn your shortbread cookies! In any case, the holiday season is about spending time together and strengthening our bonds with each other. Have an amazing holiday season no matter what you celebrate and I wish you well in the new year.

Learn more about Ekelle and listen to the song she chose for our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
"8 Days of Christmas" by Destiny's Child
December 19, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what Robot Monster drummer Logan Sidle had to say:

It was Christmas 2011.

I was 10 years old and had just started playing the drums over that last year. All I wanted was a drum set and begged my parents for one for months! I knew after starting to play the drums that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, and getting a drum kit would help me achieve that.

I woke up on Christmas morning to find a beautiful, brand-new Pearl drum set in the basement all wrapped up. It was a dream come true. I finally had what I was missing in my life. This drum kit became the set I would play on for over 10 years, until last year when I finally upgraded to a brand new C&C kit that I now use with Robot Monster.

My Pearl kit is still playable but at this point wouldn’t get me through a tour without falling apart. That kit took me from practicing as a kid in my basement to getting professional touring and recording opportunities, and I owe it all to that one Christmas gift from my parents in 2011.

I hope this Christmas many more kids get musical instruments as gifts, as it can lead them to beautiful places in life. It did for me, and I’m very fortunate. Christmas is a magical time, and that Christmas has shaped the course of my life forever.

Robot Monster drummer Logan Sidle jamming on his Pearl kit in 2011. 

Learn more about Robot Monster and listen to the song Logan chose for our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
"Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney
December 15, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what singer/songwriter Elyse Saunders had to say: 

Hey all! Happy Holidays!!

Thanks so much to Black is the New AP Style for including me as part of Chimneyside Chats. I'd love to share both a holiday event I recommend you try as well as one my favourite go-to holiday recipes.

If you're around the Toronto, Ontario area or maybe making a special trip, I highly recommend you check out the Distillery District for a visit at the formerly-known Toronto Christmas Market, which is now named The Distillery Winter Village. It's the perfect spot to get into the holiday spirit with decorations, lights, live music, shops, tasty eats and that perfect cup of hot cocoa and/or mulled wine. It's become a yearly tradition for me to visit with my friends and family (more than once a season). If you can't make it to this stop, I highly recommend you check out some holiday markets in your area. It feels good to shop local and a fun way to get out of the house.

With that said, what would the holidays be without all of the yummy baked goods? Here is my "Simply Apple Crisp" recipe. It's not complicated but gives you all of the comfort of a foodie's dream. Throw on the Chimneyside Chats playlist and bake away.


Learn more about Elyse Saunders and listen to the song she chose for our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
"Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee
December 13, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what Moxy The Band lead vocalist Amber DeLaRosa had to say:

One year, when we couldn’t afford a Christmas tree (or Christmas for that matter), my mom decorated a large stereo cabinet with tinsel and ornaments. We would gather around it and listen to music play in place of presents. It became a sort of tradition.

We cherished the notion that we could make our own version of Christmas together, even if the surroundings were a bit bleak. That stereo cabinet was a relic from a different time in our lives; one where we had more means and more food on the table. Then it served as the Christmas tree in the center of our apartment, where my mother worked so hard to create a better life for us girls.

One very special year, my mom scrounged up every penny she had so that she could wake me up and bring me to the cabinet. To my absolute shock, there was a brand new amplifier sitting next to a seafoam green Fender. My very own. My mother still has that stereo cabinet to this day. Every time I see it, it feels like Christmas.

Learn more about Moxy The Band and listen to the song Amber chose for our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
"Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt
December 08, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what author Megan Alexander had to say:

Christmas has always been such a special time of year for me! In my travels, I’ve learned that no matter where you go, this holiday is celebrated in its own unique way, but there’s just something a little extra magical in small towns at Christmas time. The way the residents come together and hold fast to their traditions gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling, and a children’s book was just waiting to be written about that. The Magic of a Small Town Christmas was born!

My book takes place in the small town of Heartbeat Falls, where the happy residents anticipate the coming of Christmas under clear skies filled with countless bright, shiny stars. The size of the town isn’t what matters, but rather the shared love of its people.

Excitement builds as families head to Mr. Richards’ tree farm to choose the perfect Christmas tree. The familiar holiday scent of fresh pine fills the air of the farm where Mr. Richards lovingly grows his trees from seedlings. The fun continues at home by decorating the tree with sparkling ornaments, hanging homemade stockings and eating delicious gingerbread cookies together.

Laughter and joy abound while playing in the brisk winter weather! A day of ice skating followed by a hot, home cooked meal hits the spot and warms the heart. These are days to be cherished and the people of Heartbeat Falls know that. Their town may not be the biggest, but their love for each other, especially at Christmas, certainly is!

It’s my hope that anyone that reads The Magic of a Small Town Christmas gets the same friendly feeling I have when I visit small towns during the holiday season. To experience the coziness and togetherness, along with the beautiful community traditions that are passed down from generation to generation are the real reason for the season. I’d love for readers to feel all of that every time they open the book and to share it with their families and friends. Life is so hectic, but for a tiny window of time while turning its pages, The Magic of a Small Town Christmas can slow things down and transport us to a simpler time. Those days really do exist in places like Heartbeat Falls, where everyone can be a resident at Christmas time.

I’d love for you to come and be my neighbor in Heartbeat Falls this Christmas season, won’t you?

Photo courtesy of Kristy Belcher

Purchase The Magic of a Small Town Christmas and don't forget to listen to our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
December 06, 2022 No comments
Graphic created by Lucas Seidel Design

Gather 'round the open fire for Chimneyside Chats - a monthly feature with holiday stories from our favorite artists. See what's in their stockings this year as they reminisce on Christmas memories, share their favorite recipe and more! Here's what Jane N' The Jungle lead vocalist Jordan White had to say:

Typically during the holidays my family makes the traditional American spreads. We usually Google recipes and get ideas on Instagram, so it felt cheating to share recipes we usually make. 

A recipe, however, that stood out to me was one that came from Jane N’ The Jungle guitarist Brian Dellis' grandmother, Majorie K. Qualle, also known as "Mo Mo".

I've never had anything like it.

When I started going to the Dellis' family holidays, I quickly noticed this amazingly delicious and addicting dish that seemed to keep making its presence during the holidays and family events. Truly, you can make this dish year-round. It's a Midwest comfort food recipe. We don't know exactly where it came from but have to assume Brian's grandmother designed it herself or it was passed down from her family.

We are happy to share her recipe with you below and hope you enjoy eating it just as much as we do!


Learn more about Jane N' The Jungle and don't forget to listen to our Chimneyside Chats playlist!
December 01, 2022 No comments

There were a few pivotal moments in my life that cemented how much I wanted to be a musician. I had been taking guitar lessons since about age 8 or 9 but I had my first taste of “success” at 11 years old, and boy was it intoxicating. I was the lead singer of my 6th grade band, The Keepers Of Peace, and somehow we were able to enter a local Battle of The Bands in Iowa City, where I was living at the time. We performed in front of a crowd of nearly 1,000 people and won second place among grown adults and professional bands. It was most likely the cuteness factor that led to our win (how do you crush the dreams of three 11-year-olds?) but it was the first time I ever felt like a “rockstar” and it made me want to chase this music dream forever.

Fast forward to my senior year of high school, where I was graduating from a public school in rural Vermont. Throughout my high school years, I’d played a lot of shows at my school auditorium and a few local events and venues, but never ventured out into the wider world. I got the opportunity to attend GRAMMY Camp, a camp run by the GRAMMY Foundation for kids interested in going into the music industry. While at GRAMMY Camp, I had the opportunity to perform at the GRAMMY Museum, meet legends like Ryan Seacrest and AJ McLean, and play at the historic El Rey Theater. Most importantly, I was around other people who all wanted a career in music, and it no longer felt like just a “fantasy”.

Finally, there was a turning point where my partner Greg and I realized we wanted to make music together. We had been dating for a year and were both singers but kept in our own lanes (I was doing the singer-songwriter thing and he was doing musical theater). On a whim we decided to host a cabaret, titled “You And Me (But Mostly Me)” at The Duplex in New York. The cabaret went over so well that we ended up doing it again in Greg’s hometown of Austin and later again for an off-Broadway series. We then happened to get a residency at the Nomo SoHo, where we had free reign to perform whatever we’d like for three hours every week. That allowed us to hone our craft and really learn how to vibe off each other. This eventually caught the eye of GRAMMY-winning producer Mr. Sonic, who signed us to his label and started producing what would turn into Fab The Duo's debut EP, Our Love Is Resistance.

This past year has been an incredible year for Fab The Duo. We recently released our debut album, Mascara Revolution, went on our first headlining tour and opened for incredible artists like Betty Who. None of this would have happened without those three turning points in my life that showed me that music is the direction I must take.

- Brendan Eprile, Fab The Duo
November 10, 2022 No comments
Photo courtesy of Dana Gorab

For as long as I can remember, The Beatles have always been a part of my culture. I’ve always been disappointed not to be born during the 60s because I always loved this period for all that it brought for rock music.

My dad is a huge Beatles fan and he used to play their songs with the guitar and sing along. It is also with their songs that I started to learn English. At one point, I wanted to understand their lyrics (I am French) so I practiced my English with them! At 4 years old I was learning the piano, and I think that 4 years later I knew how to play “Let It Be” and “Hey Jude”. At 11 years old, when I learned how to play the guitar, I wanted to play “Blackbird” or the guitar riff of “Day Tripper”.

When I was about 13 years old, my dad offered me a ticket to go with him and see Paul McCartney live at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy (named Accor Arena nowadays) in Paris. It was a dream come true. When we arrived at the venue, the place was so crowded; many famous musicians and singers were in the audience (for example, Sting was there). Everyone was waiting for this epic performance and man, it was epic! 37 songs played! I was singing almost all the songs with him, not being able to sit down for more than two minutes on my chair because I was so involved in the show.

When he finished the first part with “Hey Jude” and I heard the entire crowd singing along, I just felt the tears coming. It was magic.

The very last song of the show, “The End”, was just a pure moment out of time and space. I felt so connected with his music and his performance; seeing him on stage just changed my perception of how I wanted to play music, and my vision of a band (he has really wonderful bandmates as well).

I saw him on stage one more time in the Stade de France 10 years later, and once again I was impressed by him. He was more than 70 years old, and he performed as if it was the first time he went on stage, with a smile on his face all along…

- Romeo Bassi, Reaven
November 08, 2022 No comments
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