Ikey is a Washington DC artist who has been making waves around the globe since he began
his robust music career. His latest single “Go Outside” is just the last in a long string of gorgeous melodic-rap works, ones that appeal to a broad range of audiences interested in many genres.

Ikey is proudly Nigerian American and says he makes records for “the streets, the internet, and
most importantly the Third World.” His influences include music from all across the African Diaspora, but as a longtime DMV resident, he’s especially intertwined with Washington DC Go-go music. He also references Wyclef Jean and The Notorious B.I.G as favorites. And the delicate piano instrumentals on “Go Outside” trace all the way back to his first album.

This week, I called the band Mystery Friends over the phone. I had loved my sneak peak of their recent single “Nowhere to Be” and was feeling lucky that I was about to catch even one member of the rock-disco Washington, DC crew. Instead I caught three of them: the vocalist and synths-player frontwoman Abby Sevcik, guitarist and synths-player David Mohl, and bassist Robbie Lee. Once we covered their DIY music video (the production has been delayed briefly, allegedly because the video includes roller-skating but David is a roller-skating novice), Mystery Friends and I talked about their old record, new projects, and upcoming work.

Indigo Seed is a band based in Seattle, Washington that has just come out with their debut EP. The EP is titled, “Patterns” and if you are a fan of The Doors, Tame Impala, or any other psychedelic rock than you have to listen to this project. It includes some guitar riffs that will be stuck in your head for hours, as you are entranced with the overall feel the track gives you. We will let the music speak for itself, but we were lucky enough to get to interview Indigo Seed below. Check it out and learn some more about them.

Jackii Kennedy is an LA based singer/songwriter who has recently really caught our attention. She was born in the Florida Keys and travled to the Golden Coast to pursue her passions. She also has synesthesia and sees colors when she listens to music (her cover art is influenced by the colors she sees when listening to the song). She makes funky, psychedelic pop/r&b music and says she “wants to make the definition of queer pop as fluid as your sexuality at 2am after a little too much tequila.” She writers and produces all of her music with Ryan Raines (Dominic Fike, Peach Tree Rascals, Will Jay), Hudson Taylor (Kanye West), and Drea Rose. We can see the influence that these producers have on her music, as she has a unique sound that we feel combines something like Dominic Fike with a little bit extra of a pop feel.

Stephanie Mathias, of Lake Ridge, Va, has been busy navigating the new realities of 2020, and she is getting it done. Stephanie, who makes a living as a session violinist said, “I lost my career overnight”. At the beginning to lockdown, depression started creeping in. It did not take long before Stephanie pulled up her bootstraps to reclaim back as much of her normal as possible, such as practicing martial arts and working again. Stephanie also created some great new music. The acoustic version of Stephanie’s new single “The Hero Side” was released on September 18 and we can look forward to the fully produced version soon. “The Hero Side” available through her website, stephaniematias.com.

Anna Hamilton can be seen on Season 2 of NBC’s Songland as a featured writer for Ben Platt, and you may have heard her acoustic cover of “Bad Liar” made famous by Imagine Dragons, garnering millions of fans. Her latest release “Self Help,” during this time is no coincidence as it speaks now to the feelings of millions of listeners who have had to readjust or re-imagine what their lives should look like while facing various stages of quarantine.