Countless Californians and New Yorkers are leaving the state as the pandemic and fear rages . Nearly a million left California because of high taxes. Many are heading to the midwest or the southern states where jobs are plentiful and taxes are lower. Rock legend Gene Simmons is dumping his $22 million California Benedict Canyon estate.

Simmons bought the house from Fleedwood Mac and The Eagles manager Irving Azoff. Supposably, The Eagles were put together on the property.
“I’m finally not putting up with [paying] 60% to 70% of my gross to the government,” says Simmons. “I am going to a much more welcoming state where there is no income tax, no local and state taxes. Federal taxes are enough.”
“California and Beverly Hills have been treating folks that create jobs badly and the tax rates are unacceptable,” Simmons told the Journal. “I work hard and pay my taxes, and I don’t want to cry the Beverly Hills blues but enough is enough.”

Essex singer-songwriter Grace Sees releases the psychedelic baroque pop track Hit & Run. You make vibe with it, especially if you like darker and moodier. She’s been asked to perform live for BBC introducing Essex. She has been named ‘one to watch’ by BBC Introducing Essex and landed on Spotify’s Fresh Finds Playlist. Grace released two previous tracks Pandora’s Box and Original Sin that will comes off her forthcoming Boiler Bunny EP. Give it a stream on KOAR’s Indie Invaders Playlist.

SHAED released a new cool tune No Other Way. It wasn’t too long ago I featured the track “Trampoline“. Nobody could have guessed Trampoline would go massive and find it’s own journey on radio. Whether this was a pop moment or something the band could do again – nobody knows.  Regardless, the new song is a perfect follow up as well as the music video which was directed by Miles & AJ who are known with their work for Billie Eilish. Most don’t know, but the Washington, D.C based trio is consists of Chelsea Lee, her husband Spencer Ernst, and his twin brother Max Ernst.
Like for most artists, the GREAT GLOBAL RESET forced SHAED off the road and back home. Most artists are spending time refocusing. As I said previously, many artists are shelving beats and spending timing looking within themselves, as with Shaed who through deep introspection found strength and creativity that inspired ‘No Other Way’ and set the stage for the forthcoming debut LP.

You may like Tarn PK latest track Serenity, if you’re in a chill mood. The New Zealand songwriter made some noise with the funky Charlie Puth’ish Talk To You which landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlists in Australia and New Zealand. In the Serenity track Tarn PK channels Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, and John Martyn. Mind you, I see a new trend. Artists are moving away from beat driven tracks to slower tempo introspective tracks. The world has turned upside down and artists are looking inside themselves. Give Serenity a stream on KOAR’s Indie Invaders.

Watch out for jens and the single for Tough Love. Think Shawn Mendes meets Charlie Puth. He grew up on the west coast of Norway which can be very boring. The weather is awful for most of the year. Jens notes, “I have this not-scientific theory that being bored can be good for your imagination.” He makes a great point. It’s probably why artists seem to die a slow death in sunny Los Angeles. It’s all fun & sun with no creative vibe. Check out the track Tough Love.