After amassing over 50 million streams and receiving acclaim from FLAUNT Magazine and many more, buzzing Sacramento, California rapper and #RUNWAYCHALLENGE queen Stunna Girl is back with a new single and music video entitled “Still Smoke” directed by Cortez G West.
Get it HERE via Epic Records.
Reupping Axel Foley’s classic theme from Beverly Hills Cop, she shreds through the REEFA produced beat with teeth bared and knockout bars on point. Her fiery flow ignites the chantable hook as she promises, “It’s still smoke.” Meanwhile, the visual intercuts vignettes of cash, twerking, and a whole lot of neon as her star power commands the camera’s attention front-and-center.
Watch it HERE on VEVO/YouTube.
It all sets the stage for the arrival of her debut EP—coming very soon.
After creating buzz and critical acclaim, the Italian DJ/producer multi-instrumentalists Giolì & Assia unveil their new EP, MOON FACES, out on Ultra Records today. The final single to round out the EP features Turkish producer Mahmut Orhan on “Lost.” The collaboration came naturally, as both artists have admired each other’s work for a long time. After debuting an early version of “Lost” in their #DiesisLive sessions, the duo is excited by the evolution of the track.
Giolì & Assia reaffirm themselves as global gamechangers set on revolutionizing the electronic space with the release of this EP. The five-track collection, which includes recently released tracks “Your Lullaby” and “Rollercoaster,” highlight their nuanced storytelling as they embrace their provocative genre-bending sound, showcasing themselves like never before.
Michael Lanza is a Los Angeles based pop singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Michael blends his R&B-influenced vocals with colorful pop, future bass and house production to give his original music an intimate and nostalgic aura.
Pivotal to Lanza’s music and success is his common theme of acceptance and having an open mind. Michael believes in the power of empathy and connecting with people from across the world. Since teaching himself Chinese to connect with friends in high school, to now covering K-Pop songs to an increasingly popular audience on TikTok, Lanza hopes listeners see the value in connecting with others and wrote “Open Up” to highlight this.
Michael has made several guest appearances as a solo and double act opening for notable artists across the pop and EDM worlds, including Major Lazer and Drake Bell. He has also produced several tracks in collaboration with other Bay Area acts such as Ron Reeser, GhostDragon and KEPIK, and has even received welcome support from The Chainsmokers on his 2017 feature track The Way You Move with EDM-duo BEAUZ.
Following the success of his latest single “Lion”, which was co-produced with GhostDragon and Ron Reeser and landed him a #23 breakout on Billboard’s Dance chart, Michael has released his new single “Burn” which was featured in the season 17 final episode of ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians”.
Japanese music and creative collective millennium parade are pioneering a new age of collaboration and creation. Organizer Daiki Tsuneta (producer, songwriter, and frontman of J-Pop band King Gnu) assembled a team of musicians, film directors, visual effects artists, designers, and illustrators to bring this unique, multimedia concept to life. Since their 2019 inception, millennium parade have racked up millions of streams across their diverse singles and incredible accompanying self-produced animated music videos, resulting in a dedicated legion of fans. The group’s single “Fly with me” was selected as the official theme song for the ‘Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045’ reboot series on Netflix. The song was also later remixed by celebrated DJ/producer Steve Aoki and brought the group international acclaim. The hype also led to high profile collaborations with DIOR, adidas, Coach, and Cartier, and praise from media including Billboard, Hypebeast, Highsnobiety, Earmilk and more.
The collectives’ hard work will culminate in their debut full length album, ‘THE MILLENNIUM PARADE’, set to release globally on February 10th via Sony Music Japan. The album features the band’s eclectic releases from the last year, alongside new tracks that showcase millennium parade’s range of influences. The group launched an exclusive album pre-save with Apple Music and gave fans another taste of what the record has in store with a new single “2992” – which also serves as the theme song for NHK ‘2030 A Turning Point for Our Future’ documentary and Daiki focused special documentary is called “Daiki Tsuneta ‘DESTRUCTION & CREATION’” that just aired in Japan (watch performance video). They’ve also announced their song “FAMILIA” off the upcoming album as the theme song for Japanese film ‘The Family’ about members of the Yakuza organized crime syndicate releasing on January 29th.
Built around the theme of “mourning what we have lost, and celebrating the new year to come”, ‘THE MILLENNIUM PARADE’ album consists of 14 songs of various genres, including jazz, rock, hip hop, electronic and classical sounds. Much like the unending night parade of a hundred demons, ‘Hyakki Yagyo’ (the underlying concept behind millennium parade), each song in the album melts into the next seamlessly, taking the listener on a journey through “the millennium parade”. On the cover, a “Tezutsu Hanabi” (the oldest form of Japanese fireworks, encased in bamboo and held by hand) which was traditionally used to protect from evil spirits, and was also used to pray for a good harvest, is held by Ebisu (one of the 7 Gods of Fortune in Japanese folklore).
Lia Kay is a Canadian musician, singer & songwriter based out of Southern Ontario. A classically-trained pianist since age 7, Lia went on to compete all over Russia, winning various competitions and festivals. In 2001 Lia’s family relocated to Canada, where she continued her musical education through the Royal Conservatory of Music. At the same time she began composing songs by age 12. In 2011 Lia received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University where she studied classical piano with Christina Petrowska Quilico and Raisa Nakhmanovich. She also studied jazz vocal with Sacha Williamson and was part of the York University Concert Choir for 4 years. While teaching piano and vocal lessons full time, Lia found her voice in composition. Predominantly centred around pop music, Lia’s songs have an electronic element to them with confessional lyrics that tell a story.
Timid, the Brave is the solo moniker for Canadian songwriter Tim Selles. His 2011 self-titled debut EP, recorded with Scott Orr of Other Songs, was named one of iTunes Canada’s “Best Of” that year. After growing somewhat tired of the grind of solo performances and simple recordings, Selles recruited a handful of other Hamilton musicians to lend their talents to 2017’s LP, Firesale. The forthcoming record, Vuja De, builds on that communal transition, featuring Nate Wall (King Park) on drums and percussion, Ethan Rooney (The Good Hunters) on bass, and Gareth Inkster on pretty much everything else. Set for a Spring 2021 release, the upcoming record chronicles the cyclical nature of life, exploring the possibility of finding new meaning in familiar experiences.
Huron John is here to revitalize your attention, and have you dancing in your room once again with his comeback release “Arthur.” An infectiously bright, up beat dance track with captivating hooks, John showcases new production styles employing a thick 2-step drum beat paired with sunset-chorus guitars. With melodies that will have you unknowingly swaying your head, “Arthur” paints a lyrical picture of a hazed-in-youth dancefloor. This rhythmic single is a sneak peek into his second project Cartoon Therapy, a no-time-wasted reflective experience contrasting the hurt of current society up-against sunny indie-grooves.
https://soundcloud.com/huronjohn/07-arthur/s-bMBzj0JPpE0?in=huronjohn/sets/ct-1/s-nFNsHPoEEFO
Reintroducing you to SoCal singer/songwriter Griff Clawson who is releasing his sophomore single “2Lovely,” a follow up to his debut pop record “Chasing Highs.” Clawson made waves in 2020 after exploding onto the scene with vocal features on tracks produced by DJ global-stars such as ARTY, Matoma, Devault, Manilla Killa and Boombox Cartel.
Side-stepping away from big collaborations, Clawson is trailblazing his own path as an alternative force in pop music with the launch of his solo project. His second single (out 2/3) “2Lovely” is completely self-produced, written and sung by Clawson.
In the track, Clawson finds himself fearful in the moment that he’s experiencing the peak of his relationship, worrying that “as good as this is right now, I know it won’t last forever.”
Photo by Sergio Angot:
Marcelo Deiss is a Brazilian born, London based artist whose music dances between indie, blues, folk and rock. His music approaches subjects that we face everyday. Constantly bombarded with advertising, fake news and social media, we become numb to the real world and lose touch with ourselves, while simultaneously the planet is dividing itself. Marcelo’s music is a reflection of this and how we can so easily lose track of what’s real and what’s not. He opens up discussions about these subjects and stands up to them, fighting for change.
His upcoming EP Hurl features six tracks, all delving into the world’s issues and how we can truly make a difference if we put our minds to it. Leading single “ONE” is a song about finding the strengths to fight back and standing together before it is too late. The organ-filled song is packed with emotion and feeling, lifting spirits up and showing others that we’re capable of great things.
Then there is “On the Way Out!” – born during the American elections and tackles political issues. It’s satirical nature and quirky instrumentation adds a sense of comic relief to a sober situation. “JuVenTuDe” is about the youth living in these troubled times. Minimalist guitar arrangements and mellow vocals provide comfort, reminding listeners that better days are ahead. “Fragments (Tell Me About It)” is about falling through the rabbit hole and being down and lost, overcoming those feelings and coming out alive on the other side. Raucous guitars and roaring organs make you feel as if you’re being born again. “Chiba City Scene” like the name suggests, was inspired by the book Neuromancer and is about the greedy higher power in charge. The track features sweeping strings, raindrop sounding piano and a singing guitar, all of which tell a story without any words being needed.
Title-track “Hurl” was written two years ago and talks about the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and standing up to the men. Bringing the EP to a close, it’s high energy and clashing instruments make it impossible to ignore what Marcelo has to say.
Spending time in both London and Sao Paulo, the musician is able to explore new sounds as well as new topics. The commute between these two cities influenced Marcelo immensely, he shares, “To immerse yourself in a new culture can 100% change the way you think. That really shaped the pursuit of subjects I was interested in whilst writing the EP. Just by observing people we can learn a lot about ourselves.” Interestingly enough we tend to behave the same across the world. We are different yet have so many things in common. The idea of writing about society came from his experiences of being immersed in these two cultures. Through the rawness of his music and the sheer gravity of his lyrics, the Brazilian artist is creating music to stimulate emotions. Hurl is currently available worldwide.
My new single “For The Love of Life“ ft. Teon Gibbs paints the picture of how women of colour are mistreated in society. Women are the vital backbone of the family unit. They are the givers of life… when we disrespect them, we disrespect life.
A significant lyric is teach them to say your name the right way. When I was young, no one even tried to say my name properly. With so much history and heritage attached to these names, one shouldn’t have to beg for that common courtesy.
Stream “For The Love of Life“ ft. Teon Gibbs through SOUNDCLOUD // SPOTIFY + watch the official music video on YOUTUBE now.
This song can be seen as a lesson, to be learned while at home, in the car, at work, or wherever one might find the space and time to reflect.
Thanks for listening!
Chin Injeti
Credit: Steven Medeiros
Alex Southey is a singer songwriter based in Toronto. His unique blend of wandering lyricism, atmospheric strings, and emotive sense of melody make for an engrossing, contemplative listen.
He is a big part of the Toronto singer-songwriter scene, running an open mic and hangout at Toronto’s Imperial Pub, just off of Dundas Square, and performing regularly around the city.
His most recent tour, the Day Like It’s Night Tour, donated all of its profits to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The tour raised over $1,000.
He is currently working on his third full length album, entitled …And the Country Stirred, produced by Juno winner and Polaris prize nominee John Critchley (Dan Mangan, Elliott BROOD). Aaron Hutchison (Zoon, Luka Kuplowsky) is mastering.
Characterized by her soulful vocals and her unique sonic sensibility – Lisa’s music takes the listener to a familiar place they’ve never been before. Moments of playfulness transition into epic scores and vice versa. Boom Bap inspired rhythms appear unexpectedly and coast over her silky voice. Lisa’s psychedelic soundscape threads through most of her tracks and revels in tinges of melancholia. Similar to her music, Lisa’s style also draws influence from various backgrounds, and is representative of her biracial heritage. There’s something exciting about the music Lisa is making. It almost feels like listening to Fiona Apple or Lana Del Rey for the first time. A shock to the system – a refined rawness.
James Alphonse has toured Ontario, Canada with different groups, winning awards at various universities and opening for bands like The Trews. Moreover, he has been nominated for and won awards at the Hamilton Music Awards in the Best New Artist or Group of the Year category. All of this has been aided by his mentors Nick Blagona (The Police, Deep Purple, Beegees) and Mark Daum (inventor of the piantar). His newest mentors are Andre Kaden Black (Fefe Dobson, Francesco Yates) and Tal Vaisman (working in a variety of capacities with groups like 21 Pilots and Imagine Dragons), who have produced James’ debut EP as a solo artist.
The crackle of a needle on a record; the static hum of an old car radio; the uneven growl of an amp warming up. Fall into these spaces between music and listener, between rawness and electricity, and you’ll pinpoint the genesis of Canadian singer-songwriter Andrew Waite’s sound: rugged yet fresh, dynamic yet timeless, and above all else, honest.
Andrew Waite’s passion for songwriting, stage performance and education bleeds into the music he crafts—his songs embody unmistakably real emotion, producing a delightfully unique experience when paired with his energetic live-show style. And that passion is really paying off: in the midst of his most successful few years to date, Andrew Waite recently won the coveted SOCAN Songwriter of the Year award from Music PEI (2020) for his song “Cash It In”, a tribute to Canadian veterans. His first solo effort, Tremors, garnered Waite 11 awards and nominations, including an East Coast Music Awards nomination for Rock Recording of the Year (alongside Wintersleep, Adam Baldwin and Motherhood).
New Jersey based alt-indie pop-rock band, Violet Whimsey,
brings out new depths to their sound with a slower drawl in their latest release, “Heartbreaker”. An alternative blues rock number musing over the lingering impacts of heartbreak, which comes just in time for Valentine’s Day to expose the flip side of love. Influenced by Tom Petty, David Bowie, and Pearl Jam, Violet Whimsey was inspired to forge a new sound informed by rock decades of old. This release features blues and jazz elements with
a slide guitar and stand-up bass to match the penitence of their lyrics, “Who knew they were breaking mine too.”
Compared to their pop-rock debut, “Loving You (Was Killing Me)” and their hard rock bop, “How Bout We”, their next mellow release focuses on when things don’t work out time and again. The group’s singer/songwriter, Ann Kim, writes from a point of honesty in her experiences with vulnerability and emotions, with the intent to transform difficult, complex feelings into a simple, yet memorable melody
Setting the standard at stellar levels TrueMendous continues to reach new heights and her latest release ‘Worst Child’ marks the latest milestone in her accelerating career. With each release TrueMendous displays a new depth to her artistry and ‘Worst Child’ entails influences within the Hip Hop hemisphere. The conscious Hip Hop number, produced by Illinformed, demonstrates more of an introspective side to TrueMendous. Teaming up with eccentric vocalist Rozzz the dimensions of the track alter as it fuses soulful elements with the enthralling Hip Hop sound.
LISTEN TO ‘WORST CHILD’ ON ALL DIGITAL STREAMING PLATFORMS
The visuals capture the heart of London Town as TrueMendous leads us through some of the finest gems in the city. From the iconic venue Chip Shop in Brixton, to outside shots filmed in Camden, North West London TrueMendous showcases the spirit of the city through the transcending backdrops of her enthralling music video.
‘Worst Child’ is her sophomore release of 2021 and follows on from her high-energy single ‘Cause A Scene’, released in January. The track pinpoints the beginning of an exciting year for the Birmingham native. Her single quite literally caused a scene and she was included on the Ministry of Sound ‘Made In The UK’ playlist, alongside some of the UK’s top artists – Ghetts, Stormzy, Fredo and Slow Thai.
MUSIC VIDEO: TRUEMENDOUS – ‘WORST CHILD’
Hailed as ‘one to watch out for’ by Akil The MC, from the legendary Hip Hop crew Jurassic 5, TrueMendous already has numerous accolades to her name. She made her TV debut last year and landed the lead roles in the 2020 Christmas Pepsi Max and McVities adverts. 2020 also marked the release of her debut project ‘HUH?’, which was released via High Focus Records and is sitting on over 221,000 streams. Gaining an impressive buzz surrounding the EP, two of the singles were included in the Adidas ‘COLD.RDY’ campaign, as well as the FIFA 21 Soundtrack. Preserving a strong presence within the world of Hip Hop over the last seven years, we’ve only scraped the tip of the iceberg and ‘Worst Child’ is the latest in a number of new releases from the ultra talented TrueMendous.
Coinciding with the release of ‘Worst Child’ TrueMendous has announced the exciting news that she is set to debut her album. Titled ‘Misdiagnosis of Chyvonne Johnson’, the project will drop on the 1st of April 2021. Paying homage to Lauryn Hill’s ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’, TrueMendous is set to showcase a heavyweight 17-track project. Taking to her socials, TrueMendous exclusively revealed the unique artwork for her debut project and released the pre-order for all major platforms revealing it’s her ‘best project thus far.’
‘MISDIAGNOSIS OF CHYVONNE JOHNSON’ IS AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER ON ALL DIGITAL STREAMING PLATFORMS
Silk Tonic is an indie-pop band from Montreal composed of two multi-instrumentalists. Two childhood friends that have been playing music together for as long as they can remember. Matthew Brouillet, being the lead singer and drummer, alongside Mark Hodges, the lead guitarist and bassist.
They both grew up in Varennes, a small city on the south shore of Montreal, where they became very close friends and discovered their common passion for music. For several years, they would simply meet up and enjoy playing music together. Playing covers of their favourite songs, from punk-rock to pop. Never limiting themselves to a specific style, they always kept an open mind when it came to appreciating the art of music.
As the years went by, these casual meet-ups slowly evolved and they started writing their own songs. It was at that point, in 2017, that they decided to devote their time and efforts into pursuing their music career.
Their unique and creative sound is inspired by many of their favourite artists. Their purpose is to share their love for music in the hopes that it will bring to others the same joy it brings them.
“Crazy For You” is a pop/electronic banger about love, loss and regret.
When you finally love and lose love, sometimes it becomes easier to see things in a new way. 👀
Listen to “Crazy For You” through your streaming platform of choice.
In university, I enjoyed getting to know different people to see if it felt right; I was slow to know. One day, it seemed like the right person came along and I was finally ready to pour myself into a real relationship, but the other person wasn’t there with me.
I recognized then what it may have been like for those who dated me thinking it could’ve gotten more serious, when I wasn’t ready, so this song is an apology to them.
Throw this song on while you’re alone, reflecting on lessons you’ve learned. Karma, right?
If you’ve been on the receiving end of this, I hope you listen knowing that people like me eventually grow up and regret it, while being grateful for your patience.
Thanks for spending time with this song,
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Los Angeles born and raised Heather Rivas is known for her genre-blending music inspired by the eclectic music scene that thrives in her hometown. The queer artist is passionate about writing from her personal experiences and doesn’t hold back when it comes to the dynamics of relationships and how often so much can be left unspoken, whether that is tied to poor judgement, mental health, or discomfort with a situation.
Her latest single “Think of Me” is about infatuation and realizing you’re just into the idea of someone. Rivas confides, “A lot of us have been in a place where we realize we’re late in communicating or we just avoid it all together because it’s uncomfortable. Most of the time, infatuation is pretty unhealthy and I don’t think most of us ever want to admit out loud that we’ve been infatuated with someone.”
The relatable “Think of Me” features fun, quirky instrumentation, with a confident bassline and sassy vocals. Building into a gritty chorus, bursting with energy, Rivas has something to say and you’re going to listen up. Inspired by the likes of Beabadoobee and Soccer Mommy, “Think of Me” oozes with both attitude and charisma.
Despite narrating her own life struggles, Rivas wants to allow room for interpretation with her music, hoping that listeners can connect to it no matter what they’re going through. The songwriter shares, “I think so much of what I notice and observe in my own life is how people communicate, and specifically how we communicate through conflict. Whether it’s poor or good communication we just keep learning from each and every experience which is kind of the beauty of it all.”
“Think of Me” is out now.
Photo Credit: Eric T. White
Eighty Ninety — the indie-pop project of NYC-based brothers Abner (vocals, production) and Harper (guitar, production) James — are releasing their new single, “Forever.” The new single will join recent releases “Better As Friends” and “Happier” on their upcoming sophomore EP. The EP, which is slated to release this year, was created in collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer Gian Stone (Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Halsey, Dua Lipa).
“Forever is about reconciling the desire to be with the person you love with the understanding that they don’t feel the same way anymore. It’s like a daydream in a song — what if we were in love again?”, the duo write in a statement. In order to capture the dichotomy of reality and dreams, they matched floating, ethereal synths, stirring guitars and Abner’s serene vocals with vibrant, hard-hitting drums and percussion.
Abner and Harper James debuted the Eighty Ninety project in 2016 with their first single, “Three Thirty,” which climbed to #2 on Spotify’s Global Viral Charts. The duo released their debut EP, Elizabeth, later that same year. Since then, Eighty Ninety have gone on to release a steady stream of singles, garnering over 26 million cumulative streams and support from key tastemakers like Billboard, Alternative Press and Ones To Watch. Their tracks have also been featured on numerous Spotify playlists (New Music Friday, Pop Rising, Indie Pop, Chill Vibes, Viral Hits, and many more) and their 2017 hit “Your Favorite Song” was hand-picked by Taylor Swift for her official Spotify playlist, ‘Songs Taylor Loves.’
Eighty Ninety fuse intimate storytelling, sticky melodies, and minimalist pop productions built on acoustic instruments and electronic sounds in a style they call “808s and telecasters” — a shorthand for both their music and their anything-goes mentality in the studio. “We let the emotional arc of the song, rather than any set of genre conventions, lead us to instruments and sounds,” the brothers say of their process.
Listen to “Forever” on all streaming platforms:
https://ffm.to/forever8090
When you hear Julian Skiboat you stop and listen. Hailing from San Antonio, the 24 year-old multi instrumentalist and singer-songwriter evokes emotions out of each and every lyric and guitar strum. What’s astonishing is that up until recently, he has made all of his music on his iPhone 5.
Starting out writing music at the age of 18, Julian was a drummer for local pop-punk bands in his hometown. Now the young enchanter has found his own sound. Following the release of his debut EP nice to meet u, which has garnered over one million streams to date, Julian is now unveiling his next slew of singles. Transitioning from his usual “sad boy” romance songs, to tracks about self-growth, the upcoming releases are all inspired by his day-to-day living, touching on themes from his own experiences and relationships, to everyday occurrences and general thoughts, providing comfort to listeners by reminding them that we’re all in this together.
Leading single “Flowers” was written after Julian had a mental reset. The uplifting song explores how some things really aren’t the end of the world and that just because something goes wrong, it doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed. Emphasizing how better days are always ahead, the songwriter shares, “I think with my upcoming songs and projects I really want to dive into that kind of like “it could be worse”, “I can make it through this” message.” Produced by Peter Kuli, “Flowers” is the first time Julian has collaborated with anyone on his music before. Sonically the track features laid-back, lazy melodies, effortless hazy vocals and soft, jazz-tinged guitars, emitting an almost therapeutic feeling.
Continuing to press his artistry forward and with a step up in production and musicianship, Julian is showing his dedication to furthering his craft. The somber style he has developed has led to press pickups from Live Nation’s Ones To Watch, Lyrical Lemonade, Hilly Dilly, Urban Outfitters and more. Julian Skiboat seems poised to become a household name, with “Flowers” currently available worldwide.
Hunter Hayes shares a new version of the lead single from his upcoming album reimagined by veteran electronic duo and esteemed remixers, Breathe Carolina.
The Los Angeles pair rev up the poptronic vibes of the original track while maintaining and honoring the excellent original melody. This marks the first time that Breathe Carolina and Hunter Hayes have worked together and follows previous remixes the duo have done for Marshmello, Bastille, ILLENIUM, Conor Maynard, Motoma, Jasmine Thompson, and Zedd.
“The One That Got Away” (Breathe Carolina Remix) is available for streaming HERE.
Multi-instrumentalist Michael Lanza has returned with his first release of the year with the harmonic and remedying single “Open Up” out now via Hitskope Music Group. The track serves as an anthem to tell others to take risks, push themselves forward and follow their dreams.
Blending mellotron chords, bright piano and Lanza’s strong vocals, the song is a triumphant feat in search of better days. Through the power of empathy and acceptance Lanza sees a bright future for the world. In a time where the world is separated more than ever, Lanza performs “Open Up” to bring listeners together.
Lanza understands the importance of opening up as much of his success has come from taking risks. From leaving for Los Angeles to pursue music to constantly taking risks with new sounds in every release, Lanza’s open mind has paid off. Since beginning his career Lanza has opened for EDM legends Major Lazor, and Drake Bell, charted #23 on Billboard Dance and had his song featured in the season finale of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. The key to this success parallels the message of “Open Up.”
Since the release of his LP Human Michael has always expressed the importance that everyone feels the same things. He explained, “Human is about the human experience, I wanted to capture the emotions of many of my friends. I want people to realize what they are feeling is normal and we all go through the same things. The human experience is very different around the world, but human emotions are very similar. We all feel the same emotions and we can bring everyone together; it’s a preface to the album.”
Lanza’s open mind has allowed him to empathize with people from all over the world. As a teen, Lanza taught himself Chinese to connect with his friends at school. His love of other cultures translates through his music. Michael experiments with instruments from across the world and is inspired by other countries’ music. From playing K-pop violin covers on his TikTok, to listening to vintage C-Pop, Michael Lanza uses music as a pathway to connect with people from across the world, garnering fans from Australia, to Brazil to Italy and he’s just getting started.
With each release Michael Lanza opens up a little bit more, through his music he is able to encourage listeners to go after their dreams, all while making them feel less alone. With much more music on the way the motivating hitmaker is destined to inspire fans from all over the world.
Listen “Open Up”: HERE
Motorbike James is the musical brainchild and artist alias of Michael Werbicki, a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer from Edmonton, Canada. Motorbike James’ natural prerogative is to live a life in the moment, for the moment. That emotion comes out in all sides of his life – chasing adrenaline highs, riding motorbikes, exploring the world, and most of all through music. Motorbike James is a stream of consciousness writer, he writes through pure emotion and what he feels in the moment. What comes out the other side is a unique offering of music that is hard to pin under any one genre. Elements of electronic, indie rock, psychedelic, and R&B poke through each song. Motorbike James’ debut single “me Roll,” hit the world hard with deep synths, hip hop inspired beats, and his classic laid back vocal. “me Roll” landed on Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Study Break,’ along with VIISIONS,
an album that weaves a lush soundscape into groove driven indie rock.
A dynamic 10-song offering that, like its accompanying narrative, transcends time and reality to take the listener on an odyssey through feeling & emotion. VIISIONS is an entity, encapsulating a creative origin and purpose that will be apparent in every stage of the album roll out. There is a remarkable visual presence accompanying the album, cohesive with the VIISIONS narrative. From the first promotional teasers, to the photos and music videos that will follow, the visual element of this project is as impactful and impressive as the music itself.
Affirming herself as the femme fatale we need in 2021, acclaimed New York-based alt-pop songstress Stalking Gia returns with a new single entitled “Worship” today. Get it HERE.
Co-written by Gia and Zac Barnett of American Authors, the track integrates her hypnotic vocals into a warm soundscape highlighted by cloudy organ, minimalist percussion, and a shuffling bounce. Lyrically, it espouses a message of self-love inspired by a period of intense self-acceptance for Gia. This culminates on the hook’s plea, “If I could worship me, like you worship me,” uplifted by her fluttering range. The accompanying music video sees her adopt a myriad of personalities who circle around one another until we find the real Gia tied up on TV. Watch it HERE.
The last time we heard from Stalking Gia was on last year’s critically acclaimed “The Kindest Thing.” The Line of Best Fit called it “a powerful opening statement, and one of intent, for this exciting artist’s new chapter.” Meanwhile, Wonderland raved, “The breakup song relishes in being positive and leaving dead weight relationships – how could we not stan.”
“Worship” serves as the first taste of an immersive project, SEASON ONE, that is set to be released this year and will include various episodic installments along the way. “This is just a period in my life captured in a collection of songs,” says Gia. “That will be every season of art for me. The whole thing is an honest and true reflection of exactly what I was going through at the time.”
Get ready to “Worship” Stalking Gia in 2021.
Marked by introspective lyricism, mournful melodies, lush blankets of driving guitars and wistful vocal deliveries, Massachusetts’s Valleyheart is equal parts boldness and beauty. Led by singer/songwriter/producer Kevin Klein, the four-piece formed in 2016 with the idea of rearranging Klein’s haunting folk songs (written in his home closet studio) into dynamic rock statements.
The band’s first EP Nowadays arrived in 2017 and quickly gained attention across the scene for its relatable lyrics and nostalgic feel. Klein’s vision was further realized with the 2018 LP release Everyone I’ve Ever Loved. It was an immense step forward in both sound and story. A conceptual journey through identity and faith. Kerrang Magazine noted “punk elements are present but not pronounced; each song is a musical game of hide-and-seek.”
Now unveiling Scenery, the new EP is a collection of four songs which together convey a narrative, but also live in their unique place – both visually and sonically. Klein confides, “I would say the main underlying theme in our music is, as basic as it sounds, to understand the mystery of self, change, identity and life.”
Leading single “T.I.K” (an acronym for Thoughts I Keep) dives into the songwriters’ own mind and contemplates understanding paradoxical behaviors. Studying the contradictory nature of the psyche, “T.I.K” is about how our opposing emotions and thoughts interact. Klein shares, “I wanted those tensions and that weight paralleled in the instrumentation; hence this probably being the heaviest and most hard-hitting track.” Clashing percussion and resonating guitars build to create a raucous and energetic atmosphere.
“Scenery” lyrically touches on the idea of feeling stuck emotionally, mentality and even physically – and the ways we tell ourselves we need to change our environment to change ourselves. The track examines the way we shake up our surroundings in search of mental clarity and peace. With a simpler approach, the song finds inspiration from the likes of some early 2000’s alternative rock and creates its energy through a consistent groove and blend of drum machines and natural elements”
Valleyheart has been awarded “Rock Artist of the Year” at the Boston Music Awards and their album Everyone I’ve Ever Loved received a nomination for “Album of the Year.” The band enters 2021 with new music and a renewed creative push as they continue to carve out their own corner of the indie/alternative rock space.
Photography by Maria Bokhari (NXTLVL Media)
My new single, “Talk You Down,” which was inspired after multiple conversations with my best friend of 10 years. I wanted to write a song to set the standard of how you could help your significant other when they have anxiety.
Listen to “Talk You Down” now on Spotify ☎️ Apple Music ☎️ SoundCloud
When you are involved with someone who is facing anxiety, overthinking and worrying, you have to be aware that this mental state is not something they can easily control.
Your heart is all I know when I’m alone is all about reassuring your loved one that they are all you want, all you think about.
You have to be willing to read the signs to support them. Do not get defensive, upset and cause arguments if they question things due to nervousness. No matter how many times your person needs to feel special, just do it and be understanding.
Remind your lover not to think twice about whether or not you love them because their heart and presence feels like home to you.
Lucy & La Mer returns with a catchy indie pop bop that celebrates the fun, playful experience of your first love. Her new single, “Rollercoaster” embodies the delightfulness of a new relationship and the rush of having your first girlfriend. The video stars LGBTQ influencer Haley Faulkner, and includes an easy-to-learn TikTok dance for both Lucy and Haley’s fans.
Lucy LaForge, the artist behind the name “Lucy & La Mer”, is known for the positive messages in her songs, as well as her advocacy within the LGBTQ mental health community. Coming out in an interview in 2018, Billboard stated that the singer is “proud of who and what she is.”
Lucy’s repertoire has been featured by The LA Times, Huffington Post, EARMILK, Billboard Pride, Pride and many more publications. Her music is a blend of pop empowerment with lyrical stylings mirroring her storytelling folk music upbringing.
Often seen wielding a ukulele, Lucy was chosen to feature the new Billie Eilish Ukulele by Fender in Summer 2020. The singer has also collaborated with major brands like IKEA, HP, Guitar Center, and Kala Ukuleles. Her music can be heard on international commercials, with companies such as Disney and Dove using her upbeat tunes in advertisements.
In 2020, Lucy’s fans came together after the initial Stay-At-Home covid order to create a fanmade music video for her song, “Together”. Although touring and shows have halted, her close relationship with her audience continues to grow. She stays in touch with her fans on her weekly “Late Night with Lucy” livestream show and has just launched a monthly online concert series on Patreon.
neillfrazer@hotmail.com
