Buzz Editor

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Buzz Interviews Andie K of The Key of F

I’ve been singing since I was a little kid. I was born in Florida, so of course I started singing Disney songs as soon as I could string a sentence together. Music has always been a major part of my life. Although oddly enough, I didn’t learn to read music until recently, which is really counter productive. I definitely wish I did that sooner. I always relied on my ear to pick up melodies and harmonies.

I was fortunate enough to work for Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando where I performed in several shows, including an a cappella group called “4 Girls Only”, plus singing in various musical dinner theatre productions and I was a backing singer for a cover band called “Motown Madness”. Being an artist in Orlando, you usually had 3 or more jobs. It’s a very close knit group of musicians and performing artists, so you usually work with the same people in different gigs. What always surprised me was when a tourist would recognize me from Universal while I was at one of my other gigs .

I made the jump to Los Angeles and met my collaborative partner/bandmate Marie Pettit and we immediately hit it off. Marie invited me to some of her jam sessions, where I would sing and Marie did the backing harmonies. We realized how well our voices blended together and started joking around about forming a band. One day we decided to stop joking around about it and actually do it and The Key of F was born.

Buzz Interviews Djuan Keys of Lano Bandz

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I started music when I was only five years old. At the age of five began playing drums, then later became interested in piano at about age 14. I was always really into to singing and imitating main-stream r&b artist as a kid, but artists such as Usher and Chris Brown inspired me to create my own pieces of music.

Buzz Interviews Sarah Collins of Lucky Locks

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After I graduated college in 2009, I took my first full-time job at an ad agency as a graphic designer & photographer. I quickly realized the 9-5-at-a-desk type of job wasn’t for me, so after three years of that, I quit and traveled solo around Europe for several months.

During that time, I discovered a lot of energy and drive within myself I didn’t know I had, and it gave me the courage to start dreaming about what self-employment would look like for me when I got home. But I returned with no money and a need for health insurance, so I shoved away all the dreams and courage I built up and took another corporate job doing design on the marketing team of a large footwear brand — which set me back with 2.5 years of anxiety and depression, knowing I had betrayed myself and was now building a life in the opposite direction of where my passions were pointing me.

I had kept up a little freelance design and photography work on the side of my full-time job, so when I got laid off a few years later, my boat was hardly rocked… it was actually an answer to prayer and I had no choice but to take this window of opportunity to get back on the track of my dreams.

So, I built up Neon Grounds — a tiny visual marketing studio. And even though I was working at a desk far more than 40 hours a week, I began to feel freedom and energy pulsating in my life again. I felt myself growing at a rapid rate, learning and stretching so much from building out this company. It was hard, but it was fun. I loved each challenge that was presented to me, and I loved solving problems even more.

Over the four years of running Neon Grounds, I began craving more human interaction and tangible creating than what the career of digital marketing was offering me. I wasn’t actively trying to make a professional pivot, but it just happened, and here’s how… An hour away from where I lived, I met a whimsical woman who shared my name and passion for magic and beauty, and she asked me to work alongside her to put sparkles in people’s hair. “Sounds fun” I simply thought. I had no idea it would have taken over my life in the way it has. It started just as I originally thought — simply something for fun. I had the time, and it fulfilled my need to connect face to face with others, to do something non-digital with my hands, all the while still doing what I did best — sharing beauty.

In 2016 Lucky Locks was born out of the serendipitous convergence of my growing needs and passions. Putting sparkles in people’s hair for appointments rolled into an amazing event partnership with Nordstrom, which rolled into more corporate partnerships with brands like DryBar, Lululemon, Macy’s, Google, Squarespace, Kiehl’s, Victoria’s Secret, Prana, Dillard’s and more, which grew into excitement and inquiries from salons and individuals asking how they could be a part of Lucky Locks. So I built the Partner and the Salon Program to pull more people into this magical world.

The Partner Program is the heart of the company — offering those with my same dream of self-employment the opportunity to run a successful and fun business… all without having to do the hard work of the branding, the marketing, the product sourcing, the problem solving, etc. Because the path of entrepreneurship has grown me so much, I wanted more than anything to create a way for people to experience that same growth in confidence, contentment, professionalism, and in their community connections.

I’m proud to say that two years after the Partner and Salon Programs were launched, we now have a total of 34 Partners & 16 Salons in 15 states and across three countries. Our goal for 2020 is to provide Lucky Locks in every major city in every state across the US. If you know of an individual who could use this self-employment opportunity in a state (or even a country) we have not yet established, please send them to our website to inquire about becoming a Partner of our brand!

Buzz Interviews Jackie Balestra of South Bay by Jackie

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After many years in the commercial real estate industry, I began my second career as a freelance writer in 2008. Every article I submitted was accepted and ran in a variety of local, regional and national publications. It took me two years to accept the fact I would never make a living wage writing freelance, so I went online looking for a position as a staff writer.

I was hired as a Los Angeles General Recreation Examiner with Examiner.com. Every article I wrote featured recreational activities in the South Bay of Los Angeles (where I live), and after six months, I requested and was granted a title change to South Bay Recreational Examiner. I quickly developed a loyal, local following. It took me six months to realize I wouldn’t make a decent wage writing for Examiner.com.

I then set up a series of meetings with a variety of creatives I knew requesting ideas and input on my next move. Across the board, they suggested I start a blog. 2011 was early days for bloggers – I was familiar with a few blogs and set out to do some research. I knew almost immediately that a blog was too limiting and that I needed a website.

I had a clear vision of what I wanted the website to be and hired a website designer. In July 2011, South Bay by Jackie.com was launched.

Buzz Interviews Mojtaba Mirshekari

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As strange as it may seem, my journey in Cinema started from being a Civil Engineering student back home in Iran. Over my undergraduate studies, I started watching movies more seriously and I found my passion for storytelling. Especially, the works by Stanley Kubrick and Jean-Pierre Jeunet captured my attention. I vividly remember the first time I watched Clockwork Orange. I was mesmerized by the visuals and Kubrick’s point of view towards human psychology. From that moment, I realized that I want to be a part of filmmaking world. Thus, I decided to change my career from engineering to filmmaking. After successfully obtaining a master’s degree in Cinema Studies, and directing and editing several short films, I found moving to United States as the most logical way to fulfill my dream.

Currently, I am a Film Production MFA student with emphasis on Editing at Chapman University. Since 2017 here in US, I participated in several film projects as an editor, director, DIT, and sound designer. Recently, I directed and edited a short film named “Birthday” which has been very well received by festivals around the world. Particularly, Birthday has been nominated in various film festivals such as Top Shorts Film Festival (Won the best editing award), Oaxaca FilmFest (Nominated for best short film), Skyline Indie Film Fest (Nominated for best short film).

Buzz Interviews Joel Rios of GLAMAZON BY KING JCRAZY

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I started Off as a model back in 2016 but never really hit the runway till 2017 I got Really popular in 2018 hen I started To engage more with my social media (Instagram) through out those years I was Always a photographer and started to grow even more because of my personality and pretty much just being relatable. I started with about 1,500 and grew to 10,000 all by my self I learned How to be marketable and how to grow you social audiences.

Buzz Interviews Tara Simon of Tara Simon Studios

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? I started singing on stage since I was 3 years old. My first ever performance was at my church, and I still remember to this day being up there singing, how it felt, and how (even then) I knew music was going to be my life. I was heavily influenced by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Sandi Patti, Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Christina Aguilera growing up. I love singing with soul, with a big presence and commanding the attention and emotion of an audience. I sang regularly for many high profile events locally growing up, attended a prestigious performing arts high school (Dreyfoos School of the Arts), won best vocalist in state in 10th grade, and moved to NYC the day I turned 18 to attend a performing arts college and audition for Broadway. Less than a year later I found myself performing the lead role in the European tour of the Broadway musical “Fame”. Everything really started snowballing for me after that.

I never set out to coach. My plan was to be a singer my whole life and that alone. But no matter where I went, every time I would sing somewhere, people would come up to me after and ask if I taught lessons. My answer was always “no” until one day when I finally decided to say “yes”. I began coaching during the day and started small in my house. Once I had so many people in and out that my carpet was getting black, I rented a space from the church I was attending. Then I hired and extensively trained my first coach to work under me. After a short time, I had more coaches working at the church for me than the church had working in the music ministry! At that point I finally got a space of my own and we have been flourishing and thriving there ever since. But none of that was easy and it took a lot of courage, a lot of risk and a lot of grit to see it all through. Out of all that sacrifice came the greatest gift…and it keeps on giving! I have had coaches and students come to me saying how the environment and culture at TSS is special. That they feel at peace and at home here. It makes my day every single time. TSS is more than a business, it is a family. My coaches stick around after they’re finished working just to chat or jam or work on their craft like they’re in their own living room. Students post about how excited they are about coming to lessons and all the wonderful new things they’re learning. It’s a really special place. Hearing a singer who once sang quietly with no confidence, belt out a power ballad with their arms raised to the sky never gets old and is such a special sight to see. It’s what we as coaches live and breath for.

Buzz Interviews 2wotone of 100 House Entertainment

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Trials, tribulations, and triumphs. I grew up with my mama on the southside of Atlanta, (CLAYTON CO.) and my little brother. I’ve grown up with the skin condition vitiligo. I always had a passion for music and film. A couple bumps and stumbles along the way but I’m still here. God is goo

Buzz Interviews Ryan Rosoff of Little King

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Good morning…it’s a pleasure to be with you!

I was exposed to music through my parents in the 70’s, and then a bit later through the tastes of my older brother. Dad was into the Stones, Beatles, and the Beach Boys (he grew up in LA in the 40’s and 50’s, so the Beach Boys were compulsory listening). My mom’s tastes…well, England Dan and John Ford Coley, Gordon Lightfoot, Kim Carnes, and the BeeGees. Yikes. Brother Matt, though, redeemed us all by getting into Iron Maiden, Led Zep, Pink Floyd, and Rush, all of whom are still in regular rotation for both of us.

My life until about age 15 consisted of sports and more sports. Music was for pleasure, not something that I saw as a creative outlet. But I stopped growing just south of 5 foot 8, so I realized that the NBA wasn’t in the cards. Around that same time, probably Xmas of 1988, my dad gave me a Washburn Acoustic Dreadnaught that still remains as my go-to for songwriting to this day. It is, quite literally, my oldest surviving possession! So I started to fiddle with chords from a book for songs I knew by heart, and lo and behold, I joined a band at age 16 called The Green T’s.

Growing up in Seattle pre-grunge, the local heroes were Hendrix and Heart and Queensryche. A few more, but that was sort of the Holy Trinity in Seattle Rock until the Pearlgardenchainvana thing happened. I moved to Arizona for college in 1990 and then followed a girl to El Paso in 1992 (a recurring theme, as you will see) and got married at the ripe old age of 20. I had to work and go to school and hustle just to survive, but when I met a couple buddies in a popular local band looking for a new drummer, I jumped at the chance, and Tweed Quickly was formed in 1995.

Tweed was sort of an eclectic mix of Zappa, Spanish music, Prog Rock, and the Beatles. It was SO MUCH FUN. Those guys have remained close friends and musical collaborators for over 25 years, and that influence has certainly remained as a part of Little King. But Tweed Quickly ran it’s course, and because I had already written about 10 songs that I had intended to record with those guys, I made a move and formed Little King (which is the Gaelic translation of my first name, “Ryan”). We recorded what can be best described as a demo/almost album in 1997 called Transmountain, and the rest is history.

In the past 23 years, I have recorded 6 albums as a producer, lyricist and music writer, singer, and guitar player. The lineup is Transmountain (1997), Time Extension (1998), Virus Divine (2003), Legacy of Fools (2008), OD1 (2014), and the latest, Occam’s Foil (2019). Been a helluva ride…but I am still here and still writing.

Buzz Interviews Alonzo

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Hey! Just want to first say thank you for this interview. I don’t take these things for granted so I really appreciate your time. I come from very humble beginnings.

I am a small town boy with a voice and passion to move the world. I was born in Chicago, IL & raised in Rockford, IL by my single mother. Early on in life I struggled with depression and anger as a child. I can honestly say that singing and dancing saved my life. My grandfather was a musician and I spent a-lot of time in his recording studio as a child. I could always sing but I discovered my dancing abilities first. I started winning talent shows and became the choreographer of a local dance crew named Fatally Unique. My primary focus in starting this crew was to take youth off the streets of Rockford, IL and give them a place to shine. In 2011, I led Fatally Unique to the Semi Finals on Season 6 of Americas Got Talent. While on Americas Got Talent I realized that I was helping 14 dancers live their dream but I wasn’t fully pursuing my own. My dream was to do music and be a singer. In 2013, I answered to a ad on Craigslist “Seeking Singers & Dancers for International Tour”. I knew this was my chance. A month later I was on my first tour in China. I went on to sell out 4 Tours 50 cities in China from 2013-2016. I grew so much over those years. I like to think that China was the bootcamp that made me the artist that I am today. In 2015, I moved to LA where I began to pursue music full time. I’ve been on the grind to make a name for myself ever since. I started a movement called #FreeOfFear to bring awareness and confront how we sometimes let fear control our lives. I realized that most of my life I was afraid to sing and the minute I got over that fear my life really began to change. Since being in LA, I have become a favorite at famous clubs like “The Viper Room”, “Whiskey A GoGo”, & “Sayers Club”. I have toured with the 4 U Prince Tour as the first lead singer approved by the Prince Estate on this tour. I have sang back up for Christina Aguilera & In Summer 2019, I released my debut single “Your Medicine” debuting in the top 100 on the iTunes Rock Charts. Today, I am currently preparing to release my Debut Album as the Journey Continues….