It’s the dawn of a bright new era for Sammy Adams. Since his impressive recovery from a life threatening accident in 2018, this highly regarded singer, songwriter and rap artist has parted ways with his label and is now gearing up to release his first independent record in over a decade.
New single ‘Attention‘ is lifted from Sammy’s upcoming ‘Good Problems’ EP (out soon), and showcases the artist’s flair for writing songs that feature memorable melodies and captivating lyrics.
With more than 200 million career streams to date, as well support from global outlets as respected as Billboard, Vogue, V Magazine and Complex, there’s no doubt that Sammy Adams has become one of rap’s most adored talents.
It’s been a short while, but emerging Danish starlet Rosa Raye finally returns today with a brand new single called ‘Forever Boy’.
Through its sleek yet playful blend of disco-infused pop and R&B, the song tells of the empowerment that comes with modern dating. Raye elaborates:
“I think sometimes our fear of missing out or making the wrong choice actually means that we are missing out. If we’re not fully present, and if we don’t go ‘all in’, we don’t get to experience those great feelings and things on the other side of that door. I think there’s power in making a choice and closing doors”.
The track was co-created in London alongside acclaimed musicians Teis Zacho and Louis Eliot, and continues to showcase Rosa’s natural flair for songwriting.
With only three other singles released to date, Raye has already picked up praise from heavyweight Nordic tastemakers like Soundvenue and Bands of Tomorrow, while also amassing thousands of streams online. Fans can look forward to a debut EP, which is on the way.
LA-based singer, songwriter, actor and mental health advocate Bo Baskoro returns today with a powerful new single called ‘Holding You Over’.
Written as an anthem for anyone suffering from heartbreak, the song’s relatable lyricism looks at the emotions we experience when we finally realise that a relationship is over.
The track marks the start of a new series of singles which will be released throughout the rest of the year.
Having already amassed more than four million catalogue streams to date, Bo Baskoro is quickly building a name for himself an emerging alt-pop artist to watch.
The world might not yet know Cate Tomlinson, but this talent is very much a star in the making.
After a recent slew of successful singles, this hugely promising American singer and songwriter returns with a stunning new track, entitled ‘Damage Control’.
Serving as a taster to Tomlinson’s upcoming sophomore EP (out soon), the song features an atmospheric production that fuses indie with pop and rock, while the powerful lyricism offers listeners a glimpse into the artist’s thoughts and feelings.
Since releasing her 2020 debut EP ‘Missing‘, Cate has gone on to accumulate more than 400k career streams on Spotify alone. Be sure to keep this talent on your radars!
Brooklyn-based project Middle Part return today with an impressive and hard-hitting new single called ‘Choke’.
In an interesting juxtaposition, the song’s uptempo and energetic indie-pop production contrasts with its powerful lyrics, which address the mental health struggles that many people faced while the world was in lockdown.
The track is taken from the project’s freshly released ‘Time Is Elastic’ EP, which can be heard in full here.
To date, Middle Part have amassed well over 3.5 million career streams on Spotify, while also commanding more than 50k monthly listeners on the platform. You can catch them live at New York’s Heaven Can Wait on the 18th May – tickets can be found here.
vi0let is no stranger to the Alfitude pages – and with good reason. This promising talent continues to impress us with her ever-evolving work, and today’s release of ‘Lonely’ is no exception.
As the title implies, the song looks at feelings of loneliness – particularly after the breakdown of a relationship.
As we’ve come to expect from this artist, the production delivers a finessed sound that seamlessly fuses pop with R&B. Elaborating further on the track’s lyricism, vi0let explains:
“I wrote ‘Lonely’ during a time where I was going through a lot of change. I got out of a long-term relationship and was planning my move to London. I was really scared of my future, scared I would feel lost and lonely at the start and having to land on my feet again. It made me just want to resort back to all the comforting things I still had in my life. One of them was going back home a lot. It was a nice escape from adult life, even if I would only go back for a few days. Lonely describes the desperation of seeking comfort when things feel like they’re falling apart. It’s an honest and raw admission to staying in the same place out of fear of change. The chorus really embodies that mentality. Being in your 20’s is great and I’m aware of how much I need to enjoy these times but I also feel like my time is running out sometimes, like in the second verse of Lonely I describe the fears of not being where I want to be in my career and the pressures I feel as a woman in music to reach certain milestones at a young age. This song really encompasses the coming of age anxieties of a 20-something year old!”
‘Lonely’ serves a a follow up to vi0let’s previous single, ‘Dreams‘, which was featured on playlists as prominent as Spotify’s Fresh Finds: UK & IE and A Breath of Fresh Éire.
Hailing from Denver in Colorado is singer, songwriter, DJ and rap artist Chris Waters, who unveils his brand new single today, entitled ‘Blue to Purple’.
Created alongside producer Matthew Tryba (who has worked with the likes of Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Maroon 5), the song presents listeners with a stripped-back style of electro-pop that allows for Waters’ captivating lyrics to shine through.
“‘Blue to Purple’ is about two people who are both in a dark place. Together, they help each other to get out of it. I guess you could think of blue as being the dark winter, and purple as being a brighter spring.”
Since the release of his well-received debut EP ‘Rise’ in 2018 (listen here), Waters has gone on to amass more than 500k streams across digital players – thanks to his ever-changing production styles and his natural flair for writing relatable songs.
Accomplished singer, songwriter and producer Raia Was unveils a brand new single today, entitled ‘Tough To Love’.
Through its dreamy fusion of dark-pop and indie, the track invites listeners into an atmospheric soundscape that is both emotive and intriguing in equal measures.
“This song is about being out of your depth, like a fish out of water, acting without thinking and realising you’ve hurt those around you. I’m of two minds about where this song came from – both an apology I needed to make, and a song I might be singing back to myself.”
‘Tough To Love’ is released via new music cooperative Switch Hit Records, which has been set up with the commitment of enabling artists to profit fairly from their songs.
Raia’s work has so far garnered acclaim from the likes of NYLON, All Things Go, Flaunt Magazine and Audio Femme. The musician has also amassed more than 500k cumulative Spotify streams since the release of her debut EP in 2019.
American artist and producer charlø returns today with a sensational new single that deserves your attention.
‘Lemon’ is no holds barred track that was inspired by the artist’s struggles within the music industry.
Through its brutally honest lyricism and raw style of dark alternative-pop, the track immediately captivates you from the moment you press play.
“‘Lemon’ came about from a general frustration around being written off by people in the music industry and just wishing that I could tell people to shut the f*ck up sometimes. I hate feeling like you can’t risk burning bridges by speaking up for yourself in relationships where there is a clear power dynamic, especially being a female artist in a male-dominated industry. I look forward to the day when I can prove those who doubted me wrong!”
‘Lemon’ follows on from charlø’s debut single ‘numb‘, which was not only praised by the likes of The Line of Best Fit, but also featured on playlists as prominent as Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds Indie’.
British artist VC Pines is back with one of the catchiest songs that you’ll likely come across today.
‘Colours’ presents listeners with a vibrant and eccentric fusion of soul, alternative R&B and indie, while its lyricism is inspired by the drama that comes from drunk dialling an ex lover.
“‘Colours’ was written between myself, Ross MacDonald (The 1975) and songwriter/ producer Ed Thomas. It takes the p*ss out of drunken calls to your ex. The mid section hits like a sudden wave of regret that you’d feel the morning after, until inevitably you get drunk again and your cares are thrown back out the window. I also wanted the song itself to sound and move like a London night bus journey on the top deck. Certain elements come in and out like the characters you encounter. We wrote the song at Ed’s studio, and later me and Ross built on the production together. I loved each step of the process and letting the tune grow and grow until it explodes into the fast paced traffic that it is at the end.”
VC Pines will release his debut album, entitled “MRI’ on the 3rd September. Elaborating further on the LP, the artist explains:
“MRI encapsulates the shifts and the scoops that my brain goes through on a daily basis. It covers themes of neurology, love, jealousy, addictions, confusion, nurture and most of all nostalgia. I wanted the opening track, ‘Chamber’ to feel and sound like a seizure. It’s warm and welcoming and soft, much like the pre-sensations I have, but stitched to it is the huge juxtaposition of an MRI scan, stabbing into your ears and carving mental scars like some aggravated, untamed beast until it eventually falls asleep. The album rises and falls, a bit like growing up in London. Sometimes you feel like jumping out into the world or out the window, and other days you need to dive down and be alone in your thoughts. As an independent artist, creating this was a difficult but rewarding process, especially being able to retain full creative control. It’s tough exposing yourself and your insecurities on a record, but I really feel like a weight has been lifted.”
You can catch VC Pines live at Lafayette in London on the 15th September – tickets available here. With all the traction that this talent has picked up so far, it looks like VC Pines might just become a household name before the end of the year.
LA-based artist Ryan Ritual is no stranger to the limelight. Already known for fronting acclaimed groups Mating Ritual and Pacific Air, this talented singer, songwriter and producer is now releasing music under his own name.
Recorded during a short stay to London, Ryan’s new single ‘Rip Me Apart’ showcases an energetic style of New Wave-inspired indie rock, and was created alongside famed producer Chris Zane (who has worked with the likes of Passion Pit and The Walkmen).
“‘Rip Me Apart’ was written at a point when I was moving a mile a minute, but feeling more lost and lonely than I ever had. After spending over a year living in isolation, my re-entry into the social world was difficult and I took everything too fast, sending me into a spiral that I didn’t know if I could come out of. ‘Rip Me Apart’ is about watching your desire to be normal crush you.”
The track serves as a taster to Ryan’s forthcoming debut solo album, which features songs that address the emotional strains and traumas that resulted from being isolated during the pandemic.
With the months gradually turning sunnier and warmer, it seems like the perfect time for Irish starlet ESSIRAY to release one of the first summer bops of the year.
Uplifting new single ‘Floating Up’ treats listeners to a shimmering slice of feel-good indie-pop, and is lyrically inspired by themes of self-confidence and the desire to take on new adventures in life.
“This song is about finding confidence in yourself, exploring new possibilities, and the excitement that comes with liking someone new.”
The song continues ESSIRAY’s impressive run of recent releases. Her last single, ‘Mr Perfect’ was picked up by tastemakers globally, and also found its way onto notable Spotify playlists like ‘New Music Friday’ and ‘Fresh Finds Pop’.
There’s no doubt in our minds that Forest Claudette is one of Australia’s biggest exports in the making.
Since the release of his first EP, The Year of February’ in 2022, this talent has gone on to amass millions of streams, garner thousands of followers and pick up tastemaker support from the likes of Rated R&B, Teen Vogue, A1234 and Atwood Magazine.
Claudette is back with yet another sensational new single, called ‘Motor In the Sand’. The song presents listeners with a bold and refreshingly distinct mix of alternative R&B and pop, and serves as another reminder as to why this talent is so promising.
You can catch Forest on tour in Australia over the summer – dates and tickets are available here.
Rising indie-pop starlet Rainlights (aka Rachel) is back today with an exciting new single, entitled ‘Brand New Sneakers’.
Through its beautifully dreamy style of sound, this introspective and inspiring song looks at themes of acceptance and embracing change. Elaborating further on the track, Rachel explains:
“I started writing this song about the difficulties of breaking new shoes in, and by the end it became a track about letting go and accepting new beginnings.”
The song continues to showcase this talented New Yorker’s natural flair for storytelling, and sets an exciting precedent for what fans can expect to hear going forward.
As with Rainlights’ previous releases, the track was written, produced and mixed by the artist herself.
‘Brand New Sneakers’ is taken from Rachel’s ‘the girl who sits beneath the surface skin’ project, which you can check out here.
Brooklyn musician Cale Hawkins is probably one of the most in-demand talents out there right now.
When he’s not working on his own solo material, Hawkins is writing or producing songs for artists as prominent as Arthur Moon and Joshua Thew, or performing live alongside the likes of as Amber Mark and Charli XCX.
Freshly released today, Cale’s new pop single ‘Renting’ was inspired by the inner struggles that we can face when a relationship ends:
“‘Renting’ is about the loss of identity, and the process of rediscovering of your identity, following a breakup.”
The track serves as a taster to Cale’s upcoming ‘I Broke My Shoulders’ album, which is scheduled for release on the 22nd July 2023.
A quick Google search on needanamebro will tell you that these ladies are one of the UK’s most hotly tipped girl-groups of the future.
After going viral on TikTok, this R&B-pop trio consisting of singers Yssy, Amelia and Maddie have just released a gorgeous new single, called ‘Better Love’.
With its powerful pop production, harmonious vocals and emotive lyrics. the song showcases the very finest in British pop talent, and serves as an exciting introduction for this hugely talented outfit.
Rising US-based artist Sheldvn is back with a heartbreaking new single, entitled ‘Hangover’.
Lyrically inspired by the musician’s experience with a breakup, the song is both raw and emotionally charged, but also vulnerable and melancholic.
It’s a beautifully balanced style of pop which perfectly encapsulates the many mixed emotions that arise when someone is adjusting to being single again. Elaborating further on the track, Sheldvn says:
“I made this song on live one night and really got into my feelings. It has a really big, stadium ballad sound. ‘Hangover’ is really just my hungover thoughts after a night of drinking shortly after a breakup.”
To date, Sheldvn’s catalogue of releases have been featured on countless prominent tastemaker playlists, consequently amassing more than 200k streams on Spotify alone.
You’ve probably come across musician Dev Lemons at some point on social media. As the talent behind hugely popular TikTok account songpsych, Dev has built up a considerable following of loyal fans over the years.
New single ‘You Tear Me Apart’ is refreshingly eccentric in its approach to alt-pop, and serves listeners with an atmospheric piece of music that is rich in sonic texture. Elaborating on the song’s lyrics, Dev says:
“I wrote this song during an incredibly vulnerable point in my life. I was in a relationship that was slowly failing. This song’s instrumental captures the whimsical nostalgia of reminiscing on what made the relationship so magical in the first place, while the lyrics come face to face with the fact that things aren’t the same (‘everything is never how it starts / anything can realign the stars’). This contrast represents the feeling of me hanging on to the relationship because of how good things used to be, not how they actually were in the moment.”
To date, Dev has amassed more than ten million cumulative streams, and currently commands more than 235k monthly Spotify listeners.
No matter how safe you feel in life, you can be sure that the world will find ways to turn things upside down and remind you that our time on this earth is ultimately just a long and unpredictable ride.
Danish-Corsican artist MALU’s soulful new single ‘Comfort Zone’ addresses the natural feelings of discomfort that arise when we are uncertain about the future, but also encourages us to embrace those moments, as they allow us to grow.
”Life is unpredictable. It’s full of surprises, people, experiences and moments that you never saw coming. The uncertainty about what’s to come can be frightening or even make you anxious and to some it helps to know what tomorrow or next week brings or even just what is going to happen in the movie you’re watching on Netflix. I’ve lived like that for years – safe and in control – but looking back, I never gave myself a chance to grow or develop, always living in my comfort zone.”
MALU is a talent who is already on the rise, having amassed more than a million career streams from the release of only a handful of singles. The artist headlines Vesterbro’s iconic VEGA venue later this year.
German artist Pablo Brooks is rapidly marking his name as one of his nation’s most promising indie-pop newcomers.
‘Overexposed’ is lifted from Pablo’s second EP, entitled ‘Pleaser’, and showcases a melancholic style of sound that feels dark and emotive, while the lyrics reflect on the experiences of being a young adult in this modern world that we live in.
“The song was born, when I went to the studio one day to write a dance track, but when we accidentally played back the drums in half-time, the track kind of wrote itself and turned into my little ‘self-hate-anthem’. I wrote the lyrics when I was on vacation with my bets friends, at the beach, in a time where I should’ve been very happy, but for some reason wasn’t. You learn a lot about yourself in your early 20s. Sometimes too much, too fast. Especially about how much your childhood influences your present self and basically all your actions. I tend to overthink and overanalyse everything I do and look for a possible explanation. But after a while that just made my head explode (‘My past is a ghost now, breaking my window, wish I was better at being alone’). This song represents feeling overstimulated with everything, being 20, living in an urban jungle like Berlin, losing yourself, losing perspective of what you know and looking for the answers of questions that can’t really be answered.”
As an talent on the rise, Brooks has performed in more than fifty shows over the last two years – with most of them being sell-out events. The musician has also headlined his own concerts all across Germany, as well as other international cities like Amsterdam and London.
