Music - New Music

New Music: Adam O’Rua

Ireland might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of emerging R&B-soul, but singer, songwriter, producer and dancer Adam O’Rua looks set to change all of that.

Born in Dublin and currently based in Brazil, this promising newcomer is rapidly gaining traction thanks to his distinct and bold take on the R&B genre.

Written as a homage to his home nation and its heritage, new single ‘Rainfall’ seamlessly weaves nostalgic sounds into a future-forward production, resulting in a song that is truly stunning.

“I wrote, played and produced the whole track myself, definitely took a while to bring it together how I heard it in my head. The drums definitely needed that 80’s zest and I wanted to mix it with the ethereal, sultry vibe that I get from Summer Walker’s first record. And the vocals… Damn, those stacks took a while to get right! Worth it for that dramatic effect.”

Adam O’Rua

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HART – VOODOO PLANS

London-based artist HART first appeared on our radar over two years ago – and even back then, we were seriously impressed with his sound.

Today marks a special day for this rising talent though, as he’s just released his debut single, entitled ‘VOODOO PLANS’.

Produced alongside acclaimed personnel Jabari Manwa and Brad Lewis, the song takes its inspiration from an ex who tried to replicate HART’s energy through another man.

“You took my heart to put it in another man… you can’t recreate me don’t you understand”

With its finessed and distinctive mix of R&B, pop and hip hop, the track serves as a powerful introduction to one of the UK’s most exciting newcomers.

HART

New Music: Scott Attew

Hailing from Norwich in England is singer and songwriter Scott Attew, who unveils an impressive new single today called ‘Pedestal’.

Blending classic British rock with modern indie-pop, the song presents listeners with a vivid sound that feels anthemic, powerful and energising in character.

As a seasoned live performer, Attew has opened shows for prominent names like Paolo Nutini, Elton John, Lionel Richie and Snow Patrol – either as a soloist or part of acclaimed indie outfit Vandalye.

Attew is currently working on his debut EP, ‘Dreamstate Motel’, which is scheduled for release soon. In the meantime, fans can enjoy his previous singles on Spotify here.

Scott Attew

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: hanna ögonsten

It wouldn’t be a normal Friday on Alfitude without sharing some premium Scandinavian pop, and this week it’s the turn of Swedish starlet hanna ögonsten.

An artist already on the rise, ögonsten’s style of sound is inspired by genres as diverse as alt-pop, indie, punk and hyperpop, while lyrically she focuses on issues that affect young people in their 20’s who are trying to navigate the world in this day and age.

New single ‘Big Teeth’ looks at our struggles with self-criticism, and is taken from ögonsten’s upcoming “have you seen my mind cause’ I’ve lost it” record (out 28th April). Speaking on the creation of her EP, hanna explains:

“I write a diary on my cell phone. Or at least I write lots of notes. They’re about a little bit of everything, mostly my feelings. I’ve been doing this since I was a young teenager, but this autumn I realised that the tone in my notes had changed. They weren’t happy and I almost sounded bitter. I was surprised, it didn’t really feel like me. But thinking about it, I realised it’s not that unexpected. Being a young woman in the music industry means to constantly be reminded that you are – a female producer – and that you therefore should be questioned. It’s exhausting. I realised that it was time to get this out of my mind and the result became this EP. Every song is written and produced together with Carl Goldkuhl (among others) and I’m so proud of how it turned out.”

ögonsten’s music has so far received support from the likes of Vogue Paris, Triple J, Pop Passion and Scandipop.

hanna ögonsten

🎵 Ones To Watch Playlist 🎵Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Nix Northwest – Time Out

We’ve been looking forward to this news for quite some time… London-based rapper, producer and multi-instrumentalist Nix Northwest has finally released his debut album today, entitled ‘Xin’s Disappearance’ (out now).

Lifted from the much-anticipated concept project is ‘Time Out’, which presents listeners with a thoughtfully constructed and melodic fusion of UK hip hop and jazz.

In a sign of his ever-growing popularity, Nix has just sold-out all dates on his upcoming tour. More so, as an artist with over 20 million catalogue streams already under his belt on Spotify alone, it’s clear that Nix will become one of the UK’s hottest musical exports this year.

Nix Northwest

Nix Northwest UK Tour 2023

BIRMINGHAM—-19th March
GLASGOW—-20th March
MANCHESTER—-21st March
BRIGHTON—-23rd March
LONDON—-24th March

New Music: Sammy Curcuru

Sometimes a song finds its way on to your Spotify and uplifts your mood so much so, that you momentarily forget all of life’s stresses.

Michigan artist Sammy Curcuru’s new single ‘look @ u’ is one of those songs. Playful, poppy and lively in character, this track will undeniably put a smile on anyone’s face.

Adding to its charm, ‘look @ u’ was recorded in Sammy’s very own my dorm room, and features production from Alfitude favourite Zac Greer and beatmaker Cheap Limousine.

“This song came out of nowhere. It’s the fastest I’ve ever completed a piece of music and I love it to death.”

Sammy Curcuru

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Cam Thomas – Heisman

British rap artist Cam Thomas has been marked as one of the country’s most promising hip hop prospects, with the release of his new single ‘Heisman’ only further propelling his momentum.

Taking its name from the world-famous Heisman Trophy, the song looks at themes of success, wealth and the importance of staying true to yourself.

Lyrically intelligent and sonically bold, the track serves as a taster to Cam’s forthcoming debut ‘Redshirt’ album (out 5th May).

With support from the likes of BBC Introducing, Wonderland and Plastic magazines under his belt, Cam Thomas is one name to keep on your radars this year.

Cam Thomas

VC Pines – Dangling

Following on from his triumphant comeback single earlier this year (‘Running’), acclaimed UK artist VC Pines returns with a powerful new track entitled ‘Dangling’.

The song was inspired by the pain that comes from keeping too many thoughts locked in our minds, and serves as a reminder to be more open and accepting of help from others.

“’Dangling’ is a culmination of bad habits, late nights and broken relationships. BUT. The fact that these are exacerbated by things that are all in your head. I was put on lamotrigine after my epilepsy diagnosis and my moods would swing like Newton’s cradle. I thought that people were thinking things or saying things or that they were acting a certain way towards me due to reasons I’d made up in my head and eventually this tore down some strong relationships I had. Late nights and alcohol didn’t fix anything when I thought they would. Really, if I’d just asked questions, things could have been different. So ‘Dangling’ is a reminder to be open, and not fester in your own assumptions.“

‘Dangling’ was created alongside London-based producer Hoost, who is noted for his work with artists like Rina Sawayama, Olivia Nelson and Louis III.

After selling out Camden’s MAP Studio Cafe in January, VC Pines has now announced a headline show at London’s iconic Lafayette on the 15th September – tickets can be found here.

VC Pines

Hanne Mjøen – Hard To Love (feat. Ryland James)

Not many Norwegian alt-pop artists have made as much impact globally as Hanne Mjøen has over these last few years.

Today marks her return with a powerful new single that features the talents of Ryland James, entitled ‘Hard To Love’.

Beautifully melancholic and refreshingly honest in tone, the song looks at the emotional vulnerabilities that start to appear when we find ourselves connecting with someone special.

”’Hard To Love’ tells the tale of being a complex person. Everyone has bad sides and struggles and through the lyrics I wanted to put mine on the table, letting the one you love know that if you want a love of eternal sunshine, I’ll give you the opposite. I’ll make it hard for you to love me cause unfortunately I’m not a perfect person either.”

Mjøen has received recognition from international outlets and tastemaker publications as prominent as Fader, NRK P3, Line Of Best Fit and many more. Meanwhile, rising artist Ryland James already commands more than 250k monthly Spotify listeners.

Hanne Mjøen | Ryland James

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Miko – 2 Cups

It might still be March but we’ve already got a summer anthem lined up for you all to enjoy.

‘2 Cups’ is taken from rising Canadian artist Miko’s upcoming sophomore EP, and was created in collaboration with acclaimed producer Derek Hoffman.

Lyrically inspired by a songwriter ‘living the life’ in LA, the song presents listeners with a punchy fusion of gritty indie-rock and pop.

In equal measures, this is a sound that feels intense and raw, but also playful and lively in character.

Miko

Madeline – Relief (feat. Jeffrey Eli)

One of our favourite alt-pop artists to have emerged from the US in recent years has been Madeline – so we’re delighted to be sharing with you her new collaboration featuring up-and-coming talent Jeffrey Eli.

The version of ‘Relief’ that you’re listening to right now is actually a revamped one; the original edit has already amassed more than 50k streams since it’s release last autumn.

The song is taken from Madeline’s ‘Gut Tag’ EP, which is scheduled for release in April 2023.

As two rising stars in the making, Madeline’s work currently draws in almost 70k monthly listeners on Spotify, while Jeffrey Eli commands a fanbase that exceeds 900k followers across social media.

Madeline | Jeffrey Eli

Kayls – On The Rocks

If you’re on the hunt for a pop-rock banger to perk up your Wednesday then you’ve come to the right place!

LA-based singer and songwriter KAYLS has just released a brand new single called ‘On The Rocks’, which she describes as a ‘celebratory break up song where I recount my intuitive thoughts as I reflect on a relationship’.

It’s a bold, punchy and energising slice of guitar-driven alt-pop that is sure to stay with you for the rest of the day. Elaborating further on the song’s lyrics, KAYLS explains:

“Who wants the cork of someone else’s champagne bottle landing in their moules-frites? That’s what a septic relationship can feel like. You’re sitting at the wrong table with a cork floating in your dinner and no champagne. It’s like if you put on a blindfold and spin around and around and take it off and try to run you’re going to fall down. This song feels like a pact with myself to never override my intuition or allow myself to attach to the wrong person again.”

To coincide with the release of the song, KAYLS has also launched the sale of specially created Jasmine Soaking Salts for fans to enjoy – more details can be found here.

KAYLS

Benjamin Yellowitz – Addicted

London-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Yellowitz returns today with a beautifully moving and atmospheric piece of acoustic pop, entitled ‘Addicted’.

As the title of the track hints, the lyrics of this compelling new single cover themes of pleasure and addiction, as well as queerness, gender and identity. Elaborating further on the concept behind the song, Yellowitz explains:

“it’s about the fine line between something you enjoy and something that you might be doing you more harm than good. Those things that people reserve for the weekend – are available in the entertainment industry almost everyday, it’s a beautiful, fast-paced, attention grabbing, Bohemian life… but boringly, things are best in moderation”.

Already a tastemaker favourite, this Birmingham-raised artist has garnered support from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, BBC Introducing, Mahogany, Amazing Radio and M Magazine, while also amassing more than 300k catalogue streams on Spotify alone.

Benjamin Yellowitz

New Music: Tre. Charles

We are very excited to introduce to you a promising indie talent hailing from Durham in North Carolina.

Self-described as a ‘habitual over thinker’, Tre. Charles creates a sublime style of sound that feels experimental and future-forward, but also emotive and relatable.

Serving as a taster to his upcoming ‘(Currently.)’ debut EP, new single ‘Lately.’ presents listeners with an atmospheric mix of alternative R&B and lo-fi, soulful pop.

“This track delves into the realm of self awareness and mental health; addressing the overwhelmingness of todays social media landscape and the constraints of overthinking.”

Tre.’s momentum has been on the rise ever since the release of his 2021 song ‘Stressin.’ – which has so far amassed more than 120k streams.

Tre. Charles

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Baby Rose – Stop The Bleeding

American musician Baby Rose is back with yet another triumphant release that further solidifies her name as one of our generation’s most talented soul-R&B artists.

Taken from forthcoming album ‘Through and Through’ (out 28th April – preorder here), introspective new single ‘Stop The Bleeding’ is about as epic as soul music gets in this day and age.

Cinematic, intense, dramatic and utterly captivating in its character, the song looks at the painful cycles that Rose has experienced in her life.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Austin this week then be sure to find some time to catch Baby Rose live at SXSW – dates and shows are listed below.

Baby Rose

Baby Rose SXSW 2023 Shows

March 14 – Rolling Stone ‘Future of Music’ Showcase
March 15 – A2IM Indie Spotlight Showcase
March 16 – Secretly Distribution 25th Anniversary Showcase

Khamari – On My Way

LA-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Khamari has frequented these pages many times – and with good reason.

Over the past few years, this highly-acclaimed artist has consistently released some of the finest R&B-pop sounds that we have come across, and his new single ‘On My Way’ is no exception.

Produced by Trackside and the artist himself, the song samples Al Green’s classic ‘Love and Happiness’, and is lyrically inspired by Khamari’s move from Boston to LA.

“In the middle of the pandemic I packed everything I owned into my car and drove across the country from Boston to Los Angeles. ‘On My Way’ is a song about my move, my confidence in knowing I was making the right decision starting fresh so I could build something from the ground up.”

Khamari

Indy June – Like Me

Rising American indie-pop artist Indy June is back with one of the most charming songs of the week.

‘Like Me’ focuses on the moments when someone begins to fall in love with a friend, and looks at all the uncertainties and feelings of vulnerability that come along with it.

“‘Like Me’ is a queer, passionate song depicting the uncertainty that accompanies the feeling of falling for a friend. It recognises the risk and hesitancy to confuse a close platonic friendship with a romantic one, while also acknowledging how perfectly intimate it could be.”

To date, Indy June has amassed more than 1.2 million career streams on Spotify alone – from the release of just four songs! So be sure to keep this emerging talent on your radars, as Indy is most certainly one to watch.

Indy June

New Music: Kuiper

We’re starting the week with some impressive Canadian alternative pop. Hailing from the city of Ontario, Kuiper (pronounced kai-per) is a brand new musical project with only one other single released to date.

‘forget’ is a kind of song that is near impossible not to feel some kind of enjoyment for. Melodically memorable and lyrically vivid, the track serves as an impressive debut to this hugely promising artist.

Working alongside the BAD KIDS label, Kuiper might well be one of Canada’s most interesting newcomers this year.

Kuiper

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Nino SLG – What’s Left

For those unfamiliar with Nino SLG, this South London talent is one of the most hyped rap newcomers to have emerged from the UK in quite some time.

With a melodic approach to the genre, Nino SLG crafts songs that present thoughtful lyricism over intricate productions. The result is a sound that is both well-constructed and also deeply moving to experience.

‘What’s Left’ is taken from the artist’s newly-released ‘Mirror Story’ EP, of which he says:

“My new EP is a story about the person I can see in the mirror. It’s my most vulnerable project to date, and I want people to see this side of me. Lyrically I’ve touched on materialism and everyday possessions, concepts and distractions to try and show how these steer people away from conquering the real problem which is usually themselves. Musically, I’ve reflected the contrasting emotions in the lyrics by switching up the production as you move through the project. Mirror Story is about exploring myself and my emotions, in the hope that there might be other people out there who are feeling the same – I hope that my EP makes them feel understood.“

With support from the likes of BBC Introducing and Radio 1, as well as Clash, i-D, DMY and Crack magazines already under his belt, Nino SLG is well and truly on his way to global stardom.

Nino SLG

King Isis – taste of u

Track of the week. One of our favourite newcomers from the last twelve months has been Oakland-raised singer King Isis.

New single ‘taste of u’ is taken from much-anticipated upcoming EP ‘scales’ (out 29th March), and once again treats listeners to King Isis’s unmistakably unique style of indie. On the lyrical concept, the artist says:

“‘taste of u’ is about entering a void of a blurring intoxication with another. It’s knowing something is bad for you but despite warning signs and red flags still chasing an illusion to escape your own delusion.”

King Isis is rapidly marking her name as California’s next big indie export, and has received praise from Clash, Notion and DIY magazines, as well as The Sunday Times.

King Isis

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