Tag: Belgium

Song of the Day: Royal – Lyne Nsongo

On the back of signing a new music partnership with Crep Select, London-based Belgian Congolese songstress LYNE NSONGO follows up with her latest single titled ‘Royal’, produced by Ocean and engineered by Hot Money (Stefflon Don, Krept & Konan, Stormzy). Serving as the first taste of her upcoming sophomore EP, the song sees Lyne speaking to women, wanting to make them realise their worth and their royalty, with the London-based singer, songwriter and producer affirming that “you were made of gold, handmade by the only One”.

Speaking about the inspiration behind ‘Royal’ and her desire to create empowering and inspirational music, Lyne Nsongo says, “The song comes from discussions I had with some of my female friends who were at very low points in their lives, I just want to lift them up and make them see their worth. I’ve realised that it’s my calling to deliver this empowering message through my music. If I can become an inspiration for girls out there to follow a good path in life, I believe I will have achieved my purpose in life. I have a gift and I want to use it to impact my world”.

Born in Belgium, Lyne Nsongo grew up in a very musical household, and honed her skills in music academies and dance classes as a child, before developing her sound further with collaborations with her brother and producer D.E.W.I. Now living in London, she comes with support from the likes of Trench Magazine, Red Bull, Capital Xtra, Missguided, Reprezent Radio and GirlsIRate, and is fast-becoming one to watch in the UK’s resurgent R&B music scene and beyond, as she brings her genre-bending slant on the genre and her hopeful inspirational message to the forefront.

Check out the official video for ‘Royal’ below…

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Penelope Antena Delivers Touching Piece, ‘Back To Say’

Belgian and French singer/songwriter PENELOPE ANTENA is carving out her own genre melding path that has garnered praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, Marie Claire and France Inter. Her mother is renowned singer Isabelle Antena (a pioneer of Electro Samba) and her grandfather is jazz pianist Marc Moulin (the reason Blue Note opened its EU headquarters, and who was sampled by the likes of Jay Dilla).

Her touching ballad, ‘Back to Stay’, which is taken from her glowing sophomore effort, Beamorose (out 19th August on Youngbloods), adapts folk, Americana, and gospel sensibilities. A powerful cover of John Martyn’s 1967 single, Penelope’s soaring vocal work and free-flowing piano arrangement emphasizes the original heartfelt character, casting a resonant ode to lasting love in the face of inevitable change.

Here’s your chance to listen to Penelope’s version of ‘Back To Say’ below…

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Song of the Day: Goldress – YellowStraps (ft. YVNK)

Consisting of Rwandan-born brothers Alban and Yvan Murenzi, Brussels-based alternative R&B/ soul duo YELLOWSTRAPS’ latest single ‘Goldress’, embodies an immediately addictive vibe that’s gets a big thumbs up from the likes of Earmilk, Indie Shuffle and Complex.

Operating in a smooth, soulful groove, ‘Goldress’ pushes against the borders of convention both lyrically and sonically while marking a path for a complex of jazzy references to shine through. From the get-go, the single is an ingenious blend of soulful tunes and undeniable technique, held together effortlessly by the charismatic Murenzi brothers.

The video for the track takes place in a cinema, between a young man and a woman in a gold dress. The panning of the camera between the two characters creates complex dynamics from simple actions, while the visuals of the “lady in the gold dress” complement the inherent surrealism, while at the same time adding a literal element to the cinematography.

The track features VYNK who has releases on renowned labels Kitsuné and Majestic Casual and has shared stages with notable acts such as Ghostface Killah and Killah Priest.

Out now via Haliblue Records, ‘Goldress’ is the title track from their upcoming EP ‘Goldress’, slated to drop on 7th February 2020.

Check out the video below…

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Song of the Day: Never Growing Older – Amery

Championed by Elton John, EARMILK, ELLE, PopCrush, OkayAfrica and Buzzfeed, AMERY comes blazing onto today’s hotspot with 80s-inspired pop single, ‘Never Growing Older’.

Born in Rwanda, the young musician was raised for many years by his grandmother, surrounded by women in a very strict and religious environment where pop culture was seen as an enemy of traditional values. “My grandma would tell me to not act like ‘those crazy guys on TV’”, AMERY remembers.

Following his arrival in Belgium at 12, the singer discovered different cultures and communities, and found more ways to express himself. After feeling like an outsider for most of his life, in a black community where men are expected to act tough, he decided it was time for him to learn to accept his singularity and embrace his feminine side.

With ‘Never Growing Older’, AMERY aims to finally get this off his chest. Produced and arranged by James Lowland, the track is a conversation with himself, debating with his thoughts, his fears and all the society rules that can hypnotize and restrain.

The 22-year-old further explains: “This song is about me taking back control after battling with myself, and my fears, for so long. I wrote it while having a rough time trying to figure out who I am, burying and changing some parts of me. I came to the conclusion that I could never change who I am. All the things I have been through, the struggles and the achievements, make me who I am today.”

‘Never Growing Older’ is now available on all streaming platforms…have a listen below:

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Song of the Day: You Know – Amery

He made the crowds dance the entire summer but AMERY is now taking it slow with his latest single ‘You Know’.

Produced by James Lowland, the R&B track creates a warm and intimate atmosphere preparing the ground for the 22-year-old Belgian artist to fully express and embrace his vulnerability. AMERY evokes the vicious circle resulting from the fear of letting yourself be seen and be loved, with every rejection adding up to the emotional baggage for the next relationship.

AMERY first made waves in the music scene in 2017 with his debut single ‘So Good’ which now generated over 1.3 million streams. The singer/songwriter has been supported in the past by both national and international media with publications such as ELLE France, Buzzfeed, OkayAfrica or PopCrush, and even an early co-sign by Elton John.

This guy is not to be messed with…have a listen to ‘You Know’ below:

 

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