Music - New Music

purpl – Tell All Your Friends

Since launching in 2018, UK-based talent purpl has consistently crafted some of the finest blends of alternative pop and R&B.

Today marks the starlet’s return, with the release of mellow new single ‘Tell All Your Friends’.

Through its dreamy production, the song transports listeners to purpl’s beautifully ethereal sonic world – and sets the tone for the artist’s next phase of work.

“2022 is a new chapter for me. I’m focusing on staying true to myself and making the music I want to make.”

To date, purpl has garnered praise from BBC Introducing, Spindle and LOCK among others, while her songs have been featured on editorial Apple, Deezer and Spotify playlists like New Music Friday and New Pop UK.

purpl

Noah Guy – 2 DOGS 1 LEASH

Few artists have the ability to fuse soul, R&B and pop together with such effortless ease as US musician Noah Guy.

New single ‘2 DOGS 1 LEASH’ features Guy’s soulful vocals delivering sharp and articulate lyrics over a production that feels fresh and future-forward.

“The song is really just one long rhythmic freestyle, cycling through these deep personal fears, doubts, and hesitations I had sequestered from a past relationship. I had gotten out of a relationship that was super fast, super intense, and really quite perfect outside this mutual understanding that we maybe didn’t pace ourselves the way we should have.“

Commanding more than 130k monthly listeners on Spotify, Guy’s momentum is on the rise. Be sure to familiarise yourselves with this talent’s work – this is definitely one artist to watch.

Noah Guy

New Music: ESS_WEST

Emerging from London’s creative hub of Brixton is hotly-tipped newcomer ESS_WEST.

Already a critic’s favourite (with praise from heavyweight tastemakers like Wonderland, Dummy and GRM Daily), this talent crafts refreshingly unique and emotive fusions of UK rap and indie.

Inspired by the action of putting yourself first, melodic new single ‘You’ showcases the artist’s work perfectly. With its summer-tinged production and thoughtful lyricism, the song presents itself as one of the most impressive releases of the month.

ESS_WEST

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: VALÉ

Colombian artist VALÉ has to be one of the most interesting pop newcomers to emerge from Latin America so far this year.

Through its sleek blend of electro pop and R&B, relatable new single ‘red lights’ looks at the uncertainties of life, and the anxieties that come with not knowing what the future holds.

“‘red lights’ is such a raw song and is about what it really feels like to not know where you’re headed in life. I think this is a universal feeling; everyone can relate to feeling lost, anxious, and uncertain about one’s life.”

Having recently secured a successful collaboration with Cuban-American star Kat Dahlia entitled ‘oop’, it seems inevitable VALÉ will hit the global mainstream very soon.

VALÉ

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Ten Minute Detour – Golden Tapestry

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).

Ten Minute Detour

charlieonnafriday – Enough

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.”

charlieonnafriday

New Music: Sam Short

While the name may not (yet) be familiar to most, Sam Short is already an accomplished songwriter who has worked for the likes of Katy Perry, Shakira and NOTD.

So it comes as no surprise that Short’s own solo work is a masterclass in pop. Songs like ‘Naked’ feature punchy lyrics and catchy melodies over sleek electronic productions, giving Short’s music a strong sense of character.

“‘Naked’ is essentially an ode to self-love and sensuality. It encompasses all of what it means to not only be independent, but to be empowered as a female in today’s world. I wrote the song in an effort to help myself recover from a tumultuous break-up, and I hope it helps others do the same.”

While still on her second release, Short has already accumulated a significant fan base, with more than 350k followers on TikTok alone.

Sam Short

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Gyakie – FOR MY BABY

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.

Taken from Gyackie’s ‘MY DIARY’ EP (out now).

Gyakie

Jany Green – Change

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.

Jany Green

Watch: Joesef – East End Coast

Scottish soul kid Joesef wrote ‘East End Coast’ in a summer when he found love and decided to move out of his home city. Lyrically, the song encapsulates the feelings of comfort we place in the people and places that we know and are familiar with.

Directed by frequent collaborator Luis Hindman, the accompanying visuals draw on 90’s club culture for inspiration, while the story follows Joesef as he sees someone that he loved across the dance-floor.

“It was important for me for the ‘East End Coast’ video to have a sense of urgency, and capture a feeling that felt true to the song and its meaning. Working with Luis [Hindman, director] again on this one was a dream. He completely understands the visual aspect of my music and treats it with a lot of detail and care. The inspiration came from films like Kids, Trainspotting, Beats etc and it’s been a lot of fun creating this world for the music to live in. I can’t wait for people see what’s coming next.”

Following on from headlining London’s Shepherds Bush Empire and Glasgow’s O2 Academy earlier this year, Joesef will play a series of festivals across the UK this month.

Joesef

UK Festival Dates 2022

20 August Otherlands Festival Perth, Scotland
26 August Connect Festival Ingliston, Edinburgh
27 August Reading Festival Reading
28 August Leeds Festival Leeds

New Music: LOLA

London-based artist LOLA unveils a stunning piece of futuristic R&B through the release of her new single ‘Back’.

With production from IGLOOGHOST, the song fearlessly pushes the boundaries of the genre – yet still maintains a beautifully melodic and emotive essence that is reminiscent of the early 00’s R&B sound.

LOLA’s work has picked up praise from established tastemakers like i-D and Wonderland, while her music has been selected for editorial playlists like Spotify’s New Music Friday and Fresh Finds UK.

LOLA

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Chrissi – Lipo

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.

Chrissi

Benson Boone – Better Alone

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.

Benson Boone

New Music: Will Swinton

Track of the week. New Zealand has become a nation synonymous with exceptional musical talent, and the introduction of Will Swinton further proves this.

‘All For You’ fuses a range of genres together in a beautifully subtle and melodic way, providing listeners with a spellbinding sound that feels both timeless and future-forward in equal measures.

With such a natural flair for crafting exceptional songs, there’s no doubt that Swinton will make his way into the mainstream at some point very soon.

Will Swinton

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Dre’es – Pure Sugar

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.

Dre’es

Goldpark – I Guess It’s Never Enough

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.

Goldpark

New Music: csndra

A master of many talents, Puerto Rican creative csndra is not only a singer and songwriter, but also an animator and designer.

Running just under two minutes in length, hypnotic new single ‘DMLO’ is a Latin slice of perfection, flirting between playful pop tones and a darker electronic edge.

The track showcases csndra’s willingness to push boundaries, while still maintaining a style of music-making that feels relatable and easy to connect with.

With only two singles released to date, csndra has already picked up attention from noted tastemakers like Ones to Watch, and is certainly one artist to keep on your radars.

csndra

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: LeSaint

One of the most exciting discoveries of the week has been Connecticut artist LeSaint.

This enormously gifted singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist fuses elements of R&B with pop, indie, hip hop and even folk to create sounds that truly are on a league of their own.

Dreamy and ethereal in tone, LeSaint’s latest single ‘YOURS’ is stunning in every sense of the word. This is a track that perfectly showcases this rising artist’s skill, and is sure to win over even the most discerning listener.

New album ‘ARE YOU DONE?’ is out now | LeSaint

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

beaux – benadryl

Alt-pop darling beaux returns with his first single of the year, following on from the release of his 2021 EP ‘memories written down so I won’t forget them’.

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.

beaux

New Music: Little Jet

Emerging American project Little Jet create beautifully melodic songs that blend indie with essences of dreamy pop and electronica.

New single ‘Give Me Love’ serves as a tasteful reworking of Cerrone’s 1978 classic of the same name, and is a finessed slice of nu-disco that is perfect for the weekend ahead.

To date, this impressive duo’s music has found its way on to prominent outlets like BBC Radio 1, as well as being featured on editorial playlists like Spotify’s Fresh Finds and Fresh Finds Indie.

Little Jet

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

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