New Music: Tomas

You can thank Spotify’s algorithm for this one… Tomas is a new artist that we’ve just come across that has really picked up our interest.

There’s not much yet known about this talent, so we don’t have a lot to say about who he actually is, but ‘bossanova’ is just too good not to share with you.

While still in his teens, Tomas creates a charming blend of indie and pop that feels both playful and melancholic in equal measures.

With only a handful of releases to date, this kid has already managed to pick up more than 50k streams. Keep an eye out on this one!

Tomas

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: Cole LC

Photo / Camera Papi

Showcasing some of the finest in emerging British Gen-Z talent is Leeds artist Cole LC, who has just released a new single called ‘(Most) Humans Are *icks’.

By blending elements of pop with R&B, UK garage and rap, Cole LC creates sounds that feel both fresh and nostalgic in equal measures.

Produced by frequent collaborator Motion, ‘(Most) Humans Are *icks’ marks an important milestone for this rising talent, who has been busking and sharing his work on social media from an early age.

“It’s a reminder to stop trying to please everyone because not everyone is going to like you and your not going to like them but at the end of the day your stuck with yourself so do right by you, you’re the most important.”

To date, Cole LC has performed at prominent UK festivals like Reading, Leeds and Parklife, while also receiving support from the likes of BBC Radio 1 and 1 Xtra, GRM Daily and SBTV.

Cole LC

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

7th Obi – replace me

Ever-evolving Irish-Nigerian artist 7th Obi has been steadily building an army of loyal fans since the release of his much-acclaimed debut ‘Taxi Club’.

Melodic new single ‘replace me’ perfectly balances elements of indie with alternative R&B and soul, and looks at the ways in which mental health and trauma can contribute towards the breakdown in communication between two people.

“A song like this, for those who know me, isn’t a surprise. This one is for the black kids that love indie FIFA music, listening to The Script, Arctic Monkeys etc. I want to show that black kids don’t have to only be boxed into hip hop and R&B.”

With support from the likes of Highsnobiety, The Irish Times and RTE, this Essex-based talent looks set to take on his biggest year yet.

7th Obi

Sammi Constantine – Dopamine

Sammi Constantine begins the year with a sensational slice of pop that further sets her name as one of Australia’s most exciting talents.

‘Dopamine’ was written by Constantine at a time in her life when she had decided to come off the use of antidepressants, and inspires us to let go of all the negative people and situations that hold us down.

“Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain that is responsible for allowing you to feel satisfaction, pleasure and motivation. ‘Dopamine’ is the direct result of feeling like I was working against all odds trying to make my music connect, keeping toxic friendships alive, and never feeling likeable or good enough.”

As an acclaimed singer (and songwriter to the stars), Constantine displays a natural flair for creating relatable songs that are not only melodically memorable, but lyrically captivating.

Sammi Constantine

Ponette – Beats Me Up (feat. Coucheron)

Two prominent Norwegian artists have just released a very special collaboration that deserves your attention!

Serving as a teaser to ‘Part I’ of Ponette’s upcoming album (out later this year), ‘Beats Me Up’ features the work of acclaimed producer Coucheron.

The track showcases a refined electronic sound that is experimental and unique, yet still maintains some pop sensibilities.

“‘Beats Me Up’ was created during a massive wave of feelings. Totally overwhelming. I just had to find a way to communicate all of the raw emotions that had been building up in my body for a while, and I want the song to feel like that when you listen to it as well. I hope people can relate, and that I’m not totally crazy.” – Ponette

With support from the likes of Acid Stag and The Line of Best Fit, as well as an impressive catalogue of releases that currently garners more than 100k monthly Spotify listeners, Ponette has marked herself as one of Norway’s next big musical exports.

Ponette | Coucheron

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: beamco

Hailing from Canada is genre-bending newcomer beamco, who has already become one of our favourite discoveries this week.

Through a unique style of music-making, beamco constructs atmospheric sounds that fuse elements of emo with alternative R&B and rap.

Lifted from his freshly-released EP ‘its just a scratch’ (out now), new single ‘whatever you got’ feels sonically sparse and stripped-back, yet still maintains a deeply emotive essence.

“This song (and album) is about the period of time after returning to everyday life after I had a bout with cancer in 2021. I had come to a lot of life changing epiphanies in the hospital but found them all fading away fast when I returned to life. I realised I still had all the same demons I had struggled with in the past. This realisation ignited the writing of this project and this song. Collaborating with my brother in Ontario we created this track and I’m really proud of it!”

beamco

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Rowan Drake – Elephant In The Room

Photo / Chase Denton

Rising American singer and songwriter Rowan Drake returns today with an impressive new single called ‘Elephant In The Room’.

Prior to its official release, the song’s presence on social media had garnered more than five million views through TikTok and Instagram, making it one of Drake’s most hyped and anticipated singles to date.

Inspired by a relationship breakdown, ‘Elephant In The Room’ presents listeners with a refreshingly raw and emotionally charged sound. Elaborating further on the track, Drake explains:

“‘Elephant In The Room’ represents the neglect I showed to my partner in my relationship. It’s the feeling of holding on so tightly to something you care about that it suffocates. Turning your blinders on to everything that has been lost in hopes it will just disappear. The elephant in the room is the fact that we’d reached our expiration date but I wasn’t willing to admit that in my case. The song started with me playing a strange tuning on my guitar in my empty apartment and hearing the verse melody. The emotion was born and everything seemed to just fall into place afterwards. It’s been beautiful to see the song resonate in the way it has.”

Rowan Drake

New Music: Viddy

We’re only one month into 2023 and it’s already shaping up to be a spectacular year for new music talent.

Today’s introduction of UK artist Viddy will be yet another name to watch for. This Bedfordshire-based starlet is currently creating some of the most dazzling blends of dreamy indie and alternative pop, resulting in sounds that feel finessed and almost timeless in style.

Melodic new single ‘Weekend Girlfriend’ serves as ‘chapter 3’ from forthcoming EP ‘girlfriend experience’ (out soon). Alongside the release of the song, Viddy has also just unveiled a music video, of which she says:

“As well as having a bit more fun, we thought we’d glamorise the things I did when waiting around for a guy to text me back (obviously we don’t let men have this power over us anymore). But for me that would include, playing with my band, hanging out with dogs, crying puddles of water in my room and dressing up nice in hope I encourage him to throw his emotional dice.”

To date, Viddy has picked up support from outlets as noted as BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio, while also landing a placement on Spotify’s flagship New Music Friday playlist.

Viddy

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Upcoming UK shows

  • 2nd February – Black Prince, Northampton
  • 10th February – Colours, London
  • 10th March – Roadtrip & Workshop, EP Launch Party and debut headline London show

New Music: Antony Szmierek

Track of the week. As a genre, spoken word has struggled to maintain interest within the commerical music world. Maybe that is, until now…

Antony Szmierek is a hotly-tipped rising newcomer who seamlessly fuses thoughtful, observant and poetic lyricism with dance, hip hop and pop sounds. On new single ‘Rock and a Calm Place’, Szmierek simply states:

“I hope this goes some way to curing those January blues.”

Hailed by outlets as prominent as BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music, The Line of Best Fit and Notion Magazine, Szmierek is a name to watch for in 2023.

Antony Szmierek

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Watch: AntsLive – Number One Candidate

The best music video of the year so far (in our opinion) has to be London rapper AntsLive’s ‘Number One Candidate’.

Directed by Tom Emmerson and filmed in the Italian Alps, the video presents listeners with luxuriously cinematic sceneries that compliment AntsLive’s distinct style of hip hop perfectly.

Already garnering praise from the likes of HYPEBEAST, GRM Daily and The Face, as well as commanding more than 200k monthly Spotify listeners, AntsLive is not only a critic’s darling but also rapidly marking his name as one of the UK’s biggest rap prospects.

‘Just A Matter Of Time’ mixtape is out now.

AntsLive

LEXXE – X

Dark-pop chanteuse LEXXE returns with a poignant new single dedicated to her late father Xavier, entitled ‘X’.

Released today to coincide with what would have been his birthday, the song serves as an ode to Xavier, and presents listeners with a sound that feels raw and emotive – yet also euphoric in tone.

“A few years ago I was performing and could absolutely swear I saw my father sitting front row. I love to write about the supernatural and the things we don’t understand, so while I acknowledge that seeing him could’ve been something my mind made up, it doesn’t make it any less poignant. The song is composed of different lines about me questioning life and death, talking about real life events (the show where I thought I saw him, his friends seeing me in random bars and crying because I look like him, the last time I saw him) and it’s really a question of do we ever really die?”

As an accomplished artist, LEXXE is not only a singer and songwriter but also producer, professionally-trained dancer and performer. Alongside her work as a solo musician, LEXXE performs with Brooklyn’s famed Company XIV troupe.

LEXXE

Demi Ramos – Just A Phase (feat. GARZI)

Photo / Jordan Edwards

NY-based Puerto Rican musician, podcaster and model Demi Ramos unveils a powerful new collaboration today with rising artist GARZI.

Through its energising mix of alt-rock and emo-pop, ‘Just A Phase’ showcases a sound that is as bold as it is arresting and captivating.

“The tune was made in an hour during a spontaneous jam in LA and the sounds were inspired by the 2000s. I remember listening to a lot of Blink 182, Weezer, Bloc Party and Yeah Yeah Yeahs during that trip.” – Demi Ramos

Already a starlet with a significant fanbase, Ramos is a known name within New York’s underground music scene, having performed in venues as iconic as Berlin, Mercury Lounge, SOB’s and Webster Hall.

Meanwhile, GARZI is a sought-after talent who has worked alongside the likes of Travis Barker, Point North and FEVER 333.

Demi Ramos | GARZI

New Music: Chipped Nail Polish

Portland-based artist Chipped Nail Polish (aka Jill Sullivan) might just be one of Oregon’s most interesting musicians to emerge in recent times.

By fusing a multitude of sounds (varying from the humble ukulele right through to surf punk, pop and indie-rock), Chipped Nail Polish creates songs that are refreshingly unpredictable while still being easy to form connections with.

Relatable new single ‘Shakin’ in Yer Boots’ is lifted from their freshly-released ‘Bottom Feeder’ EP (out now), and is lyrically inspired by the fact that none of us really know where life will take us.

“Ukulele doo-wop meets punk rock in this song that is about having no idea what I’m doing with my life.”

Chipped Nail Polish

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: ryn

Emerging from Los Angeles is exciting indie-pop talent ryn, who has just unveiled a fantastically bold new single.

Written as an anthem for self-empowerment, ‘ur feelings’ inspires listeners to accept themselves for who they are, no matter what people say or think.

“I wrote this song about how it feels when people tell you to change, to be quiet, less bossy, etc. As I share in this alt indie pop anthem, I was always the ‘loud kid’ so I was regularly told to be something I wasn’t. For a while I tried to change and adapt to who they wanted me to be. The modulated vocal double we hear prominently in the pre-chorus represents the dark voice in my head telling me I can never be what they want. Now, I’ve learned to love the loud, bossy side of me.”

As an artist on the rise, ryn currently commands an ever-growing army of loyal fans all across social media, while their catalogue of releases has so far amassed well over 100k streams to date.

ryn

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

dee holt – Better

Photo / fredcl

This weekend’s alt-pop banger comes courtesy of emerging Canadian starlet dee holt, who has just unveiled her latest single, ‘Better’.

The track finds the Montreal-based artist addressing the inner demons that cause us to self-sabotage and look for the negatives in situations.

“This unconscious cycle of self-sabotage is what ‘Better’ is all about. It’s about always expecting the worst in others as well as yourself. It’s about getting into relationships and expecting it all to fall apart before it’s even begun. It’s about thinking that you’re ‘better left behind.’”

To date, holt has garnered praise from the likes of Billboard, TeenVogue, A1234, Early Rising and many more influential tastemaker outlets.

holt has also amassed more than six million career streams on Spotify from only a handful of singles, as well as her 2022 EP ‘When I Close My Eyes’.

dee holt

New Music: Paddy Keyes

Showcasing Ireland’s next generation of pop talent is Sligo-based artist Paddy Keyes, who has just released a brand new single entitled ‘Best Friend’.

Written from the viewpoint of someone who begins to fall in love with their best friend, the song’s clever lyricism and polished production makes this one of the strongest pop releases of the weekend.

“The song tells a story of accidentally falling in love with your best friend. This person is stuck inside your head, just like the hook to this song, from the memorable melodies to the exciting guitar playing, and everything in between.”

To date, Keyes has released only two other singles on Spotify – each amassing more than 100k streams. As a talent on the rise, Keyes currently commands close to 50k monthly listeners on the platform, while his music has been featured on prominent playlists like New Music Friday UK and New Pop UK.

Paddy Keyes

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Liv East – So Badly

Photo / Lill – Veronica SKOGLUND 

One of East London’s biggest soul prospects to emerge this year will be Liv East.

Created alongside producer Lokes LDN, new single ‘So Badly’ seamlessly fuses genres as diverse as dance, alternative R&B, neo soul, jazz and pop into a unified sound that feels cohesive, finessed and vibrant.

“‘So Badly’ was born out of a time when I knew I had met someone of importance but the timing just wasn’t right. I had to remind myself of the mantra ‘nothing real can truly be threatened’ and step back with grace. I felt parallels with many other situations in my life. We had just come out of a pandemic where we were all forced to surrender to redirection and hold our hands up to the universe. No matter how badly we want something, it won’t always (or rarely ever) pan out the way we want it to. So Badly, for me, is about the art of surrender but still keeping faith.”

To date, East has achieved more than ten million catalogue streams and currently commands 135k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

Liv East

New Music: Retrograde88

Before pressing play on Retrograde88, the band suggest (as do we) that you plug in some headphones so you can enjoy the dreamy bliss that is ‘Falling’ in its full glory.

A truly luxurious audible experience, the song presents listeners with an atmospheric soundscape that incorporates psychedelic indie-pop with airy vocals, resulting in a piece of music that really is out of this world.

“This song, ‘Falling’ explores the emotion/ experience being scared of falling in love. We give this experience to the listener by creating an atmospheric environment with heavy emphasis on the vocal harmonies, synth presence, and heavy groove from bass/ drums. This is the first song we wrote and recorded together, but definitely not the last!”

Created as a collaborative project between a group of talented musicians, each member of Boston-based Retrograde88 took part in the writing and arranging process for ‘Falling’.

Retrograde88

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Sadie Fine – Detox

Nashville singer and songwriter Sadie Fine starts the year with what is (in our view) her most impressive release yet.

Created alongside Stefan Skarbek (noted for his work with Amy Winehouse, Spice Girls, Lily Allen and more) and emerging producer Nabes, new single ‘Detox’ is a beautifully constructed piece of melancholic pop that looks at toxic love. Elaborating on the song, Fine explains:

“‘Detox’ is about the struggles of being in a toxic relationship. ‘Detox’ is also the first song where I started using fast paced, rap style, lyrical delivery with my acoustic guitar.”

If you’re lucky enough to be based in Nashville then be sure to check out Fine’s residency at Moxy – details can be found here.

Sadie Fine

New Music: Isla June

American singer and songwriter Isla June (aka Jenna Maranga) might not be a name you are yet familiar with, but you’ve probably already heard their music at some point.

That’s because Isla’s work has been favoured by many hit TV shows, with songs finding their way on to seasons of The L Word: Generation Q, Riverdale, Grey’s Anatomy and Selling Sunset (among others).

Self-produced new single ‘Dangerous’ is a bold and punchy mix of indie-rock and pop, and reminds us all to take some risks and live life to the full.

 “Songwriting is having the freedom to be fluid and explore.”

Anthemic, inspirational and energising in tone, ‘Dangerous’ serves as an impressive taster to a new project that sees Isla releasing a fresh song every month this year.

Isla June

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist