Song of the Day: Mine – Kute Lee (ft. Tonee C)

Mine is the lead single from KUTEE LEE‘s EP ‘0 4 6’ which features rap prodigy Tonee C. The alternative rap song sees both artists discuss the affinity of a love interest for money and how that isn’t a problem for them on a quest to win her over. It’s one of those songs where the first and proceeding lines of the chorus could live rent-free in a listener’s head, with lyrics like “You got a fetish for dollar signs”.

A native of Anambra State but Based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Kutee Lee – whose real name is Chibuike Paschal Metu – began making music professionally in 2019 after he made a crucial decision of making a switch from his medical profession to building a career in music – a decision that wasn’t met with good reception from his family, but his affiliation with the renown creative collective Black Federation has been his center of support on a musical journey that has had it’s fair share of ups and downs.

He’s an artist with a voice that can fill a packed arena, firm, bold and unruly. His style of music could be described as Alternative because he plays across diverse genres with his music, and at each point tend to pass his message which mostly touches across subject matters like family, love, betrayal, life experiences especially back in the hood, amongst other things.

So here’s your chance to get acquainted with Kutee Lee; have a listen to ‘Mine’ below…

Song of the Day: Foreva – DEVN

Contrasted with DEVN‘s care-free, upbeat introduction on his anti-love summer anthem ‘Freak Freak’, the multi-talented artist slows the pace and flexes his vocal chops on the sentimental latest single ‘Foreva’. The song finds the Charlotte, North Carolina newcomer embracing love with ethereal vocals that float over smooth production.

“‘Foreva’ is about being afraid to lose the feeling of love, and having the desire to hold on to a special romantic relationship that lasts forever.” – DEVN

Check out the official video for the single below…

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…

Song of the Day: Colorblind – Mae Krell

New York-based singer-songwriter MAE KRELL‘s single, ‘Colorblind’ was written and recorded in quarantine, created remotely from start to finish with the help of producer and multi-instrumentalist Jakob Leventhal. Over swirling, sliding guitars and sparse drums, Mae grieves the end of a relationship in painful and relatable detail: “I squeezed your hand, you flinched / The skies turned black, I blinked / I never practiced my goodbyes / I didn’t think that I had to.” Mae’s sharp lyrics and aching vocals brim with palpable emotion as they call back memories of a love that once was.

“I wrote ‘colorblind’ in the midst of what I thought was going to be the end of a relationship with the first girl I ever truly fell in love with,” Mae says of the inspiration behind the single. “I’ll be the first to admit that I feel everything too much, but during the couple of days that this was going on, I really felt like the world was ending. I was wildly sad while also being very restless in a way that I had never experienced before.”

Following a two-year hiatus, Mae Krell returned in early 2020 ready to embark on a new musical era. With a newfound maturity and understanding, she has perfected her folk-pop sound and introspective lyrical chops. At just 22 years old, Mae exudes a musicality wise beyond her years. Influenced by revered singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers and Gregory Alan Isakov, her songs are intimate reflections that confront trauma, self-love, and personal truths. Her singles have amassed millions of streams to date, with last year’s singles “wash,” “home,” and “garden,” all individually breaking over 500K streams.

In addition to her artist career, Mae has worn many different hats in the music industry. She was photographed live music from the likes of Rolling Stone and Sony RCA, founded the online music publication Tongue Tied Magazine and, most recently, started Bitch Mgmt, a multimedia marketing and PR company. With a multitude of career milestones already under their belt, Mae is taking it one day at a time and focusing on writing and recording songs that reach new emotional heights.

Check out the lyric video for ‘Colorblind’ below…

Douglas McGuire Delivers Summer Anthem, ‘Island’

Alternative-pop singer-songwriter DOUGLAS MCGUIRE shares his brand new new summer anthem ‘Island’. Having collaborated with Grammy award-winning engineer James Auwarter of Coda Room Audio (Kanye West, Rhianna, Jay-Z, amongst others), McGuire creates fun and uplifting material that connects to his listeners, largely due to the dedication and commitment that can be heard in every word he sings.

Speaking more on the release, Douglas explains: “This song is the final in a trilogy of songs about a girl I only dated for a couple of weeks, but who had a very profound impact on me and my life. The lyrics carry strong nautical themes, which collectively come to represent the ups and downs of the relationship I once had, and where I am right now in life as well as with respect to the relationship I had with this girl.”

Born in Croydon, and raised in the heart of the Suffolk countryside, the France-based producer/singer-songwriter has been described by fans and professionals alike as Taylor Swift/The 1975 hybrid – with a distinctive, sombre, and smooth vocal tonality and an endearing honesty behind his lyrics, juxtaposed with major, uplifting chord progressions that have an undeniable mainstream appeal.

Have a listen to ‘Island’ below…