Category: Interviews

EXCLUSIVE Interview with: Dwaine Hayden

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Soulful singer-on-the-rise DWAINE HAYDEN made it to the interview seat this month – his spin on Shawn Mendes’ hit, Stitches made you guys toe curl with pure pleasure – and it’s time to find more about this super powerhouse, who appeared on the The Voice UK.

NLM: First of all, thank you for agreeing to do an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC.

DH: It’s my pleasure, thanks for having me.

NLM: Earlier this year, you took on Shawn Mendes’ hit Stitches. What was the public’s reception on the cover?

DH: Yeah I did, it was great to sing. I enjoyed covering it and putting my own twist on it, to be fair i got quite a lot of comments saying that they liked how I made it my own.

NLM: You were on this year’s The Voice UK with Pamola Faith as your judge. Was it like working alongside the eccentric singer?

DH: It was an amazing experience, I can’t lie. Having watched these type of shows before i always wanted to have a go but never went for it. Now I’m honestly glad i did, Paloma’s awesome, very wise and knows her stuff but fully on the banta too, she’s funny.

NLM: Tell us what projects you’re working on at the moment?

DH: Right now I’m taking the opportunities that have been presented to me, getting the chance to really hone my sounds and take it to the next level. I’m working on my own EP at the moment which is totally new. I’ve always featured on tracks or backings for artists but to be doing a me project excited me even further.

NLM: Were you in a group before you flying solo?

DH: Yeah I’ve been a busy body! I’ve worked as part of a vocal duo for a while and was part of a band as one of the lead vocalist before.

NLM: How would describe your sound to potential fans? Would you compare yourself to any of your music influences of today?

DH: Smooth, Soulful, Fun.

NLM: If you had a choice to collaborate with just ONE mainstream artist, who would it be and why?

DH: That’s so hard to answer as there’s so many right now, but I’ll say years and years, I like what they are doing.

NLM: If you were granted three wishes to change the music industry today, what would they be?

DH: Ooooh nice question. Well ok then, 1. To bring music back to a state where it’s more about the enjoyment than the money; 2. That contracts weren’t so scary; 3. And MJ (Michael Jackson) was still alive.

NLM: How can potential fans make contact with you?

You can check me out @ http://www.DwaineHayden.com,
Instagram – @DwaineHayden
Twitter – @DwaineHayden

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EXCLUSIVE Interview with: Becca B

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BECCA B decided to shake off her pop princess image and enter the realm of smooth R&B – and the gamble certainly paid off! Her latest single, Ready and Waiting was the most popular track last month on NEW LEASE MUSIC. Come on, let’s find out more about this blue-haired siren.

NLM: Hey how you doing? Thanks for agreeing to do an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC

BB: No Problem! Thank you for the interview!

NLM: First of all, tell us the moment you wanted to become a singer.

BB: Although it’s quite emotional, it was when my Grandma passed away. She always used to encourage me with singing even when I was a little girl, so I’ve stuck at it and I’m loving every moment of it.

NLM: You released your single, Ready and Waiting (named song of the month by NEW LEASE MUSIC) last month. What’s the public’s reception been like since its release?

BB :That’s Great! It’s been awesome! I’ve loved getting this new style of my music out there and can’t wait for people to hear more from me!

 

NLM: How you would describe your music to potential fans?

BB: Fresh, current and sexy! It’s music straight from my heart!

NLM: So what artists you’re digging at the moment?

BB: I’ve been a huge fan of Rihanna for a long time and absolutely love her new work. Pink is of course up there too – love her!

NLM: If you were to collaborate with just ONE chart-topping artist of today, who would it be and why?

BB: It’s a bit cliché – but it has to be Justin Bieber. His new music caught me off guard, it’s incredible!

NLM: So what other plans you have for 2016? Do you have any upcoming gigs/projects?

BB: I’m currently looking to continue my studio work and create more and more songs. Then who knows what kind of gigs or festival plans I have eh?

NLM: How can potential fans reach you?

BB :I’m always on social media! Facebook is the best place: “Becca B Official Fan Page”

NLM: If music didn’t exist, what other profession would you do?

BB: Well I do some work as a manager at a construction firm, so maybe something even more in-depth in that area? I don’t know really!

NLM: Finally, any shout outs?

BB: A huge thank you to all the people who have been sharing, liking and downloading my new single along with my producers at Electric-Bear Productions and Electric-Bear Records for helping with my release!

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EXCLUSIVE Interview with: King Dice O

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From the start, KING DICE O was featured on NEW LEASE MUSIC. After a lengthy hiatus, The Owl Life entertainment recruit returns bolder than ever with a string of hot tracks…and his hard work paid off because one of his latest singles, Pain Of Fortune, went down well with you guys, receiving the most listens last month. I think it’s about time we know a little more about this master of wordplay.

 

NLM: First off, I wanna know how did you come up with the stage name KING DICE O? I’m so intrigued!

KDO: Dice’O that’s my street name, known for gambling with my life. I add the king to acknowledge my worth….

NLM: Since releasing Pain Of Fortune (named Song of the Month in January by NEW LEASE MUSIC), you knocked out two more tracks, Working and Street Poet. What’s the response been like on the tracks since its release?

 

KDO: First off, I would Like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to be featured on your site. Pain Of Fortune is so real, that’s my life in motion. I knew the fans was going to respects it but they really loved it.Working was just excuses for my lyrical wordplay. Street Poet I gave u the chance to see how it all started and why I’m known as the street poet…

 

NLM: You release your mixtape, The Life Vol.2 (The Quiet Storm) today. What can potential fans expect from your latest project?

KDO: I’m not going to front, comparing this to my 1st mixtape, this is a big step up, got my team on the mixtape. We’re working, perfecting our craft every chance we get, I feel I’m definitely going to change the game with this new sound. I want you to judge it for yourself but your going to hear the growth.

NLM: What’s your proudest on the mixtape work and why?
KDO: I got a few but hands down Dear Dom that’s a letter, I wrote to my son it took a lot out of me, mentally as a father I’m going threw it and this is my therapy.

 

NLM: So what artists you’re digging at the moment?

KDO: J Cole

NLM: If you were to collaborate with just ONE chart-topping artist of today, who would it be and why? 
KDO: Common sense of course. He’s the reason why I respected the flow . I remember when I was a young knuckling head, I heard this track called Book Of Life of his album Resurrection poetically he was spitting knowledge… Had my eyes open from then…
 

 

NLM: So what other plans you have for 2016? Do you have any upcoming gigs/projects?

KDO: Wow It amazing you say that! Got a few gigs coming up and a lot show cases coming up. Me and my team are working, my clothing line is out “Owl Life Branded for life”, photo shoot coming out soon, also we’re dropping the music video for 4am in the Bush… It’s going to be a busy year!! Owl Year !!!

NLM: How can potential fans reach you?

 

Instagram: OwlLifeBrandedForLife  and King DiceO
FaceBook: KingDiceO
Twitter: KingDiceO,
Gmail: OwlLifeBrandedForLife@gmail.com
 

NLM: If music didn’t exist, what other profession would you do?

KDO: Design clothes, starting a business or a chief.

NLM: If music didn’t exist, what other profession would you do? 

KDO: Design clothes, starting a business or a chief.

 NLM: Finally, any shout outs?

KDO: My Son Dom he the reason why I’m working so hard. That’s my life right there… Big shout out to you, been rocking with me from the start that’s real, my team owl life/ cannon gang they grew with the life, to all my fans and my supporters, I’m here for ya’ll, I’m nothing with without y’all, thanks for listening. peace family much love…

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Interview with: 3KNGZ

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Meru Muad’Dib (right) and Chill – aka 3KNGZ  – have been firm regulars on NEW LEASE MUSIC, always challenging us to seek out serious messages in a string of out-of-sight tracks. Their single, Unload, Explode, Reload was named Song of 2015 by this blog…and it’s about time we got to know these conscious emcees. So are you ready? Good!

NLM: Who’s speaking on behalf of 3Kngz?

It’s Meru here.

NLM: First of all, congratulations on your track Unload, Explode and Reload – it was named the Song of 2015 by NEW LEASE MUSIC. What’s the reception been like on this track?

Meru: Thank you Tracey!! It’s been cool. People dig the beat. Most of the feedback has been that we still have it. We’re old school cats. The beat produced by Dro by the Key(Alejandro Rivera) is newer school. So we had to mos def be on point with the flows. So people saying we still have it means we brought it. That’s a nice compliment! They recognize we have different flows and rhyme patterns based in the beat. They’re listeners which is another compliment because they listen. A lot of people don’t listen very well.

 

NLM: So tell us how did 3KNGZ come to life?

Meru: A guy I used to rhyme with bumped into one of my old producers. I hadn’t seen him in almost 10 years. In those 10 or so years, he went on to receive a few Grammy awards. He is Sham of the world-famous ‘Trak Starz.’ We used to do Christian rap in the late 90’s together. His claim to fame is producing for the rapper Chingy. ‘Right Thurr’ put those guys on the Hip Hop map. They’ve sold like 20 million units worldwide. So we ended up in the studio at Sham’s house and the 3KNGZ were formed. Initially everything was produced by the Trak Starz. Eventually Sham went on to do other things and we’ve kept it going. That was in 2010 when it was formed. We’ve gone through a couple of line up changes but we’re still here!

NLM: How would you describe your sound to potential fans?

Meru: It’s almost like new age gospel music. Hard beats. Trap beats in some cases. But uplifting hard flowing lyrics being delivered. Definitely poetic and prophetic. Soulful!

NLM: You have pretty neat discography. What’s your proudest work and why?

Meru: An unreleased song called 50 Bullets. It’s our most poignant work to date. Chill is writing the script for the video and it’s going to be a very important statement. It speaks to the heart of what most deem the problem with hip-hop today.

NLM: Who are your musical or non-musical influences?

Meru: For me it’s Saul Williams, Public Enemy, X Clan, Midnite, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye.

NLM: If you were to collaborate with just ONE chart-topping artist of today, who would it be and why?

Meru: J Cole. He is soulful. He is socially conscious also. He has great heart-felt songs. Or Saul Williams. That guy says some of the craziest stuff. He’s always raising the bar.

NLM: What are your plans for 2016?

Meru: We are continuing our diaper drive and stop the violence movements.

NLM: Do you have any upcoming gigs/projects?

Meru: We are working on our next mixtape and original album.

NLM: How can potential fans reach you?

Email us at chillof3kngz@gmail.com

Twitter: @the3kngz

FB: 3Kngz

NLM: Finally, if music didn’t exist, what other profession would you do?

Meru: Conducting writing workshops for children. It’s actually my job. I work with different non-profit organizations. All of them benefit children in some way or another. I teach poetry, creative writing, and hip-hop. I’ve been doing it since 2007.

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Interview with: Sticky Blood (on their latest EP Blood is Stickier than Water)

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I dropped in at the Red Bull Studios for a quick chat with Jamie Shield (left) and Andy Nicholson (right) -aka –STICKY BLOOD about their latest EP, Blood Is Stickier Than Water, released through their label Card Bang Music and their plans for 2016.

NLM: You released your EP Blood Is Stickier Than Water back in september. How would you describe their latest release to potential fans.

Andy: It’s a difficult one to describe as we cover a broad range of sound and It doesn’t sit in one particular genre. But if we have to describe the EP it’s dark, moody anthems.

NLM: On each track from the EP, you featured different artists – from Terri Walker to up-and-coming singer Hekky, who’s been a firm collaborator. How did that relationship started?

Jamie: We known him for years, so the relationship was pretty much already there. He went away and  did his own thing and we did our thing. The time felt right when he started releasing some music that we liked and we started collaborating again.

NLM: So what is your favourite track from the EP?

Andy: Balance is a definite favourite for me and Let Me Down but my favourites change from one week to the next.


Jamie: One Bar In.

NLM: With this EP, you experimented with drum’n’bass, dubstep with electronic basslines. Is there any other genres you would like experiment in future projects?

Andy: I think we use all those sounds mix together and we’re influenced by all of them individually,  so it only seems right to pull little bits from each one and make a completely new sound.

Jamie: I think it’s all about how it sounds at the end. I wouldn’t want to give it a genre – because he (Andy) would change his mind at the end of the week!

NLM: How about experimenting with a bit a disco or reggae?

Andy: Hmm…maybe not disco…maybe dabble in a bit of R&B and dubstep and possibly reggae, a real merger!

NLM: You worked with different artists, including Terri Walker. What’s it like working with her?

Jamie: We’re sick and tired of Terri! No joke aside, Terri is like family to us, she’s been back a few years with us. If it wasn’t for her, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today. She wanted us to work on her album and we jumped at the chance. We did seven tracks in which all ended up on her album

NLM: Is there anyone else you would like to work with?

Jamie: There’s a range of singers and rappers we like to work with. We particularly like to work with  Gaby Henshaw. Although we’re happy working with artists we have, we’re always looking for  new and established artists to collaborate with.

NLM: So tell us more about Gaby Henshaw?

She’s an up-and-coming singer  who did a track for us under a different name on a separate project which  panned out  perfectly.

NLM: So what’s your plans for 2016?

Jamie: Just keep on improving on tracks and keep getting better.

Andy: The aim for this year to reach to a wider audience. We want more of our artists to release more music,  and to build on our label.

NLM: Any upcoming gigs?

Jamie: Not as yet.  We want to get to the stage where we can perform live comfortably; doing it right and sound right and carry the vibe how we want it to.

Andy: We toyed with a few ideas for a live setting, but for now we want to produce more tracks and generate a few more ideas for what we can do in that sort of environment – we’ll get there, possibly next year!

NLM: You’ve done two EPs in 2015. Will this year see you guys going a full-length album?

Andy: We’ll continue to do individual songs for now, probably next year.

NLM: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Andy: I like to think, hopefully by then, we push out at least an album. I say that but it might take longer; we wait a couple of years and get it right. Hopefully more people will know about what we’re going.

NLM: Thank you for taking part in this interview, well appreciated it

No problem, it was our pleasure.

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