Listening to ‘Petrified’ gets my heart racing for one reason alone: this song carries all the hallmarks of a megastar in the making.
I won’t be surprised to see Mette evolve into a fully-fledged global pop icon soon if her releases continue to be this outstanding.
Hailing from the West Midlands, British bedroom-funk newcomers Akande have managed to create a track that feels both melancholy and quirky at the same time.
‘Pink Grapefruit’ is charmingly loveable yet refreshingly original. Be warned that you’ll probably have this song on loop for a good while…
“This song is inspired by a Golden Grapefruit which tasted really bad, at that point I realised it was Pink Grapefruit I was looking for. This relates to a relationship where she realises that I was Golden Grapefruit.”
With features from Complex UK and GRM Daily, South-London grime artist, MC and producer Crafty 893 is steadily making a big impact on the UK grime scene.
Crafting his sound through clever lyricism, distinctive vocals and catchy beat work, this talent brings a new level of finesse to the genre; one that feels polished and future-forward. On the video, Crafty says:
“I wanted the visuals to be something completely different to what I’ve seen before. It’s based on a mission brief in Grand Theft Auto, where I’m in the office teaching people how to make money.”
One of indie-pop’s most promising starlets from this last year, ella jane returns with a charming release that will stay with you for a good while.
Sharp lyricism glides over a catchy melody that winds up straight to your heart.
As far as British talent goes, Chloe Rodgers is one of the most promising new starlets of the moment. With recognition from tastemakers like Notion, The Line of Best Fit and Refinery 29, Rodgers is set on making a big impact in 2021.
The release of ‘Coins For Charon’ is alt-pop at it’s finest. Subtly emotive yet powerfully captivating, this is a beautifully melodic piece of music that is sure to make Rodgers your new obsession.
“‘Coins for Charon’ was written by Anders Källmark and Nick van Hofwegan, AKA Young & Sick.. It’s about losing someone you love. I do like the track. The dynamic change and percussion in the chorus was a good call, and the drummer (Giovanni Velez), is a genius.”
An exciting talent to look out for, London born/ LA-based artist and songwriter Sophia Gripari crafts some of the freshest pop out there right now.
Listening to ‘DLS’ instantly sets you in a good mood, and feels perfect for the summer months ahead.
The release of ‘FOLLOW ME’ shows us a beautifully melodic and nostalgic sound from sohayl ryder; one which subtly fuses neo-soul and hip hop together quite perfectly.
“In this song I describe the delicate details of how my childhood was like in Iran and some fond memories that I had in the past backed up with an alternative jazz instrumental. Later on the song transitions to a grittier sound portraying the idea of growing up and becoming more aware of the world and life’s struggles as you approach adulthood (social pressures, happiness, success).”
Five years after first featuring Au/Ra and I am still blown away by the songs coming out of this talent.
Written at Au/Ra’s home in Antigua, ‘Dead Girl!‘ is fresh take on alt-pop with a haunting and playful melody and lyrics that remind us all that it’s okay to feel different and not judge ourselves for it.
“I wrote Dead Girl! when I was feeling especially out of place when I came back home. Being away for a while left me feeling disconnected from a lot of people. I think of myself as a pretty introverted, sometimes anxious person – feeling out of place isn’t new. I was so done with judging myself and feeling judged. I felt that especially during high school, so I really channelled all that ‘grrrr’ energy into the song. So, it’s about being okay with feeling different, unapologetically, and feeling, in a sense, ‘dead’ to the people that don’t understand you.”
Beautifully emotive pop from upcoming British-based artist MARNEY, with a song that reflects on silver screen dreams and nightmares.
It’s a sound that carries a cinematic aesthetic which feels elevated and epic, yet carries subtle hints of melancholy.
‘California’ was co-written with Adam Argyle (Dua Lipa, James Bay, Ava Max), who also co-produced the song with James Earp (Lewis Capaldi, LP).
“When I wrote the song, I had this image of someone trudging home at 3am, dressed as Superman, after a night of flyering in Hollywood. I thought of how sad it is for Superman to be so desperate and so invisible there… That idea really carried the song and then the video that I made.”
Track of the week. If there’s one essential pop song to listen to this week, let it be ‘Taste For It’ by twin-talents Fionn.
A certified bop in every sense of the word, this banger propels old-school disco into the future and creates something that is in equal parts delight, euphoria and fun.
It’s impossible not to fall in love with Californian outfit Peach Tree Rascals. Ahead of their upcoming debut EP ‘Camp Nowhere’ (out 26th March), they’ve released a funky slice of retro-soul, shimmering with guitars and trumpets for your enjoyment.
Talk about a meteoric rise to the top; Norwegian-Filipino singer and songwriter Clinton Kane amassed more than 218 million global streams and gained over half a million followers on TikTok in the space of just four months.
It’s easy to see why. The 21-year old multi-instrumentalist creates an understated yet emotive pop sound that is so full of soul and emotion that anyone can feel connected with it.
“When I wrote ‘Chicken Tendies’ I didn’t know what it was about, but a week ago I realised this song has so much more meaning to me than any other song; I’m SO KEEN to have this out in the world.”
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘what am I doing wrong?’ which is due this spring.
Òlah Bliss returns with a sensational pop release that’s set to solidify this London-based talent as one to watch for 2021.
“I’m only human, I make mistakes, I learn from them, sometimes I don’t, but I’m always on a mission to become the best version of me I can possibly be. If my music resonates with you that’s already a huge success, if it doesn’t, I’m still grateful you spent your valuable time listening to my creation.”
Usually writing and producing tracks for the likes of DVBBS, blackbear, Terror Jr and Natasha Bedingfield, Tony Rodini ventures into solo territory with the release of debut single ‘Selfish’, featuring the help of R I L E Y.
“This is the realest song that I have ever written. Completely opened my heart for everyone to hear, and listeners have connected with the lyrics in their own way. The second verse is a feature by R I L E Y. His verse is completely honest, talks his struggles and his ability to overcome them.”
A pop banger in every sense of the word, Canadian teen talent AJA is back with a showstopper of a song that takes those stellar vocals and lays them over a tremendously vibrant production.
“When someone breaks your heart, I mean really breaks your heart, it’s easy to hit the Red Button and decline their call.”
St. Louis talent Nic@Nite crafts an interesting blend of hip-hop and synth-pop, with some elements of punk fused in for good measure.
While the sound feels bold and dark, it’s also packed full with texture and character. On the song, Nic@Nite explains:
“‘Nitemares’ is the result of a lot of pent-up frustration I was having from isolation as well as reflection on moral ambiguity and the capacity of people to do the wrong things given the right circumstances.”
Finessed fusions of dark-pop and RnB from the sublimely talented RENÉ. With inspirations ranging from Aaliyah to Timbaland, you can hear that distinctive 90’s sound come through beautifully on ‘Better U’.
“’Better U’ describes the feeling of when you have invested so much of yourself and time in a relationship, sticking around with the false hope that they will change for the better – but they never do! Only to find when you’ve finally moved on, they have too, becoming the very person you always hoped they would be…but with someone else.”
cityboymoe creates a beautifully melodic fusion of RnB and hip hop (with an added dose of melancholy), that entrances you into the Londoner’s world and leaves you feeling deeply connected.
There’s really no stopping Canadian superstar Tate McRae. To date, she has amassed over 1.4 billion career streams with over 3.2 million subscribers and over 450 million video views on YouTube.
Taken from the new EP ‘too young to be sad’ which is out on 26th March 2021 via Ministry of Sound.
Falana is a tremendously exciting Canadian-Nigerian talent who has formulated an intelligent combination of the RnB, pop and afrobeats genres to create the masterpiece that is ‘Joy’.
