New Track: Because of Love: Bianca Rose (ft. Ayanna Witter-Johnson)

bianca-rose-video-clip

British/Jamaican/Nigerian singer-songwriter BIANCA ROSE has been writing and composing for the best part of a decade. In 2007 she self- released her debut EP ‘Truth and Tiny Tragedies’, and has continued to collaborate and write songs for other artists ever since. Accompanying herself on guitar and ukulele, Bianca’s live shows have included sets for Sofar Sounds, Tigmus, London Jazz and the CrimeJazz Festival in the Netherlands with additional performances for Playstation, OH TV, & radio play on Radio 1 and 1Xtra. As lyricist in the Ready Riters songwriting collective, Bianca recently co-wrote X-Factor contestant Annastasia Baker’s debut album, resulting in Annastasia’s 2014 Mobo nomination.

Bianca has decided that 2017 is the right time to focus on her own music again, and release some of the songs she’s written over the last few years. The second single taken from her highly anticipated debut album is entitled ‘Because Of Love’ and features Mobo nominated singer/songwriter and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson. Bianca explains “Ayanna and I collaborated on every part of the creation of this song, from writing to recording, so it only made sense that the video was an extension of this partnership, whilst debunking the stereotype of competition between women. We believe there is a place for us all in this business so we actively make room for one another.”

bianca-rose

Her debut album ‘No Fear’ Here was part-funded by the PRS for Music Foundation and produced by critically acclaimed jazz musician and producer Femi Temowo, (George Benson, Andrea Bocelli, Amy Winehouse, The Roots, ESKA & Soweto Kinch). ‘No Fear’ Here is an expansive interpretation of the singer/songwriter genre, fusing Bianca’s folk/gospel sensibilities with both Bianca and Femi’s African diasporic perspectives.

Bianca adds “These songs are snippets of the lessons I’ve learned and am still learning. Some people believe that fear is something we should live with, or that we should use it as motivation to achieve our goals. From my experience, I believe it’s something to be conquered and routed out of every area of our lives. I try to live on a daily mission to seek and destroy all traces of fear and oppression in my life. It’s the only way that’s worked for me.”

‘Because of Love’ is now available on all streaming platforms and ‘No Fear’ Here is released today.

EP Review: Snapchat – J.Kas

I gonna kick off the first review of the year with NEW LEASE MUSIC staple J.KAS‘ five-track EP ‘Snapchat’.

This hot property from Sheffield continues to dash A WHOLE HEAP of hot pepper sauce in the latest project, by adding his seamless flow to dangerously infectious dance bangers, uptempo and rhythmic after hours hip-hop/R&B.

This one is definitely a keeper; add to your collection for free via Bandcamp.

Must Listens: All Night (Sugah Sugah), Cold Love, Fxck With Me.

New Music Video: Satellite – I.AM.WILLOW

i-am-willow-satelite-video-clip

I.AM.WILLOW debuts the music video for her debut single Satellite, a soaring, sweeping pop song “about giving that special relationship a second chance.”

Her music is a cinematic-pop explosion of influences, highlighted by the contrasting subtlety and power of her vocals, melodic arrangements and evocative lyricism.

The London-based, Malta-born musician, who counts Annie Lennox as a fan, has gained support from BBC Introducing, Q Magazine, The Line of Best Fit, and Time Out (Top 5 Rising Stars of 2015) over the past 12 months.

Watch out for her  EP,  coming in 2017…but for now, check out the video to Satellite.

New Music Video: Fvxk With You – Angel (ft. Rich Homie Quan)

fvxk-with-you-video-clip-angel

Hot on the heels of a huge summer which saw him bring his mesmerising vocals and must-see stage performances to both Wireless and V Festivals, UK R&B singer-songwriter ANGEL has shown no signs of slowing down with the release of his new EP HER earlier this month – which has already been streamed almost 400,000 times in less than two weeks – and now the brand new visual for his track Fvxk With You featuring US rap artist Rich Homie Quan.

Sampling 90s girl-group Jade’s iconic New Jill Swing jam Don’t Walk Away, ANGEL continues  with his unique mix of addictive 90s samples mixed with his distinctive, soulful vocals on the Harmony Samuels produced Fvxk With You. With west London meeting America’s ‘dirty south’, delivered courtesy of an explosive 16 bars from Rich Homie Quan, the Atlanta, Georgia hip-hop artist currently taking the music industry by storm, Fvxk With You has already started to make a huge splash across both sides of the Atlantic and is set to be taken to the new heights with the new visual, filmed in the rapper’s ATL neighbourhood.

HER EP is a collection of six slick and sultry R&B jams produced by Angel and showcasing his incredible songwriting ability and flair for hypnotic hooks and earworm melodies. Seeing him continue to build on the waves he created with his previous releases this year, the EP features two further new tracks, the soon-to-be new favourites Thelma and Louise and the Bobby Brown sampling Me & You. HER also includes Hop On featuring rising UK rapper Stefflon Don and the powerful Rude Boy featuring Haile from WSTRN, which along with the remix – which saw him join forces with JME (Boy Better Know), Wretch 32 and Tally – collectively amassed over 2 million combined streams and garnered support from Radio 1Xtra and Rinse FM.

Signed in the US by Motown records VP, Ezekiel Lewis (also responsible for forming the group The Clutch who have gone on to write and produce hits for Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Neyo and more), alongside Island Records, ANGEL continues to reinforce his position as one of the UK’s hottest R&B talents. With Pop and Oak (known for their work with the likes of Chris Brown, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj), Grammy award-winning producer Swiss Beatz, Neff U and Prince Charlez (who recently collaborated with Rihanna on Anti on the list as just some of the credible names Angel has recently worked with, there is no doubt that his debut album is going to rock both sides of the shores, making 2017 and beyond his for the taking.

HER EP Is out now on Island Records.

Album Review: Staring Into Space – Oloff

oloff-staring-into-space

After four months releasing his EP Life’s Got You Riveted ( once voted Album of the Week by NEW LEASE MUSIC) OLOFF rounds off the year with his 15-piece album, Staring Into Space, released last month.

The latest project predominantly includes three-minute bursts of his old instrumental recordings dating back to 2012, where this young artist put his smooth spin on vintage/Slum Village-esque hip-hop. This guy is cut from a different cloth; he’s worth a trial – check him out!

Must Listens: Never Was Feeling Poorly, DECRACS, Someone Took.