Leila Rhodes: Featured Artist

Attunement begins in a very cinematic and nostalgic place. Think jazz club of the future, where the singer sways on stage and stirs the smoke hanging in the air. You know the backing music is coming from somewhere, but the spotlight is on her and she’s commanding the attention of everyone. It feels like she’s conjuring the sounds to support her voice. Then, as “You (Intro)” ends and “Inner Mes” begins, the lights begin to come up. You see someone behind the singer on the keys, then the electric guitar, then the kit. But somehow, magically, they’re all the same person. Leila Rhodes.

Photo by @jonhall.photography

Leila Rhodes is a blues, funk, hip hop, and soul guitarist, singer, and music producer from Pittsburgh, PA. In December, Leila released her self-produced debut album Attunement. The album’s lead single "Principles" recently debuted on the radio in Pittsburgh (105.9 FM) and on March 23rd, she dropped a music video for her single, “Sunshine” featuring TyDanzuso. Just today, she released a brand new track “The Truth”, featuring the production of Pittsburgh legend Buscrates. It is available exclusively on Bandcamp! Leila has taken Pittsburgh music by storm since headlining “Pittsburgh’s Very Own” at Mr. Small’s Theater alongside INEZ, Sierra Sellers, and Simone Davis in 2019.

I was first introduced to Leila’s music when she was featured as part of BLKNVMBR, a month dedicated to highlighting Black R&B and soul music in Pittsburgh. I was immediately pulled in by the psychedelic trap production of “No More” but I stayed for the unquestionably unique bluesy rasp of Rhodes’s voice. Recently, preparing for this article, I went back and listened to Attunement in its entirety. It’s truly a masterclass. All of the beats hit. All of the guitar solos are sticky. And all of Leila’s vocals cut through the mix and drip with personality.

Do yourself a favor and give it a listen.

I’m looking forward to Leila’s next project and just purchased her new Bandcamp single. You should do the same! Here’s the link: https://leilarhodes.bandcamp.com/track/the-truth

Follow Leila Rhodes on the following social media sites!

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/leilarhodesmusic

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LeilasRhodes

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/leilarhodesmusic/

Thank you for reading.

- Ryan

Do you want to be featured as our next Featured Artist? This monthly series will dive into Pittsburgh art and bring recognition to some of the hardest working, most inspired talents in Pittsburgh. No matter your artistic medium, send us an email at contact@highfivemusic.co so we know about the work you are doing to grow Pittsburgh's already incredible artistry.

Gia Fagnelli: Featured Artist

"Transmitting amalgams throughout the galaxy creating a uniquely augmented reality." - Gia Fagnelli

Gia Fagnelli's bio ended with the words above. Without a doubt, it's the coolest description I've ever gotten of someone's artistry. 'Amalgam' is the perfect word to describe Gia's work, which bridges galaxies of drag, sex work, video art, soundscapes, installation art, and many forms of movement. Up until today's feature, I've written primarily about artists I already know. Until Princess Jafar put me on, I had never heard of Fagnelli, or their brand of multi-dimensional art. Here's what I've learned and what I'm looking forward to!

Photo by Princess Jafar

Gia Fagnelli is a 3rd generation yinzer and they are the current reigning Mx Innovative Erotic City. Fagnelli has shown work at the CMOA, Miami Beach Art Basel, Kelly Strayhorn Theatre, House of Yes and has been featured in VICE, Autostraddle, Argot Magazine, and most notably: at http://giafagnelli.com Check out Bjordan's music video for PASSING LIGHTS below to check out some of Gia's work. This video was directed by Princess Jafar and edited by Gia Fagnelli.

On top of these accomplishments, Gia has a debut coming very soon. On October 10th, they will be premiering "The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning", the first episode of The Exorcism Exhibition. The Exorcism Exhibition began as an hour-long collection of video art paired with live performances created around the time that Fagnelli's father died. When asked about the premiere, they said, "It's a lot of never before seen work - some that's recognizable if someone's seen enough of my live performances from 2018, now reimagined as digital drag + video art pieces. Creating this work was my way of understanding the death, complex grief, and intergenerational curses I was bearing witness to- both in my family and throughout the US."

Photo by The Childlike Empress

Fagnelli further explains, "Quarantine has helped me realize that it makes perfect sense to release in a digital format, this time in 30-minute episodes.  Episode One features Louisianna Purchase who made the top three in the third season of Dragula, the most popular horror and alternative drag competition series.  I was also able to collaborate with Jordan Harris of Pittsburgh + Austin TX who is a powerhouse of a movement artist.  These new collaborations really bring this slow-cooked piece to the next level and I'm so grateful to have their talents incorporated into this work.  It sends a literal thrill through me to even think that I am so close to publishing this collection - it has been over 2 years in the making!"

Gia describes The Exorcism Exhibition as "astringent" meant to "bring things to the surface, to confront our own reality and the impact it has on the world, the way we are all interconnected, and simultaneously the human experience is steeped in profound solitude." Episode One of the Exorcism Exhibition will be available on Princess Jafar's Vimeo channel and a $7 offering (@giafagnelli on Venmo, $giafagnelli on Cashapp) bestows the password to experience Gia Fagnelli's one-of-a-kind spiritual cleanse.  

(CW for Episode One: discussions of death, some scenes of blood and gore.)

Gia would like to thank Princess Jafar, Louisianna Purchase, and Jordan Harris for making this vision truly come to life.

Anyone interested in bookings, commissions, or collaborations can email Gia at GiaFagnelli@gmail.com

Until The Exorcism Exhibition premieres on October 10th you can support Gia Fagnelli on the following platforms!

onlyfans.com/giafagnelli

instagram.com/giafagnelli

twitter.com/giafagnelli

youtube

http://giafagnelli.com

Thank you for reading.

- Ryan

Do you want to be featured as our next Featured Artist? This monthly series will dive into Pittsburgh art and bring recognition to some of the hardest working, most inspired talents in Pittsburgh. No matter your artistic medium, send us an email at contact@highfivemusic.co so we know about the work you are doing to grow Pittsburgh's already incredible artistry.

Princess Jafar: Featured Artist

From the Princess Jafar Show to Princess Jafar's Instant Messages to Twitter's most retweetable timeline, September's featured artist has been hard at work for years in Pittsburgh, becoming a phenom bigger than the city itself.

As a recording artist, Princess Jafar has graced stages internationally. You can purchase Princess's recent projects on Bandcamp and wait in anticipation for her 3-Course yet-to-be-titled Food EP that will be dropping on the platform in the near future! Princess also collaborated with our own Lyn Starr for a song that dropped back in December of 2019 titled "Lunesta".

Believe it or not, this is only the Princess's musical body of work. Across multiple mediums, it seems that Princess Jafar is able to produce incredible content for her fans. The Princess’s video recording and performance art have been featured internationally at the European Media Arts Festival, The Gay Film Fest of Rio De Janeiro, Toronto’s OutFest, London’s X4 Festival and Berlin’s Pride Festival, as well as in San Francisco’s National Queer Arts Festival, NYC’s Porn Film Festival, NYC’s Bushwig Alternative Drag Festival and was a major recipient of artist grants from Heinz and The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. There is no denying Princess Jafar is a pop culture phenomenon.

Recently, Princess Jafar created a Medium series entitled, "Princess Jafar's Instant Messages" which finds her interviewing dope artists over text. As simple as this concept may seem, Princess's personality shines through in the interviews and takes the format to a new level. The first 'instant messages' interview with The Childlike Empress found the pair connecting over similarities in their lives, Grandmothers, and music. There have been two more installments in the series that I need to catch up on myself! You can find them here!

Princess is currently working on a telethon fundraiser for Lebanese Queers affected by the recent Beirut Explosion. Also this summer Princess Jafar began producing for Native Cocopah Tribe member Bae Lè Stray’s dragcentric YouTube channel.

To make sure you're up to date with everything Princess Jafar, follow using the links below!

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/princessjafar/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/princessjafar

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theprincessjafar

Medium - https://medium.com/@theprincessjafar

Also, don’t forget to pick up your hot Princess Jafar merch at PrincessJafar.threadless.com!

Haven’t had enough Princess Jafar? 

Call 1-34-PRINCESS for exclusive 24/7 unfettered access to Princess Jafar herself!

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Thank you reading.

- Ryan

Do you want to be featured as our next Featured Artist? This monthly series will dive into Pittsburgh art and bring recognition to some of the hardest working, most inspired talents in Pittsburgh. No matter your artistic medium, send us an email at contact@highfivemusic.co so we know about the work you are doing to grow Pittsburgh's already incredible artistry.