International R&B singer-songwriter, Malavika, has released her empowering single, “Overdrive,” today. A full-package entertainer, Malavika draws on her globe-spanning influences to craft a mélange of r&b, hip-hop and pop from a unique perspective. “Overdrive” is truly a global collaboration, created across three continents – Berlin, Dubai, and LA; including an Indian vocal sample sung by Malavika herself. She says “”Overdrive” is a song that showcases a different side of my personality. It’s confident, sexual and empowering. It’s about taking control, reversing gender stereotypes and expressing yourself unabashedly. But at the same time it’s a sexy R&B love song that is in an ode to your person.” Malavika’s intoxicating vocals are on full display, as she initiates romance with her lover over a pulsing beat, with natural confidence and sultry playfulness. Following the organic success of the only other two singles to her name, “Don’t Let Go” and “Sugarcoat,” “Overdrive” was created with all the elements that Malavika is most inspired by. She expands “Vocally I wanted to go in on the song in terms of the harmonies, layers and adlibs. It’s stacked and is reminiscent of early 2000s R&B, one
of many eras where the ad libs really mattered. I have this moment in the second verse where I wanted to have a Queen inspired harmony moment.” With West Coast legend DJ Quik, as her mentor, Overdrive” showcases a combination of Malavika’s confident writing ability, commanding vocals, and musical influences. Alongside songwriting, Malavika has also found herself an advocate for infiltrating her culture into everything she creates. She expands; “The influences in my music are unique to my
experience and upbringing, including the exposure to multilingual music. I try to incorporate sonic and visual elements of my culture whenever I can in a way that’s natural and organic, because it’s a part of my identity.”
Queer|Art is pleased to open applications for the fourth annual Illuminations Grant for Black Trans Women Visual Artists. Developed and named in partnership with Mariette Pathy Allen, Aaryn Lang, and Serena Jara, this $10,000 grant, awarded to draw attention to an existing body of work, sheds light on the under-recognized contributions of Black trans women visual artists and provides critical support to their continuing work. Winning artists will receive additional professional development resources and further guidance to bolster their creative development in the field.
The Illuminations Grant is made possible entirely through support provided by visual artist Mariette Pathy Allen, whose body of photographic work over the last forty years has been squarely focused on expanding cultural consciousness around gender and transformation. The development of this grant was stewarded by consultant and writer Aaryn Lang, working in collaboration with Mariette Pathy Allen, Serena Jara, and Queer|Art.
“The Illuminations Grant not only highlights the lacking representation of Black trans women in the visual arts,” says Lang, “but also seeks to confront the systemic barriers that deny them artistic opportunities and a sustainable craft. By supporting this grant, Mariette Pathy Allen challenges herself and the art industry to see Black trans women as more than mere subjects, while forging a new pathway for visual artists within this community to thrive.”
Now in its fourth year, this annual $10K grant was developed in partnership with Mariette Pathy Allen, Aaryn Lang, and Serena Jara. The Illuminations Grant, awarded to draw attention to an existing body of work, sheds light on the under-recognized contributions of Black trans women visual artists and provides critical support to their continuing work. The winning artist will receive a studio visit with our rotating panel of judges. This year, the esteemed judges include Jonathan Lyndon Chase, Puppies Puppies, and Lauren Haynes. The grant also provides a $1,250 award to four distinguished finalists! Applications are open now through July 12th, 2023.
More info here on IG and here on Queer|Art’s site.
Los Angeles-based electro-pop artist BUZZ shares haunting, avant-pop track and video “Statues” out everywhere now, that finds the songstress lamenting a love bound to this dimension. It’s the latest taste of the forthcoming otherworldly, self-produced debut EP On Matters Of Searching. “Statues” makes dulcimer, pizzicato strings, clavichord, rain sticks, and kalimba feel like they have always belonged in an electronic setting as the track blurs ancient and futuristic periods while carrying a torch for ascension.
To celebrate the EP release next month, BUZZ will perform the project in its entirety live in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights, with exact location to be announced, on May 18. Presented by Makeoutmusic, the show will feature a real-time modular synth set along with an exclusive one of one merch line only available at the show, made in collaboration with Plastic Buckettt. Tickets are available now here.
An ancient, inter-galactic love letter, “Statues” was written and produced by BUZZ and features water drops from caves and branches being stepped on to further emphasize its earth-bound fate. The explosive reaction across social media gained the song a last minute seat on BUZZ’s forthcoming EP. Inspired by the art of the Hellenistic period, the lyrics are a love letter written by Aphrodite to a secret earthly muse, as if a time traveler were hiding relics for someone they love and lamenting their ties to time.
Inviting listeners inside BUZZ’s sonic moodboard, BUZZ explains, “My mind loves to live in a fantasy world consisting of an ancient, highly evolved civilization that communicates with other beings from different worlds, openly trading and traveling between multiple galaxies, but still looks like the ancient world with ornate open air palaces and lavish royal baths…can you tell I watched ‘Three Thousand Years Of Longing?’”
While crafting the song, BUZZ attempted to put herself in the shoes of someone desperately wanting to keep their loved ones’ memory alive, while understanding no physical object lasts forever. “I kept imagining what I would do for someone I adored to preserve their memory across the earth – painting pictures, sculpting busts, weaving tapestries, and the ultimate heartbreak of knowing no physical thing I make on this earth will last forever which is shown in the line “’I wish we could be statues, oh but they’ll go too.’”
New Orleans Americana artist Dusky Waters today shares the swaggering and celebratory new single “Mae”. With this song, she introduces us to her upcoming album, Pass It On (due June 9th) by taking us back to the very start. “Mae” is the first song that songwriter Jenn Jeffers wrote as Dusky Waters; a celebration of her paternal grandmother’s well-lived life, the song took its first form in the pew at her funeral.
Dusky explains, “As I listened to folks come forward to speak about her life and all the ways she supported people, I thought about how wonderful she was and how little I truly knew her. ‘Mae’ is a bittersweet reflection on a beautiful life and feeling like a stranger in the company of one’s own family.”
This week, Brooklyn’s finest Lola Brooke continues to achieve paramount success for 2023 as her single “Don’t Play With It” featuring Billy B garners the spotlight as the #1 record on urban radio via MediaBase. The feat follows the track’s debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the week of April 8, as it entered at #69 for both the original version, which approaches the two-year mark of its initial release, and the recently unveiled official remix with Latto and Yung Miami.
Lola Brooke has been on a hot streak doing what she likes to do best, staying consistent as she gears up for an even greater second quarter filled with new music and more surprises that have the masses in lock-step. Along with her win with having one of the most significant Hip Hip records in the country, Lola was recently announced as one of the official performers at Hot 97’s Summer Jam this year, which is set to take place on June 4 and UBS Arena for its first year back in New York. The performance will kick off Lola’s next set of festival performances in the U.S. and European markets, including Broccoli Festival in Washington DC, WOO HAH! X ROLLING LOUD Festival in Rotterdam, Rolling Loud Portugal, Rolling Loud Germany, Splash Festival in Germany, Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park, London, Openair Festival in Frauenfeld Switzerland, and much more soon-to-be-announced.
Following on from his recent release ‘Genius’ alongside fellow Manchester native July 7, DJ Win is continuing to set the tone for his forthcoming EP dropping at the end of April. Calling on fellow rap riser Tays and up-and-coming girl band Melladaze for his latest single ‘Play With Me’, Win is showing no signs of slowing down!
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: DJ WIN FT TAYS x MELLADAZE – PLAY WITH ME
With the aim to highlight some of Manchester’s best up-and-coming talent, DJ WIN has put his A&R skills to the test and gathered in the troops for the first of many releases to come. Calling on Rndm for production, the vibrant beat encapsulates that sun-soaking and summer feeling we’ve all been craving. Pushing the January blues aside, ‘Play with Me’ is introduced with an infectious hook courtesy of Melladaze before Tays swiftly cuts through with a slick verse and bars. Centred around the back and forth between a potential couple, both Melladaze and Tays offer two sides to the story. In between the mind games and obvious interest towards one another, both sides question each other’s behaviour and antics whilst teasing what could potentially be.
Rising Northumberland singer-songwriter – THE EARLY PURPLE – has unveiled his new single “Summer Hide”, the title-track of his debut EP due 12 May.
STREAM “SUMMER HIDE” ON ALL SERVICES HERE
A plucky and percussive piece of Americana-tinged chamber-pop that soars like a shimmering sun emerging from behind the trees, “Summer Hide” sees Matt Saxon aka The Early Purple muse on the transformative power of being outdoors, and the solace that can be found out in nature.
Featuring members of The Early Purple’s live band Matt Hardy (drums/percussion) and Mark Broughton (keys), the track also features Matt’s brother Daniel (bass) as well as a host of friends and local musicians including Will Thorneycroft (harmonium/keys/guitar), Stu Walkinshaw (guitar) and Sarah Baron (vocals).
Recalling the classic folk/pop songwriting of CSNY to laidback atmospheric creations of C Duncan, “Summer Hide” was produced by long-time collaborator Will Thorneycroft (The Dawdler, Fax Machine, Lovely Assistant) and recorded in Winter 2022 between Blank Studios in Newcastle, Matt’s house in Lynemouth and Will’s house in Whitley Bay.
“Summer Hide” also arrives as the title-track of The Early Purple’s forthcoming debut EP, set for release this May. A much-anticipated project that grapples with intensely personal and at times philosophical subject matter. Matt explains:
“I’m not writing about getting p**sed on a Friday night. I’m writing about things that are incredibly meaningful to me. A lot of the EP is inspired by my Dad (who sadly passed away in 2020), but it’s pretty oblique so people won’t listen and think: ‘this guy is writing about his old man’. A lot of the songs are actually quite miserable, but I like to think I’m quite an optimistic person. I like to put a spin on things so they’re a bit positive. You go through a big break-up, life feels like s**t… but I’d rather spin that around and write about my mates being incredible instead.”
Memphis hitmaker NLE Choppa recruits Sexyy Red for the unfiltered official remix of his anthem “SLUT ME OUT” on NLE Entertainment/Warner Records
On the remix, NLE Choppa brings bars that’ll make even the boldest among us blush. However, St. Louis’ “it girl” Sexyy Red ups the ante with all kinds of NSFW requests of her own. Her commanding delivery drives head-turning bars before the chantable chorus kicks in. This climactic collaboration finds these 21st-century young adult stars at their most unrestrained and unfiltered—and there’s nothing better!
In the Waterwippinevan-directed video, Choppa plays at a pool party as his sexual fantasies run wild with Sexyy Red and Sukihana.
The original “SLUT ME OUT” has impressively racked up over 132 million streams and counting, in addition to nearly 6 million YouTube views on the music video. Additionally, he just dropped “AIN’T GONNA ANSWER” with Lil Wayne, which is the most added single at radio with more than 4.3 million streams and received critical acclaim.
“AIN’T GONNA ANSWER” arrived a matter of weeks after his hard-hitting anthem “MO UPFRONT,” the triumphant “CHAMPIONS” and defiant “23.” Since topping Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart for a record-breaking 24 weeks in 2019, cracking the Billboard 200 top 10 with 2020’s “Top Shotta,” and earning a spot on last year’s Billboard 21 Under 21 list, his star has continued to rise.
Now, Choppa’s using his platform of over 35 million combined followers to inspire and advocate for the youth through his “NLE Reading Challenge,” vegan & holistic lifestyle, and social activism.
Choppa never stops, and COTTONWOOD 2 finds him running at full speed towards the top in 2023.
Welsh singer-songwriter – TOM JENKINS – has unveiled a new video for “Products of the Western World”, ahead of a string of UK live dates this Spring/Summer.
STREAM HERE || WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
A hazy, languid track that swings from discordant to dreamy in a beat, “Products of the Western World” also features legendary guitarist Marc Ford of The Black Crowes on slide guitar.
Of the new track, Tom explains:
“”Products of the Western World” is like my theme tune to the end of the world or the closing credits. It’s a song of depressing, serious subject matter played out in a joyous, almost bluesy, Gospel, Ben-Folds inspired manner, that it throws you from the idea of how messed up our world really is.”
New York City experimental and ambient musician and singer Natalie Rose LeBrecht announces her new full-length album, Holy Prana Open Game, releasing June 9 via American Dreams. Alongside the announcement, LeBrecht shared the otherworldly lead preview “Prana” and offered the following statement: “Prana feels like it came through from another realm. I simply helped materialize it so that others could hear it too. This piece is an invitation to an exalted, feminine state of mind, which is playful and exists outside of time and space as we ordinarily perceive it.” 
German-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer M. Byrd has released his manically ethereal new single “Only A Feeling.” Powered by a vintage OP1 drum machine, the track features airy guitars weaving around a steady beat as he tries to capture the essence of a panic attack in a song.
M. Byrd explains, “I have a close friend who deals with panic attacks on a regular basis. It’s crazy to think of how something just triggers such a powerful reaction where a person has an outburst out of nowhere and ends up gasping for air. The drums even mirror this shortness of breath.”
“Only A Feeling” follows the release of M. Byrd’s previous singles “Seed,” “Flood,” “Over You / Over Me” and “Outside Of Town,” all off his debut full-length album The Seed out June 16th.
M. Byrd unearths universality from intensely personal songwriting. In 2020, he turned heads with the single “Mountain”, followed by “Morning Sun”, gaining millions of streams and praise from Ones To Watch, Earmilk, Atwood, etc. At the end of 2020, he holed up in Detmold, Germany in a WWII-era British Corps squash hall rechristened as a studio with producer Eugen Koop to create The Seed. Leaving his mark on each level of the music, M. Byrd personally plays guitar, synthesizers and bass on the record. After generating 10 million-plus streams and acclaim from outlets worldwide, he continues to perfect his vision on his 2023 debut LP, The Seed [Nettwerk].
M. Byrd has also announced a handful of European shows, starting September 14th in Paris and wrapping on October 20th in Wien. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit M. Byrd’s website HERE.
Hailing from the small city of Lancashire, Molly Warburton is armed with unparalleled strength and individuality. Her tough exterior blends with her soft, vulnerable core – a combination that shines brightly across her growing repertoire. Through intoxicating indie-pop melodies and a powerhouse of vocal energy, Warburton proves that at her core, she is a truly passionate storyteller, bringing her chronicles to life with the vibrancy of her sound.
Picking up the guitar at just ten years old, the musician grew up embarking on several competitions and later studied music. As her love for the industry grew exponentially, she started gigging in her teens and has been ever since. Bringing her unique musicality to the ears of budding listeners everywhere, she lights up the room with her truly contagious indie pop anthems and positive outlook on life.
Her latest single “Midnight Hour” narrates a moment of realisation after identifying the things in your life that are holding you back. Warburton shares, “Midnight Hour was written about two friends of mine. The song is about being in a dead end relationship with someone but having a moment of madness with someone else in your friendship group – a so-called “stranger” in the song. When you can’t stop thinking about what you could have and fantasising about how young and free it would make you feel but in reality it isn’t something that would work or something anyone could ever know about.”
“I don’t want to finish school. I wanna start a band.” No parents find comfort in hearing these words. The Ferreiras heard this twice. The Manic Boys And Girls Club is a Toronto indie pop/rock duo consisting of siblings Bela and Fernando Ferreira.
Raised strict catholics, children of immigrant parents, sent away to live in rural Portugal with their grandmother (who had previously been a nun); The Manic Boys and Girls Club is more than a band. It is an escape from the submissive existence that was the siblings’ reality, an escape from the disposable music packaged for the masses, and an escape for any misfit looking to join the club.
With stories to tell, and voices demanding attention, The MBG Club crossed paths with award-winning producer Gavin Brown (Glorious Sons, Billy Talent, Mother Mother) one late night in Toronto. “My sis and I play music, you gotta hear our stuff” was how this relationship and EP were born.
Budding singer/songwriter Sam Short delivers moody new single “Hooked” after going viral for all the right reasons on TikTok. Acting as the poster child for letting your intrusive thoughts win, Short hopes the single will help others with mental health struggles feel less alone. The record is also accompanied by a satisfying visual matching the song’s dark aesthetic.
“As someone who struggles with OCD, ‘Hooked’ is a song I wrote about my intrusive thoughts. Throughout the song, listeners are able to tap into my unapologetically dark inner monologue and get a glimpse into what goes through my head on a daily basis. However, despite its cynical, cheeky nature, I wrote this song to help those struggling with mental health issues and intrusive thoughts feel as though they are a little less alone. This is a song I wish I could’ve heard when I was at my worst.”
– Sam Short
Good things come in fives. Dropping his first rough cut as a high school freshman when he was just fourteen, Matthew Borley, couldn’t have known that five years later he’d be touring Europe, playing packed-out shows in the South of France.
Initially sparked by his father during his teenage years, he was Introduced to select verses from ‘90s hip hop pioneers and most controversial rapper of his time, Eminem, Matthew was profoundly impacted by his connection to Hip Hops cutting and unapologetic persona. Being put on the likes of Eminem, while most of Em’s lyrics were PG-13 at best, his father was careful to only show his son lines that connect at a deeper level from cuts like classic “Stan”. Not satisfied with only hearing bits and pieces, viisi did what any typical adolescent would do: he snuck out an old laptop and dove deep down the hip hop rabbit hole. Eminem led to Dr. Dre. Dr. Dre to Tupac. Tupac to Biggie. Soon enough, Matthew’s obsession provided an escape that quickly evolved and made way for viisi.
Based on the Finnish word for “five”, viisi represents past, present, and future. viisi returns to push the boundaries of what it means to be an artist in his upcoming ‘Liiminal’ series. Through his powerful and raw storytelling, his music transcends across unique and universal human experiences that have shaped him as an artist and individual. With a lyrical honesty and unwavering dedication to his craft, viisi is unafraid to delve into his personal experiences such as family struggles, fallouts with loved ones, career choices, failing, self-worth and more. Writing prose with messages of life and dreams and of merit and substance, his visceral approach to the story of his evolution will surely leave fans moved and stunned.
Rising French superstar Aime Simone follows on from his recent acclaimed release Baby Don’t Quit with an epic new single “New World” and music video directed by Sebastian Zimmerhackl and Sonja Fix – taken from his forthcoming album Oh Glory out 5th of May.
Deep basslines layered with sparse guitar flecks lay a minimal foundation for a signature vocal performance from Aime, proclaiming the fight for a better world in this alternative pop anthem. With a stunningly creative animated visual that sees Aime morphing into visions of a future human-machine hybrid, the mesmersing A.I world of trippy landscapes and textures points to a singular creative mind at work.
Speaking on the track, Aime states: “‘New World’ carries the idea of fighting for a better world… A manifesto song that invites us to think: how do we want to get involved to protect our future? Our family? Peace? The planet? It’s a question I often ask myself, especially now that I’ve become a father. I think a lot about the world I’ll be leaving for my child. It’s a song that talks of hope and determination in a time of conflicts and transitions”.
Alberta-based musician Rebecca Lappa returns with new indie pop single ‘Lolita’ out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.
‘Lolita’ is the 2nd single from Rebecca’s new EP Tales of a Taurus, which is set for release on May 5th via Tonic Records/Fontana. After making a recent return to music with her acclaimed single ‘Blue Lips‘, Rebecca continues in the same indie pop vein on her latest release. With its addictive chorus and steady beat, ‘Lolita’ is another slice of 80s-tinged intelligent pop, revealing a darker undertone upon deeper inspection. Loosely taking inspiration from the 1955 book written by Vladimir Nabokov, ‘Lolita’ follows the unnerving path the story takes, one of lust and desire in a sinister situation. Co-written by Rebecca and her producer Louise Burns, the track gradually builds with unease as the craving for control intensifies.
“The song touches on the two main characters in the book alluding to the forbidden nature of the relationship between an older man and a much younger woman and the frenetic dynamic between the two,” says Rebecca. “The muted guitars fill the track with urgency and the heartbeat of the kick drum lends commentary on the perceived sexuality and innocence of young women as interpreted by male audiences, while the careful layering of synth and harmonies leads to an anthemic chorus.”
Born in San Francisco but raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Rebecca has been singing since childhood and plays multiple instruments. After watching Taylor Swift open for Brad Paisley, she decided, “That’s like me. I want to do that.” Rebecca subsequently went on to be nominated five times for the Canadian Folk Music Awards, winning Young Performer of the Year in 2015. In 2019, Rebecca was nominated for three titles at the Edmonton Music Awards, taking home the win for Singer-Songwriter Recording of the Year. Among her previous releases are 2016’s Reckless Heart, 2017’s Spirit EP and 2019’s Unfiltered EP. Rebecca began 2023 with a new single, ‘Blue Lips’, which received praise from the likes of Atwood Magazine, Beats Per Minute and Lock Magazine and many more marking the start of a new chapter in the singer-songwriter’s journey.
Tastemaker-approved R&B newcomer Immi Dash comes through with a certified banger on latest offering “Cold Heart” – released with Onatura Records.
In a hazy, smoky R&B number defined by Dash’s soulful vocals over low-key chords and a trippy ‘90s flavoured beat, “Cold Heart” tells a story of empowerment following a failed relationship, and the strength to overcome hurt by moving on to better things – brought to life in the moody, night-time music video, split into two ‘scenes’ as Dash straps on her headphones and takes on the world.
Immi Dash made the following statement about the single: “‘‘Cold Heart’ is a confidence booster for me. I wanted to write something with producer Cal Lewis that I could put on my pre-gig playlist, so I can go out on stage and feel like a bad-ass. Although there are moments of vulnerability in the lyrics, the song is a power-move and it helps me to feel more self-assured.”
just in time for spring, Norwegian alternative R&B-soul singer-songwriter Beharie shares the bright, feel-good track “Oh My God,” out everywhere now, that captures both the chaos and the longing that comes with pursuing love that is worthwhile. Today’s release is the latest taste of the forthcoming full-length project, Are You There, Boy?, whose release date is to be announced. This spring, Beharie will perform a string of shows live across Europe and in London, UK, with select shows supporting Nicklas Sahl, and with support from Uly. See a full list of dates below, and tickets on sale now via beharieofficial.com/tour-dates.
“Oh My God,” the hooky, spirited track blooms as it unfolds through Beharie’s signature heartfelt vocals. Sonically, it illustrates a fiery love that is unstable, energetic and worth chasing. Beharie explains, “It conveys the chaos love brings, when it’s unsettled, shaky and intense. The track has sort of a feel-good ‘awakening’ tone to it. It captures the energy of this movement, but it has undertones of frustration and desperation, and longing.”
In February, Beharie shared the forthcoming collection’s first offering, with the dreamy, old-school, “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?“ The warm, wistful track picks up in the early stages of falling in love and explores the uncertainties that come with meeting someone new. Beharie says, “It’s in the starting phase of falling in love with someone, without knowing if the other person likes you back. It conveys the insecurities that expose themselves at the beginning of meeting someone.”
Defining your own truth is an artist’s most important battle. For bilingual pop maven Aiza, it comes with the territory.
The Montreal-born, Toronto-based artist found her earliest creative outlets on the stage, falling in love with musical theatre in high school before finding her rhythm as a singer-songwriter. As a member of various Montreal bands, it was in weekly, improvised genre-bending jam sessions, and working alongside musical heavyweights like Beyoncé’s former musical director/bassist Divinity Roxx and former guitarist in Prince’s New Power Generation, Kat Dyson, where Aiza found her footing as a stage performer. “It taught me to trust myself on stage,” she explains. “You don’t always know if you’re gonna hit the mark, but you have to take leaps of faith.”
Born to Burundian parents, visiting Burundi in 2017 deepened her already strong connection to her roots, with her creativity offering another way for her to tap into her lineage in more intentional ways. Surrounded by the sounds of her rich culture, Aiza describes the rhythm and connective spirituality of Burundian music that found its own way into her own. “It’s all about thanking God for the blessings, asking God for protection, and it was always playing in the background,” she explains. “I don’t consider myself religious, but I’m very connected to spirit… so there is always an element of knowing that you can create the life that you want when you’re tapped into spirit.”
soul and R&B singer-songwriter Allen Stone released his new upbeat groove “Magic,” which is available now via ATO Records. You can find the official visualizer for the single here.
Regarding the new single, Allen Stone says: “‘Magic’ was written with the intention of capturing the joy and excitement of falling in love and finding a deep connection with someone. I wanted to convey a sense of positivity and optimism in the song, while having a groove that you couldn’t help but move along to.”
The beaming song, an ode to his wife, kicks off with a vibrant energy and leads into charming lyrics like: “I believe that we could make magic / Mix a little pleasure with passion / All my dreams seem to just happen / When I’m with you.”
The single was produced by Solomonophonic (Remi Wolf) and mixed by Grammy Award-winning Manny Marroquin (Mary J. Blige, Lizzo, Kendrick Lamar).
Stone will hit the road with twelve-time Grammy Award-winning Chris Stapleton on his All-American Road Show Tour, kicking off in an incredible way in his hometown of Spokane, Washington, on June 15. Stone will also support four-time Grammy Award-winning Gary Clark Jr. at his Red Rocks Amphitheatre show on May 13.
In addition to the upcoming tours and shows, Stone is set to appear on ABC’s American Idol as a mentor for the second time, alongside fellow mentor Noah Cyrus, with Stone’s episode airing April 16. He will also be joining the renowned Nu Deco Ensemble for a special performance on April 28 in Miami, Florida. This exciting year ahead comes off the heels of Stone placing as a finalist on NBC’s hit competition series American Song Contest in 2022.
Hot Mulligan have released another new song from the upcoming album ‘Why Would I Watch’ out May 12 via Wax Bodega. Fans can check out the song and new music video for “Gans Media Retro Games” now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-rr2AoRXcY
“This song is about only seeing what I’m doing wrong,” explains vocalist Tades Sanville. “Seems like I drink and lose touch between what I’m saying and what I mean. Musically, this song has a cool little balancing act between distortion and that kinda ghost-y lead that I’m stoked about. It doesn’t really sound like something we’ve done before.”
Last month, with the announcement of the new album, the band released “Shhh! Golf Is On”, which is out now and can be heard here:https://lnk.to/HMwhywouldiwatch. The song has already amassed 1.5 million streams.
Produced by longtime collaborator Brett Romnes, ‘Why Would I Watch’ is Hot Mulligan at their loudest, their poppiest, and, ultimately, their most poignant: twinkly Midwestern emo guitars and mathy, synthy-heavy rhythms, Tades Sanville’s sandpaper vocals and indelible melodies. This lightning-in-a-bottle kinetic energy is encompassed on the aforementioned first single and in true Hot Mulligan fashion, a closer listen to the lyrics reveal an intense honesty that could get written off if you don’t pay attention.
Therein lies the true magic of Hot Mulligan, the push and pull of puns and pathos that might seem diametrically opposed at first but actually intersect to perfectly encapsulate life in a heavy, ADD-addled world.
The band don’t consider these groundbreaking topics, opting for more measured and at times resigned realism to deal with the melancholia and malaise of life’s ups and downs. “No one who’s depressed is crying all the time,” Sanville says. “The media likes to portray deep depression as sadness, but most of the time it’s indifference. That works its way into alternative comedy and shitposting. The two cultures collide perfectly. The titles are the shitposts and the songs are what everyone in this position actually feels.”
psych-folk singer-songwriter Mariee Siou shares the layered, sweeping title track, out everywhere now, with its accompanying video, from her forthcoming self-produced, hypnotic EP Circle of Signs due out April 28 and available for pre-order now. The title track is a love letter to California as it explores the catastrophic effects of climate change and acts as a prayer that reflects on indigenous prophecies. Brooklyn Vegan, who debuted the single, calls it “delicate, atmospheric folk song with layers of saxophone.” Plus, the prolific singer-songwriter will hit the road this May across the West Coast with support from Kacey Johansing on several dates. See a full list of dates below and get tickets here.
Written over the course of a few years, and half in the wake of the historic Sonoma fire in 2017, the title track out today reflects on the ongoing climate disaster–from floods to droughts to fires–that continuously plague many parts of the world including Siou’s home state of California. In an interview with Brooklyn Vegan, Siou says, “This song is a prayer that begs us to heed these warnings from the earth body and reflect on indigenous prophecies from different nations around the world, which speak of the time of The Great Shift.” Siou ponders humanity’s fast-paced current path, filled with consumption, capitalism and technology, that only further ravages the planet. She continues,“A time when we will be given two paths to walk as human beings, where we must choose whether we continue on the path of acceleration, disconnection and technology, or take the other path back into the right relationship with the earth once again.” Delving into the rich lyrical content, Siou says, “The lyrics ask if we will ever humble ourselves and learn from our mistakes as a species, whose human superiority complex is causing change and destruction to our planetary home at a pace that is beyond comprehension.”
“I had just left Sonoma hours before the fires broke out.” Siou recalls of the 2017 wildfires that she had narrowly escaped and became inspiration for the track. “I had been playing a concert there and spooky 70 mph wind gusts were causing the power to go on and off at the outdoor venue. Seeing footage the next day of where we had been the night before was truly haunting, and was when I began parts of the lyrics.” Siou describes the feeling the track elicits as, “sparse yet urgent and mournful, like someone singing out for the rain in a dire time amongst flames.” She continues, “There are layers of soprano saxophone behind most of the track played by virtuoso Patrick McGee, which carries the song with sweeping harmonies and padded atmosphere as if winds were clearing smoky air.”
Sonically, Hana McCartney is the Gen-Z love child of Sky Ferreira and Lana Del Rey from her Ultraviolence era. “Dope” -out on April 20th – is a big, uplifting blend of shoegaze-soaked indie pop that is sure to make her the next big thing in the genre.
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
