Meet the TCGB! Collective 2021 Cohort!
This Could Go Boom! is pleased to be working with this dynamic group under the philosophy that Do It Yourself is Great, but Do It Together is Better. These talented musicians span several genres and have committed to supporting each other and focusing on upping their artist game in the areas of songwriting, production, and promotion. Each member will create and release new music during the year. Be sure to follow along with this exciting journey! You can support this program directly at our Donate link.
Megafauna
Morgan Spaner, a Maryland native who currently lives in Baltimore City, has been writing songs for 16 years. Her current solo project, Megafauna, combines surf rock melodies with danceable, electronic beats, driven by a classic 90's slacker rock guitar sound. She writes, performs and produces every element of her music. Thematically, Morgan explores Lesbian sexuality, Judaism and spirituality, and interpersonal relationships in her writing via pop music structure. While her music functions personally as a means of catharsis and therapy, Morgan aims to create music and network through intentionality that fosters community, mutual aid, and uses social media as a way to incentivize creative collaboration and resource sharing with oppressed voices.
Gailanne Amundsen
Gailanne (pronounced Gay-len) Amundsen is a non-binary singer songwriter. They toured playing folk & old time music for most of their teenage years leading up to their first solo album of Carter Family songs, produced by John Carter Cash. They moved back to Florida to play punk and electric music with other singer songwriting friends. Most recently, Gailanne moved to PA to start a small farm and get married. Now focused on teaching online music lessons and caring for 2 doggos and 7 chickens!
daena
daena is a queer woman making indie pop music in Nashville, TN, and exploring love, truth, and vulnerability through songs. Following her retro-inspired debut EP “Electric!” (released in early 2020), daena’s new single “Bright Enough” takes listeners on a journey towards self-love and unshakeable pride. With layered waves of dreamy electric guitar, soft synths, and drums that resonate like a heartbeat, “Bright Enough” offers an emotional and honest peek behind the curtain that climaxes into a joyful, coming out anthem that will thrill fans of MUNA, Sasha Sloan, and Sigrid.
daena's songs have been placed on Spotify's "Fresh Finds", "Fresh Finds Poptronix" and "Night Pop" playlists, featured on iHeart Radio, Lightning 100, Breaking Sound Radio, + more.
Sheila
Sheila is not just a band but a representation of change that we, three young black women, want to see in ourselves as well as the world. What started as weekly skype sessions between sisters Courtney and Rhea Tucker and Sha'Air Hawkins has quickly transcended into the now formed Sheila. Sheila mixes sounds of alternative rock, R&B, and rap as influences to their sound.
Professor Goldstein
Professor Goldstein is a folk/nerd pop punk mélange fronted by music teacher and PG County native, Aeryn Goldstein. A veteran of the D.C. area music scene, she brings her experience with classical, jazz, garage and punk to the project.
Rose Corps
Aeron Premo, alias Rose Corps, is blending synth pop, disco, boogie, house, and R&B/soul into her signature sound as an artist and DJ. Based in Washington, DC, she is known for DJ sets that are forward thinking but rooted in the history of dance & electronic music. Dance was Aeron’s first love, but between the electronic & 80s pop in the studio and her father’s taste in jazz, soul, & classic pop, Aeron eventually found that the pull of music was stronger. Her fate was sealed in 2013, when she met her extended family in Australia and learned that music also ran in her blood. After returning home, Aeron took the name Rose Corps (from the movie Center Stage) and began learning to DJ. Her first DJ mix was released in 2017, and since then she has opened for artists like Roosevelt, Onra, Devin Morrison, GMGN, Melvo Baptiste, and Mighty Mouse. Rose Corps has also contributed guest mixes to electronic blogs such as Vehlinggo, and she has been featured on local radio programs like WERA 96.7FM’s Studio 96. At the same time, she has been preparing her original material, releasing her first single “Fantasies” in 2019. Her next single "Not Just an Angel'' will be released on February 5, 2021, and she has recently begun writing and producing her debut EP.
Marisa Torrieri Bloom
Marisa Torrieri Bloom – who performs under the moniker “Marisa Mini” – is a Connecticut-based musician, writer and guitar teacher hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland. A songwriter practically since birth, Marisa loves playing and performing a wide variety of musical styles. She is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the band Trashing Violet, which plays adrenaline-laced pop-punk and grunge. When in the Washington, D.C., area, Marisa also plays guitar and sings for Grandma’s Mini. Marisa’s writing has been published in Washington Post, On Tap magazine, The Washington Examiner, Baltimore Sun, Guitar World, The Village Voice and other media outlets. Today, she runs the blog Rockmommy, which highlights the artistic journeys of women, non-binary individuals, and parents who play rock music.
Serena K
Serena K is a Tacoma, Washington based singer-songwriter. Whose music can be described as a mix of old school rock n' roll and new school alternative rock. Think The Eagles blended with All Time Low. She started posting cover videos on Youtube in 2020 as a way to cope with performances canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Which led to writing, recording, and producing her first album.
Mary Allain
Mary Allain is an aspiring songwriter, and producer based out of Hartford, Connecticut. Growing up in a small town, she started playing music as early as 7 years old after being jealous of her older sisters’ piano lessons. Nowadays, Mary is a recent graduate from Drexel University’s Music Industry Program and just released her first EP entitled “Iconoclasm” which is a story of spiritual abandonment and healing told through the lense of palatable, allegorical storytelling with the goal of spreading deeper meanings through mainstream mediums. It is filled with original songs ranging from folk to pop to even some electronic influences, taking inspiration from artists like Maggie Rogers, Taylor Swift, and Weyes Blood. Today you can find Mary writing new music and preparing for the day she can play these songs to a room full of healthy people.
Simmer
Niki Mallik of Simmer, was a member of the first ever Boom! Team and helped to produce live shows and fundraisers and to increase awareness of the organization. Niki wants to challenge herself to release a debut EP!
Erin Frisby – facilitator
Erin, a co-founder of This Could Go Boom!, splits her time between teaching guitar, voice, songwriting, piano, and ukulele, creating visual art, and making music with her solo project as well as Washington D.C. rock band, The OSYX. Erin spent years touring the country. Her work has been featured by Sound Opinions, Smithsonian Folkways, Curve Magazine, Washington Post, NPR, Popmatters, Huffington Post, Country Queer, Adobe and Teardrops and No Depression. She trained in arts activism with The Sanctuaries D.C. and has presented on gender identity in music at The Hirshhorn and The Kennedy Center. Erin has led music workshops at The Smithsonian, is a board member of Girls Rock! DC, and previously developed an in-school music curriculum for Chicago Public Schools students grades 3rd through 8th.
