Fly Von Teams Up With Beatsmith Lil Kobes For ‘Harmonic Strains.’

‘Harmonic Strain’ is an epic collaborative EP NEW LEASE MUSIC long-time staple FLY VON and producer Lil Kobes.

With Ili Kobes providing compelling futuristic wavery tones and a heavy dose of the bouncing bass introducing the mini set, which manifests to featherily soulful layers towards the end, and fly Von’s delivery easing into each arrangements, it’s hard to believe that the pair produced the EP in just a month.

Their burgeoning collaboration started when Fly Von did a freestyle lil Kobes’ track ‘Pull Up n We Flex’. Now the pair take circle back and combine their passion for melodic/lo-fi music through this five track set. Check it out below…

Must Listens: Steppin, Set The Wave, Fade

Check Out Charli Fletcher’s New Music For Track, ‘Every Ting Nice’.

London’s very own artist/model, CHARLI FLETCHER drops brand new video for track ‘Every Ting Nice’, an uplifting anthem for those dreaming about better days, where one can enjoy the finer things in life, and salutes those already living in this way.

Apart from touching on living the high life, this song explores some of Charli’s culture and roots. No matter how far she elevates in life, she always stays true to her humble beginnings, and pays homage to those who helped her along the way.

‘Every Ting Nice’ is the second track from Charli’s first official EP ‘Dreaming Reality’ which explores love, sensuality, body empowerment, cryptocurrency, and her life as a model. The body of work conveys her versatility in music, and shows that Charli is consistent in her lyrical content, topics of interest and delivery.

Check out the video below, premiered on YouTube yesterday (1st May).

Afro-Fusion Singer Gyakie Taps Rapper JBEE For Track, ‘SCAR’.

Rising Ghanaian afro-fusion artist GYAKIE has teamed up with North London’s rap riser JBEE with newest single ‘Scar’.

‘Scar’ is a powerful and emotionally charged R&B cut laced with hip-hop brought to life by Gyakie’s fierce flow over a Sosa-crafted drill beat featuring JBEE. Gyakie tells the story of a love gone wrong from both sides – hers representing pain, and his centering on doubts and insecurities. ‘Scar’ features ominous production underscored by heavy 808s with both artists providing hard-hitting lyrics juxtaposed by softer melodies showcased throughout JBEE’s verse.

The juxtaposition on ‘Scar’ continues into the visuals which see Gyakie and JBEE both telling their sides of the love story before coming together in the final scenes with red tones used throughout, representing the love and pain in the story that features throughout ‘Scar’ directed by Craig Capone who has worked with artists such as Headie One, Sarkodie, Chip and Ms Banks on their visuals as well as Romara Blake who is known for her work with Eva Lazarus.

Gyakie has been rising through the ranks since bursting onto the scene with her debut single ‘Love is Pretty’ in 2019. Since then she has collaborated with the likes of AKA, Diplo, Blaq Jerzee, Major League DJz, and Mayorkun. Her breakout single ‘Forever’ gained international recognition and has amassed over 150m streams across platforms.

North London’s JBEE is one of the go to fresh faces in British Rap paving a lane of his own. In 2021 he released ‘4AM’ gaining over 77 million streams, going onto currently reaching 3.7 million monthly Spotify listeners. It’s no surprise he picked up a MOBO nomination for Best Newcomer at the end of last year.

The collaborative track provides heart wrenching insight into contemporary relationships laced with authenticity that is sure to resonate with music fans across continents. Check out the video for the hard-hitting single below…

Song Of The Day: Fighting A War – Julian Rose (ft. Caroline Romano)

LA-based artist Julian Rose JUILAN ROSE and alt-pop powerhouse Caroline Romano team up for latest collaborative single, ‘Fighting A War’. Alternating between Julian’s R&B-tinged vocals and Caroline’s breezy voice, the single grapples with the push-and-pull of modern romance. It’s a reflective and lushly textured track that highlights the best of Caroline and Julian’s different musical universes.

Caroline says of the single: “Julian and I sat down to write this Summer while I was in LA. He came up with the chorus in the first fifteen minutes and, from there, we both found ourselves in two different parts of the same story. We wrote what each of us wanted to separately, and the final product is what you hear when we put everything together for the first time. I think it’s a universally relatable song. The clinging to something that once was, the loneliness of walking around a newly desolate relationship. It’s the war that we all fight at some point. I like that we both wrote different stories that ended up being part of the same one. It feels like a metaphor for something.”

A songwriter, rapper, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Julian Rose seamlessly blends elements of classic rock, soul, funk, hip-hop and pop, which defies genre boundaries. He made his debut in 2022 with the release of ‘How Deep,’ a 3-track EP produced by Bret “Epic” Mazur (Crazy Town, Black Eyed Peas, New Edition).

At just 21-years-old, Nashville-based singer and songwriter Caroline Romano has already accrued millions of streams across her repertoire. Her songs showcase her witty, introspective and hopeful take on modernity, romanticism and the highs and lows of being young in today’s world. In 2022 Caroline shared her debut album, ‘Oddities and Prodigies’, and has continued to capture the attention of fans and tastemakers with follow up singles like ‘Chopstix’ and ‘Me After September.’

Have a listen to their collaborative track below…

How Musicians Can Monetize their Creative Work

Image via Pixabay

Given that it’s difficult for musicians to monetize their art even at the best of times, it’s necessary for performers to find creative and safe ways to earn a living. Today, New Lease Music offers a few ideas for hard-working musicians looking for new ways to earn.

Live Streaming Concerts

Even if you can’t play venues, you can still live stream performances using digital technology. For fans at home, the option to attend a live concert, even virtually, can be a fun way to escape stress and find relief in music. Don’t set your ticket fees too high, though; people are less likely to shell out for a virtual concert than for an in-person one. Try to find that sweet spot where enough people will want to hear your music at a fee that is reasonable for them and worthwhile for you.

If you plan on streaming a concert, be sure that your performance area looks the part. If you have some old furniture you plan to use to dress the set, reach out to a local reupholstery company to see about having the furniture refreshed. You can read online reviews of local companies to get a good idea of their service before choosing a company to go with. Good looking furniture makes a great small performance backdrop.

Online Music Classes

Not everyone is cut out to teach or enjoys teaching, but for those who do, online classes can be a great opportunity to make money while sharing their expertise with other music-lovers. Parents of children who are homeschooling might especially be interested in accessing high-quality music lessons for their children online. Other types of classes you could offer include music appreciation, music history, and composition.

Outdoor Performances

Talk to your local park service or cultural center to see about organizing an outdoor concert at a set venue. Find out if your area farmers market would be interested in hosting you as a performer. Ditto Music explains you could even set up in a popular public place as a street performer — though it’s important to be aware of city laws, and whether you need a license.

Outdoor performances are also a great chance for networking with other local artists. By collaborating with other local musicians, you can expand your audience and also set the stage for future collaborations and projects down the road. You’re stronger together than you are apart!

Creating Digital Products

Creating digital products is a great way for a musician to make passive income, which will allow you time to work on your art, or to pursue other money-making ventures. Besides downloadable songs or compositions you could also create soundtracks and sound effects to be purchased by video makers. You could also sell ringtones or beats. The great thing about a digital product is that once you create it and set it up for sale, your work is done — but every time anyone purchases access or use, you get paid.

If you lack certain business skills or need a website created, you can hire freelancers to fill in gaps. Don’t overlook talent from other countries since you can often hire top performers for less cost than domestic freelancers. If you go this route, it’s important to set up an account with a reliable and easy-to-use money transfer service, which is a convenient and affordable way to pay your overseas freelancers. This might even end up forming the basis of your own home business!

Last but not least, look for free online tools that can help you design cool artwork for your digital products. As an example, if you don’t yet have a logo and your budget doesn’t have any wiggle room, look into a free logo design tool that allows you to build your graphic using premade templates. This is a good way to create a logo while you’re saving up money to have a graphic designer take a wholly unique approach to your idea.

Other Ideas When You Need Extra Money

If you need alternatives for earning beyond monetizing your music, you can find additional ways to earn as a freelancer depending on your other skills or training. Start by taking advantage of free resume templates to highlight your varied skills in a professional-looking style that gives you an edge over the competition. Consider offering your services as a personal assistant, a branding coach, a copywriter, or a call center rep, to fill the gaps between creative income opportunities. You could also work as a delivery driver, or a pet sitter, if you’re interested in getting out of the house more often.

People need art and connection in their lives. Even if you aren’t able to provide in-person concerts or classes, there are more ways than ever to enjoy and share music remotely.

If you’re an independent or unsigned artist, get your music heard on New Lease Music!