Montreal-raised, Toronto-based certified Afrobop queen, AZIA is claiming her own sovereignty on her debut album, out today (29th September)
Featuring 11 tracks which showcase her unique blend of soulful afropop and R&B, ‘Sovereignty’ is in the words of Aiza herself, “an ode to the many lessons I’ve learned to become the empowered and unapologetic woman I am today.”
“The album dives into my experiences dealing with heartbreak, healing my inner child, honoring my lineage and boldly owning the fact that I’m a star.”
Working with her longtime partner and producer, C The Reason, as well as an established team of collaborators including Divinity Roxx, Beyoncé’s former bassist and music director, Aiza has crafted a collection of songs that own her power.
Sovereignty features previously released singles, including the playful Afropop of ‘Majimbo,’ Aiza’s French language “eff around and find out” anthem, ‘Kité,’ the delectable and self-assured ‘Alright,’ as well as the album’s debaucherous and seductive lead single, ‘Cocoa Butter.’
During the three years it took to complete ‘Sovereignty’, Aiza explains that she “chose to bet on [herself] over and over again, even when [she] had no idea how it would come together.”
Have a listen to ‘Sovereignty’ below…
Must Listens: Cocoa Butter, Black Tea, Majimbo, Kité
Hot on the heels of his last single, ‘Unconditional’, multi-award winning Welsh, singer/songwriter DARREN PARRY has a brand new single waiting to be heartedly embraced by the listeners again entitled ‘Outside Looking In’, out now across various music platforms.
This contemporary piece of earworm Pop was co-written with Rachel Walker Mason. Rachel Walker Mason is a multi-award winning musician, currently writing songs with Grammy Nominees, Billboard Hot 100 Artists, Alumni from The Voice UK and American Idol, Emmy Winners and Independent Country Music Association Award Winners. A highly regarded songwriting and vocal judge, Rachel was a judge for NTA nominated Sing: Ultimate A Cappella on Sky One and is a judge for the UK Songwriting Contest, Strive and the Intercontinental Music Awards.
‘Outside Looking In’ was written via Zoom in 2022 as Rachel had heard some of Darren’s songs and got in touch to write. Darren says.“It was great that I was on Rachel’s radar, we had a lot of fun writing this and wrote 90% of it in about a 2 hr Zoom call. I think we had a second short Zoom call to tidy up some loose ends and voila… it was done! I had the chorus idea going around my head for over a year or so before so I played it for Rachel and it struck a chord with her, so that’s the idea we ran with”
Darren recorded and produced the track with young, hip, Swansea producer Dai Griffiths (Dai Griff Productions). Dai has had a lot of success recently with various artists such as BBC Radio Wales Welsh playlist ‘A listers’ Ify Iwobi, Luna Lot and Mal Pope.
Darren’s achievements in music include… 2004 ‘UK Songwriting Champion’ (beating 6000 entries from around the globe), 2014 and 2016 USA ‘Song Of The Year’ contest runner up (judges included Gwen Stefani, Don Henley and Phil Collins), 2019 ISSA Awards ‘International Male Vocalist Of The Year’ Silver Crystal Award winner and multiple other awards from Billboard and Unisong, to name but a few! Darren has co-written songs with hit songwriters like James Warren (The Korgis, “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime”), Dazzle Music (Charlotte Church), Steve Balsamo (Cliff Richard, Slash, Meatloaf) and many others.
Darren has had a busy year or two with winning the 2021 ISSA (International Singer Songwriters Association) ‘Int. Male Songwriter Of The Year’ Silver Crystal Award in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, writing a song for the new The Korgis album (‘Broken’), having four new songs on Lee Gilbert’s brand new album (‘Take Me As I Am’), including the title track, releasing his own singles, writing for other artists as well as various film and media projects.
‘Outside Looking In’ is a great collaboration between two noteworthy songwriters who manifest a positive, upbeat, slick, contemporary Pop track that sees Darren really showcase his three and a half octave vocal range!
Darren says of his latest offering…”I wanted this song to have a universal message. The song is for anyone and everyone who feels they have ever been ‘outside looking in’, i.e. feeling that the world has brought them down, that the challenges of life are difficult to overcome. There is a scene in the film ‘Trading Places’ (I love that film) where Dan Aykroyd, looking cold, hungry and wet is in the rain, looking through a restaurant window at those inside laughing and enjoying themselves. It’s a real metaphor for what many of us have experienced, that of feeling not part of something, not achieving your true potential. It’s a song about realising that you always had wings (even though you didn’t know it) and now it’s time to open them and fly! Now is the time to have that confidence… it’s your time to shine!”
‘Outside Looking In’ is out on various music platforms from Friday 29th September and forms part of his forthcoming new EP, ‘Learning The Hard Way.’
The seminal Rap duo LITTLE BROTHER have dropped new singles, ‘Wish Me Well’ and “Glory Glory’ today (19th September) across various music platforms. Produced by Pumah and Grammy-winning producer Conductor Williams, respectively, the new two-piece serves as the duo’s first new music release since their 2019 surprise comeback May The Lord Watch.
“We wanted to bless our fans with new music to show them we’re not leaning on nostalgia. After 20 years in the game, we’re still hungry and actively working to improve our craft.” – Phonte
“We hear and see the requests for new music. We felt it was time. Time to show our minds are still sharp and we’re only getting sharper.” – Rapper Big Pooh
Credited as one of the first buzzing rap acts in the pre-streaming era of online message boards, Little Brother emerged during the new millennium renaissance of alternative rap in the early 2000s. The group helped pioneer “grown man” or “every man” rap, relating to the working-class and everyday person. The group’s members– rappers Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh –formed as college students at North Carolina Central University in 1998.
Over the course of their illustrious careers, Little Brother has worked with some of the biggest names in music: Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Lil’ Wayne, and many more. Pooh currently manages Dreamville artist Lute, and DJ’s under the moniker RPM. Outside of his work under Grammy-nominated soul outfit The Foreign Exchange, Phonte has written music for Sesame Street, AMC’s Sherman’s Showcase, and VH1’s The Breaks. He also co-hosts the Questlove Supreme podcast alongside Questlove of The Roots.
‘Wish Me Well’ ane ‘Glory Glory’ are available on all major digital streaming platforms and stores.
Philippines-born, Las Vegas-based multi-faceted musician, EZ MIL, who both raps and sings, shares the official music video for track ‘Podium’ out today. The tenacious, versatile deluxe version of his second album, DU4LI7Y: REDUX, out everywhere now following his recent signing to Eminem and Dr. Dre’s Shady Records/Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records. Mil joins the likes of 50 Cent as only a few of the artists signed directly to all three labels.
Ez Mil’s latest music video for ‘Podium,’ directed by Alexey Figurov, is an ominous, dark visual shot in black and white that accompanies his relentless, haunting flow. On the track, Ez Mil begins to process his new role as a rising rapper–someone others might look up to–and the mix of fear and excitement that comes with it. Though Ez is used to directing and editing his videos, he enjoyed letting Figurov help create his vision. Ez Mil says the video, to him, is raw, adding, “It is an unfiltered reflection and a glimpse into my artistry.” Figurov says the video aims to, “recreate the complexity and versatility of the human personality. To explore our negative sides and a person’s craving for self-destruction.” The video’s black-and-white color scheme complete with red accents was a creative suggestion from Eminem himself.
Ez Mil shares the song is, “dedicated to the powers that be. It sheds light on how rappers or writers sometimes feel like politicians with the truth behind what they say and the fear they feel of what might happen as someone in a position of influence.” Aware of his role as someone with a platform and a microphone, Ez Mil hopes to make friends and family proud as he propels into the next phase of his flourishing career. Check out the video for ‘Podium’ below…
A dynamic Nashville based guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer, McMILLIN is a jack of all trades and an artist in every sense of the word. Gaining inspiration from pop, rock, and funk genres, McMillin cannot be put into a box, but rather mends genres seamlessly, becoming what he calls a “fusion artist.”
His new single ‘What It Was’ off starts strong, with four ear-piercing distorted guitar notes quickly followed by a much more mellow beat under a groovy bass riff. McMillins’ smooth voice comes in with “Maybe it’s just better off this way / Some say you begin to die when you refuse to change.” The guitar music stays mellow throughout the chorus with lots of variation in the drum set, a steady beat along with the occasional closed hi-hat and loud crash of a ride cymbal. The song builds throughout each verse adding more and more riffs from the lead guitar and bass guitar giving it that rock-pop sound. McMillin sings “And then it hits you all at once / It never will be what it was.” McMillin accepts that with time comes change but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss what used to be.
Hailing from the music capital of the world, Nashville TN, McMillin has been playing in clubs and bars in the heart of music city and beyond. Combining the elements of poetic dark pop with funk and rock components, McMillin creates a truly immersive, revolutionary musical adventure.
Currently, McMillin is representing Rolling Stone as the frontman for the Rolling Stone Rock Room featured on Holland America Cruise Lines. McMillin describes the guitar as “his one true love” and this is clear as his talents of lead guitar playing, as well as his impressive rock vocals, are on full display in this electrifying show. Their itineraries include the Mediterranean and Scandinavia, as well as most of the Caribbean.
‘What It Was’ is out today (1st September). Have a listen below…
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