The first thing that strikes you when you press play to Konyikeh’s debut single ‘Sorrow’ is the artist’s bold and arresting vocals.
If you have yet to come across this London-based future starlet, Konyikeh crafts a style of soulful R&B which is deeply rich in character and beautifully moving in tone. Elaborating on the lyricism behind the song, she explains:
āI was very rebellious and religion wasnāt a thing to me even then, I was calling myself an atheist ā but my parents werenāt religious either, but my mum would go to church and pray for me still.ā
While still early in her career, Konyikeh’s music has already been featured on notable outlets like The Line of Best Fit, Mystic Sons and New Wave Magazine.
Nashville duo Homes At Night (aka Hank Compton and Aksel Coe) are one of the most interesting pop-rock acts to have emerged from the state of Tennessee in some time.
Powerful new single ‘Texaco’ focuses on the importance for humans to let go of their toxic habits, so that they can evolve and have brighter futures. Elaborating further on the song, Compton explains:
āI wrote this song from the perspective of an unhealthy relationship that emphasised my addiction, which is somewhat biographical. The production needed to sound like a release or detachment, hence the dramatic, massive final chorus. I really hope the song can give people comfort and support that theyāre not alone in the process of cutting off the habits inhibiting their lives.ā
Homes At Night are currently in the middle of a US tour, with stops in Boston, Philadelphia and New York scheduled to come. The band will also join Arts Fishing Club on their shows throughout May and June (more info here).Ā
Every now and then, I come across a song that’s so beautifully written that it makes me feel as though I’ve escaped the world entirely for a few minutes.
This is what I experienced when I first played Joel Porter’s new single, ‘Patterns In The Badlands’.
Over a gorgeously melancholic alt-folk production, listeners can experience Porter delivering some thoughtful words on the cyclical nature of life.
“‘Badlandsā is about survival. About being in the wake and aftermath of our mistakesā¦ but trusting that even after seemingly wasted seasons, hope still exists. Patterns of death + rebirth are all around us and, as long as weāre alive, those patterns and cycles apply to us too. Even if thereās doubtā¦ even when weāre unsure about what comes nextā¦ ‘will the phoenix find its feathers, will the dandelions dance?’ā¦ we keep taking steps. We trust that light comes after dark. Hark the simple patterns. Carry on, carry on.”
Porter aims to create songs that explore the human mind, as well as the human’s journey on this earth. And with more than two million catalogue streams to date, its clear to see that many people resonate with this artist’s work.
London-based artist Christelle is a musician who crafts songs that fuse together genres as diverse as pop, R&B, hip hop, country and musical theatre.
New single ‘worry in peace’ is a beautifully written track that is dedicated to mental health, and was inspired by a real-life event which affected the artist’s sister.
“This song means a lot to me. I wrote it about a moment when my sister had a panic attack. There’s no more heartbreaking feeling than seeing a loved one absolutely crumbling, and there’s literally nothing you can do to help the situation. After my sisters panic attack, she had to go back to work and the chorus is about the fact that sometimes the world moves so fast, you don’t even have a sec to worry. Worry in Peace.”
Christelle has been mastering the art of songwriting since the age of fifteen. She is now a rising 23-year old talent who has already released a string of well-received singles and an EP, entitled ‘hope u lover her’ (out now).
Northern Irish pop-noir outfit Dark Tropics create a style of sound that really is like none other.
Supported by industry icons as noted as Jo Wiley and Steve Lamacq, this rising duo are gathering significant momentum thanks to their bold take on the pop genre.
After a successful run of recent releases, the group return today with an epic new single that deserves your attention.
‘I Bet You Can’ presents listeners with a piece of music that is cinematic and anthemic, but also playful and upbeat in character.
“‘I Bet You Can’ was written in a storm and a haze. It’s a song about embracing your youth and dancing your way through uncertainty whilst avoiding the perils of petty discontent.”
The duo join Belle & Sebastian on the Irish leg of their tour later this year, and also headline Belfast’s St Joseph’s Church on the 29th April – tickets can be found here.
We are beginning our weekend festivities with a brilliant slice of Scandinavian pop, courtesy of Norwegian outfit Janos.
‘DOWN LOW’ treats listeners to an uplifting and energising sonic experience, and features elements of nostalgia-tinged disco, indie and pop. Through its shimmering production, the song reminds us of the sunny days that lie ahead.
“Itās the promise of summer in a cold spring.”
While still relative newcomers, Janos have already amassed more than 150k career streams to date on Spotify, while also receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Variance Magazine, Celebmix and Earmilk.
Some of the most impressive folk-inspired indie rock to emerge from New York right now is created by rising songwriter and producer Peter Groppe.
New single ‘Vents’ is a beautifully constructed piece of music that encompasses the melancholic feelings and thoughts associated with a failing relationship.
While still early in his career, this artist has already found his work featured on prominent tastemaker playlists like Fashionably Early and Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds Folk’.
Promising newcomer boyhood. is a singer, songwriter and producer who was born in Pittsburgh and currently resides in Los Angeles.
The artist’s chosen name of boyhood. serves as a homage to his life journey, which saw him evolve from being a repressed child into a flourishing trans man.
Dreamy new single ‘Easy’ layers airy vocals over a melancholic yet energetic pop production, while the lyrics focus on a dilemma that most listeners will have experienced at some point in their lives.
“It explores the paralysing and sometimes self-sabotaging fear of disappointing the people you care most about.”
Having already garnered praise from tastemakers as respected as Ones to Watch and Dummy Mag, it seems certain that boyhood.’s momentum will continue to rise as the year goes by.
Transatlantic punk duo Shelf Lives (aka Sabrina Di GiulioĀ and Jonny Hillyard) are one of the most exciting finds of the week. Based in London, these two musicians create an energising style of sound that is refreshingly raw and captivating.
New single ‘All The Problems’ addresses themes of masculinity, and how society can coerce us into hiding or neglecting our true feelings and emotions.
“To be vague about it, ‘All the Problems’ is a casual chat about the suppression of emotions, specifically among those who identify as males and what it could lead to as a result. The track goes through the motions of seeking a reason behind the resulting rage and offsets extreme, sometimes violent, acts with the World’s passive and unsettling way of dealing with them. There’s nothing casual about the topic and events itself, yet, socially we’ve reached a ridiculous, dangerous place where we feel like in order to survive we need to be. Essentially, so we can… “get on with our day”.
To date, Shelf Lives have received praise from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Introducing and 6 Music, as well asNME, The Line of Best Fit,Notion Magazine and The Independent. Be sure to catch this emerging duo live in a city near you – tour dates are listed below.
UK artist Ellie Evans might be a new name to some of you, but this singer-songwriter is already a talent on the rise, and currently commands more than 78k monthly listeners on Spotify alone from only a handful of singles.
Evans unveils a brand new track today, called ‘Breakfast On The Roof’. Lyrically, the song was inspired by the different (and often conflicting) emotions that young people experience during their teens and early adulthood.
Impressively, ‘Breakfast On The Roof’ has picked up more than 370k views on TikTok so far, and looks set to become one of the artist’s strongest releases to date. Could this be the start of something very big and special for Ellie Evans? We think so!
Track of the week. Rising newcomer Jordeaux is rapidly marking his name as one of the UK’s most exciting hip hop prospects – and pressing play on new single ‘OK THEN’ will show you why.
This is a talent who creates a bold style of sound that is fresh, finessed and thoughtfully constructed. His work is distinct in character, but still maintains some mainstream appeal that makes it easy to listen to and form a connection with.
Born in Nuneaton and now based in London, we anticipate that Jordeaux will become a household name within the UK very soon. Keep this artist on your radars – he is most certainly one to watch.
We are starting the week with a huge slice of Afro-Pop, courtesy of Toronto-based singer, songwriter and actor Aiza.
New single ‘Cocoa Butter’ is the kind of bop that’s impossible not to enjoy, thanks to its infectious melody, playful production and memorable lyrics.
To date, Aiza has accumulated more than 1.5 million career streams and picked up support from tastemakers as prominent as Wonderland Magazine. This is one Canadian talent on the rise!
Floyd Zion is no stranger to acclaim. Formerly known as Artist Unknown, this rising talent has made a name for himself thanks to a genre-bending style of sound that pushes the boundaries of music to the extreme – without sounding obscure.
Zion’s new single ‘Boiling’ is a perfect example of the artist’s creativity. Bold, playful and intriguing in character, the track makes an immediate impact on the listener.
Having recently signed to Benji & Joel Madden’s MDDN Records, it seems likely that Floyd Zion’s momentum will continue to grow this year.
Sometimes, a debut song from a new project stands out more when there’s a little mystery involved.
This is certainly the case with creative collective Roadrunner, who have just introduced themselves to the world with a stunningly beautiful self-titled single.
Lifted from a forthcoming EP – intriguingly entitled āą¼½āāą§£ āāą§¢ Ųą¼½ą®-)Ģ āą¾ā ą¼y ą¼½Ų ą§¢āŲō° ō°įā£ā, this stripped-down track showcases a sound which is almost ethereal in tone, and blends elements of alternative R&B with mellow pop and indie.
Amassing more than 200 million total streams under their own solo work, we can be sure that whoever is behind Roadrunner will know exactly how to create premium sounds.
Welsh musician Rye Milligan is already a familiar face within the British indie-rock scene as a member of hugely popular outfit Luna Bay.
Aside from his work with the group, Rye is also an emerging singer, songwriter and producer who releases music with his best friend and dummer, Ceri Bain.
New single ‘Run Honey’ showcases a production that fuses alternative pop with indie in a refreshingly unique way, and is lyrically inspired by the monotony of life. Elaborating further on the song’s creation, Rye explains:
āI wrote the second verse for this while waiting for the Easy Life boys and their crew to arrive at their rehearsal studios in Leicester. I had this instrumental that Iād made and was just playing it on loop over my headphones, using any opportunity and free time to write.ā
To date, Milligan’s work has picked up coverage on outlets as noted as BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio and Clash Magazine. An upcoming EP is scheduled for release soon.
California-based metastar angelbaby is one of the most interesting artists that we have come across in quite some time.
Signed to ground-breaking record label Hume Collective, angelbaby pushes the boundaries of what we have come to expect from pop artists – both in the way that music is created, and how we, as listeners, consume it.
‘View from the Moon’ is angelbaby’s second single to date, and features songwriter and producer Stolar (who has worked alongside the likes of Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Aloe Blacc).
Inspired by angelbaby’s move to Los Angeles, the song’s beautifully sparse production mirrors it’s highly emotive lyrics, which centre around feelings of loneliness and isolation.
One of the most exciting discoveries to emerge from Scotland this month has been alt-pop outfit WUKASA.
The band release a new single today, entitled ‘California’. Through its shimmering blend of lo-fi pop and mellow indie, the track encapsulates our desire to escape from the mundane.
While still early in their career, this Edinburgh-based group have already collaborated on songs with personnel as noted as Adam Haggar (Childish Gambino, Kanye West), BuzzKiller (Robbie Williams, Olly Murs) and Dave Lloyd (Stillhound).
Be sure to keep these chaps on your radar – they might just turn out to be one of the UK’s next big global exports.
Hailing from South East London is promising alt-pop starlet Kitty Fitz (aka Kitty Drummond). With a refreshingly confessional style of songwriting, this artist crafts engaging songs that are personal and vulnerable in character.
‘All My Life’ is taken from Kitty’s freshly released ‘All My Own Stunts’ debut EP (out now), and is inspired by her ever-present struggles with self-questioning.
“‘ All My Life’ is a really personal song. I almost think I left it as the last song on the EP because Iām so nervous about other people hearing it that I needed to build up some courage first with the other songs! Iām constantly wondering about if Iāve made the right decisions, and Iām absolutely haunted by ‘what ifs’, and this song is really about surrendering to how I feel and also singing about my flaw of overthinking. Despite being scared everyone is now going to know how much of a big softie I am, Iām excited to see peopleās interpretations.ā
Garnering support from outlets as noted as BBC Introducing and Clash Magazine, Kitty is well on her way to stardom. The artist plays London’s George Tavern on the 22nd April – tickets can be found here.
American artist Hana McCartney is marking herself as one of the US’s most promising Gen Z music newcomers.
Through a mix of genres that blends indie with alternative pop, rock and even some subtle hints of the blues, McCartney creates sounds that feel intense, heartfelt, authentic and relatable.
‘Dope’ is McCartney’s new single, and looks at the toxic and damaging effects of peer pressure in a raw and honest way. The track is taken from the musician’s ‘Rust and Stardust’ album (out now), of which she says:
“The idea of each song having a drug reference or innuendo was already in my mind when I started writing this album. Taking taboo topics like abusive relationships, substance abuse, addiction, and mental health and personifying them into stories that are relevant to me and others can relate to was my goal.”
Listeners can also check out McCartney’s previous project, ‘What’s Real’here.
