In 2020, Shay Esposito rebranded as VENNA in order to further commit to the vision and style of what she wanted her brand and her music to be. She continues to grow as a musician and writer while she focuses on her dream and plans for her promising future in music. Her new Sugar Venom EP is an honest look into the heart of toxic power dynamics.
The five songs revolve around the idea of toxic, aggressive love. Drawing from the metaphysical motif of discovery and conquest – in this case, regarding the nature of people to seek dominance and power even in such a calm joy as love – Sugar Venom attempts to delve into the heart of toxic power dynamics and the desperate desire to control the ones we love in order to remain invulnerable to abandonment and betrayal.
Same as the others, focus track “V.” was inspired by toxic relationship dynamics. As the final track (or the first, if you’re looking at the track list) of Sugar Venom, “V.” combines each of the other four songs and becomes introspective, even apologetic, though it’s clear the apology is not a promise of change, and the cycle will continue.
Cree hip hop artist Joey Stylez credits his success to faith, family and commitment. He overcame the struggles common to North American Indigenous youth and his journey serves as an inspiration to many.
His new song, “Thru The Ceiling” is a powerful sentiment that taught everyone involved with the project what a huge responsibility we have to send the right message with music. Listeners will feel the power that the drum and Indigenous culture has to heal lives and hearts in the spirit of reconciliation.
It is part of a Canada Council project (Indigenous Youth Sharing the Heart of Turtle Island) that includes an epic soon-to-be-released video, which was filmed in Saskatchewan and Haida Gwaii, BC. It tells the story of Indigenous youth overcoming bullying. The stunning visuals show how the drum and Indigenous culture lead our youth to a world of self-confidence.
“This single is near and dear to my heart as it tells a story about Indigenous youth overcoming adversity by using our culture,” says Joey. “You could say that I lived it.”
An American citizen raised in the heart of the Canadian prairies, award-winning roots/Americana singer-songwriter Noah Derksen writes with the groundedness of harsh Manitoba winters mixed with the failed optimism of the American Dream. He currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
His new song, “Fuck You and Fuck Your Friends Too,” find humour in the disastrous end of a relationship. They settled on a bouncy, old-timey country groove, kinda like in an old silent slapstick film. It’s the sarcastic idea that everything can go wrong, while still being light and funny.
“I was dumped twice during the 18 months of the pandemic, and by the same person, no less,” explains Noah. “With all the dust swirling round, my world caving in on itself yet again, all I could really do was laugh at the situation. And in a comedic and desperate attempt at vindication, the only insult I could find to ease my heart was the title of this song, ‘Fuck You and Fuck Your Friends too.’”
(Atlanta, GA) November 16, 2022 – An Empty Room, the original series that explores the connective tissue between 6 uniquely influential artists from the Atlanta music scene, continues with one of Atlanta’s most beloved musicians, Shawn Mullins. He is best known for the 1998 single “Lullaby,” which hit number one on the Billboard Adult Top 40 Chart, sold over a million copies and got him a Grammy nomination.
Shawn’s Volume livestream is warm, intimate, and well produced. It feels more like he’s singing for you rather than at you. He sings hits like “California,” ”Light You Up,” “The Ghost of Johnny Cash,” and more. It’s just Shawn and his guitar, providing a vulnerable and open performance.
He shares fond memories and stories of growing up in Atlanta, when he used to go to Wax ‘N’ Facts Record Store which ignited the fire for his future as a career musician. He recalls his first performance at the Little Five Points Pub (now known as the Corner Tavern) when he was called on stage and too afraid to do one of his originals, so he sang “American Pie,” but the crowd demanded he sing a song he wrote. This was when he realized that people want to hear what he has to offer.
Mullins cultivated an interest in music beginning in his high school days, in part because his grandfather was in a big band group and his mother was musically inclined. He honed his craft in marching band in his college days as a solo acoustic musician. Kiss and Elton John were his superheroes growing up, Kiss being the hottest band in the land for a kid who loved horror movies meant a lot to him. He wanted to sing like Elton, even found inspiration in his fun and animated album covers.
It’s been a quarter century since he exploded onto the folk rock music scene and he has sustained an impressive long-term career, played coast to coast with every artist in his genre imaginable and been a steady headliner for 14 years on the Cayamo Cruises a floating party of music fanatics that in a few weeks will set sail with Jeff Tweedy, Andrew Bird, Patty Griffin, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Shovels and Rope.
Shawn and members of his band will be on hand during his watch party to interact with fans as a warm up for his Variety Playhouse gig on November 26th.
Created and produced in the height of 2020 when touring artists had to pivot, the Empty Room series features quality documentary-style storytelling interspersed with musical performances where the up close viewer perspective serves as the sole audience member.
The Atlanta-based Kearns family created and produced the entire series when the music industry as it was once known had shuttered. The family captured intimate performances and never-before heard stories from musicians with deep Atlanta roots during a time when neither producers nor touring musicians had a clear trajectory for creation. “When the artists asked ‘What do you want me to play?’ I told them: Whatever you would play if you were sitting by yourself in your living room,” says Martin “Marty” Kearns.
About Volume
Volume.com is a 24/7 free live stream platform that allows engagement between artists and their fans to help artists build and monetize their craft, from ticket sales, subscriptions, merch purchases, or by using Volume’s unique online tip system.
Volume differentiates itself by connecting all viewers and performers with first-class sound and visual quality. Their multi-layered audio effects, plugins, and soundcheck create a unique and seamless experience for both performers and audience members. They celebrate all artistic expression, be that in music, podcasts, comedy, or even sports, and provide a fun, welcoming, and vibrant community for all.
Paul Shapera is a pulp opera writer who’s albums span a 180 year period of his fictional city called New Albion. The fantastical story element of his work is what drives the popularity of his music. It’s reminiscent of the old school radio plays, but far more entertaining. “My work is very much like an epic science fiction book series, but told in highly emotive music, like an opera cycle made with various forms of popular music.”
Paul’s newest album, Jill’s Psychedelic Sunday, is a continuation of the character Jill’s story from previous albums, The Dolls of New Albion and The Post Human War series. Differing genres of each album represents a certain time and place within the 180 timespan. Jill’s Psychedelic Playlist explores the many sides of psychedelic music ranging from 60 psych folk to Floyd, 90s rave to jam bands, and creepy tech to Space Rock. Overall, we take a journey with Jill as she takes some sort of psychedelic as part of an initiation ritual.
What makes Jill’s Psychedelic Sunday so unique is that the story is non-linear, unlike Paul’s other albums. You can listen to any song and understand the story because it’s just snapshots of Jill’s wired mind. The spoken snippets in each song guide you so that the listener is never lost, no matter what song you listen to.
“This album more than any other in recent memory was made because it was the album I wanted to listen to,” shares Paul. “Other albums are the story I want to tell right then, or the music that I feel I need to express, or the style I most want to explore. This one was the one I just simply wanted to listen to.
“I always had anger issues growing up, and I never found a healthy way to let things out until I discovered the drums and writing my own music,” says punk rock artist Gunnar Gill, also known as the “One Man Punk Band.” “I like aggressiveness; I like things hardcore; and I like making high-energy music that makes people want to jump around.”
Gunnar Gill cuts a striking image, flaunting a high-rise mohawk, and clad in a tank top and well-worn jeans. The 19 year old West Palm Beach, Florida-based singer, songwriter, drummer, and multi-instrumentalist is punk’s newest raging rebel rocker. Gunnar is a singular talent who combines 21st-century attitude with a throwback lo-fi classic punk sound.
His newest punk rock single, “Who’s the Real Coward,” is a cathartic release of anger through the aggressive sound of punk rock. The song was inspired by an old ex-bandmate of Gunnar who talked about Gunnar behind his back. Essentially, he was using Gunnar for his musical abilities. The betrayal permeates the music with the barked vocals and a dizzying display of blast-beat drumming
Gunnar’s music melds the anthemic pop-punk of artists such as Blink 182 and Green Day with the stoned poetics and, sometimes, vulgarities of rapper Mac Miller. “I like to sneak in lyrics that make people turn their heads, and go ‘what did he just say?!’,” Gunnar says laughing. He travels the state of Florida performing as a “one man punk band,” dazzling audiences with his showmanship as he jumps from guitar to drums. Gunnar has also enlisted a motley assortment of his musical partners in crime for the Gunnar Gill Band. Gunnar fans are highly-engaged online, and many of his videos have reached 10,000 views and beyond.
Modern Mystery 