Listen - NEW MUSIC

Araya – POISON

Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter Araya is back with a stunning new release that further showcases this rising talent’s huge potential.

‘POISON’ is lifted from the upcoming EP ‘ARENA’, and marks a shift in Araya’s sonic style. The song feels deeply personal, introspective and sincere, and was written during a particularly tumultuous time in the artist’s life.

“‘POISON’ is one of the most honest songs on ‘ARENA’ as it acts as a sort of confessional for me, acknowledging my part in toxic cycles that I felt like were bigger than me. I’m realising both in my writing and in this song specifically that I always leave myself a trail of hope for a better me, even if in that moment I can’t project that into my actual life. ‘POISON’ is my submission to a cruel love; accepting that and my previous choices in hopes of eventually growing from it all.”

Araya plays New York’s Elsewhere on the 9th March – tickets can be found here.

Araya

Ella Collier – GIRL NEXT DOOR!

One of the most impressive electro-pop bops of the week comes courtesy of LA-based artist Ella Collier.

‘GIRL NEXT DOOR!’ has it all – an infectious melody with a punchy chorus, a pleasantly unpredictable production, and some very bold vocals.

The song adds to an already stellar collection of releases from this emerging talent, who has amassed more than 100k career streams to to date.

Ella Collier

Moncrieff – Perfect

One of Ireland’s most prominent artists to have emerged in recent years has been singer-songwriter Moncrieff.

An accomplished musician who has already performed with the likes of Adele, Moncrieff creates arena-ready pop songs that are not only melodically memorable, but lyrically relatable.

New single ‘Perfect’ serves as a masterclass in songwriting. Emotive, raw and passionate in tone, the track looks at moments when you realise that a relationship might be nearing its end.

“’Perfect’ is a very personal song for me about all those small moments in a relationship that make you realise that something isn’t as perfect as it once felt. It can be so hard to admit that something just isn’t right in a relationship and, despite your loyalty and care towards each other, sometimes good things come to an end.”

Moncrieff

Baby Rose – I Won’t Tell (feat. Smino)

One of R&B’s most unique talents to have emerged in recent years has been Baby Rose.

With an ever-evolving style of music-making, this artist has consistently delivered finessed and well-constructed sounds that have been refreshingly original in tone.

Serving as a taster to Baby Rose’s upcoming ‘Through and Through’ album (out 28th April), new single ‘I Won’t Tell’ features the talents of rapper Smino, and is a tastefully eccentric slice of funky R&B that evolved from a long night of songwriting.

“‘I Won’t Tell’ is a fun record that came out of a sleepless night in LA jamming with friends. It was 4am when we started on it and with our inhibitions gone, magic surfaced that allowed us to just flow. When I began to write it out, I wanted to embrace my own chaos, my shadows. Then Smino slid into it effortlessly and that’s just what this song is, effortless.” – Baby Rose

Baby Rose | Smino

Nieve Ellan – 19 in a Week

Nieve Ella’s rise to prominence has been quite amazing. This UK-based starlet only picked up her first guitar in 2020, and has since gone on to acquire more than a million streams on Spotify alone from the release of just a handful of singles.

Songs like ’19 in a Week’ showcase a sound that is youthful, energising and anthemic in character. The track is part of a wider collection of works that form Ella’s ‘Young & Naive’ EP (out now), of which she says:

“I’ve waited what feels a lifetime for this day. These songs mean so so much to me in so many different ways. They are the reason I dropped out of college, met all of my closest friends, played some wonderful shows with my best friends, signed my first deal at eighteen and met my wonderful team.”

Having garnered support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Dork, Notion and Haste magazines, Ella is one artist to watch this year.

Nieve Ella

Reuben Medlin – Pain Cargo

Promising Wiltshire-based singer, songwriter and producer Reuben Medlin returns today with a superb new single, entitled ‘Pain Cargo’.

The song was written at a time when Medlin began to suspect that his girlfriend was about to break up with him (which she did – only two days after the song was written), as Reuben explains:

“The song is about the feeling of knowing things are coming to an end and also thinking back to if someone really cared about you as much as you thought they did.”

An independent artist on the rise, Medlin has already received praise from respected tastemakers as noted as James Therlfall (BBC Introducing) and Early Rising.

Medlin is currently readying a live show alongside his band, and will hit the road soon. Be sure to keep this talent on your radars!

Reuben Medlin

Liv East – So Badly (Stripped)

Liv East is no stranger to these pages – and with good reason. This rising London-based starlet has proven herself to be one of the UK’s most promising soul artists.

East returns today with a stripped-back version of her latest single, ‘So Badly’. Proving the case that ‘less is more’, this dreamy new edit is beautifully sublime in essence.

“‘So Badly’ is a sensual song of longing and passion, so I really leaned into the intimacy of the track in creating the stripped version. I always love doing stripped versions as the lyrics are the most important part of the song for me, and so it allows the listener to completely focus on the words more so than the produced version. I wanted this track to be dreamy and raw, and to allow the listener to feel the track in a much deeper way.”

Since 2019, East has worked on music that has spanned genres as diverse as hip hop, neo-soul, disco and R&B.

Liv East

Luna Morgenstern – IDONTOU

Fans of Y2K-era Euro-Dance will fall in love with Luna Morgenstern’s latest single, ‘IDONTOU’.

While the production of the song presents listeners with a euphoric mix of nostalgic electronica and future-forward pop, the hard-hitting lyrics look at the troubling cases of assault that have come to light within the Dutch music industry.

“The surfacing of several cases of sexual assault at ‘The Voice Of Holland’ last year heavily triggered me. I was so angry and appalled by the victim’s accounts, that I had to transfer these emotions into a song. I wanted to write an anthem to all people who have experienced any form of sexual assault in their life. It shouldn’t be a sad song, but one that could be played at a party and that would make people want to dance, in order to reclaim ownership over their bodies.

For the lyrics, I took suggestive phrases and cat calls I had (over)heard countless times in my work surrounding or while going out and randomly connected them into a monologue that the protagonist has to endure. While the verses are kind of twisted, I wanted the message of the chorus to be very clear: you don’t own me and I don’t owe you, period.”

The track continues to showcase this Amsterdam-based, self-taught producer’s impressive skills, and serves as a taster to the their future releases – which will be inspired by the notion of ‘living life without limits’.

Luna Morgenstern

Luna Morgenstern Live Dates 2023:

12 Mar – Grasnapolsky Festival
16 Mar – Leeuwarden (supporting Klangstof)
17 Mar – Utrecht (supporting Klangstof)
18 Mar – Nijmegen (supporting Klangstof)
30 Mar – Kanaal40, Amsterdam (supporting Ferdous)

The Franklys – Mess

What began as a mutual love of music (and dogs) led to the creation of acclaimed Swedish-British indie outfit The Franklys.

This all-female group of rockers have been on our radar for quite some time, and never fail to impress us with their sound.

Anthemic single ‘Mess’ coincides with the release of the band’s new ‘Dogma’ album (out now), and showcases a refreshingly raw style of garage-rock that is immediately captivating to experience.

The Franklys will celebrate the release of the album on the 16th March at London’s Lexington – tickets can be found here.

The Franklys

🎵 Ones To Watch Playlist 🎵Scandinavia Sound Playlist

The Family Rain – Gasoline

British trio The Family Rain are back with their first new single since 2021’s ‘Death In Slow Motion’.

‘Gasoline’ treats listeners to that epic rock sound that we’ve all become accustomed to from these three brothers.

It’s a raw, confident and exhilarating track that sets the tone for what fans can expect from the band’s forthcoming releases.

“It’s a sonic pick-me-up. Something that our favourite bands (AC/DC, The Rolling Stones) nailed, and what current guitar music shies away from. We wanted to go all the way with this track and make the listener feel like Scarface on steroids. We know it’s only rock and roll… but we adore it.”

The Family Rain

YOUR ANGEL – Good Girl

Rising artist YOUR ANGEL (aka Maddy Boyd) is back with yet another premium slice of alt-pop.

Sultry and sparse in its sonic character, ‘Good Girl’ is taken from Boyd’s upcoming ‘A Star in the Headlights’ album (out 17th March, pre-save here). Elaborating on the track’s inspiration, Boyd explains:

“It’s a song about dating someone who always has their sights set somewhere else. It’s about the feeling of spending all of your time with someone and still feeling profoundly alone.”

To date, Boyd has received praise from the likes of NYLON, Consequence and Notion magazines, while also amassing more than 200k career streams on Spotify alone.

YOUR ANGEL

She Is Jules – Do Therapists?

Bay Area singer and songwriter She Is Jules (aka Julianna Pollifrone) addresses the subject of mental health on pop-forward new single, ‘Do Therapists?.’

Lyrically witty and thought-provoking, the track ponders on the levels of trauma that therapists are exposed to, and asks whether they themselves need help occasionally.

“…does my therapist need therapy because of me?”

As an accomplished vocalist and collaborator, Pollifrone’s catalogue of songs have been streamed over 113 million times on Spotify. Pollifrone also currently commands more than 200k monthly listeners on the platform.

She Is Jules

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Eveline – modern disaster

After teasing its release over the last few months, German newcomer Eveline has finally unveiled her debut album, along with another stunning new single.

While at its core, ‘modern disaster’ is an electronic-pop song, its immersive style of production also presents listeners with a cinematic experience. This is a sound that is refreshingly bold, vivid and deeply intense in tone.

“‘modern disaster’ – it’s the world we live in, our mental states and relationships.”

The track is lifted from the album of the same now (out now). Fans in Berlin can catch Eveline at Bar Bobu on the 18th Feb – tickets can be found here.

Eveline

Daimy Lotus – Friends ;)

Rotterdam-based starlet Daimy Lotus returns with an energising slice of punk-pop on her new single, ‘Friends :)’.

An anthemic and punchy number, the song narrates the story of two friends dangerously veering away from the ‘friend zone’.

It’s a situation that many of us have fallen in to, and makes the song’s lyrics relatable in a fun and playful way.

“I wrote this song in London together with Afterparty and Nova May about two years after I f***ed up my friendship with my then best friend. I never fancied him when we first met. We were even dating different people at the time. But we got closer and then we got really drunk one night and we were flirting and then boom. It was the scariest thing ever and I never thought I’d ever sleep with a friend but here we are! No matter the outcome, I feel we should go after what we want and trust our gut feeling more. So, here’s to trusting your gut feeling and f***ing up friendships! Hell yeah!”

Amassing well over 1.4 million career streams on Spotify alone, Daimy has already cemented herself as one of the Netherlands’ most promising new musical exports.

Daimy Lotus

Eden Rain – Bed (For The Year)

Much-acclaimed rising UK talent Eden Rain is back with another stellar new single to remind us all as to why this artist is one to watch.

Lifted from forthcoming debut EP ‘Gutter Vision’ (out in May), ‘Bed (For The Year)’ showcases Rain’s captivating vocals as they glide over a production that fuses alternative pop with indie.

“About 10 years ago, when I was in high school, I was given a book called ‘The Woman Who Went To Bed For A Year’. It was written by Sue Townsend and it sat on my bookshelf for a really long time and I didn’t actually read it, I just always stared at the cover of the book from my bed. When I was sad, (classic) for an extended period of time (depressed), I found that I couldn’t stay away from my bed. I read the book then because I was like ‘ugh, wish I could be in bed for a year’, and it’s about a married woman who’s twin children move away from home and she goes to bed for a year and doesn’t leave. And so that’s what the book is and what the song is based on, in a nutshell. I return to the book (and the bed) when life gets hard and I wanted to write an ode to that.”

Alongside the release of the EP, Eden plays London’s Folklore Hoxton on the 22nd May 2023 – tickets can be found here.

With more than 200k catalogue streams on Spotify alone, as well as tastemaker praise from internationally respected outlets, 2023 might be Rain’s biggest year yet.

Eden Rain

Beso Palma + ANGE – Madrugada

Whether you’re spending Valentine’s Day with someone special or alone, this new collaboration from Sydney-based producer Beso Palma and Spanish artist ANGE might just be the most beautiful thing you’ll listen to all day.

Through its stunning fusion of dreamy electronic pop and R&B, ‘Madrugada’ tells of the unspoken chemistry between two people, and their feelings of uncertainty for the future. Is it just desire? Is there hope for something more? You, the listener, gets to decide.

The track showcases the very finest from these two emerging talents, with Beso Palma’s finessed production laying the foundations for ANGE’s flawless vocals to shine through.

Beso Palma | ANGE

High Nelson – Moodshift

Rising American artist High Nelson is back with a gorgeously melodic fusion of genres through his new release, ‘Moodshift’.

Serving as the last single from his ‘HELLO’ EP (out now), the song is inspired by the concept of ‘feeling like yourself again’, and looks at the benefits of focusing on the experiences that make us happy in life.

The track continues to showcase High Nelson’s extraordinary skills in taking genres as diverse as R&B, reggae, and trap and combining them to create refreshing and new sounds.

High Nelson

blondfire – Age of Innocence

US-based artist blondfire has been on our radar for a good number of years, thanks to her infectiously memorable melodies, big productions and unique voice.

Today’s release of anthemic new single ‘Age of Innocence’ continues this trend, and treats listeners to an energising slice of electro-pop that is near impossible not to enjoy.

“‘Can we go back to the beginning?’ This song’s about thinking back on a time before the complexities of life and adulthood took over. Bittersweet lyrics with a majestic melody urges the listener not to lose hope. ‘Keep giving your heart away.’ It’s been a little while since I’ve had a release, as my song says, life goes on and on, but I’ve been writing and recording new material all through the pandemic.”

To date, blondfire has amassed more than 15 million cumulative streams on Spotify alone, and commands more than 80k monthly listeners on the platform.

Fans of ‘Age of Innocence’ will be pleased to know that more new music from blondfire is planned throughout this year.

blondfire

Jamie Cooke – No Return

One of the UK’s most promising new soul artists in recent years has been Watford-raised singer and songwriter Jamie Cooke.

New single ‘No Return’ is based around themes of empowerment and self-care, and presents listeners with a fresh sound that feels sleek and current, but also nostalgic and classic at the same time.

“A song about choosing myself, an 80’s inspired ode to self love and not returning to a toxic love.”

With praise from tastemakers as iconic as Wonderland already under his belt, Cooke looks set to take on his biggest year yet. Keep an eye out for this kid!

Jamie Cooke

Aáyanna – Kill For Me

It’s barely been a month since her last release, but rising talent Aáyanna is back with yet another spectacular new single.

‘Kill For Me’ is an atmospheric and passionate song that looks at the sense of security which we might enjoy while we are in strong relationships.

Alongside it’s bold lyricism, the track presents listeners with a sultry alternative-R&B production that features extensive use of trap drums to create an immersive sonic experience.

“‘Kill For Me’ will always have a special place in my heart because it was made in collaboration with my brother, Snowie, and someone who’s work I’ve admired for a long time, Dante. One of the best feelings in my opinion is being with someone who makes you feel safe and protected— somebody who doesn’t play about you, and I wanted to convey that with this song.”

Aáyanna

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this: