A blend of psychedelic indie and dream pop, matched with an essence of hip hop and captivating lyricism.
“The lyrics are about drifting whether it be with addiction (which was the case for me) or being lost in a relationship or just feeling helpless.”
Taken from the album ‘Consequences‘ which is out now.
“‘hurts 2 hate somebody’ is a track about moving on from resenting someone or even a situation. I’m naturally a very pessimistic person, I’ve really had to train my mind to not jump to the worst thing that could possibly happen or just assume someone hates me right off the bat. It gets to a point where you get so tired of being miserable that it’s more harmful to yourself than to the person you hate. It’s really not worth the energy, and when you realise that, you begin to recognise it in other people. I feel like it’s so trendy to have a bad attitude, or to be too cool to care for people but hate is so toxic for yourself and everyone around you, go be happy, put the good energy out and it’ll come back.”
I featured Angelina Jordan back in 2014 after going viral on Norway’s Got Talent at the age of just eight, through her monumental vocal talent covering a Billie Holiday classic.
It’s been a rollercoaster for the kid since, who ended up performing all over the world and sharing bills alongside the likes of PSY and Norah Jones.
Still only 14-years old, she has released her major-label debut having just signed with Republic Records, and it’s an absolute stunner. Could this be Norway’s next global household name? Most likely so!
“‘Million Miles’ is about losing someone you really love. This song is very personal to me, because I had never felt the feeling of losing someone before I wrote this.”
Angelina Jordan
A beautiful song by Rudie Edwards, written for the days of youth when she met the first boy she loved; and for Dover, the place she grew up in.
“It’s my little thank you to him. My little thank you for the things I miss from back then.”
The first thing that catches your attention from Austrian talent Marcel is the vocal; it’s so powerfully emotive and captivating. Matched with an equally intense piece of indie-pop, this talent could be one of the country’s next big musical exports.
I’ve posted music from Chris Jobe a few times on this site now, and I have to say I am still very much a fan. This a song looks at how important it is to focus on all the good things that surround us, rather than chase an idea of perfection or escapism that doesn’t really exist.
“Almost three years into my current relationship, I have come to realise how pervasive this world can be. In a time where objectification is pretty accepted- I think it’s important for people to be open about this. I myself struggle with not at times thinking there’s some sort of unrealistic perfection out there in the midst of my compulsive phone use, but there isn’t.”
Having already been featured as a vocalist for several EDM-pop artists (garnering over 8 million combined streams on Spotify in the process), Rosie Darling is now ready to debut her talents as a solo artist with the release of this beautifully simple yet captivating slice of pop.
“This song is a diary entry of the 14 year old me living in a new area, going to a new school and generally really struggling. ‘Half Eaten’ because I felt like there was half of me left, as I was being consumed by anxiety which took away my appetite for life. Shout out to Ms. Atkins, my music teacher, for the keys to the music room. That shit saved me for real!”
Every now and again, I hear a talent from the UK who catches my attention and makes me feel so damn excited after listening to just one song. This is the case with multi-instrumentalist Edenhill.
Edenhill writes and performs every part of his recordings to create an indie pop sound with a ton of emotional depth.
“‘Afterlife’ was inspired after seeing a close friend dancing at a party who, only a few hours earlier, had opened up to me for the first time about her struggles with depression. From this, the idea of writing a song tackling our relationship with repression, and our personas, was formed. I wanted to create a song that, on the surface, was very danceable and upbeat but, on further inspection, was shrouded in self doubt, anxiety and sadness. A song that musically represented repression.”
Taken from the upcoming debut EP ‘Reliever’.
Another week, another outstanding Swedish pop discovery. This time around it’s Julia Viktoria, a talent who has created one of the most perfect-sounding electro-pop songs that I heave heard from Sweden in quite some time. Talking about this track, Julia says:
“I started getting a lot of flashbacks from my previous relationship. I could not stop thinking and reflecting on the time we had together and what we shared. I also reflected on the fact that a person who I shared a part of my life with suddenly turned into a stranger. I didn’t want us to be strangers, I wanted to be able to get to know that person again, in a different perspective.”
Taken from the new ‘Stranger’ EP which is out now.
Minimal, sleek and soulful Danish pop from a promising new talent. The song itself, unsurprisingly, looks at appreciating the genuine relationships you have with those who really care about you, rather than the false connections you make through social media interactions or following the latest trends.
A double threat, Kayla DiVenere is not only a pop starlet in the making (with over 400,000 streams on Spotify), but she’s also an aspiring actress who’s already appeared on shows like ‘Law & Order’ and ‘Light as a Feather’. This track is a fun approach to bubblegum pop that’s easy to listen to and vibe along with.
“Bieber was always a role model and inspired me to play multiple instruments and follow my passion. During the writing process we made sure to incorporate fun little hints and clues of Bieber’s past such as his song titles ‘you could be my BOYFRIEND; I could be your BABY’. Throughout the creative process we made sure to keep the song light and comedic as well as mysterious and sexy.”
A new indie talent hailing from the small Californian town of Buttonwillow. To me, the sound feels honest and grounded, while also carrying an essence of vintage soul which makes this song a delight to experience.
California singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Lund returns today with a song to mark the release of his debut EP, ‘Project of a Person‘.
With over 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Lund has amassed a legion of fans through his unique and emotive approach to hip hop. Speaking on the EP, he says:
“Perfection doesn’t exist, we are all projects. Puzzles with missing pieces we are forever searching for. Not because we aren’t capable of being whole with who we are but because we can always be a better version of ourselves. I have put so much of me into this body of work and I’m beyond ready to share it with you.”
A beautifully composed piece of ballad-pop, matched with distinctively powerful vocals. The song looks at someone who feels so deeply for someone but doesn’t know how to tell them.
While entirely sung in Norwegian, this is one massive belter of electro-pop that just has to be heard!
Ahead of Dua’s livestream special Studio 2054 going live later in November, she’s released this collaboration with Belgian pop starlet Angèle, which is also available on both digital and French editions of ‘Future Nostalgia’.
Swedish-born producer and artist Philip Tillström, also known as DREAMDNVR, could be one of the most exciting pop exports from the Nordic nation. The music itself blends an intensely powerful style of electronic pop with RnB to create a sound that feels both dark and intriguing .
“SCORPIO is a story about having an affair with a mysterious & manipulative person. Just like the astrology says the Scorpio is known to be one of the most feared and powerful zodiac signs . They know just what to do to keep you hooked and can be dangerous when circumstances are not right.”
