Steve Balsamo shares stunning Christmas ballad, ‘Snow Angels’.

STEVE BALSAMO needs no introduction to those who love great voices in the music world! Steve has toured the world, performed with and written for household names and was initially known for his superb rendition of Jesus in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’.

His new single, ‘Snow Angels’ is a lush, heartfelt Christmas Pop ballad, co-written with fellow Welshman, multi-award winning singer/songwriter Darren Parry and the young, English talent of singer/songwriter Josh Gleaves.

Steve says of his latest ballad, “Darren, Josh and I actually wrote the song on Zoom about 2 yrs ago, during the lockdown periods. I initially had the song title and a bit of a melody and we worked on the song over about 2 or 3 sessions online. The song was written pretty quick”. Steve adds… “Darren and I did a rough guitar version recorded into our phones at first, before Josh did an acoustic version in the studio in London a little while later.”

Steve continues… “It was only very recently that we had the very talented Andrew Griffiths (AGM Productions) produce this new studio version with a gorgeous, lush, orchestral type arrangement. I put down the lead vocal at Andrew’s studio (in the Swansea Valley) and Darren, Andrew and I did all the backing vocals/harmonies you hear, including the ‘choir’!”.

The title takes the imagery of ‘snow angels’ (the shape that people can make in the snow when they lie down) and uses it as a metaphor to tell the story of a relationship between two people at Christmas time.

Steve has written past songs for Slash, Meatloaf, Cliff Richard, toured with Jon Lord (of Deep Purple fame), formed the band The Story’s (who toured with Celine Dion and Elton John), was part of Balsamo/Deighton (an Americana duo with Rosalie Deighton) and more recently part of Balsamo/Collins/Riley with Andy Collins and Pete Riley.

Darren’s achievements include… 2004 UK Songwriting Champion (beating 6000 entries from around the globe), 2014/2016 USA Song Of The Year contest runner up (judges included Gwen Stefani, Don Henley and Phil Collins), 2019 ISSA Awards International Male Vocalist Of The Year, 2021 ISSA Awards International Male Songwriter Of The Year Silver Crystal Award winner and multiple other awards from Billboard and Unisong, to name but a few! Darren has co-written songs with hit songwriters like James Warren (The Korgis, “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime”), Dazzle Music (Charlotte Church) and many others.

Young Josh is a 21 yr old award winning singer/songwriter from London, nicknamed ‘The Heartbreak Kid’! He lives and breathes his passion for music and started writing and performing from just 10 years old. Despite still only being 21, the sound of his guitar alongside his raw and ethereal vocals have filled venues all over the U.K. for over 8 years. During that time, Josh has established his own unique Country/Americana style and sound, guaranteed to draw a crowd wherever he plays!

This collaboration between three great singer/songwriters and the production talents of Andrew Griffiths has them manifest an earworm, contemporary, Christmas Pop ballad that also manages to hark back/take inspiration from the classic Christmas songs of old, such as ‘A Winter’s Tale’ by David Essex. The song beautifully shows off the softer side of Steve’s world class, 4 octave vocal range and deserves to become a new Christmas classic for our modern times!

‘Snow Angels’ was released on last Tuesday, 28th November…why not get into the festive spirit and have a listen below…

Nia Chennai adds to UK R&B resurgence with debut EP ‘Diary Is a Waste of Paper’

South London’s emerging R&B talent, NIA CHENNAI dives into her personal life and career journey with the release of her debut EP, ‘Diary Is a Waste of Paper, ‘ released on Tuesday, 28th November via various music platforms.

Ahead of the EP’s release, Nia treated fans to an additional single from the project with the release of ‘Tea Lady.’ The track resembles gossip among friends, inspired by typical British tradition of coming together over a cup of tea for a chat. Nia’s unique blend of influences, drawn from Erykah Badu’s ‘Bag Lady’ and Amy Winehouse’s candid storytelling in ‘F*** Me Pumps,’ infuses ‘Tea Lady’ with a distinctive charm.

The full EP takes goes on a metaphorical journey akin to a slumber party, where friends explore themes of love, commitment, and societal pressures, inviting Nia’s audience to engage in candid, relatable conversations.

‘Diary Is a Waste of Paper’ arrives after just a year of Nia entering the scene, showcasing her undeniable quality, growth and potential. Songs like ‘Since We Ain’t Together,’ boasting over 300,000 Spotify streams, and September’s ‘Wasting Time,’ which has already crossed 100,000 streams, have garnered praise from key industry publications and tastemakers, including GUAP, Wordplay, Oculate, and New Lease.

UK R&B’s prominence and recognition – or lack thereof — has been heavily debated in recent months. Nia Chennai’s impressive rise echoes the genre’s resurgence, as she confidently stands alongside emerging talents at the forefront, including artists like Natanya, Essosa, BINA, girl group Flo, and more. The genre is seeing a wave of new artists following in the footsteps of young and established ambassadors, on the path to veteran status, including the likes of Mahalia, Ella Mai, and Tiana Major9, among others.

Why not check out ‘Diary Is A Waste Of Paper’ below…an absolute must listen!

Must Listens: Since We Ain’t Together, Tea Lady, Wasting Time

OUT TODAY: Listen to Leonardo Das Cabrio’s track, ‘SOLID (Adam Swim Remix)’

Adam Swim is an electronic music producer from Minneapolis – Minnesota.

Through his two debut releases in 2021 ‘Can’t Sleep’ and ‘The Garden’, he presented a warm House music rooted in the Soul drawing the powerful deep energy in a chilled-out groove with a dance-worthy tunes. He continues to offer us his unique science of rhythm, a spiritual melting with banging. He dives us into a sumptuous and relaxing LoFi House. Just push play to feel the fineness of his vibe.

Leonardo Das Cabrio is the brainchild of Luis Da Silva & Lenny De Luca, a Berliner duo whose chilled-out groove and dance-worthy tunes are sure to charm you.

“Moody remix I did for the boys, Leonardo Das Cabrio.” Adam Swim. Have a listen to his spin on ‘SOLID’ below…

Giorgia-May explores love and lust in new single, ‘Intertwine’

Rising Neo-Soul artist GIORGIA-MAY graces her presence with the enchanting single, ‘Intertwine’. This fierce and soulful track showcases Giorgia’s unique ability to capture the intensity of lust and the longing to entangle oneself in another. Together in collaboration with Berlin-based producer Tuftyhead, she has built the song with a non-traditional structure, with the chorus shapeshifting its instrumentation throughout the track. From horns to synthesizers, jazzy electric guitar to R&B-infused vocals, ‘Intertwine’ will mesmerize you with its captivating arrangement.

Giorgia-May describes the meaning & creative process behind ‘Intertwine’: “Witnessing this song come to life has been such a pleasure. It started with some intimate lyrics and jazzy chords, and the introduction of the horns and the full instrumentation has really brought the whole vibe to life. When I sing this song I feel empowered, like I’m reclaiming my femininity. The freedom to share my sensual thoughts is something that I don’t take for granted. So many women are shamed just for having such desires. Expressing this in myself helps me to build confidence in myself as a strong woman, and ultimately I want this to empower others to feel good in themselves. It’s natural to want to love and be loved in return, there is no shame in that and there shouldn’t be shame in wanting to sing about it.”

‘Intertwine’ was released on Friday, 24th November. Why not check it out below…

Modern instrumental jazz ensemble Oceanna share their second single, ‘Koldunai’

OCEANNA is a modern instrumental jazz ensemble based in Dublin with a mixture of South American and Irish Musicians. Bringing together elements from contemporary jazz and latin music, the group released its self produced debut single ‘Noir’ in May 2022 and with many live performances across Ireland, the band rapidly developed a name for its energetic and organic stage presence and music.

The band’s first headline show had tickets sold out in February 2023, and the band also made appearances in events from RTE Radio One and in most well known venues in Dublin. In a collaboration with Neo Soul singer Qbanaa, Oceanna supported shows by Canadian artist Ruby Waters and American RnB singer Liv.e in their individual european tour as well as performing sets in The Future of Irish Music by District Magazine & Hennessy, in Primavolta Limerick and in Body & Soul Festival 2023.

Igniting their growing popularity, Oceanna share their second single ‘Koldunai’, released last Friday (17th of November. Encompassing their irresistibly smooth instrumental of jazz and latin, ‘Koldunai’, serves as a teaser to their self titled EP ‘Oceanna’, coming out in 2024…so sit back and relax to this sweet slice of escapism…