Groove Cruise – 2019 Lineup

GROOVE CRUISE MIAMI 2019 CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY & ANNOUNCES PHASE I LINEUP FEAT. KASKADE, ALY & FILA, HOT SINCE 82, MK, MARKUS SCHULZ, SIMON PATTERSON + MORE!
August 8, 2018 — Dance your way across the turquoise waters of the Caribbean with Groove Cruise Miamiwhich announces Phase I of their highly-anticipated 2019 lineup today. Setting sail on the deluxe Celebrity Infinity next January 10th - 14th, 2019, Groove Cruise Miami will offer up an array of electronic music legends and up-and-coming acts, primed to deliver the best in house, trance and techno. Don’t miss this opportunity to dance, discover, and follow your inner compass to an experience of a lifetime.
As Groove Cruise celebrates its monumental 15th anniversary, the soundtrack for this year’s cruise will be provided by an amazing roster of 2019 headliners that include critically-acclaimed Chicago-bred EDM superstar Kaskade, Egyptian trance duo Aly & Fila, Yorkshire-based house/techno phenom Hot Since 82, Detroit house legend MK (Marc Kinchen), German-born, Miami-based trance icon Markus Schulz, and Irish house music extraordinaire Simon Patterson.
Supporting artists on the Phase I lineup include Anthony Attalla, Blackgummy, Chus & Ceballos, Cocodrills, Eli & Fur, Leftwing & Kody, Liquid Todd, Prok & Fitch, Roger Sanchez, Technasia, Adam Scott, Chris Garcia, Dancetronauts, Dean Mason, Drums of the Sun, DSK CHK, Eva Kane, Geronimo, Grube & Hovesepian, Kristen Knight, Kristina Sky, Laser Assassins, Luccio, Scotty Boy Scooter & Lavelle, and Stellar — more TBA in the coming months.
As part of his headlining act, MK will bring his globally - renowned AREA10 party straight to the decks of Groove Cruise, consistently known for featuring some of the hottest names in electronic music as special guests. Groove Cruise Miami will also feature a stellar series of hosted stages, ensuring that there is more than enough music to keep cruisers dancing ‘til sunrise. Look forward to stage takeovers by Coldharbour, Eve, Future Sound of Egypt, Incorrect, Never Going Home, Rubber Ducky, Stereo Productions and Under the Radr.
Surrounded by bumping beats and the beloved GC Fam, captains aboard Groove Cruise Miami will voyage to two new destinations in 2019—the stunning, tropical island of Cozumel, Mexico and Key West, Florida. Known for its clear, aquamarine waters, vibrant snorkeling, and culinary delights, Cozumel will add an extra layer of travel and culture to Groove Cruise’s already impressive itinerary. The Groove Cruise family will also be making a stop in Key West, an intimate island hub and favorite Floridian destination. Rolling out further initiatives to heighten the peak experience Groove Cruise Miami delivers, the ship will now depart from the port of Ft. Lauderdale. What was once an arduous cab ride from airport to port is now direct; GC Fam will be able to travel from plane to boat in a matter of minutes.
Among the first passenger cruise vessels to be powered by smokeless turbine engines, the premium 2,170-passenger Celebrity Infinity is elegantly themed with its iconic three-level foyer grand staircase and sophisticated decor. Captains will discover a bevy of novelty features including a retro restaurant, Egyptian-themed casino, basketball court, jogging track, shuffleboard, indoor solarium and pool, fine dining, and more than 100 spa cabins. From sprawling penthouses (complete with butler and baby grand piano) to the petite and elegant Sky Suites, Groove Cruise on the Celebrity Infinity will undoubtedly be the most luxurious festival experience yet—welcome to the suite life! Click here to snag one of these epic suites before they’re booked. More info surrounding on-board activities and artists activations coming soon!
For those who reside on the West Coast, Groove Cruise Cabo is extending the party to land, air and space with their San Diego pre-party taking place from 8pm - 12am on October 9, 2018, the Tuesday before the festival sets sail. Blasting into San Diego’s iconic Air and Space Museum in Historical Balboa Park, the GC Fam will imbue the museum with outrageous fashion, good vibes, and thumping dance music, giving attendees a flavorful taste of the Groove Cruise experience. A surprise lineup of soon-to-be-announced DJs will transform this sanctuary of science into an intergalactic dance party unlike any other.
For tickets & more info: Groove Cruise Miami 2019
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About Groove Cruise
What started in 2004 as a group of 125 thrill-seeking house-heads (led by founder Jason Beukema) sailing on a cruise together has erupted into the world’s first and largest floating dance music festival. Groove Cruise is the only music cruise to sail from both East and West coasts, and is a non-stop experience comprised of four straight days of beach, pool and theme parties, great food, EDM and luxurious destination parties. In addition to the standard cruise amenities, there are also artist activities, yoga classes (often paired with deep house), costume parties, and various onboard events that rival the best dance music festivals in the world. Groove Cruise is produced by Whet Travel.
About Whet Travel
Over 12,000 people each year choose Whet Travel for their music cruise adventure. Whet Travel has executed 24 full ship charters including Groove Cruise Miami January 10-14, 2019 (15 year anniversary), Cabo and LA as well as Salsa Cruise (20 year anniversary Oct 29-Nov 2 overnight in Havana Cuba). Whet Travel received the prestigious Charter Partner of the year award from Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Lines and Inc Magazine ranked Whet Travel as the #4 fastest growing travel company in the USA.
Press
“Combining the luxury and travel of a cruise ship with the pulsating, all-night party of an electronic music festival, it is no wonder that this event sold out so quickly.” — Huffington Post
“The Groove Cruise is The #1 Place in The World to Get Your Groove.” — Travel Channel
”Only after attending can one understand the logistical marvel that is Groove Cruise.” — LA Weekly
“No VIP area or backstage or green room, and it was obvious how it made people feel: free.” — YourEDM
“Just like most movie sequels and TV reboots, Groove Cruise Miami is floating proof in a monsoon market of spinoff rave boats that nothing ever quite lives up to the original.” — Billboard
How Creative Hobbies Can Better Your Mental Health Regardless of Your Age

Written by: Julie Morris
Life comes at us fast. Between work, family
Invest in Yourself
Sometimes you need to take a step back from life and do something that you enjoy. A good hobby can become a powerful tool in helping you cope with stress and unwind. As you continue your pursuit, it can lead to learning a unique skill. It can also be a gateway into opening new social connections and increase your confidence.
This is why it is common for those suffering from depression or recovering from addiction to be recommended they take up a hobby. Often hobbies provide a sense of structure in their lives and give a sense of purpose. It is a great way for them to feel like they have control over their lives.
Sketch it Out
Drawing can be an incredibly soothing outlet. For many, it becomes a form of self-expression and a way to unload thoughts that might otherwise be too difficult to form into words. Not to mention, drawing is known to improve motor skills and creative problem solving.
If you are new to drawing, be patient, especially if what is in your head is not translating to the page. Art takes time to master properly. Try taking a class to boost your skills or turn online. There are numerous resources from step by step tutorials to videos that teach you the basic techniques. However, one of the best things about art is that there is no wrong way to do it.
Feel the Beat
Contrary to popular belief, it is never too late to pick up an instrument. In fact, adults may have the advantage over children. They are able to quickly grasp more abstract concepts and are self-motivated to learn.
Setting time aside each day to practice can feel like a large commitment, but it is one that is well worth it. The sense of accomplishment you will feel from finally mastering a song is unrivaled. Not to mention, playing music is great way to sharpen your memory and enhance cognitive thinking. Whether you are picking up an instrument for the first time or renewing a childhood hobby, you can still reap the same benefits music provides to the brain from just a few months of practice according to National Geographic.
Turn Inward
Poetry is a great way to loosen and unload your thoughts. It is an amazing form of expression that forces you to become more introspective, which can help heal emotional pain through reflection.
Do not be intimidated by poetry. There is no wrong way to write it. If you want to stick to highly structured poems, you can. If you prefer more freeform and less rules, you can do that too. Creative Writing Now is great resource to help you get started.
Turn Up the Heat
Some of the best hobbies are the ones we share with others. Cooking is a great way to incorporate your friends. You can cook up a delicious meal for them or invite them into the kitchen with you to cook together. This is an excellent opportunity for you to bond and grow closer.
Sharing a meal you’ve made can be immensely satisfying. Cooking your own meals is also a great way for you to eat healthier and save some money, according to the Chicago Tribune. Teaching yourself to shop and prepare your own food will reduce the amount of processed and unhealthy foods you eat.
Protect Your Time
While hobbies are amazing to share with your friends and family, keep in mind that a great hobby is one that you do solely for yourself. You do not want to feel any pressure to satisfy someone else when you sit down to do your hobby. This is why it is so important that you pick something that you’ll love.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash.
HÄANA – FMP 001
The Freio Music Podcast
Episode 01 - HÄANA
HÄANA Podcast Transcription
Start out by introducing yourself
My name is Haana Thiem, I go by HÄANA on stage. I am very particular about my brand because it is recognizable, and what people read, see and hear. I live in L.A. now. I used to live in New York and the east coast for about 10 years, before New York was Boston. I am kind of a nomadic individual. I love the question “where have you been?” rather than “where do you live?” or “where were you born?” because that doesn’t say a lot about a person, I think.
In that light then, where are some of the highlights of where you have been?
(HÄANA Laughter)
Well some of the most special places, I lived in Germany for a year. I lived in Spain for almost a year. I lived in Granada . I lived on an island in the Mediterranean called Formentera, which is just south of Ibiza. Then I traveled through Greece. I was studying Greek and I was going to move to Crete, but instead I moved to Boston somehow. They are kinda parallel, kinda not. I studied German, studied Spanish. I have had opportunities to play in a whole bunch of different places but, for a moment I realized that, all the traveling was kind of confusing me. But what I wanted to do instead, was hone my art, and my craft, and my offering and then travel. Which is how it has turned out.
Great, so where were you honing your craft? Was it in the Mediterranean?
It kinda started there. The really interesting turn of events. Should we get into it?
Sure. Ya, lets get into it. That’s why we are here.
Well, lately i have been posting old photos of me from when I was 21 living in Formentera and living in Spain. It is a really Inspiring story. I think it is important to share the back story. I feel like people want to know about that. I tend to shroud myself in a bit of mystery. I want to let more people in, so thank you for the opportunity. I was living in Granada, Spain and at that point I wasn’t performing on violin that much. I started playing Violin when I was three but I was studying languages in college. So, I bought a violin while in Spain and started playing casually on the street. It wasn’t until, this was the turning point of my whole career, somebody stole my wallet. I had no money. So, I decided that I would go put on a costume with a beautiful shirt and shall or something. I don’t know, It wasn’t really a costume, but something to make me feel different and embolden me. Then I went to this restaurant, near where I lived in the old Arab district, and performed outside for all the people dining. Then I went around and asked for a tip. People gave me, at that point it was the one and two Euro coins, so you could make a decent amount. It wasn’t really the money but the validation that people really enjoyed it. So was making up beautiful songs and performing very firey, and they loved it. So I was like wow, I can do this. So I would start to make my rounds in the evenings and would make about 80 Euros in about 15 minutes. Then my new debit card finally came so I could have access to my money but I had started a whole new career path.
Wow that is amazing. A lot of people would be very upset and let the it ruin their day or week for vacation or moment but you were able to seize opportunity in the difficulty. Now tell me about that costume, I am just interested. You said “embolden you”, was it like armor against negative thoughts, or a hater out there would ‘boo’ at the first show?
Kinda of. Hahah. Well, just to give you a little more backstory, I started classically. Sometimes it is really hard to get out of that classical mode and to make up your own music. To improvise. To be free. To not read music off of a sheet. At that point, I was really feeling not very inspired by playing dead people’s music. You know? And how to put the emotion into it? When i started to improvise, I was sort of tapping into this feeling. I am naturally an introvert. A lot of people don’t know that about me either because I am up on these big stages all the time. I have diagnosed myself recently as being an extroverted-introvert.
Ok? If you don’t mind, go on about that (being an extroverted-introvert) how does that happen?
Ok, but I would like to explain one more piece to the Spain story. The costume itself helped pull me out of my shell. Helped me feel like a different person. Like oh, if this fails or doesn’t work out, than nobody knew it was me. So, I was a different person.
Did it help break you free of the classical mindset, being dressed up in a costume?
Ya, I ended up meeting a dancer from Barcelona, her name was Sophia. She would do this flamingo-mime ballet movements. My music would inspire her movements and the reverse. We ended up traveling to Barcelona. She lived on an organic compound just outside of Barcelona. So we ended up traveling to Formentera and living on an island in the mediterranean and performing every day. It was amazing. To this day, I still perform with dancers, especially with ballerinas. You never know where life will take you.
Thats awesome. If you could go back to the ‘Extroverted Introvert’. What does that mean to you?
So I used to be extremely shy. To the point of not really even knowing how to talk to people. Not that extreme but as a kid I was a thinker. I loved to read and hang out by myself. I was always an artist drawing and photographing. My dad gave me a camera when I was four or five, which its also my parallel career as a photographer. My older sister was always very extroverted. I feel that in birth order the kids want to be different than their siblings. I was more the quiet thinker. The pensive one. Then what actually happened is that I started working in a restaurant. When you have a role, there are things you need to say to have people order food. I would just make jokes. I started my standup comedian career at that moment. To get people to laugh to interact to get to meet them. You don’t have to go very deep. You just have conversations. Through that i learned how to be a bit more extroverted. To this day when I meet people, I really try to get to the root of who they are. Rather than “how are you?” “where are you from?” “what do you do?”. Those questions are so boring. Ask interesting questions. Sometimes making a silly joke or asking something interesting, where it feels natural but getting to the heart of the person. That’s how i like to interact with people. I still remain a very one-on-one person. I don’t really like big groups. But there is something about being on a stage where I just embody this energy. Where I am pulling everyone into my world. Kind of captivating. I am definitely an extrovert but in an introverted role. But I don’t know, I’m sure there are other people like me out there. [laughter / chuckles]
I’m sure there are. When you are on stage does it feel like the crowd is giving you energy?
Yes
It does. So you kinda take in that group collective energy. That is great. Well now that you have made it difficult for me to ask good questions because you have ruled out all the shitty questions.
Haha. No you can ask me those boring questions. I don’t care.
I have one that is super general and kind of a curveball but I am curious where everyone takes it. What is music to you?
Music is a universal language. You can talk to everyone about it. Even people who are deaf. They can still feel vibrations.
I have seen at some shows there is a deaf area where there are balloons for people to hold and feel the vibrations.
Or I think the sub-pack as well. My friend David Starfire and Zach are working with Sub-Pack and I am pretty sure they do these workshops with Deaf children and everyone wears this sub-pack that you can feel the vibrations, especially the bass frequencies.
I couldn’t agree more that it [Music] is a universal language. Being yourself, well traveled, how do you associate the different cultures that you have been with and how do they meld or culminate in your sound.
I have spent a good amount of time in Iceland. That was such a beautiful and inspiring time there. My solo-project started just after my first time in Iceland. I didn’t realize…. now reflecting upon it I see the inspiration that that gave me and where I started to take the music. Before that, I had a band called ‘Copal’ and I also had an electronic project called ‘Nixis’. Then I studied at ‘Dub Spot’ and got into my own music production. As in producing all of the music. Not just writing the melodies & harmonies and having other people to the other content, the rhythms and bass lines. The very first song that I produced for my solo project, HÄANA, was called “Brym Al Mar” . I have a music video for that out. It was the biggest project manifestation of my artistic vision to that point. So that in itself was incredible. Brym, the word, means the salt spray hitting the rocks or surf. But surf sounds funny. Salt spray sounds more romantic. Al Mar, is in Spanish, of the sea. The melody itself was inspired by a Norwegian folk song. The video goes into life and death and multiple iterations. Also this folktale about the ‘Norns’. In Nordic mythology these three sisters who weave the threads of past, present, and future. So you will see this in the video. It is kind of abstract but I love things to be mysterious. You will see the Norns weaving the threads of life and you will see me going through this iteration. Being in a white dress on top of a cliff and then fall into the water and emerge as this badass with a mohawk wearing all black with a black hardanger fiddle by the fire. So it is incorporating a lot of the elements.
There are a lot of people out there who don’t have a music video and who do have music. In that light, did you dream up this vision of yourself in the music video? How did it come to be? Were you working with a producer?
Well, I met this dear friend, a very creative individual, “Armin Matine” (sp?) in New York. I knew that this song really needed a music video. I knew that that’s what I wanted before I released it. So I told him about my idea. I am a photographer, I don’t think in moving pictures. I think in fames, snapshots and composition. I told him what my idea was. Then he really dove deep into it. He is this incredible creative individual. He works on big commercial projects in New York but this he took on as a personal project. So he did a lot of research. He discovered the Norns. I didn’t even know they existed. He wove all these different story threads. I was like wow, how are we ever going to be able to do this? I don’t have that much money to pull this off.
Ya, and the song is only so long.
Ya. He does CGI [computer generated images] and After-Affects.
So you didn’t actually take a cliff dive?
Well I will get into that, if we want to. Depends on how long you want to make this interview. So then he presented it to Alice. Alice Miller, who is an incredible cinematographer in New York. She apparently has been obsessed with the Norns since she was a little girl. so she was like “yes! I want to do this”. So she took it on as a personal project as well. The three of us were very interested in creating a piece of art. Sometimes when people really take on an idea and take ownership of it, a lot more beauty can come out of it. Because it is not just the dollar sign. It’s not the commercial product. Its the art mission. The passion. So then everyone that we hired for the team…. You know, we had a budget. Everyone wasn’t getting their commercial rate but everyone was pulling 200% of their energy. We had this incredible assistant photographer and an incredible lighting designer. Part of the shoot was done underwater. We used the black-light cannons. They basically spent the whole day setting up this part of the shoot, that you can see in the video, that is under water. It was incredible. The piece that they didn’t do. They didn’t heat the pool, and it was May. I was supposed to fall into the pool backwards from a diving board into the water. I was like “ok, calm face. Calm face. It’s going to be great. It is going to be wonderful”. But, you know there is fear involved. Wearing this long dress. We added more fabric to the dress because we went shopping for fabrics that would glow with the blacklight cannon. I was envisioning how it would be in the water. I bought a cheap throwaway violin on Ebay for like $30. So the violin was going to go into the water. I was envisioning me twirling in the water look in the water, playing violin in this whole romantic beautiful scene. The reality is…. I fall into the water backwards. I’m sure my face had some sort of grimace on it. I fall in and then I am trying to swim up but my dress wrapped around my legs. I could not swim. I couldn’t move. So we have slow motion footage of the lighting designer diving in to rescue me and pull me to the surface. All this water came out of my nose and ears. It was like I was waterboarded. Oh, also I had this makeup artist Jess Toth (sp?), who did this waterproof makeup look on me. My makeup did not budge one bit, thanks to her. So she was like “you can’t do that again”. She was like “if you don’t feel good we can stop this right now”. I was like “no, no we can do it”. So we did that sequence a couple more times. One of the best shots we did was, I holding on to the edge of the pool because I didn’t want to fall in again. With my dress and with the violin in the water, waving it back and forth, creating this abstract texture, which you can see in the physical CD. I did a beautiful print of that particular shot, inside [the CD]. That was a pretty incredible experience. It was a three day shoot and the end result was something that looked like we spent twenty grand on it. We just pulled our resources. It was just something that I was feeling so passionate about it and I just knew I needed to invest what ever I could in it. I really truly believe that if you think big, and if you act big, than even if you are not quite there yet, you will get there. Also thinking of it like a legacy. This is a forever project. So I didn’t want to put anything out there that wasn’t top top top quality. Top caliber. I also didn’t want to do a Kickstarter campaign for it because I would prefer that it was something that I am funding, I am not asking people for money. I think that sometimes those things [Kickstarter Campaign] can be successful, but sometimes it is sort of a more begging thing.
It is kind of like losing control because you don’t have control over the budget and can’t plan accordingly.
I think it is important to put out the best quality work you can, because it will be for forever. Well, we don’t know really what the future holds but I’m thinking it will live for forever.
Forever, as long as foreseeable. Working with that production team but also musically… building your albums and recording it… Collaborating with other musicians and sound engineers… How do you build and cultivate a team that helps you succeed? Can you speak to the building of teams?
Sure. Well, “Brym Al Mar” was the first song I did for my solo project, I actually went through a few iterations with a few different producers. My friend Benny Cante (sp?) did some of the dubstep growls and textures. Empsh Subatomic worked with me. [He said] “before we actually mix this, I think we need to go into the sounds, themselves. Let's get the best kick drum sound we can. Let's get the best textures. Because if you have the best quality audio, than everything else will follow”. He also had there idea to merge, you know when you are doing electronic music with violin and vocals. Kinda merging those elements so that it is not this cold, stark electronic content. When I went into the studio I recorded peppercorns rice shakers, these organic shaker textures and then also this Icelandic jaw harp I had. Just in the act of having a few organic percussive elements helped fuze those two worlds together. The digital and analogue. From there I had it mixed by Ming, who is another producer in New York, who Empsh introduced me to. It is kind of like you connect with one person and another person and another person. But really I wanted to find the person who really fit, and really understood what I was doing and really got me. Working with Ming, super fast and efficient. There are some moments in the song where there are transitions, I didn’t really know how that would work. But it [the song] still wasn’t there. Even after all those people. Then I finally brought it to Dave Sharma. He mixed that whole EP that I released. I basically sat with him for a bunch of the sessions. The processes with that is finding where the song wants to live, which is interesting. Each song actually has a place where it wants to live. I have approached a lot of my music as an artistic expression, that's really important. I am not producing something that anyone else has any quality control over. It's not a commercial label that has this specific thing that they want me to fit into. Its my expression. I am ultimately giving the “yes” or “no” to the final product. I really felt that Dave got my vision. [He] was pulling out elements of each song. When we were working on [the song] ‘Phavet’, which is inspired by a Finnish a capella women’s chorus, as represented by violins. I had a particular way that I thought the track should go, but he was like “no, let's try it this way”. I was like "ok, well I’m open to it”. I am very happy with that direction we took. Then finding a mastering engineer, that's another critical piece. I have been working with AudibleOddities. He [Shawn Hatfield] has worked with some of the top electronic artists like Amon Tobin. I am an audiophile. Finding people who really care about audio and sound quality. The first track I sent him to master came back perfect. No need to revise things.
For this release that I did with Desert Dwellers they put Leya, I think I release it in 2015. It was Laya and then four remixes by a few different artists; Haj I Ji, An-Ten-Nae, Kaminanda, and Twin Shape. They used a different mastering engineer. I think we went through four or five different revisions with that one.
So it pays to get the right person.
Again investing just a little more, because it is a legacy that will live forever.
Thanks for sharing. Tell me about Paper Gold Records.
Well... Paper Gold Records is actually my label. At the moment I am the only artist on it, but my vision with it, which could tie into what you are doing, is to inspire young girls and women to pursue a career in music, and the whole world of electronic music. There could be definitely be a lot more women that could take on that challenge. So with Paper Gold, it is currently a vanity label but my vision is to take that to the next level and have it be a platform for other artists to release their music on.
How do you make a record label? Not all artists are willing to put in the work. Tell me how that is for you and how you balance dealing with the record label and all of the political/ legal hoops that you need to jump through.
It is getting easier and easier to release your own music and to be an independent artist. Sometimes it is good to have an additional avenue to release your music. First of all, its quality control. Also if I own all the pieces of my music, than getting it placed for television, for a commercial, for films… If I own of my publishing and all of my mastering… The down side to it though is that when you are part of a bigger label you are part of a bigger network. If you want to do it on your own, you build your own team. Everyone starts somewhere. Everyone starts small and grows. If it is the right thing the path might be easy and if it is not the right thing, than the path might be a little more difficult. It depends also on how much you really want it. The important key element that I found was distribution. I work with Symphonic Distribution and they’re amazing. That is how I get my music up on Spotify and iTunes. Soundcloud is different but all the digital distribution happens through my distributor. Ya, it’s not too difficult to start your own business in that way.
Well, you have to be bold and take that first step.
Yes. Ya, and come up with a good name. Really the biggest thing was Paper Gold Label or Paper Gold Records. Ah, they are so similar…
Was that a week, or a month or how long was that debate?
I don’t know, maybe a month or maybe two. I have been spending a lot of… the beginning of this year and last year working on my new EP called Salt. I actually played one of the songs last night at my show on the Green Tree Stage [at Arise Music Festival]. I invited up a guest guitarist for that. Salt is the single I released in June. Then I was touring the east and west coast with it. The lyrics are in Icelandic. I worked with my friend Outsa (sp?) in Reykjavik (Iceland) and she helped me with the diction. I have been studying some icelandic and I am a linguist but I don’t speak Icelandic. Part of my interest in working with different languages… I even have some songs in a made up language. The thing about that is to pull people into your universe, it doesn’t really matter what the words mean. But anyway the lyrics are basically “Tears of the ocean, salt of the sea. Find yourself at the bottom of the sea, white doves over head and drift away”. Then there is this badass Icelandic medal section that drops in. The guy who plays on the track Stephen, in Austin… You know I never ever wanted electric guitar in any of my music but that just worked, really worked. But back to your question earlier about collaborations… I do write a lot for Cello. My new EP will have a few different guitarists on it. A string trio. I recorded a violist Nils Bultmann who works with Blue Tech. Then Jill Berta (sp?) and Adam Maloof (sp?) they are cellists who live in New York. I have a lot of piano on there. I play piano too. You know collaborating with people in the sense that… If you are just one person you have just one expression. But if you pull other people in and their talents in… Wow, it’s so beautiful. Tear drop, the cover I did of Massive Attack, I worked with a Cellist named Raymond who tours with Celine Dion or he did in the past. His expression on the Cello is just this gorgeous… like your heart just goes Oh… and melts. You feel things. I want people to feel things. So that's what I keep in mind with every piece of music that I write.
----------Part two-------
Tell me about your first performance and if you had any anxieties and how you overcame that.
Wow, rolling back the time. I started playing violin when I was three but then we took a bit of a break with that. I kept envisioning me in a pink dress in front of an orchestra soloing. Then my very first recital for my Suzuki concert, my mother and I sowed a pink dress. I thought about that later and was like “wow, I really actually manifested that”. Haha. I was extremely nervous, I was so young. For my class in school, when I was just learning, I would bring my violin and my Suzuki book to school and I would have them pick out a song and then play for them. I was kind of bold then. When I auditioned at New England conservatory for the master’s program in Boston. That was a deathly horrifying nerve racking experience. Somebody later told me about taking beta-blockers. It was so bad. When you are so nervous that your hands are shaking. Then my knee started to shake. So I did a graceful move to [try] to stop shaking. Like my knee was about to fall of or something. haha. I was like I hope they don’t see this. So I got through that interview or that audition process. At that moment I didn’t make it in, which was disappointing. I feel like performing on stage is a very different thing than auditioning. Auditioning is nerve racking
Well they are judges not fans.
Ya, they are all just sitting there staring at you. Its intimidating.
How did you overcome your fear? Did you get yourself into a mental mindset? Do you use meditation to clarify your vision before you step out and the curtains open? How do you get yourself ready mentally?
I do try to do that. If at all possible I try to have the green room cleared right before my set. Spend a few moments centering and grounding. Two years ago I played Lighting in the Bottle at the Thunder stage, and I tried something new there. I arrived in the evening. My set was maybe two days later. I arrived to the space and it was at night and everything’s closed. I just did a visualization there. I closed my eyes and envisioned the whole space filled with light and setting intention to really inspire people. Envisioning the whole space, this enormous ball of energy. That was really powerful. Arriving to a space, setting an intention. Really doing some visualizations. It doesn’t happen every time, especially at festivals. Sometimes those change overs are so rapid and there are just a million things and chaos. and the rain… why does it have to rain…. And there is also all that adrenaline. So sometimes it is a little bit rushed. And maybe not that grand. You know it is not always the ____ Stage, and then Grand Reveal, and then I enter. You kinda have to roll with whatever is given to you and make the most of it. One important practice I do too… of course it is ideal if ever performance you have you have the best lighting, the best sound, the best ambiance, the best audience. But if you don’t have all those elements you just ‘fake it’. What I am saying by that is that let’s say I can’t hear myself very well on stage or if something shifted with the audio. You roll with it. You don’t make a big deal about it. Unless it is something that will really affect your performance. The most important thing is that people… Their watching, they are listening, they are there for an experience, they showed up. They want whatever it is you are going to give them. To break the flow, I don’t like to do that. I like to proceed. If it is not ideal, its ok. It’s improvising in the moment as well.
Ya, I remember watching a set… it was actually here at Arise… it was Linx, is who it was. Her computer restarted on her mid-song and she didn’t lose a beat. She was beatboxing over the track and then suddenly everything cut out, and she kept beatboxing without losing the rhythm. Then later on revealed “so I hope you liked that last one, that was just me beatboxing as my computer restarted but here we go”. I didn’t even catch that there was a crisis on stage. It was just serene, she just rolled with it.
(Tangent): I think that’s something very important and some younger musicians don’t do. I have taught Guitar and learned the Guitar myself. And one thing that people do when you are just learning is you hit the wrong cord [or note] and then you stop. You freeze. You’re like oh, that was wrong. And then go back to the beginning. That was the wrong chord but the next chord should be right. So just keep going. Pretend like it [the error] didn’t happen. So I think keeping that flow is important.
So getting into that mental mindset tell me about your meditation music.
So I have this side project called ‘Deep Sonos’ and it is a full-spectrum sound meditation experience. Part of that was I wanted a channel for this more meditative, pretty, contemplative music that I write. I actually did a workshop here on Saturday morning. It was in the dome, the Sunrise Dome and it was basically 2/3rds full. So many people showed up at 9am for this experience. It was basically this full spectrum sound experience, where all my textures, sounds, electronics, bass frequencies, violin, and vocals are pulling people into this really deep effortless space for meditation. I actually have four episodes of these 10 minute meditations out that people can get online at: SoundCloud.com/deepsonos/
I have been doing a lot of those workshops around. I really believe that music can create a very deep mental… ah… almost like a bed. Like you can just fall into it. Like you fall onto this feathered mattress and… there is a cushion… and you just melt. No drugs involved. Haha. So Deep Sonos started, I have a background with Yoga. I have been touring with Wanderlust for about four years. I did all of the U.S. and Canadian festivals. I would take people on these hikes with just my violin in its case. We would go to a beautiful vista. I would sit everyone down and center and ground everyone in nature. Its beautiful. It's on a mountain somewhere. There’s.. Oh, gorgeousness everywhere. Everyone gets really comfortable. They are dropping in, they’re present. They are in nature. Then I start playing violin. About 30-45 minutes I would improvise. Emulating the sounds of the birds, the bugs, the textures, ancient melodies that are coming to me. I am kind of channeling music that comes to me, but I don’t normally say that. But then I also walk around. So as people are in this meditative state, they are hearing now the violin is her… now it's there, now it’s here. It's like this out of body experience.
Just imagine… your eyes are closed. you are in the grass. you are lying down. You hear this beautiful violin. Its to the right of you now it’s left now it’s far away. I’m not moving around that much but it’s this kinda tippy experience because when you are falling into this deep sedated state you are not totally aware of the specifics of what is happening but you are just kinda drifting off in this mellow space. So, I love doing those hikes so much. Some of them were at sunset or early morning. So I did a lot of music accompaniment for Yoga which is how I actually got into my solo electronic project because when people are doing Yoga they are not really paying attention to if you’re turning the right knob or if you played that melody correctly. it is just more about this immersive experience. What can happen with a yoga class [is that] as I am interpreting and feeling the environment, and the class [students], and the teacher, I am providing something for something that is being facilitated by someone else. A couple of years ago I was in Portland for a Yoga event with this teacher Jill Knouse and we added on a meditation experience at this space, that was specifically dedicated to meditation call, Hush. I had a full sound system, a full PA, because the bass frequencies are what are really important for this experience. So I created a whole Deep Sonos sound meditation, an hour long. It was basically like having a pallet, a painters palette. A little green, a little red, a little splash here. I didn’t have anyone to tiptoe around. I was just intuiting, and feeling what these people who were meditating wanted. I was creating this immersive experience for people to drop deep into meditation. That really resonated with me. It really felt like something that I wanted to do more of and curate more. So from there, I produced these ten-minute meditation sequences. This was after a trip to Costa Rica and I recorded textures. Like jungle textures. Like sea pods, and crinkling up leaves, and rubbing two sticks together. haha. I recorded all these things with a Tascam Audio Recorder. Then wove those into this 10-min meditation track. I produced it in Logic and wrote it all in Logic.
In Logic are you working with midi and digital instruments as well as these organic sounds that you are pulling from around the world?
Yes. I use Native Instruments a lot. I use Machine for a lot of my drum sounds. I use a lot of different plugins. So I am doing a lot of studio recorded violin and vocals and sometimes guest cellists and guitarists. Then I use a lot of Sine waves for base. Sometimes I’ll layer that with...
Just straight clean sine-wave for bass?
I’ll synthesize sounds or do a little oscillation or wobble in there to give it a little texture. The challenge for Deep Sonos to do these segments at 432 Hz. I wanted to try it and see if that indeed felt more meditative. They do say…
Tell me about 432
There are lots of theories about… I am not an expert but from what I have gathered… 440 Hz is what most music is produced at. The frequency… I don’t know if we should even get into this.
Well if you don’t want to, we don’t have to.
Well, I am not the most scientific about it. 440, 432… Apparently, Tibetan singing bowls, if you put a tuner to it, the frequency that it emits is 432, not 440. 440 is a bit of a contrived frequency.
It’s Round
Well, there are theories about controlling people and I don’t know. I don’t even want to get into that. But, I wanted to try it because people do say that 432 is the sound of the universe, of nature, of the sphere and some people claim that it is more meditative. It is challenging.
What about in your experience?
I honestly don’t feel a difference. That’s my take on it. But what’s interesting the challenge to produce at 432hz. My ear is so trained to play my violin at 440 that to down tune it just 8 herz. It’s like oh am I playing out of tune or is this not right? And then all of the plugins like Native Instruments, Konnect Medal (sp?), and I love Alicia's Keys, it’s a plugin for Contact for piano. And a lot of these instruments you can change the tuning. You can change it to 432 and some others you really have to dive in. It was a good challenge.
Now these, ten minute… You called it a sequence of meditations… Are they meant to be listed to in order?
No. They live on their own. The first one called Vernal the next one is called Ephemére and then Autumné and then Viintara. They’re kinda seasonally based. But yea they are intended… Take ten. In the morning. In the night. You know when the song is up it has been ten minutes. I live in L.A. I go to the Beach. I listen without any music just the sound of the waves. I put my timer on. Inevitably at one moment, I will look. “Oh, it must have been 10 minutes already. Did I miss it? Oh, no there’s two minutes left”. I find that when I am meditating to one of those episodes, I really like Ephemére, I’ll actually drift off into this out of body experience and maybe I’ll be asleep for 30 minutes. Then I wake up and like ‘wo, where did I go?” And I feel refreshed like I took a 5 hour nap but it was only 30 minutes. And the fact that it can do that to me, and I created it, I mean… I channeled it, is pretty amazing.
Absolutely.
What Meditation does is gives your brain a chance to calm down. We have so much stimulus. So many things going on. So much distraction. I think a lot of us feel like we are running around like a chicken, with our heads cut off. Giving your brain and your body a moment to just calm down. To center and ground and to focus. Also to not have to worry about anything. I have found that with music it allows you to be effortless with this space of just calming your mind. So you are not worrying. The brain likes to run around. “Did I plan my dinner” or “my plans for the week”. If you can just calm it all down. So at one of my Deep Sonos workshops. I do these one hour sound meditation workshops and this one guy said “wow, I was actually scared to come to this workshop. How am I going to meditate for an hour?” And he said [after] the first five minutes of music his mind was a complete blank slate. It was completely blank. He said “I have never ever experienced that” to just have a completely calm mind. I think he has a little A.D.D. I think it is super healthy. You can read all the benefits of it Meditation. I know for myself, when I have a regular practice of it [meditation] I can approach my day with a lot more clarity.
My assumption is, that you want to share that clarity with your listeners and that is why you have created Deep Sonos.
Yes.
Is Deep Sonos also intended to expand to other artists or is this a solo-project?
At the moment it is a solo-project but I do have bigger visions for it.
Well we are going to have to stay tuned.
All of my music can be found here: ThisIsHÄANA.com
What do you call the A with a double dot [Ä]?
Umlaut. Yes it is German.
And where is the best place to listen to Deep Songs
Well thank you for taking the time to talk with us and I really appreciate all of the wisdom you have shared. I wish you safe travels throughout the U.S. and to Australia and beyond.
Thank you so much.
Other Podcast Episodes
TMRW.TDay ~ The Vibe
Photo (above) by Corey Hamilton
TMRW.TDAY is a unique gathering of mindful reggae lovers. The cultural fest has a touch of house, a toe-pinch of white sand beach, a mouthful of flavorful fruits, a breeze filled with tropic scents, and island lifestyle for the retreat of a lifetime, and plenty of reggae to sooth your soul.
As an American who had never been to Jamaica before, it took a few days to reset my urgent internal clock, from a rapid walk to a soulful stride, more closely matching the graceful rhythm of the waves.
With early morning 8am, (yes this was ‘crack of the dawn early’ or the coffee shop is still closed early), Meditation the day started with a gentle stretch of the body and mind. The venue was a 5-minute walk from where I stayed, so just an easy stroll on the beach and I was on “festival grounds”. The meditation on the beach was enhanced with some live instrumentation for stress elevation.
The Irie Soul Beach Wellness Program has a plentiful schedule of meditation (starting at 8am) and various yoga classes throughout the day. Clear-minded people flow off the mat and into the mingling area. Friendships created from the chance occurrences at Chances on the Beach.
With fruit drinks, a full bar and some local food, everyone is well nourished and in a good mood.
The pace of ‘island time’ is a phenomenon not unique to Jamaica.
The tides map the hours of most businesses and the music fills the void.
The event schedules tended to begin at least 30 minutes late, which made it easy to be early.
The live headlining acts command control of the 11pm-2am time frame.
Fun Fact:
The newly enacted Jamaican law requires a permit to host events at night and promoters must obey the Noise Abatement Act. “… permission is given to have an event up to 12 midnight during the week and 2:00 a.m. on weekends… These laws are to protect the patrons that are coming to your events. Organizers must take into consideration the safety and security of the patrons. We (JCF) want the patrons to be safe,” – Head of the JCF’s Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay (Jamaican Government).
Naturally, music pushes the limits.
Tmrw.Tday is run on island time and is designed for relaxation. With built in “just chill mon” times from 9am-4pm followed by a drum circle session from 4pm-7pm, one is never rushed. Plenty of time for livin, chillin, and being. A dive into the tropical jungle. A dip into the calm ocean. A soak on the white-sand beach.
The pace of the island is ⅔’s time, a slow wandering stroll’s beat.
The energy of the island comes from the sun during the day and from the people at night.
Looking back on the festival…
Tmrw.Tday was simple yet diverse. Easy to navigate yet spread out. The variety of venues and attendees made the whole thing a pleasant experience. We are excited for what the future of this Culture Festival has in the works. First-year festivals are by definition an experiment, a new test and there are many unknowns to be worked out along the way. With the first year
Don’t worry, we covered the music from Tmrw.Tday as well! Music from Jamaica and Tmrw.Tday Festival
Impressions from the Jamaican Culture:
[quote] A morning went a little something like this:
I stroll to the beachside restaurant. Get out my pen, notebook, & order:
“A Jamrock omelet, coffee & water, please”
“Ya mon”
“Thank you”
The rain yields for the time being to a cloudy haze that blends the ocean’s horizon into the sky.
The temperature is ripe.
The humidity is lively.
The pulse of the island is coming into light.
From the crickets of the night to the dancing paintings and carvings on the wall, music runs through them all.
The soulful melodies spill forth, almost involuntarily, from the locals.
Is everyone a natural vocalist?
[/quote]
The small businesses thrive in Jamaica and the markets are vibrant with people and goods. One person employment can be seen from the seven-mile beach.
One beach hustler’s day
A man carries coconuts, straws, and a hatchet. “Coconuts…” he says, as he walks along the beach trying to make eye contact with any and all tourists. He takes 5-7 steps. “Coconuts…” he repeats, as he is now 1o-15 feet further down the beach. He knows the limitation of his voice’s range and he is competing, after all, with other people and the ocean. Again 5-7 steps. Finally, “Coconut Mon….” for the last 1/3 of his vocal cadence. The three-part vocal loop seems to serve as advertising, a pace setter, a marching beat, and reassurance that he is actually getting somewhere on the 7-mile beach. If you are sitting on the beach you will probably hear the loop twice as he passes. What is that rule 7 for advertising again? Oh ya, that people buy after they hear about your product several times. When business is good, a quick walk inland and a new harvest can be acquired. When the sun gets low the day is done.
Each step is one closer to a new sale. “Co-conut”… “Coco-nut”… “Coconut Mon”…
“There are around 500 beach hustlers” – Paul (beach hustler)
There is an ever-changing flow of people, tourists, and travelers who soak up the island tropical sun.
Friendly entrepreneurs selling a story with their product or service. Friendly people so jolly that a word is worth it.
The smooth trotting pink-hatted horse riding salesman, slowly making his moves. Everyone is hustling their products and services
Later that day, the pink-hatted beach horse salesman scored a lady tourist for the ride of a life. He washes the young rider with vocal melodies and song. With gentle guidance and a quick step, the man leads the lady and horse along the water’s edge. (The legend himself can be seen in background of the picture – see left)
Creativity in approach, service, products & storytelling is on full display. Rude guests foil high hopes.
Clearly, the Jamaican culture benefits from tourism, festivals, the cross-cultural exchange of ideas. Jamaica continues to attract creative minded people to the lush jungles and white sand beaches, to enjoy a brief visit to paradise.
We covered the music from Tmrw.Tday as well! Read and take a listen here: Music from Jamaica and Tmrw.Tday Festival
Jamaica Tmrw.Tday – Lineup and Schedule
Jamaica’s TMRW.TDAY Cultural Festival Is Here!
If I need to convince you that a festival in Jamaica filled with Reggae, Yoga, and Beach-Parties is worth your time, this is probably not for you. However, if you are the adventurous type who is ready to sink your feet into new beaches, dip your body and soul into the oceans of reggae and invert yourself into yoga postures, this is for you! To learn more, keep reading….
Tmrw.Tday Culture Festival – Negril, Jamaica – Taking place on the glistening beaches of Negril, Jamaica this May 17-23, Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest forays onto the international festival landscape, with the aim of enlightening those who will voyage into paradise. Inspiring attendees to embark on a weeklong journey into consciousness, conviction and energy work across the grounds of one of the world’s most coveted travel locations. Tmrw.Tday curates an intimate, blissful destination festival experience bound by alluring music, delicious food, captivating activities and miles of pure, pristine coastline pulsating with positive island vibes.
Designated environments at Irie Soul Beach, headquarters for Tmrw.Tday, will host an array of beachside entertainment, wellness activations and delectable culinary feasts, spearheaded by some of the most distinguished innovators in the world. Featuring headlining musical acts Protoje & The Indiggnation Live In Concert, Wolf + Lamb,Toddla T and the festival’s official Reggae Ambassador Chris Blackwell, Tmrw.Tday has mastered an eclectic fusion of local and international talent, celebrating Caribbean heritage and global sounds alike.The Reggae Revival Concert and Crew Love Beach Party Showcase are among top festivity highlights, in addition to nightly sunset Drum Circles at Irie Soul Beach featuring Sam Maher & Acro Buddhas plus intimate Dub & Reggae Lounges to showcase Jamaica’s most talented and respected artists. Among those artists joining the beachside party include: Gabre Selassie, Yaadcore, Nick Monaco, David Marston, Teflon Zinc Fence, and Echomatik.
Daytime activations will offer a series of wellness programs led by world-renowned instructors. Various practices of yoga, fitness classes, health & medicinal healing workshops, guided meditations and conscious lifestyle speakers will guide attendees through a transformative experience found nowhere else within the festival realm. Championed by international wellness ambassador and superfoods evangelist David Wolfe, self-care teacher, motivational speaker and Irie Soul Program Co-Director Gillian B. and conscious lifestyle coach, meditation guide and founder of Irie Soul Stacy Chang-Christoforou, Tmrw.Tday’s wellness offerings will provide a diverse selection of educational activities to cleanse the body, detoxify the mind, and heal the spirit.
Andrew Christoforou, Managing Partner of Tmrw. Tday, elaborates: “The most unique part about Tmrw.Tday culture fest is that its ultimate goal is to have people go within to better themselves and find true happiness…The planet is at a very critical stage and we believe that you must take care of yourself first before you take action to better the world.”
An island that is known for an explosion of flair and flavours, Tmrw.Tday will take foodies on a culinary quest through Jamaica’s famous food scene – a flavorful blend of influences from Spain, Britain, East India, West Africa, Portugal, China, France, and The Netherlands. Adventurous spirits can feast on tantalising traditional fare while celebrating the importance of sustainable agriculture and organic eating. Led by cuisine curator Ras Iyah V Ital, the inaugural gastronomy program boasts the 7-Mile Organic Food Festival, Farm To Table & Experiential Dinner Series, Hot Sauce Competition, and will incorporate both vegetarian and vegan offerings prepared by internationally-acclaimed chefs such as 16-year old motivational speaker, youth health activist and vegan chef Haile Thomas.
Tmrw.Tday’s beachfront paradise will also host a variety of pop-ups and extra curricular activities, including the pioneering 7 Miles of Green, Marley Coffee Beach Café with Premium Blue Mountain Coffee, Organic Juice Bar, massage & spa offerings, essential oil treatments, Arts & Crafts exhibit and, of course, endless amounts of beachside activities.
Encompassing music, wellness, gastronomy, and adventure, Tmrw.Tday presents an impressive, fully immersive schedule designed for self-discovery, and encouraging above all things a chance to find inner peace and purpose. Creating a mindful and loving community built on values that challenge the current political, economic and environmental state across the globe, attendees will encounter an oasis of unique daily offerings designed to help achieve a more conscious lifestyle.A better TMRW starts TDAY.
Full Schedule Below or Visit the Website
A special thanks to the 2017 Sponsors for their support – Jamaica Tourist Board, Jamaica Experiences & Red Stripe
Plan your journey to a better Tmrw.Tday – Tickets for the weeklong experience are on sale now!
Stay Connected: Tmrw.Tday
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Tmrw.Tday’s Philosophy
In recent years, our hearts have become heavy, so too has our planet. The earth continues to nourish us as best she can, but instead, we abuse her through pollution, hate and entitlement. Now is the time to strip it all back and discover how you can help. The inaugural Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest aims to tackle some of the existential challenges humankind faces by stripping back materialism and focusing on core values such as mindfulness, through its unique wellness, gastronomy and music programming. A movement for change, attendees will embark on a weeklong personal journey of consciousness, conviction and growth. Free yourself from society’s intolerance through yoga practice, music, dance, mindful eating, sustainable cooking, art, nature and alternative therapies.
See you there!
Envision Festival 2015
Envision Yourself Here
Envision festival is a transformational gathering that embodies much more than the average festival. Combining the traveling experience of Costa Rica’s tropical paradise with the infectious energy of the festival itself, there could not be a better platform for creativity and artistic expansion. The sold out event hosted about 6,000 attendees from all across the globe. Nestled in the coastal jungle of Uvita, the venue included both jungle and beach front scenery. Bamboo structures poked out from the trees providing climbing platforms and elevated viewing areas. Whether it was the mind-blowing decor of the festival or the relaxing sunrise and sunsets on the beach, Envision offered elements of both exploration and serenity.
With deep roots in the permaculture movement, Envision’s main theme was environmental education. Thoroughly sorted garbage/recycle bins and compostable restrooms are a few examples. Before the festival kicked off, the Polish Ambassador hosted a day of permaculture action at nearby schools, planting fruit trees and discussing environmental initiatives with the local community. There was a large effort throughout the event to raise environmental awareness and introduce attendees to the importance of sustainability.
Each morning started with an awakening meditation session, as all the day’s workshops began to setup. From slack-lining to power yoga, Envision’s daytime activities offered something for everyone. Children with painted faces played imaginary games and interacted with art installations. Groups gathered under the trees for workshops and yoga infused dance. Although temperatures were high during the day, the beach was a quick stroll through the lush jungle.
As the sun began to set, throngs of people made their way to the beach to witness the beauty of the multi colored sky-scape and bid farewell to the day. There was a playful atmosphere of people stretching, hooping and swimming that uplifted your spirits and provided a second wind for the night to come. As darkness fell, people made their way back inside the festival to discover the new ambiance of the night.
The highlight of the nightlife was the Luna Stage. The stage design created a lasting memory; a 30ft panther made of driftwood, backed by video mapped visualizers and pyrotechnics. Discrete lighting illuminated the bamboo structures and palm trees as lasers cut their way through the canopy above. One of the best parts of the night’s entertainment was the impressive performing artists that danced, hooped and spun fire stage-side. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the next elaborate act would take stage and prove you wrong. If you ever needed a break from the big stages and crowds, smaller acts played more mellow tunes in the Village. Whether you came to see your favorite headliners or simply expand your musical palette, there seemed to be something for everyone.
Envision Festival is an unforgettable experience for travelers and festival enthusiasts alike; making the venture to Costa Rica and immerging themselves in the exotic unknown.
Envision yourself here.
Listen
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Photo Gallery
Written by Greg Powell
Photography by Molly Buckiewicz
Envision 2015 Announces 2nd Wave Artists
Envision Festival-Costa Rica
Envision Festival-Costa Rica announces second installment of their lineup for their 5th annual festival from Feb 26 – March 1, 2015.
Music & Arts festival Envision Festival-Costa Rica has announced the second phase of its lineup, completing the impressive and talented roster of musicians, artists, speakers, yoga instructors and beyond, set to perform in the scenic jungles of Uvita, Costa Rica from February 26- March 1, 2015.
Notable music additions include dub maestros an-ten-nae, Hedflux, and Stylust Beats, the electro-soul tunes of The Funk Hunters, underground house artists Mikey Lion, Porkchop and Tara Brooks from the Desert Hearts crew, exotic folk artists Lulacruza, Passiflora and Shimshai and the west coast bass sounds of AtyYa, Defunk, Lafa Taylor, Perkulator and Push/Pull.
Previously announced music headliners include the much loved Groundation, Phaeleh, The Polish Ambassador, Random Rab, Emancipator, Ott among many others that will be performing on one of four expertly crafted stages.
New artist additions will help cultivate what is considered one of the most unique and beautiful music festival environments on the planet including headlining visual artist Android Jones, painter Curiot, and glass artists Ubatuba and Snic Barnes. The 2014 Luna Stage architects, Hoodie and Tigre, return to further expand on their impressive creations from last year.
Megan Currie will add to the roster of an already impressive collection of yoga instructors,including world-renowned Rachel Brathen, Kishan Shah and Cristi Christensen. Additionally, African tribal dancer Amy Secada will be performing a new spellbinding routine.
And all of this is just the beginning. Experiences offered at Envision also include beaches and jungles for exploration, some of the best surf on the planet, the nearby bohemian beach town of Dominical, and an incredible lineup of workshops, speakers, permaculture education, art installations and so much more.
Take a peek into the Envision mystique and be inspired by this breathtaking “Vive La Experiencia!” 2015 video.
Tickets are on sale now and will sell out quickly.
Please visit the Envision website and links below to find out more. Pura Vida!
http://www.2015.envisionfestival.com/
Envision Media Links:
About Envision Festival-Costa Rica:
In just four years, Envision has blossomed from a backyard event into an internationally acclaimed community gathering. Envision is continuing its journey to break down cultural barriers, representing an elevated festival experience of spirit and community. By bringing people together in the lush landscape of Costa Rica, Envision offers opportunities to celebrate the spirit, heal our bodies and minds, and revitalize our souls. Be a part of a global movement that is destined to shape our global future while experiencing the beauty of the landscape, healing undertones, artistic expression, and the “Pura Vida!” way of life. This is Envision Festival.
The Confluence
Envision 2015 Announces 1st Wave Artists
The International Envision Festival-Costa Rica announces first installment of their lineup for their 5th annual festival from Feb 26 – March 1, 2015.
The first headliner announcement for the 5th annual Envision Festival-Costa Rica is here. This year’s lineup includes Groundation, Phaeleh, The Polish Ambassador, Wildlight, Emancipator, Ott, Bluetech, Random Rab, Govinda, Ill-Esha, Dimond-Saints, Stickybirds, AMB, Ayla Nereo, and saQi, with Costa Rican reggae headliner Un Rojo and Guatemala’s Los Miseria Cumbia Band. There are more acts listed below and many more to be announced!
Envision Festival-Costa Rica takes place in the enchanting jungle of Uvita, Costa Rica from February 26- March 1, 2015 and is a favorite destination for international travelers with dozens of international music and performance acts, yoga, workshops, waterfalls, surfing, jungle exploration and more.
An early peek at the yoga and workshop headliners include world-renowned yoga teachers such as Cristi Cristensen, Rachel Brathen, and Kishan Shah, art installations by Chris Dyer, Carey Thompson, and Mugwort Artemisia alongside Permaculture and Education workshops from legendary teachers such as Penny Livingston, Daniel Pinchbeck from Reality Sandwich, Charles Eisenstien, Sarah Wu, plus permaculturist and Envision co-founder, Stephen Brooks.
The full lineup of musicians, performers, teachers, and artists will be announced mid-November.
Check out the newly launched Envision website with interactive site map, early line-up, survival guide, and travel information. Then take a peek into the Envision mystique and be inspired by this newly released “Vive La Experiencia!” video.
Envision’s unique gathering offers so much for the adventurous travelers. Dance under the stars, paddle into the surf, explore waterfalls and lush canopies, camp in the jungle, be inspired by live art installations, and learn something new at a life changing workshop.
With the collaboration of a myriad of renowned artists and visionaries, both local and international, Envision provides a multi-dimensional community forum focused on art, music, movement, education and co-creation. Be part of a global eco-conscious movement that is shaping our future and experience the beauty of the landscape, healing undertones, artistic expression, and the “Pura Vida!” way of life. This is Envision Festival.
Stay tuned for more announcements on music, yoga, speakers, and workshops. Early Bird discount tickets are on sale now and will sell out quickly.
Please visit the Envision website and links below to find out more. Pura Vida!
http://www.2015.envisionfestival.com/
Envision Media Links:
Phase 1 Lineup Below – Phase 2 coming soon!
Music: The Polish Ambassador * Wildlight * Groundation * Phaeleh * Emancipator * Ott * Bluetech * Random Rab and friends * Ayla Nereo * Govinda * Ill-esha * Dimond Saints * Faceblind * Los Miseria Cumbia Band * Un Rojo * saQi * AMB * Stickybuds * Santos y Zurdo * Passiflora * Infibeat * Ivan Cespedes * Lapa * Portilla * Living Light * Mikey Lion * Melissa O * Social Club * Bartosz Brenes * Mario Miranda* Tara Brooks * Matt Haze* PjOE * aTyYa *
Yoga Instruction: Cristi Cristensen * Rachel Brathen * Kishan Shah * Esteban Salazar * Juan Pablo Barahona * Edgar Ortiz * Inez Aires
Art & Installations: Chris Dyer * Carey Thompson * Mugwort Artemisia * Mark Henson * Hoodie & Tigre * Tribe13 * Living Spaces
Permaculture & Education: Penny Livingston * Charles Eisenstien * Sarah Wu * Stephen Brooks * Daniel Pinchbeck * Rosemary Gladstar * Project Nuevo Mundo * Kaypacha
About Envision Festival-Costa Rica:
In just four years, Envision has blossomed from a backyard event into an internationally acclaimed community gathering. Envision is continuing its journey to break down cultural barriers, representing an elevated festival experience of spirit and community. By bringing people together in the lush landscape of Costa Rica, Envision offers opportunities to celebrate the spirit, heal our bodies and minds, and revitalize our souls. Be a part of a global movement that is destined to shape our global future while experiencing the beauty of the landscape, healing undertones, artistic expression, and the “Pura Vida!” way of life. This is Envision Festival.
The Confluence
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Envision Festival 2015
Envision Festival 2015
Vive La Experiencia!!
The fifth annual Envision Festival returns to the breathtaking shores of Uvita, Costa Rica,
February 26 through March 1, 2015 with the release of their Official 2015 Video and first music headliner announcement.
Get inspired. Watch the video here.
The festival just announced the first musical headliner, The Polish Ambassador, the world’s funkiest diplomat, with the rest of the lineup to be released soon. Past Envision headliners include Beats Antique, Tipper, Alex Grey, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Emancipator, Rising Appalachia, Papadosio, Rootz Underground, Midnite, The Lucent Dossier Experience, Quixotic, Random Rab, and Costa Rican favorite Sonámbulo.
Now in its fifth year, the magic of previous incarnations of Envision Festival has driven travelers of all types to the scenic beaches and exotic jungles of Costa Rica each February for world-class music, adventure tours, stimulating education, meeting new friends — and one epic party. In this little slice of paradise, explorers find more than a music and art festival, with an abundance of life-changing experiences that enrich the senses and open the mind. Globally-renowned performance artists create whimsical environments, along with interactive art installations and live painters. Yoga teachers from around the world teach rapturous classes for all levels, from those looking to expand their existing master practice to those stepping onto the mat for the first time.
Dance under the stars all night and play all day — swimming, surfing, cliff diving and more. Hike to an enchanted waterfall and make lifelong connections in the Village. As the sun dips below the rim of the Pacific, hundreds of beautiful smiling faces glow in the remaining crimson rays on the beach, gathering to grow, celebrate and create together, to implement permaculture principles, and manifest plans that have been years in the works.
Keep your eyes peeled for the initial lineup coming soon. Discount Early Bird tickets are on sale now. Please sign up for the newsletter, read more about previous Envision Festivals on the website, and visit the links below. Pura Vida!
Envision Media Links:
About Envision Festival:
Envision festival is an annual gathering in Costa Rica that seeks to provide a platform for different cultures to inspire one another to co-create sustainable community and practice yoga, spirituality, art, music, dance performance, education, and acknowledge our fundamental connection with nature.
At the festival’s core, the Envision organizers are leaders of a sustainable permaculture movement that is blossoming throughout Costa Rica. With initiatives such as banning single use tableware in lieu of bamboo and banana leaf alternatives, a festival wide composting system, green building and multiple spaces dedicated entirely to environmental education, it is clear that the intention runs deep. Costa Rica, a world leader in eco-local awareness, serves as the perfect backdrop for such initiatives and the festival itself is designed to provide an example of a style of communal living that is more attainable than ever in an impressively hospitable and lush growing environment.
The Confluence – TheConfluenceGroup.com
If you’re not convinced on going…check out these shots from the amazing photographers who attended previous Envision Festivals.