OUT TODAY: HighCap Drops Debut Single, ‘Shade’.

Singer/songwriter HIGHCAP may be new to the music scene, but his debut single, ‘Shade’ demonstrates he has the lyrical and vocal prowess of a well-seasoned artist who received constant support from major music tastemakers.

On his first ever offering to the world, the 20 year-old newcomer seductively croons over his love interest on a sensual blend of Afro pop/R&B with dancehall undertones.

Born and bred in Nigeria’s capital (Lagos), HighCap (whose real name is SUNNY IDOKO) is the baby of a large family, who initially took an interest in maths and science. From the age of 16, the young prodigy suddenly diverted his passion to music, proclaiming that music found him. From that point, HighCap never looked back.

Being brought up as a devout Christian, HighCap joined his local church choir, which immensely helped him to further hone his craft as a musician. Citing the likes of Justin Bieber, Michael Jackson and Jon Bellion as his main source of inspiration, HighCap has developed his trademark of R&B, pop with the smooth and mesmeric sounds of the Motherland, that’s arguably on par with Afrobeats contemporaries, such as DAVDIO, Joeboy and Adekunle Gold.

HighCap took the leap and entered Nigeria’s DE SETUP NAIJA TALENT SHOW back in 2021, gracing the judges with his irresistibly smooth vocals: https://youtu.be/XFaxnGgj6to. His performance paid off as HighCap earned a well-deserved second place in the competition.

Ready to take his place on the international stage, HighCap presents his debut single, ‘Shade’, out today across various music platforms.

Connect with HighCap via:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089489024623
T: https://twitter.com/itzhighcap
IG: https://www.instagram.com/itshigh_cap/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@its_highcap

Song of the Day: Repose – Ray Alex (ft. Jayda David)

RAY ALEX‘s first single of the year, which features West London poet Jayda David, goes on a powerful journey of growth and departure from pain, touching on the importance of rest, recovery and time. ‘Repose’ is a multi-seasonal R&B number inspired by Q-Tip and contemporary jazz musicians Alfa Mist and Joe-Armon Jones, merging hip-hop with a psychedelic synth slickness and live drum feel.

‘Repose’ unveils how we invariably grow stronger with rest, recovery and restored self-belief after a painful episode in our life. Jayda David exposes themes of identity, appearance and health with powerful, raw lyrics that leave no space for ego or insincerity. Her lyrics: “I kneel to the weaknesses in me, strength has never felt so good, I guess power is birthed in moments of fragility” magnify one’s self-awareness and flaws in order to shed old skin and come back stronger. This universal theme is referenced again by Jayda David with “this soul knows where it’s going, steady growing, I just flow through time“. It serves as a reminder that we should not let others exercise control or influence over us; we should stick to our instinctive driving force and our individuality, feeling free in our own bodies. The lyric “light for hands I deem worthy, heavy for dark souls who yearn to hurt me” is a powerful encapsulation of this.

Prior to their studio session, Ray Alex felt drawn to Jayda David’s honest, poetic portraits of identity and mental health in the performances that she had showcased on her social media. Ray had finished the instrumental for ‘Repose’ six months prior to their studio session and held off as the lead vocalist, as he felt the music would lend itself better to another artist with a different story to tell.

Ray Alex’s previous EP ‘Good To Me’ released in March 2022 received frequent airplay on Soho Radio and Amazing Radio, to name a few, in a list with Little Simz, Children Of Zeus and more. Remixes of his song ‘Erased’ received airplay on KISS and other stations worldwide. Ray Alex has a string of singles scheduled for release in 2023…so look out for that…but for now, listen to ‘Repose’ below…

Mr. Jones Drops Boom Bap Love Note ‘You’ Featuring Soul31

On Valentine’s Day, Manchester’s rapper, songwriter and record label owner of Manchester Music Group, MR. JONES has dedicated his new single, ‘You’ to his significant other over a bed of heavenly tones that’s reminiscent of the golden hip-hop era of the late eighties/early nineties. The track features his label mate, Soul 31, who graces the chorus with his velvety smooth vocal performance.

Mr Jones hit the ground running with his debut album, ‘Long Running’ and follow-up project, ‘No Time To Waste’, which collectively received way over a million streams. Quickly becoming known for his witty bars and clever rhymes, this smooth wordsmith is currently working on his third album, coming out later this later.

For now, have a listen to ‘You’ below…

Holy Coves Release Brand New Video For Single ‘Grey’.

Welsh Alternative Psych Rock band HOLY COVES have released their brand new music video for single ‘Grey’ via their ever growing new YouTube channel. ‘Grey’ is the third in a series of five music videos created by award winning Ukrainian Filmmaker ‘Taras Merenkov’. Merenkov’s hazy cinematic style of direction really emphasises the music and makes a formidable visual. ‘Grey’ is taken from the band’s acclaimed new album ‘Druids and Bards’ which is out now via Welsh label Yr Wyddfa Records.

2022 has been quite a year for Holy Coves. The quartet were championed by Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London, Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music, with BBC Radio Wales support from Huw Stephens and Adam Walton.

Check out the video for ‘Grey’ below…

OUT TODAY: Rlyblonde’s Debut Single Is The Ultimate ‘Fantasy’.

RLYBLONDE– the project of Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Carina Allen – is making her musical debut with the release of her first single, ‘Fantasy,’ out on all streaming platforms today.

While this may be her debut as a singer-songwriter, rlyblonde is no stranger to the music industry. The New York-based twenty-something has long been the go-to photographer, videographer and creative director for numerous musicians. After years of supporting other artists and friends’ visions, she decided to put down the camera and pick up the guitar for a change.

rlyblonde’s well-established visual world is given new dimension with the launch of her music project. In addition to handling all of the songwriting and creative planning, she has also overseen the conception, production and direction of the music video (out February 17th), and collaborated with friends to plan out and shoot her own artwork and imagery.

Her introductory single, ‘Fantasy,’ flickers between gritty alt-rock and serene, melodic pop. Lyrically, the song echoes the familiar themes of heartbreak, identity and growth that can also be seen in her past self-portraiture and personal photography work.

“‘Fantasy’ is really about being frustrated with dating culture and the performances that women (especially women dating men) have to put on, almost out of necessity, until it hits a point where it all becomes too draining,” she explains. “At the same time, it’s also a song about the power of women, the power of illusion and seduction, the power of confidence, and the power of being anonymous.”

rlyblonde will be unveiling the ‘Fantasy’ music video at her debut performance at Heaven Can Wait in New York on 17th February…but for now, have a listen to the single below…