Showing posts with label Xanax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Xanax. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Kingdom: The Mixtape

Gratuitous Skin Bought To You By...
David Hernandez

Prick up your eyes & ears, it's time for some David Hernandez!
American Idol’s David Hernandez has released his highly anticipated second studio album Kingdom: the Mixtape through his own label.  Self-produced and recorded in various home studios in Los Angeles, California — proving artists don’t need fancy studios to make a great record anymore — Kingdom: the Mixtape is David’s first full album release since 2011’s I Am Who I Am.  The record displays a fresh sound for Hernandez and includes collaborations with fellow American Idol Blake Lewis and the Grammy winning producer of Black Eyed Peas, Printz Board.  The music video for the album’s first single, Shield (Coat of Armor)” is available now on Youtube.  Kingdom: the Mixtape is available on all digital platforms including iTunes, Spotify, Pandora and Tidal.


“I’ve been sitting on most of this material for years, waiting for the right time to release it,” says David Hernandez of his new album, Kingdom: the Mixtape.   “I’ve listened to too many people’s opinions about when to release, how, what images and content are appropriate… I was just over listening to what other people think I should do.  One day I finally stepped back and realized I had a great body of work that deserves to be heard, now.”

In Kingdom: the Mixtape, David Hernandez delivers 20 original tracks plus a cappella versions of “Kingdom” and “Where Love Begins” as well as a bonus cover of Hailee Steinfeld’s “Starving,” featuring YouTube star Rajiv Dhall.    Many of the songs reflect on the heartbreaks and loss Hernandez has experienced over the last decade since rising to fame on American Idol. They explore his rebuilding trust and love, his refusal to give up, his persistence to change for the better and to grow as a human.  Other songs touch on forgiveness, joy and fun because as David explains, “Life isn’t always that serious and sometimes you just wanna let go and rage!”



From Pop to R&B, with influences of soul, no one song on Kingdom: the Mixtape is the same.  The title track, produced by Mikal Blue (Jason Mraz, Colbie Caliet, One Republic) is a mid-tempo power ballad that soars with electric guitars, triumphant drums and a grand piano.   “Beautiful” produced by Mark Grilliot, is a pop anthem while “Last Supper” and “Animal,” produced by Printz Board, are beat driven dance numbers. 

Then there’s “Break,” an introspective mid-tempo song, produced by Alex Teamer, where David Hernandez opens up about his struggles with addiction.  “I wrote the song at a time when I was drinking a lot and popping Xanax. It was an awful time. We were being evicted from our apartment and everything was going to shit. I ended up in rehab and eventually got clean of prescription drugs and life became much better.”

He admits it is a daily struggle that he prefers to battle privately but felt compelled to put the song on the mixtape because prescription drug addition has become an epidemic among youth. “Young people are dying and committing suicide.  They need to know there is help,” he says.
David Hernandez began singing at age six, starring in musicals and performing with various theatre companies. At fifteen, he started writing original music and recording his arrangements.  In addition to American Idol, he has showcased his talents on The Ellen ShowThe Today Show, MTV’s TRLEXTRAEntertainment Tonight, Access HollywoodTeen Choice Awards, Idol Tonight, FOX-TV’s Idol Gives Back.  He was also named among TV Guides’ Sexiest Stars.

At the start of his recording career, Hernandez was signed to a major music label but couldn’t meet the high expectations of its executives. “Labels were always telling me to be me but then expected me to fit their mold of what David Hernandez was supposed to be.  It was impossible.  I felt powerless and lived in constant fear that I would get dropped.”

His feelings about the music industry are reflected in the cover art for  Kingdom: the Mixtape.  It depicts a crown, symbolizing David and his music, being held by a robotic hand:  the music industry.  It is intended to illustrate an industry that is fake and how it holds and controls an artist’s work and career. 

“I hope listeners hear a piece of my soul in Kingdom: the Mixtape,” David Hernandez wraps up.  “I hope they get where I am coming from, really see me for who I am, and that they, too, can relate to the songs. I want the Mixtape to be healing, enlightening, and revelrous.”

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Zero F#@ks Given - Lisa Rinna

Not Giving A F#@k
Lisa Rinna
Whatever your take on Real Housewife of Beverly Hills Lisa Rinna is, I think we can all  agree on one thing, the woman has chutzpah! 

Recently during some down time in her hotel room Rinna decided to take a nude selfie and post it on Instagram. Then she had second thoughts and took it down, then she did what Lisa does, put it back up with the caption:

“It’s back, I got scared then I said I’m 53 — zero f--ks given! Cheers to @playboy for going back to nudes. The female body is so beautiful, every size and every age. Be proud! #thefemalebodyisbeautiful #allshapesandsizes #loveyourself #loveyourbody.”

Yes, Lisa is 53 and she looks amazing, quite inspiring I must say. If this is what putting Xanax in your smoothies does I'm going to start that regime pronto!

It's Tuesday, and aren't you happy?!

Lisa on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lisarinna/?hl=en  

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Michael's Musings

Who's Your Daddy?
Michael Shinafelt
The second or third sign of fall weather is happening right now in Los Angeles. The other times it happened the following week after it went back up to 90 degrees. We'll see if this time it will stick, in the meantime it's Thursday, time for me to do my usual sounding off!

Remember when just last year Helena Handbasket was the name of a Drag Queen and not the place the United States was headed?

Can anyone recommend a place that makes sturdy dog tags for people?

Kendall Jenner reveals why she deleted her Instagram account...and I now have one, and aren't you happy?!

Madonna is going to do Carpool Karaoke with James Corden... Tricks! Not! 

FYI - I'm not political, I'm anti-asshole 

“Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attractiveness of others" - Oscar Wilde

Walk away from the Xanax

Doing lunch today with lovely Pin-Up Girl Traci Lords

Name something that makes you say "yes"

I'm going to start yelling Oedipus instead of Motherfucker and see if anyone catches on

Today is Rhonda Bernstein's Birthday, wish her a happy one would ya?

My brain is starting to spin, time to sign off. Have a terrific day and check me out on Twitter & Instagram at:

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Where In The World Is Naama Kates?

Naama Kates: On The Move and Ready for Adventure!
Singer/Songwriter/Actress Naama Kates has been living out of a suitcase for the last six months. 

Globetrotting to places like Finland, Los Angeles, New York and coming soon Spain so I asked her what are her ten must haves when she travels.

So what's in your bag Naama?

1. My Xanax.  Because at some point during a 22 hour flight, you might start to go stir crazy and freak out and decide, during your 6-hour layover in Dublin, that you can't handle one more second in a plane and just run out into the street and then, after a couple of days frolicking and hanging out in pubs with Irish novelists, you realize you have to get to Madrid ASAP, and you've already spent all this money and, it's a good story but so's the one where you just get to Cadiz, and see flamenco music, and finish your movie and meet all these amazing people.... Yeah.  No panic attacks.  If it involves the TSA I'm taking my Xanax.


2. My laptop (and LaCie hard drives with my projects and iRig... I'll call this all work technogear.)


3. My iPhone, for internet (cuz there's free wifi everywhere in Europe) and music. Even though it
    won't work overseas and I'll have to buy a Slovenian burner phone. ;-)


4. My skin cream w/ SPF 50+!


5. My suede-bound notebook.  Right now I put everything in that.  Song chords and lyrics.  Shot
    lists.  To-do lists.  Phone numbers.  And I can always open it when meeting people to look
    more organized/professional.  Or just busy.  And I'd keep info in it like my flight confirmation 
    code and time and addresses I might need and even my passport and visa number in case I
    lose everything, and my electronic routing number, in case I lose EVERYTHING.  And
    because consequently, by losing this book, I am theoretically handing my identity to a thief  
    wrapped with ribbons and foil and a Christmas card-- I would NOT put my name anywhere in it! 

6. My make-up bag.  That's ONE item.  But if I were to lose it at the gas station in Hartola, I'd
    get mascara, lip gloss and BB cream first.

7.  A novel I know I can consume me, for the flight and more.

8.  Wallet. 
     
9.  Cigarettes and lighter.  Yeah yeah.

10.  Some jolly-ranchers..... wait... is this list about leaving home like before I travel or like to go to the gas station??? 

Keep tabs on Naama at: 
https://www.facebook.com/NaamaKates
https://twitter.com/naamakates
Listen to her at: 
https://www.reverbnation.com/naamakates
https://www.youtube.com/user/delilah11