John Sierra

Photo Credit: Flightless Bird Photography

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In his debut album, The Wonder, John Sierra invites listeners on a thoughtful journey into the emotional landscape of the heart. Rich with soaring harmonies, driving acoustic rhythms, and haunting melodies, The Wonder wades through a folk-inspired sound with songs that are unapologetically raw. Exploring heartache, healing, relationship, and working through regret, The Wonder is meant to be an experience for any who would listen.

First gripped by the jaunty rhythms and soul-searching lyrics of Billy Joel’s “River of Dreams”, John was drawn to story. He reflects, “I can still remember winding through a grove of pines as an eight-year old, mesmerized by the voice pouring through the car speakers. I didn’t know then that it was Joel’s lyrics I connected with. Even as a boy, I knew intimately the feelings and experiences he was describing.” That moment became a catalyst towards music and songwriting - a sense of joy and wonder that drew him towards poetry, music, and ultimately, songwriting.

His early twenties were categorized by smoky clubs and raging guitar amps, performing as an integral part of the alternative rock band, Attalus, signed to Facedown Records. This foray into the music scene set an incredible foundation for his music career. But, this season also marks a great recovery of heart for John. After shipwrecking almost everything beautiful in his life, he was careened into the realization he had lost himself along the way. Even the band had become a false identity. Through therapy, mental health, and a recovery of heart, he began to find the life he had always longed for…

And in that place, from that place, he began to write. To share the story of hope, forgiveness, healing, and restoration he experienced. Each of the songs on The Wonder stem from this season: from the recovery of a young man’s heart towards beauty, to exploring the roots of addiction and the power to overcome, to the active choice to push against regret towards a dream.

Newton Faulkner

Photo Credit: Stevie Kyle

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Newton Faulkner introduces his 17 track album "Interference (Of Light)".

Working from his recording studio in East London, Newton ventured into a number of new and unexplored ideas, using them as the building blocks for this album. Twisting these inside out, he pushed himself further and further and further. “I’m not very precious any more,” he remarks. “The music is a bit chunkier, it’s definitely way heavier and much less acoustic than previously. I feel like the stuff I’ve written recently is simpler, but it’s tasteful... it works as songs. I can feel it.”

“I want to boil things down to their strongest form,” Newton says. “It’s about the songs. However good you are at playing, if the voice isn’t up to scratch and the songs aren’t good enough, no one is going to listen to them.”

“It’s grizzly, soulful, and a step further,” he says of his new material. “Vocally, I’ve learned a huge amount over the years. I was a guitarist and a writer who sang. That’s kind of where I came from. And now I feel like my voice has caught up with the stuff I was doing on guitar.”

Set to be released in August and into pre-order at the end of March , the new album ‘Interference (Of Light)’ is Newton Faulkner at his most daring, and also his most familiar. He’s embraced shifts in the way music is forged and released, but only to get closer to the figure fans truly love. “I don’t think things get better or worse. They just change,” he remarks. “I’ve kind of purposefully steered away from any of the cliques that have appeared around me. I’ve just remained this weird, solitary figure. I love it!”

Sarah Cicero

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Sarah Cicero is a Brooklyn-based musician, by way of Los Angeles. A songwriter since forever ago, her debut EP, Cold Immaculate Opposite, is an ode to being young and feeling lonely. With lyrics that are deeply affective and cerebral, Cicero embraces all of the uncertainty and nebulousness that is being a twenty-something. Produced by Sahil Ansari, these releases showcase not only the creativity and skill of Cicero, but also that of her peers from Brooklyn’s ever creative DIY scene. Featuring friends and collaborators, the experience of listening to Cicero’s body of work really feels like an exercise in both personal healing and community building in action. To listen to Sarah Cicero and all of the people she loves work through all of the noise and nebulousness that is being in your early twenties is to witness something unbelievably special.