Another spotlight, and we have more in the works!

Today, we have electronic rock and roll band Evol Walks! Fronted by Leah Martin-Brown, the band was formed originally in Australia, but was restructured when Leah made the decision to move out to Los Angeles in 2014. “I ended up re-branding my old band, essentially starting from scratch and began searching for other musicians to help build the new project (now called Evol Walks),” she stated. Now the band consists of Leah, CT Twywoniak (lead guitar), Dre DiMura (rhythm guitar), Ian Ross (bass), and Jimmy Lee (drums).


Leah herself started playing and performing music when she was seven or eight years old, and fell in love. “I always knew that it was what I wanted to do with my life,” she said. “There were never any other avenues I was interested in pursuing seriously.” Hailing from Gold Coast, Australia (“a major tourist hotspot,” she noted). had an impact on her and eventually the band’s music. “Growing up there, you see a lot of people living this crazy, high intensity, party lifestyle,” Leah said of her home, calling it the Las Vegas of Australia. “I think that made an impression on me as a lot of our songs are about wild nights out on the town.

Inspired by bands like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Monster Magnet and Black Sabbath, as well as Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, Stevie Nicks Joan Jett, and Amy Lee, Leah and the band give off high energy and attitude, while still creating and performing amazing music! Evol Walks has shared the stage with great bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Killers and Dead Letter Circus and supported the likes of Everclear and The Presidents of The United States of America.

One of Evol Walks’ most recent tracks, “Without Me,” features not only Leah’s stand-out vocals, but the musical chemistry of the band overall. Leah used an ex from Australia as inspiration for the song. “We drifted apart and I ended up being with someone else and my ex couldn’t understand what had happened and why and just refused to let go,” she admitted. “The song was my gentle way of telling him how I felt and that he needed to move on.” Check out the track below!


Currently, Leah is focused on Evol Walks, as they all work on taking the band to the next level. She admitted that there aren’t many rock and roll bands out now with strong, female leads such as her, and that’s what separates them from the pack. “We are going against the indie trend currently happening,” Leah said. “We’re very honest about what we are and I think people can pick that up.”
As for the future, Leah has bright hopes for herself and Evol Walks. “Constantly touring the world and doing what I’m doing now would be awesome,” she stated. “I’d also like to collaborate on more projects and do some more co-writing in the future.”

Be sure to check out more from the band on their official website as well as SoundCloud and Reverb Nation. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

6:39:00 AM

More spotlights to come as we end the summer (is it me or has Summer 2014 FLOWN by?)! Today on The Spotlight, we have Villainettes, hailing from Melbourne, Australia (one of my favorite places in the world, for good reason! Check out my somewhat embarrassing yet fun blog on my experience a few years back).

The band recently came together in 2013, said to be born “amidst the ashes of three totally diverse bands.” Through friendships and professional connections, Villainettes were born! Vocalist and guitarist Michael Lindquist had begun to write, focused on some of his own personal life events, which helped to shape the band and their sound.



Michael soon partnered with friend and guitarist, Jonathan Reisacher, to develop and record a few demo at Red Door Sounds, with producer and friend Paul “Woody” Annison, where the first EP was recorded. The line up was completed after Francis White joined the band on drums (Michael and Francis had played together previously), and Joshua Dawes joined on bass (Michael had met Joshua at the studio while Joshua was recording with another band). “The desire to want to play together came from not so much like minded tastes in music but in likeminded minds in wanting to achieve a collaborative distinct sound we are all proud of,” the band said in our interview.

The Villainettes’ sound has been described as “dark, erotic pop,” somewhat strange and gloomy, but yet still full of life and liveliness. Overall, these members have managed to come together and create a sound for themselves that works for them. Hailing from Melbourne, the band definitely is in the midst of a heavy musical culture. “The music scene here is very diverse, but holds quiet true to a very European influence,” they said.

Currently, the band is putting their finishing touches on their self-titled EP, which is set to be released in full later this year. Some of the music is available now on SoundCloud and Spotify, so be sure to check that out! You can also watch their music video for acclaimed track, “Diamonds,” directed by Bianca Miliani, below!



In addition to their EP, the band is consistently writing and recording new music to build a debut album, as well as touring throughout Australia, with plans to hit the States towards the end of the year! In the future, the Villainettes hope to “be bigger than the Beatles,” but, most importantly, to have their music hit a global scale, while still maintaining creative control and artistic integrity.

You can get more info about the Villainettes on their official website, as well as connect with them on Facebook and Twitter!

7:40:00 AM

I'm excited to give y'all the first spotlight of 2014! (As always, if you are interested in being featured on Spotlight, please email me!)

Today, we have South African band, Skylight, made up of talented musicians Greg Jorden (vocals and rhythm guitar), Wesley Ayliffe (lead guitar), Peter Klien (bass), and Bradley Cumming (drums)! The band was officially established back in the summer of 2009, after Greg, Pete, and Brad performed together at a Christmas Carols event in late 2008. As the trio worked on their first tracks together, Wes, who worked as an engineer in the studio, became a part of the group. “We really connected, and they invited me to a rehearsal,” Wes recalled. “The rest is history.”

Check out more about the group below!

In 2010, the group’s song “Always Enough,” hit the scene, and garnered them a spot on the annual Joburg Day festival line up, performing in front of a crowd of 18,000! That same year, the band also appeared on SA’s Got Talent competition, rising to the Top 20 before being eliminated.

In 2011, Skylight began working on their debut album, Made for More, which was released in May 2013 (I’ll be posting a review on the album soon!).“We are all made for more,” Wes said in explaining the significance behind the title. “As a band we believe that this album is more than just songs. It has a message of hope for the listener.” The album was created in hopes to inspire listeners to live “with hope and purpose,” according to Peter. “We believe that people were made for more than just “getting through” life. Everyone has the potential to influence the world around them for the better.” The band worked with Grammy and SAMA-winning producer, Darryl Torr, on the album, whom Greg calls a “creative genius.” “He can hear things that nobody else can,” Greg explained. “It was exciting to bring him an idea and to see how he transformed it into something great. It was a privilege [to work with him].” The album features tracks “Give It Up,” “Born To Love You,” and the inspirational “Always Enough,” which was unanimously one of the band’s favorites on the album (“It has a message, which we as a band believe in, and have seen in action,” Brad said of the song). With a message of hope and inspiration, Made for More is sure to have a major impact on listeners (You can buy a copy of the album now on iTunes!)



The group’s chemistry is something that can’t be denied, as you’ll hear in their music. Inspired by groups like Matchbox 20, Switchfoot, The Fray, and The Script, Skylight has a fun and mellow rock sound, that the audience What’s great to see with them is that, beyond just the band, they all bond as friends as well. “We’re all quite different, especially Pete,” Greg joked, “but we get each other. It’s easy going and a lot of fun!” Brad added, “We work well together. The creativity comes naturally when we jam what’s inside of us.”

Being from South Africa, Skylight also recognizes the impact that their home has had on their sound, and how the music scene there continues to rise. “It’s so good to see so many artists doing so well, and making the most amazing music,” Greg noted. “Currently there are some really talented artists in SA, producing music that is of an international quality,” Pete added. “The bar has definitely been raised over the past few years. This has inspired us to record the best quality album possible.” However, they also acknowledge that sometimes it can be tough to get their music heard. “Local music doesn’t always get the exposure it needs for our radio and TV channels which prefer international artists,” Wes admitted. “However, I believe that the live music scene is better than ever.” Brad chimed in: “I believe times are changing. There are many talented people in this country and some great music is coming out! I think it’s going to keep getting better.”

In addition to promoting their album, the group is also involved in other activities. Greg and Brad both are involved at their church, Gracepoint, as well as other musical projects (Greg plans to start a songwriting team, and Brad is playing music for other projects for growth and experience!). Wes states that they are always writing new music, either for themselves or other artists, and plans to collaborate with other songwriters this year. In terms of what sets Skylight apart, Greg joked, “Our good looks! Haha…no! I’m not sure if it separates us, but I’m very proud to say that we’re all really good friends.” Wes added: “We’re all driven by the message of love and hope that our music holds. We are all made for more, and we want to share the joy of that with those around us.” Their hopes for the future? To get their music heard by as many as possible. “We’re all looking forward to a big year ahead as a band,” Wes responded. “Response to the album has been good so far, and we’re excited to take it wherever it goes.”

Skylight is definitely a rising band to look out for! They have a great sound, and even greater inspirational message for listeners. Be sure to check them out on Facebook and Twitter, as well as more of their music on Soundcloud and YouTube!

6:16:00 AM

So happy to be featuring all of these great artists, authors, and designers on the blog, and there are definitely more to come! As always, feel free to email me if you would like your work to be featured!

Today, the spotlight is on Irish pop/rock band, The Enemies! Founding members Ronan McQuillan (lead vocals/guitar) and actor Colin O’Donoghue (vocals/guitar) started the band back in 2003, adding along members John Boy Berkley (bass), Johnny Crean (guitar), and Dazzy Oglesby (drums) along the way. In 2010, the guys finally buckled down and got serious about their music career, getting in the studio to record together! “You have to have a passion for music to pursue it as a career. Like any career really. Being surrounded by creative and talented people makes it an easy decision. There has to be a belief in what you do to continue through the bad times. And lots of sacrifice,” the band said of their career. That strong passion is definitely clear in their music!

Check out more about The Enemies below!

Inspired by the likes of The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, John Mayer, and Bob Dylan, just to name a few, The Enemies perfectly blends pop and rock for their awesome sound! The music scene in their home country of Ireland is thriving as well and serves as inspiration on the band’s road to success! “There are the big league guys like U2 and The Script who we all admire,” said Ronan, also naming Kodaline as a band to watch out for! “While we look up to these bands we tend to concentrate on our own sound that hopefully sets us apart from the rest,” he added.

Currently, The Enemies are signed to L.A. based agency A&R Worldwide, which is behind the success of artists like Adele, LMFAO, Muse, Coldplay, and more! Working to get global recognition, the band is finishing up their debut album Sounds Big on the Radio, which is sure to be a big success. “Hearing one of our songs, “Perfect Stranger,” on Irish national radio last year, and how big it sounded through FM stereo prompted the album title,” the band said on the inspiration behind the project. “That rush when it we heard it on radio mixed with the realization that potentially thousands of other people are hearing it at the same time in their car or their kitchen or wherever is very exciting. We decided that all the album tracks should have the same impact.”


The album is a combination of tracks that the band has been working on and playing live for the past two years along with new music! Though Colin isn’t currently a full fledged member of the band anymore (he can presently be seen as the bad boy Captain Hook on ABC’s Once Upon a Time!), he has contributed vocals and instruments on the album as well. A contemporary rock pop record, Sounds Big on the Radio will be released sometime next year. “We’re hoping to get a label to put it out, so shopping for potential labels begins soon as the masters are delivered to us,” Ronan said.

In addition to finishing up the album, The Enemies are always composing music for major brands like Chevy and ESPN. In fact, they just finished Playstation 4’s launch music, and have also composed for advertisements for Durex! Their song "Sustain" was featured on Direct TV's 3D surfing documentary series Gone Until December in the U.S. and they've also co-written and recorded the theme tune for the 2012 animated global TV show Max Adventures. They've also recorded the music for major ice-cream brand Cornetto’s new global ad which was inspired by their own song “Dark Light”.In the future, the band hopes to be recording music for years to come, becoming a timeless band that people will love, and touring places around the world! With their talent and ambition, the future is very bright for this group!

You can learn more about The Enemies on their official website, as well as connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr. They love to connect with their fans, so definitely hit them up! And be on the lookout for Sounds Big on the Radio when it hits--I’ll be rocking out to it for sure!

9:02:00 AM