So the other day I got this email:
Hey!
My name is Tyler Gelrud and I go by the artist name Lyonn.
I am an alternative musician that uses my music as a stepping stone to raise awareness for causes I truly believe in!
I just recently teamed up with American DanceWheels Foundation! An incredible non profit that teaches dance to disabled individuals allowing them a well deserved shot in the spotlight. It is immensely uplifting and I am so proud to say they are using my song “Dancing Machine” as their theme song!
I am emailing you because I was hoping you could raise awareness about this non profit. Right now you can download my new EP “Promenade” at Lyonn.bandcamp.com
and all the money goes to American DanceWheels Foundation!
The best part is you can pay what you want! You type in the dollar amount and that money goes to the charity to help raise funds so the foundation can put together classes, videos, and dance recitals. This foundation offers people a chance to do something they never thought they could, and I am so happy to be a part of it.
I would really appreciate it if you shared the word about this partnership! Encourage people to download and donate, and you could help change lives. Thanks so much.
Tyler Gelrud
Lyonn.bandcamp.com
LyonnMusic.com
http://www.americandancewheels.org/
So, yeah, I was like, I want to help! The best way I could think of was to buy a copy of the song and then share this coolness on the blog. Lyonn agreed to a virtual interview because, you know, I have questions! I’m interested! And I thought you all might want a bit more information too, if I was going to promote something like this.
The idea struck me as very cool – using art to support other art, and to make sure people of all abilities get the opportunity to dance, because, as we all know, dancing is awesome. And it’s kind of a hot button issue for me since I”m not your “typical” dance myself and I believe dancing is for everybody and Every Body, if you know what I mean.
So without further ado, here’s a little bit of info about our guest tonight, Lyonn.
BGitB: How long have you been singing?
Lyonn: I started singing during my senior year of high school. My whole life I would sing for fun, but I started my first band at age 16 and that’s when I started taking singing more seriously.
BGitB: How long ago did you begin playing music?
Lyonn: I would say the same time as I started my first band, age 16!
BGitB: Why were you interested in these arts?
Lyonn: I have always been into music, I loved listening to it and I would always imagine myself performing to all my friends. Once I started writing songs I knew I needed to make it more than just a hobby. It was the easiest way for me to express myself. That’s the biggest thing for me, expression, I hope people can listen to my music and relate to it. I want people to feel the same way I do when I hear a really great song.
BGitB: What instruments (if any) do you play?
Lyonn: I can get by on an acoustic guitar!
That’s the instrument I play on stage during my show, and the instrument I write all my melodies on. I’m teaching myself piano though! So far, not so good…
BGitB: How would you describe your personal style? Style as in terms of clothing/fashion, music, decor etc.
Lyonn: I like to think my style is pretty current. Nothing too crazy, I hope it matches my music! I wear a lot of Disney t shirts though, so people give me weird looks from time to time! I grew up in Anaheim though, Disneyland was my backyard!
BGitB: What are your best 3 qualities ?
Lyonn: I feel uncomfortable answering this question, so I’ll have my mom get back to you with a response.
BGitB: What is your proudest accomplishment thus far?
Lyonn: I’m really proud of myself for moving across the country for music. This is really what I want to do with my life, so I quit my job, sold my car, and moved. It was a big step and I am really happy I did it. This is just the beginning as well, and I’m ready to do what it takes!
BGitB: How did you come up with this important song? What inspired you?
Lyonn: I don’t really know how or why certain songs come to me. Any moment I’ll just get hit with one and the entire thing will pour out. I’m really happy to say that every song I write comes from personal experiences. That allows me to relive the moment when I perform and it keeps the passion burning very bright. I wrote this song the second I woke up on a Sunday morning after a near perfect Saturday night out in San Diego. It was a wonderful time full of friendship and dancing. I was captivated watching everyone dance and laugh. We all just forgot about the problems in our lives and danced the night away. When I woke up, I grabbed my guitar and the entire song came out in a single play.
BGitB: Do you dance?
Lyonn: Horribly…
BGitB: If so, What style?
Lyonn: Embarrassing.
BGitB: Why are you passionate about this particular project?
Lyonn: I knew I wanted to team up with a non profit focused on dance, I thought “Dancing Machine” would be the perfect fit for that type of foundation. When I contacted American DanceWheels Foundation and told them my ideas, they absolutely loved them. The more I talked with the foundation the more I knew it needed to happen. The foundation to them is much more than just dancing. They do such incredible work and they really care about the people they help.
I could go on and on, but one look at their website and you’ll understand what I mean!
BGitB: What is your vision? For your life, for your art, for this project?
Lyonn: I hope to make music my career. If I could continue expressing myself and helping people with my music there would be nothing better.
In December, I am shooting a music video for “Dancing Machine” with American DanceWheels Foundation! That should provide enormous awareness for the nonprofit and I can’t wait. That’s the biggest thing on our agenda together, I can’t wait to let the individuals involved with ADWF be the stars of the video!
BGitB: What is your life philosophy?
Lyonn: This is the hardest question to answer. I really can’t answer it fully. I will mention I truly believe youth is relative. I don’t think there’s ever a point in ones life where they should stop striving. That’s the biggest thing to me, everyday is a gift and we should work to make every minute count.
There’s a million other things I could say, but for now I’ll let that sink in.
BGitB: How does this project tie into your vision/purpose?
Lyonn: I don’t want to cross any lines here considering I personally don’t know what it’s like to live with a disability, but I am truly inspired by these individuals. I can imagine living with a disability would make certain things in life a bit more difficult, but that doesn’t stop these dancers, and it gives me chills when I see the videos and the passion they have. I am so honored to be involved with ADWF, and I am so proud of all they do. Life is for living, and they sure are doing that!
BGitB: Why is your showbiz name Lyonn? What is the story behind that? How did it come about?
Lyonn: I started this solo project in January 2014. I spent my entire summer of 2013 backpacking through Europe and that trip was the main motivation for me to start this project. I knew I needed to pay homage to that trip so I picked a city we visited as my stage name. Lyon, but I added an “n” to make it my own.
Well folks, it’s a worthy project so I wanted to support it! I hope you enjoyed this and if you want to know more about Lynn, his music, and this particular project you can follow him in the following ways:
Facebook page: Facebook.com/LyonnUS
Twitter: Twitter.com/LyonnUS
Webpages:
Lyonn.bandcamp.com (if you buy my EP on this site the $ goes to American DanceWheels Foundation)
Spotify and iTunes: Lyonn
Instagram: LyonnMusic
The link for this specific campaign
Please check it out!
Beautiful Girl In The Ballroom 