Originating from Salt Lake City, leetham‘s music celebrates queer expression and operates with the goal of including everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. Sonically serving us elements of pop, electronica, and hyperpop, leetham‘s charms as an up and coming musician have landed him opening slots for artists like CupcakKe, PHANGS, and The Unlikely Candidates. Ready to take the world by storm, leetham’s intriguing stew of original pop tracks have provided him features in Twisted Male Magazine, City Weekly, and Ones To Watch official Spotify playlist.
Winner of 39 national awards in a career spanning three decades, esteemed children’s musician Katherine Dines is excited to announce the release of her 13th album, Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta SEASONS: Songs to Celebrate All Four Seasons.
A treasure trove of gentle melodies ideally suited for fingerplays, “tickles,” and other fun movement activities for young children, Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta SEASONS takes little ones through the seasons of the year, connecting them to the simple wonders of childhood and creating a sense of peace, trust, joy, and stability. Katherine Dines says, “An album of songs about all four seasons is also one way to connect children to nature and encourage greater global awareness.”
Since 1994, Katherine Dines has researched child development, working directly with children, parents, and teachers. Through the years, she has utilized different ways of connecting children’s music to intentional movement. She began incorporating American Sign Language into her shows about nine years ago when planning a series of performances for children and families, many of whom had severe hearing loss. Katherine notes, “ASL is an emotionally expressive language, and young children love using their fingers and hands to express themselves, so adding ASL to songs for kids is a natural fit.”
Several fingerplays and other activity ideas for Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta SEASONS came from educator Brigid Finucane, who, during the pandemic, invited Katherine to contribute one song a month to a Facebook page called “Lullabies, Tickles, and Fingerplays.” Katherine says, “Creating songs for that Facebook page was really the motivation for this album.” Soon to come are videos offering parents, teachers, and care providers ideas for using ASL, simple movements, and other activities with the songs on Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta SEASONS.
Since 2009, award-winning family recording artist and activist Steve Elci has created rocking music with positive messages for children and adults. On his sixth album, All Together Now, Steve’s inspiring songs encourage kids to “imagine a world like never before.” All Together Now, with special guests, Grammy-winning Alphabet Rockers, will be released on July 19, 2024.
All Together Now is an incredibly personal album for Steve Elci, and every song connects to the recurring theme of “change” that has run throughout his life. Growing up in the ‘80s, Steve witnessed music changing the world, especially through the Live Aid and Farm Aid benefit concerts and charity singles like “We Are the World.” Inspired by the powerful impact that music can have, Steve conceived of All Together Now as a vehicle for real change. He hopes to connect children with parents, motivating them to make a difference in their communities and beyond.
“All Together Now represents my vision for family music, and in many ways, it pushes the genre’s boundaries,” says Steve Elci. “Lyrically, the album is poetry that speaks to children with passion, promise, and comfort, while resonating with parents through hope and love. This dual layer of writing weaves a musical tapestry that forms the foundation of my efforts. The album also broadens the scope of my musical style because today’s young listeners are very hip and savvy to contemporary sounds. But most of all, All Together Now is a call to action!”
A highly accomplished artist and producer who was inducted into the New England Music Hall of Fame this year, Steve Elci crafted the songs on All Together Now with the “musician’s musician” in mind, striving to reach new heights in performance, fidelity, and design. In a departure from his previous releases, he embraced the “one-man band” recording process, taking on the roles of writer, performer, producer, and engineer.
All Together Now covers topics as wide-ranging as saving the environment, working toward peace, fighting bias, loving yourself for who you are, chasing your dreams, and the fulfillment inherent in friendship, love, and hope. A standout is “We Rise Above,” with its compelling vision of a world without war, hunger, bias, or pollution. Other highlights include “Puppy,” an alt-rock ode to love for a family pet, co-written and featuring Grammy-winning Alphabet Rockers, and the rollicking sea shanty, “Pirate Sails, Ginger Ales, And Tall Tales,” which showcases a crew of very friendly pirates! The joyful pop-rock “The Power Of The Sunflower” was inspired by a walk Steve Elci took through Harkness Park in his hometown of Waterford, Connecticut, where there is a garden of majestic sunflowers whose faces always point to the sun. Steve says, “Anyone who meets these flowers falls under their spell of happiness and peace.”
All Together Now will be available on all major platforms.
GRAMMY nominated in 2023 for their Chicago homestyle tribute to the blues, Into the Little Blue House, the multicultural, Chicago-based duo Wendy and DB revisits the blues genre with a deep dive into traditional acoustic styles on their sixth family album, Back Home, set for release July 5.
Produced by GRAMMY and Blues Music Award winner Michael Freeman and Wendy Morgan, co-produced by Darryl “DB” Boggs and GRAMMY winner Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, and showcasing the talents of blues icons in Memphis, Austin, and Chicago, Back Home is dedicated to simplicity, self-love, and freedom. The album captures the essence of traditional blues styles and the comforts of home.
To ensure authenticity, the team traveled to the original home of the blues, Memphis, Tennessee, to collaborate with Blues Music Award-winning guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Doug MacLeod, traditional Delta blues vocalist Libby Rae Watson, and multiple GRAMMY nominee Shardé Thomas and her Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band, which is devoted to preserving the vanishing Mississippi Hill Country fife and drum blues tradition and presenting it in combination with other blues, jazz, hip hop, and R&B stylings. Shardé Thomas is the granddaughter of Otha Turner, one of the best-known exponents of the African American fife and drum tradition.
In Austin, Texas, Wendy and DB recorded with three-time GRAMMY nominee Ruthie Foster, whose work travels through a variety of genres: Texas blues, gospel, folk, soul, and jazz. When Wendy and DB returned to Chicago, many blues musicians from Into The Little Blue House contributed their talents to Back Home, including harmonica wizard Billy Branch, GRAMMY-winning drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, and iconic guitarist Mike Wheeler.
Wendy Morgan says, “Through unplugged arrangements and heartfelt performances, we wanted Back Home to evoke a sense of nostalgia and warmth, and I really think we’ve achieved that.”
idobi Radio Summer School, the brand new touring festival that aims to put new music discovery at the forefront, is thrilled to announce Save The Music as their charity partner for the upcoming tour. The festival will donate $0.50 of each ticket sold throughout the tour to Save The Music in support of their mission to help students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through the power of making music. For more information on Save The Music, please visit: https://www.savethemusic.org/.
Save The Music shares: “We are honored to team up with the Summer School tour to support young creatives and build community through the power of music,” said Henry Donahue, Executive Director for Save The Music. “The critical funds raised from this tour will jumpstart much-needed music programs in public schools nationwide.”
Microsoft is the Official Technology Partner of idobi Radio Summer School. The partnership will feature ways the tour uses Microsoft Copilot. “We are excited to partner with Summer School to showcase how Copilot can be used in a couple of different ways,” Amy Sorokas, Director Strategic Partnerships at Microsoft said. “Working with the artists to extend the Summer School creative world and engage with fans, alongside examples of the tour staff using Copilot to meet some very practical needs, made this a great way to show the breadth of what the technology can do.”
Additional partners for the festival include OneRPM, who is subsidizing ticket prices in order to help lower costs for fans, and Hot Topic, who is aiming to amplify the festival as well as support the artists involved throughout its vast marketing network and series of retail stores.
idobi Radio Summer School aims to provide emerging and developing bands a platform to be introduced to larger audiences across the country. The inaugural run features some of the most buzzed-about up-and-coming artists in the scene today: Stand Atlantic, Magnolia Park, The Home Team, Scene Queen, Honey Revenge, and Letdown. This group of artists – truly our next generation of headline acts – highlights the music, diversity of culture, inclusivity, and positivity of the community.
The tour will kick off on Wednesday, July 10th, in Cleveland, OH, at the Agora Ballroom and will visit over 25 cities across the country, including stops in Nashville, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, and more before wrapping in Anaheim, CA on Sunday, August 17th at City National Grove. See below for a full list of dates. Tickets are available now at www.summerschooltour.com
As the DJ for Morgan Wallen’s VIP since 2023 and honored in the same role for Thomas Rhett during the “Home Team” tour, JOHN PRICE stands at the forefront of Nashville’s remix scene. His latest offering, a reimagining of the Post Malone and Morgan Wallen smash hit, “I Had Some Help,” catapults the song into another dimension, poised to dominate pool parties across the nation this summer.
>> LISTEN / SHARE THE “I HAD SOME HELP” REMIX HERE <<
A maestro of musical metamorphosis, JOHN PRICE seamlessly weaves the fabric of modern country with the throbbing pulse of EDM. Some of his most popular tracks also include high-octane versions of “Miles On It” (Kane Brown & Marshmello), Morgan Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown” and “Thought You Should Know,” and Jason Aldean’s “Heaven.”
On Saturday, July 20, PRICE will be supporting Kane Brown’s touring DJ and brother, DJ Jevity, for a set at Game On! for the official Kane Brown afterparty following the concert at Fenway Park.
The main precipice of A.D.A.M. Music Project‘s forthcoming LP World Takeover was inspired by Dr. Eggman’s desire to dominate the world with his machines. Similar to Dr. Eggman, A.D.A.M. Music Project are aiming to take over the hard rock scene with their unique concept album that evokes the sonic realm of artists like Shinedown, Falling In Reverse, and Five Finger Death Punch. Spanning across thirteen tracks, the album features stories about classic video game characters like Kitana, Pikachu, Lara Croft, and Link to name a few.
Eddie Witz’s journey is a testament to the resilience and the transformative power of music. After facing the challenges of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome stemming from personal trauma, he didn’t let adversity define him. Instead, he turned to music as a source of healing and inspiration. His debut EP, “I Am What I Am,” slated for release in the summer of 2024, reflects his journey of self-discovery and growth. Drawing from influences like Jack Johnson and Jimmy Buffett, Eddie’s music blends pop, Americana, folk, and reggae/world music, creating a unique and captivating sound that transports listeners to a tropical paradise. Collaborating with industry giants like Native Wayne Jobson and Jeff Barry, Eddie’s album features renowned musicians such as Sly Dunbar and Robbie Lyn, adding depth and richness to his compositions.
His debut single, “My Island,” released in October 2023, quickly gained popularity, reaching #3 on college radio charts in multiple countries and earning regular rotation on Sirius/XM Vacation Radio Channel. Eddie Witz invites listeners to join him on his musical journey, where he transforms adversity into artistry, spreading messages of hope, healing, and harmony through the universal language of music.
Following the success of the single, “Lost Child,” they released together in September 2023, Bullwackie and Boldy James are back with a video for the track. Bullwackie (who will also release an EP with Nicholas Craven later this year) is making a name for himself with “Lost Child.” Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in Detroit, MI, Bullwackie is known for his versatility in both singing and rapping; and his unique background and artistic style shine through on “Lost Child.”
After just releasing his collaborative project with Conductor Williams, Across The Tracks, Boldy James joins his Detroit brethren on “Lost Child.” The song and visual explore urban life’s realities, struggles, and triumphs. You can now watch the video (Directed by AppleJax) for “Lost Child” below.
Today, hard techno’s high-priestess Sara Landry unveils her latest electrifying single, “Prisoner,” in collaboration with rising UK DJ and producer, Alex Farell. Hot on the heels of her latest chart-topper “Heaven” featuring Alt8, “Prisoner” arrives not only as the second single from Landry’s highly- anticipated debut album, but as a collaborative testament to her passion for innovation, exploration and experimentation. A masterful interplay between chaos and ritual, “Prisoner” reveals itself as a visceral, yet transcendent experience that demonstrates the tour de force’s intuitive ability to create ceremonial spaces amongst the highest of frequencies. The juxtaposition of the track’s unrelenting bassline and intoxicating vocal elements that weave throughout its frenetic pulse transport listeners on a cathartic odyssey where sonic and spiritual resonance collide, all at Landry’s command.
Forged in slate and small town angst in the foothills of Eryri, North Wales, by brothers Liam and Siôn Rickard, Lo-fi Jones enjoy igniting audiences with eclectic folk/indie/pop. Part of a growing wave of artists taking Welsh language music and culture beyond Wales’s borders.
Based in Machynlleth, the line-up is completed by Nicaraguan multi-instrumentalist Rolando Bertrand and the versatile ‘Badger’ Brown. High-energy, unpredictable, infused with surreal humour, Lo-fi Jones fuse contemporary and traditional styles, exploring themes both personal and global.
The award-winning Welsh indie-folk band are now returning for 2024 with their new single, Bad Technology, which will be the title track off their forthcoming EP of the same title.
Bad Technology is a cry of frustration and catharsis for the millions of people who feel modern technology may be conspiring against them. A comic, dark and bilingual exploration of our relationship with technology, the grungy feel of this track is in contrast to the folkier sound of the band’s debut EP Llanast yn y Llofft, and introduces a humour that could be compared to Flight of the Concords.
The track is joyfully accompanied by Trigger Happy Creative, a Welsh production team who have created content for artists such as Panic Shack, Mali Haf, and Wrkhouse.
Genre-defying artist Brady Watt & Dipset legend Jim Jones have released a new single and video for “Godspeed.” “Godspeed” is co-produced by Heatmakerz. You can watch the new video for “Godspeed” below.
Brady Watt continues to captivate audiences and push musical boundaries with his groundbreaking “Bass & Bars” series, which has now garnered over 100 million views. Recent episodes include collaborations with Freeway, Melle Mel & The Furious 5, Large Professor, The Pharcyde, Trinidad James, Lord Finesse, and AZ.
Beyond his series, Watt has recently performed at prestigious events such as the Montreal Jazz Festival alongside DJ Premier and headlined the Rotterdam Double Bass Festival. He also opened for blues and guitar legend Gary Clark Jr. on his U.S. tour and capped it off with a remarkable performance at Radio City Music Hall.
Watt’s journey to creating “Godspeed” began at Heatmakerz’s studio, where he sifted through approximately 20 beats before selecting one with a vintage gospel sample, that was mixed with rock and roll and street elements that immediately resonated with him; inspired Brady quickly crafted the hook and refined the track by adding bass, synths, and keys from Carlos Homs.
“I’m a lifelong Dipset fan,” Watt shared. “Over the years, I’ve developed a friendship with Jim and Heatmakerz. I’m always making beats, but I wanted to see what would happen if I used someone else’s production while still adding my instrumentation and bass.”
During the recording process of “Godspeed,” Watt was deeply affected by the loss of a close friend’s father. He channeled his emotions into the song, turning his sadness into a positive message about gratitude, alignment with destiny and God’s timing.
“With Dipset already on my mind, we reached out to Jim Jones, and he miraculously came to the studio a few days later,” Watt recalled. “Jim did the verse on the spot and brought everything to the next level. Thankfully, my cameraman was there to document everything.”
“Godspeed” is now available!
Ahead of his heavily anticipated new project dreamt that I was (July 25 via The Orchard), alt-R&B savant Sylo today announces a headline run of North American tour dates. The Korean-Canadian artist has been heralded by some of music’s leading voices for the sense of intimate care his artistry communicates. Now bringing this sensation to the stage, Sylo will hit major markets like New York, his home of Toronto, Los Angeles and more.
The KOHAI “Insiders” early access pre-sale will take place on Thursday, July 11th at 11 am local time and general on-sale is Friday, July 12th at 11 am local time. All ticketing information can be found here.
Ben Böhmer and Lykke Li, two award-winning musicians who have carved out their own distinct lanes in music, deliver a shimmering collaboration with “Hiding,” the second single on Böhmer’s studio album, Bloom, out on September 27 via Ninja Tune.
An immaculate meeting point between indie, pop, and electronica, “Hiding” is flooded with Ben’s lush pads and triumphant melodies, while Lykke Li’s iconic vocals wash over crisp breakbeats. “It’s a song that I’ve always wanted to write” Ben remarks on the new release. The single continues to forge Ben’s path beyond the pre-fabricated boxes that he’s been put into as an artist, earning the trust of indie royalty such as Lykke Li. A rare feature, “Hiding” is her first original collaboration since 2019.
Throughout her 20+-year career, Li has worked with artists such as Drake, U2, Skrillex, and Mark Ronson, who once called her the “high priestess of heartbreak and sadness.” She’s earned multiple Grammis in Sweden and is among the most heralded names in indie pop by the most trusted names in music, such as Billboard, Pitchfork, NME, and The Guardian. Her music has soundtracked films, including Twilight; she has also acted in the crime thriller Tommy and Terrence Malick’s Song to Song.
Ahead of the release of Out Of My Mind Deluxe this Friday, folk-pop band Trousdale have released a new version of their track “Sometimes” featuring Ben Abraham. With the addition of the Australian singer-songwriter’s smooth, rich voice, the song becomes more of a back and forth conversation, something the lyrical narrative seems to be begging for. Listen to “Sometimes” ft. Ben Abraham / Pre-Save the deluxe album.
The trio shaped the tracks from Out of My Mind over the course of two years, spread between sessions in Nashville, sessions at singer-songwriter Jon Bellion’s house in Long Island, and time bouncing between the three members’ homes. Making sure they maintain their hand in the recording and production process, the group opted for home studios, returning to the comfort and intimacy of the process that they’d honed at school. Since formation, Trousdale has amassed over 75 million streams worldwide.
Earlier this month, Trousdale released “If I’m Honest – Live From LA” which will join three other live recordings from LA’s legendary El Rey Theatre on the deluxe album. The album also boasts covers of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” and One Direction’s “Night Changes” recorded for Sirius XM. Along with Ben Abraham, the deluxe album will also feature BAILEN. The same week as their performance at Bonnaroo, the band released a video for fan-favorite “Point Your Finger,” where they can be seen raising hell in a billiards bar. Out Of My Mind Deluxe will be available everywhere on July 12.
Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer
