The highly anticipated action film Cocktails & Brothers is currently in development with innovative Los Angeles-based production company Delphis Entertainment, which has earned extensive industry attention over the last two years for past productions such as the films Last Strike and Pas De Duex, and the series Unknown.
Starring Marcos Gracia (Love in Difficult Times, Paco’s Men), Isaak Gracia (Un Paso Adelante, Black Jacks), Alfredo Trueba (Corrupt Crimes, Liberty Falls, Absolute Vow), Gaia Passaler (The Chosen Path, Toenail) and Park City Music Festival Award winner John Paul Ouvrier (Natalie Portman Lives Here, The Shickles, Boiling Pot), Cocktails & Brothers is set to begin shooting within the next few months with locations between New York City, Las Vegas and Valencia, Spain.
The film centers on two brothers who leave their home in Spain and head to Vegas where they dream of opening a cocktail bar. Upon arriving in Vegas they meet Frank, a club owner who initially appears to be exactly the kind of helpful mentor they need in order to bring their business to fruition however, not all is as it seems in Cocktails & Brothers, and Frank may turn out to be the foe who will put both their lives and their sibling relationship at risk. And as with any hit action film, there’s no absence of a building romance that’s assured to heat up the screen in the film Cocktails & Brothers. When Victor, one of the brothers, falls for Amanda, the ladder climbing manager of Frank’s club played by Gaia Passaler, the drama and the danger are heightened as everyone’s true motives are called into question.
Delphis Entertainment produced the trailer for the film, which upon it’s release has already created quite a buzz around Cocktails & Brothers, with the trailer being selected as a winner of the 2016 Creation International Film Festival and a semi-finalist at Los Angeles Cinefest, as well as being chosen as an Official Selection of the popular TMC London Film Festival, Gold Movie Awards, Indie Night Film Festival, Barcelona Planet Film Festival, TMFF and DMO Film Festival.
Delphis Entertainment, which is co-founded by brothers Isaak and Marcos Gracia, first began in 2009 in Madrid, Spain where the company quickly became a go-to production company for short films and music videos. After making a strong impact on European audiences with projects such as the films Apariencia Oculta, Sueños Reales and Why Not?, Delphis Entertainment opened their U.S. office, where they have continued to deliver powerful and poignant productions.
Last year Delphis Entertainment produced the series Unknown, which earned impressive praise earlier this year when it earned the Best International Web Series Award from the Sundance TV Short Competition. A sci-fi comedy that follows a young man who finds something unidentifiable in his apartment that opens up the doors to infinite phenomena, Unknown was co-created by Isaak Gracia and Esteban Ciudad (Fuera de Foco, Algo Extraño), and stars Marcos Graci and Mikie Beatty (We Are Fathers, NCIS, Secret Diary of an American Cheerleader).
Film Poster for “Last Strike”
In 2015 Delphis Entertainment produced the popular short film Last Strike starring Tyler Michael Brown from the film The Wedding Ringer starring Image and People’s Choice Award winner Kevin Hart, Varda Appleton (Rz-9, Ripe, Sleeper) and Randyll Roberts (A Killer Walks Among Us, Blood Relatives).
Inspired by a true story, the touching film drama Last Strike tells the story of Samuel, played by Brown, an 11-year-old boy who makes it his mission to beat the odds and hit a homerun in the most important baseball game of his life in order to fulfill his dying grandfather’s last wish.
Delphis Entertainment clearly hit a home run with Last Strike with the film receiving a rave reception and being chosen as an Official Selection of the ROMA Cinema Doc film festival and the Indie Night Film Festival.
You can check out the trailer for the short-form version of Last Strike below, but don’t be surprised if this quick peak gets you amped to watch the feature-length version, which is currently be developed by Delphis Entertainment.
With their multicultural approach, seemingly endless creative and several highly anticipated feature films in development, Delphis Entertainment is assured to be a powerhouse in terms of cutting edge film and television content in the U.S. as it is in Spain.
Usually it’s famous actors who attract press attention for their high-profile relationships or roles in blockbuster films. In the case of Dreamstreet Entertainment however, their unique approach to producing both feature films and TV shows that have achieved terrific levels of success mark it as a production company worthy of media coverage usually reserved for the A-list talent they employ to feature in their projects. The next year, with an innovative TV series and series of films slated for production and release, is set to be Dreamstreet’s biggest one yet.
Central to the success of Dreamstreet is its board of producers and executives, all of whom have an impressive pedigree in filmmaking to support the company’s standing in the entertainment industry. Tony Eldridge produced Denzel Washington’s “The Equalizer”, also starring Oscar-winner Melissa Leo and A-lister Chloë Grace Moretz, and is currently working on the sequel. Bradley Hirou for instance was notably an executive producer on “Roar: The Jaws of the Lion” from Iconoclast Entertainment, while VP Producer Rocky Yost was a writer of “Lilly’s Thorn,” a drama starring Windy Marshall from “Days of Our Lives” and Joseph D. Durbin (“Rangers: Furies”).
Similar to other production companies that are not necessarily tied to any one major studio, like Cross Creek Pictures (“Black Swan,” “Everest”) or A24 (“Room,” “Moonlight”), Dreamstreet Entertainment has a clear focus and uncompromised vision when it comes to its projects: an ethos of maintaining artistic integrity. This principle has given rise to Dreamstreet’s unique catalogue of distinguished narrative content and association with high-profile acting talent. Indeed, they have developed a reputation as a picture-house capable of producing popcorn fare aimed as mass audiences, as well as stories exploring humanity that attract glowing critical reviews.
“So This is Love”, helmed by now executive producer Gloria Morrison, reflected the company’s capacity for telling quirky stories with an edge before it was the norm with shows like “Love” on Netflix. In this way, it’s not untoward calling Dreamstreet a pioneer of sorts within the entertainment industry.
Gloria Morrison on set.
Concerning an old-aged in-love couple who bicker much like Lucy and Desi on “I Love Lucy”, “So This is Love” starred Jack Donner and Jody Jarress in the leading roles. Donner’s casting signified the power of Dreamstreet to easily acquire successful acting talent. In addition to his roles on “General Hospital” and “Cold Case,” Donner is best known for his key role in studio blockbusters “Four Holidays” with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughan and Clint Eastwood’s “J.Edgar”, where he played Oscar-winner Leonardo Dicaprio’s father. Jarress equally brought heart to the series in the role of Josey, underscoring Dreamstreet’s reputation of bringing humanity and frank humour to their projects with known actors. Jaress, who appeared opposite Oscar-winner Adrien Brody in “Hollywoodland”, is also known for her role as Ruby in “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and her striking appearance in the Academy-Award-nominated “Charlie Wilson’s War.” While both Donner and Jaress set a high-standard for the casting choices of Dreamstreet Entertainment, they also simply are examples of Dreamstreet’s status as a leader in entertainment.
The company’s future slate reinforces that status. “Last Ride…Ride as If It’s Your Last”, has acquired G-Machine as a distributor as well as cinematographers Steven Kaman (“Hangmen” with Sandra Bullock) and Keith Holland (“Wrong Turn”, with Eliza Dushku) to shoot it. Adding to that impressive line up, the multi-million dollar budgeted sporting-themed feature “The Futboleros” has Misha Segal (“The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Human Centipede III”) on board as the composer. A common theme between all of these projects? No doubt a desire for preserving the integrity of the story and the artists involved.
Last year producer Alon Juwal wrote, directed and produced the riveting dramatic sci-fi film Visitors, which has been gaining traction with audiences and festivals across the U.S. since its release at the tail end of 2016.
Starring Kei’la Ryan (Bad Friends & Family, Kingdom, Night Crawlers) as Kaleigh, Nick Unger (Front Seat Chronicles, Phil of the Future) as her brother Cole, and Tim Juliano as their father, Visitors follows two siblings who return home to their estranged father’s house after a long absence, only to find their home being invaded by a group of uninvited visitors from another world as the night progresses.
As the producer of the film, Juwal’s ability to bring together a talented cast and crew, execute the business side of things, such as raising the necessary funding to actually make the project happen, as well as overseeing all aspects of the production from pre to post were integral to the success Visitors has achieved since its release.
Garnering extensive attention across the country, Visitors earned Juwal the Best Director of a Sci-Fi Short Award at New York City International Film Festival, as well as the Honorable Mention Award from the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival. Visitors was also nominated for awards at several festivals including the USA Film Festival, Vail Film Festival, Phoenix Comic-Con and Newport Beach Film Festival, and was chosen as an Official Selection at the New Hope Film Festival.
“Working with Alon has been an amazing experience… he doesn’t like to waste time, he knows when he has the shot which makes him a great decisive director. Alon is good at what he does because he knows that preparation is key, and you can see it in the way he put the project together,” explains Tom Edwards, Visitors’ aerial cinematographer and behind the scenes videographer.
“Before principle photography he made the time to meet up with his actors and crew members to make sure everyone was comfortable and on the same page. To have a good friend like Alon who is just as passionate as you are, working together to make stories come to life is a real charm.”
Egor Povolotskiy (left), Alon Juwal & Nick Unger (right) on set of “Visitors” by Majid Alkhatib
Through the powerful combination of the film’s score, specific angles, lighting and purposeful pacing, Juwal does an impeccable job of building the suspense within the story in a way that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
The long shots of the brother and sister running through the trees at night trying to make it to safety, while neither the characters nor the viewers really know what they are running from, the bright lights beaming down from above creating eerie silhouettes in the forest, but still leaving us unsure of where the light is coming from, and sporadic sounds of their father’s dog barking in distress, are a few of the cinematic devices Juwal employs to heighten the tension within the film.
While all of this was tantamount to nailing the thrilling, otherworldly sci-fi elements, what really makes Visitors such a unique film is the burdensome relationships Juwal paints between the siblings and their father. As the producer/director of the film Juwal remarkably captures the palpable feeling of emotional discontent that exists between Kaleigh, Cole and their father, revealing the years of turmoil that persists within the family with a subtlety that allows the audience to draw their own conclusions. Visitors is proof that Juwal’s style is one that shows rather than tells, a mark of a truly talented and thoughtful filmmaker.
(left to right) Kei’la Ryan, Nick Unger, Alon Juwal & Braden Pruss on set of “Visitors” by Polina Krasovicka
Like the work of most producer/directors, Juwal’s personal life experiences have had a strong impact on the stories he chooses to bring to life on screen. Originally from Tel Aviv, Israel, Juwal’s parents separated early on in his childhood; andit is clear to see how his first-hand experience growing up with divorced parents gave him the insight necessary to accurately portray the strained relationship that exists between the children and their father in the film Visitors.
“I spent the majority of time with my mother as I was growing up. Even though I saw my father quite often, we were always pretty distant from one another. The first thing they teach you in film school is to write about what you know, so I always tried to channel these experiences to my work,” explains Juwal.
Juwal’s approach to Visitors is uniquely powerful in that the film includes all of the elements necessary for an entertainingly suspenseful sci-fi film, while also portraying a moving emotional story that touches audiences on a deeper level.
“First and foremost, good cinema must be entertaining. Cinema is a way of escaping from reality, so when we go to the movies, we basically want a break from our boring, every-day lives. We want to be entertained,” admits Juwal. “Personally, when I go to the movies I’m looking for more than that. I want to be moved. A good movie can often stay with me for an entire day, even more.”
A beautifully shot film with a heartfelt message, it’s not at all surprising that producer and director Alon Juwal has received such far-reaching acclaim for Visitors, and we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.
Director/producer Richard Kenyon shot by Jill Marie Robinson
Some creatives seem to have their hands in so many different projects that we can’t help but wonder if they’ve been blessed with a superhuman gift or discovered a mysterious way to create more hours in the day. The collective work of director/producer Richard Kenyon, which spans the gamut and includes award-winning films, PSAs and high profile theatre productions, is one that begs the question: How does one man accomplish so much?
Earlier this year Kenyon produced, directed and co-wrote the film A Girl’s Guide to Drowning starring Young Artist Award nominee Alexis Rosinsky from the films My Best Friend and The Archer, as well as the Golden Globe Award winning series Modern Family.
A Girl’s Guide to Drowning brings to the screen a story about the drastic manner in which a young woman tries to cope after a painful breakup with her boyfriend. Based on the character of Ophelia from William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet,” who is as tragic as she is iconic, Kenyon’s newest film is a modern take on a classic play, which he says is, “proof positive that Shakespeare is relevant in the 21st Century.”
The film, which is expected to screen at festivals around the world later this year, is one that Kenyon has wanted to make for many years, but only came to full fruition after a chance meeting with Alexis Rosinsky, who plays the lead character in the film.
Kenyon recalls, “My wife and I were at a dinner party and Alexis performed a monologue from Ophelia and it blew us away. She was 13 years old at the time and I have never witnessed a more natural talent than the way she spoke Shakespearean text. So my wife and I went home and wrote ‘A Girl’s Guide To Drowning’ for Alexis.”
Considering his long-standing passion for Shakespeare’s work, and his ability to craft a story that hits home with modern audiences, A Girl’s Guide to Drowning was the perfect film for Kenyon to direct.
Director Richard Kenyon & Alexis Rosinsky on set of “A Girls Guide to Drowning” photo by Maynrad Brenes
A highly sought after director, Kenyon is also in pre-production with the film Measure for Measure, a feature based on Shakespeare’s play of the same name, which he will be producing and directing. The storyline for the film revolves around a nun who’s propositioned by a high-ranking official and faced with the decision to lose her virginity in order to save the life her brother, or do nothing and keep her chastity intact. With Kenyon behind the wheel, there’s no doubt that Measure for Measure will do justice to Shakespeare’s original play, while also appealing to the palettes of modern audiences.
“To say this film is my opus is really an understatement. I have been around this play for my entire adult life. I saw a production of it at Stratford Canada in 1992 and it hasn’t left my mind. It starred the amazing Colm Feore and a young actress by the name of Elizabeth Marvel-who now both appear in ‘House of Cards’,” explains Kenyon. “Since that day I have directed the play twice and have been in it so I know the power it has in for an audience.”
In addition to Measure for Measure, Kenyon is also busy laying the groundwork for the upcoming film Some Day, a biographical tale about the struggles he personally faced as a child when he and his family moved from England to Canada, which is slated to begin shooting in Canada at the end of the year. If his plate wasn’t full enough already, he will also be directing the upcoming horror film Branded, as well as the film Ice Cream.
A film about the penal system, which focuses on the way seemingly simple decisions are overwhelmingly difficult for prisoners as they try to assimilate back into society after being released from the system, Ice Cream is expected to begin shooting in Barcelona at the end of summer.
“It is unlike anything that I have ever been offered before which was the real attraction. I love being challenged by my work otherwise why do it,” says the director about the upcoming film.
Kenyon’s directing career, which stretches back over the past three decades, first began back home in Canada in the late ‘80s when he directed “The Actor’s Nightmare” performed at the Alberta One Act Play Festival. His love for the theatre and his unparalleled talent as a director eventually lead Kenyon to serve as the artistic director and co-founder of several prestigious theatre companies, including The Shakespeare Company (TSC), Shakespeare in the Mountains and Knights in Waiting.
Over the years Kenyon has directed innumerable iconic plays including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which was performed to sold out audiences during TSC’s inaugural summer season, “Richard the Third,” which received rave reviews for its ingenuity, “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand, and more.
He says, “There is something very unique and exciting when an actor steps onstage and performs. A bond is made with the audience and they aren’t afraid to tell you how they feel. That is thrilling.”
While he’s achieved extensive success as a producer and director in the film world, with his first film Insomniac winning the award for Best Overall Score at the AMPIA Rosie Award as well as being nominated for the Best Editing, Best Cinematography and Best Drama Awards, the theatre is something Kenyon says, “never leaves you.”
This summer he will be directing the production of “Hamlet” produced by the Lovers and Madmen company, which will be performed at several venues throughout Pasadena. He is also directing and producing the upcoming production of “The Curious Mind of Will Shakespeare,” an immersion show that will take audiences into the exciting world of Shakespeare and is slated to run at the Shakespeare Club Villa of Pasadena on October 26, 27 and 29.
Maynard Brenes, who served as the director of photography on A Girl’s Guide to Drowning, says, “Richard’s theatre background is probably his most valuable asset to directing that he brings to the table day in and day out. Part of the creative puzzle is being able to communicate with talent and having that background is invaluable. His work speaks for itself.”
In addition to his film and theatre work, Richard Kenyon has also made a huge mark in the entertainment industry as the producer and director of several riveting PSAs, such as The Keys, which earned an AMPIA Rosie Award Nomination for Best PSA in 2015, as well as the “Pason Systems” PSA, which earned him an AMPIA Rosie Award Nomination for Best Producer in 2008.
Driven to create new and enticing work at every turn, Kenyon says “Stagnation is the death of art.”
Anyone who’s had a glimpse of Kenyon’s work over the years would easily conclude that he is definitely one creative genius who’s never stagnated, and with four new films in the works, it’s doubtable that he ever will!
Austrian Film Composer Michael-Alexander Brandstetter
Composer Michael-Alexander Brandstetter, 24, first discovered his love for film scores as a young boy at home in Eggenburg, Austria. Brandstetter, who recently composed the scores for the films The Path, Gnossienne and The Pamoja Project, began his musical journey by learning to play classical music on the piano, but for him, becoming a classical pianist was never the goal. He set his sights on becoming a film composer from the start and he wasn’t going to let anything stop him from reaching the top.
“I remember that it started when I was around seven or eight years old. I actually developed an interest in film music right from the get go. I guess, since classical music is sort of all around you in Austria, I didn’t take particular interest in it. Film music however was something different… You couldn’t just listen to it on the radio, and it wasn’t performed anywhere, so you had to either go to the movies to listen to it or buy the score album,” recalls Brandstetter.
While his contemporaries at the time were more preoccupied with listening to mainstream bands such as Slipknot and Green Day, because that was the cool thing to do, Brandstetter was busy familiarizing himself with the work of great composers like Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Franz Schubert, Michael Kamen and other pivotal artists who would come to influence his future career as a film composer.
Within months of taking his first piano class he was already moving outside of the box and creating his own compositions, a telling sign of what the future would hold for the then budding 9 year old.
“I started playing my own tunes instead of practicing. I always hated to practice, or even to play what was written on the sheet. To me it felt like it was limiting my creativity. I would much rather take musical phrases out of the composition I was supposed to play, and improvise on it,” explains Brandstetter.
In 2004, only three years after he took his first piano lesson, Brandstetter composed the score for the sci-fi feature film U.V.O directed by his older brother Wolfgang Brandstetter, who has become known throughout Austria for his work as the screenwriter behind the films Medcrimes – Nebenwirkung Mord, Tod in den Bergen, Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann?, Die geerbte Familie and others. In 2006, at the age of 14, Brandstettercomposed the score for Wolfgang’s dramatic feature film Winter. To compose such elaborate scores for two lengthy feature films at such a young age definitely put Brandstetter in the spotlight, earning him rightful recognition as a musical prodigy in Austria.
“My parents bought me a casio keyboard and a mini disc player and I put together my musical tracks and recorded them either all together or separately… The whole thing ended up being a true art project, and it worked. I still wear a Casio digital watch today to remind me of that time when I started, with nothing more than one keyboard,” admits Brandstetter.
At the age of 14 Brandstetter discovered renowned composer Hans Zimmer’s company Remote Control Productions (RCP), which is based in Southern California and has been responsible for some of the most epic scores of our time, including those for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Iron Man, Gladiator, Mission: Impossible 2, The Last Samurai, Transformers, Kingdom of Heaven, The Da Vinci Code, Inception, Sherlock Holmes and more. Floored by the powerful work of the company, Brandstetter’s sights were set on becoming a part of RCP from that point on.
With steadfast dedication to making his dream of becoming a film composer a reality, he laid a strong foundation for himself by studying audio engineering and musicology in college in Austria, and then moving stateside where he attended USC’s screen scoring program, which is regarded as the number one school in the world for film scoring. While at USC Brandstetter was awarded the annual mentorship program with composer James Newton Howard, as well as the the Betty Rose Collaboration Award, which is determined by faculty and student votes.
Earning quite a bit of attention for his ingenious talent, his time at USC was beyond fruitful; and shortly after graduation he was tapped by Adam Michael Schiff to join Bleeding Fingers Music, a joint venture between RCP and Extreme Music as an additional music composer and junior music producer.
A defining moment in his career, being asked to join a world renowned company such as RCP was proof that Brandstetter’s hard work paid off– he had made it to the top.
“It is where I’ve always wanted to be, and I think this is what makes my story unique, that I had a goal, I made a plan, and sticked to it as much as possible and simply tried to circumvent any and all obstacles,” says Brandstetter about joining RCP.
Within a year, Brandstetter has written, arranged and orchestrated several original musical compositions for projects such as Starz Global’s Insomnia, Sony’s Snatch and Discovery Channel’s Alaskan Bush People.
As a film composer Brandstetter’s unique compositions have been integral to driving the emotions and stories of a great many films in recent years. In 2015 he composed the score for Abhijit Gajwani’s (Wabi Sabi, Mangata, Tapori) dramatic film Gnossienne, which revolves around Jeremy, a man who disconnects from the outside world after the loss of his wife.
With the difficult emotions dealt with in the story, and the fact that most of the film centers on a dialogue between Jeremy and his maid, who tries to help him move past his grief, the music for Gnossienne had to be delicate, emotive and give space for the conversation for the two main characters to unfold– something Brandstetter nailed perfectly.
He explains, “I really tweaked all the instruments I used in the score. Reversed piano sounds, distorted strings, ambient long and ominous pads, every sound was essentially custom made… I then brought in a solo violinist and recorded her on top of the rest of the music, which really brought it to life.”
Starring Manuela Osmont (Bite Me), Paula Bellamy-Franklin (I Got the Hook Up) and Matthew Michael Collins (Thin Lines) Gnossienne had an altogether positive reception on the film festival circuit taking home the Honorable Mention Award at the International Film Awards Berlin and the Certificate of Excellence Award at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, as well as screening at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival Court Metrage and many more.
About working with Brandstetter on the film, director Abhijit Gajwani explains, “Before composing, he sat down and talked the tone of the story… Michael’s ability to understand the story, the characters and their conflicts sets him apart from other composers. His music feels pure and true to them… I was trying to do the impossible with this film and Michael actually pushed me further and helped me make a better film.”
Film Poster for the “The Pamoja Project”
Brandstetter also recently composed the score for The Pamoja Project, a touching documentary from director Audrey Emerson that follows three Tanzanian women trying to uplift their community and create a change when it comes to dealing with global poverty. The word “pamoja” means “together” in Swahili, and much of the film is about how when we unite and work towards a common goal, we can overcome difficult obstacles and achieve what once seemed to be impossible.
As the composer of The Pamoja Project Brandstetter did a brilliant job of helping to set the pace of the film with his original score. His strategic use of certain musical devices were essential to both heightening the inspirational energy and driving the deeply emotional aspects within the film’s key scenes.
“I first set out to create a ‘Pamoja Theme,’ something that incorporates the essential thought that great things can only happen together. Once I had that, I created three different, but closely related soundscapes for the three women the documentary follows,” explains Brandstetter.
Released in 2016, The Pamoja Project has been praised for it’s uplifting story and has been viewed by international audiences as an Official Selection of the Chicago International Social Change Film Festival, Sunscreen Film Festival West, Rhode Island International Film Festival, Yonkers Film Festival, Massachusetts Independent Film Festival and more.
Director Audrey Emerson explains, “Michael stood out from the beginning as the obvious choice as a composer. He was not just talented, but kind, hard-working and dedicated… I felt that Michael really cared about the story and his score reflected that.”
Over the last few years Michael-Alexander Brandstetter also composed the scores for a long list of other films including Eric Baird’s (Injection) sci-fi film Time to Leave, Tiffany Danielle Brooks’ Sharing Day, the animated film Disappearance, the 2016 drama The Path starring Raleigh Cain from the series Longmire, and many more.
While Brandstetter has clearly become a highly sought after film composer in recent years, his genius compositions are definitely strong enough to stand alone– in fact, come September 16 some of his original compositions are set to be performed during the highly anticipated “Welcome Home: Walter Arlen in Concert” at the Vienna Konzerthaus, where the Vienna Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic also perform, in Vienna, Austria.
The “Welcome Home: Walter Arlen in Concert” is a pivotal event that will welcome home composer Walter Arlen, a 96-year-old exiled artist and Holocaust survivor, whose music will be performed in Austria for the first time.
Michael-Alexander Brandstetter (left) & Walter Arlen (right) at the LA Opera
Brandstetter, who organized the concert with the help of his father, a minister in the Austrian government, explains, “I met Walter at the Residence of the Austrian Consulate General when I was studying at USC… He told me that his last wish would be that his only orchestral work, ‘The Song of Songs’ would be performed in Vienna.”
Thanks to Brandstetter’s diligent efforts, Alren’s “The Song of Songs” will be performed for the first time in Vienna by musicians from the world renowned Wiener Symphoniker orchestra, and the concert will also feature Franz Schubert’s Symphony No.5, as well as Brandstetter’s original composition “Righteous Among The Nations.”
“This piece is especially important to him since it is based on the Jewish poem ‘The Song of Songs’… He started to work on it to prove himself, and that he and his culture are not ‘inferior,’ to put it mildly, as the Nazis suggested. Working on this piece gave him strength in difficult times. So, it is an emotional homecoming,” explains Brandstetter about Arlen’s piece.
From playing a key role in Hans Zimmer’s company RCP and composing powerful film scores that touch audiences on an emotional level and effortlessly drive the visual story as it unfolds on the screen, to having his original compositions performed by one of the most notable orchestras in the world, composer Michael-Alexander Brandstetter has made more of an impact as an international composer than most will in an entire lifetime.
Brandstetter is also currently working as a composer for Extreme Music from his hometown, Vienna, where his skills in musical composition, arranging, orchestration and music editing are undoubtedly being put to good use. With an impressive library that boasts music from artists and composers such as Quincy Jones, Hans Zimmer, George Martin, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, and Junkie XL, Extreme Music is the production arm of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which creates and licenses music for television, film, advertising and online media.
UK-based model Alice Phillips has made a huge mark in the fashion and beauty industries on an international level in recent years, due in no small part to her flawless features, such as her perfect lips and gorgeous blonde locks, not to mention her killer body. Alice has been featured in Hello! Magazine, a highly popular publication in the UK, Style Magazine (UK), she also had a six-page spread in 7Hues Magazine, where she looks absolutely stunning. Over the last few years Alice’s versatility as a model has been a major draw for clothing, swimwear and make-up brands such as Goals Boutique, New Yorker’s Apparel, Elizabeth Jane Swimwear, Shopshift, Jessica White Cosmetics, and more.
Model Alice Phillips for Elizabeth Jane Swimwear
While Alice is only 22-years-old she has a long career ahead of her as a model, which means she needs to keep her hair shining and her skin glowing at all times. And just because her beauty routine is necessary for her to continue booking high profile jobs like she does, that doesn’t mean her beauty secrets can’t be useful for the rest of us as well, because after all, who doesn’t want to look like a model? Prior to becoming the sought after model she is today, Alice spent time as a makeup artist, so if you’re ready to find out about some of her insider tips and personal favorites, make sure to check out our interview below.
Model Alice Phillips in an editorial for 7Hues Magazine
Describe your look in three words:
AP: Elegant. Sexy. Clean.
What’s your 5-minute routine, your go-to regimen when you’re in a crunch for time?
AP: When I’m in a rush for work, I’ll wake up wash and tone my face, I’ll mix my moisturizer with my foundation, I like to do this a lot as it also makes my foundation lighter for daily use. Then I will use a bold lip stick, so I only have to do a bit of mascara and eyeliner!
Never leave the house without:
AP: My lip liner and lipstick, never ever!
Exercise Routine:
AP: I live next to a hiking path, so i do that 3 to 4 times a week and then I go to the gym in the evening every other day to get my weights in!
What are a few of your beauty essentials?
AP: Sublimage Chanel cleanser is one of my favourites, I have been using that for 3 years now. If I am going for the completely flawless skin look I will use Stila stay all day foundation, this is great but on a day to day it is pretty thick, if you were to use it everyday mix it with moisturizer to lighten it, lastly my Laura Mercier powder is very important as this sets my face and holds everything in place even my eye shadow!
What are some of your skincare secrets?
AP: I think skin care is always hard to have top secrets for as everyone’s skin is so different and we have to be careful as to what we use on our skin! I would definitely go to a dermatologist and get them to review you skin, to show you what will work best with it. Me personally, I like to use a oil free moisturizer with a really hydrating serum underneath, then once a week I use the Sublimage Mask by Chanel to really boost everything!
Do you have any go-to DIY concoctions you use for skin hydration?
AP: When I use my mask it says to use it for 10 minutes, I leave mine on overnight and then wash my face the following morning, this really intensifies the moisture.
How do you keep your hair shiny and healthy?
AP: Once or twice a week I will use a hair mask overnight with a shower cap on to intensify the treatment. Also I never blow dry my hair, that’s a massive thing that keeps my hair from breaking. Always try to wash it with enough time for your hair to naturally dry! Lastly hair oil, coconut oil is my fav!
As a makeup artist, what are some of the most important things that you learned that everyone should know?
AP: One of the most important things to me is that there is no rule with makeup just because it’s a bronzer or blusher does not mean it can’t be an eye shadow, just because it’s an eyeliner does not mean you can’t use it on your lips! Makeup is so fun, to experiment with all different products and different ways of using them is the best thing you can do! Who knows what different looks you could do!
What’s your favorite go-to makeup look for a night on the town, and how do you achieve it?
AP: My go to would be a smokey eye! Smokey eyes are the easiest to achieve once you know how to do it. I would say always start with a brown or black kohl eyeliner drawing a thicker liner then blend that out with a clean brush, go over with a shadow and keep blending out, until you get a soft smokey look. If you need to make it darker just keep going back over with a shadow.
What’s your usual makeup routine for everyday?
AP: Some days I don’t like to wear anything on my eyes so I will do a nice base, contour, highlight and brows! Thats me done for the most part!
Who are some of your beauty icons?
AP: I don’t have a beauty icon per say but I love people who start something new and make it their own! I will always thank Amy Winehouse for the winged eye liner! I love winged eyeliner!!
Originally from Seoul, South Korea, actor Yohan Lee is one exuberantly talented, not to mention stunning, Asian actor who’s made quite an impact in the American film industry over the last few years. From his recurring role in the comedy series Raymond & Lane starring Matt Cullen from the series CollegeHumor Originals and Skye of the Damned, to his key roles in films such as Jim Towns’ (House of Bad) 2016 horror film State of Desolation, the crime thriller Runaway Dream, the dramatic comedy Clippings and the historical horror film Comfort Girls, Yohan Lee has created a remarkable reputation for himself as an actor who is able to ease into virtually any genre and breathe life into an impressive range of characters with seamless precision.
Last year Lee took on the starring role of Jay in the award-winning film Trippin’ with the Folks directed by Meghan Weinstein (Terms and Conditions, My Delivery Guy). The film follows Kenny, a stoner artist who finds himself in an awkward situation after taking LSD with his girlfriend and unexpectedly coming face to face with his parents. When Kenny’s parents come into town for an unannounced visit he is forced to try and hide the fact that he is tripping, however things get progressively more tricky when his parents accidentally pop a few MDMA pills from Kenny’s stash.
Bobby Reed (left), Kevin Ferris, Yohan Lee, & Carla Wynn (right) in “Trippin’ with the Folks”
In this hilarious comedy film Yohan Lee’s character Jay comes onto the scene as Kenny’s lovable roommate, an integral character in the story. Kenny’s only saving grace in the face of his parents, Jay goes out of his way to entertain the folks at dinner and keep the conversation flowing in order to deter them from noticing their son’s peculiar behaviour.
Trippin’ with the Folks did incredibly well on the film festival circuit taking home the Best Narrative Film Award from the CannaBus Culture Film Festival, the third place award at the New York City Cannabis Film Festival and screening as an Official Selection at the Portland Comedy Film Festival, the Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival, Ha! Fest, Cinebis Film Festival and more. In Trippin’ with the Folks Lee stars alongside Chrissy Conway (The O.C., Reno 911), Kevin Ferris (Six Degrees of Everything), Bobby Reed (2 Broke Girls, Parenthood) and award-winning actress Paula Soveral (Celia, The Petal Pushers, Amor Secreto).
“Trippin’ with the Folks” film poster
Proving his versatility in terms of genre and the characters he takes on, last year Lee also starred in the horror film Dollz from director Rob Lee. In the film Lee gave a knockout performance in the lead role of Min, a Korean actor who moves to the U.S. with his girlfriend Yuni to pursue an acting career. After renting a space in a low-budget apartment that’s seems too good to be true, Min hits the pavement going on audition after audition.
About playing Min, Yohan Lee explains, “My character is very selfish, I had to be the meanest boyfriend ever… I moved to the U.S. with my girlfriend but I’m ready to abandon her at any time if I can succeed…Min is the complete opposite of me so it was a great experience for me to play that kind of character.”
Dead set on pursuing his dream of being a big star in America, Lee’s character Min might be ready to abandon his girlfriend, but making it big in Hollywood is not in the cards for him as things take an unexpected turn for the worse. When Yuni, who spends most of her time at home alone, finds a mysterious doll hidden in a cabinet within the house a malicious ghost with a vengeance is released, and the aftermath is not pretty.
In the film Dollz Lee stars alongside multi-award winning actor Klement Tinaj from the Golden Globe Award nominated film Furious 7 and WEAPONiZED starring Tom Sizemore (Natural Born Killers), Summer Rose Ly from the film 6 Love Stories, which earned multiple awards at the Williamsburg Independent Film Festival, and Natalie K. Grace from the 2017 film Cross Wars starring Danny Trejo (Machete) and Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills 90210, Anger Management).
One of the unique aspects of the film Dollz that, aside from his unparalleled talent, made Yohan Lee the perfect actor to take on the starring role of Min in the film, was the fact that the film’s director intended to make the film in both English and Korean.
Dolllz director Rob Lee explains, “I would not have been able to make this film without Yohan. Every crew was amazed by how hard he worked on set. And also hi fluency in both Korean and English… He had to do every single scene in different languages but he always brought a great performance.”
In addition to the films Trippin’ with the Folks and Dollz, actor Yohan Lee also recently wrapped production on T.J. Choi’s (Quicksand, Palpitations) thriller film Plight of the Korean Mother with Greena Park (The Devil, Lunch Special, Lawyers), the dramatic action film Untamed with Leann Van Mol (My Crazy Ex, It’s Dark Here) and the upcoming sci-fi series Black Dossier with Laura Owens (Rizzoli & Isles) and Ryan Groves (Westworld, Dominion).
Music Producer/A&R Specialist Duarte ‘Duda’ Figueira
Whether it’s being in the right place at the right time, unceasing ambition and unwillingness to slow down after hearing a dreaded ‘no,’ or a combination of the two, some people discover their dreams and go to work paving the way for them to come true much earlier than most of the population.
Like the inspirational and semi-autobiographical story Cameron Crowe brought to life in the Oscar Award winning film Almost Famous, which follows a talented teenage journalist who joins the band Stillwater on tour in the 70s and covers the journey for Rolling Stone, music industry aficionado Duarte ‘Duda’ Figueira experienced a similar rise to success back home in Portugal at the ripe age of 16.
Today Duda, as he is known affectionately throughout the industry, is known for his impressive achievements as a music producer/A& R specialist and major force behind some of Portugal’s best known artists such as reggae/dance hall singer Richie Campbell, the rapper Regula and producer Lhast, to name a few.
Duda, who is now 26, took a leap of faith in his early teens and reached out to Lisbon’s leading reggae promoter at the time, Fernando Cabral, with an e-mail pitch that would come to change his life forever. Duda knew the market for reggae music in Portugal was huge, but he felt that the information about reggae events was not reaching the country’s fans as effectively as it should– so he offered himself up as a flyer boy. He was immediately given a one-time job postering the cities with flyers about an upcoming concert featuring the bands No Joke Sound, Stepacide, and the one and only Gregory Isaacs who sadly passed away in 2010.
“My mom drove me there. I got a chance to meet [Cabral] and the rest of the partners, and I was given a bunch of flyers and posters, and a guarantee of having a free ticket for the show. And that was great!,” recalls Duda.
The following week what began as a one-time job turned into much more when, fuelled by a rare level of confidence for someone his age, Duda decided to pop over to Cabral’s office to thank him for the ticket, have a chat about music, and ultimately offer his services on the public relations side of the business. There he was introduced to the members of the band No Joke Sound, who were on site recording a live set.
“As an aspiring Selector and MC, bumping into them was kind of a ‘star-struck’ moment,” admits Duda. “The moment I walked in Fernando said to them ‘this is the kid that sent the email!.’ They were surprised.”
The band members’ understandable surprise at seeing a kid so young walk nonchalantly into the country’s leading music promotion agency with big ideas of how they could better reach their target audience quickly faded once Duda began to speak about the music industry and what fans were looking for, but not necessarily getting. Duda exchanged contacts with No Joke Sound member Bernardo “Ben” Miranda, who subsequently invited him to come along the following week to the No Mercy Soundclash, Portugal’s first ever reggae soundclash event.
“I met Ben’s cousin, Gonçalo Leitão, also known as ‘Krpan.’ After the event, we went to Ben’s house, and inside of his kitchen, Ben looked at both of us and said: ‘You and you! You are going to have a sound system together.’ And the rest is history… From that week until today, Ben has been my ultimate mentor. He was the one who pushed me to have a career in music,” Duda recalls fondly.
Krpan (left), Duda and Lhast (right) of Fyah Box Sound
At only 17 Duda, along with Ben’s cousinKrpan, created Fyah Box Sound, a reggae/dancehall sound system, which is a style of music collective that originated in Jamaica and includes a DJ, MC and engineer. Duda geniously developed the “Triple Threat” concept for Fyah Box, a series of weekly videos that include everything from artists freestyling to debut song releases. Upon inception the concept helped make Fyah Box a huge success in Portugal, and it has since become a leading source of music for reggae and dancehall fans across the world.
Building Fyah Box Sound up from the ground floor, Duda created a recognizable name for the collective by bringing in world-renowned artists such as Anthony B, Ikaya, Richie Campbell, Regula, Short Size, Blasph, Dillaz, Xeg, JLZ, Kristoman, DJ Nelassassin and several others to collaborate. What started as a reggae/dance hall collective quickly turned into a cross-cultural music platform thanks to Duda’s decision to open the collective to other styles of music such as R&B, rap, and hip hop.
Now, a decade later, Duda has definitely carved out a prominent position in Portugal’s music scene as a highly sought after music producer/A& R specialist. Considering the extent of what he does for the artists and projects he oversees, which includes everything from working as a booking agent, manager, fashion advisor and lead A&R man, Duda’s music producer/A& R specialist title is the only one that fits, as he coordinates literally everything that goes into both the planning of a production and the artist’s overall career.
A year after starting Fyah Box Sound, Duda began working as the A& R specialist for Portuguese artist Richie Campbell, who started the band Stepacide and was also a member of No Joke Sound prior to going solo. With Duda coordinating everything from planning releases, coordinating events, deciding on singles and album art, and crafting his image and musical approach, Campbell has been met with incredible international success as a solo artist.
Richie Campbell’s manager Bernardo “Ben” Miranda explains, “Duarte is someone we know we can always count on for both the creative and strategic process as well as the execution. Over the past 9 years that we’ve worked together it was a joy to see him grow into the person and the professional he is today. His ambition, creativity, commitment, loyalty and organization make him one of the most desirable professionals in the Portuguese music industry.”
Duarte ‘Duda’ Figueira (left) and Richie Campbell (right) in Berlin
As Campbell’s music producer and A&R specialist, Duda has played a major role in the production and release of each of the artist’s albums since 2010, including “My Path,” “Focused,” and “In the 876,” as well as Campbell’s 2010 EP “Richie Campbell” and the album and accompanying DVD “Live at Campo Pequeno.” Fans across Portugal went wild upon the release of Campbell’s 2015 album “In the 876,” which quickly topped charts and became No. 1 on the digital store sales chart within a few hours of its release– something that hadn’t been seen in the country since the release of Beyonce’s 2013 self-titled album.
Over the years Duda has also coordinated a slew of high-profile events featuring Campbell, such as Campo Pequeno 2011 and 2013, Sumol Summer Fest 2012, which pulled in 25,000 people, as well as Sudoeste 2013 and Festival do Crato 2013, which each had more than 50,000 people attend– astronomically large numbers for Portugal!
In 2016 Duda was the A&R man on Campbell’s hit song “Do You No Wrong,” which has garnered over 10 million views on YouTube, and earned a Gold and Platinum Award on the Portuguese market. A major hit in Portugal, “Do You No Wrong” was produced by Lhast, who Duda also works with as a music producer and A& R specialist. Duda also coordinated the release of the artist’s 2017 single “Heaven,” as well as the music video, which has garnered more than two million views since being release at the tail end of April.
Campbell says, “What I appreciate the most about working with Duda is his versatility as a career advisor/manager and the way he can balance a deep understand of the current music business while never forgetting that an artist needs to be in touch with his audience. This enables him to provide great input on how an artist should work the business aspect of his career without ever jeopardizing the relationship with his fans.”
In 2014 Duda formed Bridgetown Talent Agency with Bernardo Miranda, Afonso Ferreira and Richie Campbell. Today Bridgetown Talent Agency, which has become one of the most successful booking agencies in Portugal, represents a wide range of artists including Dengaz, Mishlawi, Curt Davis, Plutonio, DJ Dadda and the comedians Luís Franco-Bastos and Pedro Teixeira da Mota.
In 2015 Duda also started DGF Agency, an imprint agency that handles counseling, A&R, management, releases, PR and promotions for its artists. Some of the major artists Duda oversees as a music producer and A& R specialist through DGF include Lhast, Karetus, Krativ and Andre Melo. He is also working as a lead A&R man at Rebeleon Entertainment where he is handling the release of several upcoming albums, EPs and a few highly anticipated singles for artists such as La Santa Cecilia, Gloria Trevi, Alejandra Guzman, Mon Laferte, and Enjambre.
A well-known name throughout the U.S. music industry, Rebeleon Entertainment partnered with BMI last year to produce the 6th Annual ‘Los Producers’ event in Las Vegas during the Grammy Awards, which included performances from Latin Grammy nominees and music from other trendsetters in the Latin music industry.
After 10 years in the industry Duarte ‘Duda’ Figueira has not only managed to rise to the top of the music industry in Portugal and make his name known across the world, but he continues to bring the same level of fervor and adept skill to every project he takes on.
In the end Duda says, “I would love to look back to my career and feel proud of the work that I have put in, the results of it, and the impression that it had on society. Hopefully someone can feel inspired to create more and take some energy out of my experiences.”
Born in Ecuador to an Ecuadorian father and German mother, actress Erika Garces’ undeniable beauty has been turning the heads of viewers around the world for the past seven years, but it’s her skill as a leading lady on both the stage and screen that’s responsible for the indelible mark that she’s made in the minds of fans.
Over the years she has become known for her performances in an impressive range of projects including the 2011 dramatic Argentinean film Milán directed by Festival Internacional Latin UY Award Nominee Alejandro Cuberos, Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival Award winner Samuel Gonzalez Jr.’s film Here with Me featuring TV Star James Scott from Days of our Lives, the 2016 dramatic comedy film Social Norm, which earned the Best Narrative Feature Award from the California Film Awards, and many more.
Last year Garces gave a dazzling performance in the comedy action film City of Dreams, where she took on the starring role of Audrey, a wife who leaves her husband only to be tracked down by one of his hitmen. As the lead actress and co-producer of the film, Garces earned the Women’s Film Challenge Award fromthe Audience Awards in Los Angeles earlier this year, as well as several other accolades for her work.
The ethnic ambiguity of Garces look has endowed her with the rare asset of being able to visually embody a wide range of characters from around the world, something that has definitely come in handy over the course of her career. Having taken on characters ranging from a Persian protestant in Rayka Zehtabchi’s (We Home, The Pad Project) filmMadaran, which earned the HollyShorts Film Festival Jury Award in 2016,to a Spanish reporter in Gotham Independent Film Award nominee Mayon Denton’s crime mystery Distortion, Garces repertoire of work proves her versatility. As a performer who is always looking for a challenge, there are some character types that she has purposefully chosen to avoid.
The actress says, “I definitely stay away from the ‘cute girlfriend’ type. Not much to do.”
About what she looks for in a project, Garces adds, “One of the main things I focus on is the story…. Is there a message or a subject that I’m interested in working with. Is my character something new I haven’t been challenged with before, or is it a personal connection to something about this character that I would like to tell her story and communicate…”
Poster for “The Perfect Plan”
In 2016 Garces took on the starring role of Agent E. in the action-packed romance film The Perfect Plan directed by Siena Sivrican (The Hitchhiker). The film revolves largely around Garces’ character Agent E. and Agent R. played by Akende Munalula (From the upcoming series Counterpart with JK Simmons, and Boo2A Medea Halloween with Tyler Perry), two CIA special agents tasked with bringing down a corrupt French company owned by three brothers that stands behind a massive money laundering operation.
While the adrenaline pumping espionage that unfolds over the course of the film is a major draw, what makes The Perfect Plan even more intriguing is the unexpected romance that erupts between Agents E. and R., something that makes the ending of the film that much more tragic.
About working with Garces, Akende Munalula, who played Agent R. as well as wrote the screenplay for The Perfect Plan, says, “Her dedication to character and story telling is like I’ve never seen before. She truly immerses herself into her character and is always going deeper. I learned so much from watching her work.”
Akende Munalula and Erika Garces in “The Perfect Plan”
Garces gives a knockout performance in The Perfect Plan, embodying both the cunning strength and seductive nature of a female secret agent, as well as the human vulnerability that allows the audience to see that the relationship between her character and Agent R. has grown into much more than a cover.
While Garces has taken on countless powerful authority-driven roles overs the course of her career, such as her role as Officer Johnson in the upcoming film La Cougars, Officer Greenein Decades Apart and Sergeant Lodge in The Hudson Case, the film The Perfect Plan provided the actress with a few intimate challenges she hadn’t experienced in the past.
“A new challenge I faced with this shoot is the intimacy that was required and the chemistry between the two leading characters. There were many kissing scenes, and implied sex scenes, no nudity, all implied, but it was new for me to live that on set as oppose to the stage,” admits Garces.
To any viewer who’s seen Garces performance in The Perfect Plan, or any of her other film work to date for that matter,it’s immediately apparent why the actress has managed to achieve the international level of success that she has over the last few years– her skill and magnetism on screen are virtually unparalleled.
About what drives her to perform, Garces explains, “It’s about telling a story that you’re passionate about. A story that affects the society, a story perhaps, that represents voices that can’t speak for themselves, but when they go to the theater (movie or stage) they identify themselves with these characters. I love the opportunity to be able to speak up for someone that cannot, through art.”
Having carved out a prominent position for herself as a sought after actress in both the U.S. and abroad, we know Erika Garces is one actress we will be seeing a whole lot more of on screen in the future. Keep your eyes peeled for Garces in the upcoming dramatic feature film Elevate from multi-award winning director Angela Matemotja (The Encounter, The Untimely Concurrence), as well as Marc Logan’s (Sweet 6teen, Solitary, Rats) crime film The Hudson Case.
Erika Garces will also be hosting Fashion Gossip at the magazine’s 2017 Maxim Hot 100 Party on Saturday, June 24th in Los Angeles.
While there’s no shortage of female vocalists and performers in the mainstream music scene, a major gender gap definitely exists between men and women working behind the scenes in the music industry with women fulfilling far fewer producer and engineering roles than men.
In a 2014 article published by The FADER, Ruth Saxelby wrote that less than 5% of music producers and engineers are women. While the number of women in the male-dominated industry remains unjustifiably small, there definitely are some talented female music producers making their name known in the scene, even if they’ve had to work a little harder to do it.
Diana D., better known as Lil’ Lyss, is one of the fiercely talented female music producers who’s made her way to the forefront of the industry, and she needs to be on your radar. Holding producing credits on several hit tracks for American rapper Ca$his, over the last few years Lil’ Lyss has become one incredibly sought after music producer, especially in the rap and hip-hop scene.
Originally from Bulgaria, Lil’ Lyss was instantly drawn to music during childhood, but it wasn’t until she heard 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” produced by Dr. Dre as a teenager that she realized she wanted to produce music.
She explains, “That opened my eyes for music. It was so simple and so great at the same time, then I thought I could do this too. I downloaded a bunch of programs and started messing with them and with time I taught myself to sound like I sound now.”
It’s been 14 years since the release of “In Da Club,” and Lil’ Lyss, now 27, has definitely utilized that time wisely. She spent those early years mastering the vast plethora of software necessary to be competitive in modern music and teaching herself the ins and outs of producing; and what she’s accomplished since is nothing short of amazing. Her unique beginning, flawless style and musical genius have definitely made her a rarity in the industry; and her drive to produce new and innovative tracks are what’s kept her ahead of the curve at every turn.
In 2013 Lil’ Lyss gained major industry credit when she was tapped by well-known Shady Records producer Rikanatti to come in as a producer on a few tracks for Ca$his’ second studio album The County Hound 2. How she landed that distinguished role as a producer on an album that features guest appearances from rap and hip-hop mainstays such as Crooked I, Obie Trice, Mistah F.A.B., Kuniva (D12), King Los, Boaz and more, is unique in itself– and it definitely proves that her skill is enough to catch the attention of the industry’s best.
She explains, “I am constantly looking for people to work with and that day I saw Rikanatti had tweeted that he was looking for producers to feature on Ca$his’ next album. I contacted him and sent him several examples of my work and he instantly responded with an offer. From the thousands who submitted music to him, I made the cut.”
And that was that. Lil’ Lyss landed her spot as a producer on the tracks “Imma Hustla” featuring Crooked I and Sullee J, and “Imma Hustla [W.C. Remix].” The hit single off The County Hound 2, “Imma Hustla” definitely thrust Lil’ Lyss’s skill as a music producer into the spotlight. Those in the rap game who didn’t know her name before definitely did after.
Undeniably one of the album’s standout tracks, “Imma Hustla [W.C. Remix],” which features Mistah F.A.B., Roccett, Crooked I and Goldie Gold, is hard, heavy and rhythmically energizing, which is due in no small part to the beats and overall musical backdrop that Lil’ Lyss masterfully created. It’s no secret that production is the foundation of any hip-hop song. The beats and tempo are the vehicle that allow the lyrics to flow, and Lil’ Lyss definitely nailed the production on both versions of “Imma Hustla.” It’s impossible not to nod your head to the song as it plays; and the way Lil’ Lyss creatively melds together the elements of gangster rap with energy amplifying cross fades and perfectly timed pauses throughout the track definitely deserves a nod as well. Her talent as a hip-hop producer is evident from the first few bars of the track, and the fact that she holds production credits on an album where four of the other 16 tracks were produced by 15-time Grammy Award winning rap icon Eminem doesn’t hurt her street cred either.
After producing two of the album’s most popular tracks, it’s not surprising that Rikanatti and Ca$his tapped Lil’ Lyss to come back to produce the track “A-Rod” on Ca$his’ 2015 album The County Hound 3.
The lead single off the album, “A-Rod” features New York heavy hitter Emilio Rojas. While it’s on the opposite end of the spectrum tempo-wise compared to the “Imma Hustla” tracks, with “A-Rod” boasting more of a low-key fluid vibe, the track is yet another hit under Lil’ Lyss’s belt as a producer.
“It was an honor and a challenge to work with Ca$his and Rikanatti, their talent is always very inspiring for me and their work ethic made me a better producer,” says Lil’ Lyss. “I created the music for the projects we did together, and Rikanatti adjusted the arrangements and mixed and mastered the whole album.”
While Lil’ Lyss’s reputation for producing epic beats has made her a highly sought after producer for rap and hip-hop artists, her skills are by no means limited to any single genre. Last year she released her first EDM/Trap track “Beast Race.” The dynamic, bass-heavy track generates an energizing, dancey vibe that will make you want to bob your head and get your booty shaking. “Beast Race” gained immediate traction with listeners through the internet with Crazy Pellas, Smash The Club, EDM Nation and other popular music outlets featuring the track on their website.
About what drives her to produce, Lil’ Lyss explains, “I love good music and I want to be a part of it. Especially now in the current state of music, I think the industry needs creativity more than ever. There are millions of people out there that crave the good music but all they get is mumble rap and 3 chord pop songs. I’m here for them!”
From producing hits for rap and hip-hop artists to creating tracks that strike a chord with EDM fans, Lil’ Lyss clearly has a stockpile of tricks up her sleeve, and the more music she produces the more we get to see just how dynamic a producer she really is. As long as we have creative female music producers like Lil’ Lyss who are driven to push the boundaries of the main stream, we can faithfully look forward to the direction rap and hip-hop music is going, while also opening the gates for more women to enter the field, because producing good music is not defined by gender, Lil’ Lyss is proof of that.
Up next for Lil’ Lyss is the upcoming album for The Marine Rapper, which she will be producing later this year. A 10-year US Marine Corps combat veteran, The Marine Rapper is an LA-based hip hop artist who’s created a recognizable name for himself by addressing military, civil and political issues through hip hop and rock music.
The Marine Rapper says, “I would like to work with Diana because she brings a unique production style that has not been introduced to modern music. I think with her worldly travels and various techniques she can bring something new to American music with a collaboration effort.”
International Entertainment, and the Talents that Leave us Buzzing….
internationalfilmreview 