This next feature tells the story of an artist’s strength and resilience while they continue their mission to heal the world through their craft. The comfort of their music is paired with a satisfying creation of lasagna for a perfect relaxing vibe. Check out the recipe below!

Toran Travis is a native of Nashville, hailing from a prosperous family, their relatives were pioneers in establishing one of the first black-owned barbershops in the city, Miles Barber Shop. Toran pronounced (2–ran) means “chief “ in the Native American language. Their journey into music began from a lifelong habit of journaling. Two years ago, they delved deeply into music while experiencing homelessness. During this period, they were in an abusive relationship and chose to stay homeless to support their partner, despite having the option to return home and rebuild their life. This challenging time led to depression, causing them to stop writing temporarily. However, they eventually resumed journaling to express their emotions and help cope with the situation. One pivotal day, after a confrontation with their partner, they revisited their journal and Toran realized they deserved better. This epiphany motivated them to leave the toxic relationship and regain control of their life. They have truly evolved today with their own place and have rediscovered their focus, drive, and ambition. Overcoming the abusive relationship and homelessness required immense strength from Toran, both to escape the situation and to be honest with themselves about their feelings. Their journey reveals the bravery needed to be transparent with oneself and the power of writing as a tool for healing and self-discovery.

Check out their latest single “Wild Notes” below!

Toran Travis believes their music is all about creating a vibe. Their musical influences include Aaliyah, Michael Jackson, and Nate Dogg. They imagine blending these iconic voices into one big track to represent their style. Toran feels that Michael Jackson is incredibly important to them personally and to the world as his music is foundational to many contemporary artists. Their admiration extends to Aaliyah, who also left a lasting impact with her authentic and memorable songs. Toran strives to bring authenticity to their music, which they feel is often missing in today’s commercialized music scene. They recognize the struggle artists face between staying true to themselves and appealing to mainstream audiences. For them, music reflects personal experiences and vibes, shared with the world. In addition to Michael Jackson and Aaliyah, Nate Dogg is an important influence, known for his smooth, soulful features on many tracks. They appreciate the unique, authentic soul he brought to his music. Toran hopes their music also helps fans find clarity, peace, and self-discovery as they have found in music. They appreciate the powerful role music plays in helping people through life’s challenges, both in writing and listening.

So what’s next for Toran Travis? They’ve been working on many projects, although it was challenging doing it alone. Working independently is partly due to difficulties with producers-either they make inappropriate advances or avoid working with them due to their feminine appearance and feat of external judgment. Despite these adversities, Toran remains focused and committed to learning everything about their women, although it can be disheartening. Nevertheless, Toran can be described as not being forceful or imposing their lifestyle on others. Once people get to know them, perceptions change, revealing a mellow and chill personality. Their emphasis is treating others with kindness and respect, values they’ve always held close to their heart.

Currently, they are working on a book series entitled, 2RAN’s Land, consisting of ten books, each with its own soundtrack. The series is a mix of spiritual and fictional elements, aiming to uplift and guide youth, especially those undergoing transitions. 2RAN’s Land is a spiritual journey experience/self-love practice book series.

It’s for everyone to read not just trans .. it’s for whoever needs some type of safe space.

In addition, to the book series, they are preparing to release a new EP this summer. The EP, Notes Of A Wild Epitome: Project Butterfly, is yet another opportunity for Toran to share their work with the world. Toran hopes to continue creatively thriving and making a meaningful impact through their music and projects. They would like to eventually be touring outside the U.S. and finally living life to the fullest. The ultimate goal and vision are for Toran to be free to be themselves, fully embracing their creative space. This dream encapsulates their desire to thrive both personally and artistically. We can’t wait to check out more music and projects from Toran Travis. Be sure to give them a follow on IG below!

Follow Toran Travis on IG

When it comes to food, Toran Travis immediately gravitates to spaghetti for nostalgic food memories because it’s a dish their grandmother made every week without fail. If she skipped a week, it was a sign something was amiss. Spaghetti remains their favorite, and they love it paired with fried fish and a bit of coleslaw, but Toran also loves lasagna. For desserts, yellow cake with chocolate icing holds a special place in their heart. It’s an annual birthday tradition for them, and they find it to be the perfect classic cake. When it comes to snacks, Dr. Pepper and a Snickers bar are their go-to’s, providing them with the perfect combination of energy, carbonation, and flavor. Their favorite go-to meal is a chicken casserole, which they enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It consists of roasted chicken, brown rice, cream of mushroom soup, mayo, and shredded cheddar cheese, all mixed together and baked with fried onions on top.

If Toran is asked to choose their favorite meal for a special dinner, lasagna is the clear winner. This dish embodies their love for hearty comfort meals offering a delicious blend of flavors and textures in every bite. It is the perfect food creation in honor of Toran Travis and their artistry. Check out the recipe below!

Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients for the Meat Sauce

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 pound lasagna noodles (cooked to package directions or use no boil version)
2 15-ounce cans of tomato sauce
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried Oregano
1 tablespoon dried Basil
1 Bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
½ cup white onion, chopped
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup water
3 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 tbsp Parsley finely chopped, separate 1 tbsp for garnish at the end

Ingredients for Bechamel Sauce

2 cups whole milk (do not try to use reduced fat it will compromise the flavor..go big or go home)
½ stick of unsalted butter
⅓ cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

In a saucepan, heat the EVOO on medium and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent.
Then add the Italian sausage and beef, breaking it up, and saute until browned on medium-high heat.
Add the basil, oregano, tomato sauce, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, fresh ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons of parsley, and water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Set aside and remove the bay leaf as you begin to prepare the lasagna.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
Add the flour to the butter and whisk quickly until well incorporated to ensure no lumps in the flour mixture.
In another small pan, heat the milk on low heat without bringing it to a boil.
Add the warm milk to the flour mixture while quickly whisking until it thickens.
Once the white sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, it is done. Add salt and nutmeg. Set aside to assemble the lasagna.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Ideally, a 9 by 13 baking dish works best for this dish. Pour one cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of the baking pan.
Put four lasagna noodles on top of the meat sauce layer.
Pour 1/2 cup of the bechamel sauce over the lasagna noodle layer.
Sprinkle one cup of mozzarella cheese and about 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.
Continue this same pattern of layering until the lasagna is three layers.
Top the lasagna with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes until bubbly. Then switch the oven to broil and cook the top layer for 4 to 5 minutes until the cheese is slightly browned.
Cool the lasagna for 20 minutes and sprinkle with Italian parsley. Serve and enjoy!