JAYWOOD – the nom de plume of Jeremy Haywood-Smith – has shared his cover of Tyler, the Creator’s ‘Sweet’, taken from his ‘The Grow On’ EP, which is out now via Captured Tracks.
The EP serves as the follow-up to JayWood’s critically acclaimed full-length, last year’s ‘Slingshot’, came the release’s lead single, ‘Dirk Gently (Know Yourself).’ The EP also includes an additional bonus track from the Slingshot sessions, and an “OG” version of the album single ‘Thank You.’
Have a listen to the buttery soulful single below…
Largely known for solely utilising their spine tingling harmonies, which captivated listeners of all walks of life from across the globe, UK’s very own A cappella quartet VADÉ (pronounced vah-day), have taken a fruitful route with their latest single, ‘Mango’, out now across various music platforms.
2023 sees the guys venturing out and experimenting with various genres and they certainly push their creative boundaries to new grounds with ‘Mango’, by incorporating a summer-charged instrumental – a vibrant fusion of Afrobeats and R&B – to complement their infamous harmonies.
They said of their latest offering, which was featured on BBC Radio London and BBC Radio Berkshire: “We wanted a song that represented who we are as well as something that captured fundamental parts of our lives, so we came up with Mango, combining the exotic fruit with culture and how the sweetness of it relates to the fondness of a partner.”
The lyrics capture in simplicity some of the things the guys love about their partners: “You’re not the fighting type/baby you’re sweet and fine/ you got my back when i need it/ you be my ride or die!” Similarly, the single also describes how they liken this love to the sweetness of some of the foods and drink synonymous with their Afro-Caribbean culture, “You’re sweeter than Fanta oh, plantain and pineapple!”
Vadé was formed by Philip Yeboah and JJ Hammersley in the summer of 2013 and was later joined by Jermaine Sanderson and Roy Crisp. Their aim is to encourage listeners to reimagine today’s hits and timeless classics through a cappella by collaborating with other artists and together. Their mission paid off as Vadé have quickly captured the attention of music lovers all around the world. Since late 2021, they have accumulated over 16M views of their musical arrangements across their social media channels and have engaged with their fans through duets on TikTok.The evolution of Vadé’s sound progressed in the summer of 2022 while collaborating with Erik “Blu2th” Griggs, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and multi-platinum producer for Dr. Dre and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men. The result was their first festive single, ‘Christmas Wish’ was released in November 2022.Vadé continues to explore new music styles through their debut EP later this year…until then, the guys gives an exotic taste from their forthcoming collection with ‘Mango’, out now across all music download and streaming sites.
London’s singer-songwriter APRIL JAI returns, this time to the blog’s Song of the Day hot spot, with a nostalgic summer feel cover of ‘I Kissed A Girl’ – the latest in a string of singles from the independent artist. Delicate acoustic guitars blend with an indie pop feel, April Jai has brought a brand new vibe to the 2008 Katy Perry hit, bringing it forward to suit the current musical landscape.
April Jai says of her cover: “I’ve been a huge fan of Katy Perry since I was a kid and I absolutely love making covers and changing them to suit my own style. I had a blast making this cover and love that it has that coming of age, end of summer nostalgic feel to it”
Making a name for herself on the London pop scene with her chilled production style and emotionally heavy lyrics, April’s TikTok viral hit ‘It Ends with Us’ saw her rack up over 500K streams for the release on Spotify; meanwhile her previous more sultry alt pop release ‘Stop Fighting It’ emerged as her first release since her sold-out headline show in December at London’s Troubadour – proving her potential to translate online viral attention into a real-life fanbase.
With a growing catalogue of heartfelt releases under her name, like the latest single ‘You Didn’t Notice’ and November’s pop- rock flavoured ‘Not Like the Movies’, April Jai’s personal pop numbers matched with her natural storytelling abilities sees her continuing to attract listeners from around the world, tapping into the ups and downs of navigating life and relationships. Now ready to continue her natural progression into the upper sphere of the pop world, ‘I Kissed A Girl’ is something new and exciting from the Scottish native – April Jai is undeniably one to watch. Have a listen below…
Introducing the Kenyan-born, Los Angeles-based XENA MANASSEH and her new single ‘Anticipate’ featuring fellow Kenyan artist Karun. The ethereal new single is imbued with 90s R&B sensibilities as the two artists unite, their hypnotic voices sizzling over a glittering, cinematic production. The single marks the latest taste from Xenia’s forthcoming much-anticipated 11-track debut LP Love/Hate Pt.1 slated for release on 1st September.
‘Anticipate’ appears alongside recent release ‘Temporary Love’ on Love/Hate Pt.1, the two singles marking an exciting taste of what’s to come from this ineffable debut. The beautifully curated album sees Xenia blend complex, intricate productions with appearances from the likes of Tay Iwar and Shalom Dubas.
Xenia Manasseh is a breathtaking global rising talent. Blending an eclectic offering of R&B shot-through with flavours of afro-soul, the emerging artist has already worked with the likes of Teyana Taylor, Burna Boy, GoldLink and more. With two EPs under her belt, 2019’s Falling Apart and 2022’s Maybe which includes the single ‘Love Me or Leave Me’ (1M+ Spotify streams) and support from Spotify (Xenia has been an ‘EQUAL’ and ‘RADAR’ ambassador), Xenia is making waves as an artist who blends stunning lyrical relatability with lush vocals and intricate songwriting. Have a listen to ‘Anticipate’ below…
YXL AYO [YXL-eye-o] lines up his captivating summer smash ‘My Lover’.
Produced by Tosxn Beats and engineered by Kingsley Boyden, ‘My Lover’ delivers an Afro-fusion groove fused with hip-hop and R&B elements— nods to YXL Ayo’s influences including the likes of Mario, WizKid and Maleek Berry. The trendy yet luscious production work caters perfectly to YXL Ayo’s vocal performance, a marriage of multi-genre stylings which culminates in a soulful bounce. This produces an undeniably infectious record which sounds primed to take over the season.
YXL Ayo is preparing to release a brand new EP later this year…keep an eye out for that…but for now, check out his sensual joint below…
New Lease Music 