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JAUZ

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JAUZ On Staying Active At Home, Being A BLM Ally & His Creative Approach To Livestreaming

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Ahead of his new single "Wildlife" with KARRA out now, the acclaimed producer opens up about maintaining health and creativity during the pandemic and in a time of social unrest
Michael Silver
MusiCares
Jun 25, 2020 - 2:14 pm

Sam Vogel is a 26-year-old music producer, professionally known as JAUZ. Based out of Los Angeles, the artist has taken dance music to new heights with intricate production skills, energetic live shows and an ever-growing fanbase. As an international staple, Vogel frequently performs at major music festivals worldwide. His debut album, The Wise And The Wicked, released in 2018 and reached no. 1 on the dance charts.

Most recently headlining the ‘Dangerous Waters’ U.S. tour, JAUZ is now home in Southern California working on new projects during the pandemic. He’s gearing up to release a new single, "Wildlife" with pop vocalist KARRA on June 26.

We recently caught up with the producer, who reflected on the year so far, social justice in America, health and wellness routines from home and projecting his next steps as an artist.

2020 has been a really challenging year for all. Music and sports are what fans turn to when needing a distraction from the outside world. What has it been like and how do you stay motivated during these times?

As touring musicians this has affected us a little bit more than most people. I don’t wish this lockdown and pandemic on anybody. But, as opposed to be being upset or depressed, I’m not taking for granted the giant pause button that has been hit on my life. Touring full time for six years now, I haven’t had as much time to work on music, being creative and be with my wife and dog.

There’s a large silver lining for not just me, but people in my position. It would be really hard for someone like myself or my peers to say, "I’m going to take X amount of time off from touring, making money, playing shows for the fans. I need time for me." We’re in June and if things had all gone according to plan, I would probably be in the busiest part of my year. I don’t think I realized how much I needed this kind of time off.

As a non-Black ally, why was it important for you to speak out and join the Black community in solidarity?

There are many reasons. I have always been a proponent of fighting for what you believe in and what’s right, regardless if you’re a business or brand. I grew up inspired by bands like Rage Against The Machine and System Of A Down. These artists were really vocal in what they believed in and trying to make a positive impact on the world. I don’t think what’s going on here should be divisive at all. There are a lot of smaller subjects that you could be on opposing sides of. I think at the end of the day, it’s either you want equality and justice for a race of people who have been oppressed for 400 years in our country, or you’re a racist. I think everybody should be able to get behind the fact that Black Lives Matter.

I felt like I had to voice my opinion and platform to provide awareness to what’s going on. I didn’t feel like I could sit here and do my normal things, to run my livestreams and be an artist when the world is on fire. Personally I couldn’t feel genuine going on as if everything was normal. I think there’s a lot more that I could be doing and I’m setting up fundraisers to take real action.

Artists have adapted to the virtual world recently. You started streaming performances on Twitch and working with producers on their demos. Where did these concepts originate from?

Even before lockdown I’ve been doing livestreams. On Monday’s we call it "Demo Roulette," where I review MP3s sent in or full projects. I’ll go in and work on them with that person, more from an educational standpoint. On my last tour, our videographer had a full livestream backpack so at bigger concerts you could go to my Twitch channel and literally watch the show as it happened in real time. I’ve always been a fan of livestreaming and the Twitch community, it’s something I’ve wanted to be a part of. Now with everything going on, there’s never been a better time for me to tackle it full force.

I’ve created a weekly schedule like a television channel. Each day has a branded segment. "Wednesday Workshop" for example, I came up with that name yesterday. When you look through that lens it feels like another education tool. Thursday is "In The Tank," my new podcast where I bring artists on and do in-depth interviews about life.

There’s nothing like performing for thousands of people on tour. Recently you’ve taken part of livestream fests with Beatport and Insomniac. How have you adjusted your sets to the virtual world?

I think that’s a good question and a big reason why I haven’t done too many livestream festivals. I had just gotten off a three month bus tour and was burnt out on playing shows, especially ones consisting of all my music. With two or three online shows each week, it would be hard for me to genuinely be excited about playing the same music I just did for three months straight. For Beatport, I played all deep tech house music, because that’s what I love playing for myself. On the EDC stream I wanted to stand out and played 25 minutes of my oldest records that I never play anymore and 25 minutes of drum and bass, which is something I love but doesn’t necessarily get recognition in the States. Instead of playing all of the livestream festivals like ‘Look at me, look at how great I am,’ it was more about how I can bring awareness to stuff I care about.

Early on during the quarantine you did Instagram Live home workouts with your wife, who is a fitness instructor. Has that been a good outlet to connect with fans and physically stay active?

Yeah, Joann has been really good helping me get into working out, which is something I never did my entire life. Because we are all stuck at home, there’s nothing stopping anyone from improving your life from the comfort of your home. You don’t need a gym, you wake up and do pushups, crunches and stuff around the house. If you do that every day, you’ll probably be in better shape than I am right now because I’ve been pretty bad at it [laughs]. I’ve been taking this as an opportunity to play the guitar again, which is something I haven’t had the time to get back into. Film and photo editing too, which I did a lot when I was younger.

I’ve been asked this a lot recently. "What’s the advice you would give to people to help them get through this and how to stay positive?" I think if you’re learning a new hobby, skill or improving on skills that you have and better yourself, that’s the best way.

Let’s talk about your new single coming out, “Wildlife” with KARRA. How did the project come about? I heard you collaborated with her over Zoom?

It was actually on a "Workshop Wednesday" show. It was about bringing in an artist and writing together. We used Zoom so we could talk face-to-face while working on the song and give the concept of what a studio session feels like even through the Internet. Putting that concept together forced me to reach out to these artists that I’ve wanted to work with but never had the time, or too busy with other music. Now I have all the time to make whatever I want, so I had this opportunity to work with tons of different vocalists and songwriters that I normally would not think about while in the middle of touring.

The first time I heard the song was on the stream with KARRA and we went through it together. I almost wrote the entire song, start to finish, in three or four hours. I’ve written a lot in the last couple of months that are focused on being songs and not being tracks, much more about the vocals and song as a whole then having a big crazy drop. If feels really good, something I care about and I’m glad music like this is coming out from me.

Are there any artists or bands you would like to work with in the future? Is there a dream project?

There’s so many people I would love to work with outside of dance music. I grew up in the metal world, my goal was to be a guitarist in a band before I even heard of dance music. I’ve started working with a band or two, hopefully doing production on their record that has nothing to do with me. It helps me take what I’ve learned, bringing it into the world that got me to where I am today. Guitar and rock music is why I am a professional music producer today, even if what I make sounds nothing like it.

"We’re in June and if things had all gone according to plan, I would probably be in the busiest part of my year. I don’t think I realized how much I needed this kind of time off."

As far as a dream scenario, Twenty One Pilots. I’m not a huge pop person, but to me they nail it on the head. They’re incredible. They basically do what I do. They write their songs all electronically. They have real instruments, they’re as much producers as musicians. You can hear it in their music, and it would be cool to see what their process is for writing a song. I think it would be super inspiring.

Last year saw you reach new heights, playing Coachella and major festivals around the globe. When touring is possible again, what do you and your Bite This! label have planned?

I don’t have anything planned right now [laughs]. I’m literally taking it day by day. When we are back, we’re going to be back! I’m taking this time off to write as much music as I humanly can because I know the second the flood gates open, I’m gone. We had a lot of cool plans as far as festival takeovers. As bummed as I am that none of that stuff is happening, I’m taking it as an opportunity. Now I have the time to build myself more as an artist, so when touring does come back, I can do those things but even bigger and better. To one up myself.

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.

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Avicii

Photo: Sean Eriksson 1838

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Avicii Birthday Tribute For Mental Health Awareness Takes Over SiriusXM's BPM Channel

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During Suicide Prevention Week, the Tim Bergling Foundation and SiriusXM honor the late DJ/producer with specialty programming, including never-before-heard Avicii set and more
MusiCares
Sep 8, 2020 - 4:09 pm

Today, SiriusXM and The Tim Bergling Foundation have teamed up to announce "BPM Presents: Avicii Birthday Tribute for Mental Health Awareness" will kick off Sept. 8 in honor of Avicii's birthday and during Suicide Prevention Week. The takeover of SiriusXM's BPM channel will benefit MusiCares and Vibrant Health's National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and feature specialty programming, including one never-before-heard Avicii set from 2016, as well as tracks from the 2019 Avicii Tribute Concert in the beloved DJ/producer's hometown of Stockholm, Sweden.

Klas Bergling, Tim's father, will sit down for an exclusive interview to discuss Tim's life and music and the mission of the Foundation, which is to prevent suicide and remove the stigma attached to mental illness.

"Anki and I want to thank Geronimo and SiriusXM for their continued support of Tim's music and for taking this time to put a spotlight on the global issue of mental health," said Klas Bergling. "We want to encourage Tim's fans and all young people to know that they are not alone.  It's important to talk to someone, a friend or family member or workmate.  There is help for any emotional struggle they or their friends may have."

The take-over will also feature music from Avicii all weeklong and commentary from artists including Sandro Cavazza, Aloe Blacc, Zak Abel, Armin van Buuren, Nile Rogers, Nicky Romero, Laidback Luke, Martin Garrix, Bonn, Joe Janiak and Diplo discussing Avicii, as well as sharing personal stories about Tim, his music and their experience with mental illness. Additionally, the channel takeover will include a special broadcast of Avicii's SiriusXM Town Hall from 2013.

"SiriusXM championed Avicii from his start and we hope his fans will join us in celebrating him and his music as we take this special week to premiere a never-before-heard set, play music spanning his career, and hear about the importance of mental health wellness from those who knew him best," said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM's President and Chief Content Officer. "We are honored to work with The Tim Bergling Foundation to spotlight the issue of mental health, while also celebrating Avicii's legacy through his music."

Programming will also feature John Draper, PHD, Executive Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, who will share advice and resources on SiriusXM's Doctor Radio for listeners experiencing emotional distress or struggling with thoughts of suicide.

"The loss of Tim was personal for me," said Geronimo, SiriusXM's Vice President of Dance and EDM Programming. "Tim was my friend and like many fans around the world, I was excited to watch his career grow exponentially. I'm honored to work with his father, Klas and his family, to bring awareness to mental health and how asking for help is equally as important as the world has changed so quickly due to the pandemic, this topic is more crucial now than ever."

Listeners can experience BPM Presents: Avicii Birthday Tribute for Mental Health Awareness Week starting on Tuesday, September 8 at 12:00 pm ET through Sunday, September 13 at 9:00pm ET on SiriusXM radios (channel 51) and on the SiriusXM app.

Elton John, Billie Eilish, Cher, U2 & Many More: MusiCares Auction Items Announced

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Photo: Ramon Costa/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

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6 Music Games To Play For A Virtual Game Night With Friends & Family

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Try these creative ways to stay connected, have fun and maintain good mental health during quarantine
Kit Stone
MusiCares
May 25, 2020 - 12:35 pm

For some, the first week of the stay at home order felt like a vacation — a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We watched too much television, ate too many snacks, danced in our pajamas in the middle of the afternoon, and rekindled our relationship with our favorite bedspreads. 

But for family-oriented individuals, the stay-at-home orders hit differently. Sunday dinners and game-nights have been put on hold to ensure everyone's safety during the pandemic. That doesn't mean that you can't spend quality time with your loved ones, it just means you need to get a little creative. 

The saying is true, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, and not being able to connect with friends and family in the way that we’re used to can take a toll on your emotional and mental health. So, we’ve got to get creative on ways to incorporate family time even if you can’t physically connect. Establishing a routine game night, even virtually, can provide the emotional lift you need to help you maintain during the quarantine. 

Spending time with family and friends, even virtually, can relieve stress, decrease anxiety and depression, improve sleep, improve relationships, and make you happier all around. As long as you have wifi, you can organize a game night that can still add hours of family fun to your day. 

If you come from a musical family where get-togethers turn into impromptu concerts or viral TikTok videos, this list is for you. These virtual music-themed games can increase your musical knowledge, give your friends and family a peek into your musical taste, get your creative juices flowing and lift your mood. 

1. Verzuz 

Instagram got an instant upgrade when mega producers Timbaland and Swiss Beatz went hit for hit in the first Verzuz challenge. Since then, millions have gathered around their phones, tablets, and computers and watched artists like Teddy Riley and Babyface, Ryan Tedder and Benny Blanco, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, and most recently, Ludacris and Nelly go hit for hit. You don’t have to wait for the next chart-topping artists to experience your next battle. Pick your favorite artist and challenge a friend. You can even invite others to listen in and choose the winner.  

2. Don’t Forget the Lyrics 

Are you a master at song lyrics? Well, even if you’re not, this will be a fun game. Each person takes turns playing a piece of a song. Without warning, stop the song and have the challenger finish the lyrical phrase. In order to get the point, they have to finish the lyrics word for word. If you want to be nice, you can let the other player sacrifice a point in order to give them a clue. The first person to get 12 song lyrics right, wins! Options: You can change the number from 12 to 20 or just 5, depending on how long you want to make your game.

3. Name That Tune

Start by playing an intro of a song. Before the verse starts, stop the song and wait for the other person to guess the title and the artist. Only the correct title gets the point. Partial or “almost” titles don’t count. Play one-on-one, or in teams. Make it more challenging by sticking to one genre or a specific decade. The parameters are up to you, so have fun with it!

4. Music Trivia

Normally, for this game, you would need a trivia master. That person would have to create a Google Doc of musical categories and questions similar to Jeopardy. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with the “Ask GRAMMYs” music trivia game, compatible with Alexa and Google Home. You can test your music knowledge in categories that cover country music stars to rock legends and previous GRAMMY winners. The game refreshes every Monday with a new category so choose your team wisely. Check out this calendar to see what’s coming next. 

5/25 – The GRAMMYs Goes To The Opera
6/1 – Pride + Music
6/8 – The '60s
6/15 – The '70s
6/22 – The '80s
6/29 – '90s R&B

5. Song Association

This game can be played one-on-one or with teams. One person gives a member of the opposite team a word. That person has 10 seconds to sing a song with that word in it. If the time runs out, the person doesn’t get the point and it’s the other team’s turn. The first team or player to get 10 right, or however many you decide, wins. Easy words to start with are colors, places and objects.

6. Dance Freeze

Dancing carries its own benefits to health and wellness. Something as simple as moving your body can boost your cognitive performance, mood, and improve your cardiovascular health. It’s also an activity that all ages can enjoy from your barely walking tots to your more seasoned relatives. Designate a DJ. The DJ will play music and the other players will dance. Once the DJ stops the music, the players have to freeze in whatever dance position they’re in. The DJ watches to make sure they’re frozen in place. Anyone that moves is automatically out. The last player dancing wins. This a great game to get the whole family up and moving.

Kit Stone is a multimedia storyteller and digital content creator. A native of California, she credits her love of all things creative to the influence of the Bay Area culture she grew up in, and the part her family, Sly & the Family Stone, played in shaping it. Since receiving her degree in visual storytelling and media production from Cal State East Bay, Kit has used her passion for storytelling to inspire, educate, and entertain. When she’s off the clock, you can find her curled up with a good book or watching episodes of "The Golden Girls."

Read More: 11 Meditation Apps To Help You Get Calm & Centered During Quarantine & Beyond

Read more: How To Use Music Techniques To Prepare Healthy Food

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. 

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Desert Hearts co-founders (L-R): Lee Reynolds, Porky, Marbs and Mickey Lion
Photo: Connor Lee

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Desert Hearts TV: How The San Diego DJ Crew Are Tuning In During The COVID-19 Crisis

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The dance collective on cultivating community, wellness, weirdness, service worker appreciation and a rump-shaking good time in the age of a global crisis
Jaime Sloane
MusiCares
May 18, 2020 - 12:03 pm

Saturday, April 25 was supposed to be the day when 4,000 house and techno aficionados caroused on a dusty Indian reservation just south of San Diego at Desert Hearts Festival.

Instead, the California dance music collective’s co-founder Mikey Lion is headlining the first ever "Desert Hearts Digital Festival," and broadcasting a 10-hour, rip-roaring set of underground tunes via Twitch from the comfort of his home. Even in the absence of shared wine bags and warm embraces at the off-the-grid bacchanal, the party rages on digitally thanks to the newly-minted Desert Hearts TV.

Watch Desert Hearts Digital Festival: Mikey Lion from desertheartsrecords on www.twitch.tv

Meanwhile in an unaffiliated, fan-founded Zoom room hosted by AllDayIStream.com called ‘QuarantineHearts,’ 500 isolated fans from around the world have congregated to watch the stream together. While Desert Hearts’ Twitch provides an audiovisual portal into Mikey’s set, the online conferencing platform empowers viewers to approximate communal clubbing by streaming their own housebound dance parties.

In the midst of digital toasts and rump-shaking mayhem, respiratory therapist Eric Ogada — otherwise known by his nickname, Easy — appears on-screen donning full protective gear, hospital scrubs, a bouffant cap, a medical face mask and all. He’s tuning in from a New Jersey hospital, where he’s working the night shift and waiting to assess his next patient.

In a few moments, Easy will be taking strangers’ temperatures, checking their lung capacity, and making the decision about what department they’ll be routed to. But for now, during a brief break, he’s with the people of Desert Hearts. It doesn’t take long for his presence to prompt a deluge of supportive messages in the chat room from his fellow Zoom revelers.

“With DHTV, it’s people just relaxing and having fun, and people actually saying thank you for your service,” Ogada says. “That's therapeutic, because these patients can't say thank you, they’re dying so quick. You're just so busy and overwhelmed, it really helps when somebody actually says thank you.”

GRAMMYs

Lee Reynolds

Ogada has worked at hospitals for 14 years, and has been serving as a respiratory therapist for the last six. His "work hard, play hard" lifestyle has seen him visit 19 countries across the world, including annual pilgrimages to electronic music meccas like Ibiza and Tulum. Like many other music enthusiasts who’ve been left heartbroken by the shutdown of the concert and festival industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ogada has turned to DHTV’s weekly programming to fill the void of human connection and camaraderie.

“This community has been here before COVID-19, and I love seeing everyone vibing together,” he says. “It’s a tight-knit community, and as a transplant [from Boston] I already feel welcomed with open arms.”

The Heart In Desert Hearts

Desert Hearts began as a renegade desert party in the Mojave, but it’s since ballooned into a kaleidoscopic world of international initiatives: the annual sold-out festival, a respected record label, and a globe-trotting showcase series that’s touched down at festivals and clubs from Berlin to Sydney.

Built on the mantra “House, Techno, Love – We Are All Desert Hearts,” the festival was founded in 2012 by four San Diego DJs who wanted to create a judgment-free playground for their friends to let loose while coalescing over a shared love of underground sounds.

GRAMMYs

Marbs

As opposed to typical electronic music festivals, which reliably offer up a medley of stages to careen between and sonic styles to hear, Desert Hearts Festival programs more than 100 uninterrupted hours of house and techno on one sole stage. Attendees bask in a singular, shared communal experience, and effortlessly connect with friends and strangers alike, all united under the “One Stage, One Vibe” ethos. 

“We've met so many people that have said, ‘When I got introduced to this community, I really didn't even listen to house music,’” Desert Hearts co-founder Marbs says. “People come to our parties not necessarily for the music, but just because of the environment, how comfortable they feel with the people that are at that event, and then associating the music with that feeling of belonging.”

Beyond the jacking basslines and pulsating decibels wafting from the festival speakers, Desert Hearts is regarded as a bastion of creativity and unabashed self-expression where weirdos of all stripes can let their freak flags fly. Attendees are encouraged to rock avant-garde outfits, paint psychedelic art pieces, or host pop-up wine and cheese parties — whatever tickles their fancy.

For many Desert Hearts devotees, the accepting, open-minded environment is what keeps them coming back year after year; it’s the same quality that made its four founders — Mikey Lion, Marbs, Porky, and Lee Reynolds — hustle to migrate its palpable sense of community online.

“Our focus is on the people, and how to keep the people connected,” Marbs explains. “The people are the most important piece of the puzzle through the whole thing. And it's so cool to see that when we think we're about to go through a time that's going to rock us, the community somehow grows.”

Marbs and his fellow ringleaders were forced to cancel the 12th edition of Desert Hearts Festival on March 16. Just a week later, they launched DHTV. The online extension of Desert Hearts serves up varying content each week, ranging from marathon DJ sets mixed by its architects and cohorts, to the recurring "Wellness Wednesday’s" series which features yoga, meditation, and sound baths. The Desert Hearts Digital Festival was a tour de force of underground soundscapes designed to simulate the nonstop nature of the originally-planned festival; more than 25 international artists performed (nearly) around the clock for four days straight.

“The people are the most important piece of the puzzle through the whole thing. And it's so cool to see that when we think we're about to go through a time that's going to rock us, the community somehow grows.” -Marbs

In addition to DJing, the Desert Hearts founders also personally lead interactive specialty programming, like crate-digging with Lee Reynolds and Dutch pour painting with Marbs. Porky, Mikey Lion’s younger brother, kicked off DHTV by hosting a "Tubby Tuesdays" cooking lesson, where he guided viewers through making their own sushi-burritos. Marbs said the personalized offerings aim to give people a glimpse into their everyday lives and passions outside of music.

“The whole idea is to close the gap of distance between us all,” Marbs says. “And the more intimate and interactive we can make it, the more that it feels like we're actually hanging out, even though we're on screens.”

READ MORE: Marbs Talks New Techno Sublabel Desert Hearts Black, L.A.'s City Hearts, Looking Up To Dubfire & More

Welcome To The Lions Den

Every Saturday evening, comedy buff Mikey Lion hosts ‘The Lions Den,’ a 10-hour hybrid DJ-stream-meets-variety-show. When the clock strikes midnight, he blasts Olivia Newton-John’s anthem “Let’s Get Physical” as he and his wife Cookie lift free weights with grins plastered across their faces. Cookie has become a staple in the skits on ‘The Lions Den’. One of the more memorable entries saw her take on the role of Maxine, a sassy publicist who sports oversized sunglasses and struts across the camera’s frame with audacious panache. It’s all a part of the master plan to help fans mentally escape the Coronavirus epoch, if only for the weekend.

“Giving people an outlet to release during such a tough time is super important,” Mikey Lion says. “Our community is rooted in spreading as much love and positive energy as possible, and people are willing to roll with the punches, even in such a horrible time in history for all of us -  but we're not going to let that stop us from having a good time, creating love, and pushing positivity to one another.”

GRAMMYs

Mikey Lion

Fans have turned Desert Hearts’ Twitch channel chat forum into an endless source of cheeky messages, inside jokes, and general musings on isolation insanity. Whether it’s festival veterans bonding over their favorite Desert Hearts memories, or newcomers forging relationships with internet friends miles away, DHTV mirrors the festival’s authentic innervation of belonging and togetherness.

“Just like with any kind of underground music scene, if you're going to shows consistently, you start to recognize the same people,” Garrett James, who handles Desert Hearts marketing, says. “Eventually, you're going to talk to them and become friends with them. And that's how these Twitch chats are; every time, without fail, the same people are there.”

“Giving people an outlet to release during such a tough time is super important.” -Mikey Lion

When COVID-19 struck, James pivoted Desert Hearts’ marketing focus online. Now, he and Brooke Sousa — a longtime friend and resident party conductor among the crew — have been tapped to serve as moderators within DHTV’s chat room. The pair work to foster the good vibes and make all participants feel welcome, while ensuring the chat’s ridiculousness never gets too out of hand. James notes how Desert Hearts Festival’s infectious spirit of friendship permeates the digital realm.

“I feel like that aspect of connecting with people, even in a virtual space, is still happening, just in a very different way,” he says.

On the unofficial Zoom video chat, newfound friends bask in a raucous free-for-all, with nearly 500 fans simultaneously cutting rugs, taking shots, flashing some skin and trying to outweird one another. One couple coordinates dance moves for their ferrets. Another pair, who broadcast under the username ‘Legohearts,’ shows off a full-blown lego replica of the Desert Hearts stage and speakers, with their child play-dancing his Lego characters across the imaginary dance floor.

“Desert Hearts is where I get to be my realest, truest self, and everyone is being weird, and it invites you to not be afraid to be weird too, and I think that's the part that people love the most,” Sousa explains. “You get on screen and get to wave your freak flag just like at the festival, where you get to be whatever crazy version of yourself that you decide you want to be. Not only that, but you have everyone cheering you on and encouraging you; nobody is judging, everyone is just thinking ‘What can I do next that’s even crazier?’”

Desert Hearts’ Digital Future

While DHTV provides fans with a welcomed distraction from the uncertainty of life under quarantine, it’s also a much needed creative outlet for the Desert Hearts impresarios. For artists who are used to breakneck tour schedules with firm performance times, DHTV encourages them to fluidly experiment with extended sets, test out new material, and push themselves technically.

“Streaming has helped me tremendously to get out of my comfort zone,” Porky explains. “I've always personally hated staring directly into the camera — and I cringe when hearing my voice — so it's really rad to use this opportunity to try something new. It's still extremely stressful every single time, especially when you're playing a 12-hour livestream and have to dodge all kinds of obstacles, like internet speed and a place to stream without noise complaints. But, the show must go on and we work as a team to find the solution.”

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Porky

DHTV has become a restorative wellspring of communal hope, and will remain a permanent facet of the Desert Hearts network long after quarantine ends. Since launching DHTV mid-March, the Twitch channel has already amassed more than 628,000 live views from more than 18,000 subscribers. DHTV continues to innovate, and will host the inaugural ‘City Hearts Digital Festival’ on May 28 - 31, replicating the brand’s one-day mini-festival series that’s sold out previous installments in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.

“Waking up to messages everyday saying "DHTV saving my life during this quarantine," will never get old, because everyone needs to tune out of the bullshit and get a boogie in,” Porky says. “We hold a special, comfortable space where people can express themselves without any judgement, and that's where all the magic happens.”

“We hold a special, comfortable space where people can express themselves without any judgement, and that's where all the magic happens.” -Porky

Music lovers around the world have been in isolation for more than two months. That’s hundreds of festivals canceled, thousands of deaths per day, and countless, chaotic nights in the hospital for Easy. But even though the respiratory therapist won't get his summer reprieve of dance floor-fueled travel, he’s still grateful to get lost in the music alongside the new friends he’s made within the Desert Hearts community.

“If you need an escape, go on DHTV and the Zoom just vibe,” Ogada says. “You just imagine you’re somewhere else, and you can relax. Because you just need to get past that day, and everything will be alright.”

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. 

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

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Lady Gaga, The Naked And Famous, Bruno Major & More Artists Talk Staying Grounded During Quarantine

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Justin Michael Williams, Mikey Lion, Cassian and Paul van Dyk also offer insight on how they're confronting these chaotic times
Ana Monroy Yglesias
MusiCares
Apr 21, 2020 - 10:43 am

These days of quarantine are unprecedented, intense and have disrupted almost every facet of our daily lives as well as the global economy. While the coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone differently, it has hit people and companies in the music and live event industry incredibly hard.

Over the past few weeks, we've been checking in with artists, many of whom have not been home this long since before their artist careers, to learn what has been helping them feel grounded amidst the current state of chaos in the world. Read on to hear what The Naked And Famous, Bruno Major, Justin Michael Williams, Mikey Lion, Cassian and Paul van Dyk shared with us in recent conversations over the past weeks of quarantine. GRAMMY-winning pop queen Lady Gaga recently spoke in-depth on mental health and staying grounded during the pandemic, so we've included thoughtful quotes from her as well.

 

Kindness Matters

Gaga points out this is a traumatic time for everyone, so it is extra important to be kind. She notes this will hit those with less resources harder than someone like herself, who has means. "Being kind is the most powerful thing we can do right now; being kind to each other and being self-aware… I am in a home that is safe, I can eat sanitary food. I can keep doing my work. This is not the same for everyone and I know that. Being self-aware, I think, is very important in how we stay together."

In the conversation, the "Born This Way" singer stresses the importance of mental health care and, understanding that many people don't currently have access to therapy, shares some helpful grounding techniques from dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT, which has helped her.

"In DBT, it's called 'distress tolerance skills,' which is basically the skills we use to manage our stress. And one thing I can just offer people that are watching, and to also spread as a message to others, is one thing to ground yourself if you're panicking during this time is to say, okay let me get a bare on my surroundings. So for example you can say, 'My feet, where are they? My feet are on the ground. I'm looking at my hands. I'm sitting in my living room… My children are playing. My couch is white.'

Once you start listing and naming things and looking around the room, slowly it can bring you back down into where you are, so that you can feel grounded and can feel safe because there is going to be a wave of shock and trauma people are experiencing all over the world and it's just natural because this is very scary."

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Slow Down

These days have been a stressful time for so many of us, especially with the double-whammy of extensive uncertainty and so much more time at home with ourselves. Just as Gaga highlighted the importance of being kind to each other and focusing on the present, alt-pop artist and meditation teacher Justin Michael Williams reminds us that it's more than okay to slow down right now amidst all the chaos.

"Remember that it's okay not to be super productive and overachieving during this time. This is especially hard for those of us who have gained our value from validation and 'success.' Typically, the world asks us to do more, be more and push harder. But right now it's time to pause," the "I Am Enough" singer recently told us over email.

"Pay attention. This is the flow of the universe. The whole world is slowing down. If you can, take this moment as a sacred pause. Instead of forcing yourself to 'do' more, give yourself a chance to 'be' more—and see what arises from there. Let it be okay that you don't have the capacity to overachieve at the level you were before. You're doing fine. Trust yourself."

As Williams' wisdom suggests, taking this global pause to see what comes up when you stop doing so much can be a great way to reevaluate old habits and routines. Examining the contrast to how hard you were always working or the speed at which you were constantly moving can be eye-opening for touring artists or anyone else who travels regularly. This can be a great time to catch up on or rebalance the things that tend to go to the wayside while on the road or otherwise constantly busy.

Start & Keep A Routine

For GRAMMY-nominated mixer/producer/DJ Cassian, putting energy towards finding a new quarantine version of his routine has not only been something that's kept him grounded during all the change, but will likely result in shifts in his routine post-quarantine.

"Everywhere I go really, I'm such a creature of routine; whether I'm in L.A. or when I'm in touring in Australia, I still get to have my routine more or less because my family's out there. So it's been hard to figure out what that new quarantine routine is like. I'm trying to stay focused on figuring it out, which is what's helping me stay grounded," the Aussie artist recently told us.

"For my workouts, I used to get up super early and go to the gym every day at the same time, same gym. Now, I've been exploring the neighborhood I live in, and walking around more. I'm definitely going to be doing more of that, definitely going to be cooking for myself more. My old routine I would just get up, workout, go to the studio. I would just be in the studio all day, have dinner at the studio, then come home and just sleep. Now I'm realizing I didn't need to do that, and I've set up a little studio at home, so now I can just work from home when I don't feel like going to the studio. Also, I traveled so much and I didn't question it, and took it for granted. And [now] it's been a conversation I've been having with my team."

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British singer/songwriter Bruno Major also feels centered when he has a routine he can count on, with something he can ground the days to but with enough variety to keep things interesting.

"Being a musician, I've had zero structure in my life since I was 16 or 17 because I left school. So, [typically] I go the gym every morning and make sure that I do something every day that's the same. I feel like I need routine in my life. If you don't have it, you have to create it yourself. So just make sure you exercise every day or do something that isn't just Netflix. Learn a new skill, read a book, learn the piano. Just try to vary your days up," the "Old Soul" singer shared with us over the phone.

Like Cassian, he also sees this disruption in our regular routines as something that may act as a big life lesson for so many of us who've been "too busy" to stop and reconsider it.

"I think there's a great lesson to be learned here as well. When you don't have the thing that you should be doing every day, then you're just left with the things you want to do. And you have to worry about what it is that you want. I think people are learning a lot about themselves during this period."

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Seek Balance

For Alisa Xayalith of electro-pop duo The Naked And Famous, sleeping adequately, exercising, cooking and watching cooking videos all help keep her calm and centered. "When I don't have enough sleep, I don't feel like I can focus or perform to the best of my ability. But in times where I need to feel grounded, I usually exercise."

"[Also,] I cook. That helps me feel grounded. I was on tour for the last month so I haven't been able to do that very much. Cooking and baking is something that helps me feel super grounded, which is why I have gotten into making sourdough bread and I have things that I love to cook. Just the process of preparing everything, cooking everything, and the end product is going to be delicious—it always feels good to me."

For her bandmate Thom Powers, he stays grounded with critical thinking and the balance of his partner. "I don't really have one thing that I do to stay grounded. Maybe reading. I think I am a grounded person by nature just by being very critical, by working on my critical thinking skills as a hobby. I am not a very smart person, I didn't go to university or get a degree in anything. Critical thinking is probably what keeps me grounded and realistic. Also, my partner keeps me very grounded when I get delusional, or worried about things," Powers said.

"I think when I am least grounded, I have a very unrealistic view, a very envious, jealous and comparative view because of the way music culture has shifted to this online content provider paradigm. Some days when I wake up and I feel negative, I just feel this immense pressure to be this content provider, which is something that does not come naturally to me, it's difficult. But some people, it just comes so naturally to them to put their unedited selves up on the internet."

He brings up a great point about social media, and how he sometimes feels pressure to be more engaged with it and "better" at having a social presence like other artists or influencers. Xayalith underscored that social media can be overwhelming at times for everyone who engages with it, which is why she opts to generally limit social media scrolling to watching cooking videos, which she finds "super soothing" and sometimes inspiring for her next meal.

In contrast to trying to keep up with social media, staying in touch with your friends and family over the phone and with video calls can be really nice during these times. Not only is it a great practice to have little mental health and wellness check-ins with your loved ones, catching up while apart can help with feelings of isolation.

Practice Self-Love

DJ/producer and Desert Hearts leader Mikey Lion echoes the importance of both self-care and staying in touch with the people you miss. "I'm really focused on staying healthy right now and exercising. Just going on walks and keeping things the more-solo parts of my normal routine. I've also been calling my friends and my family and seeing how they're doing. It always keeps me grounded and since we are all in it together, that collective group thing of getting through it and knowing and taking comfort in the fact that we are all experiencing this together. That's what keeps me the most grounded."

During quarantine, Zoom video calls have become a popular tool to gather virtually—many March and April birthday parties, yoga classes and dance parties happened (safely and remotely) thanks to Zoom. Lion shares how his crew of fellow DJs and creatives used Zoom to reconnect shortly after quarantine began. "I just took some time to call a bunch of my friends and it felt so good, we had this huge Zoom chat with 20 of our friends from our Burning Man camp. We literally had a livestream party for four hours with all of our best friends. We were all taking shots almost every 30 minutes and coming up with new games and new rules. Oh my god, it felt like we were all together, just having fun. It was this massive release and way for us to blow off steam. It was really amazing."

The Desert Hearts squad has also been sharing a bunch of live DJ sets and other content with their daily-ish DHTv livestream series, which have been a fun way for them to keep sharing music with their loyal fanbase. Many other artists have been doing regular musical livestreams as a way to keep everyone dancing and singing along from the safety of their homes, including Paul van Dyk with his regular PC Music Night on Facebook.

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The creativity, generosity, kindness and love so many people have shown each other during this global crisis, especially where their nation's leaders and systems fail them, is quite powerful. For legendary GRAMMY-nominated German DJ/producer Paul van Dyk seeing this love and compassion as people care for each other gives him hope right now, and the partnership and love he feels with his wife helps him feel grounded.

"It's love on all levels. It's the love to your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your wife, your husband; in my case, obviously, my wife. It's the love and caretaking that people have for each other and how we all stand together. This is something that I see that I feel is a little bit of a positive out of all this that. We as a species, have to survive this and have the possibility to come out of it stronger."

Now more than ever, this is the time, as Gaga said, to be kind to each other, and as van Dyk's and Lion's comments highlight, to really appreciate the people in our life who are there for us—and to be there for them to. And there is no time like now to create a personal dancefloor in your living room and for artists to share some tunes with their internet friends to keep everyone grooving.

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