To infinity and beyond, Naima Mora opens up to Obvious Magazine. She doesn’t want to rule the world. This rock star wants the galaxy and more.  Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, Naima Mora is still “America’s Top Bad Ass.”  She’s fearless, powerful, and brave and showing young women that it is still okay to have an edge.

Words by Leon Christian Twitter @imLeonChristian
Photography by Jerris Madison

If you think this chic chick is still just focusing on runways and international fashion campaigns you’re wrong. She currently has her mind set on taking over the music industry.  After winning the forth cycle of the hit television show, “America Next Top Model,” Naima has become more than just a model and a house hold name. Naima’s triumph of becoming a Cover Girl serves as inspiration to all young women that anything is possible if you believe. Presently, Naima has embraced other talents she has kept hidden till now. The world is her stage, her fearlessness is her microphone, and we are her audience.

This past summer while in Brooklyn, New York, I had a chance to meet up with Naima and to see her in a completely different light .She is courageous as ever and has given us something else to SPEAK about.

Leon: Naima tell us about your post-life after winning Cycle 4 of America’s Next Top Model (even though it’s been a few years)?
Naima: Ha Ha! That’s a loaded question! I’ve been doing a lot! Of course I’ve been modeling and have had the opportunity to work with amazing designers over the past several years. I have tried a little bit of acting, but that didn’t take very well because I don’t like memorizing lines…. joke. I have a lot of respect for the arts and I really look up to amazing actors. I wanted to do something that was more natural to me like music. Both my parents are musicians and I grew up in a musical house. I have studied music throughout my life and I wanted to form a band and express myself through that medium instead. Elias and I formed Galaxy Of Tar together early 2010.

Leon: Are you still in contact with the other girls from the show? If so, who?
Naima: Not really. But they’re all really great girls, and we do see each other occasionally at modeling jobs or castings.

Leon: Did you ever doubt you would win the completion/show? Explain.
Naima: At first, I didn’t think I had a chance at all. But towards the end I was very confident in myself.

Leon: It’s been a couple of years since we’ve seen you on the runways and in magazines spreads. Could you explain why?
Naima: I think it’s a natural progression for models to venture into other fields as their career develops. I actually model a lot still. Though not as much as I used to because my band Galaxy Of Tar is such a passion that I have devoted myself to. I figure if I’m going to do something I am going to do it extremely well. That’s always how I’ve been. And music takes a long time to develop and become really good at. So a lot of time is spent touring with the band, rehearsals, writing and recording. Though you can see me most recently modeling on the cover of Luxe Knits (the first and second editions), as part of Nigel Barker’s “Beauty Equation”, and Richard Hallmarq’s upcoming fall campaign.

Leon: I got a chance to check out a performance in Brooklyn of you and your band “Galaxy Of Tar.” Most of your fans didn’t know that you are a singer or even in a band…until now. Could you tell us about your band? How did you all come together?

Naima: Elias Diaz and I actually had a band together last year that offered a lot of time and space to figure out exactly what sound we wanted to go for and what we wanted to develop. After that band broke up, we decided to move forward creating Galaxy Of Tar. We have been fortunate to work with great musicians like our bassist Samuel Fernandez and guitarist Nemanja Rebic. We only released our debut album in May of this year so the project is still fairly new. We want to write good music that relies on good musicality and composition to offer something sonically new for audiences to hear and enjoy.

Leon: I noticed that you are the only girl in the band. How does it feel going with sisters and now being the only girl in a band male band?
Naima: It feels fine. We all get along very well, and I tend to be one of the guys because I’m so relaxed and not a high maintenance diva, so it works out fine. We all love what we do and we all have fun playing music and performing together.

Leon: What made you finally enter the world of music?
Naima: Elias and I have been friends for a long time and he wanted to start a band. He asked me if i was interested in working with him. “Why not?” I thought. So we tried it out and I really loved it. I love writing music and lyrics and performing. It is so refreshing.

Leon: I got the opportunity to check out your bands latest album “PNEUMA” could you tell us the story behind this project and why did you choose cover art instead of a photo?
Naima: “Pneuma” is the first recording endeavor of Galaxy Of Tar and I love it. I wanted to write a collection of short love stories and the lyrics are what manifested from that. Elias worked really hard in composing the songs and we collaborating ideas to form there. One of the songs is kind of a Romeo and Juliet tragedy, another is about Nikola Tesla, a man in love with invention and electricity. We then worked with Sam and Nemanja to incorporate their artistry into the songs to finalize the process. Collen Dupuis engineered the album at Planet E studios in my home town Detroit.

Elias: We really love art and wanted to incorporate something more along the lines of “visual art” rather than regular old picture of the band on the album cover. Alex Passapera did a great job at depicting his vision of Pneuma and Galaxy Of Tar for the debut album!

Leon: There is a track entitled, “Rat Saliva”. Please explain.

Naima: Oh…. haha… the inner workings of the creative mind. That’s all I’ll say.

Elias: I’ve heard that rat saliva is extremely poisonous. If you leave food out that a rat eats on and you end up eating after the rat unknowingly, you can die from the venom of their saliva. And no, the lyrics don’t have anything to do with having died by a rat.

Leon: What track has the most meaning to you and your band mates?
Naima: I think it’s different for everyone, but for me it depends on the day really. All the lyrics I wrote mean something different for me, and depending on the mood I’m in or what’s going on that day I take more affection towards one or another.

Elias: Mephistopheles Claw is my favorite because it puts me in a nice state of mind. It has so many changes and odd time signatures that it keeps me focused on the music.
Leon: What inspires you and your band mates? Is the band inspired by any other artist?
Naima: I like all music. There is so much inspiration from great musicians that i take on a constant basis from Led Zeppelin to Mahalia Jackson, to Bjork. When I write, anything can serve as an inspiration really.
Elias: A lot of bands from the 1970′s. I always enjoy the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Pink Floyd, Santana, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams.

Leon: If Galaxy Of Tar could SPEAK or be the face for public awareness for any good cause, what cause would it be?
Naima: Hhmmm… probably a children’s arts charity organization.
Elias: Well I’m from the Caribbean and I have seen a lot of poverty. I would like to be involved in an organization one day that helps to get musical instruments to people who what to learn to play music in lesser developed countries.

Leon: So what could we expect from Galaxy Of Tar in the near future?
Naima: We’re always writing music, so definitely another album soon. And of course we’ll be touring a lot!
Elias: I tend to try making albums sound completely different from each other. So in the near future of Galaxy Of Tar another great listening adventure.

Leon: Naima, could we expect to see you on the catwalk anytime soon?
Naima: Catwalk? One can become tired of walking like a cat for so long. People walk on two legs, cats walk on four… probably bad for your back and your posture.

“Another challenge has been to find a team that believe in my craft and doesn’t want to make me the next Chris Brown.” -Chris Santiago

Even though he is not new to the scene, Chris Santiago is ready for you to test him. With the need of strength, discipline and wisdom to survive in this tough business, the R&B/ POP artist is ready to prove why he is a force to reckon with. With a new artist arising every split second, Chris describes his music as “strength” and wants it to be known that he doesn’t want to be made into the next Chris Brown. The New York City native’s music is based upon real life experiences.  And all he wants you to do is sit back, relax and let him tell his story.

Words Leon Christian Twitter @imLeonChristian
Photograph by Scott Davis
Wardrobe Stylist Shaundel Hull

Leon: Chris please tell us what have you been up to since releasing your first EP “Eclipse” which was in 2009?
Chris: “Eclipse” sadly never saw the light of day. “Test Me” coming this fall will actually be my first EP release. What I can say is since 2009, I have been spending a lot of time finding myself and who I’m as an artist. I also spend a lot of time behind the scenes to learn the ins and outs for myself.
Leon: Of all the tracks on the EP “Test Me” which song has the most meaning to you and why?
Chris: On my EP “Test Me,” the title track under the same name would be the track that means the most to me. While recording the song I felt all this pain I had been carrying around finally fall off my shoulders. It’s like I was free.
Leon: How has your music evolved since recording “Eclipse” to “Test Me”? Furthermore, could you describe your music in one word?
Chris: Since the recording of “Eclipse” I have grown a lot as a person and as a man. You can definitely hear that within the music. I have left my heart behind the mic and let the melodies tell the story of what I have been through. The one word I would use to describe my music is “Strength.”
Leon: Your music seems be very relationship based. Do you sing about your personal experiences or of those around you?
Chris: A lot of topics are based on my personal life. I think that when you’re writing your own lyrics its best to be as honest as you can, because you can hear it in the music. You can’t fake real pain. I feel that the listener knows when someone is trying to sell them someone they aren’t. So I try my best to keep it as real as I can. I have the freedom to do so at the moment so I run with it.

Leon: So I know many recording artists have rituals or things they do in order to record in the studio. Do you have any rituals yourself, or have any must haves to record music?
Chris: I actual don’t have any rituals. I like to just be in the moment. When I’m in the studio all I can think about is the work at hand and how lucky I’m to be in the studio, and to be working with so many gifted and talent people.
Leon: When did you begin performing and what was the moment that made you know music was want you wanted to pursue and there was no turning back?
Chris: Well, I have been performing from a young age. It’s been a blessing to grow up in a city with so many different programs for kids. Because I surely took part in anything that had to do with arts growing up. I have always loved anything that has to do with entertainment. However, the defining moment for me was back in 2008. I was locked up in a studio for 4 days in the middle of nowhere in IL with THE INSOMNIAX recording “Eclipse” and I said to myself this is me, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Leon: What or who inspires you the most and why? Any music artist that is currently out?
Chris: To me there will always been one artist that I will always look up too and it would have to be Christina Aguilera. No matter what anyone has to say, she does what feels right to her at that moment and whatever she feels represents what she is going through at that point in her life. I love that she takes chances with her sounds and looks. And she delivers full packages. All her projects make sense from the promo pics, to the videos, to the tour they all flow. And that shows to me that it means more to her then just the fame and the money.
Leon: Who would you like to work with? Why?
Chris: Rodney Jerkins, there is something about a Darkchild Productions that you just can’t find anywhere else. There have been times that I have heard songs from artist I don’t even know and I ask myself why do I love this song so much? And then I do a little research and sure enough Rodney Jerkins was behind it.
Leon: What music artist is currently on your favorite playlist?
Chris: Wow, this is a hard one. I usually have a song that I’m really feeling at the moment more then any artists and at the moment that song is Shontelle “Perfect Nightmare” which is produce by the one and only Rodney Jerkins.
Leon: What has been your biggest challenge as a recording artist? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
Chris: I have had a lot of challenges as a recording artist. One challenge was believing in my own voice and letting it show me the way instead of me trying to control it and make it what I want it to be. Another challenge has been to find a team that believe in my craft and doesn’t want to make me the next Chris Brown.
Leon: Could we expect to see you doing any acting anytime soon like most music artists?
Chris: I would love to do some acting down the line. It would only seem right as I went to a Musical Theater school. But it’s not something that’s happen anytime soon. If I get offered a role tomorrow, I’ll have to think about it. (LOL)
Leon:  Can you please tell us what can we expect from you in the upcoming months or year?
Chris: Right now I’m putting the finishing touches on my First EP “Test Me” which I hope to release this fall. I’m heading down to FL in a few days to work with The Lions Dens down there.  I’m going to try to knock out a few songs with them.
Leon: Tell us something about Chris that we don’t know? Do you have any other hidden talents or hobbies?
Chris: I’m a low key guy. I don’t go out much. When I do go out I like to just meet up with close friends to have dinner. Spend time with family when I can and shop. I’m a very good shopper LOL. Tell me what you’re looking for and I will find it. Anything from clothes to electronics I’m your man.

Leon: If you were stranded on a deserted island what are 3 things that you would need to survive?
Chris: A laptop, (with a lot of movies and music), shades and sun screen lotion.

Leon: If you could SPEAK or be the face for public awareness for any good cause, what cause would it be? Why?
Chris: It would have to be for children with disabilities. There are so many children out there every day born with disabilities, but very few people lending their voices to speak up for them. My cousin is handicap, and they told her mother she would not see pass 10, and at 21 we are bless to still have her with us.

Leon: Any last words?
Chris: I would just like to Thank Jerris and EVERYONE at Obvious Magazine for letting me be a part of something so special. Now for the next issue, I want my own Cover LOL.

Chris Santiago’s Twitter: @ChrisSantiago07

Dwele has come a long way since his debut with Slum Village on “Tainted.” With his fourth album hitting stores this past June 29, he has established himself as a vocalist, writer and producer.

Dwele did not land into music by accident. He has always been inspired by singers such as Miles Davis and Stevie Wonder. However, Motown artists were only a fraction of his decision to become a vocalist. “A major thing that happened in my life that pushed me to go in the musical route was loosing my father. Before he passed he taught me about music. That’s a way to keep me with him.” Dwele used his loss as a way to channel feelings the studio. Dwele sold his demo The Rize, out of the trunk of his car which eventually landed him his first record deal. Since the music industry has changed over the years, he feels there are more advantages of getting your voice heard than when he first started. “Take advantage of the free promotion of the internet. It’s a whole new game. This is the time of the self made star.”

Dwele has been able to keep his personal life off the gossip sites, but he is not completely exempt from the media’s scrutiny. The crooner took a more comical approach when addressing certain rumors. Around his first album Dwele recalls hearing that he was gay. Instead of getting upset he took it as a sign that he finally made it.  “You know you’ve made it as a singer when they call you gay.”

When it comes to juggling his private and professional life, Dwele feels the two go hand in hand. “At the end of the day when you step off the stage, you have to go live a regular life. I want to be myself whether I’m on stage or not.”
Dwele is known for his mid-tempo and contemporary music. With every album he has been able to seductively sing his way into his fans hearts. The process of making an album can be tedious, and this time around, Dwele wanted to give fans something different. “I let the music dictate what I write. Really I just try to lock myself up. I grab inspiration from everyday living.” With each album the singer challenges himself by trying something new. Whether it’s an instrument or a concept, Dwele wants to keep growing as an artist. With W.ants W.orld W.oman he decided to express three different sides of him: the inner alter ego, his political awareness and his softer side (as he appropriately called it, baby making music). “I just really wanted to do something different and a little more creative. Its not saying I want worldly women, I’m just breaking it up into three different sections.”

Dwele has never been short of executing to his fans. From his first to his last, he has managed to deliver something new every time. With WWW hitting shelves next month, fans are sure to have a tasteful three-section album.

Words by Crystal Hardman

Mayer Hawthorne grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, just outside of Detroit. He vividly remembers as a child driving with his father, and tuning the car radio in to the rich soul and jazz history the region provided. “Most of the best music ever made came out of Detroit,” claims the singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who count Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, and Barry White among his influences. However, he draws the most inspiration from the music of Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield, the legendary songwriting and production trio of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, and Eddie Holland Jr.

The “retro” tag is added to almost any contemporary work that sounds like it was originally recorded between 1966 and 1974. Hawthorne, among the newest contributors to the genre, is aware of how trends come and go. After being introduced to Stones Throw label head Peanut Butter Wolf by mutual friend Noelle Scaggs of the Rebirth, even his current boss was skeptical. “He showed me two songs and I didn’t understand what I was listening to,” Wolf recalls. “I asked him if they were old songs that he did re-edits of – I couldn’t believe they were new songs and that he played all the instruments.”

And after meeting in person, it was even harder for Wolf to believe that Hawthorne was also the lead vocalist. Few expect such heartfelt sentiment to come from a 29-year-old white kid from Ann Arbor, but he has caught the ear of his family at Stones Throw, as well as BBC Radio 1 host Gilles Peterson and producer/DJ Mark Ronson. Expectations are high for the admitted vinyl junkie who never planned on taking his crooning public. Hawthorne’s hanging-by-a-string falsetto and breakbeat production on his first recorded effort, the tender “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” are simultaneously Smokey and J Dilla – equal parts “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Fall in Love.” “It’s soul,” he explains, “But it’s new.”

Hawthorne has produced and played instruments for much of his life, but never intended to become a singer. He isn’t formally trained, and never sang in the church choir or in any of the bands he was in before founding the County (formerly the County Commissioners). But here he is, new school soul sensation, who has taken the Motown assembly-line production model and eliminated nearly every element, but himself and a few hired hands. “I think Mayer is the only artist in the history of the label that I’ve signed after hearing only two songs,” says Peanut Butter Wolf. “Sometimes, you just know it’s the right thing to do.”

And for those willing to believe anything is possible, be grateful to have Mayer Hawthorne on the scene. It’s not just throwback music anymore – this revival is all about progression.

By Ronnie Reese

Motown has molded the hearts and minds of music lovers all over the world. From Michael the Moonwalker to Dream Girl Mary Wilson, the House that Berry built has produced countless hit makers for the last 51 years. So how befitting that it is the recording refuge for Canadian songstress Melanie Fiona whose voice is as timeless as her personal elegance and style.

Her debut album, “The Bridge” was released in November of 2009 as the feverish follow-up to her 9 month old single “Give it To Me Right”, and ode to self pleasure when her love interest doesn’t quite measure up. Fiona’s freshman release is a cohesively clever composition of songs that speak to the minds and hearts of men and women who’ve experienced hard love, strong love, crazy love, and all points in between.

With model perfect looks, one would believe the talent of this gorgeous Guyanese goddess could simply hinge on having a marketable look and good studio production, the common anecdote for today’s most popular musicians. Yet Melanie is the antithesis of the “Pop” one hit wonder. Her throaty runs on heartbreak and misguided devotion are anthems to cure loss love with a simple whirl and twirl on the dance floor.

2010 will definitely be a break out year for this star, yet she remains humble. You can tune into her Vlog on Youtube where she chronicles her tour experiences and frequently extends to fans acapella renditions of some of her favorite songs from the Softones, Martha and the Vandellas, and the Zombies . A variety of the tracks on her album like “Monday Morning”, “Walk on By”, and “Teach Him” borrows from the soulful syncopations of yesterday to add a refreshing flair into the modern day matters of the heart we all face today.

The musings of Melanie Fiona will truly add some stank to your step as you channel your inner Naomi on your next trip down the catwalk. Far from the risqué rhetoric that clogs musical airwaves today, Melanie was made to soothe and serenade the lover in you!

Words by Raygon Fields

Philadelphia’s own, Phylle (pronounced Philly), is inspired by music that is therapy for the soul. “The One” represents real love from the beginning to the end.

As the sound and allure of once hard-edged and in-your-face Hip Hop morphs into more radio-friendly tunes with a pop crossover appeal, new artists such as Phylle (pronounced “Philly”) have suddenly appeared and begun to assume their position in the game. Larry “Phylle” Carter, whose stage persona represents his hometown’s (Philadelphia) nickname as well as a hybrid of his parents’ names, presents his debut project The One. The album features half-hustler lyrics and half-crooner style melodies for those willing to enter the psyche of a semi-schizophrenic entertainer’s two toned spectrum of ideas. As the founder/CEO of Real Talk Music, LLC and the first artist to be signed under the imprint, Phylle’s also developing his entrepreneurial hand as well as presenting the world with something to whet its appetite for the young artist’s slow-burning career.

Reminiscent of a few of the top-selling rappers and producers of the last decade who’ve taken on a happier, more sing-along style of lyricism (of course in an attempt to broaden their consumer fan base), on The One Phylle awkwardly straddles the fence between two vastly different fields of music. Boasting with the type of bravado evident in the male dominated world of Hip Hop, Phylle’s imperfect phrasing seems to fall short of inspiring and rides steadily into a less combative subgenre. Instead, his topics of discussion mostly dwell on overt sexual innuendo with records like the lead single “Making Love,” “Wet Dream” and “Digital Sex” – the latter of which climax with total runtimes that indicate interludes rather than potential radio singles. Each are attempts to suggest Phylle’s yearning for intimacy in song, but like the old saying, Phylle must remember that less truly is more.

When he’s not trying to grab your attention with a clever rhyme scheme, Phylle’s right hand is stuck in nostalgic R&B. Singing in an underdeveloped tenor’s tone, an often pitchy projection and that “mack daddy” attitude, Phylle may have a hard time persuading a global market of whether or not he’s an up-and-coming R&B vocalist from yesteryear (think Ginuwine and Bobby Valentino) versus the star rapper of tomorrow. Yes, the vocal arrangements and a few harmonies are indeed creative, but they lack the strength and continuity of past hits and the catchy compositions we’ve come to know and love from rappers/singers of this sort. One might even suggest Phllye choose which side of the game he prefers before the next offering. In fact, it seems Phylle hasn’t completely convinced himself whether he wants to make you two-step in the clubs by “singing over Hip Hop beats” or if audiences are expected to be enlightened by what he has to say.

Memorable tracks from the album include “Let Me Love You” for its blustering horn arrangement and the throwback “Oh Sheila” featuring guest rapper Al King. The most random part of the effort is Phylle’s “Santa Please” – a sampled request written and sung to Old St. Nick for the girl of Phylle’s dreams which really just seems out of place with the stuttering momentum of The One. Either way, whatever he decides to do, Phylle’s in a vulnerable place and might soon be forced to abandon Hip Hop altogether and increase his study of R&B in order to perfect the next project. In the meantime, listen to The One with open ears, but get ready to experience a mack down.

Connect with Phylle and check out more music by visiting www.phylle.com and www.twitter.com/phylle.

By Terron D. Austin

Terron D. Austin is a contributing editor and music writer currently residing in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Photography by Ryan G Photography

Newcomer Andy Allo hails from Cameroon, West Africa with her guitar as her companion and a charming sound she says has been influenced by real musical royalty such as Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, Hip-Hop’s spacey duo OutKast and even the late King of Pop himself – Michael Jackson. She’s quickly stepping into her own, however, with a brand new genre she affectionately calls “Alter.Hip.Soul” – a self-made concoction carrying the weight of alternative, Hip Hop and soul undertones, but for now, we’ll just call each of the 12 tracks found on UnFresh, Andy’s official debut purely feel good music.

Having been making music as well as performing live with her band for just under a year, Andy Allo is poised to become one of the industry’s breakthrough artists if she retains the momentum set forth by her debut offering. Released independently this past fall, UnFresh features a girl with grit, spunk and a style all her own. Though it hasn’t been long, the cool chemistry between Andy and her band plus their oscillating ode to Hip Hop’s golden children The Fugees among others (check out the breezy opening number “Fly Away” featuring The Tones to see what we mean) is what makes this group of musicians so unique. Taking that kind of daring musical approach and blending it with strong lyrical content draws first-time listeners in with ease. It’s not too far out there nor is it so familiar that you’re too comfortable and taking it for granted.

UnFresh lacks one thing though – that surefire hit many new artists need to make their mark. Filled with mostly lazy Sunday afternoon tunes or those sweet joints some of us like to ride to on those long vacations and car drives, UnFresh does boast a few must-haves. Check out the title cut (which falls halfway through the album’s full sequence) with its atmospheric string and funky vocal arrangements. Coupled with a few monotone bars by a guest emcee known as Flave and Andy’s swift transition between rhythm, rhyme and rhetoric, “UnFresh” is actually a clean take on the future of soul/Hip Hop fusion and is definitely a tune you’ll bob your head to all day long.  There’s also the stripped down “Knew You At All,” a brave acoustic tale about a former love and the symphonic samples strutting through the funky “Dreamland” (featuring guest artist Blu) like a Disney movie soundtrack. If you’re gearing up for something left field, you won’t find that pinch of alternative you might be looking for. Instead, UnFresh adds to the mix a few stellar choices to keep Andy out of the one-hit wonder category for quite some time.

All at once sincere, passionate, beautiful and liberating, Andy Allo’s subtle sound and writing skills on UnFresh are remarkably refreshing. It only adds to the mix that she’s undeniably striking with that captivating smile and unforgettable “girl next door” energy. Easily placing her in the league of guitar-strumming and soul-singing sisters Vivian Green, Corinne Bailey Rae, Laura Izibor and Alice Smith, this record launches the promising career of a new starlet whose full potential has yet to be fully introduced to the world.

To learn more about Andy Allo, visit www.andyallo.com. Twitter: www.twitter.com/andyallo

By Terron D. Austin

Terron D. Austin is a contributing editor and music writer currently residing in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Photography Jesse Vasquez | Makeup Artist Melody Mora

Rarely does an artist impact the music industry with a seemingly continuous stream of new music like singer/songwriter/producer prodigy Ryan Leslie has done. Nearly eight months following the release of his critically acclaimed self-titled debut, Ryan delivers his sophomore set Transition (released November 3^rd on Universal Motown), a sincere sonic saga detailing some of his most intimate musical recollections of the highs and lows of a summer love.

Emotionally charged, cleverly written, and precision produced are each of the 11 tracks (14 if you can get your hands on the special edition version) featured on Transition. Ryan again proves his musical genius by continuing to showcase the many gifts he possesses and sharing with the masses what we’ve come to know and love him for since the instantly classic first album which spawned radio hits “Diamond Girl” and “Addiction” – his music tells a story, it’s music we can feel. The self-taught pianist and multi-instrumentalist returns to the spotlight dressed in the best brand of soulful R&B-infused garb and trust us when we say he wears it well.

“This album is a collection of songs inspired by a summer of secret love,” Ryan stated just before the album’s release. The album transcribes messages within his heart and tells the story of Ryan’s struggles to make sense of his relationships with women. It celebrates the liberation found in living and loving freely. “In the end, I chose you and you chose the life that you had before me,” continues Ryan. “Nonetheless, the world will forever have this music and I will forever have the memories.”

Transition is powered by the lead single “You’re Not My Girl,” a guitar-laden funk/R&B jam that’s equally infectious as it is full of Ryan’s raspy vocals and his witty conversation starters. The tune tackles life with the kind of macho attitude and ego it takes for a guy to sweep a girl completely off her feet. Ryan also co-directed a documentary-style video called “The Making of Transition” which features interviews and footage from the creation of the new album and the experiences Ryan says inspired him to write the music. Furthermore, Transition is highlighted by the endearing ballad “I Choose You,” the mellow vibe of “All My Love,” and “To The Top” which showcases Ryan’s ability to soar through a song with his signature sound.

But if you’re recently catching onto the phenomenon known as Ryan Leslie, you must first get acquainted with the tenacious star’s business-savvy intellect. Currently traveling abroad and living between Harlem and Hollywood, the 1998 Harvard University graduate earned his degree in Government with a concentration in political science and macroeconomics before signing with Casablanca Records/Universal Motown in 2003. The world was then slowly but surely introduced to the distinct sound Ryan spent many a night during his college years perfecting. After a brief production internship with producer Younglord and a series of calculated movements, Ryan’s genius began impacting the airwaves with hits like sexy pop/R&B singer Cassie’s “Me & U,” which became the #1 R&B and #3 song on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006 due in part to strategic online marketing campaigns and sharp viral promo through the use of YouTube, Myspace, Facebook and most recently, Twitter.

Today, Ryan is busy being a musical pioneer. He’s signing new acts to his music and multimedia company NextSelection Lifestyle Group all while touring, promoting, and churning out the hits for some of modern R&B’s biggest acts from Mary J. Blige, Keri Hilson, Jazmine Sullivan, Fabulous and Chris Brown. It seems like this R&B crooner’s real transition into the stratosphere of superstardom is just beginning.

www.twitter.com/Ryan_Leslie

By Terron D. Austin

Terron D. Austin is a freelance editor and contributing music writer currently residing in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Twice Grammy nominated R&B sensation Amerie returns to the music scene with a resounding bang with In Love & War. The sexy songstress serves up her daring trademark harmonies and heavy dance rhythms tailor made for progressive R&B fans. Amerie, 29, is hotter than ever on her fourth studio offering complete with a collection of intense club bangers and sexy slow jams.

Let us remind you just who she is though. As one of the many pretty faces whose careers were launched by Rich Harrison, the D.C. producer who gave Beyoncé her mega-hit “Crazy in Love,” Amerie’s journey began after her introduction to Harrison and their collaborative chemistry. From there, the two developed a solid hybrid of spacey R&B with both Hip-Hop’s no nonsense attitude and the high energy, drum-and-bass evident in D.C.’s funk sub-genre of Go-go music. Thanks to Harrison and Amerie, this signature sound and syncopation catapulted her to the top of the charts with such career defining hits as 2002’s summer anthem “Why Don’t We Fall In Love,” the first single lifted from her debut release All I Have, and “1 Thing” from her sophomore disc Touch. (Ironically, Touch was also the last time we’d actually see the singer/songwriter and producer duo working together amicably.)

Since then, Amerie has struggled repeatedly to encounter the type of commercial success of her previous hits and has since ventured out on her own with the absence of longtime collaborator Harrison on her third album Because I Love It, the coveted 2007 European-only release. Later that year, she announced she’d left Columbia Records and reportedly began work on bold mixtapes and musical featurettes. Only true Amerie fans knew how to get their hands on them until she formally returned to center stage under a new label/production deal with her imprint Feenix Rising Entertainment through Island Def Jam Music Group.

In Love & War delivers fully on the modern rhythm and blues spiced up by Amerie’s percussive vocals and intense songwriting. The first half of the album features the distinct combination of live drums, rock fused with R&B and over-the-top synthesizers strategically placed over familiar samples and haunting Hip-Hop interpolations. There’s of course The Buchanans-produced lead single “Why R U” derived from the Ultramagnetic MC’s fave “Ego Trippin’.” The single premiered earlier this year and received rave reviews in NYC on Funkmaster Flex’s radio show. Flex reportedly played the record for listening audiences for 15 minutes straight stating he “never thought this record would ever be flipped so well” and lauded Amerie for her latest and most impressive work to date. Also check out “Pretty Brown” featuring another underrated R&B talent Trey Songz and the ‘90s classic Mint Condition sample “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).” Proceed to the second half without rewinding or stopping to hit the repeat button and you’ll soon fall in love with the lush “Red Eye” and the sometimes dreary yet honest balladry of “The Flowers” and “Different People.”

Today, Amerie still gives us top notch production and a serious groove. As for the more casual fans of contemporary R&B, some might agree that Amerie possesses a much more pleasant albeit sometimes thinner vocal ability than Beyoncé, but Amerie also lacks the larger than life persona of her fellow diva counterparts due to the incredibly unfortunate label promo and support. In spite of it all, Amerie more than makes up for not consistently over saturating the marketplace by remaining the type of female R&B artist who chooses to be completely in control of her own imagery, production and songwriting. She proves once and for all she can do it all on her own. In Love & War also proves however that she’s quite comfortable with perseverance – knowing her boundaries and ignoring limitations all at the same time.

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By Terron D. Austin

Terron D. Austin is a freelance editor and contributing music writer currently residing in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Riding the winds of change can sometimes cause even the strongest to waver in their faith. As the music industry’s systematic number-crunching schemes and the multitude of new sources where a consumer can discover new music all seem to change at the drop of a dime, one thing stays the same and that’s good music. Two-time Grammy Award nominee and singer/songwriter Ledisi proves that once again she can flow right along with this period of change as she returns to the scene with her spectacular new musical offering Turn Me Loose, her fourth studio album and sophomore release on the Verve Forecast imprint of Universal Music Company.

Ledisi fans who are familiar with her powerhouse vocals, the incredible range and versatility she possesses and that polished stage presence will find this new collection of music more than rises to the occasion. Featuring 14 stellar selections primarily written/co-written by Ledisi, Turn Me Loose shifts seamlessly from spicy soul on “Say No” and progressive R&B on “I Need Love” – courtesy of top producers Carvin Haggins, Ivan Barias and Johnny “Smurf” Smith – to the Buddy Miles’ 1970’s soul-rock classic “Them Changes,” the very song Ledisi claims she built this project on. The album, which began to take form after Ledisi’s startling six-month writer’s block, proves evident the singer’s growth and perseverance, but also catapults her further into the realm of R&B mainstays like Chaka Khan, Sade and Anita Baker. After a friend presented her with the new music, Ledisi was inspired to explore such liberation as she explained in a recent interview.

“I had never heard it [“Them Changes”] before,” Ledisi says. “Once I heard it, I wanted to be able to be free on the new album. On my previous album, I was contained a little bit, but I said on my next project that I was going to be off the chain vocally.”

And so the chains were broken as Ledisi chose to flex her creative muscles with more adult contemporary selections driven by exquisite production elements from high profile Grammy-winning collaborators including Raphael Saadiq (“Love Never Changes”), Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (“Higher Than This”) and Carl “Chucky” Thompson (“Everything Changes”) all detailing Ledisi’s life experiences with love, womanhood and the pressures of global fame and success.

The New Orleans-native/Oakland resident doesn’t stray too far from what made her an instant mainstay on her Verve debut Lost & Found (2007). Instead, she continues to draw you in with her soaring vocals and a series of courageous songs like “Knockin’” – a funky, upbeat tune that easily drums up the attitude and strength of Tina Turner in her prime. Ledisi also reunites with Lost & Found contributor Rex Rideout on the lead single “Goin’ Thru Changes.” If you’re wondering if this is a new Ledisi you’re hearing, indeed it is. Today, she’s stronger than ever and more confident in her blend of rhythm and blues, classic rock, sassy soul and gospel. Even in the midst of change, Ledisi turns loose her inhibitions and goes for what she knows best – the freedom of making great, timeless music.

By Terron D. Austin

Terron D. Austin is a freelance editor and contributing writer currently residing in Cincinnati, Ohio.