Summer always ends in a rude awakening. Especially when you live in a place like Buffalo and we know what's right around the corner.... We are not to say the name for another few months. I digress.
This Summer has been life changing. The best part without a doubt was the tour. I can't believe I made it through a month on the road and 15 shows. It was a major test of endurance. This tour defined me and took me out of my element. I've always had a hard time stepping out of the studio and onto a stage. I guess that's the producer in me. But once I'm up there on stage and making connections with everyone's vibes, it's the greatest thing on Earth. It's making love through sound waves.
I love touring. The cherry on top of it all is that I get to tour with my best friend, MC ZiLL. He's a dope rapper and he's my fiance. I was a little nervous going on tour together, I knew it would test our relationship. So I entered with caution, trying to tone down my mood swings. In fact, a local paper in San Luis Obispo wrote an article about our tour and our relationship being tested.
Article in New Times by Glen Starkey
Strictly Starkey
Could this be the feel good story of the year? A musical duo is traveling from New York to San Diego this July to perform their tour Brainwashing The Ride. Featuring Katie Ann and MC ZiLL, an engaged couple set to marry in 2016, are living their dream and promoting their albums this summer on their nationwide tour. I guess they're also testing their compatibility. Katie Ann has a new album called The Ride and MC Zill has an album called Brainwashing, hence the name of the tour. You can see them on Tuesday, July 29th, at Linnaea's Cafe (7pm.; all ages; free.) As sort of an endearing preamble, Katie Ann, originally from San Diego, went to New york to pursue her music career, and she met MC Zill when she hit his car. So. Damn. Cute.
Here's my response to Glen Starkey:
Dear Glen,
Thank you for writing an article about our tour in New Times. It was one of the most refreshing gifts on our tour. We arrived in San Luis Obispo late in the evening after a long and tiring drive from San Diego. It's not that the drive is super long, it's the vehicle we were driving in that made it feel like we were never going to make it! When we finally got there we went to one of the only places open that late, a Pizza joint. Standing in line I picked up a New Times. To my surprise the first page I opened to was the article you wrote about us. I was so thrilled we had to celebrate with a pitcher! We felt a warm welcoming to SLO.
When I first read the part you wrote about our relationship being challenged I rolled my eyes. "Please this is a piece of cake." But by the end of it all, several cities and shows later, I must admit our compatibility was tested. It's the type of test only true lovers can pass because if you're not really meant for each other that will be revealed by the end of any challenge. Touring is not easy and there are parts of it that are very uncomfortable.
The beginning of our tour was in my childhood hometown, San Diego. Tons of friends and family came out to support and made it easier for us to perform in front of people we knew. However, SLO put us in check real quick. We didn't know anyone in this city. We were playing for crowds of complete strangers and I don't think SLO was use to our style of music. MC ZiLL and I had to lean on each other more than ever. We had to help keep each others spirits up when people were rude and didn't want to give us the time of day. We ran into a few of those people in SLO. One particular person said to us after MC ZiLL told him he makes positive Hip-Hop; "O yea, I don't use the "N" word. I just call them poor black trash." Perhaps he didn't realize we weren't talking about a person but a style of music that projects positive and uplifting lyrics. It's called "Positive Hip Hop."
On the flip side we also met some super chill people I was sad to say goodbye to. The people running Linnaeas Cafe are some of the most kind hearted people and not to mention really good food! We enjoyed performing there because of it's uniqueness. But it was with out a doubt our most different show on the tour and that's because of the audience. I had no idea we were going to play for an audience of painters and writers. The entire floor was filled with artists. Each person was in the zone and painting while we were playing. We are use to a little more dancing but I suppose you can call it dancing with the tip of a paintbrush.
In the end MC ZiLL and I are still together. We made it through our first tour and fell deeper in love. The challenges brought us closer. We are back home in New York and we have started planning our wedding. But, we also plan on doing a few more tours and cutting another album before we get married!
Sincerely, Katie Ann and MC ZiLL of "Brainwashing The Ride"
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Ending the Summer with a bang!
Katie Ann and MC ZiLL perform at Buffalo's most outrageous Music Festival, Music is Art!!!
Come see Katie Ann perform Saturday September 13th @11:00am Stage 3
Check out a mashup video of Katie Ann and MC ZiLL's performance at the festival:
http://youtu.be/dpzckCxNKpk?list=UUIY3g-3gzz-h59xH2Y7scRQ
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Have you listened to Katie Ann's Summer Singles yet?
Love Drunk
Katie Ann's Summer Anthem
MUSIC VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4pWvq2tMnw
Revolution
MUSIC VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlLQEJg_iiE
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Katie Ann and her accomplice, MC ZiLL, embark on their Summer tour called "Brainwashing The Ride."
Katie Ann was busy the week before she left on tour. She hosted not one, but two benefit concerts for Buffalo's finest music organization known as "Music is Art."
Music is Art is an organization in Buffalo, founded by the bassist of the goo goo dolls, Robby Takac. MIA helps the community in several ways. They provide children with instruments who otherwise could not afford one. They assist with music classes in schools. MIA may be most well known for the huge music festival thrown every year during Summer. Local musicians, artists and dancers get together to share their talents with the community. This year the festival will be Saturday September 13th.
www.musicisart.org
Katie Ann's first concert was a Children's piano Recital.
Brave young piano students gathered at a public coffee shop named Ashkers on a busy evening. It was a teeth chattering, finger shaking performance for these kids as they had to play at a packed venue full of strangers in front of a large window with cars and people rushing by.
Despite the nerves the kids played very well and had a fun time. Their class created a smoothie called "Lemon Legato." Legato is a musical term that means to play smoothly. Donations to MIA were made from every "Lemon Legato" smoothie sold that day.
At the end of the evening the kids felt proud of their playing and their fundraising.
An artist sketched a drawing of the children's recital.
The second benefit concert held for MIA was on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Four Solo artists got together and shared their original music with the community. It was an eclectic mix of styles that created a fun atmosphere and vibrant mood.
Katie Ann kicked the concert off with almost an hour of melodically luscious songs. She has a unique voice and a breathtaking style of playing piano. Her fingers look like little jumping spiders moving up and down the keyboard.
MC ZiLL took the stage next. He pumped up the crowd with witty word plays and clever rhyming schemes. He rapped songs about his passion for education and being a BAT- A member of the bad ass teachers association.
http://www.badassteacher.org
www.mcofpositivity.com
Lance Drake performed original music and demonstrated his hyper folk rock style with hints of Irish. He takes listeners on a time traveling journey exploring the 70's, 80's, 90's and music of today.
Bobby Angel played last showing off his country rock style mixed with deep thinking lyrics intertwined with layered harmonics. Bobby Angel is proud that he will be releasing his CD soon. He learned a lot from his recent internship with Righteous babe records.
http://www.righteousbabe.com
As usual in Buffalo, the day became carried away with odd weather. The event began with a torrential down pour. As soon as Katie Ann began playing the sky lit up with lightning. Katie Ann carried through the rolling thunder. Nothing could beat the MIA festival last year when Katie Ann was literally "singing in the rain."
"I like singing in the rain. It brings out a sense of peace and harmony." ~Katie Ann
In the end the benefit concerts were a huge success. A ton of money was raised for MIA and the community was brought together.
The engaged couple, Katie Ann and MC ZiLL, prepare to leave for their nationwide tour in just days. Look out for "Brainwashing The Ride" coming to your town!
FINE TOUR DETAILS HERE: http://theridekatieann.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-schedule.html
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Summer has arrived in full force. We caught up with Katie Ann to find out what she has planned for this season.
Q. What's happening this Summer Katie Ann?
Nothing. JK! I'm doing A LOT this summer! For the first time it feels like I'm reaping what I sow and living the dream. I get to be a full time artist!
- Over the Summer I will be releasing 3 new singles. The first day of Summer I released my Summer Anthem called "Love Drunk" along with a video produced by the infamous Jacob Payne.
- I'm starting the first leg of my nationwide tour called "Brainwashing The Ride."
- I'm filming a new music video for my song called "Tequila Sunrise."
- I'm starting the production process for my next album.
I also have some really cool surprises along the way!
Get the song here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-drunk-single/id884136883
Watch the Love Drunk music video here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4pWvq2tMnw
Q. Wow! Busy Summer. How do you manage it all and still have a life?
Well music pretty much is my life. I like the challenge but what I like even more is Victory. I make the sacrifices to give more to my music career. Hopefully down the road I will have the time to slow down and smell the roses but for now I have to be one step ahead. I put my phone in airplane mode and practice my sets and I'm training really hard to be physically fit for my mission this Summer. I figure if I have to perform live for 2 hours then I should be able to workout straight for two hours. It's the test of endurance.
"Music is a game meant to be played just like sports. Training and practicing. To make music you have to play the game otherwise you're just watching from the sideline." ~Katie Ann
Q. Who booked your tour?
I did. It was challenging booking shows out of state. It took months to book and prepare for this tour. Crazy to think that now it's almost here. I can't wait to leave home and be a full time artist. I can already tell touring is going to be one of my favorite mind frames to be in.
Q. Where will your tour go?
MC Zill and I have 14 shows lined up on the Pacific West Coast this Summer. We leave home in New York and start performing on July 17th in San Diego California and end August 8th in Whitefish Montana. We're going through 4 different states and will be gone for almost a month. Here's my blog with all of the fine tour details for Brainwashing The Ride:
For more information regarding tour detail please go here:
Q. Who is MC Zill?
MC Zill is a phenomenal lyricist and mathematician. He's the smartest man I know and he's a very sexy MC. But, I'm biased because he is my fiancee! I'm one lucky lady to get the opportunity to go on tour with my best friend. Together we're going to conquer the world one show at a time.
www.mcofpositivity.com
Q. Will you tell us about the music video you're going to be making this Summer?
I don't want to give away the surprises. What I will spill is that I've picked up a new instrument that will make an appearance in the video. I'm a product of the 80's and a pianist. It only feels right to rock a keytar. The video will be released towards the end of Summer. We're shooting in upstate New York when I return from tour in a lusciously Earthy location.
Q. New Album!? You did announce that a new years resolution was to make another album and then you went quiet about it. This will be your Sophomore album, so soon after releasing The Ride.
When I'm quiet about something that means I'm up to something. I don't like to talk about it, I like to be about it. People won't believe it until they see it anyway. The Ride took me a long time to create. By the time it came out and started picking up a buzz those thoughts and ideas were from 2 years ago. I'm an engaged independent woman now and I have so much more to write about. I gained a lot of knowledge and experience from creating my first album. I want to challenge myself to create a new album in a much faster timeframe, like 6 months.
www.katieanntheride.com
Q. Spare any details about your new album?
What I will tell you is that I have already picked out a title that I will announce soon. It will be a full length album with at least 12 songs. I am executively producing the album and working with a team of producers. I have already written most of the songs for the album. After my tour I will begin pre-production. Let me just say this... I'm driven to make my next album. My life has changed so much. I have so many blessings and life experiences to write about. I can't wait to see the artist I am today.
Q. Which show is kicking off your summer?
I'm hosting a benefit event in Buffalo less than a week before I go on tour. If you're close to Buffalo, NY come check us out!
www.Musicisart.org
Q. What is your favorite thing about summer?
The beach!!! I could spend every day of the Summer there. I love everything about it. Sinking my feet into the sand, playing in the waves, cool drinks, hot sun! I love it all! I'm such a California girl at heart.
Like and share my facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/KatieAnnLKProductions
ITUNES PROFILE- https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/katie-ann/id523585318
twitter- https://twitter.com/LadykKatie
myspace- https://myspace.com/ladyk_rhymes
google + www.google.com/+KatieAnnTheRide
MUSIC PLAYLIST:
VIDEO SUBSCRIPTION:
https://vimeo.com/user18173636