Kicking off a new Citywide segment, Nadia Vaeh talks musical therapy and video production

This episode kicks off a brand-new segment called Citywide Bytes, where I do live interviews on the Citywide Blackout Instagram page. This is the recording of that live interview, so be sure to check out the interviews, every Saturday at 10 a.m. EST.

Opening this new segment is poptimistic-rock artist Nadia Vaeh. She has released two amazing singles, “Sorry I Was Not OK” and “When U Think About Love,” released Jan. 5 and Feb. 2, respectively, and we go into the inspiration for these singles and some new musical styles she’s tried out.

We also talk about the amazing music videos made for both and how she met Director Jessica Farmer and the creative process.

Closing this out is one of her new singles, “Sorry I Was Not OK.”

Jon Merz talks production studios and acting in “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”

My next guest is someone I’ve known for a long time, so it surprised me to realize he’d never been on the show before. Well, that just gives us a lot to cover, doesn’t it?

Actor/writer/model Jon Merz and I talk about opening the doors to Ten 21 Studios in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s a full-service company that does demo reel scenes, book trailers, script work and a lot more. We talk about the decision to launch his own company and some of the folks they’ve been working with. We touch briefly on his latest project, an adaptation to his successful vampire book series, and will do a deeper dive in a future episode.

Jon’s acted for many years and perhaps his biggest milestone to date was his role in the Whitney Houston biopic, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” We talk about being around some of the biggest names working today and how he prepared for his role. This May, he’ll be taking the stage in “Hunting Whitey” on May 16 at The Wilbur and shares the challenges of stage vs. screen and his techniques for this kind of performance.

From debut albums to music production—Sarah Krohn shares her journey

After hearing “A Part of Me” by Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Sarah Krohn, I knew this was an artist to have on the show. So, here we go! Sarah and I talk about how she's grown as a musician from her debut album “81” at age 14 to her most recent single, “Sanguine in Blue,” released last December.

“A Part of Me” shares the theme of growing up and leaving home, which ties into her recent move to college in Ohio. We also talk about her recent work with friend and fellow musician Dani Jimenez and her band, Almost Tuesday.

Going to the School of Rock has offered Sarah a lot of opportunities beyond the classroom—including performing at Lollpalooza and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and she tells all about these experiences. She also goes into what she learned at School of Rock and how she's continued her musical education since.

Afterward, enjoy two of Sarah's songs—“A Part of Me” and “Stardust,” which is from her debut album.