The Story Behind "No Words"

By Alexa Name

The way no words came about was me, Lavend3r, and Cole Daniels went on a trip to Minnesota. The reason we went to Minnesota was because John is from there. So we rented an Airbnb. We were there about a  couple weeks and did a songwriters/producers/musicians camp sort of thing. While we were there one day I was about to walk out the door and John just yells at me like, “Hey check out the Dropbox. There's a file called “no words”. Check it out. The instrumental track is super super weird. I made it with Cole. They played the cello on it but it's super weird. I don't know if you're going to like it. But check it out, and if you do just topline it. Hop on it, write over it, and see what comes out.” And I was like ok. So as I was walking around Minnesota I was listening to the track and I was like this is so so weird I love it. I definitely want to try it and write something over it because it was something so different to what I had done before. 

A few minutes later I walked to a park that was near the Airbnb, I sat down and I wrote the first half of the song. It was so funny because “no words” was not supposed to be the name of the song. It was just the name of the file because the track had “no words” on it. It was just instrumental. But as I was writing the song and I got to the chorus it just made sense to add it because of the subject of the song. It was about the situationship I had where nobody said a word. Literally we both felt something for each other but nobody said a word about it So just made sense to add it, and it was very kind of a meant to be moment. 

So yeah, I wrote the first half of the song in that park and that same night John and I started recording the first half of the song. After recording that first half we were hearing it again and we got super excited about it because it was so cool. We both thought it was an amazing song. So he told me, “you have 30 minutes to write the rest of the song while I work on it and do my producer stuff. You have 30 minutes and we‘ll record the second half” and I was like let's do it. So that’s what I did. I sat down and wrote the second half while he was working on the first half and we recorded the rest of the song that same night. So we made it all basically in one day. The only thing that was done the next day was Nico added in some synth chords for the second verse. We made it super fast. It was a very easy to make song, it just kind of flowed very easily. So yeah that was how the song came about.  

As for the photo shoot, since it's a sexy song I wanted it to be a sexy photo shoot. I was a bit nervous about it, not going to lie. But I was also very excited about it. I was like "you know what I'm committing to what the song is about". The photoshoot looks like I’m on a bed. But it’s actually the guest bathroom at my house. The photographer Jerry, he is my friend and he is amazing, needed a white wall and there was there was a big white wall in the guest bathroom at my house. So we we grabbed a couple covers and sheets and stuff like that and just put them on the floor. And that's where we shot all the promo photos and the cover photos for No Words. So that was very fun. 

I think for the song that's pretty much all there is to talk about. But, yeah, go listen to No Words. It's such a fun sexy ethereal otherworldly type of song. For me it just transports me to another place because it’s just so different and the instrumentation and the vocal production everything is done to is honestly incredible. I’m so lucky to have the team that I do. Go check it out and expect to see much more from me soon.

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I want to thank Alexa for taking the time to share this story with us. 

Be sure to follow her on Instagram, and Spotify to be sure you won't miss anything! You'll also want to check out every other time Alexa has appeared here on Section 36 Music!

Thanks again Alexa!

Olivia Cloud Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Olivia Cloud has an incredible body of work, including her recent single, "Anthem of a Dying Girl". I was thrilled she wanted to visit with us to discuss the single, her musical goals, and more!

So, let's see what happens when Olivia Cloud visits Section 36 Music!

I really enjoy your recent single. “Anthem of a Dying Girl”. What can you tell me about it?
This song is about all the things I wouldn't have if I died when I got cancer my freshman year of college. Bladder cancer affects predominantly 82 year old obese white males who have smoked and drank their entire life. I do not exactly identify with this demographic. Because this disease is so uncommon among those in my age group, I learned that it was responsible for my rapid weight loss, lack of appetite, depression and hormonal fluctuation. At the start of my second year of college, I went through the hardest parts of my treatment and I am doing well now. This song is about all the things I thought I would never be blessed enough to experience. There was a time when I doubted my ability to live a “normal” life after treatment, so I wrote this song about my struggles. Although I still don’t know if my future lies behind a white picket fence, I am so grateful to have one.

What was your favorite part of the recording process?

I had a really good time writing the song. It was one of those songs that just wrote itself really quickly. I think there are multiple approaches to songwriting, but the best songs for me are the ones that evolve really quickly because they are a true encapsulation of what I'm feeling at that moment. This song was written in about fifteen minutes, excluding minimal editing within the following days. The actual vocal tracking process was really great too. It’s always fun to see the evolution of the track and then adding vocals is like the cherry on top. 

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of an audience?
Definitely the connection. The energy transfer between artist and audience is unmatched. There truly is nothing like it. There’s also something truly magical about being on stage because you can see everything that is happening in the room. You get to witness true moments of joy.

 
Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

There are so many but I would say my top three are Tommy Lefroy, Maisie Peters and Maggie Rogers. These four women are incredible artists. Tommy Lefroy is a UK band made of two women, Wynter and Tessa, and their band name is based on the alleged heartbreaker of Jane Austen. Most if not all of their songs are about girlhood, camaraderie, and what it’s like to be a woman in this ever growing world. Maisie Peters’ writing style is really unique and often ironic and sarcastic. She turns heartbreak into amazing pop music. Maggie Roger’s passion and self expression make her one of the best artists out there. Her music is u like anything else and her stage presence is breathtaking. The duality of her sound and brand is inspiring as it tells me as a listener that she is once in a generation. I aspire to be half the artist she is. I could really go on and on, but it would be an honor to work with any of these artists even in the smallest capacity.

What is the most challenging part of your music career?

Definitely finding my people. In the music industry people often talk about the concept of “being a good hang”. It’s really difficult to find people you can truly be vulnerable with as music to me is the purest form of self expression. 

What are your immediate music goals?
In the near future, I want to finish a few projects i’ve been working on for a while with hopes it will be released as a larger piece of work. I would also love to tour within the next few years. I want to experience life on the road and learn how it feels to be putting on a show more days than not.

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I'm pretty excited about those upcoming projects!

As always, I want to thank Olivia for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview.

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram, and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. And, of course, check out everywhere she's mentioned in Section 36 Music!

Thanks, Olivia, and good luck reaching your goals!

The Story Behind the "Lessons Not Learned" Photo Shoot

By SARIKA

I knew I wanted the artwork to include an unlit candle or a lightbulb that wasn’t turned on, to symbolize an idea that was never had, or a lesson that was never learned. And I also knew I wanted to wear the red corset that’s in the cover art, but initially I was just planning on sitting in a chair or something.

Then some friends and I were at the Tasty Burger in Fenway after one of them performed nearby, and we had had a couple of drinks. The counter and hand dryer in the Tasty Burger bathroom are bright red, and I was wearing a red sweater, so I was like “guys take a picture of me sitting on this right now.” I posted it on my Instagram and someone commented that it needed to be album art, and she was totally right.

So I went back to Tasty Burger in my corset and nice outfit with a photographer, wrapped string lights around my neck, and sat my ass back on that counter! I was kind of uncomfortable because between the tight corset and string lights around the neck I felt pretty constricted, plus we had to hide the battery pack by shoving it in my corset (plus editing out the wire and weird boxy bulge from it later), and I’m actually not resting my legs on the trash can at all because of how high my heels are, so it was kind of a work out to sit like that.

But any discomfort was totally worth it, because I was super happy with how the photos turned out! Then I wanted the hand dryer and soap logos gone, and I thought it’d be fun to incorporate the EP title and my artist name in a creative way, so I had another photographer friend Photoshop the hand dryer to say “SARIKA / Lessons Not Learned” instead of the “Xcelerator” logo. So that’s how my tipsy impromptu Instagram photo became the official EP cover!

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I want to thank SARIKA for taking the time to share this look at her EP photo shoot with us. 

Be sure to follow her on Instagram, and Spotify to be sure you won't miss anything (including her two most recent singles)! You'll also want to check out every other time SARIKA has appeared here on Section 36 Music!

Thanks again SARIKA!

When Isa! Performs on Stage

By Isa!

I love the connection it creates. You see strangers that aren't strangers anymore, something stronger unites you now. They look at you, maybe you're playing the music they love and they've grown up with, maybe you're telling your own music and they're seeing themselves mirrored in your words, they're there and your souls are dancing together. You can just feel it. And yes, once you get off stage they'll come to you and tell you how awesome you were and everything, but you know what they are really trying to describe is how perfect that felt. That is the reason I started performing, the way music made me feel, the way I felt when I went to concerts, I felt connected and I wanted to be there and give that awesomeness back. The world needs more of this, we need more music and connection and peace and sincerity and community. Music gives you that Some venues are amazing, I can't not think about this place called the Rock'n'Roll Club in my home city Milan: they hold rock and metal jam sessions every two weeks, and you'll find anyone there. From young rockers, to adults who've just learnt how to play an instrument, to 5 year old kids who scream Pink Floyd on stage, to veterans of the industry, You find everyone there. And even though I may not know everyone when I step in, the moment the music starts we're all together. I play not to be crushingly good, or to flex, that would ruin everything. I give it my all to create the magic. As a drummer I have a talent to make everything come together, that's the superpower of my instrument. If I'm solid and I do my job, then the magic happens. And when people come up to me to compliment, I know it goes beyond "you're soo good". No words can capture that, but it's part of the magic. And when someone comes up to me and says that I've inspired them to play or given them new faith, then I know I've done my job.

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Be sure to follow Isa! on Instagram, and stream The Flow to be sure you won't miss it!

Thanks again Isa!

Alex Hoskyns Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Alex Hoskyns recently released her debut single, "Secondhand Love", that you need to listen to as soon as possible. I was thrilled she wanted to visit with us to discuss the single, her musical goals, and more!

So, let's see what happens when Alex Hoskyns visits Section 36 Music!

I absolutely love your recent single. “Secondhand Love”. What can you tell me about it?

Secondhand love was the first song I wrote in college. I was essentially starting over making friends, and I was thinking about the types of relationships I wanted to build, and the mistakes I made in the past.  It is a piece that combines my love of folk and cinematic instrumentation, reflecting on the feeling of being someone’s second choice/last priority, and feeling like you are constantly compromising by accepting that.

What was your favorite part of the recording process?

The song was produced by Carlee Morales, and we recorded in Valencia, Spain. Both of us were only just starting to learn the ropes of working in the studio, and it was just super fun spending all the time in the studio experimenting with different samples and ideas. I feel like it is just as much Carlee’s song as it is mine, and I loved seeing how her ideas really brought my lyrics to life. 

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of an audience?

I am a very shy person, and I think a lot of people don’t expect me to have the voice or presence that I have. It sometimes feels like I’m Clark Kent, and I get it show my true self on stage. I find it like just seeing the surprised reactions of people, but also showing them that people can be a lot more/different than you expect. 

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

I am inspired by big voices, like Ray Charles, Nina Simone and Tower of Power. However, compositionally I take a lot of inspiration from João Gilberto, Adele, and Gregory Alan Isakov. It is definitely an interesting mix that I’m still trying to navigate.   

What is the most challenging part of your music career?

For me, it has been choosing what things to focus on and when. Performing was my first love, but while in school I really networked and studied the film and tv composer path. Its hard to juggle wanting both those things, since both really require you to be “all in” in terms of time, and focus. I also feel like I have two different sounds. I write a lot of folk music, but when I perform I also do a lot of funk, blues. In my head those are two very different things, and I’m still trying to find out how to combine those into one project that feels cohesive. 

What are your immediate music goals?

I’m headed to Valencia Spain to pursue a Masters in performance and production. I really wanna try the artist thing, potentially going to the UK and really just writing and performing as much as I possibly can. I always say yes to any opportunity and hope that’ll take me to the next one. 

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That sounds like a great plan to me

As always, I want to thank Alex for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview.

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram, and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks, Alex, and good luck reaching your goals!

New Music From Amira Noor, Asmi Aderay, Pragya, Isabelle Gitlin, ISA!, Céline Marie, Pitch Slapped, Georgia Chess

"Tried" - by Amira Noor

Release Date: May 30, 2025

What You Should Know: "Excited to share this special song with you guys."

Find It: Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "It's 2025 in Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Amira Noor Visits Section 36 Music!"

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"Confess to Me" - by Asmi Aderay

Release Date: April 11, 2025

What You Should Know: "Confess to Me is more than just a song to me - it’s a late-night emotional confession set to melody. With every note, I’m sharing the heartbreak and feelings we often keep hidden. I hope it connects with you like a secret between friends."

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "It's 2025 in Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Asmi Aderay Visits Section 36 Music!"

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"Picking at the Seams" - by Pragya

Release Date: May 9, 2025

What You Should Know: This debut EP is one you won't want to miss!

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

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"It Still" - by Isabelle Getlin 

Release Date: May 23, 2025

What You Should Know: "Thank you to my family, particularly my grandmother Zoya. She served as an inspiration for me on this and I want to dedicate it to her. She was a talented working actress from St. Petersburg, but was unable to continue pursing her craft and passion after immigrating to this country for her family."

Find It: Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "It's 2025 in Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Isabelle Gitlin Visits Section 36 Music!"

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"The Flow" - by ISA!

Release Date: June 6, 2025

What You Should Know: "This song is particularly special for me as it was not my first first first ever written, but for sure my first fully finished and produced all on my own. "

Find It: Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "It's 2025 in Section 36",  "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36:  More ISA!

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"Showtime" - by Céline Marie

Release Date: June 6, 2025

What You Should Know: It’s an EDM / Techno track, a fusion of the sub-genres Peak Time, Industrial and Minimal Techno, and the lead single of her upcoming EP “Showtime”.

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

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"Are You That Somebody?" - by Pitch Slapped

Release Date: June 6, 2025

What You Should Know: A must-listen release from this incredible group.

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

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"Ascot" - by Georgi Chess

Release Date: June 6, 2025

What You Should Know: "“Ascot” is this really bitter song about unrequited love. I’m not really into writing “sappy” love songs, because music like that makes me feel a little hopeless. So majority of my “sad” songs end up becoming these angry, gritty rock tunes, because that feels more empowering to me in a way."

Find It: Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "It's 2025 in Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Amira Noor Visits Section 36 Music!"