Aside from co-hosting popular podcast ‘New Rory & MAL’, Rory is rapidly gaining traction as a talented R&B artist.
New single ‘Not Me’ features RAAHiiM and Shantel May, and presents listeners with a beautifully melodic blend of alternative R&B, soul and dreamy pop.
With the release of each single so far, Rory has unveiled an accompanying video on his YouTube channel to explain the story behind the music. A link to the series can be found here.
Rory | RAAHiiM | Shantel May
Texan outfit Mamalarky are back with a blissful slice of feel-good summery rock, written as an ode to the friendships that they have with one another.
Taken from the band’s forthcoming album ‘Pocket Fantasy’ (out 30th September 2022), new single ‘Mythical Bonds’ is a refreshingly experimental and playful sound that is sure to put you in a good mood.
“I really needed to write something to accurately show Noor [Khan, bassist] how much her friendship means to me, and our journey as musicians and friends. We need more songs about friendship. In peak album-making mode we were churning out songs, at times to the point of delirium. So we decided to shake ourselves loose and make this serotonin rock song about how much we love each other–to push past all those hunched-over studio hours and create this little summer memento. At the time we were having a lot of pond, lake and pool-side hangs, laughter under the beating heat. At the end of those days all we wanted to do was come home and synthesise those feelings in our studio.” – Livvy Bennet, mamalarky
Alongside the release of the album, the group are also set to go on tour all across the US and Canada later this year – beginning in Phoenix in September and ending in Atlanta in November.
Mamalarky North American Tour Dates 2022
Hailing from Denmark is emerging singer and songwriter Betty Bass, who’s distinctive vocals have graced various releases since her initial debut in 2019.
Through a polished mix of R&B, pop and soul, Bass creates songs that carry mainstream appeal while still maintaining powerfully emotive themes.
Anthemic new single ‘Self First’ encourages listeners to be honest with themselves, and to let go of all those situations that hold us back or make us unhappy.
🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist
Hailing from Baltimore is rising artist Julien Chang. Releasing music since 2019, this talent creates work that is sonically elegant and lyrically meaningful.
A case in point is Chang’s new single, entitled ‘Marmalade’. Fusing elements of lo-fi, dreamy pop with guitar-driven indie tones, the song spotlights the ways in which our memories try to make sense of love.
“I think the point is that memory runs up against certain limits in sense-making and then has to start relying on fictions. I wrote ‘Marmalade’ at a time in which this feeling of passionate regret had just finished transforming into something domesticated, incorporated, and basically mundane–a part of everyday life, something that pops up in the mind from time to time and causes me to scrunch my nose.
Already garnering praise from the likes of The Guardian, NME and Fader, Chang is not only a tastemaker’s favourite, but also a promising mainstream prospect.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
Just in time for the weekend comes your summery dose of nostalgic pop-rock, thanks to American newcomer Tanner Orange.
Feel-good single ‘Firebird’ could easily pass as something that was released 25-years ago (channeling the sounds of Sugar Ray, Beck and Weezer), yet somehow the production still maintains a modern edge that is refreshingly unique in tone.
“Roll your windows down, turn the volume up to 10, and cruise to the beach with ‘Firebird’ to make the trip a whole lot more fun! (You can also air-guitar the solo while you’re at it).”
With such an original approach to his craft, Tanner Orange is shaping up to become one of the most interesting newcomers to have emerged from the US this month.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
LA-based artist Peyton Shay is back today with a punchy new anthem called ‘Badder Than The Bad Boys’.
Inspired by the 00’s style pop-rock sound, the song’s lyrics reaffirm Shay’s view that listeners should stand their own ground – and follow the paths they choose to.
“The idea behind ‘Badder Than The Bad Boys’ started in high school. I grew up in a very proper and standardised town where everyone followed certain paths and expectations, even the “bad boys” followed a norm. I couldn’t stand it. I wanted to be on top of the world and genuinely live life for myself. This song is about me speaking and thinking how I want, not how everyone else expects me too. I hope this song gives power to the listener and helps them discover their true self.”
Shay is currently one of the youngest female artists to have ever charted on the US Billboards, and has recently enjoyed the success of her single ‘Aftertaste’ going viral all across social media.
If you’re a fan of Dua Lipa, Lily Allen or Amy Winehouse, then chances are high that you’ll enjoy also Nashville artist Elle Buell’s debut single ‘1 Man’, which was released today.
Inspired by the heartbreak that a lover can cause to their partner, the song balances a playful pop production with thoughtful and relatable lyrics.
Not much is known yet about Buell – but with such an impressive debut, it seems inevitable that this promising talent will begin to garner a significant fanbase over the coming months.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
Emerging from the iconic city of Manchester comes self-described ‘hyper-dream pop’ trio OMA.
After garnering an impressive 40k fans (and millions of views) on TikTok within the space of just three months, this exciting outfit unleash their debut single to the world today.
Written, recorded and produced by OMA themselves, ‘All Again’ playfully blends elements of pop with nightcore, presenting listeners with a melodic slice of bliss that sounds like nothing else you will have heard before.
“It was inspired by afternoons spent riding round the same local park, drinking alone to try and relive old memories.”
OMA are currently preparing the release of their six-track debut EP, which is out soon.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
Portland-based artist Zoë Ferguson furthers her ascent into pop stardom today with the release of her new single, ‘Die Alone’.
A classic heartbreak song that was inspired by the ending of a relationship, the track continues to showcase Ferguson’s exceptional skills at crafting pop bops that present emotive lyricism over sleek productions.
“I wrote ‘Die Alone’ after I had gotten out of a long relationship. I felt like I didn’t have very many people around and that I would never be in another relationship again. It was a hard time for me, but writing this song really helped me cope with the situation. I hope when people listen, they feel less alone and that they can relate. For me, ‘Die Alone’ feels authentic since it is about something I’ve been through and came from emotions I’ve felt personally. I love writing music that people can connect with and makes them think, “Wow, this is exactly what ’m going through at this moment.”
Since the release of Ferguson’s debut EP last year, this rising talent has garnered over a million catalogue streams and accumulated over 350k followers on TikTok and Snapchat alone.
Hailing from Jackson in Mississippi is promising newcomer Matty Hendley. With a style of sound that is self-described as ‘deep-south pop’, this talent creates songs that feel both fresh and classic in equal measures.
Shimmering new single ‘Nobody Like U‘ showcases this method of music-making perfectly – by layering Southern sonic elements (like the use of the banjo) over a dreamy indie-pop production.
Written as a love anthem of sorts, the song looks into the feelings of a man who begins to fall in love, as Hendley explains:
“I want to be really open and honest about love and hurt and the complicated nature of relationships in my lyrics. And I hope that this song and all of my music lets other men know that it’s okay to feel things deeply, it’s okay to be vulnerable, and you can still love with a broken heart.”
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
European fans of American pop outfit We Three will be happy to know that the trio plan on performing across the continent this autumn, hitting cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and Dublin along the way.
Along with the news, We Three have also released their new single, entitled ‘Kissin’ When We’re Mad’. Lifted from the new album ‘Happy’ (streaming here), the song is inspired by the power that a kiss can have in healing tensions between lovers.
“Kissin is a manic moment… Just as all Hell breaks out a simple Kiss can cure it all.” – Manny, We Three
To date, We Three’s music has accumulated more than 200 million catalogue streams, while the group also command a loyal fanbase of over two million followers across social media.
We Three Europe Tour, October 2022
Emerging Canadian starlet Mia Baron continues to showcase her immense talent with the release of new single, ‘Constant Contact’.
Once again, this rising 14-year old singer and songwriter proves that her wisdom is well ahead of her age, as she addresses the feelings of isolation that we can experience when going through tough times in life.
Baron has already achieved over 100k streams to date on Spotify alone, thanks to her catalogue of well-constructed pop songs that all feature emotive melodies, stunning vocals and meaningful lyrics.
Fans of Black Sabbath, Jefferson Airplane and Black Mountain can now look forward to adding a new favourite to their record stacks – Tulsa’s very own Sisteria.
Led by Katie Williams, this Oklahoma-based outfit create impressively bold, raw and anthemic pieces of psychedelic rock. Their new single ‘Wade My Way’ empowers us to push through our personal struggles, and also reminds us that everything is temporary. As Williams says:
“‘Wade My Way’ is about breaking free from a situation or anything that binds you, be it a situation, a person, etc. ‘I’ll bide my time til the river goes down then I’ll wade my way on through’ reminds us that we are capable of navigating our personal challenges and that this too shall pass.”
Sisteria’s forthcoming ‘Dark Matter’ LP is scheduled for release on the 19th August 2022 via Horton Records (pre-order here).
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
Showcasing some of the most exciting new sounds to emerge from Sunderland in recent years, English outfit noyou’s genre-bending style of music-making has been picking up momentum ever since the group’s formation in 2019.
Today marks the release of the band’s anthemic new single ‘The Way You See Me‘, which features a powerful blend of indie, rock and synth-pop. Speaking on the inspiration behind the lyrics, noyou say:
“‘The Way You See Me’ tells a story of long lost relationships and their eventual reunion, from the perspective of a not so perfect person. Friends, Family and lovers, will things be the same after time has it’s way with us? Or has the distance changed us too much?”
Be sure to catch noyou performing live at Independent – Sunderland on the 19th August 2022 alongside PICNIC and Violectric.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
UK-based newcomer Zack Fowler unveils an anthem for self-empowerment with the release of his new single ‘figure it out’ today.
Through its punchy lyricism, this pop-punk banger encourages listeners to follow their own intuitions and live their lives on their own terms.
“I’m fed up with living a normal life, with people judging me and being paralysed by my own thoughts. That’s why I wrote figure it out. To say screw you world. I’m doing things my way. I’m going all in.”
After spending the last year writing songs (a hundred of them, to be exact), ‘figure it out’ marks the start of Fowler’s journey of releasing a new track every month.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
If there’s a song that epitomises the essence of summer, then ‘Malibu’ by alt-pop duo The Driver Era is the one.
In what could be described as an anthem for the daydreamers, this shimmering slice of dreamy dance-pop allows listeners to escape into a world of excitement and bliss, where your imaginations run wild.
“‘Malibu’ is about reminiscing on experiences in the best locations. It’s about getting away. It’s the spontaneous trip you take with someone – maybe you knew them before, or maybe you’re meeting them for the first time”.
Since forming in 2018, The Driver Era have accumulated over 300 million catalogue streams while also achieving critical praise from the likes of Notion, Rolling Stone and Clash magazines.
The Driver Era UK Tour 2022
UK-based singer & songwriter vi0let returns today with the release of melodic new single ‘Audience’.
Further showcasing this starlet’s flair for songwriting, the track presents listeners with a sleek fusion of R&B and pop, while the lyrics tell of those moments when you finally realise your true worth within a toxic relationship.
“It’s almost like they don’t really see you for you. They just want your reaction to feel better about themselves. Feeling so replaceable yet so tied down can feel really confusing and writing this song, using all these metaphors to describe the polar opposite behaviours of this person, really helped me understand my role in this situation. It’s actually not about a romantic relationship. It describes multiple friendships and family members, which can sometimes be even more painful to deal with. I didn’t want this track to be a sad one, I felt quite powerful writing it when I finally realised the role I was playing for other people. By the end of the song I say ‘Seems like it’s easier when I go, blocking out the life you never tried so I pack up my bags maybe you’ll grow.’ Which is my way of coming to terms that it’s sometimes better to remove yourself and wish them the best.”
With praise from the likes of Wonderland and Earmilk already under her belt, vi0let is rapidly marking her name as an artist to watch.
‘Audience’ is lifted from the forthcoming ‘Believe Me When I Cry’ debut EP, which is out in the autumn.
One of the most impressive pop newcomers to have emerged from Canada over the last couple of years has been 22-year old singer & songwriter Charlie Houston.
While currently on tour alongside ODESZA, Houston has also unveiled her new single today, entitled ‘Dinosaurs in the Garden’. The track continues to showcase this rising artist’s refreshing approach to alternative pop.
Speaking on the song’s inspiration, Houston says that it’s all about:
“The fear of getting your heartbroken while in a relationship. While you have no reason to suspect it’s going to happen, there is always looming anxiety about the fact that you’ve allowed yourself to fall for someone and now can’t control whether it works out or not.”
Charlie Houston performing with ODESZA
Charlie Houston supporting Charlotte Cardin
Hailing from Wales comes emerging artist, producer and writer L E M F R E C K. A self-produced creative who cites inspirations as varied as Kano to Prince, Stevie Wonder and Fred Hammond, L E M F R E C K constructs future-forward R&B sounds that are not only finessed but also refreshingly original in style.
New single ‘Play with Silver’ looks at the pleasures which accompany feelings of lust, and showcases L E M F R E C K’s vivid and intelligent lyricism.
To date, this rising artist has already been featured by noted tastemakers like BBC Introducing, Dummy Mag and Mystic Sons.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
One of the most impressive indie artists to have emerged from California recently, dani mack (a.k.a Baylee Barrett) continues to impress with the release of her new single, ‘fleabag’.
Similar to Barrett’s previous (and widely acclaimed) single ‘Someday‘, the track was self-produced with her band, and delivers an impressive blend of indie-rock and pop.
“’fleabag’ has layers to it. In simplest terms, which most can relate to, it’s a nod to dating and how terrible it is. On a deeper level, it’s a song about my own sexual repression and my difficulties with casual relationships. I grew up a devout Christian and letting go of the guilt that was instilled in me from such a young age is still something I still struggle with. There’s still a little part of me that’s afraid that come judgment day, I’m not getting into those pearly gates because I had premarital sex with some guy from a dating app.”
Signed to the Future Gods label, Barrett has so far garnered praise from the likes of NPR and Atwood Magazine, while her music has been supported by playlist curators on streaming giants Spotify, Apple and TIDAL.
