Song of the Day: Calling You – HXXD

Following on from his recent drop ‘Conversations Freestyle’, Mancunian native HXXDZ continues to bring the levels with single, ‘Calling You’.

Taking influence from Trap and Drill with the additional flair of alternative hip-hop, ‘Calling You’ shows also a softer side to Hxxdz in comparison to his harder drill type flow on previous releases. This sees him taking a more melodic approach whilst clearly showing his versatility to be able to switch between various genres.

The by product of a musical pallet means Hxxdz sound morphs the transatlantic sounds and influence neatly into his style with cold flows, an unstoppable delivery and a knack for lyrical creation. Having received support from the likes of Mixtape Madness, Link Up TV, P110 and GRM Daily, this young artist is really making a name for himself in the UK scene.

With a slew of releases in the pipeline, this really is just the beginning for Hxxdz, growing as an artist with each release, he’s someone you should definitely be keeping an eye on. Check him out below…

Song of the Day: Belinda – Moh (ft. Mr Eazi)

Featuring one of Africa’s finest Mr Eazi, MOH’s debut single,‘Belinda’, leans to the soft, smooth and romantic side of Afrobeats, both artists proclaim their love for ‘Belinda’.

With a chilled-out beat produced by Lexyz that has a percussive drum pattern softly cantering through the heart of it, ‘Belinda’ sees MOH and Mr Eazi soulfully dance across the record creating a modern-day love song.

Although a new artist for 2020, MOH has been changing the Ghanaian soundscape with his refreshing sound, establishing himself as a cultural icon, both within the UK and Africa. With a unique style and being a Ghanaian of Middle Eastern and British decent, he combines musical influences from his myriad of colourful cultures into his music. Having started writing and performing music whilst in secondary school, MOH went on to record music and partner with other top artists from Ghana to continue perfecting his initial sound.

Following his completion of higher education and achieving a BSC in construction technology and management, music is now taking the stand for the rising star. Making a long-awaited debut in the Afrobeats scene, Moh gives us fresh new track ‘Belinda’.

Check it out below…

Song of the Day: High – Gillian

The first tease from her full-length album, ‘3AM’, singer/songwriter GILLIAN‘s new single, ‘High’, is a delightful piano-driven pop ballad with a very poignant message on the horrors of addiction.

Gillian says of her latest release: “The song took true emotions I was feeling in a relationship and created a story with them. It’s about how addiction can affect a relationship.”

Gillian treats her music as a conduit for truth. Whether behind the piano or with a guitar in hand, the Boston-based artist chronicles life’s ups and downs, ebbs and flows, and trials and tribulations with thoughtful clarity, poetic eloquence, and a stirring soulful voice. Documenting the dissolution of a relationship, confronting the pains of addiction, or facing loneliness, she confidently conveys unbridled emotion with wisdom that belies her 16 years of age.

Gillian made her introduction last year with the independent release of her debut EP, ‘Unfiltered’. The lead single, ‘What It Felt Like’, impressively tallied 200K Spotify streams. 2020 is set to be another banner year for Gillian as she heads towards the release of her album, 3AM, due for release this Summer.

Watch the video for ‘High’ below…

Song of the Day: Nina – Jay Ardz

Originally from Verona, Italy JAY ARDZ has been meticulously constructing a new wave of UK Rap tracks with Afro-swing elements that continue to elevate him as an upcoming artist to reach a peak altitude in his career.

His first track of 2020 ‘Nina’ displays making his dream of success a reality, whilst remembering the path that has made him who he is today.

Revolutionizing a new era of upcoming UK hitmakers, Jay Ardz has already begun to set the tone for what is to come following his recent success of ‘Roadside’ (2019) which caught the attention of popular mainstream platform GRM DAILY, and ‘Mia Khalifa’ (2019) which featured on Spotify’s ‘Afrobashment’ playlist.

Jay Ardz endeavours to continue developing his distinctive sound, honing his craft, and positioning himself accordingly so he can leave a striking impact on the UK Rap + Afro-swing scene.

Check out the video for Jay’s ‘Nina’ below…

Song of the Day: Smooth Criminal – Big Narstie (ft. Still Greedy)

Undoubtedly one of the biggest stars to come out of the Grime scene, BIG NARSTIE has made a name for himself, from the early days coming up in the UK hip-hop scene to more recently being known for having his own award winning Channel 4 show with Mo The Comedian ‘The Big Narstie Show’ and guest appearances on Big Fat Quiz, Celebrity Coach Trip, Celebrity Bake Off and plenty more. Narstie is one to stay true to his roots and still consistently releases music, this time he gives us ‘Smooth Criminal’ featuring Dice Recordings label mate Still Greedy.

With 60 million plus streams, his latest album BDL BiPolar featured Ed Sheeran, Raleigh Ritchie and Craig David, where he scored a top 10 single with When The Baseline Drops. As well as this Big Narstie has various brand endorsements with the likes of Zopa, 888Sport, McDonalds, Carphone Warehouse; Big Narstie is a brilliant example of a modern day success story.

Having been named ‘Best Grime Act’ at the Urban Music Awards five times, heralded as Noisey’s ‘Man Of The Year’ and ‘Personality of The Year’ at GRM Daily’s Rated Awards, he has also performed at an abundance of festivals such as Wireless, Lovebox, Glastonbury and more.

With consistent radio support from the likes of 1Xtra, Radio 1 and Beats 1, this latest release further proves why Big Narstie is one of the best in the country. Check him out below…