meet the brooklyn finalists: byhaze

On Friday, August 9th, five acts will perform at the AFROPUNK Brooklyn Battle of the Bands Finals, at the Knitting Factory in Williamsburg.

The Grand Prize is the chance to join the star-studded, line-up of AFROPUNK Brooklyn 2019 at Commodore Barry Park on August 24th-25th. But the Battle of the Bands is not only an opportunity for a big break most musicians seek in their careers, it is also an occasion for the bands to showcase their music, their creative spirit and their artistry to the AFROPUNK audience. So this week, we’re spotlighting all five finalists, asking them questions about who they are and what this moment means to them.

Presenting BYHAZE, a young man from Jersey who possesses an incredible voice, plugs into the rhythmic musical energy of the Black Atlantic, and calls himself an “Architect of Healing Sounds.”

What is your name, your age, and the instrument that you play?

My name is BYHAZE. I’m 25, and I’m a singer, songwriter and entertainer. I sing lead in a four-piece band with two background vocalists. My musical director is guitarist Aijalon “AJ”Williams-Brown (22). My bassist is Tevin Palarche (26), My keyboardist is Demar Brown (30) and my drummer is Bryan Germaine (22). Tajiana Spain (28) and Dana Holland (28) both provide background vocals. We all work together to create the uplifting and energetic BYHAZE Live experience.

Where are you from?

We are all from various parts of Essex County but the city that has brought us all together and has become stomping grounds, is Newark, New Jersey. My parents are Jamaican and British so I do have family all around the world and have lived in various places.

Byhaze live ensemble, backstage at the AFROPUNK Battle of the Bands Brooklyn 2019 semi-finals

What are your favorite things about where you are from? (Especially when it comes to Black culture of where you are from.)

Being a part of the Jamaican culture, I’ve been instilled with the values of family, hard work ethic and persistence. In Jamaica, it’s a third world country and my people value education and community despite not having “much.” We live off of the land and give thanks to our Creator for providing us with abundance in fruit, vegetables and great weather. We focus a lot of our holidays on family interactions and storytelling and I’ve learned a lot about my family history which traces back to the Maroon Tribe from Ghana who were warriors in JA. My great-granny was a Maroon which explains my passion for healing my community. I love being Jamaican, we have a rich history, great food, beautiful land and some of the world’s greatest feel-good music.

Newark is known as New Jerusalem, and that means it’s a city of that is full of abundance and opportunity. The city has tons of organizations, businesses, foundations and centers that residents can benefit from, as long as they’re aware. I love the diversity that is represented within the city, but most importantly I love the Black artist community. The Black artist community talent pool is so rich and diverse ranging from violinists, Alvin Ailey-trained dancers, photographers, award-winning vocalists, fashion designers, producers and the list goes on. It feels as though Newark is a one-stop shop for artists. When they arrive, they fall in love with the city and do their due diligence to uplift the culture. Whether it be Vibes After Dark parties, Lincoln Park Music Festival, Jazz Nights at Clement’s Hall, EvoluCulture Open Mics, or the Ubuntu Awards: NJ’s 30 Under 30, Newark will always have a program that is for us, by us.

I have a great tribe of artists that I surround myself with and support each other to be the best versions of ourselves. The Black community in Newark also always makes room to give back. I went to Rutgers-University Newark and got my Bachelor’s and Master’s degree and made it my duty to inspire my peers to give back to the community. I teamed up with college friends turned family and founded a nonprofit organization called Them Cloud Kids in 2013, and since then we’ve grown to host community feedings, open mics, mentoring programs and intergenerational awards shows. What I truly enjoy is the culture of passing the baton to the younger generations as you grow, and I made sure to do so with my org by creating a student organization at Rutgers University that continues to spread the philosophy of Ubuntu to this day. Now that I’ve graduated, I work for a Black-run nonprofit called Newark Thrives! during the day and I manage a database of summer and after-school programs, provide free professional development for program providers and host citywide after-school resource fairs. It’s amazing to be in a city that embraces young Black intellectuals who also happen to be Black artists, I never feel bad about wearing my multiple hats.

In your own words, give us a short description of the kind of music you make.

I refer to myself as the Architect of Healing Sounds, so my goal is to create and perform music that encourages sonic healing. My music is thought-provoking, introspective and purposeful, and the goal of it all is to inspire people to love themselves and identify their purpose. I feel that the divine creator has sent us all here with a divine purpose that will help heal the world and it all starts with healing self. My music helps me heal when I write and perform it so I hope that it helps people realize that they have the tools and power within themselves to heal. Being a child of Jamaican and British immigrants with diverse backgrounds, my music sounds blends from soul, hip-hop, reggae, house and rap.

If there was one or two core thoughts or ideas that you want your music to convey, what are they?

Two core thoughts that I want my music to convey is the importance and power of intention. Moving with a clear intention will lead to your manifestations, but if you have negative intentions, just know that the universe will respond the same way you put it out. So rather than spewing negativity, make time to spread positivity and treat the world and others the way you want to be treated and watch the universe react, making your life more abundant.

I want my music to express the importance and strength that vulnerability has for Black people. It can be nerve-racking to share yourself with the world at first but when you unapologetically shine your light and be authentic you create space for others to do so. Nothing and no one is perfect in this world so striving for that would be detrimental, so be the change you wish to see and you’ll be surprised at the impact you make in the lives of those around you.

What are your musical dreams and aspirations? Not fame-wise, but creatively. What do you think you can do with music?

My musical dreams and aspirations are to be a timeless artist that impacts and shifts culture with my healing sounds, thought-provoking visuals and my selfless actions in the world. Music is an amazing platform to unite people of all backgrounds and provides the artist with the ability to share a message. As a philanthropist, activist and artist I have been able to make changes in my community through my organizations, Them Cloud Kids and Newark Thrives! but I feel my impact and reach will be greatly increased as an artist. I’ve seen artists like Beyonce, Jay-Z, Meg Thee Stallion, Jaden Smith and Rihanna galvanize their audiences to make impacts in the areas of clean water, beach clean-ups, education, civil rights and more. So as an artist I would hope to inspire my audience to be a responsible citizen in this world and make time for community service, mentorship, community clean-ups, social justice and spreading compassion and kindness (i.e Ubuntu). As a result of being a world-renowned artist, I would be able to spread the mission of Them Cloud Kids further while simultaneously promoting my musical message of healing. I hope to impact the world to unite by spreading Mandela’s practice of Ubuntu, that is my dream and I won’t stop until it’s achieved

Name one artist that you would like to collaborate with? What do you think that collaboration would sound like?

This is so hard to pick just one because my biggest musical inspiration is Erykah Badu, she truly has taught me what it means to share my art with this world while remaining confident in my authenticity. But if I had to pick an artist to collaborate with to make a great feel-good track it would have to be Kaytranada because of his Caribbean roots and distinct sound, which blends funk, house, soul, r&B and hip-hop. The collaboration would be an amazing feel-good track that inspires the masses to dance and love themselves. To this day I still listen, dance and put people on to his project 99.9%! I can hear a blend of quick, syncopated and infectious flows that make listeners dance and replay to learn the lyrics and strategic harmonies and vocals that hit the soul and uplift listeners. A track with Kaytranada is a dream come true and I know that when given the opportunity it will be something that stands out in a beautiful way and sticks around for a minute, kind of like “Magnetic.”

Byhaze live ensemble performing at the AFROPUNK Battle of the Bands Brooklyn 2019 semi-finals

What are you most looking forward to if you win the Battle of the Bands? What do you think winning could do for you?

I look forward mostly to performing on the stage and sharing my gift with the audience. In order to manifest you have to see and experience things to know how it’s done. Once I perform on the main stage at Afropunk I’ll be creating space for me to perform at even more large festivals, stadiums and tours globally. Winning would not only increase my confidence in myself as an artist but also introduce me to an entire new audience that embraces the same values as me and wants to see me grow. My friends OSHUN had the pleasure of performing at AFROPUNK early on in their career after winning Battle of the Bands and it’s led to them touring all around the world spreading their good message of African Spirituality, so I know that winning Battle of The Bands can change my life in a positive way.

Anything else you want to say to the AFROPUNK audience as a way of introduction?

I just want to say thank you so much for this opportunity to spread my healing and positive vibrations with you through song and performance. I love seeing your reactions to my on stage looks and performance so I look forward to growing with you all. Always remember to embrace your light and remain true to yourself because you never know who you’re inspiring by living in your authenticity. Trust your journey, it’s never to late to start living in your purpose.

Follow Byhaze on Soundcloud