Emerging from Los Angeles, St. Mary is the kind of producer who is seemingly fearless in her quest for creating epic pieces of music.
New single ‘Lungs’ features a magnificently dark hybrid of electronic pop, bass and hardwave that gets more intense the longer you listen.
“This track is incredibly special to me as the lyrics paint a picture of a girl’s monologue while having a haunting and quite emotionally charged tone.” – St. Mary
With over a million followers on Instagram alone, Indi Star’s musical ascent seems imminent in 2022.
This hugely talented musician and actress showcases her beautifully delicate vocals on ‘Exposed’, a pop ballad that feels emotive and fragile yet still incredibly easy to listen along to.
Track of the week. Norwegian artist Ponette has rapidly shown herself to be one of the Nordic nation’s most promising new talents recently.
With a production that is stripped-back and relatively subdued, ‘Losing Me’ is a mesmerisingly moving song that is immediately captivating.
Sudan-native Yahya launches his year with an exhilarating release in the form of new single ‘Everything You Want’.
Growing up in the United States, Yahya’s wide range of influences come together in a refreshingly interesting way – combining elements of hip hop, trap, R&B and rock to make sounds like none other you may have experienced before.
Taken from the forthcoming project ‘Seasons Change Feelings Change’.
i swear i meant to mean the best
when it ended
even try to bite my tongue
when you start it
now you’re texting all my friends asking questions
they never even liked you in the first place
Hailing from Australia, Gabriella Cohen creates a charmingly playful and infectious blend of indie and pop.
Long-time followers of Alfitude may or may not know that Amy Winehouse is my absolute favourite musician of all time.
As the years have come and gone, many have taken on the late artist’s classic songs, but I can truly say that I have not heard anything quite so exquisitely intense and heartbreakingly moving as Danielle Juhre’s version of ‘Back To Black’.
Already picking up attention from tastemakers Wonderland and Flaunt, Kit Major’s ‘Solo Disco’ is undoubtedly your first weekend anthem of the new year.
Taking inspiration from icons like Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa and Rina Sawayama, this is an almighty slice of electronic pop that is all about Kit celebrating herself and feeling liberated in her independence.
“This song is for the lonely, the independent bitches and those learning to find comfortability in feeling uncomfortable. ‘Solo Disco’ is where you go when you have no one else, it’s not just about romantic relationships, but it’s a f*ck you, I’m fine to those who don’t believe in you or see your true value. I love this song so much because I’ve lived so much of my life through the eyes of other people and how they see me- am I a good person, am I a loving partner, am I worth it? That’s a tiring place to be. Honestly, a life changing experience for me was my first time at a music festival- I went to Lollapalooza in 2010 to see Gaga and Green Day. I wanted this song to reflect the energy and freedom I felt in that explosive short time. Not to sound so lame, but the biggest thing for me about this song was, does it make you want to dance? Does it make you feel good? Does it feel like sunset on a Friday night before the concert?”
Following on from the success of previous single ‘Hazy’, emerging US newcomer Hunter Moreau returns today with a highly relatable slice of pop in the form of new track ‘Sleepyhead’.
Frequently stepping outside of her comfort zone to express the most vulnerable parts of herself, it’s little wonder that this artist continues to win over legions of fans with each release.
“The story of ‘Sleepyhead’ started out in my bedroom, ironically. I was in my bed doing a lot of thinking, and probably a lot of overthinking. I fell into this repeated game I play with my mind, getting wrapped up in my own thoughts and worries and emotions. As l laid there, I started to think about how everyone goes through these sorts of ‘fights’ or ‘games’ with their own minds, often repeating the same toxic ways of thinking over and over again because we’re so accustomed to it. I began to write down some of these ideas I was having, and that’s when I came up with the line, ‘I built myself a house of tricks, with a clock on the wall that always ticks.’ The rest of the song more or less grew out of this line. I was trying to capture the idea that your mind can seem like this crazy, scary thing that you can’t control, but it really is something you built yourself, based on your own ways of thinking.”
Hemel-Hempstead based newcomer Low Girl return with another irresistible piece of alt-pop, in the form of new single ‘So Cool’.
Taken from the upcoming second EP (set for release on 4th March), the lyrics of the single focus on the experience of wanting someone seemingly unattainable, as Low Girl explains:
“There was a girl I liked who really knew how to switch it on and off, flirting and then recoiling. I’d end up feeling pretty disorientated, trying to maintain some sense of composure and resolve but failing miserably. I knew none of it was good for me, but my tendency to be self-destructive made it inevitable.”
With a slot confirmed at SXSW, plus a support tour with Pom Poko and a run of headline dates in February and March, 2022 is firmly shaping up to be Low Girl’s year!
Florida-born artist Thomas LaVine crafts a dreamy fusion of folk and indie that somehow allows your mind escape to a whole other world.
This is music that is thoughtfully constructed and minimal in tone, yet rich in emotion and intensity.
“At their core, the songs are usually about whatever you think are. All that matters is what they become to you in the moment. It may have been different for me and it may be different for the next person, but it only really matter what you feel personally.
Felicia Lu announces a new style of sound this year with the release of ‘Dear Karma’. The song serves us with a refreshing twist on pop that feels dark and sinister, yet still eccentric and captivating.
“‘Dear Karma’ tells the story of being wronged in the past and taking revenge. It’s my start to a new era starting in January with a fresh and darker sound, trying to be more unique and personal.”
Hailing from Edmonton in Canada, sedgwick is a multi-faceted artist who is not only a performer but also a songwriter and producer.
New single ‘paradox’ is an electro-pop bop that was entirely constructed by sedgwick, written for anyone who’s ever been told that they were ‘too much’ but still felt like they aren’t enough.
“It’s about the experience of growing up gay, and feeling the simultaneous pressure to make oneself small, quiet and inoffensive; that to be oneself is to be ‘too much’ – but also being told you’re not enough. That you’re wrong, you’re too weak, and you need to ‘man up’.”
Los Angeles-raised multi-instrumentalist duo The Lagoons return today with their beautifully melodic new single ‘Long Road To Nowhere’.
Transcendent and dreamy in its approach pop-rock, the song carries a quintessentially Californian essence that is immediately captivating. More so, the lyrics remind listeners of the hope that through hard times, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
“Heartbeats come alive, as the darkness turns to light, I’m finally on a long road to somewhere.”
Taken from the new album ‘Daybreak’ which is out now.
Today marks the debut single from emerging UK indie-pop outfit Lucky Number You. With a thoughtful and melodic approach to music-making, this Birmingham-based three-piece band could well be ones to watch over the coming year.
While ‘Disassociator’ is the group’s introduction to the world, the song carries a sense of nostalgia in tone, harking back to the indie pop-rock of the mid ’80s – coupling the melodic guitar sensibilities of The Cure with relentless new-wave drums; all punctuated with sparse piano.
“The song is told from the perspective of a person losing faith in mentors, systems, and themself. The narrator tries to come to terms with their distrust of authority figures while trying not to fall down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theory and misinformation. Ultimately, we all need a little faith and a little inspiration.”
Danish visual artist Thyra Hilden is no stranger to the art world – with works already featured by media heavyweights like the BBC, CNN and Reuters.
During the pandemic of last year, Thyra also realised a passion for music-making, and so today sees the launch of new single ‘Touch’.
Proving herself as a gifted multi-faceted creative, the track has already been picked up by Danish Radio’s talent competition KarriereKannonen.
With its energetic, raw and youthful take on alt-pop, ‘Touch’ feels current and relevant while still maintaining a strong sense of individualism. On the song, Thyra says:
“Love and loneliness are basically chemical processes in the brain and body, and this knowledge creates a slightly absurd twist to joy, longing and devotion.”
PinkPantheress has been named the winner of BBC Music’s Sound of 2022 Poll. Speaking on her win, she says:
“I am so happy to be chosen for the BBC Sound of 2022, to be put up against such amazing musicians has been an honour and I just hope that I fulfil the people’s expectations of me this year.”
The rest of the top 5 this year consisted of:
Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Maddy Brown releases her introspective R&B debut single ‘Wiser’ today, marking herself as one American newcomer to keep an eye out for this year.
The song serves as an autobiographical piece, centred around Maddy’s personal experience of coming to terms with the truth that her long-term relationship was not the right fit for her.
“I hope people can take ‘Wiser’ as their own source of empowerment. Voice how you feel, recognise your worth, and be empowered to have high expectations for those who end up having the privilege to be in your life.”
I’ve lost count of the number of times that I have posted music from Saya on here, but the quality just keeps coming through.
‘DEATH OF ME’ is a beautifully melancholic slice of melodic pop by this Toronto starlet.
Atlantan talent SMV crafts a finessed and future-forward approach to alternative R&B that is nothing short of sublime. It’s still early days for this artist, but the future looks exceptionally exciting!
