FitMixTape

Operatic soprano Alyson Cambridge has had a lot of laudatory adjectives thrown her way — radiant, powerful, revelatory are just a few. Add to the list: fit. A dedicated runner and strength trainer, she adheres to a consistent workout and wellness plan geared to make her a strong, healthy and resilient performer. She started singing when she was 12 and debuted at the Metropolitan Opera at 24. She has appeared with numerous opera companies and stepped out on Broadway last year in Rocktopia, a mash-up of classic rock and classical, where her endurance — which allowed her to hit an expansive range show after show after show — didn’t go unnoticed. We chatted with the award-winning singer, who lives in New York, about her love affair with running, how she strategizes her sleep and nutrition for peak performance energy, why she refuses to be too precious about taking care of her voice and what goals she has her sights on in the opera world and beyond. On Alyson’s workout playlists: Upbeat pop, EDM, techno   “Too Close,” Alex Clare “I Dare You,” The xx “Thank U, Next,” Ariana Grande  Follow Alyson on Instagram @alysoncambridge and Twitter @AlysonCambridge. Visit her website alysoncambridge.com for upcoming performance dates and check out her newest album, Sisters in Song — a collection of operatic duets done with fellow award-winning soprano Nicole Cabell — here. Show notes can be found at fitmixtape.com. While you’re there, sign up for our newsletter. Follow the show on Instagram @fitmixtape and on Twitter @fitmixtape. Have a comment, question, suggestion or killer playlist? Send an email to fitmixtape@gmail.com.  BIO: American soprano Alyson Cambridge, hailed by critics as “radiant, vocally assured, dramatically subtle and compelling, and artistically imaginative” (Washington Post), noted for her “powerful, clear voice” (New York Times) and “revelatory, sensual, smoky readings” (Opera News), is one of the most diverse and compelling vocal artists on the scene today. Her rich, warm soprano, combined with her strikingly beautiful stage presence and affecting musical and dramatic interpretation, have brought her more than a decade of successes on the world’s leading opera and concert stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Carnegie Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall, Deutsche Opera Berlin and Vienna Konzerthaus. Her debut album, From the Diary of Sally Hemings, a song-cycle by acclaimed American composer William Bolcom, premiered at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall to rave reviews. ​​As part of her personal mission, and with a strong desire to give back and make an impact beyond the traditional confines of the theater, Cambridge lends her time and talent to charities and causes close to her heart, including The Fresh Air Fund, Sing for Hope, The Humane Society, K9s for Warriors, Hope For Hearts Foundation and the American Red Cross.

When I spoke with Jon Shockness, aka Kid Astronaut, he had recently performed at Red Rocks, the famous open-air amphitheater situated a few miles from Denver, Colorado, his hometown. A big deal by any measure, but a particularly heady experience for Shockness, a soulful vocalist and musician, whose second solo album, Full Moon, came out in the spring. A former member of the hip-hop band Air Dubai, which disbanded in 2015, Shockness craves movement and connection with his environment. Listen to us touch on how he fell into yoga, what his workouts have looked like over the years, the role movement plays in managing his mental health and how a relentless quest to be better finds its way into both his musical and physical pursuits. Follow Kid Astronaut on Instagram @kidastronavt and Twitter @kidastronavt. Find him on Facebook @kidastronaut. For Kid Astronaut merch — and the chance to give back a little — visit kid-astronaut-shop.myshopify.com. $5 from the sale of each tee supports the Denver Food Rescue. Check out his new album, Full Moon, here. Show notes can be found at fitmixtape.com. While you’re there, sign up for our weekly newsletter. Follow the show on Instagram @fitmixtape and on Twitter @fitmixtape. Have a comment, question, suggestion or killer playlist? Send an email to fitmixtape@gmail.com BIO: By slipping through portals, time and dimensions, we’re able to find Kid Astronaut’s music the perfect soundtrack for soaring through the outer and inner cosmos. Born Jon Shockness, on May 23, 1990, in Denver, Colorado, Kid Astronaut is a visionary, a musician and a creator. Whether you’re part of a live show, the album-listening experience or a visual presentation, Kid Astronaut’s music will draw you in, leading you on an incredible journey of love, loss, inspiration connection and more.

The ’80s hair-metal scene is known for a lot of things, fitness and wellness not normally included. But try telling that to Bobby Rock, an accomplished drummer and fitness enthusiast who committed to a healthy lifestyle back in 1984, just as his career was getting off the ground. (“One night,” he writes, in his new book The Boy is Gonna Rock, “in the back lot of a Red Roof Inn somewhere in Mississippi, I did so many sets of squats I could barely walk the next day—no exaggeration.”) His dedication is real. He’ll perform a full set on stage and then head to the gym (often after midnight) to get in a workout. He ran two marathons largely because his mother was a runner. He is a quiet leader, loves animals, supports several animal-welfare organizations and has been a strict vegan since 1993. He meditates. He’s written nine books and has toured with the likes of Slaughter, Nelson, Vinnie Vincent Invasion and more. And, at 54, he’s still drumming — currently on the road with metal icon Lita Ford — and is injury free. Incredibly thoughtful and pleasant, Rock chatted with me about the physical nature of drumming, the ins and outs of his workouts and how his life would be different had he not chosen to get fit.  Follow Bobby on Twitter @bobbyrocklive and Instagram @bobbyrocklive. Find him on Facebook @BobbyRockWorld. For more on his fitness, nutrition, music, musings and more, go to bobbyrock.com. Check out his new book, The Boy Is Gonna Rock (Zen Man Publishing). Show notes can be found at fitmixtape.com. While you’re there, sign up for our weekly newsletter. Follow the show on Instagram @fitmixtape and on Twitter @fitmixtape. Have a comment, question, suggestion or killer playlist? Send an email to fitmixtape@gmail.com.  Bobby Rock is a world-renowned drummer, author of nine books, speaker, entrepreneur, activist, devout vegan, and a recognized health and fitness specialist, with certifications in exercise, nutrition, and meditation. He has recorded and performed with a variety of artists, including Vinnie Vincent Invasion, Nelson, Slaughter, Rare Earth, Brett Garsed, Neil Zaza, Gary Hoey, Hardline, Nitro, Scrap Metal, Alcatrazz feat. Graham Bonnet. the Stu Hamm Band, and is currently touring with rock icon, Lita Ford. He has also released several CDs and toured extensively as a solo performer, and is recognized as a top drumming educator. Additionally — through speaking, writing, and activism — Bobby remains committed to a number of animal and environmental causes. On Bobby’s playlists: “A startling variety,” including AC/DC, Black Sabbath, funk, R&B, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.  

Nina Osegueda is the frontwoman of the heavy metal band A Sound of Thunder. She lost 60 pounds in the early 2000s after overhauling her nutrition and exercise habits, and has held to a terrifically realistic approach to fitness, wellness and overall health ever since. She is a runner (sometimes begrudgingly) and likes a group fitness class. She is also an awesome role model for young women who want to, say, take a stage by storm with a heavy metal band — or who just want to do their thing out in the world (whatever that thing may be) with confidence. We talked about what she does now to stay healthy and fit, where her creative inspiration stems from, how she and the band envision their musical impact and the energy she aspires to for the rest of her career. (Hint: Iron Maiden factors into that one.) Find Nina on Twitter @DuchessODork. Info on A Sound of Thunder can be found on their website asoundofthunderband.com. Follow the band on Twitter (@asotband) and Instagram (@asotband). Show notes can be found at fitmixtape.com. While you’re there, sign up for our weekly newsletter. Follow the show on Instagram @fitmixtape and on Twitter @fitmixtape. Have a comment, question, suggestion or killer playlist? Send an email to fitmixtape@gmail.com.   Nina Osegueda (born Balvina Osegueda) is a female heavy metal vocalist from Washington, D.C., and lead vocalist for A Sound of Thunder. A classically trained vocalist, Osegueda began singing at an early age and went from school and county choirs to performing with the Washington National Opera, during its 2000–2002 seasons. Taking a few years to attend college, Nina earned a degree in media art and animation. After graduating, Nina was inspired to go into heavy metal and began by joining her first band, Blood Corps, in 2007. She released only one EP with Blood Corps before joining A Sound of Thunder in 2009. Since then, ASoT has had ten releases, including six full-length albums. Their seventh album, It Was Metal, will be released in the summer of 2018. A Sound of Thunder delivers a unique and exciting blend of classic heavy metal, progressive and rock. The young upstarts from Washington, D.C., pay no heed to trends, focusing on quality song-writing with memorable melodies and riffs that stand the test of time. With first-class musicianship all around, the band’s not-so-secret weapon is vocalist Nina Osegueda. Standing only 5-feet-2-inches, the diminutive singer packs the vocal wallop of someone twice her size. Described as a “heavy metal Swiss army knife,” Osegueda moves effortlessly from delicate whisper to overwhelming power, with the occasional banshee wail thrown in for good measure.  On Nina’s playlists: King Diamond, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Sabaton, Candlemass

We chat with Eileen Moon, associate principal cellist with the New York Philharmonic and avid runner. Moon spoke with us early last year about her love affair with running, how prepping for performances and prepping for races isn’t so dissimilar, her dedication to the welfare of animals and her endless energy and capacity for doing good. A breast cancer survivor, Moon began running as part of her recovery and was such a stellar story (and ambassador for the sport) she was named a Runner’s World cover search winner in the fall of 2016. She’s a total gem.      Show notes can be found at fitmixtape.com. While you’re there, sign up for our weekly newsletter. Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter: @fitmixtape Have a comment, question, suggestion or killer playlist? Send an email to fitmixtape@gmail.com.