This Wednesday, June 3 from 7-8 p.m., Stones — perhaps alongside surprise special guests — will take his talents to our YouTube channel, all in the name of our UMC Creator Lab campaign.
Jesse Lynn Madera is making some of the most authentic music of her career. The LA-based songwriter’s latest single, “Woke Up In LA,” is a tender slice of Americana which serves as “a testament to resilience and the persistence of love, even through ‘the dog days.’
We get to know Jesse Lynn on this episode of The Quinn Spinn, where she discusses the many stops along the road that have led her to uncover and share her truth, as only she can.
This episode of The Quinn Spinn was recorded and produced at The Russell, Nashville, TN.
A weekend trip to the Smoky Mountains has resulted in the latest collaboration between UnderDogs.
Nicólas Soul teamed up with fellow hip hop artist and UMC Academy Faculty member Foundation Mecca on “smoky blues,” from the former’s latest full-length project, RISE OF THE LOST. Last weekend, the duo drove to eastern Tennessee to bless us with some visuals to go alongside the contemplative single.
“smoky blues” is dedicated to the memory of Bryce Evans, whose body was found in a remote location within Smoky Mountain National Park after going missing for five days. The verses recall the ways we experience and cope with pain in today’s society — whether through the news, or in our everyday lives. Through it all, the message is clear: every single one of us has scars. The bravest among us face them once they are brought to light.
“smoky blues” was produced by mangiiia, with the chorus performed by vocalists Shelby Conquest and Gianni Cashtro. Watch the video below!
UPDATE: As of press time, Foundation Mecca’s other most recent collaboration with Stefan Heuer on “I’ve Done Wrong” has eclipsed 44,000 streams across platforms, less than two weeks after release. In addition, Foundation’s monthly Spotify listener count has skyrocketed to more than 24,000 since release.
If you’ve been following our journey around here, you’re probably well aware that we took the UnderDogs on down to New Orleans to participate in this year’s NOLA MusiCon. We had a wonderful time connecting with the creatives in this vibrant community, and we look forward to spending a lot more time together in the months and years ahead.
We were also fortunate to have Nicolas Soul with us. In addition to being an UnderDog and NEXT2RISE artist, Nicolas documented the entire trip through his media company, NuRenaissance. He caught all of the action — from time spent at the conference, to the diverse talent on display during its showcases, to after-hours hangs from the studio to Bourbon St.
It’s an incredibly fun watch — one which illustrates what it means to be an UnderDog by providing a genuine view into the joy of the experience. Sit back and enjoy!
Thanks to NOLA MusiCon for having us, DAWn Audio for being our NOLA-based family, and our sponsors at Guidance Whiskey and Ether Nashville for their support.
Jazzy the Uncontrolled Goddess is a spoken word poet, speaker, author, and mindset coach whose work begins from within. Jazzy’s raw transparency makes her a force to be reckoned with: a creative’s creative whose ability to lean into her truth inspires the community around her.
Jazzy makes her Quinn Spinn debut today to chat about a variety of topics, including creativity in the age of AI, the inspiration found through love, and the importance of doing our own inner work.
For the season finale of Da’ Healerz Circle, we decided to do something special: invite Da’ Healerz themselves to share about the depth of their individual healing journeys.
And so, I volunteered to put my interviewer hat on to sit down with each Lord Goldie and Foundation Mecca, as they shared the details of their individual upbringings, the evolution of their healing journeys, and the changing narrative of hip hop.
Last Wednesday — following our inaugural UnderDogs Across Borders livestream benefit concert — our friend and fellow UnderDog Brother Dusty held a special event in Nashville at The Underdog, in celebration of his birthday *and* the release of the music video for his new single, “whoa.” (Clips of the event have begun surfacing, in case you want to check ’em out.)
We can definitely understand why Dusty threw a party of such magnitude. This one is worth celebrating!
Produced in conjunction with Ensworth Guitars and directed by Anastasia Elliot and Josh Saltzman, “whoa” is a thrill ride that breaks the rules and bends the genres as only Brother Dusty can. The video was filmed on location at popular Nashville music venue The Underdog and the Garden Family Warehouse, and is as dynamic and explosive as the hard-hitting single for which it was created.
Brother Dusty is just getting warmed up. Make sure you keep an eye on his socials for updates, and watch the video below. It’s sure to make you go… “WHOA.”
You may have noticed a new friendly face around here by the name of Matt Schmoyer. Not only has Matt faithfully jumped in and begun reviewing music for UMC, but he’s doing it while also pouring plenty of love into his own musical project.
That project? Powder Valley Bang, a Lehigh Valley, PA-based rock band that creates Golden Moments of Rebellious Exhilaration. They’re hard-hitting, energetic, and offer a sense of familiarity while delivering something completely fresh to audiences.
We’re super proud of Matt and the guys today, as they appeared on WFMZ’s Music Monday program in Allentown, PA. Here, they play a couple tunes and share their summer plans — which includes a gig at this year’s Musikfest up in Bethlehem, and possibly even a Nashville date on the horizon!
(Also, special thanks to Matt for sharing some of what he learned from participating in BRANDCAMP from UMC Academy this winter!)
Mary Jennings wears many hats as a musician, songwriter, mom, and business owner — and she does it all with her own unique style! Jennings’ success across multiple facets of the music industry comes from building meaningful relationships and understanding that, as individuals, we are all a part of a much larger ecosystem.
Mary joins us on The Quinn Spinn to share what she’s learned along the journey, while giving us a preview of what’s to come.
It’s a good time to be Da’ Healerz. The Heal Hop project — featuring Nashville hip hop veterans Lord Goldie and Foundation Mecca — is quickly gaining recognition, with more than 11,000 Spotify streams already amassed on the duo’s debut EP, Heal Talk. Add the fact that people in Music City are seeking out their live Heal Talk Experiences (like this one taking place February 13 at NECAT), and it’s easy to see why they’d be feeling a sense of abundance right now.
It’s timely, then, that they’ve just dropped visuals for the standout Heal Talk track, “Abundant.”
Described by Da’ Healerz as “an affirmation anthem celebrating abundance, growth, and connection to nature,” “Abundant” was shot at Bullbourne Bison Ranch in Cornersville, TN — located about an hour south of Nashville. Directed by Patrick Johnson, the video features breathtaking views on a beautiful summer day in Tennessee, capturing the track’s uplifting essence, while illustrating our connectedness to the ebbs and flows of Planet Earth.
“Abundant” was produced by N8MLVL. Check out the video below!