interview
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In conversation with Chiara Maria: finding her way back to music
“Since I was a little girl, I have always loved singing. I started songwriting at the age of seven. The first song was ‘The Hamster Song,’” Chiara Maria confessed, laughing. “After that, it was just like a way for me to process my emotions, but I never told anyone about it. I didn’t want anyone…
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In conversation with ‘Beneath the Garden Magazine’: unveiling inspiration as the heart of storytelling
If you visit the website of Beneath the Garden Magazine and click on their mission statement—as most writers who are eager to submit their work do—you will meet a quote from Audre Lorde’s collection of essays, Sister Outsider: “I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must…
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In conversation with Yawn Mower: ten years later
Ten years in, Yawn Mower hasn’t drifted far from where it began. Rooted in New Jersey, the band has grown in size and sound, yet its foundation is still tied to the place that shaped it. “I personally would only want to be celebrating a ten-year anniversary with New Jersey,” explained frontman Mike Chick. “I…
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In conversation with Amanda Conti: the personal and professional pieces of songwriting
Of all things, it was an Instagram ad that brought the nonprofit RiverJAM Music to Amanda Conti’s attention. “I don’t know how I saw [the ad],” she explained. “And it was such funny timing because the night before, I just had a whole breakdown about the fact that I felt very disconnected from myself as…
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In conversation with Gavin Kim of Blush Boy: building a band, part 2
Gavin Kim has always been a musician first; now being in Blush Boy is a dream come true. Kim has been surrounded by music his entire life. Since his early days performing in the Broadway production of School of Rock, being in a band has always been the game plan. “I feel like the seed…
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In conversation with Kyra Soto: finding confidence in first drafts
Kyra Soto is no stranger to performing. Where some shy in front of the lens of a camera or the idea of being perceived, she thrives. “I grew up within the arts, and I’ve always just loved being in front of cameras.” She immediately recounts the Nickelodeon show iCarly, which served as the OG average-person-to-influencer…
