Canadian rockers Ten Minute Detour return today with an uplifting slice of indie bliss through the release of their new single, ‘Golden Tapestry’.
An essential addition to all your summer playlists, the track serves as the band’s last release to be lifted from their forthcoming third album – which took three years to write and record.
Along with previous singles like ‘What Can I Do?’and ‘On We Go’, the song continues to showcase the group’s skill at crafting indie-rock bops that are packed with character and charm.
Fans can look forward to Ten Minute Detour’s upcoming gig, which is set to be held at Hamilton’s Mills Hardware in October (tickets here).
Emerging Seattle artist charlieonnafriday returns with a melodic blend of rap and melancholic pop through his new single ‘Enough’.
A heartbreak anthem for the modern age, the song looks at the feelings we get when we realise that our partner no longer provides us with a sense of fulfilment.
While a relative newcomer, charlieonnafriday has already accomplished several impressive achievements; garnering a million followers on TikTok and over 1.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
“I’m not the same person I was in high school. But I’m still making songs in my bedroom. I’m still capturing moments. And hopefully people want to live through what I capture.”
With more than 600k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Ghanian artist Gyakie is rapidly marking her name as one of Africa’s most exciting musical exports.
Sultry new single ‘FOR MY BABY’ continues to showcase this rising starlet’s enchanting and uplifting style of sound, thanks to its finessed fusion of R&B and Afropop.
The accompanying visuals were directed by George Guise, who has also created work for the likes of Tiwa Savage and Maleek Berry.
Alfitude favourite Jany Green returns with an impressive blend of nostalgia-tinged punk, new wave and alternative pop.
Anthemic new single ‘Change’ is refreshingly raw in character, and treats listeners to a sound that is both bold and highly energising to experience.
“I was in my John Hughes bag when I was writing these songs, and thinking about Bender and Claire in The Breakfast Club; the tension of whether change has to come from within, or from the other person.”
While only releasing a handful of singles to date, Green has seen his momentum, grow rapidly thanks to praise and support from industry heavyweights like NME, Pigeons & Planes, FADER and The Line of Best Fit.
One of the most exciting newcomers to have emerged from the UK R&B and soul scene last year was Essex-born Trinidadian artist Chrissi.
New single ‘Lipo’ marks this rising starlet’s first release of 2022, and serves as an ode to body-positivity, confidence and self love.
“I wrote ‘Lipo’ because I was upset with a guy who’s sexualised me and then decided he couldn’t be with me because he didn’t want his friends to know what he’s into. Everyone has to kiss a few frogs I suppose. Made a banger out of it though!”
Since the release of her ‘Back In The Day’debut EP last year, Chrissi has garnered praise from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Vogue, Clash and GRM Daily to name but a few.
And with a growing fanbase that includes Adele, Joy Crookes and Mahalia, it seems imminent that Chrissi will become one of the UK’s next musical talents to take over the world.
While still 20-years of age, US singer and songwriter Benson Boone is both a social media star and buzz-worthy pop artist who currently commands close to 12m monthly Spotify listeners.
New single ‘Better Alone’ is taken from Boone’s ‘Walk Me Home…’ EP (out now), and is one of the most impressive songs you’ll likely listen to all day.
Featuring Boone’s distinctive vocals, the track is a gorgeously melancholic piece of pop that serves as a powerful anthem for the broken hearted.
Producer, singer-songwriter and artist Dre’es has been a prominent name amongst the Californian rap scene for almost a decade, consistently releasing some of the most innovative and future-forward hip hop sounds even up to this day.
His first single of 2022 comes in the form of ‘Pure Sugar’. With its dreamy and melodic production, this song is one of the most beautiful releases of the week. Speaking on the song, Dre’es says:
“‘Pure Sugar,’ lyrically and thematically, is rooted from insecurity but delivered with the greatest intention in an almost like musical peace treaty with a former lover. Naturally providing reassurance and desperately seeking reassurance despite the current state of a relationship on top of a static, blade-like, heavy-winded reverse synth cutting through an even heavier 808 drum. A rap verse delivered like a sermon digging into personal nostalgia in storytelling that an audience can’t help to feel, but only two people could really know.”
The accompanying visuals for the track (directed by Luis Vidal) show Dre’es working on his music alongside his friends and frequent collaborators.
American outfit Goldpark are back today with yet another slice of premium rock through the release of their new single, ‘I Guess It’s Never Enough’.
Rapidly becoming an Alfitude favourite, this Nashville-based trio continue to showcase their refreshing style of music-making, by blending classic rock sounds with a more playful and current indie-pop twist. The song serves as a taster the band’s forthcoming EP, of which they say:
“We had the right songs, the right producer, and the right spirit. This body of work is the best representation of who we are and where we are going. We hope this EP makes people smile.”
To date, Goldpark have picked up praise from the likes of Mystic Sons, Atwood Magazine and Variance, as well as countless placements on several noted Spotify playlists like License To Chill and Fresh Finds Rock.
A love song for the modern age, summery new track ‘benadryl’ presents listeners with a playful and charming fusion of indie and pop.
“‘benadryl’ is about feeling too excited to fall asleep because you’re with the person you love and your mind just can’t rest. Their hay fever tablets knocked them out, so you’re just lying in bed, staring up at the pictures on their wall, waiting for them to wake up.”
With support from the likes of NME, Notion, Clash and Sunday Times Culture, beaux is rapidly making his mark as an artist to watch. UK fans can catch beaux playing London’s Camden Assembly on the 18th October.
Rapidly gaining momentum as one of Canada’s most promising bedroom-pop talents, young friend returns today with the release of his new single, entitled ‘ENDLESS’.
Lifted from his upcoming ‘HOW DID WE GET HERE?’ album (out 9th September), the song was inspired by the feelings that one experiences after a breakup.
“‘ENDLESS’ is a song that reflects on a past relationship. It is about feeling nostalgic for what you once had, like you would do anything to return to that time in your life.”
Stylistically, the production fuses elements of indie, rock and alt-pop to provide the song with a raw and impassioned feel that perfectly reflects the lyricism.
Still only 22-years of age, young friend currently commands over 850k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, and has received critical praise from the likes of EARMILK, LADYGUNN and A1234.
Following on from their recent hit ‘good luck rly’, US talent Gwyn Love returns with a weekend-ready bop in the shape of new single ‘luv 2 the beat’.
Teaming up once again with acclaimed producer La+ch, this genre-defying anthem encourages people to embrace their sexuality, as Love explains:
“’luv 2 the beat’ is a song about sexual freedom. It has taken me so long to feel comfortable talking about that, especially coming from a religious household. This song has become my queer anthem and represents freedom and fun!”
Rapidly marking their name as an artist to watch, Love has racked up over 800k catalogue streams on Spotify alone, while also commanding more than 45k monthly listeners on the platform.
Two emerging Canadian powerhouses (and Alfitude favourites) join forces today on the release of ‘nascar’.
Initially a solo release by Devan, this new edit features vocals from R&B wonder-kid Jon Vinyl – and it truly is a collaboration that exceeds all expectations.
Together, these artists have managed to create one of the most sublime releases of the week, showcasing a triumphant union of soul and pop.
“This song came about in an interesting way because it evolved out of a freestyle. I usually start with lyrics, or at least a general concept/emotion that I want to draw from. In this case, I just sat down and looped some chords on the guitar and left a voice note running until the song was pretty much done. It came very quickly, and I didn’t really know what I was trying to say until it was finished. It’s about escapism and wanting to drive away from anxiety and sadness.” – Devan
“Working with Devan on ‘nascar’ was a great experience. As soon as I heard the song, I immediately fell in love with the approach she took with the songwriting. My goal was to add some different textures to an already great song to create a new experience for our fans. I can’t wait for everyone to hear this special track.” – Jon Vinyl
The track is lifted from Devan’s forthcoming ‘Liquid Sunshine’ deluxe EP, which is out this September.
Debuting only last year, Vancouver-based newcomer EKKSTACY has found himself racking up over 50 million catalogue streams, and currently commands more than 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Pressing play on new single ‘wish i as dead’ makes it clear why this 20-year old talent has acquired such a large following. This is a sound that perfectly blends elements of indie, punk and lo-fi pop into melancholic songs that feel both emotive and captivating.
EKKSTACY releases his new album, entitled ‘Misery‘ on the 30th September, and will embark on a headline tour across the US in October.
If you’re a fan of Jeremy Zucker, Emi Beihold or Charlie Puth then Sleeping Lion will most likely be a welcome addition to your playlists.
Since the release of their debut record ‘Patient Creature’ back in 2016, this LA-based duo (consisting of Nate Flaks and Noah Longworth McGuire) having been creating songs that are both catchy and irresistibly charming in character.
New single ‘CTFO’ playfully balances elements of indie, pop and jazz with vivid lyricism, and serves as a taster for the outfit’s upcoming EP, ‘Most Improved’ (out later in the year).
“It’s about that desperate feeling of just wanting it all to stop for a second. It’s is an anthem for anyone who needs someone in their lives (themselves included) to just Chill The F**K Out.”
With over a million monthly listeners on Spotify, it’s safe to say that UK singer-songwriter Claudia Valentina is already on her way to pop stardom.
Created alongside Lost Boy, Tom Mann and Digital Farm Animals, Valentina’s new single ‘Sweat’ is lifted from her forthcoming ‘Foreign Affair’ EP (out 9th September) – and is truly a masterclass in pop artistry. Speaking on the EP, Valentina says:
“I’m fascinated with different sounds from around the world and as I’m from a small island, I longed to get out of there and discover a new world of sounds since I was young. Growing up in London and LA has allowed me to be exposed to different types of music through the people I work with. I’m inspired by the producers I work with and their own individual sounds and I learn so much about different cultures of music through them so I like to merge all these sounds together to create something that’s unique while putting my own musical stamp on everything to tie it all together. This EP is global sounding, it encompasses everything that has touched and inspired me in my life.”
Still only 21-years of age, Valentina has received attention from the likes of MTV UK, Billboard, The Face and i-D, while her catalogue has accumulated well over 20 million streams to date.
It’s been a short while, but today marks the return of the immensely talented London-based singer, songwriter and producer Paige Bea.
Inspired by the rollercoaster of emotions that we can sometimes experience in romantic relationships, ‘Melt’ serves as Bea’s first new single since the release of her acclaimed 2019 debut project‘Burnout’. Speaking on the track, Bea says:
“It was written in that phase where you’re trying to pull away from someone but you’re still vulnerable to them despite their emotional unavailability. The song’s key point is how a physical connection and attraction can override the ups and downs of the emotional one. ‘I melt with you, I lose all solid ground / I split in two, then three, then four, then five / So soft I’m barely alive’, when all is said and done, a burning physical connection with someone can often make the anger and acrimony simply melt away. It might be a mess, but you’re still waking up next to them.”
To date, Bea has garnered acclaim from the likes of The Line of Best Fit and Clash, while her work has received coverage on national outlets like BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
Pennsylvanian singer-songwriter Avery Lynch is back with a superb new single, entitled ‘Sleepover’.
Produced by Emi Dragoi and mixed by Mark Rankin, the track is as perfected as you could expect for a pop sound, and continues to prove Lynch’s star potential. Speaking on the lyrics, Lynch says:
“I wrote ‘Sleepover’ about what it was like living in Boston with my boyfriend and our friends. In the beginning of our relationship, we would meet at the train station when I got out of class, we’d go to this little convenience store near his apartment to get snacks, and then we’d head to his apartment to watch cartoons and eventually fall asleep.” Lynch says of the song. “Later when we were living together in a house with our friends, we would all go on Walgreens runs to get snacks and come back and watch movies together. I wrote ‘Sleepover’ to try and capture how much fun that all was.”
With an ever-growing fanbase on social media (329k followers on TikTok alone) and more than 600k monthly listeners on Spotify, it’s clear that Lynch’s refreshingly original approach to pop will propel her to the mainstream in a very short space of time.
While still only 18-years of age, pop talent AJA has grown to become a one of Canada’s most promising new musical artists.
Written during a difficult period in her life, new single ‘Fireflies’ is an inspirational piece of music that carries thoughtful lyricism over a beautifully constructed pop production.
“I wrote ‘Fireflies’ when I was in a pretty dark place and it was really about looking forward to what is next for me and getting away from negativity. Not letting anything stand in the way of me chasing my dreams.”
To date, AJA has received critical praise from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, Billboard, Complex and Wonderland, while also commanding over 90k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
Rising Irish starlet April returns with one of the most impressive pop releases of the week. New single ‘54321’ was written alongside Alfitude favourite Matt Maltese, and produced by Danny Casio. Speaking on the track’s lyrics, April says:
“‘54321′ is more about me knowing what I want from someone rather than being hopeless and helpless in love. Matt Maltese sent me a recording of the piano chords over a rough drum beat made by Danny Casio. I wrote the melody and lyrics, recorded vocals on my phone because my interface wasn’t working, and sent them back to Danny to produce it up. He emailed it to us a few days later and I was like ‘woah, time to shake some ass I guess!’ It embodies the more playful, electronic sound I’m mixing in with my songwriting, and is my take on the drum & bass trend that’s returning to music right now, inspired of course by artists like PinkPantheress.”
Fans can also look forward to April’s forthcoming ‘STARLANE’ mixtape (out in September), which was inspired by her move from a small Irish town to London.
Since April’s debut in 2020, this emerging talent has gained the attention of heavyweights like NME and BBC Radio1, and also joined Matilda Mann and Claud on their respective tours.
Aside from co-hosting popular podcast‘New Rory & MAL’,Rory is rapidly gaining traction as a talented R&B artist.
New single ‘Not Me’ features RAAHiiM and Shantel May, and presents listeners with a beautifully melodic blend of alternative R&B, soul and dreamy pop.
With the release of each single so far, Rory has unveiled an accompanying video on his YouTube channel to explain the story behind the music. A link to the series can be found here.
