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GRAMMYs

Brye

Photo: Ella Mastin/William Hohe

News
Brye Talks "LEMONS" & Battling Disordered Eating indie-pop-breakout-brye-opens-about-her-hit-lemons-overcoming-anxiety-disordered

Indie-Pop Breakout Brye Opens Up About Her Hit "LEMONS" & Overcoming Anxiety & Disordered Eating

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The brave and inspiring story behind the 17-year-old's triumph over body dysmorphia and success of her original, self-produced smash single
Robert Ham
MusiCares
Aug 5, 2020 - 5:36 pm

Right now, rising future-pop artist Brye is enjoying the unique spoils of a breakout hit during quarantine. Since its release in April, her infections "LEMONS" has surpassed 15 million streams, earned spots on hit-making playlists everywhere and taken off on TikTok.

But only about a year ago, Brye, born Brye Sebring, hit rock bottom. After years of struggling with anxiety and disordered eating, the 17-year-old musician and songwriter finally accepted that these issues weren’t going away and she needed help.

“I was like, ‘This has gotten to a point where I’m absolutely miserable,’” Sebring, the Chicago native, recalls while on a family trip to Nashville. “I can’t enjoy going out. I can’t enjoy staying home. I can’t enjoy anything the way I used. Everything was about food and body. It was overwhelmingly exhausting.”

She sat on the news for about six months before telling her parents and her closest friends—something she has no memory of doing. All she knows is that “it all bubbled to the surface. I didn’t have room for it anymore. I couldn’t handle it on my own.”

As brave as that admission and her decision to seek treatment was, Sebring made an even more courageous step to make and share a video about her struggles. At first, it was only accessible to her friends and family through her Instagram account, but a couple of months later, she dropped the clip on her YouTube channel.

A video like Brye’s isn’t terribly unusual for a teen living in the social media era, but what made her confession stick a little deeper was that it arrived around one month after a clip for “LEMONS,” her stark, catchy kiss off to a poisonous relationship. The song was well on its way to become a small sensation thanks to some regular airplay on SiriusXM’s AltNation channel and fans making their own videos for the song or using it as the soundtrack for their TikTok posts. Her clip admitting to her eating disorder may not have garnered the same number of views as “LEMONS,” but it has opened up a conversation in the comments with her fans revealing their own struggles and finding inspiration in Sebring’s words.

“It connected with a crap ton of people,” she says, “because my audience is generally teenage girls. And this is a really common problem, especially in high school when we’re struggling to find ourselves and questioning everything about ourselves. It was really cool to see people connect with it, and it was really difficult at the same time.”

As you might have gathered by now, Sebring is remarkably level headed for someone her age, especially as she deals with the first flushes of potential pop success. But that could be because she has been building toward this moment her whole life. Growing up in a family full of music lovers, she spent her pre-teen years obsessing over the songs of Kelly Clarkson and Ben Rector while enjoying a steady diet of Disney classics.

Before long, she transitioned into writing her own songs, slowly sharing them with her friends and family as she built up the confidence to unveil the best ones to the world at large. And as she got older, her ambitions got a little grander. She wrote and directed a musical at her high school, and released her first EP Million Songs last year.

But now as “LEMONS” continues to catch fire as a single, Sebring has to figure out how to move forward in her career during a time when she can’t do the work of touring to promote the single or talking to labels that might help her get to the next level. At the same time, though, she admits that she might not have had the energy or headspace to deal with a slew of meetings or performances.

“I think there’s a reason [“LEMONS”’ success] happened during this pandemic,” she says. “Life has a weird way of making things turn out the way they’re supposed to. I’m trying to look at it from the perspective of, ‘Could I have handled all of that commotion with where I am emotionally right now?’ I have pretty much the best excuse in the world to not be exerting myself too much.”

Instead, even as she feels the itch to get new music out soon, Sebring is concentrating on the work of healing—something that’s only gotten harder as she continues to be stuck at home.

“It’s definitely taking a toll,” Sebring says. “Especially at the beginning, there were moments when my body dysmorphia was really bad and I felt close to relapse. I think that just comes with isolation and uncertainty. For a year and a half, my coping mechanism was restriction and obsessing over my body. It’s hard to get out and cope in a different way, especially when this is the most stressful thing I’ve ever gone through.” 

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares.

GRAMMYs

Liz Brasher

Photo: Jarrod Anthonee

News
Liz Brasher On Memphis, "Sad Girl Status" & More liz-brasher-opens-about-memphis-mental-health-her-new-sad-girl-status-video

Liz Brasher Opens Up About Memphis, Mental Health & Her New "Sad Girl Status" Video

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The tough and talented emerging artist talks candidly about her career journey, how Memphis' "grit and hustle" inspires her, and what went into her powerful and personal new video
Robert Ham
MusiCares
Jun 23, 2020 - 10:19 am

Singer/songwriter Liz Brasher definitely took the backroads to discover and develop her distinctive style of Southern music. Influenced by everything from the spirituals of Mahalia Jackson to the crafty harmonies of the Beatles, Brasher honed her self-described mix of "garage rock meets the Delta blues meets gospel meets soul," along the winding personal and musical journey from her hometown of Matthews, NC, through Chicago and Atlanta. 

The backroads eventually led her to the home of legendary labels Stax and Sun Records, Memphis, Tenn., where she began her career in earnest and found her new creative home.

"It’s a really healthy place to write and to exist as an artist. There’s no feeling of industry or competition here," she says. "I came to Memphis to record an album and hopefully get signed. And literally the first weekend I was here, those things happened for me."

Fast success awaited Brasher in Memphis. She was snapped up by Fat Possum Records and soon found herself on the road, opening for the Zombies and the Psychedelic Furs, and making her highly acclaimed first appearance at SXSW in 2018. She released her debut album Painted Image in early 2019 and even earned a place in the hallowed halls of the Stax Museum, with one of her stage outfits and guitars on display, further celebrating and cementing her connection to the "Home of the Blues." 

But soon, Liz started to see her promising young career stall out just as the lights were turning green. 

“You’re promised that things are going to go one way,” she remembers, “then you see yourself fall to the wayside because... things aren't the way you were told they would be.” 

Instead of succumbing to adversity, Brasher poured her disappointment into her music. She sat down at her piano one day and out came a heartfelt ballad called “Sad Girl Status.” The song is a powerful expression of personal anguish and fiery determination written with ample room for her wall-shaking vocals to boom out. Appropriately, it’s matched up with a video featuring the wildly talented artist walking with purpose through Memphis—both guided tour and a reminder of her place in the musical history of this legendary city.  

While she waits for the quarantine to lift and for her touring life to begin again, Brasher spoke with the Recording Academy about the hard times that led to the creation of “Sad Girl Status,” inheriting her work ethic from her immigrant mom, and what her adopted hometown of Memphis means to her. 

Let’s start off by talking about your new single “Sad Girl Status.” In the notes for the song, you talk about how it was born from a really low point in your career and your life. What was going on at that time? 

We had just released my debut album Painted Image. Everything in my whole life had been leading up to this moment. Like, it’s your first record. You really want it to do well. I had just come off a really good previous year of touring. Then suddenly I watched everything fall into this stalemate. It didn’t matter how many songs I was writing. It didn’t matter what I was doing to get better, I couldn’t propel anything forward. That was just so frustrating because I’m not a person who sits still very well at all. That’s what I was now forced to do for almost a year. I found myself in this cycle of frustration. I knew what my potential was, but I couldn’t get myself to where I wanted to go. So, in that really low state, I sat down at the piano, and in a few minutes, the song completely came out of me. It was really melancholy, but I thought it was beautiful at the same time. I think it was really what I needed to make this mental switch. It was the catalyst for me to be able to make changes that needed to be made in my career. 

What changes did you make to help you move forward? 

I took my career into my own hands. As an artist it’s easy to feel like a lot is out of your control. You write the music, perform it, record it, but you can feel so disconnected to everything from the business side – like it’s something that’s happening to you. Some artists are okay with being hands off, with just getting informed as things happen, but I realized that’s not what I wanted. That forced me to take a step back and see that, while I have help with my career, I ultimately needed to own the fact that it’s up to me to make sure it’s driving forward in the way I want it to go.

Is it normal for you to start with the piano to write a song? A lot of the material on Painted Image is very guitar-forward. 

Aside from singing, piano was my first instrument. My mom started me on piano lessons when I was four. When I began to join bands, I would just sing. Later on, I picked up the guitar and that kind of overtook everything for me. It’s so much easier to lead a band as a guitar player. I’ve got some songs that are more piano-based but not like this. Not stripped down—just vocals and piano. 

Your hometown of Memphis is such a huge part of the video for “Sad Girl Status.” What does the city mean to you? 

The thing that attracted me most is that Memphis refuses to conform. There’s this very unique grit and hustle to this city. This constant mindset that Memphis is going to do whatever it wants to do. It’s a really healthy place to write and to exist as an artist. There’s no feeling of industry or competition here. I came to Memphis to record an album and hopefully get signed. And literally the first weekend I was here, those things happened for me. I don’t know if I’ll be in Memphis forever, but it’s always going to be the place where my career began. 

GRAMMYs

Liz Brasher's stage outfit and guitar on display at the Stax Museum in Memphis
Photo: Shane Trulin

Was it easy for you to get into the grind and hustle of the city? 

That’s something that was ingrained in me from childhood because my mom is an immigrant. She had to work her ass off to support me, including having multiple jobs so that I could take piano lessons. She’s one of nine siblings that came from the Dominican Republic where they all lived in a one room shack with dirt floors. My family came here seeking a better life. I grew up seeing how many things they had to balance and struggle with just to make ends meet. For me, it was like, how could I not work as hard as my mom?

How has your family responded to your music and your career? 

They just kind of stay out of it. Some will ask or keep up with how things are going, but most just act like it doesn’t exist. I have a very strict religious family. I grew up singing in the church and I wasn’t allowed to listen to secular music. I had to sneak out to go to concerts and had friends burn me CDs so I could hear what was going on. I had to literally hide in my closet with my radio because I was so addicted to music and wasn’t allowed to hear it. I grew up singing and was always playing some instrument, so it really shouldn’t be a shock that I turned out to be a musician. It can be an issue of contention because a prevalent thought within my family is that any time music is used outside of the church it’s automatically evil or negative. I think it’s a cultural and age difference, more than anything. My mom had me at 40, so that’s a huge age gap. You combine that with a different mentality from a different country and a legalistic view on faith, it just makes for a melting pot of misunderstanding. But I think all artists feel that way to a degree. My family’s response actually drives me. I want to be even more successful because I want them to see that this is a valid career and way of life. 

Do you have any ideas about what comes next for you – once you can get back on the road and onstage? 

I'm going to take over the world. I’ve written so much, even from the time of my first record. I’ve got multiple albums just waiting to be recorded right now. We’re having the conversations and discussing what the best options are. Is it building our own team independently or is it working with a label that’s going to be fully on board? Right now, we’re sorting through all of our options. I want to ensure we avoid repeating what I just went through. We’re just taking it one song at a time right now.   

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares.

David Lee Roth (L) and Eddie Van Halen (R)

David Lee Roth (L) and Eddie Van Halen (R)

 

Photo: Robert Yager

News
2021 MusiCares Charity Relief Auction Announced 2021-musicares-charity-relief-auction-additional-items-announced-bid-items-bob-dylan

2021 MusiCares Charity Relief Auction Additional Items Announced: Bid On Items From Bob Dylan, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, David Lee Roth & Many More

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The marquee lineup of items at the 2021 MusiCares Charity Relief Auction, benefitting the MusiCares Foundation, will feature items from ABBA, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire and many others
MusiCares
Dec 23, 2020 - 11:41 am

MusiCares, the leading music industry charity, and Julien's Auctions have announced the marquee lineup of items to be sold at the MusiCares Charity Relief Auction, which takes place live in Beverly Hills and online Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021.

Benefitting the MusiCares Foundation, this official GRAMMY Week event precedes the 2021 GRAMMYs. Proceeds from the auction will benefit MusiCares to provide aid to music people devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. MusiCares provides the music community a support system of health and human services across a spectrum of need, including physical and mental health, addiction recovery, unforeseen personal emergencies and disaster relief.

BTS kicked off the initiative in the previous announcement of their generous offering of their pastel-colored ensembles (estimate: $20,000-$40,000), worn in their 2020 music video for "Dynamite," the global superstars' smash hit and first No. 1 single in the U.S. BTS earned their first GRAMMY nomination for the song in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category at the 2021 GRAMMYs, alongside other pop icons like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Bon Iver, and Justin Bieber and Quavo.

An exciting highlight added to the auction will be a black jacket embroidered with rhinestones worn by music icon and original Van Halen singer, David Lee Roth, on stage performing with Van Halen during their landmark 2007-2008 tour when he reunited with the band for the first time since 1984. The jacket was also featured in a photograph accompanying this lot signed by Roth with Eddie Van Halen taken backstage by photographer Robert Yager. The jacket was seen in Roth's recent tweet with the photo in tribute to the late guitar legend on Oct. 6, the day of Van Halen's passing with the words, "What a Long Great Trip It's Been.." (estimate: $2,000 - $4,000). 

Pete Townsend

Pete Townsend | Photo Courtesy of Artist

Also headlining are two items from the legendary Bob Dylan: a 2018 "MONDO SCRIPTO" print with Dylan's handwritten lyrics to "Like A Rolling Stone" on one side and the drawing on the other signed by Dylan (estimate: $2,000 - $3,000) and a hardcover copy of Bob Dylan's 2004 book "Chronicles," signed on the inside by Dylan (estimate: $800 - $1,200). 

Another exceptional addition to the auction stage will be Pete Townsend's blue boiler suit and long beige linen "kimono" coat (estimate: $4,000 - $6,000) worn by the iconic guitarist while jumping in the air and performing with The Who during their epic shows at the Hollywood Bowl and Wembley Stadium last year.

Making a special appearance is an acrylic and spray on canvas painting of singer and musician Chris Martin performing live with Coldplay by Billy Morrison, the artist and guitarist of Billy Idol's band since 2009 (estimate: $8,000 to $12,000). The mixed media, acrylic and spray on canvas is signed by both Martin and Morrison.

Chris Martin (L) and Billy Morrison (R)

Chris Martin (L) and Billy Morrison (R) | Photo Courtesy of Artists

Other notable items announced are a framed "No Time To Die" single cover lithograph, signed by Billie Eilish, FINNEAS and Daniel Craig, of the GRAMMY-nominated song from the forthcoming James Bond film, No Time To Die; a Lady-Gaga-signed Chromatica vinyl LP; a pink signed guitar from Machine Gun Kelly; Foo-Fighters-signed drumheads and signed Taylor-Hawkins-used drumsticks; a Fender Player Series Stratocaster guitar signed by Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada of the GRAMMY-nominated Black Pumas; Alice Cooper's Welcome To My Nightmare 1975 album lithograph by award-winning movie poster artist Drew Struzan; Nikki Sixx's signed signature J-4 Sixx bass guitar; Marshmello's signed mascot head gear; and forthcoming items from Mark Ronson, The Estate of Chris Cornell offered by Vicky Cornell, The Estate of George Harrison and more.

Nikki Sixx

Nikki Sixx | Photo Courtesy of Artist

"Partners like Julien's Auctions allow MusiCares to continue to support musicians and industry professionals with our relief efforts," Laura Segura, Executive Director of MusiCares, said. "During GRAMMY Week, we want to encourage everyone to support the thousands of people behind the scenes of the music that are still out of work and struggling through the pandemic."

Highlights from the 2021 MusiCares Charity Relief Auction include (with estimates): 

  • Snoop Dogg's self-portrait dog wearing a "Doggy Style 25" gold chain painting on canvas signed by Snoop Dogg, which was created in commemoration of his 25th Anniversary Doggy Style in 2019 ($1,500-$3,000).
  • A single sheet of partial handwritten lyrics written by HAIM for their 2020 song "The Steps" that includes step-like drawings ($800-$1,200).
  • A purple Meyer The Hatter fedora hat with yellow grosgrain band signed on the inside by Elvis Costello, who has also drawn a caricature next to his signature ($600-$800).
  • Cyndi Lauper's jean jacket with original artwork by artist Lola Arrillaga on the jacket signed inside "Painting by Lola," by Lauper with a heart and piece sign drawing ($1,500-$3,000).
  • Kenny Chesney's signed Epiphone Pro-1 NA acoustic guitar and accompanied by a photograph of Chesney with the guitar ($2,000-$3,000).
  • Brian May's signed black "PS Paul Smith" long-sleeved button-down shirt accompanied by a signed photograph of May performing at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium in London on Aug. 12, 2012 ($1,000-$2,000).
  • Reba McEntire's ballgown satin skirt with tulle and off-shoulder, long-sleeved lace top ($1,000-$2,000).
  • A postcard and music sheet for ABBA's song "Does Your Mother Know," each signed by all four ABBA band members ($800-$1,200).
  • A pair of black leather Linda Farrow Collaborations and Veronique Branquinno sunglasses owned and worn by Yoko Ono ($1,000-$2,000).
  • A champagne-brown velvet jacket with scarf collar worn by Brandi Carlile in a photoshoot for By The Way I Forgive You album and Warner Music Pre-GRAMMY party in New York City on Ja. 25, 2018 ($1,000-$2,000).
  • A framed color photograph of Leon Bridges taken in Brussels in 2018 signed by both Bridges and the photographer ($600-$800).
  • Eminem's red Kangol cap signed "Shady" by Eminem ($600-$800).
  • Tanya Tucker's handwritten lyrics to "Bring My Flowers Now" ($800-$1,200).
  • Joe Walsh's (The Eagles, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band, and James Gang) signed Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar with the original Gibson hard shell case donated by Gibson Guitars ($2,000-$3,000).

JULIEN'S AUCTIONS PUBLIC EXHIBITION & LIVE AUCTION LOCATION
Julien's Auctions Beverly Hills
257 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Monday, Jan. 25 –Friday, Jan. 29, 2021
Daily from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST
Free to the Public

LIVE AND ONLINE AUCTION 
MusiCares Charity Relief Auction 
An Official 63rd GRAMMY Week Event 

Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021
Session I: 1 p.m. PST

REGISTERING TO BID
Registration is required to bid in this online auction and can be done in person at the exhibition or online before the sale at the Julien's Auctions website. Registration page to bid by phone, proxy or in person, or online at JuliensLive.com to bid live online, or by calling 310-836-1818. For inquiries, please email info@juliensauctions.com or call 310-836-1818.

PLACING BIDS
There are four ways to bid in Live Auctions:

  1. Bid with Julien's Auctions online and live in real time at JuliensLive.com or via the iPhone App.
  2. Bid over the telephone through an auction house representative.
  3. Bid in person in the room at live auction events
  4. Bid in advance by absentee bid. Absentee bid forms are printed in the back of each catalogue, and are also available by calling Julien's Auctions or online.

MusiCares Launches "Help For The Holidays" Initiative On Giving Tuesday 2020

'Why? Because It's Christmas' album cover

Why? Because It's Christmas Album Cover

Photo Courtesy of Artists

 
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Tony Lucca On Mickey Mouse Club Alumni Holiday LP 90s-mickey-mouse-club-members-reunite-holiday-album-why-because-its-christmas

'90s "Mickey Mouse Club" Members Reunite For Holiday Album, 'Why? Because It's Christmas'

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Featuring more than a dozen former Mouseketeers, the 17-track holiday album will benefit MusiCares and other charitable organizations
Ana Monroy Yglesias
MusiCares
Dec 8, 2020 - 10:12 am

Disney Channel's "The All-New Mickey Mouse Club," which ran from 1989-1996, is forever cemented in pop culture psyche as the kid's variety show that launched the careers of Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Ryan Gosling. Yet they weren't the only talented, charismatic young people in the show's cast to continue on to careers in film and music.

Always In The Club, a group composed of former cast members from "The All-New Mickey Mouse Club" across the years, brings together the show's alumni to keep spreading joy and to fundraise for important causes. On Why? Because It's Christmas, more than a dozen former Mouseketeers reunited virtually to create a 17-track holiday album, released Nov. 27, that delivers cheer and financial support to those directly impacted by COVID-19. Proceeds from the album will be donated to MusiCares, the Brave Of Heart Fund and Cast Member Pantry.

GRAMMY.com checked in with singer/songwriter/producer and "Mickey Mouse Club" alum Tony Lucca, a performer and co-producer on the album, who spoke about Why? Because It's Christmas, his time on the iconic show and the vital connection between art and service.

What sparked the idea for the Why? Because It's Christmas benefit album? What does it mean to you to be able to give back to those impacted by COVID-19?

It stemmed from the fun and excitement we, the cast of the "Mouse Club," shared during our MMC30 reunion in Orlando last year. Our castmate, Tasha Danner, had casually suggested we do a cast holiday record together, and the wheels got turning instantly. Fortunately, it was Dale Godboldo, along with Chasen Hampton and Always In The Club president, Lisa Cannata, who were doing the turning.

Always In The Club is an organization that serves as a philanthropic conduit for various charitable organizations year-round, pandemic or not. Having them as the driving engine of this collaboration provided for a very clear intention for us to get behind creatively. As for the three organizations that we chose to [donate to], I simply can't imagine any other causes that could possibly be more near and dear to our hearts as a team: those within the music industry, those on the frontline of this horrendous pandemic and our fellow Disney cast members.  

"I've always maintained the belief that empathy lies at the heart of creativity."

What does the connection between art and service look like to you?

I've always maintained the belief that empathy lies at the heart of creativity. It's why so many artists, musicians, songwriters, actors, painters and authors tend to ally themselves with noble causes throughout their careers. No one's ever obligated to serve or "give back" as they find success in their line of work, but it's no surprise to me that artists tend to be the ones that do.

Related: MusiCares Launches "Help For The Holidays" Initiative On Giving Tuesday 2020

What did it feel like to virtually reunite and collaborate with your fellow "Mickey Mouse Club" alumni on a Christmas album during a year that's felt very isolating and dividing?

From the very first Zoom conference we had, seeing each other "face-to-face," sharing in the enthusiasm this project was no doubt going to require, I can't tell you how much fun it was and a rather welcomed distraction! As a producer on the record, having a front-row seat to each and every performance, I would just sit there and radiate pride and appreciation for just how much talent exists amongst this group. It was great to see how much growth and maturity has taken place and wonderful to hear these endearing and familiar voices again. It truly was a pleasure. 

What is your favorite song from the project? Who decided which Christmas classics to include?

Well, I think "Go Tell It On The Mountain" is one of the best group songs "The Mickey Mouse Club" has ever presented. It's just so much fun and came out so timelessly wonderful. I love that it starts off the record and really sets the tone.

Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that I'm also really proud of "Auld Lang Syne." [Editor's Note: Lucca performs this song on the album.] I've always been a fan of that song and kind of always saw it as the holiday season "bonus track." I'm also a fan of "firsts" when I make records, and this recording marks the first time I ever recorded myself playing slide guitar. I thought the "Amazing Grace" melody laid real nicely over the "Auld Lang Syne" progression, and the slide seemed like the best way to do that.  

What was the biggest thing you learned during your time in the "Mickey Mouse Club"? If you could give that younger version of yourself any advice, what would it be?

I learned the beauty and value [of] the art of collaboration, of taking pride in your role, your work, your contribution to the bigger picture. I learned how to show up and take chances. Looking back, I'd say I could've savored so much more of it at the time. Granted, we were kids, teenagers. It's not really in our nature to savor too much at that age. But yeah, I'd probably have quite a few more stand-out memories had I had realized how quickly and easily it can and will eventually all go away.  

To learn more about MusiCares and how you can support music professionals in need, visit musicares.org.

MusiCares & ELMA Honor Hugh Masekela With Matching Fund

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Lzzy Hale of Halestorm

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'Tour Stop(ped)' But The Show Must Go On tour-stopped-show-must-go-laura-jane-grace-lzzy-hale-more

'Tour Stop(ped)' But The Show Must Go On: Laura Jane Grace, Lzzy Hale & More

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MusiCares & the Recording Academy Florida & Chicago Chapters host a candid discussion between top rock acts on mental health and adapting to life without the rush – or revenue – of touring.
Lior Phillips
GRAMMYs
Oct 29, 2020 - 5:27 pm

"I miss airport coffees. I miss sleeping in a bus bunk. And I miss being part of a team," Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace said with a melancholy smile, followed by knowing nods from her colleagues. Even before the pandemic sent countless hearts and minds into a heady darkness of isolation, the importance of frank discussion of mental health for musicians had come to the foreground. Suddenly taking away sources of revenue, of connection, of support, of stability, of routine, from people already facing the challenges of the life of an artist. Presented by Recording Academy Florida and Chicago Chapters with MusiCares and bringing together a variety of Recording Academy members to share their perspective on it all, Tour Stop(ped) opened the floor to the essential conversation regarding the value of self-care and strategies for thriving as an artist unable to hit the road.

Tour Stop(ped): Honest Talk With Touring Artists

"You're basing your life on connection to people," explained rising English rocker Yungblud. "I want to be out there causing chaos but now I'm just looking at the walls, watching the paint dry!"

Stephen Gibb served as the perfect moderator for the conversation, a familiar face in a cozily familiar studio setting, keeping the conversation focused and spirited. As a member of hard rock bands such as Black Label Society, Crowbar, and Saigon Kick, Gibb is intimately familiar with tour life. And as current host of the podcast Addiction Talks, his deft hand with sensitive conversations encouraged openhearted conversation, first focused on a general sense of how everyone was coping with this strange new reality. In addition to Yungblud, veterans Grace and Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, and new wave experimentalist KennyHoopla contributed an array of perspectives on Tour Stop(ped), both in terms of their careers and their personal experiences, offering viewers a variety of valuable lessons.

Hale found herself stumped by the first chunk of time without a gig on the schedule since the band's founding. "Even when I was 13 I had a gig at the bowling alley lined up," she laughed, framed in her home studio by racks of her distinctive Epiphone Explorer guitars. From her home in Chicago, Grace reiterated the confusion that comes from utter stillness after decades of constant movement, but with a sense of contentment. "This very well might be one long manic episode," she laughed. "I've been doing this for 20 years, and in a way it was 20 years of wondering when it was all going to go away. And that it did, but not because of anything I did, something totally out of my control, was calming."

A large part of the conversation focused on strategies to ensure that musicians can feel creative and fulfilled in this time, to keep from falling into unhealthy ruts. As an artist still early in his touring career, KennyHoopla has seen the inability to perform as an opportunity for reflection. "I'm just trying to catch up to myself," he said. "To use this time to hone the fragile parts of me and make them stronger."

Grace, meanwhile, compared the time to Bob Dylan's self-imposed years off from touring, saying she was similarly using the pandemic as a period of woodshopping and working on her craft. "Being an artist is about being creative, and we're in a situation right now that's asking us all to be our most creative selves to make this work and to make the best of this," she mused.

Gibb and the panelists elaborated on the importance of maintaining a connection with fans—as a way of keeping the audience engaged, of garnering financial support for new projects while tour revenue is gone and of maintaining the necessary emotional support. When the pandemic necessitated canceling gigs, Yungblud was already in the midst of a global tour. When he got home, he immediately knew he'd need to put together a livestream event and to stick close to his social media accounts. "Luckily, I love being online and I love social media. That's our stage right now," he said. "Everybody's in the same boat, feeling that need, like, ‘I'm going to mosh my head off, I'm going to go crazy, I'm going to release my energy even if it's in my bedroom with my cat.'"

Read More: Yungblud Talks Turning His Tour Postponement Into An Online Rock & Roll Variety Show

While the panelists were all musicians, the entire music industry, Gibb noted, are struggling through this pandemic. Countless individuals are having their livelihoods hit hard by the inability to work in crews, sell merch, and promote tours, among countless other outlets. "My heart is breaking for my friends and family, the techs, lighting guys, riggers," he said, holding back the tears. "We're in the fun business, the happiness business. We bring joy and we connect with people on a visceral, emotional level. It's heartbreaking for there not to be any end date to this."

The panelists provided fascinating and refreshing perspective on what might happen when touring does start to kick back into swing. "If everyone is going to try to tour at once, then the market will be completely flooded and it's going to be just as much pandemonium," Grace insisted. "[We need to be] figuring out a strategic way through this and a strategic way out of this for the community that we have spent so long building that is collapsing around us."

As life, and this year, have shown us difficult times can manifest surprising moments. Two surprise guests dropped into the conversation as well in order to ask questions that hit close to their hearts. Frontwoman of legendary LA hard rockers L7, Donita Sparks popped in first ("I don't know if I'm a guest or a Zoom bomb!" she grinned). Her question centered on what the artists missed most; for Sparks, it was her tour family, the larger crew beyond the band, and how artists can keep that connection while at home. "I always feel invincible because I know they have my back," she said.

On top of lamenting the inability to connect more personally with his fans, Yungblud encouraged everyone on the call to let out their most raucous shout, a release of pent-up punk-energy inspired by Sparks' iconic spirit. Experimental songwriter Grandson popped in later (first thanking the "music Illuminati" for the invite), and then offering a succinct and powerful explanation of the importance of gratitude. "Set your goals internally to make the best art you can, be the best friend you can, and let the things that are out of your control remain that way," he said.

https://twitter.com/RecordingAcad/status/1321852899614355456

TODAY 🎶Join our @MusiCares conversation on self-care, juggling career strategies and adjusting to life off the road with @LZZYHALE, @LauraJaneGrace, @KennyHoopla, @yungblud, @StephenGibb, and @grandson.

⌚️ 4pm PT / 7pm ET
📍#RecordingAcademy Facebook
📲 https://t.co/jxfcsCbB9F pic.twitter.com/BUg03FNOTd

— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) October 29, 2020

Naturally, the conversation wound its way through to coping mechanisms, strategies which the individual musicians would recommend for keeping their mental health strong. Aerobic exercise as a replacement for long nights on the stage were a common refrain. Hale added that an herb garden had become a centering activity and Gibb extolled the virtues of meditation, while Grace vouched for long baths with epsom salts and apple cider vinegar. Yungblud's solution was endless jamming at the exasperation of his neighbors, while KennyHoopla's suggestion for boosting spirits focused on one word: love.

"Having time to elaborate on my love for everyone in my life and loving myself... just putting out love as much as I can and continuing to give myself to the universe," he said. "When you give yourself to the universe, it will always return."

In addition to the panelists' discussions of their own experiences, the event featured video interludes. In the first, Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman highlighted the Academy's collaboration with MusiCares, noting that the organization had already assisted nearly 20,000 individuals in the music industry and dispersed over $19 million, whether for helping cover rent, fixing broken instruments, organizing doctor's appointments for uninsured members, and even establishing cyber support groups and addiction and rehab counseling.

Later, Chief Advocacy Officer of the Recording Academy Daryl Friedman led a conversation regarding how artists can help in the fight to sustain independent stages. Throughout, short videos from Academy members sharing stories of their favorite venues and what they missed on the road reinforced not only the community aspect of the music industry, but also the Academy's commitment to bringing everyone together in the fight to make lives better until things can get back to a relative normal.

But then even this very panel showcases just how important that community feeling can be, the four panelists exchanging their own biggest takeaways. "Laura said earlier, you have to do things quickly [because] when you have time you can overthink things," Yungblud reiterated. "Right now, what the f*ck do I have to lose? Why not push my boundaries?"

KennyHoopla had been meant to open for Yungblud on a series of tour dates, and the two naturally bonded during this time over their joint focus on pushing boundaries during pandemic. "There's this sense of urgency because people are relying on you to give them a sense of escapism and a high," he said. "I've gotta keep going and keep providing art and putting myself out there."

As the conversation neared its end, Hale insisted that when they were all back out on the festival circuit, they'd need to find a way to get together for a hug and a beer -- a simple pleasure that's somehow turned into a transformative dream. And after all of the sage advice dispensed throughout the evening, Grace offered perhaps the most important three-word signoff: "Just stay alive."

Recording Academy's 'Pass the Aux' Forms a "Zoomchella" Community

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