New Music and Video Alert: Disco Shrine's "Hello"

Disco Shrine has a new single release called "Hello" along with a video. The song "chronicles her dating life in Los Angeles . . . everything from love at first sight and heartbreak to feeling empowered on your own and having friends with benefits." The music has a summer feel to it with a touch of RnB. It explores relationships that were viewed differently by both individuals, "Thought that it'd be good for a minute. Thought that it'd be fast but it wasn't. You thought that it would last but I didn't."

The video takes place in different locations such as paddle boats in Echo Park and what looks like Elysian Park. Were those areas that she went out on dates? I'm thinking yes.

Photo take at the Echoplex

Quarantine Online Sets: Version 36

The following online sets took place nearly two weeks back, but I still have fond memories of a recent Wednesday night. It started off with WFNM and Disco Shrine. This is the second time Disco Shrine has played an online set for WFNM. I'm pretty sure I got a shout out at the start of the set. I love getting shout outs. It only happens on rare occasions. What's so cool about her online sets is that they're so similar to her live sets. She spent the set dancing to the camera with microphone in hand. A highlight song was her recent release, "Future Memories."

Disco Shrine

Next up was Royal and the Serpent. I just recently came across them via a Buzzbands' Spotify playlist. On the playlist was the song, "Overwhelmed." I was immediately overwhelmed by the song. I couldn't get it out of my head. The lead singer has rather unique vocals. For WFNM, I loved her interaction with the online audience. A very memorable set. 

Royal and the Serpent

Karmic closed out the night on WFNM. The whole band got together for their set. The two lead singers just have the best vocals. They blend together for some New Age Jazz sounds. There is also the undercurrent of Latin influence. This is the type of music you play while on a drive up the California coast. 

Karmic

After Karmic, I switched over to Desert Nights to catch Lauren Barth. While she played, I imagined myself sitting at a coffee house. I was drinking hot chocolate and eating chocolate chip cookies. And I was scanning a photography book while the beautiful music drifted through my ears. Someday.

Lauren Barth

Quick Hit Artist Interview: Disco Shrine

Disco Shrine at High Tide

Interview with the artist. Enjoy:

Your song Power is about being strong during times of doubt. Are you interested in providing an example of one of those moments in life? Yeah, I think as an artist you're constantly doubting yourself and your worth and if you're making the difference you want to make with your art. I definitely struggled with that this year, but instead of turning my back, I just dived deeper into music and ended up reassuring myself and finding my confidence again through the music I was writing.

You've released 2 singles in short order: Alright and Power. What's your song writing process been like for those two songs? They were so different. Alright was written a long time ago remotely, because UNBLOOM [co-writer] lived in Canada. So we never met in person as we were writing the song together. Power was more organic. We met up in Magdalena Bay's [co-writer] home studio in Mid Dity and just talked and shared about music and our lives and ended up with this song.

2019 is coming to an end. Anything you'd like to share about plans you have for 2020? Yes. Music, music, and more music. Going all out next year and plan on sharing a lot of the new music I've been working on.

Editor note: this was posted first on Instagram back in 2019 so the final question is a touch dated.

Quarantine Online Sets: Version 12

On Sunday, Ariel Beesley did an Instagram Live interview on Ladygunn. I tuned in late, but did get on early enough to catch her sing a couple of her songs. She played a song on her keys and another on her ukulele. She had a huge smile and was full of cheer. It was nice to see on a Sunday.

Ariel Beesley

Wednesday was dedicated to WFNM. Disco Shrine opened the night with some dance moves. It got the blood flowing for the night. I've known Disco Shrine for years and she's always been so awesome with helping me out with various requests throughout the years. 19 and You dialed in from Australia. They did an acoustic version of their song Runnin'. Three members of the band our currently in Australia while the fourth is in the United States. Patrick Martin then did a set from, I believe he mentioned, Wisconsin. He left Los Angeles to write some tunes and then coronavirus broke out across the United States. I'm not going to lie, but the surprise was róisin marie. The set started off with Instagram Live focused on a darkened, slightly reddish room. I think it got Grant Owen (of WFNM) a little confused as he was wondering where she was. Without even a word, she walked into the frame and started her soulful-techno music. I have no clue where she comes from, but I do want to catch a live set. Tulliah ended my night on WFNM's Instagram Live. She's an 18 year in Australia. She has vocals that stayed in perfect pitch. Just wonderful.

Disco Shrine

19 and You

Patrick Martin

róisin marie

Tulliah

Thursday started off with Fiona Grey. She was doing an interview with Lauren Ruth Ward, but closed out the interview singing a couple of her songs. She sang a favorite of mine, "Saviour." And then she closed it out with the song "Kerosene." A couple hours later it was off to catch Livingmore on Jam in the Van. They didn't play in the official van, but did hang out in their own SUV on a very hot day in Los Angeles. Three of the four members jammed in the hot SUV. They made it clear that the three of them lived together. The fourth member wasn't there in order to practice social distancing. For the last couple songs, they actually had to close a couple of the doors, because a neighbor was hanging around and I guess they felt he was being a bit on the strange side. It must have gotten hot in the SUV for the last few songs. For the last couple years, Livingmore is one of the bands that I've seen multiple times. This year, oh well, I got to catch them doing an online set.

Fiona Grey

Livingmore

High Tide DTLA: Disco Shrine with Kit Major

I've known Disco Shrine (Jessica) for over 5 years now. She used to work the music festival Brokechella/Broke LA for a number of years. She was always someone who would help me with my photo pass. So when I learned she was throwing a party to celebrate the release of her music video Alright, I didn't hesitate to show my support.

Disco Shrine

Of course, getting to High Tide to provide my support was a bit of an adventure. I parked my car a bit too far away and found myself walking through the darkened part of 4th Street. It was basically a lot of store fronts that had closed up for the night. It wasn't exactly a safe feeling walking towards High Tide, but I did make it. And I made sure to take a totally different path to my car after her release party.

The party featured a number of fun little booths/tables where one could get cotton candy and get your tarot cards read to just name a couple of the booths. There were also a couple individuals working in an enclosed protected area, creating decorative glass. It was fascinating how they were making their glass jars.

Kit Major

When it came to the live music, Kit Major opened things up with her pop-dance sounds. After a short set by Kit Major, Disco Shrine hit the stage. She was introduced as the Persian Barbie, which referenced her song Alight. When you see Disco Shrine doing a set, you know you're going to get a set of constant dance moves and cheer. You can't help but feel like bouncing with her dance tunes.

She ended the set with the video of Alright. It is probably best for her to explain what the takeaway should be from the video:

I just released my new music video for ‘Alright’! I'm so excited to share it with you and can't wait to hear what you think of this Barbie dream world we created. It features a bunch of badass babes reading magazines, playing nintendo, snapping polaroids, breaking into choreographed dance sequences, and skating through clouds in a y2k themed sleepover. It's proof that girls can appreciate a cliche without being one. 

Quick Hit Artist Interview: Disco Shrine

Disco Shrine at the Echoplex

Interview with the artist. Enjoy:

What is currently inspiring you? I really love Elohim right now. Not only is her music amazing and inspiring, but her whole message and everything she stands for is so positive. It's really refreshing to see some realness being served, especially by a badass female producer who is killing it!

You have a unique perspective on the LA music scene as you're the go to person for many (me included) when it comes to Broke LA. Can you share any interesting thoughts about the Los Angeles music scene? The industry has definitely been changing rapidly. I'll only mention the positive. I think in a lot of ways artists have a lot of power right now to take things into their own hands, which is really liberating. I also think genres are mixing; it's really cool to see people experiment with sounds and to hear those experimental sounds pop off and even play on the radio. Nostalgia is also back in a huge way with emo music and throwback vibes. I'm definitely here for it.

Back in August you had a premiere party for your music video "Up In The Air." Can you share the creative process behind making the video? Yes! I made it with director Andrew Butte. DP was Dakota Adney and the Editor was Minh Bui. The process really started when I reached out to Andrew with my song. Andrew is also a first generation Lebanese American so the message was really relatable to him too. We basically texted each other for a few weeks sending every idea we had and then set a date for me to fly up to SF, where he lives. And it really all just came together beautifully. We basically spent all weekend shooting morning until very late at night. It was so much fun and definitely worth the sleepless nights. Andrew is my go-to for everything. He also did my very first music video for Shy and the latest promo for Everyday.

There are always new bands/musicians starting out in the LA music scene. Do you have any words of wisdom to share? Don't let people discourage you. Not everyone is going to like what you're doing. All that matters is that you love what you're doing. Work hard, then work even harder.