Belot, a rising London-based musician, is a passionate devotee of pop music, with a deep and enduring passion for the genre that engrains every aspect of her being. Her acclaimed EP, Harmless Fun, released last year, garnered widespread critical praise, while her live performances, which included sold-out headline shows and support slots with artists such as Cate Canning, Ellie Dixon, Pip Millett and Caity Baser, as well as appearances at prestigious festivals like Made Me Like It and Latitude, drew enthusiastic audiences and accolades. Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of musical luminaries, including The Strokes, Phoenix, and Andy Shauf, as well as Flume, Alt J, Metronomy, and Kill The Noise, Belot has an ear for the infectious songs that linger in the memory long after the final note has faded. Her latest single, “Cool Whip,” showcases her impressive talents as a vocalist, and features a vibrant and dynamic soundscape that is sure to captivate audiences and leave them hungry for more.

LINK: linktr.ee/belot_music

LISTEN: "Cool Whip"

SAHARA BECK

LINK: www.taliscomusic.com

LISTEN: "Human"

3REE

3REE is a dynamic, genre-defying two-piece band hailing from Australia, composed of Mitch Volcan and Sean Tighe. Prior to forming 3REE, the band members had collectively performed at over 150 shows in the UK, Europe, Australia, and the USA, including esteemed festivals such as Leeds, Reading, Glastonbury, and Slam Dunk Festival. Despite being a relatively new addition to the music scene, 3REE has had the privilege of receiving mentorship and guidance from esteemed figures such as Ashton Irwin of 5 Seconds of Summer, and childhood heroes, Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy and Spencer Smith of Panic! At The Disco. Consequently, the band has gained significant attention and recognition from the music industry. 3REE has garnered a loyal fanbase and has been featured in numerous online publications. Their music has amassed over a million independent streams and has been included in more than 20,000 playlists. In 2020 and 2021, 3REE embarked on two successful sold-out tours in the UK, released several singles, and refused to let the COVID-19 pandemic stand in their way. Moreover, 3REE has collaborated with rock icon Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens to produce a hit single, which has earned them placement on several Spotify-curated playlists, and garnered constant support from notable media outlets such as Kerrang! and Rock Sound, both of which have featured multiple articles about 3REE. This year, 3REE is poised for its most significant year yet, having recently showcased their energy and captivating live set at MUSEXPO in Los Angeles.

LINK: https://linktr.ee/3reeofficial

LISTEN: "Out of My Mind"

HOLLY RIVA

Blessed with a perfect pitch, a four-octave range and a melodic and lyrical sensibility that belies her age is Australian singer-songwriter Holly Riva. One of her early tracks has already been featured in the indie movie Lair, starring John Hanna (The Mummy), which inspired Fairwood Music Publishing (UK) to sign Holly. Over the last couple of years, under her London-based management team, she has been writing with some of the very best songwriters in the UK. Holly, along with Craig Gannon (The Smiths), wrote a beautiful and inspiring song called “Hope,” which was used as a theme for all videos and information products released by the Hope Foundation Kolkata charity, a charity which supports thousands of deprived street children in India. Last year, Holly released her debut EP, A Memory, which was co-written with producer James Birt.

LINK: www.hollyriva.com

LISTEN: "Love Who You Wanna Love"

BROOKE COMBE

After years of relentless writing and recording, the world is getting closer to hearing the debut mixtape by Brooke Combe. The Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter is set to release the Black Is The New Gold (Modern Sky) mixtape on April 21st, with a healthy dose of funk, soul and retro rock. During the pandemic Brooke would record and upload covers online, and two of them took off. The first was a jazzy remake of the Arctic Monkeys’ “Why’d You only Call Me When You’re High” and the other was her take on a disco classic “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” by Baccara. Once she uploaded it, she left her phone for nearly thirty minutes and when she came back, she had 10k new followers. Her vocals drew the attention of The Coral’s James Skelly, who invited her to the legendary Parr Street Studio and introduced her to Charlie Salt of Blossoms in her first studio session. Through her collaborations with the likes of Skelly, Blossoms, Miles Kane and Jamie Webster, she showed her ability to win over even casual audiences, which became one of her greatest strengths. Between 2021 and 2022, she performed at the likes of TRNSMT, Glastonbury and Neighbourhood Weekender festivals, and recently in support of Blossoms. The title song from the upcoming mixtape is the most mature song Brooke has written to date; a smooth Amy Winehouse-styled melodic ballad, reflecting on her roots.

LINK: www.instagram.com/brookecombe

LISTEN: "Black Is The New Gold"

ZEKE FINN

Born and raised in the Finger Lakes region of New York, Zeke Finn grew up surrounded by big open spaces, music and whimsy. His father built the house his family lived in and most of his summer memories included performing with his parents in a traveling family circus. While growing up, Finn was involved in numerous arts including acting and ballet, but it was his high school English teacher that encouraged him to pursue music and was so impressed with what he had heard, he invited Zeke to join him and his band during live shows around town. From that early seed, Finn’s talent for music and singing would only grow. A broken heart and the wise words of a mystic Rabbi set in motion the string of events that put Zeke on his current path as an artist and songwriter. Finn had decided to pursue music and move to Los Angeles where he began pouring out his pain, and hope, into his and other’s music. Finn has collaborated with a number of artists, including Lucius, Matisyahu and NoMBe. He is currently working with multiple GRAMMY-winning producer Dave Sardy (Paul McCartney, The Who, Wolfmother) and Andrew Maury (Shawn Mendez, Post Malone, Lizzo), as well as producers Antonio “Tony” Beliveau (Linda Perry, Weezer) and Brian Brundage (Jason Mraz, John Legend, Tai Verdes). Finn’s latest single “Long Story Short” is an autobiographical heart-wrenching ear worm that will stay with you long after the song is over.

LINK: www.facebook.com/zekefinnmusic/

LISTEN: "Long Story Short"

JUDSON MCKINNEY & THE WANDERERS

In the spring of 2021, Shannon Forrest and Judson McKinney met each other at a recording session at the legendary Blackbird Studio in Nashville through producer/mixer Mark Needham (Imagine Dragons, The Killers, Neon Trees). The pair discovered they were both from Upstate South Carolina, McKinney from Clemson and Forrest from Easley, and realized that they were the perfect match to create music. Forrest, a session drummer who has toured with Toto and been involved in the recording of a number of successful albums by Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Trisha Yearwood and many others. The two began writing and recording at Forrest’s studio which would end up becoming Judson McKinney and the Wanderers. The duo has created a number of epic songs that you can hear but more importantly feel, including “Last Man Standing,” “Liberty Bells,” and the apocalyptic single “So True” - a dark satire on an ubiquitous social media hashtag. With so much music these days created on computers, it’s time to break away and enjoy electric guitar riffs spilling out of the right hand, and a percussion line coming in from South Carolina’s Lowcountry. The songwriting is brilliant and the music is filled with vibrant energy.

LINK: www.youtube.com/@JudsonMcKinneyAndTheWanderers

LISTEN: "Last Man Standing"

CAESARIA

In early 2022 French trio Caesaria released their debut album All We Have Is Now. Defining their own music as club-rock, they worked together with Mark Needham (Imagine Dragons, The Killers, Neon Trees) and Pelle Gunnerfeldt (The Refused, The Hives, Johnossi) on the record before going on tour to finish up the year. Musketeers of an inhabited rock club, these three musicians pave their own way, without worrying about any of the trends in the music scene. Driven by their passion for creating, playing, and performing songs for a new generation, the band has been working with people who make a difference to them. They are now releasing a reissue of their first album All We Have Is Now titled Afterparty; a collaboration with other artists who contributed their voices to the original songs on the album, accompanied by new material. Caesaria are also working on new songs and preparing to release their sophomore effort at the end of the year.

LINK: www.caesaria.fr

LISTEN: "Hope"

EMMI KING

After releasing her debut album, Emmi King saw success quickly as she gained thousands of established fans throughout the US., UK and Germany. Not your average artist, Emmi is a multi-instrumentalist who plays drums, guitar, bass and piano, drawing musical influences ranging from Frank Ocean to Arctic Monkeys and Black Keys to Robbie Williams. When she is in the studio, she sings and plays all the instruments herself. Emmi was personally invited to open for Los Angeles-based rockers Dorothy in Boston by multi-platinum producer Kerry Brown, who has worked with Miley Cyrus, The Smashing Pumpkins and Courtney Love, and We Are Hear, an LA-based record label, music publisher and artist management company founded by Brown and singer-songwriter, musician and producer Linda Perry (4 Non Blondes, Christina Aguilera, P!nk). Emmi has delivered new music for 2023 with her “Set The Pace” single. The new track, taken from her forthcoming EP, is about fresh starts on any level that you struggle to go through, with any doubts that you may have and how to break out of that situation. The German singer-songwriter has worked with a variety of established brands and aims to breathe new, refreshing and energetic life into today’s music scene.

LINK: www.emmiking.com

LISTEN: "Set The Pace"

KAMRAD

Last year, 25-year-old KAMRAD released his breakthrough single “I Believe” The song connected with millions of people, went Top 10 on the airplay charts in nine European territories and secured Gold and Platinum status in five of them, including Germany and Poland. Not only did KAMRAD connect with fans at radio, but he also caught fire on TikTok, where his music was used in clips that have amassed more than 50 million views, and 85 million streams across all platforms. Building off of the success of “I Believe,” KAMRAD unleashes his hypnotizing new single “Feel Alive” (Sony Music Germany). Over the past two years, KAMRAD experienced various ups and downs and now feels alive and that reflects on the lyrics of the new song. KAMRAD’s message is that things will get better, even if they don’t always seem to. “Feel Alive” will be presented to his fans on stage during his I Believe European Tour 2023, which begins in Hamburg on April 10th and wraps up in Zurich, May 6th.

LINK: www.kamrad-music.com

LISTEN: "Feel Alive"

MIA WRAY

Singer, songwriter and musician Mia Wray is a talented artist on the rise. She signed with Ivy League Records (The Rubens, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever), and that same year received nominations for Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year at the AIR Awards, Best Solo Artist at the Music Victoria Awards, and placed second in the Performance category at the International Songwriting Competition. After recently spending a month in London, which included her debut headline show in the UK and an invitation to the Great Escape Festival as part of its FIRST FIFTY, Mia returned to Australia inspired and announced the release of her debut EP, Stay Awake, due February 10th. With the announcement comes the release of the title track, which takes an empathetic look at the strain that depression can have on a friendship.

LINK: www.miawray.com/

LISTEN: "Stay Awake"

LUKE NOA

When he was barely in his teens, Germany's Luke Noa began writing songs and playing his first shows with his band Luke Noa and the Basement Beats. Early in their career, they won a band competition which led to a gig at the Southside Festival–that was the catalyst for Luke’s career. After high school graduation, Noa has worked tirelessly on his songwriting and live shows. With musical influences ranging from Rikas and Go Go Berlin, Noa is now considered one of the most talented German songwriters of his generation. In November, he released his EP Wide Awake, which details Noa’s love for Italy in the 80s, of past awakenings and newfound love in finely honed and arranged songs. The EP’s title track begins with a scratchy guitar strumming, with massive drums and intricate choirs with lyrics reminiscent to U2’s “With Or Without You.”

LINK: www.luke-noa.com

LISTEN: "Wide Awake"

WILL LINLEY

Emerging musician and songwriter Will Linley was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa and a career in music was simply a distant dream. The 21-year-old grew up singing with his three brothers and studied classical singing in high school. He began writing songs at a young age and started teasing music on TikTok back in 2020. Soon after, he found a global connection with his fans through his honest lyrics and uplifting positivity. His debut single “miss me (when you’re gone)” sparked a universal connection amongst fans and gained major traction when Linley released it online. The song was released in November of last year and has since gone No.1 at radio in South Africa and achieved Gold sales status. In July, Linley released his debut EP kill all my feelings (This Fiction) which earned success at radio and critical acclaim, and nearly 20 million streams across DSPs. While performing on the main stage at the Rocking The Daisies festival, he sent out a TikTok post reaching out to OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder to let him open for their South Africa tour and wouldn’t you know it, the GRAMMY-nominated band obliged!

LINK: www.facebook.com/willlinleyy

LISTEN: "To All The Girls"

HUNDRED REASONS

The year was 2007—long before Instagram, Uber, Hulu and Venmo were a part of our lives, was the year that Hundred Reasons released their fourth album Quick The Word, Sharp The Action. For many years, it was thought of as the Aldershot quartet’s final studio album. Colin Doran, Larry Hibbitt, Andy Gilmour and Andy Bews recently made the surprising announcement, and quite shocking to some fans, that they weren’t done. In fact, album number five titled Glorious Sunset (SO Recordings) is complete and would be available to fans in February. With 15 years between albums, Hundred Reasons had time to reflect and were anxious to be creative once again. This wasn’t about recapturing previous magic or unfinished business, but more about creating fresh new music and according to the band, it’s their best work since their 2002 debut album Ideas Above Our Station. The lead single “Glorious Sunset” is about being relieved that someone you love is no longer suffering. The sunset in the song refers to the light that many people see when they die.

LINK: www.hundredreasons.com

LISTEN: "Glorious Sunset"

NOBLE

Pedro Fidalgo who goes by the artist name Noble, is firmly proving to be one of the most prominent music acts on Portuguese soil. With just two full-length albums under his belt, he has already earned success with his singles, including “Honey,” which quickly became a radio hit soon after its release and was featured as the opening theme for the Portuguese soap opera Amar Depois de Amar. He’s also had success with the single “Beautiful,” taken from his sophomore album Secrets, an ode to those who have helped him not only during the beginning of his career, but also during his journey to the top of the music charts in his native country, released earlier this year. With his latest effort, “Lost In You,” Noble ventures into the themes of love and desire, with a newfound sound based on danceable grooves and bolder rhythms which is a sound clash of pop meets The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys! The track is the first taste of new material he’s been working on and works as a recollection of memories from idyllic moments spent with a special someone, a love kindled time and again, and the wish for such ephemeral moments to become everlasting.

LINK: www.instagram.com/iamnoblemusic

LISTEN: "Lost In You"

MASI MASI

Alt/indie-pop outfit MASI MASI, led by the charming frontman Joe McGrath, is getting noticed in the right places, and rightfully so. The UK band has built an international fanbase with their standout singles “Favourite Gold,” “I’m Useless,” “Crabs” and “The Good Stuff.” Aside from earning global radio airplay and inclusion on a number of influential Spotify and Apple playlists as a band, McGrath who is a singer, songwriter and producer, is also a model who has done some recent campaigns with footwear and clothing manufacturer Reebok, and multinational lifestyle retailer Urban Outfitters. MASI MASI is constantly writing and recording and just unleashed the new single “Moaner Lisa.” According to McGrath, the track is about who you turn to when the monotonous simulation that’s UK life gets all a bit too much, and you fancy having a moan about it. Besides crafting authentic idiosyncratic indie-pop, McGrath is getting noticed by various global brands for his unique and impactful cultural style, sound and attitude.

LINK: www.facebook.com/MasiMasiMusic

LISTEN: "Moaner Lisa"

SAWYER UTAH

Emerging 21-year-old writer, producer, artist and multi-instrumentalist Sawyer Utah began his music journey writing and recording music in his bedroom. His story started in the college town of La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he mastered the art of engineering and production, while honing-in on his skills at songwriting. After a conversation with a friend of a friend that connected him to Nashville music executive Norbert Nix, Utah was fast-tracked into the songwriting circuits in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville. He started to write and produce with hit songwriters such as Benzi, Jesse Fink (AJ Mitchell, Noah Cyrus, Yung Gravy), Lucas Sim (The Chainsmokers, Alison Wonderland, Lost Kings), Ross Copperman (Blake Shelton, P!nk, Gwen Stefani), and Andrew DeRoberts (OneRepublic, Florida Georgia Line, John Legend), and many other established writers and producers. Teaming up with songwriters Zhone and Sophie Simmons, the three created an infectious, hook-laden, melodic pop track called “Where Do U Go?”

LINK: www.sawyerutah.com

LISTEN: "Where Do U Go?"

JAMES DEACON

South African music star James Deacon is a force to be reckoned with. His music has earned online support and praise from such tastemaker sites as Complex, Record of the Day, Earmilk and CLASH; has garnered global radio play, and his single “Son Of Apollo” was featured in the eight week movie promo campaign for HBO in the US. His music has also been featured in a variety of TV shows including Good Trouble on Freeform and The Rookie on ABC. The talented artist returned with “Overdrive,” a Chemical Brothers-inspired track with relentless overdriven beats, vocoded distortion and huge string impacts. The infectious track already caught the attention of American automobile manufacturer GMC as they used the song for their AT4 ‘Ready For Anything’ television commercial, currently airing across North America, making it the very first time that a South African artist has had their music used in a GMC ad.

LINK: www.facebook.com/jimideacon

LISTEN: "Overdrive"

APECS

APECS are one of the most exciting new bands emerging from the UK’s northern city of Manchester. The duo is comprised of Linda P and Roger C, a mysterious studio-based electronica band. Musically, APECS is influenced by 70s and 80s synth pop and new wave but add their own contemporary twist. Creating fresh music for both the dance floor and radio, their sound would fit perfectly on a variety of todays television shows and films. Their previous single “Red Moon” sounded like something from the Netflix powerhouse Stranger Things and was added to a number of playlists on Spotify and received airplay from radio around the globe. The two-piece have a brand-new single for their fans called “Baby Prophet,” produced by Stephen B. According to Linda P, the track is about being inspired by books, poetry, music and lyrics, and is a reminder to read and not just sit on your phone; to allow your imagination to run wild.

LINK: YouTube

LISTEN: "Baby Prophet"

WILL LINLEY

Most people at 21-years-old have yet to figure out what their career path will be but that’s not the case for musician and songwriter Will Linley. The talented Cape Town artist grew up singing with his three brothers and his mother and studied classical singing in high school. A year ago, he wrote “miss me (when you’re gone)” and teased the tune on TikTok. The song began to build a buzz, so he and his producers refined the song a bit and it became his official debut single. The song is inspired by a real-life experience and evokes a universal connection with uplifting positivity. Now the song has nearly 2 million streams and over 5 million views on TikTok, with early comparisons to Justin Bieber and The Kid LAROI.

LINK: www.facebook.com/willlinleyy

LISTEN: "Miss Me"

WAITING FOR SMITH

Emerging British singer-songwriter Harry, who goes by the moniker Waiting For Smith, is a former ski instructor. After a tragic accident in the French Alps, he broke his back in two places and was rushed to hospital. Fighting for survival during the helicopter ride, he had an epiphany that, if he survived, he would pursue his true dream and dedicate his life to music. In the next year, during rehab, he taught himself how to play the guitar and that was the birth of Waiting For Smith. Since then, the GQ-approved musician has earned international support and landed airplay on over 200 radio stations around the globe, including endorsements from Huw Stephens on Radio 1, Dermot O’Leary and Jo Whiley on Radio 2, Tom Robinson at 6 Music, and BBC Music Intro Oxford and London. Waiting For Smith has toured Europe and the U.S. supporting Kawehi, and performed at a number of festivals including Latitude, Wilderness, Electric Picnic, Port Elliot and the Truck Festival. He’s had over 2 million streams on Spotify, assembled thousands of loyal followers on his socials, earned nearly 100,000 Shazam’s and has had over 2,000 international syncs, including placements with the Japanese Grand Prix, TLC’s 90 Day Fiancé and many more. Waiting For Smith recently released “Skylight Dawn” taken from his upcoming EP Trying Not To Try which due later this year. The song was co-written and produced alongside Dane Etteridge (Lewis Capaldi, Declan J Donovan, St. Lundi), and according to Waiting For Smith, is about the push and pull of love and what that does to the mind.

LINK: www.waitingforsmith.co.uk

LISTEN: "Skylight Dawn"

LUCY MCWILLIAMS

At only 22-years-old, singer-songwriter Lucy McWilliams is already making a name for herself. Originally from Dublin, now living in London, she has released a string of singles in the last couple of years and earned over 13 million streams on Spotify alone. She ended 2021 by supporting Arlo Parks at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and the first half of this year, she has performed at The Great Escape, the Oberkampf Festival in Paris and recently played back-to-back shows supporting Jake Isaac, in addition to performing at Ireland’s All Together Now Festival and the Electric Picnic Festival. McWilliams continues to work hard and perform as she prepares for her performance at Ireland Music Week this week and will release a brand new single called “Bumblebees and Blue Skies” on the 14th.

LINK: www.facebook.com/LucyMcWilliamsM

LISTEN: "Break My Own Heart"

RHETT REPKO

Emerging US singer-songwriter Rhett Repko has put together an impressive resume in a short amount of time, without the assistance of a label. Earning a reputation as both an outstanding live performer, as well as a songwriter with rare insight and emotional resonance, Rhett has released over 30 original songs over a series of EPs. His social media following, and radio support grew as his discography increased, allowing him to build his grassroots fanbase and show impressive numbers across DSPs. In the last few years, Repko has notched five Top 100 college radio hits and received support from over 200 college, community and AAA stations. His singles have charted on the FMQB, Northern American College and Community (NACC) and BDS charts and have been supported by a number of Specialty shows and Alternative radio stations. Back with the follow-up to “Lover Won’t You Come Back?” Repko recently released “Won’t Cry,” mixed by GRAMMY award-winner Mark Needham (The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Blue October).

LINK: www.rhettrepko.com

LISTEN: "Won't Cry"

DONKEY KID

Last year 19-year-old Jurek Stricker aka Donkey Kid released four singles and earned praise from international magazines, blogs and fans, while garnering support from radio stations. His single “Deep Blue” made the cover of Spotify’s Best of Indie Brandneu 2021 list gained massive traction at British college radio. His first UK shows saw him supporting Cassia, following a summer tour with Von Wegen Lisbeth, Rikas, Drangsal and a performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. This summer, he released his musical coming-of age-story, the debut EP Distant Shouts (Donkey Dub Records), featuring the single “Digging Holes.” Musically inspired by the likes of Talking Heads, Tame Impala and King Krule, the rising German artist creates his own extravagant soundscapes, ranging from a mixture of modern Western and beautiful psychedelic loops. Donkey Kid will be part of the “Wunderkinder - German Music Talent” export program at the Reeperbahn Festival, performing two shows: Thursday at Häkken and Friday at Bahnhof Pauli.

LINK: www.instagram.com/donkeythekid

LISTEN: "Digging Holes"

THE BIG MOON

Back in January 2020, when The Big Moon released their sophomore album, Walking Like We Do, life was different. The record featured bold songs for Saturday nights and sad songs for Sunday mornings. Since then, so much has changed in the world and continues to change. The London-based quartet worked on a new album during the lockdown and created something very special, titled Here Is Everything (Fiction Records), due October 14th. The new record documents the arrival of vocalist Juliette Jackson’s baby in real time, and the simultaneous arrival of a new mother, who was full of excitement and fear. The rest of the band members worked fearlessly in the studio, taking Jackson’s song frameworks and stepped forward as a unit, working together to create genuinely fantastic songs. The upcoming release was mostly self-produced, with the expert guidance and expertise by CECIL (PJ Harvey, Self Esteem) and the Grammy Award-winning producer Ben Allen (Gnarls Barkley, Deer Hunter), who also worked with the four-piece on their previous album.

LINK: www.thebigmoon.co.uk

LISTEN: "Wide Eyes"

ECHO NORTHSTAR

Emerging audio-visual artist, songwriter and producer Echo Northstar unleashes his debut single “Someone Else.” Paddy ’Northstar’ Hennessy aka Echo Northstar is from a small coastal village in the southeast of Ireland but now calls SE London his home. Besides crafting sonically blissful and cinematic alternative inspired music, he’s also a painter who is building a name for himself across a variety of creative fronts. With plans to release his first EP things I wish I could say later this year, comes “Someone Else,” a song that represents the unlocking and the lift away, beginning to think/dream without limits according to the musician.

LINK: www.echonorthstar.com

LISTEN: "Someone Else"

MASI MASI

MASI MASI is an alternative indie-pop outfit existing out of bedrooms and basements in Yorkshire. Lead singer, Joe McGrath is a creative anomaly who is a singer, songwriter, producer, model (doing recent work with global retailer Urban Outfitters) and a burgeoning designer with an infectious and eclectic sense of humor. He recorded his new single in his “not so world famous” bedroom based Shabbey Road Studios in Leeds. When MASI MASI aren’t writing or recording, they are on the road performing for their fans. The band just unleashed their brand new single titled “The Good Stuff.” According to Joe McGrath, the song was inspired by the feeling of self-destructing, and in doing so ruining what you have with the people that you care about. The tune has already received early comparisons to The Beatles, Lime Cordiale, Travis, The Verve and Kasabian.

LINK: www.facebook.com/MasiMasiMusic

LISTEN: "The Good Stuff"

TOVE STYRKE

Tove Styrke has grown to become a force and a highly acclaimed artist in the pop music world. The Stockholm, Sweden-based artist has released a number of successful singles and albums in the last decade, leading up to her fourth studio album, Hard (Sony Music/RCA Records), released this summer. The new album was a collaboration with producers and co-writers, including Elvira Anderfjärd, a Max Martin protégé known for her work with Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, Jakob Jerlström (Lorde, MARINA), Oscar Scheller (Ashnikko, Rina Sawayama), and Elof Loelv (Rihanna, Katy Perry). For the album, Styrke really pushed herself to stray from the pop formula and get as creative as possible, while also making something that’s unapologetically fun and joyous. A number of tracks standout from the album including “Show Me Love,” “Hardcore” and “Start Walking.”

LINK: www.tovestyrkemusic.com

LISTEN: "Bruises"

KAMRAD

Rising artist and writer KAMRAD combines elements of Pop and Electronic create his own compelling style of music. Driven by a unique vocal sound that mixes his special vocal character with an electronic digital touch, KAMRAD’s songs perfectly unite catchy melodies with meaningful lyrics. With his current single “I Believe,” the German singer and songwriter has already achieved great success. The track has amassed more than 35 million streams, has become the most played song on German Radio recently, is Top 10 on the European Airplay Charts, and No.1 on the Polish Airplay Charts. The tune has already gone viral on TikTok, with almost 70 million views. In the song, the 24-year-old talks about commitment fears and the difficulty of entering real relationships in times of social media, stating “I think many people—myself included— suffer from the unrealistic expectations that society and social media spread in terms of relationships.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/timkamrad

LISTEN: "I Believed"

RHETT REPKO

In an impressively brief span of time, independent troubadour Rhett Repko has built an imposing body of original music without the support of a record label. He has earned a reputation as both a singularly compelling performer and a songwriter of rare insight, and emotional resonance. Since 2017, Repko has issued nearly 30 original songs over a series of four EPs. As he’s expanded his songbook, his popularity has grown on social media and on radio, allowing him to elevate his grass-roots fanbase and build impressive numbers of followers on Facebook and Instagram, while amassing expansive streaming numbers on DSPs. Repko has scored five Top 100 college radio hits and received support from over 200 college, community and AAA stations. His songs have charted with FMQB, Northern American College and Community (NACC) and BDS charts and he’s seen support from a number of stations, including KSER Seattle, XTRA San Diego, WLKK Buffalo, KSYM San Antonio, KCLC St. Louis, WAQX Syracuse, KVNV Reno, WAPS Akron and more. Repko has returned with his new single “Lover Won’t You Come Back?” which is about being past the five stages of grief once a relationship has ended. It’s when you’ve moved on with your life and aren’t begging for your past love anymore. Instead, the song acts as an unread letter or message in a bottle out at sea.

LINK: www.rhettrepko.com

LISTEN: "Lover Won't You Come Back"

JEREMY LOOPS

South Africa’s Jeremy Loops is not only a talented singer, but he’s also a songwriter, record producer and brilliant performer. In addition to music, Loops is an eco-activist; the founder of The Big Food Drive, which has provided nourishing produce to over 200 school children in South Africa during the Covid pandemic, resulting in over 55,000 meals a week. He’s also the founder of Green Pop, which helps plant one tree for every ticket sold to a live show. After earning a reputation for his live shows and his two studio albums, 2014’s Trading Change and 2018’s Critical as Water, Loops returns with his long-awaited album, Heard You Got Love (Decca Records). The brand-new album features Ladsymith Black Mambazo and collaborations with Red Triangle (Charlie Puth, Yungblood), Edd Holloway (Lewis Capaldi, Dean Lewis) and Jake Gosling (Shawn Mendez, The Libertines). The new single “Better Together” was written with Ed Sheeran, who has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists in music history. The song was also written with Johnny McDaid (Ed Sheeran, Kodaline) and Steve Mac, who co-wrote Sheeran’s 2017 smash hit “Shape of You.”

LINK: www.jeremyloops.com

LISTEN: "Better Together"

INTERNET FRIENDS

Internet Friends made their debut with their EP Yawn Yawn Yawn in 2021. In the same year, they released the follow-up EP Nosebleeds, which was described as “a fusion between alternative indie rock and punk pop. Today, they are nearly unrecognizable as they give two fingers to those who made them feel unwelcome in their formative years. Feeling exiled by the Swedish music scene, Fredrik Soila, Jakob Falkendal and Noel Hassling-Offrell began to play up the idea of professional martyrdom and developed a car audience by relentless hard work and frequent high-energy live shows. The trio recently released “Rice Krispies” (Icons Creating Art), the twisted single that reveals itself to be dark and subversive from the get-go.

LINK: www.facebook.com/internetfriendsband

LISTEN: "Rice Krispies"

ALFIE ARCURI

Distinctively emotive, soul-inspired pop singer/songwriter Alfie Arcuri hit the mainstream after being crowned the winner of The Voice (Australia) in 2016. In 2019, Arcuri was a finalist in Eurovision - Australia Decides which led him to represent Australia at two of Europe’s biggest song contests; Golden Stav, where he won “Best Song Interpretation” and most recently the global New Wave festival in Sochi. Boasting an impressive 7.5 million streams for his first hit self-penned single “If They Only Knew,” Arcuri’s signature sound has continued to dominate with performances and touring across Australia, Europe and the US. As a songwriter, Arcuri has penned tracks for Eurovision as well as The Voice Australia winner’s singles and the 2017 Marriage Equality official campaign anthem “Love is Love.” In 2020, Alfie featured on Gran Error’s hit single “Buona Sera” causing international noise. His single “Same” was a finalist amongst more than 4,000 entries in the 2018 Vanda and Young Global Songwriting Competition and in 2021, his single “Handsome Man” won Best Ballad at the Berlin Song Week Conference and was shortlisted again for the prestigious Global Songwriting Contest. Alfie Arcuri's voice and talent is truly one of kind; his new single “Overtime,” which deals extensively with mental health issues and anxiety, offers a taste of his upcoming EP due for release later this year.

LINK: www.facebook.com/alfiearcurimusic

LISTEN: "Overtime"

ADÉLAIDE

Adélaide is a Berlin-based band dealing in thrilling melodies and infectious hooks that take you on a journey, reminiscent of AIR, Phoenix, Kraftwerk and Daft Punk. They have a unique take on the indie genre, with their vintage synthesizers, energetic music and colossal beats that work in perfect harmony. Adélaide’s music has been featured on a number of influential Spotify playlists, and supported by radio stations across the globe, earning thousands of plays. The brand-new single “Euphorie” is Adélaide’s first song in French; it’s a dance indie-pop track that describes an overwhelming sensation of joy in a nightlife, full of blurred images and mysterious characters.

LINK: www.adelaide-music.com

LISTEN: "Euphorie"

STEREOTIDE

Stereotide was founded in Nuremberg, Germany at the end of 2010, featuring members Stephan (lead vocals/guitar), Chris (guitar/backing vocals), Gabriel (bass/backing vocals), and Sébastien (drums). The quartet has earned nearly 10k global radio airplay spins, with support from the biggest German radio stations including Radio NRW, Bayern 3, NDR 2, SWR 3, Rockantenne, SR1 Europawelle, Radio Salü, Radio 7 and SAW Rockland Radio, as well as Belgian radio stations BRF and Welle 1 Austria. Their music has also earned airplay throughout the US, UK, Australia, Germany, South Africa, South America, India and has been included in a number of Spotify and Apple Music playlists. Their single “Someday,” stayed in the Top 100 of the official German Airplay Charts for three months, and even made it into the Top 10 in the Mainstream Airplay Charts. The four-piece collective has written and released one of their best songs to date titled “Touch The Sky.” The song is about positivity; it was made to make people dance and smile—to bring a spark of joy in their life. “Touch The Sky” was mixed by GRAMMY-award-winning mixer Mark Needham (Imagine Dragons, The Killers, Neon Trees) and has been musically described as Coldplay meets X Ambassadors.

LINK: www.stereotide.com

LISTEN: "Touch The Sky"

RUM JUNGLE

Emerging as one of Australia’s go-to sun-soaked bands is Rum Jungle. The Newcastle quartet recently unleashed their Everything Is Easy EP and deliver a collection of songs that will get you through all of the seasons; from a rainy winter afternoon through the first summer heat wave. The band have proven themselves in the tour circuit with sold-out shows up and down the east coast and having shared the stage with Australia’s finest exports Lime Cordiale, Peking Duk and Hilltop Hoods. Their new EP has been picked up a number of blog features and added to triple j Unearthed rotation, Spotify’s Fresh Finds AU & NZ and Coast To Coast playlists. The band’s first two EP’s have been soaked up by their fans with their most popular single “Keep” accumulating 1.2 million streams across DSPs.

LINK: www.rumjungleband.com

LISTEN: "Crimson Sunset"

COUNCIL

Brothers Pat, Doug and Andy Reeves had hopes of trading in their life of farming in rural New York for success in their true passion, which is music. Together, they are known as the emerging trio Council, and their hard work has begun to pay off. They recently gained both local and national attention for their unique sound and charismatic performances. They’ve played numerous successful shows at the mainstays in New York City, and have opened for the likes of The Kooks, Angels and Airwaves, The All-American Rejects and The Strumbellas. Their music has amassed over 25 million streams on all platforms and featured throughout the 2018 Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, and the Premier League, to name a few. They will be performing a showcase at Rockwood Music Hall - Stage 2 on June 7th, as well as a number of shows this summer.

LINK: www.councilband.com

LISTEN: "Rust to Gold (Council's Version)"

ADÉLAIDE

Adélaide is a Berlin-based band, dealing in feel-good melodies and infectious hooks reminiscent of AIR, and Daft Punk. They have a unique take on the indie genre, with vintage synthesizers, intense melodies and tight beats working in perfect harmony. Previous singles “Paintings In The Sky,” “Silent Hope” and “Obsession” have garnered global airplay and featured on a number of influential Spotify playlists. Adélaide returns with the brand-new track “Moments.” The single is a melancholic song about remembering good times and wishing they could last forever. The band’s sync-friendly and musical influences range from Kraftwerk, Air, Phoenix and early Daft Punk are omnipresent in their musical work of art. The single oscillates between reality and fiction, or a virtual reality. This contrast is present in the music between the heavy and nostalgic verses, which acts as reality, and the dreamy and hopeful choruses, which acts as fiction.

LINK: www.adelaide-music.com

LISTEN: "Moments"

COYLE GIRELLI

As a songwriter, Coyle Girelli has collaborated with a diverse group of era and genre-spanning tunesmiths, ranging from Mac Davis (Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers) to Linda Perry (Gwen Stefani, P!nk). He’s written hits for international chart-toppers, including Macklemore and BTS, and found success in theatre, co-writing songs for award-winning French musicals Robin des Bois and Les Trois Mousquetaires. In fact, Coyle currently has three new musicals in workshop in New York City. The English songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist recently released his sophomore album Funland (Honey Lemon Records). According to Girelli, the album is about fun - an escape into a night of debauchery, lust or whatever you want to find in the night. Following his single “Here Comes My Baby” is the 80s-influenced “Do You Wanna Dance?” which has been compared to New Order and The Cure.

LINK: www.coyle-girelli.com

LISTEN: "Do You Wanna Dance"

DEAF HAVANA

In the last decade, brothers James and Matty Veck-Gilodi helped build a brilliant career, releasing five albums with their bandmates as Deaf Havana. In 2020, some turmoil hit the band, and everyone decided to walk away. They booked shows to cover their remaining debts and after that, Deaf Havana would be finished. Then COVID happened and the shows were cancelled, and the band didn’t have to think about their future for a long time. COVID shifted everyone’s priorities and Deaf Havana would become a duo, motivating the brothers to continue. The new chapter has been documented with the recordings of their sixth upcoming album, The Present Is A Foreign Land (SO Recordings), due July 15th, featuring the single “Kids.” According to James, the song is a retrospective romance with our younger years.

LINK: www.deafhavana.com

LISTEN: "Kids"

TRIBE FRIDAY

Swedish trio Tribe Friday offer the most-sweet bubble gum emo music that exists today. These guitar-slinging indie kids have released a series of EPs in the last two years, gained international tastemaker respect and were invited to compete as Swedish qualifiers for Eurovision. Noah Deutschmann (guitar, lead vocals), Isak Gunnarsson (guitar, vocals) and Robin Hanberger Perez (bass, vocals) have been working overtime to deliver their upcoming debut album due June 3rd and bring their songs to their fans on stage. Tribe Friday have garnered past support on audio platforms and playlists including Spotify, Deezer, Flux FM (Germany), Radio 1 (India), KROQ Los Angeles, KNDD Seattle, Radio Doble Nueve (Peru) and many others. The song “forward is the way out” is a Gen-Z doomer rallying cry that showcases both their musical talents as well as their songwriting capabilities.

LINK: www.tribefriday.com

LISTEN: "forward is the way out"

FLYCKT

flyckt began as the multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter in the Swedish indie band Urban Cone, who were signed to Interscope. The band was founded by flyckt when he was a teenager comprised of his best friends, citing the likes of Miike Snow, MGMT and Coldplay as inspiration. flyckt grew up immersed in music due to his family and their equally creative journeys. His father, a world-renowned mixing engineer, received a Grammy for the Britney Spears single “Toxic,” and recorded and mixed Robyn’s “Body Talk” series.Now a solo artist, flyckt is a multifaceted songwriter and producer with a love for sonics with great melodies, and has been praised by the likes of EARMILK and Wonderland for the catchy melodies and superb production. Musically, he’s been compared to Lorde, Nicolas Jaar and Billie Eilish. As a writer/producer he has worked with the likes Justin Tranter, The Monsters & Strangerz, Captain Cuts and Tommy English and has written and produced for Galantis, Tove Lo, Porter Robinson, XIE as well as writing this year’s Austrian contribution to the Eurovision Song Contest, “Halo,” which will be performed by LUM!X. His remix credits include Dillon Francis, Absofacto, Bow Anderson and more.

LINK: www.facebook.com/flycktmusic

LISTEN: "Jonny Boy"

SAHARA BECK

Sahara Beck is best known as having one of the most powerful voices in Queensland, Australia. As a songwriter, she’s had multiple placings in the International Songwriting Competition, as well as the Nashville-based Unsigned Only Competition, and in 2019 she placed in the Top 3 in the illustrious Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition. She has won numerous Queensland Music Awards as well as the Carol Lloyd Award—affording Sahara the opportunity to record an album with Konstantin Kersting (Mallrat, Tones and I, The Jungle Giants). Her 2019 EP Queen Of Hearts was crafted by ARIA-nominated producer Tony Buchen (Courtney Barnett, Mansionair, Montaigne). In addition, she’s secured radio airplay worldwide and dozens of adds on numerous Spotify playlists for her various single releases. She returns with her new single “Stillness,” a slow-churning hypnotic alt-pop song, with Sahara’s soulful and seductive vocals. Her music has been featured in a major Queensland Tourism campaign; A Haagen-Dazs TV advert starring Bradley Cooper, in NBC’s Girlfriend’s Guide To Divorce and other placements.

LINK: www.saharabeck.com.au

LISTEN: "Stillness"

MELLAH

Mellah is the moniker of Liam Ramsden, a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist with a flair for infectious melodies and an off-kilter, yet razor-sharp point of view. He takes a candid approach to tackling the world as he sees it; everything from suburbia to social media, to psychosis is explored, often seeking to subvert the powers that be. On stage, he has rebuilt his solo studio project into a six headed group who might look like they just met at a bus stop, but delivers one of the most genuine, honest live experiences you’re likely to encounter.

LINK: www.mellah.co.uk

LISTEN: "Yesterday"

DANNY BALDURSSON

Danny Baldursson is an international, award-winning musician from the Faroe Islands. At the age of 16, he picked up a guitar and started playing, making his first steps towards becoming an aspiring musician, and embarking on an impressive career as a front figure musician in Scandinavia. Danny released an album along with his then-band Danny & The Veetos titled Hint of Melancholy, which was the fastest selling album in the Faroe Islands in over 15 years and went on to win a number of award honors. In 2019, he won the Germany Songwriting Award as a solo artist with his song “Holy.” His previous singles “Tears” and “Nervous” have been heard on a number of global stations, including FluxFM Germany, 2XM Ireland, Radio Doble Nueve Peru, The Sound Lab UK, KFRR Fresno, KWSS Phoenix, WCNR Charlottesville and featured on Asia Pop 40. Danny has returned with a new and powerful single, “Nothing Matters.” The song was written early into the pandemic, where Danny’s girlfriend was relocating to Manchester for a job. He followed her and was inspired to write a song about this life changing adventure and their relationship.

LINK: www.facebook.com/dannybaldurssonmusic

LISTEN: "Nothing Matters"

SAIPHE

SAIPHE (pronounced ‘safe’), born Loren Kertsman, is an Austrian/American singer, songwriter, performer and producer. She began composing, arranging and writing at an early age and taught herself the digital elements of music production. Her background includes classical music and she originally trained to become a professional cellist. She eventually turned to a musical theatre education and began experimenting in contemporary music genres. Two of her poems are published in the anthology of the Library of Germany Language Poems (2020) and Noodnik Magazine (December 2021). Her previous singles, “Blanket” and “Emotionally Unavailable” earned global airplay, including spins at Radio Doble Nueve (Lima, Peru), Indie XM (Los Angeles, CA), WCNR (Charlottesville, VA), UCFM (Canberra, Australia), Radio 1 (Mumbai, India), 2XM (Dublin, Ireland), JioSaavn (India) and more. SAIPHE has returned with a dreamy ballad called “Bitter,” that she wrote under the impression of a fractured relationship. “Bitter” takes inspiration from the classic pop music genre of the 1950s and ’60s and has been compared to the music of Cat Power, Natalie Merchant and Feist.

LINK: www.facebook.com/saiphe20

LISTEN: "Bitter"

TWO YEAR VACATION

Two Year Vacation is a quintet formed in Gothenburg, Sweden. Musically, they create rhythm radio-friendly indie pop, with musical influences ranging from ABBA to Fatboy Slim, through early Daft Punk, MGMT, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend and Peter Björn and John. Last summer, they escaped society and set off into the Swedish wilderness to create what would become their EP, High Hopes/Low Expectations. The EP is due in May via Clouds Hill, but on Friday the band gave their fans the first taste of the new material with the new single “Chasing The Morning.”

LINK: www.twoyearvacationband.com

LISTEN: "Chasing The Morning"

OSCAR ANTON

Just two years ago, Oscar Anton left Polydor Records and decided to go independent. During this process, he created the “Home Sanity Challenge” which was releasing two tracks and a bonus every single month. The challenge kicked off in April 2020 with the release of “nuits d’été.” The song earned more than 20 million streams and 7 million YouTube views, in addition to the track “bye bye,” later on remixed by Bob Sinclair. The challenge was successful and ended in March of last year. Oscar returned in December with the single “minuit,” a duet with his sister, Clementine. The song reached nearly 600k streams in less than two months and added to many playlists. For 2022, Oscar offers a new challenge, “the postcards challenge.” This time, he will release one track and one bonus every first Friday of the month, each postcard recorded in a new country with a local artist. The first postcard was sent from Milan, Italy, titled “cheerios” featuring local singer-songwriter VV. For February, Oscar teamed up with Berlin’s Fil Bo Riva for the track “grapejuice.” Next month, Oscar teams up with Spanish pop singer dani for ‘’homesick.” Since the start of the challenge, the postcards have been featured on more than 100 playlists and earned more than 300k streams and nearly 400k YouTube views.

LINK: www.facebook.com/oscarantonmusic

LISTEN: "cheerios"

PIP MILLET

U.K. sensation Pip Millet delivers a brilliant melodic single with “Hard Life.” (Dream Life Records/Sony). The 23-year-old Manchester native provides a gospel-soaked song that is immensely soulful, with catchy drums and sampled backing vocals, which explores themes of pain and change. Displaying a vocal and lyrical talent that’s hard to come by - her most recent track “Running,” tackled the realities of being black in an unequal white, western world. Her music has been featured on a number of playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Tidal, Deezer and YouTube, collecting over 90 million overall streams. She’s earned support on Radio 1 via BBC Introducing and 1XTRA, included on the Ones To Watch in 2022 list for Vevo, Dork, ROTD and more.

LINK: www.pipmillett.com

LISTEN: "Hard Life"

ADÉLAIDE

Berlin-based duo Adélaide deals in feel-good melodies and infectious hooks, comparable to AIR and Daft Punk with the electronic entrepreneurialism and cadence of Kraftwerk. Members Tanguy and Malte Hager have a unique take on the indie genre, with vintage synthesizers, intense melodies and tight beats that work in perfect harmony. Last year’s “Paintings In The Sky” and “Silent Hope” invited the world into their energetic sound and left the people yearning for more.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Adelaide.Muzik

LISTEN: "Obsession"

REST FOR THE WICKED

Rest For The Wicked is the musical project from Melbourne artist Ben Townsend and Sydney-based multi-skilled producer Tasker. Together, they create a set of hazy, raw, genre less pop songs. Townsend has built a cult following through tours with Wu-Tang Clan, Ice Cube, Azealia Banks and Peking Duk, as well as his own sold out shows throughout Australia. Tasker is a prolific songwriter and producer with songs for artists across a variety of genres including G-Flip, Alison Wonderland and Tia Gostelow, plus official remixes for Hayden James and DMA’s. In 2021, Rest For The Wicked signed to EMI Music Australia, and released their debut single “Bones.” They just performed their debut show at the Grapevine Gathering Festival and their sold-out debut headline shows will take place in February.

LINK: www.facebook.com/rftwaus

LISTEN: "Feel The Same Way"

LEXI JAYDE

Emerging artist and songwriter Lexi Jayde grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles on a healthy dose of California sun as the sounds of Clairo, Tame Impala, Lennon Stella and Fleetwood Mac became her life’s soundtrack. Speaking for the voice of Gen-Z, 19-year-old Lexi is personable, honest, and open about her struggles with insecurity. She landed her first cut as a songwriter with “Frankenstein” by Claire Rosinkranz and recently finished a tour with Adam Melchor and will be supporting Griff next month. She released her debut EP, a teenage diary, last summer and is featured on the single “On Repeat” with Goody Grace and Cigarettes After Sex. With over two million followers across her social media, Lexi has created an ever-evolving sound that immerses listeners in the world of the average teenager. In November, she released the demo of her song “drunk text me” on TikTok that quickly went viral with over 1.2 million views to date and earned over 90,000 pre-saves. The new single is now available through Artist Partner Group, which delivers an intimate and personal story of Lexi’s struggles with heartbreak and exudes vulnerability.

LINK: www.facebook.com/lexijayde

LISTEN: "Drunk Text"

LOU ELLA

Lou Ella uses her voice to say all the things she was told she had to keep inside. Based in Los Angeles, born in Paris, of North African and Central European descent, Lou Ella tells her story by leaning into a Pop n’ Soul vibe. Her music is influenced by artists such as Stevie Nicks, Lady Gaga, Sade, and Lana Del Rey. The visual world that she shares with her fans cannot be separated from her musical one, a poetic journey in space. The singer-songwriter slides into the new year with her latest single, “Snake In The Garden,” a collaboration with Shae Brock, who co-wrote the song, along with Smallpools’ Mike Kamerman, who produced the song as well.

LINK: www.facebook.com/loucloudsound

LISTEN: "Snake In The Garden"

BAKER GRACE

Blessed with a voice that’s mature far beyond her years, Baker Grace began releasing music at 14-years-old and unleashed her 2019 debut EP Girl, I Know, followed by several hit singles and 2020’s Yourz Truly EP. Baker Grace has earned millions of streams across DSP platforms and averages hundreds of thousands of listeners on Spotify. She’s been featured on a number of playlists, including Spotify (NMF, Soft Pop Hits, TGIF, Chill Hits, Weekend Hangouts, The Pop List), Apple (Pop Deluxe, The A-List Pop, Fresh Hits, Best of the Week), Deezer (Brand New UK, This Is Pop), TIDAL (Rising Pop) and more. Following last summer’s The Show Is Over EP, Baker Grace returns with “Midnight Thoughts.” The track was written during quarantine where, for the first time, she felt she was truly able to direct the production and bring out her unique style. The song was written about her struggle with anxiety and the feeling of missing out on the love that’s right in front of her. “Midnight Thoughts” is a reminder to stay present, appreciate the moment and not let negative thoughts or things we don’t like about ourselves get us down; we can use them to grow stronger.

LINK: www.bakergrace.com

LISTEN: "Midnight Thoughts"

TOM A. SMITH

Despite being just 17-years-old, Sunderland-based newcomer Tom A. Smith has already achieved more than most artists do during their careers. He played his first gig at the age of eight, performed at Glastonbury before he was even in middle school, and Tim Burgess handpicked him to play his stage at Kendall Calling, making him the festival’s youngest ever performer. Tom has played live with Sam Fender and Catfish & The Bottlemen, as well as supported The Lathums and The Mysterines, and is now looking to breakthrough with his brilliant debut single “Wolves.” Produced by Larry Hibbitt (Nothing But Thieves, Sea Girls, The Snuts), “Wolves” channels the same warm and euphoric sound as The Cure’s Robert Smith, as Tom perfectly establishes his rich and soaring direction through a bold and contemporary lens. The song has earned support in its first week of release with Jack Saunders at BBC Radio 1, Radio X, BBC 6Music, KCRW, and Richard Kingsmill at Triple J, in addition to countless adds to official playlists on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music and many others.

LINK: www.tomasmithmusic.com

LISTEN: "Wolves"

SINGLE BY SUNDAY

Formed in 2015, Single By Sunday is a four-piece outfit that combine their raucous guitars and energetic live show with a millennial brashness, while retaining some of the original mid-80s pop/punk attitudes. Sighting the likes of blink-182, The 1975 and My Chemical Romance as influences, their style of melodic pop rock allows them to embrace their passion for including other musical styles and genres, including synth pop, dance and even 80s disco. Their career has experienced many highs so far, including performing at the Vans Warped Tour, supporting Steven Adler of Guns ’n’ Roses at Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, awarded “Best Emerging International Artist” during Indie Week in Toronto and crowned winners of the Capital FM’s “Ones To Watch” competition. If that wasn’t enough, they headlined ‘First Night’ in Boston, MA, their single “Say That You Love Me” is featured in the Amazon movie The Never List and they’ve been championed by Kevin Jonas Sr. (The Jonas Brothers). Josh, Jonny, Jack and Simon have released their latest single, “Cold.” The song was written shortly after the passing of Josh’s grandmother, whom he was very close to. The story follows one of many great memories recalled to Josh by his grandmother of encounters between her and his grandfather.

LINK: www.singlebysunday.com

LISTEN: "Cold"

ILLUMEN

Illumen, hailing from Stockholm, Sweden is a trio influenced by a plethora of musicians, such as Tones & I, Imagine Dragons and Coldplay – but are more comparable to that of British singer/songwriter Tom Grennan and a more anthemic version of The Wombats. The name Illumen comes from the idea that the band illuminates the darker sides of themselves, as well as the dark times the world is currently stuck in. Making music to help people strive to make a difference for the better, Illumen will capture the emotions of their listeners. The trio’s new single, “Drifting Apart,” is about fading emotions, about feeling lost and the urge to do something before it’s too late; a state of mind so scary, but familiar to so many. The track delivers a soft bang with a heavy beat and a sonic wake–up call, while the production is cinematic, rich and enhances the emotional feel of the track. The single has been added to a number of playlists on Spotify and is garnering international radio airplay on multiple continents.

LINK: www.facebook.com/illumenmusic

LISTEN: "Drifting Apart"

KEHLI

Hailing from Dublin, 20-year-old Kehli is a vocalist and performer with a soulful, passionate and unique interpretation of contemporary pop music. Since the age of five, she has studied music and professional dance, including contemporary, hip-hop, ballet and competed at the world championship level. At the age of 14, she tried out for The Voice UK and The X Factor, and rehearsal footage of her made its way to Instagram, where she earned over 22k views in the first 48 hours. It was this experience that led to an introduction to producer/songwriter MSRD, who’s worked closely with Kehli to help her hone her sound. Kehli also worked closely with Cameron Gower-Poole (Anne-Marie) on her forthcoming debut. The first offering from her forthcoming EP is “Not OK.” The track is already earning early support on radio worldwide and has been added to numerous playlists on Spotify.

LINK: www.facebook.com/kehlimusic

LISTEN: "Not OK"

DOLORES FOREVER

“Kilimanjaro” is the brilliant debut single by Dolores Forever. The alt-pop anthem showcases the duo’s ability to harmonize, layered with a mix of 80s-inspired music with a contemporary twist. The combination creates an unforgettable first offering with the newcomers offering an alluring taste of what’s coming. According to members and close friends Hannah Wilson and Julia Fabrin, “Kilimanjaro” mines the depths of their most iconic and raw heartbreaks. Dolores Forever wanted to write a song about the ones who did them wrong and make it epic. They are currently working on their first EP with King Ed (Baby Queen), Rich Cooper (Rina Sawayama) and Swedish heavyweights Vargas & Lagola.

LINK: www.doloresforever.com/

LISTEN: "Kilimanjaro"

DEMOB HAPPY

Demob Happy originated as a four-piece in 2008 as they began their garage rock renaissance. Their debut album, 2015’s Dream Soda (SO Recordings), was released to critical acclaim. Now a trio, they delivered their sophomore effort, Holy Doom in 2018. The album was filled with infectious hooks, energy and featured grunge-sounding guitars. Now in 2021, Demob Happy return with new music and a new direction with “Sympathy Boy,” which has garnered global radio support on Passport Approved. The synth-layered single showcases another side to the band’s musicality, as they pave the way into a genre-blurring territory. The song was produced by frontman Matthew Marcantonio and mixed by Dom Craik of Nothing But Thieves. “Sympathy Boy” contains a simple message according to Marcantonio: “Try to be empathic and sympathetic with people and try and connect back to nature.” The UK outfit wrapped up their UK tour in September and opened the main stage at Reading and Leeds Festivals, as well as a triumphant performance at London’s SCALA.

LINK: www.demob-happy.com

LISTEN: "Sympathy Boy"

HI FRISCO

Last year’s brilliant debut album Goodbye, Blue Monday by Hi Frisco paved the way for the indie-psych duo to receive airplay on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio London, as well as earn tastemaker support from the likes of the globally syndicated Passport Approved radio program (which broadcasts on six continents worldwide), Indie Shuffle, The Line Of Best Fit, CLASH and GIGWISE. Henry Eastham and Felix Rashman return with an uplifting single called “Ever Again.” The new track is about positivity and to live in the moment, according to the two-piece. Along with the new single, the guys are also excited to get back on the road and will start their Goodbye, Blue Monday tour next month with stops in Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and London.

LINK: www.hifrisco.uk

LISTEN: "Ever Again"

ADÉLAIDE

Adélaide is a Berlin-based band, dealing in feel-good melodies and infectious hooks. Musically, they’ve been compared to the likes of Kraftwerk, AIR and Daft Punk. They have a unique take on the indie genre, with vintage synthesizers, intense melodies and tight beats working in perfect harmony. Earlier this year they released their debut single “Paintings In The Sky” which garnered global airplay and featured on a number of influential Spotify playlists. Adélaide returns with their new single “Silent Hope,” which is a psychedelic adventure into Berlin’s night life. The fast rhythm makes the listeners feel like a character is chasing something unknown, but at a frenetic pace.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Adelaide.Muzik

LISTEN: "Silent Hope"

MUKS

Growing up in pre-millennial India meant music was MUKS’ (pronounced ‘Mooks’) only escape from the matrix of monoculture. Moving to London as a student, MUKS immersed himself in UK club culture, and became a drum and bass DJ. MUKS is also a filmmaker and produced the Oscar-nominated global hit film, The White Tiger on Netflix. His debut single “Falling” earned global airplay, including spins at Radio Doble Nueve (Lima, Peru), Indie XM (Los Angeles, CA), UCFM (Canberra, Australia), Radio 1 (Mumbai, India), FluxFM (Berlin, Germany), 2XM (Dublin, Ireland) and more. His music video was also added into rotation at MTV/VH1 India. Muks’ new single “Girlfriend,” which is inspired by Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up In Blue,” is about yesterday, today and tomorrow all coming together.

LINK: www.muksmusic.com

LISTEN: "Girlfriend"

DANNY BALDURSSON

Danny Baldursson is an international, award-winning musician from the Faroe Islands who released an album along with his then-band Danny & The Veetos titled Hint of Melancholy, which was the fastest selling album in the Faroe Islands in over 15 years and went on to win a number of award honors. Danny did over 1,000 live performances between 2016 - 2018 and toured in Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and Germany. In 2019, he won the Germany Songwriting Award as a solo artist with his song “Holy.” His previous single “Tears” has been heard on a number of global stations, including FluxFM Germany, 2XM Ireland, Radio Doble Nueve Peru, The Sound Lab UK, KFRR Fresno, KWSS Phoenix, WCNR Charlottesville and featured on Asia Pop 40. Danny returns with new music and his single “Nervous.” The song originated after a meeting with producer Simun Dam. The two had a conversation about the social stigma around mental health, and how important it is to highlight the subject. That conversation led to the inspiration for Danny to write the lyrics.

LINK: www.facebook.com/dannybaldurssonmusic

LISTEN: "Nervous"

THE LIVING STRANGE

Brooklyn, New York—the city that gave us a number of successful bands and musicians such as Lou Reed, MGMT, They Might Be Giants, The National, and Matt and Kim is about to give us another musical treat with The Living Strange. A trio comprised of members Elijah Sokolow (lead vocals, guitar), Benya Shafrir (drums) and Nico Sleator (synth), The Living Strange delivers a blend of fuzzy anthemic guitar riffs, whirly and swirly synths and drums that make you move and groove every part of your body. The Living Strange also add very personal lyrics that feature a healthy dose of reality and an even healthier dose of humor. The indie three-piece creates an indie/modern rock music that speaks from the perspective of three 22-year-olds who rage against the dying of a world that they are just getting to know.

LINK: www.thelivingstrange.com

LISTEN: "Radio"

GEORGE DIAZ

George Diaz is a 26-year-old London-based solo artist, whose music is meticulously designed to provoke thought, stir emotion and communicate a a sense of hope in an increasingly cynical world. A self-taught singer and songwriter, George honed his talent in the grass roots music scene with a particular artistic integrity that shines through in his original work. George signed with independent label De Angelis Records (Jack Savoretti) and was promptly invited to develop his music with Jonathan Quarmby (Lewis Capaldi, Tom Walker, James Arthur) and Ruadhri Cushnan (Ed Sheeran, Mumford & Sons, Shawn Mendes). George’s debut single “High Rise” is the result of an authentic artist in the truest sense of the word, with a professional polish that affords mass appeal accessibility.

LINK: www.georgediazofficial.com

LISTEN: "High Rise"

MADYX

With a similar attitude to P!nk, the commercial viability of Katy Perry, and the raw talent of Brody Dalle of The Distillers, Madyx is an artist that is ready to break down musical barriers. She’s built an organic fanbase, generating over a quarter-million streams on Spotify, while her music has been used in multiple films and Television shows, including her single “Wheels Fall Off” in the 2020 indie film Spy Intervention. Madyx was the 2016 UMA winner for Best International Music Video and her single “GirlBoy” was the KXTE Las Vegas’ Beatdown Champion in 2019. Madyx also spends a lot of time making an impact and difference in the LGBTQ community, performing multiple Pride Festivals every year and she’s an official representative for LGBTQ brands such as TomBoyx and Only Human.

LINK: www.madyx.com

LISTEN: "Into Ashes"

SAHARA BECK

Sahara Beck is best known as having one of the most powerful voices in Queensland, Australia. As a songwriter, she’s had multiple placings in the International Songwriting Competition, as well as the Nashville-based Unsigned Only Competition, and in 2019 she placed in the Top 3 in the illustrious Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition. She has won numerous Queensland Music Awards as well as the Carol Lloyd Award—affording Sahara the opportunity to record an album with Konstantin Kersting (Mallrat, Tones and I, The Jungle Giants). Her 2019 EP Queen Of Hearts was crafted by ARIA-nominated producer Tony Buchen (Courtney Barnett, Mansionair, Montaigne). She returns with her new single “Crave Me,” a slow-burning firecracker, with Sahara’s soulful and powerful voice soaring for the skies. She wrote the song with Tony Buchen in Los Angeles which tells the tales of heartbreak and self-reflection. Her music has been featured in a major Queensland Tourism campaign; A Haagen-Dazs TV advert starring Bradley Cooper, in NBC’s Girlfriend’s Guide To Divorce and other placements.

LINK: www.saharabeck.com.au

LISTEN: "Crave Me"

VISTAS

Indie trio Vistas released their debut album Everything Changes In The End last year and it quickly made an impact; earning global airplay and praise from a number of influential online music outlets. This week the Scottish outfit unleash their sophomore album, What Were You Hoping To Find? (Believe). The collection of new songs delve deeper into the three-piece’s songwriting process, taking things into even bigger and new territories, while keeping the optimistic Vistas charm that has made them one of the UK’s most loved indie bands. The group will take their new material directly to the fans next month with live dates throughout the UK, including massive shows at London’s Heaven and two nights at Glasgow’s Barrowlands.

LINK: www.vistasmusic.com

LISTEN: "Dayglow"

TEE DEE DEES

From an unlikely part of the world comes an exhilarating indie synth-pop project called Tee Dee Dees. Tel-Aviv-born and raised Ori Mark aka Tee Dee Dees teams up with the UK-Israeli drummer Tomer Z of the band Blackfield on the new single “War.” The artist has released two albums in Hebrew, performed on all of the major stages in Tel-Aviv, and is setting up the release of his album 1^2=1 through Alaska Music in 2022. The song's bright synths and 80s style basslines are a perfect match for Tee Dee Dees' silky and inescapable vocals. Musically, he’s been compared to well-known acts such as Interpol, Placebo and Depeche Mode and has been inspired by Django Django and MGMT.

LINK: www.teedeedees.com

LISTEN: "War"

THERE’S A TUESDAY

There’s A Tuesday are a four-piece indie outfit from Christchurch, New Zealand. The late teens/early twenties quartet are fronted by Nat Hutton and Minnie Robberds, both on vocals and guitar, along with Angus Murray on drums and Joel Becker on bass, draw inspiration from Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers and Tiny Ruins. Their latest single “Fomo” (fear of missing out) allows the band tackle important issues such as mental health and the general day to day anxiety. The track is taken from their debut EP, Dance With Me Before We Cry, which was released in in late 2020. The kiwi outfit will be touring New Zealand with Benee later this year and starting their own Wimpy Kidz Tour.

LINK: www.facebook.com/theresatuesdaymusic

LISTEN: "FOMO"

YEP MAY YEP

Yep May Yep consider themselves as a pop band, but their sound seemingly contradicts any specific genre. Bangkok, Thailand-based artist manager Andy Griffin discovered the band by chance at the Bangkok Music City Conference in November of last year. After checking out their three previous releases and several discussions over Christmas, he decided to take on the band. Their new single, “Beautiful Girl” is a pop-punk song feeling the band’s way back to those long-lost high school vibes. The response to the track has exceeded all expectations and fits in with Andy’s plan to build the band slowly–as they’ve only played three shows so far! Their next single “I Hate When You Lie,” will be released next month and the band are planning a live streaming show around the launch.

LINK: www.facebook.com/yepmayyep

LISTEN: "Beautiful Girl"

MASI MASI

Bradford, England-based collective Masi Masi deliver “Smell Of Dinner,” a sample of their upcoming mixtape Cöusins, which is due in September. The track stays true to their sound, with the falsetto vocals, aggressive drums and acoustics, but also adds in violins and cellos to give the song a bigger sound. Musical influences on the track include Cage The Elephant, STRFKR and Wombats, but also adds elements from such artists as Bon Iver and Alex G. According to songwriter Joe McGrath, “Smell Of Dinner” is about losing your way and wanting to find your way back to some sort of nostalgia we’re always wanting. The band are already garnering international radio support in countries such as the US, Germany, Holland, India, South Africa, Peru, Guatemala, Australia and other territories on a myriad of stations.

LINK: www.facebook.com/MasiMasiMusic

LISTEN: "Smell Of Dinner"

MUKS

Growing up in pre-millennial India meant music was MUKS’ only escape from the matrix of monoculture. Moving to London as a student proved education is never just academic. The amateur poet immersed himself in UK club culture and became a drum and bass DJ. MUKS began exploring how to use his primary instrument, his voice, to express himself, a ceaseless journey that continues to shape his present-day work. Drawing from the lexicon of trip-hop, trap, and electronica to which he has always had a visceral reaction, MUKS’ new work immerses the listener in a hazy, dream-like world where half-forgotten memories of nostalgia and longing ebb and flow, as he creates snapshots of the deeply subjective realities that lie on either side of failed relationships. Co-produced by Marcus Andersson (Swae Lee, Wiz Khalifa), MUKS’ new single, “Falling,” distills his wide-ranging influences into sultry and pensive late-night R&B jams. His process of creation serves as a reflection of his psyche, holding up a mirror to his vulnerabilities. MUKS is also a filmmaker, recently co-producing the Oscar-nominated global hit film The White Tiger.

LINK: https://www.instagram.com/mukul.deora/?hl=en

LISTEN: "Falling"

IAMJJ & BAKER GRACE

Danish, alternative rock poet IAMJJ joins Baker Grace, the rising alt-pop star from New Jersey, for the re-imagination of his grandiose hit “A Different Kind of Blues.” The original version was first released on IAMJJ’s debut album back in 2018 and became an eSports anthem in Turkey. The 2021 version of “A Different Kind of Blues” is an exciting match between IAMJJ’s Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash inspired vocals with the angelic, airy and ethereal voice of Baker Grace. The New Jersey native singer and songwriter entered the music business at only 14. She has released several hit singles, and has garnered praise for her first two EPs, 2019’s Girl, I Know and last year’s Yourz Truly, and now fans and followers from around the world adore her recently released EP dubbed The Show is Over. IAMJJ, since his 2018 debut, has been widely celebrated for his stage presence and characteristic voice, and the Dane has recently announced his upcoming third album for spring of next year.

LISTEN: "A Different Kind Of Blues"

ADÉLAIDE

Adélaide are a three-piece unsigned/unpublished band based in Berlin, dealing in feel-good melodies and infectious hooks that have been inspired, musically, to AIR and Daft Punk. The trio originally began as the indie-pop project of French singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Tanguy. After moving to Berlin in 2019, Tanguy created Adélaide, and following a chance meeting with bass player Malte and drummer Charlie, the three formed Adélaide’s current constellation. Together they have a unique take on the indie genre, with vintage synthesizers, intense melodies and tight beats working in perfect harmony. After some time dedicated to songwriting and recording, they release their debut single “Paintings In The Sky.” Inspired by some of the 80’s synth sounds, the song is not only an upbeat track, but also a dreamy invitation to let go. “Paintings In The Sky” has already received extensive support from numerous global tastemaker radio outlets globally.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4IqyIXyWko1WbYKXN26TZo

LISTEN: "Paintings In The Sky"

HOLYOAK

After growing up on a diet of classic and psychedelic rock, Holyoak cut his teeth in a two–piece band in the Sydney garage rock scene, honing his song craft and performance, and gaining a passion for recording and production. Since a leap–of–faith move from hometown Sydney to Berlin two years ago, Holyoak has pursued this new direction as a producer and fostered an obsession with the sounds of R&B and electronic music. Holyoak’s swiftly developing, self–produced work suggests the synthetic soundscapes of musicians such as James Blake and Thom Yorke with an undertone of the organic warmth of the nostalgic, á la Tame Impala, Temples, and Still Woozy. The new single “Sit Tight” showcases the Australian–born artist’s distinct blend of R&B, electronic pop and psychedelic rock which evokes elements of Kraftwerk on a sound clash with The Beach Boys vibes.

LINK: www.holyoak-music.com

LISTEN: "Sit Tight"

GEORGE COSBY

The world needs big dreamers and George Cosby is certainly one of them. Known as one of the UK’s most distinctive voices, George has a richly textured sound that draws his listener in directly from the cinematic canvas that occupies his mind–made up of the highs and lows of love, life and everything in between. The incredibly talented singer–songwriter has delivered his sophomore single “Day In Day Out,” the follow–up to “Real Love” – a nod to the style and suave of Roy Orbison and the escapism of Lana Del Rey. According to George, “Day In Day Out” is a big daydream filled with infatuation. It’s one of the few songs that he wrote during his time in Los Angeles.

LINK: www.georgecosby.com

LISTEN: "Day In Day Out"

WAITING FOR SMITH

Waiting For Smith is British singer/songwriter Harry Lloyd. Formerly a ski instructor in the French Alps, Harry broke his back in two places during avalanche training. Wondering whether he’d survive in the helicopter on the way to the hospital, he had an epiphany that if he was OK, he should dedicate his life to music. Waiting for Smith is amassing international support and has landed radio play on nearly 200 stations around the world, including by Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1, Dermot O’Leary and Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 2, Tom Robinson on BBC 6 Music, Maz Tappuni on Radio X, Flux FM in Germany, Radio Doble Neuve in Lima, Peru and KROQ and KISS FM in the US, and on Radio One in India. In addition, he has racked–up dozens of sync placements around the world and is building measurable traction in the UK, US, South America, India, Greece, Holland, Germany and other markets.

LINK: www.waitingforsmith.co.uk

LISTEN: "Hopelessness Of Love"

LUKE NOA

European–born talent Luke Noa has a distinctive voice that seems oddly familiar and is intertwined with a Mark Ronson styled production. The songwriter was born in Baden–Württemberg and grew up in Switzerland, near Zurich. At the young age of 14, he started to play his first gigs in his band, Luke Noa and the Basement Beats. After a number of gigs, festivals and competitions, Luke knew he was meant to be a musician. After he graduated high school, he continued to write and refine songs, and played support shows for the likes of Go Go Berlin and Rikas. For the past two years, Noa has put his heart and soul into his sophomore EP, Bleach a five–song release which was released earlier this month.

LINK: www.luke-noa.com

LISTEN: "Bleach"

CADMIUM

Cadmium is a Pop/Future bass producer who has earned more than 330 million views/spins across all streaming platforms worldwide. The Florida native self–taught himself in music production 10 years ago, but the Cadmium guise wasn’t fully realized until 2017, when with friend and frequent collaborator Rival, he released the single “Daily,” featuring Jon Becker on the Frequency label. Since then, Cadmium has grown his fanbase substantially and releases license–free music every month for use in other YouTube video channels. He has nearly 90k fans subscribed to his own YouTube channel and with each release, Cadmium takes time to chat with his fans during live video premieres and replies or reacts to every one of his fans’ comments, staying engaged with the community at all times.

LINK: www.cadmiummusic.com

LISTEN: "Juvenile Mind"

TRIBE FRIDAY

The band of guitar–slinging emo kids from Sweden known as Tribe Friday, marry the rugged indie rock dancehall sounds of the early 2000s with Gen Z post–pandemic party bliss. The trio that originally started as an after–school project, debuted their garage rock–ridden Trying Your Luck EP two years ago, and quickly followed it up with the band’s first U.S. and European tours. A year later, Noah Deutschmann, Isak Gunnarsson, and Robin Hanberger Pérez evolved their songwriting and production skills, resulting in the release of their genre–bending sister EPs, Chasing Pictures and Waiting For A Sign. Both EPs earned extensive airplay in Sweden and Germany and saw the band returning to the U.S. for shows in New York City and Los Angeles. After a pandemic–proof Germany tour in September, the band wrapped up the year with a nomination for ‘Group of the Year’ at the prestigious P3 Guld Awards. Tribe Friday continues to impress with their latest single “drugs x boys x drugs.”

LINK: www.tribefriday.com

LISTEN: "drugs x boys x drugs"

CINDERS

Montana Smith (vocals, guitar), Adrian De La Cruz (bass) and Brad Bennett (drums) make up the Salt Lake City trio Cinders. After releasing their 2016 self–titled debut album, their Acoustics, Vol. 1 EP and their 2018 sophomore effort, Looking Forward to Looking Back, the indie rock three–piece deliver their latest single “Afternoon” taken from their upcoming third album No One’s Home. The new record, due in August, is produced by the band and mixed by GRAMMY–award winning engineer Phil Joly, best known for his work with Daft Punk, Lana Del Rey and The Strokes. No One’s Home also features their previous single, “Growing Up,” released earlier this year and found support on Spotify and Apple Music. “Afternoon” has already garnered plays at KXRK (Salt Lake City), KCRW (Los Angeles) and SiriusXM’s Alt Nation, in addition to various playlists on Spotify including The New Alt, All New Rock and New Noise, and New In Alternative on Apple Music.

LINK: www.cindersmusic.com

LISTEN: "Afternoon"

NELSON ELLE

Since the age of 10, Nelson Elle became almost obsessed with words. She would read books and write her own short stories, later moving on to poetry. When she eventually started adding melodies to her lyrical work, the artist you hear today started to take shape. She grew up in Hollywood during the 90s, in a home filled with music, specifically the likes of Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington, Ray Charles, Whitney Houston and Eminem. Her father, with his Broadway background, seized every opportunity to sing for his family. In the early 2000s, Nelson moved with her mother and brother to a small city in western Sweden but continued to visit California and her father and work for six months at a time. The creative young artist with a deep old soul has recently released a brand new single titled “Smile,” which is one of those tunes that makes you happy, while bringing you to tears at the same time. A track that makes you want to dance and break free, but also keeps you on the verge of a breakdown.

LINK: www.facebook.com/nelsonellemusic

LISTEN: "Smile"

DEAD POET SOCIETY

Dead Poet Society – not to be confused with the 1989 film Dead Poets Society, is a four–piece rock band that originally formed in 2013 as students at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. With a lineup that includes Jack Underkofler (vocals/guitar), Jack Collins (guitar), Will Goodroad (drums) and Dylan Brenner (bass), the quartet have a range of musical influences that include Coldplay, Royal Blood, Led Zeppelin, St. Vincent and Tyler, the Creator. Listening to the band, not all of those influences are detectable on their largely self–produced debut album -/-, which was released last month on Spinefarm Records. The album also features a handful of tracks co–helmed by studio veteran Alex Newport, best known for his work with Death Cab For Cutie, The Mars Volta, Bloc Party and Frank Turner. According to Collins, the goal for the band is to make someone feel something they haven’t felt before.

LINK: www.wearedps.com

LISTEN: ".CoDA."

MY LIFE AS ALI THOMAS

Thailand–based trio My Life As Ali Thomas took shape in 2014 when frontwoman Pie joined guitarist Rack and drummer Taw to develop the band’s free–spirited musical style. Not adhering to one set genre, My Life As Ali Thomas blend ambient Brit rock influences with indie–pop inspirations and Pie’s distinctive folk sensibilities; her soft, yet highly emotive vocal presence and poetic aptitude shining at the heart of every track. Releasing their debut album Paper via Warner Music Thailand in 2016, the three–piece now boast millions of streams with placements on key editorial Spotify playlists, alongside regular appearances at the major Asian music festivals. The band made history in 2019 when they became the first Thai act to play at the renowned SXSW Festival in Austin, TX – a testament to the burgeoning international appeal of My Life as Ali Thomas, which glistens with each solid release from the band. Following on from January’s well–received single “Rinn,” the collective continues to captivate their fans as they showcase their differentiating and experimental take on creating music with the release of “My Red Golden Sun.” With regards to the track, the band explains: “‘My Red Golden Sun’ will be the most familiar sounding song for My Life As Ali Thomas fans. It’s our take on campfire folk–rock, talking about old love and moving on. Love, and finding love, is like chasing the sun. We chase it simply because it’s what we do, and though the sun hurts us sometimes, could be disappointing or even bad to us, we must not stop chasing. ‘My Red Golden Sun’ celebrates old dreams that didn’t come true, and reminds us to dream anew.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/mylifeasalithomas

LISTEN: "My Red Golden Sun"

LUCY GAFFNEY

Irish artist Lucy Gaffney may have just started her solo career, with just two singles out to date, but she has already seen acclaim from the iconic Liam Gallagher, who called her music ‘celestial’ and a collaboration with DMA’s. Early supporters at radio have come in the form of BBC Radio 1, BBC 6, BBC Ulster, BBC Introducing, Radio X, Ireland’s Today FM, 2FM, SPIN 1038, 98FM, and Holland’s 3FM and Kink FM, where her new single “Star Sign Lover” is the song of the week.

LINK: www.facebook.com/LucyGaffneymusic

LISTEN: "Star Sign Lover"

D’ARCY SPILLER

Naarm/Melbourne–based artist D’Arcy Spiller lures her audience in with her magical mind with the release of her new single, “Wolf Blood.” The song is a melting pot of unnerving instrumentation mixed with the visceral storytelling that Spiller is becoming known for. Her newfound confidence comes to the forefront with haunting howls that cause goosebumps down the spine as she resolves running in her own pack. “Wolf Blood” is the effortlessly powerful next step in her art and echoes a fierce independence, defining her art as one not to be meddled with.

LINK: www.facebook.com/DArcySpillerMusic

LISTEN: "Wolf Blood"

PHO QUEUE CREW

The Pho Queue Crew were formed to combat the tripling of hate crimes against the British East/South–East Asian community since Covid–19. The four–piece describe themselves as ‘Angry Asian activists’ with music to match their explosive mission statement. Taking their musical influences from hip–hop, U.K. grime, punk and traditional Asian classical, this is the sound of a new generation who refuse to abide by the ‘model minority’ myth. While their parent’s generation may have kept their heads down so as not to cause any fuss, the PQC refuse to bow down to empires, live up to stereotypes or be put in the corner and ignored. Their debut single, “Enter The Dragon,” is a fresh trap production merged with Chinese flutes and lyrics that proudly and poetically describe the British East/South–East Asian diaspora. With collaborations with Hollis, who sang on Macklemore’s Platinum–selling single “White Walls” and U.K. grime artist Kojay in the can, the PQC will release music and visuals steadily throughout the year on the independent NHMM label.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Pho-Queue-Crew-101932868572578

LISTEN: "Enter The Dragon"

THE RUBENS

Founded a decade ago in Menangle, Australia is The Rubens–a five–piece pop rock outfit comprised of three Margin brothers, Zaac, Sam and Elliott, and friends Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis. Cementing their status as a band that continues to evolve as songwriters and push the boundaries of Alternative Rock/Pop, they have given their fans the new album 0202, featuring the single “Masterpiece.” The forward–thinking fourth album for a backward year, is an exciting new chapter for the band celebrating their creative peak that recently debuted at No.1 on the ARIA Charts. Their single “Live In Life” was nominated for ARIA Song Of The Year (Australia’s Grammy’s) and was the third most streamed Australian song of 2020, having achieved 35+ million streams. Following the second postponement for The Rubens’ Live In Life Tour due to COVID–19, their biggest headline tour to date, the tour was rebranded to the 0202 Album Tour. They’ll be touring the new dates, taking place next month through June, seeing the band play a 24–date run in Australia with dates for the rest of the world announced at a later time.

LINK: www.therubensmusic.com

LISTEN: "Masterpiece"

GOLD MEMBER

Sydney’s very own Gold Member is known for their high energy live show. Musically, they create a blend of beat driven, freaky synths combined with soulful vocals. The trio is the lovechild of two producers and a singer–songwriter, who have been compared to the likes of The Black Keys, Lime Cordiale and Prodigy. Gold Member has garnered local support for its songs on the influential Triple J national youth radio network in Australia, as well as international support on the influential Passport Approved radio program, which has given the trio support on over 50 radio stations on six continents worldwide on numerous ground–breaking and iconic stations. The three–piece unleash another infectious track called “Nova.” The single started off as something from a Sean Connery/James Bond film until they spun it on its head with a little bit of drum and bass.

LINK: www.facebook.com/goldmembermusic

LISTEN: "Nova"

STEREOTIDE

Stereotide was founded in Nuremberg, Germany at the end of 2010 featuring members Stephan (lead vocals/guitar), Chris (guitar/backing vocals), Gabriel (bass/backing vocals) and Raphael (drums). The quartet has earned nearly 10k global airplay spins, with support from the biggest German radio stations including Radio NRW, Bayern 3, NDR 2, SWR 3, Rockantenne, SR1 Europawelle, Radio Salü, Radio 7 and SAW Rockland Radio, as well as Belgian Radio BRF and Welle 1 Austria. Their music has also earned airplay throughout the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany, South Africa, South America, India and more. Stereotide’s single “Someday,” stayed in the Top 100 of the official German Airplay Charts for three months, and even made it into the Top 10 in the Mainstream Airplay Charts. The quartet returns with their latest anthem, “All Together.” In these uncertain times where many people stand divided, think controversially and have different opinions, “All Together” provides a musical ray of hope. The band wants to give their audience a positive vibe, to encourage approaching one another again, to listen to each other and come together to overcome these difficult times.

LINK: www.stereotide.com

LISTEN: "All Together"

SLIDE

Swedish duo Slide introduced themselves in 2019 with their breakthrough debut EP Into Happiness, a charming collection of grunge–infused anthems melded with intelligent synth–soaked pop and hip–hop aesthetics. Members Albin and Simon came together to form the Stockholm–based two–piece based on their love and appreciation of The Strokes, Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Since the release of the EP, they have racked–up thousands of Spotify streams and earned substantial early worldwide radio airplay from a number of stations, including KROQ Los Angeles, KNDD Seattle, KNRK Portland, Swedish P3, Radio France, Austrian FM4, Dutch 3FM, German SWR 3, Radio 1 Mumbai India, Xfm Nairobi Kenya and FluxFM Berlin, Germany – establishing Slide as their generation’s more interesting bands, giving a modern and new perspective to the classic genre. Slide released their Things I Tell Myself EP (If Music Could Talk/AWAL) last summer, which was compared to the likes of BROCKHAMPTON, Dominic Fike and Post Malone. The hard–working duo return with one of their strongest singles to date, “Floating” (2021 Slip N Slide Mix). According to the band, the upbeat earworm is about losing yourself in thought and possibly losing yourself in love, too.

LINK: www.facebook.com/thisisslide

LISTEN: "Floating"

IAMJJ

Only a handful of singers have a distinctive voice that is easily recognizable. Enter Denmark’s IAMJJ, a 27–year–old songwriter, who possesses a voice that strikes through to you and gives you an everlasting impression. Inspired by Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen, IAMJJ’s music combines intelligence with his dark, yet humorous, lyrics that are accompanied by that voice. In 2018, he released his debut album Bloody Future, followed by 2019’s Take It Slow On Me, helping him earn global support from both radio and audiences from his live performances. IAMJJ is ready to deliver his new single “Your Parents House” via Mermaid Records on February 26th. The track balances the border of ecstasy and melancholy, while tipping his hat to international indie icons such as Kurt Vile and The War On Drugs.

LINK: www.facebook.com/IAMJJmusic

LISTEN: "Your Parents House"

THE CLOCKWORKS

Formed in Galway, the four–piece outfit The Clockworks were brought together by a mutual appreciation of both past and present music. Two years ago they relocated to London and grabbed the attention of industry veteran Alan McGee through Instagram, where the man who launched the careers of Oasis, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine and Super Furry created a DIY label called Creation23. The Clockworks have since impressed audiences throughout Europe, performing at a number of festivals, including Eurosonic and Electric Picnic where they supported Kings Of Leon in Liverpool. Their latest single, “Enough Is Never Enough,” has been compared to the likes of IDLES and The Hives, which follows the lives of separate but interconnected individuals in society. The track pulls together the fragments of our fractured society and creates a vivid collage that depicts its failings in one painstaking picture.

LINK: www.facebook.com/theclockdoesntwork

LISTEN: "Enough Is Never Enough"

TIM SCHOU

Danish singer–songwriter Tim Schou creates honest and organic music, pulling inspiration from his nomadic life as a traveler, combining modern beats, various styles, catchy melodies and authentic lyrics. Tim was first introduced to the U.S. and global music industry in 2015 at MUSEXPO in Los Angeles and shortly thereafter signed a global publishing deal with Sony/ATV. In 2017, he released his debut “Novocaine,” which earned him the ‘Best Pop Song’ by the Akademia Music Awards and secured him the IAMA awards for ‘Best Male Artist’ and ‘Overall Grand Prize.’ His 2019 single “Acapella” earned over five million streams and went into rotation on VH1 and P4 (Danish National Radio). This jumpstarted a new round of his Never Ending Vagabond Tour with over 100 private living room concerts, and a show in the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen. In October, Tim was featured in the TV series Et Giftigt Venskab (A Toxic Friendship) on Danish TV. The four–episode documentary followed Tim and Danish filmmaker Lukas Valentin giving insight into Tim’s long and interesting journey as a musician and global–traveling songwriter, set to be released in the spring. Other notable recent highlights for Tim include being handpicked by BMW to market their i3 model, replacing the voice of Justin Timberlake in the Danish version of Trolls 2, and starring in the anniversary concert for Jesus Christ Superstar. Leading up to his long–awaited debut album due in April titled HERO/LOSER, Tim releases the fresh new single “Comeback.” The song has become a symbol of the ‘comeback’ that the entire world needs after a year filled with numerous challenges and social deprivation.

LINK: www.facebook.com/timschoumusic

LISTEN: "Comeback"

LAURA HYDE

The last two years have been quite the joyride for Northern Sydney’s Laura Hyde. She toured with labelmates Gold Member, The Moving Stills and The Vitriots on Sureshaker’s annual Shake N Bake Tour, supported BOO Seeka, performed at the Bello Winter Music Festival and at the Woodford Folk Festival. Laura also supported Canadian contemporary folk group The East Pointers on their national tour. She has made waves around Australia with her infectious personality, stunning vocal delivery and lyrically emotional songwriting. Her latest single, “Coca Cola,” brings home the dark pop elements that she’s recognized for and executes it to new heights. The haunting melodies are reinforced by a fierce and unstoppable beat, while the guitar riff sets up the chase, leading into a powerful chorus. On the surface, the song sounds promising but beneath is something destructive and harmful. According to Laura, the song is about watching someone trying to cover their tracks. It’s calling the person out and letting them know they’re not going to get away with it. “Coca Cola” is the follow–up single to “Bliss,” which has been featured on a number of Spotify editorial playlists, including New Music Friday AU & NZ, Indie Arrivals, Front Left, Fresh Finds and The Office Stereo.

LINK: www.facebook.com/laurahydemusic

LISTEN: "Coca Cola"

DED RABBIT

Yorkshire–born, Highlands–based Ded Rabbit is a four–piece rock outfit. The fast–rising sibling quartet boast their knack for crafting propulsive, gutsy indie songs that glimmer with punch and polish. Armed with a set of three EP’s to their name, a headline slot at T In The Park’s Break Stage, Ded Rabbit is currently hard at work on their debut album and looking to return to the stages in the U.K. and Europe this year. Brothers Eugene, Donal, Eoin and Fergus recently signed with Dirty Fader Records, owned by Grammy Award–winning producers/engineers Robbie Nelson (Beck, Birdy) and Mike Horner, signed with Wixen Music Publishing and have unleashed a new single titled “Gotta Get Outta This Place,” taken from their debut album Law of Attraction due in April. According to the band, the song took inspiration from having a bad night out and feeling trapped in a dead–end job. “Gotta Get Outta This Place” has been compared musically to the likes of The Cribs, The Libertines and early Arctic Monkeys.

LINK: www.dedrabbit.net

LISTEN: "If It Keeps You Up At Night"

THE SWOONS

The British–Canadian trio known as The Swoons, defiantly self–produce their own style of timeless ‘misfit pop’ music, in a bid to make authenticity cool again. With a delicate balance of soul–infused synth–rock and classical–folk elements, these heart–sleeved creatives pen vulnerable anthems that live up to the band’s name. Members Matthew Underwood (London), Tony Ann (Toronto), and Trevor Myall (St. John’s) have made an impact, both apart and together since their stint at Berklee College of Music. Underwood has written and produced multiple projects amassing millions of streams, Myall has received ASCAP’s Jay Gorney Award for social change songwriting, and Ann has both toured and co–written with production duo The Chainsmokers. Their debut single, last year’s “Conspiracy of Silence,” won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the rock category and was a finalist for both the International Songwriting Competition and Unsigned Only contest. The three–piece have been hard at work, collaborating with award–winning writers, including Jake Gosling (Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes), Eg White (Adele), and Sascha Skarbek (James Blunt, Miley Cyrus) while working on their debut EP, Recovery. The group recently dropped a soft release, co–written with Jake Gosling, titled “If It Keeps You Up At Night.”

LINK: www.theswoons.com

LISTEN: "If It Keeps You Up At Night"

LOU ELLA

Lou Ella grew up alone, making imaginary worlds in her head, adults told her to be quiet – so she kept her colors and stories inside. Three years ago, she broke her silence to pursue her music career and now uses her songs to convey her bright blue tinted violet soul. Born in Paris, of European and North African descent, Lou uses her distinctive force to make a difference. Her latest single, “Disco Doll,” originally started in Los Angeles but due to the pandemic, her producer had to leave, so they ended up flying to the french countryside to finish the song there. The song is a pop–driven and electro/R&B–influenced track. “Disco Doll” is the story of someone who refuses to accept that they may be lost in life and instead, decides to be free. At times, self–reflective, the song juggles between depth and light–heartedness. Lou Ella is set to do a livestream in the coming weeks, as well as release a three–song EP at the beginning of next year.

LINK: YouTube

LISTEN: "Disco Doll"

FOREST BLAKK

Singer–songwriter Forest Blakk garnered very early support in his career from A&R Worldwide, who helped him land a record deal with Atlantic Records and sub–publishing deal with Sony/ATV worldwide. Since then, he’s been deemed an “artist on the rise” by Billboard, has accumulated millions of streams worldwide with the debut EP, Minutes, featuring the standout single “Love Me.” The EP earned editorial support via Parade, Alternative Press, Ones To Watch and more. His music has been featured in a variety of television shows and major motion pictures, including Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19 and Paramount Pictures’ Playing With Fire. Earlier this year, it was announced that Forest would tour with the Goo Goo Dolls and Lifehouse, which would have begun in July, but due to the pandemic, the tour was put on hold. Forest continued to write and record during this time away from the stage and has since released the single “If You Love Her,” co–written by Steve Solomon (James Arthur, Dean Lewis) The track was feature in the season finale of Love Island and quickly earned over 100,000 streams in less than 24 hours on Amazon Music. In fact, the song is his best–ever streamed song counting weekly streams and continues to build each week since its release.

LINK: www.forestblakk.com

LISTEN: "If You Love Her"

ANE BRUN

Songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Ane Brun began her career two decades ago and has since released a number of successful albums with two of them earning double Platinum status, one reaching Platinum status and two accruing Gold status, all in her Norway. In addition to her recording career, she also runs her own record label, Balloon Ranger Recordings. In 2016, her father had passed away and she was deeply affected and unable to use her songwriting as an outlet for quite some time. Last year, during a three–week cabin stay in the Norwegian mountains, she found that inspiration to write her new album After The Great Storm (Balloon Ranger Recordings), and the next record, How Beauty Holds The Hand Of Sorry, due later this month. Her latest single “Crumbs” is about people getting involved with someone who’s already in a relationship; we end up eating the crumbs of a potential relationship, leaving us emotionally starving.

LINK: www.anebrun.com

LISTEN: "Crumbs"

MATTHEW MOLE

Johannesburg’s Matthew Mole is one of South Africa’s musical treasures. He released his independent EP You Did Well, Kid in 2011 and the following year he won the Converse Get Out Of The Garage Competition where he was awarded a gig at London’s legendary 100 Club and a recording session at the Converse studio in New York City. Also, in 2012 Matthew signed with Just Music and released his sophomore EP, Same Parts, Same Heart. The platinum–selling folk–electric musician released his debut album The Home We Built in 2013, becoming the first South African artist to debut at No.1 on iTunes (South Africa). He has since released a number of singles, albums and EPs including this year’s Honey, I’m Home EP, a three–song release of cover songs and Ghost Live (Universal Music), featuring live recordings of the songs included on 2019’s Ghost; the 11–song album featuring the singles “Let Me,” “Kilimanjaro” and “Keep It Together.” Another track from the Ghost album, “At The Corner,” is one of Matthew’s favorite songs that he has ever written.

LINK: www.matthewmole.com

LISTEN: "At The Corner"

RICH BEESTON

As a songwriter and artist, Rich Beeston’s music has hit the U.S. Spotify Viral Top 50, been streamed over 3 million times, and heard globally via KROQ and KCRW (Los Angeles), BBC Radio 2 and Absolute Radio (UK), Bayern 3 and Radio EINS (Europe), triple J and KIIS 1065 (Australia) and a number of others. With the support of A&R Worldwide’s synch relationships his music has also been featured in EA Sports’ FIFA, Queer Eye, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Gossip Girl, The Bachelorette, Jersey Shore, The Real World, Australia Open, Winners and Losers (Europe), and countless others. Rich is now launching his solo career as a singer/songwriter with the single “Coincidences,” a track that Steph Hughs of triple J says is “A total heartstring puller... with really gorgeous glacially clear production.”

LINK: www.richbeeston.com

LISTEN: "Coincidences"

FLAWES

It’s no secret that 2020 hasn’t been the year that we all predicted and hoped for, and U.K.–based trio Flawes is no exception. The dynamic electronic alt–pop outfit started the year on a high by fulfilling a life–long ambition with the release of their debut album Highlights (Red Bull Records). But events would mean that their big plans for the rest of the year were dismantled. Instead of being defeated, they threw themselves into a flurry of activity – writing and recording individually, yet still collaborating. This process refreshed the three–piece and helped them with a new sonic identity, which can be heard in their brand – new single “Holding Out For The Win.” The new track is the first taste to their upcoming EP Reverie, due in February. Their latest single is laced with retro synths reminiscent of the 80s but has a very current and distinct 2020 vibe to it. The song is about that split second in a relationship when you realize this is something special, according to frontman JC Carruthers.

LINK: www.redbullrecords.com/artists/flawes

LISTEN: "Holding Out For The Win"

HOCKEY DAD

With the passing of time, adolescence and two records, the music of lifelong friends Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming, aka Hockey Dad, was inevitably bound to mature and change with them. From their humble beginnings, playing DIY shows at their local watering hole, the duo has exceeded everyone’s expectations, to become the international phenomenon they are today. The trio has garnered regular support for the past couple of years on the global tastemaker radio program Passport Approved, which broadcasts on six continents and on dozens of alternative radio stations worldwide. With the youthful debut Boronia (2016), along with their international breakthrough sophomore album Blend Inn (2018), the Hockey Dad boys have sold out theaters throughout Australia and internationally, including performances as part of the Reading and Leeds Festival, Pukkelpop and a host of others. The pair returned with a new album in July titled Brain Candy (Farmer & The Owl/BMG) featuring “I Missed Out,” the energetic and emotional track and their latest earworm “Germaphobe.” The band have recently returned to the stage, performing live during their Drive–In shows, which have been very special for them as they are now able to perform tracks from the third album for their fans.

LINK: www.hockeydadband.com

LISTEN: "Germaphobe"

CATHOLIC GUILT

Melbourne’s Catholic Guilt write raw, emotional and disarmingly honest music while blending elements of folk, punk, rock and alt–country, to create an unashamedly vulnerable, yet ultimately uplifting and cathartic listening experience. They dub this blend ‘honest music.’ The Australian five–piece just released their EP This Is What Honestly Sounds Like (Wiretap Records), which is a confident five–song release that heralds the arrival of a band on the brink of greatness. Not only did they release their new EP, but they also launched their own video game, a 100% free three–level, 8–bit platform called Furrend Finder, based on the EP’s lead track, “A Boutique Affair.” The game sees you play the part of kitty named Lucy Furr as she goes on a quest to find and rescue her fur friends from the cage of loneliness. The song itself is an energetic punk rock anthem about the increased difficulty of making friends as we age. The track has received support at both triple j and Triple M digital in Australia as well as a number of alternative tastemaker stations in the U.S.

LINK: www.catholicguiltmusic.com

LISTEN: "A Boutique Affair"

SAM AND SOUNDS

Indie pop culture’s newest and most exciting hidden gem is 19 year–old Sam and Sounds. After launching his music career during the depths of a worldwide pandemic due to COVID–19, his first three singles “Do It All Again,” “Addicted To You” and “Cloud 9” have soared to over 200,000 streams within three months of his debut, drawing nearly 35,000 listeners. His music journey began last year as he was busking on the streets of Tunbridge and Crawley, outside of London. While being stuck at home during the lockdown, this gave him little option other than to release music out into the digital world. Earning musical comparisons to the likes of Rex Orange County, Alfie Templeman and Swim Deep, Sam and Sounds will unveil his debut album this month.

LINK: www.samandsounds.com

LISTEN: "Addicted To You"

ADÉLAIDE

Adélaide are a three–piece band based in Berlin, dealing in feel–good melodies and infectious hooks. The band originally began as the indie–pop project of French singer–songwriter, and multi–instrumentalist Tanguy D. He created Adélaide after moving to Berlin in 2019 and released four singles in his worldly style. Following chance meetings with bass player Malte and drummer Charlie, the three formed Adélaide’s current constellation. Each member of the trio offers different influences, ranging from jazz background to electronic music; together they have a distinctive take on the Indie genre, with dreamy synthesizers, intense melodies and tight beats, working in perfect harmony. They are building on the groundwork started by Tanguy and are putting together a body of work to take the band into its next chapter. The trio’s latest single “Silent Hope,” is the follow–up to singles “Paintings In The Sky” and “Trippin’,” as the latter earned airplay on Specialty shows and Alternative radio in a number of U.S. markets, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Buffalo, Sacramento and more. The band is also preparing to release their upcoming EP titled Horizons.

LINK: www.adelaidetheband.com

LISTEN: "Silent Hope"

THE RUBENS

The Rubens are a five–piece pop–rock outfit who recently released a brand new single titled “Time of My Life” (Ivy League Records/Ditto/Humming). The track is the follow–up to singles “Falling Asleep At The Wheel” featuring Vic Mensa and “Live In Life,” which is certified double–Platinum in Australia, earning 30+ million streams and spending close to two months in the Top 3 of Spotify’s Hot Hits Australia playlist. “Live In Live” also spent eight months on Apple Music’s Today’s Hits playlist and has earned nearly 200,000 Shazam tags. The new single, “Time of My Life” was written in Los Angeles in a much simpler time according to the band. The song finds the group musing over the ramifications of time and perspective – the dance between ‘what could’ve been’ and ‘what still could be,’ ultimately choosing to overcome fear and embrace the future for all its unknowns. Due to the pandemic, The Rubens had to put their biggest headline tour to date on hold but have rescheduled to April 2021.

LINK: www.therubensmusic.com

LISTEN: "Time Of My Life"

SHEPPARD

Brisbane’s indie pop outfit Sheppard first worked on their new single “Catalina” three years ago in Los Angeles during a month–long writing session. The band was so inspired by the heat and passion of California–tinged rock n’ roll, that the song nearly wrote itself. Depicting a racy story of two lovers, sunglasses on, roof down, and driving a vintage car with the sun blazing on their faces, “Catalina” isn’t your typical Sheppard sound, but the fun that they had recording the track truly comes through and can be heard while listening to the song. The new tune is a follow–up to their single “Phoenix,” which was released earlier this year to help raise money and was dedicated to the victims of the Australian brushfires, where 100% of the profits from “Phoenix” were donated to two Australian charities–Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal, a non–profit organization focusing on rural, regional and remote communities, and Wires, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organization.

LINK: www.wearesheppard.com

LISTEN: "Catalina"

GOLD MEMBER

Sydney’s very own Gold Member is known for their high energy live show. Musically, they create a blend of beat driven, freaky synths combined with soulful vocals. The trio is the lovechild of two producers and a singer–songwriter, who have been compared to the likes of Dominic Fike, Khalid and Cautious Clay. The self–proclaimed Alt–Pop cosmonauts recently released their single “Loose Change,” an anthemic track that unfolds across the top of their strong electronic base. The new song is about appreciating what’s important and is the follow–up to “Stay On,” their call to question on the treatment of first nations people in Australia.

LINK: www.facebook.com/goldmembermusic

LISTEN: "Loose Change"

DRY CLEAN ONLY

Directly from Queens, New York is the punk/pop/rock trio Dry Clean Only. The band was formed by guitarist and vocalist Joey Wunsch, bassist Connor McClelland and drummer Ronnie Bruno, who have been playing together since their early teens and it shows in their tight and energetic live performances. Having played many iconic venues in and around New York City, as well as the East Coast, Dry Clean Only have supported the likes of Andrew W.K., Hawthorne Heights and Wheatus. The three–piece are set to release their upcoming sophomore album, featuring their infectious new single, “Lonely Love.”

LINK: www.dcodrycleanonly.com

LISTEN: "Lonely Love"

BLU DETIGER

It’s not often that you come across a talent that not only catches your attention, but also impresses on a first impression–Blu DeTiger is that talent. She is a multi–instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer, DJ, performer, bass virtuoso and so much more. Born and raised in New York City, she’s been slaying it on the bass guitar since she was 7–years–old. Not even legally old enough to be allowed in clubs, Blu has been a staple in the NYC club, fashion, and creative scenes since she started DJing when she was 17. As of 2020, she’s been a touring member with multiple artists, including Fletcher, The Knocks, Caroline Polachek and more. Blu has DJ’d internationally and walked in Kid Super’s NYFW show. Her single “Tangerine” distinguished her from the rest, with her art–pop funky flair. Her new song, “Figure It Out,” which was written nearly a year ago, is the beginning of a string of new releases from this emerging force of nature.

LINK: www.bludetiger.com

LISTEN: "Figure It Out"

SEA GIRLS

London–based Sea Girls are set to release their debut album, Open Up Your Head (Island Records), on August 14th. The 14 tracks are emotionally charged, deeply personal and radiate from beginning to end. Produced by Larry Hibbitt (Nothing but Thieves, Sundara Karma, Dinosaur Pile–Up), the album showcases the band’s elevated songwriting, with frontman Henry Camamile stepping into the spotlight as a genuine storyteller for his generation. Their current single, “All I Want To Hear You Say” premiered as Annie Mac’s “Hottest Record” on BBC Radio 1 and is the follow–up to their successful song, “Do You Really Wanna Know?”

LINK: www.seagirls.net

LISTEN: "All I Want To Hear You Say"

SCHOOL OF X

Over the last few years Rasmus Littauer, the man behind School of X, has self–produced two breakout EPs, toured the world with his solo project and as the drummer for MØ. On the heels of his emotional 2019 EP Destiny, School of X released his debut album, Armlock, in May. Sonically, the self–produced album comes in part from including more collaborations in the writing and recording process, which was mixed by Chris Tabron (The Strokes, Erykah Badu, Beyoncé), and falls between School of X’s explosive 2017 debut EP Faded and his more intimate EP, Destiny. He is respected in Copenhagen’s local underground scene, while simultaneously accompanying one of Denmark’s biggest pop icons. His latest release, “Forgot Me On The Moon,” is a landmark song of changing perspectives and turning pain into gratitude.

LINK: www.facebook.com/schoolofx

LISTEN: "Forgot Me On The Moon"

MATTHEW MOLE

Johannesburg’s Matthew Mole is one of South Africa’s musical treasures. He released his independent EP You Did Well, Kid in 2011 and the following year he won the Converse Get Out Of The Garage Competition where he was awarded a gig at London’s legendary 100 Club and a recording session at the Converse studio in New York City. Also, in 2012 Matthew signed with Just Music and released his sophomore EP, Same Parts, Same Heart. The Platinum–selling folk–electric musician released his debut album The Home We Built in 2013, becoming the first South African artist to debut at No.1 on iTunes (South Africa). He has since released a number of singles, albums and EPs including this year’s Honey, I’m Home EP, a three–song release of cover songs and Ghost Live (Universal Music), featuring live recordings of the songs included on 2019’s Ghost; the 11–song album featuring the singles “Let Me” and “Kilimanjaro.” The third single from Ghost, “Keep It Together,” quickly became a fan favorite since he has been performing the song live for a few months after the album’s release.

LINK: www.matthewmole.com

LISTEN: "Keep It Together"

NUALA

Multi–instrumentalist Nuala (pronounced ‘Noo Are La’) began writing songs at just 10–years–old, before going on to play in a cover band at 13. After performing at various venues around Leicester, Nuala moved to London becoming a full–time busker, playing a number of gigs around the city and booking festivals. With a multitude of influences ranging from Bob Marley and Nirvana to Lily Allen and Eminem, it’s no surprise that she creates an eclectic, authentic collection of songs. Nuala has earned support from Steve Lamacq, BBC Radio London, BBC Radio Leicester and performed the lead vocal for a remix of Nile Rogers’ “Le Freak,” beating 3000 other entrants in the process. Nuala recently released her new single, “Split Down The Middle,” taken from her forthcoming EP Me&Me. The new track is the first taste of her new music as she has crafted a bunch of songs for herself, she is also focused on writing for other artists enlisting help from the likes of Romeo (The Magic Numbers), Will Rees (The Mystery Jets), Max Clilverd (Tom Odell), Tom Fuller (Florence + The Machine, Adele) and more.

LINK: www.facebook.com/nualasmusic

LISTEN: "Split Down The Middle"

NOËP

Estonian–based artist NOËP returns with brand new music and the striking single “Young Boy,” the follow up to “fk this up” featuring rising U.K. artist CHINCHILLA. NOËP’s new song is bursting with catchy hooks and is an uplifting track about living your life to the fullest. NOËP first made his mark with the singles “Move,” “Rooftop” and “New Heights” which amassed over 18 million streams to–date on Spotify. He has earned a reputation as a rising artist and a naturally engaging live performer. NOËP unites the sounds of Alt–J, Jose Gonzales and Mura Masa, in his adventurous hybrid of electro–pop energy and intimate songwriting. His unique work is anything but unknown in Estonia as he won Pop Album of the Year 2019 at the Estonian Music Awards for his debut EP Heads In The Clouds, which also included the biggest airplay record of the year with “New Heights.” NOËP has toured with Bastille and Netsky, and the video for his single “fk this up” entered Spotify’s Viral Charts in various markets such as GSA, France, Benelux and the U.K. – gaining over 10 million streams and counting.

LINK: www.noepmusic.com

LISTEN: "Young Boy"

THE HARA

With over 300 shows in the U.K. in the last two years under their belts, The HARA were quick to impress Sol Parker at Paradigm and Dougie Bruce at Universal Publishing, where the latter immediately signed them. This year, their diaries were filled with live dates including a 22–date headline tour and over a dozen festivals in the U.K., including Download, Reading/Leeds, Transmt, Great Escape and more but unfortunately, the pandemic put a halt to those plans. Not wanting to stop their momentum, The HARA brought their energy online and began creating videos for the tracks off their current EP. The first release is “Circus,” where the band was inspired to write comparing the state of the world right now, including the devastating Australian fires, and how everything seems to be a circus. Their current inspiration of Yungblud, Panic! at the Disco, You Me At Six and Royal Blood led them to work with Max from YMAS, who has a co–write on the current EP, and Yungblud’s producer Matt Schwartz. Their single “Friends” has secured two very high–profile game synchs to be released later this year.

LINK: www.theharaband.com

LISTEN: "Circus"

ANNALISE AZADIAN

Living in New York City, 22–year–old Annalise Azadian possesses a perspective on culture, art and creativity, with a panoramic perspective of a young woman with dreams and hardships. Musically, she encapsulates a unique genre–blending sound with a soulful touch of pop, a wink of jazz and a hint of urban street sound. Originally inspired to start writing at a young age after the passing of her grandmother, Annalise was only 14–years–old and winning accolades at the famed Apollo Theatre in Harlem, and has since performed at hundreds of venues and music festivals, including support shows with Lucas Graham, Cardi B and Bebe Rexha. Last May, she sold–out her first headlining show at The Bowery Electric in New York City and looks forward to returning to the stage. The singer–songwriter recently released her new single, “Wine N Dine” as part of her new solo project, Six Weeks of 7–an EP that will culminate in a 17–minute biographical short film, highlighting the unique storytelling of her seven–track release. Inspired by the likes of Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill and Hayley Williams, the DIY musician has been called a “fabulous songwriter” by Elton John during his Rocket Hour show on Beats 1.

LINK: www.annaliseazadian.com

LISTEN: "Wine N Dine"

CALLUM BEATTIE

The previous year was exceptional for Scottish multi–instrumentalist Callum Beattie; he supported Razorlight on their huge U.K. tour and supported The Kooks on their headline European tour, along with Blossoms. Last summer he performed at BST Hyde Park (Robbie Williams), performed sold–out headline shows and played at various locations during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He earned accolades from BBC Radio 2, The Telegraph, Buzzfeed U.K., The Independent, Clash Magazine and many more, as well as global radio support from the multi–continental syndicated radio program Passport Approved. Less than two weeks ago, Callum unleashed his long–awaited debut album, People Like Us (3Beat/Universal), the self–written album which includes songs of his life, both his childhood ups and downs and his more recent upheavals. The album is a collection of songs clawed from the raw stuff of existence, nostalgic patriotism and bleeding love.

LINK: www.callumbeattie.co.uk

LISTEN: "Mouth Of A Tiger"

STEREOTIDE

Ten years ago, the pop rock quartet Stereotide formed in Nuremberg, Germany. Musically inspired by the likes of Coldplay, Muse, The Script and OneRepublic, Stephan (lead vocals, guitar), Chris (guitar, backing vocals), Gabriel (bass/backing vocals) and Raphael (drums) have grown to be one of the most successful German bands as of late. Stereotide has earned over 7k airplay spins at the biggest German radio stations, including Radio NRW, Bayern 3, NDR 2, SWR 3, Rockantenne, SR1 Europawelle, Radio Salü, Radio 7 and SAW Rockland Radio, as well as Belgian Radio BRF and Welle 1 Austria. Their single “Find Someone” garnered international airplay throughout the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany, South Africa, South America, India and China. Stereotide supported both Daughtry and Skillet on their respective German tours, played other headlining festivals and supported the likes of 80s singer Nena and Percival from The Voice (Germany). A new mix of their single “Someday” has been created and is now available globally. The original version of “Someday,” previously released exclusively in Germany, stayed in the Top 100 of the official German Airplay Charts for three months, and even made it into the Top 10 in the Mainstream Airplay Charts.

LINK: www.stereotide.com

LISTEN: "Someday"

LARKINS

Following the release of their critically acclaimed EP, Hit And Run, in February, rising Manchester act Larkins return to the spotlight with their huge new offering, “Are We Having Any Fun Yet?” The single is the first taste of their upcoming new body of work and emerges as a bold, exciting statement of intent. The scale of the track, with its anthemic, banging bassline and hyper–personal lyricism from frontman Josh Noble, is an electric, charismatic, and ambitious move that will be sure to continue the intrigue and attention around them. Written between Los Angeles and London with Dan Nigro (Conan Gray, Lewis Capaldi), and mixed by Andrew Dawson (Kanye West, Childish Gambino), it marks a profound sonic step forward for the quartet. Their arena–scale blend of anthemic, synth–laden alt–pop reverberating with a growing number of fans with each subsequent release, the band have accumulated millions of streams – their two offerings for 2019, the TV Dream EP and the single “Not Enough Love” amassing five million alone with a 30–date headline tour and 4000 tickets sold. Their new single has been featured as the Record of the Week on both Alt Nation (SiriusXM) and Bayern 3 (Germany), featured on Asia Pop 40 with over 100 stations between Asia Pacific and the Middle East, supported by both Annie Mac and Jack Saunders at BBC Radio 1, and Zane Lowe at Beats 1, and has been included on a number of Spotify playlists, including New Music Friday, The Indie List, Indie Pop, Indie Brandneu, Hot New Bands and more.

LINK: www.instagram.com/larkinsband

LISTEN: "Are We Having Any Fun Yet?"

JEKYLL

Jekyll are four seaside rocking kids from Blackpool who still consist of Joel Foster (vocals/guitar), Lewis Armistead (bass), Liam Singleton (drums) and Mike Spence (guitar). The quartet released their sophomore EP, The Whispering Gallery, in March featuring the singles “I Do What I Can” and “The Escapist.” Both songs find Jekyll in standard hyper–melodic mode, marrying splashy, crashing choral musings with maximized alt–rock guitars and a shoegaze–tinged sonic undercurrent. The band signed with Fierce Panda at The Great Escape two years ago, in time for the lively, driving debut self–titled EP. Songs from that release, and The Whispering Gallery, have been supported by BBC Radio’s Huw Stephens, Steve Lamacq and Radio X DJ, John Kennedy, as well as media and live backing from BBC Introducing, This Feeling, Gigslutz, The Zine, Backseat Mafia and Kick Out The Jams. Jekyll have a couple of gigs secured in Blackpool for October and performed a Facebook Live with Modern Age Music Presents Front Room Live earlier today.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Jekyllband

LISTEN: "The Escapist"

BONGLOARD

Fuzzy guitars, heavy riffs and intense drums is what the young power–trio Bongloard brings with their music and live shows. Inspired by Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees and others, Jannes van Kaam, Ties Bogers and Jan van Asch are ready to let the people know just how loud Bongloard really is. The Utrecht–born trio’s style has been described as a blend of indie, psych and garage and draws inspiration from the 90s grunge rock scene in Seattle to the retro punk rock sounds heard at the famous CBGB. Bongloard’s rock sounds are already emanating across D.I.Y. style alternative rock radio on multiple continents worldwide.

LINK: www.facebook.com/BONGLOARDNL

LISTEN: "I Want It Now"

ADÉLAIDE

Adélaide is the Indie/Pop project of French singer, songwriter and multi–instrumentalist Tanguy de la Panouse. Originally from the south of France, Tanguy created Adélaide after having moved to Berlin. Although he started the project late last year, it has not taken long for him to compose, collaborate with local producers and record music. The first single “Paintings in the Sky” is the first of a four–single release schedule. Tanguy developed a very unique style through its different influences, taking Indie elements and adding pop melodies and dreamy synthesizers. He brought his own culture to the project, resulting for instance in songs in both English and French. A wide variety of genres have influenced him, such as Electronic music, Indie/Rock, and Singer/Songwriter.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Adelaide.Muzik

LISTEN: "Paintings in the Sky"

NAVVY

Having recently inked a worldwide deal with CAA and gaining several BBC Radio 1 plays, Auckland–raised singer–songwriter Phoebe Lee Jasper, best known to the music world as Navvy, is an artist to keep your ears and eyes on. This striking new talent’s journey down the uneven road to emotional independence was inspired by the collapse of Navvy’s first and only relationship, leading to a deluge of fresh electronic pop songs which take shape across a trilogy of EP’s. Navvy recounts the kaleidoscopic of emotions she experienced over the past few years, collaborating with close friend and rising talent Rory Adams on several tracks including lead single “Mad At You” from the No Hard Feelings record. At 18, she was a member of the world’s third best youth choir, which led to Navvy joining The Rolling Stones on stage during an Australian tour. Following this, she studied both classical and pop music, earning the two degrees in 2018, however at the end of the year, her boyfriend broke up with her so out of the blue, she thought he was kidding. Ironically, her ex was a member of her live band and he was dating the girl whom he cheated on Navvy with – and he was still in the band! Despite everything, Navvy grew and learned from this experience and it made her an even stronger songwriter.

LINK: www.facebook.com/navvymusic

LISTEN: "Mad At You"

IVY FLINDT

Ivy Flindt is an exceptional indie pop duo comprised of members Cate Martin (vocals, organ) and Micha Holland (guitar). Their album, In Every Move, is produced by Per Sunding, best known for his work with The Cardigans. Their music resembles Nordic vastness, with confessions of devotion and retreat, while breathing melancholy with every note, and is recommended to the fans of Feist, Beth Gibbons of Portishead, Imogen Heap, Sia, The Cranberries and Dido. The two–piece have tallied international airplay throughout the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany, South Africa, South America, India and China. In addition to music, Cate is a Hamburg–based visual artist, whose work focuses on painting and photography in the field of abstraction in a pluralist manner, while Micha is also a photographer; both of their artwork is featured in their LP and CD.

LINK: www.ivyflindt.com

LISTEN: "When You're Not Around"

THE ACES

Sisters Cristal and Alisa Ramirez (vocals/guitar and drums, respectively), McKenna Petty (bass) and Katie Henderson (lead guitar/vocals) are The Aces. Two years ago, they released their debut album, When My Heart Felt Volcanic, and since then, they’ve opened for 5 Seconds of Summer, COIN and X Ambassadors, headlined their own tour, and spent a countless number of hours documenting everything in–between. The indie rock/pop female quartet return with a brand–new single, “Daydream,” through Red Bull Records. Alternative radio has embraced the strong single early, with spins at KITS San Francisco, KYSR Los Angeles, WWDC Washington DC, KTCL Denver, KFRR Fresno, WSFS Miami, WWCD Columbus, Music Choice and Alt Nation on SiriusXM, in addition to adds on the New Music Friday playlist on Spotify and the ALT CTRL playlist on Apple Music.

LINK: www.theacesofficial.com

LISTEN: "Daydream"

THE PALE WHITE

Having earned attention for their signature melodic guitar work, thunderous rhythm section and magnetic live shows is the Newcastle–based trio, The Pale White. Comprised of brothers Adam and Jack Hope, along with longtime friend Tom Booth, the three–piece have earned support from the likes of NME, Radio X, Apple Music, MTV, Passport Approved and BBC Introducing. Opening for The Amazons, Twin Atlantic, The Libertines, Sam Fender and Band of Skulls, the band are developing a passionate word of mouth following as one of the most exciting British bands. Following their successful singles “Unnatural” and “Medicine,” The Pale White return with “Swim For Your Life.” The third track for the band produced by Jolyon Thomas (Royal Blood, Slaves, Jake Bugg) is the most direct and energetic song that the three–piece have released so far.

LINK: www.thepalewhite.com

LISTEN: "Swim For Your Life"

STEREOTIDE

Stereotide was founded in Nuremberg, Germany at the end of 2010 featuring members Stephan (lead vocals/guitar), Chris (guitar/backing vocals), Gabriel (bass/backing vocals) and Raphael (drums). Their debut single “Someday” stayed in the Top 100 of the official German Airplay Charts for three months, and even made it into the Top 10 in the Mainstream Airplay Charts. The quartet has earned over 7k airplay spins at the biggest German radio stations, including Radio NRW, Bayern 3, NDR 2, SWR 3, Rockantenne, SR1 Europawelle, Radio Salü, Radio 7 and SAW Rockland Radio, as well as Belgian radio BRF and Welle 1 Austria. The quartet supported both Daughtry and Skillet on their respective German tours, played other headlining festivals and supported the likes of 80s singer Nena and Percival from The Voice (Germany), amongst others. After a brief hiatus from releasing music, Stereotide returns with a brand new single titled “Find Someone.” According to the band, the song offers a positive message and is about a protagonist recognizing that he has all that he needs in life and becomes grateful.

LINK: www.stereotide.com

LISTEN: "Find Someone"

COMA

Fusing pop sensibility with dance music’s communal properties, the German duo of Georg Conrad and Marius Bubat create music rich in melody and often melancholy. COMA has roots from the club scene, but their groove–tipped synth–pop blurs boundaries and strays outside the lines. Signed to City Slang (Caribou, Gold Panda, Tindersticks), the duo released their new album, Voyage Voyage, a 10–song collection of tracks that sees the pair meld piano, guitar, drums, synths and futuristic vocal harmonies together. One of the standout tracks is “Spiracles,” the fourth single released from the album, which is laced with synth magic. COMA have been garnering radio support on a variety of tastemaker and influential alternative music radio stations worldwide including FLUXFM Berlin, Germany; “The World Famous” KROQ Los Angeles, KNDD “The End” Seattle, WA; Radio 1 Mumbai, India; KNRK “94/7” Portland; Radio Doble Nueve–FM Lima, Peru and many others.

LINK: https://coma.lnk.to/Website

LISTEN: "Spiracles"

LARKINS

Hotly–tipped in the U.K. by Jack Saunders at BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing and Radio X, Larkins have already earned significant U.S. radio support from Zane Lowe at Beats 1, KROQ Los Angeles, Aaron Axelsen at The New ALT and Jeff Regan at Alt Nation. They’ve garnered strong Spotify and Apple editorial support with adds to The Indie List, The New Alt, Indie Party, Transistor, Breaking Alternative and The Bright Side. Dubbed as “Manchester’s Next Arena Act” by Manchester Evening News, Larkins unleashed their new single “Hit And Run” from the EP of the same name on February 14th. The single is produced by Mark Crew (Bastille) and mixed by Andrew Dawson (Kanye West, Thirty Seconds To Mars). Last year saw Larkins sell–out Manchester’s Albert Hall, they also played the Reading and Leeds Festivals, before completing an expansive 30–date headline U.K. and Ireland tour, where they sold over 4000 tickets. Following the incredible response, Larkins began 2020 by announcing their biggest ever U.K. shows including Heaven (1100 cap) in London and Manchester Academy 1 (2600 cap) in April. This will see the band become the first band in over 50 years to sell–out the Manchester Academy before releasing their debut album. Larkins continue to build their profile by announcing their debut North American headline tour with dates across Toronto, New York City, Austin, Los Angeles and a showcase at MUSEXPO next month.

LINK: www.larkinsband.com

LISTEN: "Hit and Run"

THE BONGO CLUB

Known for their explosive live appearances, The Bongo Club have performed over 400 shows in the U.S., Japan, Mexico and all over Europe, including their home turf, Sweden. The energetic and talented band has built a large following across the globe. Their label debut album, 2018’s Anybody Have A Lighter?, featuring the single “Seventeen,” was mixed by Owen Morris, who is best known for his work with Oasis, The Verve and Kaiser Chiefs. Their second single, “Tell Your Friends” made editorial playlists on Spotify and reached the top 10 on the radio charts in both Austria and Germany. The Bongo Club have returned with a new single called “No Expectations,” and are currently preparing to release more music in the near future.

LINK: www.thebongoclub.se

LISTEN: "No Expectations"

SHEPPARD

Brisbane’s indie pop five–piece Sheppard created a song dedicated to the victims of the Australian bushfires called “Phoenix.” The single will raise money for those affected by the blaze. According to the band’s George Sheppard, “aside from making our financial donations, we wanted to help in the only way we know how – by channeling our emotions into music.” After seeing the devastation and destruction of the fires, Sheppard immediately entered the studio, and began to create their first release of the year with the intention of donating 100% of the profits from the song. “Phoenix” discusses the resilience of the Australian people and the nation’s ability to rise from the ashes. The profits from the track will be donated to two Australian charities – Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal, a non–profit organization focusing on rural, regional and remote communities, and Wires, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organization.

LINK: www.wearesheppard.com

LISTEN: "Phoenix"

MAGNUS MIA

Magnus Mia, who hail from Hong Kong and Rome, kick off the new year with their powerful new electro pop ballad “Heartburn,” which was inspired in part by the recent Hong Kong protests. Through the perspective of both sides, whether it be a divided young couple or a parent and their child who wants to leave home for a greater purpose, the song takes a very intimate look into the feeling of unrest that often begins at home. “Heartburn” is the duo’s follow–up to their hauntingly beautiful cover of Nine Inch Nails “Head Like a Hole” and debut releases “Jubilee” and “Fool’s Mirage.” Their music has been played on radio stations in over 40 countries globally and is out in China on Netease Cloud Music.

LINK: www.magnusmiamusic.com

LISTEN: "Heartburn"

WAITING FOR SMITH

Harry Lloyd broke his back in the French Alps during avalanche training, spending a year in bed, where he learned how to play the guitar and formed the band Waiting For Smith. The very first single released was “Monkeys In My Head,” which debuted in Clash Magazine and has earned thousands of streams, with airplay across the U.K., Canada and the United States. The sophomore single “Trade It In” quickly received support from 6Music, Passport Approved, TalkRadio, BBC Introducing, VibeFM, JackFM and BBC London, Oxford, Kent and Berkshire, BBC Radio 1/2, featured on Communion Presents with Max Tappuni on Radio X, Asia Pop 40 and a number of tastemaker Alternative stations in the states. Waiting For Smith’s music was selected for the September playlist at Caff&ecuate; Nero, a chain of over 700 coffee shops around the world. In October, WFS recorded an EP in Nashville with British–born producer, songwriter and artist Lee Horrocks (Cuff, Yohanna, Kate Earl, Brie Larson) and made a U.S. live debut at Madame Siam in Hollywood. In 2019, WFS’ music was streamed on Spotify in 71 countries for 4,042 hours – the equivalent of five months of listening; in Belgium, the WFS audience grew by 999%. The new year has produced a new single from Waiting For Smith titled “So Much Love.” The song has been chosen for the British Airways playlist and will feature on all BA flights worldwide from February through March. The track also received a spin on BBC Radio 1 courtesy of Huw Stephens.

LINK: www.waitingforsmith.co.uk

LISTEN: "So Much Love"

LONGFELLOW

Owen Lloyd, James Thomas, Ali Hetherington and Simon Treasure together are the London–based Alt–Indie outfit, Longfellow. The quartet released their debut EP Prelude in 2014, featuring their first single “Siamese Lover,” which was spun by Jo Wiley on BBC Radio 2, debuted on 6Music with Steve Lamacq and chosen as BBC Introducing’s single of the week by Huw Stephens on Radio 1. To date, the band has had five consecutive singles earn U.K. support at BBC Radio 2 as well as a host of live sessions at Maida Vale, Radio X and 3FM. Longfellow has sold out London’s prestigious Bush Hall, headlined the BBC Introducing stage at Hyde Park and showcased across the Atlantic at SXSW, CMJ and MUSEXPO in addition to supporting the likes of Keane, Hall & Oates and Royal Blood. Musically, Longfellow evoke the musical nuances of Coldplay, The Killers, Imagine Dragons, The Temper Trap, Keane and early Muse melded with their own creative vision. Longfellow has collected over 5.5 million cumulative plays on Spotify, amassed over 200,000 views on YouTube and nearly 40,000 global tags on Shazam thus far. The quartet released their self–titled debut album in November, featuring the single “Gabrielle.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/LongfellowMusic/

LISTEN: "Gabrielle"

CALLUM BEATTIE

A few short years ago, Callum Beattie released his debut single, “We Are Stars.” Since then, the Scottish singer–songwriter has collected millions of Spotify streams, earned airplay at BBC Radio 2, and unleashed his well–received EP’s We Are Stars (2017) and Miracle (2018), including the singles “Connection” and “Without You.” From Edinburgh to London to Berlin and back again, Callum’s new material is a collection of songs clawed from the raw stuff of existence, nostalgic patriotism and bleeding–love as his debut album, People Like Us, set to be released in May. Callum has performed at the Hyde Park Summer Sessions supporting Robbie Williams, executed his own headline tour of Scotland, and supported The Kooks on their headline European tour earlier this year along with Blossoms. Callum previously played live at Glastonbury, T In The Park and The Great Escape, and is scheduled to be on the road in Germany, performing in Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin and Munich this year. Earning accolades from the likes of The Telegraph, Clash Magazine and The Independent, Callum was also a part of the global clothing brand Barbour International’s summer session series, which was hosted by James McVey of The Vamps.

LINK: www.callumbeattie.co.uk

LISTEN: "Some Heroes Don't Wear Capes"

BENEE

This year has been a breakout year for Benee, the 19–year–old indie pop phenomenon from New Zealand. Her music has been added to the most influential playlists and she continues to build a global audience for her sweetly groove–drenched sound and quirky lyrical take on the world. She released the Stella & Steve EP last month via Republic Records, the follow–up from her Fire On Marzz debut EP in June, featuring the singles “Soaked” which has earned over 25 million Spotify streams and “Glitter” which has earned over 10 million Spotify streams. Benee has been performing sold–out shows everywhere from London to New York and all across Australia and will open up the new year touring Australia and New Zealand on the Laneway Festivals with more dates and music planned in the near future.

LINK: https://linktr.ee/benemusicc

LISTEN: "Find An Island"

LAUREN WALLER

Lauren Waller is a captivating artist who exudes a darkly glamorous soulfulness. She is a writer, a poet, a painter, a singer and as an artist, she has morphed into an indie pop siren with a sleek and sensual pop sensibility. Lauren has shared the stage with several world–renowned musicians including Berlin, featuring Terri Nunn, The Fixx, and Missing Persons. In the past year, Lauren has opened for Basia, Anna Nalick, Nancy Wilson of Heart, Wilson Phillips, Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, Jim Messina and most recently, A Flock of Seagulls. Lauren’s music has garnered press accolades from New Music Express, Young Hollywood, Music Existence, Coming Up Magazine, The Spotlight, Independent Artist Buzz, Kurrent Music, Vents Magazine and Broadway World, among other outlets, in addition to airplay at a number of global radio stations and streaming playlists. Just in time for the holidays, she released a beautiful rendition of the John Lennon classic “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”

LINK: www.lwallermusic.com

LISTEN: "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"

FOREST BLAKK

Singer–songwriter Forest Blakk, deemed an “artist on the rise” by Billboard, has accumulated over 22 million streams worldwide with the debut EP, Minutes, featuring the standout single “Love Me.” The EP earned editorial support via Parade, Alternative Press, Ones To Watch and more. A compelling live performer, Blakk spent the early part of the year on tour supporting Gavin James, following performances last year in support of NEEDTOBREATHE, along their North American tour. He recently released his uplifting single, “Put Your Hands Up” via Atlantic Records. The track made its debut in a September episode of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and can be heard in the end credits of Paramount Pictures’ Playing With Fire, starring John Cena. The song was co–written with Carl Ryden (Ricky Martin, David Guetta) and co–produced by Ollie Green (Freya Ridings, Gavin James), pairs inspiring lyrics with mounting chants for what is sure to become an anthem of resilience. Blakk is currently in the studio, putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming sophomore EP, arriving early next year.

LINK: www.forestblakk.com

LISTEN: "Put Your Hand Up"

LARKINS

Following a year that saw their music pick up significant support from Jack Saunders at BBC Radio 1, Zane Lowe, Radio X, BBC Introducing, Spotify, Apple Music and the globally–syndicated Passport Approved radio show, Manchester’s Larkins releases their latest single, “Not Enough Love.” With music produced by Dan Nigro (Lewis Capaldi, Freya Ridings, Sky Ferreira), Chris Zane (Friendly Fires, Passion Pit) and mixed by Andrew Dawson (Kanye West, Childish Gambino), the band’s ever–developing sound and fanbase is further evidence of the excitement that Larkins are creating. They’ve earned over 3 million streams to date with over 1.6 million views, performed at both the Reading and Leeds festivals and have sold–out headline London shows and a sold–out headline show at the Albert Hall in Manchester in the last 12 months. The quartet is currently on the road in the U.K. with upcoming stops on their fast–selling tour in London, Liverpool, Cardiff, Sheffield and more throughout this month.

LINK: www.facebook.com/LarkinsBand

WATCH: "Not Enough Love"

CORTNEY DIXON

Cortney Dixon is an emerging artist from Newcastle. Raised on an eclectic mix of music, Cortney loves St Vincent, Christine and the Queens and Sigrid; she’s also a fan of ska/punk bands including The Specials, The Clash and The Beat, all while being raised on a healthy dose of up Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie and Kate Bush. At the end of the summer, Cortney released her debut single “Summer’s Eyes,” which jump–started her fanbase and helped her build a very healthy audience. She made her international live debut with her full band at Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg in September, impressing industry, media and fans as her performance solidified Cortney as a future star. Her new single, “What You Wanna Do” has been supported by BBC Introducing in the North East and is the second single from her forthcoming Our Intuition EP produced by Jim Lowe (Stereophonics, The Charlatans), due in early 2020.

LINK: www.cortneydixon.co.uk

LISTEN: "What You Wanna Do"

MAGNUS MIA

Thirty years ago in October 1989, one of the most influential industrial and alternative albums of all time was released – Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails. The album quickly went triple Platinum, becoming one of the very first independent albums to do so. “Head Like A Hole,” the album’s most famous and enduring single, which has been covered many times over the years and most recently by Miley Cyrus in the Netflix series Black Mirror, now has its most unique cover version yet. Magnus Mia, the international electro–pop duo from Hong Kong and Rome, who count Nine Inch Nails as one of their biggest influences, deliver a hauntingly beautiful and addictive re–imagination of the song. Jason Magnus and Mia Schettino give “Head Like A Hole” a current feel, but keep it mysterious with an elegant reincarnation that would make Trent Reznor proud.

LINK: www.magnusmiamusic.com

LISTEN: "Head Like A Hole"

WAITING FOR SMITH

Harry Lloyd broke his back in the French Alps during avalanche training, spending a year in bed, where he learned how to play the guitar and formed the band Waiting For Smith. The very first single released was “Monkeys In My Head,” which debuted in Clash Magazine last year and has racked up thousands of streams, with airplay across the U.K., Canada and the United States. The sophomore single “Trade It In” quickly received support from 6Music, TalkRadio, BBC Introducing, VibeFM, JackFM and BBC London, Oxford, Kent and Berkshire, BBC Radio 1/2, featured on Communion Presents with Max Tappuni on Radio X, Asia Pop 40 and a number of tastemaker Alternative stations in the states. Last month, Waiting For Smith’s music was selected for the September playlist at Caffé Nero, a chain of over 700 coffee shops around the world. WFS recently recorded an EP in Nashville with British–born producer, songwriter and artist Lee Horrocks (Cuff, Yohanna, Kate Earl, Brie Larson) and made a U.S. live debut at Madame Siam in Hollywood. WFS has unleashed a new single called “Peace In Greece.

LINK: www.waitingforsmith.co.uk

LISTEN: "Peace In Greece"

GASPAR SANZ

Three years ago in an intimate studio in Leichhardt, Gaspar Sanz was formed. The Australian quartet comprised of James Bell (vocals), Sam Devenport (drums), Jesse Lawrence (guitar) and Dom Coulton (bass) quickly became known for their ability to mix psych–rock with high energy pop. In 2017, they released their debut single and video “On My Way,” which earned support on triple J’s “Best New Videos,” quickly followed with the release of their debut self–titled EP. At the top of 2018, they unleashed “I Swim,” which was an immediate hit and reached No.1 on the indie charts, No.3 on the overall charts at triple J Unearthed, and earned support from New Zealand’s Radio Hauraki, a part of iHeartRadio’s global digital stable. The four–piece continued to have success releasing singles, including “Scene of the Crime,” which climbed to No.1 on the local indie charts, supported by both triple J and triple J Unearthed, as well as being picked up by influential music blogs such as Indie Shuffle and Happy Mag, and was added to Spotify’s Indie Arrivals playlist. This year Gaspar Sanz signed with Australian–based label Helium Records and released their sophomore EP, Meanderthal. They have continued to build a reputation for their incredible onstage performances, led by frontman James Bell’s magnetic energy, combined with the wild frenzy of movement and passion that engages even the most passive of viewers.

LINK: linktr.ee/gasparsanzband

WATCH: "Meanderthal"

BRANDON JACK & THE ARTIFACTS

Brandon Jack is the frontman of the Australian rock outfit, The Vitriots. His new side project, Brandon Jack & The Artifacts, is a lo–fi garage band that packs a hefty punch. The first taste of the new material can be found in the uptempo single “Modern Day Distractions,” where Brandon channels Damon Albarn (Blur) and Pavement, with a twist of Fat Boy Slim. The project is all self–produced, written, mixed and recorded by Brandon Jack as he is currently working on a number of new songs.

LISTEN: "Modern Day Distractions"

LILLY AMONG CLOUDS

Piano pop ballads are the bread and butter for Lilly Among Clouds. As one of the premiere artists in Germany, her ballads are majestic and grand, but never brash. Just last week, Lilly, born Elisabeth Brüchner, released her sophomore album, Green Flash. For the new material, Lilly wanted to distance herself a bit from ballads and find a good mix of upbeat and rhythmic songs. Teaming up with Duo Rinklin, who produced her debut album Aerial Perspective, the result of their hard work is an album ripe with catchy tunes that contain international appeal. Earlier this spring, Lilly won third place at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Germany as the only artist in the final performing her own material.

LINK: www.lillyamongclouds.com

LISTEN: "Look At The Earth"

TALISCO

Talisco is a French musician who unleashed his third studio album, Kings and Fools, earlier this year. The album has been described as brilliantly marrying electric riffs with electronic loops. Twisting sounds as well as good manners as Talisco’s most personal and daring album to date. The virtuoso of the intentional electro pop–rock scene returns with a strong and catchy track called “Moments,” where electronic sounds take precedence over rock energy. After stellar performances at the Solidays Festival in front of a crowd of 10,000, and the Beauregard Festival in front of 20,000, Talisco will begin a French tour this Autumn, taking the new material on the road through 2020.

LINK: www.ivyflindt.com

LISTEN: "Moments"

IVY FLINDT

Ivy Flindt is an exceptional indie–pop duo comprised of members Cate Martin (vocals, organ) and Micha Holland (guitar). Their album, In Every Move, is produced by Per Sunding, best known for his work with The Cardigans. Their music sounds like Nordic vastness, with confessions of devotion and retreat, while breathing melancholy with every note. Their latest offering, “Seal My Lips,” is a touching song that speaks to any true music fan, which is recommended to the fans of Feist, Beth Gibbons of Portishead and Imogen Heap. In addition to music, Cate is a Hamburg–based visual artist, whose work focuses on painting and photography in the field of abstraction in a pluralist manner, while Micha is also a photographer; both of their artwork is featured in their LP and CD.

LINK: www.ivyflindt.com

LISTEN: "Seal My Lips"

JACK GRAY

Blurring the lines between pop, R&B and rock and roll, Jack Gray doesn’t think of music in terms of genre and his charming debut EP, Nights Like This (Warner Music Australia), proves his point. A few short years ago, a manager heard his material and reached out to create new recordings. Little did Gray know at the time, those recordings landed him a development deal with Warner Music, who quickly added him to the famed 50 Songs in 5 Days songwriting camp. Gray made such an impression, the event organizers offered him a publishing deal on the spot. Musically compared to contemporaries ranging from Jack Garratt and James Blake to Frank Ocean and The 1975, his productions show little regard for traditional distinctions between acoustic and electronic elements, frequently combining both into an ambitiously modern blend that feels instantly familiar and boldly adventurous all at once. He just announced a North American tour this October along with U.K. artist Maisie Peters. One of his standout tracks “Fools,” is a radio–friendly alt–pop gem showcasing the 20 year–old’s many talents!

LINK: www.jackgraymusic.com

LISTEN: "Fools"

SAM JOHNSON

Singer–songwriter Sam Johnson has a potent combination; a voice as big as George Ezra, and a sense of emotional resonance in the same vein as Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. His debut EP, Eastcote, produced with multi–instrumentalist Elliot James, is the product of a period rather more intense than most people go through during their early twenties; the end of a six–year relationship, and the passing away of a beloved father. The EP captures a young man’s growing sense of who he is, vulnerability and all. His first single, “Medicine For My Brain,” released via Made Records/Universal, is his catchy calling card and a witty kiss–off to the music industry. Sam wrote the song during a jaded period, while he was cutting his teeth on the open mic scenes near his childhood home in Shropshire. Ironically, writing a song about not giving a damn about the industry is how Sam Johnson got signed.

LISTEN: "Medicine For My Brain"

BLOW

BLOW is magical; the energy between the four band members, all longtime friends, pours through their pop and electronic elements and creates a fine balance that has defined the Parisian’s music over three EPs (I, Fall In The Deep, Vertigo Introduction). Their song “You Killed Me On The Moon” caught the attention of French automobile manufacturer Citroën, who chose the song as the soundtrack to their TV campaign for December 2017 – December 2018. That placement had a direct impact on the streaming numbers in France, Italy, Turkey, Portugal and Poland. BLOW released their debut album Vertigo in June last year, creating music with timeless lyrics. As each member of the band has a rock background, guitars are heavily present and blend perfectly with their catchy riffs, melodic inventiveness and high intensity live show.

LINK: www.facebook.com/blowofficialbandpage

LISTEN: "Dancing Waters"

LUKE ZEPHYR

Luke Zephyr is a talented Los Angeles–based musician who experienced heartache and tragedy at a young age. His escape and his therapy were to write songs, sing and play the guitar. As the years progressed, it was clear that his path in life would lead him to music. His songs have been used in television, radio and film placements, including the TV shows The Mud Day (Europe), The Voice Israel, BT Sport Football (UK) and many others. Luke Zephyr recently co–wrote a song with famed producer Yutaka Yamada, for one of the biggest television shows in Japan called Great Pretender. He has toured across North America and Canada, sharing the stage with such acts as The All–American Rejects, Eve 6 and the legendary rock outfit, Foghat. Luke Zephyr recently performed at the Kiehl’s LifeRide 10th anniversary celebration for amfAR, to benefit HIV/AIDS research and awareness in Los Angeles, which has raised more than $2 million via motorcycle rides and event donations. On the music front, Luke Zephyr has unleashed a brand–new single called “Take Me Instead.” The intense track boasts infectious influences ranging from Bruce Springsteen and Queen, to Joe Cocker and The Rolling Stones, with a modern twist.

LINK: www.lukezephyr.com

LISTEN: "Take Me Instead"

TIM SCHOU

Tim Schou is a modern pop artist with the uplifting playfulness of Ed Sheeran, the sincerity of Lukas Graham, and the vigorous drive of Shawn Mendes. His music is honest and organic, and pulling inspiration from his nomad life as a traveler, he combines modern beats, various styles, catchy melodies and authentic lyrics. Throughout his career, Tim has worked with a number of successful songwriters and producers; he co–wrote the song “Kiss You Goodbye,” performed by Anton Haagman (Universal Sweden), which reached Platinum status, as well as co–wrote and featured on “Magic” by Tim3Bomb, that recently went Gold in Russia. Tim is the featured artist and co–writer on Felix Jaehn’s “Millionaire” and supplied vocals to Felix’s hit single “Feel Good.” Tim has toured and supported a number of established artists such as LP, Timeflies, Simple Plan and Morcheeba, and spent his New Years on stage at Brandenburger Tor in Berlin in front of 750,000 people. In February he released the single “Acapella,” which got significant airplay, including VH1, and just turned 1.1 million streams. This kickstarted a new round of his Never–ending Vagabond Tour with over 50 private living room concerts, with a planned show in the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen. Tim continues to impress as he releases his latest single, “Beat Around The Bush” (Iceberg Records), which is already playing on VH1 Nordic. With the new track, Tim is done beating around the bush and indulges the festive playfulness of the summer. Fredrik Sonefors laid the foundation, which was finished by the Swedish producer Kim W (Zara Larsson, Erik Hassle), and Canadian songwriter Martin Gallop (Robin Schulz) helped wrapping up the composition.

LINK: www.timschouonline.com

LISTEN: "Beat Around The Bush"

EMMI KING

At just 22 years–old, Emmi King has thousands of established fans through the U.S., U.K. and Germany, in addition to a successful debut album under her belt. The Berlin–based chanteuse is far from your average young artist; she’s a multi–instrumentalist, who plays the drums, guitar, bass and piano. When Emmi is in the studio, she sings and plays all the instruments on her own. In times of expressionless talent shows and superficial statements, Emmi breathes new, refreshing and pulsating life into today’s music scene with a bold sound that even the coolest “been there, seen it, done that” listener is captivated by her talent. Emmi was personally invited by multi–platinum producer Kerry Brown and Linda Perry’s We Are Hear Management to open for Los Angeles–based rockers Dorothy (Roc Nation) in Boston and has toured with the world dominating funk rockers Mother’s Finest and surf–rocker Donavan Frankenreiter. Emmi is working on the finishing touches of her upcoming EP as she unleashes her latest gem, “Million Dollar Movie,” with a music video coming soon. The tune was written about finding love that would consumer her, just like one seen in a million–dollar movie.

LINK: www.emmiking.com

LISTEN: "Million Dollar Movie"

SAN MEI

The daughter of Chinese–Malaysian and New Zealand–born parents, Emily Hamilton found herself moving to Australia at an early age. As she was faced with the obstacles of a new home, Emily used art as her therapy to drive through and continue. During this process, tragedy occurred as she lost her mother. Needing an outlet more than ever, Emily began focusing even more on her music. Equipped with simply a MIDI keyboard and a Macbook, San Mei was born. Her DIY project quickly achieved endorsements from Triple J and drew positive reviews from both NME and Nylon. Just two years ago, she released her debut EP Necessary, featuring the singles “Rewind” and “Until You Feel Good,” which garnered support on numerous radio outlets and global new music playlists. After meeting the accomplished producer and songwriter Oscar Dawson (Alex Lahey, British India, Ali Barter), the two made an immediate connection and started working together. Their first collaboration resulted in the single “Wonder,” which climbed to No.1 on Hype Machine, along with being added into full rotation at Triple J, where she became the Unearthed featured artist of the week. San Mei’s second collaboration with Dawson titled “Heaven,” became the soundtrack to San Mei’s major festival debut appearance at the iconic Falls Festival, as well as her announcement on 2019’s SXSW lineup–where she performed nine shows in six days. Her performances gained San Mei a new loyal stateside following, with many soon to be announced partnerships. San Mei continues to impress with her brand–new synth–laced, heart pumping single “Something Good” via etcetc.

LINK: www.sanmeimusic.com

LISTEN: "Something Good"

TARA LEE

Dublin–born Tara Lee, 24, hails from a music family – her father is a film composer and her brother is a music producer. She started writing while she trained as a dancer at the Dublin Performing Arts college. Musically citing her influences largely from the 80s, including David Bowie, Blondie, Nick Cave and Massive Attack, Tara’s style fuses raw, emotional ballads with a contemporary twist. Her first single “Boyz” is a slice of neo–electro pop about an intoxicating fascination with the wrong kind of men. She co–wrote the track with producer Justin Broad (Emeli Sande, Izzy Bizu). “Boyz” earned Tara a place on Spotify’s New Talent playlist and kudos from tastemaker press. Tara’s second single “Drive” was co–written with her friend Jonas Quant (Hurts, Kylie Minogue). She has opened for Hurts on their U.K. tour last year and is featured in Live Nation’s “Female Artists To Watch For In 2019.” Alongside her music, Tara is a rising star in the world of film and television. She starred alongside Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan in the successful BBC drama The Fall and appeared in two critically acclaimed films in the past year: Moon Dogs (which picked up a slew of international awards) and A Date For Mad Mary (IFTA Award for Best Picture). Tara also recently starred in a lead storyline on the popular BBC drama Eastenders and has had a significant number of her songs used as synchs.

LINK: www.facebook.com/TaraLeeArtist

LISTEN: "Burn"

WAITING FOR SMITH

Harry Lloyd broke his back in the French Alps during avalanche training, spending a year in bed, where he learned how to play the guitar and formed the band Waiting For Smith. The name Waiting For Smith originated from the first drummer, Smith, who consistently failed to show up. The first single “Monkeys in My Head” debuted in Clash Magazine earlier this year and racked up nearly 20,000 streams, with airplay across the U.K., Canada and United States. In May, Waiting For Smith released the single “Trade It In” which quickly received support from 6Music, TalkRadio, BBC Introducing, VibeFM, JackFM and BBC London, Oxford, Kent and Berkshire, as well as the globally–syndicated radio show, Passport Approved. The track has a cool, eclectic alternative nuance to it (think early Beck meets Gotye), provided by producer/engineer Tom Fuller, who has worked with Clean Bandit, Years & Years, Gavin James and 2019 BRIT Award–winner Tom Walker. Waiting For Smith recorded an EP for an international television and film company at the legendary Abbey Road Studios and has been offered a headlining show at the O2 Academy Islington and an O2 tour of the U.K. “Trade It In” is one of those songs that feels familiar and has you singing along before the final chorus.

LINK: www.waitingforsmith.co.uk

LISTEN: "Trade It In"

BITTER’S KISS

Growing up as a child of parents who came of age in the 80’s, Chloe Grace Baker (Bitter’s Kiss) absorbed the songs that played through the stereos of her youth. Today, as an artist, she has earned millions of streams across DSP platforms in her incarnations as Bitter’s Kiss and, currently, Baker Grace, receiving press support from the likes of Forbes, Nylon, Wonderland, The Independent, Flaunt, Line of Best Fit, Idolator, #1 Most Popular track on Hype Machine and more. Her music received specialty support and is featured across major playlists on Spotify, Apple, Deezer and others, as well as garnering early radio support worldwide. In putting together the soundtrack for the critically–acclaimed indie film, The Divorce Party, Bitter’s Kiss delivers a fresh and captivating stand–out cover version of “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure, which evokes memories of Sixpence None The Richer and their adaptation of “There She Goes” by The LA’s. Originally recorded in 1987, “Just Like Heaven” was a global smash for the group, featured on their seventh studio album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me and was The Cure’s first American hit reaching the Top 40.

LINK: www.facebook.com/bakergracemusic/

LISTEN: "Just Like Heaven"

MADS LANGER

Former A&R Worldwide–supported artist with countless multi–Platinum singles, albums and hundreds of millions of streams to his name, Mads Langer, has been on the road to success for many years. In his home country of Denmark, he is currently the most successful solo artist to date, holding records at radio and managing the nearly impossible, selling out the Vega in Copenhagen for ten consecutive nights. Langer, a talented multi–instrumentalist, dazzles in the studio as well as during his live shows–either solo on piano or fronting a symphony. He is set to release his seventh album this fall, which is Executive Produced alongside Evan “Kidd” Bogart (Rihanna, Beyoncé, Hot Chelle Rae), and boasts additional songwriting and production by master craftsmen such as Bogart, Francis Anthony “Eg” White (Adele, Duffy, Florence and the Machine), Stuart Crichton (Kylie Minogue, Backstreet Boys, Kesha), James Newman (Jess Glynne, Rudimental, Calvin Harris), James Flannigan (Kodaline, Lucy Spraggan, Dua Lipa) and Jamie Hartman (James Bay, Kygo, Parachute) to name a few. Langer has given a taste of the new material with “Me Without You,” his brand new catchy mid–tempo single.

LINK: www.madslanger.com

WATCH: "Me Without You"

VERONICA FUSARO

In 2016, Veronica Fusaro stepped into the spotlight with her self–produced EP Lost In Thought. After working tirelessly on developing her characteristic soul pop sound, she surprised the Swiss music industry by winning the ‘Demo of the Year’ at the M4Music–Festival. Shortly afterwards, she was awarded ‘Best Talent’ by the national radio station SRF3 and was nominated for the Swiss Music Awards 2017. She took her talents on the road and performed on a number of stages from New Zealand to London and back to her home country of Switzerland. Her sophomore EP ICE COLD was released last year featuring the single “Better If I Go,” which Veronica performed at the Swiss Music Awards at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, which led to an invitation to perform at the Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang, followed by two showcases at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton. In addition, Veronica garnered international music industry interest after her showcases at MUSEXPO in Los Angeles and MUSEXPO Europe in London in 2016. Last year, Veronica performed nearly 150 shows and earned over 50,000 streams on Spotify for her single “Venom.” The 22–year–old Swiss singer–songwriter recently delivered her first new music of the year with the single “Lie To Me,” the first taste of her new EP due in September. According to Fusaro, the song addresses the rapidity of the world we live in and our desperate cry to find real emotions. Fans can also see Fusaro performing the Glastonbury Festival at the end of this month.

LINK: www.veronicafusaro.com

LISTEN: "Lie To Me"

THE DUNTS

The Dunts are united by an undeniable ferocity and tongue–in–cheek sensibilities, rapidly becoming one of Scotland’s hottest exports. Boasting vicious, yet intelligently energetic anthems, the quartet recorded both their debut EP Not Working Is Class and the follow–up, Self Proclaimed Council Punk, with producers Chris Marshall (Gerry Cinnamon, Rascalton, The Van–T’s) and Johnny Madden (of the indie rock outfit Baby Strange). Their songs “Witch Hunt,” “Dimitri” and “Birds And The Beez” collected spins on KROQ Los Angeles, KNDD Seattle, KNRK Portland, KKDO Sacramento, leading to packed rooms at their debut SXSW appearance in March. Adding to accolades from NME, their new single “Bad Decisions” was hotly–tipped by BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders and was released on Friday. The Dunts are set to perform alongside Bastille, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and more at Scotland’s TRNSMT Festival in July, with upcoming performances at France’s Cabaret Vert Festival alongside twenty one pilots and Foals, and the Camden Rocks Festival this summer.

LINK: www.thedunts.co.uk

LISTEN: "Bad Decisions"

MAGNUS MIA

Magnus Mia is an international music duo from Hong Kong and Rome, featuring Jason Magnus and Mia Schettino. They first met when they were teenagers and went on separate, and quite unusual, musical journeys that have culminated in Magnus Mia today. Magnus grew up in Hong Kong and studied at Eton College and Harvard University after which he moved to Beijing to start the Beijing Pop Festival, one of China’s first music festivals. He has always felt like an outsider within Hong Kong’s financial environment where he worked and, last year, wrote and sang on a Spotify Top 40 hit with his previous band. Mia is an award–winning composer who studied at the Santa Cecilia Music Conservatory. She previously fronted an Italian rock band, as well as appearing on The Voice Italy, and has written and performed for RAI Television and Canale 5. Her compositions appear on movie soundtracks including Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Magnus Mia’s sound blends delicate tones with electro rhythms, combining the raw emotion of Magnus’ sensitive voice and lyrics and Mia’s dreamy keyboard soundscapes and melodies. They’ve been compared to The xx for their minimalistic soft beats, Portishead for their haunting fragility, and Leonard Cohen for their poetic words. The duo share a deep connection with their different cultural backgrounds and finding ways to integrate this within their music has become their greatest source of inspiration.

LINK: www.facebook.com/magnusmiamusic

LISTEN: "Jubilee"

VIDEOCLUB

As a 13-year–old adolescent, Adéle Castillon began uploading entertaining videos on YouTube. She would offer her reviews on current topics and conduct interviews, including one with the Dalai Lama for Dissemblances Magazine. At the age of 16, as her channel continued to grow rapidly, this allowed her the opportunity to land her first film role in Dominique Farrugia’s Under The Same Roof. She continued to act with parts in television shows such as 2015’s Studio Bagel and the current show Quotidien, as well as such films as 2017’s Sous le même toit and 2018’s School’s Out. As Adéle continues to grow and share her talents, she can now add music to her resume with her band Videoclub. Adéle formed the band along with singer–songwriter Matthieu Reynaud, son of French jazz guitarist Régis Reynaud, and the duo released their debut single “Amour Plastique” in September of last year. The pair return with new music by the way of the single “Roi” which translates to ‘king’ in French. The tune is filled with vintage melodies, reminiscent of the 80s, but with a current feel to it.

LINK: ww.facebook.com/9videoclub/

LISTEN: "ROI"

CALLUM BEATTIE

Just two short years ago, Callum Beattie released his debut single, “We Are Stars.” The Scottish singer–songwriter has amassed 3.5 million Spotify streams on the song to date, followed by his second single “Man Behind The Sun,” which earned airplay at BBC Radio 2. As his career was seeing highs, his personal life began to see some lows, including ending his decade–long relationship with his girlfriend and making the decision to relocate to Berlin. As he transitioned to Berlin to refocus on his songwriting, he collaborated with songwriters Michael Ochs and David Juergens, and the result is the glorious upbeat track called “Connection.” The track is his first taste of new music since his well–received pair of EPs, 2017’s We Are Stars and last year’s Miracle, as well as his performances at Glastonbury, BST Hyde Park, T In The Park and The Great Escape. He just finished a European tour alongside The Kooks and Blossoms and is working on his forthcoming debut album due this Autumn in addition to a U.K. tour.

LINK: www.callumbeattie.co.uk

LISTEN: "Connection"

THE RESPONSE

The alt–pop duo known as The Response, hails from Christchurch, New Zealand, and is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Andrew and multi–instrumentalist Victoria Knopp. Determined to faithfully translate their expansive albums from tape to stage, The Response have crafted a live show that utilizes every one of their limbs and will leave you wondering exactly how a mere two people can make so much noise. The Response encapsulate a blissful mix of alt–electronic soundscapes that take you on a journey to their musical land. Leaving one pondering, thinking and hypnotized by the duo’s melodic charm and insightful lyrics. The Response have released their What Are You Waiting For? and Little Worlds EPs and have shared the stage with a variety of musicians and acts including Baio (of Vampire Weekend fame), Big Scary and Kate Boy. Their music is independently produced, written, recorded, mixed and mastered by the resourceful pair who also create their own artwork. Their songs have collected global airplay support in the U.S., Australia, Europe, South America, Asia, Australasia and South Africa. The band’s latest offering is their brand–new single called “Tallest Walls,” recorded in their home studio in Christchurch, New Zealand and taken from their forthcoming album, Escaping This Cold Rotation.

LINK: www.theresponsenz.com

LISTEN: "Tallest Walls"

TREE LINED STREETS

Tree Lined Streets isn’t the description of a scene from a best–selling novel or Hollywood feature film, but it’s the name of a brand–new duo currently based in Los Angeles. Band members Tim Boland and Mark Leddy, both originally from Dublin, Ireland, have come together to create a special blend of guitar–driven rock, which gives its listeners that feeling of rock’s glory days from the 60s and 70s, but with an updated and contemporary sound. The duo wrote and recorded their debut song “Transformation” which will be the first of seven singles and videos to be released in 2019 before the complete studio album.

LINK: www.treelinedstreetsband.com

LISTEN: "Transformation"

RAT CITY

Norway’s Rat City is a high concept audio–visual project that seamlessly fuses song and image. Conceived by songwriter/producers Kent and Cato Sundberg, along with Lasse Michelsen and animator/designer Micah Monkey, but they are far from strangers to music. The brothers Sandberg have been part of the Stargate stable and have had six No.1 songs across Scandinavia with their own band, Donkeyboy, while as producers/writers, they’ve had hits with other artists. Micah recently directed Eric Clapton’s “White Christmas” video and Lasse has been part of the Donkeyboy/Rat City production team for several years while working on a number of outside projects in his native Norway. Rat City teamed up with Isak Heim on vocals and unleashed the criminally catchy single “Kind of Love,” featuring a beautifully rendered animated video. The visual has already amassed over 100,000 YouTube views and reached No.1 on Shazam (Norway), over 2 million Spotify streams and the track is earning 50+ spins a week on Danish radio station P3 and French radio station NRJ.

LINK: www.facebook.com/ratcityofficial

WATCH: "Kind Of Love"

LONGFELLOW

Owen Lloyd, James Thomas, Ali Hetherington and Simon Treasure together are the London–based Alt–Indie outfit, Longfellow. The quartet released their debut EP Prelude in 2014, featuring their first single “Siamese Lover,” which was spun by Jo Wiley on BBC Radio 2, debuted on 6Music with Steve Lamacq and chosen as BBC Introducing single of the week by Huw Stephens on Radio 1. To date, the band has had five consecutive singles earn U.K. support at BBC Radio 2 as well as a host of live sessions at Maida Vale, Radio X and 3FM. Longfellow has sold out London’s prestigious Bush Hall, headlined the BBC Introducing stage at Hyde Park and showcased across the Atlantic at SXSW, CMJ and MUSEXPO in addition to supporting the likes of Keane, Hall & Oates and Royal Blood. Musically, Longfellow evoke the musical nuances of Coldplay, The Killers, Imagine Dragons, The Temper Trap, and early Muse melded with their own creative vision. Longfellow has collected over 5.5 million cumulative plays on Spotify, amassed over 200,000 views on YouTube and nearly 40,000 global tags on Shazam thus far. Longfellow is set to release a brand new single, titled “Iscariot,” this Friday.

LINK: www.longfellow-music.com

LISTEN: "Iscariot"

VICTOR CRONE

Born and raised outside of Stockholm, 27 year–old Victor Crone started playing guitar and writing songs at the tender age of 15. Three years later, Victor traveled to Los Angeles and Nashville and wrote songs with legendary writers Diane Warren, Desmond Child and Eric Brazilian. After releasing a couple of singles between 2015–2016, the following year he released the singles “California” and “Sunshine and Rain,” and was featured on the Tungevaag & Raabans platinum–selling single “Coming Up,” a song that Victor wrote with Marcus Svedin. This helped propel Victor to earn over 20 million streams across songs that he has participated in. Victor’s recent single, “Storm” is a submission for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2019, representing Estonia in Tel Aviv, in May. The song has already generated radio support in Sweden, Estonia and the U.S.

LINK: www.facebook.com/victorcronemusic

LISTEN: "Storm"

GRANT

In late 2017, Swedish artist GRANT made her debut with the single “Waterline” following her critically acclaimed album In Bloom, released in June of last year. Well respected U.K. music site The Line of Best Fit gave the album a glorious 9/10 rating, stating “As introductions go, its rawness and honest surpass pretty much anything you’ve heard before; its blistering urge into a final triumphant chorus always primed and ready to take your breath away no matter how many times you hit repeat.” Her album boasts a mesmerizing quality to it, with her captivating vocals, the 24–year–old delivers every lyric with both a larger than life urgency and uncompromising intimacy, drawing the listener into her private universe. GRANT’s 2018 was full of television performances, where she brought the house down at the Swedish Grammy Awards, along with summer festivals, a headline tour, a support tour with Tove Styrke, and two nominations for national radio P3 Gold Awards and one Swedish Grammy Awards nomination. After her Eurosonic performance in January, she was picked up by Columbia Germany and has a worldwide deal with Sony Music Sweden. She’s currently working in the studio on new music and will tour Scandinavia this spring and summer.

LINK: www.facebook.com/GRANTofficial/

LISTEN: "Waterline"

DEMOB HAPPY

Demob Happy is a Newcastle–spawned, Brighton–based trio that formed in 2008. Musically, they’ve been compared to the likes of Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, The Beatles and The Stooges with their off–kilter pop music that is heavy and intoxicating. Their music has earned support from BBC Radio 1, Radio X, Virgin Radio, Amazing Radio, and a number of Alternative stations and Specialty shows in the U.S. After a year of incredible touring, with a sold–out U.K. run and extensive support tours with Jack White, Nothing But Thieves and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes taking them across arenas in the U.K., Europe and N. America, Demob Happy just launched their biggest U.K. headline tour over the weekend, alongside multiple U.S. dates in March and May with shows in Seattle, Portland, Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and more.

LINK: www.demob-happy.com

LISTEN: "Less Is More"

INGER

Inger, a 19 year–old Estonian singer–songwriter has many inspirations; nature, people, love and the music of Ed Sheeran. Inger has a unique voice, which has gathered a lot of attention in Estonia and abroad. When he performs, he keeps it simple, yet very intimate and touching–just a little light and a guitar–yet the message is delivered loud and clear. In the last year, Inger has become successful in Estonia after collaborating with the one of the regions best producers, Karl–Ander Reismann. Inger is an avid soccer player who has played for the Estonian National team, and when he’s not working on music, he is coaching soccer to kids in the community.

LINK: www.facebook.com/soundslikeinger

LISTEN: "Coming Home"

SLIDE

The truth is, when the two members of Slide were first brought together, they didn’t really care for each other. Albin Skeppholm and Simon Werner had to work together at school and initially didn’t click–at all. But, after bonding over unhappy moments in their lives, they channeled those struggles into their music and the result is life–affirming rock music poised to change everything. The Swedish indie rock duo’s upcoming debut EP Into Happiness (If Music Could Talk/AWAL), due March 8th, encapsulates their spirit perfectly, tough around the edges but with plenty of heart. Musically, the EP channels some of their largest influences, including Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Oasis. The single “Floating” showcases their funkier side and has been compared to the likes of Beck and been playlisted on radio in Germany, Austria, France and Sweden as well as spot plays in the U.K.

LINK: www.facebook.com/thisisslide

LISTEN: "Floating"

INDOOR PETS

First impressions are important. Thankfully, Jamie Glass leaves his impressions imbedded on the brains of anybody who hears Indoor Pets’ irresistible, black sheep anthems: spiked and effervescent collisions of crunching guitars and insistent melodies. Delve into Indoor Pets’ seemingly bottomless pool of great tunes and you’ll find so many songs to fall in love with. Familiar feelings of not fitting in or wanting to play the hand life’s dealt you, delivered with self–deprecating wit and Glass’ trademark use of double–bluffing world play. Think Rivers Cuomo and a pre–sandpit Brian Wilson skipping school to play records and hang out with the cool kids; they’re smart, life–affirming and all contained within a thumping primary–colored pop wallop. Indoor Pets have had ringing endorsements and support from the likes of Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Jack Saunders at BBC Radio 1, Lauren Laverne at 6Music and Amazing Radio. Indoor Pets will perform at the Mercury Lounge in New York City tonight and The Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

LINK: www.indoorpets.club/

WATCH: "Being Strange"

HOT LIKE SUSHI

Swiss trio Hot Like Sushi had quite the year in 2018 with the release of their singles trilogy, plenty of radio airplay and over 250,000 Spotify streams. The guitar–dance–pop band, consisting of Elias von Arx (vocals, guitar), Luka Cornman (synths, vocals) and Samuel Schwalm (drums), flew from Switzerland to Los Angeles and injected themselves into the local music scene, while soaking up the West Coast swag. While in the Sunshine State, Hot Like Sushi teamed up with Grammy–nominated, multi–platinum record producer and mix engineer Benny Steele (Justin Bieber, Pitbull/Kesha, Jason Derulo) on a handful of songs as they described “Swag Pop.” One of the gems created in the sessions is the single “Bitch Repellent.” The tongue–in–cheek track is centered on Elias von Arx as he talks about the fact that he can hardly save himself from admirers because of his good looks; the only thing that can help him is his Bitch Repellent.

LINK: www.hotlikesushimusic.com

LISTEN: "Bitch Repellent"

COYLE GIRELLI

In September, Coyle Girelli released his highly–anticipated debut solo album, Love Kills. The Chevin frontman released what many critics have called a masterpiece, showcasing his powerful and enticing vocals, along with his lyrical brilliance. The album’s sound has been compared to the likes of legendary musicians such as Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, with a modern dark American edge, while creating something refreshingly unique. The album was written and recorded in New York City over several months and features 11 tracks. Love Kills’ “Naked Soul” was used for a Naked Cashmere campaign featuring Kate Moss and will be featured in an upcoming Peter Lindbergh documentary, while “In Your Arms” was used in the Sony Crackle show Startup (season 2). Coyle was asked to record a version of The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” for the Sacha Gervasi film on HBO called My Dinner With Hervé, starring Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan. Coyle has also shared his talents on stage in 2018, supporting Peking Duk on a U.S. tour, opening for Doe Paoro and performing several headlining shows in NYC and Los Angeles. Additionally, Coyle is a multi–platinum selling songwriter and has recently co–written a number of releases for other artists, such as Robin Schulz, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Story Untold and The Movieline. He has several upcoming co–written releases for artists, including BTS, R3hab, Peking Duk, Sam Feldt and Rozes.

LINK: www.facebook.com/coylegirelli/

LISTEN: "Where's My Girl"

BAKER GRACE

Surrounded by music in her upbringing, Baker Grace’s home always provided a soundtrack. Her father was a musician and sang to her ever since she could remember. Sounds ranging from The Beatles to Carole King to 2Pac filled every room as she fell in love with the way that music would make her feel, allowing her to escape life’s challenges, while supplying guidance and light. She began writing her own songs and released her debut EP under the moniker Bitter’s Kiss in 2015. The release led to many opportunities, including traveling across the country and to Europe to meet with great partners and collaborators, and to several indie singles and EDM tracks, including the song “Too Young” with Ayokay. With new music set to be released soon, showcasing her evolution and individuality, sample her talent with the instant holiday classic, “These Bells Will Ring” along with electro–pop outfit Blue Stone, which calls for peace during the holiday season and was recently featured in Hallmark’s Memories of Christmas.

LINK: www.bakergrace.com

LISTEN: "These Bells Will Ring"

SAN MEI

The daughter of Chinese–Malaysian and New Zealand–born parents, Emily Hamilton found herself moving to Australia at an early age. As she was faced with the challenges of a new home, Emily used art as her therapy to push through and keep going. During this process, tragedy occurred as she lost her mother. Needing an outlet more than ever, Emily began focusing even more on her music. Armed with just a MIDI keyboard and a Macbook, San Mei was born. Her DIY project quickly gained approval from Triple J and earned positive reviews from both NME and NYLON. Last year, she released her debut EP Necessary, featuring the singles “Rewind” and “Until You Feel Good,” which drew support on numerous radio outlets and global new music playlists. After meeting producer, songwriter and musical phenom Oscar Dawson (Alex Lahey, British India, Ali Barter), the two made an instant connection and began working together. Their first collaboration resulted in the single “Wonder,” which rose to No.1 on Hype Machine, along with being added into full rotation at Triple J, where she became the Unearthed featured artist of the week. San Mei’s second collaboration with Dawson is titled “Heaven,” which is an indie pop anthem filled with intimidating hooks, gritty guitar runs and ethereal vocals, taken from the EP of the same name. According to San Mei, the song is about a dear friend who wasn’t in a very healthy situation and in a state of denial.

LINK: www.facebook.com/sanmeimusic

LISTEN: "Heaven"

THOMAS AZIER

In 2012, Dutch–born/Berlin–based Thomas Azier released two EPs, Hylas 001 and Hylas 002 on his own Hylas Records label. The two releases helped him win the Friesland Pop Talent Award and led to a deal with Universal Music France after his booking agent Clotaire Buche discovered him in the A&R Worldwide newsletter and presented him to the major label. Two years later, he released his critically acclaimed debut album Hylas, which charted in the Netherlands, France and Belgium. The lead single “Red Eyes” was featured in the international television campaign for Yves Saint Laurent. To help build the momentum, Azier went on an extensive tour with more than 120 shows between 2013–2014, including support slots for Stromae and Woodkid. Never one to stop writing or recording, Azier continued to work on new music. When the Dutch electro–pop singer bought a 1920’s upright piano, the songs started hitting him like waves. In 2017, Azier unleashed his sophomore album, Rouge, which charted in the Top 20 of the GfK Dutch Charts. This year, Azier released the EP S T R A Y; a four–track release acting as a reflection of the experiences he has gone through, both in life and on the road. In addition to his current releases, many fans have fallen in love with his reinterpretation of the early 90s global hit “Wicked Game,” originally recorded by Chris Isaak, which he frequently performs live.

LINK: www.thomasazier.com

LISTEN: "Wicked Game"

TORS

Matt and Theo Weedon grew up with a musician in their family. Naive to the position they were in until their teens, their grandfather was the late Bert ‘Guitar Wizard’ Weedon, who toured with Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland and went on to release eight UK Top 40 singles. His impressive legacy was cemented by the book Play in a Day: Guide to Modern Guitar Playing, which sold millions of copies and influenced Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Pete Townsend and Paul McCartney. Bert often had musicians such as George Harrison, Brian May and Jimmy Page stop by their home and share stories and tales from the road. Hearing the stories and being around these musicians influenced both Matt and Theo, which inspired them to pursue music. The two attended a music school and after a few rehearsals, Jack ‘Math’ Bowden who plays drums, joined and the indie/folk band and Tors was born. In the last year, they released a number of singles and supported Tom Walker on his sold–out UK tour. This year, they performed at a number of UK festivals and released their Wilder Days EP featuring the single “Won’t Remember,” which was written about their grandfather who suffers from Alzheimer’s. The trio released a new single called “Don’t Cry” (Lucky 7 Recordings) that they are very excited and proud of.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Torsband

LISTEN: "Don't Cry"

VERONICA FUSARO

Two years ago, Veronica Fusaro released her self-produced EP Lost In Thought and surprised the Swiss music industry by winning the Demo of the Year at the M4Music Festival. She was then awarded 'Best Talent' by the national radio station SRF3 and nominated for a Swiss Music Award in 2017. The following summer, Veronica presented her music at a number of festivals and performed at international conferences, including MUSEXPO Los Angeles and the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg. Her sophomore EP Ice Cold was released earlier this year featuring the single “Better If I Go,” which gave Veronica the opportunity to perform at the Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang and recent showcases including The Great Escape in Brighton and Music Matters in Singapore. Veronica is currently on tour now through the beginning of 2019 with stops in Australia, Thailand, China and Switzerland. Veronica recently released her new single “Venom,” which is a confident and gripping soundtrack to a story of poison and spite.

LINK: www.veronicafusaro.com

LISTEN: "Venom"

LATE VERLANE

Sometimes an artist will release their debut single and it goes unnoticed; other times it opens doors and makes lasting first impressions. The latter is the story for 24 year–old Late Verlane, a talented singer–songwriter based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Born Viktor Persson, he released his debut song “Roll Like A Dummy,” and the response has been outstanding—earning praise from radio to digital service providers, to online blogs and all of the fans he has earned during his live performances. The synth–heavy tune acts as a first taste from what should be a very promising career. Verlane is currently still studying at the Royal Danish Music Conservatory, as he works on his music career. Verlane also co–wrote and supplied vocals to fellow Copenhagen producer and musician Molina's latest single, “Hey Kids” via the Danish indie label Tambourhinoceros.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Lateverlane/

LISTEN: "Roll Like A Dummy"

BROKEN HANDS

Three years ago, Canterbury, UK’s Broken Hands unleashed their debut album Turbulence. The album was produced by Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, Pixies, Ghost) and earned critical acclaim by NME, The Independent, BBC Introducing and more. Brothers Dale and Callum Norton, Jamie Darby, Thomas Ford and David Hardstone developed a reputation for their energetic live shows, having shared the stages with everyone from blur and The Kills to Black Sabbath and The Rolling Stones. Last year Broken Hands were signed by Atlantic Records’ President of A&R Pete Ganbarg, having began their career on UK independent SO Recordings, and began work on their sophomore effort. Just when things began falling into place, lead vocalist Dale Norton had to have ear surgery that left him unable to sing or play music for nearly two months. The band didn’t back down from the temporary setback, and started work with producer Julian Emery (Nothing But Thieves, Lower Than Atlantic) on new music, along with long–term collaborator Dalgety moving to the mixing chair. The first taste of the new tunes can be heard with the single “Split In Two,” which showcases a heavier vibe with more distortion and even larger riffs. Broken Hands will join Band of Skulls for dates in London and Manchester next week and are expected to release their Atlantic Records debut album in 2019.

LINK: www.brokenhands.co.uk

LISTEN: "Split In Two"

GO GO BERLIN

Danish four–piece Go Go Berlin has the well–earned reputation as one of the most hardworking and fiercely intense live acts on the domestic music scene. The Alternative indie rock outfit has built a solid reputation over the years with relentless touring in Germany and Denmark, as well as the rest of mainland Europe, United States, india and China. After a hectic four years on the road, the time was right for the band to regroup and start exploring the art of creating music again. Go Go Berlin decided to spend the majority of the past two years writing and recording around the world, molding their new and enticing sound. With songs for the new EP finished, Go Go Berlin is now ready to get back into the spotlight and reveal their new sound to live audiences. A club–friendly, yet darker and more potent version of the band is here and evident with the new single “Here Comes The Darkness.”

LINK: www.gogoberlin.com

LISTEN: "Here Comes The Darkness"

THE LIDS

Leicestershire’s Alt–Rock trio, The Lids, are a band on the rise, hoping to have a similar success story like the UK’s very own Kasabian, Royal Blood and Arctic Monkeys. Brothers Rhys and Liam formed the band in 2014, which includes newly appointed member Sam to complete the lineup. Their musical influences range from the likes of Foo Fighters to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Earth, Wind & Fire and their own musical style combines a number of different sounds and styles. The three–piece have performed at some of the biggest UK festivals around, including Tramlines and Y Not, they’ve supported The Sherlocks and recently released the single, “I’m So Bleak.” With 2019 just around the corner, The Lids continue working aimlessly on new music and will head back to the studio in December with hopes to release a new single before the end of 2018.

LINK: www.thelidsband.com

LISTEN: "I'm So Bleak"

TONICA

Formed in 2017, TONICA, are a Manchester–based electronic duo consisting of members Amory (singer, guitarist, songwriter) and Sam (producer, instrumentalist, songwriter). Their music encompasses a contemporary, hook–heavy, alt–pop sound, but with a dark edge that brings something new to the table. Much of TONICA's music encapsulates ideas of the romantic and melodramatic, giving them a certain cinematic feel, which reflects the ‘neon–noir’ aesthetic. Their first two singles “Save Yourself” and “Nightmares” received strong support from BBC Introducing (Manchester) and Amazing Radio, in addition to being featured in a number of influential music blogs including EQ Music Blog, Sonic News, The Prelude Press and many others. Their new single “California” tells the story of a stranger in Los Angeles searching for a lost love. Written from an outsider’s perspective, the song portrays an alternative view of the 31st state; exploring themes of loneliness and loss in an adopted city, and the darkness beneath Hollywood’s glamorous exterior. “California" is armed with pulsating electro beats, soaring vocals and vibrant synths. The track was produced and co–written by Joe Cross (Hurts, The Courteeners).

LINK: www.facebook.com/tonicabandofficial

LISTEN: "California"

MADYX

Madyx is the brainchild of singer–songwriter and guitarist Michelle Blanchard. Musically, she’s inspired by a mix of P!nk and Katy Perry, with influences ranging from No Doubt and Brody Dalle of The Distillers to Kay Hanley of Letters To Cleo. Madyx has co–written original songs with The Nexus (Lana Del Rey, James Bay), Ivor Novello award–winning producer and songwriter Pete Kirtley (Ryan Tedder, Stargate, Sugababes) and has written with various other producer/writers in London, England; Stockholm, Sweden; Berlin, Germany as well as in Los Angeles. She has also worked with GRAMMY–nominated multi–platinum producer Brian Howes (Daughtry, Simple Plan, Hedley) and recently wrote and recorded with the band Saint City Orchestra in Switzerland. Her single “Bad Decisions” has earned over 70k streams on Spotify and has earned hundreds of radio plays worldwide. This past summer, she headlined Orange County’s LGBT Pride 2018 event and performed at two festivals in Switzerland. She will make her global acting debut in the motion picture Spy Intervention, produced by well–known Hollywood film producer Sunil Perkash (SALT, Enchanted, Premonition), where her music will also be featured in the film.

LINK: www.madyx.com

LISTEN: "Girl Boy"

LEONIDEN

Germany’s Leoniden has a history of being a tight–knit group with a deep passion for music that doesn’t let any outside influence change their approach of creating a unique and extraordinary sound. They performed nearly 100 live performances last year alone and have tallied nearly 15 million streams online. Leoniden is set to release their sophomore album Again next month, featuring the single “Alone.” The track is made up of perfectly balanced dramatic compositions, with little pauses, grand melodic lines, a continuously enhanced level of excitement and an addictive key change. Experience the single along with the brand new video HERE as Leoniden not only releases the new album next month but are getting ready for the Kids Will Unite Tour starting in November and wrapping up in March.

LINK: www.facebook.com/leonidenleoniden

WATCH: "Alone"

SEAN AND THE SINNERS

Sean and the Sinners formed in Torrance, California through a series of jam sessions amongst friends. The trio’s lineup features founder Sean Colton along with bandmates Skye Emmanuel and Aaron Kaplan. In a short time, the songs that they wrote and recorded as demos landed in the hands of a number of influential industry decision makers and the band signed with Extreme Music/Sony ATV. The three–piece just unleashed their debut single, “Not Gonna Fall In Love,” which is a jab at today’s culture where everyone seems to want to act cool instead of falling in love. As the band works on the music video for the song, the track serves as the appetizer for the main course as they will release a four–song EP in the future, releasing one single at a time. The band’s musical influences include the late 90s and early 2000s California Rock and Punk bands such as blink–182, Goldfinger and Sublime, which can be heard in “Not Gonna Fall In Love.

LINK: www.facebook.com/seanandthesinners

LISTEN: "Not Gonna Fall In Love"

DAMIAN LYNN

Damian Lynn is a singer, songwriter, multi–instrumentalist and producer from Switzerland who grew up surrounded by music. Lynn’s eclectic musical tastes as a youth ranged from Rage Against The Machine to Limp Bizkit and as he got older, he listened to Dr. Dre and DMX. His inspiration today ranges from Jon Bellion, Lauv and Post Malone to Flume, Mura Masa and Imagine Dragons. After getting his start in music as a member in a band, Lynn decided to pursue a solo career in 2012. In 2015, he signed with Phonag Records and released his debut album, Count To Ten, which reached No.12 on the Swiss Album Charts. The next year, he won the ‘Best Talent’ award at the Swiss Music Awards. In 2017, he released his sophomore album, Truth Be Told, which reached No.11 on the Swiss Album Charts. The same year, his single “When We Do It” reached Gold status and was one of the most played songs on Swiss radio for 2017. His latest single, “Feel The Heat,” was picked as the official Swiss anthem for the FIFA World Cup 2018 and has also charted in the Swiss Airplay Top 20 and in the Swiss Single Charts.

LINK: www.damianlynn.com

LISTEN: "Feel The Heat"

THE LAFONTAINES

One of the most exciting bands emerging from Scotland is The LaFontaines. The four–piece deliver a unique sound that fuses the guitar swagger of Kasabian, with the edgy hip–hop delivery of The Streets and the electronic–pop undertones of twenty one pilots. Their 2015 debut album Class reached No.1 on the Indie Breakers Chart as they went on to tour with Anderson .Paak, Twin Atlantic and All Time Low as well as performing at major festivals including Reading & Leeds, Download, The Great Escape, T in the Park, TRNSMT and Reeperbahn. Last year, they released their sophomore album Common Problem to critical acclaim and were hailed the “Kings of The North” by Kerrang!. The quartet have spent the last two months touring as the main support for Don Broco across the UK and Europe, in addition to a number of festival appearances throughout the summer, followed by a UK tour this month which will lead to a European tour throughout October. The Scottish outfit has released their brandnew single “Up,” which is an upbeat summer rap/rock anthem. The LaFontaines are signed to SO Recordings for both Master and Publishing Rights, released through A Wolf At Your Door Records and are managed by Aarti Joshl and Iain Findlay.

LINK: www.facebook.com/TaraLeeArtist/

LISTEN: "Up"

TARA LEE

Tara Lee is a singer–songwriter, producer and actress from Ireland. She studied dance (ballet, street and modern) for 13 years at the Performing Arts College in Dublin, but is now based in London. Citing influences ranging from Blondie to Massive Attack to heartfelt songwriters such as Nick Cave and Diane Warren, Tara has the unique ability to write raw, emotional and connecting ballads alongside contemporary edgy pop songs. Following a performance at MUSEXPO’s International Music Person of the Year Industry Awards honoring esteemed writer Diane Warren, Tara was immediately signed by BMG Publishing. An exceptionally prolific songwriter herself, Tara recently collaborated with Blair McKichan (Paloma Faith, Sia, Lilly Allen), Justin Broad (Jessie J, Emeli Sandé, Corinne Bailey Rae), Matty Benbrook (Paulo Nutini, Dido, Jack Saveoretti) and Jonas Quant (Hurts, Kylie Minogue, Foxes). She has appeared in a number of films, TV programs and has had her music featured in a variety of movies. She supported Hurts on their December 2017 tour and will be performing at The Waiting Room in London on September 5th along with Drama for a sold–out show.

LINK: www.facebook.com/TaraLeeArtist/

LISTEN: "Boyz"

THE RAH’S

The Rah’s are a talented Indie–Alt five–piece who draw their music inspirations from Jimi Hendrix to Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters to Royal Blood, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The band was originally formed in 2011 by Jack McLeod, Jordan McIntyre, Neale Gray and Andrew McLeod, and in 2017, the Prestopans/Edinburgh, UK–based outfit added Lee Brown to the lineup. The Rah’s are known for their energetic rock style and incredible live show, having supported and/or sharing the stage with The Fratellis, The View, The Rifles, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (OMD), The Hoosiers, Chris Helme, Steve Diggle (Buzzcocks), Callum Beattie and many more. They released the single “Survival” earlier this year and the song tallied global airplay in the U.S., UK, Ireland, Australia, Germany, South America and Africa. They have since returned with the new track “Take It All In,” recommended for fans of Kasabian, Foo Fighters, The Strokes and Queens of the Stone Age.

LINK: www.facebook.com/therahsmusic

LISTEN: "Take It All In"

EMME LENTINO

At only six years old, Emme Lentino was performing in her hometown of Salem, Oregon and was ready to travel across the U.S. to follow her passion in music and entertainment. Continuing to seek growth as an artist, Emme moved to New York City where she played Lucille Ball in a successful off-Broadway production. Emme found herself collaborating with DJ/producer Vasili Gavre, where they wrote, recorded and performed a song that was included in the Victoria Secret’s National BioFit advertisement campaign airing across all of the major networks in the U.S. Two years later they released the single “Do You Have A Girlfriend” (Clubstar Records), which went on to be remixed nearly 20 times by DJs all over the world. Emme then teamed up with Tina Schafer’s New York Songwriters Circle (Norah Jones, Rachel Platten). While in NYC, she also garnered significant national airplay on Sophie 103.7 and Gold Coast Radio with her band Emme & The Swedes for their single, “You’re Caught Up.” Emme’s new recordings evoke a deep personal and emotional musical journey that is authentic, as it is passionate and powerful, which can be heard with “Oxygen."

 

LINK: www.emmelentino.com

LISTEN: "Oxygen"

FOREST BLAKK

Forest Blakk is a very talented singer–songwriter that brings a song to life with color, feeling and an undeniable connection. Together with Christoph Stiller, his production partner and touring keyboardist, they’ve created an exquisite work of art, which can be heard in the upcoming EP. The debut single “Love Me” was added to Shazam’s New Music Friday playlist on Apple Music while accumulating over 1 million plays on Spotify. In November, the track was chosen as the Amazon Weekly One and was the No.14 song overall in Prime Music. “Love Me” was included on Amazon’s Best of 2017 playlist and earned airplay on Sirius XM stations The Pulse and Train Tracks, while reaching No.1 on the Hype Machine Twitter Music Chart. “Love Me” along with the single “Where I First Found You,” has helped Blakk accumulate over 10 million streams worldwide to date. The Atlantic singer–songwriter has released the new track “Tread Lightly” on the heels of the Minutes EP release August 3rd. Blakk will join NEEDTOBREATHE for 15 dates along their North American tour next month, with additional live dates to be announced soon.

LINK: www.forestblakk.com

LISTEN: "Tread Lightly"

THE DUNTS

Glasgow–based quartet, The Dunts, infuse punk rock from the London era like Sex Pistols and The Clash, while throwing in dynamic sounds of garage and indie bands such as The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys. This electrifying band managed to build their own fan base, playing notorious venues throughout Glasgow, including sold out shows early in their career as the music industry is starting to take notice of their potential. In late 2017, Rab, Kyle, Div and Colin released their debut EP Not Working Is Class, which received critical acclaim alongside growing support from Spotify, as they were featured in many influential playlists. The Dunts received support from Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1) and Vic Galloway (BBC Radio Scotland) as they were chosen as the BBC Introducing Pick of the Week twice with “Dimitri” and their single “Birds and the Beez,” while also earning further radio support from John Kennedy (Radio X). The Dunts joined the roster at X–ray Touring (Coldplay, Eminem, Queens of the Stoneage) and will be performing at festivals, in addition to touring before the end of the year and releasing their sophomore EP in October.

LINK: www.thedunts.co.uk/

LISTEN: "Dimitri"

ALL MANKIND

After receiving millions of streams online, reaching the Spotify Viral Top 30 in the US, and selling out shows across Europe, Australia’s All Mankind are set to take another big step forward with their new track “Help Me To My Feet.” The four–piece have received radio support from major radio stations across the world including triple j, KIIS and 2DayFM in their home country, as well as support from BBC Radio 2 (UK), KROQ and KCRW Los Angeles and many more. Their music has been featured in the multi–million selling FIFA video game by EA Sports, and synch placements in over 20 highly–rated Television shows in the U.S., Australia and Europe including Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (main theme), Queer Eye (2018), Ladies Man (Movie), Gossip Girl, The Hills, The Bachelorette, Winners and Losers (Australia), Australian Open, The Inbetweeners (UK), Jersey Shore and The Real World. All Mankind have earned over two million streams on YouTube, over a million streams on Spotify and hundreds of thousands of streams on Soundcloud.

LINK: www.allmankind.com

LISTEN: "Help Me To My Feet Again"

GURR

To say Gurr has been busy as of late, is an understatement. After winning the much coveted IMPALA European Album of the Year Award, fending off The xx, Laura Marling and King Rule, the German duo have toured relentlessly and still found time to continue to write and record. The first taste of the new material can be heard with “Hot Summer,” a single that was conceived on a very grey day in London. Produced by Richard X (Roisin Murphy, Goldfrapp, Kelis), the song is a no–nonsense anti–summer anthem; a perfect antipode to those generic auto–tuned pop songs about dancing and drinking in the sun. Gurr’s Laura Lee and Andreya Casablanca have a full diary this summer as they are set to perform at over 20 European festivals including Rock Am Ring, Melt and Lollapalooza Berlin.

LINK: www.gurrband.com

LISTEN: "Hot Summer"

MOUYÉ

Timo Lehne originally founded Mouyé under the name You&Me in 2011. Through the next four years, the lineup was solidified with violinist Julius Kopp, guitarist Jonas Wirth and drummer David Kosel. The quartet first earned national success after winning a number of band competitions and playing influential festivals such as the Feel Festival, Artlake Festival and the Rocken am Broken Festival. They produced a viral song/video with Sofa Concerts for the Hamburg Metro (S-Bahn) which has earned over 1.3 million views. Their new EP, Steady Movement, paves the way for the perfect summer soundtrack. Their enthusiastic indie-pop will take their listeners on a never-ending pursuit of happiness, friendship and love. Mouyé is currently on the road performing at a number of festivals this summer and will continue touring Germany through October for their EP release tour.

LINK: www.mouyemusic.com/

LISTEN: "If You Were A Song"

THE RAH’S

The Rah’s are a talented Indie-Alt five-piece who draw their music inspirations from Jimi Hendrix to Arctic Monkeys, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, The Clash to Royal Blood, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The band was originally formed in 2011 by Jack McLeod, Jordan McIntyre, Neale Gray and Andrew McLeod, and in 2017, the Prestopans/Edinburgh, UK-based outfit added Lee Brown to the lineup. The Rah’s are known for their energetic rock style and incredible live show, having supported and/or sharing the stage with The Fratellis, The View, The Rifles, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, The Hoosiers, Chris Helme, Steve Diggle (Buzzcocks), Callum Beattie and many more. They're also set to take the stage at this year's XpoNorth festival event taking place in Inverness, Scotland June 27th and 28th. After years of exploring new sounds and their very own song revolution, they have created an in your face, straight up Rock & Roll gem with “Survival.”

LINK: www.therahs.co.uk

LISTEN: "Survival"

KIDS ON BRIDGES

Fresh from a support slot with Grammy Award Winner Beck and shows with The Hot 8 Brass Band, Soulwax and Calvin Harris, the Liverpool trio is just about to complete album three. The band’s versatility has seen them described as somewhere between Phoenix, Foster the People & Mutemath with a hint of Daft Punk and Depeche Mode thrown in, and this has earned radio support from BBC 6 Music, X Radio and Radio 2 and two Hype Machine No.1’s. Kids on Bridges are currently heading back over to America where they are going to finish work on a brand new album and have drafted in Eagles of Death Metal bass player Jennie Vee to join them on a number of tracks, along with New Orleans poet Chuck Perkins. Having previously worked with The Chemical Brothers producer Steve Dub, the new album promises to be a sonic assault. The band’s track “Walls” was used in many anti-Trump marches across America and they were also honored to be the UK representatives at last year’s Special Olympics in LA, performing alongside Stevie Wonder. With excellent performances at Creamfields, Wickerman, Bestival and Ibiza Rocks, the future couldn’t be looking brighter for the Liverpool trio.

LINK: www.facebook.com/KidsOnBridgesMusic

LISTEN: "Something In The Water"

LINN KOCH-EMMERY

Linn Koch-Emmery burst upon the indie rock scene in 2016 with her debut single “Come Back,” hailed by DIY Magazine as "rock that feels both euphoric and capable of destruction.” Since then her music has been picked up by blogs, magazines and radio, featured on major playlists all over the world. Alongside the release of her debut EP Boys, Koch-Emmery did her first UK shows and was featured on the line up for one of UKs finest festivals, Bestival, followed by her first European tour supporting Johnossi in the winter of 2017-2018. Her newest single “Wires,” released February 23rd, is the first of EP number two. Alongside the release of her second EP, Koch-Emmery is booked to play her first shows in Mexico at the prestigious Marvin Festival and her first ever U.S. show at MUSEXPO on Monday, April 30th in Los Angeles.

LINK: www.facebook.com/linnkochemmery/

WATCH: "Wires"

TEN TONNES

Ethan Barnett admits he’s extremely shy, but the 21 year-old artist under the moniker Ten Tonnes cuts a strikingly confident figure. He possesses a breezy, seemingly effortless ability to fashion snap-crackle lyrics and earworm melodies. BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens has already emerged as an influential fan, and has backed up Ten Tonnes with regular airplay-even naming him in his Alternative Tips For 2018 list. Additional UK support came from MistaJam, Phil Taggart, Jo Whiley, John Kennedy, Radio X and BBC Introducing, while MTV profiled him as a Get To Know breaking artist and recent supports include Tom Grennan, Stereophonics and Rat Boy. From his self-released debut EP Lucy, through to his Warner Bros. Records debut Born To Lose EP, and the recent single “Cracks Between,” Ten Tonnes’ songs capture a mix of wry humor, wistfulness and poetic imagery with a real power of observation. According to Ten Tonnes, his latest track “Lay It On Me,” produced by regular collaborator Hugo White (Maccabees, Matt Maltese), is about telling someone if they need you, you’ll be there.

LINK: www.tentonnes.com

WATCH: "Lay It On Me"

MADYX

Madyx is the brainchild of singer/songwriter and guitarist Michelle Blanchard who is inspired by a mix of P!nk and Katy Perry, with influences ranging from No Doubt, Brody Dalle of The Distillers to Melissa Etheridge. She has co-written original songs with The Nexus (Lana Del Rey, James Bay), award-winning producer and songwriter Pete Kirtley (Ryan Tedder, Stargate, Sugababes) and has written with various other producer/writers in London, England; Stockholm, Sweden; Berlin, Germany as well as in Los Angeles. Her single “Bad Decisions” has earned well over 50k streams on Spotify and has had hundreds of radio plays worldwide including spins on KROQ Los Angeles, KNDD Seattle, KNRK Portland, KBZT San Diego, WLKK Buffalo, KCJK Kansas City, Radio Doble Nueve in Lima, Peru, Flux FM in Berlin, Germany, Radio 1 across India and many others. The song has also racked-up over 1,000+ Shazam tags in just a couple of months. Madyx has had her music placed in New Form Digital’s fantasy thriller Immortals, the Netflix movie Face2Face and she will have seven of her original songs featured in the upcoming film Spy Intervention. The movie is being produced by well-known Hollywood film producer Sunil Perkash (SALT, Enchanted, Premonition, Divorce Party). Madyx will also make her global acting debut in the motion picture. She has returned from the music studio with her new single “I Melt With You,” a re-imagination of the 1982 smash hit by British New Wave band Modern English, taken from her upcoming EP.

LINK: www.madyx.com

STREAM: "I Melt With You"

DONKEYBOY

Dominating the charts in their native Scandinavia for over a decade on the strength of their catchy, pop-driven anthems is Donkeyboy. In 2008, the quartet signed with Warner Music in Scandinavia and made pop history in their homeland when the band spent just one week short of a full year at No.1 on the Norwegian pop charts with their first two releases. Their debut single “Ambitions” remained at the top of the charts for 12 consecutive weeks before their follow-up “Sometimes” replaced the track at No.1. This serendipitous series of events marked the first time ever that a Norwegian artist had occupied the top two spots on the singles chart, setting the band on a long and fruitful career from the get-go. Their accolades thus far are impressive and include 32 platinum awards; three Norwegian Grammy Awards and five nominations; 10 consecutive Top 5 singles; four No.1 singles in Norway and eight Top 10 singles across Scandinavia, not to mention multiple awards and over 200 million combined streams in Norway alone, a sum approximately 40 times larger than the nation’s population of five million. Donkeyboy returns with a refreshing musical collision of indie rock and synth pop with the new single “It’ll Be Alright,” which in the first week of its release was in the Top 50 on Apple streaming in Norway, and added to all Scandinavian New Music Friday Spotify playlists upon release where it is already researching well.

LINK: www.donkeyboy.no

STREAM: "It'll Be Alright"

POLAROID SUMMER

Houston, Texas may not be top of mind when it comes to musicians, but they have given the world some of the most successful names in the business with Beyoncé, Destiny's Child, Blue October, ZZ Top, Kenny Rogers and the list goes on. Two well-known Houston-based bands Lost Element and Veracity were brought together by their mutual management team, Snoring Gorilla Management, to combine their talents to form Polaroid Summer and look to add to their city's musical legacy. Lead by vocalist Micaiah Walker and drummer Brian Barrett along with guitarist Trace Sisson and bassist Kenneth Conlon, the members decided it was time for a fresh start after years of touring, writing and tirelessly supporting their previous projects. Polaroid Summer wasted no time at all jumping into the scene and making a name for themselves; performing more than 80 shows in 2017 alone, including festivals, college gigs, sold out headlining shows in their hometown and industry showcases. They made headway with their debut single “The Giant,” which was mixed by 8x Grammy Award-winner and 3x Latin Grammy Award-winner Serban Ghenea (Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons). The band was named one of the “Hot 100 Acts of 2017” by Music Connection Magazine as they spent most of the year working on their debut EP. Their sound appeals to the fans of The 1975, Walk The Moon and X Ambassadors, which can be heard with “Tides,” the first taste of their forthcoming EP.

LINK: www.polaroidsummer.com

STREAM: "Tides"

TOM GREGORY

With his debut single “Run To You,” Tom Gregory caught the attention of music fans all over the world, especially in Germany. The 22 year-old’s song climbed to No.26 on the official Germany airplay charts, a fantastic result for a complete newcomer. Tom has gained over 7.5 million online streams, earned massive support from Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and Deezer, and tour support for Max Giesinger and Astrid S. Tom just released a brand new single on Friday titled “Losing Sleep.” Lyrically, the song is about an unhealthy past relationship, where Tom describes how it controlled him and often prevented him from sleeping.

LINK: www.tomgregorymusic.com

STREAM: "Losing Sleep"

THE BONGO CLUB

The Bongo Club is a Swedish indie rock band from the city of Borås, a rainy city outside of Gothenburg. Three years and nine songs into their career, they’ve played 18 countries including UK, Germany, USA and Sweden. During their energetic live shows, they’ve earned a hardcore following of fans and booking agents all across Europe. Their label debut album Anybody Have A Lighter? (Motor Music/The Bank Sweden) was released on Friday featuring the single “Tell Your Friends,” which has made both editorial playlists on Spotify and is currently at No.8 on the FM4 Chart in Austria.

LINK: www.thebongoclub.se

STREAM: "Tell Your Friends"

THEODORE

Greek artist Theodore doesn’t fit into one box; he’s a dynamic multi-instrumentalist, composer, and performer who fuses electronic elements with classical composition methods. His creations are beautifully atmospheric and often cinematic, universally characterized by the contrasts in electronic, alternative rock and classical music. His 2016 debut album It Is But It’s Not was well received where Theodore played piano, guitar, synthesizer and glockenspiel, while his bandmates added rock instrumentation alongside an elegant string selection. The album was written and arranged by Theodore and co-produced by Clive Martin (Queen, Reef) and mixed by Ken Thomas (Moby, M83). Theodore has supported Sigur R�s, performed at the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen, toured Spain, Germany, France and the UK and is set to perform at SXSW next month. “Towards? (For What Is To Come)” is the first taste of his upcoming album via United We Fly and according to Theodore, the song is the initial question he will explore throughout the album. It’s about the two different sides of one’s personality; the conscious and the magical one and inspired by the battle between them.

LINK: www.theodore-music.com

STREAM: "Towards (for what is to come)"

PHOENIX O’NEILL

Phoenix O’Neill is a 23 year-old indie pop singer-songwriter based in London. In 2016, her amazing voice and her intricate and dark songs caught the interest of producer James Sanger, best known for his work with Dido, Keane and Brian Eno. James had just formed a production partnership with Paul Kilmister called SangMister and since then, James and Paul have been working with Phoenix, developing her unique, and vibey style for SangMister Music. Her spellbinding vocals have been compared to such talents as Amy Winehouse and Elle King, with haunting melodies similar to Massive Attack and Portishead. Her previous single “Cruel World” earned airplay on KROQ Los Angeles, KNDD Seattle, KNRK Portland, KCJK Kansas City, KBZT San Diego, WLKK Buffalo, KKDO Sacramento and more. Phoenix O’Neill returns with a new single titled “I Need You,” taken from her upcoming EP.

LINK: www.facebook.com/phoenixoneillmusic

STREAM: "I Need You"

GEOWULF

The Australian yet London-based duo Geowulf is set to release their debut album Great Big Blue this month via 37 Adventures. Star Kendrick (vocals) and Toma Benjamin (guitar/vocals) along with producer Duncan Mills (The Vaccines) have created the perfect summer soundtrack with their sunshine-laced pop, mixed with mournful heartbreak. With glistening music interlaced alongside gracious melodies, Geowulf has been compared musically to Lana Del Rey, Lissie and Mazzy Star. The new album contains such standouts as “Sunday,” “Drink Too Much” and “Hideaway,” which is a must-have at any beach party. The new album is a follow up to their debut EP Relapse and their single “Saltwater,” which was featured in a Corona commercial in North America; earning over 8 million Spotify plays to date. Geowulf has supported Portugal. The Man, Tove Styrke and performed at a number of festivals.

LINK: www.facebook.com/geowulfmusic

STREAM: "Hideaway"

CHRIS LEAMY

After being misdiagnosed with a terminal disease three years ago, New York City-based singer-songwriter Chris Leamy developed a debilitating case of OCD. While struggling through his daily routines, Chris discovered a saving grace in a surprising group of people-the homeless community. He now spearheads a life-changing social movement called #heplaysforme, which is dedicated to humanizing the homeless population through the power of music. Seeing how small acts of kindness can change lives, the movement has garnered global attention with features on CNN, CBS This Morning, FOX, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Huffington Post and a number of other broadcast, print, online and social media outlets. Chris recently announced his first ever Heplaysforme Tour that runs this month through May, which will operate as a nonprofit effort, fundraising money that will be delegated to various, local organizations and projects to change lives in small, yet mighty ways. The tour will include stops in Atlanta, Nashville, Austin, Los Angeles, and Chicago with others to be announced soon. Chris has just released his new song “Great Mistakes,” which is a powerful, soul-driven rock anthem.

LINK: www.chrisleamymusic.com

STREAM: "Great Mistakes"

TOUTS

Irish punk trio Touts made quite the impact with their debut EP Sickening and Deplorable, which earned praise from industry tastemakers, airplay at BBC Radio 1 and support from Zane Lowe on Beats 1. After the release of the EP, they began selling out shows in London and their hometown of Derry and supported the likes of Kasabian and Liam Gallagher. In November, they released their second EP Lit via Hometown Records. The 4-track release features the single “Bomb Scare,” reminiscent of The Clash and the 70s punk sound. Lead singer Matthew Crossan states “the song was written around the time when the news was covering the injustice in America, when Keith Scott was ‘shot down in Charlotte’ for no apparent reason. The song is also about the on-going refugee crisis, it’s morally important for people to help people, and you never know when you yourself may need help.” “Bomb Scare” made its radio debut on BBC Radio 1 courtesy of Huw Stephens and is quickly becoming an anthem for today’s youth. The trio has upcoming shows in Dublin and Belfast next month and are confirmed to play SXSW in March.

LINK: www.facebook.com/toutsband

STREAM: "Bomb Scare"

ZACH WOLF

Portland, Oregon is the home of a number of successful artists, including Elliott Smith, The Decemberists, Everclear, Grammy Award winner Esperanza Spalding, 80s notables Nu Shooz and Quarterflash, and Portugal. the Man, who had the biggest crossover hit of 2017 with “Feel It Still.” The Pacific Northwest will be able to add another name to that list soon with Zach Wolf. Zach is a dreamer who aims to bring his message of hope to his fans and continue to create music that brings life and freedom to people. His single “Dark” was created in what he calls a “beautifully difficult” writing session, which describes an incredibly painful season in his life. Where some may want to forget the pain and move on, Zach wanted to face the darkness the best way that he knew how; by writing about it and taking the darkest moments of his life to bring purpose and light to others. Zach’s musical vision draws inspiration from alternative, hip-hop and dark-pop melded into authentic and riveting cinematic-style overtures and can be heard in “Dark.”

LINK: www.zachwolfmusic.com

STREAM: "Dark"

ALFRED HALL

Back in 2009, Bjørn Tveit and Hans Thomas Kiær spent their summer as workers on a farm. To pass their time, they listened to the music that they liked and after a quick discussion, they made up their mind: “Let's go to town and buy some sound equipment. Let's make the music ourselves.” Without any experience, they spent their savings on guitars, a microphone and a sound card. Six months later, their first song was completed under the moniker Alfred Hall and after their second gig ever, the rave reviews started coming in and the band quickly became the band to watch. Their debut single “So Bright” was a hit on Norwegian radio making way for the album Wilderness, which was released exclusively in Norway. The single “Lose That Gun” was featured at several short-film festivals and the video was nominated as 'Scandinavia's best music video' at the Bergen International Film Festival. The band also landed a synch placement with Netflix, using their song "Safe and Sound" on the official trailer for the Netflix original series Derek. Soon after, the Mexican beer brand Cerveza Pacifico Clara used their song "Someplace Beautiful" in their release campaign in the U.S. Since then, they released their self-titled EP globally on iTunes and Spotify through Waterfall/Phonofile that has generated over 1 million streams on Spotify, featuring the song “The King Of Cape.” After a brief hiatus, the wait is over and Alfred Hall returns with their first taste of their new album with “I Wanna Take You Away Now.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/alfredhallpage

STREAM: "I Wanna Take You Away Now"

PICTURE THIS

Picture This is an Irish band led by Jimmy Rainsford (drums) and Ryan Hennessy (vocals, guitar). The band were featured in the A&R Worldwide newsletter a few months after they were formed back in 2015, and the world quickly responded to both their storytelling and songwriting two years ago, after an iPhone video of their very first composition “Take My Hand” went viral. With its timeless narrative of eternal love, lush acoustic guitars and bombastic build-up, the track generated 4 million Spotify streams and over 3 million YouTube views since its independent release. Last year, their independent self-titled EP impressed audiences as they sold over 150,000 tickets in the UK and Ireland to date. In 2017, they won ‘Best Music Act’ at the Gossies and landed a deal with Republic Records. They spent some time in Nashville recording their full-length debut album for Republic Records, which was released in the summer, reached No.1 for four weeks on the Irish Albums Chart and was certified 2x Platinum. Last month, they released a deluxe version of the album with two brand new tracks “Gritty Picture” and “Body and Mind” in addition to their holiday song “This Christmas.” Picture This have sold over 150,000 tickets in the UK and Ireland, which includes a sold out tour with arenas and they just announced their first stadium headline show.

LINK: www.picturethismusic.com

STREAM: "This Christmas"

EGOMUNK

In this current climate of social media, it’s nearly impossible for an artist to have any mystique, let alone remain completely anonymous, yet somehow UK’s Egomunk has accomplished just that. Egomunk creates music that pulls from a myriad of influences and defies classification, the enigmatic artist has cultivated a sound and style all their own. The latest release is the single “The Only Sin Is Religion,” which has been introduced to Alternative radio in the states, earning notable airplay at WSFS Miami, KXTE Las Vegas and KJEE Santa Barbara. The music video is quite a visual, with animation adaption by Ben Marlowe of original cinematography by Madeleine Farley, as directed by Egomunk. When creating the video, Marlowe stated “I tried to concentrate on the grit of the song, and create visuals that convey an idea of upheaval and expansion.”

LINK: www.egomunk.com

WATCH: "The Only Sin Is Religion"

PHOENIX O’NEILL

Phoenix O’Neill is a 23 year-old indie pop singer-songwriter based in London. Last year, her amazing voice and her intricate, dark songs caught the interest of producer James Sanger, best known for his work with Dido, Keane, Siobhan Donaghy and Brian Eno. Since then, James has teamed up with Paul Kilmister to form ‘SangMister Music’  through which they have been developing Phoenix' unique, haunting and hypnotic sound.

Phoenix's spellbinding vocals have been compared to such talents as Amy Winehouse and Elle King, with eerie melodies similar to Massive Attack and Portishead. “Cruel World,” her new single, is taken from her upcoming EP and has drawn early comparisons to Lana Del Rey, Becky Hill and Lorde. 

LINK: www.facebook.com/phoenixoneillmusic

STREAM: "Cruel World"

COLE PHOENIX

Cole Phoenix is a singer, songwriter, scriptwriter, novelist, producer, actress and director born in Brisbane, Australia who creates music that encompasses elements of pop, soul, electronic and rock music. She has worked in feature films such as The Ruins alongside Shawn Ashmore and Jena Malone and Bright Flame, which is currently in development, which Cole wrote, produced and stars in. She was a semi-finalist in the 2013 International Songwriting Competition with her anti-bullying single “Cannibal” in the Electronica/Dance genre. Cole was nominated for Best New Top 40 Artist of the Year in 2015 at the New Music Awards (USA) alongside chart toppers Sam Smith, Iggy Azalea, Meghan Trainor and Charli XCX. Cole has recently been hard at work on her new EP, the follow up to her 2012 self-titled album and 2010’s Wild Love album. The first offering from the EP is “Back Back To Me,” a contemporary party song with cheek, mixed with old school sass and brass, which has been released today.

LINK: www.thecolephoenix.com

STREAM: "Back Back To Me"

LIME CORDIALE

Siblings Louis and Oli Leimbach, better known as Lime Cordiale, grew up within a creative, musical family on Sydney’s Northern beaches, so it was natural for the pair to make music together. The brothers have showcased at SXSW, BIGSOUND and CMJ, countless shows across Australia and have supported the likes of Sticky Fingers, Ball Park Music and The Rubens. Lime Cordiale recently released their debut album Permanent Vacation (Chugg Music/MGM), which was three years in the making and produced by Dave Hammer (Megan Washington, Thundamentals, Nicole Millar). The collection contains tracks that embrace a variety of musical styles including rock, pop and soul. The album reached No.1 on the AIR 100% Independent Albums chart, No.2 on the Independent Labels Album chart and No.15 on ARIA’s Australian Artist Albums chart. The duo is currently on a sixteen-date tour now through December and are joined by videographer Jack Shepherd to capture all of the things on the road.

LINK: www.limecordiale.com

STREAM: "Risky Love"

UNDERGROUND AUTHORITY

Underground Authority believes making music to express and not to impress and are one of India’s most promising bands. The band looks to embark from their home roots in Calcutta, India and inspire the alternative rock world with their authentic and inspiring messages and musical sound. The Alt-Rock/Rap/Poetry quartet strives to speak up for the commoner through their art, highlighting their problems and issues and hopes to inspire every individual to stand up for themselves and for a better tomorrow. Musically, the band is influenced by Rage Against The Machine, Living Colour and Public Enemy to name a few. Their music and extraordinary live show has helped them earn success as they’ve reached the finals of India’s Got Talent (season 2), one of the country’s premiere music and entertainment shows, were winners of the biggest and most esteemed international band competition, the Hornbill International Rock Contest (2013) in India and performed at India’s NH7 Weekender, one of India’s leading multi-city Alternative/Indie-Rock music festivals.

LINK: www.facebook.com/UndergroundAuthorityInc

STREAM: "Sundays at the Park"

THE BONGO CLUB

Borås, Sweden’s The Bongo Club writes songs about being young, about love, sex and excitement and about finding your place in life and growing up without losing it. The average age of the band is early 20s and they’ve already performed over 250 shows, playing 16 countries in Europe alone. Their song “All She Said” reached No.1 on Spotify in Sweden and helped them build a fan base with airplay support from global tastemaker radio stations. This year, The Bongo Club worked with producer/mixer Owen Morris, who has worked with Oasis, The Verve and The Fratellis, to create new music originally planned for an EP but the band decided to push forward to create a full album. The first taste of the upcoming album can be heard with the brand new single “Seventeen;” a direct floor killer with honest lyrics about being young.

LINK: www.thebongoclub.se

STREAM: "Seventeen"

THE PALE WHITE

Emerging Newcastle trio The Pale White are the chosen ones to propel rock music back to the forefront. Having supported Twin Atlantic on their May UK Tour, The Libertines, High Tyde and The Sherlocks in addition to performing at numerous festivals this summer including Glastonbury on the BBC Introducing stage, Kendal Calling, Barn On The Farm and Neighbourhood Festival, The Pale White is currently supporting The Amazons on a 10-date UK tour as the main support. Their self-titled four-song EP was recently released featuring their previous singles “Reaction” and “Turn It Around” and includes their new single “Downer.” The track was produced by John Martindale along with the band and has been described as a rousing, thunderous indie-rock song that goes straight to the jugular.

LINK: www.thepalewhite.com

STREAM: "Downer"

LILLY AMONG CLOUDS

Lilly Among Clouds is an artist from Würzburg, Germany that sits down at the piano and writes great pop songs. Similar to a collage, her songs are dramatic, complex, wide and beautiful. There are wagging beats or hall-like electric guitars, which produce a pleasant depth and at the same time lend Lilly's voice into a golden light. Producer Udo Rankling, who recently had another No.1 on the German Charts, realized at an early stage that her journey will lead her far beyond the classic “singer-songwriter lady at the piano” situation. Born Lilly Bruchner, she creates her songs filled with harmonies that will leave you with a lump in your throat. She has performed alongside Nelly Furtado, Paolo Nutini, KT Tunstall, The Temper Trap and LP at the Zermatt Unplugged Music Festival last April. Her album Ariel Perspective ([PIAS]) was released in August featuring the single “Remember Me,” which is earning positive buzz from her fans and radio community.

LINK: www.lillymusic.com

STREAM: "Remember Me"

VARGAS & LAGOLA

Before establishing their musical union, both Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare have earned success on their own. With prior credits as varied as Madonna, Katy Perry and Swedish House Mafia, the Grammy Award winning duo have a track record in the art of crafting music for the masses. Having incredible success both domestically in Sweden and internationally, courtesy of their production and songwriting work, together they are a musical force to be reckoned with under the stage name Vargas & Lagola. Their funky debut single “Rolling Stone” was a fitting intro to the masses and an appetizer of what’s yet to come. Since that introduction earlier this year, the duo released not one, but two singles with “Dolores (The Awakening)” and “As Long As I Have To” and teamed up with Avicii for his single “Friend Of Mine.” As a surprising treat to their fans, they released their own version of the track “Sun Is Shining (Band Of Gold)” which was a song they originally wrote together with Axwell & Ingrosso a few years ago.

LINK: www.vargasandlagola.com

STREAM: "Sun Is Shining (Band Of Gold)"

THE SHERLOCKS

The Sherlocks are a British indie-alternative outfit from Sheffield. The band consists of two sets of brothers: Kiaran (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Brandon Crook (drums) along with Josh (lead guitar) and Andy Davidson (bass). Formed by their shared love of music including The Stone Roses and Sheffield’s own Arctic Monkeys, The Sherlocks hit the local clubs playing covers while mixing in their original songs during their sets. They booked a show in the smaller room at the O2 Academy-which they sold out-and that night launched a new generation of Sheffield rock. The Sherlocks continued to work on their craft, releasing successful singles and earning support from the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, Steve Lamacq and Annie Mac. Interest from a number of labels began heating up and in October of last year, The Sherlocks signed with Infectious Records (alt-J, The Temper Trap, Local Natives). In August, they released their debut album Live For The Moment, featuring the title track of the same name. Upcoming gigs for the lads include London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin and Copenhagen before U.S. dates in November including New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

LINK: www.thesherlocksmusic.co.uk

STREAM: "Live For The Moment"

BAKER GRACE

Growing up, Baker Grace’s home always provided a soundtrack. Her father was a musician and sang to her when she was a child; they played everything from The Beatles to Carol King to 2Pac. She quickly fell in love with the way music made her feel as it allowed her to escape life, while guiding her through it at the same time. This love for music became a passion and fueled her desire to not just sing, but also to begin writing her own songs at a young age. Baker Grace released her first EP under the moniker Bitter’s Kiss two years ago that led to opportunities to travel across the country and to Europe, to meet with great partners and collaborators and to several indie singles and EDM tracks. Her new single “Am I Talking To You?” is about a friend she lost because she started to care about her reputation, drugs and alcohol more than their friendship.

LINK: www.bakergrace.com

STREAM: "Am I Talking To You"

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING

The music of Everything Everything has incorporated a multitude of sounds; their last three albums are maximalist, frenetic, art-pop juxtapositions of R&B and melancholia and filled with synths, guitars and falsetto. Their recently released fourth album, A Fever Dream, has gone in a different direction; a calibration of chaos and control, the result of a curious desire for consistency. The new album is a logical thematic successor to their previous album Get To Heaven’s exploration of rolling news culture - a portrait of a world grown relentless and unfathomable, whatever your nationality or political persuasion. The record contains the most intense songs that the band has written to date, but the songs also contain moments of great tenderness. Everything Everything is excited to share the new music with their fans as they’ve just announced their biggest tour to date in the UK and Ireland. The tour starts in February 2018 and includes stops in Dublin, Norwich, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester and London’s Alexandra Palace.

LINK: www.everything-everything.co.uk

WATCH: "Desire"

TIM SCHOU

Tim Schou is a Danish modern songwriter whose music has the introvert soulfulness of Jeff Buckley, the positive playfulness of Ed Sheeran and the stories and high pitch of Lukas Graham. Aside from those qualities, he’s organic and honest in his music and the stories he tells, which he pulls from his life as a worldwide traveling recording artist. Having toured and performed in 25 countries, Tim takes couch surfing to Olympian levels! Tim had written a song for Swedish artist Anton Haagmann, who’s signed to Universal, which achieved platinum status. Tim has worked with Grammy-winning producer Thomas Troelsen (Justin Bieber, Charlie Puth), Marcus “Mack” Sepehrmanesh (Zara Larsson’s A&R co-writer), ALMA (now charting in the U.S. with 40m+ streams on Spotify with her song “Chasing Highs"), Hitimpulse (Ellie Goulding, Kygo) and Kiyanu Kim (co-writer of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball”). He’s also worked with Grammy-winning producer Adam Anders (Glee) and producer Xandy Barry (Rihanna, Britney Spears).

LINK: www.timschouonline.com

STREAM: "Morrison"

MULHOLLAND

Jol Mulholland is a New Zealand-based producer, engineer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Jol has been in a number of bands, including The Mots and Gasoline Cowboy and worked with the likes of Neil and Liam Finn, James Milne and Anika Moa. He has also earned success releasing music under the moniker Mulholland. His 2014 sophomore album, Stop & Start Again, was a finalist for the Taite Music Prize, which is awarded to the best album from a New Zealand artist. Three years later, he has returned with a new synth-pop single called “Asleep In The Nowhere.”

LINK: www.chrisleamymusic.com

STREAM: "Asleep In The Nowhere"

CHRIS LEAMY

Chris Leamy is an up-and-coming New York City based singer/songwriter. Inspired by a panhandler on the subway in 2015, the Chicago native started a social movement called #heplaysforme. Since then, about once a week, he plays guitar and sings in NYC's Union Square on behalf of homeless individuals. Leamy has fed and clothed the less fortunate and even found permanent shelter and a steady job for one man, completely getting him off the streets. To date, he has raised almost $20,000 in spare change and donations to homeless shelters in the New York area. His previous single “American Man” was embraced by radio and heard in a number of countries, including Australia, Spain, Germany, South Africa, India, the UK and the United States. He has since returned with new music in the form of the powerful new song “Hold Ground.” Leamy has been featured in The New York Times, People Magazine, CNN, Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune and a variety of other broadcast, print, online, and social media outlets for his musical talent and community service, including a recent feature on CBS This Morning, America’s fastest-growing networking morning news program, with a reach of nearly four million viewers.

LINK: www.chrisleamymusic.com

STREAM: "Hold Ground"

MADYX

Madyx is the brainchild of 24-year-old singer/songwriter and guitarist Michelle Blanchard. Originally from Las Vegas but based in Los Angeles, Madyx has been described as a mix of P!nk and Katy Perry, with influences ranging from Brody Dalle of The Distillers to Melissa Etheridge. She has recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Brian Howes (Daughtry, Simple Plan) in Los Angeles and the result was 2015’s Worth The Risk EP. The following year, Madyx won UMA’s Best International Music Video for “Some Kisses,” which is featured on the “Ones To Watch” playlist on every 2017 British Airways flight. Last summer Madyx released the anthem “Where The Wild Things Are,” which was written by Madyx along with the award winning, multi-Platinum selling Swedish songwriter and producer, Carl Ryden (Bruno Mars, Kylie Minogue, Benny Benassi), who also produced the track. The song was featured on Asia Pop 40, across 28 radio markets in Asia, with host Dom Lau (former Channel V VJ and E! News Asia). “Where The Wild Things Are” is also featured in New Form Digital’s fantasy thriller Immortals, created by and starring YouTube sensation Alexa Losey. In addition, she’s co-written with The Nexus (James Bay, Lana Del Rey). Madyx has returned with one of her strongest songs to date via the single “Bad Decisions.”

LINK: www.madyx.com

STREAM: "Bad Decisions"

KATÉA

Buzzing Finnish chanteuse Katéa, whose musical sounds are often compared to the likes of Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lorde, Florence Welch, Tove Lo and Lana Del Rey due to her dark and husky voice, is one of the most inspiring new female artists to emerge in recent years and is poised for global success. Her music is a unique blend of indie-folk and experimental pop, crafting songs with both piano and guitar-driven tracks topped with bright, yet strong, warm and heartfelt vocals. This amazingly talented singer signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG Scandinavia and released her debut single in 2015, “That Ain’t Love,” co-written with the Swedish writer/producer team Moneybridge, which earned airplay in a number of countries. Her Louder EP reached the Top 50 most viral songs in Finland, has over 12,000 Shazam tags and has acquired over 1 million streams on Spotify. She’s returned with new music, her first since her debut EP, with the track “Better Now,” which has been played at national radio in Finland and added to several Spotify playlists.

LINK: www.facebook.com/thatkatea/

STREAM: "Better Now"

SHAYNA LEIGH

Shayna Leigh is one of N. America’s brightest new stars who evokes the musical aesthetic and inspiration of a modern day Alanis Morissette melded with the on-stagepop energy of Katy Perry. Influenced not only by contemporary hitmakers but also ageless greats like The Beatles, Carole King and Laura Nyro, she spent years writing, recording and performing, searching for the sound that best defined her own artistry. In the summer of 2015, Shayna released her debut album Drive on S-Curve Records/UMG. The album includes ten tracks produced and co-written by multi-Platinum and multi-Grammy Award-winning record producer/mixer Michael Mangini (Joss Stone, Diane Birch) and Emmy Award-winning, multi-Platinum songwriter and producer Peter Zizzo (Avril Lavigne, Vanessa Carlton). She has since returned with new music and the first offering from her upcoming EP with “Candle.” Shayna recently wrapped up a supporting slot for Lee DeWyze of American Idol on tour, performed a number of shows across the U.S. and UK and has opened for the likes of Howie Day and Sister Hazel. Her own commitment to promoting self-love extends beyond music, to organizations such as the American Foundation for Suicided Prevention, for whom she performed for at a New York City fundraising event.

LINK: www.shaynaleigh.com

STREAM: "Candle"

DEMOB HAPPY

Armed with only an arsenal of guitars and northern chips on their slender shoulders, Demob Happy are here to wage a war on cultural mediocrity and political complacency. Since their inception in 2008, this Newcastle-spawned, Brighton-based trio has a sound to match their invective, drawing on the likes of Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, Melvins, The Beatles, The Stooges and Kyuss for source material. Their sound can be defined as off-kilter pop music that is heavy and intoxicating, with a set of snarling teeth. Demob Happy are returning with their first new music since their 2015 debut album Dream Soda (SO Recordings) with the new single “Dead Dreamers.” With Tom Dalgety at the helm, known for his work with Pixies, Royal Blood and Ghost, the new track is a force of nature.

LINK: www.demob-happy.com

STREAM: "Dead Dreamers"

JULIANA

Though but a tender 20 years of age, Australian singer/songwriter Juliana immerses us into a musical world of bittersweet pop that is hard to ignore…and even harder to resist. Juliana’s dream is to connect and inspire through her melodies and lyrics, taking her listeners on unique sonic sojourns. Juliana draws on inspirations ranging from Sia’s bravery with intervals to Halsey’s lyrical edginess and Katy Perry’s pop sensibility. Her depth as an artist owes a great deal to a youthful immersion in a wide variety of music, from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Beyoncé. In 2015 the video for her debut single, “Waterfalls,” directed by Blake Farber (Beyoncé ’s “Countdown”), was added to VEVO, garnering a great deal of interest from online tastemakers worldwide. Her song “Speechless” was added to radio in Australia on high rotation and she’s currently determined to take her music to the next level. Now, in 2017, Juliana is preparing for the release of her second EP, which is described as a discovery of raw emotion through sensuality, individuality and imagination.

LINK: www.julianaofficialmusic.com

STREAM: "Cry Wolf"

RUEN BROTHERS

The rise of the Ruen Brothers, Ru and Henry Stansall, has taken them from their small industrial hometown of Scunthorpe, Northern England, to recording with Rick Rubin in Los Angeles, songwriting with The Weeknd, touring with George Ezra and Tom Odell, sharing material with Lana Del Rey, playing Glastonbury with headliners The Rolling Stones and performing at Coachella, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Isle of Wight, ACL and CMJ festivals. Now residing in New York City, the brothers perform weekly at the coveted Manderley Bar in Manhattan. Ruen Brothers performed just this last weekend at the prestigious Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2017. In November 2016, their self-released single “Unknown" was featured in Apple Music’s ‘Best Of The Week’ playlist as one of 50 of the world's best songs released that week over all genres. The song was also included in various other Apple Music and Spotify playlists and received notable radio airplay in the UK and U.S. The duo has released their brand new single, “Genevieve, Come Out Tonight” which features Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on drums and produced by Grammy Award-winner Dana Nielsen (Adele, Linkin Park, Weezer).

LINK: www.ruenbrothers.com

STREAM: "Genevieve, Come Out Tonight"

CARO EMERALD

Caro Emerald is a Dutch singer who has sold over two million records worldwide. Her debut album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Floor stayed on the Dutch Album Charts at No.1 for 30 weeks, breaking the previous record held by Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Her sophomore album The Shocking Miss Emerald entered the album charts at No.1 in both The Netherlands and the UK. She has earned over 15 platinum awards, including platinum status in Germany, UK, The Netherlands and Poland and Gold status in Switzerland, Austria, Romania and Italy. Her music has been featured in HBO’s Vampire Diaries, ABC’s Pretty Little Liars and Dancing With The Stars, Fox’s American Idol and NBC’s The Voice. Emerald has performed at major festivals throughout Europe including the Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Hampton Court Palace (London), Pori Jazz (Finland), Strand Festival (Hungary), Love Supreme Festival (UK) in addition to selling over 150k tickets in the UK over 91 shows, which included sold out nights at The Royal Albert Hall twice, Roundhouse twice and the O2 Arena in London. In March, she released her latest EP Emerald Island produced by David Schreurs and Jan van Wieringen and written together with Vincent DeGiorgio, featuring the track “Never Ever,” containing the new Exotica sound.

LINK: www.caroemerald.com

STREAM: "Never Ever"

SICKICK

SICKICK(pronounced sick-ick) is a Toronto-based hiphop x dance artist known for his masked appearance. Behind the mask is a multi-faceted artist and instrumentalist with a unique vocal tone and serious production talent. His fan base is growing rapidly, earning over 15 million views on YouTube and a social reach of more than 200k. He began his career as an R&B artist at the age of 15 and is now dedicated to combining his melodic roots with dance music in a genre he calls #SICKHOP. He supported Drake last year and has collaborated with several big-name artists. His new single “No Games” came together in half of a studio session and is about the ups and downs of love and relationships in general. The track has been embraced by fans, earning over 80k streams on the Saavn streaming outlet in just two days.

LINK: www.sickickmusic.com

STREAM: "No Games"

HEY GERONIMO

Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, Hey Geronimo brings their warped indie-rock with their new single, “Mutant.” In 2016, they released their debut album Crashing Into The Sun to widespread critical acclaim, receiving praise from Australia’s The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Rolling Stone and The AU Review. Last year also saw the addition of Sydney-based songwriter Pluto Jonze to the line-up. The band spent some time recording their sophomore album along with crafting a brand new live show. The first taste of the upcoming album is “Mutant,” an anecdotal journey of personal embarrassment, as described by co-writer Pete Kilroy. The song details the unfortunate true story of the two times he had met Melbourne singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, which didn’t go as planned.

LINK: www.heygeronimo.com

STREAM: "Mutant"

LOVESTARRS

Siblings Sarah and Hamish McIntosh are Lovestarrs. Described sonically as the British love child of George Michael and Katy Perry, Lovestarrs’ energetic pop promises to boost your mood and make you dance. Hamish learned guitar at age eight, followed by bass two years later. After years of playing the violin and eventually drums, Sarah discovered her Grandmother’s 1980s Yamaha keyboard ready to be thrown out from her attic, instantly fell in love with the retro sounds and drum loops and immediately began writing songs with it. Adding third bandmate George Hinton, the trio was signed to EMI in 2011 under the name The Good Natured. They headlined the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury and had almost completed their debut album when EMI was sold and the group dropped. Disillusioned, George opted out, but the McIntosh siblings were determined to succeed. Adopting the name Lovestarrs, the duo released an EP that received over 100,000 streams on SoundCloud, attracting the attention of indie label DEFDISCO. Having lost their previous masters to EMI, Lovestarrs opted to crowd-fund their new release via a Kickstarter campaign, allowing them to maintain ownership and control of their music. Their eagerly anticipated debut album Planet Lovestarr was released March 17, 2017 via DEFDISCO/WMG. Inspired by a note they read on a London Underground message board which said ‘all terrorists are politely reminded that this is London. Whatever you do we will drink tea and jolly well carry on,’ Lovestarrs put together a video, which was created before the attacks at Westminster, as a symbol of strength for their beautiful city that they call home.

LINK: www.lovestarrs.com

WATCH: "London Town"

AMY SHARK

Described as the creatively complex girl next door, the Gold Coast born and bred Amy Shark has caused quite the stir with her single “Adore.” The track was added to triple j almost immediately after release, elevated to their high rotation and featured as the triple j Unearthed Artist of the Week. The song was a contender for the Top 20 APRA Song Of The Year and continues to grow; earning over four million streams on Spotify and landing in the ARIA Top 10 singles chart, which has earned the accreditation of Gold sales. “Adore,” produced by M-Phazes (Eminem, Meg Mac, Daniel Johns) and ARIA winning and Platinum record selling producer Cam Bluff (Hilltop Hoods), has earned high praise from radio, online music bloggers and fans.

LINK: www.amyshark.com

STREAM: "Adore"

BRACELET

Bracelet is a Swedish-Danish trio that boast a catchy pop sound with strong melodies and lyrics. Singer/guitarist Charlie Gr�nvall participated in “Swedish Idol” in the fall of 2016, overcoming thousands of entries to finish as second runner-up. He is the primary songwriter for Bracelet, writing alongside famed Swedish composers including Jimmy Jansson. Charlie’s brother Felix mans the drum kit and has played with Charlie ever since his early teens, including the group Little Great Things, which toured Sweden and Europe. In 2014 Charlie and Felix met Danish bassist Rebecca Krogmann - after graduating with honors and earning a scholarship for most promising bass player, Rebecca performed over 100 shows in SoCal and Las Vegas and was listed as one of the Top 20 female bass players in Los Angeles. Rebecca found Charlie and Felix to be like-minded musicians and Bracelet was born.

LINK: www.braceletmusic.com

STREAM: "Wild Heart"

TAMZENE

Tamzene is a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from the coastal town of Cromarty in the Scottish Highlands. A highly talented multi-instrumentalist, she started learning piano and violin when she was eight, encouraged by her saxophonist stepfather and salsa-teaching mother. Her early influences came from hearing Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin and Eva Cassidy songs played around her home and quickly progressed to immersing herself in the sound of artists including Nina Simone, Birdy and Alicia Keys. A scholarship took Tamzene to the world famous Gordonstoun School, where teachers played a critical role in nurturing her interest in music. After a long period writing songs on her own, she’s recently started collaborating with one of Scotland’s leading songwriters and producers, Joe McAlinden (Teenage Fanclub, Rod Stewart, Matthew Sweet), at his studio in rural Argyll - a creative relationship which is seeing the young artist develop a bolder, more coherent musical identity. Her tender, soulful debut offering, Lullaby, was written and recorded with McAlinden and Grammy Award-winning producer David Donaldson.

LINK: www.facebook.com/tamzenemusic

STREAM: "Lullaby"

ANDREAS MOSS

Born and raised in Sweden, Andreas Moss barely had a chance to choose music; rather, he inherited the family business. His parents, like theirs before them, were traveling musicians-barely into his teens, Moss became a multi-faceted collaborator; a Swiss Army man of many talents, ghostwriting and directing music videos and short films for a growing community of artists. The 28-year old’s solo outings really channel the extremes of his homeland; hook-heavy music that reveals a muse born from a a certain darkness. His debut single, “Thinking About You,” instantly connected with people. He’s earned nearly 2 million global streams, over 270k monthly listeners on Spotify and the music video is quickly approaching 1 million views. Currently residing in Nashville, Andreas Moss is a dreamer, a poet, a singer and if “Thinking About You” is any indication of what’s to come from the upcoming Linnea (Curb) album, the sky's the limit.

LINK: www.facebook.com/theandreasmoss

STREAM: "Thinking About You"

CHRIS LEAMY

Chris Leamy is an up-and-coming New York City based singer/songwriter. Inspired by a panhandler on the subway in 2015, the Chicago native started a social movement called #heplaysforme. Since then, nearly once a week, he plays guitar and sings in NYC's Union Square on behalf of homeless individuals. Using original music to raise funds and awareness for those in need, Leamy has fed and clothed the less fortunate and even found permanent shelter and a steady job for one man -- completely getting him off the streets. To date, he has raised almost $20,000 in spare change and donations to homeless shelters in the New York area. Leamy has been featured on the New York Times, People Magazine, CNN, Today.com, Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Now This News, and a variety of other broadcast, print, online, and social media outlets for his musical talent and community service.

LINK: www.chrisleamymusic.com

STREAM: "American Man"

THE BONGO CLUB

Sweden’s The Bongo Club writes songs about being young and living in the right here and right now; songs about love, sex and excitement, about finding your place in life and growing up-without losing it. The quartet dresses their music in a modern costume with guitar-driven beats, big choruses and honest lyrics people identify with. The average age of the band is 23 and they already have over 250 shows on their resume, performing in 16 countries in Europe alone and a No.1 single on Spotify in Sweden with “All She Said.” The Bongo Club recently recorded tracks with legendary Welsh producer Owen Morris (Oasis, The Fratellis, The Verve).

LINK: www.thebongoclub.se

STREAM: "Seventeen"

BEN HAZLEWOOD

Contemporary pop, classic rock and many points in between is where you can find the sounds of Ben Hazlewood. Still in his 20s, he’s a fiercely independent singer/songwriter, who has the experience of someone twice his age and a broad love of music, that makes his own something timeless and wholly distinctive amidst a sea of aspiring voices. The New Zealand native has been singing since he was just five years old and never considered doing anything else. He was a finalist on The Voice in Australia, coached by Joel Madden (Good Charlotte) and has worked the globe, from London to Nashville. Hailed by EQ Music as an “artist to watch,’ Ben has returned with new music via the Mark Needham (The Killers, Third Eye Blind, Twin Atlantic) mixed “Sail Away” and will be on the road joining Finland’s Katea and Indonesia’s Speaker First with special guest N. America’s Madyx on the Passport Approved U.S. Spring Tour.

LINK: www.benhazlewood.com

STREAM: "Sail Away"

TALISCO

Talisco, born Jerome Amandi, is a French artist that made his music debut just four short years ago. The musician/producer creates magnificent sets and records according to the light of the day or night, between sunsets and downtown club neon lights from Los Angeles, New York or Berlin. Talisco earned over 20 million streams on Spotify with his debut album Run, featuring the tracks “Your Wish” and “The Keys.” “Your Wish” has been featured in campaigns worldwide by such brands as Google, HBO Europe, Vice US, Vodafone Ireland and AT&T. His upcoming sophomore album, Capitol Vision (Roy Music), was mixed by Grammy-Award winner Jaycen Joshua (Jay Z, Justin Timberlake, Seal).

LINK: www.taliscomusic.com

STREAM: "Stay (before the picture fades)"

LEAONE

Leaone (pronounced ‘Lee-own’) is a smoldering new talent from Beccles in Suffolk. A&R Worldwide has been a fan of the British talent since 2015 when he first sent us his original demos. Leone is one man with a deep, rich vocal sound, which has seen him described as the missing link between Leonard Cohen and Lana Del Ray. His latest single, “Goldtooth,” was self-produced and mixed by Jim Lowe (Stereophonics) and radiates the epic dark-pop cinematic nuances Rob Dougan (Clubbed To Death) who was signed to Warner Bros. Records in the U.S. with A&R Worldwide’s support. Leaone wrote the elegant track in his parent’s attic after losing is girlfriend, his job and getting mugged. Leaone is already looking ahead with a new single called “Fly, My Swallow” which will be released next month (Fierce Panda) and an upcoming digital EP due in April.

LINK: www.leaone.com

STREAM: "Goldtooth"

THE RESPONSE

Hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand, Andrew and Victoria Knopp are the duo that makes up the indie-pop act The Response. Determined to faithfully translate their expansive albums from tape to stage, The Response have crafted a live show that utilizes every one of their limbs and will leave you wondering exactly how a mere two people can make so much noise. The Response has shared the stage with a variety of musicians and acts including Baio (of Vampire Weekend fame), Big Scary and Kate Boy. Three years ago they released their third album, North of Nowhere and have not taken a break or even slowed down since when it comes to writing, recording and performing live. The Response spent a couple of years living in Vancouver, Canada and during that period they released the singles “You Wanted To Go” and “Hours,” which earned them global airplay and has helped increase their fan base. Produced independently, all duties from writing, recording, mixing and mastering to artwork are undertaken by the resourceful pair. The Response recently made a return to New Zealand and have released a new single called “Holding Out For Something,” which has been compared to Arcade Fire, Liam Finn and Grizzly Bear.

LINK: www.theresponsenz.com

STREAM: "Holding Out for Something"

BEN HAZLEWOOD

Contemporary pop, classic rock and many points in between is where you can find the sounds of Ben Hazlewood. Still in his 20s, he’s a fiercely independent singer/songwriter, who has the experience of someone twice his age and a broad love of music, that makes his own something timeless and wholly distinctive amidst a sea of aspiring voices. The New Zealand native has been singing since he was just five years old and never considered doing anything else. He was a finalist on The Voice in Australia, coached by Joel Madden (Good Charlotte) and has worked the globe, from London to Nashville. Hailed by EQ Music as an “artist to watch,’ Ben has returned with new music with the Mark Needham (The Killers, Third Eye Blind, Twin Atlantic) mixed “Sail Away” and will be on the road, joining Finland’s Katea and Indonesia’s Speaker First with upcoming dates in Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle and more.

LINK: www.benhazlewood.com

STREAM: "Sail Away"

HUNDREDS

Wilderness, the third album from Hundreds, was released earlier last month. Since their debut, the sibling duo’s music has developed to become more open, though without sacrificing its mystery. Two years after their last album, Aftermath, Eva and Philipp Milner have become bolder and more adventuresome. They’ve also became more seasoned on stage, having played sold out tours across Europe, recently supporting ALT-J during their German tour as well as their own “Wilderness” tour throughout November. The Hamburg twosome’s new single, “Spotless,” could be summarized as being lonely at the top. The track is a very rhythmic and danceable song that strays from the same old song structures and flirts with the weakness of mankind’s vanity.

LINK: www.hundredsmusic.com

STREAM: "Spotless"

LAUREN WALLER

Lauren Waller is a Los Angeles-based artist, singer, songwriter, performer, musician, producer and stage manager. She’s currently pursuing a college degree in Theatre Arts Production and Design, with an emphasis in stage management. Artists ranging from Sara Bareilles and Ron Pope to Marina and the Diamonds and Daughter influence her, musically. Her soulful, compelling voice, with a touch of grit, attracting the listener to come along through this satisfying sonic release of substantive, straightforward, self-penned lyrics and complex arrangements. As a performer, she has previously shared the stage with several world-renowned musicians including Berlin featuring Terri Nunn, The Fixx and Helen Reddy. At the top of the year, Lauren released her Perhaps EP featuring the single “Never Were,” which earned global airplay. Never one to slow down, Lauren has continuously been writing and recording new material. She recently completed two singles, “Down” and “Secret Garden,” with hopes to release a new EP very soon.

LINK: www.laurenwallermusic.com

STREAM: "Secret Garden"

SHEPPARD

Brisbane’s Sheppard formed seven years ago and released their debut album, Bombs Away, in 2014. The breakthrough single “Geronimo” spent three weeks at No.1 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified 5X Platinum in Australia and Platinum or Gold in over thirty countries. The song went on to be a global hit, charting top 10 in Austria, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Poland and Sweden, in addition to charting in Switzerland and the United States. Sheppard went on to support Meghan Trainor on the North American leg of her That Bass Tour last year and they performed at the biannual Rock in Rio festival, one of the world’s largest live music events. The sextet has spent 2016 cooking up new music and has unveiled an entr�e from their upcoming sophomore album with the single “We Belong.” The track was produced by long-time collaborator Stuart Stuart (The Veronicas, Small Mercies) in Brisbane and is featured in the new campaign for the 2017 season of My Kitchen Rules, the Australian cooking game show, reaching an audience of millions. “We Belong” is already proving to be in favor with radio in Australia as the track has reached No.1 Most Added.

LINK: www.wearesheppard.com

STREAM: "We Belong"

BITTER’S KISS

Bitter’s Kiss is the current project for New Jersey singer/songwriter Chloe Baker. She garnered international attention for her emotional delivery of poignant songs that deal with such complex subjects as love, religion, suicide and growing up in today’s world. After launching her career a year ago, Bitter’s Kiss has already harnessed more than 970,000 plays on SoundCloud, over 324,000 ‘likes’ on Facebook and earned over 65,000 followers on Twitter. Her music has generated support from radio, receiving airplay at KNDD Seattle, KNRK Portland, KROQ Los Angeles, KRQZ Reno, WKQX Chicago, WZRH New Orleans and reached international audiences through radio via 2XM Ireland, Flux FM Germany, Radio Doble Nueve Peru and many others. Bitter’s Kiss has also had success with collaborations as she was the featured vocalist and co-writer on the Bolier & Redondo song “Lost & Found,” a deep house track that has received millions of global listens and she's the featured vocalist and co-writer of “Rise Up” with David Solano, the 2016 anthem for the international Life In Color festival. Bitter’s Kiss continues to write and record and has just finished another collaboration, this time with Blue Stone, an electro-pop music project formed by producer/programmer Robert Smith and producer/multi-instrumentalist Bill Walters. The brand new holiday track is called “These Bells Will Ring,” and they are currently working on a video for the song.

LINK: www.facebook.com/bitterskiss/

STREAM: "These Bells Will Ring"

KATÉA

Katéa, an incredibly gifted Helsinki, Finland-based chanteuse, whose musical sounds are often compared to the likes of Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lorde, Florence + The Machine, Tove Lo and Lana Del Re due to her dark and husky voice, is one of the most inspiring new female artists to emerge in recent years and is poised for global success. Her music is a unique blend of indie-folk and experimental pop, crafting songs with both piano and guitar-driven tracks, topped with bright, yet strong, warm and heartfelt vocals. This amazingly talented singer signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG Scandinavia and released her debut single, “That Ain’t Love,” co-written with the Swedish writer/producer team Moneybridge, which earned airplay in a number of countries. In April, Katéa released the Louder EP, containing the single of the same name, which reached the Top 50 most viral songs in Finland, found its way into radio Ylex’s playlist and has earned tens of thousands of streams on Spotify. Katéa has been working with some exciting Swedish, Finnish and UK teams on new material lately and will soon be flying to New York to write and record.

LINK: www.thatkatea.com

STREAM: "California Baby"

SEBASTIAN

Sebastian is a 24 year-old singer/songwriter from Lima, Peru who draws comparison as a young George Michael � due to his vocal tone and style. As a student, he spent time in both Peru and America, where he graduated from Yale in 2014, majoring in Economics. A year later, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. Sebastian comes from a talented family; his father is a filmmaker and his mother is a singer. Growing up, he shared his mother’s musical interests that saw him introduced to the legendary and influential sounds of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Doors and Pink Floyd. His debut single, “Angel Of Light,” belies the fact that he’s only been writing songs for a year, as it displays the lyric sophistication of a seasoned veteran, combined with vocals that show maturity beyond his years.

LINK: www.facebook.com/sebastian.songs

STREAM: "Angel Of Light"

THE RESPONSE

Originally hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand, Andrew and Victoria Knopp are the duo that makes up the indie-pop act The Response. Determined to faithfully translate their expansive albums from tape to stage, The Response have crafted a live show that utilizes every one of their limbs and will leave you wondering exactly how a mere two people can make so much noise. The Response has shared the stage with a variety of musicians and acts including Baio (of Vampire Weekend fame), Big Scary and Kate Boy. After releasing their third album in 2014, North of Nowhere, the pair packed a suitcase and headed for Canada, where they have been working on new material. They released the singles “You Wanted To Go” and “Hours,” which earned them global airplay and has helped build their fan base. Produced independently, all duties from writing, recording, mixing and mastering to artwork are undertaken by the resourceful pair. The Response continue to write and record and have completed a brand new single called “Holding Out For Something,” which has been compared to Arcade Fire, Liam Finn and Grizzly Bear.

LINK: www.theresponsenz.com

STREAM: "Holding Out For Something"

BLOSSOMS

Formed in late 2013, Greater Manchester’s Blossoms is a five-piece indie-pop outfit that in a short amount of time has become one of the hottest live bands around. The band was tipped very early as a “Band To Watch” by UK radio tastemaker and influencer Mike Walsh from Radio X in London, England. Members Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt, Josh Dewhurst, Joe Donovan and Myles Kellock have mastered their live show and displayed their talents at a number of festivals including SXSW, The Great Escape, T in the Park, Reading & Leads-even shows in Tokyo. Their self-titled debut album (Virgin/EMI), produced by James Skelly and Rich Turvey, peaked at No.1 on the UK Albums Chart, earning comparisons to The 1975 and Arctic Monkeys and praise from fans and music critics. Built for the road, Blossoms just wrapped up dates in the U.S. and Canada and recently announced UK dates for November and December.

LINK: www.blossomsband.co.uk

WATCH: "Honey Sweet"

LAUREN WALLER

Lauren Waller is a Los Angeles-based artist, singer, songwriter, performer, musician, producer and stage manager. She’s currently pursuing a college degree in Theatre Arts Production and Design, with an emphasis in stage management. Artists ranging from Sara Bareilles and Ron Pope to Marina and the Diamonds and Daughter influence her, musically. Her soulful, compelling voice, with a touch of grit, attracting the listener to come along through this satisfying sonic release of substantive, straightforward, self-penned lyrics and complex arrangements. As a performer, she has previously shared the stage with several world-renowned musicians including Berlin featuring Terri Nunn, The Fixx and Helen Reddy. At the top of the year, Lauren released her Perhaps EP featuring the single “Never Were,” which earned global airplay. She has returned with a brand new single, “Down,” which has drawn early comparisons to Morcheeba and Feist.

LINK: www.laurenwallermusic.com

STREAM: "Down"

AARON

AaRON is a duo from France consisting of members Simon Buret and Olivier Coursier. A few years ago, they received the European Border Breaker Award in Denmark and are supported by a well-deserved national infatuation and international recognition. The twosome released their third studio album, We Cut The Night, an electro-pop composition draped in a striking semi-darkness in France, and in April they released the Blouson noir EP worldwide digitally through Believe. The single “Blouson noir” was chosen for the worldwide campaign of L’Homme by Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, directed by Grammy-nominated American music video director, commercial director and filmmaker Colin Tilley, who also directed music videos for Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj. Presently, the French pair are touring and working on new music; they recently released a new video for the single “The Leftovers,” taken from their latest album We Cut The Night. Talented photographer Damien Blotti�re directed the video clip, where he took more than 2,000 pictures that he cut, removed and disposed that took six months to make the video, which is his first music video, which can be seen HERE.

LINK: www.aaronwebsite.com

WATCH: "The Leftovers"

BEN DEY & THE CONCRETE LIONS

Ben Dey & The Concrete Lions (BDCL) are an Afro-Indie pop rock band from Cape Town. The name originates from the lead singer’s name, Ben Dey, and the term Concrete Lions represents the strength and tenacity found in African culture. Musically, they fuse indie folk with some locally inspired Afro-pop beats to create their unique blend. Their philosophy is that music speaks a universal language and can be used to uplift and inspire communities all around the world. Formed in 2015, BDCL is made up of Ben Del (lead singer), Ongama Mona (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Birns (percussion) and Dillon Birns (bass). Their single “Easy Love” reached No.1 on the 5FM Top 10@10 rock chart and received positive feedback from critics, including top South African blog Texx and the City who stated the band were “one of Oppikoppi’s greatest surprises” regarding their performance at Rocking The Daisies 2016. BDCL are ready to unleash a new single, “Life On Mars,” and continue to work towards their anticipated EP release.

LINK: www.facebook.com/theconcretelions

STREAM: "Life On Mars"

TAMTAM

Raised between the Middle East and the West, Tamtam strives to serve as a musical bridge between these two regions. Her profound lyrics and her strong message stand out in today’s sea of music artists, where she presents to music lovers around the world a message of empowerment that encourages all people to use their voice to create positive change. Tamtam’s music and her story have been shared globally; from being featured on CNN's Great Big Story, to a number of online websites and blogs including Ozy, Upworthy, Girltalkhq, Thestoryexchange, Barakabits and more. She was asked to perform her song "Gender Game" at the 2015 See Jane Annual Symposiums, an organization founded by Geena Davis to encourage Gender equality in media. Her musical journey continues with her latest single “Old Soul”; a song that displays Tamtam’s talents, not only as a singer, but also as a strong songwriter with a unique and unifying musical energy. Tamtam is the first Saudi artist to debut a single exclusively with iTunes/Apple Middle East and generate support on key radio stations worldwide including the U.S., Australia, Europe, South America, Asia, Australasia and Africa.

LINK: www.tamtamsound.com

STREAM: "Old Soul"

VERONICA FUSARO

All she had left was a pen, some paper and her thoughts. Thoughts filled with melodies. Thoughts filled with words. And that is all she really needed, so she kept traveling in galaxies of the abstract kind, knowing that this was her home. With her calm, intensive voice, 19-year-old Veronica Fusaro sings about all the little things, and with a little help of a few instruments, she makes them sound big. After canceling her guitar-lessons, Veronica taught herself everything she needed to produce her first EP in her parent’s basement. This resulted in Lost in Thought, � a collection of songs about hope, fear, the world and life � calmly played, but with a big impact on everyone who listens to it. Her music can be described as cool indie-pop with a touch of electronica. She won both the Pop and Demo of the Year awards at the M4Music Festival 2016 in Zurich and is the featured vocalist on the upcoming Klisch�e tracks “I Don’t Know” and “Man on the Moon” to be released in October from the album Bend The Rules.

LINK: www.facebook.com/veronicafusaro

STREAM: "Pluto"

TARA LEE

Dublin’s Tara Lee is a rising singer/songwriter/producer and actress now based in London. Citing influences ranging from Blondie to Massive Attack to heartfelt songwriters such as Tori Amos and Diane Warren, Tara has the unique ability to write raw emotional and connecting ballads to contemporary edgy pop songs. Tara was asked to compose the theme song for the International TV series Jack Taylor and was also featured in the new series The Fall, the hit BBC drama where she starred alongside Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan. Tara had a busy 2015 filming the UK movie Moon Dogs, where she performs a leading role, directed by Philip John (Downton Abbey). Tara will also be playing the lead support role in the new Irish film A Date for Mad Mary, produced by the award winning director Ed Guiney (The Guard/Garage), which won Best Film at the Galway Film Fleadh. Tara is an accomplished songwriter and in recent months has written with Blair MacKichan (Paloma Faith, Sia, Lily Allen), Justin Broad (Jessie J, Raleigh Ritchie, Izzy Bizu) and Jonas Quant (No Doubt, Hurts, Kylie Minogue). She’s currently writing and recording with renowned producer Jonas Quant and is due to release her new EP over the coming months.

LINK: www.facebook.com/TaraLeeArtist/

STREAM: "Soundtrack"

JAC

Jason Aaron Coons was born in Birmingham, Alabama; during his high school years, he moved to Indiana, where he studied Fine Arts at The Jacobs School of Music. Once considered a well-kept musical secret, Jason, known best under the stage name JAC, has emerged as one of modern music’s most credible and promising new artists. Equipped with glowing press accolades, capacity-attendance headlining club shows, and support gigs for Ben Folds, Andrew W.K., Robert DeLong and She Wants Revenge on his resume, excitement continues to build around him and his music. As his tunes and videos continue earning thousands of plays online, and his ever-growing fan base uniting around his infectious, lyrically candid songs, it would seem that fortune is truly on his side.

LINK: www.facebook.com/JasonAaronCoons

STREAM: "How We Operate"

MIDDLE KIDS

Indie-pop trio Middle Kids is Sydney’s latest music export. Members Hannah Joy, Tim Fitz and Harry Day released their debut single “Edge of Town” and set the bar pretty steep for their upcoming EP, due later this year. The track is essentially the story of a girl who was consumed by the world, featuring Hannah’s powerful vocals, united with the clever music created by Tim and Harry. This summertime feel-good song displays the confidence of Middle Kids and makes you hunger for more.

LINK: www.facebook.com/middlekidsmusic

STREAM: "Edge of Town"

THE RIFT

Brothers Aris (vocals, guitar) and John Anagnos (bass) along with Ovais Malik (drums), together, are one of Southern California’s most thrilling rock upstarts called The Rift. Formed seven years ago, the musicians have played alongside the likes of Exodus, Yngwie Malmsteen and The Misfits and have received nominations at the Hollywood Music Awards and Ventura County Music Awards. After releasing two EP’s last year, The Rift have returned with their debut studio album in March, Inventions, which has drawn comparisons to Thirty Seconds To Mars, Stone Temple Pilots and Foo Fighters.

LINK: www.facebook.com/theriftmusic

STREAM: "The Music Stops"

KINNEY

Annapolis, MD born artist Kinney is on a mission to make a positive change in the world; seeking to inspire those around her with music and love. Now based in Los Angeles, the talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is also a certified Vinyasa Yoga teacher and dancer who incorporates the art of Acroyoga and acrobatics into her live show, bringing audiences a unique visual and musical experience that is all her own. Kinney’s debut single “Soul” has drawn early comparisons to Zero 7 with elements of Massive Attack. Her musical essence combines elements of fashion, art, global musicality and a unique creative vision, which makes Kinney truly stand out as a genuine ‘artist!’

LINK: www.facebook.com/kinneyofficial

STREAM: "Soul"

PRIME CIRCLE

Johannesburg-based quintet Prime Circle is one of South Africa’s most successful rock bands, ever. All six of their albums released have been certified multi-Platinum or Gold status. They’ve done extensive touring in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, even performing at the legendary Nelson Mandela 46664 shows twice, a series of AIDS charity concerts played in honor of Nelson Mandela by S. African and foreign musicians. This year, the five-piece is focusing on the European market with a full diary that has already included key events at the Champions League Festival for the UEFA Champions League Final in Milan, the Hamburg Harley Days, Germany’s biggest Harley event and Kieler Woche, the biggest sailing event in the world. The year is filled with a number of festival dates in addition to performing as the special guest for the German multi-platinum rockers, The Boss Hoss, on an eight-date German festival tour. Prime Circle’s latest single “Ghosts” has received over 1200 spins at German radio stations in the last few weeks and has entered the German radio Top 150.

LINK: www.primecircleband.com

STREAM: "Ghosts"

AFFAIRS

James Robinson, Liam Grindell, Jack Richards, Dan Parker and Michael Branam, collectively, are the band Affairs. From scattered countries throughout the UK, the Alt/Indie/Electro outfit met at Hull University, drawn together by their mutual appreciation for great music, art, slick hair, tight jeans and loose hips. Affairs have earned a reputation as being a well-dressed quintet armed with ethereal and theatrical live performances. Their music contains elements that are simultaneously uniquely modern and nostalgic, as laptop-made samples and loops combine seamlessly with vintage guitars accompanying a dramatic vocal style. Comparisons have been drawn to artists as diverse as Foals, David Bowie and The Smiths. Their debut forthcoming EP, Stained Gold, is set to be released this summer.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Affairsband

VIDEO: "Runaway"

THE RUIINS

The Ruiins is a duo comprised of Adam Dooker and Pat Sugden from Australia, who create raw blues and vintage rock music. Sean Cook, former Yves Klein Blue bass player known for his work with Big Scary, produced The Ruiins’ debut single “Eventually.” The single showcases their captivating riffs, heart filled vocals and their rich personalities. Experienced on stage, performing in front of audiences throughout Sydney to the trendiest venues in Brisbane, the twosome just wrapped up an Australian tour, which featured stops in Sydney, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and more.

LINK: www.facebook.com/theruiins

STREAM: "Eventually"

BLOSSOMS

Blossoms, comprised of Tom Ogden (vocals, guitar), Charlie Salt (bass, backing vocals), Josh Dewhurst (lead guitar), Joe Donovan (drums) and Myles Kellock (keyboards, backing vocals), are a mosaic five piece formed three years ago in Stockport, UK. Musically influenced by the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, ABBA and Oasis, the guitar-pop outfit have been heavily supported by London’s Radio X Head of Music Mike Walsh and were named one of the finalists on the BBC Sound of 2016 list, which features the hottest new acts for the year. In addition, they’ve garnered support globally on the syndicated radio program Passport Approved. Following up with their success of the Blown Rose EP released last July. The quintet released “Charlemagne,” taken from the EP of the same name, which drew praise from both radio and online bloggers. The four song EP served as a precursor to the self-titled album, which is due in August. Blossoms are becoming one of the hottest live bands in the UK, performing at a number of festivals including SXSW, The Great Escape, T in the Park, Latitude, Reading & Leads as well as two shows in Tokyo. Upcoming gigs this month include Best Kept Secret Festival in the Netherlands, the Northside Festival in Denmark, Glastonbury in the UK and the Bravalla Festival in Sweden.

LINK: www.facebook.com/blossomsband

VIDEO: "Getaway"

PUGGY

Englishman Matthew Irons (guitar, vocals) and Swede Egil "Ziggy" Franzen (drums, backing vocals) along with France's Romain Decamp (bass, backing vocals) joined forces on the streets of Brussels to form Puggy over a decade ago. Their first three studio albums won them a loyal following, not only in their local playground, but also in France, where they began to perform at an impressive number of festivals and concerts, initially as support acts for Incubus, The Smashing Pumpkins among others, before rapidly rising to the top of the bill at such legendary French venues as the Olympia Bruno Coquatrix in Paris, Le Transbordeur and the Toulouse Bikini. The Belgian trio recently released their fourth album Colours, which is currently available in France, Switzerland and Belgium and soon to be released in the Netherlands later this month, with other countries to follow. The new album illustrates the exuberant multi-colored approach that has become the group’s trademark over the years. Colours was produced by David Kosten, the grand sound wizard behind Bat For Lashes and Everything Everything, who performs in his own right as Faultline. Puggy’s road diary is quickly filling up with confirmed dates in Switzerland, France, Belgium, Canada and more approaching.

LINK: www.facebook.com/puggyband/

STREAM: "Lonely Town"

BAKERS EDDY

Formed in Wellington, New Zealand in 2009, Bakers Eddy is Ciarann Babbington (guitar/vocals), Ian Spagnolo (bass, backing vocals), Jamie Gordon (drums, backing vocals) and Alex Spagnolo (guitar, backing vocals). Musically their influences range from Green Day to Arctic Monkeys and The Hives to Shihad as they present a new take on the sound of 90s/early 2000s rock, one honed through countless hours spent in their practice room and on stage. All lean muscle, sweat and passion, Bakers Eddy’s songs weld infectious melodies, sing-along group vocals and ascendant guitar riffs to class rock themes. Loud and heavy but accessible, they subscribe to Dave Grohl’s philosophy that bands are made by practicing in the drummer’s garage, not discovered on televised talent shows. Since forming, they’ve evolved from raw punk into a driving rock excellence. London’s Asa Bennett, best known for his work with Heaven 17, The Rapture and La Roux, produced their new single, “Wallbreaker.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/BakersEddy

STREAM: "Wallbreaker"

PICTURE THIS

Formed in October of last year, Athy, Ireland’s Picture This began promoting their music via social media and quickly saw their fanbase grow. In February, they announced their first ever live performance in Dublin’s Grand Social and it sold out in 15 minutes due to the phenomenal demand. In fact, the demand was so high, the gig was moved to Dublin’s Academy, a larger venue that holds 850, where they sold out six weeks in advance, becoming the first ever band to achieve this with their debut show. Last month, they announced their second headlining show at The Olympia Theatre in Dublin, selling over 1,000 tickets the first day alone. The gig has since sold out and the show isn’t until mid-November. Next month, Picture This will perform their first gig in London and their socials continue to rise with over four million views on their Facebook page and 300,000 on their YouTube channel.

LINK: www.picturethismusic.com

STREAM: "You & I"

SMITH & THELL

Smith & Thell, the Swedish duo consisting of Maria Jane Smith and Victor Thell, met each other as young teens at a local music event in their hometown of Helsingborg. Since then, they have spent their time establishing themselves as two of Sweden's most sought after songwriters. They have contributed as writes on songs for major label artists that have combined to be streamed over 100,000,000 times already in Scandinavia alone. After launching their own musical project, they submitted the original song "Statue" to be considered for Sweden's prestigious Denniz Pop Awards. With a panel led by well-respected producer Max Martin, the jury selected Smith & Thell as the 2015 New Artist of the Year, which is the same honor that was given to Tove Lo in 2014. The latest single is a taste of the upcoming and highly anticipated debut album due sometime this year which has been supported very early on here on Passport Approved.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Smithandthell

VIDEO: "Statue"

KATÉA

Kat�a, an incredibly gifted Helsinki, Finland-based chanteuse whose musical sounds are inspired by Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lorde, Florence + The Machine, Tove Lo and Lana Del Rey, is one of the most inspiring new female artists to emerge in recent years and is poised for global success. Her music is a unique blend of indie-folk and experimental pop, crafting songs with both piano and guitar-driven tracks topped with bright, yet strong, warm and heartfelt vocals. Her debut single, "That Ain't Love," which was co-written with the Swedish writer/producer team Moneybridge and earned airplay in a number of countries. Her second single, "Louder" was just released and is already in the Top 50 most viral songs in Finland and found its way into radio Ylex's playlist and has earned over 20,000 streams on Spotify in a matter of days. Katea's music was world-premiered exclusively on Passport Approved back in 2014 as a new music pre-discovery artist.

LINK: www.thatkatea.com

STREAM: "Louder"

RUSTY ANDERSON AFTERNOON

Rusty Anderson Afternoon is the brainchild of Paul McCartney's lead guitarist Rusty Anderson. Rusty has toured the world numerous times and has played on Paul's records since 2001. He has also joined a host of other artists in the studio to record multi platinum hits with Lana Del Rey, Elton John, Michael Buble, Willie Nelson, Regina Spektor, Fishbone, Cat Stevens, The New Radicals, Little Richard, Gwen Stefani & Santana among many others, including the Ricky Martin mega-hit, "Livin' La Vida Loca". We're very excited here at Passport Approved to bring you the premier of Rusty's brand new single 'Evidence', another amazing snapshot of the true raw talent that Rusty embodies. Be sure to tune in this week to hear the track!

LINK: www.rustyanderson.com

PURCHASE:

LAUREN WALLER

Lauren Waller is currently an unsigned Los Angeles-based artist, singer, songwriter, performer, musician, producer and stage manager. She’s currently pursuing a college degree in Theatre Arts Production and Design, with an emphasis in stage management. Musically, she’s influenced by Sara Bareilles, Ron Pope, Marina and the Diamonds, Daughter and Passenger. Her soulful, compelling voice, with a touch of grit, draws the listener to come along through this satisfying sonic release of substantive, straightforward, self-penned lyrics and complex arrangements. As a performer, she has previously shared the stage with several world-renowned musicians including Berlin featuring Terri Nunn, The Fixx and Helen Reddy. She debuted her single “Never Were” on RTE, Ireland’s National Television, at the Rose of Tralee International Festival, one of Ireland’s largest music festivals, where the single was acclaimed by Ireland’s celebrity host, D�ith� � S�, “Brilliant, absolutely brilliant and from the heart.”

LINK: www.laurenwallermusic.com

STREAM: "Never Were"

DED RABBIT

Notorious for their live shows, Scotland's Ded Rabbit have been making noise with their music for the past couple of years. Passport Approved is very excited to be bringing you the premiere of their music video for the hit new single "Only Dating" right here on PassportApproved.com! The Indie Rock quartet from Edinburgh consists of the Gaine brothers: Eugene (vocals/rhythm guitar), Fergus (lead guitar), Donal (bass) and Eoin (drums.) Citing Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles as musical influences, the siblings released their Moving In Slow Motion EP in July of last year. Ded Rabbit has supported The 1975 and Man Made as well as performed at T in the Park in 2015. The unsigned quartet released a double-A side single consisting of the songs "Only Dating" and "Never Gonna Learn" last month and have upcoming gigs confirmed for Edinburgh on April 9th and Kendal Calling at Hackthrope on July 29th.

LINK: www.ded-rabbit.com

VIDEO PREMIER: "Only Dating"

NEW BEAT FUND

SoCal four-piece New Beat Fund combines sunny surf rock with elements of hip-hop, garage pop and west coast punk, tossing it all in a blender to cook up a colorful mash-up they call “G-Punk.” Their debut album, Sponge Fingers released by Red Bull Records to whom the band were signed by the label’s A&R executive Kenny “Tick” Salcido, was co-produced by Matt Wallace (Faith No More, Maroon 5), mixed by Tony Hoffer (Foster The People, Beck) and was recorded at LA’s legendary Sound City Studios has produced the singles “Sunday Funday “ and “Sikka Takin’ The Hard Way,” which were played at KROQ Los Angeles, WLKK Buffalo, KRXP Colorado Springs, WZNE Rochester, WROX Norfolk and many other stations. For the past three years, New Beat Fund has been touring across the country, playing everywhere from local frat parties and bars to shows with Blink-182, Mod Sun, New Politics and the Vans Warped Tour. The quartet have released the new single “No Type” and have announced a tour with American Authors which kicks off today in San Francisco and goes until April 9th in Dallas which includes stops in LA, Salt Lake City, Kansas City, St. Louis, Nashville and Austin. New Beat Fund have also confirmed performances at BuzzFest 35 in Houston in April, Move Music Fest in Albany in April, the BottleRock Music Festival in Napa Valley, CA in May and the Electric Forest Festival in Rothbury, MI in June. The new single is already spinning on KNDD Seattle, WKQX Chicago, WRFF Philadelphia, CIMX Detroit, KDKB Phoenix, KXTE Las Vegas and more.

LINK: www.newbeatfund.com

STREAM: "No Type"

THE RESPONSE

Originally hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand, Andrew and Victoria Knopp are the duo that makes up Vancouver-based indie-pop act The Response. Determined to faithfully translate their expansive albums from tape to stage, The Response have crafted a live show that utilizes every one of their limbs and will leave you wondering exactly how a mere two people can make so much noise. Their new album, North of Nowhere, builds on The Response’s defining second album and finds a band at home in eclecticism, showcasing a sound that is fresh and varied. Produced independently, all duties from writing, recording, mixing and mastering to artwork were undertaken by the resourceful pair. The new album has sounds ranging from reverb-drenched banjo to synth pop and fuzzed-out guitars, brought together by a strong songwriting voice drawing influence from dominant indie acts such as Grizzly Bear, Arcade Fire, The Postal Service and Sufjan Stevens. “When they sing together, the harmony is searing,” notes Hannah McGowan on NZ website The Audience. “They are simple, understated, yet powerful. Unashamedly indie-pop, and damn good at it, too, they prefer a hands-off approach to songwriting, mastering the art of seeing what emerges without trying too hard. Their jazz school background is revealed in immaculate and cunning compositions, far more sophisticated and subtle than your usual pop fa�ade.”

LINK: www.theresponsenz.com

WATCH: "Hours"

JOON MOON

Joon Moon is a new collaboration between Paris-based producer Julien Decorate and singer Krystle Warren, originally from Kansas City but recently exiled to Paris. After a few solo albums and collaborative projects with Hercules & Love Affair, Hugh Coltman and Rufus Wainwright for Krystle and adventures as side-man and producer with Nouvelle Vague and Accident in Paradise for Julien, the direction of the newly-formed band was clear and after a few months in the studio, the Chess EP was born. Released late last year through Kwaidan Records, the Pop/Soul mix with precise arrangements has earned comparisons to Sade, Nina Simone, Tracy Chapman and Amy Winehouse. The music has already earned support at BBC Radio 2, 3 & 6, KCRW Los Angeles, Radio France Internationale, FluxFM Radio (Germany), Couleur 3 (France) and many others.

LINK: www.facebook.com/JoonMoonMusic

STREAM: "Apple Day"

EGIL OLSEN

Known as one of the best live performers in Norway, Egil Olsen is unlike any other singer/songwriters. His live show is a mix of music and his unpredictable humor, carefully balanced with his vulnerable, beautiful and naively honest songs. Since his 2007 debut album, he’s been an independent artist, releasing music on his own label, with self-made artwork and music videos. He’s created music for films and television, earned over a million views on Chinese YouTube, was featured as a 3D animated character performing his own songs in the computer game Dreamfall, made an ongoing weekly tour blog for radio and done countless live shows. He has his own comic strip about himself and the “somewhat pathetic life of a relatively unknown superstar,” and even has a tribute album to his music, released on limited vinyl, with Norwegian artists like Thom Hell, Jenny Hval, Sondre Lerche and Robert Post. Egil Olsen recently released his fourth album, Oooh What Happened, to rave reviews. The album was successful and later released as a stripped down live album and film, recorded direct to tape. Egil Olsen is currently writing and recording new material for his next album.

LINK: www.egilolsen.com

STREAM: "Find A Way"

PALACE OF THE KING

Just when you thought Rock music was written off comes the musical stylings of Palace Of The King. Steeped in bluesy swagger and riff-heavy psychedelia, this Aussie outfit leaves a trail of denim-clad soldiers and converted non-believers in their wake. Formed four years ago, the members recorded a three-track demo and developed the vision of a six-piece blues-infused Rock & Roll band. Far from a grave robbing retro trip, Palace Of The King has just as much in common with Rival Sons, Graveyard and Jack White as they do with Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. Having spent their formative years storming stages in every corner of Australia, alongside bands as varied as Airborne and The Tea Party, and priming themselves for an international assault, Palace Of The King took their finely-honed live show through Europe last October. Armed with two EP’s, a full-length vinyl LP and their debut album White Bird/BurnThe Sky, this is a band that has earned their stripes and wears them with pride.

LINK: www.palaceofthekingmusic.com

STREAM: "White Bird (Bring Your Armies Against Me)"

ALL MANKIND

In just a few years, All Mankind has gone from busking on the street corners of Sydney, to playing some of the largest festivals in Europe, alongside acts like Mumford & Sons, Kasabian and The Temper Trap. Along the way, the two brothers and their two friends have seen their songs featured in the multi-million dollar selling FIFA games by EA, and heard in some of the highest rated shows in the U.S., UK and Australia including the theme song for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Gossip Girl, Jersey Shore and The Real World. The band’s debut full length Simple Desire, released in 2012, was produced by one of the UK’s hottest producers, Mike Crossey (Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, Jake Bugg). The album spawned the single “Break The Spell,” which was heard on radio stations globally, including KROQ Los Angeles, BBC Radio 2, Triple J Australia and Radio EINS Berlin. The quartet has spent the last three years traveling and touring across the world and wrote a song about returning home to the people you love in the place you know best, called “Welcome Home” - The song was recorded in Sydney and mixed by 7x Grammy Award-winner Michael Brauer (Coldplay, Muse) at Electric Lady Studios in New York.

LINK: www.allmankind.com

STREAM: "Welcome Home"

D/TROIT

Copenhagen based band D/troit is a band that consists of former members from two garage rock outfits from Denmark, The Magic Bullet Theory and The Breakers. The latter was signed to Little Steven's Wicked Cool label and has toured extensively in Europe and the U.S., even some shows as the opening act for Bon Jovi. D/troit includes members Toke Bo (vocals), Klaus (guitar), Mads (keys), Stefan (drums) and Jackie (bass) who uploaded a few self-produced tracks to Soundcloud and Danish radio immediately caught on. Their single "The 45" was aired repeatedly and was considered an instant classic to the listeners. Music label Crunchy Frog (Junior Senior, The Raveonettes, PowerSolo and more) loved the music and signed the band in early 2015 and things progressed rapidly from there. Their first two singles were playlisted at P3, P4 and P6, the Danish equivalent of BBC Radio 1, 2 and 6. D/troit also performed more than 40 shows in Denmark in 2015 alone, which is unheard of for a debut band formed in late 2014. Their debut EP Do The Right Thing is due for release internationally on February 5th featuring the single of the same name.

LINK: www.facebook.com/dtroitcph

STREAM: "Do The Right Thing"

WHITE ESKIMO

White Eskimo is four lads from Manchester consisting of members Will Sweeny (vocals), Alex Lewis (drums), Ryan Smith (guitar) and Brad Nevinson (bass). The quartet met at a recording studio at a music college class, where their now-bassist engineered what was due to be their debut EP, before they scrapped it and set their sights even higher. After two years with their current line-up, and enough gigs under their belts to be able to bounce about on small stages, the band released their debut EP 100x (Jack No No Records) in April of last year. The EP contains four instantly catchy, smartly structured songs mostly about girls and making mistakes, topics not necessarily unrelated. The EP was recorded at OMD frontman Andy McCluskey’s Motor Museum studio in Liverpool and produced by James Lewis (Rudimental, Rae Morris, Sunset Sons). The UK four-piece have been hard at work writing and recording new material and with the New Year has come new music in the form of the single “Game Time.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/OfficialWhiteEskimo

STREAM: "Game Time"

THE BONGO CLUB

The Bongo Club is a four-piece Rock & Roll outfit hailing from Bor�s, Sweden. Jesper (vocals/guitar), Erik (guitar), Fabian (bass) and Jonatan (drums) were childhood friends who created the band three years ago with their great hooks, deadly melodies and inescapable beats. Best known for their energetic live shows, they don't use computers, backtracks or DJ's to deliver music and get their audiences active and sweaty; it's truly all about the performance. The average age of the quartet is only 22, but they’ve already managed to perform nearly 200 shows and toured through 16 European countries, including showcases in Denmark, Scotland and Spain, in addition to festivals in the UK, Denmark, Latvia and Sweden. Last March they released their debut album Be Careful Not To Stare and are very proud of the outcome. If you are in the Netherlands this week, you can experience The Bongo Club perform in Groningen on Wednesday at Cafe de Kar, Thursday at Cafe de Zolder, Friday at Cafe de Toeter and Saturday at Orkz Bar.

LINK: www.thebongoclub.se

STREAM: "All She Said"

DMA’S

The DMA’s are Johnny Took, Matt Mason and Tommy O’Dell, three friends who came together making nostalgic garage pop in a bedroom in Newton, UK. Having met while playing in other bands, DMA’s are three writers, three friends and three frontmen, all with a common sense of purpose and musicality. The trio wrote a few songs together and recorded them in Johnny’s bedroom studio, which led to immediate attention, before they released an official track or even played a single show. After signing with tastemaker label IOHYOU, the DMA’s released their debut single “Delete” to rave reviews from blogs and radio stations. Support from such stations as Channel V, Triple J and XFM along with NME picking them as a buzz band to watch. The trio is about to release their debut album Hills End next month on IOHYOU/Infectious/Mom+Pop.

LINK: www.dmasmusic.com

STREAM: "Laced"

NIHILS

When NIHILS decided it was time to push their creative boundaries beyond building lethal ski jumps and plummeting down mountains, forming a band seemed a natural progression. The three young Austrians spent seven years refining their special blend of electronic alternative music with a vision to produce high-quality music; to inspire and entertain their audiences and to remain responsive and true. Their previous release “Help Our Souls” became an instant anthem and the remix for the single via Urban Contact Remix on Epic/Ultra, climbed the Australian charts and became a radio staple with over four million streams to date. Their success crossed over to the states where they showcased at SXSW in Austin in March, which led to them supporting 30 Seconds To Mars. Ramon, Florian and Thomas have since returned with a more refined and mature sound as an appetizer to the long-awaited album due in 2016. The single “Not A Man Of Violence” was inspired by the vibrant international electro scene, as they worked with producers Niko St�ssl (Crystal Castles, IAMX) and Paul Kinski. Their live performances are always highly energetic, interactive and draw repeat audiences.

LINK: www.nihils.com

STREAM: "Not A Man Of Violence"

LYDMOR & BON HOMME

Lydmor & Bon Homme is the unification of two very different personas and well-established artists from the Nordic music scene. First, there’s the eccentric Bon Homme, born Tomas H�ffding, who’s mostly known as a singer and bassist in the Copenhagen-based experimental pop trio WhoMadeWho as well as an esteemed remix artist who previously worked with Digitalism, Hot Chip and 2 Many DJ’s. Secondly, there’s Lydmor, born Jenny Roosander, who is a young singer and producer that has toured the world both as a solo act and in collaboration with established acts such as Arsenal, Alle Farben and more. Lydmor also showcased at MUSEXPO Los Angeles this past April that earned immediate positive comparisons to Bj�rk, Imogen Heap and Ellie Goulding. Together as a duo, Lydmor & Bon Homme combine the best of their respective qualities; a lethal concoction of pounding beats, captivating synths and hook-ridden melodies. They are both known for their outrageously intense live sets, which can be seen in upcoming shows in Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland in the next few weeks as well as future plans to tour in support of their debut album Seven Dreams of Fire.

LINK: www.facebook.com/lydmorbonhomme

STREAM: "Things We Do For Love"

THE BONGO CLUB

The Bongo Club is a four-piece hailing from Bor�s, Sweden. Best known for their energetic live shows, they don't use computers, backtracks or DJ's to deliver music and get their audiences active and sweaty; it's all about the performance. Jesper, Erik, Fabian and Jonatan released their debut album Be Careful Not To Stare and are very proud of the outcome. They are primed to attract more recognition with their music and ready to prove they live up to the hype with their on stage performance. In the past five years, they’ve performed at a number of festivals and hundreds of shows throughout Europe, earning fans and building their fan base organically. The Bongo Club is currently making noise at tastemaker radio and online blogs with their single “All She Said” which has been compared to the likes of The Wombats and Royal Blood.

LINK: www.thebongoclub.se

STREAM: "All She Said"

LIME CORDIALE

Sydney’s Lime Cordiale has consistently built momentum over the last two years with their breakthrough single "Bullshit Aside" and their song "Sleeping At Your Door." While turning heads throughout Australia, they scored their first ever airplay on the independent internationally syndicated tastemaker radio show, Passport Approved. Last year the quintet, fronted by brothers Oliver and Louis Leimbach, released their Falling Up The Stairs EP (Chugg Music) in North America, performed on the inaugural Passport Approved Live Tour, showcased at Canadian Music Week and SXSW. They've also performed alongside the likes of Ball Park Music, The Griswolds, The Rubens and Cosmo Jarvis. Lime Cordiale had completed studio sessions with producer Jean Paul-Fung (Theophilus London, Birds Of Tokyo, Jet) and the result was the Falling Up The Stairs EP, released in 2013. The Australian duo continues to release quality music and their latest single “Not That Easy” impresses both fans and critics alike. If you are in Australia, you can see Lime Cordiale on The Road To Paradise Tour with upcoming stops in Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and more.

LINK: www.limecordiale.com

STREAM: "Not That Easy"

THE BLUE VAN

The four-piece rock outfit from Denmark started as a band when they were just 12 years old after hearing Jimi Hendrix for the first time in a commercial. Years later The Blue Van, still in their 20s, have no signs of slowing down. TBV have earned many music sync placements, including a worldwide Apple iPad ad, a featured track in the Samsung Behold cell phone commercial, a song in the major motion film Magic Mike, the theme title for the hit TV series Royal Pains and placements in Television shows such as NCIS, 90201, CSI and an MLB video game. The quartet is no stranger to the road either, spending many days on the road touring Europe, dates in the U.S. and performing at a number of global festivals where they leave their audiences begging for more. After releasing multiple albums and singles in the last decade and a half, The Blue Van has returned to digital retailers last month with their latest track infectious rock single, “White Heat.”

LINK: www.thebluevan.com

STREAM: "White Heat"

GO GO BERLIN

The Danish quintet Go Go Berlin, consisting of vocalist/guitarist Christian Vium, guitarist Mikkel Dyrehave, bassist Emil Rothmann, drummer Christoffer �stergaard and organ player Anders S�ndergaard, plays classic, timeless rock with roots in the storied ’70s, which echoes the sounds of The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin mixed with the likes of The Strokes and Kings of Leon. Two years ago, Go Go Berlin proved themselves to critics with their highly-acclaimed debut album New Gold and has since returned to digital and physical retailers with the follow up, Electric Lives (Mermaid Records). The 12-track album has pleased fans and helped them increase their fan base, along with constant gigging from countless smaller stages in their native Denmark to more prestigious venues throughout the world in addition to the biggest Danish festivals such as Roskilde Festival, Spot Festival, Smukfest, Nibe Festival and Jelling Festival as well as at the inaugural Global Rock Summit in Los Angeles which led to int’l rock industry interest and various festival opportunities worldwide for the band. Despite their young age and wildness, Go Go Berlin possesses a professionalism that makes them deliver a fast-paced and intense live show � every time. The five-piece knows their musical craft, has mastered the style and attitude and consistently delivers at a level that reaches far beyond the stage.

LINK: www.gogoberlin.com

STREAM: "Famous Till The End"

GOBLINS

Copenhagen’s Goblins is the meeting of a couple of like-minded eccentrics. Lars Iversen, one half of the band The Asteroids Galaxy Tour along with Jacob Bellens, the vocalist behind Murder and I Got You On Tape are the duo that created the project that functions like a hobby for the both of them. Their latest creation is the track “Heartbreak City,” a simple and compelling song about love lost. The single has been garnering support on Scandinavia’s P3 radio network as well as globally on Flux FM Germany, KNRK Portland, Radio Doble Nueve in Peru and many others. The tune is synth pop at it’s best, complete with a charming whistle and a crafty flute, reminiscent to Peter Bjorn and John’s 2006 smash “Young Folks.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/goblinsmusic

STREAM: "Heartbreak City"

THE PRETTY LITTLES

The Pretty Littles are a four-man Indie/Rock/Pop outfit from Melbourne, Australia. Their debut release, Mash, was recorded with Alex “Rudie” Markwell of The Delta Riggs and received comparisons to Jet and Eskimo Joe. In 2014 the quartet recorded their fourth release Gospel, with Neil “The” Grey which is too long for an EP, but too short to be labeled as an album. According to Rolling Stone Australia, “The Pretty Littles are all killer and no filler with their latest albumette Gospel. A release that sees the Melbourne four-piece take their next great leap forwards.” They earned high praise from their showcase at BIGSOUND in Brisbane last month and continue to entertain fans throughout Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne. One of the standout tracks from the release that has been gaining attention at radio is “Dangerman.” If you are in the Victoria area of Australia, The Pretty Littles are playing at The Evelyn Hotel on Friday October 23rd and then will start writing for their next album.

LINK: www.theprettylittles.com

STREAM: "Dangerman"

D/TROIT

Copenhagen based band D/troit is a band that consists of members from two garage rock bands from Denmark, The Magic Bullet Theory and The Breakers. The latter was signed to Little Steven's Wicked Cool label and has toured extensively in Europe and the U.S., even some shows as the opening act for Bon Jovi. The band, consisting of members Toke Bo (vocals), Klaus (guitar), Mads (keys), Stefan (drums) and Jackie (bass) uploaded a few self-produced tracks to SoundCloud last year and Danish radio immediately caught on. Their single "The 45" was aired repeatedly and was considered an instant classic to the listeners. The song has done very well on the Danish equivalent to BBC 6 Music and they've already been booked on DR's big Christmas live show. Even though D/troit has only released their EP in Scandinavia thus far, they will end up playing 30 shows in Denmark alone this year-which is unheard of for a band with a debut EP. Music label Crunch Frog (The Raveonettes, PowerSolo) loved the music and signed the band, knowing they'd be a great fit. The sound of D/troit has quite a twist of Northern Soul, and it's no use trying to hide it. The lads have performed at several festivals and appearances and are on everyone's radar in Scandinavia.

LINK: www.facebook.com/dtroitcph

STREAM: "The 45"

STARLIGHT THEATRE

Born in Brisbane in 2011, but now balancing time between London and Brisbane, Starlight Theatre is a band bursting with ambition, amazing live, and is one of the most promising new globally impressive alternative bands to emerge from Australia since The Temper Trap. Their influences are, inevitably, big name acts who exist as much in the present as they do in the past � U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beatles and Justin Timberlake among others. In just twelve months, they have played close to 200 shows, supported Evermore in 1000+ capacity venues up the Australian east coast and released an EP made with ARIA Award-winning producer Magoo that rewarded them with radio play. When one song from that EP, “The Window,” picked up interest in the UK, the band packed everything they owned to make the move immediately. The EP itself Castles, Clocks & Cathedrals entered the iTunes Top 10 in the quartet’s home country Australia, no small feat for a completely independent ensemble. Last summer, Starlight Theatre met manager/producer Jon O’Mahony. One of the gems that came out of the sessions is “Oceans,” which earned airplay at tastemaker radio in the U.S., UK, Australia and more.

LINK: www.starlighttheatremusic.com

STREAM: "Oceans"

BROKEN BACK

Musicians, such as, The Lumineers, Of Monsters and Men and Vance Joy have created a residence at radio for some time now with their upbeat folk-sound. As that sound continues to be successful, radio may need to find a vacancy for Paris, France’s Broken Back, with his style of indie-dance-electro-pop that fits perfectly next to the elite musicians of today. J�r�me founded Broken Back in 2013 and gave his first musical offering in the form of the infectious single “Halcyon Birds,” released at the top of the year. The singer-songwriter then released “The Happiest Man On Earth” and received comparisons to Milky Chance and Bon Iver with the earthy, surf-vibe track that takes each listener on a fun-filled journey with every listen. Both tracks can be found on the debut EP Dear Misfortune, Mother of Joy, which acts as an anthem for the 90s generation, where everything was recorded at a home studio.

LINK: www.facebook.com/BrokenBackMusic

STREAM: "Young Souls"

LONGFELLOW

South London's Longfellow is comprised of Owen Lloyd (vocals), James Thomas (guitar), Ali Hetherington (keyboards), Lewis Fowler (bass) and Tom Warhurst (drums). Just two years ago, the quintet played their first gig live and released a trio of singles; "Gabrielle" on their own label, "Siamese Lover" on the Fandango Label and "Kiss-Hug-Make-Up" on Fierce Panda. Next, Longfellow released the Prelude mini album, which included the previous singles and the B-sides “May The Light,” “The Convent” and “Wolf Cry,” along with fan favorites “Polaroid” and “Lullaby,” which were all recorded in their home studio. They've received endorsements from Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music and Jo Whiley on Radio 2, were nominated as BBC Introducing Band of the Week by Huw Stephens on Radio 1, supported Keane at their intimate 10th anniversary show and toured with Hall & Oates across the U.K. Last year they performed at SXSW in Austin along with other industry showcases and began to write and record their EP, Remedy (Fierce Panda/Ooh La La). Longfellow return to the stage in London to headline the BBC Introducing stage at Hyde Park on September 13th and they are confirmed to perform at the Electric Ballroom with Walking On Cars on October 23rd. Longfellow’s latest single “Choose” will be available at all digital outlets on September 11th and is the 300th single released through Fierce Panda.

LINK: www.longfellow-music.com

STREAM: "Choose"

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

Swiss rockers Death By Chocolate have clocked up a number of significant milestones in recent times, performing with Bon Jovi at Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, at Woodstock Festival Poland and at the EXIT Festival in Serbia. At home, they were nominated by the Swiss Music Awards in the category "Best Live Act 2015." Alongside the highlights, there have been long periods of hard and intense work. Their debut album From Birthdays To Funerals and their current release Among Sirens, produced by Ronald Bood and Mando Diao, are worlds apart, not so much in terms of musicianship but rather in the rapid transformation of the band from newcomers to a self-confident band with a purpose. The latest album delivers a courageous, rough, no messing around rock sound. The songs reflect the determination of the band's five members to create their particular brand of rock music. They have over 100 live appearances in their back pocket not only in Switzerland but abroad including performances at Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles and several European tours including one with The Blue Van in Denmark. Recently, they broke into the Swiss Top 10 album charts and were chosen by national radio station SRF3 as Best Talent. Authentic, punchy, uncompromising and determined, Death By Chocolate gives their all both on stage and on record.

LINK: www.deathbychocolate.ch

STREAM: "Alfred"

EVOL WALKS

They’re loud! They’re raw! They’re memorable! Fronted by redheaded powerhouse Leah Martin-Brown, Evol Walks are bringing rock back to its roots. Enjoying regular commercial airplay for their first two singles “Heartbreakin’ Woman” and “Buzzed,” the Valhalla quintet have now returned with their latest single "The Other Side," produced by Brian Howes (Airborne, Hinder, Simple Plan, Daughtry). Evol Walks are performing their unique brand of hard-hitting rock to audiences around the globe. The first ever unsigned Australian band to play the 750,000 strong Woodstock Festival in Poland earlier this month, Evol Walks has shared the stage with some of the best acts in the world, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Label Society and Flogging Molly to name a few. They just finished a European tour and are kicking off an Australian tour next month in support of their debut EP The Other Side.

LINK: www.evolwalks.com

STREAM: "The Other Side"

TARA LEE

Dublin’s Tara Lee is a rising singer/songwriter/producer and actress. She secured a worldwide publishing deal with BMG thanks to A&R Worldwide’s support earlier this year and is co-managed by David Reid and Edison Waters (worldwide manager of Irish global buzz artist Gavin James who is currently on tour in the U.S. with Sam Smith). Citing influences ranging from Blondie to Massive Attack to heartfelt songwriters such as Tori Amos and Diane Warren, Tara has the unique ability to write raw emotional and connecting ballads to contemporary edgy pop songs. Last year, Tara released her debut EP Soundtrack (Irish release only) that reached No.4 on the Irish iTunes Albums chart. She recently was asked to compose the theme song for the International TV series Jack Taylor and also featured in the new series The Fall, the hit BBC drama where she starred alongside Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan. Tara is currently filming the UK movie Moon Dogs, where she performs a leading role. This film being directed by Philip John (Downton Abbey). Tara will also be playing the lead support role in the new Irish film A Date for Mad Mary, which will be produced by the award winning director Ed Guiney (The Guard/Garage). Tara has also performed on a number of soundtracks and has a slew of forthcoming soundtrack work as well.

LINK: https://www.facebook.com/TaraLeeArtist

STREAM: "Soundtrack"

MANFRED KIDD

Two childhood friends met on the midnight train home after a night out in downtown Gothenburg, Sweden. Victor Crusner and Fredrik Folkstad discussed old memories and had a great time connecting. They stayed in touch and began making music together. Ideas and visions turned into songs, which they then recorded piece by piece at different locations. Together as Manfred Kidd, the duo created an amazing and unique sound with their debut EP, Where Were You When You Were Us, which has been compared to the likes of The Killers and Passion Pit. The Wild Honey Pie music blog touts the debut as "one of those EPs that manages to never dull, only heighten as it progresses, ending with an inevitable repeat play - i.e. infinite plays." Their debut single "Lights" was an energetic indie pop piece that earned fans worldwide and global radio airplay. The Swedish twosome has since returned with new music in the form of the single "Treetops."

LINK: www.facebook.com/manfredkiddmusic

STREAM: "Treetops"

GAVIN JAMES

Gavin James is a 22-year-old Dublin native who’s already on his way to becoming one of this year’s international breakthrough successes. His very first single won Ireland’s Choice Prize for “Song Of The Year” and his debut Irish EP, Say Hello, James’ charted for more than six months, leading to a string of sold-out headline dates and supporting tours with such artists as Lianne La Havas, Beth Orton and Marina & The Diamonds. James’ music caught the attention of one of the industry’s most-respected A&R men, Christian Tattersfield, who signed Gavin to his Good Soldier Songs last year. The signing came as a result of A&R Worldwide’s introduction and recommendation of Gavin James to Tattersfield and his team. Last year, James recorded a rapturously received hometown show at legendary Dublin venue Whelan and the resulting album, Live at Whelans-released by Capitol Records in the U.S. and by GS Believe internationally-climbed to No.1 on iTunes in Ireland shortly after the pre-order launched. The release included his cover of The Magnetic Fields’ classic "The Book of Love," which reacted across Europe and America and was praised by a number of online blogs. He embarked on his first U.S. tour in early 2015, opening for Seinabo Sey and is now on tour as the support for Sam Smith in the U.S., with upcoming stops in Ohio, Missouri, Colorado, Utah, Washington and more through mid-August.

LINK: www.gavinjamesmusic.com

LEISURE

New Zealand has always produced creative musicians; some successful examples include Lorde, Neil Finn with Split Endz and Crowded House, OMC and Flight of the Conchords. Judging by the debut single "Got It Bad," you may be able to include Leisure to that list soon. Managed by Saiko, Lorde's former management company, Leisure earned nearly 200k plays on their SoundCloud page in just one month after posting the song. The Pigeons & Planes music blog describes Leisure as "elements from Tame Impala, Pharrell and Gorillaz mashed up into a smooth, funky, playful mix." Not too shabby of a breakthrough for a band with minimal details available, yet a volume of talent.

STREAM: "Got It Bad"

HUNTAR

At 21 years old, South London's producer and vocalist Huntar first earned attention last year with his debut track "Expectations" and has now returned with his mixture of twisted pop and futuristic R&B. He's received an influx of praise following his debut live show on the esteemed BBC Introducing Stage at last month's Radio 1 Big Weekend and will be headlining London's sold out Electrowerkz next month. Annie Mac, who unveiled the title track from his EP Love I Know (Good Soldier Songs), along with Huw Stephens and Phil Taggart have all supported the new single "Autumn" on BBC Radio 1. The new song is "a light dreamscape of bright melodies" according to All Things Go Music.com. Huntar has also received positive reviews from leading tastemaker blogs Hillydilly, Earmilk, Indie Shufle and The 405.

LINK: www.huntarmusic.com

STREAM: "Autumn"

KATÉA

Katéa, an incredibly gifted Helsinki, Finland-based chanteuse whose musical sounds are inspired by Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lorde, Florence + The Machine, Tove Lo and Lana Del Rey, is one of the most inspiring new female artists to emerge in recent years and is poised for global success. Her music is a unique blend of indie-folk and experimental pop, crafting songs with both piano and guitar-driven tracks topped with bright, yet strong, warm and heartfelt vocals. Great songs, an incredible voice and a strong work ethic, original and charismatic stage presence and a unique artistic vision that sets the creative bar very high: this amazingly talented young singer recently signed to a worldwide publishing deal with BMG Scandinavia. Katéa has been writing music and performing since she was nine and has written some great songs, including her amazing debut single, “That Ain’t Love,” co-written with hot Swedish writer/producer team Moneybridge. The single has already seen success in Finland, as it was playlisted at YLEX, where it peaked at No.1 on the YLEX most wanted list. "That Ain't Love" has also been added to Yle Suomi, as well as all of their local stations and X3M, in addition to seeing airplay at Voice and Suomipop.

LINK: www.facebook.com/thatkatea

STREAM: "That Ain't Love"

THE LULU RAES

The Lulu Raes are a four-piece outfit from Sydney who combine a love of pop, Motown harmonies and catchy weirdness to create their own danceable and infectious brand of indie/pop/rock. Members Eddie, Taras, Marcus and Tom were influenced musically by The Strokes, The Flaming Lips and The Pixies and have been compared to the likes of Talking Heads and the now defunct Aussie band Yves Klein Blue. The Lulu Raes debut single “The Way Life Runs,” reached No.4 on Triple J’s Unearthed charts and their follow-up single, “Reputation,” earned support on Triple J for a number of months. The Australian quartet have shared stages with The Vines, Little Bastard and DMA’s and will soon be touring Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in support of their new single “Swing Me On A Vine of Sunshine.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/theluluraes

STREAM: "Swing Me On A Vine Of Sunshine"

HUNTAR

At 21 years old, South London’s producer and vocalist Huntar first earned attention last year with his debut track “Expectations” and has now returned with his mixture of twisted pop and futuristic R&B. Huntar’s supporters include the likes of Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens and most recently Annie Mac, who unveiled the title track from his EP Love I Know (Good Soldier Songs), on her BBC Radio 1 show. He’s received an influx of praise following his debut live show on the esteemed BBC Introducing Stage at this month's Radio 1 Big Weekend and has just announced that he will be headlining London’s Electrowerkz in August. Huntar has also received positive reviews from leading tastemaker blogs Hillydilly, Earmilk and The 405 and has been generating international support on tastemaker radio stations from Germany, U.S., South America and Australasia. There are currently two EPs available to download for free on his SoundCloud page, where you can listen to his latest single “Love I Know,” a song about a relationship breakdown. Huntar is signed to the U.K. independent music company Good Soldier Songs who recently inked the sensational Irish talent Gavin James and U.K. buzz act Coasts.

LINK: www.huntarmusic.com

STREAM: "Love I Know"

SORREN MACLEAN

Growing up on the Isle of Mull in the Hebrides Islands off the west coast of Scotland, Sorren Maclean began playing in bands at the tender age of 11. He recorded his debut album, Island, with Colin MacIntyre of Mull Historical Society, which led to Idlewild singer Roddy Woomble inviting Sorren to co-write his second solo album, The Impossible Song and Other Songs; they’ve been working together ever since. Sorren regularly works and records with composer Donald Shaw of Capercaillie, creating music for the soundtracks to BBC Two’s acclaimed Hebrides series and the award-winning children’s TV show Katie Morag, as well as many BBC documentaries including McQueen of Scots. Sorren’s delicate indie folk sound perfectly captures the desolate beauty of his homeland on the Isle of Mull. Possessing a warmth to both his voice and guitar playing that gives the listener a feeling of closeness, there is a definitive and accomplished quality to Sorren’s sound that allows his vocals and six-string work to share the spotlight simultaneously. Sorren’s undoubted talent has seen him transcend his own musical projects, having performed on over 20 albums, including upcoming releases from Nashville singer Eliza Lynn and one of Scotland’s finest exports, King Creosote.

LINK: www.sorrenmaclean.com

STREAM: "Way Back Home"

MIAMIGO

Brighton, UK duo Miamigo offered their first musical experience with their single "Opinions" last year. Like other new-age pop acts that captured the 80s sound, Miamigo drew early comparisons to St. Lucia, M83 and Chvrches, with their addicting hooks, mesmerizing synths and intelligent songwriting, not to mention their drum tracks that are reminiscent of Phil Collins post-Genesis days. After nearly a yearlong hiatus, Miamigo return with their second single, "Hard To Love," taken from their upcoming debut EP of the same name, due for release next month. The single has larger than life hooks and continues where "Opinions" left off. The twosome have their debut show at The Great Escape festival on Thursday and will no doubt have other performances on their schedule soon.

LINK: www.miamigomusic.com

STREAM: "Hard To Love"

STARLIGHT THEATRE

Born in Brisbane in 2011, but now balancing time between London and Brisbane, Starlight Theatre is a band bursting with ambition. Their aim is to write songs that stand the test of time; that they could play aged 50 and still have an arena howling along to their tunes. Their influences are, inevitably, big name acts who exist as much in the present as they do in the past � U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beatles and Justin Timberlake among them. In twelve months, they have played almost 200 shows, supported Evermore in 1000-capacity venues up the Australian east coast and released an EP made with ARIA Award-winning producer Magoo that rewarded them with radio play. When one song from that EP, “The Window,” picked up interest in Britain, the band upped sticks immediately. The EP itself, Castles, Clocks & Cathedrals, entered the iTunes Top 10 in the quartet's home country Australia. No small feat for a completely independent ensemble. Last summer, Starlight Theatre made the move to London, where they met manager/producer Jon O’Mahony. Recording sessions last summer saw almost an album’s worth of material written and recorded. Now, the band are gearing up for a showcase at Los Angeles’ MUSEXPO 2015 next Monday, April 27th at 9PM at SIR Studios Hollywood.

LINK: www.starlighttheatre.co.uk

STREAM: "Oceans"

MATHIAS MELO

Swedish singer and songwriter Mathias Melo describes himself as “a 21st century hippy with a whole lot of love,” which his music definitely reflects; his creative and caring lyrics show the same love and passion prevalent during the hippie era, whilst his musical style displays influences of soul, jazz and pop, all combined with authenticity. His passion as a youth was mainly for his professional football career, but he soon found a true connection to his own music and creativity. Mathias graduated from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm in 2013 where he also collaborated with other professional artists and musicians. He is currently signed with X-Level Studio in Stockholm and is generating an early buzz in Scandinavia. He’ll be doing his first official N. American showcase in a couple of weeks at MUSEXPO in Los Angeles.

LINK: www.mathiasmelo.com

STREAM: "Cocaine"

SIOBHAN WILSON

Siobhan Wilson’s story begins in her native Scotland, where she studied classical music by day while ransacking her father’s record collection each night. Joni Mitchell, John Martyn and Willie Nelson informed her inquisitive young ears, while the likes of Regina Spektor and Nina Simone helped to inspire the music you can hear today. A well-traveled artist, Siobhan studied music and composition in Edinburgh and then Paris, where she relinquished the classical world for a burgeoning interest in jazz and immersed herself in the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Jacques Brel. A six-month sojourn to the U.S. followed, which she spent collaborating and recording with artists and musicians in Woodstock. Now back in Scotland, Siobhan has been mesmerizing audiences throughout the country with performances in front of packed rooms in venues such as The Queens Hall, Edinburgh and the Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, as well as UK tours supporting the likes of Willy Mason, Justin Currie (Del Amitri) and Lau. She also recently garnered critical acclaim for her stunning “New Voices” commission for Celtic Connections and will showcase in Los Angeles next month at MUSEXPO.

LINK: www.facebook.com/siobhanwilsonmusic

STREAM: "Say It's True"

SEAN KELLY

Growing up in California, splitting his time between Venice and Sacramento, Sean Kelly had a number of musical influences that range from SoCal greats Sublime, Slightly Stoopid and Rebelution to Hip Hop pioneers Slick Rick, Big L and E-40 to the timeless talents of Jeff Buckley, The Doobie Brothers and Super Tramp. As a youngster, all he wanted to do was create and perform his own music. Drawing inspiration from the singing styles of Michael Jackson, Prince and Otis Redding, Sean came up with his own unique style of music that incorporates the California surf and beach sound. His debut single “Hands In The Sky” received airplay in the U.S., Ireland, Germany, China, South America, Peru and Australia. Radio station GFM.FM Hong Kong cited that Sean’s music is “R&B, but in the classic sense, with a Cali-seaside twist,” while Australia’s music blog Noise 11 states that Sean is “an artist to watch in 2015.” Hard at work writing and recording new material, Sean Kelly created the perfect summer-feel song with his latest, “57 Chevy.”

LINK: www.seankellymusic.co

STREAM: "57 Chevy"

MATT CRONERT

Matt Cronert hails from the city of V�ster�s, just outside of Stockholm in Sweden. He’s been writing songs for as long as he can remember, but eight years ago a song written to his newborn daughter called “Spread Out Your Wings” started his musical journey. Since then a lot has happened. He has been involved in various musical adventures, fronting bands in different genres, but now he is focusing all his energy on his own project. Matt’s music, though rather simple, is honest, but always from the heart. The lyrics he writes portray the troubles we all face, whether it’s about forsaken love, the injustice of the world or our troubled spirits. For Matt, music is a way to access the divinity that lies beyond our daily routines, a way of meditation and something that truly connects people that is, if it comes from the heart. When singing, he tries to connect to that divinity so that others can take part in it, if only for a song. Matt’s been influenced by some of the greats, including Coldplay's Chris Martin, Simon and Garfunkel, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder, among others. This melting pot of great sounds has made his music what it is today: organic, playful and thoughtful, with influences from many genres.

STREAM: "One Last Time"

RUH

Ruh, which means “Soul” in Arabic, formed in Stockholm, Sweden ten years ago by Fredrik Sundberg (vocals) and Jens Handell (guitar). The band was completed with Daniel Sellberg (bass), Axel Bellinder (piano) and Magnus Frid (drums). Their repertoire grew quickly as Ruh started gigging at the local bars and clubs in the Stockholm area. After being discovered by Kattis Blom, a booking agent at Live Nation, Ruh started performing at bigger venues all over the country. During a nationwide tour, the band played together with successful Swedish and Scandinavian acts such as Bo Kaspers Orkester and The Ark. During this time, their debut album 01 fell into the hands of members of The Who, which liked what they had heard and asked Ruh to be their opening act in Ericsson Globe Arena, Sweden’s largest indoor arena. Ruh went back to the studio to record their sophomore effort, Find the Essence and Multiply, which was very well-received. The album was launched in a rather unique way with 11 exclusive gigs featuring one song each, performed live face-to-face at the homes of 11 fans. Ruh continues to write and record for their third album Meanwhile which presents a massive sound that combines the two earlier albums in style, but also takes a leap forward with sonic expressions.

LINK: www.ruh.se

STREAM: "The Music"

SCARLETTE

Named after her passionate and exuberant personality, Scarlette is the pseudonym for the UK singer-songwriter, Karen Barrow. Over the past few years, she has co-written material with the likes of Metrophonic (James Morrison), Grant Black (Craig David), Julian Emery (Lissie), Paul Simm (Neneh Cherry) and Tolga Kashif (Queen Symphony). Musically, Dusty Springfield, Annie Lennox and Ella Fitzgerald influence her while she appeals to the fans of Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge and Natasha Bedingfield. Her music has been featured on the VH1 Television show Tough Love and she's been featured in PopJustice, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Star Magazine, Music Week, Record of the Day, Look Magazine, Gay Times, Diva Magazine, NME and more. In addition, she’s enjoyed some Billboard club chart success too with a remix of one of her previous singles. Her music has been supported by the likes of BBC Radio 2, while her latest song “Helena” has begun to see an increase of airplay in the United States. She is currently on a West Coast U.S. tour and has had her new single produced by Cenzo Townsend (U2, Snow Patrol, Florence + The Machine).

LINK: www.scarlettefever.co.uk

STREAM: "Helena"

LYDMOR

Behind the curious and self-ironic name Lydmor, Danish for “Mother of Sound,” you'll find the 25-year old, Danish singer-songwriter and producer, Jenny Rossander. Despite her young age, Lydmor has experienced more than most musicians ever will. She has toured most of mainland Europe and Southeast Asia on her own, been on “trust tours” all across the European continent, where she performed, lived and slept in the homes of her fans. She collaborated with renowned European artists such as Arsenal from Belgium and Alle Farben from Germany and has established herself as one of the most promising underground artists in her native Denmark. Exposing herself in the quest of achieving true artistic integrity, she is about to take her career to an entirely new level with the release of her new self-titled album. Stacked with intensity, emotion and personal experience, the album portrays a woman far beyond her age telling stories of love, lust and tragedy with Lydmor’s fragile and yet breathtaking voice, on top of an ambient and oddly catchy, electronic landscape.

LINK: www.lydmor.dk

STREAM: "I Love You"

MONKS OF MELLONWAH

Monks Of Mellonwah is a quartet from Sydney, Australia who are quickly establishing themselves on the indie music scene. Formed six years ago by high school friends, Monks of Mellonwah combine various creative energies to create a timeless fusion of alternative, indie and film-inspired rock/pop. Last March, they released their long-awaited debut album Turn The People (Gatcombe Music) as they teamed up with Grammy-winning producer Keith Olson (Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne) and acclaimed engineer Mark Needham (The Killers, Imagine Dragons). Since its release, the album has received critical acclaim as well as significant radio airplay in the U.S., Australia, UK, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Russia, Peru, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Africa on such stations as KNRK Portland, KNDD Seattle, KFRQ McAllen, BBC Radio 2 and Triple J. Monks of Mellonwah have also built their fan base from the ground up in the states through live shows by supporting the likes of Scott Stapp (the voice of Creed), Sevendust and Saving Abel. They are currently touring in Australia and are in the studio recording the follow-up to Turn The People, due out this year.

LINK: www.monksofmellonwah.com

STREAM: "Tear Your Hate Apart"

FOREST BLAKK

Unsigned Canadian singer/songwriter Forest Blakk is raising a lot of eyebrows with his incredible songwriting style and captivating live ability. Blakk, born Jesse-James Cameron, was the lead singer and songwriter for the successful roots/reggae outfit Makeshift Innocence before finding a new path and musical identity. Blakk's new sound was discovered just before his pseudonym was inspired by the Black Forest in Germany, the birthplace of his favorite author and Nobel Prize winner, Hermann Hesse. Forest Blakk's past has seen him living on the streets of Jamaica and rising above a difficult childhood to find his path in life, centered around the powerful and emotional music he creates. Inspired by roots, rock, reggae and soul, Forest Blakk blends a multitude of styles into a very organic, yet inspiring contemporary musical fusion. His recently released lyric video for his first single, "Love Me," has captured the attention of fans and industry alike.

LINK: www.facebook.com/forestblakk

VIDEO: "Love Me"

VILLAINETTES

Born in 2013 amidst the ashes of three totally diverse bands, Melbourne’s Villainettes create music from a dark and strange place. Impressive shimmering synth-like guitars, pumping beats of claustrophobia and bass full of hypnotic grit, drive their sound. With influences ranging from The Stone Roses, Joy Division and The Horrors, the quartet that includes members Michael Lindquist, Jonathan Reisacher, Francis White and Josh Dawes, have a distinct energetic restlessness burning in their souls. Having released their debut EP Love Cuts with legendary producer, Paul “Woody” Annsion (Children Collide, Howl, Black Cab) in October and soon to begin working on their debut album, it’s now time to bring their musical demon to life! They've already gained airplay support on multiple Alternative tastemaker stations both in the U.S. and internationally. Their single “Diamonds” has drawn comparisons to The Clash and Kasabian from fans and is beginning to gauge interest from bloggers and A&R executives.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Villainettes

STREAM: "Diamonds"

THE ROCKETBOYS

Formed in Abilene, TX and now calling Austin home, The Rocketboys swiftly achieved critical acclaim from their debut EP Sing, Bird, Sing as well as their debut album, 20,000 Ghosts. Their 2012 breakthrough release Build Anyway took them from regional indie heroes to a wildly popular national act. Members Brandon Kinder (lead vocals/guitar), Justin Wiseman (keyboards), Josh Campbell (bass), Josh Rodgers (drums) and Lang Freeman (guitar) create music that often equates to seminal artists as Coldplay, Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie, highlighting their prolific songwriting, artistic depth and ability to retain mass appeal. Earlier this month, they released their latest EP Left I Right (Black Magnetic Records), recorded and mixed by 10x GRAMMY-winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (U2, The Killers, Morrissey) and mastered by GRAMMY nominee Emily Lazar (Foo Fighters, HAIIM, Vampire Weekend). With music placements on hit shows such as Glee, Elementary and Private Practice as well as a strong live show; The Rocketboys are poised for a big year. The quintet is currently on the road with upcoming stops in Philadelphia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and more.

LINK: www.therocketboys.com

STREAM: "Loud and Clear"

ALFRED HALL

Five years ago, Bj�rn Tveit and Hans Thomas Ki�r spent their summer as workers on a farm. Without any experience, they spent their savings on guitars, a microphone and a sound card. Six months later, their first song was completed under the moniker Alfred Hall and after the second gig ever, the rave reviews started coming in and the band quickly became the band to watch out for in 2012. The debut single “So Bright” was a hit on international tastemaker radio stations and on Norwegian radio making way for the album Wilderness, which was released exclusively in Norway. The single “Lose That Gun” was featured at several short-film festivals and the video was nominated as “Scandinavia’s best music video” at the Bergen International Film Festival last year. Next, the band landed a synch placement with Netflix, using their song “Safe and Sound” on the official trailer for the Netflix original series Derek. Soon after, the Mexican beer brand Cerveza Pacifico Clara used their song “Someplace Beautiful” in their release campaign in the U.S. Last month, Alfred Hall released their latest self-titled EP globally on iTunes and Spotify through Waterfall/Phonofile � already Alfred Hall are generating some great early response on their new music. The 2013 MUSEXPO alum are releasing a new single in Norway next month through Sony Music Norway called “The King of Cape.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/alfredhallpage

MALKY

Germany’s Malky is a duo comprised of singer Daniel Stoyanov and producer Michael Vajna. When Daniel met Michael, they both shared the same vision; music was their passion and their future. Together they wrote songs for various Germany pop stars but writing for other artists wasn’t the main goal for the two so they moved to Leipzig, Germany to break free, step out of their comfort zone and find their own sound. The result is a debut album that musically jumps between the past and the present, taking its roots from Motown and The Beatles, but also from contemporary artists. They’ve built up quite the reputation as some of the biggest German newspapers are declaring the album a masterpiece, giving Malky the ability to sign with every German major record company right now. The duo just finished a sold-out tour in Germany and executed very successful showcases at the Reeperbahn Festival, Hamburg and Sonic Visions in Luxembourg last year. In addition, they’ve been generating tastemaker radio support worldwide. They are scheduled to perform at Eurosonic 2015 this week as one of the buzz acts at the event followed by their next tour.

LINK: www.facebook.com/malkyofficial

STREAM: "History Of Broken Hearts"

FANCI

Based in Berlin, Germany, FANCI has been making music since the age of six. His sonic journey started behind the piano, which then inspired him to pick up the guitar under the tutelage of guitarist Rudy Stevenson (George Benson, Nina Simone) with whom he also began to write songs. FANCI’s early demos were heard by Diana Music & Vision Publishing, who quickly signed him, which led to his debut release of two songs under the Berlin-based indie label, Wemby Records. The tracks entered the musical landscape under the moniker of Gemini and led to regional success. From there, FANCI continued to evolve as an artist and musician and also began producing for a number of other German artists. In the midst of his production work, FANCI began to write songs for his first album, with an international appeal in mind. Musically blending rock, soul, pop, new wave and funk, FANCI draws from influences that include Jamiroquai, Prince, Curtis Mayfield, Peter Gabriel and David Bowie.

LINK: www.fancimusic.com

STREAM: "Funky Sexy Cool"

SEAN KELLY

Growing up in California, splitting his time between Venice and Sacramento, Sean Kelly was influenced by SoCal Reggae greats Sublime, The Expendables, Dirty Heads, Slightly Stoopid and Rebelution as much as early rap icons like Slick Rick, Big L, Mac Dre and E-40. As a youngster, all he wanted to do was create and perform his own music. Drawing inspiration from the singing styles of Michael Jackson, Prince and Otis Redding, Sean came up with his own unique style of music that incorporates the California surf and beach sound. The debut single, “Hands In The Sky,” has created a bond with the warm sun and the motion of the ocean, providing the perfect summer-like backdrop whilst taking musical inspirations from Jack Johnson, John Mayer and Vance Joy. There is a long list of goals that this young artist and pro surfer wants to accomplish, with standards set as high as the Cali sun, the sky is truly the limit for Sean Kelly.

LINK: www.seankellymusic.co

STREAM: "Hands In The Sky"

LAUREL

At the age of four, Laurel knew she wanted to become a singer. Born and raised in a small UK town between Southampton and Portsmouth, at the age of seven, she wanted to be Britney Spears. A few years later she discovered the music of Laura Marling, picked up a Spanish guitar and started to figure out how to play folk music. Since then, the now 19 year-old has discovered her own style of music which can be heard in her self-penned and self-produced, cinematic songs that hinge on seductive, sultry vocals and have a haunting blend of piano, beats and strings. Signed to Turn First Artists, home to Iggy Azalea, Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora and Dan Croll, on the strength of a single demo two years ago, she moved to London to work with a host of A-list writers and producers. Her debut single, “Fire Breather” has garnered an incredible amount of success hitting over 500,000 views on YouTube and over 250,000 plays on SoundCloud. Following on from there Laurel released her debut EP in April, from which she unveiled two additional singles: “To The Hills” which now has over 1.5 million plays on Spotify and “Shells” which was added to Radio 1’s BBC Introducing playlist and was also featured on Zane Lowe’s Next Hype. She’s toured with John Newman and Dan Croll, performed at the BBC Radio 2 Live Lounge with Sam Smith, has received further airplay support from Radio 1's Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens and she’s already confirmed for SXSW next March in Austin.

LINK: www.classiclaurel.com

STREAM: "Memorials"

CLUB KURU

In 2013, Laurie Erskine uploaded the songs “Loot” and “Long Drive” on SoundCloud under the moniker Club Kuru and then the London songwriter/producer’s music was mysteriously taken down. Instead of fading into obscurity, he returned with a euphoric, ethereal R&B-laced track called “All The Days” back in April. That set the pace for Club Kuru, who is back with a new flawless indie/electronic production called "”Seesaw.” The haunting track with smooth vocals already impresses fans and the tastemakers in the blogosphere, who are demanding repeated listens and more music. Club Kuru’s music was also embraced last year by the influential tastemaker global radio program Passport Approved, which helped introduce Club Kuru’s music to fans worldwide and fuel further interest for this talented writer and artist.

LINK: www.clubkuru.com

STREAM: "Seesaw"

THE MAJORITY SAYS

The Majority Says is a Swedish pop rock outfit formed in 2010 composed of Timo Krantz, Mathias Jonasson, Jonathan Lennerbrant, Emil Berg, Axel Engstr�m and Hanna Antonsson. On Valentine’s Day of 2012, they released their debut EP Best Night Ever featuring the single “114.” That track was featured in a large Television advertising campaign in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe for the new Viasat Film Channel and other songs by the band were featured in Pretty Little Liars, MTV’s Catfish and The Real L Word as well as garnering U.S. and global radio support on Passport Approved on various influential FM radio stations. In October of the same year, they released their album Under Streetlights exclusively in Scandinavia. In December of last year, they released their second EP, Between Love And Simple Friends. The band’s international debut self-titled album was released in August of this year through Queenside/Warner Music Germany.

LINK: www.themajoritysays.com

STREAM: "Silly Ghost"

TALISCO

J�r�me Amandi was born in Bordeaux and began making music at the very young age of four. After being influenced by the likes of Supertramp and Neil Young, he wrote his first song at 13 years old. Under the stage name Talisco, his first EP My Home was released last year on the independent label ROY Music and those five tracks laid the foundation for his Electro-Funk debut album, Run, which was released this year on ROY Music/Virgin Records Germany. He was featured in this newsletter early last year and has since gone on to European success. Talisco has performed at several nationally known festivals this year in Germany including Energy In The Park in Munich and the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg. Talisco is currently on the road through the end of the year with stops in Switzerland, France, Germany and more.

LINK: www.taliscomusic.com

STREAM: "The Keys"

KALEO

Combining an inventive mixture of groovy indie-pop, blues and Rock & Roll is Iceland’s Kaleo. Formed just 18 months ago, members J�kull J�l�usson (vocals/guitar), Dav�� Antonsson (drums/vocals), Dan�el �gir Kristj�nsson (bass) and Rubin Pollock (lead guitar) have experienced considerable success and earned quite the buzz in the Icelandic musical landscape. Last year’s single “Vor � Vaglask�gi” helped ignite their fire and since then, they've had three No.1 hit singles in Iceland. Their self-titled debut album peaked at No.1 and they were nominated in every possible category at the Icelandic Listeners Awards, where they won for Best Singer, Newcomer of the Year and Best Album. They also won the Best Newcomer Award at the Icelandic Music Awards, solidifying their connection with the fans in Iceland. Kaleo have performed at a number of festivals, signed with the Sena record label and have received airplay support on multiple radio stations and are currently being courted by numerous labels and publishers.

LINK: www.facebook.com/theband.kaleo

STREAM: "All The Pretty Girls"

LITTLE BASTARD

Sydney, Australia's Little Bastard is a mighty seven-piece punk-string band that incorporates guitars, bass, fiddle, banjo, harmonica, mandolin, beats and a load of voices and memorable tunes that will undoubtedly draw you into their sound. Formed just two years ago, they’ve rapidly become one of Australia's most entertaining and undeniable live acts as members Ross Tipper, Johnny Took, Ed Rowe, Daniel D’arcy, Trevor Davies, Liam Hoskins and Matty Took give it their all on stage. Their self-titled debut album (FourIIFour) has drawn inspiration of everyone from Earl Scruggs and Neil Young to Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac and fans have compared them to the likes of Los Angeles' Flogging Molly, Australia's The Smith Street Band and Chicago’s The Tossers. The Bastards, as they are also known as in Sydney, smashed out their debut album in just eight days with producer Lachlan Mitchell (The Jezebels).

LINK: www.facebook.com/LittleBastardos

STREAM: "Be My Kind"

JÚNÍUS MEYVANT

Júníus Meyvant is the artist name of Vestmann Islands born singer-songwriter Unnar G�sli Sigurmundsson. In his early 20s, he stumbled upon a beat up guitar at his parent’s house and started experimenting with it. Using the guitar as an outlet, he managed to tame his inner beast and his sense for songs and melodies that burst like rockets. The uncontrollable urge for writing music and the constant flow of ideas kept him tossing and turning every night and day, forever and a day. For a while, he filtered his ideas through a band that didn't live up to his creative requirements so he decided to pursue his own path under the alter ego Júníus Meyvant. The sound he has created is a rich and afflicted take on freaky folk-pop with a familiar and soulful feel. The feeling you get from listening to the debut single “Color Decay” is equally as comfortable as resting under a thick wool blanket with a hot cup of cocoa or enjoying an exotic beverage on a hot sandy beach far and away. Unnar is currently in the studio working on his debut album (through Record Records who originally signed Of Monsters And Men), which should see release next Spring.

LINK: www.facebook.com/juniusmeyvantmusic

STREAM: "Color Decay"

RACING GLACIERS

Racing Glaciers, the five-piece outfit consisting of Tim Monaghan, Danny Thorpe, Matt Scheepers, Simon Andersson and Matt Welch, was originally conceived as an on-off collaboration. Their debut EP was recorded and produced in just five days in a living room, hit No.1 on Bandcamp and help build the band’s UK fan base. In early 2014, Racing Glaciers released their sophomore EP Ahead Of You Forever, which was mixed by Barny Barnicott (Arctic Monkeys) and allowed the band to receive critical acclaim, including reviews by Neon Gold, All Things Go and Clash. The quintet decided it was time to bring in an external producer for their third EP, Don't Wait For Me, and enlisted the talents of Jolyon Thomas, who has worked with Daughter, Sigur Ross and M83. Together, they have created the spacious stadium sound that Racing Glaciers has always strived for.

LINK: www.facebook.com/RacingGlaciers

STREAM: "Animal"

THE BLUE VAN

Denmark’s The Blue Van consists of Steffen Westmark (vocals and guitar), Søren Christensen (keyboard, vocals and guitar), Allan Villadsen (bass) and Per Jørgensen (drums and vocals). The quartet started at the young age of 12 when the members were inspired after hearing Jimi Hendrix for the first time in a TV commercial. The Blue Van have seen over 65 music placements, including music featured in the films and trailers of The First Time, Magic Mike, American Reunion, The Boys Are Back, Fright Night and That’s My Boy. The Blue Van has also seen their music placed in a variety of Television shows including Dallas, Hellcats, NCIS, CSI, 90210, Entourage, Hard Times of RJ Berger, Lie To Me, Shameless, Revenge, Body of Proof and Private Practice. Companies such as Samsung, T-Mobile and Red Lobster have made use of their music and the band’s track “There Goes My Love” was featured in the commercial for the initial launch of the Apple iPad. The Blue Van are also two-time BMI TV Music Award winners in 2010 and 2012 for their track “Independence,” which was named the Best TV Theme Song for the show Royal Pains. After releasing five albums to date, they’ve decided this time around to leave the traditional, and the safe, album format behind, in order to release only singles. “Illusion,” The Blue Van’s latest single in a string of ten, is about the point in life when you find “the one” and the anticipation of the life you’ve created together.

LINK: www.thebluevan.com

STREAM: "Illusion"

THESE REIGNING DAYS

These Reigning Days is made up of three experienced musicians that include Dan Steer (lead vocals), Joe Sansome (drums) and Jonny Finnis (bass/vocals). The trio have now firmly established themselves on the musical landscape as a formidable and impressive live band with strong songwriting skills. They’re one of the most promising unsigned U.K. rock bands with global potential to emerge in recent years since Coldplay, Muse, Keane and Radiohead. The forthcoming album, Opera of Love, produced by Yoad Nevo (Air, Morcheeba, Goldfrapp), was remixed by Grammy Award winner Adrian Bushby (Muse, Foo Fighters) and is expected to be released on September 21st. These Reigning Days are no strangers to the road, either; they’ve supported Bon Jovi in Milan, Italy at the San Siro stadium in front of 80,000 screaming fans (and had a No.1 rock single on the Italian charts) and they performed at the main stage of 2013’s Polish Woodstock. They just performed at the V-ROX Festival in Vladivostok, Russia a couple of weeks ago and are gigging throughout Europe for the next couple of months as well as preparing for major city tour dates in India with MTV and VH1 India. The band recently garnered support on XFM UK as well as early support on key influential U.S., German and Australian radio stations.

LINK: www.thesereigningdays.co.uk

STREAM: "Thrones"

THE LULU RAES

The Lulu Raes are a four-piece outfit from Sydney, Australia comprised of members Eddie, Raras, Marcus and Tom, who combine their love of pop, Motown harmonies, and catchy weirdness to create their own danceable and infectious brand of indie/pop/rock. Having written with Sticky Fingers and influenced by The Strokes, The Flaming Lips and The Pixies, they have a sound that is best described part Talking Heads and part now-defunct Brisbane Indie quartet Yves Klein Blue. The Lulu Raes invite you to join them on their journey to your hearts with their single “The Way Life Runs,” which has been receiving extensive support on the global tastemaker radio show Passport Approved. The track, which has been compared to the likes of Phoenix, is a lively indie track complete with a chipper hook.

LINK: www.facebook.com/theluluraes

STREAM: "Way Life Runs"

JODEE

Jodee is a singer/songwriter who comes from the rural environs of a small town in Pennsylvania, the same state that has produced a number of other successful female artists, namely P!nk, Christina Perri and Vanessa Carlton. Utilizing everything from traditional hymns and vintage records, to playful harmonies and made-up material, making music quickly became a passion for Jodee. She now resides in an artistic community of fellow singer/songwriters and performs regularly in both Los Angeles and Manhattan, earning comparisons to Dido, Sia, Lissie and Norah Jones. Jodee has been hard at work putting together her latest EP, After The Hurricane, which showcases her smoky tones and impassioned vocal abilities. The title track is an up-tempo number with lyrical references to one of the greatest films of all time, The Wizard of Oz.

LINK: www.facebook.com/jodeeseidersmusic

STREAM: "Emerald City"

MICHAEL SCHULTE

Born and raised in Germany, music has always been a priority in Michael Schulte’s life. When he was a young child, he would always be singing and constantly serenading his family with his early vocal skills. After teaching himself to play the guitar when he was 16, he began to cover popular songs and uploaded them to YouTube. Since 2006, the number of fans increased, reaching the millions, and the response was overwhelmingly positive; his cover of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” gathered over 4.5 million views. Michael’s debut album, Wide Awake, was released in 2012, and immediately earned him a No.1 in the Germany Newcomer Charts. Michael has returned with his sophomore album, The Arising, which turned the small stories of his everyday life into brilliant songs. With the new album, the 24 year-old is giving honest music straight from the mind of a mature artist; music that will not only touch you, but grip you, that doesn’t just move you, but will send you on a journey.

LINK: www.facebook.com/schultemusic

STICKY FINGERS

One summers night some years ago, Dylan Frost (vocals/guitar) was finishing up a night of busking when Paddy Cornwall (bass/vocals) walked past and the two struck up a conversation. Bonding over mutual hobbies, the lads added Seamus Coyle (lead guitar), Freddy Crabs (keys/synth) and Beaker Best (drums/percussion) to form Sticky Fingers. Musically, they describe their sound as a melting pot of reggae, psych, pop and bourbon, with comparisons to The Clash, Pink Floyd and Arctic Monkeys. The Sydney quintet released their debut album, Caress Your Soul, in March of 2013 that resulted in multiple charting singles and a spot on the Triple J Hottest 100. The album produced three singles that reached high rotation on national Australian radio where the song “Caress Your Soul’ peaked at No.17 on the ARIA single charts. Tickets to see Sticky Fingers sold just as fast as the album did, nearly selling-out every venue that they performed at; playing 32 dates in 40 days in Holland, UK and France on their European tour. Their sophomore album, Land of Pleasure, was just released on August 1st containing the single “Just For You,” which packs a massive, must-listen chorus. Sticky Fingers is promoting the album by touring Australia throughout September and October.

STREAM: "Just For You"

MANFRED KIDD

Two childhood friends met on the midnight train home after a night out in downtown Gothenburg, Sweden. Victor Crusner and Fredrik Folkstad discussed old memories and had a great time connecting. They stayed in touch and began making music together. Ideas and visions turned into songs, which they then recorded piece by piece at different locations. Recorded partly in a 19th century inn as well as in a cabin in the Swedish west coast archipelago, the two created a full-length album under the moniker Manfred Kidd. With an amazing and unique sound, this is a band to be reckoned with. Their debut EP, Where Were You When You Were Us, has been compared to the likes of The Killers and Passion Pit. The Wild Honey Pie music blog touts the debut as “one of those EPs that manages to never dull, only heighten as it progresses, ending with an inevitable repeat play - i.e. infinite plays.” The duo are currently available for global signing, licensing, publishing and booking.

LINK: www.facebook.com/manfredkiddmusic

STREAM: "Lights"

GAVIN JAMES

Twenty two year old Dubliner singer songwriter, Gavin James kicked off 2014 with two No.1 EP’s in Ireland followed by winning the Irish Choice Music Prize Award for “Song Of The Year.” His rise and development in his home market, has gained him sell-out headline dates across Ireland and support tours with acts such as Marina & the Diamonds, Ingrid Michaelson, Kodaline, Lianne La Havas and in March of this year with James Blunt on his sold-out stadium tour across Europe. Gavin’s talent comes from his mother’s side of the family. His great, grandparents were both famous Irish opera singers and had their own album released in the early 1900’s. Gavin began to play guitar at age eight. After leaving school, James gigged around Dublin's Temple Bar and quickly began getting himself heard. While working on his live technique, his confidence was growing also, which led to early support from A&R Worldwide back in 2012 and he ultimately signed his U.K. record deal and a few weeks ago publishing with Good Soldier Songs.

LINK: www.facebook.com/gavinjamesmusic

STREAM: "Remember Me"

MIAMIGO

Brighton, the city best known for giving the world Fatboy Slim and more recently the buzz rock act Royal Blood is now sharing their latest musical gem, Miamigo. The duo, consisting of members Liam and Jamie, has labeled their style of music as “Dark Pop” and the proof is in the pudding with their debut single “Opinions.” The track, layered with synths, massive hooks and intelligent songwriting, would fit perfectly in today's mix of bands that are bringing back the 80s sound with a modern twist, a la Chvrches, St. Lucia and Panama while possessing the same commercial potential of Bastille and The 1975. There is a major online and A&R buzz on the band and it’s only a matter of time before their international breakthrough. The band is currently writing and recording new material for their debut album � a global deal is imminent!

LINK: www.facebook.com/miamigomusic

STREAM: "Opinions"

MONKS OF MELLONWAH

Monks Of Mellonwah is a four-piece outfit based in Sydney. The band consists of Vikrim Kaushik (vocals/guitar), Joe de la Hoyde (lead guitar), John de la Hoyde (bass) and Josh Baissari (drums). Winners of the awards for International Rock Artist of the Year at the Los Angeles Music Awards (2012) and Best Indie Rock Band at the Artists in Music Awards (2012), their musical influences range from such classic artists as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin to contemporaries such as Muse. Taken from their debut album, Turn The People, their latest single “Tear Your Hate Apart” was produced by Joe de la Hoyde and mixed by Grammy Award-nominated Mark Needham (The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees). The Australian quartet recently finished the Passport Approved Tour on the West Coast, which also featured Lime Cordiale, Hamish Anderson and Giorgi + Leo, and just finished an East Coast tour supporting the voice of Creed, Scott Stapp. On Thursday, they began supporting Saving Abel, which will take them to Seattle, Portland and Las Vegas among other cities before they begin supporting Sevendust in August, which takes them to IL, IA, KS, OK and WI.

LINK: www.monksofmellonwah.com

STREAM: "Tear Your Hate Apart"

TRAVIS CAUDLE

Travis Caudle is an Australian-born singer/songwriter, who now calls North America his second home, that specializes in guitar-based songs that are lyrically preoccupied with transcending the trappings of the mind, living in the present moment and reinvention. He has toured all over Australia and North America, invited to perform at a number of international festivals including and his music has been featured in The CW’s Gossip Girl and ABC’s FlashForward. His latest EP, It's Just You, was released in December and recorded with Grammy-nominated Australian producer Mark Moffatt, best known for his work with Neil & Tim Finn, Divinyls and Keith Urban. A seasoned touring artist, Travis has performed over 600 tour dates in the past five years, supporting a variety of diverse artists including Kasey Chambers, Sia, The Black Crowes, Marty Willson-Piper of The Church, Hinder and many more.

LINK: traviscaudle.com.au

STREAM: "Somewhat Grey"

THE FAULTS

Some of the most successful bands in Australia hail from Sydney: AC/DC, Midnight Oil, INXS, Divinyls, Icehouse, The Church, Wolfmother and the list continues to grow. Sydney’s latest offering may not be included on that list just yet, but their talent shouldn't stop them from being a global success. Enter Oli (guitar/vocals) and Tom (drums) who, together, are The Faults. Formed in a garage, ironically, the duo released their five-track Patients EP in 2012 which was produced be The E.L.F. (ex-Gerling frontman Darren Cross). Their 60s indie lo-fi rock sound has increased interest from both radio programmers and A&R executives with their demo single “Alexander,” which can be recommended to the fans of Jack White, The Strokes, The Libertines and The Raconteurs. The song is an absolute smash and surprisingly has yet to be discovered by Australian radio; The Faults have the ability to export globally like artists such as The Temper Trap, Gotye and Birds of Tokyo and are on the cusp of great global success.

LINK: thefaults.bandcamp.com

STREAM: "Alexander"

VILLAINETTES

Born in 2013 amidst the ashes of three totally diverse bands, Melbourne’s Villainettes create music from a dark and strange place. Impressive shimmering synth-like guitars, pumping beats of claustrophobia and bass full of hypnotic grit, drive their sound. With influences ranging from The Stone Roses, Joy Division and The Horrors, the quartet that includes members Michael Lindquist, Jonathan Reisacher, Francis White and Josh Dawes, have a distinct energetic restlessness burning in their souls. Their sound radiates a musical mix of The Temper Trap and Arcade Fire on a musical sound clash with The Pixies. Having recently recorded their debut EP with legendary producer, Paul “Woody” Annsion and soon to begin working on their debut album, it’s now time to bring their demon to life! Their single “Death Notice” has recently started to get support in the U.S. on Specialty Radio shows on such stations as KNDD Seattle, KNRK Portland, KAFA Colorado Springs, KFRR Fresno, KWSS Phoenix, WLKK Buffalo and many others before any Australian radio support to date.

LINK: www.villainettes.com

STREAM: "Death Notice"

DUSTIN TEBBUTT

Dustin Tebbutt relocated from Sydney, Australia to Sweden for two years where he wrote and recorded his music. The result was the four track EP, The Breach (Eleven Music). Dustin wrote, produced and mixed the EP as well as played the majority of the music, which pays musical homage to Sigur R�s and Jose Gonzales. His debut single “The Breach” touched the hearts of many fans but also received support at radio; the song entered the Top 50 on Triple J’s Hottest 100 annual poll and other Australian radio advocates including FBi and Unearthed Radio. Zane Lowe at UK's BBC Radio 1 gave the track multiple spins along with airplay support Dustin earned on the influential Netherlands station, Radio 3FM as well as early support last year in the U.S. and worldwide via various tastemaker radio stations on the Passport Approved syndicated radio program. The EP is nearing Gold sales in Australia and he continues to impact globally, selling out shows in New York, London and Amsterdam.

LINK: www.dustintebbutt.com

STREAM: "The Breach"

POWERS

Mike Del Rio and Crista Russo are the New York/Los Angeles electro-pop duo, best known as Powers. Mike Del Rio has previously written for Cheryl Cole, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, LP, Kylie Minogue and Skylar Grey while Crista has worked with Icona Pop. During a writing session last year, both Del Rio and Russo created a song called “Birthday.” That track was recorded by Selena Gomez and featured as the lead track on her debut solo album. Powers wrote and recorded the infectious track “Gimme Some,” which was featured in the J. Crew Mastercard Masterpass commercial during the Christmas holiday. The track combines an alternative, electronic/pop edge that is a smorgasbord of sounds from Capital Cities, LMFAO and Ting Tings all combined into one. The song has garnered its first radio support initially in Germany with DJ Franky’s show on Delta Radio and worldwide now on Passport Approved, which broadcasts on 41 FM stations across the globe. The song, which has a Passion Pit vibe to it, was available as a free download on their website and many fans took advantage. Powers is a head above the competition and should stay on your radar.

LINK: www.givemepowers.com/

STREAM: "Gimme Some"

RUH

Back in the summer of 2005 vocalist Fredrik Sundberg and guitarist Jens Handel traveled to Cairo, Egypt, seeking musical inspiration. They took what they had - a half-finished song - and played. The audience was very touched and kept using the same word to describe the music: “Ruh,” which means “soul.” When the guys returned to Sweden, they came back with more than musical inspiration - they also returned with a name. The group was completed with bassist Daniel Sellberg, keyboard player Axel Belinder and drummer Magnus Frid, who each added their own personal touch to the band. The repertoire quickly grew and the quintet began playing live in Stockholm, building a fan base and attracting the attention of Kattis Blom, a booking agent at Live Nation, who set them up in larger venues. Their debut record, 01, somehow fell in to the hands of members of The Who, who asked Ruh to open their show in Globen, one of Sweden’s largest arenas. Afterward they retreated to a cabin in northern Sweden to create their second album, Find the Essence and Multiply, which includes happy-go-lucky ’60s pop and dramatic horn arrangements - and pretty much everything in between. After a few years of writing, recording and touring, Ruh was ready to create their third album, Meanwhile, a reflection of a stormy period in the bands life. It was a period of personal tragedies intertwined with great triumphs. The sound of the album combines the overall aesthetics of their first two albums in style, but also took a leap forward with sonic expressions inspired by the 80s.

LINK: www.ruh.se

STREAM: "The Music"

HAMISH ANDERSON

Though just 22 years of age, singer/songwriter/guitarist Hamish Anderson has been making waves in his native Australia since 2009. He is recognized for an impressive live show that encompasses a mix of blues, rock and folk with moments of loud, electric blues-soaked songs as well as delicate acoustic balladry. He’s also recorded with an impressive cast of accompanying musicians, including Wallflowers founding keyboardist Rami Jaffee and bassist Rob Calder (Kanye West). Since 2010 Hamish has released a trio of songs on Triple J’s Unearthed platform including: “Winter,” “Comes a Day” and “Nobody,” all of which charted within the rock/pop charts, peaking at No.1, No.2 and No.5, respectively. After topping the Triple J Unearthed charts, Hamish recorded a self-titled five-track EP in BJB Studio with American producer Eric J. Dubowsky (Art vs. Science, Weezer). The EP was engineered by Jean-Paul Fung (Birds of Tokyo, Silverchair) and mastered by Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, Dr John, The Shins), featuring the song “Howl.”

LINK: www.hamishanderson.com.au/

VIDEO: "Howl"

BUFFALO SUNN

Irish five-piece Buffalo Sunn is comprised of songwriter Daniel Paxton (vocals/guitar), his brother Conor (bass/pedal steel guitar), Patrick McHugh (guitar, backing vocals), Jimmy Cullen (keys) and Donagh O'Brien (drums). They incorporate sounds from the '60s up to the present day, mixing big, reverb-laden vocals with tasty guitar work. The group was born in October 2013, emerging from the ashes of previous moniker Sweet Jane (under which name they'd performed with such luminaries as Suede, A Place to Bury Strangers and Glasvegas) with a change in musical direction, style and lineup. Their debut album, By the Ocean By the Sea, was released to great fanfare in Ireland in October 2014 and bowed in the Top 15. Produced by Pat McCarthy (U2, REM, Waterboys, Madonna), it earned universal acclaim from the Irish press: in four-star reviews, the Irish Daily Star praised Buffalo Sunn's "harmony-drenched vocals and psychedelic flavours," while the Irish Times noted the quintet's "strong, intuitive sense of West Coast US music." Buffalo Sunn has earned a formidable reputation as a live band, noted for their three-part vocal harmonies and inventive guitar and percussion. No strangers to the festival circuit, they've played CMJ in NYC and Music Matters in Singapore, along with Ireland's biggest fests, Oxegen and Electric Picnic.

LINK: www.facebook.com/Buffalosunn

STREAM: "By Your Side"

MAX FROST

In a world where nearly every musician is put into a genre-specific box, we have been graced with a handful of artists as of late that defy that game. Someone that refuses to be put into a box is producer and songwriter Max Frost. We first mentioned Frost early last year after Atlantic Records Chairman Craig Kallman told us they’d just signed Frost to the major label. Hailing from Austin, TX, Frost developed his eclectic style of music playing in various projects while in his teens. After hearing the likes of Erykah Badu and D’Angelo, Frost began to incorporate hip-hop elements and touches of R&B into his blues-infused music. The result can be found in his debut single, “White Lies” which exploded online when it was released, topping The Hype Machine’s “Most Popular Tracks on Blogs Now” and the infectious track was featured in a recent Beats Music commercial. The song is taken from his five-song debut EP Low High Low which was released last year and has been building a foundation in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Germany and other territories and is poised to break globally in the coming months.

LINK: www.maxfrost.net

STREAM: "White Lies"

KAITLIN RIEGEL

Kaitlin Riegel was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in the United States until the age of 12. Then her perfectly sane family ventured across the world and uprooted Kaitlin to Auckland, New Zealand. Now after living nearly half of her life in each country, she’s proud to be an American and a Kiwi. Learning to play piano and sing throughout her childhood became much more than a hobby. Kaitlin launched into songwriting when she performed at a local Arts Centre Coffee House open mic night, amongst the folk and country singers at a ripe young age. Now, her passion for music has never been stronger. Most of the music she creates revolves around intricate vocal parts but almost everything she writes is composed on her beloved Roland keyboard. Her goal, as for many musicians, is to get the music to reflect the lyric, which then bonds together to create an image in the listeners mind. She loves to experiment with sound to create an atmosphere and tell a story. The final result can be heard with her songs that were produced by Simon “Berkfinger” Berckelman (The Temper Trap, Silverchair, Wolfmother) which has drawn early musical comparisons to Lorde and Kimbra with a touch of Adele. Her single “Silhouettes” (the KIDFORCE radio mix) is already starting to draw early buzz at tastemaker radio worldwide and she recently released her debut EP, A Thought That Counts. Kaitlin Riegel is destined to be another great New Zealand-based global export and follow the success of Lorde, Naked & Famous, Gin Wigmore, Kimbra and many others.

LINK: www.kaitlinriegel.com

STREAM: "Silhouettes"

ROZBUB

Musical revolutions have become rare nowadays…but Manuel Bissig hopes to change that with his project ROZBUB, which will create a stir in German-speaking Switzerland. The 24-year-old guitarist, singer and songwriter connects dirty Jimi Hendrix-style riffs with dialect lyrics and is about to wake the Swiss dialect lyrics scene from its hibernation. Bissig released his debut album Wait A Second under the pseudonym “Manao,” which proved to be very popular, earning airplay on several different radio stations in Switzerland, TV appearances (“SF2 Musiclab”) and main stage slots at a few concerts (Honky Tonk Festival, Schuur, Huis-Festival). Recruiting bassist Lukas Kurmann and drummer Simon Gautsch, Bissig launched ROZBUB, which didn’t take long to find its first fans, amongst them acclaimed musician Reto Burrell. The band’s unique and energetic rock sound has been generating strong media, radio and live support across G/S/A (Germany, Switzerland, Austria).

LINK: www.littlegreatthings.com

STREAM: "Pay For Me"

INGRID OLAVA

In March 2008 Ingrid Olava released her debut album, Juliet’s Wishes, to both commercial and critical acclaim. It quickly reached Gold status in her native Norway and garnered three Norwegian Grammy nominations, for Best New Artist, Female Artist of the Year and Best Song. In February 2010 she followed up that success with her sophomore effort, The Guest, released on her own Daring Viola label through Universal. The album reached No.2 on the Norwegian album chart, No.1 on iTunes and Ingrid received the Best Female award at the 2011 Norwegian Grammys. She released the Please Welcome EP in November 2010 as her first international release, receiving a warm reception from European media including NME.com, Sunday Times Culture, Music Week and Drowned in Sound. For the past three years Ingrid has recorded film soundtracks and made her mark as an actress, with prominent roles in movies and TV series such as “Oslo,” “31 August” and “Lily Hammer” � but now she returns with her third album, Summer House, a diverse, eclectic effort featuring songs that are pure pop, others that are stripped-down ballads, a few with programmed beats and a lot with a great big layered synth sound.

LINK: www.ingridolava.com

STREAM: "Jackie Kennedy"

GAVIN JAMES

Gavin James began to play guitar at the age of eight. After leaving high school, he gigged around Dublin’s Temple Bar and quickly began getting himself heard and building a good local audience. The 21-year-old singer songwriter's career continues to shine as this red headed Dubliner, armed with an incredible voice and songs, had two No.1 EP’s in Ireland. He built a lot of industry attention and interest in Los Angeles in 2012 when he performed his first ever N. American show at MUSEXPO and the Worldwide Radio Summit in LA and also captured very early support on the influential tastemaker radio show Passport Approved. Last year, he won Ireland’s Choice Music Prize Award for “Song of The Year.” His rise and development in his home market has gained him sell-out headline dates across Ireland and supporting opportunities with Marina & the Diamonds, Ingrid Michaelson, Kodaline, Nouvelle Vague and Liana Le Havas. Just last month, he won his second Irish award - the “Rising Star Award” at the Irish Entertainment Awards 2014 and over the next few months, he will tour the UK and Europe with Island's new signing Lauren Aquilina, join Heather Nova on her European tour, support Kodaline in Dublin and tour with James Blunt on his European Tour in France, Ireland, Belgium and Switzerland.

LINK: www.gavinjamesmusic.com

STREAM: "Remember Me"

THE CORNELIUS

The Cornelius are a Spanish, rock-spirited band influenced by old records and contemporary pop sounds, composed of Andoni Arcos (bass), Toni B. Willisch (rhythm guitar), Davie Caneda (lead vocal/acoustic guitar) and Jos� A. Vilas (keys). Formed seven years ago, they've managed to release three studio albums: Greatest Hits, 1960 and 2013's Walking In Circles, which was mixed by Adrian Hall (The Pet Shop Boys, Robbie Williams, The Black Eyed Peas) and mastered by Alan Douches (The Ramones, Fleetwood Mac, The Chemical Brothers). In the past few years, The Cornelius have performed alongside Morcheeba and Juliette Lewis at the finale of the Global Battle of the Bands and Villa de Bilbao as well as at MTV Galicia with The Temper Trap and Arcade Fire. Their latest achievement has been to be a part of the Coca-Cola Music Experience, where they recorded one of their best-known songs to date with “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.”

LINK: thecornelius.bandcamp.com

STREAM: "Everything's Alright"

EMMA LONGARD

Born into a musical family, Emma Longard’s life has always revolved around music. At the young age of 11, she began singing in an opera chorus while playing the violin and the piano. Her passion and love for Motown Soul and classical songwriters soon made it clear to her that she wanted to be a professional musician. Over the years, she continued her musical education and began to write her own songs and play in bands. Her unique voice and rare sense for melodies and lyrics became an important expression of herself. Today, it’s not only the soul of the 60s that makes Emma’s music as she found herself a mixture that is hard to describe; it’s the emphatic unpretentious way of Aretha Franklin meeting Bon Iver with Indie Soul. Her five song debut EP, Elle, was released on Modernsoul in June and has earned global blog and radio support.

LINK: www.emmalongard.com

STREAM: "Discoqueen"

GIORGI + LEO

Every so often a musical chemistry is made by the merging of two great talents who meet each other on the journey of life. Giorgi + Leo may come from two different sides of the world, but when they are together, they create beautiful music. Their life story involves journeys in Africa, Europe and the U.S. and their love story began when they met in Los Angeles, where Leo had moved to pursue a career in music. Leo produced a version of “When Doves Cry,” the top selling U.S. single of 1984 by Prince, which caught the attention and approval by Quinton Dean, a guitarist for Prince, who asked if he could play guitar on the track. After a few months of writing and producing their forthcoming album in London, the duo have returned to Los Angeles to put the finishing touches on a debut album and also garnered strong brands and synch interest.

LINK: www.facebook.com/GiorgiandLeo

STREAM: "When Doves Cry"

HUNDREDS

Hailing from Hamburg, Germany is the duo Hundreds. Formed just four short years ago and comprised of siblings Eva and Phillip Milner, their music has a minimalist electronic approach that includes extensive melodies and pop greatness. Their sound has been compared to Massive Attack, Dido and Little Dragon as they create a precise blend of post rock, synth pop, R&B, folk and electro. Their live show is purely epic and will appeal to fans of Imogen Heap, Frou Frou, Faithless and other intelligent electronic-based alternative music. Hundreds has been playing festivals all over Europe - Paris, London, Milan and Brussels among others. Hundreds spent 18 months working on their sophomore album, Aftermath, which reflected on their experiences of the last four years and have been in the studio writing and recording new material, which will be debuted in Los Angeles this spring. Hundreds creates music that thrives on tension, dynamics and hypnotic arcs of suspense. A sample of their latest creation can be found in the organically constructed song “Circus.”

LINK: www.hundredsmusic.com

STREAM: "Circus"

FAKE CLUB

Born in the late 80s/early 90s and sick of the values of our current generation's celebrity worship and glorified karaoke contests, Fake Club is the antithesis to a modern brand of music. Their tunes will make you tingle in places that were left behind when rock ‘n’ roll was a lifestyle. To their peers they are a threat; to the general public they are their new favorite band. The band exerts the onstage energy of a female Guns N’ Roses meets Rage Against The Machine in their own distinctive and infectious style. The U.K. all-female quintet comprised of Chloe, Carmen, Rosie, Aicha and Aisha approached their first album with an old school style; they recorded it live with a maximum of two takes per song. Appealing to the fans of The Veronicas, The Ting Tings and Bat For Lashes, Fake Club has received positive press in The Guardian, Arjan Writes, Digital Spy, XO Magazine, Front Magazine, VOLT and many other outlets. Fake Club curated the music for the British Comedy film The Powder Room starring Sheridan Smith, Jaime Winstone and Kate Nash that was released in the U.K. last month. One of the standout tracks from the upcoming album expected to be released soon is the bodacious “Generation.”

LINK: www.fakeclub.co.uk

STREAM: "Generation"

MEG MAC

Born in Sydney, songstress Megan McInerney goes by the stage name of Meg Mac. At age 18, she moved to Perth to attend school and now at 22, she resides in Melbourne. Her influences include Adele, Sam Cooke and Amy Winehouse as well as the Motown sound and heavy doses of Soul music she grew up with. Her husky vocals have drawn comparisons to Nikka Costa and Macy Gray and she made a name for herself with her debut single, “Known Better.” Mac is currently working on her album, which is set to be released sometime next year. Her new single “Every Lie” is already getting Triple J Unearthed support and has been a recent music blog favorite. Meg is currently available for signing, licensing, booking, publishing and synch licensing in various markets worldwide.

LINK: www.megmac.com.au

STREAM: "Every Lie"

ERIC ZAYNE

Eric Zayne is a soul infused pop-rock musician and record producer who blends electronics to create a sound that is edgy, yet unique. At the tender age of 13 years old, Zayne started developing himself as a musician by playing in multiple bands throughout his home city, Montr�al. His first major gig was a five-year tour across Asia where he played keyboards, guitar and sang in a funk band; these formative years taught Zayne about songwriting, performing and how to connect with an audience. Less than a year ago, Zayne arrived in Los Angeles and opted to focus his music on pop alternative, through his influences, which range from Prince to The Beatles, Lenny Kravitz to James Brown. He spent the summer in the golden state touring and promoting his music, while recording and producing his first EP, Between Us (What If Records). Fans have compared Zayne’s music to Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Robin Thicke and Gavin DeGraw.

LINK: www.facebook.com/eric.zayne

STREAM: "True North"

FIVE MILE TOWN

The young quartet from Auckland known as Five Mile Town is made up of Louis McDonald (vocals, guitar), Adam Quigley (guitar), Levi Heeringa (bass, vocals) and Ryan Wilson (drums, vocals). As they evade requests to define their sound, they have admitted that if they had to describe it, they'd say it’s alt/country/folk/rock. Nonetheless, they’ve managed to get support from Triple J Unearthed, international support from the globally syndicated Passport Approved radio program and even won the 2012 International Songwriting Competition in the teen category for their debut EP. Five Mile Town’s demos were sent to A&R Worldwide last year by Ian McDonald who turned the previously unsigned Lorde on to Universal Music New Zealand who signed her several years ago. Five Mile Town have been working non-stop writing and recording new music and the result is their latest single, the infectious and melodic “Curious Creature,” which is taken from their new EP.

LINK: www.fivemiletownband.com/

STREAM: "Curious Creature"

TALISCO

When Talisco was a teenager, he discovered music and the guitar. Inspired by the likes of Slash, Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, he began to write his own songs. Soon his bedroom was transformed into a home studio with machines weaving hypnotic canvases for the guitar riffs along with his vocals, somewhere between the fragile soul of Nick Drake and the lyrical genius of Jeff Buckley. Walking the fine lines of trip hop and pop folk songs, in between is where you'll find the Talisco sound. His debut EP, My Home (Roy Music/Universal) was released this year and gained a ton of momentum with the single “Your Wish.” Another track that is not found on the EP but starting to gain notice from radio programmers worldwide is the vulnerable, yet beautiful song “So Old.”

LINK: www.taliscomusic.com

STREAM: "Your Wish"

SUVI

Suvi Richter, best known to her fans as simply “Suvi,” is an artist and songwriter from Stockholm. Her sweet voice together with the electro influence brings a world of sounds and images to an intimate and secret place. Suvi creates music that contains cinematic beats and melodies with orchestral elements and some light hints of folk; drawing comparisons to Sweden’s Tove Lo and Kate Boy. In a crowded world of female electro-pop artists, Suvi stands out with her soaring melodies and brilliant, yet not overdone production. She collaborated with producers Julius Duhs and Robin Svensk, best known as Robin Rocks & Rubio, who have worked with Nervo, Miike Snow and the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, Loreen. Releasing her material on her own label/record company called BeatRoot, “Bleeding From Your Love” is her latest single, which is beat-heavy and bass driven. The song reached the Top 10 on Hype Machine’s Popular Chart and continues to build momentum at radio.

LINK: www.suviofficial.com

STREAM: "Bleeding For Your Love"

CAPE LION

Formed last year in Stockholm, Cape Lion is the outcome when producers/songwriters Carl-Johan Sevedag and Martin Wiklund put their heads together. Coming from widely scattered musical backgrounds, Carl-Johan grew up listening to and producing hip-hop while Martin had an indie pop background. Together, the electro pop duo delivers music with timeless hooks and melodies that stick right from the start. Their first single, “You Kept Dreaming” was released in early spring, giving the masses their first taste of Cape Lion. Their second single, “Jennie” pays homage to the 90’s with the thick synths and upbeat groove. The song was born out of studio sessions that weren’t originally intended for the public but has earned praise from music blogs and is starting to get noticed globally on radio stations thanks to the influential syndicated radio program Passport Approved. Cape Lion has also been gaining the attention of several major labels and publishers.

LINK: www.cape-lion.com

STREAM: "Jennie"

GAMBLES

Matthew Daniel Siskin began writing songs under the stage name Gambles in August of last year. There wasn’t a specific goal or motive, other than addressing the past few years of his life with things that had gone unsaid for far too long. Raised in upstate New York on heavy doses of Joni Mitchell andMotley Crue, his father gave him his first guitar as a child, when he taught himself nearly 100 Leonard Cohen songs. His single and EP of the same name, “Far From Your Arms,” has drawn the attention and praise of some of the most influential online music outlets in the world, including Pitchfork, The Fader, Elle, Spin, Stereogum and more with his lo-fi folk that conveys heavy lyrics and an innocent voice. The New York City-based artist is preparing to release his full-length debut soon and will finish up the year on the road stateside and in the UK. He is booked by ITB’s Lucy Dickins (Adele, Mumford & Sons).

LINK: www.gmbls.com

STREAM: "Safe Side"

JETT REBEL

Jett Rebel, born Jelte Tuinstra, grew up on a heavy dose of his family’s musical influences, as well as his own soul records. Before he could walk on his own two feet, Jett was picking up instruments, which sparked his early curiosity. At a very young age, he started using a tape recorder and a toy recorder to make music, while writing songs and performing them in front of anyone that would pay him attention, all by the age of 10. Exploring musical boundaries while playing a variety of genres, from Funk to Rock, Jazz to Medieval choir music, Jett would sing them all. Now the Amsterdam-based artist creates his own style of music that is best described as Indie Soul as musical influences can be heard from Sly Stone to David Bowie and Prince to Paul Simon. His latest track “Do You Love Me At All” has started to build momentum on blogs and radio.

LINK: www.facebook.com/jettrebel

STREAM: "Do You Love Me At All"

MATTHEW MOLE

Matthew Mole admits he may not be the best at speaking, but through his music, he’s a natural. The Cape Town, South African electronic/folk-inspired musician who was featured in the A&R Worldwide newsletter at the start of this year, tries to live his life a little different to the way most people think it should be done. With so many influences, ranging from Mumford & Sons to Gold Panda, Matthew creates folk with an electronic backbone. He recorded a number of demos at his home studio which ended up becoming his Same Parts, Same Heart EP. His track “You And Your Crown” won the Converse “Get Out Of The Garage” competition, which enabled him to perform at London's legendary 100 Club on Oxford Street and fly to New York City to record a song for their “Rubber Tracks” campaign in November of last year. His debut album, The Home We Built, was released in July and made South African chart history by becoming the first domestic artist to debut at No.1 on the iTunes SA chart. The album, recorded with producer Matthew Fink (Tailor, Shadowclub, Nakhane Toure), outsold the entire Top 10 charting artists the week of its debut, which included JAY Z, Robin Thicke, Imagine Dragons, Michael Bubl� and The Rolling Stones combined and is the biggest selling domestic artist on SA iTunes this year; No.1 for three weeks and still Top 20 three months after its debut. Matthew has been featured as the Record Of The Day in the UK three times this year, performed in front of 28,000 screaming fans at 94.7FM Highveld Stereo’s Joburg Day (as seen here) and performed at the V-Rox Festival in Russia. There is strong label and booking agent interest from both sides of the Atlantic.

LINK: www.matthewmole.tumblr.com/

STREAM: "Take Yours I'll Take Mine"

ALLAH-LAS

Formed in 2008 over their mutual love for records, Los Angeles history and the beach, Allah-Las consists of members Miles Michaud (singer/guitar), Pedrum Siadatian (electric guitar/vocals), Spencer Dunham (electric bass/vocals) and Matthew Correia (drums/percussion/vocals). In the infant stage of the band, Correia, Dunham and Siadatian were also co-workers at Amoeba Music on Sunset Boulevard, one of the largest independent music stores in the world. They released their own first 7” in 2011, “Catamaran" b/w "Long Journey,” followed up with their second single “Tell Me (What’s On Your Mind” b/w “Sacred Sands”a year later. In September of last year, Allah-Las released their self-titled debut as they toured effortlessly throughout Europe and along the California coast; where they built a reputation as a laid-back, grooving band with an incredible live show and have received positive feedback from bloggers and music sites globally, including ink from Brooklyn Vegan, Aquarium Drunkard and NRGM. Their latest release on Innovative Leisure is “Had It All” b/w “Every Girl” on 7” 45 RPM vinyl, released last month, with a digital release of January 2014. Allah-Las just completed a sold out UK/European tour from May through August playing 75 dates. They also kept busy last spring and summer on the road performing at all the major European festivals including “Primavera,” “Great Wide Open,” “Pukkelpop,” “La Route du Rock,” “Way Out West,” “Open Air Basel, Festival Yeah!,” “Green Man” and more. Their track “Every Girl” will be featured in the new AMC show Low Winter Sun and they have upcoming shows at the Mercury Lounge in New York City this Thursday and the Troubadour in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 2nd. Look for them to be signing to a major shortly.

LINK: allah-las.com

B ROBIN

At the impressionable age of 13, when most kids are only interested in video games and spending time with friends, B Robin began playing the guitar after spending several years playing the trumpet. In no time at all, he knew that this was the path that was paved for him and a career in music was not only his passion but in his soul. Impressing fans and industry alike with his talent, B Robin recently signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis leading to future collaborations on upcoming songs by multi-Platinum global recording artists. B Robin has just released a new single titled “I Don’t Like To Wait,” which can easily be described as one of the most anticipated debut singles from an up and coming Swedish artist. His soulful voice will fit comfortably on the radio between the Justin Timberlakes and Robin Thickes of the world, but also shines through with his originality and writing. B Robin is currently unsigned for the world.

STREAM: "I Don't Like To Wait"

KITTENS OF THE INTERNET

The fresh new band called Kittens of the Internet has absolutely nothing to do with Sylvester from Looney Tunes, Tom of Tom & Jerry or even Heathcliff from the old school comic strips. The duo consisting of Mauhuia Bridgman-Cooper and Katie Scott is based in Auckland, New Zealand and describe their sound as “Alternative Dream Pop.” These cool cats (pun intended) began making music together in January of this year and have built quite the momentum recently with their debut single, “Living The Dream,” which has garnered strong international radio support on the influential new music syndicated radio show Passport Approved. The duo met while Katie was making coffees at a recording studio where Mahuia came to compose jingles. The two bonded immediately over their love and inspiration of music, films, theatre and life experiences. Having successes before starting KOTI, Katie was an accomplished songwriter and Mahuia an acclaimed producer. Between the two, they’ve worked with an impressive who’s who of names in the New Zealand music scene including Ladyhawke, SJD, OMC, Brooke Fraser, Midnight Youth and more. With the current success of Lorde and the talents of KOTI, New Zealand may just be the next musical hotbed for export music.

LINK: www.facebook.com/pages/Kittens-of-the-Internet/125870360927421
STREAM: "Living The Dream"

MARTIN & JAMES

Martin & James’ story began in the town of Coatbridge, just east of Glasgow, Scotland. The two have known each other as long as they can remember. The chemistry was immediately apparent, their experiments facilitated and encouraged by James’ father, who kept a small Roland 8 track recorder at his home. A member of The Silencers, contemporaries of celebrated 1980s Scottish acts like Simple Minds, Del Amitri and Big Country, he ensured that the dream of becoming a musician was less far-fetched than it might have seemed. After years of working on their music, in the late 2000s they received an unexpected call from a German management company which discovered their songs online and wanted to set them up in the German capital for the summer. Aware that chances like this are far and few between, Martin & James quit their jobs and their confidence paid off: Universal Records Germany offered a deal. Relocated to Berlin, their reputation spread fast, fueled by social networking sites and the buzz of the internet. The release of EPs in 2009 (Bad Dream) and 2010 (Wrong Directions) helped propel their ascent, while collaborations with Travis’ Fran Healy and Iain Archer (Snow Patrol) found their way onto 2011’s eponymous debut album. The duo toured heavily, opening for The Stereophonics, Bryan Adams, Paul Weller, Jake Bugg, Razorlight and James Morrison. Life's A Show marks a huge leap forward for Martin & James; recorded in Berlin and Los Angrles, the backbone of every song embodies their harmonies.

LINK: www.martinandjames.com
STREAM: "Waiting"

THESE REIGNING DAYS

These Reigning Days music is anthemic, epic stadium rock, fusing layers of strong but understated guitar lines with a twisting, indie-pop synth sound quietly driving the compositions. Drawing on a great range of influences their songs, penned by Dan Steer, are memorable, danceable and instantly accessible whilst still retaining much depth for those who want to glean more from their music. Dan's stunning vocals and soaring guitar are underpinned with a pulsing rhythm section from drum phenomenon Joe Sansome and formidable bassist Jonny Finnis. They have been referred to in the industry as "the best live three piece since Muse" on a number of occasions.

The band first received acclaim supporting Mercury darlings Metronomy and have rapidly gained a reputation as a powerful and impressive live act. They are currently being championed by BBC Introducing in the UK which has led to National BBC Radio airplay. As a result of a barnstorming performance in Los Angeles at Musexpo recently, they are now one of the buzz bands of 2013 and the band's management are now reviewing multiple label, licensing, publishing and sync offers. In August they are playing the main stage at the Polish Woodstock in front of 500,000 people and Live Nation recently invited them to support Bon Jovi as the only support band at The San Siro stadium in Milan.

In the last year they have released two singles which have had global airplay. They've recorded a phenomenal album with producer Yoad Nevo (Goldfrapp, Duran Duran, Sugababes, Pet Shop Boys) which will be released later this year. Their cinematic sound lends itself well to the big screen and a track has just appeared in a major feature film starring Vanessa Redgrave and Christopher Ecclestone. This Summer they have a full festival schedule including headlining a stage at Glastonbury, Liverpool Sound City, Go North in Scotland and The Polish Woodstock. Later this year they will be touring in Europe and the US.

www.thesereigningdays.co.uk

DINOSAUR PILE-UP

The three-piece alternative rock outfit Dinosaur Pile-Up broke out of the enthusiastic Leeds, England rock scene at the end of the last decade as their debut album Growing Pains received complimentary comparisons to the cream of ’90s college rock music, while touring with the likes of Pixies, Feeder, Cage The Elephant and Twin Atlantic. With three singles added into rotation at BBC Radio 1, they quickly became one of the hottest-tipped of a new generation of UK rock acts, and the latest incumbent of the “grunge revival” at the hands of a media hungry for one. Last month Matt Bigland, Mike Sheils and James Sacha released their sophomore effort Nature Nurture, an album that builds on the crisp, euphoric power-pop of their debut, but paints it in broader colors and a wider emotional range. While retaining what made the rock world fall for them in the first place, it revels in the rich history of British pop from the 60s and 70s with a distinct element of the 90s. The lead single “Arizona Waiting” has been named the “Hottest Record In The World” by Zane Lowe (influential DJ on BBC Radio 1) and they just finished their headline tour in the UK, with future U.S. dates to be named shortly.

LINK: www.dinosaurpileup.com
STREAM: "Arizona Waiting"

VANCE JOY

Vance Joy has an original voice which at first he kept to himself. Feeding on a diet of The Pogues, Paul Kelly, and whatever else was playing, he cut his teeth performing at open mic nights in Melbourne. It is folk music with pop influences. His songs capture the familiar pulse of everyday experiences in a unique and celebratory manner, while his lyrics will reach out to you and hold on for a moment. A perfect example is his latest single, “Riptide,” taken from his God Loves You When You're Dancing EP. The song has worked its way into fans’ hearts, winning more and more people over with each passing day. As the song continues to climb the charts it was recently certified Gold by ARIA (Australian Record Industry Association) and reached No.1 on Hype Machine’s Most Popular Chart within hours of release. Vance Joy shows signs of following the success of Gotye and fellow Australasian Lorde � flawless musicianship, great musical melodies and intelligent lyrics! Following his signing to Atlantic Records, he’s been busy on tour criss-crossing the globe for tours in Australia, Canada and the US.

LINK: www.vancejoy.com
STREAM: "Riptide"

KINGSWOOD

Kingswood is an indie rock outfit from Melbourne consisting of Fergus Linacre (vocals), Alex Laska (guitar), Mango Hunter (bass) and Justin Debrincat (drums). These Triple J darlings have made quite a name for themselves in Australia with their first three singles “Yeah Go Die,” “Medusa” and “She’s My Baby.” They have returned with their fourth single “Ohio” and are building momentum across the pond. The latest single is taken from their Change Of Heart EP Deluxe version that is currently available on iTunes (Australia) and from the band's website www.kingswoodband.com. The eight-song limited edition release has hints of Led Zeppelin and Queens of the Stone Age, which draws from their blues and rock influences. The unsigned rockers are getting ready to travel to Nashville to record their debut album next month.

LINK: www.kingswoodband.com
STREAM: "Ohio"

THE ROYAL CONCEPT

Robyn, Tove Styrke and Veronica Maggio are successful singers from Sweden - and behind their voices are the musicians and band members who have stepped out on their own to form The Royal Concept. Based in Stockholm, the quartet which was originally known as The Concept Store and simply The Concept features David Larson (vocals/guitar), Filip Bekic (guitar), Magnus Robert (bass) and Frans Povel (drums). The band debuted in 2010 with the single “Damn!” and instantly received comparisons to Phoenix with their electronic indie pop sound. The next year they gained even more fans with the singles “D-D-Dance” and “Gimme Twice” around the same time of the final name change to The Royal Concept. In April of last year the foursome signed with Jason Flom President & Founder Lava Records and released their self-titled debut EP in June. The band also signed with the booking agency Paradigm in the US, X-ray Touring in Europe and Luger in Sweden. They have returned with a brand new track called “On Our Way” which is taking radio and the internet by storm, which you can listen to by clicking HERE. The infectious tune is already the No.21 most viral track of the week on Spotify and continues to build.

LINK: www.royalconceptband.com
STREAM: "On Our Way"

RACHEL SERMANNI

Twenty-one-year-old Scottish singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni is a storyteller who packs an almighty punch with her earthy folk melodies, dexterous fingerpicking and a voice to blow all others out of the water. Rachel self-released her debut EP, Black Currents (Rough Trade), to critical and peer acclaim. Elbow frontman (and BBC 6 Music presenter) Guy Garvey says, “Really really something special. She’s amazing. Listen to her voice. Quite astonishing!” The EP went straight to No.1 in the Coalition Singles Charts, where it stayed for two weeks. Produced by marvel Ian Grimble (Manic Street Preachers), it showcases her unique talent through four beautiful tracks, which conjure a kaleidoscopic reverie of sights and sounds. Rachel has since released her debut album, Under Mountains (Middle of Nowhere Records/Rough Trade), a collection of 12 songs that debuted at No. 2 in the UK independent charts. She has headlined two UK and European tours, appeared at both Folk Alliance and MUSEXPO last year, which led to multiple licensing, publishing and booking opportunities. Rachel’s razor-sharp wit and natural affinity with any audience belie her young age and have led to support slots with the likes of Elvis Costello, Rumer and Ron Sexsmith. Her first Canadian tour is already confirmed for September and her first Australian dates are secured for December. Rachel just had an amazing performance at the Go North Festival in Scotland, which resulted in immediate U.S. licensing interest from a major US TV network.

LINK: www.rachelsermanni.net
STREAM: "The Fog"

FALLING OFF MAPS

Falling Off Maps is a five-piece outfit from Nottingham, UK consisting of Dave Wright (vocals/guitar), Dane Prewett (bass/electronics), Joe Watts (guitar), Tom Harrison (piano) and Jay Wright (drums) and have been compared to the likes of Radiohead, Alt-J, Bon Iver and Arcade Fire. Their album title and band moniker were in place before a single note had been written or recorded. Falling Off Maps were a thematic concept in mind first--then came the music. Their brilliance sits in the intimate spaces created in their minimalist music dramas � it’s there in the things they have chosen to leave out as much as what is committed to a recording. The end result: a well of emotions. A widescreen, cinematic work. A thing of beauty. The album A Seaside Town In Winter featuring the single “The Redeemer” is a place you will want to re-visit time and time again.

LINK: www.fallingoffmaps.co.uk
STREAM: "The Redeemer"

THE FLUXX

The Fluxx, five fresh-faced boys from Oslo, Norway made up of lead singer Daniel St�hler, guitarist Stephan Gracia Slaaen, Bassist Iver Paulsberg , keyboardist Jan Kristoffersen and a Drummer Lars Andre Hagensen, were never daunted by hard work or accused of a lack of perseverance. The guys have known each other since their schooldays and have been performing together from an early age. These deep roots have grown into a fiery passion to succeed, fueled by a sense of camaraderie amongst the quintet that’s blossomed due to the fact that the individual members are always there for each other. They’ve done this through relentless gigging in their native Oslo and support slots with multi-platinum Eurovision artist Alexander Rybak, and expanded their profile through performances in the UK. The Fluxx have garnered early airplay support with their songs “Take You Back” and “She Cries” on a variety of global radio outlets. The Trey Sheppard (Zero Hour)-produced and Steve Fitzmaurice (Depeche Mode, Olly Murs, U2)-mixed single, “Kids On The Radio,” is a refreshing pop tune that proves their talent is a force to be reckoned with. The Fluxx are one of the best guitar-pop live acts from Scandinavia and have HUGE global potential. The band will be showcasing at MUSEXPO on Monday May 6 at 10pm at S.I.R. Studios.

LINK: www.facebook.com/thefluxxofficial
STREAM: "Kids On The Radio"

KITA KLANE

Spending her early childhood traveling around with her parents who were in the film industry, Kita Klane needed some company as she traveled in a different city every few months. She found comfort in the music of Billie Holiday, Etta James, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee. After five years in Los Angeles, Kita returned to her traveling roots and spent time soaking up the culture and energy of cities such as New York and Paris. Realizing it was time to take the life experiences and put them into songs, Kita returned home to LA where she rekindled a friendship with childhood friend, Frankie IV, who became her writing partner. One night after performing a packed house at The Roxy, the two met Jeff Greenberg, long-time LA promoter, manager and owner of the world famous Village Studios. He invited them to the studio and offered to help them record their music. Greenberg introduced them to DJ/tastemaker Nic Harcourt (now host of the weekly morning show on 88.5FM KCSN Los Angeles) who has helped launch the careers of Coldplay, Norah Jones, Sigur Ros and David Gray in the US. Impressed with their talent, Harcourt decided to head into the studio as a first time producer. “There was a raw passion and energy about the music, but perhaps more importantly Kita, I knew she was a great singer, It was about arranging the songs in a way that allowed her voice the space to really sing,” said Harcourt. The debut EP In Love With The Enemy, a four song release, includes the early buzz track “The Enemy” (produced by Harcourt) and three new tracks such as “Running Circles,” which delivers a hypnotic peek into Kita’s unique brand of indie, soul, jazz and cabaret. Kita is currently available for worldwide signing, booking, publishing, and licensing.

LINK: www.facebook.com/kitakmusic
STREAM: "Running Circles"

FOU DE TOI

Erik Hääger (vocals/guitar), Johan Malmberg (guitar) and Daniel Karlsson (bass guitar) together are Fou De Toi. Formed just two short years ago by Hääger after returning to Sweden from touring in the states with Carolina Liar, he felt the need for something new and fresh, musically. The Göteborg and Stockholm trio create indie pop music on the same level that the Scandinavians have perfected. Their melodies are addictive and simply brilliant. In 2011, they released their debut EP The Impossible Thrill and landed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell. After impressing fans with their 2012 tune “Pick Up The Phone,” Fou De Toi returned with another gem in “Heartless.” The band has picked up strong global radio support via the syndicated Passport Approved radio program which reaches millions of new music fans worldwide and the band is already seeing a growing fanbase and good early digital sales from those radio markets, as well as more increased online activity.

LINK: www.foudetoi.se
STREAM: "Heartless"

JEREMY LOOPS

Equipped with multiple instruments, a loop station, pedals, a capacity to sing and a beat-box, “one-man-band” Jeremy Loops creates textured tracks that transform convention and align the fresh with the familiar. His performances center around crowd participation and collaborations with other skilled musicians, most frequently the lyricist Motheo Moleko, as well as Jamie Faull on the sax, which brings a completely unique and positive sound to new school world folk music. Jeremy has been hugely successful of late, playing on the main stage at Oppikoppi, one of the biggest festivals south of the equator, to a crowd of 22,000 people. A&R Worldwide saw Jeremy Loops in South Africa last year courtesy of Sheer Music’s Damon Forbes and noted that Jeremy Loops has the global potential like Mumford & Sons, Gotye and fellow South African Dave Matthews. Jeremy’s first ever show outside of South Africa will be at MUSEXPO LA this year and flocks of agents, publishers, labels and music supervisors are sure to swarm all over this hidden musical gem. The critics have been quick to take notice too: Mahala online, South Africa’s arbiter of cool, said about Jeremy Loops, “Then, out of nowhere this hipster kid with a feather in his hat came out and blew the (expletive) roof off the place. By far the standout act of the festival, Jeremy Loops brought something fresh to the table. Very cool loops layered over each other, a good grasp of a range of instruments, loads of energy, loads of funk. The crowd went completely nuts.”

LINK: www.facebook.com/jeremyloops
STREAM: "Power"

SUNRISE AVENUE

The Helsinki, Finland quartet Sunrise Avenue consists of Samu Haber (vocals, guitar), Raul Ruutu (guitar, backing vocals), Sami Osala (bass, backing vocals) and Riku Rajamaa (drums). Known for their catchy and melodic songs as well as their live performances, they’ve sold over 1.5 million singles and over 800,000 albums to date. Their single “Hollywood Hills” has sold over 500,000 copies alone, was the most played song in Sweden and reached No.1 on the Airplay Chart in both Germany and Austria. The single has been certified Platinum in Germany, Sweden and Switzerland as well as being certified gold in Finland and Austria. Their amazing live show was shown in 14 movie theaters in Germany and Austria last year and they've performed more than a thousand shows in 20 European countries and Japan. They’ve also performed at several major sports events including the sold out Champions League final viewing party at Munich Olympic stadium before Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea last May and the Track and Field World Championship opening ceremony in Berlin in 2009. The band is currently on the Big Band Theory tour with upcoming dates in Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Austria and more.

LINK: www.sunriseave.com
STREAM: "Hollywood Hills"

CUB SCOUTS

Brisbane’s Cub Scouts had a rollercoaster ride in 2012, starting the year with their infectious ditty “Evie” taking over the airwaves, landing in high rotation on Triple J, solidifying their reputation in Australia and bookending the year with “Told You So” eclipsing that success and becoming a buzz single on U.S. radio. In between, the quintet toured nationally with the likes of Ball Park Music, Pluto Jonze and Loon Lake and won the Queensland Music Awards Song of the Year for their second single “Do You Hear.” This year has so far seen the band going from strength to strength with interest building extremely fast overseas. The band are scheduled to make a special appearance in Los Angeles early May and have also been selected to perform at seminal UK festival The Great Escape in May, with their new UK team already working the band and adding more European dates daily and global interest spiraling at a rate of knots as a result. In short, Cub Scouts are one of the hottest bands to emerge in 2013 and A&R and publisher interest is reaching fever pitch across Australia, the US and Europe. Preview “Told You So” taken from the Cub Scouts' debut EP of the same name.

LINK: www.facebook.com/CubScoutsMusic
STREAM: "Told You So"

BIRDS OF TOKYO

Perth, Australia’s Birds Of Tokyo who have been a regular favorite of ours for a number of years and have returned with their first new music in quite some time. Over the course of their first two studio albums, 2007’s Day One and 2008’s Universes, Birds Of Tokyo carved out a niche for guitar driven anthems. Lots of touring around Australia gradually turned them into Triple J favorites and indie chart toppers. With their eponymous third release in 2010, things shifted up another gear. They won the ARIA Award for “Best Rock Album” and the APRA Award for “Best Rock Song.” They enjoyed genuine hit singles with “Plans” and “Wild At Heart” and earned multiplatinum certifications. With the addition of two new members, Glenn Sarangapany on keys and Ian Berney on bass, they consciously reinvented their approach to songwriting with a new Sydney studio space, plus time spent together in a remote French farmhouse helping to blaze new trails for the group. And if that wasn’t enough, they then went to Los Angeles to record with both a new producer, Dave Cooley (Silversun Pickups) and a new mixer, Tony Hoffer (M83, Beck, The Kooks). Birds Of Tokyo recently released “Lanterns,” an early taste of the upcoming album, March Fires, which is scheduled for release next month. The band played MUSEXPO a few years ago and garnered quite a bit of label interest and they are currently in serious talks with a number of US majors and independents. The band is currently available for signing, licensing and booking in various markets worldwide.

LINK: www.birdsoftokyo.com
STREAM: "Lanterns"

SHEPPARD

A true family affair, siblings and band members George, Amy and Emma Sheppard started performing together at a young age. Joining forces with songwriter/guitarist Jay Bovino, guitarist Michael Butler and drummer Dean Gordon, the sextet is simply known as Sheppard. The Brisbane, Queensland (Australia) pop outfit has had quite the busy last year, which included a world tour performing in South Africa, the UK, the US, India and their native Australia. They released their five-song, self-titled EP with the lead track, “Let Me Down Easy,” that received a lot of international attention by way of blogs, television appearances and radio outlets. The melodic tune may have been born in Australia but contains cool alternative pop music with the potential to cross over to a variety of formats. The track was one of the most requested songs at influential commercial Alternative KNRK “94/7 FM” Portland by the end of 2012, which saw the band play a sold-out 1400 capacity show in Portland. The single has also been successful with college radio, even charting on the CMJ Top 200. Continuing the momentum built from the lead single, another track from the EP that has been getting some attention as of late is the charming, melody-driven “Pebble Road.” The band has been in talks with a number of labels and publishers internationally and is currently available for signing, licensing, publishing, sync and booking; they are managed in partnership with legendary promoter Michael Chugg.

LINK: www.wearesheppard.com
STREAM: "Pebble Road"

DIDO

Dido is no stranger to the music scene. She has a close history with A&R Worldwide as her first ever radio plays in the world for her demo tracks back in 1995 were by A&R Worldwide founder Sat Bisla on his import radio show (two years prior to her signing with Arista Records in the US), which he received from Cheeky Records Co-Founder Mel Medalie (the label that originally supported and signed Dido). Her first two albums No Angel and Life For Rent are among the best-selling albums in UK Chart history and are both Top 10 best-selling albums of the 2000s in the UK. After making her recording debut with Faithless, she released her debut single “Here With Me” in 1998. The hits continued with “Thank You,” which was sampled for the Eminem smash hit “Stan,” “White Flag” and “Sand In My Shoes” to name a few. She has been featured on songs with Santana, Annie Lennox and was a part of the Band Aid 20 ensemble in 2004. Dido has sold over 38 million albums worldwide and is ready to return with a new album, Girl Who Got Away, next month. Dido's fourth studio release has been rumored to feature production from Dido’s brother, Rollo Armstrong, in addition to Sister Bliss, A.R. Rhaman, Jon Brion and Brian Eno. The first offering was the collaborative track “Let Us Move On” with Compton, CA rapper Kendrick Lamar in late 2012, which gave a glimpse of the new material. She has since released the next single, “No Freedom.” Written by Dido and Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer Rick Nowels (Robyn, Ellie Goulding, Marina and the Diamonds), the track was produced by Rollo along with Dido and Nowels. The song mirrors the sound of “Thank You” and “White Flag” and has already seen early support from Triple A and Alternative radio.

LINK: www.didomusic.com
STREAM: "No Freedom"

MOTO BOY

Moto Boy aka Oskar Humlebo is a Swedish musician who creates lush, romantic pop songs. With emotive pop and impressive operatic vocals, the result is hair-raising music that evokes feelings parallel to that of a Jeff Buckley song or a David Lynch movie. His music appeals to the fans of Radiohead, Muse, Depeche Mode, Hurts and The Temper Trap. Last summer he toured with The Cardigans as the guitarist and composed the soundtrack to Lubiewo-K�rleks�n, the adaptation of Michal Witkowksi’s great novel of the same name. Not only did Moto Boy create the soundtrack but he also acted in the play. His music has received positive reviews from NME, Pop Justice and Cool Hunting, while Zero Magazine states the music is a “10/10.” If you’re searching for a musical journey, let Moto Boy take you there with his new 2013 mix of the cinematic and effervescent “The Heart Is A Rebel.” The original version of this epic and radio friendly track has already won over Swedish audiences and is set to have a global reach as more people are getting turned on to the new mix of this song. Moto Boy is currently working on his third studio album. Listen to other tracks and find out more information, tour dates and more on Moto Boy at http://motoboy.se. Available for signing, licensing, synch and booking opportunities, contact Gisela Sotomayor at ninteeen95 artist management gigi@nineteen95.com.

LINK: www.motoboy.se
STREAM: "The Heart Is A Rebel"

THE MANEKEN

The Maneken is an electronic rock artist from the Ukraine. When he first arrived on the music scene in 2008, DJs from Ukrainian radio stations dubbed him the “Ukrainian Jamiroquai.” Today, his compositions are a wonderful combination of modern dance music and pop rock culture heritage from the past decade which includes hints of Air, Coldplay, Keane, The XX and Empire of the Sun. The Maneken has traveled the world and performed in Moscow, Russia, Lithuania, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Puerto Rico and many other destinations. In 2009 his debut album, First Look, was released by the French label Somekind Records and was distributed throughout the Virgin Megastores, available in European countries and Japan. The Maneken’s music videos have been showcased on music channels in Europe and the Middle East, including Music Box Italy, MTV Baltic, MTV Arabia, Mad TV in Greece, Sola TV in Spain, QTOM in Germany and World Chart Express on MTV European. Last year The Maneken released the single “Safe Connection,” which was a song devoted to the AIDS epidemic in Ukraine. The track was so popular that it became the official anthem for the project of the same name that was implemented by the Elena Punchuk ANTI AIDS Foundation. A new track called “Stop!” featuring Open Kids is a conscience record that speaks for the future. After some of the tragic events that have happened in the world as of late, this song is a breath of fresh air and really makes the listener think. The Maneken is available for booking and licensing outside of the Ukraine and is currently in negotiations with companies from Germany and the U.S. for an upcoming album release due in the spring. Contact Igor Tarnapolsky for more details at igor@rfs.com.ua.

LINK: www.themaneken.com
STREAM: "Stop"

VARIOUS CRUELTIES

Formed by frontman Liam O'Donnell in London just two short years ago, Various Cruelties is an alternative indie soul incarnation. The four-piece outfit fuses classic British guitar pop with Stax grooves to create a form of shabby Motown pop. Their self-titled debut album has been made available through their own label, Almanac Recordings, which is climbing the iTunes Alternative charts and currently in the top 50 whilst climbing to No. 77 in the Billboard New Artist Chart. The album was recorded by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Goldfrapp, Foster The People) and the track “If It Wasn't For You” is currently used in the holiday TV commercial for the diamond jeweler, Zales, which will be utilized for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, where previous artists Alabama Shakes and Black Keys were used. Various Cruelties have supported Kasabian, The Vaccines and Grouplove and have appeared on the BBC’s Later with Jools Holland alongside Lou Reed, Metallica and Aaron Neville. Their cover of Ian Brown’s “F.E.A.R.” is currently being used as the trailer for the a HBO series “Banshee” and they are in negotiation for other U.S. sync opportunities whilst considering U.S. label options. They are available for worldwide licensing, publishing futures and U.S. booking. The band is managed by Jon Chapman (jon@radiatemanagement.com), a veteran in the business who A&R’d for Island and Virgin working with Stereophonics, Placebo and scouting Daft Punk for Zomba Publishing. Reach out to Jon for more information.

LINK: www.variouscruelties.com
STREAM: "If It Wasn't For You"

ECHOTAPE

Echotape was formed in mid-2010 by a quintet of like-minded individuals from the music scene in a small, off-the-map town in the South of England. In the spring of 2011, one of their early demos found its way into the hands of Killing Joke bassist and legendary producer Youth (Dido, The Verve, Futureheads and one-half of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney). On their third meeting, Youth declared that he wanted to record Echotape’s debut album--with no label or media yet aware of the act's existence, Youth asked the five-piece to decamp to his studio in the hills outside Grenada, Spain. Echotape’s first commercial release was a four-song EP entitled Sky Above Quarley Hill. Their songs “Unstable,” Riding For A Fall” and “Came Into My Blood” all earned global airplay in the UK, U.S., Germany, South Africa and Japan, helping to build their international fan base. Echotape just wrapped up UK support tour dates with one of Russia's most successful bands, Mumiy Troll and will continue to gig throughout the rest of this year. Their latest single, “Far From Heaven,” was mixed by GRAMMY-Award winner Simon Gogerly (U2, No Doubt, Massive Attack) and will be a great fit at radio and for sync options. For available signing, licensing, publishing and booking opportunities, contact Andrew Sharland ASharland@clintons.co.uk.

LINK: www.echotape.co.uk
STREAM: "Far From Heaven"

DANIEL SOBRINO

Mexico City, Mexico singer/songwriter Daniel Sobrino always had a love for music since childhood. At the age of 19, he picked up the piano as his principal instrument and began crafting his own songs. That journey took him on the best ride of his life by discovering new colors and sounds with his instrument of choice. His musical influences range from the legendary Sir Elton John to current standouts such as John Legend, Adele, Regina Spektor and Michael Bubl�. At the end of 2011, Sobrino performed alongside Justin Bieber and Drake for the “A Time To Love” event with Stevie Wonder at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. He’s currently in the studio working on his own material and recently released his first official offering, “Losing It.” The timeless track already has U.S. specialty radio interested and earned some early comparisons to Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson and Gnarls Barkley. The song was recorded with Platinum selling producer/writer Fingazz and A&R’d by A&R Worldwide’s Monte Malone.

LINK: www.danielsobrino.com
STREAM: "Losing It"

Valerious

Formed just over five years ago by Jesse and Kay Nambiar, the Dutch group Valerius has been getting great feedback from both radio stations and TV shows in the Netherlands with their latest single, “I Cannot Put Us Back Together.” The band had major success in 2009 and 2010 with their major breakthrough hit, “She Doesn't Know.” Their debut self-titled album entered the Top 3 charts in various countries including Indonesia, where the band had a No.1 chat position for several weeks and played various sold out shows, the first for any Dutch act. Having done a variety of tours and support shows throughout the world, Valerius entered their studio last year to write their next album. Adding a keyboard player turned out to be the key to their new sound, with electronic synths and beats throughout the album, without leaving their signature funky guitar sound. Their new album, Marilyn White, is due for release in early 2013.

LINK: www.wearevalerius.com
STREAM: "I Cannot Put Us Back Together"

Makeshift Innocence

In 2007 lead singer and songwriter Jesse-James Cameron formed Makeshift Innocence, a four-piece that also includes Tammy Amstutz on bass guitar, Brad Simons on lead guitar and Fred Brenton on drums. Cameron lived and went to school in Negril, Jamaica, where he fell in love with the tones and feel of reggae--music that now infuses the Canadian group’s rock, reggae, pop and roots sounds, with key influences ranging from Bob Marley to Sublime. Known as one of Western Canada’s best live acts, they were chosen to showcase at several industry conferences, including Canadian Music Week, COCA (Canadian Organization Campus Activities), MUSEXPO Los Angeles and the Worldwide Radio Summit. Although Makeshift Innocence was built around a live show, they remain one of the few Alberta-based acts that can expect to receive major commercial radio airplay. Independently, they have already received radio play at Canadian CHR and Hot AC stations as well as numerous stations in the states, Germany, South Africa, UK and Japan.

LINK: www.iriemi.com
STREAM: "All You Need Is Love"

THOMAS AZIER

Growing up in a small town in the Netherlands, Thomas Azier focused most of his free time on making music because, frankly, there wasn't too much else to do. What started out as a childhood hobby, translated into a full-time career for Azier. Like many young musicians today, he began producing songs on his computer. At the age of 19, he left the Netherlands and moved to Berlin on an ambitious whim. After four years of tirelessly honing his sound, he emerged with his debut EP, Hylas 001, released on his own label, Hylas Records/BMG Rights Management. Bridging the analog and digital worlds with symphonic precision, Azier’s music is an anthem for the present, pulling from the past and looking to the future. He is set to release the Hylas 002 EP on October 22nd. The new EP continues to deliver beautiful soundscapes that Thomas has been known to create, especially with the epic and haunting gem, “Angelene.”

LINK: www.thomasazier.com
STREAM: "Angelene"

OCEANICS

Queensland is a state of Australia that is known for their outdoor lifestyle with world-class beaches, rain forests, national parks and waterways. Queensland is also a hotbed for musicians as it’s responsible for the likes of Dead Letter Circus, Hungry Kids of Hungary, The Boat People and many others. Hoping to join that list is four-piece Brit pop outfit, Oceanics. Their love for similar music brought them together in 2005 and they've been able to turn many into bonafide fans. With Elliot (guitar, vocals), Jackson (guitar, vocals), Andy (drums) and Matt (bass, vocals), the Oceanics have been gigging relentlessly in Australia, increasing their fan base one show at a time. They have performed at Big Sound, Caloundra Music Festival and played in front of 27,000 in the audience at a Gold Coast Titan’s (Rugby) semi-final. Their latest offering from their Bright People EP is the upbeat and infectious single, “The City,” which is already getting support from Triple J. The Oceanics are currently touring Australia with The Salvadors with upcoming stops in Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney.

LINK: oceanicsmusic.tumblr.com
STREAM: "The City"

THE KICKS

Nashville, TN may be best known as a Country music mecca, but there is another movement that is coming from the south and it's the return of rock & roll. Leading that movement is The Kicks, a four-piece eclectic, indie rock outfit that bring massive melodies, epic guitar riffs, irresistible rhythms and lyrics that do it all without the hipster tag. The band grew up on heavy doses of Queen, The Beatles, The Byrds and Foo Fighters which can be heard in their music. Formed after meeting in college four years ago, The Kicks ended up being one of the most talked about non-Country bands in Nashville. They’ve supported John Mayer and Los Lonely Boys, showcased at Austin City Limits and performed on the Van’s Warped Tour. Their song, “Good Morning,” was used in a national television ad campaign for Lowe’s, which was heard by millions and other tunes were used in TV shows such as “The Vampire Diaries”and “Pretty Little Liars.” Their new album, Tonight Changes Everything, with the guidance of Grammy Award winning producers Mitch Dane and Vance Powell (Jack White, Kings of Leon), was released last week and features the infectious track “Hawk Eyes,”.

LINK: www.thekicksrock.com
STREAM: "Hawk Eyes"

THE TOXIC AVENGER

French DJ, songwriter and producer Simon Delacroix has been creating music for the last five years under the stage name, The Toxic Avenger, as an ode to the cult horror film of the same name. Like many DJ’s today, The Toxic Avenger would create his own music, but also work on remixes for other artists. Some of the most notable remixes to date include re-workings of songs by Blur, Dragonette, Ladytron, Roger Sanchez, Benny Benassi and Kings of Leon. His debut album, Angst (Roy Music), was released in 2011 as Rolling Stone dubbed him an “Artist To Watch.” Returning with new music, The Toxic Avenger has unveiled “To The Sun,” featuring Tulip, which boasts elements of Daft Punk, MGMT and Broken Bells. The single is from the forthcoming album Romance & Cigarettes, scheduled to be released February 2013.

LINK: www.facebook.com/TheToxicAvengertheband
STREAM: "To The Sun Feat. Tulip"

THE KUMPNEE

The Kumpnee is a five-piece hip hop, soul and funk band that originated in New Zealand but now calls Sydney, Australia home. Their sound has been described as an unpredictable blend of urban funk, soulful harmony and hip hop, combining electronic synth, live instruments and a raw feel to split genres and form a new sound. They have often been compared to OutKast, Gnarles Barkley and The Black Eyed Peas. The Kumpnee is comprised of co-founder Josh Gage (vocals, keys, turntables), co-founder Ronnie Lavendar (vocals, keys, guitar), Stevie Taylor (drums), Huia Ratapu (bass) and Gino Hawkins (bass, guitar, vocals) and describe their music as “hip hop your grandma can listen to.” With over 30 years combined on stage experience, The Kumpnee brings their confidence to the stage with high-energy performances at all their live performances. They’ve performed at large festivals including the Ngati Awa Festival 2011, Ngati Awa Te Toki 2010 Festival, NZ Hip Hop Summit, Bring it On, Roc The Blok and The Burbs along with club gigs like On the Real and Stars of Night & One Community as well as playing venues such as The Basement, Sydney, The Annandale Hotel and the Factory Floor. Their album, The Kumpnee Ball, has been released in Australia and features the track, “2 Bux,” which is starting to gain attention at a handful of U.S. radio stations thanks to the recommendation of NZ On Air.

LINK: www.thekumpnee.com
STREAM: "2 Bux"

STRANGERS

London’s Strangers are fronted by lead singer David Maddox-Jones, joined with producer Glen Nicholls (The Prodigy, Snow Patrol, Depeche Mode, Future Funk Squad), drummer Ralfe Hacking and Piers Sherwood-Roberts on synths, who create a dark style of pop music. They’ve toured with Niki & The Dove, released three EPs, received radio support from BBC Radio 1, XFM and the globally syndicated import show “Passport Approved,” all within the last year. The next step for the band is releasing their EP, Safe/Pain, on August 31st. The lead single off the EP, also titled, “Safe/Pain,” has been described as a contemporary 80s synth pop sound. Speaking of 80s, there have been rumors that Strangers also have a remake of the worldwide smash “Shout” by Tears For Fears on the upcoming EP. What has been confirmed is that “Safe/Pain” also has official remixes by Youan, Black Light Odyssey and Rednek.

STREAM: "Safe/Pain"
LINK: www.strangers.co.uk

VERSIVES

Versives is Alan Matthews and Kevin J. Power, a two-piece electronic pop outfit from Cork, Ireland that have drawn musical comparisons to New Order and the Pet Shop Boys. After carefully crafting their sound over a series of EPs with producer Ciar�n O’ Shea (ex-Cyclefly), Versives’ first single “Kicking Up a Brand New Storm” was picked up by BBC Radio in the UK and led to a deal with Leeds-based independent label TAKEA!MF!RE, who are digitally releasing the band’s music in Britain. In Ireland, Versives were featured on TV3’s The Apprentice (“Backstage Pass” Best Unsigned Bands Compilation CD) and have appeared on the playlists of RTE 2FM, Today FM, Phantom FM in addition to stations in Cork (96FM, Red FM), Limerick (Live 95), Waterford (WLR, Beat FM) and Galway, featured on as well as touring nationwide with an intense, sharp live show. Their latest single, “Two Enemies,” takes the big beats down a notch or two from their first single, with a fragile, Mark Linkous-style vocal easing the electronics along before gently peaking with some sumptuous keys.

STREAM: "Two Enemies"
LINK: www.facebook.com/Versives

THE BLUE VAN