R &B Star CHERYLL and Afro-fusion princess REBECCA WINTER have teamed up, claiming the blog’s Song of the Day top spot with latest single, ‘Come Thru’.
Produced by Dwante Navire, this summer bop will transport you back to the 90s with its titillating R&B soulful vibes, directed at a love interest who is more than keen to make a move, but they’re dragging their feet to Come Thru – and through their lyrics, the girls makes it very clear they’re not wasting any time.
With every potential to be a summer hit, ‘Come Thru’ adds to the strength of both artists’ burgeoning music journey: A MOBO unsung semi-finalist, Cheryll’s impressive contribution to the London music scene has been recognised by Robin Thicke , where as Rebecca Winter has opened for the likes of Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy.
London’s singer-songwriter APRIL JAI returns, this time to the blog’s Song of the Day hot spot, with a nostalgic summer feel cover of ‘I Kissed A Girl’ – the latest in a string of singles from the independent artist. Delicate acoustic guitars blend with an indie pop feel, April Jai has brought a brand new vibe to the 2008 Katy Perry hit, bringing it forward to suit the current musical landscape.
April Jai says of her cover: “I’ve been a huge fan of Katy Perry since I was a kid and I absolutely love making covers and changing them to suit my own style. I had a blast making this cover and love that it has that coming of age, end of summer nostalgic feel to it”
Making a name for herself on the London pop scene with her chilled production style and emotionally heavy lyrics, April’s TikTok viral hit ‘It Ends with Us’ saw her rack up over 500K streams for the release on Spotify; meanwhile her previous more sultry alt pop release ‘Stop Fighting It’ emerged as her first release since her sold-out headline show in December at London’s Troubadour – proving her potential to translate online viral attention into a real-life fanbase.
With a growing catalogue of heartfelt releases under her name, like the latest single ‘You Didn’t Notice’ and November’s pop- rock flavoured ‘Not Like the Movies’, April Jai’s personal pop numbers matched with her natural storytelling abilities sees her continuing to attract listeners from around the world, tapping into the ups and downs of navigating life and relationships. Now ready to continue her natural progression into the upper sphere of the pop world, ‘I Kissed A Girl’ is something new and exciting from the Scottish native – April Jai is undeniably one to watch. Have a listen below…
London’s Gospel songbird OLAEDO IBE releases her brand new single, ‘Golden Skin’, out today (24th August) across various music platforms. Wrapped in a smooth Afrobeat vibe and R&B undertones, the single is taken from Olaedo Ibe’s third album also called Golden Skin, coming out very soon.
Featuring fellow UK gospel singer RAE RAE, ‘Golden Skin’ touches on sensitive topics such as colourism and skin bleaching but ends with a message of love, hope and self-acceptance. The single also makes a comparison between skin and gold, encouraging the listener to be happy the way they are. Olaedo Ibe’s favourite line of the song is bridge which says: “Whatever you were born in God has made a way for you to win.”
Initially, ‘Golden Skin’ was a source of self-encouragement for Olaedo and she sang to herself whilst working as a nurse. However, when she started working on Dermatology units, Burns and Plastic surgery, the focus of the single changed as she witnessed men and women use harmful products on their skin to lighten their skin tone. Her passion grew on this topic when she read a report by the World Health Organisation indicated that over 70% of Nigerian women use skin bleaching products, increasing the risk of skin cancer, liver damage, kidney damage and thinning skin.
‘Golden Skin’ is also used to create awareness about the British skin foundation to raise funds for skin research.
Born in London to Nigerian parents, Olaedo Ibe started out singing in church and local events from a young age and quickly found her forte in combining music with words of empowerment that’s relatable and touching to people, regardless of race, background and religious beliefs. Her crossover appeal gave her the opportunity to share the stage with Motown legend Peobo Bryson.
Olaedo Ibe released her debut EP, ‘Shine Like Gold’ in 2015, which gained a nomination for the MOBO Premier Gospel Music and Urban music award later that year. She followed up with her second EP, ‘Grow to Glow’ in 2018 which features ‘Lead Me’, ‘Good Life’, featuring Leke and Becca Folkes, and ‘Fill Us’ (a Children’s song). All three tracks from the EP claimed the top ten spot on the UK Christian Chart.
To date, Olaedo has accumulated over 100,000 combined views on her Youtube channel, over 80,000 combined streams on Spotify and over 53,000 combined streams on Soundcloud.
Out today (24th August) across various music platforms, ‘Golden Skin’ forms part of Olaedo Ibe’s third album also called Golden Skin, coming out soon. Check out the revitalising single below…
JYELLOWL continues to break boundaries and exceed all expectations. His distinctive voice and lyrical prowess shine through once more, as he weaves a tale of humility, growth, and aspirations in his latest release, ‘Benteyga’.
Now based in London and building on the remarkable success of his EP ‘Shades of Yellow’, JyellowL is back to assert his undeniable presence in the industry with this rich new track.
‘Benteyga’ is another masterpiece by J. Created with London-based producer Trey Qua, this summer anthem seamlessly blends rap, dancehall, and afro genres, creating a good vibe that connects with listeners. Drawing inspiration from iconic tracks like Drake’s ‘Passionfruit’ and ‘One Dance’, the production showcases JYellowL’s ability to merge diverse musical elements into a harmonious whole.
‘Benteyga’ signifies JYellowL’s evolution into a new musical phase that promises to be as boundary-pushing and genre-blurring as his previous releases. Check it out below…
The highly-rated, fast-rising British artist BAELY shares latest single ‘Summer’ in a signal of strong intent for what is his first release since ‘Teleport’.
Having already garnered co-signs from the likes of Anderson Paak, Jorja Smith and Stormzy he is building a strong reputation for his incredible vocal skill, infectious songs and stellar live performances. In what is a vibrant, lo-fi R&B curation, he seamlessly fuses old and new sounds as he evolves with each release. Co-produced by Lophiile (H.E.R, Ari Lennox), the track is accompanied by the official LA shot music video and directed by Charlie Rees of Untold Studios. Written during a writing trip in LA back in November 2019, BAELY was inspired by his escape from the cold winter months of the UK to the sunshine-soaked climes of America. “I was out there wishing I could have that ‘Summer feeling’ all year round – so I put it in a song”. With a passion for Hip-Hop, R&B, Neo-Soul and Jazz, BAELY is creating his own sonic soundscapes with his distinctive vocals garnering the attention of press and tastemakers alike.
Collaborating with ‘Charlie Rees (JayO, Rita Ora) on the video, BAELY assembled a stellar team of creatives to bring together the retro-tinged visual for his latest offering, ‘Summer’. Shot in the middle of the Mojave Desert in California, BAELY performs against a breathtaking backdrop of mountains, natural rock-formations and vast landscapes, all under the glow of the California sun.
Despite being a relative newcomer in his solo career, BAELY has experienced incredible studio and live success, working with a plethora of artists – including Stormzy, Cleo Sol, Little Simz, Goldlink, Burna Boy, DAVE, Cat Burns, Mahalia, AJ Tracey and Jorja Smith, to name a few – as well as receiving support across the spectrum of the music media and radio. Guesting with Anderson Paak’s Grammy Nominated band ‘Free Nationals’ during their recent London shows, saw BAELY catapult further as he became a Soho House ‘Future First’ artist, headlining his own show at 180 House, sold out shows at Jazz Cafe including a live show held by UK R&B tastemakers ‘The Blues Project’, amongst many other notable performances. With more music on the way, he looks set to step out of the shadows in what is set to be a huge year ahead.
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