International Indie Music: my favorite June 2022 releases

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Enjoy my favorite picks from Indie Music world released in June 2022, in chronological order!

"OKAY" - Act of Nature - Ontario, Canada (released on June 3rd)

The duo, composed by Laura Easson and Jordan James, shares: "The chorus/hook for OKAY was written years ago and, throughout the years, multiple verses and bridges were written to go with the chorus. It wasn’t until Jordan added his piano to the song late last year that we could figure out what the right arrangement was. The chorus is a personal mantra for Laura’s life. Laura struggles with anxiety and, whenever she was not feeling herself mentally, she would pull this line out as an anthem. In addition to this, Jordan and Laura both started to refer to this song during the pandemic. It brought inspiration to us during difficult days and our desire is that this song brings the same empowerment and hope to our listeners as it did us. This is the song for those who need to know they have the strength within themselves to change their circumstances and get through another day. There is also a connection to our beliefs that we all have more in common than we do differences. Everyone has their own circumstances and beliefs that have been becoming increasingly polarized in today’s world. This song is meant as an anthem to unite rather than the mainstream narrative that is to divide".

"LIKE YOUR LOVE" - Jimi C & The Waves - Los Angeles, USA (released on June 3rd)

Jimi Cracovaner is a Los Angeles based artist, composer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist hailing originally from Tucson, AZ. From a young age, Jimi knew that he wanted to turn his passion for music into his life’s work. He grew up in a musical household, and constantly played, wrote and recorded music with his brother. Jimi moved to Los Angeles in 2013 to pursue a career and musical endeavors as a composer for television, film and visual media. During the lockdowns of 2020, he rediscovered his passion for songwriting, and wrote and recorded over 30 new songs. In 2021 he released his first single under his solo project Jimi C & The Waves. The fourth single, "Like Your Love", is an indie alt pop anthem about a seemingly other-worldly kind of love; the type of love that is so strong that it truly cannot compare it to anything else on planet earth.  The song was written, recorded and composed in Jimi's Santa Monica studio with real instrumentation, vocal harmonies and a sax solo that will have you grooving and momentarily transport you to another planet. 

Instagram: @jimicwaves

"JUST TRYING TO DO MY THING" - Brenda Carsey - Los Angeles, Usa (released on June 6th)

"Just Trying To Do My Thing" is the 1st single of Brenda Carsey’s upcoming full-length studio album "Cognizance". An R&B, Neo-Soul track that celebrates the beauty of being true to yourself even in the face of judgment, pressure, and uncertainty. Step outside and express yourself and keep shining your unique self out into the world!

Instagram: @brendacarseyart

"ALONE FOR THE LAST TIME (Alternate Version)" - Ryan Egan - Paris, France (released on June 8th)

Blue-eyed soul, indie crooner Ryan Egan continues the rollout of his debut LP Soft Power with a minimalist, bedroom pop version of "Alone For the Last Time", aptly named as Egan recorded alone in a Chinatown studio playing a vintage drum machine, Wurlitzer & Mellotron, creating a mood that recalls a Hall & Oates home demo. The prolific American in Paris romanticizes solitude, capturing the bliss of being content in our skin, lost in dreams. The alt r&b singer-songwriter has written a hermit's anthem. Ryan shares: "In keeping my album release alive & well, today I'm dropping the first of a series of alternate versions of tracks, starting with "Alone For the Last Time" recorded last November in Manhattan's Chinatown. The track features a new, stripped arrangement based around a vintage Roland drum machine, Wurlitzer piano, Mellotron and vocals".

Instagram: @thisryanegan

"NICE TO SEE YOU" - Mackenzie Reyer - Toronto, Canada (released on June 10th)

"Nice to see you" is part of the three-song debut album of Mackenzie, "Happy To Leave". She shares about the album: "These songs were all written during the ongoing global pandemic- some right at the beginning, some more towards the end, but all in the general timeframe of two years and some change. They’re a collection of love songs, but not really “love” love songs… more like love letters to well… to me, in all my forms! After sitting with myself and all of my thoughts for so long, I found that there were many parts of my brain that I didn’t particularly like, others I should show more grace towards, and some that were just plain weird. More importantly, however, I found that they all kinda worked together to create this freaky mosaic of a person that I call home. I wrote these songs as a reminder to myself, and hopefully to you, that while nothing is truly constant, we always seem to find our way back to ourselves. So here we are! And here it is! My brain baby’s day of birth has arrived, and I hope you love it as much as I do, or at least great it with the same fake sweetness you show a not-quite-person-shaped newborn baby when its doting mother presents it to you. I’m glad this day is here, and can’t wait to keep learning and creating- but for now I leave you with Happy to Leave and say- thanks for listening!"

Instagram: @mackenziebgrant

"GET LOST" - Shale - Victoria, Canada (released on June 10th)

"Get Lost" is part of the debut album of Shale, a Canadian alternative rock band composed by Kiarra O'Connor, Adam Baines, Rowan Hensley, Breanna Montague, Michale Voytash. Kiarra explains: "Get Lost has a bit of a funny, yet not so funny background story. When I was young and blindly in love, I lent money to my boyfriend (now ex). When we broke up, he refused to give me the money back, and furthermore told me to "Get Lost". Delusional as he was, he soon after tried to win my love back. Shockingly, I no longer wanted anything to do with him. Get Lost wraps up my feelings towards him and our relationship nicely. Unfortunately, I never got my money back, BUT at least Shale got the hook to a rockin’ song instead. Worth it".

Instagram: @shale_music

"LAST GENERATION" - Lauren Minear - Nashville, Usa (released on June 10th)

"Last Generation" is the latest single of Lauren Minear, who loves to describe herself as a musician, a psychotherapist and mom. She is an incredible productive songwriter who started releasing her music earlier this year. Lauren says: "I wrote "Last Generation" on the day the sky turned pink in New York State because of the wildfires in California. I wanted it to sound like the piercing anxiety that I felt that morning about what kind of future we are leaving to our children. Cristal B. helped me finish writing it and Dan Weeks brought my vision to life".

Instagram: @laurenminearmusic

"YOU ONLY MISS ME CAUSE I'M GONE" - Broadtree - Toronto, Canada (YouTube video released on June 22nd)

The duo, composed by Armand Antony and Nicole McCafferty, shares: "It’s a fun summer anthem about female empowerment, that really hits that country sound, while still having our theatre antics be a part. It’s our strongest release and really focuses on knowing your worth, standing up for yourself for anyone who’s had someone do them wrong. It’s a really entertaining, upbeat, and catchy song we released in time for summer".

Instagram: @broadtreemusic

I hope you enjoyed all these beautiful releases as much as I did, I'm very curious to discover my favorites of July!!

Follow me: @laurameetsmusicians

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