15th State - South Dakota - 15th Interview Rascal Martinez
Next stop, home of Mt. Rushmore, the 15th state on this project, South Dakota. While struggling to find an artist with the limited time in SD, I figured I reverse my search tactics. Instead of looking up hashtagged posts on Social Media, or going through SoundCloud or Bandcamp, I looked up bars/restaurants online that had live music. As I sat in a Starbucks, (my usual go-to spot on this trip), I cracked my knuckles and got to searchin’.
It was refreshing to see a good amount of places offering live music, opportunities for local talent in South Dakota, so it took some time to go through event posts past and upcoming, looking up the sites of the featured artist and listening to their music. I found an event that was happening my last night there at a bar called Fernsons. The artist featured was good, quality voice, had a professional sound to him, and from a genre standpoint, was different from the artists I met up with so far. His name is Rascal Martinez. There was a phone number on his site, he picked up right away and was on board for the interview.
When I arrived to Fernsons, I knew I was at the right location—there was a trailer hitch in the parking lot that had Rascal Martinez written on it in big letters.
Adjusting his microphone on his shirt, he talked about how he was also on tour in the midwest and had just did a radio interview with South Dakota Public Broadcasting a day prior. As busy as he sounded with performing shows, doing interviews, working on new music, he was super chill, calm and collecting. Stylish, happy and super laid back, is how I can describe Rascal Martinez. He was all smiles and welcoming, and had this Modern James Dean look about him. As soon as we wrapped up the interview, he hit the stage with his drummer and bass guitarist and immedialty got into character.
Not only was the locally brewed Fernson beer great, Rascal Martinez and his band killed it. Putting his own Americana spin on covers and originals, he had everyone in the bar on a vibe, and drew more people in. He did everything from Originals, to Folk, Classic Rock, Motown, and current hits. Check out some intagram posts from his gig below - the first clip he remixes Jay-Z's 99 problems, putting his own spin to it, and the second, his rendition of Pina Colada.
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16th State, Minnesota - 16th Interview, Pinkie Promise with Eleanor Elektra
It just so happened that there was another cross country road tour happening. Three musicians, Minnesota-native Crispin Swank, Brooklyn’s Kaitlin Pelkey who together play in a group called Pinkie Promise, along with Eleanor Elektra from Boston were on their 5th stop on their 18-city music tour across America. I stumbled across a facebook post, checked out their music and liked their experimental drift. There was this mystic-soul, folk vibe about their sound and I wanted to learn more. So I reached out and there were nice enough to do the interview literally right before their show at The Tiny Diner.
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The diner had an outdoor patio where people ate, drank and laughed. Surrounded by large bushes and flowers, there was a machine tucked in the back of the bushes behind the Mic area that periodically blew out bubbles. It definitely added to its intimate environment, perfect for an acoustic set, especially the dreamy and jazzy melodies from these three. Eleanor Elektra kicked it off mixing jazz and folkish blues, followed by Pinkie Promise mixing folk rock and dream folk performing until the sun went down.
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They had their merchandise booth setup by the entrance, so after their set, with all the change I had in my pockets, I made sure I furthered my support and bought some merch. As they caught up with friends I said my goodbyes and hit the road to the next state.
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After years of delays, missed appointments, lateness warnings, weird smells, stolen items and so much more... Enough is Enough..
If you ever experienced the unexpectencies, trials and tribulations of NYC commute, this shirt is for you. This shirt represents the frustation that many NYC residents deal with on a daily basis. Going to work, going home, going to an interview, going to a party, going anywhere...the F train has always managed to step in and interrupt, disrupt and modify those plans. The madness must stop.
Follow the link to get a shirt and be apart of change, be apart of something positive and stand up to this evilness. F the F'ing F Train...
'King Of The Free' - Freebxll Will's Second Project Drops Early November
Written by Staff Writer
King of the Free
— king free (@freebxllwill) October 19, 2018
11/04/18
Don’t Believe the Hype
Credits: @josephcookxxx pic.twitter.com/ijnBGyNkWJ
As we anticipate Freebxll Will's soon-to-drop album ‘King Of The Free’ in early November, we reflect on his first release, the beginning of an evolution just 1 year ago.
Pink Room (2017)
In 2017 Metro-Detroit native Freebxll Will dropped his first project, ‘Pink Room’—a wavvy AF 9-track project layered on slowed-down trap-like Youtube instrumentals. With a few features of other artists, members from their creative collective The Lobby, Freebxll Will flexed his experimental R&B wave and established his sound.
When Freebxll Will first started experimenting with sounds in his pink-walled room, he wanted the title of his first project to be a literal representation of his mindstate and what was going on in his life at the time, a theme that would be the basis for naming the title of his upcoming projects. Pink Room is melodic, chill, with a bit more of a psychedelic edge high-energy over PND mixed in with a high influence of 'channel ORANGE' by Frank Ocean.
“…Although it’s not close, I wanted it to be my own version of channel ORANGE.”
After finding his own sound with ‘Pink Room’, 2018 has been nothing but a grind for Freebxll Will, making his second project ‘King Of The Free’ set to drop in a few weeks, plus other bangers with his collective The Lobby, such as ‘Love Lost’ and 'Link Up'. Listen below.
Love Lost
Link Up
King Of The Free (November 4th, 2018)
‘King Of The Free’ will be a 6-track project, exclusively produced by dope A$$ producer @KerwinClemens, with features from Freebxll Rome and graphics from Joseph Cook, all members of The Lobby.
While we got a tease of the vibe for ‘King Of The Free’ from his inviting energetically-mellow single released a few months ago, ‘Ride With Me’, Freebxll Will says this upbeat-chill track was an exception to the overall vibe of the project, which was a bit darker. Freebxll Will found his strengths in Pink Room, and through this second project working with Kerwin, Freebxll Will feels like he has now established himself and his sound.
When it comes to music, art, etc., relationships, whether good or bad, usually plays a big role in the amount and type of energy and influence we devote to a creative project. According to Freebxll Will, he was no stranger to that this year, stating a recent heartbreak made him come into his own and realize his full potential. When asked about it and its connection with the making of 'King Of The Free', he said..
"...it [the project] felt more real, I felt more like myself..."
Don't confuse the title 'King Of The Free' with a 'I'm-single-now-bit$@h', cocky and arrogant post-heartbreak mentality, rather, "King" as in a certain comfort, "King" of being free in his own way, without any stereotypes, "King" of self, "King" of the free. With the waves on this project his goal is to transcend that love of self and positivity to all.
We were fortunate enough to hear a sneak peak of another track from the project, and yes...we felt it. The vibe is real, an instant chill you can't deny. Even though there is a presence of autotune, the catchy and addicting melodies disguises the effects making the vibe feel right and positive. Definitely looking forward to the rest of the album!
Ascension (?, 2019)
While Freebxll Will prepares for the second project release, he’s already begun working on his third project ‘Ascension’ expected to drop early 2019.
#freebxllwill #rnb #rnbass #hiphop #thelobby #kingofthefree #melodic #wavvy #diversal #chillhiphop #kotf #thelobby
AliT Featured
Hannah Mrozak Featured
When thinking of famous singers from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, wikipedia will show results for Al Jarreau, Eric Benét, and some more, but give it some time...the soulful and smokey sound from Hannah Mrozak will soon take her there.
Don't believe us? We've already melted... https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/my-way-single/1363280658?app=itunes
Hannah went from singing the National Anthems for the pro-hockey team, Milwaukee Admirals, and the pro-baseball team Milwaukee Brewers at an early age, to winning numerous awards including being chosen for national broadcast TV shows, American Idol and The Voice.
- won Milwaukee’s Got Talent in 2011,
- a MAMA (Madison Area Music Association) “first chair” award recipient in 2013,
- advanced to the top 48 in American Idol in 2014,
- won the State of Wisconsin's WAMI Rising Star of the year in 2015, which she was nominated twice for,
- made it to the playoff rounds of The Voice in 2017
- ....
(From her Bio) In September 2017, Hannah performed the song "Starving" by Hailee Steinfeld for her blind audition for the TV show "The Voice", Season 13. She had 3 chair turns, Adam Levine, Jennifer Hudson and Blake Shelton. Hannah chose team Adam and advanced to the battle round which she won, and then advanced to the Knockout Round, singing "Love on the Brain" by Rhianna. She was stolen by team Jennifer and moved onto the Playoff Rounds and the top 20. She sang "Learn to Let Go" by Keisha and was eliminated from the show just before the live shows.
On American Idol in 2014, she was declared by the Season XIV judges to be one of the 38 most memorable auditions. She advanced to the top 48 and performed at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, CA.
Follow Hannah Mrozak:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrsRgPmbI5wDlApAxMUuvyw
https://twitter.com/hannahmrozak
https://www.facebook.com/officialhannahmrozak/
https://www.instagram.com/hannahmrozak/