London’s singer JAYBAY makes her debut on the blog with the smooth and sexy sound on her new single, ‘My Bed’, produced by XVRBLCK (Kadeem Tyrell, Shae universe, Mark Asari).
Known for her backing vocals on tracks like Ghetts & Stormy, Skengman, MNEK’s Crazy world, and brother Labrinth’s All of us, this soprano has teamed up with R&B powerhouse, Ricardo Williams who will forever give you a reason to believe R&B is here to stay. A BBC1xtra-approved artist Ricardo has scored a number of hits including, ‘He Ain’t Me’, ‘Come Over’ and ‘Personal’ and has collaborated with Yummy Bingham, Teedra Moses and Lioness.
Hackney native JayBay says: “My Bed is about making love, and my experience with being free in black-on-black intimacy. My Bed is not a physical bed, it’s a metaphor for my body where my partner can rest. It’s intense, It’s emotional, its space of vulnerability. a safe space for me and mine.”
Ricardo says: “I’ve been chilling and taking in life and working on my next project when JayBay reached out to me to jump on this song. I’ve been a fan of hers for some time now so it was an instant. Little did i know how magical this song was and the minute I heard it I knew we had something special”
‘My Bed’ was released on Friday (9th December) across various on all DSP’s.
Multi-award winning, British, a cappella sensation VADÈ joined forces with R&B legend, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men and multi-platinum producer & songwriter, Erik “Blu2th” Griggs to release their first ever Christmas single, an a cappella arrangement of ‘Christmas Wish’. The single speaks of the excitement and anticipation surrounding two lovers sharing their first Christmas together.
Marked by the signature Vadé sound, filled with soulful harmonies and mesmerizing melodies, ‘Christmas Wish’ was written by Shawn Stockman and Erik “Blu2th” Griggs. For many, Christmas is a time to give and receive gifts, eat, drink and be merry, but this year Vadé is bringing the focus back to love and that ‘special someone’ with Christmas Wish.
“Having the opportunity to collaborate on a track with one of our biggest influences has been an indescribable experience. Boyz II Men paved the way for artists like ourselves and so working with Shawn is such an honour,” Roy Crisp (Vadé member) explained.
“It’s not everyday you come across a musical genius who understands our art form so intrinsically. Working with a producer of Blu2th’s calibre who both stretches us and embraces our creativity is literally a dream come true! I can’t wait for the world to hear what else we’ve got cooking,” added Philip Yeboah (lead singer of Vadé).
Vadé’s artistry and innovation has captured the attention of music lovers all around the world. Over the past year, they have accumulated over 10M views of their musical arrangements across their social media channels and have engaged with their fans through duets on TikTok. Vadé is keen to continue sharing their gift and causing listeners to reimagine music through a cappella by collaborating with artists and together, creating magic that transcends time.
‘Christmas Wish’ across various digital streaming platforms. Get into the Christmas spirit and have a listen below…
Following their previous R8B/Soul effort ‘Erased’ in 2021, London producer RAY ALEX once again teams up with LA vocalist and songwriter Sydney Jane for his self-produced single ‘Grey Rock Shuffle.’
Projecting past traumas and psychological abuse, Ray Alex and Sydney Jane offer an alternative antidote to toxic and narcissistic behaviour with ‘Grey Rock Shuffle’. Co-produced with ako, the song nods to Larry Heard, Vikter Duplaix and funky house from that era and has an oxymoronic twist in how the dark unsettling lyrics in the song coexist with its vibrant, off-centre instrumentation that feels upbeat and inviting.
‘Grey Rock Shuffle’ is the first of seven songs to be released from Ray Alex’s second EP ‘Unseen Powers’ in Spring 2023 on his independent label Incorporelle.
Ray Alex has also co-wrote and performed on Julia Romana’s debut album ‘Blood Be Fluid’ and is set to release songs with London rapper SAMSON and Atlanta rapper JoeJas in early 2023.
GHALIA can immediately draw in a crowd with her single, ‘444’ thanks to its intimate soulful punch packed with incredible vocals and harmonies.
Set in the often dark, lonely, and quiet time of day at 4:44AM, the track follows a melodious conversation between Ghalia and vocalist Rehana who plays the role of the ‘angel.’ Calling out to this figure through dreamy vocal layers and lyrical pleas, Ghalia asks for the angel’s presence and guidance to help her through sleepless nights, give her signs to keep persevering, and above all, provide reassurance that she should keep her faith in the ‘angel.’
With an undeniably ethereal sonic quality, Ghalia flawlessly delivers emotional lyrics that tell the story of the give and take in relationships, the importance of mutual faith and trust, and the risk we all take when we open ourselves up to someone. Following Ghalia and Rehana’s captivating conversation with one another, the track builds to a sharp and emotionally electrifying guitar solo, which perfectly contrasts against the mellow and soothing quality of the rest of the song. Describing ‘444’ as her “most vulnerable song yet,” Ghalia combines her seasoned storytelling skills and relatable lyrics with catchy and dynamic R&B production to perfectly encapsulate the complicated relationship between herself and the angel.
Following her signature formula for creating new music by starting with a beat and simple melody, ‘444’ initially started out as a solo project, but quickly became a duet and collaboration with Toronto-based vocalist Rehana when the two connected via social media during the pandemic lockdowns. The two talented artists then came up with the idea to turn the one-sided track into a dichotomous conversation between the pair in which they both express their desire to be needed and desired by one another. Although the two have never met in person, after sending various melodies, verses, and mixes back and forth, ‘444’ has truly become a collaborative sonic forum where Ghalia and Rehana have bared their deepest insecurities and emotions with one another.
Inspired by a diverse group of talent that ranges from The Weeknd to Kehlani to Justin Bieber, Ghalia has used their work as a launching pad for her own – weaving melancholy lyrics with invigorating R&B style beats to craft her own unique sound.
Ghalia’s ability to capture the attention of listeners with specially-selected beats, complex drops and arrangements have set her apart from the rest. Her new single ‘444’ will be sure to delight her current and future fans, alike. Check it out below…
Lifted from her debut album, ‘Where I Left You’ via +FE Music/EMPIRE, singer-songwriter BEMYFIASCO‘s single, ‘U and I’ speaks to the delicate balance of the Dallas, Texas native’s pursuit of romance in the midst of a demanding music career. What began as a freestyle in a voice memo has now become the most popular song on the album, reaching half a million streams on Apple Music alone.
Out today, the song’s official music video exclusively premiered via BET Soul and is now available on YouTube. Written and directed by Felicia Pride (Grey’s Anatomy, Netflix’s Really Love, OWN’s Queen Sugar, etc.), the video co-stars Marcus Callender (best known for his role as Power in Hulu’s Wu-Tang drama series) and reflects the song’s narrative by offering visual representations of emotional vulnerability, tender affection, and quiet confidence in romance.