AUSTIN RIDDLE hones his craft as a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, which has led him to become one of the most intriguing male R&B artists in his hometown, Alabama underground scene.
His background as a classically-trained concert/jazz pianist, has led Austin to work with a wide range of talented underground artists, covering genres from Hip-hop, R&B and Rap, he says “I’m just out here making music for myself, and sharing my journey with everyone else, I love people and I hope my music can help them enjoy life to the fullest.”
Immersing himself in creating music to be enjoyed by the masses, Austin has won numerous competitions with his performances, he has performed in cities such as Los Angeles and New Orleans and is looking to further his travels with his musical ability.
Austin’s latest offering comes in the form of feel good pop track, ‘Something Good’. Speaking on the release he says: “This is just an expression of gratitude towards a significant other. This is an exclamation of joy in what we have in such a new and beautiful relationship.”
With exactly one week until the release of their debut EP, ‘Watch The Ton3s’, Grammy-nominated viral sensations THE HAMILTONES teases us with the remix of their Ricco Barrino-produced ‘Money Can’t Buy You Love‘ single, now today (31st May) on all digital streaming platforms.
Written by group manager Brandon Davis, and produced by Streetz Mentor and Gotti Rock Solid, the ‘Money Can’t Buy You Love’ remix features a guest verse from Phonte (of Little Brother) and guitar work by Lelo of THE HAMILTONES.
This is one smooth R&B joint! Check it out before you head out
After making an impressive splash on the blog with latest effort ‘I Just Wanna’, NEW LEASE MUSIC has decided to catch up and find out a little more about the man behind the single, GENTRY KOZIA.
NLM: Hey, thank you for taking part in an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC. So what have you been up to in the music circuit in your hometown?
GK: Thank you for having me! I really appreciate it and I’m currently not living in my hometown I relocated to California. But I have gone back home a few times within the last two years, doing radio interviews and a few shows.
NLM: You released your single ‘I Just Wanna’ back in April. What was the public reception of the single so far?
GK: It’s doing very well & gaining more streams.
NLM: What’s your inspiration behind the single?
GK: Love songs from the past something that is missing greatly in today’s R&B music.
NLM: Are you planning to do a music video for the single in the near future?
GK: We shot a video for it back in October of last year but had to do some re-shoots..I’m planning to release it in July…
NLM: So how would you describe your sound to potential fans?
GK: A touch of vintage soul with a little funk, layered with some rock rounded off with today’s sonics..I try to stay away from trends but still maintaining a sound that is familiar today – if that make sense.
NLM: If you had to collaborate with ONE mainstream artist, who would it be?
GK: Well it would actually be two… Prince and Pharrell Williams. Those guys are not afraid to push the envelope with their fashion and music.
NLM: If you had three wishes to change the music industry today, what would they be?
GK: More originality, diversity on radio playlists and better artist deals.
NLM: So what are your plans for this year?
GK: Currently I’m on tour until the end of September and continuously release music on all digital platforms. I also have a few major placement deals in place, so I’m staying busy.
NLM: How can potential fans make contact with you?
GK: I’m on all social media platforms as gentrykozia (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Soundcloud, Snapchat). All my music is available on all streaming platforms as well.
NLM: Finally, if music didn’t exist, what profession would you do?
GK: I would be a professional boxer..I was boxing before I decided to pursue music professionally..
Championed by Elton John, EARMILK, ELLE, PopCrush, OkayAfrica and Buzzfeed, AMERY comes blazing onto today’s hotspot with 80s-inspired pop single, ‘Never Growing Older’.
Born in Rwanda, the young musician was raised for many years by his grandmother, surrounded by women in a very strict and religious environment where pop culture was seen as an enemy of traditional values. “My grandma would tell me to not act like ‘those crazy guys on TV’”, AMERY remembers.
Following his arrival in Belgium at 12, the singer discovered different cultures and communities, and found more ways to express himself. After feeling like an outsider for most of his life, in a black community where men are expected to act tough, he decided it was time for him to learn to accept his singularity and embrace his feminine side.
With ‘Never Growing Older’, AMERY aims to finally get this off his chest. Produced and arranged by James Lowland, the track is a conversation with himself, debating with his thoughts, his fears and all the society rules that can hypnotize and restrain.
The 22-year-old further explains: “This song is about me taking back control after battling with myself, and my fears, for so long. I wrote it while having a rough time trying to figure out who I am, burying and changing some parts of me. I came to the conclusion that I could never change who I am. All the things I have been through, the struggles and the achievements, make me who I am today.”
‘Never Growing Older’ is now available on all streaming platforms…have a listen below:
