BeatRoute Magazine B.C. print e-edition - June 2016

KAYLEE JOHNSTON
finding empowerment in pop music
Sitting in a quaint juice shop in
Vancouver’s Gastown, Kaylee
Johnston exudes radiance. Her
aura is buzzing and she has the energy
of an artist who is about to burst into the
pop music scene in a big way. She has
worked hard to put herself where she is
and is both poised and excited for what’s
to come.
On the cusp of the release of her
debut EP, Johnston is ready to share
her heart with the world. Her music has
evolved over the years to a place where
Johnston feels that audiences and fans
alike will relate, using narratives that are
both familiar and meaningful.
“This album was totally inspired from
a chapter of my life where I was going
through a lot of changes, the biggest being
heartbreak. What I hope people hear
in the music is that it’s not just about
that, it’s about everything I learned from
my experience,” Johnston says. “I have
been writing music for many years, and
what I have noticed is that the really
good musical ideas stick, they never
leave. These are the ideas that I know
come from some place other than my
mind or my thoughts.”
UNIIQU3
Jersey club kween reigns supreme
Johnston’s music ruminates from the
soul, and this is what fuels the infectious
energy of her music. Her new
single, “Getting over you,” is a punchy
empowerment jam that is rooted in experiencing
the magic that happens when
a break up turns into an opportunity.
The song is a carefully written message
wherein she shares her true self.
“My music comes from a deep place
within my soul. Writing and singing
about my experiences helps me heal,
and I hope that this translates for my
audience,” says Johnston.
Johnston will be celebrating her
album release party this month at the
Biltmore Cabaret. She observes the role
of her fans and audience as it gets near.
“I want to be vulnerable with my audience
and fans. I want to give them as
much as they give me,” she says.
Her authenticity towards her music
and her place as an artist is refreshing.
It’s clear that music is where she
belongs. We will be keeping a close eye
on her as she flourishes.
Kaylee Johnston performs at the
Biltmore Cabaret on June 4.
Kaylee Johnston embraces the ch-ch-ch-changes in her life.
by David Cutting
by Jamie Goyman
really shy, but when it comes to performing, I literally just
say ‘fuck it’ and go in.”
“I’m
One boss ass performer who has been hitting it hard with
her style and stamina has to be one of New Jersey’s own, UNIIQU3.
Known to family and friends as Cherise Gary, she has been on this
path since the beginning. “I’ve always been creative,” Gary says.
“Ever since I was a child, this is just a way for me to express myself
and get some of these nonstop thoughts and ideas out my head.”
Since her formative years she has continuously been honing her
craft and it shows. The energy in each track she spins or remixes
puts her hyped up, yet low swing touch on is lit, with a flawless ability
to transcend any song into a bass driven, body writhing experience.
The live sets that come out of UNIIQU3 don’t disappoint either. The
ear she possesses for a beat is undeniable and easily displayed in
her remix “Deep Down Low” with TR!CK$ and her take on Skepta’s
“That’s Not Me.” Then there’s the heavy hitter “Yo (I’m Lit)” that came
from her work with Saint, a track that possesses a beat that just can’t
be ignored. That isn’t all for this one though, don’t try and pigeonhole
her, she is determined now more than ever to lay vocals out consistently
and keep progressing as an artist. Working with producers
Flawless on “Drop It Low” and Brenmar with “Hoola Hoop” has not
only shown what she’s working with, but also fanned the already
growing flame for UNIIQU3 to delve further and explore what sort of
platform vocals can continue to add to her future recordings, keeping
things fresh as always.
Catching Jersey Kween Uniiqu3’s set is a sure fire to make your
body work in ways you either forgot existed or never knew about in
the first place. Coming off her European tour, the energy for Vancouver
will be just at the right level for her sets that are prone to putting
the room in a furor.
“Prepare to get wild, sweat, dance, yell, the vibes will be on point.
Expect the unexpected because sometimes I don’t even know what to
expect,” Gary says.
A selection that’s always on one as a DJ, production that doesn’t
miss, vocals that hit the good spots, plus she raps. Damn, with that
kind of packed arsenal of talent UNIIQU3 is set for continued success.
Cherise Gary AKA UNIIQU3 has been ripping it up in the club scene in a big way.
UNIIQU3 performs June 10 Fortune Sound Club.
June 2016 ELECTRONICS DEPT.
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