Singer, Songwriter, Producer, and internet sensation La’Ron Hines, has released his highly anticipated single “Web of Lies,” today. Named by Forbes as one of the Top Creators of 2022 with 9.4M TikTok followers, alongside the likes of Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, La’Ron is ready to bring his longtime passion for music back to the forefront. An up-tempo song with lyrics left for interpretation, “Web of Lies” wasn’t written with just one specific scenario in mind. “During the creation of this song it was just me freely writing about a general experience that I’ve seen time and time again. Whether that be past relationships, past friendships or past interactions that I’ve had throughout life.” La’Ron elaborates, “the lyrics speak more to how I personally react and handle situations with people. On the surface, this song is about being with someone and even though they constantly lie to you, you stick around. I’m the type of person who gives multiple chances even when I say I’m done with you, and I feel like many can relate to this one way or another.”
Electronic duo AMPERSOUNDS are thrilled to release their cover song of Phil Collin’s single “In The Air Tonight” that is out now.
AMPERSOUNDS says, “With ‘In the Air Tonight; we wanted to pay homage to Phil Collins’ classic 1981 hit. Using the original lyrics, recording the vocal hook and then combining it with our musical elements we feel like we have a song that can be rediscovered on the dance floors in 2023.”
AMPERSOUNDS is the project from twin electronic music veterans Fred Falke and Zen Freeman. Consider it a culmination of decades’ worth of top-tier production. Pioneer of the french touch sound along with Daft Punk, Air and Cassius, Falke’s very first release, INTRO, sold a half-million records — instantly seeding a prolific solo career which has seen Falke remixing everyone from Jamiroquai and Justice to Pete Yorn, Hotchip and Miley Cyrus. Moreover the French Touch prodigy has produced hit singles and collaborated with some of the most celebrated names in music including U2, Lenny Kravitz, Nile Rogers, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey, Tiesto, Ellie Goulding and Eric Prydz.
rising Arlington, TX rap phenomenon AAP Deno unveils a new single and music video entitled “Big Payment” via Epic Records. Listen to “Big Payment” HERE and watch the music video HERE.
On the track, a hummable clean guitar loop encircles punchy 808s, adding just the right amount of friction to the beat. AAP Deno stunts atop the verses with a smooth flow before he makes his demands crystal clear during the hook, “I need a big payment!” The accompanying music video spotlights his larger-than-life personality and vision. For as much as it celebrates the benefits of a “Big Payment,” it also serves as a mantra of motivation.
He commented, “I definitely record off of emotion. ‘Big Payment’ is a song everyone can relate to. We all need a big payment, but it comes down to what you’re willing to put in. Everyone has a struggle, but don’t let it be your weakness. Just go out and work to get that big payment.”
It serves as the follow-up to this summer’s “Wishin” [feat. B-Lovee]. Beyond starting to react on streaming platforms, he turned up on UPROXX Sessions with a showstopping performance of the track. UPROXX immediately proclaimed, “It’s clear that AAP Deno and ‘Wishin’ are here to stay.”
Earlier this year, he ignited buzz with his independent project, SupaDave. Meanwhile, HipHopSince1987 applauded him as “a unique artist who combines the elements of going hard and creating music that you can bump to, but still focusing on keeping it real and relatable.”
Genre-bending electronic artist Mike Inzano, better known as INZO, has returned with a new song, “Drift Like A Cloud, Flow Like Water.” The track features words by English philosopher Alan Watts who also appeared on the 2018 hit “Overthinker.” The title “Drift Like A Cloud, Flow Like Water” comes directly from a quote by Watts, whose work was popularized in the 20th century and best known for interpreting Eastern traditions of Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism for a western audience. Both “Drift Like A Cloud, Flow Like Water” and “Overthinker” feature audio clips of Watts’ public lectures interwoven with INZO’s sonic interpretations of those concepts, reinvigorating decades-old recordings and creating a symbiotic plane for cutting-edge electronic music and centuries-old philosophical thought to coexist within.
“I wanted to make something that felt big, and emotional,” says INZO. “I really felt that the instrumental did that on its own. However, I wanted to incorporate one more layer of meaning. So I figured, that layer would would best be elaborated by none other than Alan Watts. I hope this one can bring people on the emotional journey is brought me through while making it.”
Continuing his global takeover, buzzing Afrobeats phenomenon and the self-proclaimed “Mayor of Lagos” Mayorkun turns up with two new singles entitled “Alarm” and “Oshey Boys” today via Epic Records. Listen to “Alarm” HERE and listen to “Oshey Boys” HERE.
“Alarm” hinges on a head-nodding Afrobeats rhythm punctuated by a subtle bounce and organic percussion. Mayorkun’s voice ebbs and flows with the groove as he delivers an instantly irresistible chorus with a command to, “Sound the alarm.” To herald the release of the track, he rolled through to VEVO and delivered the show-stopping first official performance of “Alarm.” As always, he emanates energy, charisma, and style in the clip. Watch the performance HERE.
ascending Garage-rock trio BERRIES will release the new single “Spiral”.
Taken from their debut album ‘How We Function’ (out now via Xtra Mile Recordings), the new release comes ahead of a UK headline run in March 2023, plus a run of Winter shows with Skinny Lister this December.
Steeped in BERRIES’ trademark craggy, contagious rhythms and earworm choral hooks, it’s another fine example of the band’s melodic noise-driven rock in full flight. A track about concealing our innermost struggles and the escalating repercussions it can cause, vocalist Holly explains:
“”Spiral” is about how easily we share insignificant details about ourselves but struggle to open up about serious matters through fear of seeming weak or vulnerable. And how what we do share with people is often for the satisfaction and approval of others and not for ourselves.”
Blending distinctive melodies with inner-battles we’ve all faced, “Spiral” is a quintessential BERRIES cut plucked from the band’s new album ‘How We Function’ (out now, via Xtra Mile Recordings); an album ostensibly about mental health struggles and how we can overcome them.
With praise for the punchy debut already piling in, Louder Than War awarded ‘How We Function’ four out of five stars and dubbed the record “a really well put together debut album that rocks hard and gets its message across succinctly, with a bristling beat and an intelligence that it takes some bands a few albums to achieve”. Elsewhere the record has gained glowing reviews from the likes of Record Collector, The List and The Crack, with the latter saying: “their jagged tunes have those all-important hooks — certainly enough to keep that fevered mosh-pit a-jumping.”
Rising London-via-Cornwall four-piece THE VELVET HANDS have dropped their last track of the year, “Over It Now”.
The track arrives as a tantalising sneak-peek of the new album ‘Sucker Punch’, which lands 3 February 2023, with a special vinyl edition planned for release on Blood Records.
LISTEN TO “OVER IT NOW” ON SOUNDCLOUD HERE || YOUTUBE HERE
Blending hedonistic hooks reminiscent of The Strokes with a slacker kind of storytelling plucked straight from Pavement’s playbook, the band’s latest outing is an anti-capitalist anthem spun with an easy-going, lackadaisical charm.
As The Velvet Hands explain:
“One of the more laidback songs on the album, this came from the four of us just playing around in rehearsal. Lyrically the song focuses on ‘the grind’ culture, which personally we have always found to be exploitative and somewhat ridiculous. The main message is that not everything in life is about money, and you can do things at your own pace. In a nutshell: stick to your guns.”
Before we wave adieu to 2022 – IST IST – pause for reflection with the philosophical: “Mary In The Black And White Room”.
This new single arrives as the Manchester post/punk frontrunners also confirm a series of UK headline shows for April 2023, with dates in Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol and London. Tickets will be on sale this Wednesday @ 10AM here.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE || STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
A reminder of their keenly-anticipated third album ‘Protagonists’ (slated for Spring 2023 via Kind Violence Records), the track finds the band revealing one of its most cerebral, synth-driven moments.
With shades of classic OMD, The Cure and New Order, “Mary In The Black And White Room” effervesces in the darkness with its potent blend of layered synthesisers, darting basslines, and labyrinthine lyrical intrigue.
“Mary…” is inspired by a thought experiment proposed by the philosopher Frank Jackson that has since become known as ‘the knowledge argument’ (or ‘Mary’s room’). Hypothesising the work of a scientist called Mary, who exists in a black and white world where she has extensive access to physical descriptions of colour, but no actual human perceptual experience of colour; Jackson’s theory wonders whether Mary will gain new knowledge if she actually experiences seeing colour.
Speaking about the track, IST IST’s Adam Houghton says:
“Mary in the Black and White Room is about trying to figure out if experience trumps knowledge. See ‘the Knowledge Argument’ where the subject, Mary, exists in a black and white world but has extensive descriptions of colour, but you don’t know if she knows what they actually look like until exposed to it. Really interesting stuff.”
I can’t wait for you to hear my new single with Virgina to Vegas, “Daydreaming,“ about that right person, wrong time feeling and wishing you could relive all of the moments you spent with them. You can play it now on your favourite platform.
Four years ago, Virginia to Vegas (Derik Baker) saw my cover of his song “Selfish” on Instagram. He had me come into Wax Records and sing a couple of songs for the team. It went well and I ended up signing with the label. I’ve looked up to him for such a long time so it’s super surreal to be featuring him on “Daydreaming” which came together in one of those magical ways. This summer I was driving around on a golf cart, and the melody and chorus just came to me out of nowhere. I quickly took a voice memo of me singing it and sent it to Derik to see what he thought. He loved it, so we jumped into writing the rest of this song that same week. It’s always so fun working with Derik, I’ve looked up to him for such a long time as an artist, so it’s super surreal to have him featured on Daydreaming – It just feels right.
What’s exciting too is that I’ll be joining Virginia to Vegas on his ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ tour. I hope you love “Daydreaming” as much as I do. I look forward to performing it on stage!
Thank you,
noelle
A$AP ROCKY DROPS “SHITTIN’ ME” MUSIC VIDEO
TEEN BLUSH is the solo artist and production project from Chicago-based musician Ken Foss. With a sound that traditionally glides through elements of Dreampop, Shoegaze, New Wave and true Alternative Rock, TEEN BLUSH creates an experience that is both familiar and refreshing. His 2019 debut single “Honey Stars” was released independently and quickly connected with a growing audience through an impressive network of user-curated playlists. Proceeding single “Felt Like Home” compounded on this success reaching an even larger audience and has since amassed over 6 million cross-platform streams. In August of 2022 TEEN BLUSH released his debut EP titled IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE through indie record label Everything Forever featuring singles “Turning” and “Car Crash” that showcased the same sensibilities of his previous work with a shared narrative as the thread between each track on the release.
The title track, “Selfish”, kicks in with echoey, haunting piano and synths trailing a diary style confession which reveals a main plotline of Zoe Sky Jordan’s new album. Penned during the pandemic, which saw Zoe and her husband move in with her parents for seven months, the album is reflective, introspective, investigative and dissective. In the same way that many of us gained perspective once we were forced to sit still, Zoe’s voyage home, after years out on her own living in Toronto and Nashville, gave her fresh eyes and ears to embrace a new frame of mind.
Daughter of acclaimed artist / songwriter / producer power couple Amy Sky and Marc Jordan, Zoe watched first-hand the differences afforded a successful man vs a successful woman in the music industry. The harsh judgements cast upon her ‘not so stay at home’ mother, impacted the at the time very young Zoe. She brings those feelings to the surface in many of the 13 tracks that comprise the full Selfish album, set for release in Spring 2023. Acknowledgement, forgiveness, understanding and self-acceptance are the themes that abound. This is an album that takes you through all of the emotions and plunks you at the doorstep labelled ‘Be at peace with yourself’.
Musically this album is reminiscent of Soccer Mommy, Snail Mail and Ethan Gruska. The first two singles released off the upcoming album, “Just Fine” and “Achievement of Youth”, were produced by Liam Russell, and mixed by Rob Shnapf (Kurt Vile, Elliot Smith). Stepping into a bolder and more brazen persona, “Just Fine” is a jammy and angsty track complete with sloshy guitar, bouncing drums and hypnotic, soaring vocals that proclaims “I always live up to the hype, never crack under pressure”. Zoe shares with us that the inspiration for “Achievement Of Youth” came from some very powerful words spoken by actress/writer Carrie Fisher: “Youth and beauty are not accomplishments. They’re the temporary happy by-products of time and / or DNA. Don’t’ hold your breath for either”. As the years go by, you get a better understanding of who you are as an individual and you’re happy with just being you.
Zoe has seen great experiences and career highlights, having shared the stage with the likes of Marlon Williams, Ohmme, Madi Diaz, Molly Pardon, Savannah Conley, Andrew Combs, Jezzie Baylin and more. She enjoys collaborating with artists in all genres and in 2020 she teamed up with Kayobe (Cadence Music) for his track “No Sympathy” which was the lead single off his album and Nashville folk darling Robby Hecht for his song “Ferris Wheel”. TOPIARY, her 2015 EP charted in the top 10 at U.S. college radio and won a CSC award for the music video for “Powerlines”, one of the album’s first singles. You know Zoe from a myriad of TV placements her songs have had including Lost Girl, Riverdale, Finding Carter, Less Than Kind, Hockey Night in Canada and Hallmark. Her covers of “True Colors” and “Love Is All Around” were featured in Canadian Tire’s award-winning Christmas ads 2 years in a row.
Much more to come, leading up to the Spring 2023 release of Selfish.
We’re changing the pace with a love song. Perfect Strangers are more than just a hard rock band, and we want to show our listeners that we have a dynamic discography.
Though “A Song For You” is written about my girlfriend, I think everyone has their own story of love in their lives that they can connect with.
Stream “A Song For You” on streaming platforms everywhere now.
Watch the music video here.
“When I look into your eyes, all I see are the blue skies”
This song has taught us that not every song we write has to be a barrage of loud and fast instruments and screaming vocals. It taught us that we can tone it down and still make fantastic music that connects to the audience. We hope you enjoy it.
Thanks for listening,
Anthony Vitanza of Perfect Strangers
The first single of a brand new EP, Southampton rockers REGENT have unleashed “The Thunder”.
STREAM “THE THUNDER” ON SPOTIFY HERE || YOUTUBE HERE
Hot on the heels of their debut album ‘Just A Revolution’, released earlier this year, rock’n’roll four-piece Regent have returned with the tempestuous new single “The Thunder”.
Arriving as the first of two new singles to be taken from the band’s forthcoming EP ‘Believe’ (out 3 February 2023), the formidable new track sees strutting guitar lines and bristling vocals build towards catchy and cavorting choruses.
A rollicking slice of vintage-inspired live-ready rock that nods to the past just as easily as thrashes to the future, “The Thunder” lands just in time for the colder days and as the nights start drawing in. As frontman Ben Rooke explains:
“The song is about the change in the seasons, going into autumn and winter, the storms, gloomy mornings, darkness early in the evenings. It’s about staying positive through it all and not going under. “The Thunder” was recorded in a friend’s recording studio… we’ve known each other for a long time so we know how each other works and it’s an enjoyable process.”
R&B superstar and multi-platinum singer Jacquees has announced the forthcoming release of his highly anticipated third studio album, Sincerely For You via Cash Money Records. Arriving on December 16, Sincerely For You is executive produced by GRAMMY award-winning recording artist Future and features collaborations with 21 Savage, Summer Walker, 6LACK, Dreezy, Tory Lanez, John P. Kee, and Future. In addition to today’s eagerly awaited announcement, Jacquees releases two new tracks, “Tipsy” and “Still That,” available on all digital partners now. Pre-save Sincerely For You HERE.
“Tipsy” and “Still That” give a glimpse to what fans and followers can expect from Jacquees’ next body of work. Official videos for both tracks accompanying the static audio releases are available to experience via Jacquees’ YouTube channel Here (“Tipsy”) and Here (“Still That”). Sincerely For You, will also feature Jacquees’ sultry bedroom anthem “Say Yea,” which arrived a few short months ago and now boasts over 2.5 + million views for the official music video. “Say Yea” received co-signs as the ‘Best in Music’ for the week from outlets such as BET, XXL, UPROXX and esteemed praise from Vibe, The Source, Revolt, That Grape Juice, Rap Radar, Rated R&B, This is R&B and more.
Chrome Daphne is a Toronto-based duo comprised of producer/multi-instrumentalists Chris da Silva and Jay Cherr. Futuristic dance grooves coalesce with moody R&B, as this distinctive pair weave rich synthetic textures into the warmth of analog instrumentation.
One half of Chrome Daphne is Chris da Silva, hailing from Toronto, ON. An established fixture in the Toronto concert scene, Chris served as Operations Manager at the Danforth Music Hall for many years, running over one thousand marquee events during his tenure at the venue. While maintaining this demanding schedule he continued to work on music obsessively after work hours, drawing inspiration from the wide array of performers he had the privilege of viewing and interacting with. Chris now chooses to focus on music full-time, producing with and working as a session musician for numerous Toronto artists. He has collaborated/recorded with the likes of Keys N Krates, Terrell Morris, Losh (Free n Losh), Ernesto Barahona (The Arkells, Bedouin Soundclash), The Pick Brothers Band, Your Hunni, and many more.
Toronto’s Zeds Dead will join forces with iconic EDM superstar, GRiZ, to release their clamored-for collaboration and ID, “Ecstasy of Soul” via Deadbeats. The track debuted last September during the first-ever Zeds Dead b2b GRiZ set at GoldRush Festival in Phoenix, and starts with a cover of the classic theme song for The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly before evolving into a monster dubstep festival anthem. It is the most fan-requested song both artists have in 2022.
“Ecstasy of Soul” marks the 5th official release from Zeds Dead this year. Previous singles have offered fans more in the direction of their new sub-label, Altered States, which navigates house, downtempo and dubstep adjacent genres (Read More at Billboard). On “Ecstasy of Soul,” fans find the duo returning to electro-driven dubstep and epic, thematic bangers. Nearly 13 Years into their careers, Zeds Dead continue to prove they are among the most innovative and influential artists in electronic music.
Little Fuss’s newest single “I Want a Secret,” which just premiered on Boston’s NPR station, WBUR. Being released on December 8th as the final single before their debut album Girls At Parties, “I Want a Secret ” is one of a kind and we wanted to see if it would be possible to peak your interest in covering this track. It will be the last single released from Girls At Parties, out January 12, 2023, which has already gained praise from Billboard, The Big Takeover, 1883 Magazine and Ones To Watch.
“I Want a Secret,” similar to the duo’s previous releases, starts an honest conversation about real world experiences as a young adult in today’s world. Little Fuss’s frontwoman Olive Martinez channels the experiences of a girl watching another from afar yearning for the same confidence and alluring energy she possesses. This new hard hitting track encapsulates feelings of jealousy, longing, and false confidence all at once.
Delivering an impressive cinematic statement, award-winning South African rap disruptor Sho Madjozi just shared the special Director’s Cut of the music video for her latest single “Toro” [feat. DDG]. Watch “Toro (Director’s Cut)” HEREexclusively via Clash Magazine. Listen to “Toro” [feat. DDG] HERE via Epic Records.
The extended version of “Toro” now includes over two minutes of prologue, setting the stage for the action to follow and contextualizing her journey. In the new footage, she and a friend stroll through their neighborhood at night until Sho notices a glowing pendant. In her head, a voice declares, “This is your gift. Look after it.” Her companion notes the power of this artifact as the girls return to Peshy with newfound confidence and charisma to slay in ultimate underground dance-off.
The Director’s Cut adds even more weight and heft to the already knockout visual. Clash praised, “Sho is a true force of nature, someone who has taken the organic street sounds of South Africa to a global audience. A true multi-hyphenate, she crosses over into visual arts and fashion, all while retaining her unique flavour”.
Soul-baring songstress Bailey will release a reimagined version of “Merry Christmas, Darling” on November 30.
Bailey selected the classic holiday hit, originally written by Frank Pooler about a love interest he had at the time, before being given to The Carpenters to record, because it has always been one of her father’s favorite seasonal songs. Following his unexpected death during the process of recording her debut EP, Again – Vol. 1, the song took on a new meaning.
“I never thought too deeply about the song and its meaning,” the Nashville-based singer-songwriter admits. “I always loved it because my dad did, and it was fun to sing. But now that he is gone, I can’t think of it as anything else other than a letter to him — letting him know how much we wish he was here! I’m not sure that the song will ever take on anything other than just saying hey to my dad, and that we miss him and love him and wish we were with him!”
“Merry Christmas, Darling” is the first of a batch of Christmas covers set for release from Bailey’s upcoming holiday EP, titled Live At The Graybox – A Very Merry Christmas, which will be released on December 9. The EP, which is dedicated to her dad, flawlessly highlights the singer’s sensuous and bluesy voice and the raw emotion of her loss.
“I wanted to record this for him before he passed away, but I couldn’t get it done in time,” Bailey says of the EP. “I guess I regret that I didn’t do it sooner, so I wanted to make sure that this year, our second holiday season without him, there’s a piece of him with us.
Migguel Anggelo is a Venezuelan-American singer-songwriter, multidisciplinary performing artist and countertenor, dancer, actor and painter. His work explores the intersections of his queer, Latino and immigrant identities using music, physical theater, dance, text and costume. As a theater creator, he has been awarded residencies to develop new works at MASS MoCA, the Kimmel Center, the Miami Light Project and beyond.
LatinXoxo – January 12, 15 and 17 at Under the Radar Festival 2023 at Joe’s Pub – is Migguel Anggelo’s nonconforming and self-accepting rallying cry: a break from “Latin Lover” clichés and his own Venezuelan father’s gendered expectations. With indelible precision, weaving in and out of the audience, the artist connects past and present while unraveling the stereotypes that would otherwise constrain him. LatinXoXo was designed to immerse an audience in a highly personal story. It is an artful collage of theater, queer comedy, physical movement, and sumptuous song selections. The musical repertoire spans decades of pop hits, his own original compositions, and the Spanish boleros that defined his youth. These performances are part of the Joe’s Pub + Under the Radar: In Concert series.
Tickets are available here, by calling 212.967.7555, or in-person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theatre (425 Lafayette Street). All tickets are subject to facility and service fees.
Gina Naomi Baez is an actress, singer/songwriter, YouTuber and influencer from New York City. Her love and passion for songwriting and music has always been the true driving force behind her creativity, with the artist using her platform to spread messages of positivity.
Known for her love of christmas music, Baez returns with her latest addition, “When You Hear Joni.” Inspired by the idea of how a song you once loved can be ruined because it reminds you of a certain heartbreak, or emotional situation in your life, the melancholy track has been described as a “sad girl christmas song.”
Baez shares, “I worked with two amazing female songwriters/producers on this song and concept, Meghan Kabir and I really dove into the idea of Joni Mitchell’s River as the song that sparks a heartbreaking memory. We then worked with HARLOE ie: Jessica Karpov on production and making the song sound like a classic christmas song, with a melancholic nature like the snow was falling down slowly throughout the entire song.”
The somber song shimmers with delicate melodies and glowing harmonies, as Baez puts her own spin on a traditional holiday song, explaining, “I love getting into my feelings during the holiday season. I wanted this track to remind people of a classic christmas song but with a twist.”
Baez has had a flourishing acting career having landed roles in Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, Orange is the New Black and most recently CBS’s FBI. She has also performed in numerous Off-Broadway and Regional theatrical productions. Baez has also seen great success with her YouTube channel which has built an impressive following. Her infamous “Lizzo’s Truth Hurts x Hocus Pocus” parody music video went viral after LIZZO herself reposted it, as well as Bette Midler. The channel features creative, unique original music videos, covers and parodies of popular songs and has garnered worldwide recognition from the likes of PEOPLE, Entertainment Weekly, Access Hollywood, The Huffington Post, MTV, Perez Hilton, FOX, E! ONLINE, Ryan Seacrest, Yahoo News!, Stylist and much more!
With over 15 million streams across all platforms under his belt, Vancouver musician Kuba Oms returns to his Soul/R&B roots with his new single ‘None Of Us Are Free’ out now on all DSPs. Listen here.
“This is my cover of the old Solomon Burke song None Of Us Are Free,” says Kuba. “It’s my first ever recorded cover, and we strived to be as authentic as possible during the recording process, really going for an early ‘70s soul sound. I chose this song as the lyrics resonated deeply with me as there is so much suffering in the world, and this song can bring awareness to the power of empathy and compassion.”
Kuba enlisted some of Canada’s premier talent for his new soul project, including mixer Ben Kaplan (2020 JUNO Producer of the Year) and co-producer John Raham (Frazey Ford). Inspired by the old Motown sound, everything was recorded live off the floor, through vintage gear and straight to analog tape. Current comparable artists would be Leon Bridges, Michael Kiwanuka, The Teskey Brothers, and Black Pumas.
Following the release of his 2014 album, ADHD, which garnered two top 20 Canadian radio hits, Kuba took a hiatus from releasing music due to a tragic suicide in his immediate family.
DJ Karaba remembers driving through France’s southern region listening to Motown in a camping car with her parents. Listing off names like a musical-must syllabus, Karaba says The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind and Fire, and, of course, Barry White soundtracked her childhood. Born to a Congolese father and a French-Italian mother, Karaba also listened to the music specific to her cultural and regional homes, such as French rap and Congolese artists such as Koffi Olomide, Awilo Longomba, Papa Wemba and Passi .
Music and (literal) movement have defined Karaba’s entire life. Karaba was born in Grenoble, France and, at the age of seven, moved to Montreal. As a child, Karaba was enrolled in dance, which would become the next key step in her artistic journey, and her first love. Self-described as an immigrant all her life, Karaba relocated to key musical markets to pursue dance, like New York when she was 20 years old, and then Los Angeles in 2014.
While she was in Los Angeles, Karaba danced for some of pop music’s heaviest hitters such as Drake, Camila Cabello, and Selena Gomez, as well as appearing in numerous music videos and award shows. When a major tour was cancelled in 2016, Karaba felt helpless about the next step of her career. She then found her way to DJing and music production, a thought that had been bubbling up in the back of her mind for some time. Enrolling in the DJ Scratch Academy in L.A., Karaba says she found a renewed artistic purpose.
“Being able to control the music with my fingers was the closest I ever felt to music. The feeling was just out of this world.”
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
