Zara Larsson unleashes a remix of her buzzing hit single “WOW” featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
Get it HERE via TEN/Epic Records.
Last month, “WOW” exploded on the heels of a sync during a romantic dance sequence between the two main characters in the Netflix Original hit film Work It. Watch it HERE. In the aftermath, the track vaulted up the charts of both Top 40 and Dance Radio and amassed over 60 million streams and counting. Adding to this excitement, Zara linked up with her friend and fellow pop femme fatale Sabrina Carpenter to reup “Wow.” After starring in Work It, Sabrina brings yet another dimension to this anthem. She and Zara lock into a slick, seductive, and scorching back-and-forth as the track stretches from piano-laden verses towards a swaggering hook carried by a boisterous horn section and glitchy beats, produced by none other than Marshmello.
Be on the lookout for the official video soon! “WOW” just hints at more big moments to come from Zara Larsson in 2020. Get ready!
All women have superpowers. Wielding those superpowers, Zara Larsson provokes and pushes pop music and culture forward with empowered, enlightened, and energized anthems that soar and seduce all at once. With every move, she continues to quietly make history and break records. Her RIAA gold-certified 2017 full-length, So Good has amassed nearly 4 billion streams. Her growing catalog boasts one smash after another, including the triple-platinum “Never Forget You” with MNEK, the platinum “Lush Life” and “Ain’t My Fault,” and, most recently, 2019’s gold “Ruin My Life.” Out of dozens of nominations, she has received various awards and honors at the Swedish Grammi Awards, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, MTV EMAs, and more. Gracing the stage of the 2017 Nobel Prize Peace Concert, she performed the platinum “Symphony” with collaborators Clean Bandit. Emerging from lockdown in 2020 with a fierce, focused, and feminine fire, Zara arrives with a bold and boundary breaking body of work for her second international album.
Singapore-Australian funk infused-pop songstress Haneri (formerly Daphne Khoo) returns with a brand new boldly honest and upbeat single “Y Didn’t You Say So,” out TODAY. We haven’t been able to stop dancing and now we’re excited you can join us! “Y Didn’t You Say So” follows the release of “IDWLY”, released in January, both showcasing Haneri’s cheery dance driven new sound. “Y Didn’t You Say So” is a reflection on the ability to grow from past mistakes while learning to love and accept yourself for everything you are and can be. No more holding back, now is the time to be yourself and embrace every single moment of it.
Haneri is set to release another single this year (which we can’t wait to share), leading up to the release of her EP MILLIONA, due out late November. She aims to bring out her bold new self with MILLIONA. In her words, “Be you. Be weird. Be amazing”. Stay tuned for the upcoming music video for “Y Didn’t You Say So” out on September 22.
Haneri emerged on the scene in 2017, gracing the Spotify New Music Friday cover and charting at #9 in Singapore and 6 other countries with her first singles “Burning Up” and “Feel Alright”. She’s also seen success in the EDM world with her co-releases with DJ/Producer DASCO, Dash Berlin and more. Her latest tracks highlight Haneri’s gift of blending genres and expressive songwriting into lovable and highly addicting pop/funk/disco jams. All proving she really is an artist to have on your radar in 2020 and beyond.
Haneri on “Y Didn’t You Say So”:
“‘Y Didn’t You Say So’ is my way of being fed up and frustrated, but also laughing off how men don’t know how to tell you what they want. It embraces my ability to ask a guy out ‘hey, what’s your name?’ which is something in the past I would never have done (I mean it’s something I still have to work on). But in finding that strength realizing that nothing in life needs to be taken too seriously and being confused and in like with someone is ok. I’m sure the ambiguity with dating these days is hella frustrating and this song is all about that giddy and nauseating time where no one knows if it’s for fun or for keeps. We’re all growing. So I thought why not grow up, and say it to him in a song.”
“The Ballad” blossoms from its bouncing, nostalgic bassline into a breezy, feel good number, embellished by strings. Louis VI delivers a flow-packed account of a romantic encounter on a night out, complimented by the chorus, a reaffirmation of good intentions to make a relationship work.
https://soundcloud.com/itshaneri/y-didnt-u-say-so/s-JGS9EpFgyb4?in=itshaneri/sets/milliona-ep//s-bjsuW
As a result of lockdown, the YellowStraps brothers have been releasing one track per week, every week, featuring a different artist and all written in 24 hours. As part of the new project, they document the creation process via YouTube, doubling up as a quirky music video.
“Heart Emoji” is our flirty interpretation of what it might be like to fall in love with someone online through pictures, bios, and emojis! Inspired by ’90s and 2000s R&B/pop, we typically write instrumentals first with a topic in mind for the lyrics afterwards. We landed on a funky and danceable beat, pushing the envelope a little with the groove.
Stream “Heart Emoji” via Spotify OR SoundCloud now!
Produced by award-winning recording engineer Ryan Worsely. Often our songs are written in a perspective different from our own, this one exploring “online love” and the idea that someone could pursue another romantically without even really knowing them.
It seems like an everyday thing now, superficial or not, and that’s how we’re treating it in the song. We all love a pretty face.
Ludic – Max | Rhett | Ayla
resh to the scene, and raring to go like the world class Man Utd midfielder “Paul Pogba”, Kay2B bursts into the music world with his debut track. The South London rapper comes through with his first ever release on GRM Daily after going viral with the preview on Triller this Summer pulling in over 100,000 views.
Coming in to attack the scene, Kay2B is not holding back building a huge hype on social media for months before the track’s release, gaining a fanbase and ensuring the excitement is massive. Over a hard, drill beat produced by Leobeatz and Kid X, Kay2B showcases his raw, honest bars and no-nonsense nature, along with a catchy hook. Certain to lead him to a position of success with these combined characteristics, listeners will only be wanting to hear more from him.
True to his personality, Kay2B is playful and personal with his raps, “The track is about my personal experiences. I’m cheeky and have a way with words. I used the concept of football to explain my process of trying to get a female, and this song is me explaining that”.
With a commitment to his craft, he is working on new music and will continue to release more in the coming months keeping the momentum flowing into 2021. This is just the start for Kay2B.
A true creative chameleon and seasoned traveler, Marie-Clo is a born performer who ropes her audiences into a feverish pitch in both official languages; thanks to “hooked on phonics”. Singer-songwriter and dancer, her eclectic indie pop tackles current themes & conscious lyrics, but also conjures a colourful and enchanted world.
Marie-Clo began her artistic career on stages worldwide performing in musicals, but honed in soon thereafter on her true passion project, music. She is currently promoting the first of three EP’s which will make up her full-length english album entitled Shell(e). A conceptual feminist narrative, it is slated to be fully released in 2021, produced by Polaris shortlisted drummer/ producer Olivier Fairfield (Fet Nat, Timber Timbre, Leif Vollebek), with the support of the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, and FACTOR.
In 2017, Marie-Clo won TFO’s pan-Canadian tv search for francophone artists Planète BRBR and was given carte blanche to participate at the Granby International Song Festival 2018, as well as at the Petite- Vallée Song Festival 2018. Following these, Aero chocolates bought her song “Sablier” for a 52-week run national commercial in which she stars.
She celebrated the independent release of her debut EP Faune which has since been playing on numerous radio stations across Canada, on Sirius xm, and joined numerous editorial playlists on Spotify. Radio-Canada named her Ontario’s number one artist to discover in 2018 as part of a 13-artist list, Canada wide, for each province & territory. Her latest single Red Flag topped CBC (#2) & Sirius XM’ (#4) top 10 charts for many consecutive months & was featured as a Sirius XM exclusive single. She recently had the pleasure of playing Ottawa’s Bluesfest, the National Arts Center, Place des arts in Montréal & opening for Ariane Moffatt.
The Silver Lake Chorus is determined to make music together however it can these days. When the spread of COVID-19 led to the sudden cancellation of their March 28th tenth anniversary show, the group immediately came to grips with their new, stark reality. It would be months, and likely much, much longer, before they could reschedule their show, their next recording session, or even a rehearsal. The Silver Lake Chorus could most accurately be described as an LA-based indie rock band with twenty lead singers; of all high-risk activities, in-person group singing is at the top of the list. But that doesn’t mean TSLC can’t still make music together.
Admittedly, TSLC’s first quarantine offering, a cover of Bill Wither’s “Lean on Me,” is a departure for a group that prides itself on being “not your average chorus,” as the poster from the group’s 2010 debut performance proclaimed. Meanwhile, “Lean on Me” has been covered by nearly every high school choir from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon. But upon hearing the news of Bill Wither’s passing on March 30th, the chorus wanted to pay tribute to Wither’s musical legacy and felt the message behind the song resonated during this time of uncertainty perhaps more than ever. Like much of the country, the membership is dealing with great loss – not just the
interruption of their daily lives and plans, but the loss of jobs, the loss of security, and the loss of beloved family members. “We all need somebody to lean on” has never felt more universally true.
Rising country artist Roman Alexander has released his long-awaited debut single, “Cocktail Conversations.” Co-written with renowned songwriters Dylan Altman (Jake Owen, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean) and John Caldwell (Gretchen Wilson, Aaron Watson), the light-hearted track tells the story of a budding romance over a couple of drinks. Serving as a carefree anthem for anyone who has experienced the first fleeting moments of falling in love, “Cocktail Conversations” gives fans a taste of Roman’s upcoming EP. The track has received editorial support from Billboard’s First Country and placement on Spotify’s Wild Country, Next From Nashville, New Music Nashville, and Fresh Finds: Country playlists.
NYC-based Afropop fusion singer-songwriter Shirazee recruits South African singer-songwriter and poet Busiswa (Beyonce’s Gift / Black Is King) for an epic cross-continental Amapiano collaboration on “Right Thang.” The new single – which premiered with MistaJam on BBC Radio 1 – is lifted from Shirazee’s 6-track Lost EP due out October 23rd via Human Re Sources.
2020 has proven that music lovers everywhere are welcoming the culture with open arms, catapulting the work of African artists to the top of the charts and breaking into the mainstream. While sheltering in place means we can’t make it out to the club to celebrate just yet, “Right Thang” will have you grooving from the couch with it’s irresistible dance beat. The seductive tune, layered with mesmerizing drums, came naturally for both Shirazee and Busiswa as fans of each other’s work prior to the feature. One connect through their publisher (Sony/ATV) and the magic ensued.
Listen to “Holy Water” via your preferred streaming service now!
|
|---|
Rising pop sensation Sam DeRosa is back – pouring her heart into new single “321.” With slick vocals backed by a playful instrumental, Sam gives listeners a taste of her debut EP The Medicine due out November 13th via Monument Records.
The Los Angeles-based artist delivers a hypnotic track, unearthing the plethora of feelings that surface post-breakup. From the very first verse, “321” describes a night known all too well. The drinks are flowing, the music is blasting, the night is young… but your suppressed emotions decide to pop in for a little surprise. Suddenly you find yourself crying on a random bathroom floor. Did you make a mistake? Do you want them back? Or is this just the alcohol talking? “Vodka soda, I sip it slowly, I get a little dangerous when I get lonely… I’m nervous, got me shaking, got me feeling like the old me…” Sam professes.
Penning the track from her own experience bumping into an ex, Sam perfectly captures the universal emotional turmoil that takes over you from the unexpected encounter. “It’s a moment that we all experience in a break up: the late night, sometimes tipsy, moment of regret…when you tend to go crazy in your thoughts and think that you’ve made a mistake and after all this time, you want this person back. But do you really?” She continues, “It’s a vulnerable and honest story that 90% of us have experienced. Hopefully my fans will hear this and feel like I’m right there with them – whether we are stumbling home, dancing around the house, or crying it out on the bedroom floor. I’ve been there, so I’ll sing them through it.” Sam additionally shares with PARADE, “The day I met my co-writer was the day that we wrote this song. We quickly became friends and bonded over our wild love stories. ‘321’ was a concept and title I’d been wanting to write for a while and the end result was a musical story that had happened to both of us.”
Following a remarkable performance of her original song “Pill For This” on NBC’s Songland (with special guest Charlie Puth), Sam DeRosa instantly stole judges Shane McAnally, Ester Dean, and Ryan Tedder’s hearts. While Sam is far from just any overnight TV series success, it was this moment of utter vulnerability that sparked her partnership with multi Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer Shane McAnally (Kacey Musgraves, Kelly Clarkson, Sam Hunt) and her first major record deal with Monument Records (a joint venture with Sony Music). Sam tells PEOPLE, “I never in a million, trillion years thought that it would happen this way… I’ve been waiting tables and bartending, singing cover gigs and missing holidays with my family for gigs that only paid $50. I always thought, there’s no way when you put this much energy into something that can’t work.”
Upon its release in 2019, “Pill For This” landed on the Top 5 US iTunes Sales Chart and has racked up over 4 million streams to date. The single was also featured across several notable playlists including Spotify’s New Music Friday and Chilled Pop Hits, Apple Music’s New Music Daily and A-List Pop, as well as Amazon’s Introducing Pop and Brand New Music. American Songwriter commended Sam for her “heartfelt delivery and ability to pinpoint an infectious melody” while HollywoodLife praised the visual component for “accurately capturing the strife and struggle that comes when trying to pick up the pieces after a broken heart.” Billboard later premiered the stripped down version of “Pill For This,” closing the chapter of her life as just a writer behind the scenes and primed her for stardom.
Looking back, it’s surprising that the New York-raised and Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter didn’t often share her music with those around her. Although she began writing her own songs at a very young age, Sam would opt to perform cover songs whilst competing in talent show after talent show – only to lose out to other contestants. At 15, she decided to bring her keyboard onstage to sing one of her own written songs. Staying true to herself, she was finally awarded a perfect score. It was then that she discovered the formula to honest success and began to embrace her newfound confidence. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Sam was invited to one of her first co-writing sessions in New York. Making the drive from Boston to New York City, she co-wrote a song called “Broken.” Two years later plus a move to Los Angeles, “Broken” became a multi-platinum smash hit for lovelytheband and the longest charting rock song in radio history. Sam’s credits have grown exponentially since, including cuts with Adam Jensen, blackbear, Jared Lee, Peking Duk and Alisa Xayalith (of the The Naked And Famous), Lil Mosey, Welshly Arms, as well as Tik Tok-star-turned-performer Dixie D’Amelio on her groundbreaking #1 debut “Be Happy.” However, with the release of “321” and her upcoming EP (which will also include “Pill For This”), Sam DeRosa is ready to bask in the spotlight.
Sarah-Grace-Photography
Abby J Hall is a Canadian singer/songwriter from Burlington Ontario. Some of her musical influencers are: T-Swift, Julia Michaels, Alec Benjamin and Maggie Rogers. She started songwriting when she was 11 and has been passionate about it ever since. Her go-to instruments are the guitar, keys and ukulele. Memorable music moments include: playing her originals at The Sound of Music Festival in Burlington; at Canada’s Largest Ribfest; for the Live and Local Music Series at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre and at Canadian Music Week. She has been in the studio over the past year and is excited to be releasing new music over the next couple months. EVERYONE has a story to tell. Abby loves nothing more than to write some of those stories down and put them to music.
Photo Credit: Kelly De Geer
New York based alt-pop artist and guitarist Denitia today unveils a remix for “Place To Be”, the seventh track from her album Touch of the Sky, that was lauded by fans and critics alike. The track was remixed by NY-based electronic three piece Pool Cosby.
Inspired by the bittersweet loneliness settling in after the end of a tumultuous affair, Pool Cosby breathe a second life into the heartstring-pulling, hypnotic track. With the addition of live strings, afrobeat rhythms and a hip hop approach to chopping samples, the trio create a new take on the song while keeping focus on Denitia’s intricate lyrics and gorgeous vocals.
Pool Cosby on the remix: “”Place to Be” is one of our favorite songs on “Touch of the Sky.” With this remix we wanted to make sure the production and reharmonization was highlighting the vocals.”
The remix follows the release of the music video for “Place To Be” that was directed and edited by Emory Parker, the co-founder of Blue Slate Films. Blue Slate Films is a female-run production company that aims to bring queer and female-driven stories to the forefront. Parker is also a recipient of the Horizon Award founded by Cassian Elwes (Mudbound, The Butler), Christine Vachon (Carol, Boys Don’t Cry), and Lynette Howell Taylor (A Star is Born, Blue Valentine).
Touch of the Sky, a cinematic ode to nostalgia and the alchemy of love, was released late last year along with a beautiful short film, (listen + watch here). The record received attention from Afropunk who called it “achingly masterful”, Refinery 29 “a moment of musical happiness”, as well as The New York Times, Pop Dust, DUMMY MAG and more.
Denitia was recently invited to record a COLORS Live Session with British producer and artist Quantic. The video has racked up over 324K views on YouTube.
“Palm Springs (the way you made me feel)” is based on the true story of a weekend in a Jonathan Adler inspired hotel in Palm Springs, that truly felt like a dream. Weird things happen in the desert.
And one of the weirdest things for me, is two human strangers instantly feeling like they are falling in love, or have known each other their whole lives.
Sometimes you look back on moments like that in your life and wonder if it was even real…but as the lyric goes, I know it was real. “Palm Springs (the way you made me feel)” is available to stream everywhere now and echoes the sentiment of my upcoming EP, don’t wake me, i’m dreaming, out October 30th
Thank you for listening,
Virginia To Vegas
Photo by Sebastian Buzzalino
I think “Let Your Trouble Go” is my favourite thing I’ve done, a song about letting go, and I’m excited to share it with you. The new song is available to stream now on your preferred platform.
If only I could take the pressures and self-doubt for someone, giving them the chance to let their trouble go and free up space in their mind; to go willingly into the creative, imaginative, and surreal corners of their brain.
– Amelie Patterson
Credit: Lyle Bell
Substance and accessibility. They’re often considered opposing forces when it comes to pop music, making it all the more impressive when a band like Scenic Route to Alaska so effortlessly delivers ample doses of both.
The heralded Edmonton-based indie pop trio – Trevor Mann on lead vocals and guitar, drummer Shea Connor, and bassist Murray Wood – have worked tirelessly scaling the summit of the Canadian and international music scenes. They dropped two acclaimed LPs – 2018’s Tough Luck and 2016’s Long Walk Home – that weave memorable melodies and catchy vocals through compelling, musically-rich arrangements and earned a slew of awards and accolades on their backs. They’ve toured relentlessly across North America, Europe, and Australia and have seen their global fanbase grow exponentially with each amplified chord.
Since taking time to write and workshop new material earlier in 2019, Scenic Route to Alaska have released a pair of singles “Give a Little” in October 2019 and “Daydreaming” in Feb 2020 and played a nearly sold out tour throughout Canada. These singles will soon be featured on a limited edition 7″ vinyl.
With its release on April 29th, “Call Your Friends” is the first single of their upcoming album “Time For Yourself” (release date: Aug 19th). This song is the first in the direction of revisiting their roots with a more organic, unfiltered take on their now-signature sound – or, as Mann puts it, “a truer representation of what we do when we get together and make music.”
Photo Credit: Kaj Falch-Nielsen
Syd Carter West has had an unusual route to become the Americana/Southern-rock artist she is today. From award-winning opera singer to original singer-songwriter of her own dirt and dust, West has finally found her path.
This Canadian singer-songwriter grew up in British Columbia and, after hearing the gritty, soulful sound of Amanda Marshall when she was five years old, she knew she wanted to be a singer. By 12 she was training in opera and studying music theory at the Royal Conservatory of Music, competed nationally, and was awarded the much-lauded Gold Medal (formerly Silver). At 20, West moved beyond performing opera and began to write original lyrics and compositions.
“‘Cheaters’, the debut single from Syd Carter West’s forthcoming self-titled EP, is powerful beyond measure. The track was written about West’s personal experience of being cheated on in a past relationship and how she was able to gain the confidence to end the relationship for good.
“Instead of admitting that he cheated, he said he was raped,” says West. “Later on, he recanted and admitted that he said ‘rape’ to cover up his cheating. He manipulated an incredibly traumatizing experience in an effort to cover his ass. This song is how angry, sad and fucked up I was from that experience. This is my closure. This is my middle finger. Somehow, someway, he’s going to hear this song. And he will know it’s about him.”
‘Cheaters’ is proof positive that the bright-eyed, roots ‘n’ soul singer-songwriter is the real deal. With a set of pipes that “feels” – she can belt it out and pull it back in – West’s powerful vocals are reminiscent of Elle King, with a dash of Melissa Etheridge’s growl and the soul of Adele. Her earlier influences range from country chanteuse Deana Carter to the electric blues rock of Led Zeppelin.
Syd Carter West’s new single ‘Cheaters’ is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services. For more information, please visit: sydcarterwest.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npTEDHLOjLk&feature=youtu.be
King Park has been turning out mercurial, high-contrast indie rock since they released their 2017 breakout track, “Stay.” Gritty and lush, the quartet’s sound mirrors the antitheses of their hometown, Hamilton, Ontario: on the one hand, blue-collar and raw, and, on the other, artful and lovely.
Following their self-released debut EP, The Light I Can’t See, King Park won the 97.7 HTZ-FM’s Rock Search 2018 contest, which helped launch other Canadian rock groups like Finger Eleven, the Trews, and Glorious Sons. The basement-to-ceiling intensity of their live show has since continued to earn them a growing and devoted following across southern Ontario.
At the heart of the group you’ll find childhood friends and musical co-conspirators Timon Moolman (vocals, guitar) and Tyler Heemskerk (bass, vocals), rounded out more recently by guitarist Brenden Campbell and the animated Nate Wall on drums.
Sneak peeks of their upcoming 2020 full-length, Everett, show the quartet exploiting its strengths. Guitars chime, drums thwack, and Moolman’s broken-up baritone—which often veers into shouted speak-sing—is ornamented one minute by barber shop harmonies, and the next by barstool gang vocals. Songs like “This is the End,” “Stuck in the Middle,” and the title track set up camp in that familiar moment after life has fallen apart, and before a way forward seems possible. King Park’s Everett promises a collection of elegies for ordinary, apocalyptic losses.
Photo_Credit_Demarquis_McDaniels
Acclaimed and enigmatic singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Eddie Benjamin returns with his brand new single “Speechless.” Along with the release, the Australia-born, Los Angeles-based rising star reveals that he will release his anticipated debut EP later this year. Get “Speechless” HERE via Vol. 1/Epic Records.
On the track, his dynamic delivery brushes up against sparse production by Daniel Gleyzer (Noah Cyrus, AJ Mitchell). Playing every instrument as usual, he calls out to a lover with an incendiary vocal performance. As strings ebb and flow, breathy harmonies curl around a promise on the chorus, “I’ll just stay speechless and speak with my actions and give you the reasons to pick up your phone.”
Of the song, he says, “It’s about the hopeful part of a relationship ending. Musically, it’s colorful, but there’s a darker feeling. It goes through the emotions of losing someone, yet I try to implement hope in the process through the tones.”
After a wave of buzz and mystique, Eddie formally introduced himself with his debut single “Fuck My Friends” earlier this year. In addition to racking up over 2 million streams and counting on his first-ever release, Idolator claimed, “Eddie Benjamin makes a great first impression” before assuring that he’s
“certainly One To Watch in 2020.” Additionally, he sat down with Sia for an extensive conversation for Interview Magazine where she referred to him as a “genius.”
Rotating between an arsenal of instruments with punchy proficiency and singing with spotlight-grabbing swagger, Eddie Benjamin brings kaleidoscopic color to popular music. Whether nimbly slapping out a fleet-fingered bass groove on social media or belting on an arena stage, the 18-year-old Australia-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer channels fresh fire through a classic approach. Sparking a buzz online, he initially shared viral covers on Instagram. Long hair draped over his face, he would rock an upright or electric bass and sing popular tunes. After catching the attention of Vol. 1, he translated the “I Don’t Get No Sleep Cause of Y’all” meme into a bop and reimagined Sia’s “Chandelier.” Generating millions of views, these uploads made major waves leading to Sia reposting the cover. Moving to Los Angeles, he found himself in the studio working on major releases behind-the-scenes. He has quietly become the ultimate “secret weapon” for some of the biggest superstars and powerhouses in the world as Diplo, Meghan Trainor, Ryan Tedder, Sia and Labrinth have all called on him to collaborate, entrusting him as a creative voice. This year, he turned heads with Justin Bieber, who dubbed him “the next generation.” In addition, he co-wrote and performed on “Funk” and “Here to Stay” from Meghan Trainor’s most recent album Treat Myself.
Now officially signed to Vol. 1 and Epic Records, his upcoming debut EP will fully introduce Pop’s newest savant to the world. He will leave you “Speechless,” indeed.
British-Cambodian singer-songwriter Liza Owen has debuted an electrifying new music video for her latest single “Getting Good,” out now via Epic Records. Directed by Kai Cranmore, the video unveils Liza’s wild side, as she dangles out of a moving car and smashes beer bottles on set while performing with her pink-haired bandmates. Mirroring the song’s motif of self-destruction, Liza gradually grows increasingly rebellious on a fictional set before eventually being dragged into the desert by her leopard print-wearing alter ego. Watch the music video now HERE.
“As the song is about self-destruction and embracing the good, the bad, and the ugly, I wanted this video to show fans the side of me that’s always there waiting to come out and cause mayhem, the side of me that loves to self-sabotage,” Liza says. “Sometimes it can feel like you’re not really getting good at anything, so this was me saying ‘FUCK IT’ and embracing it. I got to shoot it with my friends who play the band in the video. They wrote and produced the song with me, so that was pretty cool to have them involved in every aspect. It was just fun to let loose and get wild on set for this one and to give people a glimpse of what my live show will look like.”
Photo Credit: Céline Klein
indie rockers The Wilderness share the video for ‘Graveyard’, the 3rd single from their new album Until Tomorrow which was released on August 21st.
Both the song and video for ‘Graveyard’ revolve around the theme of feeling trapped in a cyclical, dead-end lifestyle, and that one day you may close your eyes and wake up 20 years later in the same exact place. The video, directed by Céline Klein and starring band members Jonas Lewis-Anthony and Liam Neale, is filmed in black and white and has an old school thriller/horror vibe to it.
Since there are parts of ‘Graveyard’ that have the infectious lightness of a pop song, the band wanted to make sure that the video hammered home the very serious, dark themes of the lyrics.
“With this video we wanted to create something that captured both the driving energy and intensity of the music, while still relating to the paranoid self-reflection of the lyrics,” says Liam Neale.
The Wilderness – Until Tomorrow is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit: thewildernessband.com
Hosting an air of mystery, an overload of talent and one of the catchiest vibes to drop this year, 10K is making his solo entrance into the UK music scene with his record ‘Slow Down’. Following his recent, heavily supported feature on Scottie B ’Work For It’, the smooth and vibrant track, produced by BeatzByDB and released on Ten Letter Records, demonstrates 10K’s artistry when it comes to producing impactful and meaningful music.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: 10K – SLOW DOWN
Pulling on elements from R&B and AfroSwing, 10K switches the balance of his musical approach between sweet and vivid singing to gentle and melodic rapping. An enticing guitar melody and subtle vocal accents set the foundation for the track followed by the spacious but pronounced drumbeat which carries the song forward with sweet persuasion. As the track components gel together, the result is a lover’s ode filled with catchy melodies, tenacious lyrics, and glossy production. As described by 10K himself, “Melodies and feel-good music is what I’m here to create for the world to enjoy” and ‘Slow Down’ is the very product of his ethos.
Although 10K is a new discovery, the man behind the artistry has been a hugely active member of the British Black Music Scene curating different power moves and adding to a large list of accomplishments. From taking the stage at Wireless Festival, touring with Kendrick Lamar and Killer Mike, to signing to Universal and Virgin, 10K has unquestionable talent. The “man behind the pen” is a fitting statement for the artist, producing a track with Sizzla, credited on Mike Mago’s Higher, at 1 million-plus streams, and having 3 million-plus views on YouTube across music from his previous artist profiles and music he has written.
With an active drive, deep-rooted connections to the scenes most gifted, and talent oozing from his pores, 10K opens the door on another exceptional chapter of with ‘Slow Down’.
Ramengvrl, the most explosive Indonesian hip-hop export, returns with the hyper-playful new single “Vaselina”–her first as she signs a major deal with the prolific US label EMPIRE to take he rhard-hitting music globally. Like a shot of pure adrenaline to the brain stem,“Vaselina” blends the respective cultural flavours of Ramengvrl and Latin-American rapper euro, while weaving together Ramengvrl’s unique, high-octane style and infectious rhymes with an array of Latin elements and sounds that draw from euro’s rich, Dominican heritage.
(photo credit: Garret Hayes)
Alt-pop act Kyd the Band (aka Devin Guisande) reveals “I’ll Stay” – a tearjerker track and the second precursor to his upcoming EP Season 3: The Realization due out October 16th via Sony Music.
Inspired by the unexpected passing of his wife’s grandfather, Guisande writes a touching song on being there for your loved ones when you’re needed most. Starting with a simple piano progression, “I’ll Stay” builds into a cinematic orchestra, resulting in the perfect song made to help anyone feel less alone. He states, “This kind of experience has happened to me before, but this was the first time I’ve been there while it was happening to the person I love more than anyone. I wanted to fix it, I wanted it to be okay, I wanted to have an explanation, I wanted any other thing than what reality was so bad for her. But I couldn’t do a single thing, and that taught me that maybe sometimes when bad things happen to someone the only thing and best thing you can do is to be there for them as they go through it.”
“I’ll Stay” follows the official music video for “Corridors” where Kyd the Band invites you on a trip into his mind. The song – co-written with Adam Friedman (Allen Stone, Mike Posner) and Kevin Griffin (The Night Game, Moon Taxi) – continues to paint a vivid picture of his ever-evolving self and beautifully marries up the embodiment of previously released EPs Season 1: The Intro and Season 2: Character Development. “It’s like a prison in my head, some days I can’t get out of bed…” croons Guisande on the all too relatable intro of the track. Throughout “Corridors” Guisande tries to break free of his mental prison to finally overcome past relationships. Instead of remaining trapped in old memories and endless brain loops, the song encourages to keep your head up and positively push forward against the odds.
The new releases are just another example of Kyd the Band’s unabashed honesty in his lyrics and broad range across his collection. With each season, Devin reveals more of himself as he finds the confidence to delve deep into his tumultuous past from a socially isolated childhood, to leaving his home and family; overcoming a drug overdose to then finally finding solace in music and healthy relationships. On the new season, he notes, “Season 3 is called The Realization. I named it that because I feel like I’m finally getting to the place where I not only understand who I am and everything that’s made me, but I accept it and embrace it. Season 3 is me taking everything else before this and making sense of it. The Intro was my childhood and upbringing, Character Development was going out on my own and the start of me trying to become me, The Realization is now. Thank you so much for supporting me so heavy and for creating a community for me to belong in. I’m extremely blessed and thankful.”
You may not recognize NVDES at first but millions have had his music buzzing in their ears – whether it was “Purusha” in the official Apple iPhone SE launch this year, “Brazooka” in the official Apple iPhone 11 advertisement the year prior, “Rock & Roll” on the Need for Speed™ Heat soundtrack, or his smash hit collabs like “Everybody Wants To Be Loved” with Yoke Lore and “Running” with Oliver Tree. The title track off his album NVDITY WORLDWIDE (released today via VIBE NATION) is currently featured in a massive global ad campaign for Apple Music / Apple Music Radio featuring Billie Eilish, Orville Peck, Megan Thee Stallion, Anderson .Paak, and more.
The second full-length album from NVDES – the shapeshifting musical universe of artist/producer Josh Ocean – NVDITY WORLDWIDE was sparked from a daybreak epiphany on the streets of Berlin. “I’d been out all night and had a sudden inspiration to create something where I’d collaborate with artists from around the world,” says Ocean. “The idea was that each collaboration would be a different antenna point, and together they’d raise the vibrational frequency of the planet. The whole essence of NVDES has always been about me channeling energy, but now I feel like I’ve figured out how to really focus that and positively affect people.”
Made with a dozen collaborators from across the globe – including Whethan, Tommy Cash, filous, Florence Arman (fka klei), BLVTH, and more – NVDITY WORLDWIDE expands on the explosive originality and frenetic momentum of NVDES’ 2018 full-length debut Vibe City Utah. Built on a sonic aesthetic Ocean calls “laptop punk,” the album unfolds in 10 exhilarating tracks brought to life with deep intentionality.
“When I’m in the studio, my role is to capture the energy that’s happening in the moment, and then do my best to share that with the listener in the rawest form possible,” says Ocean. “I look at how transformative music can be – going back to early humans banging on drums and dancing around the fire – and I want to do what I can to empower people the same way, and hopefully inspire them to follow their own creativity.”
While the wildly volatile beats of NVDITY WORLDWIDE hit on a near-primal level, the album contains many finely layered messages of love and unity within its kaleidoscopic sound design. After opening on the divine chaos of the title track, NVDES shifts into “Born 2 Love,” a hauntingly poignant song delivered in Korean by Ocean’s close friend and co-writer Se Hee Wee. “‘Born 2 Love’ came from us having a conversation about homelessness in L.A., and wanting to lift people up so they don’t have to live that way anymore,” says Ocean. “Se Hee Wee had never sung before in her life but she ended up doing the vocals on it, and I think she sang it beautifully.”
KiNG MALA is the moniker of El Paso born, Los Angeles based alternative soul artist Areli Castro. Touching on themes such as lust, recklessness and badass femininity, KiNG MALA isn’t afraid to spill her guts. Setting out with the intention to create brave and unapologetic music, the bold and brazen artist is delivering her own distinct sound, just the way she wants it. Castro shares, “Thats really the inspiration for the name KiNG MALA, king cuz fuck being someone’s queen, and mala literally means “bad bitch” in spanish.”
KiNG MALA doesn’t hesitate in spilling her feelings. Her music narrates letting go of fear, being honest with yourself and those around you and ultimately living your truest self. Life is messy and we shouldn’t feel ashamed to show our emotions and speak our mind. Following the release of “sugarblind”, Castro unveils the poignant “If I Try To Find You.” The song gives an honest perspective of someone who has been taken advantage of by someone they trusted. Detailing an unhealthy relationship, the emotional song touches on that feeling of realizing someone hurt you. Castro confides, “This song is a super personal one for me. I was thinking about a relationship I had when I was 16/17 with someone much older than me and wondering how that person is and where they might be now.” Through sultry vocals and moody instrumentation the track builds into an explosive chorus, with Castro ridding of all inner-angst.
Produced by Rob Auerbach and mastered by John Greenham (Billie Eilish, Sam Smith, Katy Perry, Banks), her music evokes a youthful energy while maintaining a musical sophistication. KiNG MALA hopes her music may allow others to feel confident and cool, confiding, “I hope it helps people feel okay with what they feel, I’m a person with very intense feelings and it took me a long time to realize that that’s a gift not a weakness.” Raised in a hispanic home, the artist is passionate about supporting the LGBTQ+, POC and Indigenous communities and being open about mental health.
https://www.instagram.com/kingmalamusic/
https://twitter.com/kingmalamusic
Sizzy Rocket releases her third studio album, ANARCHY. The 10-track album includes previous heavy-hitting singles, “That Bitch,” “Smells Like Sex,” and “Rollerskating,” as well as 7 brand new tracks. Listen to ANARCHY on all streaming platforms: https://sizzyrocket.lnk.to/anarchy
To create ANARCHY,Sizzy rented locations in Laurel Canyon and Downtown LA, where she lived, wrote, and recorded the album over the course of 8 days. By fully immersing herself in the world of ANARCHY, Sizzy was able to deliver her most confident and authentic work to date. The record is full of bold and evocative surprises at every turn, juxtaposing slow burners like “Spill My Guts” with in-your-face anthems like “Straight To Mars (feat. Wes Period).” The previously released singles, “That Bitch,” “Smells Like Sex,” and “Rollerskating,” have all made a splash with fans and tastemakers alike, amassing over 500K cumulative streams and 1.5M views alone on the groundbreaking “Smells Like Sex” music video.
While the album title, ANARCHY, may sound culturally topical, it was actually chosen in January as a nod to Sizzy’s punk rock roots and her own personal chaos. Through the creation of the record, Sizzy writes that she was, “searching for and destroying versions of myself that no longer serve me, going right up against the glass of heartbreak, wreaking havoc on life as we know it and pushing my ambition to its golden limit.”
Just like a mask—that so-called disguise which, in fact, often reveals something profound and otherwise secret about the individual who wears it—cover songs offer a glimpse into the molecular musical composition of the artist interpreting them. With her lonesome take on the legendary Patsy Cline’s “You Belong To Me,” Mo Kenney hints at her own longing, and asserts the universality of the song; to consider the distance between us and our loved ones, to miss them with all our heart, is as natural as breathing.As the introduction to a covers collection that will further unmask Kenney’s artistic identities,“You Belong To Me” also represents a place and time in her own history with rural Nova Scotia.”Old country songs always remind me of hanging out with my grandfather Ozzy in West Gore,”Kenney says about the song. “The radio was always on and those tunes were always playing.I’ve been a fan of Patsy Cline since I was a kid, and this is my favourite song of hers.”Over Kenney’s career, she’s explored numerous facets of herself. There’s the understated folk and angsty, fuzzed-out rock ‘n’ roll of her self-titled 2012 debut; the expansive sonic palettes of In My Dreams, which frequently dip into psychedelia; andThe Details, which found her confronting demons through experimental songwriting and an idiosyncratic synthesis of sounds.Cover songs have been a significant part of her work since the beginning. Her heavy, intense version of Bowie’s “Five Years” and her bouncy take on Mardeen’s hyper-catchy “Telephones”are both beloved staples in her live sets.Kenney’s willingness to unflinchingly pursue her artistic impulses on her own terms has resulted in numerous accolades over the past decade, including a 2013 SOCAN Songwriting Prize for her song “Sucker,” a nomination for the 2016 Adult Alternative Album of the Year JUNO forInMy Dreams, and too many East Coast Music Awards and Nova Scotia Music Awards to count.And despite the uncertainty of live music in 2020, the year will find Kenney exploring new and innovative ways to connect with her fans.
https://soundcloud.com/mokenney/04-game-of-pricks
The summertime and this challenging year we’ve all been experiencing, inspired me to write “Be Okay,” the song I’m sharing with you today. This track is an ode to summer and a reminder that we all experience highs and lows. But if summer and nature find a way to come back, giving us joy and warm weather each year, then maybe we can pick ourselves up and get through this struggle on the way to our next triumph.
Watch the official music video for “Be Okay” on YouTube
Stream “Be Okay” via your preferred platform
“Be Okay” was co-produced by Taabu and Andrew Falcao. After I heard the original production in one of Andrew’s Instagram posts, we had one production session with Taabu to finalize the instrumental and a single recording session. Simple. It isn’t often that everyone is on the exact same page with a shared vision during collaboration, but every session was filled with positive vibes and a focus on making a song we all felt and loved.
I hope you take a sense of positivity and inspiration from this track. Sometimes it may feel like we’ve been down forever, especially during this crazy year, but looking to the resilience of nature can inspire us to pick ourselves up and try again.
Thank you for listening,
New York-based artist, songwriter, and producer, Skyler Cocco, returns today with her new single, “The Drive.” Combining dreamy chillwave production with irresistibly catchy lyricism, “The Drive” arrives as a glistening synth-pop gem that hits in all the right ways.
“I wrote ‘The Drive’ to reflect on a time where I’ve said things I didn’t mean to my partner or lashed out in a way that made them feel insecure in the relationship,” she writes on the inspiration behind the song. “It’s the cooldown period after a fight, where you take some space to really let your own words resonate and see where you were wrong in a situation, and realize what you’re putting at stake by not changing those behaviors. I really wanted to write a love song that felt vulnerable and showed my true intentions, that I can hold myself accountable and change for someone who I wouldn’t want to live without.”
Crafted in the midst of quarantine, “The Drive” started out as a demo built on a guitar sample from electro-pop trio MUNA’s Splice “World Saving Sample Pack.” Skyler received an email about a competition Splice were holding with the MUNA sample pack and decided to submit the barebones demo she’d put together. A few days later, MUNA hosted a Twitch stream to give feedback on their favorite submissions and “The Drive” was chosen as a standout track. With the encouragement of one of her favorite bands and a virtual crowd of new fans, Skyler decided it was going to be her next single.
Producing, writing, mixing, and performing all of her own tracks, Skyler Cocco is a true multi-hyphenate act. The born and raised New Yorker started experimenting with music at the age of eleven on her dad’s digital 8-track, and by the end of high school she had taught herself to play guitar, bass, and piano by ear. After releasing her 2017 debut album, Reverie, Skyler has continued to hone her sound with a multitude of single releases, racking up over 1M+ cumulative streams across her repertoire. Blending synth-pop, dream-pop and alternative rock influences beneath melodic, soulful vocals, Skyler draws listeners in with lyrics inspired from her own personal and musical journey as a 20-something queer woman.
Listen to “The Drive” on all streaming platforms:
https://sym.ffm.to/skylercocco_thedrive
One of the most fearless creative pioneers of the British Black Music scene, Scorcher, has teamed up with Moelogo for steamy, gritty and smooth new single ‘Body’.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: SCORCHER FT. MOELOGO – BODY
Produced by Machine Baby, who has worked with artists such as Giggs, Fekky and Skrapz, this smooth and rugged track is the latest single from the artist and actor. ‘Body’ sways away from Scorcher’s recent moods such as the ominous drill tracks ‘Antics’and ‘8+1’,or his real rap freestyle approach on highly acclaimed drops such as his ‘Daily Duppy’ or his ‘Mad About Bars’, but it is exactly that versatility and fearless approach to music that has awarded him such a decorated career. Delivering explicit yet endearing lyrics throughout the new single, Scorcher’s signature reckless and unruly style stays true regardless of the melodic and sensual genre and the uncensored lyrics. Paired with the smooth and pronounce Afrobeats-infused R&B singing, provided by Moelogo, ‘Body’ yields soft and sensual whist maintaining hard and gritty.
Already teasing snippets of the hot new visuals, alongside some cheeky out-takes via his Instagram, the visuals ramp up the levels of the record with deep aphrodisia and sensual scenes in all of their bounty.
A continued headline hitter and composer of some of grime’s most iconic mixtapes, Scorcher has long since been established as an A-lister. Landing leading roles in groundbreaking UK films such as critically acclaimed ‘The Intent’ and ‘Top Boy’, performing at the UK’s most renowned live venues, such as London’s Jazz Café, Scorcher is also his own artistic director, responsible for his unmatched artistry and visual output in his music videos. His balance and execution across all areas have resulted in him being equally applauded and highly regarded in each area, adding to his continuous growth, evolution and the ongoing anticipation surrounding his every move.
Since making his return to the UK music scene in early 2019, the fire within Scorcher has been undeniable. September sees his return to TV screens where he appears in Steve McQueen’s new BBC drama ‘Small Axe’, and with a recent string of outstanding releases, for tracks like ‘Could Be Worse’, ‘9’ and ‘Gargoyle’ plus his collaboration with Big Tobz for ‘Entanglement’, he continues to elevate with ‘Body’.
Having made a big splash with stellar previous singles “Bodyline” and “Long Time Coming”, Spanish R&B sensation XNilo finally unveils his much anticipated, aptly titled mixtape Long Time Coming via Front Page Recordings Limited and ADA Worldwide.
Working with top-tier talent from Manon Grandjean (Stormzy, Dave, Fraser T Smith) and Paul Simm (Amy Winehouse, Neneh Cherry) to even Zoe Zimmer, the daughter of Hans Zimmer on creative direction, Long Time Coming is a bold statement of arrival from the fast-rising star, bringing 13 tracks that vibrantly encompass his expansive sound. With influences ranging from R&B and Hip Hop to Trap and Reggaeton, XNilo demonstrates his pedigree as a well-versed artist.
Photo credit: Carl Diner
Franco-American singer-songwriter AVBE (pronounced “ob”) today releases a visual for his single “Where I Go”, the first release from his upcoming EP Dawn.
“Where I Go” is a collaborative song between AVBE and Chicago based singer Sam H. The light and hopeful song serves as a reminder to live in the present, and to not care too much about the directions we take. Produced by AVBE himself, the guitar riffs artfully blend with a reggaeton beat resulting in an uplifting and light track, perfect to celebrate the end of summer.
The video, directed by Oriane Playner, reflects the uplifting and joyful tones and message of the track. It follows AVBE and Sam as they run and dance through the streets of Chicago and on the shores of Lake Michigan, embracing the absurdity of their actions.
AVBE on “Where I Go”: ““Where I Go” is a song about change, and moving on. It’s the story of a fresh start, and feeling at home everywhere you go!”
AVBE will be releasing some more music leading up to the release of Dawn in October!
London-based singer-songwriter Imogen Mahdavi is known for her unique and rich vocals, which tell a thousand stories. With a slew of wistful indie-pop releases under her belt, the musician has forged her own path, carving her name with her beautifully introspective creations. Radiating with sincerity and grace, Imogen is unlike anything you’ve heard before.
Following the success of “Crowd of Thoughts”, a hauntingly epic track produced by Grammy Winner Eddie Serafica (Hamzaa, James Bay, Buddy Guy), Imogen is unveiling the incandescent “Some Things Are Best Oversaid”. Her distinct, falsetto vocals dance elegantly atop floaty melodies and twangy, country style guitars, creating a hypnotic release. Reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, Imogen’s simple and minimalist arrangements, combined with echoing harmonies give you an uplift feel to cleanse the soul.
Inspired by the likes of Joan Baez and Anita Carter, Imogen wanted to reignite the old romance of country songs, whilst simultaneously creating something for people to dance to. “Some Things Are Best Oversaid” narrates wearing your heart on your sleeve, not only romantically, but also with your friends, family and creative passions. The songwriter confides, “Life is short and I am not one to be coy about my love for someone. If you make me happy I want to shout it from the rooftops and show my appreciation. I think we get too fixated on being too much for others, not being cool enough, but there is nothing more dope to me than an honest heart and someone who isn’t afraid of being judged for showing it.”
The sky’s the limit for this talented artist who has also received wide support from the likes of BBC radio, Clash Magazine, i-D Magazine, ITVas well as having performed a lead role on the hit UK nationwide play ‘Dressed’ (which she also penned the music for). “Some Things Are Best Oversaid” is currently available worldwide.
https://www.instagram.com/imogen_mahdavi/
https://www.facebook.com/Imogenmahdavi/
https://twitter.com/Imogen_Mahdavi
Indie pop artist Kaya Stewart shares her new song “I Hate Falling In Love” with a music video featured on American Songwriter.
Kaya says, “I wrote ‘I Hate Falling In Love’ with my brother and my boyfriend (ironically). Falling in love is such a huge part of growing up and it evokes so many emotions that sometimes it’s overwhelming. I wrote the song about all those awkward and scary moments that come along with it that made made me feel like I hate falling in love. I really wanted the video to show on the outside what a breakup, or just struggling in a relationship, feels like on the inside.”
The new version of her single “California” featuring Childish Major (who previously collaborated with J. Cole) was recently featured on V Magazine while the original was featured on BlackBook.
Kaya’s music consists of coming-of-age anthems speaking to the universal trials and tribulations synonymous with growing up and dealing with relationships – and adulthood in general – in an often fake and fractured world.
neillfrazer@hotmail.com
