Track of the week. While this is the first time that we’ve featured Californian outfit Asiatica, this four-piece have been crafting sounds in different shapes and forms since 2017.
”Oh Darlin” is lifted from the group’s new ‘When We Were’ EP (listen here), and is simply sublime to experience.
With elements of mellow soul, pop and indie, the track feels smooth and timeless, while still maintaining a sense of charm and relatability.
Track of the week. Acclaimed Swedish singer-songwriter, producer and artist Dajana has just released one of the most breathtaking singles of the year, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Written as an ode to life, ‘I Say Yes’ presents listeners with a spellbinding fusion of gospel, soul and hip hop.
The sound is bold, joyful and cinematic, and reminds us of the transformative powers that music possesses. If you have time to play only one song today, make it this one.
‘I Say Yes’ is lifted from Dajana’s inspiring new EP of the same name, which is out now.
Track of the week. Hailing from California is LA-based newcomer Oranje Space, who has been steadily gaining traction in recent months thanks to his distinct fusions of neo-soul, alternative R&B and pop.
If you’ve yet to experience this artist’s work, then pressing play to ‘Lucy’ will serve as a perfect introduction. Melodic and emotive in tone, the song’s style of sound feels reminiscent to the works of modern-day icons like Frank Ocean and Dijon.
“This song is my outlook on what it feels to be loved unconditionally.”
With support from tastemaker heavyweights as respected as Early Rising and Fashionably Early already under his belt, we can expect to hear a lot more from this talented kid.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
Track of the week. We first came across Arizona’s Zac Greer back in 2020, and have been consistently impressed with his work ever since.
‘alive’ is the artist’s new single, and presents listeners with a charming mix of indie and alternative pop. Alongside it’s impressive production, Zac’s unique vocal delivery shines through – specially over that beautifully melodic chorus section.
You can catch Zac on tour across the US this month – more details can be found here.
Track of the week. Showcasing some of the very best in emerging South African music artistry is rising singer, songwriter and producer ZUBIN.
‘letter for you’ is the opening track to the artist’s freshly-released solo debut EP of the same name (listen here), and treats listeners to a beautifully stripped-back mix of alternative pop and indie.
Prior to this release, ZUBIN was noted for his work with Yung Beathoven and their collaborative ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ project (listen here), which received global attention and amassed hundreds of thousands of streams.
ZUBIN’s music has so far landed placements on editorials as noted as Spotify’s ‘New Music Friday’ and Apple Music’s ‘Breaking Pop’.
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Track of the week. New Jersey artist superflirt (aka Noah D’Ambrosi) is back with the follow-up to his viral debut hit ‘Sober’… and it does not disappoint.
‘Comfy!’ is a shimmering yet melancholic piece of indie-pop that delves into the complex dynamics of being in a relationship .
Through its sincere and thoughtful lyricism, this track is sure to resonate with anyone who’s fallen in and out of love.
To date, superflirt has amassed more than 600k streams from just two releases. Keep this kid on your radar – he’s most certainly one to watch!
Track of the Week. ‘i think i like your girlfriend’ ticks every box for us – from its sweet vocals and witty lyrics, to the catchy melody and sleek disco-inspired pop production.
While this is only NIA NADURATA’s second release to date, it already shows that this Toronto-based singer and songwriter is likely to become one of Canada’s most exciting new starlets. Elaborating further on the song, she explains:
“On the surface, ‘i think i like your girlfriend’ could be seen as a quirky revenge plot against a boyfriend that moved on too quickly. Upon further listening, you begin to realise that between my silly, playful little jabs, I’m really acting as more of a ‘Robin Hood’ figure to my ex-boyfriend’s’ current girlfriend. I fear I might be the only one that will tell her straight up that he’s ‘not doing it right.’ Just trying to be the gal pal she might want in her corner.”
NIA NADURATA currently commands more than 58k monthly listeners on Spotify, and has picked up tastemaker support from national outlets as renowned as CBC Music. A debut EP is on the way.
Track of the week. We predicted some time ago that bossa nova would make its way onto the alternative R&B scene, and we’re happy to see that it’s finally happening!
In one word, Lucy Park’s new single ‘All Roads’ is sublime. This is a vivid sound that effortlessly encapsulates the joy and optimism of a summer romance, and is sure to propel Park’s name further into the mainstream.
“It’s a song about risking it all for a summer crush. I hope you can hear how much fun I had making it, it was one of those days in the studio where the whole song came together in a couple hours, and I’ve been dying for it to be out in the world ever since.”
As a prominent R&B-soul newcomer, Park currently commands more than 130k monthly listeners on Spotify alone. You can experience more of artist’s music here.
Track of the week. CLAVIS 7EVEN is one of the most exciting artists to emerge from the Midlands in a very long time.
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and currently residing in Wolverhampton, this talented singer, rapper, songwriter and producer creates future-forward hip hop sounds that also incorporate other genres as diverse as Afrobreat, R&B and electronica.
‘LOSIN U’ is CLAVIS 7EVEN’s latest release, and is likely to become one of the summer’s biggest anthems.
The artist has been supported by the likes of BBC Introducing and Fashionably Early, while his music has found its way onto prominent playlists like Spotify’s Fresh Finds, New Music Friday UK and Essence.
CLAVIS 7EVEN performs his ‘King of The West’ headline show at the NAC in Newhampton on 8th September – tickets can be found here.
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Track of the week. ‘Lightbeams’ by Feux is probably one of our favourite songs of the year so far.
This is a piece of music that is powerfully emotive, but also intriguing and captivating to experience. The atmospheric production was created as a way to reflect the lyricism, which addresses ‘the beauty and challenge of introspection and self-reflection’.
“In essence, ‘Lightbeams’ is not just a song; it is a personal testament of growth and transformation, marking the beginning of a new chapter.”
In our view, Feux represents the very finest in British alternative hip hop, and is undeniably one of the country’s biggest musical prospects.
To date, this emerging talent has amassed more than twelve million cumulative streams on Spotify alone.
Track of the week. We’ll admit that we know very little about American musician benten, but something tells us that this promising artist’s work will likely gain a ton of traction over the coming months.
In essence, benten’s ‘Deadly’ is short and sweet. Despite being less than two minutes in length, song’s simple melody, sincere vocals and polished bedroom-pop production makes this one of our favourite releases of the month.
Aside from his solo work, benten also plays guitar with fellow artist Nick Wagen, who is scheduled to perform at Philadelphia’s The Foundry on the 25th July – tickets available here.
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London-based starlet Temm has just unveiled her highly anticipated debut EP, along with a new single that shares the same name.
As a track in its own right, ‘Good Decisions’ is simply sublime. The production fuses a dreamy and melancholic style of pop with elements of indie and folk – and sets the scene perfectly for Temm’s flawless vocals to shine through. Speaking on her new collection of songs, Temm says:
“I am beyond grateful to be able to share this project with you, and forever thankful to each and every one that contributed to make this happen. This EP simply made me a better person. These songs allowed me to touch the darkest points in the depth of my soul, and bring them to you with strengths I never imagined I would have. They are all yours now.”
With support from the likes of BBC Introducing already under her belt, it’s clear that Temm’s traction will grow as the year progresses. The artist will perform at London’s Folklore Hoxton on the 12th July – tickets can be found here. Keep an eye on this kid – she’s one to watch!
Track of the week. LA-based newcomer khylo has captured our attention with his sublime approach to alternative R&B, which you can experience in its full glory through new single ‘entertainment’.
Released as part of a double-pack that also features the equally impressive ‘wishicould’ (listen here), this talent is representing the finest in emerging Californian R&B artistry.
With support from heavyweight tastemakers like A1234, Fashionably Early and Dusty Organ already under his belt, the future’s looking bright for this promising musician. khylo is one kid to watch for this year!
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
Track of the week. French singer and songwriter Ethel has completely mesmerised us with her latest release, entitled ‘Andromeda’.
The lyricism for the song was inspired after the artist came across a reading that asked, ‘where does the white go when the snow melts?’
Sonically, the track delights listeners with a trip-hop infused style of R&B. Elaborating further on the single, Ethel says:
“I made it about growing, and sitting with the discomfort that comes along with it, accepting that parts of yourself disappear with time in order to become who you are now.”
With only three singles to date, Ethel has picked up more than a 1.2 million streams on Spotify, solidifying her name as one of France’s most exciting prospects.
The artist will be performing some July dates in Paris and London – details here.
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This isn’t the first time that we’ve crowned Nate Brazier as our track of the week, so we can safely say that we’ve grown to become huge fans of this UK-based vocalist and producer.
‘Teasing The Thread’ is an immensely powerful and beautifully intense song that presents listeners with a cinematic mix of dark, soulful electronic pop with alternative R&B.
“I wanted it to feel haunting; equal parts vulnerable and confident. You can hear it in the elegant piano versus the knocking beat, which pretty much represents the headspace that I was in at the time of making the song.”
Brazier’s momentum has increased significantly over the past year, with the artist garnering praise from respected tastemakers as noted as Wonderland, NME, Notion, BBC 6 Music, Pigeons & Planes and Clash Magazine. A remix package of Brazier’s debut project ‘YSK’ is available here.
Track of the week. In our opinion, Floridian singer and songwriter Nick Tobias is likely to become one of the most hyped newcomers to emerge from the US this year.
By blending elements of rap with R&B and hyperpop, this talent creates distinct and unique sounds which are refreshingly bold and raw in tone.
‘Chloe’ is one of only three singles released by Tobias so far, and shows immense potential. The song feels both emotive and experimental in equal measures. This is clearly an artist who is unafraid to push some sonic boundaries – and we can’t wait to hear what’s next.
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Track of the week. Canadian singer-songwriter Kaleah Lee has been gaining steady traction since releasing her debut single ‘Heavy Handed’ last year (listen here).
Lee’s music has gone on to amass more than half a million streams on Spotify, and found its way into outlets as prominent as MTV, Lyrical Lemonade and Atwood Magazine.
The artist’s latest song, entitled ‘All At Once’, continues to showcase Lee’s natural flair for crafting stripped-back yet emotive pieces of music.
It just goes to show that sometimes a simple melody, sincere lyrics and smooth vocals are all you need to fall in love with an artist.
🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
Track of the week. Samuel Petra has marked himself as one of Spain’s most exciting indie prospects, and the release of his new single only confirms this further.
‘How Could I Miss You’ showcases a style of sound that perfectly blends together indie, rock and pop with subtle hints of electronica. The result is a piece of music that is not only melodically memorable, but also sonically captivating.
To date, Petra’s music has found its way onto editorials like Spotify’s Fresh Finds, as well as on prominent curator playlists like Before The Data and Fashionably Early.
Track of the week. LA-based talent Jae Luna has been on our radars for quite some time, and never fails to impress with his stunning style of lo-fi alternative music.
Inspired by ‘the complexities and challenges of family dynamics’, new single ‘cyanide’ was written as a form of therapy by the artist during lockdown. It’s undoubtedly one of the most gorgeous songs we’ve come across so far this month, thanks to its powerfully emotive production and raw lyricism.
Since releasing his 2018 debut EP ‘Projected Self’ (listen here), Luna has amassed over four million cumulative streams on Spotify alone, and impressively commands more than 45k monthly listeners on the platform.
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Track of the week. We’ve had this song on repeat for a good while, and we think it’s one of the most impressive debuts of the month so far.
mlbacard¡ is the moniker of UK-based singer and songwriter Maria Luisa. Since her early childhood, this artist has used music as a way to process her experiences with life’s challenging moments.
“I think at a young age I really didn’t fit in, everybody was just a bit of a sheep and I didn’t understand how to be a sheep and that was very difficult. Now I realise that’s a great advantage; it was immensely difficult at the time, but now it’s a huge strength.”
As time has gone by, mlbacard¡ has developed a style of songwriting that is not only sonically impressive, but lyrically honest.
‘KETCHUP’ reminds us of Amy Winehouse’s iconic ‘Frank’ album, and showcases a perfected fusion of melancholic pop, indie and soul. Elaborating on the song’s lyrics, mlbacard¡ explains:
“I was a lost soul, swimming in a fish bowl; I’d trap myself in the inevitable cycles of depression. I felt misunderstood and didn’t accept the way society conventionally measures success, the world felt empty, therefore I felt empty.”
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