ON THE RISE
.jpg)
PHOENIX – Momentum is building for this Phoenix artist as he rises out of the ashes of yesterday and into a new phase of Hip-Hop as listeners keep giving wings to his latest EP “Highly Favored.”
Already with 300K + streams online, Richie Evans’ EP and his lead single on that record, “Can’t Knock the Hustle” have smashed charts this week. Evans brings a sound that’s smooth as silk – collaborating on the six-track project with artists Rick Ross, Jay Rock, EastSide K-Boy and Vedo. His independent label, The Evans Administration (TEA) worked in partnership with INgrooves Music Group to release songs, he says, at the perfect moment.
“We released the single and the EP on the same day because as a new artist in this climate I knew it’d garnish attention,” Evans said. “It’s been good so far. Momentum continues for this city, with the music scene, with sports, with a lot of things across the board. We’ve re-released ‘For You’ that I had pulled the trigger too soon on, and people are giving it wings of its own. It’s an exciting time right now because as an independent, it’s a big accomplishment.”
Evans’ favorite place to be these days is in the studio producing new music but he’s certainly not new to the music industry. In fact, his story of how he joined The Game’s team is unforgettable. On the night he learned he was going to be a father for the first time, Evans grabbed his demo disc and headed down to a nightclub where he knew The Game was hanging out. Security stopped him at first, but he wasn’t leaving without handing that disc to the successful rap artist. He persisted – unintentionally causing a scene – and ultimately that disc went home with The Game.
The next day, Evans got a call. And for the next six years, Evans worked as an understudy with The Game’s team under the tag name, “Juice.”
“A lot of people love the art – love making music – that’s a given,” Evans said, “but when you take the art serious and really turn it into business, you put yourself on the line. I don’t know what was going on that day, but it put an extra battery in my back like never before. Sometimes you gotta make decisions for the people around you.”
Here we are, about a decade later, Evans still says what a blessing those years were to him and his career. He took his knowledge and skillset to make his own mark on the world in 2018. He started building new bridges and didn’t discriminate where they led – including deals with Nike, Vitaminwater and the Phoenix Suns basketball team.
“These corporate bridges helped push my brand to the national level,” Evans said. “It took me truthfully until last year to build my team around me – people with the same hunger – and my team is great. We’re having a lot of success and that’s credit to my team.”
That “hunger” is evident in Evans’ music. Fused with sensual melodies, the lyrics drop with street strength and Biblical courage.
“Being in this industry can test your faith – it tests every part of you,” Evans said. “I’ve always believed to keep God first; put in the work and anything could happen. I don’t push my beliefs on people – that’s not my thing. But if someone is going through a similar journey, they can hear my sound and be encouraged.”
Be on the lookout for Richie Evans because he’s planning a 20-city tour. And this summer, his team will be ready to drop a new debut album. Make sure to stay connected on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
Websites:
Amazon Music
Apple Music
Spotify
YouTube
In times like these, it’s easy to get caught up in the noise and feel discouraged. That’s why having artists like Sheri Miller matters so much—she brings us back to the simple beauty that still surrounds us. A remarkable vocalist based in New York City, Sheri feels like a breath of fresh air, a living reminder of how music can lift the heart and feed the soul. Her new album Waking Up To This Miracle Life is a joyful listen from beginning to end, showing us that even when life feels uncertain, there’s still so much wonder to be found.
We had the chance to talk with Sheri about her new EP, how her journey has evolved over the past few years, and what she’s especially thankful for this holiday season. Read on below!
Sheri, congratulations on your beautiful new album ‘Waking Up To This Miracle Life’! Why did you decide to name the record after that song? What does that song title mean to you?
Thank you, I genuinely appreciate it! When writing this record, ‘Waking Up To This Miracle Life,’ I felt inspired how it’s a miracle to be alive, especially at this time. To wake up every morning with a heart beating of its own independent accord, lungs breathing oxygen without us turning on a power switch, seeing beautiful blue skies with our open eyes, smelling delicious fragrances of trees, roses, jasmine, freshly-baked soft chocolate cake, hearing glorious notes resounding from orchestras, brass bands or finely crafted pianos, guitars, drums, listening to golden-throated voices, touching luxurious silk fabrics, and feeling magnificent emotions of love, appreciation, happiness, fun, exhilaration! How being alive in our physical bodies is such a gift; what an extraordinary miracle we have our genius cells working symbiotically in mysterious harmony. Though I don’t understand electricity or the miracle of being born, I’m glad to be here. This record celebrates life passionately. Especially after pandemic, it feels so good to focus on the magnificence of being alive. We did it! We made it. How blessed and lucky we are. The song “Waking Up To This Miracle Life” sings “I scream to the heavens I’m alive, I’m alive, walked through fire, survived, survived. World keeps spinning I’m inspired, I’m inspired, Waking Up To This Miracle Life. I throw my hands up to the sky, see stars born in my mind’s eye, feel your love could almost cry, Waking Up To This Miracle Life.” No matter what struggles you’ve gone through (we all have), there’s always hope, fun, and even joy waiting closely; You’re never alone. If you believe in yourself, trusting there’s unseen help available to us- closed doors open, our timing gets good, and avalanches of beautiful opportunities flow like rivers into our experience. Your tiny extra bit of optimism cracks the door open to success, love, and more of your dreams realized. I choose to keep waking up to this miracle life.
We understand that this album finds you refocusing your energy on “surrendering to the music” after a period of time where you sensed you were drifting from the passion, love, and clarity that had drawn you to music in the first place. Can you tell us a little bit more about that journey?
Yes! I think as an artist, public figure, or human being in a world where everyone has an opinion, a singular perspective, judging or comparing you, with an illusion of competition, that it’s an easy, natural consequence, to want to be seen as the ‘best.’ Craving to be validated or praised by others, can sneak up, and muddy your energy and vibration. Caring and giving attention to what other’s think can weaken the original, initial joyful, pure desire to create; to create for the pleasure of the creative process; for the delight of flowing Life Force, or God/Love force energy through you, in moments of inspiration. I believe the whole point is take pleasure in the flowing of this energy and creative process. I have incredibly high standards of creating excellent music, art and songs, though in relationship to my own standards of excellence. This being said, I confess I do love my music being appreciated, recognized, and known by many, though at one point I got sidetracked off-course by focusing on how I was perceived and validated through others’ eyes. I realized I was suffering, and I chose to shift this attention and focus on how I feel and think about my music. This is a daily, lifelong practice. What anyone else thinks is about them, it actually has very little do with you, you’re just their temporary focal point. So I ask myself- “Sheri, are you having fun? Are you enjoying the creation of this music? Are you enjoying writing these interview questions right now? Or are you struggling for no good reason, to prove yourself to who?” My new clear intention is to take great, immense pleasure in composing my music, recording it, performing it, sharing it in press; to be in a beautiful state of ease, flow, surrender. To let go of the control I never really had anyway. To trust myself. To love myself. To love my music. To love the music.
Writing lyrics to ‘Waking Up To This Miracle Life’ is a pure example of trusting myself. Composing this song, I strongly felt the energy of Joan of Arc, warrior and heroine. Her energy was brilliantly strong, undeniable, and in a rushing, gushing stream, I easily received a hurricane of lyrics, ripe with her valor and warrior energy. It felt like a gift; yet I was afraid to keep her in the song, thinking people might judge me. I meditated taking her out, yet decided, 'It’s my pure intention to honor the art of songwriting; to be high-minded, pristine, true, and in integrity to the energies, muses, creative masters that inspire songs.' I chose to be courageous like Joan of Arc, keeping her in the lyrics, so the art of song, being true to one’s artistic vision reigned victorious. This song is about believing in your dreams, passionately moving confidently towards your soul’s vision, even when others don’t believe, understand, or can’t see manifested, discernible evidence yet of your success, your dreams. Lyrics like
“I shall rest I’ve been down this road before. My soul feels blessed with the laying down of swords
A hundred years fighting other peoples’ wars, but now I’m free, I can breathe
I used to feel the brokenness of my dreams. I’d wither up feel the closing of defeat
I dammed my river flow into a trickling stream. Still I believed, faithfully
All my fury, madness and rage. Ate into me like a fresh grave
Till I could release my driving reins. Surrender to a love that cannot be named
I’ve worn the key that locked me up in chains. I’ve sold myself as a martyr, as a slave
I’ve felt like Joan of Arc, sword of Orleans raise. Charging the night, with fierce second sight
My wild desire, a stallion ahead, I rode blindfolded where I was led
Till seizin’ the wind, blowin’ his hair, I lifted on the wings of a simple prayer
Your new EP is filled with songs that seem designed to inspire and uplift. Is that something that is important to you as an artist and songwriter, and if so, why?
Yes! 100 million percent. My songs are designed with my powerful, deep, profound intention, on a deep soul level, to inspire and uplift others, to reawaken to the magnificence of their own souls. To stir up the dancing of our inner beings; so we can walk through this beautiful world hand in hand, cheek to cheek with our own adoring souls. To love ourselves, just an iota of the amount our own soul loves us, to remember our personal genius, brilliance, and love. To live the most joyful, truly divine, spectacular, gloriously fun life we can imagine. Part of my joy and mission as an artist is to be an open vessel and vehicle to receive these messages; that we are self-empowered creators with the gift of our imagination and guidance of our emotions, how we are liquid love in human body vessels! Storytelling, poetry, melody, music are my special gifts to sculpt the song clay, as a sculptor would chisel their marble statue revealing their art. My calling to birth these songs, record and perform them is wildly, extraordinarily strong. I believe I was born to create music, and to help other people remember their magnificence, via my songs, in this time of awakening in mass consciousness. I’m an artist and woman on a mission.
We love the song “Born To Love.” Can you tell us more about the writing process for that song?
I’m so happy you love it! Creating ‘Born To Love,” an amazingly powerful experience happened, guiding me to ‘surrender to the music.’ Day 1 in recording studio, I thought we had the "perfect" vocal after comping. The next day, after singing for 5 hours, the producer asked me to sing one last take. I said "sure" to humor him, though thinking "there's no way we can use it, I'm too tired." So I let go, stood there singing effortlessly, easily, naturally, without trying. I got out of my own way, allowing the song to speak, my soul to speak. When I opened my eyes, thinking everyone would say it's a throwaway vocal, instead they said, "that was a Grammy-Award winning performance!" Stunned, I listened back, and realized MAGIC had flowed, when I surrendered, letting go of getting an "amazing vocal." This live vocal became our "final vocal." I learned sometimes "magic" is better than "perfect." I trust the magic now.
Having just passed the Thanksgiving holiday, would you mind sharing what you are grateful for this year?
I believe in appreciation, it is the identical vibration to love, pure in form! I appreciate this wonderful opportunity with you- Music-News.com – to answer these uplifting questions, sparkling with optimism! I appreciate social media and distribution platforms, allowing me to easily connect and share my art with you. I appreciate all of you, dear readers and listeners, for taking the time to read this interview and listen to my songs. I appreciate my magnificent music team, which keeps growing. I appreciate every opportunity I have, to be of value and uplift with my music and songs. I appreciate my fantastic friends, family, our dogs, cats, pets, to whom we can flow love. I love and appreciate my magnificent myself, our beautiful world, all of the angels surrounding us, our galaxy, our infinite, expanding Universe!
What are your intentions for 2022?
SM: To have more joyful moments each day. Have more fun. Be easier and lighter, laugh more. Have more wild adventures! Discover new things with zest, exuberance, wonder of a child. Listen to my personal intuition and guidance more, trusting in Universe’s perfect timing. To record my new songs (my most spectacular yet!) feeling love, happiness, joy, fun and ease in process. To keep spreading love, joy, and inspiration with my music and being.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
Why, I do think we’ve got it! Maybe, dear readers, if you’d like to listen to EP ‘Waking Up To This Miracle Life,’ I would appreciate it! Here’s a link: http://www.smarturl.it/MiracleLifeEP
You can discover more about my touring, new music, and latest free-spirited adventure at sherimiller.com I appreciate you for reading and listening, and I sincerely hope you remember how magnificent you are! I may not know you, but I love you.
sherimiller.com I Facebook I Instagram I YouTube I Spotify I Apple I Amazon
.jpg)
