Song of the Day: Insane – Tar Ráe

Kick starting 2023 with her brand-new sensual sizzler is British-Nigerian singer-songwriter TAR RÁE. Following on from the release of her debut single ‘See You’ back in 2021, the promising songstress has returned with an infectious drop titled, ‘Insane’.

Underpinned with an acoustic backdrop that accents both R&B and Afrobeat elements, ‘Insane’ is harnessed with an up-beat energy; a sharp contrast to the message behind the track. Delving into the trials and tribulations that come with a spiralling relationship, Tar Ráe lets it be known that she will still do anything for her partner.

Accompanied alongside a set of story-telling visuals we follow Tar Ráe around various settings as she gives her piece of mind. From singing in the rain to her sitting in her bedroom undergoing a “gen z” self-care moment, we follow a modern-day love story on the rocks. Speaking on the release Tar Rae commented, “Insane describes a girl who is at a point in her relationship where her partner is driving her crazy, but she wants to stick beside him anyway. It includes a message that is typically delivered over emotional R&B instrumentals, but with a more up-beat, fun delivery.”

Born in Romford, Essex and raised in Peckham, South-East London, Tar Ráe grew up in a musical household listening to Gospel, R&B, and Afrobeats. It was inevitable that one day she would follow down a similar path and explore a career in music of her own. Taking inspiration from artists including Beyonce, Chris Brown, Brandy, Whitney Houston, and Rihanna, the London native wrote her first song at just fourteen years old before deciding to pursue singing seriously two years later following a conversation with her father. Attending studio sessions in 2019 Tar Ráe began recording her own music before sharing her debut single ‘See You’ in 2021.

Catching the eyes of many reputable songwriters and producers, the newcomer is ready to take it up a notch in 2023 with a catalogue of new music. Check out the video for ‘Insane’ below…

Song of the Day: Infected Memories – Dan Sheriston

Following on from previous offering ‘Mission in Affection’, emerging singer-songwriter DAN SHERISTON‘s follow-up single, ‘Infected Memories’, bears an aptly “infectious” vibe, showcasing his tantalisingly smooth vocals. His unique artistic flair and energy shines through with ease on the track, solidifying him as a rising talent to keep your eye on within the UK R&B scene.

Salford born and raised before moving to Stockport at the age of ten, multi-faceted music artist Dan Sheriston was destined for a career in music from a young age. His father, a House DJ on the Manchester circuit, also played guitar and sang. Naturally, Dan was influenced by this exposure to the arts, and was an avid dancer with a love for Michael Jackson before eventually beginning to sing at age three or four.

Dan soon progressed past his Dad’s level of guitar playing, and continued to pursue his passion for dance by taking part in various competitions (and often winning). A pivotal moment along Dan’s musical journey was discovering fellow singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran at around age eight. Spellbound by a live performance that he watched on TV, it was in that moment that Dan’s passion for songwriting came – straight after watching his performance, he instantly wrote his first song.

Dan was aptly given the middle name ‘John’ after The Beatles’ late frontman John Lennon, and was heavily influenced by legendary Liverpool foursome’s back catalogue. Some of his more modern musical influences include Bryson Tiller, Brent Faiyaz, Lil Baby and Pop Smoke.

At age 14, Dan was crowned the under 16 British Hop-Hop champion at Blackpool Ballroom, and also notably made it to the semi-finals of TeenStar.

Amassing over 16,000 Spotify streams completely independently during the Covid-19 pandemic, this was the green light that Dan needed to propel his music career with full force. With plans to release R&B EP ‘Closure’ in March of 2023, Dan Sheriston is geared up and ready to go with plenty of music under his belt that’s set for release throughout the course of this year.

Produced by Dan himself alongside producer Elliot Taylor, ‘Infected Memories’ is now out across various music platforms…have a listen below…

Song of the Day: Le Homard – Leonardo Das Cabrio (ft. Boki & Fara46)

Kicking of the week on a seriously funky note is LEONARDO DAS CABRIO‘s latest single ‘Le Homard’, a soulful house collaboration with BOKI and the new singer FARA46 who both lend their sensuous vocals on the almost four-minute production.

Leonardo Das Cabrio is the brainchild of Luis Da Silva & Lenny De Luca, who could even charm the birds out of the trees with their chilled-out groove and dance-worthy tune. While they both derive from completely different genres, their music is a fresh & astonishing mixture, showcasing both Lenny’s R&B, Jazz influences and Luis experimental house music. After years of being close friends and creating music together, they finally ended up launching their duo project.

For this new single ‘Le Homard’ they deliver a very infectious number that will, undoubtedly, leave a lasting impression. Bookmark this tune for the weekend and have a listen below…

Song of the Day: Special Moves – Dubby Blanco (ft. SofaKing)

New York hip-hop artist DUBBY BLANCO‘s latest single, ‘Special Moves’ is one smooth boom bap joint accompanied with dream-like lo-fi vibes that can easily put you in a trance. Featuring fellow New York rapper SofaKing, ‘Special Moves’, is a reminder to be thankful for small blessings, that comes out way, and also encourages us to live life to the fullest.

With Colombian roots, Blanco begin his career in entertainment, working as a music promoter for DJ Star’s Chub Ent, and eventually started his own promotions team called FlyBoii Ent back in 2001. Alongside running his company, Blanco also performed as a rapper, creating significant buzz in his hometown and internationally.

In 2011, he dropped his debut mixtape, ‘Blancolombia’, followed up with his 2014 EP ‘Family Trees’. 2022 saw Blanco working alongside with DJ Chase, founder of New York City-based production company Worldwide Soundz Records and the founder of DJ Chase Publishing, LLC.

According to New York City’s own DJ Chase, “Dubby Blanco is a super dope Latino Hip Hop artist with dope bars and dope beat selection; you want to get on the wave early.” Hear for yourself…why not check him out below..

Song of the Day: Crossroads – Denel

DENEL‘s latest single ‘Crossroads’ is compelling right from the beginning, with the dark R&B/pop infused undertones, accompanied by a synth and heavy bass production. The thought-provoking tune is self-produced and written by the South African born, New Zealand bred artist who showcases his talents through beat-making and lyrical prowess to tell a story of unification and the need for one’s own validation.

Denel comments on ‘Crossroads’, “We’re constantly in a state of chasing the next big thing, staying validated and sometimes all of this comes at the detriment of our own selves. I think it’s so important to know your identity and be comfortable with who you are. That’s really what this song is all about.”

His previous track ‘Make It Right’ enjoyed a number eight spot on the NZ Hot 20 in its first week and has attained over 177,000 streams on Spotify alone. Its music video was nominated for ‘Best Music Video’ at Sony’s Catch Light Film festival held in Sydney last year.

Denel has set his sights on diversifying his audience, making music that appeals to people of all ages. 2023 has its own set of goals in mind for the singer-songwriter and producer…Check out his smooth joint below…