One of the most exciting discoveries of the week has been Michigan-raised newcomer 0sb0rne.
With a sleek fusion of R&B and dancehall, this talent constructs sounds that feel finessed and sleek, all the while maintaining a soulful essence that is sublime to experience.
Showcasing a natural talent for songwriting that is hard to come by, this is one artist that should be on everyone’s radar.
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Self-proclaimed ‘pop rock diarist’ Halo Kitsch is back with a captivatingly dark, haunting and sinister sound through new single ‘hollywood *starlette’.
Produced by Ben Zelico, the song is inspired by the concept of vengeance, while also encouraging listeners to own their sexuality rather than be ashamed of it.
The track is lifted from Halo’s forthcoming debut EP ‘with you (in mind)’, which thematically tackles the struggles of drug addiction:
“For the first time I’ve managed to talk about addiction without glorifying drug use, a rare perspective the world desperately needs to hear. And more important now to me than ever after the death of my best friend, who passed from an overdose earlier this year. It’s my story, but it’s also hers, and anyone whose struggled with substance abuse. You will hear all of the strength, all of the sass, the power, and the sorrow in these six songs.”
With over a million catalogue streams to date, this rising American artist has picked up praise from the likes of Under the Radar, American Songwriter, Buzzbands LA and Vents Magazine.
We are starting the weekend off by sharing this charming slice of playful indie pop from Australian outfit Layer Cake.
Seemingly focused on quality over quantity, this band have released just one EP and a handful of singles since their debut in 2018.
Today’s release of ‘Baby Baby’ showcases Layer Cake’s commitment to only releasing songs that truly showcase their sound at its best:
“It’s hard to believe we first started writing this song four years ago. Endless back and forth on new ideas until the right ones stuck. We couldn’t be more proud to hand it over to you today.”
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Barbadian-Canadian songstress Jenny Mayhem returns with one of the catchiest summer anthems of the week.
Presenting a nostalgic 90’s indie production with a modern pop twist, new single ‘Karma Tattoo’ feels instantly relatable yet refreshingly experimental at the same time.
Produced alongside Sugar Jesus, the song serves at Mayhem’s second single to be lifted from her forthcoming EP.
Icelandic singer-songwriter VALDIS returns with a beautifully emotive and melodic piece of pop through her new single ‘story for you’.
Stripped-back and minimal in tone, this classic love song was written by Isa Tengblad and Rasmus Ladefoged Lampon.
With features on notable Scandinavian tastemaker sites like Scandipop and POPMUZIK, VALDIS is marking herself as one of the most promising new pop starlets to emerge from Iceland in recent years.
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Following on from his successful run on NBC’s American Song Contest earlier this year (placing 4th place in the grand final), Grant Knoche unveils summery new single ‘ICARUS’.
Having recently come out as part of the LGBTQ+ community, the lyrics utilise the mythological story of Icarus as way to reflect on Knoche’s sexuality – as well as his desires to fall deeply in love without fear.
As per Knoche’s usual high standards in music-making, ‘ICARUS’ is yet another polished and well-constructed slice of pop perfection that serves as a taster to his upcoming second EP (out later this year).
Acclaimed London-based rapper HEN$HAW returns with one of his most powerful and emotive releases to date.
Featuring production from goodbyechase, new single ‘NOBODY’ is lifted from HEN$HAW’S upcoming ‘SITTIN’ IN THE DARK’ debut EP (out later this year), and looks into feelings of loneliness and isolation.
“‘NOBODY’ was written about feeling alone, even in the company of your close friends / family, it touches on what it’s like for me to feel like a forgettable face and not feel like the confident person I can be. Picture yourself at a party, it’s coming to end of the night and you feel like you are the only one who knows you’re there, to me, this song perfectly captures this moment.”
To date, this rising 21-year old talent has picked up praise from the likes of GRM Daily, Dummy Mag and Mixtape Madness. HEN$HAW plays London’s Colours Hoxton on 10th August 2022 – tickets here.
Tora-i really does showcase the best of new British R&B. Here is a talent who effortlessly crafts timelessly classic and beautifully melodic sounds, filled with clever lyricism and moving vocals.
Following on from the release of ‘Lounging’ back in May, this gifted musician now unveils the visuals to the song. Sharing her thoughts on the video, Tora-i says:
“Exploring the intricacies of relationships, the video follows the intimate moments between real couples in their day to day lives. When we discuss romantic love, it’s often dramatised or sometimes misses the authenticity behind it, probably as we’re still figuring out what it exactly is or how we navigate it , this is my contribution to that question.”
Tora-i recently completed a tour with the iconic Snoh Aalegra, and will be joining superstar Omar Apollo on his forthcoming UK and US tour. You can catch Tora-i live at All Points East next month.
London-based newcomer Ray Laurél has been one of the most exciting finds of the week so far.
Already garnering significant traction with his recent run of releases, Laurél constructs sounds that not only blur the lines between genres, but also present a refreshingly experimental approach to music-making that feels unique and eccentric – yet still relatable.
Taken from the forthcoming debut EP ‘MANIC PIXIE DREAM BOY’ (out 15th July, pre-order here), Laurél’s new single ‘COCONUT PERFUME’ beautifully balances dreamy and playful pop with darker indie tones.
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Rising LA-based starlet Emei returns with an energising fusion of alternative pop and rock through the release of her new single ‘That Girl’.
Thanks to its catchy melody, this immensely enjoyable song details the all-too-relatable struggles we encounter when trying to motivate ourselves.
“[The song was] written on a whim after weeks of trying to keep a habit checklist and failing miserably. The pop rock inspired anthem encapsulates the energy of wanting so badly to be that girl who wakes up at 6am, goes on walks every morning, and drinks coffee black but never getting to that unattainable goal.”
Emei currently commands over 200k monthly listeners on Spotify, and has collaborated with the likes of Gnash, KiNG MALA and Jordan Lewis.
Already commanding more than 600k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, newcomers 49th & Main are rapidly marking a name for themselves as one of Ireland’s biggest prospects.
Taken from the duo’s upcoming ‘Must Be Nice’ EP (out 22 July 2022), melodic new single ‘Up To Something’ showcases this outfit’s immensely charming style of indie-pop, with lyrics that focus on the long nights out that sometimes yield regrettable feelings the following day.
“This is a long night, forgotten conversations and empty wallets kinda tune that you just can’t help dance to.”
To date, 49th & Main have accumulated over 18 million catalogue streams. Catch the duo live at the Indiependence Festival later this month in Cork.
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Today marks the release of New York pop artist Ayla D’lyla’s latest single, entitled ‘Anywhere But Here’.
Dreamy and summery in character, the song was inspired by a yearning for escapism, and reminds city-dwelling listeners that life is all about balance:
“‘Anywhere But Here’ embodies the feeling of leaving the smoggy city and finding satisfaction in the simplicity of nature.”
To date, D’lyla’s work has picked up the attention of notable tastemaker publications like Paper and V magazines, while her work attracts more than 90k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
Goldie Vargas unveils a beautifully melancholic slice of indie-folk today with new single ‘Canyon’.
Inspired by songwriting legends like Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell, the song’s sincere and emotive lyrics look at the feelings that one can go through after a breakup.
“‘Canyon’ is about the personal conflict of missing the person you were with and the relationship you once had, but also missing the person you were before you met them. The entire song physically feels, to me at least, like you are running in a field towards yourself trying to get back to your roots. I find it incredibly empowering and self loving, despite being a break up song.”
‘Canyon’ continues to showcase this LA-based artist’s exceptional songwriting skills, and serves as the final single to be lifted from Vargas’ upcoming debut EP.
Following on from her hugely successful work over this past year, London-based Bristolian vocalist & visual artist Willow Kayne unveils her latest release, entitled ‘White City’.
Inspired by the infamous West London district, the song looks at how the area is home to a diverse group of residents – from those struggling to get by day-to-day, through to the ultra wealthy who are drawn to the luxuries that the city offers.
“White City is an interesting place to live. Everyone’s experiences are completely different to one another, like many places in London it seems. Gigantic new buildings appear constantly, old buildings are being destroyed everywhere I look. When I walk down the street here, it is a complete mixture of people. I don’t know any of them and I like it here because they certainly don’t know me. We are simply all out here for ourselves.”
Already garnering praise from the likes of Clash, i-D and The Line of Best Fit, as well as picking up the Ivor Novello Rising Star award, Kayne is rapidly marking herself as one of the UK’s most interesting new pop starlets.
LA-based artist Isabella had her first taste of musical success at the young age of sixteen. Unafraid to push the boundaries of R&B, this artist has consistently released finessed pieces of work that are refreshingly original in style.
With the unveiling of her new 7-track ‘Human’ EP (out now), songs like ‘Everywhere I Go’ continue to showcase this rising singer and songwriter’s approach to creating stunning sounds.
“This is the chapter where I’m stepping into my own skin. It’s about being OK with the different chapters that I’ve had in the past because they’ve all made me who I am today.”
Following on from the release of their critically-acclaimed debut single ‘Loser’ and its follow-up ‘Bike Ride’, emerging indie-rock outfit DUDE, MY DUDE return with ‘Eleanor’s Detour’.
The song was inspired by a scene taken from the film ‘Lucy’, as the band explain:
“One of the characters, Alex begins to open up to escapades, exposing herself to vulnerability and ambisexuality, when she meets the radical and daring Lucy.”
The track then expands on the dynamics between these two characters, and continues to tell their story:
“The pair’s opposing levels of impetuosity and confidence hint at the birth of a mutualistic relationship. As the track progresses, the protagonist, abandoned by their other friends, surrenders to the whims of the chaotic stranger and they find themselves continuing the party out on the street.”
With placements on flagship playlists like New Noise and The Scene, this rising British group now command close to 80k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
Oklahoma rapper, singer and producer Josh Sallee unveils a new music video for his latest single today, created with director Avitiuh and cinematographer Daniel Vo.
’95’ Jordan’ was inspired by Sallee’s life journey so far – and how the death of his father impacted his feelings on whether he should continue performing. Speaking on the song, Sallee explains:
“It is written in reference to the year Michael Jordan retired from basketball to play baseball after his father passed away. I had a similar experience in my career when I started going full-time into producing music. I was considering walking away from the mic and my solo career.”
Amassing over eight million catalogue streams to date and touring alongside the likes of Tory Lanez, Vic Mensa and G-Eazy, Sallee is marking himself as one of the most prominent hip hop talents to emerge from the state of Oklahoma.
While still a relative newcomer, LA-based artist Max Drazen has rapidly built a strong base of fans recently thanks to his immensely likeable style of pop music.
To date, debut single ‘Let Me Down Slow’ has already picked up over 600k streams on Spotify alone – and it’s easy to understand why once you press play.
A masterclass in modern pop, the track presents polished vocals over an infectiously memorable melody, while the energising production seamlessly fuses pop with indie and rock.
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London singer and songwriter Lexie Carroll continues to prove her potential as one of the UK’s most interesting new pop artists.
Comforting new single ‘if i built my home from paper’ is a beautifully constructed ballad that initially feels delicate in tone, but builds itself up into a cinematic sound that is utterly captivating to experience.
With support from the likes of BBC Introducing, Clash Magazine and Dork, there is no denying that Carroll is one pop talent to keep on your radars.
Track of the week. Based in London by way of Berlin and Cornwall, 20-year old Kai Bosch has been one of the most phenomenal finds of the week.
Inspired by the likes of Lana Del Rey and Lorde, this rising musician and producer fearlessly crafts dramatic sounds that are intensely emotive and utterly captivating to experience.
Haunting and atmospheric yet vulnerable in tone, ‘Blood’ feels reminiscent of the cinematic trip hop sounds from the late 90’s and early 00’s. Speaking on the song, Bosch says:
“’Blood’ explores trauma and mental health through the lens of a relationship and how it can affect the people around you. I wrote and produced it from my bedroom at the end of January 2021, at the time I was going through quite a tough time emotionally and I was really reflecting on how my emotions and mechanisms might affect the people I love. I wanted to embody emotional baggage as something quite visceral and gory, landing upon the line “Blood on everything I love.” Though the relationship in Blood was a purely fictional one at the time of writing, there have since been moments in my romantic life where the song manifested into reality – lyrics I had perhaps written before without much context suddenly held huge emotional weight.”
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