Upcoming hip-hop rap artist TayOG is making his mark in the music industry in such a short space of time! This wonderful young soul is an advocate for supporting mental health and contributing to various mental health foundations of support. Chicago-based TayOG speaks openly about his diagnosis of bipolar and ADHD and the impacts on his art. He shares his music, the song's meaning, and how passion and pain go hand in hand. His love for fashion and photography began as a 16-year-old and was the first step into his music career! Secretly writing for years, he desired more of a stage image and succeeded!

For more visit: https://chicagoentertainmentagency.com/profile/tayog/
or 
search TayOG on Spotify and Soundcloud.

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Ana Lennyr is a premier life strategist who specialises in helping teenagers and adults to build strong and supportive family relationships. Ana addresses the root cause that holds people back and believes in removing excuses by replacing them with reasons and opportunities for a new way of being. Ana teaches the skills to ‘master the game of life’. Her unique approach to healing involves fixing the problem together between parent and child as she believes skills need to be learned to improve the issues at hand. She emphasises the importance of working as a team and the miscommunication between parents and their children. Often teens don't feel understood by their parents. 

Mel and Ana have an honest chat about the dynamics of romantic relationships and how often presenting issues can trail back to abusive relationships. She speaks of breaking away from the cycle and reaching your true potential.

Ana has a fabulous service where you can text and ask her any question and she will answer you within a couple of days. 

Visit: www.betteraskana.com

This service is open to adults, teenagers and young adults. Remember to be as specific as possible with your question. Good luck!  

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A fascinating conversation with the lovely Dr B. 

A Canadian musician and forensic scientist who talks us through his brand new music project involving the story of giants and dragons and journeys on ships in a mythical tone with battles underwater. A concept that evolved over time culminated into an audio film experience. A visual album written and produced by the talented Dr B. His intentions are for the listeners to feel the holistic experience through visual and audio content.  Narrators and actors have been working on this project for eighteen months. 

Dr B has 10,000 listeners a month on Spotify. He used to be in the old music biz in the early 2000s and talks about his break from the music industry with a dislike for the music biz in general. He had distribution deals with Warner Brothers and ran his own record label. Quote "Now you can do what you want to and not deal with the old ways of the music business". The new business gives a direct link to your audience!

Dr B talks about being realistic as he knows what to expect. The worries of false expectations are not in his vocabulary. "You don't put out a song and get an immediate million streams". This insightful artist talks about the importance of consistency when releasing music and gaining the trust of fans. He advises how to build a fanbase and how to be a serious artist with long term consequences. "Be motivated by your own music", this legendary musician from the past has made a come back after his break and talks about the fakeness of people who were interested in him for his fame and fortune rather than him as a person. 

Owning a record label gave Dr. B plenty of experience in the music industry. He reflects on the complications of drugs and addictions with artists under his wing. Honest reflections of hip hop artists and the bizarre attitudes of some who crossed all boundaries, as a record label he fired all his artists for the disrespect!

His interest in psychology goes beyond anxiety and depression. He’s motivated by the "crazy of the crazy, and the worst of the worst". Sociopathic behaviours fascinate dr. B as he pursues his studies in the field researching extremist behaviours. He will go into a PhD in forensic psychology. Dr. B and his wife own a mental health clinic in Ontario. 

This dedicated musician and solid person believes in studying and self-development wanting to give to the world. An inspiration to his children he demonstrates the importance of being the best version of yourself. Work hard and make sacrifices for the grades you want, Dr. B believes in education academically. He believes strongly in implementing work ethics, as eventually they are reflected in the results.

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Chatting with the wonderful Terry Tucker about his blogs and works on Motivational Check. This chat looks at his own motivation and the incredible will he possesses to engage positively in life following his ten year battle with cancer. This former police officer and basketball player, speaks of his reinvention following the diagnosis and treatment of rare cancer resulting in amputation. Terry is a consultant and coach helping all levels of careers from students to business professionals, Terry's purpose is to aid their journeys and transitions by adopting a positive mindset. Quote "You can succumb to the debilitating distress and misery, or you can learn to embrace it and use it to make you a stronger and better human being. I chose the latter". Tune in for an enlightening chat.   
www.facingmelsmusic.com
https://www.motivationalcheck.com/

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Mel chats with the lovely D.Lisa West, born and raised in Seattle. D.Lisa brings her passion and expertise together through art, coaching, and meditation for her clients' healing and well-being experiences. She shares her work and concepts and explains the benefits of her courses and workshops such as Doodle Like an Artist. D.Lisa refers to art as a language and teaches from her studio, inviting the public in to learn and understand her processes. This chat is light-hearted and insightful with humourous moments running through!
https://dlisa.com/
www.facingmelsmusic.com

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Mel chats with singer-songwriter and stand-up comic Cervon Campbell who shares his experiences of being an artist, managing relationships, and overcoming loss & depression all through building a career.

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Part 2
Deborah Hawkins

In this episode, Deborah touches on the benefits of practising gratitude for musicians and performing artists. The element of judgment can be crushing for some artists, Deborah has strategies that will help with mindsets and how to view criticism constructively.

"Confidence, resilience, hope & optimism"; Deborah describes as important traits when pulling through in a chaotic world.

Deborah has two books available:
The Best of No Small Thing - Mindful Meditations

Practice Gratitude: Transform Your Life - Making the Uplifting Experience of Gratitude Intentional

https://nosmallthing.net

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Part 1
Deborah Hawkins

An enlightening chat with the lovely Deborah Hawkins on her concept of Intentional Gratitude. Deborah shares the inspiration behind her discovery as she applied it to her own life during some very challenging times. Being in touch with gratitude can help alleviate negative feelings such as depression or loss. Deborah believes in bringing gratitude to the front of consciousness, which begins with self-reflection and increasing self-awareness. A genuinely enlightening conversation to make you think as Deborah quotes the power behind saying "thank you to yourself".

Highly relevant for musicians as self-worth and self-love are part of this program to embrace uniqueness.

www.nosmallthing.net

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Part 2

In this episode, Bill shares his experiences of life as a professional musician with autism and the negative impacts of his ability for social connections.  Socially isolated for several years, he headed for a public meltdown in the presence of social media and many broadcasts. As a musician with autism, he couldn't connect to his audience and then discovered the corruption of the music industry. He experienced exploitation along with his colleagues.

As a consequence, Billy Nomad changed his outlook and decided to study the business side. He discovered 'Industry Disruption'; i.e., doing things in a different way to replace lack of finances when pushing a career forwards. The conversation enters into the world of capitalism ...

Bill renames the new music industry as 'The Community Growth Industry' as musicians are faced with paying venues to be in the right places. This podcast is a fascinating and honest chat with Billy Nomad, and will satisfy the intriguing mind as we tread on the edge of a taboo area!

Feelings on music biz politics are fed through his songs, and song lyrics are explored in this episode.

Bill talks about being a Daoist and the philosophy of Daoism. He developed his spirituality throughout time, as he expressed his beliefs of the soul separating from the body in his song 'Feed me to The Mould'.

Enjoy this episode and snippets of his music played throughout.

www.billynomad.net
 

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Part 1

A lively chat with the wonderful Billy Nomad!

In this episode, Bill talks about his recent diagnosis of autism and persevering in the face of adversity. He talks about his physical and mental health difficulties including the possibility of cPTSD and BDP. His fibromyalgia was likely to have been caused by the psychological stresses and maladaptation of autism.

Bill found his strategy to overcome his challenges which have taken years of learning and determination.  Bill openly shares his mental health difficulties and expresses his songs as a journal of his life.

Billy considers himself  "a life-long artist adjusting to autism" and quotes "if it hadn't have been for the music in my life, then I wouldn't be around to live the tale". The songs allow him for his emotional expression.

A medicinal cannabis patient, Bill discusses the benefits of the drug that prevent 'emotional meltdowns'.

This inspirational musician based in Milton Keynes describes his hometown as 'Jollywood'  a great music scene.
www.billynomad.net

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