ALFITUDE

New Music: Oleyada

If you need a pick-me-up this week, then we’ve got a brilliant new artist to share with you, all the way from Canada.

Oleyada has caught our attention and hearts with her charming blend of indie pop, which feels smooth and mellow but still maintains a sense of playfulness, which is really quite sweet to experience.

New single ‘Caroline Calloway’ was inspired by an online article about the notorious social media star, and we’re quite sure you’ll love it as much as we do.

“Inspired by Natalie Beach’s viral 2019 Cut article about being Caroline Calloway’s friend and ghostwriter, ‘Caroline Calloway’ distils their modern Gatsby-esque saga into an alt-pop fever dream.”

Despite being a relatively new name, Oleyada has already picked up support from outlets such as Billboard Canada, Spotify, and CBC. There’s more music to come this year, and we can’t wait to hear what’s next!

Oleyada

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Isabel LaRosa – My Girl

“’My Girl’ is about wanting someone you know you can’t have, but still not being able to let go of the “what if.” It’s about being unafraid to love loudly even if there are consequences. It’s very special to me because it’s a part of my identity that I’ve never shared before.”

Isabel LaRosa

Jorja Smith – With You

“A love song for the summer!”

Jorja Smith

New Music: Callum Joe

London-born newcomer Callum Joe introduces himself to the world today with his brilliant power-pop debut, ‘The Greatest.’

This song commands your attention immediately. The production feels intense and bold, while Joe’s soaring vocals deliver an emotional message about coming to terms with the fact that some of our dreams will never come true.

“‘The Greatest’ is about realising that life doesn’t always turn out the way you imagined it would when you were younger. It’s about trying to make peace with that—with who you are now, not who you thought you’d be. There’s sadness in that, but also something really freeing.”

Despite this being Joe’s first release, we think this singer-songwriter has a tonne of potential. It’s rare to find a musician brave enough to debut with such a sincere and heartfelt song, so we can’t wait to see what comes next.

Callum Joe

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PUNCHBAG – I Love This!

“I guess you could see this song as an anti-depression anthem! You can hear the highest highs and the lowest lows – almost like it’s soundtracking the extreme sport of everyday life. Because sometimes it really is an extreme sport, so the highs should be celebrated. Getting through a shit phase should be danced about! With synths, a dance tempo, and something to shout! All that positive stuff.” – Clara, PUNCHBAG

PUNCHBAG

New Music: supermodel*

“‘no future’ floats with Beastie Boys-inspired confidence, and a laid-back guitar solo nodding subtly to Sublime.”

supermodel*

Confidence Man + JADE – gossip

“Talk s**t get a hit. There’s been a lot of chat going round but we can finally give you the truth of it. gossip is here and god it tastes good. JADE put the cherry on top of this pop sundae and we can’t stop eating.” – Confidence Man

Confidence Man | JADE

Lucky Iris – i just want to dance

TRACK OF THE WEEK

“It was important for the new era of Lucky Iris to start with an exploration into what first got us into electronic pop music. As soon as I was old enough to even try and get into a club, all I wanted to do was go out dancing. It was my first taste of freedom which was so special to me – the first time, the music that got me there, and the rush of going out has always stayed with me.” – Maeve, Lucky Iris

Lucky Iris

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EDEN – Ghost In the Shell

TRACK OF THE WEEK

Acclaimed Irish artist EDEN is back this week with our track of the week, and honestly, it’s one of the best releases we’ve come across in quite some time.

‘Ghost in the Shell’ is a refreshingly experimental electronic pop song that carries with it essences of both melancholy and joy in a thoughtful and balanced way. The sound is unexpected and intriguing but also sincere and emotional.

“‘Ghost in the Shell’ was written on my tour bus in 2023. i remember having this crushing feeling of wanting something so badly that could never happen. i was overwhelmed. we all love things that cant/don’t love us back.“

EDEN is currently readying the release of his next album, ‘Dark,’ which is scheduled for release later this year. EDEN’s work has recently garnered praise from the likes of Fault and Hotpress, showing that this talent is still as highly regarded and loved as ever.

EDEN

Ashton Mills – WALLS

If you’ve yet to come across Toronto artist Ashton Mills, then be prepared to be mesmerised.

This talented R&B musician has been solidly building momentum recently, thanks to his perfected style of sound, which presents the genre in the most finessed way imaginable.

The new single ‘WALLS’ features vocals from the equally gifted Majo and treats listeners to a melodic slice of bliss. The track was written, recorded, and produced by Mills himself, further proving this musician’s impressive artistry.

An upcoming album, titled ‘FEAR NO FOE, FAWN NO FRIEND,’ is due for release in October. Until then, you can stream more of Ashton’s music right here.

Ashton Mills

Kai Bosch – Summer Of Love

Our favourite bop so far this summer has to be Kai Bosch’s latest single, ‘Summer Of Love.’

With its perfected mix of dance, indie, and electronic pop, this track is guaranteed to be adored by anyone who listens to it. The lyrics tell of an idyllic start to a relationship, when everything feels blissful, fun, and exciting.

I wrote ‘Summer Of Love’ during last year’s heatwave. It was the beginning of a new relationship for me, and suddenly everything felt like it had so much meaning and purpose. We spent the summer swimming in the Lake District, cat-sitting in Amsterdam, and drinking bottles of wine on my roof—it truly felt like I was back in my body, and I wanted to make a song that would encapsulate that summer forever.”

Kai’s music has really accelerated in interest this year. Alongside the continued critical praise from the likes of Elton John, this artist’s work is clearly resonating with an audience, with streams of his recent single ‘Angel’ picking up more than 500k streams just on Spotify.

Kai Bosch

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maxime. – luv

Can we ever get enough of Canadian alt talent maxime.? The simple answer is no! It’s been a while, but the acclaimed musician and producer returns today with a new single that really is quite special.

‘luv’ is an experimental piece of music that is quite hard to describe sonically, but the emotion really comes through when you play it. The vocals feel vulnerable and heartfelt, contrasting against the production’s raw and distorted sounds.

maxime.’s popularity is always on the rise, and we’re quite sure this new single will win over many new fans for this gifted musician.

maxime.

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JONES – Moonlight

JONES has been an Alfitude favourite for a good while now, so we’re delighted to see her return this week with a sublime new single called ‘Moonlight.’

As we’ve come to expect from this talent, the production is a masterclass in music making. The track is beautifully simple and treats listeners to a tastefully balanced mix of dreamy synths, soft pop, and R&B.

The song serves as a taster to the artist’s latest EP, ‘In The Moment’, which is out now. JONES has received critical acclaim from outlets such as BBC 1Xtra, as well as Fader and CLASH magazines.

JONES

New Music: Rayen

UK-based Latin artist Rayen is a hugely promising newcomer who is already amassing traction thanks to her recent performances at this year’s Glastonbury.

The rising talent has just released a brilliant new single called ‘Just Right,’ which seamlessly fuses classic 90s dance-pop sounds with elements of alternative R&B and funk. The shimmering bop is finessed and nostalgic but also uplifting and playful in tone.

Alongside the hype at Glastonbury, Rayen has also picked up praise from respected tastemakers like BBC Introducing and Stereofox.

Rayen

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New Music: Worthitpurchase

“It’s kind of a push-and-pull between two characters who take themselves way too seriously. They’re both convinced they’re the reasonable one in the relationship, but it’s not even clear if they like each other.” – Nicole Rowe, Worthitpurchase

“It always amazes me how quickly a song can emerge from nothing— just an abstract thought in someone’s head that suddenly becomes real. That spark of creation is what the title refers to.” – Omar Akrouche, Worthitpurchase

Worthitpurchase

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Joy Crookes – Perfect Crime

“’Perfect Crime’ is written about that scary bit of time just before you go back into the dating world and you need to just bite the bullet and dive into something. It’s kind of like my version of a mantra or doing positive affirmations in the mirror…this song is basically me giving myself a pep talk.”

Joy Crookes

Joey Valence & Brae – HYPERYOUTH/ LIVE RIGHT

“These songs really encapsulate the tone and themes of the new album, but from different perspectives. Where ‘HYPERYOUTH’ is a frenetic, high energy, and sample-heavy celebration of the music and artists we continue to be inspired by, ‘LIVE RIGHT’ is anthemic and showcases the exciting-but-complicated relationship we have with growing up.”

New album ‘HYPERYOUTH’ is out 15th August. The duo have also just announced the first dates of their HYPERYOUTH WORLD TOUR, which you can check out here.

Joey Valence & Brae

Sigrid – Jellyfish

“It’s my slightly more free-spirited and joyous side. I wanted it to feel easy — like a Scandinavian summer. Flirting can feel so chaotic and stupid, but that’s the best part of it.”

Sigrid

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Good Neighbours – Suburbs

“‘Suburbs’ is a message back to our younger selves. Coming from small towns outside of London, it was hard to dream big without getting shot down. This track is our anthem for breaking free from that mindset and chasing something bigger.”

The band’s highly anticipated debut album, ‘Blue Sky Mentality,’ is out on the 26th of September via Polydor Records.

Good Neighbours

Rochelle Jordan – TTW

“It carries so much power to me. It’s magic.…This track sets my soul free…This song is a mantra for bussing through the dark walls of your own mind. Getting to the other side of all of what could be holding you back.”

Rochelle Jordan

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