One of my favorite quotes is: “If you aren’t vulnerable there is a lot less pain, but a lot less love.”
 
Being vulnerable and feeling your feelings is a scary ordeal. It can be uncomfortable to sit alone with your thoughts and feel the “bad feelings.” 
 
An underlying theme I have seen woven throughout each interview I have with musicians is the way music allows them to be vulnerable and share their feelings. It’s therapeutic, it’s freeing, and their vulnerability inspires others, like me, to not keep feelings bottled up. 
 
Opening up in his newest album “loneliness in the presence of company,” Ethan Jewell gives an ode to a feeling we all may know too well: loneliness. 
 
Jewell’s words are real and raw, a type of “musical poetry,” as he describes it. His vulnerability helps listeners as we listen to him navigate through a dark period. His words let us know we aren’t alone in our loneliness, which maybe means we are never really alone. In his outro, Jewell shares “after all, there’s no better company than myself.” 
 
We’ve probably all gone through seasons of loneliness, but it’s important we are vulnerable with ourselves during these times. When we aren’t vulnerable and when we don’t allow ourselves to truly get to feel our feelings, we close ourselves off from opportunities, people, and the space for new, “good feelings” to come about. 
 
Please be vulnerable in a world that tells you it’s cool not to care, in a world that tells you having feelings is a sign of weakness. Never be ashamed for saying how you feel, for caring for others. Protect your peace. Be conscious of who or what you put your energy towards. If people shy away from your vulnerability, know that these are not your people. 
 
And while I’m not a musician, it’s important to find that outlet where you can be in your most vulnerable form. For me, that’s journaling. For Jewell, it’s in his songwriting. 
 
Be vulnerable even when it’s hard and know you are never truly alone in your feelings. 
 
It’s cool to feel your feelings and musicians like Ethan Jewell inspire us to be open and content in our “loneliness.” 
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  By Maiya Mahoney

I attended the press conference for Holly Humberstone on Sept. 22, and she has since become one of my top favorite up and coming artists. Holly is going on tour with Girl in Red in the Spring, and I am already searching for the first opportunity to attend one of their shows.
 
One of the things I really enjoyed about the interview with Holly was that she was incredibly vulnerable about her music and what it means to her. Her song “Haunted House” had a different vibe after the interview, because she explained how it was about moving out of her childhood home. She cherished the memories there, and now all of the light and the joy was going to be taken out of it. Hearing her speak so passionately about the stories she tells in her songs was incredibly inspiring. I could definitely relate to this story, as I was in a similar situation when I was growing up.
 
By far, my favorite song of hers is “Overkill,” I feel like I listen to it every day. It’s all about putting yourself out there without the fear of coming off as too much, and what that feels like through her eyes. Not only is it a great song, I can relate to the lyrics like no other song of hers. I hope to speak with her again soon, and hopefully attend one of Holly’s shows in the spring of 2022. 
By Julia Corrie 

Brady James is a 23-year-old musician from Long Island, NY with big dreams for his music. Blending elements of pop, alternative, and so much more, Brady James was one of the kindest artists I have ever had the pleasure of interviewing one-on-one.

In my interview with Brady, I learned a lot about his process when writing music and creating content for his listeners. One of the best stories he told me was when he was growing up, he would use his seatbelt in the car as an imaginary guitar, because he never learned how to play a real one. Now he is slowly but surely getting better at playing a real guitar, but there’s no doubt in my mind he still goes to the seatbelt every once in a while for inspiration. 

He has been on a kind of musical hiatus, after building a small but solid fan base over the past 3 years. Now, his ultimate goal is to reconnect with his fans, and to create a world for his music. If his story and past struggles could help other people move forward, it keeps him going and wanting to make more music. 

When talking about the writing process, he was so passionate about every step to get to the final product. He wanted to get as many hands on it as possible, after starting with a few simple piano or guitar chords. Trusting people’s advice and opinions on your music has been a challenge for Brady, but he made it clear that he has an inner circle working with him and supporting him along the way. 

Brady James dropped his most recent single, “TRY YOU” on Sept. 17, the music video is here. His visuals for this song are, in one word, mesmerizing. If this is the kind of work he is releasing for singles, I can only imagine what will come in the future.

Watch the "TRY YOU" video.

Post by: Julia Corrie

With a song for every emotion and season of life, Dandelion continues to be a go-to album for my day-to-day existence. Driving up and down A1A, I blast “Make Out” through my one car speaker. Yes, one car speaker, because the other speaker is blown out from my many other therapeutic jam sessions. The salty wind blows through my hair as I sing “Let’s just make out / What’s the harm now?” 
 
After chatting with The Greeting Committee, I instantly set a reminder on my phone for the album release. The band’s energy and passion was evident through the screen and I was inspired by their vulnerability. 
 
Lead singer Addison Sartino and I both have Leo placements in our birth charts and both agreed it's easy for us to be vulnerable. Us Leos do love talking about ourselves. For Sartino, this vulnerability was shown easily through her songwriting.   
 
As a 22-year-old, I also could relate to 23-year-old Sartino who spoke about watching her life a lot of days instead of living it. With graduation around the corner, I definitely feel as If I am going through the motions and feel lost. The unknown future can be scary and feeling the pressure, even at a young age, to find and reach your fullest potential. 
 
A lot of The Greeting Committee’s new album Dandelion touches on grief, breakups, and life itself. Dandelion is one of those albums that puts what you are feeling into words. 
 
Their song “Make Out” on their new album Dandelion has become a favorite of mine and when I first heard it during the press conference I knew I would be listening to the song on repeat. A more upbeat, quirky vibe compared to the other songs on Dandelion, “Make Out” shares how love can be innocent and carefree. “She's eating pickles from a jar, I think I love her / That girl I met inside a bar in East Virginia.” 
 
Go add “Make Out” by The Greeting Committee to your current Spotify, car jam-session playlist. You can thank me later.  

Post by: Maiya Mahoney