Daz It, Daz All

Artist Spotlight: India Carney

SLAP the Network

Join us for an inspiring conversation with the remarkable India Carney, as she takes us through the extraordinary journey of her musical career. From her first spark of passion at nine years old during a church production of "Annie," India has faced and overcome numerous challenges, including being underappreciated and underpaid, particularly as a woman of color. Her resilience shines through as she recounts the highs of performing on a world tour with Katy Perry and sharing the stage with Mariah Carey, episodes that have solidified her significant influence in the industry. We delve into her musical influences, notably the iconic Michael Jackson, who has deeply shaped her artistic vision.

In this episode, we also explore India's experiences on reality TV music shows and the invaluable lessons in performance and connections with mentors like Christina Aguilera. Her journey into songwriting began with a youthful composition named "Relax," leading to a continuous artistic evolution. India shares insights into personal growth and the complexities of relationships, highlighting the inspiration behind her song "God Forbid," born from raw emotion after heartbreak. With aspirations of becoming a household name and creating art that resonates deeply, India’s story is a testament to the cathartic power of music as a source of healing and connection. This episode promises a rich exploration of the intersection between music, personal growth, and artistic expression.

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Daz It Daz All is written by KC Carnage (@iamkccarnage) and Produced by KC Carnage and Rick Barrio Dill (@rickbarriodill). Associate producer Bri Coorey (@bri_beats), Audio and Video Engineering and Studio facilities provided by S.L.A.P. Studios LA (@SLAPStudiosLA) with distribution through our collective for social progress and cultural expression, SLAP the Network. (@SLAPtheNetwork.com)

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Speaker 1:

Oh my gosh. I was 13 years old. I wrote a song called Relax. One of my best friends, asia, will know this song because I think I called her when I wrote it. It's just relax relax, relax, relax, relax relax relax and choose which one's better for you, Because I was going in between two guys.

Speaker 4:

And I was like, oh my gosh, excellence at its finest. How that skin glows. She's a true diamond, with the world right out back. She's still smiling, never left that crown till she stayed thriving. That's it, that's all. That's it. That's all, that's it, that's all, that's it, that's all. Is that really it, though? What up, what up, what up? Welcome to. That's it, that's All. Y'all know me, your host, Kasey Carnage, and I have Miss India Carney on the show today. Hey India, hello, so.

Speaker 1:

India. When did you first fall in love with music? I was nine years old. In a community church production of Annie, my church in Brooklyn, we just did musicals all the time. So I was starring as Annie when I was nine and there was a moment when I was just like singing downstage and I just belted out this note and something about that moment. I remember clearly having the feeling and the realization that this is what I wanted to do. At the time I think I thought it was just singing. I didn't know I was going to do all these other things. But yeah, it was that I had started learning music in like mommy and me classes when I was two and then I started like formal training and piano and flute and choir when I was four. So I had been working up to this point and I guess at nine years old it all came together.

Speaker 4:

You've done a lot in the industry. You've been on the Voice, you've worked with many artists across the world. What do you think some of your I would say some of your highs and some of your lows have been in that?

Speaker 1:

Hmm, say, some of your highs and some of your lows have been in that. Um, the lows, it's interesting because I've been talking to friends about a similar thing lately. I think the lows are all about perception, so I'm not gonna like play it up and make it seem like I've had such a hard time because we all have it's, like it's part of it, um, and I don't think I've been spared anything. I just think I've been so determined this whole time that I don't okay, I Okay, I got to know, yes, that stung, and I'm still going to keep going.

Speaker 1:

And also, growing up in New York city, like you, just have to grow thick skin. So perhaps I was oblivious to some things that other people would consider real lows and I just saw them as speed bumps and those lows are usually just being underappreciated, devalued, underpaid. As a singer, as a woman, as a black person it's like I've gone through it already, all right. So, like every time it happens again, I'm kind of expecting it at this point and I know that it doesn't mean anything towards my worth. So I don't know, I just got to keep going.

Speaker 4:

Well, that's good that you don't choose to dwell on it, because a lot of people take that and let them stop them. So that's good that you'd see it as a speed bump and that's a good term to use, because when you do have um, I say when you have a vision on your purpose, you have to know that it's not a straight line right.

Speaker 4:

You got to go around the corner with you driving. You take a short because people want to take shortcuts sometimes and sometimes it's not. You can't do that, you have to really feel it. So it's good, that is good perception, that you see it that way. So talk about your highs. What was like one of your favorite moments? So talk about your highs. What was like one of your favorite moments.

Speaker 1:

I remember the first show we had on the Katy Perry tour was in Chile, I think, and it was my first like world tour, like like that, and she's like coming out of the stage and I'm just standing there on stage like, oh man, I'm singing at a stadium right now for Katy Perry, thank you. So I think that was one moment, yeah, that it just really sunk in. I think doing this latest Mariah Carey tour was another high, because it wasn't until, like when you do the kinds of stuff, that we do it's like you get used to it's a job.

Speaker 1:

Most of these things are just jobs and half the time the artist like doesn't really care that you're there, um, so you just get used to that kind of separation. Um. So when I did the Mariah thing, I went in there just kind of like, yeah, this is a huge honor, but like it's another gig, and then like a few shows in. Then it hit me and I was like, oh my gosh, I'm singing oh my gosh, actually this is a big deal, like I gotta like.

Speaker 4:

So I feel like it's not a big deal because, like my younger self, the little girl saying all these songs are like screaming inside, but my adult is like I'm just, it's a job, but really it's a big deal big deal, I mean like it didn't even occur.

Speaker 1:

Like I would say, the people who've influenced me most are not, are no longer with us, and so part of that realization was like, oh my gosh, like I got some of my style stylistic ideas from her.

Speaker 4:

There she is oops in the flesh, so okay. So let's talk about some of your influences. Who would you say they were?

Speaker 1:

yeah, I have a lot. Um, I would say Michael Jackson has always been like my biggest. I just hail to the king it was. He was the king of pop for a reason, and so was Whitney. Like their household names, and sometimes, a lot of times, I think, household names, whether it be like brands of things or or artists or whatever, um, there's a lot of hype over not that much, and so, at least in my experience, the tendency is to think, oh, is to question, oh, are they really that good? Right, and like Michael and Whitney, yes, yeah, they were, they were household names for a reason.

Speaker 4:

The best thing about it is to like hear them out. Now Everyone's doing like these, stripped down like just vocal videos, so you can actually hear what they were doing. You're like hear what they were doing.

Speaker 1:

You're like whoa they were doing all of that.

Speaker 4:

They were working and then also, too, working without all the extras that we have now. You know they talk about, like you know, I even like when I think about, like Ray Charles, those one takes like those bands were doing these things. In one takes harmonies, everything, bands, everything it messed up. You gotta do it all over again. So it's like it was a show about like the work ethic, about these artists. Um, okay, so I do have something funny to ask you.

Speaker 1:

I do have some more influences, though. If you want, I want them all, tell me. It's a long list and I think it might also like give more context to how I don't know how my music maybe makes sense. Okay, michael Jackson, whitney Houston's definitely one. Love, jasmine Sullivan. Love, lucky Day, love Coldplay, john Mayer Chaka Khan Okay, I think those were like the big ones. Stevie Wonder Okay, I think those were like the big ones, stevie Wonder. And then like genres of music, like I love opera, I love classical music, especially like the Baroque era of music, and then, like Stephen Sondheim, musical theater is probably my favorite. Yes, hail to the musical theater.

Speaker 4:

Kids, we love you, we still love you. There's a lot of us out here repping for you. That's amazing. That's amazing. So what I was going to say is that one of the things that I thought was funny so you've been on the Voice, traveling the world, all this stuff, but it's funny that you noted that when you, I guess, broke out was the social media videos your social media.

Speaker 4:

You were doing the harmonies in these videos. What was? What was the one that actually was like this is it Like? You looked at your phone when it was like wait, all these views are happening. What's happening?

Speaker 1:

I believe it was Cry Me a River. I did a cover of Justin Timberlake's Cry Me a River. It was Cry Me a River. I did a cover of Justin Timberlake's Cry Me a River and that was back when I was doing the acapella app. When, like, the acapella app is like fully live and it's kind of hard to sync up, to Like it's a, it's a hard video to make because it's just live through your iPhone headphone microphone, which is low quality.

Speaker 2:

And so it's funny.

Speaker 1:

Now, because now I like produce the videos listening back to that and I'm like that, that was it. But anyway, I did that video. I was on tour with Katie at the time and I just made a promise to myself to still be working on my stuff. So anyway, that video I think I posted it before we traveled to some other continent, so just to give the image of I had just gotten off of a really long flight. I opened my Instagram to like 40,000 more followers or something, I think, because Kristen Bell, the actress, reposted my video and she was just kind of very like generously, just fangirling.

Speaker 4:

She reposted it and I was like, well, you know, isn't it funny, like what the thing is that will break you.

Speaker 4:

Like like I've seen so many, especially social media. You have all these things on social media like like it was always so funny to me when like mukbangs became like super popular. Like so you guys want to me. When like mukbangs became like super popular, like so you guys want to see people eat, like that's what's interesting. So you just never know and that's why I think it's like a good thing that, like you know when you're living in your purpose and you're just throwing your art out there because you just don't know.

Speaker 4:

And people I think that it catches are really the people that are putting it out there because they want to and they genuinely love it, not because they're trying to create clickbait or trying to become an influencer.

Speaker 1:

It's because, no, this is what I do, I love to do. This is what I love to do. And you know what it might have been? The ain't no sunshine video, to be honest now I'm having brain fog. It was one of those. It was either ain't no sunshine or cry me a river, but I mean you got a lot. So at point you have a lot.

Speaker 4:

She can name any of them at this point. At this point, the views is up, she's up, okay, so let's talk about the Voice a little bit. Very popular. I always like to ask my friends who have been on these reality shows and stuff what was your experience like? Do you think that it helped? Do you think that it was beneficial to you in your career?

Speaker 5:

like you do now. Gambling is part of the culture of America since even before we were America. I'm Norman Chad. I know gambling. I've played blackjack and poker. I've bet sports and horse races. I've even hit the slot machines at a Pahrump Nevada 7-Eleven. You say gambling, I say Gambling Mad. So join me on Gambling Mad with Norman Chad wherever you find your podcasts. Follow us on socials at Gambling Mad Show or at Gambling Mad.

Speaker 1:

Norman Chad at YouTube. Yeah, I actually had a great experience. Thank God, because if I didn't, I don't know what answer I'd give you.

Speaker 4:

I mean, I hope it would be a real one.

Speaker 1:

No, I actually did enjoy my time, I think, because I had low expectations for it by that time. I auditioned for a few of those shows and I wasn't getting. I mean I got far. Auditioned for a few of those shows and I wasn't getting. I mean I got far. I actually did get far enough to the point where it hurt when I kept getting no's for the final tv round and so, um, mentally, I was just over auditioning again and then they reached out and you know the way they reached out made me, um, really hopeful about my chances. So I went and I was seen, like I got to the TV round and and and then I was like, oh well, thank God I'm here and thank God I'm like ready to be here.

Speaker 1:

Like, looking back at my videos, they were not my favorite but I was technically and emotionally ready to take on whatever that was at the time. It was a safe space, like I wasn't like messing up. I wasn't over there up. I wasn't over there cracking or like sounding terrible. I just sounded like a girl who was about to graduate college, was still studying heavily in classical music and loved to sing. Like it just felt like a good representation of who I was at that time and I'm really happy that people loved it, because I got a lot of support from the judges and from the people who became my fans.

Speaker 1:

I also got a lot of hate online, but I think I got more love. They treated us really well. You know, we had our green rooms. Well, you know, we had our green rooms, we had our hotel, our hotels and stuff and like, yeah, just like all of the mechanics of the show were well conditioned by the time I got there and I felt like I mattered. I had a great time with my coach, who was Christina Aguilera, and, yeah, I felt like we shared like a genuine connection at the time and she's also someone who, like I, grew up listening to, who I admired. So, yeah, I'm glad I went in with no expectations, because if I did, I'd probably have a different story for you, but I was ready to go when I went, which was at the top five, which is pretty much at the end anyway, I got so much out of it.

Speaker 1:

I learned a lot. I learned a lot of like what the artist experiences too, even from just like that was my first time, I think using in-ear monitors, learning how sound checks go All this stuff like that's so valuable to me now. I learned there.

Speaker 4:

Okay, so let's take it back. Let's take it back. What was the first song you remember writing and how old were you?

Speaker 1:

Oh my gosh. I was 13 years old. I wrote a song called Relax. One of my best friends, asia, will know this song because I think I called her when I wrote it. It's just relax Like, relax, relax, relax, relax. It's just relax like relax, relax, relax, relax relax relax and choose which one's better for you, because I was going in between two guys and I was like, oh my gosh, calm down.

Speaker 4:

You just really said calm down, girl, just like think about it, just relax, think about it and choose, choose, which was better.

Speaker 1:

Some dumb boys too, always. But I guess I was like really stressed about it and I'm pretty sure that was my first song.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, okay, dope. So, like, what is your approach? What is your approach now? Like I mean, as you're developing as an artist, because I feel like people say developed, I always believe that we're continuously developing. So, as you've been developing as an artist and you're songwriting, well, what do you think that I have brain farts all the time.

Speaker 5:

I'm going to say in your development.

Speaker 4:

where do you think that you would like to go, that you haven't gone yet so many places?

Speaker 1:

But the more I talk about it, the more I realize like it's really just how I feel about myself, because, you know, people have these conversations with me and then they're like, you know, you just seem so successful, like you must be like light years farther than you, just seem so successful, like you must be like light years farther than your younger self would have expected you to be. And I'm like, yeah, you're right, um, but I'm not there yet. I'm not where you, where you are. I don't see myself the way you see me, um, and so I think the places that I have to go are honestly, probably more internal, because I'm so grateful for everything I've gotten to do in my life so far and you asking that question is a nice reminder to humble myself and just like think about what I've done and actually appreciate it, because I don't take the time to do that. I'm such a workaholic, I'm just thinking about the next thing. So thank you for the question, but I think I want to get to a point where, like, I'm financing my life and career from my solo music. So I want to be touring, I want to be a household name.

Speaker 1:

I, I love Michael Jackson's whole like thing, just like the big production value stuff, being such an authentic artist that he that music transcended everything. It it like resonated with everybody. It it really like got in to the hearts of people. It got into their hearts. They will never forget the way his music made them feel, never forget the way his performances made them feel. That's the kind of impact that I want to have, which is probably why I teach a lot, because giving back and like connecting with other people is very important to me. So, anyway, I would love for my music to take me to that level where I'm not working for other people too.

Speaker 4:

And I believe that it will. I remember the first time I saw you. I literally moved out here in 2014. I believe you remember that place, room 5. Was it Room 5? No, no, no, no, no, no. Buttered up. Did it turn into buttered up? Whatever that place was on La Brea. On La Brea, it was like a black space. On La Brea, it was like a black space that's what it was called room 5. And you were singing there with Davey Aiden and I just remember thinking, like this woman has such a unique voice, like it was like. It was like because you know you go to. You know, let's say, when you're singing, you go to these shows. Not, I don't want to say that you typically know what this person's gonna sound like when you look at, maybe prejudging or whatever. And out of the women that I had been hearing, your voice was so much different. You were an alto. It was definitely way more silkier it was definitely way more technical.

Speaker 4:

um, so the influences that you were talking about definitely make more sense to me now that I'm I'm hearing it, because I was just like, wow, this is beautiful. And then, just seeing you thus far after that, I was like yeah, she knows what she's doing.

Speaker 5:

I was like I like that.

Speaker 4:

I like a person that works and really takes their craft to like. They really pay attention to their craft and really it's important to them. You can tell when it's important to you and giving back like you said you teach is always a thing. We have to keep these doors revolving for the next generation and things like that. So before we get into anything else, we're like I like to play games on the show, so we're going to play this game called Roll With it or Bounce. It's about dating. Oh, that's still you're going to.

Speaker 4:

I'm gonna ask you a series of questions okay and you're gonna tell me if you would roll with it or you would bounce okay okay, roll or bounce.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, oh wow. You've just been staring at the side of my head this whole time. Maybe I should look this way no, you're good, you're good.

Speaker 4:

We have just three cameras here, girl, you're good, she got all the angles all right, you ready, yeah, yeah, they admitted to cheating on their ex girl. Let's put cameras here. You're good. She got all the angles. All right, you ready? Yeah, yeah, yeah, they admitted to cheating on their ex.

Speaker 2:

Anyone out there feel like the issues of our time are insanely important, but getting argued to the point of stupid, or how people hushing artists online are missing the whole point of artistry. Not to mention the First Amendment. Welcome to Slap the Power. I'm Rick Barrio-ry o'dill and I'm asian akia. With each episode of slap the power, we bring together artists who are using their talent and personal stories to ignite awareness, spark conversation and mobilize support for today's most pressing issues sonics, love, action, progress, slap the power everywhere you get your podcasts or get it delivered free to your inbox at slapthepowercom um, I'd have to just under ask for more context, you're?

Speaker 4:

talking to a cancer. I'm a cancer.

Speaker 1:

Um, maybe it makes sense with a d, but let me, let me see what you say, because I remember I have a friend who did cheat on their ex and you know they're one of my best friends, so I couldn't judge them the same way that I might somebody I don't know that well. And so that was the first time that I had firsthand experience of cheating. And so I asked them okay, well, what happened? And then I got a better understanding that it's cheating. Cheating stories um, tend to be different, right, it's a case-by-case basis, okay, and I fall hard for people.

Speaker 4:

So if, if this guy told me um, let me not curse, but there's a chance I might hear him out right, exactly, okay, they have a lot of unsaved numbers in their messages. I don't roll with it. Yeah, that's not a bad one. I don't save a lot of people anyway. They like to party a lot. Roll with it. Okay, you're like chill. You're like super chill.

Speaker 1:

I'm chill, unless you're emotionally unavailable. Right, okay, they're a hustler but don't have a job. It depends what the hustle is.

Speaker 2:

Are you good at it?

Speaker 4:

You're good girl, she's a saint. She's a saint y'all. She's a saint. Get into it. She's a saint y'all. Okay, they hold on, let me go. They like the strip club.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'd probably bounce. I don't know this person, so I don't know how attracted I am, because I will let some red flags go. So that's clear. This other guy was with red flag, red flag, red flag, they were red flags, and then this one, really red flag showed up, and then I was finally like oh right, right.

Speaker 2:

The flags All of them, the flags, the flags.

Speaker 4:

You know this worked out all right, they have a child.

Speaker 1:

I think it depends. I'm 30 now, so depending on age, that's what I say.

Speaker 4:

That's what I said. I said I feel like I feel like um, now that I am in the certain age bracket that some of these men might have children. I personally need them to be older, like I don't know if I can deal with like a newborn toddler situation like you gotta be, like that kid is kind of on its own. So we have time so we have time.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I think it depends. I've never been with somebody who has a kid to know that, um, but yeah okay.

Speaker 4:

Last question they don't express their opinions enough. Bounce, bounce. Well, there you have it. That's roll with it or bounce with india. Carney, all right, let's get into this song um, god forbid, yeah, um which we're gonna play for you guys today. Can you let, uh, let the people, people know where the inspiration came from? Were you sitting up in your room?

Speaker 1:

I was, and this was back when I was living with a roommate in our two bedrooms, so now I have space to have a separate studio and just have some more balance. And back then my piano was right next to my bed. So I hopped out of bed in tears because I had just gotten broken up with. I don't remember how it was. I think I was broken up with in the summer or something, and then it took me like a couple months to get over it. We weren't even dating for that long. But like I fall hard, so it is what it is. It it's just me. So anyway, yeah, he dumped me and then I did my snooping and saw this girl commenting on his stuff and I was like, well, who's this? We just broke up a month or two ago and I put two and two together. So that was the inspiration for God Forbid.

Speaker 1:

And so I woke up and just had this melody in my head. I sat at the piano and I pretty much wrote the whole song, just like right there. And, uh, you know, as artists you know that rarely happens where it's just a stream of consciousness. When it does, you know you got something good, whether, even if, even if you finish the song and you hated it. That stream of consciousness was probably a priceless moment for you and your development. So anyway, this song is one of my favorites. It was the first song I wrote that I was actually well, it was technically the second song I wrote that I was proud about. Proud of um and uh. Anyway, that's where it came from.

Speaker 3:

Thank you. Two clicks and I'm in One too many. Wish I hadn't been. I'm stuck here scrolling through, and I know she's new to you, I know what it is, I worked hard for it, but my heart was gone. My heart was far gone Gone.

Speaker 3:

But you lie. You lie, how could you lie? God forbid I ever meet her. Hope you never break around. God forbid I ever meet her. She won't know. She broke me down, don't you ever let me be.

Speaker 3:

She'll remind me of everything I want to give to you oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, really thought I was right and I chose to give you my time. I wasn't gonna. If you know, you know. Well, I'm happy thinking of her. Well, tell me, is she special too? It's too bad, I don't see it. Yeah, but you lie. You lie, how could you lie? God forbid I ever meet her. Hope you never bring her home. God forbid I ever meet her. She won't know she broke my heart. Don't you ever let me meet her. She'll remind me of everything I wouldn't give to you work, trust me I am. I'm fine not being yours. Trust me I am.

Speaker 3:

You win some, you lose some. I just thought we won. You win some, you lose some. I thought we won. You win some, you lose some. I thought we won, but you lied. God forbid I ever meet her. Hope you'd never bring her around. God forbid I ever meet her. She won't know she broke me down. Oh, don't you worry. Oh, she'll remind me Of everything I know, everything I couldn't give up. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh wow, wow, wow, that was amazing thank you and to all the women out there.

Speaker 4:

That is very relatable. It's like that next one. I don't want to meet her, I don't want to run into her, I don't want to see her. I don't want to do anything because I really don't know what I'm going to act like. I don't know if I'm over it yet. Like I don't know if I'm going to be over it yet. Or is my face going to crack? Am I going to be like that was amazing and it was so beautiful. Thank you for that, and that was, god Forbid. Head out of here. I want to thank you so much for coming on the show and chatting with me on. That's it. That's All. I like to leave messages at the end of my shows. I believe that we have to. What we get, we gotta give back. If there was a message that you wanted to give to your younger self or just anybody out in the world about being who they are, staying in their purpose, finding their creativity and using that for good, what would you say?

Speaker 1:

that you should find your creativity and use it for good. Hey, easy easy peasy.

Speaker 4:

Well, where can they find you india?

Speaker 1:

you can find me on instagram uh, at india underscore carnie. That's mainly where I am right now if someone wants to teach you how to learn tiktok, then I'll post more videos there well, you do all the videos now just post it.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, they don't work well. On tiktok oh well, tiktok, you need to get it together she's basically saying y'all got bugs, y'all don't like finished productions and I do I need quality, I need quality.

Speaker 3:

Well, there you it y'all.

Speaker 4:

Thank you so much, india, for coming on the show. Thank you so much. If you guys have, you're welcome. If you guys have any questions for her, you want to reach out to her, don't hesitate. She told you all the information. We'll also have our information. Please like, subscribe, share, do all the things, and that's it. And that's it. That's all. That's it. That's all is written by me, casey Carnage, and produced by myself and Rick Barrio-Dill. Associate producer Brie Corey. Assistant producer Larissa Donahoe, audio and video engineering and studio facilities provided by Slap Studios LA, with distribution through our collective for social progress and cultural expression, slap the Network. If you have any ideas for a show you want to hear or see, please email us at info at slapthepowercom and, as always, go to dasitdasolcom and sign up there to make sure you will never miss a thing. See you next show.

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