Citywide Blackout

Lorenza Wildcard off to a stellar star with debut singles

With just two songs, singer-songwriter Lorenza Wildcard has captured the attention of the music world, being named an artist of the month and charting high on several stations. She joins Citywide to talk about her debut singles, “You & I” and “My Army.” Both songs come from different points in her life—the first from one of her most difficult moments and the other showcasing the strength to move forward.

 

We look at how she went from recording a song at home during the early days of the pandemic to meeting with a producer to get the track recorded. We talk about her early success, how this influences her as an artist and pushes her to that next level. We also look at the very different sounds of “You & I” and “My Army” and her process of experimenting with different styles.

 

Opening this episode is an excpert from “My Army,” and closing the interview is the full “You & I.”

“The Science Fictionary” defines the undefinable

Author Robert Bly is a longtime fan of—and writer of—the world of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. But what is a black hole? And how does warp speed work? And how many kinds of demons are there?

 

Robert set on the most epic of quests in “The Science Fictionary,” now available through Crystal Lake Publishing helping reader to understand the unique language of these genres. In this interview, we talk about what inspired this book and how he went about learning the precise definitions for all sorts of words. We look at those that really stumped him and the process of defining words that have been anything but.

 

We also look at Robert’s lengthy writing career and how this all helped in his research and writing. The book also includes over 50 illustration and we talk about how these came to be.  

James Dunne brings some ‘outlaw country’ with his debut album

After hearing James Dunne’s single “Black Train,” I immediately thought, “I need to talk to this guy.” And here we are.

 

James and I talk about is first single, “Duty,” which reflects on is own time serving in the British Armed Forces and the other tales he covers in the EP, released earlier this year. Music has been a part of James’ life for years but it’s only recently that he decided to release it and we look into what led to this.

 

James and I talk about the music video for “Black Train” which features—you guessed it—a black train. There’s a story with this one, and the visuals are amazing. We also talk about the reception he’s gotten since the release of his music and the different folks he’s met as he’s begun this new part of his life.

 

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “Black Train” and closing the show is the full song.

Brave Girls Collection moves to story of trauma, bravery, and finding your voice

In author Kimberly Behre Kenna’s first book, “Artemis Sparke and the Sound Seekers Brigade,” we’re introduced to a young girl determined to save the environment. It’s the first of the Brave Girls Collection, and on Aug. 3, we get to meet the newest protagonist in the series, “Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm.”

 

In this book, Jett is fighting two battles—one against the censorship of books at her local library. The second is her secret personal trauma, which reflects that of the author. In this interview, Kimberly and I talk about the choice to include her own struggles and how it shapes the character. We talk about central messages and what she hopes people take away from the story.

 

We discuss book censorship in the story and the motivations of those behind it, as well as how Jett fights back and the friends who stand by her side. Kimberly wrote “Jett Jamison” well before book censorship became the hot-button issue it is now and we give our takes on what’s going on in the world.

 

Libraries have been important places for both of us, and Kimberly talks about her younger years roaming the stacks looking for the perfect tale. She and I share our favorite books and experiences as young readers.

Four years of music and shows with Frankie Raye

It was in 2019 that I first interviewed Florida-based singer-songwriter Frankie Raye. Since then, she’s played hundreds (yes, hundreds) of shows, debuted at The Bitter End in NYC, and gotten the chance to try out voice acting in “The Boar Knight” podcast.

 

In 2021 alone, Frankie booked over 300 shows and talks about her approach with a venue, especially one she’s never worked with. We go over her time at The Bitter End, a first for her as a performer and talk about some potential future Northeast shows. Frankie also shares the stories behind her recent single, “Foot in Mouth,” which is about being content with where you are in your journey, specifically in the music business. 

 

Frankie takes us through her time with “The Boar Knight” podcast as Dr. Comet Chianina of the United Bovine Science Coalition on Episode 13, “Up, Up and Away.” We talk about getting into character and some future episodes.

 

Opening this episode is an excerpt from her single “Over Now” and closing out the show is “Foot in Mouth.”

“Plus 1s” has its big debut before a sold-out crowd!

The crew from the romantic comedy “Plus 1s” is back on the show, but this time it’s a few new faces. Producers Kimmie Johnson, Emily Baeza and Aries Fung join me to talk about the film’s debut as part of the recent Roxbury International Film Festival before a sold-out audience. The producers and I talk about the experience and what the fans wanted to know.

 

Kimmie, Emily and Aries’ roles went well beyond being producers and we talk about the different challenges they took on during the filming. Trust me when I say they had a lot to deal with, but took it on with their diverse film backgrounds. They also share what about the movie made them say “I want in.”

 

It’s a five-part journey into space with “Faraway and Forever”

Science fiction and faith—two topics that, as it turns out, work pretty well together, and my next guest— author, musician, and artist Nancy Joie Wilkie—shows this with her soon-to-be released book, “Faraway and Forever,” a collection of five novelettes. The book is set to be released on July 18 through She Writes Press and is now available for pre-order.

 

Nancy and I take a walk through the different stories, which range from contact with another world to a planet where wishes are grown. Quite a lot happens in these tales, and Nancy shares with us where the ideas came from and the editor who helped hone them into the final form.

 

This is her second book with “Seven Sides of Self” published in 2019 and she and I look at how the two books meld together. She also gives a few hints as to what we can expect with “The River Keeper and other Tales,” which is set for a 2024 release.

 

The stories blend sci-fi, a bit of fantasy and some faith, and Nancy shows how the different elements are woven together. She even shares her favorite story!

From Boston to LA and back again: Stephanie James shares stories of a coast-to-coast musical journey

In April of 2020, singer-songwriter Stephanie James and I discussed her (at the time) recent move from Boston to Los Angeles. Now, she’s calling Beantown home once more and there’s been a lot learned along the way.

 

In this episode, Stephanie and I reunite to talk about her experiences on the West Coast—the people, the places and of course, the music. She talks about some of her favorite spots to catch shows or just grab a slice of pizza. We look at the life lessons her time in LA taught her and how she’s grown as an artist.

 

Stephanie dives into life in Boston and the people she’s happiest to be around. Of course, she’s been playing lots of shows, including some with Sofar Sounds, and we talk about the venues she’s been a part of as well as changes to the city’s musical world. We also discuss her recent single releases, “I Could Use a Laugh” and “Just Like Me.” Both come from some tough experiences, but you may be surprised to learn just who they’re about. I know I was.

 

Opening the show is an excerpt from “I Could Use a Laugh” and “Just Like Me” closes out the interview. There’s lots more in store, so be sure to check out her site and socials for all the details.

It’s a musical playground with The Humble Cartel and Typical Light

Joining me for this double-header are the bands The Humble Cartel and Typical Light. The guys from HC— brothers Kye (vocals) and Jesse (guitar) Mykietiak, Andrew Logsdail (guitar and keys), Dylan Cave (drums) and Pierre Konan (bass)–are up first, and the band is described as genre defying with a sound that spans the musical spectrum….and you know what? That’s very true. We talk about their unique style and how it’s evolved since the band formed. We talk about their recent release “Dance with You” and the new paths it goes down from previous singles.

 

Following this it’s the synth-pop duo of Typical Light— Hélène (vocals, synthesizer) and Hakim (vocals, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizer). They formed in 2020 and have since released a debut EP, “Sweet,” and a single, “Imaginary Ride,” off their soon-to-be-released album through H1Massive. I have been loving the music and we look at how these two came together and the unique sound that they’ve created. While Hakim has been making music for years, Hélène is very new and we look at how she’s learned along the way.

 

To close things out, give a listen to “Imaginary Ride,” with much more to come.

The crew from Plus 1s share a romantic story with an important message

It’s been awhile since we’ve featured a filmmaker, and this a great way to dive back into this world. Joining me to talk about their soon-to-be-screened short film “Plus 1s,” is Writer/Producer Liz Eng and Co-Directors David J. Curtis and Katelyn Grace Reddy.

 

“Plus 1s” is an independent, romantic-comedy short film featuring two best friends determined to find their plus-ones for their best friend’s wedding. This romantic-comedy embraces inclusivity, especially in celebrating WOC and the LGBTQIA+ community.

 

Liz, David and Katelyn talk about the story behind the film, shot over eight days, seven locations, a cast of 15 and crew of 35 (plus one dog!) and a budget of around $18,000. We look at the themes of inclusivity and the communities represented and why this was important to the creators. We also talk about the upcoming film screening, being held this Friday, June 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Museum of Fine Arts. There will be a Q&A following the screening.

 

Also, this episode was on the short side, but we’ll be doing a more in-depth interview (or two!) in the very near future.