Kayla Thompson Is Singing Her Way Into Our Hearts

You better watch out! Kayla Thompson is a one-of-a kind musician that is singing her way into our hearts. Singer/songwriter best known for hits such as "Younger," which gained major recognition through Spotify's Fresh Finds Pop Playlist. Along with Honest, Pray you Away, and most recently, The Remains (Stripped), which was recently released and is the original version of her previous single, "The Remains." When she’s not singing, she is advocating for other black artists, appearing in American Eagle's Black History campaign, and serving as a board member for Projects of Hope. Her dreamy sound and genuine lyrics are not something to miss and we can't wait to see what she does next! Please continue reading to learn more about her singles, advocacy for black artists, and position as a board member for Projects of Hope.

Raising Awareness for Refugees With Rapper Star2

Star2 was born in a Thai refugee camp, Mae La, in Thailand. He lived there with his family until the age of six, then his grandmother and her four children migrated to San Diego, CA. Star2 and his family are Ka-ren, a persecuted indigenous tribe from Burma, now named Myanmar. He currently lives and works out of San Diego as a rapper with an affinity for conscious songwriting. His newest single, “Run Away” was recently released. The single is about the current state of the world, with references to the Black Lives Matter movement and current refugee crisis in Thailand, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. The music video for the single is just as powerful, with videos of current atrocities happening throughout the world on loop in the background. Star2’s hope is to raise awareness for these issues and give back to those helping out. He works with several nonprofits such as The Border Consortium, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Thailand, The International Rescue Committee, and Karen Outreach to support refugees in Thailand and Ukraine. Read on in our interview with Star2 to learn more about his music, upcoming EP, and how he is offering support to these organizations.

How Songwriting Saves The World

Songwriting Saves the World is a podcast started by Sasha Bellentine and Annick Blaize in April of 2020. Their inspiration behind the podcast was to create a community of writers and musicians that was both largely female and queer. You can listen to Songwriting Saves the World on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud and more. They also promote a diverse range of artists on their podcast and social media accounts to support female and queer artists in the music industry. This past holiday season the podcast featured representatives from I Support the Girls and Affirmations. I Support the Girls is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and collecting resources for homeless and impoverished women. Affirmations is an LGBTQ nonprofit centered in Michigan that provides resources for the LGBTQ+ community in Michigan and beyond. With this collaboration, the co-hosts wished to show ways to help women and LGBTQ outside of the music industry as well. Read on to learn more about the co-hosts, their philanthropy, and how songwriting truly does save the world.