Hailing from Toronto is newcomer Velow. With his captivating and bold vocals, this artist is creating some of the most interesting hip hop sounds to emerge from Canada at present.
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Track of the week. Sometimes a song just gives you joy, no matter how often you listen to it. That can certainly be said every time I press play on ‘Coca-Cola’, from rising Bristolian poet and musician Freddie Lewis.
Beautifully simple in style, the song showcases playful lyricism that glides over a melodic production, making it a very easy track to fall in love with.
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Emerging from Leeds is rising starlet Lois. Drawing influences from R&B and soul, this artist constructs emotive alternative pop that is based on real life experiences.
‘Twist in the Wind’ combines resonant lyrical work with soulful vocals, while serving as an ode to addressing your demons and starting again:
“I wrote it when I was experiencing a really difficult time in my life and the first time I had really experienced the reality of bad mental health…Twist in the wind is about me having a word with myself and figuring out why I was feeling this way in order to actively put in the steps to change my life and start again.”
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KANADA THE LOOP constructs a uniquely eccentric yet playful fusion of genres that incorporates elements of alt-pop, indie and hip hop.
New release ‘LIFE ON MARS’ could well be this emerging talent’s breakthrough single, thanks to it universally appealing nostalgic tones and infectious melody.
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Self-styled as ‘the world’s first bilingual Latin girl-group’, Bella Dose create a sleek and polished style of pop that is not only infectiously catchy but also carries huge mainstream appeal.
Keep an eye out for this outfit – these ladies may well be one of the next big exports from the US to take over the pop world!
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Having already garnered early support from the likes of BBC Introducing, Earmilk, Spotify and CLASH, rising UK talent OAKLND is rapidly marking himself as a name to watch – thanks to a style of charming indie-pop that is universally likeable.
Infectiously memorable new single ‘texting my ex’ features the talents of alt-pop outfit Honestly, and delicately balances vulnerable and relatable songwriting with a hazy pop sound.
“Having Honestly on the track was really cool for me, I’m a big big fan of theirs! We actually share the same mix engineer and I mentioned to him I was looking to do another collab, he actually suggested linking up with Eric and Dalton from Honestly. I just finished working on ‘texting my ex’ with Matt Wills and Chris Wood (Bastille) and I thought Honestly would be a really good fit!”
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Emerging from Austria is hugely promising pop newcomer KRYSTOF, whose polished and melodic approach to music-making has recently seen him sign to Viennese label Global Rockstar.
Inspired by a break-up, ‘Head and Heart’ is a perfect pop bop for the weekend ahead that looks at the conflicts we all have between our minds and emotions from overthinking.
“‘Head and Heart’ was written at Global Rockstar’s last songwriting camp. We talked about my breakup which I went through at that time and decided to put that feeling into a song. My Head always told me to leave it behind and get over it, as I noticed, they were giving up while I was giving more – but my heart wouldn’t let me… I’ve always been in my head too much, overthinking it all. A reason why most relationships probably end. Based on this I named my failed relationship ,’Head and Heart’ and put it into this song. A song about overthinking in general and a heartfelt true story, about my breakup.”
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Emerging from the Netherlands is rising talent Jon Ari. With a distinctively soulful vocal tone, this artist fuses elements of R&B and pop into emotive pieces of music, while also adding an experimental edge into the production.
New single ‘ill advised’ is a beautifully nostalgic and melodic track that celebrates the ill advised actions and risk-taking we take in our youth, while figuring out our place in the world.
“‘ill advised’ is a song and story about growing up and trying to untangle yourself from things you took as gospel. This way you can finally see which parts are here to stay, which parts need re-evaluating and which parts need to go.“
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Based in Northern California, Leon in the Wild creates charming yet playful blends of indie, lo-fi pop and surf rock – citing inspirations as varied as The Beatles and The Beach Boys to Grandaddy, Eels and Built to Spill.
“I’ve always made music while staying in the background. I’ve always been the guitarist, the producer/ engineer, the person mixing/mastering, background vocalist, etc. This is my first step into the wild as myself.”
With early praise from the likes of IndieShuffle, Flood FM, mp3Hugger and The New Lofi, this may well be one of the most interesting new indie acts to emerge from the West Coast so far this year.
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Hailing from the musical powerhouse that is Nashville come indie-rock trio Goldpark. The strength of this outfit lies in their connection not only as musical partners, but as friends too.
New single ‘Lady Lightyear’ tells of an eccentric story that revolves around an intergalactic love affair, whereby a man falls in love with a woman unbound by time and space… and has an experience so spectacular that he feels like he may never love again.
“Love is the closest thing that we have to magic. It’s the only thing that drives us to cross countries, oceans, or even galaxies. There are traces of love in every truly great thing that we can see, hear or touch. All great art comes from some form of love. It doesn’t all look the same though. Sometimes it’s the fear of love. Or maybe the feeling of being broken over love. But it’s all love. Lady Lightyear is a song for all of the Milky Way and beyond to enjoy together. Leave the door open for love somewhere in the stars. Leave the door open for love somewhere in the stars.”
With production from Jeremy Lutito, ‘Lady Lightyear’ is an upbeat and catchy listen that is perfect for the weekend ahead.
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Goldpark Two’, which will be released in late 2022.
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Born in London and raised up the North, Lizzie Esau has always been surrounded by creativity thanks her artist mother and musician father.
Inspired by the likes of Beabadoobee, London Grammar, Imogen Heap, Sam Fender and Wolf Alice, Esau creates impactful and confident indie-rock sounds that could well be described as some of the strongest to emerge from the UK right now.
“‘The Enemy’ is about someone who doesn’t fit in or work well in school and so is pushed a future they don’t want or feel they have control. It explores how this leads to rebellion and frustration often soothed by overconsumption. Overall I wanted this song to portray the bitter truth of life I have seen around me but also end with a sense of hope and going against what is expected.”
Esau was recently picked BBC Introducing Tip for 2022, and will be playing BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in May 2022, as well as more festivals across the UK.
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London-based soul-R&B artist Stella Talpo returns with a stunningly dark and epic sound through her new single, ‘Where Did I Go’.
Almost reminiscent of a Bond theme, the song eloquently moves between atmospheric R&B and brooding soul, utilising pillowy synths, warbling electronics and crunching guitars.
“‘Where Did I Go’ is an insight into how tendencies to people please, trying to be perfect to be loved and validated, and how being anxiously apologetic can change the direction of your life and who you become. How those fears can be so oppressive that you forget who you were to begin with, shaped into the box that they limit you in. “Can you remember who you were before the world told you who you should be?”
Taken from upcoming EP ‘FINE’, out 10th June 2022 via DeepMatter.
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British artist and Mystery Jets member Jack Flanagan constructs a refreshingly raw and powerful indie-rock sound that seamlessly fuses cathartic lyricism with anthemic melodies.
‘Gravy Train’ was written during a particularly turbulent time in Jack’s life, and is a brutally honest exploration of mental health and sexuality:
“Late nights, addled mindsets, hedonism, eating disorders and inflated ego – all of these things went into ‘Gravy Train’. I had just broken up with my first girlfriend and was mentally all over the place. I was feeling pretty open to anything at the time. The line about my sexuality ‘can’t decide if I’m straight or gay’ is laced with sarcasm. To me sexuality isn’t that dumb. It was about looking at everybody around me and taking them at face value. Romantically and platonically. Male or female.”
Taken from the upcoming debut album ‘Rides The Sky’.
Hailing from the US is promising songwriter and producer Alexandra Lily Cohen, who goes by the alias of Dominic Sen.
With a uniquely captivating approach to music-making, this artist perfectly fuses elements of nostalgia into a modern and fresh style of R&B-pop.
Finessed new single ‘Lookin’ 4 Pleasure’ serves as a charming Y2K-inspired love song to the self.
“‘Lookin’ 4 Pleasure’ pays tribute to the experience of turning inward for pleasure during times when external validation and the company of others feels too loaded or fraught. On a cursory level, this song is about physical pleasure, but it’s meant to encompass all types of joy-inspiring self-exploration.“
Dominic Sen plays Purgatory in Brooklyn on 27th May 2022.
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Rising UK artist SAINT creates a style of British rap that feels dark, raw, honest and intensely personal.
Garnering early support from the likes of Wonderland, his new single ‘One In The Chamber’ tackles mental health and feelings of suicide.
“This project is important to me as it is about reflection and evolving. I’ve got passion and love for music, and this is more than a career or a hobby. It’s my life and how I choose to express myself and to do anything else would be a disservice to my purpose.”
Taken from forthcoming EP ‘Laws of the Jungle’. | SAINT
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Emerging from Australia is Sydney-based drummer and producer Alistair Hayes, who goes by the alter ego of Daphnie.
After spending time studying jazz performance, this self-proclaimed ‘jazz nerd’ renounced his education in the name of alternative indie pop.
Stylistically, Daphnie creates experimental yet fun soundscapes that support his catchy pop melodies, while the lyricism features understated metaphors taken from his personal relationships.
New single ‘Late’ is all about the feeling of not knowing if you’re going to break up or fall in love. On the song, Daphnie says:
“After almost being broken up with by the girl of my dreams, I wrote and produced it in my bedroom, hooked by the moment it captured, and had it mixed by Liam Quinn (Peach PRC). Being in the best relationship of your life but noticing your own personal flaws get in the way of properly committing. You try to patch issues with flowers and the same apologies you’ve made every other time, but the superficial fixes don’t help for long enough to make a difference. You see the crash coming but barely even swerve away. It’s not a surprise, you watched it all happen. Late is a take me back song before you’ve even ended things. Take us back to when the issues didn’t matter because we weren’t serious.”
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A newcomer who has already accomplished support from the likes of Clash, Pilerats and The Line Of Best Fit, rising alternative artist Beckah Amani is creating quite the buzz for herself right now.
And with releases like the new and thought-provoking single ‘I Don’t Know Why I Don’t Leave You’, it’s easy to understand why.
Written by Amani and co-produced by Josh Fountain (BENEE) and Tony Buchen (Troye Sivan, G Flip), the song chronicles the unrealistic expectations of romance and love.
“‘I Don’t Know Why I Don’t Leave You’ is about the unrealistic expectations we have about relationships that rom coms, drama series, fairy tales and romantic novels have set. The song hinges on the lyrics “chasing shadows in despair” and “I don’t know why I don’t leave you”.
Amani plays at The Great Escape Festival in the UK this month.
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London-based singer-songwriter Ines Rae has to be one of the most exciting indie-pop finds of the week.
Charmingly simple and nostalgic in tone, ‘Parma Violets’ is an infectiously memorable slice of summery pop that is impossible not to feel some kind of connection with.
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Emerging from America is Brandon Louisor, aka Myles Brando, who is marking a name for himself as a promising artist and producer from Brooklyn.
New single ‘You Got It’ showcases a perfectly balanced and harmonious fusion of old-school R&B and soul with a more current hip hop edge.
Myles is set to release his first full project this year in collaboration with Grammy-nominated producers Chris Styles (50 Cent) and Bruce Waynne (50 Cent, Frank Ocean and Fantasia).
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Alternative R&B singer & songwriter Nezsa is rapidly marking herself as one musical talent to watch from Canada, having already been spotlighted on flagship playlists like Apple’s ‘New Music Daily’ and ‘R&B Now’, and Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Mood Ring’.
Ethereal new single ‘Trouble’ sees Nezsa standing up to a toxic ex-lover, and pushing back against their cheating, gaslighting and lying ways:
“The story is inspired by some of my own experiences, but it’s also dedicated ‘To All the Heartbreakers’, just as the EP is named. It’s a very empowering song because it’s about standing up to those who’ve hurt you and reclaiming your agency, finally showing them that you’re not weak. In a way, it’s dark because it seems to celebrate revenge, but I think that functions as a therapeutic form of expression in showing myself and also my listeners the extent of our capabilities”.
Upcoming EP ‘To All The Heartbreakers’ is due this summer | Nezsa
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