Articles by Michela Arlia

Jessi Robertson-Memory and Abandoned Parts Album Art

Memory & Abandoned Parts Album Cover Art

Jessi Robertson: A Voice for the Vulnerable

April 5, 2024 by Michela Arlia

Jessi Robertson is a powerhouse voice that captivates you from the first note. In a world where music is often a safe place for personal... read article

Viva Vinyl! Celebrating Record Store Day 2024

March 19, 2024 by Michela Arlia

As spring weather looms, music lovers around the world prepare to unite for one of the most anticipated days in music: Record Store Day. Held... read article

Sabrina Song photo by Livy Wicks

Sabrina Song Brings Wisdom to Youthful Tracks

February 13, 2024 by Michela Arlia

Sabrina Song is a Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, and producer. Best aligned with Alternative, Indie, and Pop genres, Song’s lyrics and overall artistry transcends... read article

Bicycle Away Cover Art courtesy of the artist

Sam Rappaport’s “Bicycle Away” Tugs At the Heart

January 19, 2024 by Michela Arlia

San Fernando Valley native-turned Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter Sam Rappaport is back on the music scene with his latest single “Bicycle Away.” As the song... read article

Nation of Langage / photo by Shervin Lainez and Beach Fossils / photo by Christopher Petrus Nation of Langage and Beach Fossils

Nation of Language & Beach Fossils: Brooklyn’s Indie Scene Is Set

December 27, 2023 by Michela Arlia

If you’re looking for fresh Indie and Alternative tracks to stream come the new year, look no further than Brooklyn’s own Nation of Language and... read article

The Vibe At ShapeShifter Lab-courtesy of ShapeShifer Lab

The Vibe at ShapeShifer Lab Photo courtesy of ShapeShifter Lab

ShapeShifter Lab Finds New Home, New Voices & New Opportunities

November 10, 2023 by Michela Arlia

Nestled between small shops and laundromats on Union Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn, sits the latest location of the performance space ShapeShifter Lab, a familiar... read article

Kings Theatre Marquee -Jason Isbell -HBL # 3

Kings Theatre Marquee photo courtesy of B.L.Howard Productions

Brooklyn’s Music Venue Scene is Ever Vibrant and Thriving

October 9, 2023 by Michela Arlia

Live music is one of the iconic symbols that makes New York City one that never sleeps. Brooklyn is home to many music gems that... read article

Eli "Paperboy" Reed photo by Ray Lego

Eli “Paperboy” Reed Makes Oldies New Again

September 16, 2023 by Michela Arlia

Earlier this month, singer-songwriter Eli “Paperboy” Reed released his third single “Do It Again” off his forthcoming album Hits And Misses: The Singles, set to... read article

Lesley Mok at M3 Festival 2022 Courtesy of mutualmentorshipformusicians.org

Making Music Memorable: M³ Festival Hits Brooklyn

August 31, 2023 by Michela Arlia

As the dog days of summer come to an end, the 2nd annual Mutual Mentorship for Musicians Festival returns to Brooklyn at the Roulette Intermedium... read article

Cindy Alexander’s “Messy” Gets Rugged and Real About Life

August 1, 2023 by Michela Arlia

Singer, songwriter and storyteller Cindy Alexander has a magical way with words and phrases in her latest album Messy. In the 10-track album, this indie... read article

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Artists on our Radar

Brayden Baird Is Asking the Big Questions – And Making You Laugh Through the Pain

Brayden Baird -photo courtesy of Mix-Tape Media

After decades of producing and releasing music under various aliases, Brooklyn’s own Brayden Baird is stepping into the spotlight with his most raw and refined work yet. Backed by the Once in a Lifetime Band, Baird’s upcoming LP Lord, why do you do these things to me? is a heartfelt and even satirical exploration of grief, identity, and faith that refuses to follow conventional sounds before its time. Across the ten-track album, Baird weaves catchy humor with emotional vulnerability, building a soundscape that feels intimate and extravagant all at once. His lyrics are clever without being cynical and full of sincerity; this delicate balance places him alongside emerging alt-folk figures like Cameron Winter and Nate Amos. The album kicks off with its title track, a sharp, stomping folk-rock number that wrestles with clever anecdotes and the chaos of unanswered prayers. From there, the songs unravel like chapters in a personal essay. The blending of stories of loss, family, addiction, and self-discovery comes about in just about every track. “Light in the Tunnel” turns a daily subway ride into an anthem of personal awakening. At the same time, “When Will the Sun Rise Again?” delivers a haunting, piano-led meditation on mourning and artistic authenticity. Other tracks showcase Baird’s gift for finding light in unlikely places. “Blue for the Body” is a lively reflection on coping mechanisms based on Gatorade flavors, which Baird says “is intended as a fun jam that people can sing and play along to and make light of the weight of addictions.”. “Pelican” draws on childhood lore amid his father’s mythical stories that untangle complex family bonds. With the accompanying music video for this track, Baird draws on whimsical elements of his father’s storytelling, saying, “In life, it is so easy to hate somebody based on the things they’ve done and so hard to forgive. After all, we are just working with the things we’ve got.” One of the album’s most affecting moments, which comes halfway through “It Kills Me to See You Sick,” channels rage and helplessness into a hushed piano ballad that’s both deeply personal and widely relatable, with Baird recounting the pain and sadness behind the song’s creation as his mom was diagnosed with Cancer as other family members were simultaneously hospitalized. On the last track of the album, “When You Were Castrated,” Baird confronts mortality and estrangement with brutal honesty about his father’s passing, delivering a final note that is at once heartbreaking and cathartic. Baird’s musical world is one of contradictions: funny and tragic, sarcastic and sincere, spiritual and grounded. With Lord, why do you do these things to me?* he’s created an album that doesn’t just tell stories but invites listeners to sit with them, question them, and sing along anyway. Catch Brayden Baird and the Once in a Lifetime Band at their album release show at The Rabbit Hole in Brooklyn on June 26 and stream the whole record on June 20.

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