Briana Cash Visits Section 36!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Briana Cash is an incredible singer, and I was excited that she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Briana Cash visits Section 36!

I really enjoyed your single “Ancestral Sin”. What can you tell me about it? 
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!  My inspiration for this song was after relocating to Los Angeles. While unpacking, I started to reminisce about recent life experiences, the good and bad that led up to that move:

“I came up with the ‘ooh ooh ooh part’ and I started writing melody and lyrics down in between cleaning and doing stuff.” says Cash (to WIMN) “The song talks about existing in a

relationship gone bad and being in that unfortunate situation. It has dark elements, along with a gospel church vibe, so I thought the name and hook of ‘Ancestral Sin’ (aka ‘Original Sin’) would be a cool fit. The silver lining is having that second chance, because they do come around.” 

It was co-produced by me and Oscar winner Giosuè Greco and features vocals by Malynda Hale. They're both so talented!

You’re a graduate of Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest thing that opportunity has done for your career?

Graduating from Berklee is a huge and wonderful accomplishment and it's not an easy one. It's helped open doors and has given me job opportunities over the years. I am currently a Berklee Alumni Ambassador and a TA for their Music Business Foundations Course online via Coursera.org  Check it out!

You had the opportunity to attend the Grammy Awards a few years ago. What was that experience like?

It was a cool experience. It's a very long show, bring snacks. :) The Grammy parties are REALLY fun. My music was considered in 8 categories for the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. It would be a dream come true to win a Grammy someday. 

I’m told I have to ask you about your “Lady A story”. Can you share it with us?
Yes, unfortunately Interscope Records has signed an artist using my name. It is not her real name, she continues to use it as her 'stage name' and doesn't want to change it. Cease and desist letters have been sent to Interscope Records and the management team of their artist.

Briana Cash is my birth name, it is also my brand and trademark. I have been performing and working as a musician for over 20 years in the industry as Briana Cash. I am not going to change or give up my legal name. I have nothing against this artist, but she could go by her birth name or any other of her choosing and stop using mine. 

We can't coexist with the same name. It has caused consumer

confusion at the very least. I want to make people aware in the effort to prevent this from happening to other indie artists. It's a very similar situation to Lady A's, in the sense that a big machine in my case, "Interscope" takes my name. It will cost me thousands to preserve and keep what is already mine. I feel they do this because they think they can.

They didn't even ask my permission to use it, they just did. And even if they say they didn't know, I have reason to believe that they did know, but I won't get into that right now. They have known for a while now however, Interscope still continues to allow their exclusive recording artist to use my name without offering any resolution or remedy to this ongoing problem.

Other than COVID, what would you say is your biggest career challenge?

COVID has definitely been a struggle. I had to cancel shows scheduled in Italy in April and Boston in July. Instead, I did some shows online but the cool thing was thousands of people watched the stream globally on Facebook. Now musicians can no longer do live streams on Facebook so we have to find other platforms. Right now my biggest career challenge is trying to stop Interscope from taking my name. 

What are your immediate career goals?

To release more music and collaborate with artists and songwriters. I also enjoy writing and pitching for sync and working as a freelance music supervisor. I love doing anything creative, while learning and understanding the business side of things. There is always that 'learning in process'. I'm a mix of both right and left brain. I love writing in different genres and creating. I also love discovering new music and talent. In my opinion, if a song is good, it doesn't matter what style it is. 

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I’m sure we can help her reach those goals!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Briana to see what she's up to. The best way is to follow her online on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube. You should also be sure to visit her website and listen to her music on Spotify as often as you can. It’s the perfect way to make sure you don't miss a thing.

You can also visit her Section 36 Music page. There you'll find more links, pictures, and samples of her music. It's a great way to enjoy everything Briana has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Briana, and good luck in reaching your goals! 

“Come Away With Me" by Michelle Rose (Release date September 25, 2020)

“Come Away With Me" is the latest single from the amazingly talented Michelle Rose! 

And you'll want to listen to it again and again!

What can you expect from the song” Here’s what Michelle has to say about the release:

“Have you ever been mesmerized by someone so much that all you can think about is wanting to go on an exotic vacation with him?  You'd love to make special memories together, but there's just one problem - you aren't his lady (yet).  You dream about one day being his lady and exploring secret destinations all over the world with him.  That's what this original song by Michelle Rose is about!   

Michelle Rose provided the vocals, and the rapping was done by Try Bishop.  Lyrics were by Dr. Fink (from Prince's band, The Revolution), and it was composed and produced by Dr. Fink and MVXMILLI.

Michelle Rose co-directed a music video for this song, along with Joshua McGrane, of Ironclad Production Co.  The video features scenes that were filmed in beautiful destinations that included parts of Switzerland, France and several locations in Norway.  It even includes a hot tub scene that was filmed on a ship in the Arctic Circle!  

The 'Come Away with Me' music video was selected for the Lovesick Film Fest.  It won 'Honorable Mention' for Best Music Video in the Independent Shorts Awards.  At the IndieX Film Fest, it won an Outstanding Achievement Award for Best Makeup and Hair Styling, and was a finalist for Best Music Video, Best Costume Design and Best Original Song.  It was a finalist for Best Music Video in the DreamMachine International Film Fest and the Prague International Monthly Film Fest.   For the New York International Film Awards, it won Honorable Mention for Best Music Video and was a Finalist for Best Song, and it was Award Winner for Best Natural Scenography.  In the Indie Short Film Fest, it was a Finalist for Best Music Video, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair Styling, and Best Original Song.   The music video was also selected for the Lovesick Film Festival.  It was nominated for Track Music Awards Best Music Video (July) and the song was the Award Winner of their Best Sound Studio Recording (July).  

Michelle Rose is finishing her Junior year at Berklee College of Music, where her emphasis includes Vocal Performance, Songwriting and Music Production.”

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You can find “Come Away With Me" just about everywhere you usually get your music like Spotify! So, there's no reason why you won't be able track it down…which I highly suggest you do.

If you want to learn more about Michelle, check out her Section 36 Music profile page. There you can find links to her full interview with Section 36 Music, her social media accounts, as well as more samples of her incredible singing.

You can also hop directly to her recent interview right here on Section 36 Music. That will give you an opportunity to learn more about this amazing singer.

Be sure to give “Come Away With Me" a listen!

“Love Myself" by Danielle Starz (Release date September 25, 2020)

“Love Myself" is the latest single from the wonderful singer Danielle Starz!

 

And you need to listen to it as soon as you can!

You probably remember Danielle from her interview with us, and her amazing previous single “Be OK". Since then, we’ve all been eagerly awaiting the release of her next single. I wasn't disappointed! I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do.

What can you expect from the song? Here’s what Danielle herself has to say about it:

“This song was written by Danielle and produced and mixed by Prod.AG. The single is available on all streaming platforms.

“This song was inspired by the amazing feeling you get when you’re finally over a breakup. I wrote this with the intentions of it being a self empowerment anthem. It definitely ties in with similar themes of my other song “Be Ok” and I definitely think of them as sister songs, or songs that go together. It’s a song about emotional freedom, self love and confidence.”

Growing up, drawing inspiration from power house female artists like Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, and Christina Aguilera, Danielle Starz creates her own unique sound in her music.

Danielle is a twenty-three year old pop singer-songwriter and

producer from Boston, Massachusetts. After studying at Berklee College of Music, Danielle started working on her YouTube channel, recording weekly covers and writing and recording at her home studio releasing singles like “Loved the Most”, “More” and  “Be Ok”. "

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You can find “Love Myself" just about everywhere you usually get your music like Spotify or Apple! So, there's no reason why you won't be able track it down…which I highly suggest you do.

If you want to learn more about Danielle, check out her Section 36 Music profile page. There you can find links to her full interview with Section 36 Music, her social media accounts, as well as more samples of her incredible singing.

You can also hop directly to her recent interview right here on Section 36 Music. That will give you an opportunity to learn more about this amazing singer.

Be sure to give “Love Myself" a listen!

Sarah King Visits Section 36!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Sarah King is a fantastic singer, and I was excited that she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Sarah King visits Section 36!

I really enjoyed your album (with The Guilty Henchmen) “What Happened Last Night”. What was it like to put that together?

This record was SO much fun to put together. I flew down to Georgia (where I used to live) and recorded with my former bandmates. We hadn't been in a room together in eight years and it was a blast just to hang out again. We worked harder than I think any of us had ever worked since we only had 4 days to do everything - setting up, tracking, and mixing - but it didn't feel like work. We were exhausted but so proud at the end, and I am thrilled we pulled off the logistics to make it happen.

You have a single releasing on October 2nd. What can you tell me about it?

I sure do! This track is a whole different beast from WHLN.

WHLN was a solid blues-rock record, top to bottom. My new single, Nightstand, has a totally different feel. For this track, I worked with Simone Felice and David Baron (the producers for the Lumineers, Jade Bird, Matt Maeson, Bat for Lashes, etc) in the Catskill Mountains. It's got much darker overtones than the songs on WHLN, and it was produced with more of a trip-hop, dark alternative vibe. I loved being able to incorporate some different influences into this track and utilize different instrumentation than I've worked with before.

Nightstand is a slow but powerful burn, and it builds. It starts off casually enough, but if you listen to the words, it's a warning not to underestimate women. By the end you can hear the edge in my voice, especially in a line talking about how "the world's been trying to take me out since the day I first arrived." It wasn't written to be a political statement or anything, but it's certainly become a timely theme, and I'm looking forward to sharing it. 

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

The energy and the feeling. Being able to share my stories - or interpret other stories - and have listeners feel something. From the time I started playing my own music, my goal has always been for listeners to feel something. I'm not up there to sing the loudest note or whatever. I want my stories to resonate with people so they know they're not alone.

Who/what would you consider to be your biggest musical influences?

I like to joke around that my biggest musical influences are bourbon and bad decisions, but that's not entirely a joke - I once read something like "bad decisions make good stories" and I totally agree. Who wants to hear a song about everything going perfectly? There's got to be some sort of challenge, some sort of growth or change in any good story, and songs are simply stories set to music. 

In terms of artists I'm into, the ones you'll hear on WHLN are the Black Keys and Jack White. On Nightstand we got a little deeper and you'll hear some Portishead, Alabama Shakes, and if you know him, maybe a little Greg Dulli. 

Other than COVID, what would you say is your biggest career challenge?

My biggest career challenge is probably figuring out where my music belongs. I've played and studied a variety of styles - literally from opera on up - and I enjoy getting out of my musical comfort zone. Right now, finding the right niche for my music, the right listeners is a challenge. My songs are catchy but the lyrics are often a little dark for mainstream pop/rock music. I like to say I have a good time singing about hard times, and it's true. My music isn't going to lift you up or inspire you - there are plenty of other musicians out there doing that - but it will help you feel like you're not alone. Now I need to find those people who need to hear my stories!

What are your immediate career goals?

My immediate career goals are to get Nightstand out to as many ears and eyes as possible on October 2nd! I'm then headed back to the Catskills to finish the EP with Simone and David, and those songs will be released over the coming months. 

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I’m sure we can help her reach those goals!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Sarah to see what she's up to. Especially with all the new releases coming up! The best way is to follow her online on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube. You should also be sure to listen to her music on Spotify as often as you can. It’s the perfect way to make sure you don't miss a thing.

You can also visit her Section 36 Music page. There you'll find more links, pictures, and samples of her music. It's a great way to enjoy everything Sarah has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Sarah, and good luck in reaching your goals! 

“Violet Silence" by Serena Z (Release date September 19, 2020)

 “Violet Silence" is the latest single from the incredible singer Serena Z!

And you won’t want to miss it!

You probably remember Serena Z from her interview with us, and her amazing previous single “Absence of Color". Since then, like me, you've been eagerly awaiting the release of her next single, and I wasn't disappointed! I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

You can find “Violet Silence" just about everywhere you usually get your music like Apple and Spotify. So, there's no reason you won't be able to find it.…which I highly suggest you do.

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If you want to learn more about Serena Z, check out her Section 36 profile page. It has samples of her music, links to where you can find her, and more.

You can also hop directly to her recent interview right here on Section 36 Music.

Be sure to give “Violet Silence" a listen!

Mae McCoy Visits Section 36!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Mae McCoy is a wonderful singer, and I was thrilled that she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Mae McCoy visits Section 36!

I really enjoyed your recent single “I Don’t Want My Heart To Break”. What can you tell me about it?

IDWMHTB is a song about loving someone to the point of needing to leave them. Sometimes, relationships can get toxic. And sometimes it’s important to realize when it’s time to let the person go so you both can move on, especially when you don’t want your heart to break. 

You’re currently a student at Berklee College of Music. What is the biggest thing that is doing for your career?

Berklee influences who I get to network with in the industry. I

met Justin Meyer, who I wrote IDWMHTB with, and he produced the song with me as well. I also met Stephen Trischitta and Alexander Wright through Berklee. So really, the school has helped me make connections that are ultimately going to benefit me in my career.

What would you consider your musical style or genre?

I would say my primarily genre is pop simply because that’s one of the most inclusive genres. You can have pop-rock, pop-rap, pop ballads, etc. I don’t really like to constrain my songwriting to a genre. I just write and sometimes it sounds more poppy and sometimes it sounds more like R&B or hip-hop, etc. But pop would be the closest one word answer :) 

Who or what would you consider to be your biggest musical influences?

Ed Sheeran has always been my biggest influence. Before I knew about his music, I focused on classical piano and choir music. But then I discovered Ed Sheeran and I was really inspired by the fact that he wrote his own songs. So then I took up songwriting as a way to cope. I consider myself a songwriter before anything else :) I was also very inspired by Christina Grimmie though while growing up. I loved her singing and piano playing. I think it’s one of the main reasons I belt in a lot of my songs. 

Other than COVID, what would you say is your biggest career challenge?
I would say the biggest challenge for me is writing for both me and the people. Writing for me started as a way to cope with my emotions, but once I knew I wanted to be a singer-songwriter, that’s when I realized I had to turn it into an actual career for myself. And in order to do that, I have to write something that the people want to hear. So sometimes it’s difficult to balance my own passions and what will be trendy. I still haven’t quite found that balance, but I’m hoping it’s something I’ll develop as I continue to release singles :D

What are your immediate career goals?

I would like to be big enough to go on tour and not have to

worry about money. I don’t need millions, but I don’t want to end up needing a second job that ends up turning music into just a hobby for me. I would love to find my niche and get connected with fans. I really hope my music can move someone the way artists I love move me with their music.

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Hopefully we can help her reach those goals!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Mae to see what she's up to. The best way is to follow her on Instagram. It’s the perfect way to make sure you don't miss a thing.

You can also visit her Section 36 Music page. There you'll find more links, pictures, and samples of her music. It's a great way to enjoy everything Mae has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Mae, and good luck in reaching your goals! 

“Things I Never Said” by Jemima (Release Date September 12)

“Things I Never Said” is the debut EP from the talented Australian singer Jemima! 

And you're definitely going to want to check it out!

What can you expect from this EP? Well, here's what Jemima herself has to say about it in her release...

 

“Jemima’s upcoming EP, “Things I Never Said”, features five tracks. While each song differs in mood, they all share commonalities: a distinct eagerness to tell a story. Jemima’s unwavering desire to connect with people has been evident for years; she began busking at 15 and has since performed up and down the east coast of Australia and around London in the UK.

The EP features Jemima’s ’60s-inspired track“As You Are”. In July, the song debuted at #1 on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart for Australia. The EP’s first single, a folk-pop ballad called “Patient”, reached #2 on the same chart when it was released in March.“Patient” also won the approval of folk musician Angus Stone.After hearing the song, Stone invited Jemima to his home studio to sing backing vocals on his Dope Lemon release, "Streets ofYour Town”

 

Recorded at Rockinghorse Studios Byron Bay, "Things I Never Said" was written by Jemima, mastered by Paul Blakey, and recorded and mixed by Paul Pilsneniks, who has engineered acts like Angus and Julia Stone, Pete Murray, Silverchair, and Powderfinger.”

I obviously couldn’t have said it better myself. While the two singles need no introduction, I can confirm that the rest of the EP falls together exactly as promised. The songs, while different, all play off each other to create an album that shows off the beauty of Jemima’s vocals. Each song makes you want to hear the next, and the last one makes you want to start all over again. The story-writing draws you in, and carries you right through the end. It’s a wonderful experience.  

You'll be able to find “Things I Never Said" just about everywhere you usually get your music like Spotify or Apple! So, there's no reason why you won't be able track it down…which I highly suggest you do. In fact, why not go presave it now?

 

Right. Now!

Delia Brennan Visits Section 36!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Delia Brennan is a talented singer, and I was thrilled that she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Delia Brennan visits Section 36!

I really enjoyed your recent album “People Leave”. What can you tell me about it?

I wrote this album over quarantine when I was feeling really defeated in many areas of my life. I was missing a lot of people from Boston, feeling disconnected from folks at home, and feeling like I’d lost myself in some way. Creating this album helped me get over that hump and express my feelings and struggles in a way that I could better understand; through music. It helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel and create healthy relationships again in my life- with people, with music, and with myself. I had so much fun creating it and it’s now available on all streaming platforms!

You’re currently a student at Berklee College of Music. What is the biggest thing that is doing for your career?

Berklee has provided me so many connections with amazing

musicians from all over the world who specialize in different things, whether it be production, performance, songwriting, etc. I have collaborated with so many amazing people within the semester and a half that I lived in Boston, and I can’t wait for 3 more years of knowledge and collaboration and connections.

You have a history in musical theater. What do you enjoy about performing on stage?

Musical theatre is where I found that my passion for music wasn’t really a hobby, but what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I love performing onstage because I love being in a live piece of art with other artists, and I love that every performance is different. You’ll never give the same exact show twice, which I think is so much of the beauty of theatre. I love musical theatre, and I really hope to find it again someday in my career or as a hobby.

Who or what would you consider to be your biggest musical influences?

Some of my biggest influences as a songwriter are Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, and Sara Bareilles. I love that all 3 of them have the ability to create such vivid imagery with their lyrics in very few words, and such memorable and unique melodies with only a few notes or that are only a few seconds long. I really hope to capture that essence in my music.

Other than COVID, what would you say is your biggest career challenge?

I think the nature of the music industry makes finding a career in music a challenge for anybody. It’s all about forming connections and accepting and embracing rejection, and that makes it very difficult for a lot of people. I think Berklee prepares their students really well to find careers in the “real world”, so I think I’ll feel a bit better about it 3 years down the line, but it is slightly daunting to me. 

What are your immediate career goals?

I would love to keep creating in any capacity, whether it’s

creating entirely original music and making money off of streams and gigs (whenever those are commonplace in my area again), or arranging for other groups, I would just love to make a career of freelance writing and arranging while I’m a student. It’s a great way to make some money while getting better at my craft.

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Hopefully she’ll be able to reach those goals!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Delia to see what she's up to. The best way is to follow her on Instagram and Facebook, or visit her website. They’re great ways to make sure you don't miss a thing. You should also be sure to check out her music on Spotify, or anywhere else you choose!

You can also visit her Section 36 Music page. There you'll find more links, pictures, and samples of her music. It's a great way to enjoy everything Delia has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Delia, and good luck in reaching your goals!