Hailing from Helsinki. Misha is half Finnish and half Ukrainian producer who is crafting some of the most finessed blends of hip hop and RnB to emerge from the Nordic nations right now.
And with over ten million streams and support from the likes of BBC Radio 1Xtra/ Jamz Supernova and Okayplayer, this is one talent to watch out for!
Taken from Misha’s new EP ‘Gusto’ which is out now.
Misha | Latrell James | Najee Janey
Undoubtedly one of my favourite RnB-pop bops this week! Canadian talent Neena Rose is a 19-year old Ontario-based artist who’s debut single ‘Rock N Roll Lullaby’ was recorded at just the age of 12 with Diamond & Platinum producer-songwriter Roy “Royalty” Hamilton III.
Despite her young age, this artist is emerging onto the music scene with a magnetism not encountered every day. On her artistry, Neena says:
“I love it all, but writing lyrics is my favourite part. I want people to gain empowerment from my music. I want it to communicate to them: ‘You’ve got this. You can be different. You can do anything.’”
Hailing from South West London, Alana Sukul’s approach to music-making crosses several genres, yet still feels easy and relatable to listen to.
‘Be Friends’ showcases luxurious RnB-inflected vocals that sincerely ask ‘can’t we just be friends?’ while respecting the boundaries of a former friend.
“Friendship breakups can sometimes hurt a lot worse than your typical romantic breakup, I hope this song will help listeners to grieve over the loss by dancing it out.”
It’s clear that Public Order have their sights set on global indie-rock domination. With a flair for delivering raw yet upbeat sounds, this outfit deliver a new approach to the genre that is exciting and fresh.
Their release of ‘Feels Like Summer’ is a perfect example of what we can expect from the emerging Welsh trio. This is an immediately captivating track that harks back to the classic 90’s Madchester era, while still sounding new and future-forward.
“‘Feels Like Summer’ is about not being a miserable bastard, life’s not that deep, stop making it deep and getting all in your feels about it. The tune’s basically us giving ourselves a good talking to and saying ‘get on with it cos it ‘Don’t get better than this’.”
LA-based pop artist Devon Again brings a refreshingly fun approach to left-of-center pop, infusing her eccentric and magnetic personality into the mix.
With hooky melodies, catchy lyrics and a sweet vocal, this is one talent that is sure to garner a lot of traction over the coming year.
Canadian alternative singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jon Bryant returns today with dreamy new single ‘Tied Up’.
A feeling most of us are all too familiar with, the song is all about those early hours in the morning when the world is sleeping and you’re still wide awake.
“This song is about the early morning after everything is done and most everyone is sleeping. I’ve always been the kind of guy that needs change and new things to happen. It’s like a drug to me. Covid has been the ultimate buzz kill for me, so I’ve come to terms with reality and embraced the routine. As much as I hate it. It helped me write 50 songs in 50 days. Still can’t believe I managed to pull that off.”
Any day that KWAYE releases a new single is a good day, in my view. A true modern-day visionary, the 25 year old singer from LA (via London and Zimbabwe) has already developed a cult-like fanbase for his ambitious musical explorations, accumulating over 30 million global streams in the process.
“’Kindness’ has got many meanings, but the overall idea is that simple thing that, I think in this day and age, we as human beings tend to stray away from… humans can be so quick to judge, but also be so quick to be sceptical of any kind gestures in public. I make a habit of – if I’ve got something nice to say, I’ll say it to a perfect stranger.”
Taken from the new EP ‘Learning To Swim’ which will be released later this year.
With a vocal that immediately piques your curiosity, Stoke-on-Trent musician Lissy Taylor is certain to become one of the UK’s next generation of indie-pop starlets.
Powerful new release ‘Carefree’ highlights her insight into the condition of being young, confident and indeed carefree.
“’Carefree’ is a determination to feel free, to feel unapologetic and unafraid. I decided to push myself to make this a reality by tackling my own anxieties and fears. It’s pretty ironic really because I was far from feeling carefree when I wrote it, it was a dream to be carefree.”
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Undercurrent’ which is out on 30th July 2021.
Starting the weekend off with some of the finest emerging UK RnB and soul, courtesy of London-based producer, singer/songwriter and keyboard player Ruby Francis.
Heavily inspired by The Neptunes, ‘Jasmine’ is sleek yet passionate song that tells of an obsession for a girl Ruby never met.
“‘Jasmine’ is a made up name of a girl that I, as a character, have never met, but have fallen in love with online and become obsessed with in secret; idolising and fantasising about life together in reality.‘
A distinctly unique fusion of pop and RnB, German talent DEVADO created ‘Cloud 11’ using only her vocals and body percussion on the entire production.
“‘Cloud 11’ is a song about falling in love when you expect it least.
This talent takes samples of her voice and other sounds and transforms them into synthesisers, bass, beats and more. With the aim of producing new songs every six to eight weeks, it’s safe to say DEVADO will surely keep 2021 interesting!
My favourite pop duo return today with the release of nostalgic bop ‘Take Me Back’. Co-written and produced by Jared Manierka (who’s also worked with the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen), the song showcases a more melancholic side to Fionn which is utterly charming to listen to.
“‘Take Me Back’ is a nostalgic pop ballad romanticising a life stuck in the past. Specifically we touch on an old relationship that is brought back to the surface and re-analysed. Time is a funny thing, and some days you wake up forgetting where the years have gone, feeling the pain of a loss as if it is new. During covid, we spent a lot of time wishing that we could go back to when the stress of living during a pandemic didn’t follow us on the daily. It also gave us a lot of time to romanticise every bit of our lives before.”
Check out the recent EP ‘Candid Constellations‘ which is out now.
A truly superb audible experience, Tom Marden’s ‘Church’ draws the complexity of a passionate love/hate relationship on a lo-fi beat over a gorgeously dreamy melody.
The project serves as an altar ego to artist Léo Faubert, who is based in France. It’s there where he began making music in his father’s small studio, before working with groups Kid Wise and After Marianne.
There was a time when Sweden was pumping out electro-pop songs on a weekly basis, but lately the nation’s commercial music scene has diverted into other styles. Which is actually pretty great, since it keeps things exciting and fresh – but I do still wish that the occasional banger made it’s way to me still.
But fret not if you’re like me, as you’ll be happy to see that BBY LIZA has served us all with a big track in the form of ‘Champagne’. Press play and put the volume on high!
One of the finest summer bops that I have yet to stumble upon so far this season, Ori Rose’s ‘Casey’ is a perfect slice of pop that is sure to make you fall in love with this rising American star.
With a refreshingly cute summer sound by Nolie, ‘Think Back’ is the kind of track that will have you feeling nostalgic thanks to it’s dreamy melody, making you reminisce to the days of your childhood.
I’ve been following LA-based British artist T.O.L.D. for a good few years now, and it’s always interesting to listen to his new releases. ‘How To Waste Time’ is a celebratory anthem and an ode to doing nothing.
Composed and recorded by T.O.L.D. himself, it was written after he started a daily meditation routine but realised that he didn’t know how to sit and do nothing; hence working on the song as a way to avoid practicing it!
Taken from the upcoming album ‘Reborn Again’.
After an 18-month musical hiatus, Myles Cameron finally returns with a nostalgia-drenched, feel-good single in the shape of ‘Summer ’19’.
“The instrumental leans very indie, but Moise and I are both black artists. Historically there isn’t a whole lot of representation of people who look like us in that space, so the whole song became sort of this rumination on that juxtaposition. The hook, song structure, and certain lines of Moise’s verse could have come straight out of some rap shit. We were both kind of like, okay this is an indie jam, but how do we make it unapologetically blacked out.”
Since his debut, Myles has achieved recognition from the likes of Pigeons & Planes, VICE, Hypebeast, and Ones To Watch.
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Black Boys Look Blue’.
Hailing from New York, GK is a rapper who seamlessly blends pop-punk with hip-hop to create a sound that is not only universal but also future-forward.
‘Falling in Love’ is an emotive track that looks at love and loss, and is sure to amplify this artist’s fan base even more.
Utahn talent MASN continues to impress with the release of new single ‘Don’t Talk’. This is a track that feels summery yet also carries hints of melancholy, leaving you wanting to hear more from this hugely exciting newcomer.
Over the last twelve months, Dava has established herself as a name to watch out for. With bops like ‘Right Time‘ and ‘Papercut‘, this talent delivers a flair of excellence with her take on pop.
The songs feels finessed and sleek, yet still maintain an element of fun which is completely addictive. ‘Sticky’ showcases a more quirky side to the artist, and as usual it’s brilliant.
