Hailing from New Zealand comes psych-pop newcomer Smurgy. Through a unique style of music-making, this promising artist creates sonic experiences like none other.
Smurgy’s ‘Mess’ is a prime example of this talent’s extraordinary work. Inspired by heartbreak, the song presents listeners with a dreamy sound that is bittersweet yet also mesmerising in character.
With songs already featured on notable playlists like Spotify’s Fuzzy, Crush and Fresh Finds AU & NZ, Smurgy is most certainly one talent to watch for in 2023.
Emerging from Los Angeles is singer, songwriter and producer Joseph Brooks, who goes by the moniker of Bäckar.
Fans of PinkPantheress and Imogen Heap will most likely fall in love with Bäckar’s latest single, entitled ‘Self Reflection’.
The song showcases a soundscape that is both experimental and future-forward, while also paying homage to Brooks’s pop icons from the past – ranging from The Beach Boys to Depeche Mode and Prince.
An upcoming debut album is currently in production. In the meantime, listeners can enjoy Bäckar’s catalogue of releases on Spotify.
Australian-based starlet KYE returns with a dazzling slice of endorphin-boosting pop on her new single, ‘Clique’.
Energising and uplifting in character, the song is dedicated to KYE’s nearest and dearest, and serves as an anthem for friendship and human connection.
“‘Clique’ is an ode to the crew that makes you your best self. The friends that ride or die for you. I wrote this for my best friends who are all the main character. This one is for the groggy mornings and the foggy nights before; the friends you make at the party and forget the next day.”
After a hugely successful year that saw the rising artist garnering high praise from respected tastemakers and media outlets, as well as over a million streams on Spotify alone, KYE looks set to have a stellar 2023.
Recently crowned as BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Year, Bardford’s Nia Archives unveils her latest single, entitled ‘So Tell Me…’.
Through its captivating jungle production, the song presents listeners with a melodic sound that feels warm and emotive in tone. Lyrically, the track was inspired by a time in Nia’s life when she had to consider whether she should stay or leave a situation.
Already an artist who looks certain to take over the UK music mainstream in 2023, Nia Archives has so far accumulated more than 25 million career streams on Spotify, while also garnering tastemaker support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, 6Music and 1Xtra, Mixmag, NME, British Vogue, The Face, The Fader and i-D magazines.
Hailing from Albany in New York, three-piece outfit Young Culture create a nostalgic kind of punk-pop that is impossible not to feel some kind of love for.
Anthemic new single ‘Not In Love’ treats listeners to a 00’s inspired blend of indie-rock, pop and punk. The sound feels sentimental and old-school in tone, but still maintains a fresh and current edge.
The trio are currently preparing for a North American tour, initially starting in December before picking up again from March next year. Tickets can be found here.
Sometimes, the most powerful songs are also the simplest. A case in point is US starlet ROSIE’s newest single, entitled ‘Good For Me’.
Stripped-back in its choice of instrumentation, the track’s mellow production sets the scene for ROSIE’s emotive vocals and vulnerable lyrics to glide over a beautiful melody.
“I want to be transparent. Everything is exactly as it appears. The scale of emotions that everyone feels is such a spectrum. The bad days are equally as important as the good days.”
The song closes an impressive year for the New York native singer & songwriter, who now commands more than 800k monthly Spotify listeners and has garnered millions of catalogue streams across all platforms.
Fans of N*E*R*D’s earliest music will most likely enjoy American newcomer MCBALLER’s work.
Debut single ‘JUMPIN’ showcases an uninhibited sound that boldly blends alternative R&B with hip hop and indie, ultimately resulting in a song that truly is in a league of its own.
While not much is yet known about this exciting new talent, MCBALLER might well be one of 2023’s biggest surprises.
Acclaimed Eastbourne outfit 404 Guild return with one of their most eclectic releases to date through new single ‘The Evening Star’.
Lifted from the band’s debut album ‘False Dawn’ (out 9th Dec 2022), the song presents listeners with an experimental fusion of genres that is not only refreshingly unique in concept, but also highly enjoyable to experience.
“This one’s the way back home. Looking forward, looking back, headlights cutting through the fog. Musically it’s unlike anything we’ve released before, we kept surprising ourselves when we were making it. It all came out of improvising over a sample, the groove sucked everyone in and it all fell into place. We’re excited to play this live – there’s a feeling of communion in the vocals.”
To date, this emerging group have garnered praise from the likes of NME, BBC 6Music, The Line of Best Fit and Dummy Magazine, while their catalogue has exceeded one million streams on Spotify alone.
404 Guild play The Social in London on the 7th December 2022 – tickets can be found here.
Track of the week. Rising talent Asha Gold has been steadily building momentum over the last couple of years, and new single ‘Only For The Night’ continues to highlight this promising starlet’s exceptional artistry.
Showcasing a sound that fuses sultry dark pop with hints of soulful R&B, the song tells of the conflicting emotions that come with dating.
To date, Asha has garnered acclaim from the likes of BBC Radio 1 and Asian Network, as well as noted tastemakers like Wonderland and Notion magazines.
Singer, songwriter and rapper GOVAN has been one of the most exciting new finds this autumn.
Hailing from California, this emerging artist constructs sounds that feel fresh and future-forward, yet still somehow maintain an essence of nostalgia and playfulness that makes for an utterly charming audible experience.
With early support from outlets like Complex already under his belt, it’s safe to say that this is one talent worth keeping on your radars.
Rising UK artist Charlotte Plank returns with yet another impressive fusion of pop and DnB in the form of new single ‘Lost Boys’.
In what might well be her most commercially-friendly release yet, the track addresses the inner struggles that most of us face during our younger years:
“It speaks about the difficulties of young boys/ people in general who are of a certain age who are finding out who they are through some of the best but most turbulent years.”
“The song highlights particular issues with trying too hard to be something you’re not/ feeling lost with who you are – and trying to fill those feelings with temporary quick fixes e.g. chemicals/ girls/ rebelling/ bad habits/ finding ways to inflate their egos etc. and how these things usually won’t solve those issues.”
Charlotte plays The Prince Albert in Brighton on the 13th January 2023 – tickets can be found here.
Stefan Lars is promising new creative based in Berlin, who is not only a singer and songwriter but also a composer, producer and videographer.
Drawing inspiration from his time as a child growing up in Sweden, Lars crafts a style of sound that melds essences of Scandinavian melancholy with the urban spirit that comes from being centred in an urban metropolis like Berlin.
The resulting songs are not only emotive and sincere in tone, but also feel refreshingly raw and authentic. Elaborating on new single ‘Turning Grey’, Lars explains:
“Thematically, it is about dreams with rejuvenating qualities and the lingering question to what extend they are real and/ or illusionary and may even function as a form of modern consumerist escapism.”
The song marks Lars’s third single to date, following the release of ‘Thin Ice’and ‘Xabian Elegy’.
One of California’s most exciting pop prospects to have emerged recently has been LA-based singer and songwriter Natasha Hunt Lee.
With critical praise from heavyweight tastemakers as notable as Ones To Watch, PAPER and Wonderland, it’s been quite the year for this deservedly much-hyped artist. Elaborating further on today’s release of new single ‘Half Baked’, Hunt Lee explains
“‘Half Baked’ is about the in-between – when you aren’t necessarily writhing in pain but you’ve definitely been better. It’s coming from the perspective of someone who is finally ok enough to ruminate more objectively than emotionally. But there’s a weird numbness to that. It’s about going out, putting on the same show, but knowing that a deep sense of fulfilment or wonder or naivety or whatever is it has been temporarily taken. And hoping that (but not knowing how) it will come back.”
The single follows on from of Hunt Lee’s ‘The End of the World‘ debut EP, which was released earlier this autumn and has already amassed more than 300k streams.
It’s not as though you need even more reasons to fall in love with Australian talent BENTLE’s work, but today’s unveiling of shimmering new single ‘Darkest Blue’ might well solidify this New York-based artist as one of your favourite indie-pop newcomers. Elaborating on the beautifully dreamy release, BENTLE explains:
“‘Darkest Blue’ is very much about the connection between colour, texture and circumstance. There’s been a few times over the past year where it feels like I’m not able to stop myself from sinking or falling into a certain state of mind or state of being. ‘Darkest Blue’ is kind of an exploration of that falling sinking feeling and what it would feel like if I embraced it…the visual I had when writing the song was that I fell into the night sky (which was scary and unknown) but I woke up in this ethereal new environment where, though it was still unknown, it was equally intriguing and enlightening.”
BENTLE is the musical project of singer, songwriter and producer Josh McVey. As an accomplished musician, McVey writes and produces all of his own work by himself, and is currently readying the release of his forthcoming debut EP.
It wouldn’t be a normal Friday without showcasing some new indie talent, and today it’s the turn of South Carolina’s all-female group, Sorry, Peach.
With a style of music-making that masterfully fuses elements of bedroom-pop and lo-fi indie rock together, this impressive collective of musicians create songs that are both sonically powerful and lyrically emotive.
‘In Saturn’s View’ is lifted from the band’s new ‘You Were Never Mine’ EP (out now), and presents listeners with a beautifully melodic slice of indie that feels vulnerable, melancholic, and utterly captivating in tone.
London-based newcomer Bonze has impressed us throughout the entire year; with each release showcasing this rising artist’s extraordinary skills at music making. He closes 2022 with another new single today, entitled ‘(Mercedes)’ – of which he explains:
“This song syncs song-writing and dance music together. It is my fourth single of the year, releasing with Bad Apple Records. It’s about a girl called Mercedes.”
To date, Bonze has garnered acclaim from the likes of CLASH, Wonderland and Rolling Stone while also accumulating more than 80k career streams on Spotify alone.
Fans in London will be pleased to know that Bonze performs at Camden’s PowerHaus in March 2023.
Former Miss Tennessee USA and aspiring R&B starlet Tucker Nichol is back with a sensational new single today, entitled ‘Nah’.
With subtle hints to that iconic Y2K R&B-pop sound, the track seamlessly fuses the nostalgic with the current, while the lyrics address the importance of boundaries within relationships.
Nichol has already achieved more than 900k streams to date from the release of just three lead singles, and picked up placements on VEVO’s DSCVR R&B playlist, MTV Live and BET Soul.
Representing some of Devon’s finest emerging talent, Will Heggadon is back with an anthemic slice of indie and synth-pop on his new single, ‘So Awake’.
“‘So Awake’ is about being afraid to get too deep into a relationship and always leaving before it gets to that point – being tired of this becoming the norm so trying to make it work this time.”
Currently commanding more than 38k monthly listeners on Spotify and accumulating well over ten million career streams to date, Heggadon is one name that should be on everyone’s watchlist for 2023.
Heggadon performs at The Waiting Room in London on the 6th December 2022 – tickets can be found here.
One of the most moving releases this week comes courtesy of Turkish-American newcomer Ela Ozturk.
By fusing elements of alternative R&B with pop, soul, jazz, blues and pop, Ozturk constructs expressive sounds that are bold and unashamedly unique in character.
New single ‘Roots’ finds the singer and songwriter sharing powerful words of wisdom and encouragement for those of us who feel as though we have lost our way in life:
“‘Roots’ focuses on rebuilding yourself after someone has broken your connection with who you are. The lyrics describe a comeback story.”
Ela Ozturk is a Turkish-American singer-songwriter who found her love for music as young as six years old. Her father encouraged her passion for music, which allowed Ozturk to engulf herself in sound. Growing up in the Bay Area and having a Turkish background helped expose her to a wide variety of artists, genres, and musical movements. She takes inspiration from strong female vocalists such as the likes of Etta James, Aretha Franklin, and Adele.
Her unique blend of blues, jazz, R&B, blue-eyed soul, and pop, fused with her powerhouse vocals and confessional lyrics set her apart from most up-and-coming pop artists.
“‘Roots’ focuses on rebuilding yourself after someone has broken your connection with who you are,” says Ela Ozturk on the deeper meaning of the song. Her inspiring message influences the audience to take control of their lives and build the person they want to be after losing their way. “The lyrics describe a comeback story,” explains Ozturk. Lyrics such as, “I’m coming back to my roots, the me before you, the calm before your storm, the light before your darkness. I’m returning, I’m returning, back to my roots, I’m coming back, I’m coming back, I’m coming back.” Ozturk describes the adventure of finding yourself after trials and tribulations. Combining powerful vocals with lively instrumentation, Ozturk has made a perfect track to help shine light after dark times and rejoice in the feeling of falling back into your own person after feeling lost. “Roots” was written by Ela Ozturk and produced and mixed by Morgan Clae Sanker and Tommy Sanker.
Hailing from Minneapolis is indie-rock outfit Harbor & Home, who have released their latest single today, entitled ‘Change’.
Through its thoughtful and considered lyricism, the track encourages listeners to fight through life’s trials and tribulations, and reminds us that good days always come.
“A song about embracing change and hardships; accepting that the rain needs to come in order to grow when the sun finally comes.”
Lifted from Harbor & Home’s latest EP of the same name (out now), the song continues to highlight this promising band’s unique approach to the rock genre, which has so far garnered them more than ten million catalogue streams on Spotify alone.
