Passion Pod

Chris Kroeze's is a country music artist based in Barron, Wisconsin. Chris gained worldwide attention when he placed 2nd on the hit tv show The Voice. Chris and I are almost the same age so we naturally already had a bunch of mutual friends and acquaintances so it was really only a matter of time before this interview was going to happen. Despite being recognized everywhere he goes he is still humble as ever. Chris is still just getting started as an artist and you can expect consistent new music and shows for years to come. In this episode we discuss growing up in a small town, singing in front of the whole school for the first time, why music school is helpful, why playing bar shows is important, how to create a fanbase, how to become a full time musician, how to make an album, performing for the troops, giving back, how to billboard a single, Wisconsin living, and so much more.

Chastity Ashley is one of the few people I've met that lives in LA that is actually from LA. She was introduced to the drums at young age, but found her home with the less than common instrument the Djembe drum. That story alone makes this episode worth a listen. Carving out your own path and sound is how you really set yourself apart in the music industry. From drum circles on the beach, to performing with Duran Duran, to selling out her own massive shows as Neon Pony, her journey is a wild one. Tune in and grab some inspiration to light some fire under you.

Jimmy got soul, it's true. Jimmy Love has been on quite a journey tryin' to make this thing work. You know the story of creatives moving to Los Angeles and living out of their cars? Yup, the struggle is real. His hometown of Fayetteville, NC is a pretty different world than Los Angeles is. Still, if you don't give up and keep creating, things do eventually work out in your favor. He came to dance, but found a love helping others feel beautiful as a makeup artist and portrait photographer and I think that's such an awesome endeavor (@issalovething__). We're all just humans tryin to make it work. When we help each other we all can succeed.

Santino the Misfit Campanelli is pretty true to his name. He never really fit in from the beginning. He grew up an overweight punk kid in New Jersey with red hair, and somehow morphed into the misfit he is today. He started out performing in a punk band when we was still in school. His band Scarlet Carson grew to be a staple in the music scene earning them the opportunities to open for every big name band that would come through the area. After a while though he felt that they outgrew the opportunities around them. It was time to move and find something new. His music career since is an interesting enough topic, but imagine finally establishing yourself in the music world and then switching directions completely to direct a feature film. "Bully" earned him a name in the film industry by winning awards at various film festivals. It was a small budget, trial by fire experience for him. Then again, that is kind of how his life has always worked. The best way to learn is to be thrown into the fire and see what you're made of. Tune in for the stories and find out what's next for my favorite weirdo.

Jack Lyons started designing clothing in college. It all began with an idea he had to add a zipper to the back of his shoes. In today's world we all want to dress and look unique. With fast fashion everything just kind of looks the same. I create a lot of apparel of my own, but I run into the same problems that he was when he started. It's really difficult to find people to print and manufacture clothing that is anything other than your traditional 1-2 color prints on the chest of t-shirts and hoodies. Jack bought a simple sewing machine and started playing around and taught himself everything he needed to know. It took a while, but eventually he got to the point where he could freely create truly unique items. Pythia took off. Jack stayed in the background from the beginning, but eventually showed his face and decided to take Pythia full time after college. How was he able to build it to be what it is in such a short time? I guess you'll have to tune in to find out.

I randomly found Leah on Instagram and followed her a while back. Any time I discover another local to my area living their dreams I try to add them to the short list in my phone for future potential guests. A few dm's back and forth and we had an interview on the calendar. Leah has been riding snowmobiles and racing cars since she was little. Her dad has been racing for a very long time so it makes sense that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Unfortunately, her sports aren't exactly huge money makers since they don't get much media coverage. So even though she is a professional racer, she still balances that with several other jobs including her graphic design business, being a marketing manager, and modeling as well. On the plus side, I got to help share her story that really hasn't been covered all that much in the past. To give you an idea how cool she is, she is currently training for a 2,000 mile snowmobile race through Alaska. Yes you read that right, 2,000 miles... Racing isn't just for the boys.

Originally from Florida, Hannah Kline (@hklineart) has been creating art all her life starting at the age of 5 while attending Montessori school. As a parent myself, the idea of Montessori schools always peaked my interest. Not all children learn the same and alternative education systems provide really cool ways for kids to grow and learn. By the time she hit middle school she had already found a mentor to learn from. Luckily a neighbor of hers had been doing art her life and took her a bit under her wing. Giving her a space to create, providing the tools, and teaching her more skills helped cultivate her work much further. By the time she got to college it didn't take long for her to come to the realization that art was what she wanted to pursue as a career. Since then, she moved out to Los Angeles and has worked regular jobs to bring in some income while putting as much time and energy into art as possible. Finding a way to make enough money to work for yourself in a creative space is a huge challenge and takes a long time. Hannah is still going through the transition of maintaining a job in the graphic design field with hopes of going full time with her own art in the near future. If you see her work I think you'll agree that it's only a matter of time before she can make it happen.

Okay friends, I'm not gunna lie this is one of my favorite conversations I've ever recorded. For real. I really had no perspective on cryptocurrency or NFT's at all before this. The world is evolving and so much of our lives and interactions are going towards an online experience. We are living in a digital world. This conversation was really eye opening for me. Enrico Moses actually went to UW Stout years ago and got his start by opening his own retail store in Minneapolis back in the day. He's a DJ, artist, event curator, podcaster (@realmvpshow), and someone who is deep in the crypto and NFT space. If you have any interest in that stuff, you are gunna want to listen to this...

Solange Zindzi grew up in Amsterdam before eventually making her way to the states to pursue a dancing career. Her journey was a long one. She's lived and worked in New York, travelled the world performing on cruise ships, and eventually got her visa and moved to Los Angeles. When the pandemic hit she was on a world tour back up dancing for the mega famous latin artist Chayanne. With the tour suddenly cancelled and a lock down immanent, she left to her Dad's home country the island of Curacao. While many of us drank and watched far too much tv, Solange wrote her first book in its entirety during the 6 weeks of lockdown. You can find her book "Solo Jump" available on her website solangezindzi.com and at finer book stores everywhere. It's never too late to re invent yourself.

I met Rohan back in May when I was out in Hollywood recording an earlier season. Alumni @Jrapp introduced us. That night we went out for a few drinks and became fast friends. I knew that I had to get him on the show at some point so I was stoked when our schedules were able to line up on my most recent recording trip. Rohan is originally from a smaller city in Texas and was an entrepreneur from an early age. He sold everything from candy to sneakers to his own apparel designs. He moved to Los Angeles with a dream and a hell of a work ethic. Within a few short years he has already established himself as "the guy" for all things apparel and design. His own apparel brand 369 Los Angeles has been popping off fast, but he also works with a ton of other creatives as well. He helps other people with design work, art direction, and production. He even has his own direct to garment machine right in his apartment. His love for creating, helping others succeed, and hands on approach have set him apart and built an incredible future for himself and anyone involved. Tune in and hear what it takes to do what he does and you might even learn a thing or two that will help you in your own endeavors.