UK R&B newcomer Nellie Charles demands respect in single ‘BOSS’

Introducing Manchester-based UK R&B singer, songwriter, and musician NELLIE CHARLES with her first single of the year titled ‘BOSS’. Serving as the lead single to her upcoming debut EP that arrives this summer, ‘Boss’ emerges as a vibrant declaration of self-assurance and empowerment, encapsulated within the rich textures of modern R&B. Crafted from a tapestry of personal triumphs and trials, ‘Boss’ is a sonic exploration of self-worth and the intricate dance of modern relationships. The song’s genesis was a deeply introspective process for Nellie, who aimed to fuse the soulful echoes of classic R&B with a fresh, modern twist. Throughout its creation, from melody conception to the final production stages, Nellie has meticulously sculpted ‘Boss’ to embody empowerment, weaving smooth rhythms with harmonious backing vocals to underscore its message of confidence and assertiveness.

At its core, ‘Boss’ is a bold narrative of claiming one’s space within the dynamics of love and respect, driven by Nellie’s relatable songwriting, her amazing voice, and her infectious R&B slow jams vibe. Drawing inspiration from her personal journey of self-discovery and the quest for mutual recognition in a relationship, Nellie wants to articulate a potent message with ‘Boss’: knowing your value and demanding the respect you deserve. The lyrics, rich with imagery of assertiveness and luxury, mirror Nellie’s conviction in the importance of self-worth and the courage to stand as an equal partner. “Boss” is more than a song; it is Nellie’s heartfelt ode to empowerment, inspired by the likes of Jorja Smith and Summer Walker, and crafted to resonate with anyone who has ever felt overlooked or undervalued.

Beyond its compelling sonic landscape, and its message of empowerment that echoes Nellie’s desire to inspire listeners to embrace their inner strength across all facets of life, ‘Boss’ also comes with an upcoming captivating music video that brings the track further to life. Directed by BlueBoredom, who has also worked with the likes of Digga D, French The Kid, and JBEE, the music video paints a vivid picture of Nellie’s confidence and her message of self-respect amidst the complexities of love and power dynamics. The visuals aim not only to entertain but also to empower, offering a timeless reminder of the unyielding power of knowing and asserting one’s worth in every relationship and endeavour.

Speaking about the inspiration behind ‘Boss’ and how the song came together, Nellie says, “As an artist, ‘Boss’ is more than just a song to me – it’s a statement. It embodies my journey of self-discovery and self-respect. This song came from a place of realizing that in any relationship, my voice matters. It’s a celebration of knowing your value and not being afraid to demand the respect you deserve. ‘Boss’ was born out of a moment where I felt the need to express my strength, not just as a woman, but as a person who understands her worth. It’s a reminder to myself and to others that in love and life, we are our own bosses. The process of creating ‘Boss’ was deeply personal and liberating. It’s a blend of my experiences, dreams, and the musical influences that have shaped me as an artist.”

Listen to ‘BOSS’ below…

OUT TODAY: R&B sensation Pisceze drops soulful new single ‘yin n yang’: a reflection on self and sound

Reputed for her ability to infuse emotional intelligence and Canadian upbringing into her songwriting, PISCEZE delivers raw emotion and introspection on love in brand new single ‘yin n yang’ . With sumptuous vocals and infectious beats, she solidifies her position as one of the industry’s most promising newcomers.

Housing previous support from BBC 1xtra, Complex Canada, Live Nation, LinkUpTV, Viper magazine, The Joe Budden Podcast, and more Pisceze’s music, a fusion of R&B, soul, and K-pop influences, showcases her diverse background and emotional depth, captivating audiences and industry insiders alike.

‘yin n yang’ is out today (8th March) across various music platforms. Have a listen below…

Song of the Day: Love Like This – Jessica Wilde x Josh Barry

Highly acclaimed singer, songwriter, rapper, producer and South London native JESSICA WILDE kicks of her 2024 by joining forces with the incredible Josh Barry for a soulful release, ‘Love Like This’.

Packed with soaring emotions and infused with smoky orchestral atmospheres, ‘Love Like This’ is a striking nu-soul gem which will be released on Wilde’s forthcoming album and follows her recent singles ‘Freak Out’ and ‘Feathers’ ft. Zoe Kypri. The two 2023 singles saw her pick up many spins on BBC Radio 1’s Future Artists with Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1 Introducing with Jess Iszatt, John Kennedy’s X-Posure Daily on Radio X, playlist support across the board from Spotify, Apple, Youtube and Tidal amongst other acclaim. Josh Barry has also been picking up serious heat, recently featuring with Rudimental and Sigma, collaborating with Nile Rogers and opening for Rag ‘N’ Bone Man on tour. Josh Barry brings a dynamic force to the collab as he embodies the spirit of legendary icons like James Brown and Jimi Hendrix.

Following the release of ‘Love Like This’, Wilde and Barry have begun to unveil a 4-part Instagram & TikTok reel series, released every Monday, beginning 19th February. Tune in to see the pair explore the new track’s steamy and romantic themes in more depth through nostalgic aesthetics.

On the series, Wilde explains further- “With the ‘Love Like at his visuals…Myself and Josh wanted to lure people into our world of romance and desire, create a love story through visuals and sounds that feel very now but also have a nostalgic essence, emulating tones of Marvin Gaye ‘Sexual Healing’ with teasing visuals that call in feels of classic film scenes like ‘Grease’, the finale, when Sandy turns into a baddd b and John Travolter is completely hooked! We wanted to capture that slightly tongue in cheek playful edge but still keep it alluring, grown and sexy af!”.

2024 looks set to be an exciting new year for Wilde. With her album on the horizon, she has been gaining growing support from not only BBC Radio 1 but also 6 Music, BBC Radio London, KISS, editorial playlist support across DSPs, as well as features in CLASH, Complex, Wonderland, The Independent and many more. Listen to ‘Love Like This’ below…

UK R&B queen Shaé Universe shares timeless album, ‘Love’s Letter’

UK R&B queen SHAÉ UNIVERSE shares the her timeless new project ‘Love’s Letter’ via The Orchard. A release steeped in R&B nostalgia, the ten track project explores what it would mean for love to send you a letter for every phase of life.

Collaborating with producers from both sides of the Atlantic, the project combines Shaé’s once-in-a-lifetime raw vocal talent with sultry guitar melodies, old-school-flows and modern gritty bounces. Covering romantic love, self-love, lack of love and the role of love in spirituality, ‘Love’s Letter’ is a transformative project crafted to help listeners process their pain.

Love’s Letter opens with inspirational words from Shaé’s mother, taken from one of their real life heart-to-hearts on self love, identity and owning your spirit. The sultry guitar melodies and relaxed groove of ‘Love Self’ set the tone for this intimate, vulnerable sonic journey. Shaé made her much-anticipated COLORS debut last year with radiant ‘Summertime’, a soulful paean to a lost love. Ethereal 00’s R&B cut ‘LOML’ is next, which landed last year to acclaim from CRACK, NME and spins across BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, KISS Fresh and more. Empowering new single ‘Oh, Wait…’ details Shaé finding her inner strength after a betrayal.

Speaking on making ‘Oh, Wait…’, Shaé said – “The unpredictability of each musical section is reflective of how caught off guard I was when I wrote this song. I’d just found out my ex had cheated on me and I was still in absolute shock. This song is extra dear to my heart because at the time I didn’t speak to anyone about it immediately, but Ari Pensmith (songwriter) and Akeel Henry (producer) created such a safe space in the studio that day, I felt comfortable enough to outwardly express my feelings on the situation for the first time.”

Recent single ‘What’s Luv?’ is a sun-dappled tune shot through with breezy guitar licks and Shaé’s ethereal vocal runs, as she muses on the importance of self-love. Bittersweet breakup tune ‘Passenger Princess’ is next, which landed last year with a video featuring frequent collaborator Kojey Radical and drew heat from the likes of NME, Vibe, Wonderland, COLORS, GUAP, DMY, Complex UK, TRENCH and DJ Mag. Stripped-back interlude ‘Warzone’, meets vulnerable spoken word verses with Shaé’s honeyed runs as she deconstructs the turbulence at the end of a relationship. Imbued with honesty and the importance of understanding your own self worth, ‘No Capacity’ (produced by Sean Hamilton, Darkchild’s protegee) combines nostalgic dreamy essences with gritty bounces.

Feel-good anthem ‘More Than Enough’ features the only guest on the project – legendary US R&B star Lalah Hathaway, a true testament to just how far this rising talent has come with the single opening with an intimate voicenote as the two singers arrange to meet in LA. Closing out the project is the cinematic, soulful goodbye ‘Sincerely,’ which layers Shaé’s vocals together with final words from Shaé as she says – “nothing in life is linear / it’s ok to be ok and then not be ok and then be ok again / it’s ok to meet yourself where you’re at everyday / and sometimes you’re going to have to learn that lesson again / and again / before you overcome it / but the most important thing is that you overcome”.

Since bursting onto the scene in 2017, British-Nigerian artist Shaé Universe has made waves in the UK, West Africa and beyond making music that engages, enchants and inspires. Her mother a gospel singer and her father a pastor, Shaé weaves her spirituality, faith and sensuality through her work. Shaé is an artist who can both sing and rap, has been co-signed by the likes of Lalah Hathaway, Jorja Smith and Little Simz and has remained entirely independent – navigating the industry on her own terms.

Now in her new era following performances at legendary festivals around the world including Glastonbury, SXSW, Roskilde, De Roma Festival, The Great Escape and a lead feature on Phabo’s latest album ‘Don’t Get Too Cozy’, Shaé has truly taken her music to a global stage. With fans at the likes of British Vogue, NME, VICE, Rolling Stone, BET, Billboard, Highsnobiety, Complex, Wonderland and NOTION, and recently announced as a Pandora Artist to Watch for 2024 – this year has Sha Universe written all over it. Check out ‘Love’s Letter’ below…

Must Listens: Self Love; LOML; Oh Wait…;More Than Enough,

Song of the Day: Menorca – CK LDN

CK LDN‘s his first single of 2024, ‘Menorca’ is a smooth mid tempo Rap, RnB track with melodic strings that’s so compelling. The drums are hard hitting and provide the bounce, and positive energy. ‘Menorca’ was inspired by a recent trip to the beautiful island and will fit into any UK Rap, RnBor summer playlist.

Previously supported by Reprezent Radio, Capital Xtra, BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 1Xtra, CK LDN is an artist hailing from North London who has an impressive skill set as a singer, songwriter, rapper, producer and drummer. CK LDN’s tone and melodic sound is infectious and makes him stand out in today’s music scene and takes inspiration from the likes of Drake, Bryson Tiller and Brent Faiyaz.

Have a listen to ‘Menorca’ below…