From Boston to LA and back again: Stephanie James shares stories of a coast-to-coast musical journey

Stephanie James

In April of 2020, singer-songwriter Stephanie James and I discussed her (at the time) recent move from Boston to Los Angeles. Now, she’s calling Beantown home once more and there’s been a lot learned along the way.

In this episode, Stephanie and I reunite to talk about her experiences on the West Coast—the people, the places and of course, the music. She talks about some of her favorite spots to catch shows or just grab a slice of pizza. We look at the life lessons her time in LA taught her and how she’s grown as an artist.

Stephanie dives into life in Boston and the people she’s happiest to be around. Of course, she’s been playing lots of shows, including some with Sofar Sounds, and we talk about the venues she’s been a part of as well as changes to the city’s musical world. We also discuss her recent single releases, “I Could Use a Laugh” and “Just Like Me.” Both come from some tough experiences, but you may be surprised to learn just who they’re about. I know I was.

Opening the show is an excerpt from “I Could Use a Laugh” and “Just Like Me” closes out the interview. There’s lots more in store, so be sure to check out her site and socials for all the details.

Hollis Morrisette’s varied (and extremely busy) life in LA

To say that Hollis Morrisette has a lot on his plate is putting it very mildly. Between acting, modeling, writing and music, it’s hard to imagine how he makes time for it all. But make time he does, and in this interview, we talk about the many, many aspects of his creative life.

When he was just 5 years old, Hollis knew he wanted to live in Los Angeles someday and he speaks on those early day and how his life changed. He talks about his choice to take on so much and how he’s adapted to the challenges they’ve presented. We also talk about the necessity of a team and the different people Hollis works with.

Following this, enjoy “I Can’t Hate You,” one of the recent singles that Hollis has put out.

Diving into blended styles and cross-country moves with Joseph Mossbridge

This episode takes us into the musical world of Joseph Mossbridge, currently in Boston and soon to be moving to Los Angeles. We take a look at how his career kicked off and the fanbase he's built from his debut album, “Take My Time.” Much of the music on this album takes a page from what he experienced during the pandemic, including having to leave LA, where he was working when March 2020 happened.

Joseph's music blends all sorts of styles, including rap, EDM, and pop. We look at how these different sounds come together and what he's hoping to try out in future releases. We also shine the spotlight on the many people he's worked with to bring “Take My Time” and other songs to life.

Afterward, enjoy “Goodbye,” from Joseph's debut album, a look at the major move he had to make.

YAQI makes a great horror movie villain!

Welcome back! After a brief hiatus to deal with some personal issues, we return with LA-based pop artist YAQI. She's just dropped her newest single “I'm On It,” and there are some cool stories behind this song. We go into the sound of the song, her precise rapping style and how this all came together over a six-plus hour session.

A theme of the song is about focusing on your goals and not doing what others tell you, and this certainly reflects YAQI's own life. In addition to her music, she has a Master's Degree from the New York Film Academy and has been in a number of short films. She talks about her different villain roles and how it's so comfortable for her....yeah, I'm a little concerned too. We also look at her dream role and the person she'd like to work with above all others.

After this, enjoy “I'm On It.” I know I did!

Debut artists share their journeys in the music world

Dany Horovitz

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Dany Horovitz joins me to discuss his recently-released singles, “Seasons Change” and “Moving On.” Both deal with the concept of moving forward from tough times, and Dany and I talk about the real-life experiences that influenced them. Dany launched his music career just a year ago and we look at what inspired him to take the tunes he'd been working on for years and share them with the world.

After this, kick back and enjoy these two singles. Both have a different sound, and have a strong message to share.

LA artist XOHA is up next, and we dive deep into her debut single, “Outsider.” The track is honest and heartfelt, describing the often undiscussed inequalities in America. XOHA and I talk about what she's seen of these inequalities and how she crafted the lyrics. We also look at her unique musical style and the different influences throughout her life.

To close things out, enjoy XOHA's new single, “Outsider,” a standout song both for its music and the story.

 

Nolo Grace goes from the corporate world to the music world

After a long career in the corporate world, LA-based Nolo Grace decided to jump into a new career in music. This has led to a lot of success, including her debut “Wake Up,” featuring Sean Kingston and some amazing music videos. We talk about her decision to switch from one role to another and early days.



Nolo and I talk about her relationship with music producer Martin Wave (aka Lars Martin) and how the two work together. Nolo also speaks about her doubts going into her music career and how she feels about it now. We also look at her cool R&B/pop style and how it came to be. 

Tara Kelly talks about career changes made during the pandemic

A few months ago, I interviewed Tara Kelly to talk about her newest music video. This time, we cover a lot more ground as we look at her decision to move to Los Angeles, what it's been like, and how her music has flourished.

Tara's folk-infused style has changed a lot over the last year. We look at the new direction she's gone in during the pandemic, when shows and touring came to a halt. We also talk about her personal style and how it reflects her music.


Tara's music career is still in its early stages, and we look at her 

goals, both in the short-term and down the road.


Following this, enjoy Tara's new single “Play With Fire.”

Lewis Ciavarella shows us how to be productive in a pandemic

Lewis Ciavarella

BONUS—Tara Kelly talks about the adventure of making her new music video


It's a mix of musical styles in this episode. To start off, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Lewis Ciavarella has been up to quite a bit over the last year. He talks about what it was like when live shows stopped being an option and how he kept things moving forward.

He's got a new album out called “Two” and the electro/pop styles are really something. We talk all about his development as an artist, which has included a lot of time spent busking as well as working with Kelly Rowland following an appearance on The Voice.




Plus, we've got another bonus interview for you. Tara Kelly, who hails from Los Angeles, has a new music video out for her single “The River.” This song is based on a real-life cheating boyfriend, and actor Hunter Garner brings his A-game to the production. We also look at some unexpected hiccups and how the creative crew worked around them.

Following Lewis' interview, enjoy his single, “New Sun,” and at the end of the show, kick back with Tara's “The River.”

Nadia Vaeh addresses mental health and coping mechanisms in new single

LA-based pop artist Nadia Vaeh joins me once again in an Instagram Live interview to talk about her new single “Anxiety.” The song deals with mental health struggles and how people experience and cope with it an Nadia talks about her own battles with anxiety. We also dive into the music video for the single and her partnering with MusiCares, which raises funds to support musicians in need.

Following this, enjoy the new single, “Anxiety.”

Blake English talks personal journeys “Spiders Make Great Poets”

Performing artist Blake English's new EP “Spiders Make Great Poets” shows his journey from Athens, Georgia to LA, going back to his childhood when he sought a safe space to be himself. He's doing well in LA having recnetly completed the horror-themed music video for “Sad Girls Dance Party,” with a new one in the works. We talk about his background and how it's shaped him, as well as the different places life has taken him (Hint, LA was not going to be his original destination). 

Following this, I've got two songs from the new EP, “Sad Girls Dance Party,” followed by “The Neighbors.”

The music scenes in Los Angeles and Boston

Singer-songwriter Stephanie James has had quite the journey, going from Boston to Los Angeles a year ago. She talks about the move and what led up to it and some of her favorite times in Beantown. We do a deep dive into each city's respective music scene and how they stand out. She's also putting the finishing touches on her debut album “Unbreakable,” set to be released later this year and talks about some of the new directions she's going in. A single from the album, “Throw Me a Rope,” is set to be released May 8.

Big thanks to Nina Pickell for her help in arranging this interview. If you're an artist looking to take your career to the next level, Nina has the skills and experience to make it happen.

Following this, enjoy the NPR Tiny Desk acoustic version of “Throw Me a Rope.”

LA artist unveils debut LP

LA-based musician Sariyah Idan gives us a great look at the city's music scene in this interview. She also has a new album out, “Breaking Shadows,” and this 17-track album covers a number of subjects, including relationships, the #MeToo movement, and social justice. We also look at the music videos released for the album, which Idan choreographed herself.

Following this interview, enjoy two tracks from the album, “Darkness” and “That Woman.”

Jan. 19, 2019: Fact Pattern/Avi Wisnia

Fact Pattern

 On this week's episode of Citywide Blackout, I sit down with Raanan Bozzio, drummer of the band http://www.fact-pattern.com/. This LA-based band is now in its third year and recently released a new single, “A Form To Be.” We talk movies, music, how the band first formed and their plans for 2019.

Later, Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Avi Wisnia and I hang out at The Twisted Tail to talk about his plans in the new year, and also how he came to Philly and his grandfather's influence on him as a person and his music.

Avi Wisnia

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