Category: Art

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Art

Why Shajuan Anthony Should Be On Your Radar

Shajuan Anthony has been on the independent artist grind for nearly a decade at this point making him a talented, seasoned veteran in the game. Right now, he has a brand new single out ‘Where You Been’, and a new EP on the way. With the new single approaching 10,000 streams on Spotify and more new music on the way, we thought it was a good time to catch up with him and learn more about his story.

In this article, we will look at some of his current released music as well as what’s next for the emcee, but let’s start at the beginning. In our conversation, he told us how music has been a big part of his life since he was a teenager.

“Since I was 16 years old music has been a major escape for me. My music always comes from real life experiences and relationships that I feel people can also relate to. To me there is no better time in music then today to be able to express yourself to the people.”

That start in music came in the city of St. Louis, and Shajuan focused on creating a local following and growing his career. After taking a few years off to focus on his personal life he has come back with a vengeance. Here’s what he told us about his break and return now.

“Life hit hard like it does for everyone and I had to take a few years off from my passion to get everything back on track. Fast forward to 2021 and I’m in a new city, Houston Texas, and partnering with a new label “Billionaire Bloodline Music Group.”

This obviously takes us to today. We took a listen to a few of his tracks, including ‘Where You Been’, and we reviewed them below.

‘Where You Been’

‘Where You Been’ has a laid-back feel but still manages to hit like a ton of bricks. The song is centered around a catchy hook but the verses demonstrate Shajuan’s prowess both from a lyrical and flowability standpoint. The song has big-time summer club feels to it which seems to fit what the creator himself was going for.

“It’s a mid-tempo club track that both the ladies and fellas can enjoy.”

If this was his intention then we think he hit the mark here. Check out the visuals for the track below.

‘Faded Conversations’

‘Faded Conversations’ has a hypnotic sound to it that fits its name’s sake. Shajuan Anthony puts his smooth flow on display on this one that has the sound of a commercially viable hit. The lyrics are a bit toned down from the previous track but still showcase the sophistication that today’s hip-hop sound needs.

‘Party People’

This is a new school take with the hook from an old-school classic. ‘Party People’, which pays homage to the 1993 Tag Team hit ‘Whoomp There It Is’ is the song that this generation deserves. The beat has a charged-up, chopped-up sound that builds on itself much like EDM songs do.

Over the top of it, Shajuan delivers on bar after bar while again providing listeners with a catchy and memorable hook. This song in conjunction with the other three shows off the young artist’s talent and versatility that gives him mass appeal.

That ability will help him build out the career that he is looking to create and the year of 2021 looks to be a great launching board for him. At this point, we turned our attention to his future, starting with the upcoming EP.

‘Back on Road Pt 2’

With the release of ‘Where You Been’, the next chapter for Shajuan Anthony is his upcoming EP. We asked him about the release and here were his thoughts.

“The name of the EP is “Back On Road Pt 2” it’s the second instalment in the series, recorded at the world-famous Baron Studios in Houston TX. It will be a 6-song breath of fresh air for the music industry. “

Every artist is looking for each release to be a success and to help them hit their long-term goals. Those long-term goals often help us understand the bigger picture of each artist we talk to, so we asked him about what those goals were for himself.

“My goals in the music industry are to get my independent label, Billionaire Bloodline Music Group, off of the ground and to be recognized in the industry as major staple. I’m not really into the “here today and gone tomorrow” motto. I’m setting this up for the long hall.  

Goals like these are ambitious and they bring the full story into the focus here. Shajuan is not looking to be just another artist, he is looking to be a force in the music industry. While business acumen and collaborating with other talented artists will play a role in hitting these goals, his solo music career will be the foundation behind it all. We’ve told you a lot about what we think of him as an artist, but we wanted to give him the stage to tell you in his own words.

“I believe what makes me stand out as an artist is that I’m as diverse as an artist can be while also being true to myself. I have been through ups and downs in life and I’m still here so putting it on records for the masses.”

Fighting through our tough times is part of the human experience and that often is reflected in music. That resilience and dedication will help him on his journey through the industry. We find his sound to be refreshing, versatile, and talented. As we worked through his catalog we were thoroughly impressed and eager to share his sound with more people and we hope that’s what we did here today.

As 2021 winds down, Shajuan appears to be ready to keep making noise. Follow him with the links below and stay up to date.

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Website

Instagram

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Art

Kavish Records founder Kavish Mishra shares & explains the truth of new era “music industry” !

Kavish Mishra (Music Composer and Producer) shares and explains the truth of the new era. According to the Composer, a song can be visualized as a perfect recipe for appropriate portions of melody, music, lyrics, and singing. Isn’t it? But what happens when you re-use a pre-made recipe and just add a few melody and music, to term it as a remix or remake songs? That cannot taste like an original recipe. This is what is happening in one of the ‘top film and music industries of the world,’ Bollywood, or the Indian Film Industry.

Bollywood has produced a perfect blend of originality till some time ago, but off-late things have now changed. Now, we hear the hit songs of the 1990’s and 2000’s era in the latest movie releases every Friday, but with changed music and tone. Why does it happen? Are the creators of these original-hits lost or dead? But that’s not true! They are still alive. A person who has produced a top-class music recipe in the past can produce an original melody once again, and it is a fact!

Then, what has happened to the Indian Music Industry or the audience that those original singers, Lyricists, composers, music-directors have seemed to be lost somewhere?

In an interview with Kavish Mishra, he said, “The so-called killing of Indian Original Music is happening because of the new generation and their un-improvised taste. The race between the original music and the remix version started a few years ago, but people have started enjoying the remixes because of rock-and-pop versions, which they might be acquiring from English-based songs.” He further adds, “Audience should not forget the time when they had experienced back to back hit songs from the top-class Indian singers in the 1990’s and 2000’s. If they are still alive, they can still provide an original piece of music to us.”

Kavish Mishra expresses his great devastation with this on-going trend of Bollywood music. He speaks, “It’s totally fine to use the idea of recreation or remixes once or twice, but as it’s happening every time now, it’s not a healthy trend!” Adding a few senseless lyrics to the original version and tuning the voice of the singer for scale and pitch does not produce a perfect meaningful song. This requires creativity, originality, and hard work, of course!

According to the music composer, all the musicians and upcoming talents in the Indian Music Industry should produce their original work as it can provide them with genuine credits. Remixing or remaking a song is not creativity or originality. The songs which have been created by legends should not be manipulated to create a remix version. It is true that old is gold, but if you try to change the original version, it’s not gold anymore.

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Art

Children’s Books that Take You to the Beach

Summer is here and it’s time for sun, fun and a day at the beach. Get your kids ready for that special day with these fabulous beach picture books. From sandcastles, magic waves, frisky crabs, and Mexican bands the beach is full of adventure and it can all be found in the pages of these excellent picture books.

As the Sun Rises, Morning in Mazatlan by Carolyn Watson Dubisch

Released just this year in time for summer, this book tells the tale of Juan and Maria spending the day with their Papa on the beach in Mazatlån, Mexico. They search for clams, chase crabs and dance to the music of the “Banda bands”. The illustrations are beautiful and bring you all the way to Mexico.

A Beach Day with Summer the Dog by Margaret M. Eberle, Illustrated by Jitumoni Goswami

Going to the beach is great but going to the beach with your dog is a blast! Ben brings his dog, Summer to the beach where they play ball, build a sandcastle and even go in a kayak. The art is skillfully done and expressive, and this is the perfect beach book for kids who have a pet.

The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow, Illustrated by Wendall Minor

The lyrical text and masterful art by Wendall Minor make this book a treasure. A little boy who lives far from the sea wonders what it’s like to go to the beach. With his mother’s helpful descriptions, he runs on the shore and discovers oyster shells, and gulls overhead and crabs and waves. It’s truly a stunning book.

The Sandcastle That Lola Built by Megan Maynor, Illustrated by Kate Berube

 Read along as Lola makes new friends at the beach while building a massive sandcastle to beckon the mermaids to the shore. Full of gentle humor the illustrations are a perfect fit with the text that is written with the style of “The House that Jack Built”. This book will have your kids raring to get to the beach to build their own mermaid sandcastle!

A New Day for Cray (The Adventures of Cray on the Bay) by G Pa Rhymes, Illustrated by Erica Leigh

The story of a very frisky little crab who drives his friends on the beach crazy with his pinching habit. Until a tragic accident changes his life. The illustrations by Erica Leigh are just beautiful and carry the story in such a charming way. The rhyming text will make every little one demand this story at bedtime.

Magic Beach by Alison Lester

This charming book, told in verse from Australian author/ illustrator, will whisk you off to the magic beach with vast invincible sandcastles and undersea kingdoms lurking in tide pools. The illustrations are detailed watercolors that are just stunning. You just have to love a book that sparks the imagination the way this one does. It’s an award-winning book and a classic story every kid should have on their bookshelf.

Beach days can be a challenge for parents but with the right preparation and the perfect books to gear them up they can be part of some cherished childhood memories for the whole family. Don’t forget the sunscreen and get ready for that amazing beach vacation!

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Art

Vermont Author Damon Piletz Has A New Book

It is customary that each generation passes many things onto the next. Sometimes it’s through spoken word. Sometimes it’s through things that we find out but were never told. Fourteen-year-old Trinity grew up visiting a small town in Vermont where her grandmother lived. This town is on edge, the Pigman dwells among them. His odd look and tenacious ways have caused great fear among the residents. With her grandmother’s sudden passing, Trinity realizes that she’s been left alone with a secret that only she knows. What will she do?

The book is available at Amazon in paper and Kindle.
The book is also available at www.richunkel.com

Damon Piletz is the creator behind the pen name, “Rich Unkel.” He grew up in a small New England town nestled between the Green and White Mountains. He currently lives in Vermont, where he has resided for the last twenty years. He loves to write poetry, novels and short stories. His favorite pastime is making memories with his wife, three children and the family cat.

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Art

See What’s Coming for Inkredible Kam in 2021

First, there was WAP. Now, there is PAN. The rising star who is responsible for this new hit single is InKredible Kam. Hailing from Louisville, KY, this female artist is already making her mark on the hip-hop music scene.

While she is still a newcomer to the industry, she is quickly joining the ranks of the other high-profile female hip hop artists we all know and love today, such as Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and others. All of these women have been a source of inspiration to InKredible Kam, who one day soon sees herself alongside these fierce and talented women.

InKredible Kam has already released a few songs prior to PAN, and plans to drip-release tracks every month throughout 2021. She has also been offered a role in a Drake music video for his song Find Your Love. However, she turned it down due to not wanting to appear as simply a video vixen. InKredible Kam is incredibly persistent and determined to make her mark through her music first, with everything else coming second to that. While her looks are definitely striking and stunning on camera, InKredible Kam wants to be known as a music artist above all else.

This rising star in the hip hop world already has fans all over the world, and is bound to see a surge in popularity as 2021 moves forward. She is someone who never gives up on pursuing what makes her happy. That is why she has become a hip-hop artist. Music was always something she was extremely passionate about, and she enjoyed both listening to it and producing it. However, she was always turned off by all of the backroom deals and politics involved within the industry.

For InKredible Kam, producing music has been therapeutic for her throughout the challenging pandemic that has been filled with lockdowns, quarantines, and restrictions of all kinds. Being directly affected by everything that has been going on pushed InKredible Kam to turn to what makes her the happiest, which is music. The elevation she gets from singing and rapping has led her to release several songs, with a lot more to come in 2021. InKredible Kam plans to become the hottest star of 2021 among female hip-hop artists.

An increasing fanbase is seeing InKredible Kam as being one of the freshest and best female rappers in the world today. That is due to her art being different and incredibly versatile. Most producers who have worked with her have taken notice of her unique contributions to the rap game given how well she can lay down a track. She does not even see herself competing with other big-name female rappers because she doesn’t compete with anyone. She just makes great music and lets it speak for itself.

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Art

Artist Xanny Clip$’s Proving That Music Doesn’t Have To Be Serious

“Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends” – Alphonse de Lamartine

Passion is a powerful force in accomplishing anything you set your mind to, and in experiencing work and life to the fullest extent possible. Ultimately, passion is the driving force behind success and happiness that allows us all to live better lives. A passionate young artist Xanny Clip$ wants to create music that is fun as opposed to what some other artists say.

Xanny Clips lives in East Brooklyn, New York and creates music that would take you into a different world. His music to the listener feels like they’re in trance and a colourful whole new dimension. However music is a very personal experience to everyone who hears it because it is an interpretation of each one’s personality.

Artists like Sean Paul, BoB Marley, Kanye West, Breaking Benjiman, Sick Puppies, Lil Wayne and Young Thug inspired Xanny since childhood but the one person that inspired him the most was his dad who used to play in the band back in the day.

He recently dropped his new tape called ‘ritual music’ on February 12, 2020 alongside his cousin Nick. He expects to release a new album by the coming month. Xanny believes that music should be about having fun and enjoying life and he considers this to be his greatest achievement.

©️2021, Bentley Records, LLC – https://www.bentley-music.com

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Art

Artist You Should Know: J.LeGras

J.LeGras is an independent artist who originally grew up in Louisiana and began making music at a very early age. Earlier this month he released a new single titled “Talk to Me” and it has already surpassed 20,000 steams on Spotify. His story is a fascinating one and one that has helped him become the talented musician that he is today. This past August he released his latest EP and we took some time this month to catch up with him and learn more about his career and where it’s headed.

Everyone’s journey in music is different, but J.Legras is one of those people who got their start early and never looked back. We asked him about his upbringing in the music world and how it became his dream, here is what he told us.

“I have loved singing and performing before I can remember anything else in my life.  I didn’t really watch baby cartoons growing up. I watched music videos and stage performances. That’s the only thing that used to soothe me as a baby and Toddler. The same remains today. I have been performing since I was four. Started in the church then gradually went into local and national boys choirs.  Then In middle and high school performing solo and part of a choir on the local and state level from both chorus and theater. It’s always been a part of my makeup and I wouldn’t have it any other way”

The love and passion he has for music are more than evident when you listen to his music. And while he has a style all of his own, you can hear the influences of the past in his sound. We asked him specifically about these and he gave us a pretty talented and varied group of performers that inspire him and his music.

“My top 5 are Stevie Wonder, Prince, Luther Vandross, Maxwell, and MJ. Then it’s Usher, Sam Cooke, Freddie Mercury, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Anita Baker, and Whitney Houston. But, if that doesn’t answer your question I would say 90s R&B Is my biggest influence as far as my singing style. Boyz to Men, Dru Hill, Blackstreet, Usher, Tank, Joe, Jodeci, KC & JoJo, and New Edition,

Then of course it’s 2000s Neyo, The Dream, Mario, Chris Brown, and Frank Ocean.

At the same time, I’ll turn around and name rock band singers like Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger, and Paul McCartney. 

Then of course for Gospel, it’s Fred Hammond, John P King, Rance Allen, Donnie McClurkin, Kirk Franklin, PJ Morton, and Last but not least my old choir director Travis Greene. 

I have so many musical influences and they keep growing.”

Meet J. LeGras and His Silky Smooth Vocals 1

Understanding where J.LeGras came from and what inspires him tells the story of his journey to this point, but we also wanted to check in on the present. The present is centered around his latest single which we mentioned earlier, “Talk to Me”. Here’s our review.

“Talk to Me”

This song is the embodiment of the Soul. The bluesy riffs, the moving bass lines, the soft drum track, and the powerful and rangy vocals of J.LeGras all come together in this beautiful love story that you can feel in your soul as you listen to it. The track isn’t needlessly dressed up or overdone, it’s simple yet sophisticated and it’s raw and emotional. The exquisite production value allows you to crisply hear each note, word, and sound, and it’s just a phenomenal listening experience from start to end.

We asked the man himself about the song and he gave us insight on what inspired him to write it and what he hopes listeners will take away from the track.

On what inspired him:

“I was smoking in a cigar lounge with my wife and we were talking and people watching . And the lounge is already smoky of course so i just started to think about intimate spaces like that. Then I thought if I had met my wife at that cigar lounge, what would the conversation be?”

On what he hopes listeners will take away from the song:

“Intimacy is KEY! I just need you to TALK TO ME.  This song is about meeting someone and wanting to talk to them just to engage in a conversation so you can expand your mind and get to know them. Going back to the basics. Let’s just talk and get intimate and let me explain to you, what type of love I am going to bring to the table. This song is one of my best songs I have released as an artist. I have been behind the scenes so long so now I am sharing my love and experiences with the world.”

The song is honest and intimate and that’s the message that J.LeGras wants you to hear in it. That message resonated with us and the song’s early success is an indication that listeners are feeling the same.

Meet J. LeGras and His Silky Smooth Vocals 2

With the success he has reached as an artist, we couldn’t help but wonder what’s on the horizon for this blossoming and talented singer. So, we asked him what’s next for his music career. Here’s what he told us.

“I would say growing my fan base and performing more. I am 100% independent so I am excited about my growth and to just collaborate with more and more people in the music industry.  My plan is the replace my 9-5 with music full time so I can give it 200% instead of the 110% I’m giving it now “

It’s not surprising to hear an independent artist say that their goal is to turn music into their full-time gig, but we think J.LeGras has a real shot. His music is thoughtful, full of talent, and crafted professionally. He clearly has both the experience and the drive, and he seems to only be getting better with age.

The last thing we wanted to pick his brain about before finishing our conversation was why he thought people should check him out.

“I Sing Soul Music that’s good for the soul. Very Plain and Simple. If you want to hear me incorporate all my influences throughout my career buckle up and get ready for a hell of a career. I am just getting started. I want to explore more in other genres. Though R&B is my foundation, it definitely is not my whole existence.”

Raw, honest, and emotional. These are three words that come to mind after hearing his music and getting the chance to chat with him. All we can say is, if he isn’t already on your radar, he should be now. Check out and follow J.LeGras with the links below.

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Instagram

J.LeGras Website

Live Sessions

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Art

Songs You Can Relate To: Know How Deep Lyrics Can Influence You With Ahmad Rubani.

In the present times, people are provided with a variety of songs that they can listen to. With such varied taste, this generation has being responsible for making a lot of people famous, some deserved it and some have just gained popularity for the sake of it. However, Ahmad Rubani deserves every bit of it! His main focus is not toearn money, but to connect to as many people as possible. The main quality in him is that his songs are mostly beautiful owing to his voice as well as his connection to them, he writes with his heart and also sings wholeheartedly, feeling every word.His passion is his reason for success.

Ahmad has been singing for a long time now, beginning out when he was very young and performing for any and every event that was brought up to him. With time, he began to perform in charity events also the spread love and joy. What is the use of being an artist if you are incapable of bringing happiness in someone’s world? Although he has fantastic vocals, he practises regularly to refine his singing skills and concentrates on meditating so that he can come up with more creative lyrics for his songs.

Some of the major highlights in his career are:

  1. Touring across the world, especially in Saudi Arabia, Holland and Pakistan. Current goal is to travel more so that he can perform live in front of as many people as possible. He has experienced some huge gatherings, including thousands of people per performance. The audience volume is not constant but the quality of songs always are, Ahmad never compromises on that.
  2. Having more than a million use on his official YouTube Channel’s latest release- Nazara. This was shot in a very small span of time and still turned out to be one of the best.
  3. Correct utilisation of social media platforms to increase his reach. Since he is also on Spotify, people have been streaming his music quite a lot.
  4. Immense support from friends, family and also fans.

Ahmad Rubani creates Quality work. His songs are not commercial common either arethey meant mostly for entertainment purposes, he wants to have a heart to heart connection with the listener so that every time they hear it, they are able to feel every bit of it. With a lot of motivation, meditation and vocal skills, Ahmad has established himself. He has a lot to achieve still, better opportunities are coming his way but now the support of his fan followers counts as a great achievement. Knowing that there are millions who wish him well is rewarding enough.

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Art

Bolli Blas’s Artistic Style Then and Now: How She Switched From Classical to Unique

Born and raised in Poznan, Poland, Bolli Blas is an artist known for the bright-eyed characters in her paintings that depict a childlike innocence and represent a utopia that’s free of prejudice, violence, and hatred. 

This is what sets her apart from the other artists in the industry. However, her art style at present is not how she started her career. 

Starting With the Classics 

Bolli Blas’s love for painting began at a very young age and was supported by her parents. 

“My parents taught me how to hold a brush and encouraged me to create. My Dad was really good at making things and always involved me in his projects. Every time I painted something new, he used to frame it and display it right in the living room,” she shared. 

Before she moved to the United Kingdom in 2006, she recalls having two paintings by renowned Polish artists, Malczewski and Wyspianski, in her childhood home which later sparked her love for painting. 

As she grew older, Bolli Blas became conditioned to believe that good art meant traditional-style landscapes, portraits, or still lifes. She would later  begin her career through classical painting and working with landscapes as well as still-life objects. 

But after leaving her corporate job and traveling to some of the poor countries in Central and South America, Asia, and Africa, her perspective about life as well as her art style shifted in a way that represents joy and harmony. 

Thus, the Bollis were born. 

About Her Bollis 

The Polish artist shared that her Bollis are very much connected to her early childhood art. 

“I have come to realize that art is an expression of the self. I want to create something unique rather than simply adding to the canon of what is established taste. My art is different now than it was just a few short years ago, but it has basically come back full circle to where I began with my life experiences to color it,” she explained. 

Some of the distinct characteristics that her paintings possess are the big, round eyes of her Bollis and the childlike depiction that symbolizes innocence which conveys her central message of keeping our eyes open to things around us, not believe in lies, and be prepared for surprises as things may not be what they seem. 

“I want people to look around. We seem to have lost sight of what’s important in life. Having a big house, nice car, clothes, jewelry. Consumerism generally, it’s an addiction. A habit that’s hard to break. An obsession with possession. You get one life. I want to say that it’s about each other, noticing more than just the immediate environment–it’s about love and support,” she shared. 

Check out Bolli Blas and her artwork on her Instagram account.

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Art

A New Yorker And Also An Indian: Danny Dhillon Hasn’t Forgotten His Roots

Danny Dhillon is from Chandigarh, and currently lives in New York. Mr Dhillon completed his graduation from Chitkara College, that too in Chandigarh. A man of multiple talents, Danny also finds time to admire the other aspects of life and has a lot of interesting hobbies like singing, acting, going to the gym to maintain his physique, creating, and so much more. He also has his own record label named Funky Fox Studios. This is known to give amazing opportunities too young and growing artists. His interested in music, According to him, has been one of the best callings of life. He realised that he really loves to make his own songs and provide for his fans who always await his work .

Danny is a very humble man and has a dream which is not usually common among such people. He wishes to open up an NGO so that he can help out the unfortunate. He is easily touched by the unlucky ones who never had enough money to gain proper education and wants to donate to them so that they could become someone after receiving an proper knowledge. Not just this, he also wants to provide for the needy who can lead better lives provided some monetary support. This is a very good cause an his motivation to do this just increased the bar for all the artists.

Danny Dhillon also has some unique interests in life. He really admired Kobe Bryant who unfortunately passed away last year. From the very beginning, Bryant has been a fantastic role model for him because of his dedication towards his work and the positive outlook. For music, Dhillon admired the Punjabi creator Satinder Satraj. He is also known for his heart touching lyrics and mesmerising music.

According to Danny, life is all about doing what you dream of. If you are thinking that this man has only made his name because of singing then you are very wrong because he has been an employee in Infosys company for nine years now and is currently serving as their team leader. Being the multi talented man that he is, Danny is also a very good vocalist, entertainer and skilled engineer. He was an engineer and wanted to become a popular artist, so instead of sulking over it he just faced the situation and worked for it. This should be the success mantra for everyone else’s life too.