When THEO TAMS wrote single ‘Quit U Love’, he was at the height of his alcohol addiction.
He said about his experience: “Drinking constantly, I reached a moment of clarity where I started to see my addiction for what it was – an abusive relationship that I just didn’t know how to leave.
The next morning, I woke up early, packed my laptop and microphone, then walked to a lookout point on a hill where you can see for miles. I chose to record the demo at this spot – a place where I could see into the distance – because so many areas of my life felt like they had come to a standstill.“
‘Quit U Love’ is taken from Theo’s EP, ‘Trilogy II’, a collection of songs that are each unapologetically him.
Have a listen to his steady journey into sobriety below…
Ahead of his highly anticipated Soul Merchant EP Today, Edmonton rapper ARLO MAVERICK unveils another track from the EP titled ‘Tap It’, a soca-inflected observation on the pursuit for generational wealth and security.
Directed by Maverick, the accompanied video revolves around a young woman from an immigrant family who disrupts the path expected of her to gain more social status. After moving to a new city for higher education, she loses focus and gets caught up in the party scene. Her father works hard to create opportunities for his daughter, as does her fiancé to ensure a better future for their own prospective family. In return, she racks up her father’s credit card without any concern for his debt, manipulates her fiancé back home to fund her lifestyle while meeting others on dating sites, and surrounds herself around other entitled people that encourage her behaviour.
A comment on socioeconomic mobility and narcissism as a social epidemic, the track is a chopped and mixed stew of soca, reggae, electro and hip-hop, elevated by vocalist Oozeela who brings his own Dominican roots to the song.
‘Tap It’ follows Soul Merchant’s lead single, ‘Hashtag,’ a song of protest about racial profiling and police brutality, which drew attention from Exclaim, CBC Radio, The Strombo Show, and CKUA Radio, among others. The EP explores the rapper’s personal reflections on the current state of the world, weaving brainy wit into his wordplay and an amalgam of influences. As with all Maverick releases, each track on the EP comes with a message to spark further conversation.
The Soul Merchant EP arrives on all streaming platforms on next Friday, 9th July…but for now, check out the video for ‘Tap It’
Following a year of uncertainty, burgeoning pop songstress NOELLE is ready to share her music and songwriting with the world. Highlighting the importance of connection, the latest single ‘Therapy’ marks the first release from Noelle’s upcoming debut album (released via Wax Records / Universal Music Canada) that takes listeners on a journey of being there for someone you love through the toughest of times.
Oozing with a dreamy softness and a subtle sadness, Noelle’s tone is pure, gentle and utterly heavenly. Pouring her heart into every phrase, ‘Therapy’ represents an emotive plea to all those who are close to us. Overflowing with Love, this newest offering carries a sophisticated yet powerfully healing message from the 19-year-old artist.
Written by Noelle and David Charles Fischer over zoom with esteemed UK producer Phil Cook (Ellie Goulding, Liam Payne, Lewis Capaldi, Little Mix) and recorded in her parents’ basement studio during quarantine, ‘Therapy’ puts Noelle’s smooth vocals on display, showcasing her unique R&B approach to pop music. Raw and emotional, ‘Therapy’ is a track that noelle holds close as it encapsulates much of her own experience in the storytelling. With the hope of encouraging those that are struggling, ‘Therapy’ reminds listeners to ask for help from those they love, becoming a reminder that there is always someone willing to listen.
Check out the official video for the single below…
Vancouver musician BUKOLA‘s highly anticipated debut EP, ‘The Chronicles Of A Teenage Mind’ is out today on all digital streaming platforms. And to celebrate, she’s also releasing a brand new single and video, ‘Falling Deeper’.
‘Falling Deeper’ is the third single from Bukola’s new EP. The sweet laid back love song hits on that classic R&B sweet spot, while drawing inspiration from one of Bukola’s favourite artists.
“‘Falling Deeper’ is one of my favourites off the EP because it has a really sweet classic R&B vibe to it,” says Bukola. “It also draws sonic inspirations from Daniel Caesar who is one of my favourite artists. The music video for the song was also so much fun to shoot as it was a one-take video. It’s set in a beautiful jazz club and features dancing and choreography from Zavien Garrett and guitar playing from Anthony Anderson.”
Deeply influenced by artists such as India.Arie, Daniel Caesar and H.E.R., Bukola worked with Grammy Award-winning producer, Chin Injeti, and Juno Award-winning producer Ben Kaplan on her debut EP ‘The Chronicles Of A Teenage Mind’. Still a teenager at 19 years old, she came up with the concept and title for the EP when she was in grade 8.
“I never thought I would ever get to create my own EP, but I knew that if I did, I wanted it to be about my experiences as a teen,” says Bukola. “I started recording and working on the project full-on when I was in grade 11 and I even got some help from 2 of my friends when I wrote the intro and outro bits for the EP.”
The Chronicles Of A Teenage Mind is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. Have a listen to ‘Falling Deeper’ below…
‘I Need a Holiday’ was written and recorded at home by ALBA during lockdown and produced in collaboration with up-and-coming London-based music producer Ed Black, aka edbl.
The Spanish-born and London-living singer and guitarist is known for her timeless yet fresh pop-rock sound with undertones of neo-soul, funk and R&B. The latest single boasts a soothing presence of soulful R&B, taking centre stage, later joined by raging guitar plucks giving the production that much-needed edginess.
“This song is an ode to escapism, figuratively and literally speaking. Quarantine forced me to get acquainted with my deeper feelings and emotions. I’m sure many can relate to this feeling of being trapped, constantly ruminating past experiences, regrets and worries, which can really damage one’s mental health. I wrote this song in the midst of this (unsolicited) journey of self-discovery in the hope of better days. I was very excited to collaborate with edbl, whom I deeply admire as a musician and producer, and who helped me take the tune to a whole new level.” – ALBA
‘I Need A Holiday’ follows ALBA’s singles ‘Sister’ and ‘Child of the Stars’. Also released during the pandemic, the singles have been aired on radios around the globe, and received coverage from well-known publications, blogs and tastemakers such as BBC Radio, Amazing Radio and Wonderland Magazine.
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