ILANA Armida | The Todd Christopher PodcastGrammy-nominated singer and songwriter Ilana Armida joins me for a conversation about her life, musical influences, and experiences as an artist.Ilana reflects on her journey from Massachusetts to Florida to California, her songwriting career, and the creative evolution behind Armida, a project influenced by opera, theatrical storytelling, and her Italian heritage.From personal experiences to her perspectives on the music industry, the conversation offers an opportunity to hear Ilana share her story in her own words. The Todd Christopher Podcast — Conversations that go beyond the surface.Produced by Astral Visions Studios. Astral Visions Studios:Instagram: <a href="www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudios">www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudios</a>YouTube: <a href="www.youtube.com/@AstralVisionsStudios">www.youtube.com/@AstralVisionsStudios</a>TikTok: AstralVisionsStudios & ToddChristopherPodclips Business Inquires: <a href="https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudios">https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudios</a>Ilana Armida:YouTube: <a href="https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCMR6Upr62eZDR9p6a_G9Tbg"> ⁨@IlanaArmida⁩ </a> Website: <a href="https://www.ilanaarmida.com">https://www.ilanaarmida.com</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ilanaarmida">https://www.instagram.com/ilanaarmida</a>Music: <a href="https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ilanaarmida/armida-3/">https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ilanaarmida/armida-3/</a>Episode Sponsors:Old Florida Electric TattooingOrlando, FloridaWebsite: https://oldfloridaelectric.comInstagram: @oldfloridaelectrictattooGround PoundersAuthentic Sneakers | Men's, Women's, Kids' & Toddler SizesInstagram: @ground_poundersAffiliate LinksSupport The Todd Christopher Podcast through our affiliate partners.Lensrentalhttps://share.lensrentals.com/x/LXiE2k CHAPTER LIST 00:00 — The Night Before 01:08 — From Massachusetts to Florida 04:25 — Becoming an Artist 07:17 — Learning to Do It Herself 10:02 — Los Angeles13:27 — “I Wasn’t Always Motivated” 17:26 — Being Seen 19:49 — Writing Songs for Other People 23:54 — What LA Gave Her 28:59 — Redefining the Dream34:06 — Artist or Songwriter? 39:33 — Confidence as Protection 41:55 — Women in the Room 46:12 — Turning Anger Into Art 48:35 — ARMIDA 56:01 — Who Is Ilana Armida?

The Todd Christopher Podcast | Ep. 009 | Ilana Armida

Fourteen years, two months, eight days.A lifetime can change in that amount of time. For Eric Ellis, the world he returned to was nothing like the one he left behind.In Part IV — RETURN, Eric reflects on life after incarceration, rebuilding relationships, and finding purpose in a world that continued moving without him.From his complicated history with Bury Your Dead to his renewed creative vision with ELLIS, Eric discusses loyalty, personal growth, unfinished business, and reclaiming his identity through music.Four chapters. One extraordinary story.PRODUCTION NOTE:During the recording of this miniseries, we encountered technical audio issues, including microphone bleed and compromised audio. Despite extensive restoration efforts, some inconsistencies remain, particularly in the final chapter.We chose to preserve these conversations rather than sacrifice meaningful moments from Eric's story. Thank you for your understanding.— Astral Visions Studios CHAPTERS00:00 — Previously on The World Keeps Turning 02:43 — The Myke Terry Moment 05:14 — 1,600 Messages: The Aftermath 06:40 — A Return to Hardcore 08:45 — The Birth of Ellis 11:17 — Creating Within Limitations 12:23 — Bringing the Band Together 13:26 — Production, Mixing & Mastering 16:56 — Releasing The Answer 18:46 — Humility, Ego & Personal Growth 22:39 — Doing Everything Backwards 24:56 — The Last Morning Inside 25:39 — Returning to a Different World 28:43 — Consistency, Discipline & Purpose 34:46 — Becoming the Man He NeededWatch the complete miniseries:ERIC ELLIS: THE WORLD KEEPS TURNINGPart I — The Come Uphttps://youtu.be/7CHaZAHs|dM?si=uue73TjZJ_WhYkbOPart II — FRACTUREhttps://youtu.be/cH356kIbbKo?si=3E88RaCv7ikKU2N3Part III — CONSEQUENCEhttps://youtu.be/DgdyppDo5w8?si=cXk82A_wwl5JV3-2Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and other major podcast platforms.https://tr.ee/90tn_e7RWOProduced by Astral Visions Studios Beyond the surface. Behind the vision.#EricEllis #BuryYourDead #TheToddChristopherPodcast #AstralVisionsStudios #ELLIS

The Todd Christopher Podcast | Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning | Part IV — RETURN

Fourteen years behind bars. An entire generation of family lost. A world that kept moving while his stood still.In the third chapter of this four-part special presentation of The Todd Christopher Podcast, Eric Ellis takes us deeper into the realities of federal prison, the relationships that shaped his survival, and the personal cost of a sentence that extended far beyond the prison walls.From finding purpose through mentorship and music to navigating a system where even the prospect of freedom comes with uncertainty, Eric reflects on the decisions, losses, and experiences that would ultimately change the direction of his life.Freedom presents an entirely different set of challenges after fourteen years.A four-part special presentation of The Todd Christopher Podcast.Eric Ellis: The World Keeps TurningPart I — The Come Up - https://youtu.be/7CHaZAHsldM?si=YyRg4HhuYx6MOL9G Part II — FRACTUREhttps://youtu.be/cH356kIbbKo?si=IM89f6daAGGjLqNfPart IV — RETURN - RELEASES OCTOBER 12Subscribe to Astral Visions Studios for the remaining chapters.Produced by Astral Visions Studios Beyond the surface. Behind the vision.Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & other major podcast platforms.https://tr.ee/9Otn_e7RWOAstral Visions Studios:Instagram: www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudios Business Inquires: https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudiosEric Ellis:www.instagram.com/ericellis018 https://theellisvision.comhttps://shop.lambgoat.com/products/el...00:00 Respect Is Earned06:00 Building a Different Prison Culture12:00 When the Outside World Goes Quiet18:00 Visits, Calls, and Protecting the Routine24:00 The People Who Stayed30:00 The Laws That Changed the Date36:00 Keeping the Release Date Quiet42:00 The Last Class48:00 Halfway House: Back in the World54:00 Relationships After Fourteen Years60:00 There Is No Me Without Music66:00 Writing From the Darkest Places69:30 Looking Through the Holes

The Todd Christopher Podcast | Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning – Part III — CONSEQUENCE

Fourteen years, two months, eight days.A lifetime can change in that amount of time. For Eric Ellis, the world he returned to was nothing like the one he left behind.In Part IV — RETURN, Eric reflects on life after incarceration, rebuilding relationships, and finding purpose in a world that continued moving without him.From his complicated history with Bury Your Dead to his renewed creative vision with ELLIS, Eric discusses loyalty, personal growth, unfinished business, and reclaiming his identity through music.Four chapters. One extraordinary story.PRODUCTION NOTE:During the recording of this miniseries, we encountered technical audio issues, including microphone bleed and compromised audio. Despite extensive restoration efforts, some inconsistencies remain, particularly in the final chapter.We chose to preserve these conversations rather than sacrifice meaningful moments from Eric's story. Thank you for your understanding.— Astral Visions StudiosCHAPTERS00:00 — Astral Visions Studios Presents 00:12 — Previously on The World Keeps Turning 02:50 — The Myke Terry Moment 05:21 — 1,600 Messages — The Aftermath 06:47 — A Return to Music 08:52 — Building Something New 11:24 — Creating Within Limitations 12:30 — Bringing the Band Together 13:33 — Production, Mixing & Mastering 17:03 — Releasing Music and Finding a Label 19:14 — Humility, Ego & Personal Growth 22:45 — Doing Everything Backwards 25:05 — The Last Morning Inside 25:48 — Returning to a Different World 28:50 — Consistency, Discipline & Purpose 30:40 — What's Next? Keep Moving Forward 34:32 — The Final Question 35:04 — Becoming the Man He Needed 36:47 — Closing Reflections 36:57 — A Message From ToddWatch the complete miniseries:ERIC ELLIS: THE WORLD KEEPS TURNINGPart I — The Come Uphttps://youtu.be/7CHaZAHs|dM?si=uue73TjZJ_WhYkbOPart II — FRACTUREhttps://youtu.be/cH356kIbbKo?si=3E88RaCv7ikKU2N3Part III — CONSEQUENCEhttps://youtu.be/DgdyppDo5w8?si=cXk82A_wwl5JV3-2Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and other major podcast platforms.https://tr.ee/90tn_e7RWOProduced by Astral Visions Studios Beyond the surface. Behind the vision.#EricEllis #BuryYourDead #TheToddChristopherPodcast #AstralVisionsStudios #ELLIS

Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning | Part III — ConsequenceFourteen years, two months, and eight days served.In the first two chapters, we explored Eric's life in music, the decisions that led him into a criminal enterprise, and the federal case that changed the direction of his life.Part III — Consequence takes us inside the federal prison system from Eric's POV.Eric talks about learning to navigate prison life, the people he encountered, the relationships he maintained, and the reality of watching the world continue without him. We also discuss the changes that affected his release date, his final days inside, and what it was like to experience everyday life again after fourteen years.Throughout our conversation, Eric reflects on his experiences, the decisions he made, and how his perspective has changed over time.This isn't about rewriting the past or asking anyone to overlook it. It's an opportunity to understand what happened, what followed, and how those experiences shaped the person sitting across from me today.This audio edition includes an exclusive recap of Parts I and II, featuring excerpts from our conversation and original music produced by Astral Visions Studios.The Todd Christopher Podcast presents Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning.Next: Part IV — Return Releases October 12thProduced by Astral Visions Studios. Beyond the surface. Behind the vision.

In Part II of Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning, the story begins to unravel.With Bury Your Dead behind him, Eric finds himself moving deeper into a world far removed from the stage—one built on money, loyalty, pressure, and consequences.What starts as survival quickly becomes something much bigger.As the walls begin to close in, Eric is forced to confront who he can trust, what loyalty really means, and how far the choices around him will follow.For the first time, Eric talks in detail about the years leading to his 2010 indictment, the money, the operation, the people around him, and the gradual realization that the life he had built was disappearing.This is Part II — FRACTURE.A four-part special presentation of The Todd Christopher Podcast.Eric Ellis: The World Keeps TurningPart I — The Come Up - https://youtu.be/V4mWFXipxjcPart III — CONSEQUENCE - RELEASES OCTOBER 5Part IV — RETURN - RELEASES OCTOBER 12Subscribe to Astral Visions Studios for the remaining chapters.Produced by Astral Visions Studios Beyond the surface. Behind the vision.Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & morehttps://tr.ee/9Otn_e7RWOAstral Visions Studios:Instagram: www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudios Business Inquires: https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudiosEric Ellis:https://www.instagram.com/ericellis018/https://theellisvision.comhttps://shop.lambgoat.com/products/ellis-the-answer-cd00:00 Home From the Road07:00 Golden Shackles15:00 The Choice22:00 The RICO Case30:00 No Deals38:00 Reading the Statements46:00 Accepting the Sentence55:00 What Prison Is - and Is Not63:00 Rejecting the Prison Script71:00 The Stabbing79:00 Institution Above the Individual87:00 The Moment That Changed the Bid90:00 Music Inside

The Todd Christopher Podcast | Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning – Part II: FRACTURE

Before the tours, the prison sentence, and everything that followed, there was music.Eric Ellis looks back on growing up in Jacksonville, learning guitar by ear, finding his place in the hardcore scene, and eventually joining Bury Your Dead.As the band grows, so do the pressures around money, loyalty, and the world outside the music.This is where the story begins.Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & morehttps://tr.ee/9Otn_e7RWOAstral Visions Studios:Instagram: www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudios Business Inquires: https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudiosEric Ellis:https://www.instagram.com/ericellis018/https://theellisvision.comhttps://shop.lambgoat.com/products/ellis-the-answer-cdAndy Williams (Atomic Rule) photo taken by 📸 Evan Dell on 7/18 in Bradenton, FL. 00:00 Before There Was Eric, There Was Music03:00 The Weight in the Music10:00 Learning Guitar by Ear15:00 Heavy Music, Punk Rock, and Identity29:00 Jacksonville: Finding His People35:00 Learning the Business From the Floor Up45:00 Preparation, Discipline, and the Work50:00 Reflux and the Next Move55:00 The Road Toward Bury Your Dead63:00 Getting on the Bus70:00 The Gray Area85:00 Success, Money, and the Life Around the

The Todd Christopher Podcast | Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning — Part I: The Come Up

Andy Williams has spent much of his life refusing to be defined by a single chapter.For more than two decades, he helped shape the sound and legacy of Every Time I Die. Then came an unexpected second act in professional wrestling, stepping into the ring as "The Butcher" in AEW(All Elite Wrestling). Now, with Atomic Rule, he's making music again.This conversation is about what happens when the thing that defined you ends—and you realize there's still a lot of life left to live.Andy and I have known each other for more than 20 years, so this conversation comes from a place of shared history. We talk about getting older, love, friendship, legacy, the choices that shape us, and how our perspective on what matters changes with time. Oh and wrestling... we definitely talk about professional wrestling. The Todd Christopher Podcast - Audio Onlyhttps://linktr.ee/astralvisionsstudios?lt_utm_source=lt_share_link#574975345Astral Visions Studios:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudiosBusiness Inquires: https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudiosAndy Williams: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atomicruleband/https://www.instagram.com/andycomplains/Filmed at Voxa Studio: https://voxastudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/voxastudios.fl/00:00 — Introduction01:18 — Twenty Years of Friendship02:27 — Who Is Andy Williams Without Music or Wrestling?09:43 — There’s More to Life Than Hardcore19:57 — Every Time I Die: Before the Success27:00 — Life After Every Time I Die36:17 — Chasing the Dream of Professional Wrestling44:03 — Becoming The Butcher52:04 — The Road to AEW54:17 — The Call That Changed Everything1:11:10 — Learning the Psychology of Wrestling1:13:18 — What Today’s Wrestlers Can Learn From the Past1:32:05 — Finding Something to Come Home To1:41:57 — Love, Partnership & Learning to Communicate1:50:02 — Getting Older Without Stopping1:55:00 — Starting Over With Atomic Rule2:00:21 — What It Means to Give People a Show2:03:22 — Rewiring How We Think2:04:01 — Legacy: “Just Be Undeniable”

The Todd Christopher Podcast | Ep. 003 - Andy Williams: Life. Love. Reinvention.

The rise is over. Now comes the fracture.In Part II of Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning, Eric traces the path from life after Bury Your Dead into a world that would ultimately lead to a federal RICO indictment.Facing the possibility of life in prison, Eric reflects on loyalty, plea deals, refusing to cooperate against others, and the moment that changed everything.What followed was the collapse of his faith in hope, trust, dreams, and everything he could no longer physically hold onto.Eric then takes us inside the beginning of his federal prison sentence: the rules of the yard, violence, identity, affiliation, survival, and the mindset he developed to navigate the years ahead.Part II — The FractureEric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning A four-part special presentation of The Todd Christopher Podcast.Part I - The Come Up - https://tr.ee/9Otn_e7RWOPart III — CONSEQUENCE - RELEASES OCTOBER 5Part IV — RETURN - RELEASES OCTOBER 12 Subscribe to Astral Visions Studios for the remaining chapters.Produced by Astral Visions Studios Beyond the surface. Behind the vision. Astral Visions Studios: Watch this episode at www.youtube.com/astralvisionsstudiosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudiosBusiness Inquires: https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudios Eric Ellis: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericellis018/Management: https://theellisvision.com/Merch: https://shop.lambgoat.com/products/ellis-the-answer-cd

Before the tours, the prison sentence, and everything that followed, there was music.In Part I — The Come Up, Eric Ellis takes us back to where his story began: growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, learning to play guitar by ear, discovering the local hardcore scene, and finding the sense of identity and belonging that music gave him. He reflects on the early bands, friendships, influences, and pivotal moments that eventually led to him joining Bury Your Dead and touring the world.But as the band’s success grows, so do the pressures surrounding money, loyalty, relationships, and the life continuing outside the music. What begins as the story of a young guitarist finding his place gradually becomes something far more complicated—setting the stage for the decisions and consequences that would alter the course of Eric’s life.Astral Visions Studios and The Todd Christopher Podcast present Eric Ellis: The World Keeps Turning, an intimate four-part miniseries chronicling Eric’s journey through music, ambition, fracture, consequence, and return.This is Part I: The Come Up. This is where the story begins.Astral Visions Studios:YouTube: www.youtube.com/astralvisionsstudios Instagram: www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudios Business Inquires: https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudiosEric Ellis:https://www.instagram.com/ericellis018/https://theellisvision.comhttps://shop.lambgoat.com/products/ellis-the-answer-cd

Celine Beltgens’ story has never followed a conventional path.In Chapter II of our conversation, we pick up on the other side of rebuilding. Celine reflects on the experiences in her past that shape and continue to inform the person she is today; her approach to identity, relationships, entrepreneurship, creativity, and the pursuit of a life that feels authentic.Post-chaos, experience becoming perspective, and how curiosity can lead you into entirely new worlds. Reinvention isn't necessarily about becoming someone new—it can be about finally understanding who you've been all along.This conversation isn't about presenting a neatly packaged transformation or pretending that growth has a finish line. It's about continuing to question, evolve, experiment, and build a life on your own terms.An Astral Visions Studios ProductionBusiness Inquiries: https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudios

Ep. 004 | Celine Beltgens Ch. 2 — Chaos & Creation

Andy Williams has spent much of his life refusing to be defined by a single chapter.For more than two decades, he helped shape the sound and legacy of Every Time I Die. Then came an unexpected second act in professional wrestling, stepping into the ring as "The Butcher" in AEW(All Elite Wrestling). Now, with Atomic Rule, he's making music again.This conversation is about what happens when the thing that defined you ends—and you realize there's still a lot of life left to live.Andy and I have known each other for more than 20 years, so this conversation comes from a place of shared history. We talk about getting older, love, friendship, legacy, the choices that shape us, and how our perspective on what matters changes with time. Oh and wrestling... we definitely talk about professional wrestling. Astral Visions Studios:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astralvisionsstudiosBusiness Inquires: https://dot.cards/astralvisionsstudios Andy Williams: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atomicruleband/https://www.instagram.com/andycomplains/

Ep. 003 - Andy Williams: Life. Love. Reinvention.

Before there were successful businesses, there was homelessness. Before stability, there was addiction. Before reinvention, there was survival.
In Part One of this conversation, Celine Beltgens shares the chapters of her life that came long before the version of her most people know today. Together, we explore identity, creativity, the punk and hardcore scene, entrepreneurship, and what it takes to rebuild a life after everything falls apart.
This isn't a conversation about neat endings or motivational slogans. It's about the uncomfortable, uncertain space between who you were and who you choose to become.
Sometimes the most extraordinary stories begin in the places people spend their entire lives trying to forget.
Stay tuned for Part Two.

Ep. 002 | Celine Beltgens Pt. 1 — Chaos & Creation

In the debut episode of The Todd Christopher Podcast, Todd sits down with emerging pop artist Trance for an honest conversation about creativity, vulnerability, and the journey behind his debut album, Him.
From his earliest experiences making music to the emotional weight carried throughout the album, Trance opens up about songwriting as a form of self-discovery and the challenges of transforming personal experiences into art. Together, they explore the meaning behind Him, the role vulnerability plays in the creative process, and how life's highs and lows continue to shape his artistic voice.
The conversation also dives into the visual world surrounding the project, including the music video for "No Personnel," creative collaboration, audience response, and what comes next as Trance continues to evolve as an artist.
This episode is a candid look at the realities of pursuing a creative path, finding your voice, and having the courage to share it with the world.
 

Produced by Astral Visions Studios. 
Hosted by Todd Christopher.

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