The Eclectic World Of Oliver Sean

Introduction

dHarmic Evolution had a chat with the great Oliver Sean recently. Even though most of you probably already know him, here’s a little introduction. Oliver became an MTV Europe music awards nominee, a VH1 top 10 artist, and the inspiration of many hundreds and thousands of music artists worldwide. 

This extraordinary singer/songwriter spent his peak years in the UK, Dubai, and Goa. He’s been incorporating all the different cultures in his music ever since. His exposure to fame and a successful career started in his teens. So, his press clippings have more than several hundred snippets, features, and reviews in broadcast mediums and prints worldwide. And, as of now, his film score is fantastic! In this interview, we will talk to Sean about his early years in the musical industry, his mother’s support, team, film score, and the rise of his successful music career. This conversation is going to be fun, so grab your popcorn and hop on!

Family Background & Traveling

When asked about what he would call his home, Oliver Sean said he was Portuguese by birth. He told James that even though he was born Portuguese, he spent most of his years in Goa and Dubai because his mother traveled a lot. “I was in a boarding school for several years while my mother worked. She was a single mom…” Oliver told O’Connor. The artist claims he owes his career and success to his hard-working mother, who did the best she could for her son. “I am what I am because of her – a world artist.”

Music & Cultural Influences 

Being in India, Oliver Sean says he took inspiration from the different classical instruments, like the tabla. However, he said he primarily loved rock music. “I was not into metal, but 80s and 90s rock I was into…” Despite this particular biased liking for rock music, Sean says that he also wanted to incorporate the different cultures around him and create music with these traditional instruments and sounds.

His first single on the radio that also got him nominated for best International Album of the Year was “I like it”. The song is very much of an acoustic rock genre, but there’s a charming, attractive piece in the middle of the song that incorporates the tabla instrument. Even though the eastern instrument has nothing to do with the song’s overall sound and music, Oliver Sean managed to make it rock and roll and incorporate it into the song beautifully. And this example is just one of many where he used the cultures around him as inspiration while creating his signature music pieces.

The Beginning Of A Career

“It started in Goa,” says the talented singer/songwriter. Oliver Sean says that he grew up in Goa and was particularly popular in the local newspaper thanks to the cover band work that he’d been doing there. He said that he had quite a community of friends and fans. However, his career really started off in London, where Oliver got his first break. The artist planned to go on a tour, so he packed his bags, got on the plane, picked up his guitar, and went to London. 

There, he started doing little gigs like performing in local clubs. The endearing artist claims that he started writing to these places about his music. As they liked his work and personality, they invited him over to perform for an audience. Soon after, he was performing at these places on invitations, and it wasn’t long before Sky TV invited Sean over. So, when Oliver Sean was 19 years old, he made an appearance on TV, where he performed his original songs.

 From there, he made an impact on the audience and the music industry and started living his dream! Soon after, MTV came across Oliver’s work and liked it! They showcased artists on their platform and Oliver Sean was featured on MTV. Oliver tells dHarmic Evolution that he was studying for an MBA during this time, and he always had a very marketing-oriented mindset. So, even when he was a musician, he brought his business and marketing skills to fair use and figured out ways to advertise his skills. In fact, Oliver Sean was one of the only music artists in the region struggling to make a name independently. Today, he’s working with filmmakers, creating visual and audio content, and doing so much more.

Who Inspires Oliver Sean?

Growing up, Oliver Sean says he massively gravitated towards the famous artists of his time like Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart. He said that these artists were his idols and he thought their songs resonated well with his own voice. He also said that during his time in the cover band, he found the time to explore his skills and find his real musical talent. Sean also added that he has never tried to copy anyone while creating music or singing a song. However, he admits that while learning how to play the guitar, he copied other guitar players like many other artists. But he never tried to copy another artist while writing music or creating it. “It just came out, whatever I was doing. Obviously, the influences were there subconsciously..” says Oliver Sean, the eclectic artist.

Self-Production And Management

Oliver Sean says he has always been self-produced. “The last say is always mine,” says the singer/songwriter in his interview. He confessed that even though he is more of a dictator in the studio, he is very open-minded. His music engineers are of great help, and he always takes suggestions and advice from them. “Engineers do so much for you that you don’t realize,” he said as he appreciated his team, “They’re kind of like co-producer in a way.”

Oliver Sean also revealed that his mother has always been a co-producer for him as well. He said that even though he has many talented people on the team, he still goes to his mother for the final opinion. He also revealed that his mother had always managed all of his musical endeavors during his teenage years. Sean’s mother has a lot of experience in this domain, and Sean was her only gig for many years. As his record handle grew, she used her professional business skills to help many other artists as well. 

Music In The Age Of Social Media

Lucky for his young fan following, Oliver Sean is an active social media user. In his interview, he told James that he particularly loves Facebook and can’t “get away from it.” He also added that he’s aware that the younger generation is more fond of Instagram. “Now I’ve gotten more into Instagram, but you have to have a strong Facebook, it’s kind of like email, you can’t not have an account,” says the socially active artist. Sean admits that he’s been more active on Instagram now, and he’s getting a massive response from his fans and following. However, he said that a musician couldn’t choose one and leave the other. 

Even though it’s hard and takes a lot of time, Oliver Sean says you need to push through and be active on social media platforms. “Do the Facebook, do the Instagram, do the Twitter, do the YouTube, do the SoundCloud, and now, more than anything, do the Spotify”. As an independent musician, Oliver Sean tells dHarmic Evolution that he believes social media can help you power your music career. “Recently, Woke Up And Kissed You did so well on Spotify. It was iTunes number 1 in Turkey.

For an independent artist, that’s amazing”. We agree with Oliver Sean when he says that you can do so much independently, even without a record company. He confessed that social media is an excellent way of approaching and giving back to your fans and then getting a response from them. They promote you, download your songs, and support you so much that you are hitting the charts in no time.

Wrapping Up

Our interview with Oliver Sean was insightful.  Oliver very rightfully says, if there’s one thing that every professional should hear, it’s that you have to be very serious about your profession. “If you keep it as a hobby, people will treat it as a hobby”. Jumping on to opportunities and taking advantage of them soon makes an artist professionally vigilant. As a result, they’re more active and climb the success ladder sooner than others. Another important lesson to take from Sean is always to be unique and original. While taking inspiration and being influenced is a good thing, downright copying someone’s content doesn’t help an artist grow.

 And even though Oliver started his career in music very early, he never let the teenage fame and success numb his professionalism and dedication. Today, he’s an active filmmaker, cinematographer, and producer for music videos. The fact that he’s been to so many places in the world like Dubai and London and originating from a rich Goa culture, his music is unique and culturally-inclusive. We hope you enjoyed this interview as much as we did. Give us your feedback and tell us who you’d like to see on the next episode of dHarmic Evolution podcast!

Oliver Sean reminded all of us at dHarmic Evolution of the importance of pursuing your dreams with professionalism and absolute seriousness. If you’re going to do something, make sure you give it your all. The right fans and support will follow of its own accord as long as you do the work. For more inspiring stories of musicians and artists, check out our podcast here.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Oliver Sean?

Oliver Sean is a singer-songwriter based in England. Born in Dubai, Sean has spent quite a lot of his time living and traveling abroad in places in the U.K and Dubai. His music is inspired by the different cultures of the places he’s been to. Oliver Sean’s global music style has become a trademark over the years and is instantly recognizable. 

2. What kind of music does Oliver Sean create?

Oliver Sean’s music is quite unique in the sense that it is inspired by different cultures. Although his music features American acoustic rock and contemporary influences, his style overall is very global. His music features a hint of different genres including, but not limited to, Rock, Alternative rock, Acoustic music, Americana, Blues rock, Skiffle, Worldbeat and Folk. 

3. Where to listen to Oliver Sean’s music?

Oliver Sean’s music can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify. You can also connect with the artist on his Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. Also, check out news for upcoming shows and new releases on his official website. 

4. Where to listen to a podcast with Oliver Sean?

You can listen to our entire conversation with Oliver Sean on the dHarmic Evolution Podcast. Be sure to let us know what you think of it. We love hearing from you. 

Check Out New Music At The dHarmic Evolution Rising Stars Spotify Playlist

dHarmic Evolution have curated a Spotify Playlist for your listening pleasure. Included in this playlist are select Indie artists from the dHarmic Evolution Podcast where the future Indie Stars of Tomorrow appear today! Check it out here.

Genevieve Vitanzo: Music, Nature, and Wildlife Conservation

Introduction

Genevieve Vitanzo is a vagabond. She’s been in the woods, away from all the crowd and the noise. She knows the art of taking nature in and learning from it. Hearing her stories about South Africa is an experience in itself, they sound nothing less than something out of an enchanting fairytale. 

Apart from being an adventurous spirit, she’s a fantastic music artist as well. Now that she’s back in the US, she’s using her music talent and her stellar voice to hit the stages again! Every song hits you better than the last one, and her skills never cease to amaze. 

In today’s episode of the dHarmic Evolution podcast, we chat with this talented singer/songwriter. We’ll indulge in her South African experiences, her love for the wildlife, and how that contributes to her musical personality. With her incredible soundtracks, she’s making an audience everywhere she goes. Let’s find out who Genevieve Vitanzo really is!

Going To South Africa

Genevieve Vitanzo tells dHarmic Evolution that she decided to go to South Africa to take a break from music. Since she was burnt out but had a very side-passion for wildlife, she decided to take some time off and travel. “I studied a little bit of it in college, but it was more of just a passion, and I loved it, and I’ve always been a writer as well as a photographer…”. 

Genevieve’s roommate lived in South Africa, and eight years ago, she decided to take a short vacation somewhere sweet and low-key. Little did she know that this fun trip was going to turn her into a vagabond. After reaching South Africa, Genevieve Vitanzo worked for a township outside of Cape town for two weeks, working with a women’s group, doing wildlife species monitoring, and having fun with this new experience. 

During this time, she helped track critically endangered species through the GPS trackers on the animals. She was primarily working with cheetahs and wild dogs, making sure they were okay. “I fell in love with it, I absolutely fell in love with it,” says Genevieve Vitanzo. Soon after, she talked to the authorities about starting a university program. The program idea was to bring students as an exchange program to study abroad. These would include zoology and ecology students who could have a program that they could enter directly and start working. She said that she mostly wanted to make this happen because this particular volunteer program was very heavily scientifically oriented. It would have taken a lot of benefit from dedicated people who are already studying these subjects.

Meeting Someone Special

While in South Africa, Genevieve Vitanzo says she also met a South African guy. He inspired her to take the plunge. She came back to the US and packed her things. Two months later, she found herself in the bush doing the priority species monitoring. Soon after, they started dating. Genevieve says she just “tagged along” with the program during this time. And after seven or eight months, they moved to a field guide training camp together. They were supposed to train the guides at the Safari. “I was running the camp, and he was training them, and it was amazing,” she says. Sadly, the artist revealed that the two had to break up. Mainly because they found they had to change ways because of their different jobs, interests, and future plans.

How The South African Life Influenced Genevieve

Genevieve Vitanzo says that she had never thought of being where she was. “I went from living in an apartment in Santa Monica to a tent with no electricity…”. Elephants outside her front door, as magical as they were, required a little getting used to. It was terrific, but it was hard to be so disconnected from everything she had come from. She says that Cape town is quite cosmopolitan; it has everything you’d expect a major city to have. But, not everything is as accessible as you’d like. 

“The closest store is sometimes 2 hours away, and that’s not even a big store like a Target. You’re talking about some tiny shop that has about 30 items”. Genevieve Vitanzo says you have to plan everything and “roll with the punches,” and adapt. The adventurous singer/songwriter and music artist also adds that being in such an environment slows you down. It gives you perspective, and you notice things. She says that she wasn’t a person who would see the birds chirping. Or even the kind of person who would notice other sounds around her. However, that changed when she went to South Africa and started living in the bush. 

Wilderness & How It Makes You More In-Tune With Your Senses

“Thousands of things would be running through my brain at any given minute. But it stopped in many ways because a lot of times, I didn’t have a choice”. Since the artist didn’t have social media or any other distraction around her, Genevieve Vitanzo says that she became more vigilant. She also says she’s become attentive to nature’s details. Moreover, Genevieve Vitanzo says that we live in a society where we’re taught the use of our eyes as a primary sense. Since so many things are camouflaged when you are in the bush, you have to start using other senses. Especially your sense of smell and hearing. Your eyes become valuable for tracking, noticing prints and patterns on the sand, and determining how fresh or old they are. So, the emerging music artist says being in the wild makes you more in-tune with all of your senses.

Music In The Wild

Genevieve Vitanzo says she had to put music aside for a while when she was in South Africa. For the first two years, the artist said she didn’t have any way of using a piano, her specialty instrument, as she’s still learning how to play the guitar. Since keyboards require power and space, she couldn’t find a way to play them while living in a tent. She said that when she started moving to places with plugs and switches, she brought the keyboard along and returned to music. 

Soon, she began writing songs, making music and met people who had similar interests. Some of these friends had their studios, and when they realized that she was an artist and a singer/songwriter, they were very enthusiastic about working with her. Genevieve Vitanzo sang jingles, commercials, background songs and sometimes recorded her own music and songs. So, after two years of staying separated from her musical talent, Genevieve slowly started getting back to her fundamental passion – music. 

Time Apart From Music

When asked how she felt about moving away from music, Genevieve said that it was hard for her as an artist. She said that as much as she loved the wildlife, music has always been her “first love.” Vitanzo says music consumed her and helped her through her isolated time in the bush. “I started singing before I even started talking. I still have my 20-year old iPod. That thing was my savior. It went everywhere with me; I loaded it with music” Genevieve Vitanzo confessed to dHarmic Evolution that isolation is difficult. 

According to  Genevieve , you think you’re going to love it, and you do, for about a week. Then, when you start realizing that this isolation has become longer than you thought it would be, the reality begins to hit you. You start freaking out, thinking about what you had and would probably not have for a while now. “Not having the outlet of music that I have had my entire life during my stressful times…. was somewhat frustrating.” In the interview, she tells us that when she came back to the U.S and completed her albums, she regretted not having recorded the classic animal sounds in the wild. She said that animal sounds are the music in themselves, and tweaking them a little bit can create a nostalgic song and a masterpiece that everyone can relate to. As an artist, she missed those sounds.

On Being A Workaholic

In response to our question of how Genevieve manages all the different brand and song ideas that she gets and whether it’s frustrating not to implement all of them, Genevieve Vitanzo says focusing on one single thing at a time can be challenging for her. If Vitanzo is doing what she likes, she’ll be fully indulged in it. However, even though she’s so passionate, she is also very selective about the things she is interested in. Because of this characteristic, it can take a while for her to find something. Something that would ignite the spark within her. Choosing what to focus on is her primary challenge and concern, says the talented singer/songwriter. But, once she’s decided and chosen a song, project, and idea, she can clear out all the mess and get to work!

Wrapping Up

Throughout the interview, the incredibly talented artist, Genevieve Vitanzo, made us realize how important little details are. And also how we usually dismiss them as white noise. Her experience in the wild where she talks about how she began to pay more attention to environmental sounds and details, was inspiring to hear. We were happy to learn that this exposure had a significant positive impact on her personality, perspective, and lifestyle as an artist. 

However, probably the most important aspect that Genevieve brought to light was that being able to do something that you love comes at a price. More often than not, it requires many sacrifices and compromises. Since she wanted to pursue music and become an adventurous wildlife enthusiast, she had to give up financial many things. Her stability, relationships, and many other things that we take for granted in our everyday modern lives. 

All of us at dHarmic Evolution are humbled by Genevieve’s experiences. Her story serves as a reminder of the possibilities that can open up if you only find the courage within you to follow your passions. For more inspiring stories of musicians and artists, check out our podcast here.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Genevieve Vitanzo?

Genevieve Vitanzo is a singer/songwriter and a producer based in L.A. She took a break from music. Soon after, she disappeared into the South African bush where she pursued her passion for wildlife conservation. 

2. What kind of music does Genevieve Vitanzo create?

Genevieve Vitanzo’s music spans multiple genres. She incorporates elements from the folk tradition and adds touches from jazz, blues and pop. Her vocal range is equally dynamic and allows her to sing across genres. 

3. Where to listen to Genevieve Vitanzo music?

Find Genevieve Vitanzo’s music by visiting her website. You can also listen to her soundtracks on YouTube. Be sure to check out her albums, “The Sum of all Things”,  “Back to L.A” and “This Little Thing Called Life”. 

4. Where to listen to a podcast with Genevieve Vitanzo?

dHarmic Evolution’s chatted Genevieve Vitanzo in an exclusive interview. You can listen to the full podcast here.

Check Out New Music At The dHarmic Evolution Rising Stars Spotify Playlist

dHarmic Evolution have curated a Spotify Playlist for your listening pleasure. Included in this playlist are select Indie artists from the dHarmic Evolution Podcast where the future Indie Stars of Tomorrow appear today! Check it out here.

Matt O’Ree Talks About His Career & The Joy Of Working With Bruce Springsteen

DE125 Matt O'Ree, The Boss and Bon Jovi, Matt Keeps Good Company!

Introduction

Matt O’Ree is undoubtedly one of the best guitarists of our time. Within a short period, the New Jersey rock and roll artist has made many records. Teaming up with Bruce Springsteen, Matt’s released a spectacular single “Black Boots.” In this interview, the American singer shared with us his success story and what it was like working with the rock and roll legend himself.

Matt O’Ree’s Early Years

Matt started his musical career in 1994 as a rock and roll artist when he formed his guitar band, Matt O’Ree Band. The American singer and rock and roll artist released his first album, 88 miles in 1998. But his road to stardom started in 2005 after his third album “Shelf Life” came out. Shelf Life also got a feature in Guitar World Magazine and won four Asbury Park Music Awards. The album won in the following categories: Best Blues Band, Best Guitarist, Best Local Release, and Best Song of the year. Since then, Matt’s profile keeps rising rapidly. The immensity of his talent is hard to put into words and he was only just starting out.

How Matt Became King Of The Blues

In 2006, the highly talented American singer and rock and roll artist competed with over 4000 other guitarists in the Guitamageddon “King of the Blues” guitar contest organized by the Guitar Center and Guitar World Magazine. It was hosted by BB King and John Mayer. Matt won the grand prize. That gave the rock and roll artist the boost he needed to aim even higher. He eventually became famous, performing at several red carpet events. But before then, many other events also happened that redefined the story of this American singer.

Enter Bruce Springsteen

Having grown up in New Jersey, it was his dream to play alongside legendary guitarists like Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. Fortunately, Matt didn’t have to wait that long for this dream to come true. He got the first opportunity to be close with the big boss when Mrs. Springsteen approached him after he won the 2006 King of the blues guitar contest competition.

She wanted him to include her son in the list of his guitar students. That brought Matt close to the Springsteen family. Matt’s got advice from Bernie Brausewetter after winning the 2006 competition. His late mentor told him to add helping kids play guitar as an additional skill in his career. He said this will allow him to earn, share his knowledge, and be available for gigs whenever there is an offer.

So the rock and roll artist started teaching guitar classes. On one occasion, when Matt was teaching Sam Springsteen, the son of the legendary Bruce Springsteen, Sam got hold of one of Matt’s songs and later played it to his father who loved it. Both Matt and Bruce Springsteen discussed the song, and Matt asked if Springsteen would want to be a part of the song. Springsteen loved the idea. The song turned out to be the popular single “Black Boots”. But before it became a reality, another important event took place in Matt  life.

The 2015 Asian Tour

In 2015, Jon Bon Jovi announced that Matt would be a part of his team for an Asian tour. That was a big moment in Matt’s life and career. The opportunity to be a part of a world-class band, tour across different countries, and walk on the red carpet doesn’t come to everyone. The tour began in September 2015 with Matt joining others to sing to an audience of 45,000 people. At the tour, the American singer witnessed a big crowd of 70,000 people.

To be part of the tour, Matt was introduced to Bon Jovi by a friend and Bon Jovi band’s keyboardist David Bryan. After the tour, the relationship between Matt and Dave became even stronger. By then, Matt  had been very busy with his fifth album, “Brotherhood.” Dave Bryan eventually contributed to writing the content of the album. Matt  and Dave Bryan co-wrote “My Everything is You.”

By 2016, Matt  released the album that he co-wrote with Dave Bryan. Moreover, another track co-written with Jon Leidersdorff of the Lake House Music and featuring Bruce Springsteen and also Steve Cropper was also published. However, the single Black Boots, that featured Springsteen, became a major hit.

According to the American singer, the album took him about two years to perfect and many years to plan. But the journey leading up to the release of the song started even well before the recording started. Perhaps, it could be traced back to 2008 when the rock and roll artist met John Leaders, an artist and music producer. Leaders wanted him to record an album in his studio, Lake House Music. There he met Hubert who agreed to play one of Matt’s songs and things kind of just snowballed from there.

Matt O’Ree On Recording Brotherhood & Music Gear

During the interview, we asked Matt O’Ree to talk a little bit about his process of recording his new CD Brotherhood. Matt told us that he used his trainwreck amps to record the entire record. He mentions having a blast doing it. “Guitars that I used were my custom shop, Gibson Les Pauls, and custom made double-neck 12/6-string guitar, Danelectro 6-string, and a D45 Martin acoustic.”

He further stated, “there’s a song called “Life” where I used my 1969 Univibe pedal. Jimi used this a ton for the last year of his career. I used it on the solo section and it just really made the song happen. Episode 9 is completely about this unit. That was a really fun episode for me.”

Beyond Black Boots

Matt  single with Bruce Springsteen, “Black Boots” became quite popular right after its release. We asked Matt whether he had another favorite on the album. He said having Bruce Springsteen sing the song with him was super cool. “The other song I love is the closing track, “December Gray”. I love the composition on that one and all the layered guitar tracks I did on it. It has an emotional feel to it”. We totally agree with Matt on that one.

Matt says it’s always great to work with other artists. “Especially guys like Bruce, David, and Steve! They all added so much that it made the songs even better. Their talents shine on those tracks—a real honor for me”.

Wrapping Up

All of us at dHarmic Evolution had an amazing time listening to Matt  talk about his experience with music as a career, his awards, his red carpet treatments, and his achievements. We were also quite delighted to hear him talk about his GearTutorial video series and most importantly, his successful album Brotherhood. We couldn’t recommend that album enough! Listen to the full podcast with Matt O’Ree at dHarmic Evolution.

Get In Touch

Matt O’Ree’s music career is anything but ordinary. From winning guitar competitions to landing red carpet gigs and teaching Bruce Springsteen’s sons and eventually collaborating with the legend himself, Matt has taken advantage of every opportunity that has knocked on his door. As an artist, this is as important as anything else.

At dHarmic Evolution, we interview artists, musicians, content-creators and people on different stages of their creative journeys and chat with them about their challenges, their dreams and their hopes for the future. These people inspire us, move us and show us exactly why we love the world of arts so much. If you’d like to hear more interviews with these inspiring artists, head on over to our podcast page.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Who is Matt O’Ree?

Matt is an American singer, rock and roll artist, and a songwriter. He is the founder of Matt O’Ree Band and a member of the Bon Jovi Asian tour of 2015. He won the Guitar World Magazine competition in 2006 and became king of the blues.

  1. What kind of music does Matt O’Ree create?

Matt is a rock and roll artist. The American singer specializes in blues and rock music and plays lead vocal guitar.

  1. Where to listen to Matt O’Ree’s music?

You can download Matt’s music on the guitarist band’s website, http://www.mattoreeband.com

  1. Where to listen to a podcast with Matt O’Ree?

You can listen to the full interview with Matt O’Ree here.

Check Out New Music At The dHarmic Evolution Rising Stars Spotify Playlist

dHarmic Evolution have curated a Spotify Playlist for your listening pleasure. Included in this playlist are select Indie artists from the dHarmic Evolution Podcast where the future Indie Stars of Tomorrow appear today! Check it out here.

Joy Villa Interview: From Humble Beginnings To The White House

Joy Villa | Living Life Artistically - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

Introduction

dHarmic Evolution is back with another incredible interview. This time, we chatted with the awe-inspiring Joy Villa. Joy Villa is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and YouTuber. She is known for her bold and sometimes, outrageous outfits which she has worn to the Grammy awards. Joy is a staunch supporter of Trump; having been very active in American politics. She’s talented, she’s vocal about her beliefs, she identifies as a Scientologist and has a passion for spreading joy, love and bringing people together in harmony. In this dHarmic Evolution interview with Joy Villa, we are going to be considering the various shades of the American singer-songwriter, as a speaker, a political commentator, and a humanitarian.

Joy Villa On Grammy’s

On her fashion taste and her exquisite Grammys dress, which was specially made for the Red Carpet, Joy says the dress, which she calls “the Trump dress” was designed by her friend. According to Joy Villa, her choice of the dress was a means of publicly showing support for the president and also, to add a touch of playfulness and love to the tense political atmosphere.

And her bold move ended up leaving guests at the Grammys awe-struck. Joy Villa says it was empowering for her to openly embrace her beliefs and courageously and voice them in a creative manner. The light-hearted artist and singer believe in love, unity, and togetherness, and she goes out of her way to ensure that her atmosphere is infused with the same. She says that she always comes from a point of love, unity, and togetherness and never has intentions of purposefully hurting anyone’s sentiments.

According to Joy Villa, she had no idea that her career would blow up as a result of her grand appearance at the Grammys. Joy’s unusual dressing elicited curiosity amongst the viewers that ultimately propelled sales as well as her fame. Joy states that she was not thinking in the long term when she chose her dress. Her motive was pure to show her support for the president. She does say, however, that she knew that the dress might spark a certain backlash, especially in Hollywood. However, she braved it and is still reaping the fruits today! Watching herself go viral, Joy says, was an incredible moment for her; one she will never forget. Joy goes a step further to describe herself as not just a political commentator but a political activist.

EP Home Sweet Home

Her newest E.P ‘Home Sweet Home’ is currently topping the charts. Truly one of the top artists out there, she holds you spell-bound with her melodious voice and well-crafted tunes. ‘Home Sweet Home’ is a song in which she eulogizes America, while also referring to the joys of freedom. When asked what exactly her inspiration for the song was, Joy says it was 100% America for her and the song is an expression of the love she has for her country.

She speaks about her numerous travels and encourages everyone to take a vacation from time to time. For her, it’s a great way to refuel while gaining exposure. When asked how this new success has affected her personal life; Joy launches into a beautiful tale of numerous positive things that have happened to her as a result of her new position in the spotlight. In her own words, “my life has completely changed in some ways and some ways; it has not changed at all.” For Joy Villa, a significant change is that people now recognize her, which is a boost to her career in a lot of ways.

Joy Villa’s Work Routine

Joy Villa works out twice a day for 3-5 minutes. She builds her life around the things that help her life. A vegetarian for 30 years, Joy is committed to a healthy lifestyle. Joy Villa describes herself as a homebody and one who protects her time. She especially enjoys spending quality time with her family. Joy says she hopes to inspire people with her songs and activism. Having been through sexual abuse and other hardships in life, Joy Villa describes herself as a victor and not a victim; an attitude we find rather impressive! When asked where she draws her strength from, Joy attributes her strength to her parents.

In her words, “My parents always told me how beautiful I was while growing up. They told me I am beautiful and strong; that I could achieve anything I want to. These words have been my driving force over the years!” Again, another source of strength for Joy is her Christian Faith. Joy Villa takes her spirituality quite seriously and practices Christianity actively to strengthen herself. Moreover, Joy is committed to constant heart checks. She speaks with sadness about the stage of her life when she didn’t give a hoot about how other people felt about her actions, whether they were hurt or not.

According to Joy, she has made mistakes, and she is not ashamed to admit her mistakes. She is continuously working on becoming a better version of herself. Joy Villa is a Scientologist, and she mentions her religious beliefs as yet another source of strength. Joy says she chose her religion, Scientology as a means to better her life and career. According to Joy, taking time to refresh is an indispensable part of her life. She refuels herself by taking time to relax and refresh.

Song: Make America Great Again

“Joy is doing more than her share to make America great again”. Joy Villa sang this song to clarify her position; why she is supporting Donald Trump and generally, her political philosophy. She says she chose the phrase ‘making America great again’ because it is a relatable phrase among the majority of the American populace – one that rings a bell. Also, it is a phrase popularly used by Trump himself too.

Joy Villa & Her Journey As A Philanthropist

“Philanthropy is one of my greatest pleasures.”

 According to Joy Villa, there are very few things that give her as much pleasure as philanthropy. The concept of giving back to society is one that constantly inspires and motivates Joy. She derives fulfillment from using her position and influence to help the less fortunate. She goes out of her way to reach out to needy people outside her immediate environment. Her philanthropy work isn’t restricted to America alone. In fact, she continues this work across various countries that she travels to. Most recently, she mentions her visit to Iran where she had the opportunity to offer help to women and children.

As a survivor herself, she empathizes with women and children and young girls who are sexually abused and a lot of her philanthropic work focuses on providing help and assistance to these women and children. Joy Villa expresses optimism that America will only get better and better in the years to come and only through lifting others can this goal be achieved sooner.

Songwriting Process For Devil In the City

Joy says this song was basically written to call out hypocrites and people pretending to be something that they are not. She believes in being true to oneself, committing to a course, and following through with it to the end. For Joy Villa, pretense and hypocrisy of any sort are a deal-breaker; they work against the unity and progress of any nation. She believes in being kind to people regardless of their backgrounds, lifestyle, race, or ethnicity.

Joy Villa goes out of her way to relate to the struggles of the less fortunate members of society. She believes in affirming people by the words we speak to them. She puts it brilliantly when she says, “even if you are doing it for selfish reasons, be nice to people”.

Visiting The White House

When asked about the most impressive thing she discovered during her visit to the White House, she mentions two striking points:

The manner in which everyone and everything worked in perfect synergy and meeting Ivanka Trump. She describes Ivanka as very humble and sweet-spirited and at the same time. She refers to her as an outstanding figure in the White House. Joy says she felt elated when Ivanka recognized her as she walked down a hallway at the White House and even more pleased when she learned that Ivanka had been a fan of hers for quite some time.

Finally, she talks about her song Vagabonds, a song about freedom and being unlimited in a world full of limitations. Joy describes herself as ‘unlimited’.

Wrapping Up

“Be bold; be brave enough to be your true self” Queen Latifah

Joy Villa’s story is a classic tale of the benefits of standing bold and staying true to oneself. Who would have thought that a simple act of boldness could take Joy Villa to the spotlight and her music to the very top of the charts! Joy Villa’s story once again proves Tony Gaskins’ words true. In his words, “The doors will be opened to those who are bold enough to knock.”

At dHarmic Evolution, we’re constantly being inspired and learning new things from the incredible artists that we interview. Joy Villa is no different in that regard. Her passion for spreading joy, bringing people together, being bold and courageous, lifting others up, following your heart, and standing up for what you believe in has left us speechless and moved. And as she says herself, “boldness never goes out of fashion. If you persist in doing your best, you can go from point zero to point 100 just in one day!” We couldn’t agree more, Joy.

Get In Touch

Our interview with Joy Villa was a moving reminder of how important it is, especially as an artist, to be true to yourself and to not lose your voice. If you’d like to hear more moving stories from artists, content creators, musicians and creatives from all walks of life, check out our podcast here.

If you’re an artist yourself and would like to share your thoughts or simply give us some feedback, be sure to leave a comment below. We love hearing from you!

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Who is Joy Villa?

Joy Villa is an American singer and artist whose E.P. “I make the static” skyrocketed to the no. 1 spot on both iTunes and Amazon after her 2017 Grammys’ appearance. She came out topping the charts.

  1. What kind of music does Joy Villa create?

Joy Villa typically plays pop, pop-rock, soul and pop punk. Her genre is best classified as Dance/Electronic music.

  1. Where to listen to Joy Villa’s music?

Check out more of Joy Villa’s music on YouTube, Spotify and AppleMusic.

  1. Where to listen to a podcast with Joy Villa?

dHarmic Evolution’s interview with Joy Villa is now live. You can listen to the full podcast here.

Check Out New Music At The dHarmic Evolution Rising Stars Spotify Playlist

dHarmic Evolution have curated a Spotify Playlist for your listening pleasure. Included in this playlist are select Indie artists from the dHarmic Evolution Podcast where the future Indie Stars of Tomorrow appear today! Check it out here.

Meet Ivy Alex, Gypsy Pianist & Unique Singer-Songwriter

Ivy Alex, a unique and very special Singer/Songwriter - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

In today’s interview on dHarmic Evolution, we chat with the super talented singer-songwriter and pianist Ivy Alex. Her unique taste in music and creative abilities as an artist make her stand out of the crowd. All of her audience and listeners know that Ivy likes to experiment with genres; she’s tried jazz, pop, neo-soul, and even classical, and aced them all! But what is Ivy Alex like behind the mic? What’s her personal life like, and what’s the motivational force that drives her creative mind? That’s what we’re all here for, aren’t we? Well, today, we shall all find out!   

Berklee & Music

While many do not know this, Ivy Alex is a Berklee Alumni and studied everything about music, lyrics, and rhythms. When asked whether she thought her education and music career had a connection, Alex said she had learned a lot of theory from the infamous college in Boston. She said Berklee taught her “a little too much too quickly,” and it took her about two years to find and identify her unique sound after completing education. 

The singer-songwriter said she learned about all kinds of music, including jazz, rock, classical, funk, and when she graduated, she had a lot of theory in her mind. Ivy said all this theoretical knowledge helped her start writing her own lyrics and creating music. She listens to a lot of music, picks what she likes, and incorporates it into her own style. 

Alex also told dHarmic Evolution that Berklee had a lot of influence on her taste in jazz music. The artist said she’s been writing lyrics since she was ten. Ever since the age of eight, she started learning how to syncopate jazz music and that she loves doing it in every jazz song she creates! Ivy loves blending rhythms and playing with sounds, which clearly shows in all of her musical creations. According to Alex, when she was in Berklee, she started writing many 5/4 or 6/8 rhythms. Plus, she began to explore many feelings as she grew there and incorporated a lot of her experiences into her music. 

Ivy Alex’s Musical Progress

Ivy Alex said she wrote almost every song in flats for a long time, particularly G flat and B flat keys, but then she started moving more towards and composing in the key of E. The artist explained in the interview that she’d recently learned about the association between colors and music. While further explaining her concept, she said that individuals with hearing loss used colors to match frequencies and created an association. For example, a particular frequency would translate as the color yellow, and vice versa. Ivy said she thought about that idea a lot and used it to explore her ideas in music. She moved across different keys, and the fascinating concept of colors and keys inspired her.  

Ivy & Genres 

Alex said in her interview that she doesn’t like to stay bound in a particular genre. She told dHarmic Evolution that she’s been working on an EP called “Fool For Love” and that she is already working on a mixtape with beats like hip-hop and much more. Apparently, the Berklee Alumni thinks switching between different music genres (weaving in and out) helps you grow. She says she would hate restriction to particular criteria of beats and sounds for “the rest of her life.” 

“Lust”-The Idea Behind The Song

When asked about the background and inspiration for her song “Lust,” Ivy Alex said she was in a very vulnerable place while writing and recording that song. The artist said in the interview that she hopes and thinks people worldwide will relate to her music especially because they expect more relatability from the female songwriters. According to the singer and writer of the song, this musical masterpiece’s start highlights the pain and trauma while the ending shines a ray of hope. 

“Dark Side”-  Ivy Alex’s Idea Behind The Song

In the interview, we asked the singer about the story or inspiration behind her famous song, The Dark Side. As an answer to this, Ivy Alex said that she starts to understand and portray her real feelings when she starts playing on the piano, and that’s when she came up with this beautiful song. The artist said she was going through a complication in a relationship, and she wrote these lyrics right before she broke up with her significant other. “It helped me move on,” said the music artist, “..it was the truth about our relationship..” Ivy Alex noted that the song helped her realize her true feelings and move on. She also mentioned that the song paid homage to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon. 

“Waterfall”- The Idea Behind The Song

When Ivy Alex wrote the song “Waterfalls,” the singer said she was slowly falling for a guy who gradually “ghosted” her. Much like how the song’s lyrics go, she expected him to come back. The cover photo for that particular song was also from the same time frame. Since then, said the artist, she had her questions and concerns regarding the same man and was going through a complicated war in her head. “Intuitively, I knew..” 

Surprisingly, said the musical magician, piano playing in the song didn’t take many takes to get the instrumental portion right! The piano was a Yamaha, and she said she always has a lot of fun playing classic, original Yamaha pianos. 

Ivy Alex’s Love For Pianos and Traveling

Since Ivy Alex expressed her love for classical Yamaha pianos, we asked her more about her piano learning experiences and how it feels when traveling away from her instrument. The singer said she started creating music on an original black Yamaha piano, so she has unique affectionate feelings with the particular tool. Therefore, it’s obviously kind of scary for her to think about finding a piano, a Yamaha, particularly when she is traveling.

Ivy said she thinks things have changed a lot around the globe in terms of music. The artist recalls that there would be a piano readily available and accessible in almost every bar, which is not the case anymore. They were more like “a piece of furniture.” The artist strongly believes that professional pianists should charge for performing since the skill and the instrument are not as mainstream anymore. 

The Ivy Alex Thought Process 

When asked about the thought processes she goes through when writing or completing a song, Ivy Alex said her plugins, loops, and music instruments excite her. The artist proudly noted that she doesn’t write a song for money; she does it to create freedom. Thus, when she completes a song, Alex feels like it’s a masterpiece, and that’s what keeps her driven. Since the piano is her expertise, she feels the most comfortable with the instrument and has the most fun. Ivy recalled her first song on a guitar as a music artist and compared it to her creative piano experience. She said she couldn’t believe how far you can go with a musical instrument you are comfortable with. 

Hobbies & Interests

Ivy Alex said she likes to make music when she’s not making music. In the interview, the artist said she wants to go to a nearby kava-bar. Since she used to work there as a young girl, Ivy said she is very familiar with that place and likes to go there for her me-time and inspiration. “Kava mellows you out… it’s good for me instead of coffee,” says the creative artist. In the interview, she said it’s a nice break to leave the house, have some of that calming beverage, listen to people’s stories, and take some time off work. 

The emerging music artist Ivy Alex also likes to write in her journal (she writes five pages every day!), walks with her two dogs, and visits the natural springs around Florida. Talk about being adventurous! 

Wardrobe & Music 

Since Ivy Alex has a unique style and wardrobe in most of her pictures, we questioned the artist in the interview about her fashion thoughts. As an answer to this, she said different wardrobe pieces give you a different persona, especially while you’re recording or creating musical content. For example, putting on the right pair of glasses makes you feel more intellectual, while a hat has a different effect on your personality. She says that each clothing or accessory you wear impacts how you look and feel about yourself. Since she already has a very suspicious and intellectual appearance, glasses accentuate her looks even more!

Wrapping Up

Needless to say, Ivy Alex is an emerging, unique singer-songwriter. We all knew she has a charming voice and an intellectual personality. But little did we know that she’s so fun to talk to. And she has such a young, broad, and creative mind! With Ivy’s upcoming EP “Fool For Love,” in future collaborations with her music producer, the energetic artist believes she is going places. And so do we! Her songs are unique, dynamic, and they have Ivy’s signature angelic vibe to them that her audiences love. She’s done a fantastic job with jazz, classical, and pop music, and her fans love every song she creates. With more than 100 musical creations already on her profile, the singer-songwriter Ivy Alex is all set to debut with her EP. And all of us dHarmic Evolution can’t wait to hear it! 

We’d Love To Hear From You!

To hear more inspiring stories like Ivy Alex’s, check out our podcast. At dHarmic Evolution, we interview artists, musicians, content creators, and people on different stages of their creative journeys. We chat with them about their challenges, their dreams, and their hopes for the future. These people inspire us, move us, and show us exactly why we love the world of arts so much. If you’re an artist yourself and would like to share your thoughts or leave feedback, be sure to leave a comment below and say hi.

FAQ’s

1. Who is Ivy Alex? 

Ivy Alex is a multi-talented pianist, singer-songwriter and a Berklee Alumni. She’s known for her angelic melodies and dynamic emotional storytelling. 

2. What kind of music does Ivy Alex create? 

Ivy isn’t restricted to any one genre alone and experiments with mixed styles of jazz, classical, neo-soul, and pop. 

3. Where to listen to Ivy Alex music? 

Head on over to her Spotify Page, SoundCloud and Youtube Channel to keep updated with her new music. Be sure to keep an eye out for her new EP “Fool for Love”.

4. Where to listen to a podcast with Ivy Alex?

We chatted with the wonderful Ivy Alex at dHarmic Evolution. Listen to the full interview on our podcast. 

Jenny Vinatieri: On Blending Genres & The Universality of Musical Language

Jenny Vinatieri, The Fashionista, Singer/Songwriter, meet the Complete Artist!

Jenny Vinatieri is an emerging talent in the world of music. Her abilities as a singer-songwriter currently impress hundreds and thousands of people worldwide, gaining her more and more popularity every day. She has presently styled many of her songs after influences like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Chainsmokers, and SIA. Several of her songs now endlessly circulate on SoundCloud as well. But that’s not all! The rising music artist from Colorado Springs is also a fashionista. Millennials worldwide take inspiration from her style, and we want to know where this style-sense comes from! 

When dHarmic Evolution got in touch with Jenny, we asked her everything her audience wanted to know. We talked about blending music genres, music universality, and how she became the complete artist! To find out more about her music, what she thinks about music as a language, her thought-process when writing songs, and other exciting facts about Jenny Vinatieri that we uncovered in our interview, stick around till the end!

Language Barriers Growing Up

Jenny Vinatieri is from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both of her parents came from different countries, and neither spoke each other’s language! Naturally, Jenny Vinatieri grew up in a unique environment with a highly diverse communication setup. When asked, she revealed that she had to learn three different languages simultaneously. She was born in Italy, her family is a part of the Italian descendants, and her father’s family is from South Dakota. She said that since her mum didn’t know English and her dad didn’t know Spanish, they both used bits of each other’s language to communicate. 

Being surrounded by diverse languages and witnessing the art of communication firsthand deeply impressed upon young Jenny’s mind and most likely had a role to play in terms of her development as a song-writer. As she went to school, the artist had to attend special education to learn how to communicate in English, speak, read, and understand the language. Music was, perhaps, the only language that came most naturally to the passionate singer who now uses it to share her feelings and express herself in diverse ways. 

Overcoming The Language Barrier 

When you get put into a special ed class, says the singer, you immediately assume that there is something wrong with you. Jenny Vinatieri tells dHarmic Evolution that her teacher was, in fact, blind. And to see someone with a disability do so many fascinating things was an experience in itself. And probably somewhat of an inspiration that ultimately encouraged the singer to overcome her own language barriers growing up. The singer recounted her school days and told us how she couldn’t solve Rubik’s cube “even to save her life.” She says that she would be amazed when her teacher could do it in two clicks despite her disability. “I thought this woman had superpowers”. 

Jenny Vinatieri Moved To America At 16

Jenny Vinatieri moved from Spain to Colorado Springs when she was 16. Despite her father’s jokes about the presence of cowboys in their new home, Jenny was amazed to experience the cultural difference first-hand. The artist had a hard time figuring out how to fit in. Jenny also says she was into fashion at that age. She says the styling differences between the two parts of the world were quite significant. She says that it was significantly harder to fit in because what she wore was supposedly “weird” to other people. 

Once she started to feel more comfortable, the singer-songwriter says she made a group of friends. And the music was the one thing they all had in common. “I’d tell them an idea of a song, and they’d sing melodies..” says the singer. This particular friend group helped Jenny Vinatieri get out of her shell. It also helped her identify her musical talents since she was a massive introvert and a little shy.

Even so, Jenny says she missed out on a lot of things about Spain because she moved to America. According to the multilingual singer, she didn’t get to experience the Spanish culture fully. She also talked about how different Spanish and American culture are from each other. She says people in Spain prioritize family time more than work as compared to America. “They’re more about community, more about family…”

Jenny Vinatieri: Influences And Inspirations 

Jenny Vinatieri says her first inspiration for creating music and writing lyrics was Madonna. In fact, her first record was Like A Virgin by Madonna. Although the artist didn’t know much about the song’s content since she was young, it is still one of her earliest inspirations. The talented music enthusiast and singer-songwriter and artist says Madonna, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, and other singers of that age sparked her interest in music. She wrote parodies for these songs and slowly became more indulged in the world of melody. 

In the interview, Jenny Vinatieri also revealed that her school had a newspaper. As she became more and more interested in writing songs and lyrics, the newspaper owners would have her write parodies for them. Her writings helped kids sing along with popular songs of that time. And that’s what introduced Jenny to the music industry. She also recalled how being in a foreign country, she didn’t have access to a lot of American Music. Therefore, even though the songs she found were inappropriate or out of her league, the beats and melody of these songs were still entertaining. 

Friends & Associations

Since they were on a military base, Jenny Vinatieri says most of the music they listened to was American. Naturally, that’s all they had to relate to. Her family is Spanish (half of her family is in Spain), so there was a lot of other Spanish musical stuff she got exposed to. Even today, she says she’d love to incorporate more Spanish culture into her music. She even plans to visit Spain soon. However, American Music was what they primarily grew up listening to on the radio on the military bases so that definitely did inspire her. 

The multi-talented fashionista and artist had quite a lot of trouble fitting in high school and had a hard time making friends and allies. However, soon, Jenny ended up with a large group of friends. But her hard times taught her to be the person who approached the terrified new kid and accepted them with open arms. We love that about her!

Jenny Vinatieri’s Thought Processes When Writing A Song  

Jenny Vinatieri says that when she writes, she first listens to a tune or melody. If it resonates with her, she lets it set the mood and visualizes the environment it creates. Then, she starts writing a song accordingly around that situation. While referring to her song Any Less as an example, she said she wanted people to relate to it. The song, says the singer, targets people who are looking for closure in their relationships. Jenny says the song  talks about how you should move on and let it go, stop waiting for answers, and make a decision for yourself. So, Jenny Vinatieri says that her songs are not meant for the clubs and party environments in general. She writes them for the audience – so that they can relate to it and have something that they can connect with, regardless of where it’s playing. 

Insights Into The Music Processes 

In the interview,  Jenny Vinatieri suggested that she’d been writing for many different musical groups, and everyone in the group was responsible for a particular task in the project. Overall, it was a group project, and while everyone had credit in it, no one in specific owned it. She told dHarmic Evolution that even though the songs and projects got their market recognition, it wasn’t going anywhere after that. 

When she started planning her first project, the musician says that she wanted it to be all hers! The singer said, “I really wanted to create something for myself that when older, I can look back and say, “Hey, I did that!” She says that she didn’t expect the first project to do as well as it did. Even so, when it was time to plan out the second project, she adopted different strategies. She went online and did her research. She found some beats she liked and got exclusive access to them by purchasing them. Then, she went into a studio to get help from an engineer to create the sounds she was looking for. Jenny Vinatieri said she’d been working with her new engineer to develop innovative projects, and she’s now working in collaboration with KMG. 

Social Media Thoughts & Experiences

Even though Jenny Vinatieri has a social media presence on almost every platform, her Instagram content has gained the most popularity. She says her followers adore her positive posts. Sometimes it’s hard for her to tell them she’s a professional music artist and not a lifestyle blogger or speaker. The singer-songwriter says spreading positivity through her social media platforms is her primary goal. And that is also how she likes to live life in general. An increasing following has genuinely made her happy, but what she appreciates the most is the feedback! 

Wrapping Up

Near the end of our interview at dharmic Evolution,  Jenny Vinatieri said she’s excited about the future and what it’s going to bring. While the artist sits at a high ranking everywhere, her presence on Instagram and SoundCloud is phenomenal. She plans to work with well-known celebrities like SIA, Chainsmokers, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry, and other artists shortly. She says it’s going to be nothing like she’s done before! Naturally, fans worldwide are eager to hear more from this talented music celebrity, and so are we! Let’s hope her creativity, positive vibes, and hardworking attitude only see the brightest of lights. And never come to a fade! 

Get In Touch

Jenny Vinatieri’s story is moving and inspiring for young musicians. At dHarmic Evolution, we interview creators of all kinds, from filmmakers and songwriters to social media experts and life coaches, and unpack valuable insights and actionable advice that could help you on your creative journey. To check out more inspiring interviews, head on over to our website and subscribe to our podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts or simply give us feedback, scroll down to the comment section and let us know what you think! 

FAQ’s

1. Who is Jenny Vinatieri? 

Jenny Vinatieri is a talented singer-songwriter based in Colorado Springs, Colorado and a ReverbNation Featured Artist. Jenny was born in Italy and raised in Spain and is multilingual. 

2. What kind of music does Jenny Vinatieri create? 

The artist is gaining a lot of well-deserved attention for being able to write songs across various genres. From pop to the more experimental, Jenny Vinatieri is always exploring new avenues. 

3. Where to listen to Jenny Vinatieri’s music? 

Listen to Jenny Vinatieri’s amazing soundtracks on SoundCloud and YouTube. 

4. Where to listen to a podcast with Jenny Vinatieri’s?

dHarmic Evolution did an interview with the talented Jenny Vinatieri to learn more about the artist. Listen to the full podcast here.