ChrystalChyna: Two of a Kind

Unique in their style and execution, the twins ChrystalChyna are nothing short of charming, talented and totally entertaining.  The two claim their admiration for artists like Beyoncé and Kanye West among others and say that musical influences have come from all different angles of life since the day they were born.  The 17-year-old high school seniors are the first to say that being in the business is nothing short of an uphill battle, but they are driven by passion and experience. 

Guided by their mommy manager, ChrystalChyna say that they are on a schedule where they balance schoolwork, music practice, and just being regular teens.  “It’s like a full day and mom has to make sure we maintain that,” says Chyna.  However, music is second nature to the pair, Chyna went on to explain, “We started singing because we have a musical background.  Our godmother is Natalie Cole and our aunt is Chaka Khan, so we have been surrounded by it a lot.” 

The challenge of being 17 year old girls and trying to pursue a career in music still presents itself for ChrystalChyna, “people kind of doubt you in a way, and you have people who are your age that don’t really understand.  They don’t want you to do it and they don’t understand why you do it,” says Chrystal.  This does not stop them though; in fact these roadblocks sometimes serve as inspiration for them to keep moving forward.  “You have to believe in yourself before anybody.  So that’s our message that we want to give out to people,” says Chyna.

Inspiration comes from all angles for these girls, but one thing they made sure to tell me was that they LOVE Beyoncé!  “We feel like we have a connection to her because like her she was put down a lot too,” says Chrystal, and Chyna adds, “Nowadays there are a lot of people who are good performers but not only is she a good performer she’s a good vocalist.  She’s a lady and she’s elegant.”  The pair hopes to one day get a chance to work with her as well as other artists such as Janelle Monet who they credit with having originality.

In the near future, we can look forward to hearing much more from ChrystalChyna as they are working on an EP at the moment.  As a part of their promotional efforts, they will continue to upload cover videos and share what they call their “Snippet Sunday,” which is when they upload small clips of songs and performances to give the audience a taste of what they do.  ChrystalChyna are not only talented, but they are sweet, charming and two of a kind.  Be sure to connect with them on social media to see what moves they make next!

Connect with ChrystalChyna:

Facebook: Facebook.com/ChrystalChyna 

Twitter: @chrystalchyna

Instagram: @chrystalchyna

Cinco Santos: Passion and Duplicidad

Cinco Santos—five men, intent on making powerful music for anyone who comes in contact with their unique and hip sound.  Their music could be compared to the style of artists like Mana; a raspy catching voice combined with profound lyrics and smooth compelling instrumentals.  But who are the guys of Cinco Santos, and what do they have to offer to the world of music?  I spoke with founder of the band, Lorenzo Montero who gave me some insight as to what the band has going on and what they seek to accomplish.

Cinco Santos’ name comes from the concept of musical passion, “for me, Cinco Santos was a name that I came up with because it really represents that coming together as a band for a single purpose, and that magic and passion that happens when you get that really cool chemistry and vibe between people who are musically fusing,” explains Lorenzo. 

The upcoming album entitled “Duplicidad” is centered on the same themes that the group itself focuses on: inspiration and passion.  Lorenzo says that each and every one of the songs provide some kind of inspiration or spirituality within them, however he also highlights that, “they all have their little surprises.”  He also shared, that each one of the songs on the album come from different experiences that the band members have encountered at some point or another in their lives.      

Cinco Santos’ current single is entitled “Azucar y Amor”, a song about the workings of society that the group has observed through living in Los Angeles.  Lorenzo describes the song as having a tongue-and-cheek message highlighting the superficiality of the society that the band has observed on a daily basis.  “There’s a lot of superficiality and focus on the material…we sometimes find that people like that are more concerned about how much money you have, what kind of car you drive, or what you do for a living,” explains Lorenzo. 

From the album, “Duplicidad”, Lorenzo admits that Azucar y Amor is one of his favorites, however, he also points out one other single titled “Candela”.  “We’re really excited to see how people react when it comes out because we really love that song…musically it is probably the song that is closest to representing the band’s fusion of styles.

Cinco Santos is a band that introduces unique flavor and duality to the world of music through their blend of styles.  “We want people to experience Cinco Santos in our unique fusion of styles and musical influences and really take the time to listen to our music, watch our videos and experience the same vibe and passion that we get out of this.”

Connect with Cinco Santos:

Twitter:  @cincosantos

Facebook:Cinco Santos-Official

Soundcloud:CincoSantos

YouTube: CincoSantosBand

Romeo Santos: Formula Volume 2 Release

Today, King of Bachata Romeo Santos releases his second solo album, Formula Volume 2.  The star has proven resilient, breaking boundaries in the world of bachata since his early days in the group, Aventura.  Now, with significant time and experience under his belt, he has been able to work with the likes of Marc Anthony, Drake, Nicki Manaj, and Carlos Santana, among others.  However, while blessed with extreme fame and millions of adoring fans worldwide he admits, “I am a man of few words when I am talking, I express myself better in my songs.  I get a little shy and nervous for these things, but obviously I have to speak.” 

Romeo Santos’ trajectory is lengthy, and in his early 30s he is already considered an icon in his genre, however Romeo considers his songwriting abilities to be what makes him the huge star that he is.  “Everything that I compose has to have credibility and I want people to believe what I’m writing,” he says as he describes his evolution as a composer. 

“In this particular album, I am writing about stuff that I’ve never written before.  I have a song No Tiene La Culpa and it tells the story of a guy who is homosexual and he feels trapped in the wrong body,” he notes.  Romeo, who is widely known for his private nature and separation of his personal and business life says that many may be shocked to hear a single entitled Si Yo Muero on this album, saying, “its probably the most personal song I have written.  This song does have to do with me, with Romeo, with Anthony.  With this song I talk about everything.”

Having changed the genre of bachata since the day he stepped foot onto the scene, it was interesting to note his advice to rising stars within the music industry.  “My advice for anyone who wants to make it in this music business? Above anything, perseverance, that is really important.  A lot of people said, ‘you’re not making it’…and I’m here.  Originality, that’s very important.  People don’t like copies—you can survive, but you will never be one of the greatest.”

Formula Volume 2 comes with more surprises than just the acts featured on the album.  Romeo Santos also announced that he will be performing at Yankee Stadium on July 12^th and some are already expecting it to sell out, “I never visualized myself singing in the stadium and to be able to have this privilege, to be the first Latino artist to achieve this, I think is a huge responsibility.”  Romeo expressed pride, nervousness and excitement when describing his feelings concerning the concert at Yankee Stadium, “to me it is a huge honor to be Latino and to represent all of you and I thank God first, my fans and you guys [media outlets] who are always here with me in all of my events and all of my situations—good  and bad it is truly an honor.” 

Connect with Romeo Santos:

Twitter: @RomeoSantosPage

Facebook: RomeoSantos

Instagram: @RomeoSantos

SIMILAR ARTISTS:
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Shiah Luna: Music, Love, and Inspiration

                              

"It started as a dream," says singer songwriter Shiah Luna.  In the midst of her everyday life, the young and vibrant artist has made it her mission to spread the passion she has for music in a unique, way.  Shiah Luna, who has been writing for the majority of her life, says that her passion for music lies in her ability to spread love by bringing her work to others.

Shiah's music is unlike what we may hear on the radio today; her unique lyrical style and combination of pop, rock, and soul are a blend that is not easy to come by.  "[My music] comes from a place of different experiences that I have had, or issues of wanting to break through and open the next page in my life," the singer explains.  However, Shiah's music has one overlying message: "Love; that is truly...what I am about. Love and equality, and us all bringing the best out of each other is what I stand for."  

Her message is heard in her songs, and present in her recent trips to places like Uganda and Haiti where she brought her music to orphaned and abandoned children; something she pinpoints and her greatest accomplishment thus far.  "Bringing love and music out to Uganda was such an experience I can't even describe it," she gushes "it was amazing knowing that just a song could change their lives, or a song could make them feel great, and know they are loved by someone so far away."  Shiah even points out the universal nature of music, explaining that while many of the children did not know English, there still was an exchange of love through the music, "that was amazing," she says. 

On Shiah's Soundcloud account, you can find a compilation of her music that has been a part of her Music Monday releases.  While she is fond of each and every one of the songs featured on her Soundcould account, Shiah admits that her favorite (for the moment) is "Chasing", a song that says, "love can fill your heart with gold, the rich is in you."  She describes "Chasing" as the song, "where I really found my sound and where I see myself going [musically.]" However, she admits that since everything she has written is so different it is hard to point to one as her very favorite of them all; they are each special to her. 

Shiah's message is direct, and with her determination and focus there is no doubt in her ability to spread her message of love and passion not only to those around her but also to people around the globe.  She left me with one piece of advice to share with not only music lovers, but with all people in this world:  "Be present in the moment, and just stop for people.  Just love each other.  We should be inspired by each other in this life and have a collaborative spirit and do more together.  I think we can all go far in our passions." 

Be sure to check out Shiah's music and spread the love, through what you do the same way she does with her music. 

Connect with Shiah Luna
http://shiahluna.com
Facebook: ShiahLuna
Twitter: @ShiahLuna
Instagram:  @ShiahLuna
YouTube: Shiah Luna

*NEWS* J'Sun "Pull Me Down"

With the waited arrival of his EP "Maze", singer/songwriter J'Sun has just released his latest single, "Pull Me Down".  Check out this quick Q&A I had with the artist about the single release as well as his EP "Maze" which is on the way.  

Q: Describe the storyline behind the song "Pull Me Down" in your own words.
A: "The song was penned by myself and song writing duo "The PenUpGirls" (Natalie and Fendi), Produced by Ant Maestro, and co produced by myself. The story behind "Pull Me Down" is a love situation where one person's head is just up in the clouds and not paying attention to everything going on in the relationship. At a point, the other half wants to end everything and leave it all alone and it brings the story teller to a realization that they need that person to help pull them down from the clouds they are living in, but it’s to late."

Q: I know this is a part of your EP which was funded via Kickstarter.  What can the Limerz expect from the final project?
A: "I think they can expect the unexpected from me. I think from doing covers many people expect my original work to be just like the songs I have covered. “Maze” is going to be a maze. I’m meshing many different inspirations I’ve gotten and putting them all together to create the sound I want. Thanks to my team PenUpGirls and Ant Maestro, it’s going to be a fun and honest project. I can’t wait."



With the song released yesterday, and a performance at Joe's Pub I'm sure he won't soon forget, J'Sun has a lot more in store for his fans.  Be sure to purchase "Pull Me Down" on iTunes and stay tuned for his EP "Maze"!!

Download "Pull Me Down" on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pull-me-down-single/id807923894

PEP: 50's Pop with a Modern Twist

PEP—a 6 piece band set out to put a unique flare on 50’s pop music.  Tomorrow, the band will release their debut record "My Baby and Me" which you can download by visiting their website, www.pepisaband.com.  After talking to lead singer Karys, I’m pretty convinced that everyone is going to want to get their hands on this interesting blend of sounds.  “PEP…is paying its respects to an era that has pretty much disappeared.  The Doo-Wop Era was such a momentous atmosphere and a lot of the genuine, raw vocal harmonies and musicianship has been lost.  We’re trying to recover that and pay homage to that era while at the same time putting our own modern spin on it,” explains Karys.

50’s pop music may sound completely out of the norm for someone to be pursuing in 2014, and it is, however it is this rare approach that separates PEP from other artists.  So, why 50s pop?  Karys was swift and confident in her response, “What I think what is great about the 50s, [is that] even the ways in which it was recorded and the warm sounds you get from those vintage records—more than all of that, I think what defines the du-op genre is the vocal harmonies.”  She notes also, that her urge to write in this style was naturally inspired by her love of the era.

Currently, the group’s single and a video, “Stephen”, is one of the ways in which they have introduced the world to their music.  “Stephen” tells of “a wayward lover” as Karys so gracefully describes.  The song’s lyrics, which many can relate to, go on to tell the story of a lover wanting her partner to wait for her while she is gone—that lover being Stephen, of course.  Unfortunately, the situation does not turn out as planned.  Karys admits that the video concept is something that she had wanted to do for a while.  “I watched a lot of videotape to live performances by doo-wop groups in the late 50s and 60s.” They are such an incredible blend of tackiness and sincerity…yet when you are watching these videos you feel such a genuine feeling of warmth and that you can relate,” this is something that she wanted to recreate. 

With the record being released tomorrow, I had to ask: what exactly the fans can be expecting from this production, “What you can expect is pretty standard doo-wop-y songs.  They’re not as edgy as some of our newer stuff, they are very easy to digest and have some modern qualities to it, but pretty much they are going to throw you into the past a little bit.” Karys promises that the combination of people that are in the band brings a nice touch to all of their music.  Each and every one of them put their own influences into the songs, which allows them to come together so pleasantly that it’s heard to turn away.   

Karys’ message to the world is simple.  “If people are excited, or they see something redeeming in [the music], I would really just want people to get in touch and let us know.  If anyone reads the interview and they’re compelled to check out the music and they like it then don’t hesitate to let us know because that’s what keeps us going.”

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO FOR "STEPHEN" HERE

CONNECT WITH PEP:

Bandcamp Profile: http://pepmusic.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pepisaband

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pepisaband
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/pepusa

*NEWS* Kingston Releases Mixtape: "Mind of a Gemini"

Check out this Q&A I had with Kingston about his debut mixtape Mind of a Gemini, which he released earlier this month.

Download the mixtape here:  http://www.datpiff.com/Kingston-Haughton-Mind-Of-A-Gemini-mixtape.566835.html

Q:  Explain the reason for the title of your mixtape and the concept behind it.

A: The Mind Of A Gemini title I feel, speaks for itself. I was born within the Gemini horoscope; May 23rd and have always been fascinated with zodiacs and their infamous accuracy. That being said, the Gemini zodiac is said to be one of adaptable, versatile yet entertaining qualities. With this project I wanted to encompass all those characteristics in this one compilation of songs. Hip-Hop, R&B and of coarse some pop is incorporated which allows the mixtape to be a lot easier to digest by many variations of music fans. Whether it be a slow jam, electronic type or something with a heavy bass I made sure there was a track for everyone.

Q:  Which track on the mixtape do you relate to the most and why?

A: The track "Too Good To Be True" has to be my favorite yet most relatable song on the project. With a old school/new school pop vibe this song was inspired by none other than my girlfriend/right hand, and best friend Ivy Maria. Who is also a extremely talented singer and songwriter as well. This track talks about the countless relationships I had experieced that had totally corrupted my outlook of love, of relationships. So caught up in the past that once I finally found "the one" it was too good to believe, basically a "love at first sight" concept.

  

Q:  Who worked with you most closely on this project and what roles did they play?

A: My man Matthew Ozoria aka "Zone". One my closest friends and music partners that I work with. The man is talented beyond belief. I don't even think he know it himself. For those who don't know, he is the master mind behind the engineering of my music. The quality, Equalization, and blending of the vocals is all done with the simplicity of an old Mac laptop and a mic. We work hard and sometimes spend hours just to perfect one track. He has a great ear for detail which allows him to mix it down meticulously therefore giving each track that radio-ready quality. To be honest I don't know where my music career would be without his help. He is also the producer of the beats for "Slowmotion", "About It" on the mixtape as well as the amazing collaboration with me and Ivy Maria, "Love Faded". At the end of the day, where ever my music career takes me  he's gonna be right there indulging in the success with me. 

Q:  What comes next?  Are you doing a music video or performances that people should know about? 

A:   I have so much in store for people to hear. For them to see. I'm planning a couple more projects such as an EP with about 7-9 tracks, the music video for "Slowmotion" is releasing soon (which I am very excited about), as well as an opening performance for the famous Nya Lee from Love & Hip-Hop at Studio 90 in Newburgh, NY on Valentines Day. 

During the summer I'm thinking about doing a college tour and in the process I'm definitely trying to hit many areas in my hometown of downtown Yonkers. Like I tell everyone I work with "2014 is take over season, all the slack is for those still stuck in the 2013 movements"

Q:  Anything special you want people to know about Mind Of A Gemini?

A:  I put my everything into this project. Every track, every verse has a message. Countless revisions and late nights with my innate determination is what drove me to create this mixtape. There are also a number of songs that weren't on the project which are saved to be released on a later date. Check it out, give it a chance. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.