Somewhere in between the stunning melodies of R&B and the emotional depth of soul, there lies a distinctive sonic formula that stands out as the backbone of MIRAAJE‘s sound. This talented vocalist is all about creating innovative and heartfelt melodies, which set the bar higher in terms of really putting herself out there and allowing her full vocal range to shine.
Her single, ‘Don’t Let Me Go’, is the perfect calling card for the artist, and it is a great display of passion, focus, and excellence at the core of her sound and vision.
‘Don’t Let Me Go’ is highly recommended to fans of artists as diverse as Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis, Beyoncè, and Jennifer Hudson. Much like these aforementioned icons, Miraaje’s foray into the R&B genre is all about bringing so much personality to her vision, giving the audience a taste of something different, while still staying true to what makes this kind of music so special and unique. Check out this great talent below…
Following on from the release of single, ‘Share My Life’, produced by Jermaine Forde (the son of Brinsley Forde from the legendary reggae group Aswad), RAPHAEL TATE makes a quick return with single, ‘Lord I Need You Near.’
Dedicated to Raphael’s mother, Patricia Ann Tate (1953-2020), ‘Lord I Need You Near’ is the first single that Raphael entirely composed and produced – from arranging the strings to performing the backing vocals. To be a conductor and composer has always been Raphael’s lifelong dream – and what better way to fulfil a dream by paying a tribute to a loved-one.
The stunning ballad features a stellar line-up who adds the final touches to the production. Award-winning jazz harpist JeffMajors, who collaborated with Raphael for 2021 single, ‘Everything Must Change’, provides the spine-tingling magic right from the beginning of the emotive piece.
Acclaimed bassist Mark A Walker adds a pleasing full-bodied tone to the heavenly arrangements. Mark has worked with the likes of Will Downing, Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music, Yolanda Adams and multi award-winning Gospel artist, Richard Smallwood who had a hit with single, ‘Total Praise.’
‘Lord I Need You Near’ was further brought to life by Ukraine’s Kaska Records Orchestra who provides breathtakingly stunning live instrumentation, a perfect platform for the UK-based singer/songwriter to showcase his powerhouse vocals, pleading for comfort from the loss of his mother. This single also serves as a soothing ode for everyone who lost a loved one, particularly during the pandemic.
Starting out as a Billboard chart-topping artist, peaking at number 25 on the American Dance Club with 2017 single, ‘ With Every Beat Of My Heart’, Raphael ventured out as an independent artist, creating his own label, Tate Love Production. His soulful vocal performance quickly earned him the title, ‘Prince Of Soul’ by his ever growing fanbase through tracks, ‘A Fool In Love’ and ‘Everyday Is Mother’s Day’, ‘Can You Feel It’ and ‘Blessed’, named Track of the Week by Premiere Gospel.
BBC London/Seani B-approved single ‘A Fool In Love’ and Reprezent FM featured single ‘Everyday Is Mother’s Day’ are also touching tributes to his late mother. ‘I Need You Near’ is the perfect tribute carry on the treasured memories of the biggest role model in his life.
Taking from the forthcoming EP Patricia Ann Tate Creations (release date to be announced) ‘Lord I Need You Near’ was released on Friday (13th May) on various music platforms. The release date marks the second anniversary of Raphael’s mother passing. Have a peep at the offcial video single below. You can also stream ‘Lord I Need You Near’ here.
Maryland’s rapper, content creator, and social influencer, KRUJAY, bounces onto the blog with his latest single, ‘Recipe,’ which actually has some cheeky swagger that can lift the root off any summer party.
The infectious joint comes with an accompanying video, directed by Bruce Wood & Carl Casseus, which perfectly reflects the song’s narrative of being all goggled-eyed over a girl at a new place of work. So infatuated with his potential beau, Krujay was unable to concentrate on his work which doesn’t go down well with his boss…
Counting hip-hop heavyweights such as Eminem, Notorious BIG, The Roots, and Mos Def as heavy influences, the Canadian-born artist spent most of his childhood in Philadelphia, where he joined the infamous Philadelphia Boy’s Choir alongside his brother. During his time in the choir, Krujay had the opportunity to travel to Rome, Italy, to sing for Pope John Paul II. As his interest in music grew stronger, Krujay left the choir and took a leap of faith into the local music scene, releasing his first music video, ‘Like This’ in 2012. It was then followed by his official debut mixtape, ‘PrePAIRED’ and the single ‘Tonight (I Know),’ both met with critical acclaim.
Today, Krujay continues to work on his craft, bringing catchy tunes and lyrics through his latest single, ‘Recipe’. Check out the video below…
Having recently been selected as the next ‘Africa Rising’ artist by Apple Music, on the back of the success of her latest single ‘Break’, which has garnered over 100K plays online, and been spotlighted on Apple Music’s ‘New Music Daily’ and ‘R&B Now’, and Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Mood Ring’, alternative R&B singer and songwriter NEZSA is back again with an exquisite new single titled ‘Trouble’.
Taken from her anticipated sophomore EP To All The Heartbreakers, which arrives in the summer, ‘Trouble’ is a brilliant genre-bending R&B offering, driven by Nezsa’s enchanting voice, layered harmonies and vivid storytelling lyrics. The ethereal track sees the Canada-based Nigerian rising star standing up to a toxic ex-lover, and pushing back against their cheating, gaslighting and lying ways, over lush synth keys, infectious 808 drum patterns, and a glorious saxophone arrangement that perfectly punctuates the track.
Speaking about the inspiration behind ‘Trouble’, Nezsa says, “‘Trouble’ came to me so naturally. Gbeduboss sent me the beat and I was immediately enthralled by the heavy baseline and overall dark vibe. The story is inspired by some of my own experiences, but it’s also dedicated ‘To All the Heartbreakers’, just as the EP is named. It’s a very empowering song because it’s about standing up to those who’ve hurt you and reclaiming your agency, finally showing them that you’re not weak. In a way, it’s dark because it seems to celebrate revenge, but I think that functions as a therapeutic form of expression in showing myself and also my listeners the extent of our capabilities”.
Noteworthy for her effortless fusion of alternative R&B and neo-soul, her distinctly unforgettable vocals, and her intricate lyricism, Nezsa first burst onto the scene in the summer of 2019 with her debut tracks ‘Lost’ and ‘Like This?’, which quickly attracted global listeners, and caught the attention of emPawa. Partnering with the Mr Eazi-founded label service, Nezsa released her debut EP Bitter-Sweet last summer to rave reviews from fans and critics alike, before taking a hiatus last year to work on her sophomore EP, which arrives in the summer, led by ‘Break’ and the brand new ‘Trouble’. Check it out below…
Rising rapper ATO returns to share a special new remix of his introspective banger ‘no caroline’ with added fire from British-Nigerian artist, rapper and songwriter FLOHIO, landing alongside a fresh docu-style video shot in sun-soaked Leeds and London.
The three-minute production was shot between North-East Leeds (Chapeltown/Potternewton park – the neighbourhood where ATO’s dad lived when he was growing up) and around west London (the first area he lived when he moved to the city at 18), both areas feel like home and provide the perfect visual texture for the rebirth of this track filled with real moments that make up life for ATO. In a serendipitous moment of full circle following the original single taken from ATO’s 2021 EP Side A via MCMXCV that saw him open up and deep dive into his own emotional shortcomings rooted in his experiences, Flohio’s lyrical addition delivers a strong statement of self belief backed up by refresh of ATO’s hook.
Speaking on the remix, ATO says: “When No Caroline was first made, there were a million ideas for which direction to take the song, so a remix felt inevitable. I wanted it to be in the same world of the original but with a new dynamic, to make it feel more like a rebirth than a remix. I’ve loved Flohio’s music for a minute! I believe she is one of the most unique and authentic artists in the UK. Putting Flo on the first verse felt like a natural way to kick off the song with new energy. Once Flo layed her verse, we started looking at ways to tie the new dynamic together. Following Flo, it felt like the hook needed something new. We came up with a response melody that was initially intended for me. Eden ended up laying down the demo and it just felt great, so we kept it that way. This approach captures the process of making the remix: being open minded to completely fresh ideas.”
Leeds-based and of British-Ghanaian-Danish descent, ATO is one of the most exciting new artists on the rise, using his music to reflect on his life and show an alternative side to the London-centric perception of Black Britishness. Bubbling up the scene since his 2019 collaboration ‘falling’ featuring Vic Mensa on his The Fader endorsed EP3, 2021 proved to be his biggest year yet with his acclaimed EP Side A (“Muscle Twitch”, “ziamonds !!”) garnering support from key tastemakers and broadsheets alike including The Observer, The Independent, DJ Target, Crack, Highsnobiety and DJ Mag who nominated him for their Best Of British Awards in the “Breakthrough MC” alongside ENNY, KAM-BU, Nova and DoRoad.
Hailing from Bermondsey, South London , FLOHIO draws inspiration from her surroundings and day-to-day experiences to create a sound that is quintessentially London as it is extra-terrestrial. Since exploding onto the scene in 2018 with her high-octane COLORS performance of ‘Bands’, the South London native has since cemented her status as an unpredictable talent who is as exhilarating as she is impossible to pigeonhole.
Check out the official video for ‘no caroline’ below, directed by Eve Mahoney.
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