A music series for emerging artists and hidden gems, B-Drop Worldwide premieres its latest showcase featuring LA-based artists KTJ & Carly and Stephanie Hatzinikolis!

Just as every country has its hidden gems waiting to be discovered, every artist has their own hidden gems waiting to be heard.

Atwood Magazine is proud to be featuring B-Drop Worldwide, an exciting new music series giving a platform to emerging artists and shining a spotlight on the A-sides, as well as the beloved (but oft-neglected) B-sides. The latest iteration of this unique melting pot of music premieres today, with a special performance from Los Angeles indie rock band Not From England.

“B-Drop Worldwide came from B-Drop TV, an online music platform supporting emerging artists doing a similar format,” founder Cindi Avnet tells Atwood Magazine. “Prior to the pandemic we were filming twice a month in a studio space, doing a few bands each time. The bands would do two songs – an A-side and a B-side, with a brief interview at the end. The last question we asked the artists would be what’s one of your all-time favorite B-side. In 2020, we decided to do continue virtually with Instagram live streams every Monday and Friday doing a similar format.”

“One day I realized I wanted to create a worldwide community that supports emerging artists everywhere. Our plan is to film every 6 to 8 weeks moving from country to country. We will have six artists total performing each time we do the session: Three from the US, and three from the country we have chosen. The format will be similar to regular B-Drop, but it will be in-person sessions. We will also try to support indie labels from other countries by supporting their bands from their respective countries. We started with the UK, and because we think that it came out so well we might spend the summer doing UK sessions just to build up momentum before we move to another country!”

B-DROP WORLDWIDE SHOWCASES CUFFED UP, SOREBAE, CHEER UP CLUB, JANGO FLASH, & THE RARE OCCASIONS

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Why B-sides?

“Historically, often B-sides became more popular than the A-sides,” Avnet explains. “At B-Drop we want to encourage artists to have a chance to play one of their songs that is less well known or may have never been recorded. It’s interesting to have them do a current single as well as a B-side. From my understanding most music platforms want to just hear the current single but on our show we enjoy having the point of difference.”

B-Drop Worldwide is a showcase on a mission.

The project is now a collaboration between Avnet and Bella Elbaum as co-producers, and Joseph Calhoun as graphic designer/videographer.

“Going forward, our vision is to bring attention to bands that may not often have opportunities and chances to thrive in this overcrowded music space we are in, Avnet says. “Our focus is to bring attention to undiscovered artists that may have not had the chance to be seen and heard otherwise. My hope is B-Drop listeners will discover new artists that they may never have heard before and add them to their playlist of artists to listen to. Also if someone is already a fan of the artist, then perhaps they will enjoy their B-side if they’ve never heard it before. The main thing for B-Drop is cultivating music discovery from new artists.”

Avnet’s favorite B-side? “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys, from the band’s unparalleled 1966 album Pet Sounds (the A-side was “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”). Co-producer Bella Elbaum’s go-to B-side? The Beatles’ “Baby You’re A Rich Man” (the A-side was “All You Need Is Love”).

B-Drop Worldwide is all about expanding our musical horizons. Discover KTJ & Carly and Stephanie Hatzinikolis in the series’ latest episode, and dive deeper into the band’s music and B-side picks below!

Already a mainstay of Atwood Magazine‘s pages, KTJ & Carly are opening for Evan + Zane (actor/singer Evan Rachel Wood and guitarist/singer/songwriter Zane Carney) at the Troubadour on December 12th.

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B-Drop Worldwide is produced by Cindi Avnet, Bella Elbaum, and Joseph Calhoun. Both performances were shot at Cosmic Church LA, a vintage church and creative space that serves content creators with a unique location for music video shoots, fashion editorial, film and TV projects. The space has hosted Steve Aoki x Hrvy, Allen Stone, Lizzy McAlpine, Royal & The Serpent among others.

KTJ & Carly

Atwood Magazine: Can you share a little more about the songs you performed and what they mean to you?

Carly Haynes: “Daddy’s Little Lawyer” is the first song we performed. This song, to me, is about coming out of hiding and not letting an entitled person in a relationship control you. Changing the narrative and moving on to indifference. “Signing Off” means a lot to me. That is the B-side we performed. “Signing Off” to me means letting go; it means when you physically and mentally are pushed so far that you have to unplug and take time to reload. In the age of technology and social media, it’s really important to be able to live in the moment and breathe away from it all. – Carly

Katie Haynes: “Daddy Little Lawyer” is about sticking it to the man, dealing with entitlement, and growing up. “Signing Off” is that feeling when you’re so overwhelmed that everything overflows and you just have to let go bc otherwise the weight breaks us. It’s a reminder to let go and take care of yourself.

What's the significance of a B-side, for you?

KTJ & Carly: A B-Side is significant to us because it shows another side of a body of work. Having a B-side is a great way to have a song or body of work grow into something else. It doesn’t have to be the same concept or even vibe, but it gives a chance to show off many of the songs that didn’t make the cut for the A-side. I know when we were writing Ego Death, there were probably ten songs we wrote for it that didn’t make the cut, but we love them just as much. It’s cool to be able to have those to share.

What is one of your favorite B-sides, and why?

Carly: My favorite B-side is Good Riddance Time of Your Life by Green Day. Funnily enough, it’s probably one of their most popular songs so most people don’t know it is a b-side. I just love the lyrics and musicality of that song and it makes me very nostalgic for my childhood, so it will always be one of my favorites.

Katie Haynes: “Good Riddance” by Green Day because it’s a classic!

Stephanie Hatzinikolis

Atwood Magazine: Can you share a little more about the songs you performed and what they mean to you?

Stephanie Hatzinikolis: The two original songs I performed are, “Runnin’ to You” and “So High.” “Runnin’ to You” is a love letter of sorts to someone we love struggling with anxiety, depression, or agoraphobia. It is an acknowledgment that our loved one is not their usual self and needs space to move through it. Though we love this person and want to be there for them, we equally respect the space needed for them to process, but we will be there at any moment when called upon.

“So High” is an uplifting and adventurous celebration of freedom after enduring difficult times. It was written to dance to and to feel good about the days ahead.

Both these songs were written in 2021 (during COVID). To me, they represent hope and encouragement of the human spirit; whether it’s ours to share, or if we need to hear it ourselves. Themes of self-love and self-care are heavily weaved throughout all my songs.

What's the significance of a B-side, for you?

Stephanie Hatzinikolis: The significance of a B-side, to me, is not only to add more weight to a single, but to expand the artist/band’s audience’s palette with perhaps something more off -the-beaten-path. Another perk of a B-side is it can also be it’s own little star. Sometimes if a single doesn’t resonate with a fan, perhaps the B-side will. I like to think of it as an eclectic sidekick.

What is one of your favorite B-sides, and why?

Stephanie Hatzinikolis: “Revolution” by The Beatles. I love The Beatles and “Revolution” was their first anti-war protest song and B-side to “Hey Jude.” It represents the power of music to transcend entertainment and to be used for social change, and to me, that’s incredible. Not to mention, the song just rocks.

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