INTERVIEW: ZACHARY LEO

23-year old Zachary Leo (Melbourne/Naarm) unites deliciously grooving disco funk vibes with modern pop structures in his latest single ‘Can’t Get Enough’. The Michael Parisi mentoree has honed his signature sound, bringing all the good vibes to wash away the tensions of life. Tori met with Zachary Leo to talk about the new single and being a musician in the post-covid world.

How's your weekend going?

Yeah, it's been good! Had a show on Friday night,  which was really good. And then had a relaxing couple of days. 

Where was your show on Friday night? How did it go?

Cherry Bar! The new Cherry Bar on Little Collins Street. It was great. We had a great, great night. Great turnout. Played well. That was the launch for the new song. There was a tour planned…and then there wasn't, it has been all over the shop. So I cut everything back and just did the show, but will probably announce some more stuff soon. COVID made it super tricky, which is a bummer. But the launch was great. So that's all we can ask!

Small wins in the music industry at the moment! You're talking about the band there, but you are Zach…. tell me where this whole thing started?

I think it was 2019, that was the first single and the first show. Before that I had been in bands and had done my own music. But I got to a point where I wanted to write a certain type of music and it didn't fit the band, it didn't fit my solo thing that I was doing, which was very acoustic and the band was heavy rock. So I made a decision one day to go on my own, but have a big live show with a band. It is like the band Harry Styles would have or any big acts would have. But I’m kind of finding my sound and finding my direction. I think I'm on a really good path at the moment, settling in and creating what I think is really cool. 

I guess it's not really pop, but this new version of pop coming out at the moment, you talked about Harry Styles and I think of Billie Eilish. They're the new pop, which isn't such a traditional cotton candy kind of sound. Is that what you're aiming to go for?

I think definitely a type of pop I'm looking to go for, but a lot of my influences come from funk artists from the 70s and late 60s like George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, when they spearheaded the rap scene for a while as well. A lot of that music was ingrained into the mainstream early on. It's kind of funk. But naturally, there's this pop structure there, I guess in the melodies. It's like you said, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish - it's not your traditional pop. They take influence from there. I've got my different inspirations in the soul scene, and the rock scene that I put in there, make it a little bit less poppy, but it's definitely still pop.

And so are you primarily a vocalist? Or are you an instrumentalist as well? 

I started with vocals. But I would say guitar would be my strong point. I've been practicing the most since I was quite young. I always sang but I wasn't always very good for a long time.When I was in my early teens, I got some lessons and kept giving it a go. Now I think it's a vessel to deliver the music, rather than my strength, if that makes any sense? But the guitar, that and songwriting is one of my strengths, where I feel most comfortable.

And with this new track, was this one that you created in COVID? 

Like everyone in Melbourne I was in lockdown. It was just before the big one last year, I had a meeting with Alex, my producer to decide on which songs we will record in the studio. The night before I had a spark of inspiration and quickly wrote this song, and came to him with it the next day. He was like, yeah, let's do it. Then we sat on it for a while. We've played a few shows with the song in it, we got into pre production and then lockdown. We had to record it after lockdown ended. I had time in lockdown to make sure that we had time to go through pre production and stuff then we came out of lockdown to record. It was a day before and Alex sprung on me that I needed to rewrite half the song and he's like, “You’ve got to cut all this out”. We had all lockdown for him to tell me, and he sprung it on me at the last minute! But what came out was the best result. 

This is Alex from Delta Riggs?

Yeah, we started working together. It would have been a lot sooner but with COVID. Then we did, so good! Hopefully some more songs in the future as well.

He's definitely becoming one of the bigger producers and has an awesome sound. 

He was incredible to work with, just seamless and easy. I've always been stressed in the studio, it felt like we weren't working hard enough because it was so easy. We got the take like “Yeah, cool. That's it. That's the take”.  It was such a great and easy and stress free and creative process with Alex, he made it very, very easy, which was awesome. 

Are there any other producers that you've got your eye on that you'd like to work with in future?

I think at the moment, honestly, I think what me and Alex created was really special. He helped me find ways to bring the songs to life. We connected musically in the studio. I haven't connected with someone like that before. We both knew what we needed in the songs. I think right now, I'd be keen to jump back in with Alex, I haven't even thought about someone else!  Obviously, Mark Ronson for instance, producers that you dream of working with, Pharrell and all of them. Honestly, Alex - I'd be keen to get back in with him ASAP,  we're working towards that, but everyone's busy. 

Are there any artists that you are really keen to work with, or you've kind of started chatting with?

Not really at the moment, I'm always open to collaborating with other artists and working with other musicians, but I think I'm someone who writes very much on their own. I sit in my room and work on something then come out and show people and then go back and work on it myself. So there's no real talks with anyone at the moment. I mean, there's a few really cool Aussie artists that I would love to pick their brain and work with. Like Kesmar from Sydney, he's got this really cool synth sound that I just adore. I think it's awesome. I love his vibe as well. I'd love to work with him. We can make something really funky. 

How are you feeling about the response to the single? 

It's been awesome.  Messages and love from heaps of different people. It's been really cool. Even the last week or so it's taken off, streams have been going off and giving me so much love. I'm feeling really, really positive about it. I think positive words and reassurance is enough for me to feel really good about it. I love this song and I'm really proud of it. Everyone's been so lovely. 

Is there anything else that you'd want your new fans or people who are following to know about you or about your music?

I'm a pretty open book. I would just say thank you for the support so far. There is music coming and the show is coming. I’m keen to share it with everyone. 

Before we go, what was the last thing you were listening to?

You know, it was Harry Styles. I think it was Daydreaming off the new record. I've been playing non-stop the last couple of days. 

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MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERE & REVIEW: ZACHARY LEO’S ‘IN MY HEAD’ TAKES US BACK TO THE 70’S IN THE BEST WAY

HELLO 70’S VIBES!!!!

The scene opens with a short intro as a beautiful, long haired 70’s style man with a durry hanging from his mouth enters the hallway to answer a phone. Is he being broken up with? Is he being cancelled on? We dunno, but the poor muffin is so sad about it. He sits down next to the receiver and puts out the ciggie, with a short silence as we look deep into his eyes.  He’s got one of those little hallway stands that my Nonna has, it’s so precious. 

I have to be honest- I KNOW I already reviewed the EP and all, but I feel like the song is different now I’m viewing a video? 

Mr Leo has one of those film filters that makes it seem like you're watching a dusty old movie, I thought my screen was dirty for like a split second before remembering that is Leo’s signature style. I wonder what it’s like being stuck in a different era? I love his whole vibe honestly. 

Back to the video and Leo wanders down the hall to the lounge and a stunning record player as the song starts, and this is where the fun begins… 

Who’s sitting behind the bar but the girl in Leo’s headspace…. No spoilers but you’re going to love it like I did. Pure gold... and I’m not talking about the hair.

This whole set is so quirky, do we know if this is where Leo actually lives? There are so many beautiful artistic shots, cutting between Leo strumming away and him lounging around the house, being haunted by the mystery girl. It's just so beautifully mastered and I can’t get over the general aesthetic. 

As it turns out, the whole thing was shot on Kodak Super 8 Film, which makes sense in relation to the actual dusty quality of the film. 

The video feels like it was built on the idea of the song- YES, I know that’s what music videos typically are but this one just is a perfect mesh of Leo’s musical and personal style- it’s subtle but also If you watch, listen to or follow Leo you know what he looks like and can definitely see these comparisons in this video. 

Covid has really hit us all hard in many different ways, but the fact that he was able to film and produce this whole music video during restrictions as well is a testament to his dedication to his music. 

This music video is a kicker. Go and watch it, you need it. It’s so good. Zachary, I adore your costume changes… All of them. 

Huge credit also goes to Brandon Carr, who assisted with Set Design, Directing at his very own house in Melbourne!

Don’t believe us? Watch for yourself as we bring you the exclusive premiere below!

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EP REVIEW: ZACHARY LEO’S ‘FEELS’ IS GIVING US THE FEELS

G’day, kids and kidlets! I know, been a while but here I am, and lawd do I have a stunner for you!

If anyone remembers, I reviewed a sexy little single called ‘Feels’; a beautiful blend of soul, r&b, and some pretty rock vibes all weaved into that mix. 

Well, wouldn’t you know who popped into our email inbox!

Without further ado; I give you….

Feels, an EP by Zachary Leo. 

1: Prelude

Ahh, what a start! This instrumental number is a little bit 70’s, little bit mysterious, and a whole lot of rock. It’s very… music for those good 70’s and 80’s movies- hear me out- Pretty in Pink? It's just so SMOOTH. It’s delicate, slow burning but oh so sensual. This whole intro really sets a high bar for the rest of the EP. It’s so magically weaved together, I can’t even see straight. Where are my glasses???

2: Insane

You know what? I believe there is a vinyl being released on the 20th of November. I am telling you now- I really fucking want one. The transition from Prelude to Insane is LITERALLY INSANE. It’s so smooth and just seamless. What a good start, Mr Leo!

This one is a bit more on the “Rock” side of Zachary’s somehow multifaceted genre. 

I did struggle to understand the lyrics a bit, but I think the focus was the instrumental aspect of this song. It was definitely interesting to hear the somehow unending vocal limit. I understand the angst in this song, this really conveys Leo’s struggle with anxiety and you can feel that? Once you know what the song is, you can hear it. 

All around, it was a really punchy start to the vocal aspect of this EP. Zachary is really mastering the production of his own work, and let me tell you it is hard to stop playing with something until you’re sure that it’s reached it’s peak. This is that peak. The vocals and instrumentals aren’t battling each other for dominance. Everything is working together to create a great sound. Rock is really versatile in that it can basically reach everyone with very little effort. It’s a genre for the people. 

3: In My Head

Hello, gorgeous! This is a really funky little track. I'm wiggling in my seat, it is so easy to move to! I think there is a music video attached to this song, being released early! 

This is way more gentle than ‘Insane’, it’s got remnants of ‘Feels’ so you know it’s a kicker really, it’s got that slow build to the bridge and it just feels like it’s directed at me? I mean, the listener. 

You get your classic Zachary Leo Serenade, with familiar guitar licks and punchy bass. Very good stuff, Zachary. I can dig it. 

4: Interlude

Ah, this feels like the part where you’re supposed to take a breath and relax a little. Every single song on this EP is able to stand on it’s own; and yet they all work together so wonderfully? How does this happen?? 

This interlude is a little bit of lullaby, it’s so soft and delicate, I think this is exactly what the EP needed- just a teeny tiny little breather. 

5: Feels

Now listen; I know I already reviewed this song, however when I heard it again in the order of the EP, I felt like I was hearing it for the first time. I feel like there is a whole other facet to this song that I wasn’t hearing before. It’s a whole new song when tied into this EP. It’s so brooding and I feel like I’m sitting on the couch on hot (Australian) summer night, and Zachary is explaining what he’s feeling towards me, the listener, the partner, the fling-or-something-more, and he's just pouring his heart out, the little muffin. Poor darling. I hear you. When I heard it as a single, I wasn’t sure how it would sound in the EP but now, it fits. Here is the missing puzzle piece. It’s a 6 piece jigsaw but it still needed this song.

6: Out Of Place

Did you think we were leaving the rock behind? You are sorely mistaken, my friend. 

This is such a garage band kind of rock song. It’s super vulnerable but also so wonderful in the sense that we are being pulled in by the delicious guitar and enigmatic drum kicks, and the lyrics just set us down for a great show. This is the garage band your brother and his friend started and you go because his drummer friend is hot but you stay because you love the music. 

This one definitely fits with the title, Zachary definitely puts across that he's feeling out of place in the scenario; I can’t quite pin whether or not he’s been rejected or if it’s coming, but there's a little bit of angst hidden between the rock/grunge guitar riffs, and is that a solo I hear? Yes. Come to mama. 

---

Overall, this is a really solid start to Zachary Leo’s Album/EP discography. I believe the songs all worked together to create a beautiful story of love and the mental struggle with comes with that whole thing: rejection, hope, questioning of self worth,; it’s all there if you listen hard enough. 

There is definitely some cohesiveness to each song and the transitions are wonderful, and while I think that while interlude was needed in such a multifaceted EP, it feels slightly out of place in it’ lullaby like form. It was a breath of fresh air from the heavier, rock/funk tracks, but I felt like maybe it could have gone at the end instead of the middle of the track list. A calming, almost moment-of-clarity end to the EP would have rounded it off well. 

In any case, it’s wonderful to see such strong music coming out of Melbourne; it’s looking like the music industry will recover from the hefty times we have all been through as of late. 

Great work, Mr Leo. 

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INTERVIEW: NEON PATTERN SUNDIAL (FKA BEN ALPINE) IS TAKING IT ALL IN HIS STRIDE

Hey there Ben! First off, a huge congrats on your debut single 'All In Your Stride'! How has the single been received so far? Any favourite critiques?
Thank you! Yeah the reception has been really great and to be honest a little overwhelming! I’m not sure what I’d expected, but I don’t think I realised I’d be spending the entire release day responding to messages from friends and reading blog posts about the song. It was so cool though, definitely very very stoked and thankful.

Ben Madden wrote a review on the song which was so cool to read. I just feel like he took from the song exactly what I want people to, especially saying that “you’ll feel positive about your day by the end of it”. Otherwise it’s just been so cool to hear from friends. I had shown it to a few people that I’m close with as we were making it, but tried to keep it under wraps for the most part. So it was awesome to now have people really dig into it and ask about the details in the artwork and things like that, which is exactly what I want people to do.

Tell us about your creative processes; how did 'All In Your Stride' come to be?
I don’t really think I can say that I have a definitive creative process as that sort of thing always changes. it’s sort of split up into two parts….

Firstly, I’ll create the demo mostly by myself. I’ll just work on it whenever; in my bedroom, on trains, at uni, mostly with headphones. I’ll just record everything really rough and try to not get too caught up in lyrics or synthesis or getting the right take.

Then I’ll bring the demo to my friend and producer/mixer Marc Scollo, and we’ll go through and flesh things out, tidy up the arrangement and basically re-record everything at a much higher quality. Marc is basically like 49% of the project if you ask me. This is where we replace the sample drums with a live kit, and start arranging vocal harmonies and all that stuff. Usually the song changes a lot during this process. I definitely rewrote some of the lyrics right before recording them...

All In Your Stride was in it’s ‘demo’ stage for over a year before Marc and I started on what became the final production. And I started it at a time that I wasn’t very inspired so it sat dormant for months and months before I picked it up again. I rewrote a lot of the lyrics at the last minute which seems to be pretty standard for me at the moment. I don’t really consider myself that great of a lyricist and feel like I have a lot to learn.

My friend Bek Nafiz was pretty important in the process, we did a session mid-2018 that basically got the entire foundation of the song down. It was her idea for all those funky guitar lines. I should also mention Alex Siderov who played drums on the track.

I'm very intrigued by the single's cover art, it's quite beautiful. Tell us about the concept and the images you've used.
Yeah! The artwork seems to be getting a lot of attention which is so awesome. It was basically all Jack Mackinnon. I just gave him a bunch of photos I had taken that reflected the aesthetic of the song to me. Which were mostly these vast landscape images that gave off this optimistic feeling, to me at least. He picked those ones and put them together that way and I loved it immediately. He absolutely killed it I reckon.

The photos are either from my travels or places that I’ve spent a lot of time and are all important to me. I picked up photography about 2 years ago, and I wanted the aesthetic of this project to be very rooted in reality and that sort of dreamy representation of it, so using those photos was a no-brainer.

Some of your influences include Hippo Campus and The Japanese House, how do these artists inspire you and your music?
Like everyone I listen to a lot of different music, especially electronic music and a lot of pop, but I feel like those two artists reflect the more ‘indie’ guitar-driven side of my sound, especially on All In Your Stride. I was listening to Bambi by Hippo Campus and Good at Falling by The Japanese House a lot during making this so the input was definitely there, both of those albums are some of my favourites. The Japanese House’s tuned and harmonised vocal arrangements were 100% a huge thing for me.

COVID-19 has had an extreme effect on the music industry, and I’m sure you’re missing festivals and gigs as much as me. What was the last gig you went to? Any events you were looking forward to that were cancelled/postponed?
The last show I went to was my friend Earnest Jackson’s single launch for his song Sweaty, which is a massive tune and their performance really went off. Before that I saw Golden Features who is always amazing. And I was getting really really excited to see Bon Iver and Tame Impala before they both got postponed!

Give us your Top 10 songs that are getting you through lockdown.

In no particular order! A real mix here of random stuff I’ve picked up and had on repeat...

Phone Numbers by Dominic Fike & Kenny Beats

Ego Death by Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye West, FKA twigs & Skrillex

Firing Rifle by PNK FME

Day After Day by Goldwater

You by Tennyson

Nirvana by ELLIANA

Playing On My Mind by The 1975

Motion Sickness by Phoebe Bridgers

Strobing Light by Ishq

All The Way by Tom Cosm

Finally, what’s next for NEON PATTERN SUNDIAL?

I don’t know how much I want to say! I’ve got a bunch more songs ready so there will definitely be another single sooner or later. A lot more on the way.

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INTERVIEW: GRACE FARRIS - ‘ALL THE PEOPLE’. GRACE TALKS HER WRITING PROCESS, GROWING UP WITH FAMOUS FAMILY, AND THE STATE OF THE WORLD

What inspired you to write ‘All the People’? 

‘All The People’ was one of those songs that came to me so fast that I even and often asked myself or the universe where did this come from? It came through within an hour and then I had a full song. Including the feel, the groove, the bass, melody and lyrics, the arrangement followed soon after. I feel though that I was tuning into the worldly events happening at the time that really affected me in one way or another and ‘All The People’ came through as almost a song of reassurance for me and for my greater community being the people of the world. We all have our darkness and our lightness to face every day and I feel ‘All The People’ is such a beautiful and very much a uniting song of strength and love. When I wrote my song ‘All The People’ it was one of those rare songs I knew was meant for others to hear and not just for me. Some songs and art is just for myself and some songs I know is for other people to listen to and to share. 

Was the idea of the track a slow process or was it something that came to you quickly?

I did not have an idea before writing ‘All The People’ which is unique for me. Some songs I have a feeling about what I am going to write about or a certain emotion I honour while I am writing. Although ‘All The People’ came into my life and through me like a beautiful gust of wind. I wrote it so quickly that the minutes felt like hours and seconds felt like minutes. It is still to this day one of the most awe inspiring songs I have ever written and I still wonder where the understanding for exactly how it wanted to be came to me so quickly. Around an hour to be exact and then the arrangement followed soon afterward.

In light of the recent world events it seems that the notion of coming together is incredibly important right now. What message are you hoping to reach your audience through the lyrics?

My biggest message in my lyrics and music is to come back to yourself and who you truly are and what is your own path in life is as a person as well as coming back to how I can serve within my own community. This is my biggest message that I feel shines through in ‘All The People’. This is usually the place I come from when I am writing. I never write music because someone wants to hear something in particular. I write from the heart with the intention that it will help me find solace in processing these emotions as well as help others in finding and feeling the same emotion and feelings I felt or feel. Which is something that happens naturally because It comes through very naturally. Which is such a beautiful feeling. ‘All The People’ is all about uniting and coming together to do the best we can and to be the best we can for our family, friends and others we meet along the way. I knew it was a very grand song when it came through and I knew where it needed to go as soon as it came to me. The music and the feeling is the most important component to me when writing a song. This came through very strongly for my song ‘All The People’.  

The track is incredibly funky, it has effortless amounts of groove brought forth by the combination of drums and the sax. Has the track changed considerably from its conception? What was the recording process like with Tony Buchan?

I knew as soon as I wrote ‘All The People’ that it would be a heavily funky, groove based song. I felt its power and its heart the minute it came out. I had the song two years before I went to record ‘All The People’ so I knew it better that I thought anybody ever could. So when I approached Tony and I was wondering for a long time who to choose as a conscience and producer. I decided Tony could grasp what was going on in my head the most after all of these years. Tony was amazing and his musicianship and knowledge is so incredibly wide. I knew exactly what I wanted for all of my songs and compositions as well as the arrangements on my album ‘Grace’ so to have someone that understood this was a very important and a wonderful feeling. ‘All The People’ was one of my songs I spent the most time on in terms of sound and feels, especially the bass throughout and the way it felt was so important to me. I spent hours and hours and hours getting the bass just right and one day I finally heard it. I would be up all night long figuring out all of the layers, vocals, bass. I wanted to work on ‘All The People’ in the studio as long as possible until I heard in the studio what I could hear in my mind. I was so strict and so focused and firm on creating what was in my head for so long for each of my songs on my album ‘Grace’. I am very much so happy and proud with how each of my songs and compositions turned out. My song ‘All The People’ is one of my greatest songs and I am so proud and so glad it is now there for the world to listen to it.

You have been surrounded by music from a young age, having a father renowned for his songwriting talents with INXS. What was growing up like in such an artistic family?

I was raised in a very normal way. Although we were surrounded by beautiful artwork and beautiful architecture and went to some of the most amazing schools in the world. I think at the end of the day my experiences in nature are what grounded us as a family and me as a child. My father and mother made sure that our childhood was as protected as possible and that nature influenced us as much as possible. If we felt like making art we would. Although I enjoyed history and science and geography so much. I painted a lot growing up and started writing at a very young age. I thought most families were as creative as my family, although this was not always so. I was surrounded by nature everyday growing up. This is the foundation of life and I really honoured this as well as the innovative nature of mankind, which I had a huge appreciation for. I had written over 2000 songs by the age of 18 as well as poems and stories. This came to me so naturally and very much so by my own will and joy for writing. 

You seem to be extremely passionate about the environment, being an ambassador for both Sea Shepherd and the Jane Goodall Institute. What is it that inspires you to take environmental issues into your own hands?

I have always been surrounded by nature in its natural state and all at once I find mankind's ability to be creative and innovate equally fascinating. I have found many moments of solitude and some of the greatest moments up until now have been in nature in its natural state. I find you are able to listen to the real rhythms of the earth and your own self rather than others or other people's inventions. I feel that so many children grow up without being in the natural world and the beauty and peace it can bring to someone's life. Being the ambassador for “The Jane Goodall Institute” I am shining a light on her program “Roots and Shoots” which involves families and children and anyone who wants to be involved in growing their own plants and food and growing their awareness of being more connected to the natural world and its need for us to honour it. I believe that Jane Goodall’s work along with many other scientists and people of this nature provide information that is just so wonderful and so integral in the health of our amazing home. My awareness of the natural world has come from many different sources. I grew up around and surrounded by the traditional indengous Aboriginal people of Australia both up in Arnhem land and in Garma festival as well as in my home all of the time. Weaving baskets and learning about the knowledge of the Aborgininal elders and in particular about the plant  medicine in different parts of Australia that have influenced me greatly. I grew up on a working farm and near the ocean which brought a lot of solace and comfort to me when I felt I needed it, which also led me to become the ambassador for “The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society”. I garden and bush walk a lot and enjoy looking and being around trees for long periods of time. Listening to the birds and other creatures and the elements is the most uplifting and peaceful feeling to me. My own organisation “The Grace Earth Organisation” will be launched in November/December 2020. My organisation will be a place for people to come and find out more information on the many different ways to help us all to be much more mindful about our footprint and the health of our local environments. It will cover many different topics and areas and will have information from other institutes and organisations as well as there being events to help raise awareness about our connection to the natural world and our place and impact on our ever changing home. 

Your debut album, titled ‘Grace’, is set to release later this year. What can fans expect from the new music?

My album ‘Grace’ is one of the proudest moments in my life and I already had 6 of the songs for around 15 years and 4 of them around 2 years before I went on to record my full album ‘Grace’. When a song comes to me I can hear what it wants very clearly and quickly. I listen to the song and what I feel the song is asking to sound like once recorded. This is something I thought very long and hard about for each song I wrote. I consider myself a writer first and foremost and I write everything from the heart, including the arrangements and each layer for each song has its purpose and its place. I loved writing each and every song for my album ‘Grace’. It is one of the greatest achievements of my life and I am so looking forward to others being able to enjoy and listen to my music, dream and find a world of their own within the music. 

What are your favourite Aussie artists? What music inspires you?

I really enjoy Australian music. There is so much art and amazing music in Australia that I have so much respect for. I enjoy ACDC, INXS, The Seekers, Paul Kelly, Nick Cave, Slim Dusty, Yothu Yindi, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. The music that inspires me the most and I always seem to come back to is classical and traditional indigenous music from all over the world. It feels so beautifully raw and so wonderfully uplifting to me. I have always gravitated towards this kind of music. Hymns and opera music inspires me greatly too and always has. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart inspires me greatly. When I first heard ‘Clarinet Concerto in A major and A minor, K.622’ I felt it’s lightness, darkness, softness and suspense he carries throughout these entire pieces in particular. So many times these pieces of music have brought me great solace. It is so brilliant and has inspired me more than I can even say. I do not know how to not think of Mozart’s music when reflecting in particular on my own musical arrangements to bring my writings to an accompanied setting.

When I first heard ‘Four Seasons’ by Antonio Vivaldi I laughed and cried with happiness and all of the emotions one might have in each season going about their daily life. I could feel in his compositions the very essence of our natural world and how we change and turn to move with the beautiful season’s we all adjust to through every year. I love how the leaves on the tree’s turn red and yellow in the Autumn and bare in the winter, and how all of the animals and land gets quieter and much more silent, there is a median feeling in this section of ‘Four Season’s’ that is just so incredibly beautiful. Then in Summer and Spring everything feels bright and warm and passionate and so sensual. This very essence is found so deeply and so beautifully in ‘Four Seasons’. This Artist has inspired me so greatly. 

“Jules Massenet” When I first heard ‘Meditation From Thais’ for violin and piano. This artist has inspired me so much and I will forever be learning from and unveiling the incredible intricate writings and compositions of Jules Massenet. 

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