Hailing from Philadelphia, emerging artist Belle Renaí released her debut single “Forever Aaliyah.”
Paying homage to the late R&B princess Aaliyah, Belle Renaí cleverly used Aaliyah song titles and phrases to depict her feelings about a failing relationship. “Forever Aaliyah” was written by Tee Marie and produced by 540 Productions.
Be on the lookout for Belle Renaí’s forthcoming EP, until then check out “Forever Aaliyah” here on all digital and streaming platforms.
Emerging artist and singer-songwriter Ajanee recently released her second single ‘100 Miles.’ ‘100 Miles’ is the follow up to her debut single ‘Jumpin Waves’ which released last year.
In the new single, Ajanee expresses her infatuation for the one she’s with and not wanting to end the night so soon, as she sings,
“Hold on / Don’t wanna go home/ So let’s drive 100 miles south before the sunrise/ Wanna feel on something baby that I can’t lie...”
It’s definitely a song you want to play when you “wanna catch a vibe!”
Ajanee ‘100 Miles’ is available here and on all streaming platforms.
Emerging artist Sean Ray recently released his new single "Real You." In an attempt to keep the momentum of his summer smash, 'Right Here,' Jersey Native, Sean Ray enlisted singer-songwriter, Sha Sha Jones (Omarion, Mya, Tamar Braxton) to assist him.
'Real You' is a mid-tempo bop co-written by emerging songwriters Denali Nova and Finnli, and produced by heavy-hitting producer Heir Vic. The song gives off a nostalgic 90's duet vibe and depicts a story of "appreciating the authenticity of your other half."
"She don't spend her time posting for the likes. Cuz' she loves herself, and that's the sh*t I like..." - Shiz' chants in the pre-hook
As fans anticipate the release of his forthcoming EP, in regards to 'Real You,' Ray says' "this is a record for the people to catch a vibe."
Sean Ray's 'Real You' featuring Sha Sha Jones is available here and on all streaming platforms January 15th.
This week's #IndieArtistSpotlight is Robbie Russell.
Robbie Russell is a singer-songwriter from Newport News, Virginia. This past
week, RnB Junkie Official had the delight of interviewing this passionate
emerging artist. Robbie Russell talked his first start, inspirations, his
sound, his recent EP 'The Bad Guy,' and more. Check out our interview with our
#IndieArtistSpotlight Robbie Russell below.
Can you tell us a little about where you’re from
and when you first started to get into music?
Well, I am
from the 757. For those that don’t know where that is it’s Newport News,
Virginia. I’ve always been into music. I always had a pair of headphones glued
to my head, but I started taking it seriously around high school. That’s when I
really started to write and when I actually started to perform live. That’s
when it really came to life.
You‘ve previously cited Chris Brown as being one of your
biggest inspirations. What is it about him that inspired you?
Just how pure his talent is. I mean he can sing,
rap, dance, and act. He’s like a quadruple threat. He can really do whatever he
puts his mind to. In my opinion, he consistently puts out good music. He has an
incredible work ethic. As I said, he’s incredibly talented.
For those who aren’t familiar with your music how would you describe your
sound?
I'd say my sound is like dark Contemporary
R&B with Hip-Hop roots.
Not
to be offensive, do you find it hard being accepted as a white R&B
artist?
Personally I never really tried to think about it
like that. There are so many other factors that play into it. Just the fact
it’s an oversaturated genre of music, but yeah, it’s a little tough. Of course,
people tell me that I can sing and that I am talented at what I do, but getting
that acceptance and recognition for what I do has been pretty difficult. I mean
I’m not going to switch up what I do and go like an easier path. [R&B] is
the style of music I enjoy doing and I am going to continue to do it.
Listening to some of your tracks from your most recent EP ‘The Bad Guy,’ the
vibe and some of the lyrics were very dark. Can you explain what inspired the
project?
Depression! [Laughs]. No, it’s all inspired about a
relationship that I recently got out of before I started writing this. I don’t
want to bash it too much, but it was a toxic relationship. There were a lot of
insecurities, and I fell into a really dark space after that. In that time I
decided rather than taking these emotions and pushing them down inside deeper
and deeper, I just decided why not write some great emotional and raw songs and
let everybody else experience what I am going through to kind of vent and
flush that all out.
You have some great visuals, especially for the ‘The Bad Guy’ short film and
‘Warning.’ How much are you involved in the creation of the visuals?
I am 100% involved. Every video I’ve done I created
the concept for it. I've picked out the locations and everything. I basically
write the shot list, come up with the concept, and then present it to my
videographer. His name is Spencer Sease, and the two of us have very similar
mindsets and visions. He basically helps me bring it to life. I write the
scripts, and I write the storyline, I come up with everything for it.
What
is one thing you would want someone to walk away with after listening to your
projects?
That I am only human and that I am
passionate about what I do. Like I want people to listen to music and know that
I put everything I have into every song I make. That every song is real because
every song I write is about something that I’ve been through and experienced
myself. I want people to understand that I am an ordinary human being, just
like everybody else. I feel. I have my ups and downs, and music is how I
express that.
What
do you have coming up next?
I have actually been trying to plan everything out
strategically for the releases coming up. I think I have a single or two that I
am planning to release before the end of the year. Maybe a visual for one or
two of them. I’ve been working on a lot of collaborations with a couple of
different artists. I am not really sure when those will come out, but I am
pretty sure that it’ll happen soon.
Where can our followers find your music, as well as reach you on social
media?
You can find my music on all streaming platforms (Apple Music,
Spotify,
Tidal,
SoundCloud,
etc.) anywhere as Robbie Russell. You can reach me on social media
@ImRobbieRussell. That’s @-I-m-R-o-b-b-i-e-R-u-s-s-e-l-l.
Thank
you so much for the opportunity to interview you today.
Thank you very much for putting the
time aside to interview me. I really appreciate it.
Earlier this year weinterviewed emerging artist Devon, who now goes by Devon Culture. Devon has recently re-released his ‘Tug of War’ EP to all digital and streaming platforms under the title“Off The Ground.’
About two weeks ago, 'RnB Junkie Official' had the opportunity of interviewing the talented Tokyo Roze. As promised she's back on the scene with the new video to her debut single "I Like It." Check out the video for Tokyo Roze's "I Like It" below.
As recently announced, ‘RnB Junkie Official’ has added a new feature to our site to help independent artist gain more exposure #IndieArtistSpotlight. Our first #IndieArtistSpotlight feature goes to no other than AlanMichael. If you’re familiar with the D.C. music scene you might be familiar with this indie artist, being that he was called on stage by the “Vocal Bible” Brandy Norwood herself in concert to sing. While in route to New York City to take care of some studio business, emerging artist AlanMichael had a chance to chat with 'RnB Junkie Official.’ We discussed his unique sound, influences, his single, music video to ‘Pull Up,” and more. Check out our interview with our #IndieArtistSpotlight AlanMichael below.
Where are you from?
AlanMichael: I am from Arlington, Virginia born and raised from Middletown which is like fifth-teen minutes outside of D.C.
How would you describe your sound?
AlanMichael: It’s like a big gumbo pot of many different things. It’s rooted in R&B because that’s what I grew up on, but I throw in elements of Pop and alternatives something like Electronics in there, a hint of Rock sometimes depending on how I’m feeling that day. It’s a big mixture of everything. I don’t have quite a staple in a certain genre. I’m kind of like a chameleon when it comes to genres. I can go anywhere and make it sound good, so I like to call myself a chameleon.
Who are some artists that have helped shape the way you listen to music, as well as your approach to creating music?
AlanMichael: It started off with Michael Jackson. When I was three years old, I would wake up and go into the living room and put on one of his concerts and perform like I was on stage with him. Just seeing how he approached structuring songs to creating visuals that was it to me! From there I was introduced to Janet and that was like when I really took on the whole dancing aspect. Then, when I think I was around seven or eight, my mom was driving me to summer camp and she had her red Nissan. The sunroof was back and she was blasting Brandy’s ’Top Of The World,’ and from then on my whole way of approaching singing, layering vocals, and just vocals styles in general changed. Brandy to me is the ultimate vocalist for anybody! It’s like she was the original superstar, you know what I mean? She had the tv shows, the platinum albums, the movies, the dolls, the endorsements, so I saw that at a young age and I was like I want to do that. So, Michael, Janet, and Brandy for me are the top three.
I recently saw the visual to your single ‘Pull Up.’ Can you explain the inspiration behind the song, and how you came up with the creative concept of the video?
AlanMichael: The song was written as a way of me kind of sort of letting people know that you’re not going to sleep on me for too long. I’m letting them know that I am ready to show what I can do and what I have to offer. I don’t need anybody’s approval, anybody's co-signing, or anything. It was like it’s me I’m here! So, with the video, I wanted to approach it where it was being told through dance. You know, like that frustration of feeling like people don’t view you as an asset, so you’re like let me show you what I can do. We wanted to take that and put it in the movement. We also wanted to sprinkle in some bits of traditional African moves, which is we did with that to stay true to the intro of the song. We collaborated and came up with the routine in like a day and learned it that same day, shot the video the next day, and then there we go.
I love how the video stayed true to the African essence of the beat. Everything thing was on point from wardrobe to the dancing, you guys did a really good job.
AlanMichael: Thank you! Let me tell you something. That wardrobe was last minute. I found those pants at a thrift store. I was like yup, we’re going to wear this. The paint on my face, we weren’t able to find face paint. So, I ran to CVS to grab whiteout and put it on my face. I was like listen because this going to have to happen. It took me like thirty minutes to scrub it off, but we did it and it looked good.
How much of your material do you actually write?
AlanMichael: Everything that I sing I write. I write every lyric, every vocal harmony as in the way it's arranged I do all of that. I usually link up with different producers that I may find online or that might hit me up and we collaborate on what we want the song to sound like and then they’ll send me the track. I’ll write it, record it, and send it back to them and that’s it.
You’ve released two EP’s ‘Honeymoon Motel’ and ‘Entrancing.’ What were the highlights of creating each project?
AlanMichael: Oh my gosh! ‘Honeymoon Motel’ the first song I recorded for that was ‘Paradise,’ and I did that song in my girlfriend’s closet in our old apartment. I remember recording that one and just listening back to it and crying because that was the first time I ever did something like that to that level. That kind of sparked off the whole beginning of that project, so that was the most memorable moment of that for me. The latest EP, I think actually finishing it and listening to the whole thing back and hearing what I was able to create because I told myself when I did it, I’m going to do it bigger than the last one, and I’m going to do a whole visual thing with it. I have two videos left to film, but being able to achieve that goal so far is just the ultimate for me.
What is one thing you would want someone to walk away with after listening to your projects?
AlanMichael: Just to know that I really love this. Music is something that I grew up on. My mom was in a band. My dad was in a band. So, being able to share that with people and for them to walk away and take something from it whether it’s them realizing that they have something that they’re passionate about and want to go after, or whether it’s a song that just sparks a memory in their mind or sparks a feeling. Just to know that they walk away with something from it is what I would want them to take.
AlanMichael: I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Soundcloud, and YouTube everything is @itsalanmichael. That’s @- i-t-s-a-l-a-n-m-i-c-h-a-e-l. It’s fairly simple and there we go. [Laughs].
Thank you for this interview today and being our first #IndieArtistSpotlight.
AlanMichael: Aww. Yay! I appreciate it because I usually don’t get asked to do things like this. This is like big to me!
Tokyo Roze is an emerging R&B artist hailing from the windy city of Chicago. She's known for fusing old school and modern R&B to create her unique sound. Not only is Tokyo Roze a singer, but she's also a dancer and actress. RnB Junkie had the opportunity of interviewing Tokyo Roze and discussed her start in the music industry, her sound, inspirations, debut single "I Like It," plus more. Check out our interview with Tokyo Roze below!
Can you share a little about your background and how you got started in the music industry?
Tokyo Roze: I am from Chicago, Illinois. I actually come from a musically inclined family. Everybody in my family either sings, dance, or produces music, so my singing just came naturally. My mom told me that I was humming songs before I could even talk. Singing has always been a part of my life, and I realized that I wanted to do it at an early age, and I just been doing it ever since.
How would you describe your sound?
Tokyo Roze: I think my sound is modern-day R&B, but like me, I’m an old soul, so adding in that old school flavor with a modern feel.
You’re a Chicago native and “The Chi” is known for their Bluesy, Jazz, and Gospel-infused sound. Can you share with us some of your inspirations from Chicago that helped influence your music?
Tokyo Roze: I mean I listen to a lot of people from Chicago. As far as getting a message out, I would have to say someone like Common and Kanye West. He had a lot of inspirational music when he first came out. As far as singers from Chicago, I don’t know; it’s Sam Cooke definitely! He had some dope music.
How has it been transitioning from a group to a solo artist?
Tokyo Roze: It was hard because you’re used to people being there with you and like doing everything. Like when you workout you having somebody by your side, and now it’s like you have to do everything on your own. It’s a tough transition, but if you want to do it, it’ll work out all in the end.
You do an excellent job at reinventing yourself such as with your name and hair colors. Can you tell us what that creative process is like for you?
Tokyo Roze: The creative process is just expressing yourself because me I am the type of person that expresses myself through my music and my hair. I like to try different colors. Like right now, I have orange hair. I think this color really fits me. Yeah, it’s just a way of me expressing myself.
Not only do you sing, but you also dance and act. How do you balance nurturing all of your gifts?
Tokyo Roze: Well, you know, they all came naturally. I just try to hone my craft whether it is singing or going to dance classes. All of it is something that I love to do, so it’s not really hard. I just try to get better at it. I try to get better at it but in a fun way.
Over the past two years, we’ve witnessed a shift in the music industry. R&B is starting to re-emerge to the forefront with younger new artists, what will you contribute to the genre?
Tokyo Roze: I will contribute [by being a representation of] when you want to follow your dreams you just do so, and whatever struggles that you have just work through those struggles and continue to do what you love. You know, and don’t try to change up your style to fit today’s genre of music or today’s modernness of music. Be yourself, and along [the way] whatever comes with it [just] comes, but at the end of the day you’re being yourself and expressing yourself.
Who are some artists and producers you would love to work with?
Tokyo Roze: Oooouu! As far as songwriters, I would definitely love to work with Eric Bellinger. Producers, I would love to work with Metro Boomin. It’s a lot of producers and songwriters that I really want to work with, so I am excited about expanding my partnership with these people.
You recently released your first official buzz single “I Like It.” Can you talk to us about the song and how it came about?
Tokyo Roze: So, “I Like It” is basically about a female feeling some type of way about a male. Like she likes the way he makes her feel. The [way the] song came about, we were at the studio and the songwriters were just writing out. I like to talk about what’s going on in my life, not saying that’s what’s going on in my life, but what’s going on in other people’s lives that can be relatable. Everybody has that somebody that they still feel some type of way, and it’s just telling the person you like the way they make you feel.
How can our followers reach you on social media?
Tokyo Roze: They can reach me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @TokyoRoze_. That’s T-o-k-y-o-R-o-z-e-_, and that’s everywhere.
We really appreciate the time that you allowed us to have for this interview and we’ll be on the lookout for your new material.
Tokyo Roze: Oh, thank you so much!
Tokyo Roze debut single "I Like It" is available on all digital platforms and can be purchasedhere!
Well, I am
from the 757. For those that don’t know where that is it’s Newport News,
Virginia. I’ve always been into music. I always had a pair of headphones glued
to my head, but I started taking it seriously around high school. That’s when I
really started to write and when I actually started to perform live. That’s
when it really came to life. 
That I am only human and that I am
passionate about what I do. Like I want people to listen to music and know that
I put everything I have into every song I make. That every song is real because
every song I write is about something that I’ve been through and experienced
myself. I want people to understand that I am an ordinary human being, just
like everybody else. I feel. I have my ups and downs, and music is how I
express that.
