Artist Spotlight

Chicago Underground Hip Hop Artist HARI is Handcrafting his Music Career

We recently met up with Hip Hop artist HARI for an interview, and he had a lot to say about the industry.

The Chicago-based underground hip-hop artist who goes by the name of HARI has been surrounded by music since he was a young child. He knew he was destined to make a name for himself since he started making music. For HARI, he is encouraging his audiences to listen and become better people overall and gradually become the best version of themself. His new album, The Art of Poetry, is currently in the works and set for release this summer. Music is everything to HARI as it represents his emotions, dreams, and greatest aspirations.

Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

HARI: Music & poetry has always been something I’ve loved since I was a kid, It played a significant role in what I do now. I would just get to writing poetry and I wouldn’t realize it, rhyming in my head but I always had a speech problem that made me not want to speak.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

HARI: My most interesting story would have to be when a label was trying to sign me and told me details over the phone but the contract said something completely different I just laughed and threw it away.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you first started? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

HARI: My breathing, when I first started rapping I would always try to rap my whole verse in one breath! Big mistake obviously and one I learn quickly.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

HARI: My next project “FREE” is my main focus right now and I won’t hesitate when it’s ready it will be announced and dropped I got so many fans over the past years that I can’t stop now.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

HARI: I’ve interacted with some of the best producers & artists in the game. Conductor Williams, lojii, 6LACK even though that was through a friend of his.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

HARI: I would say keep it real and original people looking and listening out for new sounds main reason I believe I’m going up.

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

HARI: My word of advice is. Invest in yourself and make time to be able to do what you want! These jobs don’t want to do anything but hold you down until you a certain age. You take the checks and start building something of your own then you can eventually leave and pursue your own dreams.

Can you share with our readers any self-care routines, practices, or treatments that you do to help your body, mind, or heart to thrive? Kindly share a story or an example for each.

HARI: I always clear my mind before leaving the house things change and people do too and some people can’t handle that so I would say clearing out your head, deep breathing if you ever feel like you need to hurt somebody or yourself just count to 100 calmly and a suicide hotline is also helpful but people underestimate therapy which I think a lot of people don’t realize they need including myself but I’ve gotten it because I know I do for my own reasons.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

HARI: 5 things I wish someone had told me…

How to market yourself to an upcoming artist.
How to work these complicated studio programs like FL studios
I think that’s about it.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

HARI: “Don’t stress about things you can’t control” that’s something I’ve learned to do because I’ve been in situations where I really could not do anything about it but overthink and stress about it so that really helped me.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

HARI: I do have some guys in my circle I definitely can’t do it without and their support the whole BOG and my family.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

HARI: With my influence. I want people to be more honest with each other and bring together a group of people who are divided in this world with the music I hope to actually get a chance to change the world for the better but those details are for another time.

We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂

HARI: I definitely want to meet some of my favorite rappers in the game like Jay-Z, Kanye, Kendrick, and some of my favorite authors and actors.

14 How can our readers follow you online?

HARI: You can reach me online on, @1harii on Instagram @harianum1 on Twitter, and @ONLY1HARI on Facebook.

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Album Review

Brynja Rán finds clarity in complicated relationships on “Unblurred” [album]

It can be hard to see when a relationship no longer meets your emotional needs, especially when affection, uncertainty, and repeated disappointment are hard to untangle. “Unblurred,” an album built on the bedrock of emotional unavailability, recurring conflict, and the slow dawning that a relationship might need to end, is where Brynja Rán unpacks that difficult process.

The ten songs follow the arc of attachment and frustration, weaving together the story of someone trying to figure out what they deserve. The focus track, “Unblurred Lines,” hits on the album’s central concept. This is when the veils begin to fall, and the person is more ready to see the partner’s behavior for what it is. The song is musically rich, with an acoustic and electric guitar soundscape, synthesizers, bass guitar, drums, and additional instrumentation.

The surrounding songs view the same emotional landscape from different angles. “Cowboy Wannabe” explores a partner masking insecurity with a detached personality, and “Deja Vu” captures the frustration of arguments that go round and round without changing anything. “Adore” is about ignoring red flags when you’re that into something, and “Cherry” is about the temporary comfort of being in a relationship that just isn’t right.

The album opens up by looking at borders and the need for real connection. “Make Me Feel” is about wanting to be loved, and “Until” is about how long you should stay in the twilight zone. “Still Stuck Waiting” captures the frustration of waiting for communication and commitment. “Don’t You Leave” begins with fear of abandonment and moves toward healing, while “What Else” ends the record with emotional exhaustion and a desire to move on.

Rather than treating every experience as a one-off event, the tracklist of “Unblurred” attempts to create a single image of relationship troubles. With this release, Brynja Rán explores unhealthy patterns, boundaries, and getting the clarity to choose a different path.

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Album Review

Legends of the Seven Golden Vampires explore healing and personal growth on “The Pumphouse of Broken Dreams” [album]

Albums often have a strong sense of identity, with songs linking to a broader emotional and musical direction. The nine-song album “The Pumphouse of Broken Dreams” by Legends of the Seven Golden Vampires, featuring Dutch vocalist Ilse Van Der Linden front and center, is more cohesive.

The band’s melodic psychedelic pop offers a welcome counterpoint to a project that explores recovery, longing, uncertainty, and personal growth. The tracklist is an emotional journey. “To Think, To Heal” starts with the idea of mental healing and moving on from the past. “Flying” is more of an escapist wish to escape the pressures of day-to-day life. “Come Home” is about finding comfort and belonging.

“Here I Am” is about self-awareness and openness. Together, these early songs form an album about finding stability and processing difficult experiences. The middle ground is more emotionally layered. “Hopelessly Devoted To You” is about being attached all the time, and “Lost & Burned” is about being worn out and the results of hard experiences. Then there is “In My Dreams,” which turns into memory and unfulfilled wishes. Later, “AIR” brings the need for freedom, air, space, and a new start.

It ends with “BLEND,” a combination of psychedelic, shoegaze, and electronic influences. The release also includes another visual element from Gareth Halliday, who also worked on Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Who Built The Moon. “The Pumphouse of Broken Dreams” has softer vocals and a range of emotions. This album is deliberately constructed, moving from reflection to acceptance without losing the variety of experiences it tackles.

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