Gina Naomi Baez Shares Some Christmas Candlelight

Gina Naomi Baez is on our radar because she has a knack for putting a spin on holiday music. You may have seen her Youtube music video “Lizzo’s Truth Hurts x Hocus Pocus” that went viral, Lizzo and Bette Midler both sharing and reacting to the comedic parody, as well as another popular (and timely) music video inspired by Hocus Pocus called “I’ll Put a Mask on You”. Now, Gina is sharing her new single, “Christmas Candlelight” just in time for the winter holiday season. Outside of her music career, Gina gives back through a non-profit (which she started) called Kids Performing Who Kare. We’re big fans of Gina and we think you will be too — please keep reading for a dose of holiday cheer and to learn more about Gina below.

Art, zIssue 26Forrest JohnsonDecember 7, 2020music, musician, actor, actress, broadway, star, lizzo, hocus pocus, truth hurts, pop, philanthropy, give back, nonprofit, christmas, holiday, holidays, youtube, influencer, style, iconComment

Felin Destroys The Sexist Structures Of The Music Industry

Women in the music industry have been standing up, whether it’s via their music or their notions in society. Stockholm-based artist Felin is one of them. Her music, which she describes as “good pop melody with an edge and lyrics that makes a statement’,” represents a progressive shift in gendered power dynamics. She is aware that “Society keeps telling us we don’t have a choice but we can’t make too much noise” and her recently released latest single "Heroes and Villains" is making some feminist noises. The song is about women’s rights, gun violence, and social injustices. She also wrote a song called "C19" during the pandemic to deal with all certain feelings of loneliness and uncertainty. She is a vocal feminist and activist and has previously campaigned for women’s abortion rights and promotes women’s rights with The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation in over 20 conflict-affected countries. We talked with Felin about her career and the representation of women in the music industry. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about her.

Art in the Time of Corona

Art has always been a beacon of hope, support, and inspiration. And even more so during times of great tribulation. Throughout history we have used music, novels, films, photos, fabrics, and inanimate objects as tools to comprehend life and our place in the world. A world where anything is possible. A world we are currently unable to grapple with. Art has played a pivotal part in bringing us together despite social distancing. It can keep us grounded during times of panic, and motivates us during hardship.

Savannah Lathem Writes Songs of Hope

Savannah Lathem is giving the holidays a new tune with her singing and songwriting talent and new Christmas single, “Why I Love Christmas Time.” Savannah’s joy is present in all of her music, and her gratitude for all of life’s opportunities (even amidst the current chaos) is certainly inspiring. We speak to Savannah about her journey as an artist and her most recent music, as well as her past Lyme Disease diagnosis. To learn more about Savannah’s delightful and honest outlook, please read our interview below.

Excuse My Accent: We Are All In This Together

“Nowhere to call home, cause it’s burnt to the ground." This is how being an immigrant feels like these days, but this needs to change. We are more exposed than ever to different accents, people, and cultures. But when we hear an accent, this doesn’t have to bring up prejudices and stereotypes, instead, it should awaken a celebration of another group of people who can only widen our worlds. One inspiringly diverse group, between Romanian-American artist Drei Ros, African American artist RobYoung and Dominican artist Sharlene, have wanted to change the current response to an accent and immigrants by teaming up to create the “Excuse My Accent” Movement. This movement is about bringing people together to make a change for the better. They are using the platform for sharing cultural stories of inclusivity and showing their pride over their backgrounds by realizing that all people are in this together. The "Excuse My Accent" song is produced by The Donuts and MP808 (808 Mafia) with creative assistance by Grammy-nominated songwriter Kief Brown. It became an anthem for all the immigrants and minorities with its music video and delivers a message of truth, struggle, and hope. We talked with Drei Ros and RobYoung about the story behind Excuse My Accent, their experiences, and migration issues. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about celebrating our uniqueness and how to support the movement.

Dismantling The American Dogma With Front Country

When Front Country said "What will the people do? When we have nothing to lose?" they really were talking about our moment where we have nothing to lose, and they wrote this as a hopeful question because this November might be one of the biggest elections of our lives.

Front Country is an American folk-pop and progressive bluegrass band founded in San Francisco. The band consists of lead vocalist and songwriter Melody Walker, mandolinist Adam Roszkiewicz, lead guitarist Jacob Groopman, violinist Leif Karlstrom and bassist Jeremy Darrow, and they believe in democracy! Their newest single, Amerikan Dream, is a powerful protest song through storytelling and twangy guitars. It highlights the insidiousness of dogma and familiar inequalities. This song not only stems from one man, but also from the atrocity and exploitation in the country. It has become the rebellion of Front Country. They believe that by demanding change, people can dismantle the dogma within ourselves and reckon with American hypocrisy. And Front Country doesn’t stop with their music, they also do voter registration pushes with HeadCount at their shows. Please read our exclusive interview with band member Melody Walker below to learn more about Front Country and how to be the change.

Art, zIssue 26Başak YirmibeşogluNovember 2, 2020#frontcountry, #music, #amerikandream, #vote, vote, voting, voting rights, music, musician, country, AmericaComment

Piecing It Together with Broobs: The New Wave of Political Posters

You may have come across a colorful and intricate collage picture while scrolling through Instagram. The subject of the image was encompassed by a circle of vividly colored flowers and a bright halo shined behind their head. These famed pieces are created by Ruby Marquez , who is better known by their artist name Broobs. Over the course of their career, Broobs has used art as a political statement. They designed political posters for Bernie Sanders in 2016 (don’t we wish that he was the Democratic candidate for the Presidential election right now) and during the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020 they created memorial pieces for victims whose lives were lost due to racial injustice and police brutality. Read our exclusive interview to learn more about Broobs.

Art, zIssue 26Jejune ContributorOctober 30, 2020blm, art, political art, making a difference, broobs, collage art, drag, california, protests, bernie sanders, artist, paintingsComment

Ella Greenwood Writing The Script On Mental Health

Ella Greenwood is a UK based actress, writer, producer, and mental health advocate all at the age of 18! She does all the things in her new short film “Faulty Roots,” which discusses teenage mental health and depression. It isn’t uncommon for people to be insensitive to the struggles of mental illness. If you can’t see it, you can’t understand it. Ella beautifully uses “Faulty Roots” to show how mental illness isn’t very different from any other health issue. In addition to creating a impactful film, Ella also has teamed up with stem4, which is a teenage mental health charity. To learn more about Ella, please read our exclusive interview here.

Art, zIssue 26, zIssue 26.2Jejune ContributorOctober 2, 2020teens, mental health, film, actress, Actor, kids, depression, writerComment

Aidan Tulloch - Song For Armageddon

Aidan Tulloch, artist and activist, spoke with us on how the nationwide lockdown helped him to push forth to create his new EP “Somewhere With Out Lights.” With songs like “Song For Armageddon”, Aidan is already discussing what we are all currently feeling in his music. When Aidan isn’t busy writing music or at school, he is actively sharing music with elderly, refugee asylum seekers, and adults with learning disabilities — after all, “music is something that unites us all together”. Please read further to learn more about Aidan, his music, and how he is giving back.

Art, zIssue 26, zIssue 26.2Jejune ContributorSeptember 24, 2020music, musician, youngmusician, songwriter, singer, singer song writer, artist, covid-19, elderly, Immigration, UK, poetComment

Nadia Vaeh - Rising From Tragedy

With the music industry at a low and mental illness at a high, Nadia Vaeh, a self defined conscious pop singer, gives us an inside look at how she rose from tragedy. From losing her mother at the age of 17 to suicide, Nadia discusses with us her mental illness evolution and how she's giving back. If you listen, most of Nadia's music has a passionate message behind the lyrics, and her new song RiSE is no exception. When she isn't creating works of art, Nadia partners with organizations like “Peace Over Violence”, a non profit dedicated to fighting domestic violence and sexual assault, the Human Rights Campaign, and many more. Read our exclusive interview with her below.

Robert Eberle Has Had Enough

Robert Eberle, Long Island, New York native and musician, has had Enough. Like many of us, he has been watching the mounting issues with police brutality towards the Black population with anger and frustration. Taking to his craft, Robert teamed up with Versa the Band and Don Da Menace to help get the message out that this is Enough and things need to change. Please read our exclusive interview below with Robert Eberle.

Get Colorful With Creative Curls

Creative Curls (Erina Nyonyintono) is known for her colorful and creative acrylic paintings that celebrate and bring awareness to the traditions and cultures of predominantly black and ethnic minority groups. Through her art, she hopes to teach others about how representation matters, giving a population the ability to see themselves in her paintings. She "just wants to share colour, light and positivity to all those that follow.” To learn more about Creative Curls, please read our exclusive interview here.

Ashley Zarah's Empowering And Fun Feminist Escapades

In times where social injustices are at the forefront of the new media cycle and in digital discourse, it only makes sense that those seeking justice would similarly have a powerful presence. Iranian/American pop artist Ashley Zarah not only offers a distinct light-hearted take on feminism, she does so with a uniqueness that leaves an imprint on those who listen.

Ashley recently released a new music video for her fan-favorite single "My Boyfriend", a feminist empowerment anthem retelling Zarah’s courage in a relationship gone wrong. Other tracks, like “Control”, take a true introspective investigation on perceptions of ourselves internally and external labels built on facades and powerlessness.

Zarah's highly anticipated project, the Better Mess - LP, is currently in pre-production for release in the Fall of 2020, leading with fan-favorite, "My Boyfriend," as its first single. For this single, she is donating $5 to the Yemen humanitarian crisis for every pre-save the song gets. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more abut Ashley Zarah.

Art, zIssue 25Jejune ContributorAugust 27, 2020music, singer, singer song writer, #singerComment

Budda Oeuvre: Art Through A Shared Experience

Art is a conflation of our minds imagery, personal experiences, and intellectual or creative wherewithal, immortalizing each piece as a symbol reflective of an idea or concept. When art becomes culturally relevant and reflects a specific viewpoint within a mishmash of conflicting contemporary thought, we attach prolificacy, when it would be apt to declare society at large late to the experiences of its own people. Many artists, regardless of race, creed, or sexuality, will naturally have a heightened understanding and capacity of expression, due to first hand world experiences — both good and bad.

Maryland based free-hand artist, Maché Turner aka “Budda Oeuvre”, creates her works via inspiration from her thoughts and experiences. Much of her art features bright dynamic colors in a cartoonish style. Her pieces vary in subject matter ranging from pop culture, to social issues, race, and more. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Budda Oeuvre.

Art, zIssue 25Jejune ContributorAugust 7, 2020Art, art, artist, #artist, black lives matter, women in business, blackgirlmagic, black rights, paintingsComment

Reunited, Ebony Buckle's Fight For Immigration

The debate on immigration is riddled with controversy and divisiveness, yet distinctively universal. In America, we commonly think of the debate of immigration being associated with illegal immigration through the influx of aliens via the U.S. southern border. The UK faces a similar discussion. Those in favor of loosening stringent migration standards argue that countries can benefit from a greater cultural diversity, flexible labour markets, and a solution to aging populations. Those in favor of more secure borders often state free borders can result in lower wages for unskilled workers, overpopulation, and a negative impact on GDP per capita. With all said, it seems that like most political debates, an agreeable consensus seems distant. However, despite this, what remains true are the families and individuals suffering through the process.

UK artist Ebony Buckle experienced the impacts of tight UK immigration laws first hand. Her new single “Ghost” chronicles her plight with immigration when her marriage visa was refused shortly after her wedding, resulting in a two year separation from her husband. This experience inspired her to partner with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) to help fight for Asylum Seekers’ rights and provide legal support, food, medical support and more. Please read our exclusive interview to learn more about Ebony Buckle.

Art, zIssue 25Jejune ContributorAugust 4, 2020music, musician, singer, singer song writer, #singer, Immigration, immigrant, covid-19, humanity, human right, human rightsComment

Brandon Ash-Mohammed: A Place For Black Queer Comics

What does it mean to be a comedian in 2020? The etymology of comedy is derived from 14c., it was "narrative with a happy ending; any composition intended for amusement," from Old French comedie (14c.), "a poem" (not in the theatrical sense) and directly from Latin comoedia. Comedic styles have differed throughout the ages, some more performative in execution, some story driven, and others purely satirical.

Comedians have become the layman’s philosopher, they tackle topics, personal, relatable, controversial. They dissect our societal norms and provide a humorous analysis on our values. Brandon Ash-Mohammed is part of a new generation of comedians carving his own lane in stand up. For starters, he is the first ever queer black Canadian comedian to release a comedy album, Capricornication. Brandon is also the creator of The Ethnic Rainbow, Canada’s first and only comedy show for LGBTQ comedians of colour. Please read our exclusive interview to earn more about Brandon Ash-Mohammed.

Art, zIssue 25Jejune ContributorAugust 3, 2020comedy, performers, performing, gay, LGBTQ+, lgbtq, LGBTQ, lgbt, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, black rights, African AmericanComment

Let Them Eat Cake (LTEC) - The Show Must Go On!

Let me tell you about Let Them Eat Cake (LTEC)! LTEC is a super fun aerial/circus/pole/burlesque show, and they were one of the first shows to quickly transport their show to the internet. While the rest of us were still shell shocked, Ina Du and Brenna Bradbury were planning on how they could keep us sane in the midsts of all this. Basically, within two weeks of the NYC lockdown, LTEC had their first online show, Homemade Edition, and they have been having a show every Thursday since (although, we believe they will be moving to every other Thursday now). To learn more, read our exclusive interview here, and tune into their show tonight!

Francois Klark Bring ASL To His Music

As a well decorated artist, Francois Klark has won a number of awards, including the Oscar Peterson Award, Standard Bank Award for best original composition, and Most Promising Performing Solo Artist. His latest song, ‘Always’, recently got picked up by Resonate Entertainment to appear in their Netflix dance film, ‘Feel The Beat’, where the company, which has a deaf member, played by deaf actress Shaylee Mansfield, beautifully brings American Sign Language (ASL) into the choreography. This, along with Shaylee Mansfield’s instagram movement, #InstaCaptioning, inspired Francois to include an American Sign Language interpretation of the song, in addition to choreography that is influenced by the restraints of COVID-19, for his music video ‘Always’. Please read our exclusive interview to learn more about Francois Klark.

Art, zIssue 24Jejune ContributorJuly 21, 2020music, musician, singer, singer song writer, #singer, ASL, deaf, deaf cultureComment

Bear Walker: The Skateboard Craftsman

The skateboarding subculture has long thrived on it rebellious inclinations. Quite like graffiti and punk rock subcultures, skateboarding held an anti-establishment sensibility derived from pure instinct. In the late 80s - 90s, when the popularity of vert skating was on the decline, many skaters turned to street skating as a means of accessibility to complex spots. However, in recent times the modern perception of skateboarding has changed drastically. Skateboard decks are now seen as genuine art pieces and even designed by revered artists, designer fashion houses, and collected in mass with brands like Supreme at the forefront of the revolution. Some skateboard artists are even taking their art and using it for good.

Bear Walker creates custom boards by incorporating intricate carving techniques, encompassing aspects of art and functionality. For every board sold, the Bear Walker brand plants two trees. In addition, they’ve also partnered with Shazam’s Zachary Levi to help create a limited edition run of skateboards that were auctioned off with all proceeds going to Covenant House. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Bear Walker and his beautiful boards.

Art, zIssue 24Jejune ContributorJuly 13, 2020sports, #sports, #positivity, Art, artisans, art, artist, environment, eco friendly, climate change, Eco-Friendly, #eco-friendlyComment

Minhee Jones - 6 Feet Apart...

Musician Minhee Jones is an international melting pot of harmonies. Originally from Los Angeles, the London based artist denotes early classical influences from the likes of Beethoven. Her identity as biracial, born Korean and Black, helped to bolster the complexities of her artistry.

Directly off her new EP, the single “6 Feet,” was an almost prophetic analysis of mindfulness — of course more relevant, and literal, now amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. With lyrics like “we stay 6 feet apart to stay 6 feet above”, this song is essentially an anthem to what we are living through right now.

In addition to being a powerful musician, Minhee teamed up with Fender, Ford, and Co-op Food and broke three Guinness World Records by playing concerts in 51 cities in 7 days to raise money and awareness for Music Venue Trust. Minhee encapsulates a mix of soulful rebellion, perhaps an ode to her punk bass playing roots. As an instrumentalist, specializing in drums, bass, analog synths, piano and vintage harmonium, it is her prolific style and adventurous nature that enables her to march to the beat of her own drum. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about Minhee Jones.