Dasha – Make A Scene

It’s taken a short while, but rising US starlet Dasha has finally released her much-anticipated debut album today, entitled ‘Dirty Blonde’ (out now).

Among the seventeen songs on the record is ‘Make A Scene’, which presents listeners with a bold alt-pop sound that is utterly captivating to experience. Elaborating on the track’s meaning, Dasha explains:

“I wrote ‘Make A Scene’ with The Gifted in LA and I remember going home that night and I listening back to the rough day bounce but instantly knew this song would be an integral part of my debut album. I had the title/ lyric ‘Make A Scene’ in my song ideas in my notes app for months. I pulled inspiration from the golden age of Hollywood in both production and lyrical choices. Thereā€™s something so timeless about that era thatā€™s so inspiring to my artistry. ‘Make A Scene’ is all about wanting to show someone off to the world in the most confident and glamorous way.”

‘Dirty Blonde’ follows on from 2021’s acclaimed ‘$hiny Things’ EP, which received support from outlets as noted as Nylon Mag, Rolling Stone India and UPROXX.

Stateside fans can catch Dasha performing album release shows at LA’s Moroccan Lounge on the 29th Jan, and New York’s Mercury Lounge on 15th Feb.

Dasha

New Music: Meg Chandler

We’re starting the day with a superb new talent emerging from the small English town of Shropshire.

Meg Chandler is a 22-year old singer and songwriter who has seemingly already mastered the art of creating perfected indie bops.

Inspired by the people in our lives who make things harder than they need to be, melodic new single ‘Bury You’ expertly fuses elements of alternative pop with indie and rock, resulting in a sound that is near impossible not to enjoy.

“This song was a super fun one to write! It’s basically a full three minutes venting about the kind of people that make existing that little bit trickier, reflecting also on how sometimes it can feel like the whole world is against you. The aim was to write a song that anyone can play really loudly and shout the words as a kind of therapy, whether it be after a long day of work or an experience with a particular person that has left them wishing it was possible to forget they exist… bury the thought of them if you will (or literally bury them). It acts as a message to all the people out there that don’t make the tiny bit of effort needed to treat other people with kindness!”

Through ‘Bury You’, Chandler showcases her skills in not only writing relatable songs, but also in constructing vibrant productions. This is most definitely one artist to watch!

Meg Chandler

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Ocean Heights – Down

Philadelphia’s Ocean Heights returns with a charming piece of nostalgia-tinged indie pop on new single ‘Down’.

With subtle hints of Daft Pank, Anderson .Paak and 70’s soul, the song presents listeners with a classic and timeless sound that still somehow feels fresh and current.

“As soon as me and my big bro Octavius started working out the chorus I was imagining this image of an old school weatherman in my head and I immediately started shopping for our suits.”

Releasing music since 2016, Ocean Heights has gone on to accumulate more than four million career streams on Spotify alone, while also collaborating alongside the likes of Dreamer Isioma.

Ocean Heights

New Music: Sumaroo

Canadian indie-pop newcomer Sumaroo unveils an emotive new single today, entitled ‘No One Likes The Kid’.

Written as an ode to those of us who stood out and never fit in with our surroundings, the song sincere lyricism serves as a source of comfort for listeners who feel connected to its message.

If you’ve enjoyed Sumaroo’s style of sound then you’ll be pleased to know that his next single, ‘Piggyback’, comes out on the 24th February.

Sumaroo

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Matilde G – Hypocrite

Photo / Alessia Bulani

Rising Singapore-based singer and songwriter Matilde G returns with a punchy slice of pop through her self-assured new single ‘Hypocrite’.

Inspired by the perils of teenage dating and cheating lovers, the song serves as an anthem to those who have suffered with bad romances.

“This song is about a guy who cheated on me. This is sadly a current topic for those who live teen-relationships. Am I the victim of a hypocritical guy? The cheater is a victim of himself and his lies. Better to kick back and go further with strength and awareness of your own value, which is never determined by the others. I wrote ‘Hypocrite’ to send a strong message to those who have been cheated on: do not be ashamed because the true loser is the cheater! I went through painful experiences that marked me but also made me stronger and more determined not to allow anyone to manipulate me and hurt me.ā€

With a style of sound compared to the likes of Tove Lo, Zara Larsson and Avril Lavigne, Matilde G has grown a fanbase of over 250k followers across social media and accumulated more than five million catalogue streams.

Matilde G

New Music: Kharis

Genre-bending newcomer Kharis has to be one of the most exciting discoveries to have surfaced so far this month.

Refreshingly distinctive in its character, new single ‘Pressure’ is a sonically complex piece of work that becomes more intriguing the more times you listen to it.

“The song was a release of all the friction I faced trying to come up in the world. It speaks about being under constant pressure and fear of failure, getting distracted by women and vices. Not knowing if this overwhelmingly powerless feeling will go away if I give up. But I carry on anyway.”

While we still know little about who this UK-based up-and-coming talent is, we are confident that his work will begin to pick up traction over the coming weeks and months.

Kharis

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: Personal Igloo

Hailing from Auckland is Personal Igloo (aka Hamish Nixon), who has just released a bold new single entitled ‘Fool Moon’.

Through its anthemic fusion of alternative rock and indie-pop, the track presents listeners with a sound that is as mesmerising as it is intriguing.

“We all get a little crazy when the full moon risesā€¦ā€˜Fool Moonā€™ oozes lustful lunacy with an animalistic energy thatā€™s impossible to deny.”

Having already garnered more than 600k cumulative streams on Spotify alone, Personal Igloo is rapidly marking his name as one of New Zealand’s most promising newcomers.

Personal Igloo

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: James Crowley

Photo / heatherlawrence_

Emerging from London is singer and songwriter James Crowley. Through a considered and thoughtfully constructed mix of acoustic indie, pop and folk, Crowley creates sounds that feel organic, sincere and emotive in tone.

New single ‘By You’ was inspired by our self-inflicted struggles with accepting peace, as Crowley explains:

“‘By You’ talks about the difficulty of being at ease with happiness. I tend to catastrophise when everything seems like it’s going well, waiting for the ‘gotcha’ moment where it all unravels. This song helped me resolve some of that tension and see the beauty in not knowing.”

Having already gained support from the likes of Earmilk, while also selling out shows in iconic spaces like London’s Servant Jazz Quarters, Crowley’s work is clearly beginning to pick up traction.

James Crowley

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: HANS

melaniesiegrist

Emerging from the States is exciting new talent HANS, who has just unveiled a taster for his upcoming debut EP.

‘Gone’ is an exceptionally charming and beautifully melodic piece of pop that was born out of an incredible project which saw HANS writing a different song for each day of 2022.

“I love this song so f*cking much!! The whole journey of creating the world around it was one of the most fun experiences Iā€™ve had on this earth!”

While still a relative newcomer, HANS has already accumulated more than 70k streams on Spotify from only a handful of singles.

HANS

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: Van Common

Berlin-based talent Van Common (aka Sebastiaan van Ravenhorst) is a Dutch singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer.

Today’s release of ‘Olympia’ serves as a taster to van Ravenhorst’s upcoming debut album (out 12th May), which was written, produced and mixed by the artist himself.

The song, along with it its striking visuals, showcases a musician who is successfully capable of crafting indie-pop sounds that carry with them mainstream appeal – while still also feeling individualistic and unique in character.

“Some mornings I involuntarily raise my eyes and have a hard time deciding whether I woke up to witness the end of the world or watch it be reduced to one giant ass meme. Reality has never been more unreal, and Iā€™m not sure what to do about it. But I did make this song, so here goes nothing: Olympia.”

Van Common

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Jouska – Fragrance

Photo / Hans Olav Settem

As one of Norway’s most exciting alternative starlets, Oslo’s Jouska has consistently treated listeners to eccentric sounds that push sonic boundaries while still maintaining some pop sensibilities.

Lifted from Jouska’s upcoming ‘Suddenly My Mind Is Blank’ album (out 17th Feb), ‘Fragrance’ presents us with a dreamy and melodic (albeit lyrically bold) slice of experimental electro-pop.

“‘Fragrance’ is probably the most honest song Iā€™ve ever written. I was feeling like such a loser when I wrote it. Usually I like to play with metaphors and hide behind my words when I write songs, but Fragrance turned out really personal and direct.”

London-based fans can catch Jouska on the 15th March at Stoke Newington’s The Waiting Room – tickets can be found here.

Jouska

šŸŽµ Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Noah Henderson

Californian bedroom-pop artist and producer Noah Henderson unveils his brand new single today, ‘i think you loved me’.

With its beautifully vulnerable and fragile lyricism, the song showcases a style of melancholic pop that is not only relatable, but also immensely moving.

“This song is about having a deep emotional connection to someone but they aren’t in it anymore, they want to give up. Relationships often have their give and take moments, that’s what makes a relationship special, finding a middle ground or compromise. In some cases, the only option your partner feels is to leave, without thinking about how it might impact the other person.”

A talent already receiving considerable attention (in part due to his songs picking up momentum through TikTok), Henderson’s style of music-making has seen him receive praise from tastemakers as noted as Fashionably Early, among others.

Noah Henderson

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Interview: Quickfire with Woz

Few musicians have the courage to open up their hearts in a way that is as candid, raw and personal as rising alternative artist Dylan ā€œWozā€ Wozniak.

Today sees the singer, songwriter and guitarist unveil his latest single, entitled ‘Medicine’. Powerfully honest and emotive in tone, the track continues to showcase Woz as one of the most exciting newcomers to have emerged from the US over the last twelve months.

Coinciding with the release, we asked Woz to tell us a little more about the meaning behind the song, along with some other questions that will give you a glimpse into the mind of this future music star.

Your new single is called ‘Medicine’. What inspired you to write the song?

‘Medicine’ encapsulates the darkest period of my life. The lyric was inspired by a quote in the show Bojack Horseman, where his mom says “You’re Bojack Horseman, there’s no cure for that.” The song itself is about having Borderline Personality Disorder, and the addictions and self-destructive behavior that came with it. At the time I truly believed that those behaviors were who I was, and theres no way for me to fix that. I’m sober now and am on medication, so thankfully I was wrong.

What does a typical day for Woz look like at the moment?

My day is pretty routine honestly. I wake up, hang out with my dog, do some writing, and from there I make TikToks and stuff for a bit, and then I go out and hang with my friends! Also band practice, thatā€™s my favorite part of the week usually!

What would you say has been your career highlight so far?

Probably playing my first show at a venue. We played the Amityville Music Hall in my town and it was awesome! My friends were there, and people who follow me online too! It was surreal, the place was packed out, it was emotional!

Who would your dream collaboration be with, and why?

I have too many dream collaborations. Jack Antonoff would be a sick one, I’m a huge fan of everything he’s done. Also a lot of fashion people would be cool too. If I ever got to do something that ended up in me wearing some fancy Saint Laurent clothes, I’d be so happy.

What do you have in store for the year ahead?

Where do I start? All I’ll say is more shows, more music, and stuff that I can’t say quite yet.

Stream Woz’s widely acclaimed 2022 hit EP ‘At the Gulf’ here.

Woz

Mary Middlefield – This One’s For You

Swiss singer, songwriter and composer Mary Middlefield returns with an infectiously catchy new indie bop entitled ‘This One’s For You’.

Lifted from upcoming album ā€˜Thank You, Alexanderā€™ (out 3rd Mar), the song treats listeners to a more playful and upbeat style of sound from Middlefield, and is inspired by the meeting of a soulmate.

 ā€œLaying under blue skies talking to you, I havenā€™t met you yet, someday Iā€™ll get to.ā€ 

Alongside the release of the single, Middlefield has also unveiled stunning visuals for the song (directed by Imogen Harrison), of which she says:

ā€œIt was a pleasure working with the same crew of musicians throughout the project, and we had a lot of fun improvising throughout the process of making TOFY. As a child, we feel like we have to subscribe to certain stories we might come across in books or films and I wanted the track to mark a sarcastic tone to the traditional fairy tale, princess storylines we are fed.ā€

Mary Middlefield

New Music: Tobias Arbo

Fans of Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens will most likely fall in love with Swedish musician Tobias Arbo (aka Tobias Ekelund), who has just unveiled his latest single, ‘Within’.

In its quintessential Nordic style of sound, the song presents listeners with a production that is sparse, simple and minimal – yet somehow still feels warm, thoughtful and beautifully contemplative.

“A few years ago, I found a box of video cassettes that my dad had recorded throughout my childhood. I started watching them and was reminded of the cheerful and vibrant child I was. But at the same time, it made me experience a kind of sadness, as memories of the shy and sensitive person that Iā€™d also been clouded the image. During my childhood, I experienced a lot of anxiety, at times having trouble being in school and hanging out with friends. I was five years old at the time my sister was born and it wasnā€™t until Iā€™d grown up that I started to reflect on how it might have affected her ā€“ having an older brother who periodically pulled away.”

The track is taken from Tobias’ upcoming ‘Powerlines’ debut EP, which will be released on 31st March 2023.

ā€œThe EP is a contemplation on the self and its different parts, voices, and moods. Itā€™s about listening to the noise of these voices’ endless dialogue and trying to connect with the many parts of oneself that want to be heard. For example, facing the inner child, whose early experiences shape us so much more than we tend to believe, or struggling with the inner critic, who raises self-doubt and prevents us from getting where we want to go.ā€

Tobias Arbo

šŸŽµ Ones To Watch Playlist šŸŽµScandinavia Sound Playlist

VC Pines – Running

After a year-long hiatus, London’s VC Pines marks his comeback with new single ‘Running’.

Fusing elements of alternative R&B with soul and indie-pop, the track marks a fresh sonic direction for the ever-evolving artist.

“‘Running’ is about loneliness. Never feeling like you really fit into a group of friends. You know people from different pockets of London who tend to drift in and out of their lives every weekend and then disappear for a while. It’s easier to hide addictions from people because no oneā€™s really able to keep an eye on you. You hate being stuck in one place for too long, but thereā€™s always someone telling you you need to take a breather from chaotic work life/ social life.”

Few UK-based musicians have received as much hype in recent years as VC Pines. This talent continues to win fans and critics alike, with praise from industry heavyweights like Jack Saunders and Huw Stephens, as well as countless tastemaker outlets.

Fans in London can catch an intimate show by VC Pines at Camden’s MAP Studio Cafe on the 27th January – tickets can be found here.

VC Pines

New Music: Jack Harris

Hailing from Cleveland in Ohio is promising newcomer Jack Harris.

A singer and songwriter currently attending university, Harris creates thoughtful yet understated indie-pop sounds that are instantly captivating.

‘Somewhere in My Dreams’ is a beautifully simple song that captures the hopes and feelings of being in love.

With an ever-growing army of fans and more than 100k catalogue streams to date, Harris is might well be one of Ohio’s most exciting new talents.

Jack Harris

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: RYL0

The year has barely begun and we’ve already seen a huge number of promising Californian talents emerging. Adding to the list today is singer, songwriter and future popstar RYL0.

New single ‘Thru My Chest’ injects a Y2K sonic aesthetic into a future-forward pop production, resulting in an energising sound that is vibrant, bold and refreshing.

To date, RYL0 has accumulated more than 300k streams on Spotify while also picking up support from the likes of PAPER magazine.

RYL0

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Jadasea & Laron – Middle of It

London’s Jadasea and Brooklyn’s Laron team up on a new release that showcases some of the finest in both British and American sonic artistry.

Lifted from their forthcoming ‘The Corner Vol.1’ collaborative project (out 8th Feb), ‘Middle of It’ layers nostalgic soul tones over a modern hip hop production, resulting in a sound that feels both classic and current.

With more than 500k streams on Spotify to date, Jadasea is a rising UK talent who has worked alongside the likes of King Krule, while Laron has already marked his name Stateside as an in-demand producer.

Jadasea | Laron

New Music: Epal

Parisian artist Epal is a perfect example of just how universal music can be when it’s crafted with thought and care.

While sung entirely in French, new single ‘Coeur noir’ presents listeners with a stunning fusion of dark, mellow indie and electronic pop.

“J’aime la puissance des mots et le sens cachĆ© des Ć©clats de voix.”

If you’re a fan of Billie Eilish, FKA Twigs or BabySolo33, Epal will become your next favourite musician.

A forthcoming EP is scheduled for later this spring. In the meantime, fans can enjoy more of Epal’s music on Spotify here.

Epal

šŸŽµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist