Benny-D is no ordinary person. As an Actor, Producer, Writer, DJ and Rapper, he already has many strings to his bow. But it is his hunger and drive to succeed that set him apart. A born entertainer, he is loved by his fans all over the world for the energy and zest he brings to every performance. 

What inspired him to start his career as DJ, the story behind his purple hair, helping the community as an influencer and his favourite country and show as just a few of the topics covered by Benny D in his Discover A Thriver episode. By contrast, through his production work, he has paved the foundation for success for many other musicians in his field. By working quietly in the background and possessing the humility not to solely be centre stage, he has collaborated with the likes of Akon, Verse Simmonds, and Planet VI. Growing up in the Virgin Islands, he first started DJing at the age of nine. Years later, and after many late-night club sets, his popularity has taken him to stages all over the world. His vitality, dedication to hard work, and ability have garnered him a global following from LA to Uganda; Senegal to Hong Kong. His journey has been of a young man with ambition on a small island. Through his own struggle to make it in such competitive industries, Benny-D is determined to help young musicians and creatives make their dreams come true.

Adolfo Sanchez is a pioneer in the fashion industry. He began working in fashion aged 19 in the suburbs of Southern California, where he was born. His early work as an intern quickly brought him into contact with Vivienne Westwood, Thierry Mugler, and Jean Paul Gautier. From here, he began to explore his own unique potential as an artist. By his own admission, his work is always inspired by his surroundings, with people, places, and music's particular influences. This passion helped propel him to work for leaders in the industry, such as Carolina Herrera, Versace, and Gucci. 

Shortly after, in 2006, he opened his namesake ready-to-wear line for women. His work represents the LA fashion scene from an entirely new perspective. His combination of made-to-measure evening and bridalwear is noteworthy for its hand-beaded designs and intricate patterning. Since his early break, Sanchez has never looked back. His collections encourage women to dare to be strong and different. 

The motivation to start his own brand, dressing celebrities, his views on networking, and where he gets his inspiration are some key points touched on during his episode of Discover a Thriver.

Braveboy, born Marcus Braveboy, is a singer, songwriter and marketing consultant from Trinidad and Tobago. On this episode of Discover A Thriver, Braveboy discusses what inspired him to be an artist, how he ended up with a background in law, choosing the perfect collaboration and much more. 

Braveboy began his musical journey in his native country alongside childhood friends, but he did not always see music as a possible career for him. After graduating with his Law degree, Braveboy began exploring a solo career and released his first single, ‘Lyrical Apology’, in 2010. 3 years later, he pioneered a new genre with Yung Rudd and Mevon Soodeen called TRAPSO, which encapsulated the music coming out of Trinidad and Tobago at the time. 

Braveboy’s unique style and genre-dexterity led him to collaborate on tour with EDM producers Bad Royale, Sonny Denja, and Major Lazer. Now, in 2022, Braveboy is making major moves. His single ‘Slow Motion’ was featured on the recently-released Netflix series Selling Tampa, a show featuring an all-black female cast of real estate agents. This is the world fusion artist’s second Netflix feature in as many years, with his 2021 single ‘Clout Chaser’ being featured in the Fast and Furious franchise’s spin-off ‘Spy Racers’. His upbeat afro-trap sounds have, by his own admission, led to opportunities to collaborate not only with artists but also with global brands and television producers. Watch this space!

Shontelle Layne, better known as Shontelle, is a Bajan singer of international status. After releasing her debut album Shontelligence in 2008, she rose to global fame, winning the hearts of noughties kids all over the world. She is most famous for her songs ‘T-shirt’, which peaked in the UK and Belgian top 10s respectively,  and ‘Impossible’, which has become her most successful single to date, reaching number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2010, Shontelle collaborated with her fellow Barbadian Rihanna on the popular song Man Down. Sharing more than just their native roots and musical talents, Shontelle had been Rihanna’s drill sergeant in the army cadets.

Shontelle’s involvement in music goes beyond her own songwriting and performing; she is also heavily involved in charity work. She has performed for and donated to the non-profit organisation Save the music foundation (STM), which has donated over $60 million to restoring music programs in public schools in New York. She is also an active role model and member of the charity. She’s the First (STF), a charity based out of New York which fights gender inequality through educating and empowering women. Its stated mission is to help to create a “world where every girl can choose her future.” Not content with her music success, Shontelle has in recent months moved onto the screen after she was signed by Amazon Prime to co-star in the new film Joseph. 

Chatting on this episode of Discover a Thriver Shontelle shared her life before getting signed for a label, the impact of Covid on her career, coping with success, being nominated for a Grammy, and so much more. 

In this episode, we speak about his own creative process, finding suppliers for his art, producing shows, direction tips for a new fashion designer, view on Collaboration and organization and structure for a fashion designer among other topics. 

Forever Lavi is an international designer, artist and fashion show producer extraordinaire from Miami. His third collection Rebirth is inspired by his fashion journey which started from Miami, New York, California, Shanghai to Bali. In 2021, ThriveIN worked with Lavi on his Rebirth fashion show which was held in Uluwatu at Beyond the Cliff. In our podcast, we spoke about his own creative process, finding suppliers for his art, direction tips for a new fashion designer, collaboration and organization and structure for a fashion designer.

In this special episode of Discover a Thriver, we spoke to the Queen of Soca about making a hit, collaborations, countries supporting artists as cultural ambassadors, Barbados culture and advice for starting artists.

Alison Hinds is a British-born Bajan soca artist based in Barbados. She is one of the most popular soca singers in the world and has been given the nickname the "Queen of Soca". She was a lead vocalist in the popular band Square One, joining in 1987 and recording several albums with the band before leaving in 2004 after her daughter Saharan was born. Hinds won the Barbados Song Contest in 1992 with the duet with John King "Hold You in a Song", the Road March in 1996 and 1997 and the Party Monarch competition in Barbados in 1997.

She has her own band, "The Alison Hinds Show", formed in 2005, with Hinds the main singer and most of the other members of the band young dancers and musicians. After returning to music with a vocal contribution to a remix of Kevin Lyttle's "Turn Me On", she returned to the soca scene with the hit song "Roll It Gal," which praises women's independence in lyrics about female empowerment. The song was a huge hit throughout the Caribbean and was released in the UK in 2007 to coincide with the release of her début album. 

Hinds' debut solo album Soca Queen was released in October 2007. Her album Caribbean Queen was released in 2010 and contains collaborations with Shaggy, Richie Spice, and Jah Cure, with whom she collaborated on the single "Team Up" in 2009. She continues to tour worldwide and has performed at many of the West Indian Carnivals and festivals including Sumfest, and the West Indian American Carnival in Brooklyn.

Host Ethan & Arthur
@ethanauguste @zangie.a 
www.discoverathriver.com

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In this episode, we had the pleasure to interview Sean Paul’s manager for the past 18 + years, Steve "Urchin" Wilson.

We discussed artist management, focus, the Caribbean music scene and a lot more in this almost 1hr conversation.

After getting his start at Bob Marley’s legendary Tuff Gong record label as a marketing exec, Steve spent 10 years cross-training in every imaginable area in the entertainment industry including a stint as studio manager for the GeeJam Studios where he oversaw studio sessions for The Roots, Common, The Gorillaz, No Doubt & The Jungle Brothers amongst others.

In 2001 this Jamaican trailblazer signed on to help pilot the dizzying career of multi-platinum Grammy winner Sean Paul.

He spent the last 15 years travelling to over 100 countries and presiding over logistics, booking, touring, promotion & recording for the Dancehall superstar.

While honing his role as a reggae ambassador Wilson simultaneously plotted to bring EDM & house music to his Homebase of Kingston via his Brand New Machine party series that saw super DJs like Diplo, Bob Sinclar, CongoRock & Toddla T spin in Jamaica for the first time. He has gone on to export the BNM party concept to Montego Bay, Cayman, London & New York City.

Steve is also partner in FSOR Music (Future Sound Of Reggae) a boutique label that has featured releases from Mink Jo, Transdub Massiv, Naomi Cowan, Jesse Royal & Craigy T amongst others.

Most recently he was one of the local partners of the initial staging of the critically acclaimed Tmrwtday Culture Festival in Negril, Jamaica.

Host Ethan & Arthur
@ethanauguste @zangie.a 
www.discoverathriver.com

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In this episode of Discover a Thriver, we spoke about creating and maintaining relationships, starting on radio and TV, balancing life demands, handling haters, advice for new DJs and how important should be networking and social capital.

DJ Bliss has established himself as one of the UAE's & region leading personalities and entertainers who have expanded his career internationally. DJ Bliss is the first Emirati artist to sign with major multi-national music companies including “BMG” in 2003 and most recently with the world's largest global music company “Universal Music.”

In the late 1990s, DJ Bliss's music career took its first steps initially working small DJ jobs at a theme park, progressing to landing a guest DJ spot on a Dubai radio station. Just a couple of years later he would find himself winning the Middle East Regional “Palm DJ of the year award.” This would then lead to his first taste of international stardom with a performance for “Ministry of Sound” in London.

DJ Bliss continued to grow his personal brand in the early 2000s, becoming one of the most in-demand local DJ and TV personalities after the success of his “That's Entertainment” TV show. Simultaneously he followed his passion of becoming an accomplished music producer, Artist and entrepreneur; consequently building his own successful entertainment company “Bliss Inc. Entertainment.”

By the late 2000s DJ Bliss had started promoting his own parties, booking artists and DJ's such as DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mos Def, DJ Drama, DJ Whoo Kid and many more. The success of these nights caught the attention of the local music industry, and as a result it led to DJ Bliss having his very own hit weekly radio show.

DJ Bliss's career would continue to climb significantly over the last couple of years with international tour dates in various major cities in Europe and Asia, as well as sharing the main stage as an opening act with major international artists such as Wiz Khalifa, Prince etc. By 2014 DJ Bliss signed to an U.S based DJ/Talent booking agency named Skam Artist who took his tour to the U.S in which he performed at some prestigious nightclubs located in various U.S. states.

Whilst touring, DJ Bliss focused on being recognized for his own music & collaborations with headline Grammy Award-winning artists such as Shaggy and Wyclef Jean. Highlights included co-producing Wyclef Jean's 2013 album "April Showers” as well as releasing his own first single “Let It Go” ft Kardinal Offishall.

After signing to “Universal M.E.N.A” DJ Bliss released a hit single “Shining” ft. international rapper MIMS and Daffy and more recently released his compilation album ‘Made In Dubai’ ft. various local artists from Dubai which skyrocketed straight to #1 on the UAE iTunes charts.

Some of DJ Bliss's ingredients to success include producing highly viewed YouTube Vlogs and staying connected to his ever-growing fan base via various social media accounts.

DJ Bliss continues to expand the boundaries of music and entertainment. Stay tuned for new music in the pipeline.

Host Ethan & Arthur
@ethanauguste @zangie.a 
www.discoverathriver.com

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In this episode, we speak with Theron Thomas 1/2 of R. City (short for Rock City, and formerly Planet VI) which is an American musical duo formed in 2003, from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. 

The duo is composed of brothers Theron "Uptown AP" Thomas and Timothy "A.I." Thomas. Primarily known as songwriting and record production team, the duo has also released various bodies of work as recording artists, including their debut album, What Dreams Are Made Of, released in November 2015. They are best known for the single "Locked Away" featuring American singer Adam Levine.

They penned Rihanna's "Man Down" and Justin Bieber's "Run Away Love." in 2013, the duo wrote numerous Billboard Hot 100 songs, including Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop", Rihanna's "Pour It Up", and Ciara's "I'm Out." "Pour It Up" appeared on Rihanna's album Unapologetic, which won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards. The following year, Rock City contributed to three separate albums that received Grammy nominations — Miley Cyrus' Bangerz, Ariana Grande's My Everything (both were nominated in the Best Pop Vocal Album category) and Iggy Azalea's The New Classic (nominated for Best Rap Album).

Host Ethan & Arthur
@ethanauguste @lekweff
www.discoverathriver.com

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Jethro Sheeran, known professionally as Alonestar, is a musician and music producer from Bristol, UK, with over 30 million streams on Spotify and songs and albums hitting No. 1 on various charts. In our interview, we spoke about living and working in the Caribbean, his cousin Ed Sheeran, tips on getting great results on Spotify, and deciding between being an independent artist or signing with a label.

Host Ethan & Arthur
@ethanauguste @zangie.a 
www.discoverathriver.com

Sponsored by 
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ThriveIN APP
Download our app ThriveIN the LinkedIN for creatives
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