Song of the Day: Afro – IThinkThatsRio

Introducing up and coming UK artist ITHINKTHATSRIO with his debut single ‘AFRO’! The melodic rap track comes six months after the London native burst onto the scene late last year with his ‘Prayer’ freestyle that caught the scene’s attention. ‘Afro’ sees IThinkThatsRio waxing lyrical about having the freedom to do what you want, whether that is with your hair or with your career.

Speaking about the inspiration behind ‘Afro’ and how the song came together, IThinkThatsRio says, “creating ‘Afro’ was such a vibe. I was in the studio with TheLifeOfKG when this Grossgod beat came on, and the first thing that came out of my head was ‘take out my braids, just roll with an afro’, and the rest came together from there. As well as the track just being a vibe, I believe the message behind it, which is that we should be free to make our own choices, without fear of ridicule or judgement from other people – in my case, it’s how I wear my hair sometimes”.

Originally from Chadwell Heath in East London, IThinkThatsRio has always had a passion for music, but he has been on course to become a professional footballer for a good few years, but after turning 20 last year and realising that music had the power to help him express his feelings, and how that made him feel, he began taking music seriously, and quickly charted a new course from a footballer to a musician.

Check out the accompanied music video below, collaboration between IThinkThatsAfro and burgeoning London-based visual director and photographer EazyVisuals (Ebenezer, B Young, Ryan De La Cruz, Michael Ward).

Song of the Day: Angel – Ashleigh Bankx

London-based artist ASHLEIGH BANKX is the latest singer to emerge from the UK’s resurgent soul/R&B scene, and she’s making a huge statement with debut single ‘Angel’, an impassioned love song that arrives with accompanying Lutch Media-directed visuals to set the mood.

Inspired by the likes of Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone and Rihanna, as well as music from her Zimbabwean roots, Ashleigh brings a much-revered throwback neo-soul sound of yesteryear, with a unique, modern twist. ‘Angel’ begins with an empowering voiceover sample from Nina Simone that leads perfectly into the rest of the song. Ashleigh says: “‘Angel’ is about self-liberation, understanding and valuing yourself through past experiences with relationships and society. The song is about black love and centres around the concept of self-love, self-confidence, self-pride and the unity of and journey between two lovers. I want the listener to determine what mood and emotion they feel when they listen to the song.”

‘Angel’ set the tone for her work-in-progress EP…be sure to look out for that…but for now check out the official music video for the single below…

Premiere: Staged Happiness (Single) – Theo Noble

Now here’s something spanking fresh…brand new artist, THEO NOBLE drops his debut single, ‘Staged Happiness’ today on reputable downloads/streaming sites.

Among the misty smooth afterhours tones and the forceful electro drive, Theo gives a glimpse into his world of putting up the pretence of being in a solid relationship, just to show everyone that’s he and his significant other are ‘happy’, conveyed through his soulfully tranquil vocals.

Theo will feature on DJ Titus’ EDM number, ‘Gone’ coming out next Friday, 11th September via Dutch DJ Hardwell’s label Revealed Recordings… look out for that…but for now, check out Theo’s ‘Staged Happiness’ below…

Bliss Williams Shares Dreamy Debut, ‘Thought I Was Young’

BLISS WILLIAMS steps up to the oche for the first time with brand new single, ‘Thought I Was Young’, released on Friday (14th August).

Produced at his flat in London, Williams’ debut offering pitches shuffling drums and pocket bass against sweeping electric guitars and swirling, yearning vocals.

Bliss plans to release a series of singles throughout this year. With influences ranging from The Style Council to Cat Stevens, Amy Winehouse to Glen Campbell, Earth, Wind & Fire to Richard Hawley, this newcomer is not bound by any genre…so expect  array of exciting new material from this Londoner.

For now, have a listen to ‘Thought I Was Young’ below…

Former Britain’s Got Talent finalist Asanda Jezile Releases Self-Empowerment Track, ‘Photogenic’

ASANDA JEZILE‘s debut single ‘Photogenic’ may be a summer charged banger, but beyond the boastful R&B/trap arrangements, there is a serious message that we all need to take note of….

‘Photogenic’ was came to fruition after Asanda appeared on Britain’s Got Talent at the age of 11, when she came under criticism following her first televised BGT audition. Her cover of ‘Diamonds’ by Rihanna was praised by many including the star judging panel consisting of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon & David Walliams…however some viewers criticised the performance for being too mature for someone who was so young, especially given the sexualised theme of the track. Despite the criticism, Asanda went on to capture the hearts of the nation with a series of show stopping performances on the hit ITV talent show. The young talent – who is now 18 years old – made it all the way to the live grand final attracting over 13 million TV viewers.

Speaking out on why the talent show inspired her the write ‘Photogenic’, Asanda said, “I had a lot of negative comments after my BGT performance, but I was just being real. At the time ‘Diamonds’ was one of my favourite songs, and Rihanna is an artist who I truly respect, so why wouldn’t I want to perform it on national TV? I totally understand why some people may have thought that I was pushed into singing that song by the TV company, but the negativity taught me that even if you do the right thing you’ll never be able to please everyone. ‘Photogenic’ is my way of saying “this is me, I don’t care what you think, I’m proud and I’m confident of who I am, I hope you like it, but if you don’t – that’s fine too.”

Citing British urban powerhouse Stormzy and female MC Steff London as inspiration, Asanda hopes that the her inspiring, self confidence fuelled lyrics in ‘Photogenic’ will become the soundtrack to the lives of young people at a time when the “be kind” message has never more relevant.

“We love to capture every moment of our life and look back through the memories in years to come. We all want to look good on the outside, but being photogenic is about inner beauty and confidence as well. In today’s world of social media, you have to be confident in yourself as there’s so much negativity and judgement online”, she says.

Later this year Asanda is planning to take her “be kind, be you” message into schools as part of a nationwide initiative raising awareness of cyberbullying and online safety.

‘Photogenic’ is out now on all major platforms…check it out below…