Tag: UK talent

Song of the Day: I Was There – The Grand Cru

International award-winning songwriting team, THE GRAND CRU (comprising of Welsh and American talent) have shared a brand new album, entitled ‘September 11th – Music To Heal Your Soul’.

The Grand Cru includes ex Jesus Christ Superstar lead, Steve Balsamo (who’s written for Slash, Meatloaf, Cliff Richard) and ex member of The Story’s and Balsamo/Deighton. Also on ‘The Cru’ is multi-award winning Welsh singer/songwriter Darren Parry who’s a former UK Songwriting Contest winner, Billboard, Unisong, ISSA and USA Song Of The Year award winner (who’s co-written with The Korgis, Dan and Laura Curtis and others).

The third Welshman is Rhondda’s multi-talented Lee Gilbert who is an acclaimed singer /actor. His 25 yr career has spanned from Theatre, Radio and TV work which runs alongside his very busy music career. The fourth member and brainchild of ‘The Cru’ is Florida based Bonnie Skop, who’s family has a long history in music; including her Dad managing Ted Nugent and Bob Seger in their early days! The Grand Cru get their name from the French words… meaning “a wine of the most superior grade”. These songwriters are certainly that!

100% of the net proceeds from the sale of the album go to support the Enlisted Association Of The National Guard of The United States (EANGUS). EANGUS is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the status, welfare and professionalism of Enlisted members of the National Guard and has a constituency base of over 450,000 soldiers and airmen, their families, as well as over 350,000
retired members/veterans.

Darren says… “Steve, Lee, Bonnie and I have written the album predominantly on Zoom over the last two years or so having been approached by The National Guard via a contact of Bonnie’s in the US. We have donated six of our songs to the cause but have written bespoke songs including “I Was There””.

Steve says…‘I Was There’ is a very emotional song about the morning of 9/11 in New York. The song focuses on three different characters… one female character is going to work in New York that morning, another character is a guy taking a flight from New Jersey to San Francisco”. Lee continues… “the third character is a child who fortunately sleeps late so he’s not on time for school. You’ve gotta listen to it, it’s a real emotional rollercoaster of a song”!

‘I Was There’ was performed by The Cru for the EANGUS 9/11 Remembrance Gala at The One World Trade Centre building in New York on 11th September this year for a star-studded event, hosted by Kelsey Grammer (of hit show Frasier).

‘I Was There’ and ‘September 11th – Music To Heal Your Soul’ album are out now. Why not watch the video for the emotive single, featuring the three Welsh talent.

Connect with The Grand Gru:
http://www.darrenparry.com
http://www.stevebalsamomusic.com
http://www.leegilbertmusic.co.uk

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OUT TODAY: Clara Pople shares self-empowerment single, ‘Hot Moon’.

CLARA POPLE‘s brand new single, ‘Hot Moon’ broods a strong atmospheric drive, soothed over by her delicately light vocals which creates a laid-back and magical experience. If you’re unfamiliar with Clara Pople, she is a promising indie pop/trip-hop artist from North West of England, that’s well and truly connected with nature and her latest single mirrors that bond, the chaotic energy that a Full Moon brings – and her resilience in carving a name for herself in the challenging music industry.

Speaking about the inspiration behind ‘Hot Moon’, Clara Pople shares: “This is my empowerment anthem for all women and people who can feel overpowered by the forces of nature. Hot Moon is a song about the ebbing and flowing tides of being a woman. How nature can control our mood and how, whilst infuriating, we just have to give in sometimes and let the madness take over.”

Crediting her upbringing in a family of strong women and her education at an all-girls school for instilling a sense of resilience, Clara she feels confident and empowered enough to navigate a path into the music scene, her way and on her terms. She created The Boat Gigs, which have quickly become a word-of-mouth sensation in London’s underground scene. The gigs, which feature a lineup of three emerging artists, have become a lifeline for musicians looking to play in a supportive environment without the usual pressures of self-promotion.

South Cumbria-born Clara came up with the idea of The Boat Gigs after moving onto a boat. She envisioned turning the intimate and airy space into a venue. What began as a personal experiment has blossomed into a vibrant monthly event, situated at St Pancras Old Church in London, where Clara will be performing at tonight’s (19th September) headline show.

She explains: “Hosting gigs on the boat just felt natural. I needed a venue where I could headline, so I thought, why not create my own show every month and build a community around it? It’s been incredible seeing how these gigs are helping other emerging artists as well. They’re the OG form of what a gig should be—built-in crowd, guaranteed pay, and a chance to connect with like-minded musicians.”

With the release of ‘Hot Moon’ – out today (19th September) – across various music platforms – and her thriving boat gigs, Clara Pople proves there is room for creating music that’s true to oneself, while building a strong community of like-minded musicians. Why not listen to ‘Hot Moon’ below…

Connect with Clara Pople via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ClaraPopleMusic/
X: https://x.com/clarapoplemusic
IG:https://www.instagram.com/clarapoplemusic/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@its_clara_pople

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Britain’s Got Talent star Nick Edwards shares stunning EP, ‘Live At Yellow Arch’.

If you’re a massive Britain’s Got Talent fan, you may recognise this guy – NICK EDWARDS.

Since finishing up in the semi-finals in series 15 on the talent show, the dad-of-two has been making leaps and bounds, particularly in the country music scene around the world. His latest EP, ‘Live At Yellow Arch’, may just be the ticket to further cement his place in the country music community.

Recorded at Sheffield’s infamous Yellow Arch Studios, where a string of award-winning albums were produced for the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Kylie Minogue, Jarvis Cocker and Franz Von, ‘Live At Yellow Arch’ forms four captivating live performances, where Nick’s robustly soulful vocals introduces the set through ‘All That You Can Give’, accompanied by guitar licks creating an intimate setting which radiates a tranquil glow.

The EP continues with the comforting glow with a breathtaking cover of War & Treaty’s monster hit, ‘That’s How Love Is Made’. While still maintaining the huskiness that was pleasantly apparent at the beginning of the EP, Nick’s vocals turns all emotive, which compliments the woeful violins and soft soulful bass – all which perfectly gives a new appreciation to the original song.

That warm soulful glow really begins to shine through and concludes the EP perfectly with ‘Troubadour Soul Sinner’ and ‘Trouble’ which, together with the gleeful violin, somehow gives off a Dr Hook & The Medicine Show feel.

Currently, Nick Edwards is creating his debut album – but he wants to make sure it is just right! Until then, his body of work, ‘Live At Yellow Arch’, serves as the perfect filler for his loyal and potential fans. Have a listen below…

Must Listens: That’s How Love Is Made, Trouble

Connect with Nick Edwards via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/therealnickedwardsbgt
X: https://twitter.com/TherealNick85
IG: https://www.instagram.com/thereal_nickedwards

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OUT TODAY: Megzz shares new single, ‘Love Tonight’ – a delightful cocktail of R&B, Afrobeats & Pop

Out today (23rd August), across various music platform, MEGZZ‘s single, ‘Love Tonight’, is an irresistible blend of R&B, Afrobeat and Pop that embodies the feeling of an everlasting summer. Already receiving national radio play on BBC 1Xtra, the not-so-typical love song brings friendship and platonic love to the forefront, in a bid to knock romantic love off its pedestal.

Megzz shares her inspiration behind the single: “I found growing up that popular music tended to focus on finding the one, rather than appreciating/noticing love that is already around you. I think it’s important to remind people love comes in many valuable forms, and so Love Tonight was born”.

Megzz breaks down the track, describing how the warm guitar tones against Afrobeat inspired percussion immediately evoke images of summer. By the time ‘Love Tonight’ leaves the first verse, the layers of interweaving guitar parts open out into a gloriously catchy chorus that is impossible to listen to without moving to the beat.

The production is complemented perfectly by the bright vocals and harmonies, and the lyrics (which are just as bright), remain true to Megzz’s style and are full of meaning. Lyrics such as ‘your love feels like home, got no need to wander’ and ‘I was too scared to fall until you showed me loving’, capture the sentiment of how important meaningful connections and friendships are to our lives, and why this is the perfect feel-good pick me up everyone needs this summer.

In short, ‘Love Tonight’ is more than a song; it’s a call to action to come together, and to love and be loved.

Hailing from Northamptonshire (UK), Megzz’s ‘unapologetically honest’ style of music has garnered an array of supporters, including AMEX Gold who crowned her as one of their Top 6 Unsigned Artists in 2022/2023. Megzz then went on to star as one of the main subjects of the Amazon Prime documentary ‘Unsigned’ that followed the AMEX experience.

The remainder of 2023 saw Megzz gain a number of firsts in her career – including her first award ‘Pop Artist of the Year’ (Local Music Awards), her first Radio 1 play and her first major festival performing at All Points East. Believing music is a powerful therapy to herself and others, Megzz’ lyricism has always focused on transparency around mental health, self-love and empowerment – and she firmly established this in her most recent EP ‘Through The Motions’ released in September 2023.

Megzz’ now shares her first release since her EP – ‘Love Tonight’ – out today (23rd August) across various platforms. Why not have a listen below…

Connect with Megzz via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/officialmegzz
X: https://x.com/official_megzz
IG: https://www.instagram.com/official_megzz/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@official_megzz

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OUT TODAY: Sonz of Thunder UK returns with track, ‘Money Talk’

For the last few years, Dancehall/Gospel duo SONZ OF THUNDER UK (SOTUK), consisting of brothers Shane and Dean Brown, have adopted the sweet rhythms of the Motherland (Afrobeats), which received a seal of approval from the likes of Capital Xtra, BBC1/1xtra and BBC London. Now the guys return to their Dancehall roots with brand new single, ‘Money Talk’, out 20th August now across various platforms.

Written by Shane and Dean Brown, ‘Money Talk’ sums up a well-known quote: The love of money is the root of all evil.With the glorification of money displayed in today’s world, where many are on a manic chase for the notes – without any consequences – SOTUK’s latest single is a reminder to not place so much faith in the very thing that causes break-ups and envy in relationships. Instead, ‘Money Talk’ encourages to place trust and faith in the Most High. 

Produced by Zabdiel Campbell, ‘Money Talk’ follows the re-release of their 2019 single, ‘Enjoy Life’, named Gospel Song of the Week by Soul Food Gospel Radio. The carefree riddim has also scooped the top spot on UGN Jamz’s Reggae Royalty Chart and AStepFWD UK Christian Chart in the reggae category.

Veterans in the UK gospel reggae scene, SOTUK has been spreading words of inspiration across the UK which earned them a steady following in the gospel and secular communities as well as receiving continuous support by the likes of Capital Xtra’s Ras Kwame, BBC London, Pulse88 Radio, The Beat 1036, Premiere Gospel plus many more. Recipients of TTMP Gospel Awards, SOTUK has been nominated for a Premiere Gospel Music Award. The brothers enjoy more good news; they were recently nominated for GX Awards for Best Reggae Act.

Blessed with performing on the same stages with some of reggae’s great acts such as Papa San, Luciano, Levi Roots and Christopher Martin, SOTUK has been working in Ghana with native producers, including Bizkitbeats and Kbeats, for tracks such as ‘Joy To The World’ and ‘Blessings Pon Blessings’, which possess an Afrobeat flow. Both tracks have demonstrated that the guys can take on many genres while maintaining their Reggae/Dancehall signature sound.

Stay tuned to SOTUK as they are currently working on new music, with fresh and exciting sounds for 2024…Until then, check out their latest single, ‘Money Talk’, out now across all good music platforms.

Connect with Sonz Of Thunder UK via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/sonzofthunderukmusic
X: https://x.com/UkSonz
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sonzofthunderukmusic/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sonzofthunderukmusic

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