Short haircut, sports, French… Now all of that is the part of Valerie Warntz’s life: a young singer-songwriter from Saint Petersburg. We were lucky enough to talk to her on topics such as: how did she celebrate The New Year, why did she decide to learn French, what does she usually eat, and many more.
Hello, Valerie! It’s such a pleasure for us that your first interview this year is for our website. Tell us please, how did you celebrate The New Year 2021? Do you like this holiday?
— Hello! Thank you for the invitation. I don’t like this celebration as a whole, but I was waiting for The New Year 2021 very much and was so excited. Probably that’s because 2020 was, without any exagerration, extremely tough for me, so I was waiting for it to end: it was going very slowly. In December, I got cheerful New Year mood for the first time in many years. I celebrated amazingly too: on my own. Before that, I treated this as a ‘family holiday’, so I always celebrated wity my family, but this time I decided to make a change and celebrate this way. And, to be honest, it was the best The New Year celebration in my life! I’m very introverted-type person. I love my own company. So yeah, on January 31st I made some dishes, bought a juice, and in the evening put on Christmas and New Year music and just enjoyed it while gazing at the sparkling garlands. After that, I ate a little, watched the president’s speech and fireworks, and went to bed. Without any noise and nerves: especially since I’ve noticed that, before celebrations with somebody, something always went wrong: we quarreled or something. And now everything was perfect!
Sounds interesting. As you’ve mentioned stereotypes: we know that last year you also ruined stereotypes about appearence and cut your long hair off. Tell us why did you decide to do it? Did you regret about it?
— No, I didn’t. At first, it was unusual feeling, cause I used to have long hair since childhood, or, at least, they were longer that shoulders. But I got used to it for around a week, and noticed the benefits right away. I’ve already said many times that, as well as many others, in childhood I was pushed to think like it’s not good for women to do a short haircut, and so on. It seemed like a truth, so I couldn’t even think about cut my hair off before. Honestly, I don’t remember exactly, what really inspired me to go ahead and do it. Probably I started noticing more women with haircut and read their stories about how comfortable and economical it is. Yeah, also I was motivated by the fact that long hair often make working out complicated even with a ponytail, and also, while actively shaking a head, hair is falling out a little, so you have to sweep quite often. You don’t have these problems with a haircut. And honestly, if I knew that before, I would do it in childhood.
As you mentioned sports, our next question is: when and why did you decide to do sports?
— Overall, I used to play volleyball at school, and also used to ride a bycicle and jumprope everyday in summer, in the countryside, til’ I turn 12 years old. It was the only physical activity I did. Now I’m 22 years old, so I haven’t done any sports til’ the quarantine: around a year ago I started doing exercises for arms. Though I was doing it for 2 months and then stopped, because 1) as I said before, 2020 was hard for me, so I didn’t have energy and resourses to continue that time 2) I didn’t have enough motivation. But somehow, in the end of October, I stumbled upon Alexandra Trusova, Russian figure skater. I was impressed by her energy, power and muscules. Of course, there is much more in her, but her muscles shape… I was amazed by how athletic she is, and how strong willpower it takes to reach this, not to mention she is 2x Junior World Champion and is in the Guinness Book of Records! That being said, Alexandra inspired me, so in November I started doing sports and stretching. At first it was very hard and unusual, especially since I started doing it right away. But later I started liking it! Now I really enjoy working out, though stretching is really tough, I still do it regularly and do my best.
Tell us about your day. Do you workout everyday? What do you eat?
— I do strength training on Monday and Thursday, stretching — every other day, cardio — I try to do it everyday, back exercises — Wednesday and Saturday. Overall, that’s how my usual day go: I wake up and lay in bed for around an hour, where I just surf through the Internet. Then, I fill my 1,9 l bottle with water for this day and do 15-min dance cardio. After that, if it’s Monday or Thursday, I do strength workout on legs, then — stretching, then — training on arms and ABS. If it’s not, I do either stretching or back exercises. After that I breakfast: it’s usually either smoothie from banana, vegan milk (I like many), flax seeds, peanut butter and probably some salad/spinach/berries, or oat meal with berries. For dinner and/or supper I prefer soups and pasta with vegan cutles and ketchup or simply with oil and salt. I also like bread with hummus or Japanese tofu pate, or to do vegan fish analog from tofu and nori. Sometimes I please myself with pizza or sushi, but try to follow healthy lifestyle. Back to the topic: after that I usually study French and help foreigners with Russian grammar and pronunciation. Then I work if I have to, or play: usually it’s online billiard, solitaire or cards, or races, or parking and design games. I also like intellectual apps: words, Sudoku, tetris. Sometimes I also do tests about correct stress/emphasis in Russian words and use apps for increasing my English vocabulary. Also, I quite often sing in app Smule!
That’s deep! By the way, you said through your Instagram that this year you are celebrating 8 years of being vegan. Congratulations!
— Thank you!
Of course we can’t escape asking: why did you decide to study French?
— I wanted to learn it a long time ago, since I visited France for the first time and fell in love with this country 9 years ago. From beautiful Paris to small villages: France is a magical country with calm and pleasant atmosphere. I lived in French families and listened to French speech: it’s very beautiful. Before now, just like with sports, I didn’t have enough motivation to start learning this language, and I also didn’t know where to start. But recently I discovered useful stuff and started learning, step by step.
Very cool! By the way, you also posted in Instagram your attempts to ice skate. It must be Alexandra Trusova who inspired you to do it as well?
— Yes. Before that, I was never interested in figure skating, because I saw only pair skating in show «Lednikoviy Period», which my parents used to watch long time ago. Pair skating doesn’t fascinate me, and that time I didn’t know about women’s single skating. But when I watched it, I was amazed by the grace and, at the same time, power of this discipline and skaters, cause you have to have a lot of strength to skate fast and smooth, as well as to do various elements. It’s amazing and inspiring. Of course, Alexandra Trusova is number one for me, but I also like Alyona Kostornaya and 2 juniors: Sofya Akatieva and Sofya Samodelkina. So yeah, I wanted to learn how to roller skate and ice skate too. Now I can do it very slowly, but I have much fun!
That’s amazing, good luck to you! What about music? Do you plan to release something this year?
— I can’t say certainly at the moment. I write new songs when inspiration comes, and think about the concept of the next album. Releasing new music for me is more a spontaneous process: I can release something unexpectedly, just write a song in a day, like «what I needed.» and «Beautiful Places». But now I’m focused on what we’ve discussed earlier.
Ok, thanks, Valerie! We’ll be looking forward to your new music! Good luck and thanks for talking to us!
With a biography that reads like a mystery, I’d best describe The Traveling High Priest as a prophetic spiritual phenomenon wrapped in the form of an artist, minister, and messenger. His artistry does not operate within the ordinary boundaries of music alone; it feels like a fusion of prophecy, spoken-word ministry, gospel rap, spiritual storytelling, and supernatural theater. He presents himself less as a conventional entertainer and more as a vessel carrying divine revelation through sound, speech, prayer, and presence. Welcome aboard!
Now that we are here, it wouldn’t hurt to talk about that ethereal performance he recently delivered with the single “Right One” featuring female vocalist Jhonni Blaze. This is a spiritually charged and emotionally immersive collaboration and marks The Traveling High Priest’s first-ever gospel release and serves as the official lead single from his highly anticipated upcoming album. Already generating major momentum online — including nearly one thousand TikTok creations — “Right One” is quickly proving itself to be more than just a song; it is becoming a movement of healing, reflection, faith, and emotional honesty.
From the very first seconds, “Right One” creates an atmosphere that feels both intimate and transcendent. The intro arrives like a warm tropical breeze, carried by silky island-infused rhythms that sway with grace rather than force. The cadence is smooth, fluid, and deeply inviting. Gentle Afro-Caribbean percussion rolls beneath the production with hypnotic precision, allowing the beat to breathe naturally while soft melodic textures drift across the instrumental like sunlight reflecting on ocean waves. Every element feels intentional, warm, and emotionally alive.
The song immediately finds its emotional center through Jhonni Blaze’s unforgettable hook:
“You said you’d change. I believe every word. Gave you my heart even when it hurt. Stayed through the nights when love felt cold. Held on to you when I should have let go.”
Her delivery is soulful, vulnerable, and magnetic — setting the emotional tone for the entire record while bringing a powerful sense of human fragility and longing to the forefront. Then comes the arrival of The Traveling High Priest, whose entrance completely transforms the energy of the track. Delivering in his divinely inspired and unclassified spiritual language, he brings an otherworldly presence that feels less like conventional performance and more like prophetic expression poured directly into sound.
As he enters, the production effortlessly morphs into a floating, atmospheric Afro-Amapiano groove layered with minimalist yet deeply textured percussion. The beat does not rush. It lingers. It breathes. Dusty underground drums, airy melodic spacing, and smoky rhythmic textures create a hypnotic sonic environment where every word, cadence, and vocal inflection carries spiritual weight. Even without understanding the exact language, listeners can feel the emotional and spiritual gravity behind his delivery.
The chemistry between The Traveling High Priest and Jhonni Blaze becomes one of the song’s defining strengths. Her melodic vulnerability and his spiritually charged presence complement each other perfectly, creating a listening experience that feels healing, uplifting, and emotionally transporting. As the groovy Amapiano stabs settle into the mix and the fading harmonies dissolve into the instrumental atmosphere, “Right One” leaves listeners suspended in reflection, faith, and feeling.
The accompanying music video further elevates the experience. Visually stunning and cinematic in presentation, the video places both artists in a scenic studio-inspired environment filled with striking photography, immersive lighting, and captivating aesthetics. Rather than relying on excessive distractions, the visual allows the music, emotion, and chemistry between the artists to remain the focal point — making it the perfect companion piece to a record already resonating deeply with audiences worldwide.
For The Traveling High Priest Thee, “Right One” is not simply another release — it is testimony transformed into music. Speaking openly about his battles with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, he reveals that the song was born directly from GOD’s guidance and his own personal journey toward healing and purpose.
That sincerity pulses throughout every second of “Right One.” Beneath its lush production and hypnotic groove lies a deeper message about spiritual discernment, emotional boundaries, redemption, and divine direction. The Traveling High Priest Thee uses the song not only as art, but as ministry — encouraging listeners to stop walking into doors GOD never granted and to trust the path GOD has designed specifically for them.
“Right One” is available now on YouTube and continues to gain momentum across streaming and social platforms as listeners around the world connect with its message of healing, faith, surrender, and transformation.
Check it out, subscribe to his channel, stream, save and share this divine masterpiece.
In an era when plenty of hip hop chases whatever trend is loudest, Mr.Reaper arrives with something darker and more inward looking. “My Escape” is a haunting new single that moves between psychological pressure and spiritual reckoning, turning fear into the starting point for a deeper kind of release.
At 2 minutes and 37 seconds, the track wastes no time building its world. From the opening moments, the atmosphere feels cold, eerie, and cinematic, like a signal coming from somewhere far away. It pulls the listener into a shadowed mental space where reality feels unstable and escape is less certain than it first appears.
That tension comes through clearly in one of the song’s most memorable lines: “We’re in a simulation, I don’t think they understand…”
The line lingers because it feels philosophical without becoming abstract. It speaks directly to the song’s central struggle, the need to break out of unseen mental and emotional traps.
As the production expands, heavy hip hop drums take control. Booming 808s, rumbling bass, and sharp hi hats give the track a tense, cinematic weight. The beat feels alive, built with purpose, and it gives Mr.Reaper the space to step fully into his darker lyrical persona.
Once he enters that space, he owns it.
Mr.Reaper moves across the beat with control and conviction. His voice is deep, steady, and commanding, carrying each line with emotional force. When he delivers:
“I can’t see, I can’t breathe, I’m surrounded by this mystery praying to God…”
“From darkness to light, we must choose what is in the light…”
“Walking to my destiny…”
the words feel like pieces of an inner conversation. They capture the pull between despair and hope, confusion and clarity, pain and transformation.
At its core, “My Escape” is a song about liberation. Not from a place, but from the prisons people carry inside themselves. It explores fear, betrayal, pressure, self doubt, and the identities that can form around pain. The track plays like a psychological and spiritual battle, where the hardest enemy to face is often the one within.
Still, there is awakening inside the darkness.
The title “My Escape” does not feel like a retreat. It feels like recognition. Freedom, in this song, comes from facing what hurts, understanding it, and turning that struggle into strength. The message is rooted in resilience, growth, and self mastery.
The cover art sharpens that idea. Its half human, half skeletal portrait reflects the tension between life and death, identity and shadow, reality and illusion. The skull suggests mortality and inner demons, while the human side points toward consciousness and awareness. Like the song, the image is bold, unsettling, and symbolic enough to stay with you.
With “My Escape,” Mr.Reaper delivers a release that feels deliberate, emotionally charged, and thought provoking. In a crowded musical landscape, his voice cuts through because it sounds committed to something real.
The journey inward may be the darkest path, but Mr.Reaper presents it as the one that leads toward true freedom.
Eye’z launches Kickstarter campaign to fund debut album “…The Album…”
RICHMOND, Calif., May 3, 2026, Pop singer, pianist, actress, and creative artist Eye’z has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund her long awaited debut album, “…The Album…,” a full length project rooted in soul, personal expression, and artistic independence.
The campaign is now live on Kickstarter and has raised US$1,145 toward its US$20,000 goal, with 7 backers and 38 days remaining at the time of this release. The all or nothing campaign must reach its funding goal by Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 9:03 AM UTC+3 in order to receive funding.
For Eye’z, this album represents years of dedication, growth, and determination. After several attempts to record the project, she is turning to listeners, fans, and supporters of independent music to help bring the album to life with the care and quality it deserves.
“I’m Eye’z, a pop artist with my own style that rings through my soul,” says Eye’z. “I don’t like being compared to other artists even when there are similarities because what I create is my own.”
The album is intended to capture Eye’z as she hears herself, with more creativity, freedom, and emotional honesty than she has been able to fully realize before. Her influences include Judy Garland, Aaliyah, Michael Jackson, Fats Waller, Marian Anderson, and Jackie Wilson. While reflecting on the project, Eye’z says she was especially inspired by Jackie Wilson’s album “Beautiful Day.”
“Music isn’t just music from me, it’s artistry. It’s completeness,” she shares through the campaign. “This campaign is to help me finally create my full length album.”
Funds raised through Kickstarter will help cover studio production, recording in a studio with a grand piano, compatible audio engineers, music video production, marketing, promotion, and live performance expenses. Eye’z also plans to celebrate the album’s debut with a special live performance in the Bay Area, bringing together supporters, musicians, and fans for a release event filled with music, energy, and gratitude.
“One of the most exciting parts of this project will be celebrating the album’s debut with a live performance for fans,” says Eye’z. “I plan to organize a special concert in the Bay Area to mark the release, an unforgettable night filled with music, energy, and gratitude.”
The Kickstarter campaign includes several reward tiers for backers. Supporters can pledge US$25 for an early digital listen, US$50 for a sneak peek package, US$275 for exclusive VIP livestream access, US$300 for an album release party invitation, US$750 for limited exclusive merchandise and a personal call, US$1,000 for a personalized album shoutout, and US$10,000 for the opportunity to executive produce the debut album.
Eye’z says she plans to keep backers updated throughout the album making process and views supporters as an essential part of the journey.
“For the most part I plan on diving in and keeping in contact with all backers to update you on the progress of my album,” she says. “BECAUSE YOU ARE THE RECORD LABEL! LOL”
For Eye’z, the campaign is about more than funding an album. It is about creating a meaningful body of work and sharing it with the people who believe in her voice, her artistry, and her story.
“Let’s make some memorable music together,” says Eye’z. “It’s SHOWTIME!”
About Eye’z Eye’z is a pop singer, pianist, actress, and multifaceted creative artist based in Richmond, California. Her music is shaped by soul, pop, theatrical expression, and classic performance influences. With “…The Album…,” Eye’z is working to complete her debut full length project and share a personal, emotionally honest body of work with listeners around the world.