OUT TODAY: Karen Harding Shares Title Track From Upcoming EP, ‘I’ve Got A Secret’

Following the release of her first six singles, KAREN HARDING returns with the first single release and title track from her Upcoming EP, ‘I’ve Got A Secret’. Written during the Melbourne, Australia Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, dramatic singer-songwriter single, ‘I’ve Got A Secret’ dives straight into the heart of fear and anxiety, when sharing a less than perfect side, that you know leaves you open to judgement from others.

Karen says of the single: “We live in a world that is filled with images of perfection.. Where we believe that to be good enough, we must line up with the messages that essentially only show the highlight reels of a life. This leads us to locking away our own vulnerabilities.. That is, until you reach a point, where you realise that your struggles are a secret that no one knows about. The idea of sharing these fills us with fear, questioning and mistrust, and this is the message within ‘I’ve Got A Secret’.”

Hailing from Melbourne, Karen has been steadily growing her following and name, having won the November 2021 Bendigo Bank sponsored Independent Songwriter Talent Show on Radio Eastern FM in Melbourne, Australia, for her single, ‘Anxiety’, Top 10 winner for the World Songwriting Awards, for her single, ‘Something Special’ and a nominee for Best International Artist on Crags Radio Independent Artist Awards in February 2022.

Karen Harding’s music has also had recent attention and plays on Bree Noble’s ‘Women of Substance’ podcast, online radio shows including ‘Good Music Radio’, ‘DTong Radio’, ‘382 Radio’, ‘Eagles Nest Radio’ and ‘Oz Now Radio’ and has been gaining attention through her plays on local Australian community radio.

‘I’ve Got A Secret’ is taken from Karen’s upcoming EP. The four track EP, ‘I’ve Got A Secret’ is being released one single at a time, each month, and will be available in its entirety by October 2022. The EP is available for purchase at Bandcamp in digital download and CD formats.

Listen to ‘I’ve Got A Secret’ below…

Song of the Day: Pin Me Down – FRANSIS

Reminiscent of Wolf Alice and Florence + The Machine, London based alt/indie band FRANSIS‘ single, ‘Pin Me Down,’ was spurred by the tragic murder of Sarah Everard. It tackles a subject which is often difficult to talk about but shared by so many women, that of sexual assault, candidly focusing on the mental strain particularly in the aftermath, and the struggle behind closed doors.

Described as a therapeutic exorcism, Frontman Emma Withers shares, “This song is vulnerable and real, I wanted to focus on the self destruction, the brokenness, the confusion, the anger, and then finally the release which is supported by the music constantly, and as the song intensifies we hit an explosive finale, and an emotional release which was incredibly satisfying to perform in the studio, I did like 8 takes of this to get the raw emotion out of me, this is bonded with the mammoth eruption of epic guitar lines and pure power from the band.”

Despite the serious nature of “Pin Me Down” there is a positive outline, of admittance and then at the end, a collective sense of women standing together. A strong message that no-one should feel alone in their struggle, to let shame keep their burdens as skeletons or be fearful of walking down the street alone at night.

‘Pin Me Down’ is from their new EP, released last Friday (1st July). Listen to ‘Pin Me Down’ below…

YV Shells Takes His Neo-Soul & Punk Influences To A New Level With New Single, ‘LOSS’.

South London multimedia artist YV SHELLS‘ single, ‘LOSS’ sees him taking his Neo-Soul and Punk influences to a new level, creating a totally mesmerising sound.

Produced and directed by Yv himself, LOSS deals with the destructive nature of addiction to another person or a substance. Romantic riffs and punchy drums portray how the mind can be fooled into staying in a bad situation. He details the push and pull of abuse, using his captivating vocals to tell the tale.
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YV shares: “LOSS is a reflection on an addictive relationship and looking at how you can lose yourself in these situations. It’s a song about trying to separate the bad from the good and the paradoxical nature of wanting to stay in a bad situation.”

Born and raised in South London, Yvonne Shelling (his mother was hoping for a girl) makes music that combines his creative and chaotic energy with a sincere message: love honestly. A true multi-hyphenate, his talents extend beyond music to film, art and photography, having been featured in and supported by the V&A and Venice Film Festival.

Inspired by the likes of Bon Iver, Frank Ocean and Joy Division, it was during times of isolation in the pandemic that Yv started to experiment with playing the piano and began exploring new sounds. He enjoys bringing experimentation to the stage with a range of tracks that span Reggae/Dub to Rock and RnB.

Check check the video for YV Shells’ epic single below…

Song of the Day: Roadtrip – Be Kreative

It’s been a while since artist/producer BEKREATIVE has been in the spotlight…but by no means he’s been sitting idle.

During his time away from the music scene KrBreative, who’s known for dropping R&B and hip-hop slick cuts, has reinvented himself as an artist by experimenting with array of genres, including country music – wow, I didn’t see that coming!

So expect a string of surprises from this guy plus an EP, ‘King of Time’ coming out at some point this year…in the meantime, check out his larger-than-life, trap-infused single, ‘Roadtrip’…

Song of the Day: Overnight – Alamay & Omar Cassius

Bristol-based emerging stars vocalist ALAMAY and OMAR CASSIUS (fka skiimsk) announce their second self-produced EP How tTo Swim, dropping 13th July 2022, and share the heady and soulful single ‘Overnight’. The follow up to their debut release, Aurora, and their lauded Boiler Room debut, ‘Overnight’ is a heart-rending track, with Alamay reflecting candidly on past relationships. A gorgeous, melancholic slice of R&B produced by Omar Cassius, his minimalist percussion, sparse sparkling guitar and brooding bass provide the perfect backdrop for Alamay’s heartfelt vocals.

Gaining an education in Soul and Jazz from an early age, Alamay’s style draws on inspiration from these rich, timeless sounds as well as her Ethiopian heritage. One of Bristol’s most promising new talents, Alamay is bringing a refreshing take on modern R&B/Soul. She first entered the scene in 2019 with her collaborative project with Omar Cassius, Aurora, followed by a track entitled ‘Miirror’ featuring KNWGD in 2020, and made serious waves with her impressive live Boiler Room set, performing alongside deconstructed club titans, Giant Swan and Jabu. Already gaining tastemaker support and a dedicated fan-base, Alamay has laid the foundations for many more impressive projects to come.

Bristol-born artist Omar Cassius (fka skiimsk) entered the scene in 2019 with his collaborative debut EP alongside Alamay titled Aurora. As co-founder of the 1999 platform (a Bristol-based creative collective) he can be found working on multiple other projects – often behind the scenes – with other budding creatives in the city’s buzzing, tight-knit community. To date, most of his creative output and contributions have been his carefully honed, intricate productions. However, How to Swim EP sees the rising artist making his first foray into contributing vocals and bars on releases, with his sights set on further collaborative and solo projects.

Have a listen to the pair’s stunning single below…