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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Reviews Women in Entertainment

Rachel Arianna brings hope and awareness in the message of ‘We Become’

Rachel Arianna is not your typical teenager.  At the tender age of 15, she is already a gifted songwriter and performer as well as the founder of the “Words Can Soar” anti-bullying campaign.  This young lady from the New York City area  has worked tirelessly as a mental health, suicide prevention and anti-bullying youth activist and her mission is to raise awareness through music, the arts & activism.

Arianna is releasing her latest single, “We Become” on all media platforms today.  The song is not just about accepting who you are, but also about accepting the little mistakes that we make because “today is now, but we always have the future.”  The song will also be featured in the Lyme Light Journey documentary featuring Brooke Procida Ritchie (Studio P.C.I.)

The song is a powerful anthem of hope that needs to be shared with the world.  It is well-written and crafted in such a way that it should appeal to music lovers of all ages.  The message comes through loud and clear with a call to action that must be answered.

The single was recorded at Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch, New Jersey, was produced and co-written by two-time Grammy winner Marc Swersky (Hillary Duff, Joe Cocker) and was engineered by Joseph DeMaio (Bon Jovi).

When she was 10 years old, Arianna started her “Words Can Soar” anti-bullying initiative after learning that a teen in her hometown had committed suicide.  She expanded her program to reach many more venues and individuals as she witnessed the impact that bullying takes on suicide and mental illness.  She is also in favor of gun control after learning that they have become one of the leading causes of suicide in teens.

Arianna realized that healing begins through communication and that young adults need to talk to each other and hear each other’s stories.   With a desire to empower others, she began her mission to create change through the arts.  Using her poetry, she collaborated with songwriters Marc Swersky and Brielle Brown to write “We Become,” her second single with them, as a vehicle to inspire the communication young adults so desperately need and to make sure they know that no one is alone.

Rachel has been performing for 11 years and has appeared in national commercials, television, movies, and off-Broadway, while her voice has been used for voice-overs.  In 2017, she was presented with the State Honoree Award for Community Service for Middle Schoolers through the Prudential Spirit Awards, and was a two-time recipient of gold medals from the Presidential Awards.  She  has been invited to leadership conferences, won the Clarence F. Heimann Award and the Halaby Award, as well as the LA Music Critic Award for Rising Star in 2018 and for Fan Favorite in 2017.

Arianna hopes to use her music to spread messages of kindness so that no one else will lose their lives to the horrible epidemics of bullying, suicide, mental health or guns.

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Women in Entertainment

Indie artist/activist K-Syran seeks to conquer US

Born in Norway and currently based in Switzerland, K-Syran is an indie artist on a mission.   She released her latest album Smoke in my Veins on August 6 on Intimacy Records.  The record contains 12 tracks including “Intimacy,” which was selected as the anthem for the 2016 United Nation’s International Women’s Day, and “Hello,” which is currently riding the Billboard Dance Charts.

The album was recorded at Metropolis Studios and produced by Tom Nichols (Celine Dion, Kylie Minogue) and Charlie Thomas (One Direction, Nick Mason), who are credited as The Secret Agents.  But what sets the album apart from others is the fact that it combines seductive dance tunes with a thought-provoking message in a style that has become the trademark of K-Syran.

“The power and joy of song has the ability to comfort and inspire each individual.  Music can offer hope when people need it most – that’s what I want to give,” says K-Syran.  “I wrote some of the material on Smoke In My Veins with women in mind, but the ideas and emotions behind my songs strive to be universal.  I think it’s a mistake to think that lyrics in dance music cannot deal with anything of substance.  Dance was a form of spiritual activity for human beings throughout the history of our kind, a powerful form of emotional and physical expression.  That’s why I want my music to give audiences music that would move their bodies while engaging their minds. ”

In an effort to learn more about this intriguing artist, Indie Voice Blog interviewed her.  Check out the results of that interview below:

IVB:  How long have you been performing?

K-S:  When I was five, I told my parents that I would become an actress.  I have been performing ever since and never looked back!  Performing is my life, and without it, I believe I would die.   I have experienced short periods of not performing in my life, and I felt as though my soul was dying

IVB:  Who do you consider to be your influences?

K-S:  As a female artist it must be the one and only Madonna!  What a woman she is!  I believe she will go down in history as a revolutionary, a strong female artist who conquered the entire world with her charisma and determination!  She is a true artist and business woman, and a legend who still has children singing her songs!

IVB:  What makes your new release special?

K-S:  Smoke in my Veins is full of excitement and pleasure because it contains rhythmic chanting with depth!   I believe that losing yourself in rhythmic movements that get your pulse racing can induce a mood of frenzied exhilaration.  In addition I hope that my vulnerable lyrics will reach you deep inside.

IVB:  What are your future plans?

K-S:  I’m working on a new album which I’m super excited about.  Because of the success of my  single “Hello,” which reached #38 on the Top 40 Billboard Charts, and my album in the United States and the UK, I am planning a mini-tour.  In addition to my music, I’m still working as an actress.  I am filming a psycho thriller at the moment, and my part is exciting and challenging.

I am also producing my play, Breaking the Silence, in Geneva next January.  I wrote the play for an amazing cause that we should all be more aware of called Human Rights Watch.

In Africa, young girls are getting married between the ages of 13 to 14, and are starting families.  Medically speaking, they are far too young to give birth,  and often end up with vaginal fistulas, resulting in their rejection by their husbands and the community.   This condition can be corrected with a tiny, inexpensive operation that can save these girls.

IVB:  Do you have any stories you want to share about your band – touring, recording, or fan interaction.

K-S:  While touring with Blue on their UK tour, my dancing DJ’s system completely broke down on set, forcing me to sing a cappella in front of an audience of 4000!  I loved every second.  It was such a treat being on this one month tour with Blue’s four guys, Duncan James, Lee Ryan, Simon Webbe and Antony Costa.

IVB:  What types of social media do you use?

K-S:  I love Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, as well as YouTube.  In fact, the music video for my song “Hello” was recorded using some of the tech from Snapchat.