Bringin' it Backwards

Discover Zyah Belle's musical journey from Vallejo, CA to collaborating with Snoop Dogg and Kanye West's Sunday Service. Learn about her roots in gospel music, solo career, and creative process during the pandemic. Delve into Vallejo's culture and attractions, showcasing influential residents and digital platforms.

Mikalah Gordon shares her journey through music, healing from tough times, collaborating on a bilingual track, and a duet with her brother. Her debut album 'Vivian' is a cathartic tribute to her late grandmother. Mikalah's diverse talents in music, comedy, acting, and hosting shine through her unique stage presence and powerful vocals.

We had the pleasure of interviewing Duncan Laurence over Zoom video. Duncan Laurence shared the official video for his new single, "Electric Life." Shot in Amsterdam, the sepia-drenched video blurs the line between heaven and earth as Laurence, clad in a gossamer white shirt, performs the song alongside a troupe of choreographed hands, reaching out to support and encourage him from another world. Like the song, which features dynamic, colorful production inspired by '70s icons like Elton John and Queen, the celebratory clip is imbued with a sense of joy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsT4t0toY90 Laurence won the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with "Arcade." The song took the #1 spot on Spotify's Global Viral chart on release and ultimately took off on Tik Tok with now over 56 billion views on the platform. Combined global streams of the song across all platforms have surpassed 10 billion and the single has attained Gold/Platinum certifications in 37 countries, including Platinum in the U.S., where it was a top 10 hit at Adult Contemporary radio. Placing in the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100, "Arcade" was the first Eurovision Song Contest winner to enter the prestigious chart in 45 years. "Arcade" was re-released in 2020 a new verse featuring FLETCHER. Working with women, particularly members of the LGBTQIA+ community, is a priority for Laurence. His crew on the visual for "Electric Life" and other forthcoming singles, for example, is composed predominantly of women. "Electric Life" is the first track to be released from Laurence's sessions with his fiancé, songwriter Jordan Garfield, and producer Paul Phamous (Frank Ocean, Nick Jonas). His ultimate goal with the song is to promote healing. "I want people to find comfort when they listen to it," he says. "I want them to think of that one person that they really miss and celebrate them." We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #DuncanLaurence #arcade #electriclife #NewMusic #zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow/ Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the pleasure of interviewing mxmtoon over Zoom video. In May, mxmtoon released her new album rising into the world, a collection of songs that argue growth is always evolving. The album has been streamed more than 20 million times since then and received critical acclaim including Song Exploder's deep dive into "mona lisa', and showed the singer-songwriter-producer-podcaster and social activist reaching new heights creatively. mxmtoon has announced a deluxe version of rising to be released September 16th. In late 2019, Maia had just finished her first full tour as mxmtoon, and she felt inspired by the prospects of her career and life to come — two new EPs in the making, more shows, a planned move to join her brother in New York. But as the pandemic took hold, she returned to her parents' home, working to return to her old writing habits in that guest bedroom-turned-makeshift studio. She felt stuck, however, so suspended in time and place she barely wrote anything at all during 2020. What's more, she lost a cherished grandfather to leukemia, rushing to see him one last time in Florida. On rising, Maia relates the story of visiting her dying grandfather during the song "florida". She remains under cover of chiming acoustic guitars and cascading cymbal washes, a choice that highlights the writing's poignant intimacy. Laced with arcing strings and textural harmonies, the exquisite "dizzy" captures the vertigo of someone who has spent four years in the public eye but, more broadly, anyone who thinks too much about the perception of online strangers. These more mellow moments betray the depth of their peppy counterparts and the breadth of experience that Maia, now 21, frontloads into mxmtoon. For Maia, rising represents the culmination of an unintended trilogy that also includes dawn and dusk, the dual EPs she released in 2020. It's true that rising continues their era of rapid musical growth for mxmtoon. But these dozen songs are the definitive steps forward for mxmtoon, because they are just as ingenious and honest and unguarded musically as Maia has always been lyrically. Much of rising unfurls from that same premise — mxmtoon's hallmarked vulnerability buttressed by a newfound musical effervescence and might. These are the songs, as Maia puts it, that she wished existed when she struggled as a teen. They are instruction manuals for surviving, written We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #mxmtoon #rising #MonaLisa #NewMusic #zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow/ Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the pleasure of interviewing Gemma Laurence over Zoom video. Gemma Laurence is a Brooklyn-based indie folk singer-songwriter from the coast of Maine. Categorizing herself as "Sapphic folk," Laurence takes inspiration from queer femme poets and songwriters from the past and present: Adrianne Lenker, Tomberlin, Elizabeth Bishop, Adrienne Rich, and Sappho to name a few. A gifted songwriter with a predilection for poetry, Laurence braids imagery into her lyrics with the ease of a seasoned storyteller. Having grown up on the coast of Maine and the hills of Oxfordshire, Laurence's time on both sides of the Atlantic influenced her unique sound: a fusion of foot-stomping Americana with a hint of English folk. The lilt of Laurence's vocals and the poetic lyricism of her music has drawn comparisons to artists like Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling, Courtney Marie Andrews, and Haley Heynderickx. Blending banjo riffs with lush harmonies and acoustic guitar melodies, Laurence's timeless tracks call her listeners home to the people and places left behind for new beginnings. Her debut album, Crooked Heart, was released in 2019, and her second full-length album, Lavender, is slated for release on November 4th, 2022 in Better Company Records. The title track "Lavender" is out now. We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #GemmaLaurence #Lavender #NewMusic #zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow/ Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

Miami based pop singer-songwriter Rudy Touzet shares his passion for music and his journey in the industry. He discusses his background and upbringing in Miami and his experiences living on the West Coast. Rudy also talks about his songwriting process and his decision to go to the Bahamas for a writing retreat. He shares the story of creating two songs from one music session and the collaborative process with producers.

We had the pleasure of interviewing Brandy Haze over Zoom video. Originally from Chino Hills, California, multi-talented Los Angeles-based songwriter Brandy Haze is primarily influenced by contemporary R&B, trap, house, and electronic meets pop dance grooves. With her debut project, "Roses," Brandy Haze teamed up with Ian Thomas & Leven Kali to create a new style and approach to love songs. The project set a significant milestone for Brandy, whose talent continues to blossom into something special. Upon release, the single "Conditional" instantly became a cult classic featured on SoundCloud's Artist to Watch 2018 playlist. Brandy returned in 2020 with a fusion sound for her EP "Garden Fire. This 4-track project was an enamoring display of self-expression on love and relationships. With two bodies of work already under her belt, Brandy Haze introduced her well-received project "Silhouette" in February 2021. "Silhouette" boasts a beautiful track list of four sultry and seductive tracks that instantly fill the day or night with an air of nostalgia and charm. She then followed up with a 6-track EP, "That's Unfortunate," a musical escape where the songwriter created a unique yet relatable world that listeners can immerse themselves. With Brandy's latest project, "Silhouette, Vol 2", the songstress tackles topics that grapple with the confusion of close friendships, demanding communication, and falling deeply in love without hesitation. Featuring the hit singles such as "Anxious," "Swing My Way," and "Sirens," Brandy is taking her creativity to new levels. From grappling with the confusion of close friendships in her single "Anxious" to demanding communication in her single "Swing My Way," then to falling in love with her song "Sirens" as she takes listeners on a journey. Brandy Haze has also delivered two visuals for both "Anxious" & "Swing My Way." Self-directed by the artist herself, Brandy displays a softer side than her other visuals and brings forward a love story that everyone can relate to at some point in their life. With sexy chill vibes and signature purple hues, the video follows Brandy as she sings through each sultry lyric. The revolving thoughts of love and confusion are met with seductive dance elements that take listeners on a journey to different outcomes. We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #BrandyHaze #NewMusic #zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow/ Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the pleasure of interviewing The Sometimes Island over Zoom video. The Sometimes Island are a synth-forward pop band based in Los Angeles and Albuquerque. The exciting and highly visual live band is comprised of charismatic frontman Matt Blankenship Jr and anchored by drummer Nick Lopiano. Their latest single, "Acapulco" explores themes of escapism and excitement as Blankenship Jr shares, "I like to juxtapose a theme with a sound and have them work together that makes the tension not immediately apparent." Paying tribute to New Mexico, the songwriter continues, "I wrote Acapulco in Albuquerque, which is an amazing place but a hard word to sing." With musical influences from the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Deadmau5, "Acapulco" explores the excitement of beginning a new chapter of life, yet the contrasting sentiment that comes with it. Blankenship Jr states, "I wrote the song Acapulco to capture that listless ennui I was trapped under in Los Angeles, framing it with a fantasy of an ignored lover reaching their breaking point, leaving and abruptly buying a plane ticket." The narrative almost ironically pairs with a dream-pop backing, harmonic rhythms, John Mayer inspired guitar riff and a truly contagious chemistry. The accompanying cinematic music video for "Acapulco" beautifully mirrors the song's story, as we witness the demise of a relationship, where one party decides to flee and head for a better, more wholesome life. Their forms of expression and musical ingenuity make The Sometimes Island ones to watch this year. With their previous EP Beverly & Barbara peaking at #2 internationally on Apple's Alternative chart, rocketing past even the likes of Billie Eilish, the duo have also amounted over 800,000 monthly listeners, with streaming numbers in the millions. The Sometimes Island are becoming true pioneers of pop as we know it. We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #TheSometimesIsland #BeverlyandBarbara #Acapulco #NewMusic #zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow/ Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

Brandon Stansell, singer/songwriter and advocate for the queer community in country music, discusses his experiences in music, the challenges of being authentic in the country music industry, and the significance of his LGBTQ-themed music video premiering on CMT. He also reflects on personal growth, the transformative power of moving to New York City and LA, and provides advice for aspiring artists.

We had the pleasure of interviewing MILES over Zoom video. MILES' story might be almost as wild as his fusion of breezy hip-hop, earthshaking pop, and grimy rock. The St. Louis-born and Los Angeles-based singer and rapper bobs and weaves past genre lines with an unpredictable and undeniable style of his own. Predestining their son for music, mom and dad named him in homage to jazz icon Miles Davis. In turn, MILES cranked his old man's jazz records as well as Kirk Franklin, Bill Withers, Lauryn Hill, Black Eyed Peas, and Lil Wayne. MILES developed a following online in 2020 before cooking up "WHAT IN TARNATION" back in St. Louis. Beyond inspiring thousands of TikTok videos, it raked in over six million streams as he signed to Elektra Records. He maintained his momentum with the captivating, high-energy follow up singles "DESPERADOS" and "MOSH PIT." After generating 20 million-plus streams, MILES perfects his vision on his 2022 debut EP, NEVER HAVE I EVER [Elektra Records], with its title track featuring legendary multi-platinum and GRAMMY® Award-nominated musician Travis Barker. We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #MILES #NeverHaveIEver #WholelottaMiles #NewMusic #zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow/ Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/