British-born, Brooklyn-based writer, singer, and teaching artist Raegan Sealy has perfected the art of finding light in life’s darker experiences through words and music.
Fusing soul, rock, and indie-pop with her distinctive velvety vocals and ballsy lyrics, Sealy delivers both haunting ballads and upbeat self-empowerment anthems with equal prowess.
Having supported Ice-T, Kae Tempest, Judah & The Lion and Shane Koyczan, Sealy has performed around the world in a plethora of venues, from classrooms to stadiums, including New York City’s Central Park SummerStage, The Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center, and Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia.
A force to be reckoned with, Sealy is also an award-winning scholar and advocate. In 2015, she won a Fulbright award to study poetry for public engagement at The New School in New York City. Examining how music, lyrics and creative writing can help empower, heal and engage traumatized communities, she launched a nonprofit organization in 2017 which was supported by Lady Gaga’s Born This Way foundation. Her 2019 official TED Talk, also on the topic, was the first to be delivered entirely in rhyming verse, and received a standing ovation.
Sealy was also the recipient of the P.E.O. International Peace Prize in 2016 for her work to create more educational opportunities for young women. She was a Women’s International Leadership Fellow and Resident Fellow at the International House of New York in 2015-18. Her commissioned work includes pieces for Philadelphia Soul, the Fulbright Commission, and Tiffany Dufu. She has performed and led workshops for Erik Weihenmayer’s No Barriers annual summit, The Nantucket Project, TED, the School of Social Change, the International House of New York, AAUW and many more. In 2020, she was appointed to the US-UK Fulbright Alumni Advisory Council, where she continues to fight for increased diversity, representation, and access to higher and international education.
Raegan Sealy will be releasing her debut single “Make ’em Jealous” featuring the all-female choir The Gang of Angels on January 12th, which is the first of a series of singles to be released throughout 2023.
A self-described “psychedelic indie space cowgirl,” 20-year-old Kinneret exudes a unique, magnetic aura. She stands as a beacon of positivity, radiating love with her sonic palette and lyrical themes. Her brand is one of inclusivity and creativity, and those who love her, love her. Her single “No Wind Resistance!” has amassed over 67 million plays on Spotify to date, featuring shimmery synths and soaring vocals over trunk-rattling 808’s and trap drums, hitting a niche previously untapped. With 340K followers on TikTok and nearly 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Kinneret’s fanbase gets bigger by the hour. She’s building speed and preparing to drop her third album, which will feature Dev Lemons, MKULTRA, 070 Sebastian, SpaceKing, and more.
When you have a good thing, why change it? Guitarist, singer and songwriter, Raymond Castronovo aka Streetwise, announces his new six-track EP, The Road Ahead, that gives a respectful nod to the rock ‘n’ roll days of the 60s. The third of a trilogy of Streetwise releases over the past two years, the The Road Ahead EP, includes four original songs by Castronovo along with his renditions of the Carol King classic, “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” and “The Twist” by the legendary Chubby Checker. The EP is set to release on February 3, 2023.
To preview the EP, Streetwise has recently released “The Tissue Song” from the EP. Stream on Spotify here. Jake’s Take calls the song “a superb track that will touch the heartstrings of people who have close bonds with their families.”
On the heels of their highly praised third studio album release, Euphonyus, Brooklyn-based quintet Phony Ppl today releases an official visualizer to “what it feels like.” via 300 Entertainment. The dynamic visual presentation was captured in the heart of New York City and vividly brings to life the allure of the band’s artistry through motion pictures. Watch HERE.
Phony Ppl underscored the new evolution of their sonic journey last month with Euphonyus. This week, one of the many stand-out tracks from the album, “nowhere but up.” garnered the achievement of #1 Most Added Song via Urban Radio as the official music video for the track soars in over half a million views via YouTube.
As the critically acclaimed musicians gear up for the holidays, fans and followers can look forward to a special two-night-only New York City live performance of their latest music, including tracks from the hit project Euphonyus on December 28 and 29, at legendary music venue Sounds of Brazil (SOB’s). This week Phony Ppl released an exceptional performance of “Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney via Cover Nation, giving a taste of cheer and celebration that audiences in the New York City market can expect to experience in living color later this month.
Back with more heat, UK Drill pioneer Headie One reups and recharges his buzzing international single “50’s” with a brand new Headiokart Remix out now via Epic Records. Stream “50’s [Headiokart Remix]” HERE.
This inventive, irresistible, and inimitable rendition infuses the instantly recognizable keyboard melody from Mario Kartinto the knockout banger. Once again, Headie One bypasses all expectations and delivers an unexpected and undeniable anthem, raising the bar in the process.
Like Mario cruising down the final stretch on Rainbow Road, listen to him put the pedal to the metal on the Headiokart Remix of “50’s”!
ML’s musical journey was first sparked in 2010 when he featured on ‘Little Man & Me’ by Giggs and now in a full circle moment, the two come together yet again over 12 years later on ‘Who I Am’ for a true father and son UK Rap moment.
The track is filled with dark undertones and a skippy beat which is synonymous to Giggs signature sound whilst ML navigates the production with ease, really coming into his own and showing his talent.
Not sticking to one sound, ML is a diverse musician who shows his versatility across all his releases, whilst basing his music on current feelings and life experiences.
Having released ‘Folks’ earlier this year, ML is building momentum and consistency in the run up to releasing his debut mixtape.
Lauren Monroe will welcome the new year with the release of a special version of her acclaimed album. Messages from Aphrodite (Storyteller Edition) features a track-by-track commentary, offering personal insight into the themes of healing and spirituality woven throughout the record.
“It’s always a priority for me to be able to create things that can give direct access to healing. Storytelling has been a way to share who I am, how healing runs through my music, a way to teach and emotionally connect with my audiences,” Monroe says. “I wanted to create a body of work that included some of the storytelling that audiences hear at our live performances. These stories guide listeners deeper into the intentions of healing, releasing emotions and finding gratitude that is infused into the songwriting.”
As a taste of what listeners can expect to hear on Messages from Aphrodite (Storyteller Edition), Monroe has released a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album’s opening track, “Gold.”
Sindy Hoxha is a vibrant pop artist with a colorful background. The Albanian singer/songwriter was born and raised in Italy before relocating to New York where her music career has been able to flourish. Taking inspiration from the likes of Billie Eilish, Tate McRae, Jessie Murph and JVKE, Sindy combines her love of the sad pop genre with her rich cultural background to create something that is unique to her own.
With a handful of singles under her belt, the Brooklyn based artist is now unveiling her latest track “feeling blue.” Taking a more mellow approach to her sound, this ballad is certain to tug at your heartstrings, with delicate piano melodies allowing for Sindy’s vocals to shine, as she narrates a story of heartbreak. Oozing with sincerity and authenticity, her raw vocals show every ounce of emotion. Sindy confides, “Just by reading the title of the song, “feeling blue”, one may already guess it’s going to be a sad song. And it is in fact a song about a heartbreak. “feeling blue” is generally inspired by intricate love stories displayed in movies, and what I imagine a heartbreak from a significant other could feel like.”
Produced by Aaron (MrLab) Monroe (Missy Elliott) and engineered by Harry (Savion Studio) Conyers (Jay Sean, Stephanie Mills, Colonel Abrams), “feeling blue” succeeds in portraying the deep ache of longing and sadness. Emanating a cold and wintery vibe, “feeling blue” sonically compares the sadness and frustration within the lyrics to the cold and blustery weather of winter. The songwriter explains the process, sharing, “I just let my emotions flow from my mind to my fingertips, to finally the keys.” The main underlying theme is the aftermath of wishful thinking, which as humans many of us experience, as Sindy sings, “What was I doing?”
With the hope to encourage listeners to let go of toxic relationships, whether that be friendships or relationships, and to regain their confidence, Sindy shines bright with “feeling blue.” Ending 2022 on a high, Sindy Hoxha is in for an exciting year ahead.
Stalking Gia is a New York City based artist and platinum selling songwriter. Generating more than 20 million streams and receiving acclaim from Billboard, Noisey, Marie Claire, Nylon and more, the singer/songwriter materializes like a specter in the space between online fantasy and Manhattan’s real-life nocturnal glow. Stalking Gia first came to life via the 2016 single “Second Nature”. Achieving viral success, the track organically tallied 13.2 million Spotify streams and incited a growing buzz. blackbear integrated a sample of “Second Nature” into “Wish U The Best” from his platinum-certified chart-topping 2017 album, Digital Druglord. Meanwhile, she maintained her momentum with the single “Siren”. In addition to touring alongside blackbear, she teamed up with him for the song “Miracles”, which landed on New Music Friday playlists worldwide and amassed 4.7 million streams and counting. Stalking Gia then partnered with Epic Records on releases including “The Kindest Thing”, a bombastic goodbye anthem, “Astronaut”, a Bowie inspired piano ballad, “Worship”, an empowering song exploring the theme of self love, and “Blue”, her most recent track, which pulls the listener into another world with ethereal soundscapes and a static buzz from a lost connection.Stalking Gia is now embarking on a new journey and is back to independently self releasing her music. With a recent Tiktok of a demo gaining momentum she released “saddest happy girl”; a song which samples the famous nursery rhyme “Clementine” in its chorus to much acclaim. Her track “obviously…” is “
about the dreaded talking phase during the first few weeks of seeing someone new. From grand gestures to radio silence and all the speculation in-between.” Her latest single “Happy Birthday!” is a sing your heart out bitter birthday anthem on your favorite toxic situation-ship!
Building upon Play On Shakespeare’s mission to enhance the understanding of Shakespeare’s plays in performance, Play On Podcasts bring timeless tales directly to modern audiences. The series – presented by Next Chapter Podcasts in partnership with Play On Shakespeare – has released the first two episodes of The Winter’s Tale (translation and direction by Tracy Young), starring Rodney Gardiner, Elijah Alexander, Gina Daniels and a cameo by the iconic Estelle Parsons. The Winter’s Tale includes incredible sound design by Lindsay Jones and contemporary, acoustic instrumentation to transport audiences from the home of the jealous King Leontes to the joyful lands of Bohemia.
Tracy Young: “My greatest hope is that someone who might not have been able to fully appreciate the wonder that is The Winter’s Tale might use this translation and the podcast as a doorway to deepen their relationship with Shakespeare’s work. I think that a serial podcast is a beautiful way to connect with Shakespeare’s writing because it encourages deep listening over time. I hope you have as much fun listening to the podcast as we all had in making it.”
Michael Goodfriend (Executive Producer): “The Play On Podcast series, The Winter’s Tale, searingly portrays the trauma that jealousy and paranoia can wreak on a family while also celebrating the healing magic of time, laughter, faith and forgiveness.”
View the full cast and crew for The Winter’s Tale here.
With lead investment from the Hitz Foundation, which funds the Play On project and has commissioned this podcast series, Next Chapter Podcasts continues to adapt and produce the modernized Shakespearean scripts for multi-part audio presentations featuring the talents of extraordinary stage performers, directors and designers. It’s a Shakespearean audio adventure.
Previous titles have included Macbeth (starring RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Manila Luzon, Monet X Change and Peppermint); Pericles (starring the legendary Keith David); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (starring acclaimed actors Daisuke Tsuji, Amari Cheatom and Alexandra Henrikson); Coriolanus (with a cast comprised entirely of nonbinary and women-identifying actors); King Lear (starring the legendary Keith David); Twelfth Night (starring Amy Brenneman); Henry V (with a cast including stars of the downtown NYC theatre scene; translation by Lloyd Suh); Measure for Measure (starring New York’s award-winning Fiasco Theater ensemble).
2023 titles will include The Tempest and Othello amongst others to be announced shortly.
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.
LatinXoxo
January 12, 15, 17 (Running Time: 70 Minutes)
Conceived by Migguel Anggelo (Venezuela/U.S.)
Book by C. Julian Jiménez
Musical direction by Jaime Lozano
Directed by Adrian Alexander Alea
Additional credits can be found here
Performed in English and Spanish
Singer/songwriter TJ Stafford explores the life of a relationship without the constraints of society on his new single, “When We Hit The Ground.” The Los Angeles-based musician released his debut album, “All My Bad Habits,” in 2017 to critical acclaim, a long-awaited dream come true after touring with various bands for many years. Still, audiences were no stranger to his music, which had been featured on hit shows, including AMC’s The Walking Dead, HBO’s True Blood, NBC’s Parenthood, and FX’s Sons of Anarchy. As his solo career grew, he performed shows at The Roxy, The Troubadour, and the House of Blues in Los Angeles. After battling depression throughout the pandemic, he began working on his newest project, the upcoming album “Nipple Whisk,” due out in February 2023.
TJ Stafford continues his exploration of defying expectations on “When We Hit The Ground.” On a sonically murky and dissonant track, TJ Stafford explores letting go of the expectations of how our lives are supposed to look and feel. A slow-burning electric guitar riff burns and bursts to a layered and emotional chorus. Explosive at its core, the track celebrates the freedom of being yourself and how it can change how we face our relationships and ourselves. Transparent and transcendent, the billowing lo-fi beat is the heartbeat of the love story itself, carrying the story from a quiet hum to a full-throttle expression of a love that might live or die – but either way is worth exploring.
Isaac Mizrahi returns to Café Carlyle with his all-new show, The Marvelous Mr. Mizrahi, for a two-week residency, February 14-25. His previous residencies in the room were sellouts, receiving widespread critical acclaim. Accompanied by his band of jazz musicians led by Ben Waltzer, Mizrahi will perform a range of tunes from Arthur Freed to Grace Jones. The New York Times noted, “he qualifies as a founding father of a genre that fuses performance art, music and stand-up comedy.”
Isaac Mizrahi has worked extensively in the entertainment industry as a performer, host, writer, designer and producer for over 30 years. Along with his annual residency at Café Carlyle, Isaac has performed at various venues across the country such as Joe’s Pub, The Regency Ballroom, several City Winery locations nationwide and comes to the Carlyle fresh from his run as Amos Hart in the Broadway production of CHICAGO. He is the subject and co-creator of Unzipped, a documentary following the making of his Fall 1994 collection which received an award at the Sundance Film Festival. He hosted his own television talk show, “The Isaac Mizrahi Show” for seven years, has written three books, and has made countless appearances in movies and on television. He served as a judge on Project Runway: All-Stars for the series’ entire seven-season run.
Performances will take place at Café Carlyle from February 14-25 (Tuesday-Saturday) at 8:45pm. Weekday pricing begins at $100 per person for General Seating, $150 per person for Premium Seating, and $85 per person for Bar Seating. Weekend pricing begins at $135 per person for General Seating, $185 per person for Premium Seating, and $100 per person for Bar Seating. Reservations can be made online via Tock. Café Carlyle is located in The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 East 76th Street, at Madison Avenue).
Follow Café Carlyle on Instagram @cafecarlyle and Facebook for more information.
London based R&B and Pop singer Scott Vlassis continues to bring the ‘new old school’ to audiences with his new release ‘Never Wanna Let You Go’.
Scott draws from his love of 80’s music to create a fresh soul-filled moment with ‘Never Wanna Let You Go’. Listeners can expect classic Scott – nothing but warm, retro-infused vibes filled with melodic singing and his exhilarating synth-pop style to give it that unique modern twist.
Scott has continued to make waves since the release of his breakout hit ‘Golden’ which was picked up by TikTok/OTV/KISSFM dancing sensations, Diversity. ‘Golden’ was an instant hit, catapulting Scott into the spotlight, and now has over 1 million streams.
Scott has been busy working out of some of the world’s best studios and is now sitting on a vault of 60+ monster records with a commitment to make 2023 his year.
He continues to grow as an artist and is committed to sharing his passion for music, boldly exposing his authentic self and bringing fans into his world from the first to the last note of every song he writes and records.
All his music videos stem from his own creative input and reflect his multifaceted talent, aesthetic and sensitivity as an artist. ‘Never Wanna Let You Go’ is a beautiful visual shot in the Italian island of Sicily and was shot by Simon Stolland (Krept & Konan, D Block Europe, Dave, D Double E, Dizzee Rascal, Mahlia)
Never Wanna Let You Go is an absolute mood…
Written with a chance online encounter in mind, French producer, vocalist and musical mad scientist Tobias Dray ended 2022 with a for the fans release of “Maya.” Teasing clips from an Omegle conversation with a stranger almost two years ago, fans created their own romantic storylines and made the track a viral story before it was even released. Clarifying that “Maya” is neither a love song nor a friendship song, Dray sings “Maya, I hope I’ll never meet ya” in hopes of keeping a perfect moment untouched – Stream.
On the meaning behind the song, Dray shared that he had the real Maya in mind while writing, but it’s for him and not for her. Further building the narrative to fans, he has posted videos of Maya learning about this song that encapsulates their chance meeting.
Following the release of the single, “Maya” has been Dray’s fastest streaming song of the last year and earned the seventh slot on Spotify’s coveted New Music Friday playlist. Later this year, fans can look forward to Dray and Maya meeting in real life to create an official video for the track.
Californian garage punk band GRUMPSTER are kicking off the new year by releasing two new songs. First being new single ‘Hollow’ and the second a re-recording of single ‘Karios.’
Speaking about the new song Donnie Walsh said ‘”Hollow” was the first song we wrote after our first year of touring. We’d just finished 3 full US tours over the course of a year and wanted to capture what the band sounded like finally having more experience under our belts. It’s a great snapshot of what we currently sound like, and is hopefully telling of what our sound will continue to develop into.”
Vevo, the world’s leading music video network, today announced its partnership with TikTok to create and program Trending on TikTok, a new weekly Vevo show rounding up the music videos of the top trending songs on TikTok, alongside clips of the creators utilizing these songs in their content
Trending on TikTok will be available across the Vevo network in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Brazil, and will be a staple TV premiere on Vevo’s FAST (free ad supported streaming TV) channels, with consecutive airing during peak viewing hours throughout the week.
“We’re excited to kick off the new year with TikTok, which has become a powerhouse for music discovery for fans worldwide, driving music video viewership. When a song is trending on TikTok, people will actively seek out and watch that song’s music video on the Vevo network. Tapping into the creator economy was the next logical step in showcasing the power of fan communities on social media and how it fosters the music discovery process,” said JP Evangelista, senior vice president, content, programming & marketing, Vevo. “We are combining years of tastemaking expertise with our understanding of viewership trends, and there is a huge appetite for short form content on TV, so we hope Trending on TikTok becomes a go-to show on TV.”
Trending on TikTok joins Vevo’s successful slate of original programming, such as Pop Video Weekly, Hip-Hop Video Weekly and Somos Video Semanal, each of which similarly recap their respective official music videos that audiences need to know.
“Moreover, we are launching this show having established a massive television footprint – one that has proliferated as Vevo has become an integral offering on connected TV over the past few years. As the largest screen in the home, the TV is the center of the home, where people love to lean back and enjoy content from their favorite artists and creators,” added Evangelista.
“Music and entertainment are at the center of what powers trends from our platform that reverberate throughout culture, the industry, and the charts,” said Dan Page, head of global business development, new screens, TikTok. “We are excited for our partnership with Vevo to expand that experience beyond the platform, supercharging the discovery process and celebrating the community’s favorite songs and artists.”
As the world’s leading music video network, Vevo has become an essential part of Connected TV (CTV) services and FAST lineups from the world’s leading streaming TV distributors, most recently Amazon Freevee, Hulu Live, and Plex.
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
