Dive into the Soul of Pompano Beach with a Soundtrack Listening Party Celebrate the Release of the City’s First EP, Featuring

By: Lyrics Lab

Pompano Beach Arts is throwing a listening party to unveil the Pompano Beach Soundtrack Vol. 1, a bespoke EP bursting with the city’s unique flavor. Mingle with music aficionados and the creative minds behind the soundtrack. Get a sneak peek at the exclusive tracks, a tapestry woven by five local talents scouted at the popular Lyrics Lab open mic event. The event will take place at The Ali Cultural Arts Center, 353 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Pompano Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, from 6:30–8 pm. Mayor Rex Hardin will speak at the event, which will be followed by the Lyrics Lab program. The EP will be released on all music platforms on the event day.

“This is more than a music release party,” said Ty Tabing, Cultural Affairs Director. “It is a celebration of the creative spirit and culture thriving in Pompano Beach. Nurturing young talent, providing them with professional support, and giving them the opportunity to shine is an important part of our mission. We are very proud of all the artists and giving them the extraordinary creative team that worked to make this EP happen.”

The Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department and The Round Table orchestrated this project to showcase emerging South Florida performers while capturing the essence of Pompano Beach through the voices of these rising stars. The EP features a total of 7 songs, including one group collaboration. The cost of downloading an individual song is $1.29 per song, or $5 for the entire soundtrack. All platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, will be showcasing the EP. At the event, QR codes will be available to direct guests to the music sites. In addition, a limited number of CDs will be handed out at the listening party.

The creatives represented on the EP include: Yasmeen Matri, who is a singer-songwriter with a remarkable four-octave vocal range; Darnielle Thomas, an artist, teacher, and entrepreneur who creates an exciting mix of hip-hop and soul; Jonas Arthur, a gospel and soul singer who looks to bring meaning and purpose through his music; Azrael Haze, who grew up listening to current-day hip-hop and oldies and now blends genres with an other-worldly sound; and Matt Kelly, a musician and music producer whose focus leans towards guitar-based music and live instrumentation, creating fusions of hip-hop, R&B, electronic beats, and soulful guitar melodies.

Joining the emerging artists on the EP is Sarahca Peterson, a prodigiously gifted spoken word artist, whose company, The Round Table, spearheaded this project. “I am so proud of this beautiful collaborative effort,” said Peterson. “Our city is represented in this endeavor by some of the most talented up-and-coming creative souls that I’ve met in a long time, and I am thrilled to have the world hear this EP!”

The expert production team assembled to facilitate and guide this extraordinary work includes music producer, certified audio engineer and composer Aaron Verrett, engineer David Kennedy and singer-songwriter Lyriq Tye. The EP was recorded and mixed at Power Station in Pompano Beach.