Owner of NEW LEASE MUSIC blog, which showcases the latest releases from indie and unsigned artists, and NEW LEASE MUSIC PROMOTIONS, which promotes indie/unsigned artists via blogs/magazines, radio, independent and Spotify playlists
London’s singer JAYBAY makes her debut on the blog with the smooth and sexy sound on her new single, ‘My Bed’, produced by XVRBLCK (Kadeem Tyrell, Shae universe, Mark Asari).
Known for her backing vocals on tracks like Ghetts & Stormy, Skengman, MNEK’s Crazy world, and brother Labrinth’s All of us, this soprano has teamed up with R&B powerhouse, Ricardo Williams who will forever give you a reason to believe R&B is here to stay. A BBC1xtra-approved artist Ricardo has scored a number of hits including, ‘He Ain’t Me’, ‘Come Over’ and ‘Personal’ and has collaborated with Yummy Bingham, Teedra Moses and Lioness.
Hackney native JayBay says: “My Bed is about making love, and my experience with being free in black-on-black intimacy. My Bed is not a physical bed, it’s a metaphor for my body where my partner can rest. It’s intense, It’s emotional, its space of vulnerability. a safe space for me and mine.”
Ricardo says: “I’ve been chilling and taking in life and working on my next project when JayBay reached out to me to jump on this song. I’ve been a fan of hers for some time now so it was an instant. Little did i know how magical this song was and the minute I heard it I knew we had something special”
‘My Bed’ was released on Friday (9th December) across various on all DSP’s.
Multi-award winning, British, a cappella sensation VADÈ joined forces with R&B legend, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men and multi-platinum producer & songwriter, Erik “Blu2th” Griggs to release their first ever Christmas single, an a cappella arrangement of ‘Christmas Wish’. The single speaks of the excitement and anticipation surrounding two lovers sharing their first Christmas together.
Marked by the signature Vadé sound, filled with soulful harmonies and mesmerizing melodies, ‘Christmas Wish’ was written by Shawn Stockman and Erik “Blu2th” Griggs. For many, Christmas is a time to give and receive gifts, eat, drink and be merry, but this year Vadé is bringing the focus back to love and that ‘special someone’ with Christmas Wish.
“Having the opportunity to collaborate on a track with one of our biggest influences has been an indescribable experience. Boyz II Men paved the way for artists like ourselves and so working with Shawn is such an honour,” Roy Crisp (Vadé member) explained.
“It’s not everyday you come across a musical genius who understands our art form so intrinsically. Working with a producer of Blu2th’s calibre who both stretches us and embraces our creativity is literally a dream come true! I can’t wait for the world to hear what else we’ve got cooking,” added Philip Yeboah (lead singer of Vadé).
Vadé’s artistry and innovation has captured the attention of music lovers all around the world. Over the past year, they have accumulated over 10M views of their musical arrangements across their social media channels and have engaged with their fans through duets on TikTok. Vadé is keen to continue sharing their gift and causing listeners to reimagine music through a cappella by collaborating with artists and together, creating magic that transcends time.
‘Christmas Wish’ across various digital streaming platforms. Get into the Christmas spirit and have a listen below…
North London rapper ASHER KOSHER – founding member of the Hackney-based Root 73 studio and artist community – returns with the third single to be lifted from his forthcoming, as-yet-unannounced new project. ‘Mug’, a thoughtful, biting assessment of life in modern Britain, is out now on Root 73.
Following opening singles ‘On Our Street’ ft. Bel Cobain back in March and ‘Focus’ featuring long-term collaborator, Eerf Evil, ‘Mug’ turns the next page in Kosher’s dexterous lyric book. “We’re being taken for mugs”, explains Kosher. “I wrote this song ages ago but it’s more relevant today than ever before.. and globally too.”
Released alongside a tongue-in-cheek, self-directed official video shot across numerous concrete backdrops in London that also features three of the track’s producers (Outrageous Claims, Purple Cloud, Kunfucious), ‘Mug’ digs deeper into both Kosher’s psyche and personality.
Raised on a diet of A Tribe Called Quest, Tu-Pac, Eminem and later, UK rappers like Dizzee Rascal, Sway and Choong Family – as well as Benjamin Zephaniah’s 2004 book, ‘Gangsta Rap’ – Kosher’s love of lyricism runs deep.
After spending years honing his craft – including supporting hip-hop royalty in The Pharcyde and KRS1, as well as legendary UK rapper, K Koke during his early twenties – ‘Mug’ lands as another entry point to the reincarnation of Asher Kosher; rapper, thinker and pillar of his community.
JSJ (Joshua Säde James) is an emerging Canadian artist who incorporates self-worth and love within his music, with the message that “you are worthy, you are loved, and you are imperfectly you.”
Just because you’re thinking about them does not mean they’re ‘Thinkin Bout U.’ That’s what JSJ learned in penning a love letter to a long distance relationship that only existed through FaceTime and ultimately didn’t last. Craving intimacy, he explores the push and pull between feeling lonely versus feeling completely alone.
JSJ has worked his way from coast to coast in Canada and is now traveling along the Baltic performing all over Northern Europe with Norwegian Cruise Lines. After declaring never again, the hopeless romantic is six months into a new relationship, 6000 miles apart. Have a listen ‘Thinkin Bout U’ below…
New York-based singer and songwriter MAE KRELL is closing out the year with the release of the ‘imposter syndrome (b-sides),’ which features singles, ‘tooth fairy’ and ‘(like) spring’ both written during the ‘imposter syndrome’ sessions. After the EP release, Mae revisited the unreleased demos with her producer Jakob Leventhal and decided to rework these two tracks.
“A lot of times my favorite tracks from an artist are the ones that almost didn’t make it out, so I thought it would be only fair to give people a chance to love these songs the way I love some almost-forgotten-about ones,” she says.
Mae released ‘tooth fairy,’ a heart wrenching track about realizing you may be better off without someone you thought you couldn’t live without, as a standalone single earlier this year. “(like) spring” rounds out the B-sides collection. A sparse, hypnotic and enchanting listen, “(like) spring” is a song about falling in love for the first time.
Elaborating on the new track, Mae writes: “I fell in love for the first time in February 2020 and by the end of the year I had followed her to a different state. Although I was away from my friends and family, I still had a feeling of home and belonging- thanks to her. Writing (like) spring originally started as me being fearful and lonely and trying to figure out why, and it led to a love song. For the places I never saw myself being happy in, until I was. For the neighbors and routines I didn’t think much about in the moment, until I moved away and started to miss them. And most importantly, it’s a love song for the girl who made me realize that I could write one, after thinking that I absolutely never would.”
At just 23 years old, Mae exudes a musicality wise beyond her years. Influenced by revered singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers and Gregory Alan Isakov, Mae writes intimate reflections that confront past trauma, self-love and personal truths. With a distinct folk-pop sound and undeniable lyrical prowess, she has earned millions of streams across her repertoire with multiple tracks breaking 500K.
Her 4-track EP, ‘imposter syndrome,’ was released in early 2022 and instantly struck a chord with fans and tastemakers alike, with PRIDE aptly describing it as “an intimate and heart-wrenching dissection of the unavoidable self-doubt we all experience in our 20s.” This year has also seen Mae embark on two different tours, one supporting Ethan Jewell and a SoFar Sounds series that runs until the end of the year.
Listen to ‘imposter syndrome (b-sides)’ was released last Friday (2nd December) on all streaming platforms. Have a listen below…
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