Song of the Day: 444 – Ghalia

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…

Watch J-Onyx’s Video For Track, ‘Chop The Bummies’

Following her entry on the blog with track, ‘Can’t F With’, which claimed the Song of the Day Spotlight, J-ONYX continues to set the pace with her powerful lyrics and assertive flow…

‘Chop The Bummies’ emphasises the importance of having the right people in your circle. Concealing her identity, the rapper effortlessly glides over a hard-hitting beat and demonstrates the level at which she is establishing herself within the industry.

The visuals directed by Eric Myers perfectly represent the alpha-female flex that she’s becoming synonymous with on her exciting rise as a rapper. Taking viewers on a journey, J-Onyx cruises around the city surrounded by her day-one friends, captured with captivating camera angles, classical cars and topped up with energy from different dancers that interpret the record through motion and give the visuals a fresh dynamic. Affirming herself as one of London’s most promising newcomers, J-Onyx makes herself unmissable with her latest visuals, even behind her disguise. Check out the video below…

Song of the Day: I Don’t Trust You – K-Riz

On the heels of his critically hailed The Room EP, Edmonton hip-hop/R&B artist K-RIZ getting ready to drop his sophomore full-length album, ‘Peace & Love’, due out on September 24….and first up from the project is single, ‘I Don’t Trust You.’

About an unfaithful lover, K-Riz confronts an ex-flame’s betrayal and deception, setting his melodic raps to a tender R&B-pop bounce assisted by production from J. Deppisch and Grammy-nominated LordQuest. Juggled into his wordplay, he recounts the good with the bad.

“When you fall for someone, it’s hard to trust what your intuition may be telling you,” K-Riz says of the song. “You miss the red flags. You want the person you’re with to be who you think they are, even if they’re someone completely different than what you set them up to be. When trust has been broken, that’s always going to be in the back of your mind. If you can’t trust, you can’t fully love the one you’re with, even though you want to try.”

Originally set for release in early 2020, K-Riz put Peace & Love on hold once the pandemic hit, choosing to delay the project until the time was right. Then things took a turn for the worse when the rapper was in a near-fatal car accident in the summer of 2020, an event that inspired The Room EP. That effort drew attention from Complex, Exclaim, CBC’s The Block, CBC’s The Strombo Show, and peaked at the #2 spot on Canadian college radio’s National Hip Hop Chart.

With Peace & Love, K-Riz goes back in the narrative arc of his life, recounting how he found the other side of a gutting heartbreak and series of upheavals. Not a breakup album per se, but a record that captures his personal breakthrough as a result of the fallout.

K-Riz’s stunning sophomore, Peace & Love, is slated for release on September 24…but for now, have a listen to its first release below (highly recommended)…

Song of the Day: Cut The BS – Maths Time Joy

London based polymath MATHS TIME JOY‘s single ‘Cut The BS’, his collaborative project with New York based artist Rich, was penned from the aftermath of an abusive relationship.

Sharing more behind the track Rich Shared: “I wrote this song after the fallout from the abusive relationship I sing about in Change. I would see my abuser’s friends every once in a while at parties and different social situations. My conversations with those friends always felt surface-level and overly-cordial. I felt like they weren’t being completely upfront, which led me to question who I could trust.”

‘Cut the BS’ is the third single to be revealed from the new project, the follow up to the emotive and passionate ‘Hoping You’d Call’. Earlier this year they debuted with ‘Change’, a beautiful, melancholy offering, born from the moment of realization Rich had that he was in an abusive relationship, an experience that has also fueled the creation of ‘Cut The BS’.

Quickly growing a reputation for their winning combination of flawless vocal talent and weightless, abstract production the pair have already scooped support from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, American Songwriter, Early Rising and Notion, not to mention a wealth of playlisting support across DSPs and love from the likes of Radio 1’s chillest record, Radio 4’s Iconic show Loose Ends and Elton John’s Rocket hour who coined their sound ‘Sensational’’.

Maths Time Joy is one of the UKs most multifaceted talents, a Grammy nominated recording artist, producer and DJ. Teamed with the unmistakable, widely acclaimed talent of Rich, the pair have a winning formula that is not to be missed. Check them out below…

Song of the Day: Trust In You – V’Nessa

Her debut single ‘Helpless’ produced by ENZ Sounds amassed over 170,000 views on YouTube and over 68,000 streams on Spotify with no mainstream push, and now 17 year old V’NESSA returns with another stunning single ’Trust In You’. Centered around mistrust, she opens up a three minute dialogue addressing the struggles young people face during the course of a relationship.

Born in Italy, but raised in South London this exceptional young woman grew up as one of five siblings with a passion for singing and remembers practising every day to perfect her craft. V’Nessa’s ability to sing, write and produce her own music inspired her to study at BCE college where she has been able to enhance her knowledge of music and skills. A prolific songwriter, V’Nessa pens mesmerising R&B songs about lost love, broken trust and youthful ambitions sitting somewhere between Rihanna, Jhene Aiko and Summer Walker with a distinctly London vibe.

Look out for her debut EP dropping this Summer. For now, check out the official video for the single below…