Kim Maresca’s Solo Performance at Feinstein’s 54 Below in NYC

For the first time, I made my way to Feinstein’s 54 Below in New York City for what turned out to be one of my most memorable nights in that extraordinary city that never sleeps. I went to see my beautiful and captivatingly talented cousin, Kim Maresca in a solo performance.

Mind you, I excepted greatness. After all, last summer I attended her off broadway show, Ruthless, where she had the lead role. I sat in the audience in awe of her ability to take on the role of her character and portray it so effortlessly. The show in its entirety was incredible. It was perfect for all ages, and full of pure entertainment.

Now that I knew just how wonderfully Kim was capable of performing, I was even more excited to watch her performance which was strictly all about her. Sure, she had the lead role in Ruthless, but this show was filled with songs and stories that were all personal and true to her. It was an invitation to get to know just who Kim Maresca really is.

It’s Officially Been 10 Years From Paramore’s “Misery Business” Release

Let me start off by pouring out my everlasting admiration for the band Paramore, but more specifically, front woman, Hayley Williams, as she’s been one of my role models and icons since my angsty misunderstood middle school days. Although it’s not 2007 anymore, and so many things have changed, my admiration (as well as my angst) still remains.

Hayley Williams was my icon for so many reasons. For starters, she was this completely bad ass, can’t-be-ignored, ORANGE haired confident woman. She supported To Write Love On Her Arms, “a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.” (Mission statement taken from their website.) Because TWLOHA meant (and still means) so much to me, having someone I admired support the cause was something very respectable. Hayley Williams helped me be conformable with who I was, not feel intimidated or afraid to be bold and proud.

In honor of the 10 year anniversary, Williams took to her personal twitter to share.

She was sort of making fun of the bands song and how maybe the lyrics within the popular hit have some negative messages and themes that don’t stand true to her feelings today. Let’s break down “Misery Business” and look to what Williams was potentially referring to!

“Second chances, they don’t ever matter people never change. Once a whore, you’re nothing more, I’m sorry that’ll never change.”

OUCH! I full heartedly believe that second chances matter. I think that if someone hurts you, screws you over, or maybe just makes a bad first impression, that doesn’t necessarily make them a bad person. I think everyone deserves a second chance to change things, or show their true colors. As Williams mentioned, true change can most definitely occur, but that’s a personal choice. It really does start and come from within. Moving on to the “whore” comment, that’s a loaded line. You first have to dive into what is a “whore?” A woman who is open about her sexuality? Who makes the conscious decision to use her body how she pleases? Unfortunately, 10 years later, this is still a huge issue in society. Men somehow are excused from the negative social repercussions of promiscuity and leave all the slut shaming to the women.

“Well there’s a million other girls who do it just like you. Looking as innocent as possible to get to who, They want and what they like, it’s easy if you do it right. Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!”

This again, contributes to the “whore” theme. The million other girls who do “it” is most likely referencing that promiscuity and the use of sex appeal and flirtatious behavior to get who they want. And clearly, Williams refused to use that method to get anyones attention. Guess what? BOTH methods are ACCEPTABLE and OKAY. So long as you’re in control of your own body, feel empowered by your choices and are happy, that’s LITERALLY all that matters.

I love the song. I love the band. I love that Hayley Williams not only realizes but beautifully acknowledges the “backward-minded” themes of the song. People definitely CAN change, and maybe, just maybe, Hayley Williams did some of that changing herself! I have so much respect for Hayley Williams and all of her learned life lessons she’s willing to share with the world.

The Andy Warhol Museum

After living so close to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for nearly all of my 23 years of existence, The Andy Warhol Museum was something I always knew was there and I could go to “anytime I wanted.” It didn’t hit me that ‘OH MY GOSH, I’VE NEVER EVEN BEEN THERE’, until I officially moved to the west coast, and now happily reside in Oregon. So, when I visited home for what may be my last time for quite a while, visiting the museum was absolutely necessary. And thank God I did, because I finally know what I was all missing out on all those years.

Andy Warhol’s talent, and all that he accomplished, in realistically a short amount of time, is breathtaking. He was involved in so many aspects of art. He always wanted to remain modern and relevant and would dive right into the newest forms of art and entertainment in his original and wonderfully creative ways. Although probably his most famous and iconic, Warhol’s “Pop Art” is my personal favorite.
Warhol, being the visual art movement’s leading figure, created his art with inspiration from the celebrity culture and advertisements, which is what attracts me so much to the art.

MODSUN INTERVIEW

“Yo, This is my favorite interview I’ve ever done! Quote!” -ModSun

Thanks, ModSun! You were my favorite interview I’ve ever done, too! It’s easy to say that November 1st, 2015 was life changing, because I sat down with hippy-hop artist ModSun at the Altar Bar in Pittsburgh, while on his two week U.S. Pink Lemonade Tour. From the moment ModSun walked in, his positivity filled the whole room. His smile is infectious, and his good vibes energy radiates beyond comparison to any other artist I’ve ever encountered. The way he portrays himself is really how he truly is and let me tell you, it’s quite a breath of fresh air!

Although it hasn’t even been a year since releasing his album Look Up, which he dropped on his birthday, March 10th, 2014, if you follow smilesdavis via Snapchat, you already know he’s been continuously teasing us with brand new music that sounds AMAZING. When I asked him about it, he looked at Gordy (who even made a special appearance in the interview!) asking “should I drop classified info right now on this?!” and guess what? HE. ABSOLUTELY. DID. and we got the unreleased info FIRST! “TruVibes you got it first!” Want to know when we will all be blessed with these new tunes? Be sure to check out the exclusive interview which I’m dropping on MY birthday, November 5, 2015!

As for the show, for anyone whose been to a ModSun concert can attest that he does not EVER disappoint, and he continued to give all his fans friends a night to remember with songs both old and new which we all cheerfully sang along to. I’m telling you, as the entire room shouted the lyrics “it’s me and all my friends” to the hit song “Howlin’ At The Moon” it was the most electrifying, unifying feeling in the entire universe. He brought energy. He brought positivity. He brought love. He’s truly a unique, unforgettable and beautiful soul who just continues to grow, inspire and empower.

To get more on ModSun be sure to follow him on Instagram and Twitter!

Instagram/Twitter: @MODSUN

modsunmusic.com

Written by: Santina Murin

11/3/15

SECOND INTERVIEW WITH RADICAL SOMETHING

Two years ago, back in 2013, I got my first real interview locked down all on my own (with no connections or already knowing the artist) and it was definitely an experience! The band that I’ll forever thank for that opportunity is Radical Something. And now, two years later, on October 12, 2015 it all came full circle when I was able to interview the trio for a second time! In addition to the interview, I also was lucky enough to intern for the guys over the summer, which makes me able to concretely say what wonderful guys they all truly are on and off screen! They’re kind, giving, and tons of fun! 1 of 10 songs for the #SummerOfRad campaign called “World Of Mine” which I got to be apart of, accurately depicts how they really are. Nothing was staged, it was just a big party of fun being documented! Watch the fun-in-the-sun party here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lqQC7XSGUc

This time, we talked about the successes of this Summer’s #SummerOfRad campaign, what it was like working with Vine star Logan Paul, what we can expect next from the band as far as new music and tours, and much more! 

Josh Cocktail, DJ Big Red, and Loggy all describe one another with words like “neurotic,” “spiritual,” “intuitive,” “mysterious,” “suspicious,” and “forgetful!” Can you guess which words match which band member?! Find out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ewER6IhIIc

To get more on Radical Something be sure to “like” them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter and Instagram!

Facebook: Facebook.com/Radical Something

Twitter and Instagram: @WeAreRadical

Merchandise: radicalmerch.com

Have You Heard Halsey?

“Are you high enough without the mary jane like me? Do you tear yourself apart to entertain like me?” These are a few lyrics by artist Halsey, an American singer/songwriter I simply cannot get enough of lately. If you haven’t already heard of her, check her out NOW, because I’d bet on it that she’s about to blow up. Consistently growing, Halsey currently holds 1 million followers on Instagram and over 800K Twitter followers.

Halsey is only 21 years old and began writing at the age of 17. After 3 years of writing, her debut EP was released in 2014, titled “Room 93.” Wasting no time at all, her debut album, “Badlands” was released August of 2015 including 2 tracks from “Room 93,” “Ghost” and “Hurricane.”

“Badlands” is full of angst, tragedy and beauty. The meticulously chosen lyrics are dark, haunted and most importantly, tragically honest.
Each and every song leaves Halsey emotionally exposed and vulnerable while the stories in her songs captives and mesmerizes any individual who can connect to Halsey’s messages.

Amber Rose Slut Walk LA

Today, Saturday, October 3, 2015 was the very first Slut Walk in Los Angeles, put on by Amber Rose. Slut Walks are now held worldwide, but originally started in 2011 in Toronto after the ignorance of a police officer telling people “To stay safe, women should avoid dressing like sluts in order to not be victimized.” The Slut Walk is a movement against victim blaming, slut shaming, and gender inequality.

Amber Rose is a mother, philanthropist, feminist and entrepreneur. At the core of the Amber Rose brand is her foundation that focuses on a platform dedicated to women empowerment issues. Her entrepreneurial endeavors include an eyewear line and most recently becoming a published author of her book entitled “How to Be a Bad Bitch.” Rose is most interested in leveraging her massive social media platform and influence to advance the mission of her foundation. (excerpt taken from http://www.amberroseslutwalk.com)

The sign I made and proudly held high during the walk reads “Slut (Noun) A Woman With The Morals Of A Man.” In today’s society, it is perfectly acceptable for a man to have multiple sexual partners with no social repercussions. In fact, many times, those guys get a “pat on the back” from their buddies, but find out a woman has multiple sexual partners and the roles are so quick to be reversed! She is all of a sudden nothing more than a “slut.” Stop equating self-respect with chastity.

We women need to stick together rather than judge one another, especially without knowing our stories. Rather than let a petty label like “slut” define us, we are reclaiming the word, taking back its hateful definition, and embracing the term showing that “being a slut” simply means we are in control of our bodies, and therefore make our own decisions what we want to do, or not do with them.

10 ARTISTS OF THE SUMMER

There’s nothing like having a whole summer filled with music your ears just can’t get enough of by artists you can’t help but love. I chose my top 10 artists of the summer based on new music being put out, who I personally listened to the most, and of course their vibes! Take a look..

10. Niykee Heaton: Although not the most upbeat tunes, which you’d typically associate with summer jams, Heaton has so much raw soul in her voice she captivates you just the same. She’s an independent artist with such compelling and beautiful lyrics that relate to so many! I shamelessly had hits like “Champagne,” “Bad Intentions” and “Say Yeah” on repeat for the majority of the summer! Heaton started a movement that can’t be stopped. Fans recognize the acronym NBK as “Naturyl Born Killers” and can show love by purchasing some NBK gear at http://www.naturylbornkillers.com

Twitter/Instagram @NiykeeHeaton

9. Sammy Adams: Haven’t heard from Sammy lately? Don’t count him out just yet! He’s making a comeback getting back to his indie roots, coming out with a self titled album coming soon. Surely by now
you’ve heard Justin Bieber’s new single “What Do You Mean” but the song you really need to check out is Sammy’s remix to Bieber’s song, which Adams calls “Why Do You Care” and you’ll be right back to being a complete fan if in fact you got lost along the way. I’m telling you, this song ALONE deserves him a spot in the countdown!

Twitter/Instagram @SammyAdams

KEEP SUMMER ALIVE WITH SOME BEACH WEATHER

It’s already been 7 years since I was first introduced, back in 2008, to Nick Santino’s talent as the front man in the band A Rocket To The Moon. They were one of the opening acts for A Cursive Memory, and I was so impressed with them I not only bought their EP, “Greetings From…” that night, I was an instant fan.

ARTTM was on the 2009 Warped Tour line up, and naturally
I was in the crowd singing along to every song, as well as waiting in their meet and greet line to get pictures and autographs. I mustered up the courage to playfully say to Nick “So, my name is Santina, so if we ever got married my name would be Santina Santino.” How epic, right?!

SUMMER MUSIC VIDEOS

Your favorite girls here at TruVibesTV are having quite the exciting summer here in California! So far, we have been apart of 3 music videos for some AMAZING bands and artists.

July 1st, Our Last Night released their music video for “Road To The Throne” from their latest album “Younger Dreams” which came out June 16th. Purchase your copy on iTunes if you haven’t already!

Follow the brothers of Our Last Night!

Twitter: @OLNband @TrevorOLN @MattOLN

Instagram: @olnband @trevor_michael @mattyry

Watch the video to “Road To The Throne” here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGLc-16eT4w

July 2nd, Mike Stud released his music video for “This Feeling” This is one you don’t want to miss. It’s Stud showing his fans his idea of the perfect day. It’s all good vibes!

Follow Mike Stud!

Twitter: @Mike_Stud

Instagram: @mike_stud

Watch the video to “This Feeling” here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTLweAC-D6Y

July 6th, Radical Something continued their #SummerOfRad by not only just releasing a new song, but a new music video as well. Every monday the trio releases a new song until 10 new songs are put out. Their second release came with an added bonus of a fun-filled video for “World of Mine.”

Follow Radical Something!

Twitter: @WeAreRadical @AlexLagemann @JoshCocktail @DJ_BIG_RED

Instagram: @weareradical @alexlagemann @joshcocktail @dj_big_red

Watch the video to “World of Mine” here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lqQC7XSGUc

We had such a blast hanging out with such genuine and talented guys with days full of good vibes music, cold drinks, delicious food, and beautiful beaches. Be sure to keep up with us to see what else we get into this summer!

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @TruVibesTV

Stay truuu!

-Santina Murin