MUMU FRESH sings directly from the heart with ‘My Why’, which she describes as “a tribute to that person(s), place, or thing in your life that is your ‘WHY’”. The impassioned single is from her forthcoming LP The Healing, which will feature DJ Jazzy Jeff, 14KT, DJ Dummy, & more, & comes out on 19th April.
Mumu Fresh, aka Maimouna Youssef, is a Grammy Nominated singer, songwriter and emcee, and recipient of the Indigenous Music, Washington Area Music (WAMMIE) & Urban World Music Video awards. She’s worked with Busta Rhymes, Common, Black Thought of The Roots, Tobi Nwigwe & more, & has two NPR Tiny Desk performances under her belt.
Mumu also co-created the Recording Academy’s “Best Song For Social Change” trustee award, which went live in 2023 at the 66th Grammy Awards & was presented by The First Lady, Jill Biden.
Why not check out the lyric video to ‘My Why’ below…
MARIE DAHLSTROM today releases the new Deluxe edition of her acclaimed 2023 album ‘A Good Life’ – out now via JFH Records. Alongside of the album release, Marie also shares a new video for album opener ‘Confide In Me’.
Fresh off the back of her landmark headline show at London’s famous Village Underground, Danish Londoner Marie Dahlstrom possesses a voice with the kind of divinity that could only be god-given. Braiding together sun-kissed R&B, Nordic jazz, and resonant neo-soul across ‘A Good Life’, Dahlstrom constantly pushes the parameters of what R&B is, and can be.
The newly released deluxe edition of ‘A Good Life’ includes new singles ‘Glass’ and her collaboration with Odeal ‘Nothing On You’, as well as two new remixes and reworks of album tracks ‘If I Belong’ – with drums courtesy of Samson Jatto (Dave, Dua Lipa, Nao) and bass from Jay Asafo, and ‘On My Own’ featuring new contributions from frequent collaborator – London rapper Aligo.
Featuring collaborations elsewhere on ‘A Good Life’ with acts including Jay Prince, Kofi Stone, Cory McKenzie Tribbett and Delleile Ankrah, and working with some of her closest musical allies across the album on its production, notably Young Poet/Ninja Tune signee Conor Albert and her partner Dan Diggas – on ‘A Good Life’ Dahlstrom strove to create a tapestry that presents life completely and truthfully, where leaning into moments of the dark and the light which make the days – and the music – all the richer.
Marie Dahlstrom is supported and praised widely at press by the likes of Billboard, NPR, Complex, The Line Of Best Fit, Mixtape Madness, NYLON, New Wave Magazine, Wonderland Magazine and more, as well as being listed as a ‘Sleeper Pick’ by Joe Budden (three times) on The Joe Budden Podcast (the most influential podcast in R&B and hip-hop globally). Marie Dahlstrom has also received substantial radio airplay from BBC 1Xtra DJ’s Jamz Supernova, DJ Target, Toddla T and Rinse FM’s Jyoty.
The deluxe edition of Marie Dahlstrom’s album ‘A Good Life’ is out now, released 13th March via JFH Records. Why not check out the album and video for ‘Confide In Me’ below…
Born in Zimbabwe and raised in Leeds, LEI HOPE is the project of Manchester based musician Hope Chiguvo. He recently announced his new EP ‘Matrices’ which will be released 10th May via Heist or Hit and shares the project’s second single and opener ’21’.
On his ambitious new 7 track EP ‘Matrices’, Hope’s textured, wide-ranging songs skip between sacred melodies and secular sentiment, all wrapped in a sound that jitters somewhere between the deluxe-digital-age psychedelics of indie and R&B.
Latest single and EP opener ’21’ at once feels familiar, nostalgic, yet distinctly singular. Written as a reminder to himself of his own growth as a person and artist, the song’s woozy, soulful ascending guitar chords and jazzy instrumental inflections provide a warming base for Lei’s musings on personal progression.
Speaking more on the release of new single ’21’, Lei Hope said: “The title of the EP ‘Matrices’ came around as the plural of ‘matrix’. It’s a bit of a nerdy explanation but in Maths, a matrix is used to communicate transformation, movement, or change (similar to coordinates). Throughout the making of this project, I underwent multiple layers of change. I like starting projects with an update on my state of mind – and on ’21’ I was looking back at times when my mental health was a lot worse and appreciating the growth I’ve made in terms of overcoming a lot of struggles. This was the first song Will Levison and I co-produced in December 2022, and it features vocals from Manchester R&B singer Mxzvita.”
Having already impressed with his self-released debut EP ‘Autonomous Affection’ and on the live stage – with buzzy showcases at Beyond The Music and Manchester Psych Fest, Lei Hope’s music arrives at a fascinating intersection between indie-pop, psychedelia, bedroom-pop, R&B and soul.
The hallmarks of his sound – layered vocal harmonies, vibrant synthesisers and smouldering hooks are all there, dappled in sunshine and in full plain sight. A guitarist first and foremost by his own admission, Lei’s musical genesis was in the church. “Whilst I was living with my family in Leeds, we would go to church maybe two or three times a week. It was non-denominational, but I guess you could say it was most similar to a Pentecostal service, with live musicians every service.” he states.
Following a period of father-son osmosis whereby he soaked up every chord shape his dad could show him, the church musicians rallied to fill in the gaps. “Once I got better at guitar, I joined the church band and was playing live every week. Now, my guitar is like my musical calculator and compass.”
And there is a navigational intelligence to the way in which he uses the various shorelines of genre as jumping off points for his own compositions. From making beats at home around the age of 15, Lei discovered and immersed himself in the material of Omar Apollo, Clairo, Yeek, Blood Orange and Spencer.
However, it wasn’t until the enforced cocoon of the pandemic that Lei began the process of recording. Isolation proved to be a creative chrysalis from which he emerged fully formed: “I didn’t know anyone in the industry or any musicians in Manchester but I knew that Steve Lacy had recorded his first EP on his phone. I took inspiration from that. Quickly, I wrote, produced, recorded and engineered my first project and people reacted.”
Lei Hope is a man making whatever music that comes into his head with the power to dismantle and reassemble genres. A pallet cleansing, no filter aesthetic; not just indie for the sake of it, but affectingly human. When you factor in that he’s capable of wringing soulfulness out of any bar of music seemingly at will, it sets him apart as one of the most exciting prospects on the Manchester indie scene.
Lei Hope’s new EP ‘Matrices’ will be released on 10th May via Heist or Hit. Why not watch the visualiser for ’21’ below…
Elite Music Group artist QUAILZ P. releases the video for his smooth hip-hop and R&B single, On You.’ The track is from Quailz P.‘s critically acclaimed EP, ‘One Play Away,’ streaming now on all platforms.
To close out 2023, Quailz P. would release his latest project ‘One Play Away’, an 8-track EP with production from Ceezneck Beats, B~Wee, and platinum South Carolina producer Big Hurt. The project was mostly handled by the head engineer at 400 studios, ABandz.
“It was so many highs in my life in 2023, it felt like I was a step away from fulfilling my dreams, and that is how I feel now. I felt like I owed it to myself and the people that supported me to put this project out. I wanted to wait a while because the songs on there are great songs and I just wanted things to be perfect. I could not wait though, I had to put it out,” Quailz P. says. Not only did he release a solid EP, QP released a documentary entitled Making A Play showing the making of the EP One Play Away.
“I have been doing music for a while, and most people usually give up when they do not get the results, they feel they deserve. I honestly feel I am getting better so I cannot think that way. Do I want to rap forever? Of course not, but I will be involved in music/media until I leave this Earth because that’s what I love to do. Right now, I feel closer than ever, so I am one play away from achieving my goals and helping others attain theirs.”
I’m absolutely chuffed to have caught up with London’s emerging singer/songwriter NIA CHENNAI, who is – in my opinion – one of most exciting acts to come out of the capital’s alt-R&B scene. She released her debut album EP, ‘Diary Is A Waste of Paper’ last November which stormed straight to #8 on the NEW LEASE MUSIC’s Top Ten Albums of 2023 list. So sit back and relax and take time out to find more about this very promising songbird and her blazing project…
NLM: Hey, thank you for taking part in an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC. How is 2024 is treating you so far?
NC: Hey, Thanks for having me! 2024 is treating me great. I’ve been loving all the support I’ve been receiving on my EP ‘Diary Is A Waste Of Paper’. I’m super excited to drop some new music this year.
NLM: You released your EP, ‘Diary Is A Waste Of Paper’ back in November 2023. What is the public perception on the project so far?
NC: The feedback has been super sweet on the EP. Everyone has been tagging, listening, and telling me their favourite lines and stories within the project. I think it allowed my fan base to get to know me a little bit more and was a good introduction to me as an artist
NLM: How would you describe the EP’s sound to potential fans?
NC: The EP sound is what I like to call Nia-soul. It’s a mix of soul, neo-soul, r&b! And I’ve got so many influences so you’re just gonna have to take a listen!
NLM: What inspired you to produce the EP?
NC: Making the EP I wasn’t going into the studio, thinking “oh we’re making a project”. I just went into the studio and was making songs that I loved and it came to a point where we were thinking this would be a great time to drop a project.
NLM: What is/are your favourite single(s) from the EP and why?
NC: My favourite songs on the project change all the time, but my current favourite is ‘Call It Quits! That song has attitude, and I love it.
NLM: What message would you like the listeners to take away from your EP?
NC: I would like to take them through a journey of self-discovery, as that’s what I was going through whilst making the project. Hopefully, they can relate to my lyrics and make some better decisions than I did.
NLM: If you had to feature one mainstream artist on the EP, who would it be and why?
NC: I would love to feature Raye, I’ve been obsessed with her 21st-century blues album and I just got it on vinyl. I think she would make a sick feature!
NLM: So what plans do you have for the rest of 2024?
NC: 2024, expect singles singles singles!
NLM: How can potential fans find you?
NC: Everyone can find me @niachennai on all socials!
NLM: Finally, any special shout outs to those involved in the production of ‘Diary Is A Waste of Paper’?
NC: Yes, a massive shout out to my manager who helped me and guided me through it all. I literally couldn’t have done it without him and all the producers that worked on the project. We made magic in the studio!
New Lease Music 