Archive for the Indie Interviews Category

Danny Needham – “I do love me some lemon meringue pie!”

On 26th August 2016 / Featured Indie Interviews, Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

When most of us see athletes we only see the finished product. Many are unaware of the emotional and financial sacrifices, the endless hours of dedication and the burning self belief that propel a person forward in the world of elite sports. I salute today’s guest for what he has put himself through. Danny Needham is a decathlete that has represented Great Britain through various age levels and he is here to talk about the life of an athlete and so much more. I feel very privileged to be in the presence of this gifted young man with a bright future ahead of him.

Hello Danny and welcome to TBUR. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Hello Munir, Thank you very much for having me and taking the time out to read this! Okay, so sport has always been a big part of my life. As a youngster I participated in a wide variety of activities until I found something I truly had a passion for. This being athletics at the age of 11. I tried out all the different events and found that sprint hurdling was something I excelled in. So I decided to specialise in this for around 5-6 years between the ages of 13 and 19. During this time I won numerous national titles and medals and was fortunate enough to represent England. However, I did eventually make the decision to turn to the decathlon as I did not see myself achieving what I felt I was not only capable of, but was born to do. This being to be a regular competitor at global events and ultimately win an Olympic medal. This decision was difficult because I loved the event, but I thought back to my younger days and how I was talented across all events and it just made sense. This choice proved a success when I got selected to represent Great Britain at the combined events international championships after just 5 months of training for the event. This success continued for the next few years and I achieved another 2 more GB vests. Nonetheless, these years were very trying for me not only physically but mentally due to injury struggles. But we will get into that. Away from athletics, I have also been a high achiever throughout education, performing very well in my GCSE’s and ultimately graduating university with a Bsc honours degree in Sport and Exercise Science.

I believe that I have shown a glimpse of what I can do with the struggle that I’ve had to go through and I feel that with the extra financial help I WILL make it and compete with the best!

Wow, with so many different sports to participate in as a decathlete, how often do you train and how much time do you have to dedicate to each discipline?

Yeah it is very difficult indeed. But it is something I love to do and as stupid as it may sound, I love the feeling I get after a hard and gruelling training session when you know you have worked to your limits! I just find it oddly satisfying. I train 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday) and on some of those days I train in the morning and the evening. In terms of time – collectively it would total up to between 35-40 hours per week. So it pretty much feels like a full time job! In terms of time spent on the different individual events, there is not really a set schedule that people follow as everyone is completely different and will have their own strengths/weaknesses. Personally, my throws are my weaker events so it is vital to spend time mastering the technique and always aiming to improve. Nevertheless, it is still important to keep trying to push forward in your stronger events as well just as the ultimate goal is to obviously achieve more overall points!

Well you’ve been doing pretty ok so far (understatement of the year) talk me through the different levels you’ve competed at.

Thank you! So I’ve competed across the board, starting out as a youngster competing at low key competitions for my local club, and my most recent that was before my last injury was the Indoor Combined Events International Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, where I competed for Great Britain. This competition played host to some of the best decathletes in Europe. It was an incredible experience, and I actually won 2 out of the 7 events (it is heptathlon indoors). Moreover, I also won athlete of the competition which was decided by the GB team managers and athletes because I battled through various demons and even a broken wrist, to ultimately show what combined events is truly about! The next step for me is to compete on a wider global standard at an event such as the Olympics or world championships!

You are a tough cookie young man, what’s the process of recovery when you get injured and how does it affect you?

That’s a very good question! Well obviously it would depended on the injury itself. So one major injury I suffered back in 2013 was an avulsion fracture to my hamstring where it attaches to my pelvis. So basically my hamstring had ripped the bone away from my pelvis. I know what you’re thinking… OUCH! In this case, generally, an operation is required to repair the fracture, however a lot of research suggests that the natural way of healing is more beneficial! This meant that I had to undergo solid rest for around 2-3 months followed by a 5-6 month gruelling rehabilitation programme. My most recent injury was a stress fracture to my navicular bone in my foot along with some cartilage damage also. This was another injury in which the recovery time was quite substantial – around 7 months. This inevitably has a detrimental effect on you as an athlete – both physically and mentally. It affects you physically obviously because you lose your fitness during the recovery period and have to work extremely hard in order to return to this level again. But the worst parts are probably the psychological effects that injury comes with. This is something you have not to let overcome you which can ultimately lead to worries such as whether the injury will reoccur when you return. So to summarise – injuries suck!

The high volume of training also means that I need to consume close to 5000 calories a day due to the amount that I burn off in order to help with recovery and maintaining my energy levels. I am allowed to treat myself every so often though – I mean I do love me some lemon meringue pie!

On a scale of 1-10 how hard do you have to work to get back into shape after being out with an injury and what does it feel like during that time?

In my case it’s definitely up there between 8-10. It was extremely challenging and really tested my mental strength. Having to stick to a monotonous, but crucial rehabilitation programme is testing, but these things happen in sport and you just need to remind yourself of why you started in the first place! I actually experienced and even overcame depression in my most recent injury. It got me at such a low state, and to be honest I doubted myself at one point. But I have such incredible support around me, and this support coupled with my mental toughness, it wasn’t long before I was on the grind again! Furthermore, in my case I’ve always got back to fitness faster than normally expected, and I tend to not lose my technical ability that much so in terms of that it is just a case of reminding myself and going through the motions again. I would definitely say the psychological side is more trying than the physical – for me anyway as I love to work hard.

Good to hear you’re back on track (pardon the pun), I’ve heard many an athlete speak about lack of sponsorship holding them back, can you elaborate on that?

Yes of course I can. Money has always been something that I and my family have struggled with. But I do not feel bad about it as it has made me appreciate it much more! In terms of the lack of sponsorship, I believe it massively holds you back, particularly in such a gruelling and demanding event such as the decathlon. Firstly, due to the strenuous activity that this event involves, this means that the body is put through its paces day-in and day-out, therefore regular physiotherapy treatment is necessary in order to keep your body in one piece. However, these sessions are expensive and are something that I have never really been able to afford regularly, which could have potentially helped to avoid the injuries that I have experienced. Additionally, there is also the equipment aspect of it. I mean I compete in 10 different events, which means that I will need equipment ranging from pole vault poles, to varying footwear, to weighted throwing implements. And these are not cheap!! On top of this, there are competition fees, accommodation, travel to and from events and training – the list goes on. I have had part time jobs or else I would not have been able to get by – but I feel this just inhibited me more because I was training 4-5 hours, then heading to work and not getting back home until late. Also, more often than not with part time jobs, the schedules are not very consistent with my training which is all over the place. One thing that is essential in the decathlon is recovery – it can be almost as important as training and having a part time job made this impossible. I and many people believe that I have the capability and talent to compete at a very high standard, however the financial struggle and lack of help is bound to limit me considering what needs to be covered to compete at the top. I believe that I have shown a glimpse of what I can do with the struggle that I’ve had to go through and I feel that with the extra financial help I WILL make it and compete with the best!

I always assumed sponsors would queue up at your door as you are a great athletic prospect, how does one get a sponsor?

As I’ve said – I have shown only a glimpse of my capability. In terms of getting sponsorship it is about being consistent at a specific standard. So to elaborate on this, I would have to be ranked in the top 3 in the country and achieving the decathlon standard regularly for various global competitions (i.e European athletics champs, world athletics champs, etc). Once you reach this level, then sponsors would start to come but it is a tough journey to get to it. Moreover, there are funding opportunities with British athletics as they are linked with the national lottery. They have two different types of funding – development and podium. Development funding refers to athletes that have shown promising results and progress in their event and have the potential to reach global medals in the next year or so. Podium funding refers to those athletes that have achieved a medal at such international events. I definitely have the ability to reach the top, however with the unstructured and ‘getting by’ approach I’ve had, it is simply not good enough in this event to be able to sustain this consistency. I’ve shown that I can reach this standard and be competitive on a global scale, I just feel like the added financial aid will help to give me the tools in order to show that I belong at that level.

It got me at such a low state, and to be honest I doubted myself at one point. But I have such incredible support around me, and this support coupled with my mental toughness, it wasn’t long before I was on the grind again!

If any potential sponsor is reading this why should they go for Danny Needham over someone of equal athletic ability?

That is a great question! Firstly, I believe that I have great determination and drive which is evident from the journey that I have battled through. If I set myself a goal, I will do everything in my power to reach it. On top of this, and not to blow my own trumpet as it were, I do feel that I am a marketable individual and have the whole package. So as I have mentioned, not only am I academically bright, but I am also gifted in a wide-variety of sporting activities, not just athletics. This ranges from trampolining, to golf, and even parkour. Moreover, I have had experience in the modelling industry, and have been approached for shoots with companies such as Specsavers, Nike and Men’s Health. To talk about me as a person, I am a genuine, kind-hearted and confident guy. I also have a great affinity with children and young adults. I worked as a multi-sports coach at my local youth centre with ages 7-19. I found this extremely rewarding and the relationship I was able to build with all ages and both genders was clearly evident from the feedback and results that was achieved through my sessions. In view of all this, I believe that I have all the essential qualities to work extremely hard for my dream, but also to fulfill any promotional requirements requested by possibly future sponsors.

A future brand ambassador if I ever saw one! What is your diet like?

I do have to follow a strict diet! So yes, this does mean avoiding takeaways, alcohol and sweets. I have a very balanced diet. It is quite difficult due to the variety of activities that my training involves but I am very dedicated to my craft so I make it work. The high volume of training also means that I need to consume close to 5000 calories a day due to the amount that I burn off in order to help with recovery and maintaining my energy levels. I am allowed to treat myself every so often though – I mean I do love me some lemon meringue pie!

I’m more of a Mississippi mud pie man myself haha. What’s it like watching live decathletes on TV and not being there participating?

Also a very good choice haha! Well, to be honest it was very difficult when injured because I know in my heart I deserve to be at such events. Nonetheless, I do get excited because I see people that I have previously beaten in a specific event and it reassures me that I will be there one day. Just need the financial help in order to maintain consistency in training structure and keeping my body together through physio treatment.

Yeah it is very difficult indeed. But it is something I love to do and as stupid as it may sound, I love the feeling I get after a hard and gruelling training session when you know you have worked to your limits! I just find it oddly satisfying.

Well you’re definitely looking good at the moment. Danny thank you very much for coming on TBUR and taking the time to educate us all and I can’t wait to see you on the podium.

Awesome! Well thank you very much for having me. Been a pleasure!

AT THE MOMENT DANNY IS IN THE RUNNING TO BE THE FACE OF JD SPORTS. IF YOU WANT TO SEE HIM IN HIS UNDERWEAR YOU CAN HELP BY VOTING HERE! IT’S EASY, FOLLOW THE LINK AND CLICK THE LIKE BUTTON.

Danny is active on Instagram and can also be contacted on Facebook. It’s a great opportunity to support a future Olympic medal winner and learn a thing or two about what it takes to compete.

May Robinson – “I will create what my hands were gifted to produce”

On 15th July 2016 / Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

Standing on a bridge, my next guest contemplated taking her life, however after much thought she decided against it. She put a lot of difficulty behind her and decided to do what she loves best, make art. To pigeonhole her would be a shame as she does wear more than one hat and she is equally passionate about her varying artistic pursuits. May Robinson is on a journey and on her way to her destiny she has decided to quickly stop off with me.

Hi May, welcome to TBUR. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Hello all, My name is Mahalia Robinson, however you can call me May. I was born and raised in Southwest London and the youngest of 3. I am a born artiste. I was born to do 1 thing in this world and that is create art so follow me on this colourful journey but be prepared as all things are not as they appear.

So May, tell us all a little bit about what makes you tick.

Fashion makes me tick, life, cultural art, knowing I can create anything and everything imaginative or creating using simple elements from life.

My mother because she’s always told me no matter how bad life is never give up on your dreams.

I know that your fashion is incredibly versatile, how did you learn the skills to make different types of clothes?

I learned from the greatest! Books, books and more books, then that adapted to learning in primary school right up to college, from sewing my first pillow using simple needle and thread I enjoyed the simplicity of the creation. I then wondered what else I could create and that then extended to making a dress which I hand sewed because I was so determined to get the garment done. I was never really academic when it came to fashion but I did know I had a vision in my head and knew I could create anything I put my mind to. Of course in the beginning when I first started sewing with a sewing machine which was the age of 14, (maybe younger, lost track) I remember being so frustrated I couldn’t wind a bobbin in the machine or how to actually use a sewing machine, but after several demonstrations and learning daily for myself how to use a machine I fell in love with sewing and still do to this very day! My mother also coached me from a very young age. I was very persistent in fashion, and that vision never changed, constantly changing my clothing, to revamping outfits in shop window displays, and constantly changing my style or any material I found which was a statement. I said I will create what my hands were gifted to produce. Fashion allowed me the opportunity to find my purpose in life.

It is a skill I have great admiration for. You told me about some difficult times when growing up, what was that like and how did you get through it?

Well dear, just like any human in this world we all have a story to tell, and growing up showed both light and dark phases in my life, from being mentally and physically abused, seeing domestic violence and various other situations. Made me realise the kind of role model I want to be in this world. I managed all of my life experiences by self-belief, keeping my faith and knowing my purpose in this world because the more you learn about yourself and what you’re capable of becoming you won’t want to become anyone else. I always knew I was the weird girl, the one who saw her vision in her own way, so why not share my vision with the world.

And what is your vision?

My vision can’t be summed up in an interview but I will say this, as a part of my vision, to put my stamp on this earth knowing, I was the person who taught artists to unite and become one to create something powerful. I don’t care about becoming a billionaire but I care about people hearing my story. To show little black girls you can become something powerful if you put your mind to it, and no matter how much people may tell you, you won’t do it you can’t do it. You won’t rise to nothing always know you’re the greatest and nobody will take that from you!

You dabble in the other arts as well. Did you always do that or did you pick them up along the way?

Yes I’ve always been very flexible within the arts from a very young age and so it’s nothing new for me

Do you have a preference in terms of what you enjoy best?

No because I love all variations of art and knowing I can make anyone feel beautiful and confident within their own skin. I would be silly/blind to close my eyes to other spectrum’s of art whether it’s music, dance, acting and much more as they all interlink with each other.

My vision can’t be summed up in an interview but I will say this, as a part of my vision, to put my stamp on this earth knowing, I was the person who taught artists to unite and become one to create something powerful.

How would you describe your fashion line?

My fashion line is inspired by world culture, world diversity, music, dance, musical theatre and all variations and styles of fashion. My clothing has no limitations to what it can be whether it’s haute couture, streetwear, costume design or bespoke. My brand has no limitations. However because my line is still in the early stages I cater for one off bespoke pieces until business grows and I can do a wider selection for my customers whether it’s men, women or children.

As your brand grows, what is the aspiration?

To put my stamp on this earth within my clothing which is a statement without opening the lips, but mainly giving back to this world and people who love art and fashion.

When you say giving back, how do you mean?

Making people feel they belong to a cause. Giving back and doing kind to others as well as myself and like I said marking my stamp on this world and knowing my purpose was well lived

Who would you say are your biggest influences and why?

My mother because she’s always told me no matter how bad life is never give up on your dreams. World culture inspires me. I can’t pinpoint certain artists or people because each individual has something that makes me want to push further in my career and inspire others as I believe there’s beauty in all forms of art, music, culture and life.

What would you say makes you stand out from your peers?

Confidence, boldness, being fearlessly unapologetic and free spirited.

With all these attributes you must put on quite a show, have you got one coming up soon?

I have quite a few things coming up this year but as someone great once said, “if you want anything in this world to come true never show before it’s done”. So you’ll just have to wait and see.

I always knew I was the weird girl, the one who saw her vision in her own way, so why not share my vision with the world.

Not even a sneak peak?

I have a lot of projects, editorials, and fashion shows to be done! However this can’t be done on my own, also I will be starting my YouTube channel soon for artists to connect on a higher platform but I would say look at my website, social media and be on the lookout for what’s to come. A true artist never reveals their masterpiece until it’s fine, so neither will I.

Well I guess I’m going to have to sit back and wait like the rest of the world. I thought we were friends May. Thank you very much for sparing some time to come on TBUR. It has been a pleasure and I wish you all the success in the world.

Thank you very much. it has been a pleasure also.

May can be found all over the web. To follow her work you can check out her Website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

Phoenix Briggs – “It has to be a 24/7 job. Your dreams don’t get time off.”

On 20th May 2016 / Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

Mother, Model, Artist- These are just some of the boxes my guest today ticks. She is on a journey to find her centre and send a positive message to her kids. I get inside the mind of Phoenix Briggs, find out her motivations and articulate her thoughts. TBUR brings you a unique personality.

Hey Phoenix, welcome to TBUR. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Hi everyone ! I am Phoenix – an only child from two free spirited parents. My father George who lives in Minnesota and my mother Autumn who lives in Las Vegas. My step father who raised me also lives in Vegas. I grew up there.

The message I try to send to anyone on social media who follows my work – is that determination can take you very far. You can achieve anything you want when you work at it. It has to be a 24/7 job. Your dreams don’t get time off.

What’s life like in Vegas?

It’s funny everyone asks me that. Most people think because I lived in Vegas I was a stripper. Never did that. But I was a showgirl for a short time, meaning I dressed up as a showgirl at one of the casinos. There are a lot of showgirls in Vegas. I can definitely say when you think you have seen everything there are curve balls thrown at you. And apparently everything that happens in Vegas – doesn’t stay because I am here :). It really is how the movies depict it though the movie ‘The Hangover’, was more true than most like to believe. I actually have that movie on my phone. Now granted I didn’t find a tiger in my friends hotel bathroom. But most of that stuff was probably legit or happened. I’m just saying.

Haha good to hear and I also hope you also never got a punch in the face from Mike Tyson, so how did the transition go from showgirl to model?

Well I knew when I was younger I wanted to model – I remember when I was younger I watched 7th Heaven. Yes I am guilty. Anyhow – Jessica Biel was on that, she was such a beauty. I saw this spread she had in Seventeen magazine – I asked my mom, ‘How do I do that?’ She’s like ‘She’s modeling’ My mom never let me model in high school. Kind of mad she didn’t – John Casablanca himself wanted me to fly to NY and be a model at 16. Now that I think about it I am happy I have had a normal life. My mom wanted that. I am still mad at her – that and how she didn’t give me my backstage pass to meet the Backstreet Boys until the morning after the Backstreet Boys concert. Yes I want the world to know that!!! Haha. When I was 18 – I got Z-cards, I was kind of meh about it actually. It wasn’t until I moved from Kodiak, Alaska to Monterey, California that I got into it hard. The past 2 years – I have been super serious. I got into mad shape. I stopped drinking entirely. I now model for 3 brands. My favorite tea loves my modeling and sends me tea I feel so special.

That’s pretty awesome. Based on your mums guidance of your modelling career would you make your children wait till 18 if they wanted to model?

Well, if they want to model now I would let them. But I would be specific on the path they chose. After they hit 18 – they can do whatever they want.

How would you describe the path you’re on with your work?

I don’t have one specific path. I am all over the place. People tell me I need to be on one. I guess you could say I am more glamour. But the creativity is what matters. I am an artist. When people look at my work, I’d like to think they see art. I would like to do more fashion. It’s a challenge for me. I have tried to step outside my comfort zone. Sometimes I get frustrated. There is nothing about this line of work that is easy. But I always keep going. As long as I am still modeling I am still on my path.

Because it’s a business solely based on looks! Do you know how insane it is to keep up with your body 24/7? The things you can’t eat, the working out. Just when you think you are top notch, ten girls walk into the same casting you did and they look better. I am telling you – it’s rough.

Apart from the free tea what else do you love about modelling?

Hahaha well – they send me tea because I am a loyal buyer and they are fans of one of the photos with their tea. I guess it’s nice when a brand you love more than anything recognizes your work. So many of the people who I have worked with are making the big power moves now. I love all the people I have worked with and the journey that I have taken to get to where I am. Each person I have worked with has a story and that story is told in the photographs. Each person leads to another. One by one you get closer to your goal and you learn so much from all these experiences and personalities. It’s incredible. The memories will last a lifetime as well as the friendships I have made. I should write a book. One of my good friends Karen who was also my loyal hair and makeup artist in California – said we should write a book. It would be called, “Adventures in Modeling”. It’s rewarding to be a part of so many wonderful artists portfolios and I love that these artists share the same passion and vision that I do. I feel so incredibly blessed. Sometimes you just have to stop and say “Wow, I am thankful.” Today I just had someone drive an hour to pick me up just to work with me – granted I was posing nude in hay inside a barn. But here is yet another experience for the book .

In our previous discussions you have stated that your modelling helps you send a message to your children, can you expand?

I think most of my pictures are powerful. The message I try to send to anyone on social media who follows my work – is that determination can take you very far. You can achieve anything you want when you work at it. It has to be a 24/7 job. Your dreams don’t get time off. So I want to show them that when you take control of your life and you do what you love with passion – that is an honest life. You are staying true to yourself against all odds. Whether a photo is nude or clothed they all contain a message most are the way you interpret it. Some people can look at a nude photo automatically and say “she is just a nude model” but plenty of the best art comes from nude work. I am an artist. If either of my children chose to produce such art when they are adults I will not look at them differently. I think people are so uptight in our society. They should really relax.

You opened up to me about your previous experiences with alcohol. Was that due to the pressures of the industry?

Alcohol. Yes. I have been an addict for most of my life. I have the personality. You have to find healthy things to be addicted to. I was a bartender for a minute and it was always right in front of me. At one point I was having 10 drinks a day. I don’t think I have ever really been pressured into drinking. I think stress definitely makes things harder. You need an outlet, some way to cope . Being away from my children has been hard. A lot of things happened in a short period of time. It wasn’t my modeling, my modeling has always kept me grounded. It is my outlet. Creating my art is the only thing that has kept me sane. I feel so blessed I have the opportunity to create such art.

What’s the worst shoot you’ve ever done and why?

I would have to say : The Sunflowers shoot with Christine Holding , Michelle Robertson , Melinda Collis and Todd Davlos. They had got this amazing idea to do a fashion shoot – with sunflowers. It was like 20 degrees with wind that day. I got so cold I had to stop shooting. I felt like a major failure. I apologized over and over. Didn’t matter, the show must go on. From that day forward I was overly prepared with my model survival kit. I bring tea and hand warmers if I am going to be in the cold. You are expected to perform. I have gone to a shoot with the flu. My dedication is beyond having a reputation for being a flake. The other girl that shot that day got horribly ill but I have mad respect for her. I did a shoot last year in worse conditions. The photographer said to me “I like your sacrifice.” Modeling is hard and it most certainly isn’t for everyone. A true model knows that. If anyone said it was easy, they are lying. I did get like 3 photos from that day. There have been some times I have walked away from a shoot with nothing. Either the photographer was having a bad day – the stylists so on so forth. I think it’s worse when everyone comes together as a team puts aside their time – and the photos aren’t useable. It really sucks, but it happens. I have done so many shoots – I have seen days like those. Once in a blood-orange moon, but they happen and when they do it’s devastating. You are expected to perform – no matter what – you are the main piece to the puzzle. if you feel off everyone is in trouble. There is a lot of pressure. People don’t realize how difficult it really is.

It really is how the movies depict it though the movie ‘The Hangover’, was more true than most like to believe. I actually have that movie on my phone. Now granted I didn’t find a tiger in my friends hotel bathroom. But most of that stuff was probably legit or happened. I’m just saying.

There has always been a stereotype in the industry that models are dumb, why do you think that is and how does it make you feel?

Because it’s a business solely based on looks! Do you know how insane it is to keep up with your body 24/7? The things you can’t eat, the working out. Just when you think you are top notch, ten girls walk into the same casting you did and they look better. I am telling you – it’s rough. I hate when people call me conceited and attention starved because I post a lot of photos on my page. It’s my art. It’s my work! Promoting myself has got me to where I am. I think all people look for sometimes is the negative. I have come so far in my career. They say – the closer you get to the top, the harder it gets. It has never been easy. Some days I am like “That’s it I am done”. But I love modeling so much. It’s a part of who I am. It makes me sad when people pick you apart on the internet because they are unhappy with themselves. They don’t realize how hard me and my peers work. I am definitely intelligent. I started a newspaper from scratch at my college. I am a writer. I am a deep intellectual person. They only see the girl who thinks she’s all that, not the girl who can hold her own in a conversation. The world is cruel.

Good point you made about trolls. How do you deal with negativity when you receive it?

Seriously – I have been saving a lot of them and I wanted to put all of the ridiculous things people say in a book. Some things are so funny I laugh for like 5 minutes straight. Others have been so hurtful you want to cry. It’s insane how much power people can have over you. Emotions are an interesting thing. I get so many people that praise my work and then I get comments or inbox messages that are like “really!?”. There have been a couple where I just write the person and I was like “that’s not very nice.” But there are so many it becomes overwhelming so most of the time I go through, look for the good ones and write those people back. I have some people that have been my fans for years. I feel like we have this friendship. It is true you can have lasting friends from Facebook. Who would have thought? I think when you get negativity it hurts but it helps you grow. Sometimes the truth hurts too. It depends on which way you are looking at it. They might say something that hits home because they follow your posts and work. I think you can learn from any situation.

Sometimes I get frustrated. There is nothing about this line of work that is easy. But I always keep going. As long as I am still modeling I am still on my path.

What’s the most hurtful insult you’ve had?

There have been a few. I have had wives write me, angry about their husbands looking at my photos. Like that is my fault. I think there was one that said, “If you want to look like a whore you could do it at a porn shop.” People have called me a “butterface” and told me I don’t have what it takes to be a model. The most hurtful I think we’re these people from Kodiak, Alaska. I used to live there with my kids. They knew me. I had gained a little weight and wasn’t at my best when I started modeling. There are some people in Kodiak that all they do in their free time is start drama. These people were commenting on my body. I had Rihanna red fire engine hair. They were calling me a tranny. They thought I couldn’t read their comments. It’s sad what people will write when they think no one is looking. It was low. It hurt. It made me want to quit. I was called the fat model for a while. Another girl that I thought was my friend in Kodiak commented on my body, my face etc . I still kept going. In fact their comments made me prove them wrong. I wish them well and I wonder what they are doing now. I hope everything is working out for them. People can take the things you are most insecure about – because you were dumb and you shared it with them and later say them to hurt you. They will wait until you are at your weakest and then strike. Knowing that now I am just like “whatever.”

That is awful! On a lighter note, what’s the funniest?

People compare me to food a lot. One guy said I was like a rack of baby back ribs and he went into every detail of how he would eat me if I was a rack of ribs. I think I almost peed my pants. The other is a guy saying he imagined me tasting like a freshly glazed donut. I make people hungry. True story. On a bad day the funniest comments will have me laughing on the floor. I actually write those people and I am like – now that was good. Some are so original! They must have really have put some thought into it! I think people think I am a weirdo for getting one of those – yearbooks of your Facebook but I have so much stuff it’s worth it! I should put everything on my FB in book form. Entertainment for years! I remember me and my fiancé would just get drunk and chat with my fans on the weekends. The stuff we would write – sometimes we got carried away. Haha.

The donut thing is just weird! Seeing as you get a lot of food comparisons it’s only fair to end on if you could describe yourself as a food what would you be and why?

A real life Reese’s peanut butter cup. Just enough is sweet and leave you feeling a rush. Too much will leave you feeling guilty and wanting more.

Great answer! Well that’s all we have time for. Thank you very much for taking the time to come on TBUR and I wish you the best of luck.

Thank you so much for having me! 🙂

If you want to connect with Phoenix you can send her a friendly message (or food comparison) on Facebook and her gallery of pictures are available on Instagram

Ryder Frost – “I am the oldest and funniest of 4 to my beautiful mother”

On 19th February 2016 / Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

Ryder Frost is definitely the most intriguing person I’ve interviewed. A picture tells a thousand words and as soon as I first saw her picture, everything I assumed about her turned out to be what she is like in real life. She really translates emotion in her shots in a mixture of subtle and in your face ways. It’s hard to look away from her picture because she really draws you in. She’s a 19 year old model from Texas who also draws in her spare time and has a very interesting story to tell. From the age of 15 she has had to look after herself and that is evidenced in her self awareness and maturity at such a young age. She already wants to be a voice for young girls who are trying to find theirs. I’ll let her tell you more. This girl has such a great career ahead of her and TBUR is honoured to have her here today.

Hello Ryder, welcome to TBUR. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Thank you, really, the pleasure is mine. My name is Ryder, or what I go by rather, and yes I am 19 years old. Born and raised in northern Texas, I’ve been here most of my life. I see myself as an artist, musician, model and dancer as well as a professional recreational-life-liver. I am the oldest, and funniest, of 4 to my beautiful mother. I also have a child that takes up a lot of my time as well.. like a lot of my time. Her name is Ruca and she is almost 9 months old and still cannot go potty outside, leave my shoes alone, or fetch. We have sit, down, stay and shake down pretty well.

Thank you very much Ryder. How did the modelling start?

I actually just started to market myself on networking sites and social media. Luckily I had a friend that was into photography. Collin Kelly did my very first set which is still one of my favorites to this day. After that, the door was wide open and it was all about how much time and effort I put into working my way up.

At the end of the day, to me art is art but business and proper conduction of such is necessary, something that only comes with experience and time in the industry.

What made you want to model?

My family had always asked if it was something I would be interested in. I was even in an orange juice commercial way back in pre-k before I even knew what film and photography was. I guess the reason I really started modeling was the vast support that I had from my friends, social media followers, along with my mother and grandmother.

It’s incredible how much emotion comes through in your shots. Is that something you have been trained to do or is that natural?

It is natural! The facial expressions are all raw and I have never had a coach or trainer per say.

Great work! I think your work is special. You’d mentioned in one of our conversations about wanting to inspire younger girls, where does that desire come from?

In the future, and while I can now, I would love to teach people younger than myself that it is okay to be yourself and that there is so much the world can offer but only after you accept yourself. I have the desire to do that because not only do I think as any human being we should all be motivated and pull for a better future, but because growing up in such a stigmatized world I’ve found that the things I’ve accomplished after un-learning some not-so-great qualities and ways of thinking from my surroundings, that life has really opened many more doors and made room for so much more happiness than I could have ever imagined if I was still trapped in a self-conscious bubble.

That’s really nice and makes you such a great role model and mummy. Until you mentioned it I’d have had no idea you had a child, how did you get your figure back?

Oh no! Haha I’m not ready to have any children at all. Visiting my younger siblings is enough for me. I have a four legged baby-dog and that’s it.

We laugh at a lot of the comments, and a lot of them even become inside jokes for a while.

Haha I guess it now makes sense why her not being able to go potty outside was mentioned. I thought you had a 9 month old daughter with a phobia of public toilets. You model with your boyfriend and have done shoots together, what’s that like?

Very interesting! He was really excited to shoot with me and I think when we finally started he realized it was a lot harder than I made it look. There’s a lot of “ok-still, hold it, look up, face the light – hold” that I don’t think he was ready for haha. We’ve shot a handful of times though and each shoot is so much fun and each photographer seems to enjoy it too. I think it’s very interesting to get to shoot with my boyfriend since, comparatively, many models don’t get that opportunity. There will be a lot more shoots with the two of us to come 🙂

Cool, we’ll keep an eye out for it. What have found to be the most challenging thing about the industry?

Just one thing? There are very many barriers (new and old) that I come across often, but I guess the most common one for me would be the all-time-tale between photographers and models… money. Some models do work with very select photographers for free, and with good sense! By no means do I expect every shoot to be paid for, but it is hard deciphering so on a daily basis. By no means do models mean to put themselves on pedestals and charge for every click of the camera, but there is a reason for paid assignments vs unpaid. I’d like to mention that even if a model requires payment for a certain shoot she doesn’t value a photographer’s work less, maybe that work wasn’t the direction the models wanted to go in, or she has a certain level of experience in that area. At the end of the day, to me art is art but business and proper conduction of such is necessary, something that only comes with experience and time in the industry.

Very tricky waters to navigate. You have a lot of positive (and sleazy) comments from guys on your pictures on social media. What kind of impact does that have on your relationship?

You’re right, I have a lot of positive supporters but I also have a lot of, I don’t know “over passionate” or just disrespectful in general even. That being said it doesn’t affect my relationship in any negative way that people would more than likely expect it to. We laugh at a lot of the comments, and a lot of them even become inside jokes for a while.

It is natural! The facial expressions are all raw and I have never had a coach or trainer per say.

Great, earlier you spoke about things that made you feel insecure when younger. If you could speak to Ryder at that stage of her life, what would you say?

I would tell myself that the effort you put in is what you will get back. Life has nothing to do with luck, or who’s parents had more or etc., it is simply what you allow yourself to achieve. I know this now but can only imagine if I had fully grasped that 4 or 5 years ago.

What are the next steps you’d like to take in your career and what’s the long term goal?

The next career steps I would like to take would include art and music. I have a very solid passion for singing since before I can remember, and an art student for several years. I’d like to find a way to collaborate with people like myself on a level outside of photography.

Cool, finally what was the reason you chose Ryder as a stage name?

Ryder was a name I felt represented me and my character.

Thank you Ryder and thanks for popping into TBUR, best of luck with your future projects.

My pleasure, thanks for having me and a big Texas wave to you and your readers.

Life has nothing to do with luck, or who’s parents had more or etc., it is simply what you allow yourself to achieve.

Ryder can be found posing, working on her art or music on Facebook or Instagram

Kassai Fulani – “The end goal is forever changing as we become a little more ambitious”

On 5th February 2016 / Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

Creativity is in his blood. When he was young he had a lot of guests coming round to his parents house as they were well known for their excellent music collection. As he got older he started DJing successfully and then branched out into dance in which he also excelled. He performed in a number of high profile competitions and won. He has always mixed with creative people and has been conscious of how time and timing matters in the success of the arts. His latest venture is Mosaiqe watches. A creative brand with art and time at the nucleus of its ethos. These are watches made out of wood and equipped with excellent movement. He has already collaborated with Rudimental. Kassai Fulani is not someone who is happy being mediocre. Success lies ahead and with the opportunities headed his way he is determined to grab them with both hands. He is so much more than your average watchmaker and he is my guest on TBUR today.

Hi Kassai, welcome to TBUR. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Sure thing, thank you for that awesome introduction Munir and hello to your readers. My name is Kassai Fulani and I am one of two directors of an art focused watch brand called Mosaiqe. Born and raised in London from parents of Caribbean descent, both of whom were intent on knowing as much as possible about our African ancestry, it is easy to imagine the cultural mix me and my siblings had growing up. Never really been the most academic of students but I did study up to graduate level where in my middle year at university I realised that my subject choices were more of a curiosity than a passion, but I did know I had a huge passion for bringing things to life. The idea of conception to delivery and having creative direction over the entire process was and still is something that keeps me happy and fills me with purpose, so I found myself sneaking into business lectures and seminars and practically did the degree but never officially got to graduate (in that subject).

Where did it all start with Mosaiqe?

I suppose some might call it serendipity, I like the word favour. In France funny enough, a friend convinced me to go out there for a day whilst he went to buy stock for a line of haberdashery he was selling. I was at a point of self-excavation personally and at a glass ceiling with my clothing venture ‘Be U’ so the break (even if for a day) was a welcomed suggestion. This is going to sound sooo cheesy and believe me, as true as this story is, I still cringe a bit telling it. I saw a colourful kids watch in a jewellery shop in Republique and after I got duped by the exchange rate it was either eat or come back with that as a souvenir. (Thank God for those go ahead breakfast bars I packed as train snacks)… Once I got home I knew I wanted to do something with it as it looked so artsy and I’d always had a love for watches but I needed to bounce ideas off of someone and there was only one person I was ever going to do that with and he is the other half of Mosaiqe. We’d both wanted to work with each other prior to my trip but couldn’t find a viable and purposeful enough project to bring us together, but from there everything developed very rapidly and organically.

we collaborate with people and tell their stories through features so that people can see its not as simple as ‘I have an idea, and poof here it is’, for many people this is life and if you’ve never really been an artist you’ll never know how much sweat goes into creating that never perfect piece, how many anti-depressants have been popped during the process or how much you have to sacrifice such as the security of a stable income or a mass of time.

Got to love go ahead bars haha. So….. wood, how did that happen?

Ahhh so interestingly I was referred a book called ‘The Purple Cow’ it’s about the concept of being ‘remarkable’ i.e. to see a purple cow would be something ‘worth remarking on’. This book just made absolutely clear to me that there was no point in making vanilla ice-cream… yes it’s a safe flavour but there is no demand for another brand of vanilla when people are satisfied with the Carte D’or’s and the Cornetto’s of this world. You really do have to colour outside the lines to be worth remarking on. The actual material, we chose for its practicality, sustainability, potential aesthetic appeal but most of all because we liked the thought of making something wearable in as close to its natural form as possible. For us it was very much an emblem for our ideology. The source and the small steps involved in the creative process are just as significant as the finished piece. Hence ‘Small Pieces Big Picture.

It’s had a great reception and you have embarked on many collaborations with other creatives including Rudimental. What’s the idea behind the collaborations?

Ok so the collaborations are generally a coming together to see what big picture we can create. The majority of the people we collaborate with are artists or creatives that also see the importance of recognising the process of any creative piece. So we collaborate with people and tell their stories through features so that people can see its not as simple as ‘I have an idea, and poof here it is’, for many people this is life and if you’ve never really been an artist you’ll never know how much sweat goes into creating that never perfect piece, how many anti-depressants have been popped during the process or how much you have to sacrifice such as the security of a stable income or a mass of time. And sometimes understanding the history or background gives it substance and brings you closer to understanding the artist / artwork rather than being attracted to artwork that is just pleasing to the eye or melodic to the ear. You find when other creatives understand what we stand for, they’re almost always happy to get involved in collabos.

Please tell us about your struggle for those who only see the finished product but don’t know the background story.

Haha, Just how long do we have? We’ve had plenty but I think most notably would have been earlier this year where we decided that we had to outsource the manufacturing of our watches. We looked for a good and reputable manufacturer. We found one that made watches for many huge brands you and your readers would know and decided to go with them. We had deeds of agreements written up but did not have the start up money needed to get them watertight so we drafted them and got them signed. As usual they practically beg you for your custom, show you who they’ve worked with and send you the best-looking samples you’ve ever seen. We have a new patented design on how the links come together so we had to pay for a mould and once you’ve shelled out the amount it costs to make the mould the leverage is with the factory as to move manufacturers means to create a new mould… (I’m hoping this makes sense) So in the design room we’d decided we were going to make the watches in sexy matt colours to give it that luxury feel, and we played around with textures until we found and requested for a particular material for production. They then intervened and insisted that we use another material (all of this is in writing in emails and Skype conversations) in the end convincing us saying “Look we make watches for many years and for big companies we know which material is best, this one will last longer and will never come off”… Needless to say we listened to the ‘experts’ against out better judgement and were left with over 500 watches that begun to peel within 1 month of wearing them. We were absolutely broken, we had literally put everything into that deal, taking the biggest speculative risk possible thinking if we borrow X the minimum we should make back is Y, But times like this I thank God for my business partner as we share the same morals and principals which meant we would rather sit on dead stock and pay the money owed back from our own pockets whilst licking our wounds, than damage our integrity, morals and the brand reputation. I’m telling you Munir in ANY partnership in life what first joins you must be an alignment of principals, values and that every decision must be decided by what is in the best interest of what you’re working towards (in this case the business).

I hear that and I am very particular about the people I work with. Just an idea but would you ever consider selling those first editions for a reduced price as collectors items for your future hardcore fans (I’m sure you’ll have tons) to keep as a piece of memorabilia?

Is that even a question, haha. I’d be happy to if people wanted them for that reason. I think for something like that I’d be inclined to create a product code that gives the buyer £10-£15 off of any other purchase just to reward their faith in us and the company. I’m big on values and value.

Ok you heard it here first! I’ll be getting mine shortly. Before watches you were involved in other creative areas, talk me through that.

Ok I have to try and remember everything. So my mother had run an African dance group which started a little after I was born so when I was of age I was learning my way through different African percussion instruments such as the Djembe, Conga and different talking drums. I stopped learning whilst in secondary school as my interest changed from drumming to football and I at that point would rather use my Wednesday evenings for watching the Arsenal on Champions League football. I then turned my interest to football and everything was football and I reached a semi-professional level, I still play occasionally now but can’t quite remember how or why I stopped. I think it was my love for music when I reached college, I used to have people at my house daily listening to me mix and create compilations whilst we all just chilled when we had nothing to do. From that, word started to spread and I got asked to do a few house parties and clubs, which then lead to me having my own sets on radio stations and for me that is always the part of my life I look back on and smile the most when thinking about. Music has always been so therapeutic and remedial for me. Deejaying introduced me to the dance scene where I tried my hand at that. Did that for about 6-7 years and at a decent level. Took part in international competitions and won a few with my groups, choreographed for commercial tours with some of the people we were all listening to on MTV Base, The Box and KISS at the time… And lastly just before what I do now, I did clothing and I got into that because as a dancer you spent so much time in your craft and income was sporadic so when it came to outfits and attire we had to be resourceful which lead to me learning how to spray paint and graffiti. After I started doing that it became in demand from outside the dance industry, which became too much for me alone to take on so I outsourced my designs to cope with the demand. Tees became hats, hats became varsity jackets and in the end I thought ‘this is cool but it still seems quite empty’ and I needed to tackle the ‘why’ which explained the reason for my not settling with any of the previous creative fields I had been involved in. I think I know now that the answer is purpose, that’s what keeps you going when you spend 4 years working on a project that hasn’t left the ground, or when you feeling like you’re constantly spending money and haven’t seen a penny come your way yet… I’m just grateful that we are now in a position not to have to worry about these things anymore.

A favourite when I am at exhibitions or trade fairs by the stand is “Mate have you got the time?” or “Watch yourself”, Munir after they drop those one liners they are in hysterics… Every time!

That is impressive and I’m glad your hard word has paid off. This is a hard question for any creative entrepreneur to answer but when do you think you will feel like you have succeeded?

We’ve created a product that makes people smile, a platform that advocates artists and creativity and we have a business that’s off the ground and making money, all of which we’ve been trying to do for the last 4 years… Why wait to feel I’ve succeeded? I think if you’re ambitious you will always look for ways to improve so for me it’s best to set mini short-term objectives and focus on reaching them. In that case you’ll usually find that progress and success are the same thing.

Great answer, I should rephrase as I wasn’t meaning to knock what you have been doing. Is there an end goal you’d like to get to and what is that?

Ahhh no knocks taken sir, I thought it was a perfectly valid question. The end goal is forever changing as we become a little more ambitious but the purpose we’ve had since we started with (which is still the essence) has three prongs. 1. To bring artists closer to their audiences through periodic story telling, be it through features, interviews or collaborations. 2. From a product point of view to give the style conscious a breath of fresh air by colouring outside the lines with the way we go about creating and developing our timepieces and mate I go all warm when I think about some of the things we have in the pipeline already. Finally 3. Is simply to see what we can create with others. Again trying to find other small pieces of this hugely fragmented art/creative community to see what big picture we can create together when we put our heads together.

You can’t mention warm and pipeline and expect me to not probe. What can we expect?!

Arghhh come on Munir, have mercy haha. Nah I’m not one to let my tongue precede our work but let’s just say it involves hybridizing different material combinations with the wood. I’m afraid that’s all you’re squeezing out of me on pipeline.

Hahaha ok I’ll take hybridizing and run with that as my exclusive! I’ve always wondered, what is a watchmakers equivalent to a catwalk show?

Ask me what my equivalent is or what I’d do to exhibit the timepieces and I could give you an answer but in general? No clue whatsoever. I don’t feel I pay enough attention. I like to know a bit of the what and the why in the area of horology but I feel that paying too much attention to the who’s and what’s can be the quicksand that unwittingly turns you from creator to lemming. I generally look to other fields i.e. nature or other arts to inspire me and help me decide my next moves, but if there is a problem I cannot solve or something pedantic that perhaps isn’t worth spending too much thinking time on, then shrug life, a little formula never hurt anybody.

I think I know now that the answer is purpose, that’s what keeps you going when you spend 4 years working on a project that hasn’t left the ground, or when you feeling like you’re constantly spending money and haven’t seen a penny come your way yet…

True that. I know from our discussions you’ve heard many a watch related pun, which ones did you like and which ones were shit?

Ahhhh mate, there have been some pretty bad ones but it’s the ones you get all the time that tell it as if it’s the first time you’ve ever heard it. A favourite when I am at exhibitions or trade fairs by the stand is “Mate have you got the time?” or “Watch yourself”, Munir after they drop those one liners they are in hysterics… Every time! As for the best, I just like to hear new stuff. In fact, my business partner will kill me for doing this but I might put a wee challenge to you and your readers for the most creative one liner, winner gets a timepiece or something #WatchThisSpace. Sorry I had to, you put it on a plate, would’ve been rude not to and my momma raised me better than that.

Yep #timewilltell haha, what quality one liners come your way. It’s been a real pleasure hanging out with you, thanks so much for taking the time to come on TBUR.

Nonsense brother, it’s been fun and thanks for having me.

You can keep up with the latest art and developments at Mosaiqe over on their Website, more pics of their beautiful watches are available on their Instagram. Don’t forget to like their Facebook page and feel free to say hi to them on Twitter.

Sandra Elsfort – “my favourite bit of unwinding is kissing my boyfriend”

On 28th January 2016 / Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

Entertainment is in Sandra’s bones. She grew up in a house where her father played a lot of music and her mother had aspirations to be an actress. She followed both her parents dreams and became an actor, a singer and a dancer. Educated at the prestigious Lee Strasberg school in New York as well as The Danish Musical Academy, she has trained with the best and has rubbed shoulders with some true masters of her craft. She is a very warm person and you’ll enjoy reading her words. TBUR welcomes Danish treasure, Sandra Elsfort.

Hello Sandra and welcome to TBUR. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Hello Munir, thank you so much for such a lovely introduction and for having me here on TBUR. I am very happy and honored to share my story, thoughts and experiences with you and your lovely readers. Hello Everyone! I am Sandra Elsfort, 28 years old, Danish girl. I have a bachelor in musical theatre. Educated from The Danish Musical Academy 2010 and trained at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, and further more studied with some of the greatest teachers that I could find…just trying to become the best I can be.

The last 3 months I have actually started to draw and paint again – I haven’t done that for years – And I looove it – it totally clears my head, but still keep my mind creative and inspired just from another perspective.

How did you get into the Lee Strasberg school?

I remember I was doing The Three Musketeers at Fredericia Theatre one year after my graduation from The Danish Musical Academy. One of my co-stars at the play attended the Institute in NY and talked very fondly about it. At the same time I was doing a short film, which ended up getting a nomination for the Cannes Film Festival and in that film the director started talking about me having similarities of a method actress.

To see Sandra in Action click here *Please note contains nudity.

So I put two and two together, did some research, applied for a scholarship which the Danish Actors Association granted me even though only two scholarships are given each year – after that I was accepted by the Institute and I was on my way to New York – very greatful. The actual process of getting into Lee Strasberg for an international student is rather technical so I won’t dwell too much on the paperwork haha..

One of two scholarships given yearly? Well done! You clearly have a gift. Does it feel the same to you?

Oh, thank you very much. Well, a family gift I would say. I grew up in a home with a lot of joy, love and passion for music, acting and dancing. Music has been running in my family for generations, so luckily I had the opportunity and support to develop my craft for what I loved. I was 2 years old when I was out with my dad on a gig where his band was playing. My dad has told me this story many times and calls it “The story of the little girl in the pink rainy outfit” haha, and I came to him and asked if I could sing in the microphone like I did at home when he was playing the piano teaching me how to use my voice..oh gosh.. I didn’t know there was 3000 people watching – I just wanted to sing. So he said yes, but on one condition – that I could sing the whole song through.. I smiled and nodded and he lifted me up to the microphone..So there I was, being on stage for the first time singing “Oh My darling” acapella for 3000 people 2 years old hahaha…I love when he’s telling that story. It always reminds me of where I came from, what I was given and who gave it to me. And I have always felt like singing more than talking. Like a need. It simply heals my soul. So for me it wasn’t just an idea to go that way. That music and singing came into my family, even long before I was born, is just such a gift for us and I am so thankful that my parents unwrapped that gift and chose to invest every little part of it and then carried it on to my sister and I. It took me a while to really believe in myself and to be brave enough to walk into the business, ‘cause being a professional has a completely different discipline. But today it feels very natural and I am happy that I choose this way no matter what’s gonna happen in the future. What I know is that I have learned so much from it and I still love it with all my heart.

I guess that’s also why I love acting so much, to understand a character / a human… like a psychologist.

That’s such a cute story about the gig. You have done some very impressive work, which would you say you’re most proud of?

Thank you very much. That is so hard to say. The word “proud” for me is one of the biggest forces in the universe and the “general” pride in my life is a rare thing which, when there, I value tremendously and then there is the professional pride which I search for every single day and try to reach for every single day in doing the best I have in me to develop my song, my acting, my sincerity, my teaching etc… Preparation, preparation! I do not find myself “proud” that often – its more a gratefulness of the times I am totally present throughout or when I work on a part that can turn out to be the best work I have ever done – preparation is the word for me. And I always think about what could be better, because it always can. To be proud of yourself can have different faces. For an example when I was shooting a movie and I had to be in very cold water in the middle of the night with only bikini pants on lying still in the water for 5-10 minutes and I thought my body was going into shock – I was proud afterwards that I actually could be able to do it, but to be proud of real work is a whole other thing. If I should think of one time I was proud of my work it was when I was doing Chess The Musical at a big theatre in Denmark and I was understudying a great musical star Maria Lucia Rosenberg who played Florence Vassy. I remember how much I was rehearsing everyday, watching the videos, keep touching the character every day even though I was in the ensemble playing a whole other part. Florence is a mezzo soprano and as the ensemble track I was singing soprano top notes every day. So I knew it would be a great challenge if some day I had to go on as her understudy with minimal rehearsal time and without the orchestra. The day of the re-premiere she was called in sick and I was on that day – they called me in around morning for rehearsal with the assistant director and the ensemble. I rehearsed till only hours before the premiere, then make-up and before I knew it I had my very first show as the leading part at the second biggest theatre in Denmark. I didn’t really have time to be nervous because I was so focused and its not that easy to fill in for a great star that everybody is expecting to see on stage. I ended up playing 7 shows throughout the playing period and got very fine reviews. I was happy that I made it through without any crazy struggles and because I took my time to rehearse everyday it went fine for my own expectations.

Preparation is definitely the key, well done you. There are different dimensions to your art (acting, singing and dancing), do you have a preference in which you like to do or are they one and the same?

Oh Yes. Well I would say that it is pretty easy. Singing is definitely my number 1 preference! If I should present myself I would say that I am a singer-actress with good dancing skills or that can move very well. The connection between them is – you have to be fully connected – emotionally to be good at it, otherwise you are just a machine singing notes or doing steps. So they are all connected in the same way. For me singing and dancing opens up the heart and from here feelings can be easily released if you learn how to it. Acting is the keyword. If you are connected to the story – you can really make a change, and make people believe. The past few years singing and acting has been in the topic for me – doing singer-actress roles in musicals such as Queen Anne in The Three Musketeers and Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard, I have been a lead soloist and musical performer on Cruise Ships learning 14 shows in 2 months, I worked with cartoon dubbing and I have parallel worked on film productions and commercials, which I would love to do more. Also I have been writing music through the years, keeping it to myself though… waiting for the right moment to feel ready to present it, so hopefully in the near future I would be very grateful to break through with it. Dancing has been a part of my life since I was 6, my mom danced ballet for many years, acted cabarets and did puppetry – so she was the motivator for acting and dancing. For me it was never ballet but other genres as standard, show dance, street and salsa before I went to the Academy. Simply loved to dance always! But like many other dancers I got an injury which happened 5 years ago doing a split just before I had to play Janet Van De Graff in The Drowsy Chaperone at our graduation showcase. I remember I was doing Guys and Dolls at Aalborg Theatre at the same time. One evening the muscle pulled. I kept on playing for a month. I felt like I had a Ferrari that had turned into a Volvo. Just after graduating, I got my first professional contract being in Sweeney Todd 2011 at the Aarhus Theatre and after that I started to get roles where I didn’t have to dance that much. I tried to relax and do exercises when I had the time. I went to New York to work on my acting which is one of the best things I have done for myself in my life, and in the middle of a Feldenkrais Technique Class I felt my whole body in a way that showed exactly where the pain was and what I needed to work on seriously, so luckily for that class I couldn’t put it aside anymore. Since then I have been taking it very seriously and working on it with great physiotherapist and osteopaths. In a way it was a gift because I had a chance to rebuild myself again. I was happy in the spring when I did my Fair Lady, I was hired to be in the ensemble and understudy but I ended up dancing almost the same as the dancer-track with great choreography from Alistair David and Director Timothy Sheader.

And I have always felt like singing more than talking. Like a need. It simply heals my soul.

What sort of pressures made you continue going even though you had the injury?

It wasn’t really a pressure. It was more a serious need to be free and without pain and tensions so that I can do my “job” in good shape and with love and no worries. Maybe if I had a “normal” life and I wasn’t so aware and sensitive about my body and how I feel, I could lived with it. But when you work with performance art your body has to be relaxed and free without any “hard” tensions that works against you or stops you from being creative or doing what you are asked to do with your body. I am very passionate about what I do, and I hate when there is something in the way and keeping me from being the best I can be when working on my skills. But the injury was doing that. Everytime I was dancing it made me sad, because I was compensating and it was hurting. So I had to listen. Its tough when something is keeping you from what you want most in the world and of course there will be things from the outside that you cannot change, but the things that comes from yourself – there’s no excuse not to work on that. At least try. I am always working on myself – to become a better daughter, sister, friend, girlfriend, person etc..but also to understand other people close or not close. I guess that’s also why I love acting so much, to understand a character / a human… like a psychologist. I think it is so interesting how the human mind and body work. Why we are as we are and why we see things differently.

You were introduced to method acting and really embraced it. What made you such a big believer?

I have always been a very curious person, open to new ways of thinking, understanding or living. Then I got experienced and became and adult haha..and through the years of course I have grown more sceptical about which things work for me. But luckily It’s easy to believe in a method that works. Thanks to them I am a believer! “To believe” is something that comes and goes to me from time to time. Some periods you really believe in yourself and other times you don’t, I think it’s about finding out how you can stay believing most of the time in your life. By finding your right spot for an example. I’ve been introduced to a lot of things that wasn’t me, and I am glad I tried it otherwise I wouldn’t know. But if you do method “correctly” its simply going to make you the best actor you can be, and how could I say no to work on that? It was like I was introduced to the secret of acting when I went to The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and I am going back there every time I am in New York just to say hi or take a class and I am going back again in 2016. That school opened my eyes, my heart and mind to something very important in my life and I am truly grateful for the time I was there. Working with real masters that have worked with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and many others, you can just feel their fibres cooking with passion in a room every time they speak – it’s a very serious way of working. No applause, no laughs, no nothing only the perfect amount of questions and constructive criticism when you are working on a scene – because the actor has to not be coloured by friendliness. You are there, working on your craft, doing at least 4 scenes a week with different partners, getting to know new material by reading manuscripts and so on, very serious – like it has to be. At the same time being in a city that never sleeps where you are running into directors and artists on every corner trying to work their ass off trying to become best they can be, is to me amazingly inspiring! If I got the opportunity I would work and live there. To become great with help from some of the best teachers/masters in the world is very easy to embrace. I remember the first thing, my lovely method acting teacher, Irma Sandrey said in her opening speech in my first method class with her was ” If you are not wonderfully sensitive and emotionally open, this place is not for you” – and that’s when I knew – I am home.

You got to love New York and everything it has to offer. What would you say are the downsides to the creative industry?

Yes indeed. Well, I would say that one of the downsides is that you never know what’s going to happen or who the creative team is going to pick. You can only give your best shot – like Phillip Seymour Hoffmann said ” Act, when you can act”, ’cause at the end of the day you have no idea if the roles are already taken or if they just have a certain way of choosing people and so on. Sometimes you just get the part, because they know they want you -they call you and done (I really love when that happens haha..) other times you walk out just after the first round and then there is the times where you have had many callbacks for a part and in the end they took the other girl because of height or another petite thing. And that’s how it is for most people. But you’ve got to love the “never know” -thing otherwise it will be too tough to stay in the industry. Another thing is that it’s very much about who you are as a person. Are you easy to work with, do they know you from before and so on.. and of cause we just work better with some people than others. And “The first impression” can be your worst enemy if you really have developed or worked on something and no matter what you do – you cannot change their opinion about you. The best you can do is to really think about who inspires you and whom you would like to work with. And most important – finding out what you are great at and where you would fit perfectly. It has taken me some time to know who I really love working with the most, the ones that I admire and are inspired by and that makes life on stage so much easier – If there’s a part I could really see myself in but didn’t get it forces me to pull myself up by the boot straps, believe in myself and think about what could be better at – and as Meryl Streep said ” ‘They’ are just one opinion in a sea of thousands” When that is said, I will always support the theatres I like. For me theatre is more than getting a part – I love to watch a good show! Although they didn’t pick me I love to see what the person ending up doing with the part that I was up for, did with the part – maybe I will be inspired, maybe not.. Cause It’s really about what you do with the part after you get it. One of the downsides is that, a lot of people say yes to a smaller salery than they should have, because they just want the work – that’s a big issue and the producers are well aware of that. If we all knew what we are worth that wouldn’t happen, but its hard when the one thing you love the most is right in front of you and you have to say no. In this business, people only treat you with respect if you do the same.

You’re right in many aspects, how do you unwind when you’re away from the stage?

Uhhh. That depends on the mood. When I am home – most of the time I would spend time with my friends, family and my lovely boyfriend but I could also be watching a movie, cooking a great meal, going to the gym or taking a walk in the on the beach or forest. The last 3 months I have actually started to draw and paint again – I haven’t done that for years – And I looove it – it totally clears my head, but still keep my mind creative and inspired just from another perspective. I would totally recommend it. Traveling is high on the list of really unwinding – it sets the mind free from everything you could do, or feel like you should do when you are at home. After traveIling, I get home reloaded and with new inspiration to the work. So therefore I travel as often as I can. But my favourite bit of unwinding is kissing my boyfriend!! Haha… Love within the sense of the body is for me the best happiness and energy charger. Definitely.

You’re good at unwinding. What does 2017 hold for you?

Well, thank you. I haven’t always been good at unwinding, but through the years I realized how important it is. For 2017 – I haven’t planned yet, I am auditioning for that period at the moment, so I am very exited to see what will come. And for 2016 it’s starts very well in January and a lot of other interesting things that I am very excited about.

Finally, what would be your dream role?

hahaaa.. the classic question. Well, I don’t really have one. I like playing different genres, different characters. I have many roles I would love to play. For me its more about the whole production – ’cause you might be playing your dream role in a production that turns out to be a really bad experience, production wise, or maybe you couldn’t connect with the other actor that was important for your scenes or something and then you end up hating the part because every time you think of it, it will remind you of that experience. And of course the opposite – you might have had a part that wasn’t your dream role but turned out to be really funny and challenging to play – so that might be the role of your life because it was a great experience. I have tried both and definitely know which one I like the most. For me It is about the whole production, the creative team and the cast – at least those who affect your work the most. I remember when we had a school project at The Danish Musical Academy and I played Fosca in Sondheims “Passion” – I would never have imagined myself playing that part – I thought wow – this will definitely be a challenge till I got to work on the part and it ended up being my favourite part of all time. The director Thomas Agerholm who is one of our very talented musical theatre directors in Denmark at the moment I would say – he made me love it and I still wish to play her again some day. So my dream would be to play one of my favourite parts within a great production, a great cast, a great creative team so that you can enjoy being on stage every night feeling that all the hard work is really worth it – with a smile.

Although they didn’t pick me I love to see what the person ending up doing with the part that I was up for, did with the part – maybe I will be inspired, maybe not.. Cause It’s really about what you do with the part after you get it.

Love that last sentence. Sandra, Thank you so much for hanging out with me and best of luck in the future. I’ll keep my eye out for your shining star.

You are such a sweetheart. It was a pleasure and an honor for me to speak with you at TBUR. Thank you for having me Munir. The best of luck to you and your readers as well. Much Love.

Sandra can be found looking effortlessly glamorous on her Website, singing and acting on YouTube or you can also check out more pics and news on her Facebook Page.

Kaitlin Argeaux – “We don’t need 5 figure budgets to make magic”

On 22nd January 2016 / Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

I like creatives like my guest today because she is one of few in a competitive industry who wants to help others. Kaitlin Argeaux is a Theatre Director from America living in London. The stage has been in her life since she started dancing at the age of 3. Acting came next and directing is the hat now worn which compliments her other skills. She is vocal about wanting more equality in the workplace for women in an industry that is lopsided in its favouritism towards men. TBUR likes making new friends and Kaitlin is the latest in a long line of them that I have made. Through the course of this interview you will be hearing a lot more from this likeable and brave character who’s ambition knows no boundaries.

Hello Kaitlin, welcome to TBUR. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Hi Munir! Hello to all the lovely readers! My name is Kaitlin Argeaux and I am originally from Florida, in the USA. My affair with performing, dance, and theatre started young – at the tender age of 3 I started dance lessons. I continued to dance (for fun and competitively) for nearly 14 years. Around 12 I started acting and performing in plays and soon after I decided I was interested in what was then called “stagecraft” – or- the backstage life. This meant I got experience stage managing shows, doing rigging for flats, light and sound board operation, set and costume construction, and general tech work. After high school I continued my backstage life by studying light and sound design at Florida School of the Arts, an institution similar to 6th form over here. I quickly discovered that I was not so great at design! However, I had also started assisting my professors when they would direct the school’s yearly productions. So after graduation, I pursued a degree in Theatre Performance from Florida State University, this meant I studied acting including lessons in movement, voice, and text. It was at Florida State that my mentor John Degan suggested I try theatre directing. Echoing the suggestion my mother had made years before about using my bossiness to my advantage! I shifted my focus specifically to directing. I found it challenging and exciting. Once finished, I left the life of academia for a while and assisted on some professional shows in the Tampa bay area. As great as that was, I felt like I was missing something – I wanted to be a part of something bigger. So I decided to pursue theatre directing full time. Unsure of how or where to start, I decided I would go back to school, only this time I would study abroad. And what better city for theatre than London? I applied to university and made my way to the Big Smoke to study Theatre Directing. I graduated with an MFA, started freelancing, and eventually started my own company. And here I am!

Being a theatre director means everything to me. I cannot separate myself from this craft, I cannot imagine a life without theatre, and I feel eternally grateful that I am in a position to create productions with the input and help from so many incredibly talented people.

What made you at such a young age so interested in what was behind the scenes?

I think I just wanted to be a part of everything theatre-related! I had done the performing part in regards to dance, and I was keen to learn all aspects.

I guess the benefit of knowing it all is you have better control over the work and it’s end result. What does being a theatre director mean to you?

Well, having at least some experience in all facets of theatre means that I can speak intelligently and articulately to my designers and collaborators, in a common language. Although sometimes they still have to decipher what I’m after! As for being a theatre director – This is a really tough question…on the one hand, theatre directing is a gift, something I am grateful to have found. A platform and outlet for my creativity, political outspokenness, and drive to collaborate with people who inspire me. On the other hand, it’s difficult and demands a great deal of responsibility, diplomacy, and time. It requires me to be self-disciplined and challenges me constantly. Being a theatre director means everything to me. I cannot separate myself from this craft, I cannot imagine a life without theatre, and I feel eternally grateful that I am in a position to create productions with the input and help from so many incredibly talented people. Put it like this – NOT making theatre is not an option. It’s something I MUST do.

And make theatre you shall! What challenges do you face as a woman in the industry and what’s it like for women in general?

I do think that women can find it difficult to be taken seriously, I recall hearing stories about female directors being challenged about whether or not they were “ready” to tackle a dense text, large cast, well known actor, whatever. Because of this, I think that female directors can struggle with confidence issues. We feel a need to prove ourselves and be seen as reputable, experienced, and established as quickly as possible in order to have the same opportunities as our male counterparts. I remember reading an article in the Guardian in 2012 and the results of their survey said that only 33% of the boards of the top subsidised theatres in England were made up of women, and only 36% of Artistic Directors are women. This divide must be addressed and I try to do my part by creating opportunities for women – whether in leadership roles such as directing, producing, or production management within the company- or by choosing plays with strong, complex female roles.

There have been plenty of women’s only programmes to encourage more females into the directors chair. From your point of view are these encouraging or patronising and why?

It’s not patronising to have women’s roles featured or promoted – the main issue here is that the majority of theatres (and film production companies for that matter) are run by men who do not see women as an asset. So until there are enough women in leadership roles, there clearly won’t be gender balance because many men don’t think women’s stories can make money, nor do they think of female directors as bankable. So programmes which amplify female roles are encouraging and – as of now – a necessity.

Hear hear! I’ve always been confused as to why male industry leaders don’t see women as an asset. The majority of the people that work for me are women and they are badass! Do you have any projects in the pipeline that you are able to discuss?

I love hearing you say that, it’s so true! Well, we finished the run of “Salome” in September, and we are now applying to festivals all over Europe and Asia and hope to tour it next year. The response has been really positive and we hope to head back to KIFT in South Korea as well. In addition, we have a new writing project in the works which is in the research and development stage so I cannot say too much…suffice to say that it features an incredible female lead – over the age of 40! It will feature elements of horror, history, and of course, feminism.

On that note what did you think of the film, Suffragette?

I haven’t seen it yet! Argh! It’s on my list, but I am so behind with film, I only just saw Spectre!

Dare I ask your thoughts on the debate surrounding the Monica Belluci Bond girl casting?

The fact that this is even a topic is the worrying thing. When a man is cast opposite a lead woman his own age there is no discussion (Meryl Streep and Steve Martin in “It’s Complicated” for example), an actress the same age as Bond is cast as a Bond girl and everyone has a meltdown. I thought she looked beautiful but her part was woefully underwritten.

Agreed, let’s imagine you have just been granted unlimited funds to put towards a production, what would you do?

Wow what a question… I would put it all towards our new writing venture which I can’t say much about! But it’s a period piece, so I would use it to make the set and costume designs very authentic and also put tons into marketing. It’s quite challenging to market fringe shows in London – there is a lot of competition!

I think I just wanted to be a part of everything theatre-related! I had done the performing part in regards to dance, and I was keen to learn all aspects.

Ah cool! What’s harder to find, good actors or investors?

Investors definitely! London is filled with hugely talented actors – we just need the funding to pay them properly, as they deserve.

If a potential investor is reading this what would you like to say to them?

I would say – please support fringe theatre. If not my company, another one, any one! Because there is an unspeakable amount of talent on the fringe that goes unnoticed. And independent theatre is so important because it’s the new voice – new writing, new visions, new ideas – lots of raw talent and hungry practitioners. Nourishing and supporting these new voices is paramount. And it is impressive what we, and other fringe companies, can create with just a small amount of start up money. We don’t need 5 figure budgets to make magic. So imagine what we could do with just a small amount of encouragement – financial or otherwise.

Here’s hoping Kaitlin. Thank you so much for taking the time out to be with us and best of luck with everything.

Thank you so much for the opportunity, and the chance to talk a little about what we are trying to do with the company.

Kaitlin and her company of talented individuals can be found on their Website, Twitter or Facebook and if you are looking to connect directly with her you can also find her on LinkedIn.

Aurora Pfeiffer – “Now that there is Spotify, Pandora, Youtube, Souncloud, and other mediums, radio isn’t the #1 factor on whether you can create a buzz for an artist.”

On 15th January 2016 / Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

She was born 2 months premature and was the first of a set of twins to arrive. So early in her life Aurora Pfeiffer’s great qualities were apparent. She was always ahead of her time and was a natural at being in partnerships. In her professional life she is a young pioneer in the music industry and has a unique vision. She has taken a chance on several musicians that her peers passed over and has helped guide them on the road to success. From her early years in the music industry she soaked up every bit of information she could and learned from the mistakes of others. She graduated from university a year earlier than she was supposed to and her young life (she’s 26 at time of writing) has been spent building a solid foundation to start cultivating success. I was incredibly impressed upon meeting her and we immediately clicked. Without further ado TBUR welcomes Aurora Pfeiffer.

Hi Aurora, welcome to TBUR, please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Thank you for the lovely introduction Munir! Hello to all TBUR readers. Munir’s introduction is a hard act to follow! I’m a Music Manager, and A&R Consultant, who has a background in songwriting. I got my start as a songwriter over a decade ago. Once I realized how challenging it was to have a career as a songwriter without having the right representation or any knowledge of the music business, I began reading everything I could about how to create a marketable brand, and ultimately how to get a song cut once there was a song worth pitching. Over time I fell equally in love with both music and business. If I had to pick between the two, I don’t think I could. I’ve always believed you can become whatever you set your mind to, so I’m fortunate enough to practice multiple areas in the music business. I currently manage a few major label producers and songwriters at Rolen Music Group, a company I co-founded with my partner Lena Leon. Lena focuses on songwriting and creative development, while I handle management, business development, partnerships, and A&R. I also consult for a prominent international publishing company, operate a record label that I co-founded, Sleek Tone Records, which is distributed through INgrooves, and between all of that, I somehow manage to find time to pursue my first love and creative outlet, songwriting. I started out as an intern in 2008 at EMI/Capitol Records in LA, the summer of my freshman year of college. I wanted to work in their A&R department, and I made that my goal. The following two summers I interned again at Capitol in their NYC offices and put in as many hours as I could. I moved to NYC right when I graduated college with the hopes of landing a full-time job at Capitol. Half way through my third internship I was offered a job as an A&R Assistant/Coordinator under the President of A&R, Ian Ralfini, at one of the imprint labels at EMI/Capitol, Blue Note and Manhattan Records. The first three years of my career were spent in that department. Those were some of the three best years of my life. Ian was an amazing boss and I was fortunate enough to learn so many things from him. As an A&R Coordinator (eventually promoted to Senior Coordinator of A&R), I had the privilege of coordinating releases for Norah Jones, Rosanne Cash, Amos Lee, Anita Baker, Van Morrison, Robert Glasper and Priscilla Ahn, to name a few. Three years ago, my job presented me with an opportunity to move to LA in February of 2013. It was an amazing move for my career, so I accepted it. After almost a year of living in LA, with many ups and downs, I decided it was time venture out on my own. In January 2014, I started building the foundation for Rolen Music Group. I learned a lot from all the mistakes I made, as well as the mistakes of others around me. I learned what not to do and that taught me what to do. Through trial and error, and trusting my instincts, I built a roster that I am very proud to represent. After almost two and a half years in LA, I eventually found my way back to NYC, where I always hoped to continue building my business. Like most start ups, you start with a dollar and a dream. You take a leap of faith and hope to land on your feet. That’s exactly what I did. I’m still standing.

There’s never a right time to start a company, you have to believe in your vision and carry it out with all that you have.

Your empathetic approach has served you well in an industry known for it’s cutthroat nature. You aren’t the first to adopt a more friendly stance but you are one of the few that is succeeding, why do you think that is?

I think you have to see yourself in others. You have to put yourself in their shoes to fully understand what it is they are looking to accomplish. So many people view music as a product, and it’s true, it is, but it’s also a product that in many cases stems from emotion. The inspiration behind a musical body of work comes from a feeling. The music is the vehicle that expresses the feeling in so many words, or lack there of with compositions that need no words. Music and emotion often go hand in hand, people buy songs they connect to, they go to concerts for the experience. They idealize an artist, writer, producer or executive that they feel they can relate to. If you can’t connect with the talent you are looking to work with then it can be hard to sell something to others that you don’t fully understand or believe in. The people I look up to in this business are the ones who aren’t just in it for the money and the fame. I look up to the ones who have created movements and shared music with the world that had the power (and continue to have the power) to change lives. I think the more relatable you are, the more people will genuinely want to work with you. Most people want to work with people who work hard, follow through and have their back. However, there are a lot of executives who don’t practice business this way and are extremely successful by conducting business strictly through reviewing numbers, soundscan reports, statistics, keeping their circles closed, and following the charts to find their next signing. There’s nothing wrong with this approach either, I think it’s just a matter of your core values and how you want to build your business. I’ve worked with both types of people and have nothing negative to say about either business practices. In the end, I think it comes down to personal preference.

I can imagine you receive several emails requesting representation, how do you decide who you will respond to?

Usually it’s the well formulated emails with the least amount of info in them that I will check out first. I don’t have time to read paragraphs, a few short lines about your career highlights and a link will get you farther than you’d think, if the music is good. Before reaching out you need to make sure that whatever you are sending is at a level of industry standard and not something you put together last minute. Know your motive, when you reach out be clear about what you are looking for, i.e.) management, artist development, collaborations and co-writes, job opportunities, etc. Don’t prematurely reach out. Reach out when you are ready. It could take you years to be ready. You don’t want to try and make contact until you have a product that is undeniable. Do your research. Try to find a way to truly connect to the person you are sending an email to. We’re not going anywhere, so don’t rush the execution of your first impression. I’ve been in many scenarios myself where I’ve wanted to connect with other industry A&R’s, managers, talent and reputable executives, where I’ve drafted an email but never sent it. In many cases I told myself that if I was meant to connect with them our paths would cross when I had something worth their time. Many a times it’s worked out that way. I’ve met so many people who were once drafts in my inbox. I firmly believe that the right people in this business will find you if they’re meant to.

Talk me through your vision board.

In early 2009 I read The Secret, it was inspiring to see others who followed the practices in that book and created a life they envisioned. After careful thought, I made a very simple first vision board, as I wanted everything on it to come true. The vision board started with music, as I knew that music was going to be what led me to each destination and would provide a social circle for me. I ended the board with Capitol Records as that was my first career goal, and had hopes that I would grow within that company, and that the vision board would come full circle at one point once my journey there was done. Love was going to be what kept me going. I also had hopes to meet a great guy once I had my career in place, so I sprinkled that through each “stop” as a reminder that it was out there, I just couldn’t be afraid to let it find me along the way. Like clock work, each stop on my vision board came true, in the order I wrote it. The first stop on my vision board was New York City. In May 2010, I was offered my third internship at Capitol, and packed my bags and moved to the big apple. Two months later, I was offered a full time job at Capitol Records AND in the same month met a great guy who I ended up dating shortly thereafter, later to fall in love with. Things with my career started picking up, so I began networking and found myself immersed in the NYC music scene. I wanted to make friends, so I turned to songwriting and musical outlets. I ended up meeting my business partner, Lena Leon, who is my rock and confidant in this business. As fate would have it her (then) publisher reached out to me because I was at Capitol to network with me and that’s how I met her. Halfway through the board my relationship ended up ending with the great guy that I had dated, not because there wasn’t love, but because it wasn’t the right time in both of our lives and external factors got in the way that we couldn’t control. I turned to songwriting a lot during this time and started putting myself through “songwriting boot camp.” In one year I wrote over 250 songs, while balancing my full-time job and even managed a promotion that year. The next stop on the board was LA. I always knew I had to move to LA for a few years of my life to toughen me up and build the relationships I needed. I also knew it was a great place to cultivate talent and brush shoulders with so many who had succeeded in the music business. When EMI/Capitol merged with Universal, Capitol gave me the opportunity to move to LA, I embraced it with open arms. As fate would have it, I ended up working on the 9th floor, the same floor my whole journey began, as my first internship was on the 9th floor in 2008 in the Capitol Tower in LA. I remember sitting in my desk in 2008 on that floor, making the affirmation that I was going to eventually end up in the Capitol Tower and saw myself on the floor I was sitting on at the time. The Capitol Tower is a circle, and as my last stop on that board points to, it’s where my first journey ended, at Capitol Records. My life came full circle, working on the same floor I had got my start in five years prior, exactly as I had envisioned. Once that board finished out it’s journey, I wasn’t in the right head space to figure out what was next. So I spent the following year with a blank slate. When I had some time to connect with my thoughts, I created a new board, without a set timeline or sequence, but with a lot of milestones I hoped to reach and wrote on the back of each picture I put on it what I wanted. It’s still a work in progress, as it’s only a little over a year old, but already, so many of the stops have already come true. Some things I often think about.. If I hadn’t graduated college a year early, I believe my whole path would have shifted. For how would the board had worked the way that it did in the order that it did? There were too many pieces that had to come together at the right time for it all to make sense. Timing is everything. If EMI and Universal never merged, would I have ever gotten the chance to move to LA? I’m not sure if I would have made the move without a concrete opportunity presenting itself to me. If I wasn’t let go from my publishing job would I have ever opened my own company? There’s never a right time to start a company, you have to believe in your vision and carry it out with all that you have. These are all questions I hope to never have the answers to, for I believe they were supposed to be open ended questions for a reason. It makes life more mysterious this way. There will always be a question you will never have the answer to. That’s what keeps us going.

What would you say you are most proud of amongst your various achievements?

I would say I’m most proud to have placed about twenty songs with major label artists, tv shows, and films this past year. It may not look like a large amount on paper, but for being an indie company and teaching myself how to place songs I’m quite proud of that! Song-plugging is one of the toughest jobs, as it’s essentially a sales job. Your job is to convince an artist and their team why they need your song or why they should work with your roster. What makes it tough is the competition that you’re up against. The top name songwriters and producers who have a proven track record in the business are also competing against you for the same spot.

How did you come up with the name Rolen?

It happened naturally. My business partner Lena and I were playing around with names and nothing seemed to fit perfectly. One day I was joking around, and I said we should just find a way to combine our nicknames. My nickname is Ror and hers is Len, so we modified it slightly and came up with Rolen, and it just stuck.

It’s definitely got a ring to it. I know you have some amazing plans to grow the company, how much of that can you share at this point?

A lot right now is in the strategy phase, but to say the most in the fewest words possible, we are looking to really tap more into the digital, social media and brand space and integrate some unique collaborations in these areas. The digital age is here, and it’s important that we not only understand how music plays a role in that, but also understand what other areas tie into that as well.

I think what you’re doing is great. I have a lot of readers who are aspiring musicians, are you able to talk me through how getting your song played on the radio works?

That’s great. In terms of getting your song on the radio, it’s more than just having a good song. In many cases an artist will have to hire a radio promo team to “work” their song. What this means is the radio promo team will require a budget from the artist to make phone calls, play the song to program directors, email the song, or mail out the song to their network of radio show hosts and program directors. It’s highly competitive, major labels spend millions in radio play budgets a year to get their artists songs considered for airplay. If you are an indie, the best thing to do is work your local radio stations and develop your own relationships with them and then once you get the attention of the local stations, try going for the regional stations as well. Luckily we are in an age where radio doesn’t trump all, which used to be the case. Now that there is Spotify, Pandora, Youtube, Souncloud, and other mediums, radio isn’t the #1 factor on whether you can create a buzz for an artist.

True, Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran to name a few didn’t need it. Is the partying/networking side of the industry fun or tedious?

Exactly! To be honest, I used to loving going out in the beginning of my career and meeting everyone and being social. I think it’s important for those starting out to do the same. I would go to almost every networking event or music engagement and/or party that I could. Now, I find that I get the most work done when I am setting up strategic meetings on my own and reaching out to those I want to connect to. Going out is fun, but it gets old after a while and a lot of people on the scene aren’t there to get work done, they’re there to have fun, so it’s hard to get anything productive done. I prefer to show up and support my clients when they are out, but if it doesn’t involve my clients, partners, or those who I work closely with, than I’d prefer a night in to a night out.

There is a certain Latino producer who’s success you’re responsible for, what happened?

I believe success to be a partnership, I was fortunate enough to find him and he was fortunate enough to find me, and together were fortunate to build down a solid foundation that is starting to prove to be successful. The talented Latin and EDM producer I manage, DalePlay, has an incredible work ethic and drive. It’s refreshing to work with such a talent who is willing to go the extra mile to get a job done. He found me in a cold email that he sent a little over two years ago. We built a working relationship and little by little I started teaching him things on the music side to help expand his general musical palette, and he started teaching me things on the latin side to strengthen my ears and taught me how to navigate the latin market. In the few short years we’ve been working together he won a BMI Latin Award, had a #3 song on the Billboard Tropical Charts, signed a deal with Warner Chappell, has worked with Kat Dahlia, Jen Carlos Canela, Plan B, Domino Saints, Sie7e, Grupo Treo, Maluma, Elvis Crespo, Skrillex and Diplo’s camps, and a handful of other top latin artists and writers. He has a bunch of other latin artists he’s worked with whose songs are coming out in the new year, but I can’t disclose that just yet. We have a huge plan for the future and I believe we’ll eventually get there together.

If someone reading this is looking to start a music label, what advice do you have for them?

My advice to those who are looking to start a label is to do your research. Before starting a label you need to have knowledge of what every department in a label does. There’s so many departments within a label that it’s not as simple as finding or creating a great song and putting it out. There’s months of planning and strategy that needs to go into each release. You have to be very organized and detail oriented. The successful projects are often times the ones that aren’t rushed. Releasing music and setting it up properly starts with a great A&R team, who finds the right artist and song they want to lead with, which can take months if dozens and dozens of sessions need to take place to even get the right music. From there, a marketing plan has to be created. The marketing team will then work with a publicist and creative team to position the artist/song into the marketplace. A production schedule will be created for all parties to follow, working closely with the sales team to strategically place the song on the right digital platforms. If there’s a radio budget then a radio team is put in place, and they need to have knowledge of how to break a record and what market(s) to take it to first. The video team will work closely with the radio team to market the song through their video channels once it hits radio. Then there’s the licensing team whose job it is to get the song synced and placed in the hands of the right music supervisors and tastemakers. To keep things organized you need to have a great A&R Admin team who connects the dots along the way and oversees the budget with the finance team You need a strong legal team to make sure all the contracts are in place and to help set everything up. You need a digital marketing team to help set up the song properly online and work out a social media campaign. If the song and artist do well, and there’s a tour support budget in place, you’ll need the tour promo team and booking agents to set up a tour, as well as a merchandise and branding team to create merch and work with brands to cross-promote. There’s so many labels out there, once you understand how a label properly operates and have interest in starting one, then it’s important to figure out what your niche market is and what is it that you have that will make your label stand out from the ones that are already dominating the market place. Step one is fully understanding how a label operates and setting up a structure that it can successfully be built on.

When it comes to contracts for a new artist, are they standard or are the terms negotiable?

Generally terms are pretty standard, but the specifics of each artists deal is offered based on a number of factors; their projected sales, which is forecasted by the finance team, a single song deal verses a multiple album deal, how “hot” an artist is. If there are a lot of labels after them then they will get a better deal if there are multiple labels interested and a bidding war is attached to it. A lot of the terms in the contracts are set, or leave little room for negotiation, but labels have to be that way in order to make the most money they can from the artist. Great attorney’s can usually find ways to bend certain areas, but many are built in.

I believe success to be a partnership, I was fortunate enough to find him and he was fortunate enough to find me, and together were fortunate to build down a solid foundation that is starting to prove to be successful.

Once you have an artist within your roster is a release a collaborative process? By that I mean, who decides what goes on the album and how does the process of elimination work to decide how many songs from studio sessions will make it?

This day and age most managers also have some power to A&R. It used to be very separate back in the day where managers were just managers, and A&R’s were just A&R’s. Now managers have a lot more power than they used to in musical selection. They have the artists eyes and ears daily, as they should be the ones communicating with them more than anyone on their team. Often times an A&R and manager will work together with the artist to identify the musical body they want to lead with. The A&R will also have heavy say, but I’ve seen multiple occurrences where the manager has the last word if there is a dispute between the A&R and manager over what will make the final album.

Do you think with social media and the ability to self-publicise that traditional labels could ever become redundant?

I don’t think labels could ever become redundant, for as long as they have money, they will be around. Major labels act as the bank, they fund, invest, and take risk on artists. They have some of the top music business executives working for them in various departments within a label. Labels add value to an artist. I do think the model of labels will continue to evolve and at a certain point they will have less and less creative control, but still play a huge role financially. If you look at labels in the past decade, their creative staff has been cut in half and their digital and strategy departments have doubled. Artists have taken on more responsibility and have more power when it comes to their brand. This will continue to happen, they will turn to the labels more for investment than creative direction, as many top tier artists outsource their creative team at a certain level.

Well it’s been an education and a real pleasure having you on TBUR. Thank you very much for spending time with me and I look forward to watching Rolen break records!

Thank you for having me! It’s been an absolute pleasure. I hope I can inspire others the way that others before have inspired (and continue) to inspire me.

Aurora and the Rolen family can be found on her Website. For more personal access check out her Twitter or Instagram

Ma’Desa Kinchlow – “I’m a fighter….always have been and will continue to always be. All I need is ONE shot!”

On 8th January 2016 / Indie Interviews / Leave a comment

Todays guest weighed 2 pounds when she was born and as with all premature babies, there is a chance and expectations that there could be physical or cognitive delays. Not only has she defied those expectations but she has gone on to live a full life. She has been writing short stories for a long period of time and has just completed her first novel. Ma’Desa Kinchlow (pronounced Ma-dee-sa) is a very determined individual who wants to make a better life for her kids. She has been shaped by some negative experiences that took place when she was younger and has come out fighting whilst remaining positive. Her smile is infectious and her personality is endearing. I look forward to sharing her stories with you and I’m sure you’ll be very entertained and inspired.

Hi Ma’Desa, welcome to TBUR. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Well thank you for that great introduction Munir and also for allowing me the privilege and opportunity to introduce myself to the readers of TBUR. Hello to all of the beautiful fans out there! Well, again I am MaDesa Kinchlow. I am a single mother of two, I was born and raised in Indiana, but I currently live in Chandler Arizona. I am cool, laid back and I enjoy getting to know people and finding out what makes everyone unique. I love to laugh and have fun. I have a passion for the performing arts and I love to write. I am looking forward to the time when I am able to do what I love on a full time basis. I want to wake up and not have anything else to do other than write, act or maybe even produce! Who knows what the future may bring. I’m pretty much an open book so to speak, what you see is what you get.

It’s like I daydream live and in living color! I always have some sort of storyline brewing in my mind.

How did your love of the arts start?

Well when I was in grade school, maybe around my 4th grade I participated in a music program for the winter and really enjoyed it. I was somewhat fascinated with the lights, costumes and everything it took to put the show together. I’d sing my little heart out. I also began to play the flute, it was the most amazing and beautiful instrument to me. So I’d say it was at that time I fell in love with the performing arts. My sister and I used to dress up and put on wigs, glasses, hats and all sorts of clothes. We would put on shows for my mom, her friends, and our family. I always loved to write poems and stories for my mom. I’d make her cards and books out of paper. As long as I had crayons, pencil and paper I could come up with stories and illustrations. As I transitioned from grade school to junior high I began to write more. I recall winning essay contests. It was just easy for me, I had no shortage of imagination as a kid.

What’s your imagination like as an adult?

I can honestly say that my imagination is extremely vivid and huge. I’m very big on painting a picture and bringing my words to life. It’s like I daydream live and in living color! I always have some sort of storyline brewing in my mind. When my I write, I literally see and hear my characters. Often times I even speak aloud as I’m pecking away at my keyboard. My imagination is like a motion picture. As I develop my characters based on the things that I imagine, it’s like I become them.

That must be so much fun, what are your favourite topics to write about?

It is really fun! My favorite topics to write about are relationships and life. My short story series “The Girlfriend Chronicles…30 Something, Single And Searching.” Is all centered around main characters who are women in various stages of their life. Relationships, whether they be intimate, or platonic have so many dynamics. And to be quite honest I feel that there are rules but there are exceptions as well. I try to dive deeply into feelings and emotions. The thing that is so great about my writing centering around relationships is that feelings and emotions are universal. Pain, hurt, insecurity, fear, admiration, joy, and happiness are not gender, class, socioeconomic , or race specific.

How much of your personal experience makes it into your work?

Very few, if any of my personal experiences make it into my work, but as I stated previously feelings and emotions are universal. To me pain is pain no matter where it comes from. So I guess when considering the correlation between my truth and my fiction, I’d say the emotions and feelings are always derived from my personal experiences though the specific situations may have never showed up at my door. Does that make sense?

It does, a lot of art is derived from pain. Is that true in your case and if so what happened?

Yes actually it has been. It’s been my release and my escape from my own painful reality. I won’t say that there was one or two specific painful events that sparked my creativity. My art and the things that I express are a totality of the feelings that I have had throughout my life. I’ve had a lot of disappointment, a lot of broken promises but unfortunately the most pain that I experienced in my life has been due to me not loving myself to command and demand better from others. Sadly, many people struggle with their own demons so to speak. I didn’t love myself, I looked at myself as damaged goods. My happiness was contingent on whether or not my life was going according to my plan. So I suffered silently with feelings of inadequacy and low self esteem. I had this grand idea of what my life would be at certain milestone ages, 18,21,25,30…and beyond and when my life didn’t pan out the way I planned I allowed myself to become consumed with the false idea that I had failed miserably at life. So as I said what I express emotionally in my stories and poems is the totality of my pain mixed with a lot of imagination and creative energy! My goal is to speak to those things deep inside of my readers in hopes that my art can produce positive change and if nothing else allow one to escape momentarily and see the world and unpleasant and less than ideal experiences not as hindrances or setbacks but as stepping stones to continue to become better and most importantly not to be defined by what has been but to be inspired because of what is to come.

I think every artist wants that “Cinderella Moment” but we all realize that most have to endure a lot of going through the process of development and it can be rough and discouraging.

Hopefully the future is bright. What’s the plan?

Yes indeed. Well my plan is to continue writing and prayerfully I’ll be blessed with a publishing opportunity. I’d like to get back to acting, I’m currently seeking opportunities to write and act. I’m trying to let the world know me and what I have to offer the world of the arts. I am actually in the process of getting a website that incorporates all of my talents, so that I am able to showcase what I can do. I am working closely with Mr. Gregory Jackson of GGG Entertainment to nurture and develop my brand. In addition he is helping me to also identify and prepare for opportunities to help me utilize all of my various talents. Mr. Jackson is also my manager and he is extremely knowledgeable, professional and I’m thrilled to have him in my corner. I also am working on my first crime novel and soon I will be releasing another series of short stories in “The Girlfriend Chronicles.” I truly believe that the sky is the limit and as long as I keep my trust and faith in God and give my best effort NOTHING is impossible. Each day that I am blessed to wake up, to me it is another day to work toward making dreams my dreams come true, achieving my professional and personal goals, and bringing my vision to fruition. I’m excited about the future. I’m a fighter….always have been and will continue to always be. All I need is ONE shot!

Exciting times ahead. Have you always been comfortable in the dual roles of center stage and behind the scenes?

Yes indeed! I am beyond motivated to make my dreams a reality. I went to Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis, Indiana and I was in the theater magnet. The core curriculum of the program included, set design, lighting, directing and everything associated with putting a production together. I was always very comfortable, it just came easily for me to transition between the two. I recall feeling so proud, waiting in the wings for my classmates, it was an amazing sight to see when everything was put together. There is nothing that compares to the feeling of being a part of a successful theatrical production.

Do you have a preference?

Yes, if I’m ever forced to choose I would of course choose center stage. I truly enjoy the transformation into whatever role I am playing.

At this stage what can you tell me about your crime novel?

Yes! I am actually still in the early stages, however I have already developed my characters and the main plot which centers around my main character finding herself in a moral and ethical dilemma. I am still trying to figure out how I’m going to tie everything together. I’ve actually been going back and forth in my mind. I have written the first chapter but I’m not really certain if I’m going to keep it the same. This is my first attempt at writing this genre of novel, so I want to make sure that it is an attention grabber from the first page. I want to make sure that its not one of those stories that takes forever to get good. I am confident that I’ll pull it together nicely, so I’m just taking it page by page for now,

I’m excited about the future. I’m a fighter….always have been and will continue to always be. All I need is ONE shot!

You weighed 2 pounds when you were born and there was a possibility that you would not be able to achieve a lot physically, does it make you happy to know you exceeded so many expectations?

It makes me extremely happy that even though I was small and there was the potential for me to have physical and cognitive delays, I didn’t. I spent 3 months and 3 days in the hospital, my mom kept a journal and she let me read it. I was rather blown away because I never knew that I went through so much.

Wow that’s insane! You mentioned needing one shot, what does the right opportunity look like for you and what would you do with it?

Well for me the “one shot” looks like an opportunity to publish with an established publishing house for a specified period, or any opportunity that allows me to use my God given talents and show the world who I am! I mean of course I have the fairytale dreams of grandeur that I’ll meet Tyler Perry, or Shonda Rhimes or the right person with the right connections and overnight I’ll go from just a girl with 2000 FB friends with big dreams to a household name but I’m smart enough to realize that most often it doesn’t always work like that but there is always the possibility. I think every artist wants that “Cinderella Moment” but we all realize that most have to endure a lot of going through the process of development and it can be rough and discouraging. But I think the thing that sets “winners” apart from “losers” is that winners keep trying even after they lose. They grieve the loss, regroup, refocus and relaunch! The only person who is a failure is that person that ceases to try! So in the mean time I’ll just keep pushing right along holding onto my dreams and making sure that along the way I stay kind, humble, grateful, and always wear my smile while doing my part to make the world better, by treating people as I’d like to be treated. My journey is just that MINE and it’s tailor made for me!

Let’s hope Tyler Perry is reading. Thank you so much for taking the time to hang out with me. It’s been a pleasure.

Thank you for time! This has been a tremendous and exciting opportunity. Thank you for getting to know me and introducing me to the beautiful fans of TBUR!

Ma’Desa can be found writing on either one of her websites, which have awesome names. Check out The Girlfriend Chronicles or My Words from my Lips to keep up to date with her work.

Alpha Cauwenbergh – “I have brothers called Beta and Gamma (no lie). Even funnier than that is the fact that my dad originally wanted to name us One, Two and Three”

On 20th November 2015 / Indie Interviews / 1 Comment

God, to him, is nothing but a 3 letter word said by the delusional. This is part of the synopsis for, ‘The Atheist’ the debut novel of new author, Alpha Cauwenbergh. The story follows the journey of Julian who grew up with hate in his heart but is about to have his beliefs questioned. It promises to be one hell of a ride. Alpha is a guy who loves words and is adept at knitting them together to produce poems and stories. He is my guest today on TBUR and I’m looking forward to understanding how his mind works because make no mistake, a work on religion and religious beliefs set in the modern world is no easy feat to accomplish. For a debut novel he is displaying a confidence that most first time authors would not yet have by choosing to tackle such a complex storyline. Without further ado I give you Alpha (such an awesome name)

Welcome to TBUR big man, hope you are well. Please introduce yourself to my lovely readers.

Haha thank you, you know I have brothers called Beta and Gamma (no lie). Even funnier than that is the fact that my dad originally wanted to name us One, Two and Three! Thank God he saw sense! So yes, a little about myself…I always find this a harder question to answer than it probably should be…Well to use the words of a great green man – I’m like an onion. I have various layers to myself, layers coming from my mixed heritage of Congolese, Belgian and Portuguese. A love for music, sports, and dancing as well as more geeky endeavours like videogames, anime, graphic novels and of course writing. Currently I’m doing a Masters in Strength & Conditioning full time with some Private Personal Training on the side. I think that about covers it…ish

Writing this book allowed me to delve into skill sets I’d only ever just touched upon in all my previous years of writing. It helped me quench the feeling of jealousy I get when listening/reading/watching any amazing piece of artistic expression – wishing I could do the same.

What would you have been called, one, two or three? How did your love affair with words start?

Me, I’d be One as I’m the first born son. Lucky eh? I think that particular love affair started from the moment I was born, in that I’ve always enjoyed talking A LOT usually talking even after people had stopped listening. But it wasn’t until my father gave me a journal for my 16th birthday that I started to channel these constant streams of thought into written word. And at that age most of it was in the form of random ramblings about my hobbies and of course poems about girls I had crushes on.

Do you recall any of the poems you wrote for the crushes and are any of them aware of the existence of the prose written for them?

Yep I definitely do, and most of them are actually posted on my blog page alphacauwenbergh.com I must say some are very cringe-worthy! But I guess that’s to be expected, and I think most of them are aware of the poems. It wasn’t enough for me to just write them. I often felt compelled to show them these poems! Haha I have no shame!

And did any of those poems get the girl?

Erm…well one of them did but after the way things are now with this girl, maybe I wish it hadn’t. Another, though not getting me the girl got me a permanent place in their heart. Oh no I just remembered my first ever poem! Well I use the term ‘my poem’ loosely, before that journal came into my life I actually decided to take all my favourite lyrics from the MJ album Invincible and combine them into a poem for a girl I fancied from another school! Yeah I went to an all boy school, which maybe explains the hormone-crazed poem writing at times.

Haha, that’s dedication. What was the inspiration for your book?

There was no specific inspiration for this book, just a culmination of both subtly suggestive and overtly incredible experiences. At one point I had four different story ideas and couldn’t decide which to go with. So in typical style I chose them all and created a story I hope people will find immensely interesting and deep.

Just like the invincible poem. What made you choose such a complex subject for your first book?

Haha well not exactly, unlike that, this work is completely my own. I didn’t set out to chose something so complicated, the concept just seemed too amazing not to do. And my mind works in very eccentric and multifaceted ways most of the time so in the end the depth of the story felt very natural. In retrospect I think the reason I gravitated towards writing this particular story was because it in some ways felt like therapy. In that for the longest time I have felt lost at sea with my own faith. My personal belief in God has never waned but I’ve lost my belief in the institution of religion. Over time so many things just didn’t sit right with me…like the money driven focus of certain churches for example or the overly intense focus on rituals and rules, and the painful guilt that develops inside when you fail to abide by them. This spiritual dissonance is something that I think a lot of people who are raised in a Christian house and been educated in a Christian school feel. I mean of the 100s of people in my year at school how many are still practicing Christians now? That, plus other thoughts, feelings and general musings about family, love, anger, pain, destiny are the soul of the story. I think that answers the question…lol or maybe not

Well to use the words of a great green man – I’m like an onion. I have various layers to myself, layers coming from my mixed heritage of Congolese, Belgian and Portuguese.

It does, how will your family take it?

I think most on my mums side will take it fine to be honest as I think when you read the story despite the challenging/adult & theological nature of the story – I like to think it’s obvious that the person who wrote it believes in God. Although I do hope my Mum doesn’t read one particularly adult scene in it. When it comes to my Dads side they’re a lot more liberal so that’ll be fine.

I’ll be curious to hear your mums reaction to that particular scene. Did you find it challenging to write a sex scene?

Haha me too I guess, I’ll let you know! It was actually, incredibly so! The thing is although I’m pretty good with creating vivid images with words and poetic sentences – I’ve never had to think about sex from a point of view outside mine and the person I’m with. So as you’re writing you have to remember that it’s not you doing these things but the fictional character(s). That then brings up the question; how would a character who’s been through x y z (things you yourself may never have experienced) touch someone, kiss someone or respond to being kissed and touched? So yes, it was difficult but an extremely fascinating experience and one of my favourite scenes to write!

I can only imagine what it was like to picture others having sex (I wonder if that was why it was your favourite scene to write haha), having completed your first book, how did you find the whole experience?

Hahaha no, it was all down to the creative challenge it posed and the feeling of satisfaction that came with overcoming it. Wow, it’s difficult to answer that question concisely, but I’ll try. Writing this book allowed me to delve into skill sets I’d only ever just touched upon in all my previous years of writing. It helped me quench the feeling of jealousy I get when listening/reading/watching any amazing piece of artistic expression – wishing I could do the same. It’s given a new dimension to my character and awoken in me a new life goal. Simply put it’s been one of the most soul-nourishing experiences I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.

It wasn’t enough for me to just write them. I often felt compelled to show them these poems! Haha I have no shame!

Are there any writers you wish to emulate either in terms of style or success?

Erm…in terms of traditional western authors no. Mainly because I never grew up being a big reader funnily enough. I always found it hard to stay engaged in the written word. So I’ve always been more into movies, anime and manga. But recently to further boost my literarily skills I’ve been listening to audio books. The last one was H.G Wells ‘The Time Machine’. It was pretty good, but I feel a lot of the impact it would have had at the time of its release has been lost now due to the amount of times its ideas/concepts have been copied and rehashed over the years. Shame, would have been an incredible read in its day. So no particular writer I idolise but of course I hope to one day write and create work of the same calibre as those of my favourite movies, anime and manga.

Why should people buy your book?

Good question. I’d say because it will have them re-evaluating all the things they thought made up the human condition, show them a new way of looking at the universe and the silent forces within it that push us towards our fate. In short the most thrilling, fascinating and thought provoking story they’ve ever read. I know what you’re thinking, ‘It had better be good’ haha

Fingers crossed it is, best of luck with it all and have fun with promo as you’ll look back on it with a smile. Thank you very much for coming on here to chat.

Thank you for having me, it was an absolute pleasure!

Alpha’s book is available for sale via Amazon in multiple formats. For all things Alpha, check out his website. You’ll also find those love letters and poems. See if you can spot the one made up entirely of Michael Jackson lyrics.

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