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INsiders Guide

INsiders Guide: Ryman, Trey Lewis’, Joey Harkum, Megz and AP, ROSIE, Tiana Major9, Elles Bailey, Harry and The Chicks, Hot Freaks, Messiah Ramkissoon…..

 Indie pop singer, Ryman is thrilled to release their new single “Immature” that is out now. Ryman says, I wrote the chorus/hook for this song back in October of 2020. It basically talks about breaking a girl’s heart, but learning from your mistakes and wanting her back. Cleve Wilson had commented on a TikTok of me playing the chorus, so I decided to bring it in to work on in our writing session. Cleve Wilson, Val Hoyt, and I ended up finishing the song in about an hour. At just 17-years-old, singer/songwriter RYMAN, the namesake of one of the most revered venues in his hometown of Nashville, is poised to impact this year with his uniquely youthful and colorful sound. A musician by nature, RYMAN remembers being drawn to music as early as preschool, stating, “I’ve been coming up with melodies ever since I can remember, literally. At 3-years-old, I was humming or singing lyrics and not knowing where they came from.” Now, with a thoughtful grasp of his musical sensibilities, RYMAN’s melodies and lyrics are very much backed by intention and purpose.

Country singer, Trey Lewis’ new single “Hate This Town” is out now along with a new music video. The release follows on the tails of “Single Again” that went viral with over 75k videos of fans with their ‘middle fingers up’ as Taste of Country described it as a “true country original.”

Trey writes about the new track, “Growing up I never realized how special my hometown would be to me.  After moving away, I truly appreciate all of the memories and lessons along the way. My hometown really shaped me into the person I am today.  I think people will be able to relate to my new song ‘Hate This Town.’ Thank y’all for the endless love and support.”

For his entire life Joey Harkum has been strumming a guitar and after a decade of touring as the lead singer and songwriter of Baltimore-based band Pasadena, he released his debut solo album, Love and Labor, to critical acclaim in 2016.  Known for his deep and poignant lyrics telling stories of joy, love, loss and sadness, Joey brings the human experience to life through his relentless tour schedule that culminated in the release of Live at Buffalo Iron Works in 2018. 2020 brought new challenges but Joey has responded with writing and recording new music and has released his brand new album “Storyboard” in March of 2021. Catch him on tour now or online at joeyharkummusic.com.

Megz and AP combine their chemistry in this heavy-hitting ballad called ‘Say No More’

A prodigy of the legend that is Fumez The Engineer, Megz a rapper from Southall London has fought for his respect in the London scene. Growing up around racism the rapper has learnt to navigate around the trials and connotations that fall upon him constantly. This journey has led to a positive focus around his name, cementing his beginning in the rap industry.

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The artist from Southall raps on lived experiences, hitting hard to his viewers unveiling the harsh realities of where he has come from. His recent freestyle released on GRM Daily hit nearly 300k views, with viewers left in shock on his raw flow. Another heavy track released in the heat of lockdown last year by Megz hit similar figures called ‘Wouldn’t Bet Against Me’.

Not only does Megz have an art for music, but his entrepreneurial efforts have flourished in his brand ‘Pirates’. Cultivated alongside his childhood friend Fuad, the pair draw inspiration from Megz’s hometown Somalia. The brand has been used as a key for Megz to give back to his community, creating safe spaces for youngsters to play sport and showcase their talent.

Megz and AP hit hard in their latest track, rapping about their past lovers over a melodic instrumental, combining all the classical elements of UK rap. The hailing artist uses his smooth flow to demonstrate this broken love story in this catchy track. With the mix of hip-hop, R&B and trap this song is bound to touch you.

Known for his brutal honesty, the rapper presents a refreshing yet unique style to the UK scene and will be one to watch this year!

After ending last year on a high note with the release of her debut EP, ROSIE returns with a brand new single & video, “Next Life,” out on Arista Records. “Next Life” is out on all streaming platforms today: https://rosiemusicc.lnk.to/NextLife“Next Life” is a dramatic, piano-driven anthem that captures ROSIE’s difficult journey towards self-love, mental wellness and inner growth. “‘Next Life’ is a complex song for me,” she says. “Though it is painfully heartbreaking, I wanted to add a sense of hope each time the chorus circles back, ‘maybe in my next life I can live my best life.’ This song evokes a wide range of emotions, but I hope that ultimately it sends the message: we’re all just human beings, doing our best to feel our best, whether it is in this life, or in our next life.”

Maintaining incredible momentum this year, GRAMMY® Award-nominated East London born Jamaican R&B songstress Tiana Major9 unveils a brand new single and music video entitled “Try Peace” today. Listen to “Try Peace” HERE and watch the music video HERE. It paves the way for her anxiously awaited new Fool Me Once EP, arriving March 15. Pre-order/Pre-save HERE.

Over a slow drip of bass, guitar, finger snaps, and sparse beats, her angelic voice touches the soul. It climaxes on an emotionally charged chorus as she ponders, “Maybe I should try peace, flexing her range in the process. In the accompanying visual, she pulls up in a red vintage convertible in a slick red fit. The intimate close-ups capture the anxiety in the lyrics as she sings directly to the camera making the connection.

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She continues to cruise following the fiery “2 Seater” [feat. Smino]. In addition to piling up hundreds of thousands of streams, The FADER hailed it as “a tender, playful song about love, while UPROXX dubbed it “a romantic effort that presents a couple who nurtures their relationship through their love for music and relaxing drives with the top down.” In addition to plugs from REVOLTThe Line of Best Fit, and more, Rated R&B noted, Tiana Major9 has found a secret, intimate place to speak comfortably to her muse on what she’s producing next in his honor. The hideaway is a ‘2 Seater’. With hundreds of millions of streams combined and widespread acclaim, she’s primed for a massive 2022.

 

She’s also participating in The Motown Records Creator Program Supported by Google, which empowers women of color in the music industry. As reported by Billboard, it will find and support “the next outstanding woman content creator, videographer, or creative producer/director” with the chance to collaborate with Motown executives and artists and tell the story of the label’s women, including Tiana Major 9, of course.

Multi-award-winning Elles Bailey hits the top of her native genre charts with her acclaimed new album ‘Shining In The Half Light’#1 in the Official Blues charts; #2 in the Official Americana charts; and #4 in the Official Independent Charts.

 In a landmark breakthrough for an independent artist, Elles’ ‘Shining In The Half Light’ also appeared on the RADAR of the UK Charts, reaching #11 in the mid-week charts and is now sandwiched between Whitney Houston and Adele, just a handful of sales away from appearing in the UK’s Top 40. For a fully independent, grassroots artist, without the clout of a major label, this is one hell of an achievement.

 Elles herself has been blown away by the critical acclaim, fan response and chart success.

 “I am utterly thrilled,” she says. “and would just like to take a moment to thank my amazing fanbase for supporting this album, right from the off. This is a beautiful grassroots story and I’m truly humbled by, and grateful for my fans, for their enthusiasm and support.”

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East London based pop artist Harry and The Chicks creates music which reflects the vibrancy and history of her city. Building her own unique world, she combines her ‘poptimistic’ music with her own internationally selling fashion merchandise store. With creativity running through her veins, Harry’s colourful sound and style leaves an unforgettable imprint in your mind.

Her shiny new single “Snakes in The Streets” is bold and powerful. A collaboration with producer Imad Salhi, the song features hard-hitting, synth-fuelled melodies with crystal clear vocals, resulting in a danceworthy track reminiscent of Kim Petras and Griff. Always the optimist, the song is very upbeat in contrast to its lyrical content. Written during a time where Harry was struggling with anxiety and sleep paralysis, she finally felt able to write honestly and openly about her emotions, relatably singing, “I’m anxious, I feel depressed, I’m embarrassed to get this off my chest”.

The songwriter shares, “The song is about putting trust in people too soon. I can be so open with people that I leave myself vulnerable to others, and I’ve had this trait since I was a teenager. When you’re a teenager, it can feel like you have an audience around you that are eagerly awaiting your downfall at all times. I felt eyes on me, and my friends thought I was paranoid. At the same time though, I’d been added to harassing group chats made by some of my peers, and I’d even have people following me home.”

The creepy, yet disturbingly realistic video shows the artist with her friends being followed and harassed by people on the streets. Harry reveals, “I was followed and catcalled fourteen times on my walk from the studio to my home. Strangers were wolf whistling and cornering me from their bikes, vans and even from their flats. It’s a scary experience being a young woman walking the streets of London alone, but positively, this experience gave me the narrative for the music video and a chance to highlight the major issue London has with street harassment from my lived experience.”

With a following of over 25K fans across platforms, Harry and The Chicks has tastemaker support from BBC Essex and BBC Introducing; she recently played on Minga London’s IGTV stage and was awarded as the Undiscovered Essex Live Music Project Best Solo Act in 2018. Harry is currently working with the app ‘SafeUp’ to raise awareness of street harassment. The app helps women stay safe on the streets by having an online community of women that can be alerted when you are in an uncomfortable situation.

Indie rock band Hot Freaks are thrilled to release their new sinlge “Lovely” that is out now. The band says, “Lovely” is about trying to keep your chin up at the end of a relationship.  It’s about trying to rationalize the breakup and still feel like the relationship was a positive experience – and focusing on the other person’s positive qualities rather than being swept into negativity.  LOVELY is the first new music to follow up Hot Freak’s breakout success of PUPPY PRINCESS (28 million Spotify streams) and fan favorite PAYCHECK 2 PAYCHECK. This is the first of four singles that will eventually compromise the LOVELY EP set for a May Release. With their rocketing success of PUPPY PRINCESS on TikTok and Spotify, the band has grown a rabid, organic core fan base virally as well as naturally by word of mouth and the band’s personal and passionate direct connection with their fans.

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“The Eye Of Freedom 2.0 is now available on all digital streaming platforms (ITunes, Amazon Music, Google Play, Spotify, etc). Messiah demonstrates his lyrical creativity and develops a unique niche with his poetic eloquence of expression. This five track EP includes “God Theory” https://youtu.be/K5jTRASJXnI , and his anticipated hit single “Stronger Together” https://youtu.be/XZtxqksj3Ko,  featuring Singer/Songwriter Funsho. Stronger Together embodies unity, a call-to-action for change, while embracing black love. Based in NYC, native of Trinidad and Tobago, this hip hop artist is set to bring fans on a retrospective journey through the lens of Messiah Ramkissoon.“This project is inspired by the concept of physical, mental, and spiritual freedom; freedom from the confines of street life and all that comes with it…freedom to be ambitious and excellent despite obstacles, doubts and struggle…freedom to be authentic and real yet connected to our roots..freedom to come together and create a better existence for present and future generations”. – Messiah Ramkissoon.

neillfrazer@hotmail.com

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