London’s singer/songwriter SOFIA GILLANI‘s brand new single, ‘Monster’ is about expressing yourself through the alter ego of what society deems as a ‘monster’. Its fierce, impactful and deep bass, with raging build-up, is meant to bring out the best version of yourself, with one of the best messages: own it, even it scares people.
Sofia began her musical career at just nine years old; starring as a lead in the musical ‘Evita’. Since 2020, she has released five songs, each with their own invigorating videos. Her single ‘Water Run Dry’ has been featured by BBC Introducing and surpassed 9K views on YouTube. She has performed on various events from Westfield London to Haslemere Fringe and Luton Pride. Her latest track ‘Monster’ comes as a new dawn for the singer as she takes on 2023…check out the official for the single below…
London producer REDD TUNE delivers another slick set with Mars Noel coming in the form of ‘Diplomacy’. The three track EP features rappers, Nobi 1 and Dr Mortis, who both take turns to drop unfiltered wordplay against the silky smooth, old school boom bap with occasional melodic chants.
‘Diplomacy’ is a nostalgic collection that will be appreciated by anyone who loves hip-hop/boom bap of the yesteryear…so true hip-hop heads, step forward and check out the EP below…
Following on from previous hits such as ‘Crushin’ and ‘Naughty or Nice’, CHERYLL is back with her brand new single ‘One of A Kind’, a sultry joint that’s a must have for a R&B collection.
Taking inspiration from the likes of Mary J Blige, Beyoncé and Aaliyah, Cheryll is a unique blend of powerhouse vocals and 90’s melodies, bringing back the nostalgic vibes of 90’s RnB! London-born singer-songwriter, Cheryll is well on her way to becoming one of the key players in UK RnB, and her new single shows just that.
Cheryll’s music delivers that emotional transparency that appeases the listening ear. Being of Gambian heritage, she has featured in live performances in the motherland and made appearances on many platforms building a core fan base in what she calls home. The soulful songbird is a proud winner of the Fresher of the Year Award at the 2022 State of R&B awards with over 40+ live show performances across the UK. With only one EP released so far – amassing over 50k streams – Cheryll’s place as a musician in the industry has already been cemented and it is only becoming strong.
Check out the official video for ‘One of the Kind’ below…
RAY ALEX‘s first single of the year, which features West London poet Jayda David, goes on a powerful journey of growth and departure from pain, touching on the importance of rest, recovery and time. ‘Repose’ is a multi-seasonal R&B number inspired by Q-Tip and contemporary jazz musicians Alfa Mist and Joe-Armon Jones, merging hip-hop with a psychedelic synth slickness and live drum feel.
‘Repose’ unveils how we invariably grow stronger with rest, recovery and restored self-belief after a painful episode in our life. Jayda David exposes themes of identity, appearance and health with powerful, raw lyrics that leave no space for ego or insincerity. Her lyrics: “I kneel to the weaknesses in me, strength has never felt so good, I guess power is birthed in moments of fragility” magnify one’s self-awareness and flaws in order to shed old skin and come back stronger. This universal theme is referenced again by Jayda David with “this soul knows where it’s going, steady growing, I just flow through time“. It serves as a reminder that we should not let others exercise control or influence over us; we should stick to our instinctive driving force and our individuality, feeling free in our own bodies. The lyric “light for hands I deem worthy, heavy for dark souls who yearn to hurt me” is a powerful encapsulation of this.
Prior to their studio session, Ray Alex felt drawn to Jayda David’s honest, poetic portraits of identity and mental health in the performances that she had showcased on her social media. Ray had finished the instrumental for ‘Repose’ six months prior to their studio session and held off as the lead vocalist, as he felt the music would lend itself better to another artist with a different story to tell.
Ray Alex’s previous EP ‘Good To Me’ released in March 2022 received frequent airplay on Soho Radio and Amazing Radio, to name a few, in a list with Little Simz, Children Of Zeus and more. Remixes of his song ‘Erased’ received airplay on KISS and other stations worldwide. Ray Alex has a string of singles scheduled for release in 2023…so look out for that…but for now, listen to ‘Repose’ below…
On Valentine’s Day, Manchester’s rapper, songwriter and record label owner of Manchester Music Group, MR. JONES has dedicated his new single, ‘You’ to his significant other over a bed of heavenly tones that’s reminiscent of the golden hip-hop era of the late eighties/early nineties. The track features his label mate, Soul 31, who graces the chorus with his velvety smooth vocal performance.
Mr Jones hit the ground running with his debut album, ‘Long Running’ and follow-up project, ‘No Time To Waste’, which collectively received way over a million streams. Quickly becoming known for his witty bars and clever rhymes, this smooth wordsmith is currently working on his third album, coming out later this later.
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