Hailing from Norwich in England is singer and songwriter Scott Attew, who unveils an impressive new single today called ‘Pedestal’.
Blending classic British rock with modern indie-pop, the song presents listeners with a vivid sound that feels anthemic, powerful and energising in character.
As a seasoned live performer, Attew has opened shows for prominent names like Paolo Nutini, Elton John, Lionel Richie and Snow Patrol – either as a soloist or part of acclaimed indie outfit Vandalye.
Attew is currently working on his debut EP, ‘Dreamstate Motel’, which is scheduled for release soon. In the meantime, fans can enjoy his previous singles on Spotify here.
It wouldn’t be a normal Friday on Alfitude without sharing some premium Scandinavian pop, and this week it’s the turn of Swedish starlet hanna ögonsten.
An artist already on the rise, ögonsten’s style of sound is inspired by genres as diverse as alt-pop, indie, punk and hyperpop, while lyrically she focuses on issues that affect young people in their 20’s who are trying to navigate the world in this day and age.
New single ‘Big Teeth’ looks at our struggles with self-criticism, and is taken from ögonsten’s upcoming “have you seen my mind cause’ I’ve lost it” record (out 28th April). Speaking on the creation of her EP, hanna explains:
“I write a diary on my cell phone. Or at least I write lots of notes. They’re about a little bit of everything, mostly my feelings. I’ve been doing this since I was a young teenager, but this autumn I realised that the tone in my notes had changed. They weren’t happy and I almost sounded bitter. I was surprised, it didn’t really feel like me. But thinking about it, I realised it’s not that unexpected. Being a young woman in the music industry means to constantly be reminded that you are – a female producer – and that you therefore should be questioned. It’s exhausting. I realised that it was time to get this out of my mind and the result became this EP. Every song is written and produced together with Carl Goldkuhl (among others) and I’m so proud of how it turned out.”
ögonsten’s music has so far received support from the likes of Vogue Paris, Triple J, Pop Passion and Scandipop.
Sometimes a song finds its way on to your Spotify and uplifts your mood so much so, that you momentarily forget all of life’s stresses.
Michigan artist Sammy Curcuru’s new single ‘look @ u’ is one of those songs. Playful, poppy and lively in character, this track will undeniably put a smile on anyone’s face.
Adding to its charm, ‘look @ u’ was recorded in Sammy’s very own my dorm room, and features production from Alfitude favourite Zac Greer and beatmakerCheap Limousine.
“This song came out of nowhere. It’s the fastest I’ve ever completed a piece of music and I love it to death.”
We are very excited to introduce to you a promising indie talent hailing from Durham in North Carolina.
Self-described as a ‘habitual over thinker’, Tre. Charles creates a sublime style of sound that feels experimental and future-forward, but also emotive and relatable.
Serving as a taster to his upcoming ‘(Currently.)’ debut EP,new single ‘Lately.’ presents listeners with an atmospheric mix of alternative R&B and lo-fi, soulful pop.
“This track delves into the realm of self awareness and mental health; addressing the overwhelmingness of todays social media landscape and the constraints of overthinking.”
Tre.’s momentum has been on the rise ever since the release of his 2021 song ‘Stressin.’ – which has so far amassed more than 120k streams.
We’re starting the week with some impressive Canadian alternative pop. Hailing from the city of Ontario, Kuiper (pronounced kai-per) is a brand new musical project with only one other single released to date.
‘forget’ is a kind of song that is near impossible not to feel some kind of enjoyment for. Melodically memorable and lyrically vivid, the track serves as an impressive debut to this hugely promising artist.
Working alongside the BAD KIDS label, Kuiper might well be one of Canada’s most interesting newcomers this year.
Amy Winehouse has always been our number one artist from the 00’s, and rarely does a day go by when we don’t play one of her songs. Every now and again though, we stumble across a new talent who reminds us of her sound, and it’s always a joy to experience.
Hailing from Philadelphia, Zinadelphia is an emerging singer and guitarist who creates a style of sound that seamlessly fuses old-school soul and jazz with modern indie tones.
‘Love Language’ is Zinadelphia’s follow-up to her hit ‘Mirrorball’, which has already amassed more than a million streams on Spotify alone. With an ever-growing fanbase all across social media, this is one starlet that needs to be on everyone’s radars in 2023.
Hailing from the English city of Leicester comes promising pop-rock artist Chloe Ann, who has just released a superb new single for us all to enjoy.
‘Never Call You Mine’ was written as an anthem for all the people out there who are stuck in the ‘friend zone’ with someone that they have feelings for.
“‘Never Call You Mine’ is about when you’ve caught feelings for someone you thought would only ever be your friend, and you know deep down that they will never feel the same.”
A talent already on the rise, Chloe Ann has picked up support from the likes of BBC Introducing and Radio 1, and has also managed to perform on tour alongside artists as noted as BEKA and Kelsy Karter.
Our favourite newcomer today has to be Nashville-based singer, songwriter and producer townsend (aka John Townsend).
‘dramamine’ showcases a refreshingly original production that applies brash hyperpop beats over a fragile and emotive indie-pop sound.
“A song about being decisive when you’re with an indecisive person.”
The result is a piece of music that is full of contrasts, and invites listeners into a soundscape that feels unpredictable and unsettling, but also deeply moving to experience.
The Jürgen Clubs might just be one of the hottest new indie names to emerge from Denmark this year.
Initially forming in 2021, this group of rockers create punchy songs that are both sonically energising and lyrically vivid.
Inspired by the topic of male impotence, new single ‘Soft’ was written after a time when lead singer Magnus went on a Tinder date – with an empty stomach and a little too much booze:
“The song is based on an evening when I wasn’t too proud of myself, and in the attempt to get a second chance, I invited her out to a restaurant while she’s on her way out the door. Of course she turned down that invitation a few days later.” – Magnus Grilstad, The Jürgen Clubs
Alongside the release of the track, the band have also unveiled an accompanying 80’s style music video for fans to enjoy.
With praise from the likes of Danish heavyweight magazine GAFFA under their belts, The Jürgen Clubs look set to take on their biggest year yet.
Hailing from Brisbane is promising alt-pop artist, singer and songwriter Christos. Today’s release of ‘Sparks Fly’ highlights this up-and-coming talent’s impressive artistry, and is already one of our favourite singles of the week.
Through it’s polished production and catchy melody, the song looks at the feelings of lust and love that arise when two people find an attraction with each other. Elaborating on the track’s lyrics, Christos explains:
“‘Sparks Fly’ represents me journeying through my emotions of finding that one person that I’d do anything for. It’s laying it all out on the table for someone and trying to show that I’m the right one for them.”
While still early in his career, Christos has so far amassed more than 150k catalogue streams on Spotify alone. More songs from the artist can be found here.
Emerging from Los Angeles is singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Amyrion.
Upon pressing play to their new single ‘Figueroa’, you’ll be faced with a sonic experience that really is something quite special.
Through its unique mix of hazy pop, psychedelic funk, R&B, soul and indie, this beautiful song tells of the struggles that humans face when trying to fall in love in the modern world.
“Feels really vulnerable and underneath the bubbles the song is about depression and the feeling of disconnection in the contemporary romantic internet age.”
With more than 200k streams from the release of just four singles, Amyrion looks set to become one of California’s newest prospects.
You might not yet be familiar with Blusher, but this rising Australian trio have just signed a deal with Atlantic, while also commanding more than 125k monthly Spotify listeners.
‘Dead End’ is still only the group’s second single, and treats listeners to a shimmering slice of nostalgia-tinged electronic pop.
It’s rare to find a musical outfit garner so much attention so early on in their career. We sense Blusher might well be Australia’s next big pop export… So be sure to keep these hugely talented ladies on your radar!
If you’re mesmerised by the sounds of Tame Impala as much as we are, then chances are high that you’ll fall in love with New Jersey’s Kerry Charles.
Inspired by artists as iconic as Prince, Hall and Oates and Steely Dan, Charles creates an interesting style of pop that harks back to the 70s and 80s while still maintaining a sense of freshness.
New single ‘I Live Alone’ treats listeners to a nostalgic production that is sultry yet sincere in character, and serves as a tantalising taster to his upcoming debut LP.
emre is a promising new singer, songwriter and producer who was raised in San Diego, but currently resides in the musical mecca that is Manchester.
New single ‘I Let You’ is taken from forthcoming debut EP ‘Athens’ (out later in the year), and presents listeners with a refreshingly eclectic yet emotive sound which we can only describe as ‘glitchy, dreamy hyperpop’.
“I grew up singing along with really shit 2000’s girl pop and now I make my own. I’ve been influenced by Charli XCX, Yung Lean, Belle and Sebastian and AG Cook along with many others.”
Alongside the release of the song, emre has also launched a captivating lyric video:
emre performs at 33 Oldham Streetin Manchester on the 22nd March, and Brewery Artsin Kendal on the 15th April 2023.
Track of the week. Rising London-based R&B artist Amie Blu is a name that we have frequently come across since the beginning of the year… and with good reason.
Produced by Humble the Great, new single ‘powder’ is nothing short of divine, and demonstrates Blu’s exceptional musical craftsmanship.
Melodic, dreamy, subtle and beautifully emotive, this is a track that marks Blu as one of the UK’s hottest newcomers.
Inspired by the artists and sounds from early 00’s British indie, Cleveland’s Jordan Dean creates songs that infuse elements of nostalgia into a current style of production.
Anthemic new single ‘Walk Me Home’ could have easily been released any time from the last twenty years, yet somehow this is a song that also feels refreshingly relevant to 2023.
Nice to meet you has not been this exciting
Pleasantries deciding what you later said out loud
Chalk it up to a smile that’s inviting
Well she seems quite delighted that you
Live on the same side of town
With such an impressive style of songwriting, we believe Dean could well be one of America’s newest indie stars.
Hailing from London is promising new talent Jess Young, who is a not only a singer, but also a songwriter and producer.
New single ‘Butterflies’ presents listeners with a gorgeously captivating fusion of dreamy, melancholic pop and alternative R&B. The resulting sound is one that feels timelessly classic and deeply moving.
To date, Jess has received praise from heavyweight outlets as noted as Notion and Clash magazines. Aside from songwriting, Young is also a DJ, nail artist, model, and founder of Boys In Polish.
If you’re looking for the unexpected, then you’ve come to the right place!
‘piano girl’ from US newcomer zigs.mp3 is the kind of song that could have easily come out of a radio set in the mid 50’s… yet it was only released two weeks ago.
The song showcases a style of production that flirts between nostalgic doo-woop and modern indie-pop, resulting in a piece of music that feels playful, sweet and emotive.
With only two other singles released from this talent, we don’t really know much about who they are – but we certainly suggest that they be on everyone’s radar this year.
We’ve got a really exciting new name to share with you today, who’s debut solo single is one of our favourites of the year.
Hailing from the US, elie curtis is promising talent who has already found success through a series of collaborations (including King Ky & LANDR’s ‘Break My Stride‘ and Gktrk’s ‘Daydreaming‘).
However, its the release of her own song ‘softly’ that has really caught our attention. Lyrically inspired by the pain we experience from lost friendships, the song is not only haunting and emotive, but also beautifully constructed in its style of indie-folk.
