Interview

Honk Interview With The Raising Pop-Rock Singer Neomi

Neomi has a pop-rock sound that is rooted in her ability to morph emotions – the good, the bad, and the ugly – into melodic and lyric compositions.

We had the chance to interview the raising pop-rock singer and songwriter who has been winning the heart of millions over the years and next stopped to amazed her fans.

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

Neomi– I don’t think there was one specific moment that made me realize that I wanted to do music, it was always something I intrinsically knew as a kid. I always loved music and performing and so having a career in music was always my goal from day one. As a young kid, I went into music, singing, dancing lessons, etc. (really anything that would allow me to perform haha). I started performing wherever I could and then when I was 12 or 13 I started writing my own music. Fast forward a couple of years later, I started releasing my own music and I got together with my band and started doing live performances with them and really building my music career from the ground up.

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

Neomi- Something interesting that actually happened in the last year is I had been planning for my first big headlining show for my album launch in Montreal at Petit Campus and we actually did the show a little less than a week before lockdown started in Montreal. Immediately after, the quarantine started here. It’s crazy to think back and see how we squeezed that last show in right before everything changed.

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

Neomi– I had this one moment when I first started performing as a young kid where I went onstage and I entirely forgot the lyrics to the song I was about to sing; I had been practicing this song for months haha. That was a really defining point for me. I decided instead of being freaked out and running offstage or being upset about it to turn to the audience and crack a joke about how I forgot the lyrics. That helped me not be as nervous about performing and potentially messing up onstage in the future. It also taught me that a moment is only as embarrassing as you allow it to be.

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

Neomi– Right now I’m writing a couple of songs with my band! We’re going in a more pop-rock direction so I’m very excited to put those songs out. We also have a really cool music video that’s gonna be released alongside one of those songs so I’m really excited to release that! Other than that, I’m working with an amazing EDM producer, Shallow, on a track right now. I’m a huge fan of EDM so I’m really excited to get that out.

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

Neomi– I’ve been fortunate enough to have met a lot of really cool people in music. An especially interesting person I’ve met is the producer I’m working with right now, Jesse Zito from True Sonix Studio. He takes a very interesting approach to create music by studying what’s really popular right now and why it’s popular. I’ve never seen music dissected that way so I thought that was really cool. Our sessions together are always filled with ideas on how to bring my tracks to the next level and how to take what is working in popular music and use it in my songs to give them that modern feel while still remaining true to my unique sound.

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

Neomi– I think the number one thing I would tell people in music is to not feel like you have to put out perfect music, perfect content, or perfect anything really. I feel like if you go into creating your music or even posting on social media which is a huge part of being an independent artist, with the mindset of having to be perfect, you’re never going to truly enjoy what you’re doing and it’ll just be a stressful experience. I think when creating music and building your brand, you have to go into it with a mindset of “I’m not a perfect being and that’s okay. Nobody wants perfect, they want real.” If you’re having fun with what I’m doing, I think that’ll translate to your listeners and help you guys connect
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7. 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?

Neomi– That’s a great question. I definitely do feel the fear of failure as well, I think that’s a factor for every artist. I think the number one thing you have to ask yourself before starting is: “Am I more scared of failure or am I more scared of never trying and never knowing?” Another thing I would say to aspiring artists is to channel that fear of failure into motivation and use it as something to push yourself to work that much harder.

8. 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.

Neomi– One thing I like to do is yoga every single day. I put my phone and all my electronics away during that time and really just focus on being present in the moment. After yoga, I also like to meditate for 15 – 30 minutes depending on the day. Those two things really put me in the right mindset. I also think that taking one day of the week “off” (as much as you can) is important. For a couple of months, I would work 7 days a week and wouldn’t let myself rest much. Now, I take this rest day on Sundays to recharge myself for the week ahead and I’ve found both my productivity levels for the rest of the week and my mental headspace have improved drastically.

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

Neomi:

1: Is just starting. When I was younger I really wanted everything I put out to be perfect when it came to music or anything I would post online; that delayed my start in my music career. I had songs that I held onto for years because I wasn’t sure if they were “ready”. With music, I found out that there’s never a perfect place to start, you just have to take the plunge; once you start, you’re always gonna be learning as you go and getting better as you go, but you have to start first.

2: Is to collaborate with other writers. I feel like when you write by yourself, you may find that you have a very distinct writing style and structure, which isn’t a bad thing but to grow as a writer, it’s important to experiment with how you write, and one great way to experiment is to write with others. Collaborating with other people can really open you up to a whole new world of ideas and ways of writing music and will (hopefully) inspire you.

3: Is to not be afraid to reach out to people. You never know until you ask so use your contacts, use contacts you don’t have yet, research things, reach out to people, cold call, cold email, go out and as Nike would say, just do it.

4: This is concerning live performances. I used to be an introvert when I was a kid so I would be really nervous to go out and do live performances. I wish someone had told me back then that most people in the crowd want to like you. As a kid, I would get onstage and assume everyone was judging me, and if I mess up they’re gonna think XYZ about me, and most of the time, these thoughts aren’t reflective of reality.

5: Is don’t compare yourself to other artists. In the music world, there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” in terms of how to build a career, so comparing where you’re at to where someone else won’t be helpful to you.

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

Neomi– My favorite life lesson quote is “Other people’s actions towards you are not reflective of who you are as a person but who they are as a person”. As an artist, you’re performing in front of people all the time and you have to learn how to not take things personally, for your peace of mind. Everyone’s human, people have bad days, it’s 99% of the time not about you, so don’t take it personally.

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

Neomi– There’re so many people that I’m so grateful to have helped me along the way. I have to give a special shout-out to my amazing, supportive parents here though. They have been behind my dream 100% since I first started and I’m eternally grateful for them.

12. 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. 🙂

Neomi– This might sound super corny but I’d love to start a movement of just people being super kind to others, being patient with others, and trying to be as understanding as possible. I think a little goes a long way in that department.

13. We are very 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 whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂

Neomi– I would absolutely love to have a private lunch/dinner with Maggie Lindemann, an artist I love. She’s super cool and has amazing music. She transitioned from making pop music to more pop-rock music recently so I’d love to pick her brain about that since I’m doing a similar thing in my music.

14 How can our readers follow you online?

Neomi– You guys can find me on all social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube) with the username @thisisneomi and you can find my music on all streaming platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Music, under my artist name: Neomi. Thank you so much for this interview Jessica and thank you for taking the time to read it guys! Looking forward to connecting with you all 🙂

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Indie

Interview with Free Mace

Free Mace’s new album “Better off Bitter” is releasing 7/19/24. This new album was independently produced, engineered and funded from a home studio location in Jacksonville, FL. All processes were done by Mason Thomas Staub over 3 years time. Mason sat down to answer some questions in this one-one-one interview…

Mason, your new album “Better off Bitter” is set to release on July 19th, 2024. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this album and what themes, tones, and stories the listeners can expect?

The main inspiration behind this album is the evolution of artistry and production. Free Mace’s previous album, “Media,” was the transition into more Rock and Indie music. “Media” is a genre fusion set in a dystopian, technocratic, and bleak world, inspired by the global pandemic. As soon as “Media” released, I began drafting the early instrumentals to songs (such as Reality). Every album or EP has been a concept and “Better off Bitter” is no different. The main concept of “Better off Bitter” is being better off bitter. Over the 4 years of living in Jacksonville, FL and not being originally from there, I was the new guy in town. Because of this as well as the advantageous disposition of others involved in or surrounding the industry, I’ve faced ageism and superiority, judgment and prejudice, as well as seclusion and loneliness. Add an incredibly toxic relationship that consumed all my mental capacity for a bit (refer to the song Good Time Girl), and you get the varying emotions and experiences of “Better off Bitter.”

“Better off Bitter” describes the tone and tempo of the album, as well as mood of the songs. The goal of this album was to experiment and set a new standard against mainstream concepts, while not being so far removed from them that the music is unrecognizable. I have been describing “Better off Bitter” to people as a “Jazz Orchestra in a Pop-Punk band format.” I’m aware that this is a big claim to make, however, I’m confident that the unique sound that has been created is new and nostalgic at the same time.

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You independently produced, engineered, and funded this album from your home studio in Jacksonville, FL, over three years. What were some of the biggest challenges and rewards of handling every aspect of the production process yourself?

Some of the biggest challenges were motivation, isolation, and insecurity. When doing everything yourself it requires an incredible amount of discipline and vision. There were countless times I found myself vacationing in the doldrums for extended periods with minimal creative output. The beginning of an album always begins as a peak that declines over a period until release. It’s simple and stressless to explore, create and form new ideas, expressions, and feelings. After this honeymoon-like period, then the reality hits of how much goes into the processes of production. The starting production is always hopeful and motivating, so it’s easy to dedicate double-digit hours in a studio. When you start getting to the nitty-gritty, like listening to the same 10-seconds of audio on loop thousands of times, that’s when things aren’t done as jubilantly. That would bring me back to a creative null for a bit, until I felt confident to approach things again with a fresh perspective. The isolation came out of my own doing when I chose solitude to separate myself from distractions, toxic attitudes, limiting perceptions, and peer approval. I prioritized myself and focused on what was important; the completion of “Better off Bitter.” I became more mindful in the process in regards to how I would spend my time in the doldrums. I had a new motivation that allowed me to be more realistic about what songs would make the album (originally 15 instead of 10), what the context and sound would definitively be, and when a deadline would be. After finally completing it, that’s where the insecurity set in when it comes to the acceptance of the album, “Better off Bitter.” 3 years of work is a lot of time to think about how things will be, but I’ll just have to wait and see.

\Which track on the album holds the most personal significance for you, and why? Can you give us some insight into the creative process and meaning behind that particular song?

I would say that the last track on the album, “The Heretic,” has the most significance to me because it’s the finale. This is the last song someone will hear and the last chapter to the story conveyed in “Better off Bitter.” The idea of “The Heretic” comes from the snake-oil sales in the name of religion. The concept that an individual with certainty can sell others with a promise rather than those individuals being at terms with uncertainty. I wanted to provide an image of an interaction between a salesperson and a potential customer. Eventually getting discovered for their fraudulence, the salesperson is forced to lead a vagabond life until the discovery of reinvention.

Over the course of three years, your musical style and influences might have evolved. How do you feel your sound has changed or matured from your previous work to this new album?

The previous Free Mace album, “Media,” was a transition into more up-tempo music. I would see how people would react at the concerts and the up-tempo would always have a better response from what I could tell. It’s not that the audience didn’t enjoy the slower tempo music, it was more about what their body language conveyed. I started to notice people would be involved dancing and moshing to up-tempo music more than standing still with a head bob to a slower tempo. I wanted to do an album that would capture this high energy from beginning to end, while telling a meaningful story about emotions, experiences, and ideologies. “Better off Bitter” is the highlight album of the Free Mace discography, available everywhere 7/19/2024.

As an independent artist, what advice would you give to other musicians looking to produce and release their own music without the backing of a major label?

The best advice I would give to anyone and everyone would be to always stay true to yourself, no matter what.

What are your plans following the release of “Better off Bitter”? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or other projects that fans can look forward to?

Following the release of “Better off Bitter,” there will be 2-3 music videos available in varying cinematic styles. Currently in the process are one animated video (Available 7/19/2024 on YouTube) and one live-action Frank Sinatra/Edgar Allen Poe inspired video. There will potentially be shows in the future, but am needed a backing band on location for performance, so if you’d like a Free Mace show where you are located and have a professional band to provide, I will see you there!

https://freemace.hearnow.com/better-off-bitter

https://linktr.ee/free_mace

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Artist Spotlight

Angie and Chris from Eleyet McConnell Talks “Surrender,” Morphing and New Single

Angie McConnell’s powerful voice and heartfelt songwriting, influenced by icons such as Beth Hart, Janis Joplin, and Merle Haggard, blend seamlessly with Chris McConnell’s soulful musical arrangements, reminiscent of classic 70s rock and blues. Together, as Eleyet McConnell, they create a sound that is both nostalgic and refreshingly modern.

Since meeting in 2013 and beginning their collaborative songwriting journey, Angie and Chris have developed a musical synergy that is palpable both in the studio and on stage. Their songs reflect personal experiences and universal truths, delivered with an honesty that strikes a chord with audiences.

On the eve of their new single release, “Don’t Tell Me Why” from their critically acclaimed debut album, “Crazy World,” the couple took time out to answer some questions in this EXCLUSIVE interview…

“Surrender” is such a personal and emotionally charged track. Can you share with us the inspiration behind the song and what it means to you both personally?

Angie: Lyrically is a reflection over a very difficult period of time for me. Life was throwing curveballs at me, and I had to reconcile a lot of really hard things all at once. “Surrender” was my way of telling the story of my journey, and those moments when things felt quite insurmountable to me. It was my opportunity to share my belief in a higher power and faith that there is something bigger than all of us in control.

As a married duo, how does your relationship and shared experiences influence your songwriting process?

Chris: Almost every song we’ve written is about our life before and after marriage. For us it’s a magical thing to share the ability to express life through song lyrics and melodies. Writing is almost like the framework that makes us who we are both as individuals and as husband and wife. Angie never wrote songs until she and I met, and I was just waiting for things to click for her and see what could happen. For a couple years I’d noodle on the bass during rehearsals to see if she’d catch on and it took a bit. One day it was like she heard it for the first time and things just took off from there.

Angie, you mentioned that “Surrender” is your “give it to God” song. Could you elaborate on how your faith journey has influenced your music, especially in this song?

I grew up in the church and spent several days every week in service, bible study, or the fun activities our church would have on Saturdays or during softball leagues and things like that. My mom was always playing hymns on the piano and she and my dad would sing those old songs playing guitar. It was definitely part of my foundation. Like many people I drifted away from that life as I got older and while I never forgot those times, I certainly wasn’t active like I was when I was younger.

As I explained, the lyrics to “Surrender” talk about the lowest period of time in my life. So many difficult things happening all at once and I was struggling to deal with it all in a healthy way. Literally, one day I was on my knees just sobbing because I was so overwhelmed and I actually said out loud, “I can’t do this please help me”. I felt a peace that I hadn’t felt in a very long time and not because it had left me. It was because I wasn’t open to receiving it and didn’t even realize it.

All my life I remember hearing people say, “lay it down..give it to God”….. but it didn’t really resonate. This time it felt so natural and so easy. I let it all go and gave my worry, my fear, my sadness, my guilt….all of it to God. It was the best thing I could have done for myself.

“Gettin’ By” was a success, hitting the top 30 on the UK iTunes Rock songs chart. How did you feel about the reception to your debut single, and did it impact your approach to creating new music?

Chris: Believe it or not, we never sit down with the intention of writing a song in any certain fashion. Even with a song like “Getting By” and all its success, we still never went back to write the next tune with the intent to stay in that vein and try and match the success. Maybe we should think about that in the future, but our writing just doesn’t flow like that.

Your debut album, “Crazy World,” seems to touch on themes of overcoming struggles and finding hope. How do you hope listeners connect with the overall message of the album?

Angie: The songs on this album all come from our life together. Chris and I have had our share of struggles, and we still found a way to make it all work and it’s been just amazing. Our lives are crazy and fun and full and challenging, and the world at large feels even more crazy at times. This album shares stories of different struggles like paying bills, falling in love, sadness, disappointment and how unfair life is at times – all the things that each of us deals with on the daily. We found each other and have found a way to get through all the hard times together. Anything is possible. Hopefully, someone else can listen to our story and feel encouraged to keep chasing their dream.

“Don’t Tell Me Why” is your upcoming single, set to release soon. Can you give us a glimpse into the inspiration behind this track and what listeners can expect?

Chris: This song came together in a matter of minutes. We were writing with our friend, Darla, in her basement one evening. I came up with those bass intro notes and just sang the line “Don’t tell me why”. Darla and I just seemed to play the same thing without talking much about it and Angie literally just took off with the lyrics to the song. It was like she couldn’t write them down fast enough. Apparently, she was upset with me about something (chuckling). I might be responsible for a few of those songs when she was upset. More stories for later LOL.

Your music has been described as genre-defying. How do you approach blending different musical influences to create your unique sound?

Angie: Our music is simply a culmination of all the great stuff we grew up listening to as kids. Both of us have grown up with several influences and we love it all. I think it’s why our original work feels like it could live in a lot of places and it’s really difficult to say we live in this or that bucket. Both of us grew up on gospel and country music from our parents, Chris loved the 70s music and so did I. We both love rock and roll and blues and oddly enough, neither of us had a love fest with the arena stuff from the 80s. Sure, we listened and yes, we were in the throes of the vibe like everyone else at the time, but I wouldn’t say that era influenced us much as songwriters.

Both of you have dynamic stage presence. How do you translate the intimacy and emotion of your songs into live performances?

Chris: It’s very easy for me to get lost in the songs. We’ve written about some very personal experiences, from difficult arguments in moments where we didn’t think we’d make it all work to the very happiest times together and everything in between. I feel like we both can mentally go right back to those moments when we perform these songs, and the audience can feel that. Angie can grab a crowd. Some of my favorite nights are in small venues when the size of the place just makes it more intimate. There have been times where everyone is so in tune with everything she says, especially when she tells the story behind the songs. It’s magical.

Angie, you mentioned experiencing some difficult times a few years back. How has music been a form of healing or catharsis for you during those times?

Angie: It saved me. Music gave me an outlet to talk about and confront things that were far too difficult to utter out loud to anyone. When I began writing it was like I finally had this vehicle that let me – actually forced me, to look deep into myself and reconcile a lot of things that I had buried or compartmentalized. I had a lot of things to reconcile and through it all I changed dramatically. Chris will say, “You Morphed!”, and he isn’t wrong.

I took a hard look at myself and realized a lot of habits that I had developed where relationships are concerned, and it dawned on me that I had become someone else entirely. I didn’t hate who I had become per se, but I wasn’t happy nor was I really healthy. I had gained a lot of weight; I had some medical issues and I just felt like a cog in a wheel. My life was nothing much beyond going through the motions.

Writing was therapy in a lot of ways. I found a counselor that helped me with skills and tools to cope with life in more healthy ways. During this time writing music became prolific for me. I have told people that I feel like I finally know why none of us remember being born. Can you imagine how awful that would be? I think I know what birth feels like now. The pain, the physical pressure, the feeling of being transported from a cocooned environment to one where you are completely exposed. It’s traumatic. That time for me was traumatic but transformative.

I don’t look the same. I don’t deal with things the same. I feel like I’ve learned so much and I’m more at peace right now than I’ve ever been. Music was my outlet, therapy, healing—all the things. That line in “Surrender” that says, “I’ve changed so much that I don’t recognize when I look in the mirror, but I know I needed the change”….. that line is powerful for me when I reflect on that time and absolute truth.

Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for Eleyet McConnell as a musical duo?

Chris: We would love to take some time to branch out and take the show out of our local region. We’ve been planning about how we can do that and still take care of everything we’ve got going on here at home. We can’t wait to get back into the studio. Angie and I have written so much material and we want to get it recorded as soon as possible. New singles will be released soon, and we can’t wait for that. This year we have stumbled into some cool opportunities to play in larger venues, and we’d love to see a lot more of that. We are blessed. We are grateful and sometimes still can’t believe all that’s happening.

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“Don’t Tell Me Why” delivers a compelling blend of raw emotion and introspective lyrics, wrapped in the rich musical heritage that Angie (Eleyet) and Chris McConnell bring from their diverse influences. The single follows their successful Top 5 UK iTunes hit, “Surrender,” and continues to build on their reputation for creating music that resonates deeply with listeners. The new release comes on the heels of the duo’s recent Josie Music Awards nomination for Best Multi-Genre Duo.