Caroline, from Bands of DFW, Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Someone a little different again today. Caroline is the founder of the fantastic Instagram account, Bands of DFW. Her goal is to feature and promote bands performing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I was thrilled that she wanted to visit with us to discuss the account, her goals, and more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

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

What made you decide to start your account, “Bands of DFW”?

When I created Bands of DFW, it came from a mix of passions: people, connection, communication, and of course, music. Honestly, everyone should thank two sources of inspiration: my mom and my friends’ bands.

For months, my mom kept suggesting I start some kind of branded Instagram account, maybe one that featured “product testing” or “space showcasing” in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. I brushed her off repeatedly, insisting I was “too busy” or “unable.” But then one night at a show, the lightbulb moment happened.

I had been following my friends’ bands for months. I knew how talented they were, yet their social media numbers didn’t reflect what I was experiencing live. In that moment, it clicked: musicians deserve more exposure in an increasingly competitive market. With everything they already do behind the scenes, social media often falls to the backburner, and I knew I could help fill that gap.

I also knew two things for sure: I love people and I love music. I realized I could create something that gives artists a chance to showcase their work to a wider audience. As a graduate student studying communication and media, this project aligned perfectly with both my personal passions and academic interests.

Music has always been a source of connection for me, and I believe it always will be. Dallas- Fort Worth isn’t just where I live, it is an up-and-coming hub for inspired creatives. With all of that in mind, Bands of DFW was born one day in a coffee shop in Arlington, Texas. I haven’t looked back since.

What is your favorite part about running the account?

This is going to be my favorite question to answer because it is the easiest. I love the connections that I make daily to not only musicians in the area but also owners of bars, music complex owners, studios, writers, editors, podcasters, and other social media gurus like me.

Again, I love people, and I love hearing everyone’s stories. Social media, while sometimes detrimental, is such a fantastic place for connection. I am getting to meet people day after day

who are different from me in so many fantastic ways. There are so many friends I could cite here and so many creatives who I am often inspired by. I am just grateful that I share the space with so many people who are passionate about making DFW a space where music can be heard.

How do you find bands to feature?

I find bands in a variety of ways. In the beginning stages it was who was playing at shows that I was already attending, and now it has slowly transitioned to who reaches out or what I see online. I am usually looking online for when people post and checking my direct messages like a crazy person. It really appreciate when musicians send me flyers for their shows or tag me in their posts.

What do you enjoy most about attending shows?

My account primarily focuses on the live aspect and there is a reason for that. I love live music. When the energy is just right at a live show, the whole room changes, the energy changes, and I think you often leave changed. Bands can be who they want to be on a stage, with little to no judgement when they’re live, and I love the authenticity that comes with being at a live show.

What would you say are your biggest challenges running Bands of DFW?

I am a one woman show, and I keep busy. I am a teacher’s assistant, a graduate student, a media coordinator at a non-profit organization, an on and off freelance worker, an occasional volleyball coach when I have the time, a sister, a daughter, a friend, and I run my own brand.

This is all fantastic and I love to be busy because my passions lie in multiple areas, but often I think that I can be unavailable to be at shows due to other commitments.

As much as I want to make everyone happy, I also sometimes need flexibility to not make it to a show and have someone record a video of the bands that I am unable to get. For the bands out there, this is your sign to have a designated friend who records at least one song you do live, because not only is this good for me, but it is even better for you. I will give a little tip, people on social media love to see what I like to call “tangible results.” If you are in a band, they want to know what you sound like and if you never have someone recording you, you never have the chance to show others your art. Do not let hard work go to waste in that way.

Do you have any immediate account goals?

I have a lot of projects and a good amount of collaboration opportunities coming up soon, but I will not disclose any of that information just yet. Mainly, I just want to see the account continue to grow, because I want to watch the musicians I help, succeed. Right now, I am happy with where the account is at. I tell people all the time, this was a risk that I was willing to take, and if in the end it fails, I will have done everything I could to keep it up and running. I am super proud of it right now and I think this will be something that I will be proud of for the rest of my life.

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How wonderful!

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

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow along and see what is going on in DFW. I would follow Bands of DFW on Instagram and Everywhere else you can find it to make sure you don't miss a thing. And, if you're a band/musician in the D-FW area, be sure to reach out and let her know you saw her on Section 36 Music!

Thanks again, Caroline! Good luck reaching your goals!

Ella Marisa Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Ella Marisa has a few recent songs in her catalog that you should be streaming. I was so glad that she was willing to visit with us to discuss the songs, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Ella Marisa visits Section 36 Music!

Your recent single, “PLOT,” is incredible—it feels like a burst of pure energy. What’s the story behind it?
“PLOT” is so much more than just a song to me—it’s a snapshot of how I live my life and the friendships that shaped me. My friends and I thrive on chaos, in the best way possible. We’d run on an hour of sleep, because we danced all night in some club, fuelled up on three espressos, and somehow still choose the most ridiculous, reckless idea—just to have a story to tell our future kids. Our motto was simple: ‘the stupider, the better.’
One summer, my best friend and I had this running joke where we’d say, “Let’s do it for the PLOOOT!” about everything. Honestly, it got annoying really fast, but that ended up being the best summer of our lives. That carefree, wild, joy-filled energy is exactly what I wanted to capture in “PLOT.” It’s a reminder that life isn’t meant to be all work and checklists—it’s about being present, laughing until your stomach hurts, and creating the kind of memories that keep you alive.

Like your single “Cigarettes,” you released “PLOT” in multiple versions. What inspired that approach?
“Cigarettes” was actually my first-ever release, and I was in full creative experimentation mode—figuring out my sound, my style, and who I wanted to be as an artist. The original version was fun to write but tough to imagine performing live, so we slowed it down. Then I had this moment of realization: why not speed it up too? Why not give listeners the same emotion in different energies? That decision kind of set a precedent for me. Music doesn’t have to live in just one version; it can shapeshift to match different moods and moments.

If you could cover any Disney song, which would you choose?
“Love is an Open Door” from Frozen will always have a special

place in my heart. I used to watch that movie all the time with my little cousins, so it carries this sense of nostalgia and warmth for me. Beyond being funny and heartwarming, the song has this incredible message that love is about openness, trust, and choosing connection over fear or judgment. It’s playful on the surface, but at its core, it’s encouraging everyone—kids and older kids aka adults—to lead with love instead of hate, to be vulnerable, and to see love as something unconditional and magical. That’s why it resonates with me so deeply; that same energy of joy and openness is what I want to bring into my own music and how I try to live my life.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations?
Charli XCX—no question. I’ve been obsessed with her music since I first heard “Superlove” in How to Be Single back in 2016. Then “Boom Clap” in The Fault in Our Stars sealed the deal. And of course, “I Love It” with Icona Pop was everywhere—it felt like her sound was the soundtrack of an entire generation. ALl these songs were my jam as a teenager, but I never knew the artist. Years later, one of my professors brought her name up, and everything just clicked. I remember sitting in class and was like "I LOVE HER MUSIC SOO MUCH" - obviously, I was way too loud and disturbed class as usual. She’s been such a huge influence on me ever since, not just as a songwriter and artist but as a person who’s unapologetically herself.

I’m also a massive INJI fan. I found her on TikTok, and she’s been a huge inspiration for her sonic choices. It is not pop, it's not electronic. It is just confident self-expression over sick beats! The way she performs writes music is just incredibly special to me. It connects with me on a deeper level, just like CharliXCX's music does. I can't await her new upcoming music. 

What’s been the most challenging part of your music career so far?

Honestly? Learning how to tune out the noise. There’s so much unsolicited advice—so many “you shoulds” thrown your way, so much hate—and it can really mess with your confidence. It took me a long time to trust myself. Now I know that when I feel confident and aligned with my choices, that’s when my music connects most. People will always have opinions, but what they truly want is to hear your voice—not a version of you that’s been watered down by other people’s expectations. 

And then hate. Hate is something I feel strongly about addressing, even though I wouldn’t say it’s been a personal “challenge” in the traditional sense. We live in a world where hate is thrown around so casually, almost like words don’t carry weight anymore. Social media has made it easy for people to hide behind user ID;s and say things they’d never say face-to-face. Recently, I got a taste of that myself. Luckily, I’ve built enough confidence to not let it sink in too deeply—but I can’t help but think about the people who might not have that same resilience.

That’s why I think we all need to be more intentional about the energy we put into the world, especially online. Words can leave lasting scars, even if we don’t see the damage right away. For me, it’s about breaking that cycle—choosing empathy over judgment, kindness over cruelty. At the end of the day, music and art are about connection, not division, and I hope my work can remind people of that.

What’s next for you? Any big goals for the near future?
2025 and 2026 are going to be huge years for me. I’ve got new music on the way, a full album in the works, and I’m training to bring my live performances to the next level. Playing festivals is my ultimate dream right now—I want to share my music with a crowd, feel that energy, and create those unforgettable moments on stage. My new song ToyBoy will be released sometime this September! I am SO excited! 

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I bet we can all relate with those chalenges!

As always, I want to thank Ella 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 and what those next steps will be. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, Ella, and good luck reaching your goals!

Niké Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Niké is fresh off the release of her debut album "Another Garden". I was so glad that she wanted to visit with us to discuss the album, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

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

I really enjoy your recent debut album, “Another Garden”. What can you tell me about it?

It’s deep!

It’s a seven-song project rooted in colorful jazz harmony, distinctive storytelling, and modern pop production. It touches on themes of letting go, leaving home, and finding light in the darkness of the world. It’s a soup made of existential soul-pop, a touch of jazz and my passion for deep, meaningful conversations. I wrote and recorded it over the past four years in Boston and I’m hoping it brings people a piece of home. 

You’re a graduate of Berklee College of Music. What is the biggest thing Berklee did for your career?

Gave me incredible friends who are also phenomenal musicians. I learn from them every day and I make my best art when they are around. It also deepened my understanding of how important it is to truly listen.

You arranged and conducted the Sara Bareilles tribute portion of the 2025 Berklee Commencement Concert. What was that experience like?

Such a big challenge and so. Much. Fun. Wow. I got the opportunity to write an 8-minute arrangement of a medley of some of the most beautiful ballads Sara has in her catalog. As an arranger, one of my favorite things is finding buried details in the original recordings and bringing them out in new ways. My piece happened to be right after Sara’s official introduction. I walked to my conductor spot on the side of the stage and waited to cue the start of my arrangement until Sara sat down and the applause stopped. It was a powerful and beautiful moment. I love being a performer but there is a hidden charm in being a tiny part in an invisible puzzle of something huge and beautiful and having the opportunity to breathe in every moment of that experience. That’s what it was like!  

If you could cover any Disney song, which one would you choose?

For The First Time In Forever from Frozen. It’s so cute, hopeful and I could just scream it from the top of my lungs!

What would you say is the greatest challenge with your music career?

To know what to do next. Sometimes I wish a music career had a clearer path, clearer steps to get to the next thing. But the truth is each of our journeys will look so different. Sometimes you don’t know the path or the next steps. And that is all a part of the amazing adventure. 

What are your immediate musical goals?

I am moving to LA and I am so excited to meet and collaborate with creatives over there. I’m hoping to continue singing, growing, and writing music (forever!) for my own project and also for other artists. 

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I'd say those are wonderful goals!

As always, I want to thank Niké 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 and what those next steps will be. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify and visit her website to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, Niké, and good luck reaching your goals!

Ale Gil's 36 Favorite Things!

Let's get to know Ale Gil! She is the founder and host of the Coffee & Records Podcast. Here, she combines her passion for music and mental health to create a platform where people can heard, seen, and understood. In this podcast, she interviews rising music industry professionals who share their struggles, successes, and advice on their journey towards achieving their goals. Through first hand experiences, this podcast enables you to better understand the music industry and learn how to navigate it while protecting your mental health.

I thought it would be fun to learn a little bit more about Ale, by learning a few of her favorite things! Let's see how it goes.

What is her favorite...

Animal? Dog 

Disney song to sing? A Whole New World from Aladdin 

Crayon color? Dark pink

Coffee order? Oat milk cappuccino 

Baseball team? Boston Red Sox 

Vacation spot? Mexico City

Place to shop? Brandy Melville  

Star Wars character? Princess Leia

Winter activity? Ice skating 

Beverage? Coffee 

Restaurant? Eva 

Book? Bridgertons Collection 

Song? "Dream A Little Dream of Me" by Louis Armstrong  

City? Rio de Janeiro

Ice cream flavor? Chocolate Mint 

Shape? Square

Article of clothing? Summer dresses

Place to walk? The Charles River 

Season? Summer 

Cookie flavor? Chocolate 

String instrument? Violin 

Color rose? White

Superhero? Wonder Woman

Body piercing location? Ear 

Candle scent? Coconut Flower

Things you did in the last 24 hours? Record a podcast episode, going for a walk at the Charles River 

Cheese? Manchego 

Female musician? Sabrina Carpenter 

Disney character? Belle from Beauty and the Beast 

Social media platform? Instagram 

Type of big cat? Panther 

Summer activity? Going to the Beach 

Toy as a child? Barbie 

Smell? Freshly baked fruit cake  

Souvenir to bring home? Piece of jewelry 

That was fun!

As always, I want to thank Ale for participating.

Be sure to follow her podcast on Instagram, and YouTube to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again Ale!

yri Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Tomorrow, yri will be releasing her debut single "(need to hear you) say it". I was so honored that she wanted to visit with us to discuss the single, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

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

What can you tell me about your debut single, “(need to hear you) say it”?

(need to hear you) say it is about my first heartbreak. I made the demo in December of last year, a time when I was emerging from a couple of months of numbness. I had been blaming myself for everything that went wrong in my last relationship, so this record is me realizing that I was also mistreated, and finally allowing myself to acknowledge it.

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process?

It definitely has to be singing “Cariño” by the Marías on the recording booth floor with my engineer. To give some context, it was my first time recording at an actual studio with this record, rather than my bedroom closet. There were many things I learned and grew from, one of them being how to properly prepare my voice for a recording. Our second session was in the morning, and I had made the mistake of not accounting for the time of day. Despite going through my regular vocal warm ups, my voice was dead and not at all ready to record when I got behind the mic. I was panicking and felt really bad, and that was when my recording engineer Jiachen Han stopped tracking to come into the booth with me. He had me sing one of my favorite songs to not only reset my voice but my mind as well. I learned so much from this experience and am so grateful to him!

You are attending Berklee College of Music. What made Berklee the right choice for you?

I taught myself how to produce and song-write during my senior year of high school. I did so by watching YouTube tutorials and through honest trial and error, which was pretty tough because I didn’t know where to start or what I even needed to know. I cherish that experience because I learned a lot, but I knew I wanted to go the college route. Berklee is such a perfect fit I’m still shocked that this kind of school even exists. I love how Berklee focuses on applying traditional theory and techniques to modern music, because I am the type to want to know the history and fundamentals of something when pursuing it. And of course the community is everything. Being surrounded by such talented musicians is truly a blessing, and I am excited to continue to meet and collaborate with everyone here!

Who or what would you say are your biggest musical influences?

I get inspiration from the worlds of R&B, Hip-Hop, and Lo-fi. I love merging these genres because it’s the type of music I like to listen to. Summer Walker, Keshi, Sailorr, Rejjie Snow, and Hailey Knox are just some of the artists I take inspiration from. 

If you could cover any Disney song, which one would you choose? Why?

It would be “Won’t Say (I’m In Love)” from the Hercules movie. No deep reason, just because I love the movie and think the song is so beautiful. 

What are your immediate musical goals?

Honestly to just start building a solid group of listeners and supporters who appreciate the music I make just as much as I do. (need to hear you) say it is just the first thing I have in store- I’ll be releasing more music soon, and will be performing around Boston so hopefully I can reach my goals authentically!

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I'm definitely excited for even more music!

As always, I want to thank yri 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 to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, yri, and good luck reaching your goals!

Deni Vassileva Visits Section 36 Music!

Photo: DEYSIAVU

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Deni Vassileva is part of Little Red who just released an incredible single "Paint The Town Blue". If you haven't streamed that one yet, go do so now. I was so excited that Deni was willing to visit with us to discuss the single, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Deni Vassileva visits Section 36 Music!

I really loved your latest single, “Paint the Town Blue”. What can you tell me about it? 

Unlike our first two singles, and the ones coming in the near future, “Paint the Town Blue” was more of a joy project. I loved Ashnikko’s song when it first came out last year in the soundtrack of Arcane and I kept wondering what it would sound like if she had made it metal. I brought the idea to Al, he got inspired, and overnight he had written most of the instrumentals. Once I recorded some vocals on it, we thought our version was too fun not to release. We had to make space for it in the release schedule and it’s been a really great energetic one to play live. 

Do you see more studio work in your future?
We are currently hard at work on two separate EP’s, one of which I am hoping to release before the end of the year. Little Red started out as only me, my voice, and what some people would call “baddie-core” metal, but it’s become more than that. Our next two EP’s will show a greater variety of what Al and I can do creatively. Our listeners can expect harder breakdowns, a more authentic metalcore sound, ethereal ballads, and even better synth production. 

You’re a graduate of Berklee College of Music. What is the biggest thing Berklee did for your career? 

Aside from introducing me to Al, who has been my dream creative outlet, Berklee taught me a lot about handling the industry. My amazing professors in the business department really opened my eyes to how horrible this field is set up to be, but more importantly they gave me the building blocks to deal with it. I think it’s so important to acknowledge how difficult it is to find your place in music without being disheartened and creatively drained. Coming out of Berklee, I feel a lot more confident in my abilities to manage Little Red, book our performances, find relevant opportunities, collaborations, sources of funding, all to help us make our dream a success.

 

Who or what would you say are your greatest musical influences?

Photo: DEYSIAVU

I’d say the music we are writing right now and our inspiration for it is coming from Bring Me The Horizon, Spiritbox, Architects, and I Prevail, to name a few. We both love a heavy song, and the bands that inspire me, specifically, tend to be ones that push the boundaries of the metal genre. Whether that be by having different style clean and distorted vocals, an EDM breakdown, or a unique song structure - one where you get surprised when the breakdown hits - I like bands that experiment with it all. 

What would you say is your largest challenge with your music career?
My largest challenge at the moment is balancing my education, writing and recording time, and business. Al and I handle everything Little Red-related together, which means that both of us take on a lot of necessary, and otherwise costly, jobs. We have also both agreed that the band is our priority. However, I am starting a Masters program and he has a full time job. It is difficult to remember to prioritize our creative work in our current realities. I am just hoping that the frustration that music is not our full time and only job will just fuel more energy right into our music and stage performance. 

Photo: DEYSIAVU

What are your immediate musical goals?
Our immediate musical goals are taking on as many gigs as possible and finishing our currently started EPs. After a year of writing and releasing music remotely, Al and I are finally based in the same place (London, England), and we are ready to hit the ground running. My goals for the next year are to build up our audience from live performances and collaborate with more bands in the scene with us. Longterm? I can’t wait to make it big enough to return to Boston and play a gig with my friends from Berklee, however long that takes.

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Hopefully she'll be able to do that soon!

As always, I want to thank Deni 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 again, Deni, and good luck reaching your goals!