Toronto-based artist Sam Louis creates a perfect fusion of alt-pop and RnB with his music. This is a talent who curates feelings of loss and regret while still inducing euphoria with his sounds.
His new single ‘Driftin’ is about feeling lost and alone, surrounded by so much beauty that you can’t reach or access. A very relevant sentiment in these strange times we live in.
A hugely exciting Dallas-based pop collective, TREZR are a three-piece outfit who create emotive songs that feel nostalgic yet future-forward in equal measures.
“‘Cold’ is a story of love fading with time and the struggle of letting go of something that is no longer there. This song synthesises elements of winter with emotions of heartbreak to convey the elongation of a broken relationship.”
Hailing from Bristol (England), Sasa Zola is a talent in many ways. The Italo Senegalese artist is not only a singer and songwriter, but also a model and an ex pro windsurfer.
Written as an anthem for those who struggle to make themselves heard, ‘What If’ blends powerful lyricism into a richly dark pop production that feels intensely emotive yet still easy to connect with.
“This song is for all those who have a voice but have not been able to express themselves freely. We hid in fear, in anger, in the shadow of a society that has never accepted us. Not anymore. Our time has come. Let us be.” –
Quoting Martin Luther King in ‘I Have a Dream’ speech from 1963, ‘Let Freedom Ring’.
The first thing that catches your attention when you play Etaoin’s new single is the sheer emotive energy coming through from that incredible voice. The Irish talent has really caused quite the stir since January this year, having already garnered over 500,000 streams from just two singles.
‘I Dare You’ is a blazing act of self-assertion, written in response to someone who was talking badly about Etaoin behind her back.
“I was so furious, I had heard from my friends this boy had been badmouthing me for literally no reason. I was like: If you wanna do that, fine. I dare you, keep going, see what it does for you. A lot of my life especially as a female I have felt underestimated. It’s a general feeling of being talked down to, people not expecting you to win. In life it’s not always about who turns up for you, it’s about the times you turn up for yourself. Self-respect is often used in such a screwed up way, in this case I was respecting myself by cutting contact with this person. It’s me finding my voice again.”
Will Naisbitt is a British talent who is still only 19-years old, yet has already mastered the craft of creating hugely catchy pop bops.
A song of contrasts, ‘Do It Again’ initially feels like a summery upbeat bop, but listen closely to the lyricism and you’ll hear Naisbitt dive deep into feelings of love, with missed opportunities and an urgent need for change.
If you feel that NEIMY’s voice is familiar, then it’s probably because she was the vocalist on Jubël’s huge hit ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’ which became a global mega-success in the summer of 2018 (to date it’s been streamed over 180 million times).
Now she’s back with her own solo material, and it’s as premium as you can expect for Swedish pop. It’s bold yet relatable while also being empowering yet vulnerable.
“’Trust your gut’ is about someone who’s always going against their gut feeling and realising that they need to start trusting their intuition more. To not do what doesn’t feel right and how empowering it feels to let go of things that weigh you down.”
Taken from the new EP ‘Trust your gut’ which is out now.
British talent Gino Holroyd is the kind of artist who is seemingly unafraid of blurring the lines between genres; being the master of his own sound.
Hailing from a musical family (he’s the son of respected bassist Scott Allen, who has worked alongside legends like Prince, George Benson and Herbie Hancock), you can hear a sense of self-confidence shine through from Holroyd’s vocals on ‘Brazen’.
This song is an effortlessly finessed blend of hip hop and RnB, and is certain to garner Holroyd a new legion of fans ahead of his upcoming EP, which is out soon.
One of the most exciting pop talents to emerge from Denmark recently, lil cat’s music only came about as a result of the boredom they were experiencing during the isolation from the Corona pandemic over the last year.
The real-life couple initially held back from working together, feeling that the concept of a ‘couples band’ was too kitsch for them. Nonetheless, they experimented with their sound and realised that actually, making music together was a pretty special experience.
“It’s kind of our Netflix. It’s what we do when we have fun and relax. Where other couples take dance lessons or play bridge or something, music is our thing, and the lyrics are therefore also taken directly from our own relationship – whether it is about my clothing crisis, PMS, or that I would like a whole football team of children with Mads. It is a kind of creative couples therapy.” – Cathrine van Leeuwen, lil cat.
Taken from the debut EP ‘tunes’ which is out now via W.A.S. Entertainment.
A graduate from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Canadian artist Elena has a wonderfully charming approach to pop that blends captivating and vivid lyricism into a bouncy melody with the release of ‘Models Have Feelings’.
“[The song] tells the story of an artist living in an insincere socialite scene. Her fiancé views her as a trophy wife and she’s in love with a model who doesn’t return the feeling. In the chorus she asks, ‘Have you ever met a model with feelings? Or a man who cares about how your heart’s beating? Nope.’”
Los Angeles-Amsterdam based Raven Artson creates a sound that truly is like none other. In collaboration with Brazilian producer, DJ and singer Lyzza, ‘Breathing Secrets’ is the cosmic fusion of psychedelic rock and indie-RnB coming together, with subtle hints of old-school hip hop added to form a song that is just so refreshingly original.
“I’m interested in the coexistence of ideas; in allowing the process of winning and losing to connect.”
One of the most exciting talents UK hip hop talents that I have come across this week, Minimalist’s work on ‘Solar Eclipse’ is dedicated to anyone that has struggled with lockdown.
Lo-fi beats provide a beautifully atmospheric soundscape for this East Londoner’s thoughtful and introspective lyricism.
“I wanna fly away a bit, try and get away from this, watch the moon, wait for these feelings to shift. But they are still right here. And I’m still right here”
Maori artist TEEKS bears the kind of soulful voice that only very few are gifted with.
While already creating significant interest across the world from previous releases (just last summer he was featured in Vogue), this latest single is sure to solidify his position as one of soul-pop’s leading new talents.
Infectiously catchy pop from an up-and-coming American talent. gcmayn is still only 20-years old, and yet has seemingly mastered the art of crafting a perfect bedroom-pop banger with the release of ‘summer18’. Get ready to have this song replay in your head all day!
RnB hailing from the UK really is at a peak right now, and talents like Malaysian-born, Brighton based Kaisha are consistent proof of that fact.
‘Predicament’ is a deliciously experimental take on the genre, sounding fresh and eclectic yet still carrying a strong essence of that classic RnB sound.
The beautiful lyricism is delivered with distinctively emotive vocals, and focuses on the helping of a loved one who is mentally suffering in silence – but doesn’t want to reach out for help.
“I think as the other person, you want to encourage them to open up and you want them to trust you. Essentially creating a safe space for them”
A hugely promising talent hailing from Sweden, Lars Martin’s approach to music-making is quite extraordinary.
Through ‘Plans’, the listener experiences a beautifully arranged blend of soul and RnB, twisted and shaped with an alternative edge to create something that feels nostalgic yet experimental and a little quirky.
“I write songs about life, love and overcoming myself in order to be more myself.”
Hailing from Chicago, Elyse Chapski constructs finessed slices of emotive pop that feel instantly relatable and ever so wonderfully charming. On ‘running out’, Chapski says:
“The lyrics reflect the head games that you play with yourself when you love someone and it feels like they’re not as committed as you are.”
Public Library Commute (aka Conrad Hsiang) has just released new EP ‘1000 Summers’ and it’s immediately loveable from start right through to the end.
In particular, ’25MPH’ is such a delicious fusion of bedroom pop and hazy, nostalgic soul that I just have to share it with all of you.
A captivating and unique sound from 17-year old American artist knowuh. This is an infectiously catchy slice of synth-pop that takes retro electronica elements and reinvigorates them for 2021. A very exciting talent to watch out for!
Canadian talent MICO has crafted a fantastic blend of acoustic indie and hyperpop with his release of ‘make me leave’.
Don’t be deceived by the first few moments of this track; it’s an infectious banger that will surprise and delight you in equal measure.
“This song’s concept started over a year ago, when my girlfriend and I were figuring out the details of our relationship. I was trying to tell her it doesn’t matter how long it takes to figure out how she feels; that I would be waiting and that no amount of time or uncertainty would make me leave.”
A shimmering fusion of indie and pop, perfect for the warmer days and nights ahead of us.
Paired with distinctive vocals and lyricism that focuses on one’s need for bettering themselves, this is a song that is both charming and relatable in equal measures.
