A Tokyo-based singer/songwriter with imaginative lyrics and genre-blending sound, SUMI combines contemporary western sounds with elements of her roots. While living in Los Angeles, she played in several bands and collaborated with artists and producers writing and recording songs that featured in network shows like Teen Titans Go, Naked and Afraid, and Ellen Degeneres Show. She has also recorded for “G’Day USA production “Honoring Liam Hemsworth and Helen Reddy, and performed at “An Evening of Wicked Fun: Honoring Stephen Schwartz” as a pianist.
Her debut single ‘Closing In,’ deals with the pressure of her personal expectations, as well as the expectations of others and society while surviving in the music industry. It exposes the struggles of the fear and anxiety constantly colliding in her head that made her doubt herself and become overwhelmed by insecurity. Sumi integrates her Japanese identity and instrumentation with western modern pop and future bass.
You’re about the go on one hell of a Journey…Check out ‘Closing In’ below…
MICAH WILLIS is a rising pop singer with old soul sensibility when it comes to instrumentation and production, this would seem natural as Micah is the son of blues great Kenny Neal. His single, ‘Sunshine’, which comes off the upcoming mixtape, ‘Who The Hell Is Micah Willis,’ was recorded in Baton Rouge with Kennys band brings a gospel-like emotive and inspirational lyrics sung with powerful female backing vocals strengthen the belting delivery of Micah over an organ’s swirl, glittering with the guitar of Kenny Neal.
‘Sunshine’ came into existence after Micah felt a wave of hope on a plane ride home from a successful gig in Orlando. He says this is the fastest a song has ever come together for him. The reason that wave of hope lead to such a powerful single is Micah suffers from anxiety and depression and like a lot of us it has been more challenging in recent years.
The more he shared the outline of the song, the more people were quick to jump on board – first producer Chance Clift, then Christian Lucy on keys. Micah then sent it to his father Kenny Neal who on hearing it wanted to bring his full band in. Micah realising the connection this song was making brought in some amazing vocalists Mimi Knowles and Raven Flowers to fill out the sonic hug.
Micah says of creating the single: “I haven’t ever experienced creating a song the way we created this. I feel like there was so much love in every session we did with this song, and that is what this song is all about. Love, hope, and happiness.”
Hailing from Nascastle, songstress JAMILAH expresses her frustration when a friend doesn’t seem to advice on board, after making the same mistake over and over in brand new genre-blending single, ‘SOS’.
Housing a percussive production courtesy of Footsteps, Jamilah’s signature buttery vocals sit centre stage as she vents her frustrations. Merging elements of both R&B and Pop into one feel-good sound, ‘SOS’ is the call for help we’ve all needed! Paired alongside a set of story-telling visuals, we follow as Jamilah sits down with her girlfriend who’s experiencing yet another problem in her relationship.
Gaining previous support from various BBC Radio stations, and Capital Xtra, as well as being picked as one of BBC Introducing’s ’10 Tips for 2020’, her single ‘After 10’ was picked as BBC 1xtra’s #TrackOfTheWeek. Having recently joined radio heavy-weight DJ Ace on his recent #EverythingRnB tour representing her city in the Newcastle show, Jamilah has also opened for the likes of Nelly, Tinie Tempah, and Jocelyn Brown.
Brooklyn artist and songwriter BAYLI shares her much-anticipated new EP Stories 2. The follow up to 2021’s stories from new york, the 6-track EP was written on the road and takes in themes spanning heartbreak, addiction, loneliness and self-discovery.
Speaking on the Stories 2, BAYLI said :“We’ve all been cooped up inside for so long and Stories 2 is a release we all need. I wanted to take on this project as an exercise to be looser in my creative process and go with the flow a bit more than I did with ‘stories from new york’. This project feels like a docuseries of my fast-paced life “on the road” and the new journey I’m on, both internally and externally, in this post-covid world. Similar to ‘stories from new york’ this project is a sonic landscape that brings you into my world and feels like a stepping stone toward a brand new era → toward a higher, realer, bolder version of myself.”
Recent release ‘act up’ opens the project, showing a softer side of this emerging pop icon, the lovesong finds BAYLI trying to turn the tides of her burgeoning relationship. Sassy new single ‘pressure’ is a certified pop banger that sees BAYLI reaching out for support when she’s on the road. New cuts ‘ur mine’ and ‘into me’ see BAYLI flex her versatility as a performer and a songwriter as she seamlessly switches from soft vocals to icy bars dripping with attitude.
Set to an ethereal backdrop produced by Brody Miles, ‘think of drugs’ is an intimate snapshot of BAYLI’s upbringing, seeing addiction in the household and how that influenced her relationship with drugs and other substances. BAYLI’s unstoppable gay anthem ‘TELLY BAG’, closes the project, the single landed earlier this year to acclaim from the likes of i-D, DAZED, The Fader, PAPER, CLASH and more.
BAYLI first made waves in 2016 as the frontwoman of the punk band The Skins, where her infectious melodies and signature songwriting were cultivated under the mentorship of music guru Rick Rubin. Now an independent artist, BAYLI’s musical output is as equally pop as it is R&B, rock, & punk, all delivered with a fierce stylish edge and unabashed confidence. Hailing from Brooklyn, NYC is her lifeblood, inspiring her fearless take on what it means to be an artist in the 21st century. BAYLI released her debut EP stories from new york last year featuring the singles ‘boys lie’, ‘sushi for breakfast’, ‘foreigner’ and more. With support this year from the likes of Spotify (BAYLI was their EQUAL Ambassador for June), BBC Radio 1, i-D, Telfar, DAZED, Interview Magazine, The Face, Fader, CLASH, Foundation FM, The Line of Best Fit, PAPER, NYLON, Billboard and more, the future looks bright for BAYLI.
BUEL stays true to her own style and dreamy universe with ‘Dancing with Devils of Mine’, an alternative-pop song infused with influences such as Christine And The Queens and Tame Impala. The song is about taking a more individualistic approach to gender and sexuality.
Buel explains the inspiration behind her latest single: “In my opinion society is too involved in individuals’ gender and sexual orientation and this is accepted by most of the people as people from all sides feel the pressure to try to explain what these mean to them and who they are interested in. This acceptance feels a bit like an invasion of privacy to me and I think the more we accept to explain our gender and sexuality to others the more we create space for suppression and judgment. Because these are only feelings and concepts and shouldn’t be treated as solid rock or ‘gold’ for people’s liking or sympathy as I mentioned in the song. Like ‘boys having to act like boys”, or the concept of a “man not being a man or woman”. I believe if we could all accept that these are personal feelings that evolve day to day, there would be more space for privacy and respect.”
From her Indie-Pop songs’ compositions, arrangements, music video directions to stylism and visuals, BUEL handles everything with taste and perfection. Awarded for her work with ‘Lemon Smile’, winning the 2021 London Music Video Festival, BUEL was remarked in 2019 by Adrian Gurvitz, who signed her a production deal with AGM Records UK, upon her release ‘Advice’.
Her previous singles ‘Lemon Smile’ and ‘Small Talk’ have been played on radio stations across the US and the UK, and was listed as best new pop artist by BBC1. Her song ‘Stray Little Legs’ is featured in the movie ‘Let’s Dream’, and ‘Troublemaker’ in the movie ‘My True Fairytale’
BUEL is a one of a kind, promising artist, already praised by her peers, and she will release her first album in 2023.
Watch the music video for ‘Dancing With Devils of Mine’, imagined, produced, directed, choreographed and edited by BUEL herself.
New Lease Music 