Angela Beeching 
​
Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music
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After years of coaching musicians through their careers while teaching at Manhattan School of Music, Indiana University, and New England Conservatory, Angela Beeching amassed her experience into a career guide for musicians. Her book, Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music, outlines action steps to secure more shows, expand your fan base, fundraise, and build your career — all while keeping your mental health and wellness a priority! Angela is all about feeding your soul, holding tight to what makes you happy, and helping you see real results produced by your passion (that is, being an artist!). 

Grab your copy of Beyond Talent!​

Love of self and self-acceptance should not be a trend, it should be a state of mind!  And, today in our society with so much hate, selfishness, and unacceptance of difference skyrocketing out of control, appreciating and embracing one’s difference while forming a tribe of like-minded individuals to fuel a circle of positivity is one of the greatest weapons as it gives others the permission to do the same.  So when I heard/viewed the work created by New York City based Pop Rock singer, actor, dancer, and humanitarian TOBI, I was amped to share it.  After working with other artists to highlight their creations (sharing the stage with Green Day and Linkin Park [to name a few] and singing live backup vocals for Rachel Platten, Andy Grammer, Gogol Bordello, and Kelly Rowland), TOBI has left some unique footprints, but now she is ready to leave her FINGERPRINT with the release of her debut LP entitled TOBI.  #WCM was honored to give this EXCLUSIVE LP interview pertaining to TOBI’s smokin new LP.  In this interview, you will learn what separates TOBI from the rest of the Pop-Rock singers lining the charts today, how her unapologetic honesty and creativity shapes the music she creates, and how her personal motto is becoming more than just a personal message right here, right now, on #WCM. 

What first got you into music? 

Growing up I felt like an outcast. Adopted at birth, I always felt unsure of where I belonged or where exactly I fit in because I looked “​different​”. My hair was extremely curly, frizzy and my skin color was a darker shade than my adoptive parents-- Making me a victim on multiple occasions of Bullying from my peers and classmates. 
For me, when I learned and discovered I had the ability to sing, I began to turn to music, as music always made everything 100 times better. It was my only true escape from the negative thoughts that surrounded me. ​I knew at a young age I was given the talent of music for a reason and it only made sense for me to use music to help others, like me. That one day I would find my own place and voice in this world and I could make a difference. 
​
Well, clearly you are making a difference!I’ve read that you were born on an Army base in AZ, did that shape the music you create in a way, or was it mainly when you got to NYC? 

The army base for me, only served as the hospital I was born at. To this day, I have still never spent any actual time in Arizona so that part of my life didn’t have any influence on my music. But the adoption has. 

Were there any community center or theatre works that inspired you to make music? 

In the town of Parsippany NJ where I grew up, there was this community theater playhouse called Allegro, and that place truly shaped me and taught me how to be a performer. One of my biggest life role models, and past theater director of Allegro, Russel Maitland always believed in me, and pushed me to work my hardest. He gave me the opportunity to be cast in roles I didn’t even think of auditioning for, and that playhouse was a home away from home. I will always have fond memories of those times and the people that were a part of my life from that period in my life. 

Which brings me to your opus Bee True To You (BTTY) – you are the founder and creator of this original Pop Rock anti-bullying/social emotional musical that is directed to empowering children of grade school to high school to impart individuality, creativity, and inspiration.  Can you expound on that? 

Upon graduating college from Montclair State University in 2010, I began touring and working professionally in off-Broadway Children’s musicals that all had the same underlying message of acceptance, confidence and learning to believe in yourself. It wasn’t until my time touring with Green Day's Broadway Musical, American Idiot in 2012-2013, that my life as I knew it was about to change.
My mom had called me and we were talking on the tour bus and she asked me like she usually did on occasion, what I was going to do once the 14 month world-tour was over. This was a typical question most of my family would ask me over the years, as being an actress isn't always the most 'stable' career choice... I laughed to myself and replied- I have absolutely NO idea. 
​That's when my mom, a kindergarten teacher in the town of Parsippany, NJ where I grew up, mentioned the idea of assembly programs.  ​I thought . . .  How could I guarantee it would be fun and entertaining- I thought to myself. "How can I relate to children? What are kids, AND myself, both struggling with today?... Acceptance... lack of confidence... bullying... being true to themselves... BEE TRUE TO YOU!"  And that's how it happened!  

I’ll insert the link here. 

That’s cool!  BTTY is an excellent musical and theatrical curricular-type addition to kids because along with studying, learning accountability, and socialization, every aspect of BTTY helps shape them during those pinnacle years.  By the way, I see a scorpion shaved on your scalp on your character illustration (above) – any meaning behind that? 

Hahahaha. So a few things- 1st off, yes that is a scorpion, and the meaning behind that is that I am a Scorpio, and I think just saying that alone, really says a lot… Being a Scorpio means being driven, and stubborn, and mysterious, and loyal and loving to the UTMOST extreme, and I am proud of all those characteristics… In the shaved section of my hair in the illustration, I wanted the artist, [Claudia P. Marulanda | Instagram : @marulandart ] to capture everything that was an inspiration to this album. You can also see in that region of the illustration, aside from a few song titles, the names Jaci and Nico- my half brother and half sister. 

Okay, cool.  All of which shows EMPOWERMENT!  This brings me to your LP TOBI.  What is the backstory behind your debut LP? 

This album is the actual first piece of anything that I started to create. The songs included in this album is a telling of my own personal story. One that I truly think is empowering, inspiring and can really hit home to a lot of people. It's about a journey of self-discovery, and that journey depending on who it's about, or where it takes place can be different for everyone, but we all go through that journey. For me, growing up as a bi-racial adoptee in a white family, in a primarily white cultured town, was a bit challenging for me. I didn't have a lot of friends that looked like me and It was a closed adoption, so I didn't know my actual background, but that didn't stop people from telling me what they THOUGHT I was. Most of the time, I questioned where and how I fit in the world. My adoptive parents were the most loving, and supportive parents you could ask for, but deep down, and as an artist, I struggled with looking in the mirror, not knowing who was standing in front of me. It took me 30 years to put into words and letters how I felt. The one song on the album, UNKNOWN- is a letter to my Birth Mom. The lyrics are pretty simple, and I even write about that in one line of the actual song.... But the feeling and emotion behind it, for me is very deep, very driven, and very complex. Each song, as I’ve mentioned before, on this album has to do with a different chapter in my life. 

WOW!  So, what made you KNOW that it was time to record your own music and release it? 

I always believed I had a story to tell, but was too afraid to tell it.  My current partner of 7 years, Boris Pelekh, THE biggest influence in my life, taught me to believe in myself and helped uncover the true musician within me. In the beginning, I would write a song, and then immediately show him, as I wanted his professional music opinion, as he is honestly the MOST talented musician I have ever met or worked with… I think it was a few years back when I showed him a song one time, and he commented “Wow, this is actually way more complicated to play than your other songs”. Hahah-- I walked away from that feeling like a true artist. Writing complex harmonies, and chord progressions. Now I trust myself fully that I don’t feel like I need to show someone first what I wrote, looking for approval or acceptance to see if it’s “actually good or not”. Now I trust myself in my writing and believe in my craft.  Which leads me now to my current writing and production team MRC Riddims.

How was it recording and getting everything complete during COVID-19?

So “Puzzle Piece” was finished prior to COVID-19- we were more or less just sitting on the music for a few months trying to come up with the best possible release plan. Thank God- THEY were the ones who literally came to me and said, “Hey-- July 24th is the date, send me any promo pics you have!” hahah Because this is my baby-- and I don’t know when I would’ve actually set it free.  

How would you describe the music that you typically create? 

It’s funny, to me, because when I perform on stage, I really let go and leave everything on the stage- and when I do that, my sound, I think, is pop/rock, with some grit and a whole lot of soul. But the way I write, is definitely mainstream pop--- but with a twist? Or With more soul? I guess? 

Okay, so who is your target audience? 

My target audience I would say is the reach of that of Taylor Swift’s audience. Because I write both children’s songs, AND young adult Pop songs, I don’t really have a specific age range. But I have realized that I always want to come across as creating music, for positive change. So for example, the album of mine, Puzzle Piece, that is coming out Friday July 24th, is really about empowerment and helping one discover their truths, in a way that is really honest and pure for me. Each song on that album is about feeling and acknowledging a different part of my life growing up, but yet, writing the lyrics and the storyline so it can resonate with others as well.  

I can already see two things that define your artistic fingerprint just by listening to your music and by seeing your artist image, and that is your unapologetic honesty and thinking-outside-of-the-box creativity, but what do you see as your optimal thing that separates TOBI from the rest of the Pop-Rock singers lining the charts today? 

Thank you Kiki! I think what separates me is my drive to fully understand where I come from. And in return, I think that can translate to the majority of a young adult crowd, all the way down to childhood, because those are the most pivotal years of an individual's life and that’s really the focus of my music. And also, in being super transparent with my story, showing people, Hey!- I'm figuring things out too- let’s all do it together. It’s okay to be scared--- I get scared too.. You’re not alone… I think, and I hope it comes across as genuine as I mean it to be. 

As a biracial artist, when did you realize that you were seen as “Black” in the industry?

For me, I think I started to notice this “ethnic label” when I started looking for management for theater prior to my college years. When you are seeking representation, and you are fortunate enough to schedule a meeting with a manager or agent, they often tell you what they can do for you, and the roles they would be looking to submit you for. Managers would always see me as ‘ethnically ambiguous’, which means you could be seen and cast in the industry as a black wom[a]n, or someone that may be of Italian descent, Native American, European… anyone who had darker complexion skin. This all sounds great, because yes, I could pass for any of those ethnicities, however, when it came down to being submitted for roles, most of the roles I would be up for or chosen to audition for a project, would be for a black role.  That is when I learned how I was “seen” and “labeled” in the industry. 

I totally get it!  So, if you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
​
Well, [nowadays], they have something called BIPOC Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-- A terminology to help raise awareness against systemic racism. It’s a great thing when productions, and film, and music festivals put an emphasis on being inclusive of all races, genders, and orientations, and that’s how it should always be. People are people, and especially during times such as these, where we are all pretty much still in a lock down state of living, this is the time to learn about different cultures, and ethnicities, and what is special about them because maybe you will find a true connection outside the usual normalities of what you open yourself up to. This is the time to discover new artists, or artists that have been weighed down by social [biases], and unable to share their gifts and talent with the world. The only way to truly come together as a society, as a human race, is to truly accept each other and inform each other, and music/entertainment, I think, is THE number 1 way to do that. 

How do you think music, in general, can help start a better dialog and extend society’s conversation about Blacks in America?  And on what level do you think this needs to be done in order for this to take place? 

I would first like to say, that yes, I am a person of color, however, not growing up and embracing either side of my ethnicity, black, or Puerto Rican- due to the complete unknown to myself- it’s left me a little in the dark during these protest times. To further explain that, yes I have been judged solely on the color of my skin now and then, but to say I truly understood the depth of the history of the African race and the suffering that has taken place due to systematic racism, is a little bit of an unfair one for me to truly talk about. As I don’t have the knowledge of my ancestors struggles… And with that being said, BEING a person of color and not having a true identity to really stand up and support a side, is truly challenging in its own right. So for me, personally, I have taken this time to really educate myself even more by watching documentaries, and even trying to uncover my black side and relatives. 

Furthermore, to answer this question, I was asked a similar one the other day, when someone asked me, what do I think we need as a whole, to rectify, or create positive change. And my answer to that, was… and may seem a little silly, but I think it all comes down to Social Intelligence. [S]ocial and [E] motional Learning. 

How do you feel your music will help heal some wounds that are set to leave scars on society?

Each song on my album, touches on a specific part of life, a specific challenge, that one endures on the path of self-discovery and authenticity. And I think that ties in with current events and the latest happenings of society, because as you grow up, the challenges of the world begin to be of more importance to you and weighs heavier on your mind because it now affects you directly; and now you understand things about the world, things maybe your parents would tell you when you were younger, or your grandparents, but you didn’t have the full capacity to truly and emotionally understand what they were talking about or where they were coming from. 

So for instance, my one song, ‘Learn To love’, was first written during the Paris Attacks, and the song continued to evolve for me, lyrically and on the production side of things, throughout a lot of the mass shootings that continued to happen all over the world and within our country. The song itself is about, loving one another, all love, and no war, being tired of the trauma and pain that surrounds us, and coming together as one human race. 

To shut down stereotypes laid upon African Americans in the music industry, people say that doors need to be opened, but we know that with every door that opens up, there are corridors that lead to other doors that need to be opened.  What door within music do you want to open up, or open wider, for a better view of the African American artist so that those corridors can, too, be narrowed? 

I want to open up conversations for everyone to be a part of. I want people to realize there should only be one way of living, and that is the way of the human race. I want people to hear the pain, and the struggles and the celebration of life within my music and just think, “wow I really like this music,” or “wow this artist is talking about something I can relate to” and not have to think or care about what the color of my skin is. It’s just art. 

Your endeavor to make love of self and acceptance, to me, is a prerequisite to living THE best life and I LOVE IT!  Through your music, you have developed a personal motto of "Be True To You,” and your latest body of work, as well as your beautiful image as an artist, showcases this 100%.  Do you see “Be True To You” evolving from your personal motto, into the BTTY children’s program, and even more so into a powerful mantra to many?

Thank you for that Kiki! The answer to this, is 100% yes. So the mantra of “Being True To You” began PRIOR to my development of my Adult Pop music. In the sense where the show and program Bee True To You was originally birthed and conceptualized back in 2015. 
For me, this mantra is something that will forever stick with me, and my goal and mission is to be there for children as they grow up into their adult years. From elementary, to middle school, to high school, college, and beyond, I am trying to build out a community and a network where despite your age, I can be that guiding light for you with my music, whenever you need it most. 

We are familiar with the tracks “Gurls with Curls” and “Puzzle Pieces (Mirror),” are there other songs that you feel will resonate with the audience?

I mean- I hope all of them do. There is one song in particular that I love, “Haven’t Met Me Yet”, it was written about my sister, who at the time when I learned of her existence, was going through some tough times, and that song I wrote as a letter to her, to let her know, that even though we haven’t met yet, I will always be there for her. Encouraging her to live her best life. I think a lot of people can relate to that message. And even relate it to themselves, perhaps writing a letter to their older self, or to a part of them that is calling out for help.  

Regarding your videos for your two singles released, “Gurls with Curls” and “Puzzle Pieces (Mirror),” you did not let the visual of the video clash with the overall message of the songs as some music videos tend to do (unfortunately).  For example, what I gathered from viewing your video “Gurls with Curls,” is that it illustrates the subject of curly hair, I don’t care as its premise.  Am I right?  If so, can you expand a little on my assumption?  If not, please recap. 

That is exactly right! My curly hair was always the one thing I disliked about myself, mainly because I didn’t know where it came from, and no one else in my neighborhood or school had SUPER kinky curly hair like mine. It just really stood out and was so different...So instead of embracing my hair, I went to one hair salon after the other, professionally straightening my hair, and learning about straightening irons, until- come college, I really discovered how much I had ruined my hair-- and that there were other ways to learn to take care of it, but it was kind of too late at that point. I had to either chop off a lot of my hair to make it healthy again, orrrr start to wear some extensions. And the ironic thing is, the extensions that I got, looked exactly as how my hair WOULD have been if I didn’t ruin it all those years.   
 
So, what's takeaway do you want from the video “Gurls with Curls”?

So the takeaway is to embrace what makes you different and unique about yourself. Because THAT is what makes you who you are. Educate yourself on learning about something before taking drastic measures to destroy something that you may or may not be regretful for later in life. We always want what we can’t have, and having Curly hair, I can honestly say now… I am so fortunate to have the locks that I have. They are beautiful, and I have grown to appreciate them and even prefer them to a night out when I may have to straighten my hair for something. 
So to anyone out there, who may feel the same, truly look at yourself in the mirror, and smile and be grateful for what makes up who you are. 

Now regarding your other video, what’s the storyline?  And what emotion were you trying to evoke in the video “Puzzle Pieces (Mirror)”?

Puzzle Piece is really the part 1 storyline of Gurls With Girls. It’s the telling of a story about a girl, who desperately wants to fit in, and tries different hair styles, and hangs out with people who are not her TRUE friends, just to fit in. It’s the story of putting on the blue wig, where she feels the most comfortable, and pretending everything is okay.  Towards the end of the music video, with the literal breaking of the “MIRROR” she realizes she doesn't want to continue to live like that anymore, and is on the path of change. 

Last question, when did you last give yourself permission to let go?

This is a GREAT question, and honestly, a hard one to answer…..especially during these times where we are in a continued sort of state of “lockdown”.  Hmm… I think the last time I really gave myself permission to “let go” would be when I had the opportunity to visit, perform and stay with a friend in St. Thomas 3 different times, and explore true serenity and calmness. Being in a place, so beautiful as that, literally changes your whole entire vibe. You can’t help but take in the beauty that surrounds you, and the beautiful and light-hearted people that welcome you into town.

Currently, however, just the other day, VERY unexpectedly, my brother basically arrived to my front doorstep here in Queens, as he was traveling from Puerto Rico, and as his plans were changed due to travel restrictions, was stranded in New York. We got in contact with one another, and now he is staying with me for a long period of time. 
My goal, while he is here, IS to let truly myself go, and completely live in the moment as this clearly is some sort of sign bringing us together for some bigger purpose. I do not want to take this time for granted So I truly hope I can let go and forget about the negativity in the world right now, even for a day or so, and just be completely and utterly happy!

Thank you TOBI !! 
Like Billy Porter said, “wherever I am as a result of my truth, is where I am supposed to be,” and that is exactly the confident and unregretful vibe TOBI is lacing with her music.  TOBI tells stories in living color, highlighting the road of life as if it was made of gold.  Make sure to get your copy of the newly released TOBI.

Note : Piece has been edited for length

CONNECT WITH TOBI :

WEBSITE: www.thatgirltobi.com
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/c/Thatgirltobi
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/thatgirltobi/
INSTAGRAM : @thatgirltobi
 
Written by Lakisha ‘KiKi’ Skinner

Lakisha “KiKi” Skinner is a USA-based Indie Music journalist and freelance writer who has been crowned a “word-craft artist” by her global following of Independent music artists. She is a part of an Alt. Rock band and is the owner of Klef Notes entertainment business blog.  Lakisha has been the editor for a Backstreet Boy and has been featured on Dr. Jimmy Star’s blog.  If she is not crafting words, you can find her buying another pair of shoes to place in her over-cluttered closet.  You can read her work at www.KlefNotes.com and find her on https://twitter.com/The0riginalKiKi.

TOBI just released a video for her track “Gurls with Curls” which is taken from the LP TOBI that just dropped TODAY!  This anthemic video speaks on every level of loving your TRUE self.  A multicultural plethora of natural curly hair collaborators join TOBI in illustrating how when a woman adorns that natural crown of curly beauty, a welcoming cape of confidence, power, and honesty reveals itself.  This New Wave track features a euphoric synth scape melodic backbone with elements of Emo and TOBI’s rich, commanding, vocals.  The power is in the hair!!  Get ready to see real-life Wonder Womxn –watch the video for “Gurls with Curls” below.
​

(Filmed on location at Thatgirltobi's home in Astoria, New York | Other curly hair collaborators were filmed at their own home locations including: California, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and more! Shot, directed and edited entirely by Ashley (TOBI), fellow curly haired collaborators self-filmed along with their partners and family members helping!  Lyrics and Harmony by Ashley Tobias (TOBI).  Music by MRC Riddims.)

Make sure to get your copy of TOBI’s debut LP, TOBI today, and be sure to check out her virtual music festival called #Wewokeuplikethis which is streaming today from 1-7 pm EST simultaneously on her FB and YouTube channels. 
​
CONNECT WITH TOBI : 
WEBSITE :www.thatgirltobi.com.
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/c/Thatgirltobi
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/thatgirltobi/
Instagram @thatgirltobi

Written by Lakisha “KiKi” Skinner 

Lakisha “KiKi” Skinner is a USA-based Indie Music journalist and freelance writer who has been crowned a “word-craft artist” by her global following of Independent music artists. She is a part of an Alt. Rock band and is the owner of Klef Notes entertainment business blog.  Lakisha has been the editor for a Backstreet Boy and has been featured on Dr. Jimmy Star’s blog.  If she is not crafting words, you can find her buying another pair of shoes to place in her over-cluttered closet.  You can read her work at www.KlefNotes.com and find her on https://twitter.com/The0riginalKiKi.

So all those Coachelle/CMA Fest dreams of playing as an artist and attending as a fan have drifted far away from our realities this year. As we all know with the current pandemic, we are uncertain when we will resume to normal life. Right now when it comes to touring we have had to adjust and create the New Normal.  The entertainment industry has suffered a huge financial loss of millions in 2020, that loss of revenue affects managers, publicists, agents, musicians, and the artists. With so many jobs and paychecks at risk, how do we shift? One alternative to live touring we have discovered and seen recent success is the virtual show, below are some tips and tricks of the trade to booking shows virtually in 2020.

  Get Creative 

Before you set yourself up to pitch your artist for a virtual event/concert, be sure to think outside of the box. Come up with a unique concept that is going to make both the venue and people at home want to buy in. Here are a few unique concepts we have seen be successful.

• A Q & A with the venue: have an introduction online where you learn about the venue, some past performers they have had there, what makes them a unique venue, and in turn they will do a Q & A with you which immediately creates a sense of connection with the audience and builds a relationship with the venue.

 

• Do a social media take over for the venue a few weeks before the proposed virtual concert, have your artist do a short 20-30 minute virtual teaser on the venues’ socials pages, link the event in the feed. It’s easy promotion and helps establish an identity with people following the venue pages.

 

• Be sure to secure a date for 2021, you can give a code for people who attended the virtual concert to give them a discount, meet and greet, merch, drink coupons for the next live show.

 

• Play with your set list and include covers. Also leave room for the venue to get involved with your set list. We have had venues do a cocktail hour where they make drinks (teach people at home the cocktail recipe) to your set list. 

 

• Be generous with merch, offer % off for merch bundles for the people attending. 

 

• LOCAL Partnerships, right now venues, radio, restaurants, stores all are suffering a hit due to COVID-19 so if you can find local venues that will also promote your virtual concert on their feeds, you can offer discount codes and generate followers and content for their feeds.  

​Be Flexible with Your Fees

We know that being an agent, a lot of our job relies on commission of guarantees for live shows, but with the recession due to pandemic we have to understand that venues are not going to be able to offer the fee your artists may typically go for. Be willing to exercise flexibility and have the mindset that anything is everything right now. This provides a low risk investment for the venue and increases your chances of making a higher guarantee post COVID.


 Find the Right Venue/Partnership  

Find a venue who has had similar acts to what you are pitching, pollstar is a great resource to look up venue histories. Ideally for a virtual concert, venues with  capacities 500 and under tend to work best and help you find a reasonable ticket price/deal split where both you and the venue profit. Also find your corporate buyers right now, with the long list of cancelled conferences, seminars, company gatherings, they are finding ways to shift as well virtually, covering their entertainment needs at a lower cost is going to put your artists in the corporate world and open up private engagement opportunities. Destination Management companies are a hot spot for corporate gigs. 

Know Technology

Knowing what platform you are using and making sure both the artist and the venue are comfortable are going to be key. Zoom tends to be the easiest to navigate and the most popular platform to do virtual shows. Other platforms include Google Hangouts, Skype, Blue Jeans, and Adobe Connect. I advise agents and artists to link up together to find the best platform to use well before the show and make sure the buyer can adapt as well. Make sure you have quality sound, a quality background situation, and zero outside noise. 

Marketing is CRUCIAL

Just like creating the virtual show, marketing is going to take some creative energy. Typical marketing such as google ads/facebook ads, etc have not been proven as effective as they have been for live shows. Right now organic content has been the most effective way to create awareness and sell tickets for virtual shows. Don’t just be organic, but be consistent, posting 3-4 times a week as shown ticket sales increase vs a weekly posting.  Facebook, Instagram and Youtube have been the most effective social media sites when it comes to marketing a virtual show. Be fun, do snippets of songs, share 2020 stories, really focus on engaging and building a relationship with your audience when posting. 

Partnerships/Sponsorships

Researching products (wine, mugs, beauty, sounds equipment)  that your artist really loves and will be able to use during the virtual show is beneficial.  You can easily get a sponsored post by the product (Morgan Myles did this with Wine, see link below) and the product’s company is likely to include your show in their feed. Right now some great sponsors working with virtual concerts are just about any wine club, smart cups, bark box, fresh skin care, and Anker soundcore earbuds. Striking up a non-monetary partnership during the pandemic is an easy marketing resource to help your virtual shows. It also puts you in a good position for a lucrative sponsorship deal post pandemic. 

I know it's tough right now in the entertainment industry, but we are a collective group of creatives and I know that we will pull through this pandemic stronger and more united than ever. We can always shift and set the tone for the new normal. It takes a little collaboration and a lot of patience, but we can do this! I hope these tips to selling and performing a virtual concert are helpful and if you ever have any questions please feel free to connect with me.

Join Jess Tuesday July 28th 1PM EDT to learn even more at our virtual webinar and get your questions answered. RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/113030924538 


Connect with Jess :

Instagram: jmosby11
Twitter: jmosby11
Website: www.almccree.com


Written by Jess Mosby

Joining Al McCree Entertainment in 2019, Jess not only single-handedly built her incredible roster, but has a real passion for the business, one-of-a-kind service, and experience that cannot be matched. Arriving in Nashville in 2015, Jess has worked in every aspect of the music industry from PR to artist management, but really found her passion working for Keith Case where she learned the music agent business first-hand. When Case retired, Jess became the Midwest Rep for notable acts such as Bryan Adams, Sugar Ray, and Richard Marx. When she signed and booked R&B group Dannity Kane’s 2018 The Universe is Undefeated Tour, Jess recognized a real need to represent artists in the same genre who are being under serviced.  Recently, with the pandemic Jess has found unique opportunities virtually for artists to still perform and support the venues.

The pandemic has not slowed down one of the most colorfully independent Pop Rock artists on the music scene today.  TOBI is releasing a video for her track “Puzzle Piece (Mirror)” taken from the album TOBI to drop in the upcoming week.  The words, “once upon a time…” opens the video featuring an animated version of TOBI.  The plot revolves around a dark canvas sculpted with peppy blue, gray, and black images illustrating HERstory of acceptance.  The track is very metaphorical and addicting.  It has a smoky soundscape created by vibrant, layered, instrumentation, vocal swag, a sleek production, and TOBI’s voice resonating a controlling dexterity.  Watch the video for “Puzzle Piece (Mirror)” below:
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(Video Animation by Transcend Studios [New Jersey]. Post After Effects by Ashley Tobias (TOBI), and titles are by Transcend Studios.  Music/Lyrics by Ashley Tobias (TOBI) | Production by MRC Riddims, Conceptualized by Mike and Dave Machinist.)

Mark your calendars for July 24th as TOBI’s debut LP, TOBI, will be released on that day; #WCM will have another exclusive video premiere of TOBI’s second single “Gurls with Curls” featuring on that day, and TOBI’s virtual music festival called #Wewokeuplikethis will be streaming on her youtube and facebook pages simultaneously! 
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CONNECT WITH TOBI :

WEBSITE :www.thatgirltobi.com
YOUTUBE : http://www.youtube.com/c/Thatgirltobi
FB: https://www.facebook.com/thatgirltobi/
Instagram @thatgirltobi 


Written by Lakisha "KiKi" Skinner

Lakisha “KiKi” Skinner is a USA-based Indie Music journalist and freelance writer who has been crowned a “word-craft artist” by her global following of Independent music artists. She is a part of an Alt. Rock band and is the owner of Klef Notes entertainment business blog.  Lakisha has been the editor for a Backstreet Boy and has been featured on Dr. Jimmy Star’s blog.  If she is not crafting words, you can find her buying another pair of shoes to place in her over-cluttered closet.  You can read her work at www.KlefNotes.com and find her on https://twitter.com/The0riginalKiKi.

Belgium-raised, NYC-based singer and harpist Pia Salvia, is a prodigal talent who started playing the harp at the early age of 6, and after training classically for 10 years and later on decided to dedicate her life to changing the function of the harp in music. Speaking to the Crush, she delves into the process behind her latest album Blissful Sigh - out today (July 10th) - what message she hopes listeners will take away, who inspires her and more. 

What is your favorite track from Blissful Sigh?

That’s a tough one to start with but I would say « Révérence » because of the calmness of the track. It always relaxes me.

What song was the most difficult for you to write on Blissful Sigh? What do you think made it the most challenging?

Maybe I Have to Try! I actually wrote the 1st verse and the chorus some time ago. It came out very quickly, using my loop station, looping the harp and some vocals, and I really liked it. A long time after, when I was working on the album, I decided to make a whole song from that verse and chorus. I thought it would be easy to finish, but it was actually way harder than I expected. Somehow, making a decision on that song was challenging. It was the last song that we worked on - we finished arranging and producing it pretty late. We even wrote the lyrics on the go, right when it was time to record the vocals of that song. But we made it!

Who are your top three female inspirations in the music industry? Why?

Ella Fitzgerald - Cesária Évora - Edith Piaf. They are 3 amazing singers, in their own style, mastering their voice and their musicality. They all had a very tough life, but even then, they followed their passion and brought so much emotion and beauty to their fans and audience. I am very admirative of these women and inspired by them (and many others).

In your opinion, how has your history of living in Belgium, Boston and now New York impacted or shaped your music?

Living in different cities and countries taught me and inspired me a lot. First, I learned so much about myself. This is the first thing that shaped my music. Then, I met people from everywhere, especially when I was studying at Berklee College of Music, and I learned so much from them - their country, language, culture, personality and music. Meeting and sharing with so many different people influenced me a lot and had a big impact on my music. Every time I travel and every person I meet has an influence on me and therefore on my compositions. It shapes me and my music all the time.

What is your favorite part about writing / releasing an album? Your least favorite?

I love going into the studio. It is an amazing feeling to record your songs, have all your work being captured. I also love playing live concerts, both are different experiences. One of my favorite parts is when I get to do overdubs as I get to sing and play separately, while I usually accompany myself on the harp while singing. I enjoy both, but it is very exciting to be able to focus on one instrument at a time. When I can focus on each element individually, I often discover new ways of playing or singing. My least favorite part is all the bureaucracy involved in making an album. As an independent artist, I have to take care of that on my own, which can be a bit overwhelming. One might think that a musician’s job ends after producing the music but actually a lot of work still needs to be done after that. 

Writer's block - everybody experiences it at one point or another. What helps you break out of a block?

Sometimes, I go back to old recordings of ideas that I kept on my phone. I listen to a lot of them, it can inspire me to write something totally new, or I can use one of those old recordings and keep exploring it as I might have new ideas. Also, when I have a deadline, sometimes it pushes me to work harder and faster and I might feel inspired. It puts me in survival mode.

What is the main message you hope people take away from your album?

I would love for people to take a few things from the album. Firstly, I want to convey that harp is not only a classical instrument. It can be part of a full band, have many different roles in a song, and explore many different musical genres. Secondly, I want this album to inspire a message of hope. I wanted to do this album for years and years, I never gave up, even if it took a long time and it was hard on many different technical aspects. I never doubted that it would happen. I was convinced, I colored my path.

​Blissful Sigh  is out now. Listen to it here 

CONNECT WITH PIA : Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify
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Interview by Jenn O'Hagan 
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From event coordination and marketing, to community management and performing, the PR Director of Cyber PR , Jenn has glanced behind-the-curtain in many areas of this industry. Well-versed in all things Cyber PR, Jenn works with artists to identify if they’re a perfect fit for our company and if so, which services will be the best match. Find out more about Jenn and Cyber PR here.

Does the appearance of Holly Wellington have a special symbolism?

Holly was on chemo at the time of shooting ‘Courage’. She brought her pure passion for art, creative expression and deep faith in the midst of adversity straight into the heart of the vision. Holly’s presence in the video speaks of our innate ability to shine in every step of the way, and alchemise the seeming darkness. I also wanted to capture the true journey we had walked in that when we dare to shine, we ignite one another in our own expressions, and we dance together ever more brightly.
Holly and I met in quite a remarkable way. She saw me singing with my band at Love Supreme festival in 2018, straight after my clear cancer scan, where I was buzzed up and sharing my own healing journey. Shortly afterwards, Holly was diagnosed herself. She had followed my journey which she told me gave her hope, and she went on to find her own path through healing and creative alchemy. 

I later got a message from Holly and was blown away by her spirit, her beauty, her talent. She is an incredible artist, musician and singer. I went to visit her in Bristol and was totally in love! It’s hard not to be with Holly. . When it came to shooting ‘courage’, I was through the chapter of my journey in which I was undergoing cancer and treatment, but it has always been important to me that I honour and celebrate the beauty and power within every step, not just the end result (which for me at the time looked like an 8 month pregnant golden goddess!). 

I wanted ‘Courage’ to be a testament to the beauty and power within it ALL. I had written the song when I was in the position Holly was in at that time, and her empowered radiance inside of the perceived darkness felt so resonant to my own experience in walking the veil of death. and so I had the idea to feature Holly in the midst of her own healing journey, showing up in her absolute full expression, dragon-babe self, representing that part of the journey, which I had come from myself.
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Has the Coronavirus changed the way, or time frame, that you planned on releasing this EP?

Yes. Amazingly, after cancer, healing, miracle pregnancy, motherhood, and falling into a bit of an uninspired slump, the lockdown period gave me the integration and restoration I needed to finally make a release plan. Additionally, I felt that because my music is so heavily themed around empowerment and alchemy, the world could use it in these scary and darker times more than ever. I wanted to be of service by letting the world know that beauty still exists amidst the chaos.

What’s yet to come for you this year? 

So many things...I didn’t for a second think that my creative phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes moment would be amidst a global pandemic, but here we are - my life has never been normal! Haha. I have a second single which we just shot the video to coming in August, entitled ‘Testament to Love’, it depicts the dance of co-dependency vs. self fulfilment in another artistic yet real-life narrative. Then my EP, ‘Get Deep’ drops in Mid september, for which I’m co-creating a music video with a womens online sisterhood called ‘Deep Inner Knowing’ which guides women into their own innate power. We will make a video with women in their own expression all around the world. 
I’m also launching an online platform/talk show/community to ignite and inspire women shining in their full expression and celebrating themselves and one another. This is called ‘Your Majesty’ (Aka. YOUR majesty - within you!) I plan to marry my art and music with this platform for promoting the expression of inner truth, and it’s gonna get juicy! I’m also busy being a mama and a lover, as well as working on a bunch of collabs with other singers and musicians. 

What do you enjoy most about being a musician?
The ability to use life experience as the raw material for your greatest creations

Can you tell me a little about your songwriting style and process?

Usually, I find that a song finds me. It comes to me and I have to catch it. I get the melody and then the lyrics, and I usually take this to my keys player who finds the chords (usually with me trying to convey them amateurly with my voice haha) and we take that to the band who then bring it to life. I can never decide ‘I’m going to songwrite now’. It finds me, and then I have to show up and get it down.

Any creative person will inevitably hit a wall of writer's block at some point.  How do you overcome that?

I think I have a different way of looking at it. If I am not writing, it is because there is something inside me I am not feeling. So I go there. I go to the resistance, the numbness or lack of movement inside of me, and I work through it with emotional processing or I go do something that moves me or speak to someone who I connect with. For me, the song comes when the experience or emotions is ready to be expressed, and if music is not coming, I don’t write. I only write when it calls me, and the rest of the time I trust.

Who are some of your musical influences?

Fatima, Gregory Porter, Esperanza Spalding, Beyonce, Hiatus Kayote, Thundercat, Gretchen Parlato, Phony Ppl, Amy Winehosue, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Lianne La Havas, Moonchild, Little Dragon, Rohey, Snarky Puppy, Lala Hathaway, Chantae Cann, Chaka Kahn.

What song, or songs, can you not stop listening to?

Right now, Michael Kiwanuka’s ‘Piano Joint’ - so delicious and deep! Also, Nai Palm’s ‘Homebody’ - tingles.

Are you a creative person with anything other than music?

I would say I am creative everywhere. I like to marry everything I do in a big creative frenzy, haha. I make life my creation. I put music to my experience, visuals to that music, usually featuring the real people involved in those experiences. I also create offerings to help embody more of ourselves based on those experiences and subsequent pieces of art. So I run courses and speaking platforms that can guide people within the topics I have walked myself. I’m also a self-love coach!

If you weren’t a musician, what would you have chosen as a career?

Probably working with children. Or gone fully blown cosmic/ self-love coach/ spiritual healer :D

What is a key piece of advice you would give to an inspiring musician?

Be true to YOUR voice, your sound. Make it real. Make it felt. Don’t only write what you think sounds good or what others want to hear. For me, music is connection. So much connection in music comes through in the alchemy. Alchemy is the act of turning whatever experience you are having into Gold, into art. Get deep enough, and vulnerable (courageous) enough, to really access that, and make it beautiful. Even if it’s something fun, light and cheesy, really FEEL it. My experience is that life wants music that connects to be heard,and the rest aligns once you align to your true inner voice. It’s that willingness to TRUST that when it’s real, it will find it’s way to those that need to hear it, however that looks. 

Lastly, for something random and fun, what is your favorite ice cream flavor?
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Love this! Salted caramel, and mint choc chip! 

Written by Amanda Epstein :

Amanda is an avid music lover and supports independent artists in various genres. She writes for music publications in her spare time to share her love of music with the world, as well as learning to be a musician herself. She believes that music has to be experienced and not just heard. ​​