This time, we get to know Synthetik Blonde.
Bradley Evanochko rocks the lead guitar, and all guitar parts; he is also the band photographer, morale booster, sounding board (co-producer), back massager, and wardrobe approval manager (Me: "Brad do I look fat?" Brad: "Babe you look great") and the list goes on.
I (Stefani) do the writing, composing, all vocals, synthesizer (including bass and drums), studio recording, production, album art designs, photo editing, and all PR/marketing.
The track "Pieces" is featured in the New Artist Spotlight Family of Playlists.
Link To New Artist Spotlight Playlists:
1. Tell us a little about where you are from and what you are currently doing.
We're both from Regina, Saskatchewan (yes the city that rhymes with fun-thank you Deadpool). I (Stefani) am currently working on mastering our PIECES album for vinyl, promotional stuff, and album launch stuff (mostly boring research)while pondering our responses to these questions, and Brad is off teaching the next generation of great Canadian guitar players.
2. What inspired you to start playing and making music?
Strangely, I was able to read music at the age of 5 and started playing the old foot pedal organ, you know the one?! Anyways, camp town races hold a fond spot in my heart to this day. I got my first tape cassette karaoke machine when I was 6 or 7 and really enjoyed serenading my neighbors with my rendition of Express Yourself and I Will Always Love You throughout the wee hours of Summer. Throughout my youth and into adulthood I participated in school and community musical theatre productions, and classical singing and taught myself a variety of instruments. It was my lifelong dream to perform on Broadway and write music... I didn't quite make it to Broadway-my alter ego had different plans in my teen years... but after a long wait and a couple of roadside stops, I met my muse and felt inspired to finally started writing music in 2020 (I mean really writing- as there were ditties and dabbles throughout the years and a plethora of very emo poetry).
This brings us to my partner, muse, and best friend Brad (we'll see how my listening skills are as I relay his journey UPDATE: they were patchy I had to ask). Brad started playing guitar in his teen years after listening to Boston's song "Long Time." He heard the main riff on the radio and was like "That's Rock" *insert-Thumbs up.* So he picked up a guitar determined to learn it and learn it he did. Brad joined New Sky Embrace (later known as-Embrace) as a lead guitar player and was featured on Much Music with their single "Tired." Since then he has been consumed, and rocked out all across Canada as lead guitarist in multiple cover bands and original projects, all while teaching and inspiring future generations of guitar players.
𝟯. Who are your biggest influences?
Well, I have an eclectic taste palate when it comes to music so here goes: Doobie brothers, Pink Floyd, Donna Summer, K.C. and the Sunshine Band (pretty much all disco), everything 80's (with strong favoritism towards Madonna and Whitney Houston), Kylie Minogue, Roisin Murphy, Sofi Tukker, NIN and I love 90s hip-hop, alternative rock, and club music.
Brad's influences/favourites are Neil Schon (Journey), Joe Satriani, David Gilmore, Ken Burton (his former guitar teacher).
4. What are your goals in the music industry?
Mostly we want to share our music with the world and establish our presence in the music scene. We're about to release our second album "PIECES" (drops June 8th worldwide) and are planning an official album launch. We are almost finished recording and production of our third album "Dark Side Of Your Love." We're experiencing a dream come true by shooting our first ever professional music video for "Dreams Of You" working with talented Sask filmmaker Aaron Sinclair (Made possible by Creative Sask Grants program). And in our "down time," we're planning live gigs and a debut tour. And of course, we always want to make sure we have time to do what we love most: making music. We never want to lose that!
5. Tell us about your creative process when you make new music.
Ohhhh boy! Well here's the clean version; I have a few different ways inspiration hits me and creation begins:
I typically start with playing on my Fa-06 laying down pre-determined chord progressions and playing with sounds. As I establish the tentative form and chord structure I often hear a melody or sometimes I just straight up start singing what would be a chorus or hook in our song; sometimes it's a lyric line, sometimes it's a melodic line, and sometimes it's only one word... but the song just takes shape around it (like it was already written inside me and I'm finally allowing it to breathe).
Synthetik Love was actually supposed to be a song about falling in love (I had a lyric line and everything ready to go), however as I was laying the chorus chords down it just came out of my mouth "I won't beg you to stay I won't stand in your way I don't need you" which took the song in a completely different direction than originally intended-so sometimes that happens.
Lastly, every once in a while I'll just have a little melodic phrase or lyric line pop into my head (often when driving or sleeping) and I'll record/jot it down and build the song around that. And two of our songs were built out of some Captain Morgan jam sessions where Brad and I between shots and kisses and guitar riffs wrote what later turned into "Fly With Me" and an unreleased synth wave (y) track "Drive All Night"(3rd Album).
6. What is your all-time favorite song?
I literally can't name a favourite! I have too many and it honestly depends on my mood that day. But, I love "You and I" - Medina & Deadmau5 it's my summer drive beach jam, "Deeper and Deeper" - Madonna because it's my all-time favourite Madonna song, "Love to Love You Baby" -Donna Summer & "Boogie Shoes" -K.C. & The Sunshine Band because I love all things disco; it's sexy af. Brad's favourite (or one of the top 5) is "Be Good To Yourself"-Journey great summer feels with an amazing guitar solo. There's so many he loves it's too hard to pick!
7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?
Never give up or allow setbacks to discourage you. You will always have haters-you have to grow thick skin and ignore them. It takes time to find your audience; focus on the music and they will come. Always make music that makes you happy. Get out there and show the world what you got! And Brad's advice to me every time before we perform "You got this babe- just be you!"
8. Proudest accomplishment?
Currently, we'd have to say writing, recording and producing 3 albums. As mentioned I didn't think I could even write one song.. let alone 3 albums worth. Brad's written/co-written with his previous bands but for me this was a completely new experience complete with the rollercoaster of pride/self-doubt and all the other emotions that come with it. But the writing has been my favourite part; discovering my musicianship and unearthing these songs inside me... playing through creation, writing and then recording Brad's guitar over the first round of edits. And when I listen to our music, I'm like OMGawsh that's US!!! Our heart and soul coming through.. my voice alongside Brad's singing guitar. It's a funny thing finally "hearing" yourself...I'm in still in disbelief that that's me; I sometimes ask Brad.. "who's singing right now... like that's me?! As if..."
9. Just for fun! What's been your most embarrassing moment so far?
Shortly after we first met (pre- Synthetik Blonde), I asked Brad to come do a music presentation for my grade 6-8 classes. I teach k-8 music and am always looking for inspiring community members to come present to my students. He convinced me to join him in performing a few tracks. So there we were performing "Stairway to Heaven" and "Comfortably Numb" to a drum backing track. I was playing bass while singing and he was on guitar. I should mention I have major debilitating stage fright and performance anxiety, also my boss was in the room watching so all the factors (and yes even in front of kids I'm terrified). At this time my only experience in performing music was school band, jazz hands, kick lines, and singing in languages like Latin. So here I am feeling nervous AF, sweating profusely, hands shaking, voice wavering, you know... the works. This is my BIG DEBUT! But I'm like HOLY !@#$ I'm doing it... maybe I can do this Rockstar thing after all. Well we're about midway through (I can't even remember which song it was) and I'm just trying my best to give her while keeping it all together... when all of a sudden Brad immediately stops looks at me and says we're off the tracks...and my panicked face is like WHAT?! as I continue playing and he's like we are off the tracks... and just threw me completely under the bus. I had totally missed it, jamming along oblivious not even realizing it because I couldn't hear the dang tracks over the pounding of my heart... my face turned beet red and I was like OMG NEXT... haha. My boss left the room after this whoopsie daisy *awkward* but thankfully my students were very kind.
𝟭0. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.
Brad has been in the music scene and done so much (pre-Synthetik Blonde/pre-meeting me) so our journey has been quite different. As the front person of our duo, I'll focus on my experience for this one. And this is a hard one for me to answer, so excuse my vagueness. Music has been my whole life. As soon as I could talk I sang. But in my youth through to young adulthood, I experienced many detrimental events while trying to pursue my passion in music, the combined effects of which caused so much trauma it left me unable to sing/perform for over 15 years (I mentioned previously the massive performance anxiety). What I will say is that the moments that could have broken me...made me stronger... the wounds meant to hurt me... became my tinder, and even though I was silent for many years the time was allowing my creativity to age and mature like a fine wine.
As for high points: first off I didn't fathom I could write even a crappy little jingle... so the first song I wrote "I Want You" (a very Donna Summer-ish song) surprised the heck out of me especially because I was supposed to write a synth-wave song. And since then each month we reach new levels of WOW! From the first album through to the third, shooting a video and watching our expansion on digital platforms. All of it has been exciting and so surreal sometimes I ask if I'm actually dreaming?! Also, the most recent songs I've written completely blow me away... We've been showcasing some of the tracks live (3rd album) like "Manic Mind" & "Waiting" and receiving tremendous positive responses-it's all so exciting. I can't believe I had all of this buried inside me. We've been love, love, loving performing and after my struggles and all that jazz it's like I can finally breathe; like I'm finally me; I found myself wandering inside my mind alongside a melody! Lastly, though, the highest point thus far (sorry I'm gonna be gushy and gross because ours truly is a musical love story) is Brad. He is the highlight; He is the response to my call.
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