"Time May Heal But Your Story Is Forever"

New Alert! New Alert!

Advice 

A key piece of advice that resonates with the owner is, "Success is not final, failure is not final, it’s the courage to continue that counts."

Audience & Mission: 

The brand targets individuals who appreciate luxury streetwear with meaningful messages. Its mission is to inspire and uplift youth, showing them that they can overcome trauma and succeed.

The interviewee is an emerging fashion designer, musician, and creative from Chicago, IL. They are the CEO of Time Heals Open Trauma, a luxury streetwear brand launched in 2021. The brand promotes resilience and overcoming obstacles through fashion. 

In middle school, the passion for fashion unraveled sparking a strong confidence that he would build his success with his own line. The brand has not participated in any fashion shows yet but is currently focused on pop-up shops and organic marketing.

The challenges are what make or break any brand, so naturally there will be a few such as: delayed packages and missed deadlines. But his determination, professionalism and persistence are what creates a safe, healthy, rapport with his client base enough for them to see that he is serious about his brand. The clients not only praise the brands' message and high-quality products but also the exceptional customer experience.

The vision to be a designer in a high esteemed show requires models that are professional and who are serious about honing their craft and skills. The owner dreams of hosting a show at NYC Fashion Week, combining fashion with live music, featuring a performer like Coi Leray as a showstopper.

 We all dream of collaborating with our favorite singers, models, and actors at some point in our life. So, it is no surprise that the owner would love to style Rihanna, Coi Leray, and Teshki, as they align with the brand's aesthetic of mixing sexy and classy looks.

 The beauty of travel is exploring creativity. You could start in a rural area but end up in the city. The location variety is endless! So, Japan or Paris, would be a good start with Instagram model @TheTayJean for excellent quality photoshoots for the streetwear brand. 

• Shoutouts: Thanks are given to the owner’s mom, early supporters, and those who resonate with the brand's message: "Time May Heal But Your Story Is Forever."

• Contact Info: People can reach the brand via email at timehealsopentrauma@gmail.com or through social media @TimeHealsOpenTrauma.

Creative Freedom: Illezo (MATURA)

 Quotes to Love

“I’m not talking about getting 360 deals when I say I hate labels. I think when we call ourselves something specific, we run the risk of boxing ourselves into a category and limit our creative freedom.” 

~On Titles in the Music Industry~

Can we turn it up for Royal Oak, Michigan?!!!!!!!

Yes, because with about 10 shows (or more) under his belt and a passion for versatility in styles and genres of Pop and Rap we see that he is running at full speed. Illezo stopped for a moment to share a little bit about his love for music and we are thankful! So, let’s check it out…

He comes from a creative and entrepreneurial family, but music was not something he was exposed to at a young age; neither of his parents played instruments or sang so music was a new route for both creative expression and business.

Many people listen to music to escape from their reality but then some listen so they can connect with other people. He has gotten more vulnerable in his music to really bring out his abilities. He really enjoys people and loves connecting through music and performance. He shares with full humility…”I want someone who has been looking at a puzzle piece of themselves for a long time to see that it’s a perfect fit in a more complete picture of who they are as a human and not a piece to hide or discard.”

He believes that his is strongest skill(s) definitely emerge in songwriting. He is intentional with his word choice and takes his time to make sure he’s saying things specifically in a way that conveys the message he intends for it to be heard in. He practices singing, but in his mind he will be there soon. He definitely considers himself an MC as well because his live shows are both his favorite and the most impactful parts of his career. In a moment of reflection with a smile he shares: “When you can connect with people in a room and create positive energy and experience, there isn’t a better feeling.”

 

His current project is called MATURA, and it’s really an exploration into more of the pop side of his music. He’s been working on singing and production more so it will show more of his versatility.

 

When it comes to writing music, that responsibility isn't just on Pat it’s also shared with his team. Since starting to compose more instrumentally, he’s worked with members of his team “much more talented than I am” says he.., to help him build out the best music he can. One day he will write all of the lyrics, then other days he makes the entire instrumental, but then again there are times when he writes the vocal melody, so there isn’t just one thing that he always does and the collaboration definitely makes for better Art.

When Pat was in high school, he had a very motivating English teacher by the name of Jason Jones who encouraged him to continue writing poetry. He enjoyed it as an outlet. He didn’t share much of his work, but he learned a lot about himself in the process. Which opened the door for him to become a band kid and his mom talked him into taking a course at the local community college at night where he learned more about video editing and some basic music production. 

After putting a few songs together and falling in love with the process, he bought some equipment and started writing and recording with a few friends. He continued to work on music and moved more into working on his own individual journey. He found his voice and began collaborating with other incredible artists and meeting different creative people to work with has been one of the best parts of being involved with music. He really loves the whole process because there are no rules and you get to paint any picture you want on a canvas of silence.

When Artists create they have at least one song that they really were feeling during the process. Of course for Pat this song changes day to day, but his favorite song right now is from his upcoming project called: Autumn and he worked with Billy Famous to create it. Billy is an incredible creative force and he handled most of the production on the song. We work very well together and can grab the baton when one of us is stuck on a portion. He’s another member of the AGiLE SOCiETY family, which is the collective of brilliant Artists that he works with.

 

 

When you finally have an opportunity to step out on a stage in front of people that love and support your music it’s tough to tell which performances you really loved but Pat has vivid memories of every show he’s done. He did a show at Bleu Detroit where he met JR and from there really started taking music seriously. The crowd was incredible that night. He also did a show at PJ’s Lager House most recently and, again, his crowd always shows off for him. At the PJ’s show, he also had a full camera crew making him feel like a Rockstar. He also performed a few songs with Kobierich which were unforgettable. The energy at each show is something he is forever grateful for and he appreciates everyone always coming out and having a great time with him.

When challenges arise, there are many different ways to approach them, but with Pat he feels like every day has a new lesson to impact his career. It’s been a long journey so far and he’s loved every minute of it. One experience in particular that impacted him greatly was when he started performing live. It changed everything, from his approach to songwriting to his production. He writes now to account for crowd interaction, connection and engagement. He includes more builds and breaks in his productions as that creates a special type of energy that fans can really feel.

 

Most Artist don’t just sing or rap they also have other ventures. As a creator and someone who has grown up in a business-focused family of entrepreneurs, he is always up to something. He has a side project for design, social media, branding, PR and video content called the Nebulae Agency. He is also working to build out a course with an incredible engineer Rudy Youmans through Studio 221B. He has a new idea every day so he tries his very best to stay focused on the things he’s doing. But, he’s really a utility player on every team he’s on so if they need something to be successful, he learns what he needs to or he finds someone who is a good fit to fill the role.

 

      

 

 

ILLEZO Advice

If you have any interest in any medium of self-expression, do it. There is a very high chance you’re going to be awful when you first start. I know I was. But keep trying if you enjoy it. You’ll find that you continue to improve with each project you work on, and you’ll continue to surprise yourself with what you can create. Go out and do it. Trust in yourself and understand that using your personal taste as a guide will be what makes you unique.

Don’t get into it for the money. It’s fine to work to build a career and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t intend to make this a full time job, but I don’t create to get rich. I make music because I love doing it and I’m thankful every time I’m able to get paid for doing something I truly love.
 

Catch more of him and his music here:

Instagram at @Illezo

You can also find him on Facebook YouTube SoundCloud TikTok and pretty much anywhere else by searching: 

Pat Polzin (Illezo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She is the 1 and Only: NunAfterHours!

 

She is the 1 and only NunAfterHours

Born and raised in Henderson, NC.

She had a religious upbringing. Her father was a pastor for most of her life.

She is the middle child and has 2 sisters whom she loves very much!

She considers herself to be an entertainer. She’s a multifaceted and versatile Artist. She raps, along with writing her own music and she also loves to dance. She hasn’t had any collaborations with any artists on her most recent projects yet, but she’s looking to do a few very soon! 

The best Advice Received

You only have 1 life

 Live for you and no one else

Her latest project is her EP, entitled “Fallen Angel”. In creating this EP, she wanted to show versatility and to show people that they can’t really put her in a box. There is a compilation of genres on that project, including hip-hop, pop, and rock. 

She came up with the title for the project “Fallen Angel”, because it relates to her spreading her wings to follow her passion of music, rather than succumbing to what other people believe she should do or be. 

In High School and College she wrote poetry. She didn’t start writing music until maybe about 3 years ago. There wasn’t anyone in particular that inspired her to start making music. It was just an idea and passion that she decided take a leap of faith with! 

One of her favorite songs that she has written is called: “Fallen Angel/ Abyss.” It’s one of the few songs where she gets a little personal. On top of that she loves the switch-up in that song. 

She’s had many performances but the one that she remembers the most is the Gemynii’s “HERstory” event (11/27/2019) at Pinhook in Durham. The energy and love from the audience was amazing! She didn’t know that so many people knew the words to her songs, so she was like wow! She also met a lot of cool people that night, and of course she had a great time!

When asked what makes her stand out from other Artists she responds with grace: "I’m humble and true to myself. I don’t try to follow trends or do shit for “clout”. I don’t care about fame. What I care about is building a brand by unapologetically being myself." 

She continues to explain, "It’s easy for people to stray away from their authentic selves. Some people die without ever really living, as paradoxical as that sounds. I admit that I was on that path, until I did some soul-searching. Since I grew up sheltered in a religious household it caused me to lose my identity, and I spent many years being and feeling trapped. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted." 

She dropped out of grad school to pursue music (What a bold leap of faith; inspiring!) She wanted to step out of the shadows and do something for herself, for a change. She was fed up with trying to live up to a standard of what other people wanted her to be. She just wanted to be her! 

She continues to share with, "There is only one me. There’s no one else like me. Hate me or love me. You choose. I don’t want my fans to love me just because they think my music is dope. I want my fans to love me for who I am, because I’M dope. I’m bold, unfiltered, and strong. I’m taking my power back through music. I’m ready to share more of myself with the world!" 

There are multiple opportunities around the corner even with the the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the music endeavors have been put on hold until further notice. Though she had a few shows cancelled/ postponed, she had a virtual live show streamed via Facebook and Instagram back in March. I plan on having another virtual show, hopefully by August. I’m also going to stream the video release for my song “Abyss”, sometime in July. So, y’all be on the lookout for that! 

She is currently working on her next EP. She haven’t decided on a name for it just yet. Her music video for “Abyss” is coming to you guys really soon! She's super excited to drop this one!

Contact Her @The Following Links

Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat: @nunafterhours 

Artist page on Facebook: NunAfterHours 

YouTube: NunAfterHours 

 Stream NunAfterHours’ music on 

Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, and Tidal. 

 

Charles aka CP Alx.Zndr: "Everything I Write Has a Different Vibe & Energy

 “Everything I Write Has a Different Vibe & Energy”

The Best Advice Given

TG of Upstaged Music Group 

His close friend & brother

“How can you be heard of you don’t release anything? You have to share material in order for your name to get out there."  

Multi-platinum Producer 

Amadeus of Platinum Boy Music & close friend  

“Don’t give up because tomorrow can be your time to be blessed."

Award winning Singer & Songwriter Deacon 

His brother

“You can’t get ready, you gotta be ready.”

Charles aka CP Alx.Zndr is an award winning singer and songwriter from the Bronx, NY! But Brooklyn definitely has his heart too!An Artists passion is key so he shares that he considers himself a songwriter, singer and lastly a lyricist. He loves writing songs more than anything and it brings him joy to write for others and himself! He got into music from his performing arts junior school, the Harbor School of Performing Arts but his choir director: Diane Wilson, is the one who taught him how to write songs. 

He writes all his own music and he has collobrated with many Creatives such as his: Engineer Rezon of Dahitroom in Ridgewood, made the connection with Brooklyn Drill pioneer: Jezz Gasoline that has credits with other artists such as Bobby Shmurda and China Mac. His melodic flow and his aggressive cadence made for the perfect fusion of smooth but raw; the rest is history.

The name of his current single is “Friend Or Foe” featuring his homie; Brooklyn drill rapper: Jezz Gasoline. The inspiration for the album he shares honestly came from the producer: Anywaywell beats and Mario Winans. As soon as he heard the production he wrote the hook with the rhythm from Mario Winans’ “I don’t wanna know”. If you listen closely, you can hear the similarities 

Of course with his increasing popularity he has lost count of how many performances he’s had, BUT his most memorable performance was at the Barclay center for the post game show after the Nets vs the Oklahoma City Thunder played.  

Every Artist should have at least one well known Current Viral Artist, and that spot for him belongs to Mz.: Cardi B! He shares that they both are from the Bronx. Also, the songs she collabs with male singers on usually have a great vibe and he thinks their energy would be through the roof!

He’s certainly different from most Artists because others chase fame and money, but he’s one of those Artists that truly does it for the love of the ART. He would rather be behind the scenes creating the words for the song compared to performing it, even though he does enjoy being on the stage.


The Song Celebration Continues with him writing hooks and songs for other Artists, going on tour, creating more visuals, rebranding, getting more streams for his current and upcoming songs and working with Touch Music Group in his deal with them. So he will stay really busy!

Check him out at solo.to/cpalxzndr for all new things!

Email him at Alx.zndrmusic@gmail.com

KaDora Simmons: Beauty from Construction Paper

Find More of her Artwork on 

Instagram & Facebook 

@KreativeKayys 

Her advice to anyone who is pursuing a modeling or drawing career

Go for it!

Don’t allow anyone to stop you from becoming something you want to be!

Don’t be afraid to try new things even if you think you can’t do it; you can!

KaDora Simmons aka KayyNicole is a talented joyful spirited young woman who got started in art as early as 5 or 6 years old. She is use to creating any and everything from: arm casts — using construction paper and tape; wallets— using empty caprisun pouches; purses— using old skirts. But, her first artwork piece was a charcoal drawing she did in high school and she showed it to my mom.

When she started modeling it was in April 2016. Her inspiration to start was honestly her curiosity for the Art of Fashion and Modeling. She was always drawing on paper & creating things, she thought maybe she could be a Designer too or a Model. So, she started in modeling by being a makeup artist for a friend. Her family has always been supportive of her Creative talents and gifts but, when she first started modeling, they weren’t so sure about it and wanted her to be safe in picking events and agencies.

But, a designer by the name of Ashley Renee asked her to fill in for a model that did not show up and then Perry Norman saw her walk and asked her to be apart of Sheena Johnson’s Annual Mental Health Fashion Show, and her family felt better and now, they are more supportive than ever.

 

 She does all types of drawings and creates logos yet she paints most of the time. She says with confidence that she WILL BE a famous Artist in painting, drawing and modeling! She has lost count on how many people have asked and used her services. She’s sold all types of artwork from sunsets to custom pieces to black artwork and more. 

She even created a piece for the Black Lives Matter Movement. If you go to downtown Greensboro you will see two of her murals—one on the wall of Artistika Nightclub and the other across the street from Crafted Tacos! She continues to inspire many others who may be too shy to speak up for themselves, she has a giving heart and a gentle loving spirit. She shares that the best advice that she has received is: "Never let a “debbie downer” distract you from what God called you to do. You have a great talent that was specially made for you. Keep going! -Everyone." Her journey in this art world is just beginning and we are certainly excited to see her blossom and shine in the future weeks and months ahead of us! 

Find More of her Artwork on 

Instagram & Facebook 

@KreativeKayys 

NC's #1 Bar & Lounge Presents: Wild N' Out NC

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: ParisLoungeNC & WildNOutNC

Is NC's #1 Upscale Bar and Lounge with the best entertainment and music. It's nestled in a quiet location yet with great drinks, friendly service and the Magnetic Vibe of Confidence you get when you walk into building will leave you with a feeling worth remembering! They have several events each week check out the website to find more!

https://www.parisloungenc.com/

But, if that's not enough! You know the international comedy show AKA: 

Paris Lounge is now home to the dopest, sickest chapter of Wildn'Out! hosted by Miss Bull City & Coco Filipina (Hot 97.9

You haven't seen funny until you have watched these guys. I know people who can barely crack a smile ball out laughing whenever they see this crew perform! And let's not forget the models. They bring an extra zing to an already tasty milkshake! Tickets are selling fast so click the link below to reserve your spot now!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wild-n-out-nc-tickets-67033142935?fbclid=IwAR1FjT5oWR7Sa6go-t4uI9Ac1tWlIQIhzvvxinuFfC8qLzgkrCxcgP5MwBU

My Friends have their tickets! 

Better get yours! See you there!

Chris Helton: God Given Talent for Art

Chris Helton was born and raised in Wendell North Carolina. When he was about five years old his mother told him that he had a “God given talent” for drawing and ever since then it has become one of his biggest passions!  

Introducing MHolloway Photography

Marshall Holloway Jr. is from Dudley, NC but has resided in Durham, NC for the last 20 years.

• If he could do a shoot for a celebrity it would be Rihanna!
• If he could shoot anywhere in the world it would be Africa because of the scenery and the culture!!

Advice 

To any up and coming Photographers, he offers: "study your craft every day and invest all that you can in order to get it to prosper and of course love what you do."

He started his company after receiving his first DSLR (a nice camera) as a gift, and from there he knew that photography was his passion! The name of his company is MHolloway Photography. This name emerged in 2012 but he had little success at first, so he let it go. Yet, the fire still burned inside of him to capture images. So, from there he created a plan involving investments, skilled developments, reinvented himself, and gave it another shot.

He’s been sharing his creative eye for photography for approximately 8 years. His first photo-shoot experience was a family session at Duke Gardens. What he remembers most is how much he didn't know about how to operate his camera effectively (-he laughs at the memory-).

The style of photography that most interests him are dramatic, dramatic, and more dramatic images! He loves shooting late evening/night and in low light. The combination of both brings so much life to his photos!

The Photo Life

The most beneficial class that he has taken is with the highly skilled and talented Photographer and Videographer by the name of Chris Cheek. But, he also spent hours upon hours of watching tutorials and reading books at the library about photography.

Of course, with any passion, there can be challenges and he finds that he mostly has trouble getting models to manifest the most flattering facial expressions. Sometimes the weather, distractions and sometimes the frames. But overall he find a way to overcome any obstacles. 

Check out more of his work below:

mhollowayphotos.com

Instagram: mhollowayphotography

Maria Brenda: From Modeling toTV.

Maria Brenda from Chicago... 

Modeled in her early 20’s. At 5’4” she discovered that she is actually really good at modeling. she just wished that she was a little taller to be considered in the runway division.

Her most memorable fashion show was the Paul Mitchell Hair Show. During that time because of her look she was selected to do the runway show even though she wasn’t tall enough for it. That was the first time they had a shorter model doing the runway. They had to hem the outfit. But, the best part was the man himself did her hairstyle. It was an honor to her. 

She started acting when she was a little girl. She was in theater and drama in high school. She did her modeling and acting in her early 20’s but mostly modeling then she decided to have a family and from there she focused on her family and stopped acting for a while.

About 5 years ago, she started pursuing her acting again. She took some acting classes to refresh her skills. She was lucky enough to get some acting gigs to build her resume. The major role she played was as the Asian boss (Shanghi) for the series, “NO Chiraq”  on INTV. She is also the voice of the network.

In playing that part she became inspired and she started Zatori Productions and team up with some talented and creative partners. This is a new venture for her and she is ready for the challenges that come with it. So, what motivated her to start the company was for the love of the industry.  They are a media production company specializing in Film, TV, Web, Commercial, Industrial, Sports, and Special Events. She feels lucky to have such talented and creative partners.

The biggest challenge for her in the industry is that, “people judge you for your look  and what you put on social media and think that’s who you are as a person. They don’t know who you are in real life.” She has learned overtime to ignore it. It doesn’t do her any good.

Advice She Would GIVE 

to those individuals starting their own company is “to do your research first.” Ask yourself “What’s your goal in opening this business? Is  this something that you wanted to do? Is this a long term business? Is this profitable? She believes that if someone wants to open a business, that they should make sure that they will see themself being there for the longest haul. There is a lot of things to do in opening your own company. Research, research, research is the key.

I have a very supportive family. They think it’s cool that I’m following my passion and my dreams. They are my biggest fan.

Her biggest venture is the TV series is she working on is called “The Unlimited Lives of Gwen Salden” it is a story of a woman that suddenly finds herself time traveling in her sleep and living different lives in different realities. She has to figure out who she is and why certain things are happening to her.  The character has to figure out if everything she is going through: Is real or if she is just insane? Ms. Brenda loves sci-fi so she asked her talented write and good friend which is now one of the business partners’, to write her a sci-fi series.  They just got done filming the trailer for the investors. Her plan for the series is to get some funding for the pilot and build name recognition, then she will present it to reputable TV networks, nationally and or internationally.  “The Unlimited Lives of Gwen Salden” will appeal to both young and adult audiences. Fans of sci-fi, horror, suspense, comedy, drama, action will enjoy the series.

Her fans and audience can follow her through her social media:

IG, FB, Linkedin, Twitter, IMDB: Maria Brenda