theFIVE10 Podcast J C

Tom Shimura, aka Lyrics Born, has been making music for more than three decades. And while that may be enough for most artists, the east bay native is not content to rest on his laurels in his pursuit of making incredible music. With his fourteenth album, Vision Board getting ready to be released via his own indie label, Quannum Projects, the MC and part-time actor is feeling the pressure to stay in the conversation. 

JC got a chance to sit with Lyrics Born to talk about the east bay music scene, how hip-hop has changed what it means to be an entrepreneur in the music industry, and how he's used technology to stay connected with fans. All of this and much more on theFIVE10 Podcast!

Jim Ward is no stranger to the challenges in the music industry. Having seen virtually every part of it, he has strong opinions about how upcoming bands should focus on their own well-being rather than being career leverage for people who have little concern for the artists they're supposed to support. It's why the frontman for the Texas-based band Sparta spends a lot of his time mentoring bands and giving back to a community that has given him so much.

Jim spent time chatting with JC about his long storied career, how he has used technology from the very beginning to get the word out, and what he would like his tours to look like in the future. All of this and much more on the latest episode of theFIVE10 Podcast!

At just 16 years old, Lucid Kidd  is showcasing a mixed bag of his own carefully crafted, production-minded beats, striking melodicism, and an impressive rap flow, making music that is at once exhilarating and emotional. It is an unguarded reflection of the chaotic whirlwind that is coming of age during a pandemic, and of having to watch the turmoil in Ukraine unfold from a close distance in his native country of Lithuania.

Of his new song and video, Lucid Kidd says, “’Nothing Back’ is a song about the escape from betrayal. It depicts the vampires as these fake people that are always draining your energy and using you. The song expresses leaving all these vampires behind and finding your own path, because walking alone is better than being surrounded by fake people. The music video contains lots of colours which represent the escape from the greyness of fake people and becoming your own colourful individual.”*

JC got a chance to sit down with Lucid Kidd to talk about traveling, his process, and where he sees his music career headed. All this and much more on this episode of theFIVE10 Podcast! 

*bio from Mundane Magazine

Born in Italy to a family of Moroccan heritage, Imen's dreams of becoming a singer were at odds with her Muslim family, especially her father, an Imam at their local mosque. But Imen stayed true to herself, her family, and her religion by exploring topics and presenting an image which didn’t compromise those inner beliefs. Her breakthrough moment came serendipitously while working as a waitress at the London restaurant Nando’s, when she posted a candid video of herself on Instagram, singing into a mop she was using to clean. The video quickly went viral, leading to music deals and her debut appearance on the Arabic remix of David Guetta’s "Family" alongside Ty Dolla $ign and A Boogie wit da Hoodie. "As a child, I was heavily bullied, and I made the decision at a young age to try to put a positive spin on the negative moments in my life," Imen explains." I want my lyrics to empower listeners to be able to do the same, without fear.” She then released her debut single "Lonely People," which earned tastemaker acclaim first in London, and now around the world. But despite her success, Imen takes nothing for granted and continues to work full time at Nando’s as a waitress, hustling to make her music dreams a reality during breaks and off-days. 

Imen took time out of her busy schedule to talk about her debut album, what she has learned along the way, and how TikTok has been key to testing the waters on new music. All this and much more on the latest episode of theFIVE10 podcast!

With over 125 million streams on Spotify, and a series of high-profile syncs in the US and abroad, Susie has quietly and organically grown her audience and reach. After being signed to Sony Epic Records for her self-titled debut album, Susie created her own label, Collective Records. Susie’s instinct to produce and own all of her own music and content, with total control of all her creative choices—has allowed for a pure transmission of her artistry. The single “Here With Me” became an internet phenomenon after being featured on the first season of The Blacklist.  And virtually every song on her second album, The Bakman Tapes, was licensed to film and television shows such as Parenthood, Awkward, Containment, and more. In 2021 alone she was added to more than 130,000 Spotify playlists with no touring, marketing, and no big “corporate machine” behind her.

JC sat down with the singer/songwriter to talk about her label, how she's developed over the years and the future of the music industry. All of this and more on the latest episode of theFIVE10 podcast!

Every so often a new band hits the scene and immediately makes it onto your favorites list. Meet Danceland, a Toronto-based outfit that might just be your new favorite jam band. Originally conceived as the Cherry Garcia Band, the band’s debut album ‘Pink Lem’ is the culmination of a long, strange trip for Danceland. The band’s founding guitarist and singer-songwriter, Joe Ferland, came up as a musician in the 1990s NYC music scene, playing in a variety of rock and pop-punk contexts, and earning a few record deals along the way. Eventually, the music biz hustle burned him out, but music came back into his life during the passing of his mother when he and his wife—his co-writer and co-vocalist Jale—found their way to Danceland.

The five-piece band is rooted in a timeless psychedelic Americana tradition, replete with fine, storyteller songcraft; sunny harmonies; lonesome pedal steel; stratospheric lead guitar passages; and a touch of Eastern mysticism. First out the gate is the album’s lead single “Don’t Act Surprised,” a driving acoustic number that evokes ‘American Beauty’ era Dead or contemporary artists like Railroad Earth or String Cheese Incident. 'Don’t Act Surprised' is the story of my mother’s first marriage that brought my sister and brother into the world,” Ferland comments. “After listening to the stories from my mother and sister over the years, I came to the conclusion that my mother left her first husband partly due to postpartum depression and that is why I think there was never really a “this is what happened” scenario. I finally put into words and music a story that has haunted me for many years.” *

JC got a chance to catch up with Joe to talk about his lengthy career in music, what has changed over the years, and much more.

*bio pulled from gratefulweb.com