Following the unveiling of her debut single ‘Coke & Mentos’ last month, Sydney singer-songwriter Tia Beale has just released her latest single ‘Do It Over’. It speaks lyrically of the devastating loss of a close friend of Tia’s to suicide. The haunting vocals throughout the track truly captivate the listener and transport them to the memories that TIA reflects on.
The sophisticated 20-year-old hails from Sydney’s Northern Beaches and studied at Sydney’s Australian Institute of Music (AIM), initially harbouring dreams of becoming an actor. Watch her unparalleled performance in the stunning video for ‘Do It Over’:
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘DO IT OVER’
Like most of her music, ‘Do It Over’ is recorded in collaboration with music industry veteran Steve Clisby, who has played alongside everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Kool & The Gang and Chaka Khan. This soulful track definitely marks TIA as one to watch in 2020.
“The record is killing, such great musicianship!”– Nile Rodgers
“Acoustic Maestro…thrilling acoustic work. The Italian ace deploys his immense technique to serve the song, not the reverse” – Pete Prown, Vintage Guitar Magazine
Alberto Lombardi’s latest single ‘Start Again’ is an intense single with lyrics pulled from some of the most beautiful lines of the Italian poet Dante’s Inferno. Dante imagines that Ulysses sails to unknown shores with his men, instead of going back to Itaca, leading them beyond the pillars of Hercules where the world was believed to end. His speech to persuade them to endure the challenge is a literary milestone and shines a light on the human soul’s infinite capabilities.
“Ma per seguir virtute e canoscenza” [“we were born to pursue virtue and knowledge”]
LISTEN TO ‘START AGAIN’ ON SOUNDCLOUD
‘Start Again’ is a rich, epic ballad with revelatory guitar work and powerful lyrics about a fresh start after overcoming challenges, reflecting some of the most beautiful lines in literary history. Coupled with a superb video, it shimmers with the timeless sound of bands like The Eagles and a Sting-like vocal, whilst feeling completely contemporary.
Alberto Lombardi has already built a huge fan base with his expressive guitar playing and rich songwriting, including celebrities like Chic’s Nile Rodgers and legendary engineer Bob Clearmountain (Bruce Springsteen; David Bowie; Rolling Stones).
WATCH THE ‘START AGAIN’ VIDEO HERE
‘Start Again’ is taken from the forthcoming album, Home, which is currently available to support via crowdfunding here: http://sostieni.link/23630
“Breathe Again is an honest, deeply human, yet energising release, likely to make waves throughout 2019…the song makes for a bold and beautiful introduction to an artist with a clear love for and dedication to her craft” Stereo Stickman
In 2019, Italian star Vina Rose released an unforgettable ‘pop banger’. Her single ‘Breathe Again’ received critical acclaim, demonstrating a vocal prowess that’s sure to brighten up the UK pop scene. The artist has recently made the move to London to build her career, leaving her fame in Italy behind.
Now Vina Rose is set to wow new audiences with her fresh EP Crossroads. It’s a musical project that really allows her talents to show. From the anthemic ‘Heart of Gold‘ to the dark and brooding dance-inflected title track, which sees her reflecting on the momentous decision she made to relocate at the height of her career, it’s clear this artist is one to watch.
LISTEN TO ‘BREATHE AGAIN’ ON SPOTIFY
Vina Rose has performed alongside the likes of Italian superstars Andrea Bocelli, Zucchero, Alexia and Giorgia, both across numerous festivals and on television. Similarly, Vina has appeared on TV shows around the world: on the BBC (acting in the production Victoria and Albert -The Royal Wedding) and ITV as well as hugely popular worldwide hits such as Dancing with the Stars and MTV Unplugged.
Mustafa Khetty is a composer and song writer born in Sri Lanka and having lived in Ireland, UK, Middle East and Far East, each experience contributing to a rich and diverse palette of musical influence
He started writing music at age 12 and scored the first sketches of a Rock/classical fusion concerto, toccata and fugue and other pieces by 15. By the end of 2017, it was a full circle return to his first passion after nearly 35 year as an investor and IT entrepreneur.
His debut release is Requiem for New Zealand, originally inspired by the tragic events in Christchurch, New Zealand on 15th March 2019, when a terrorist attack left 51 innocent people murdered and 49 injured. Requiem for New Zealand is dedicated to victims of hate crime around the world.
Watch the Video to Mustafa Khetty’s “Requiem for New Zealand” here:
His music style ranges across different genres and fusion of both western and eastern styles and instruments merging soundscapes forming a tapestry of moods, emotions, rhythmic patterns and harmonic layers. Often described as world music, his creative spirit is free from rules, boundaries and parameters. A bohemian at heart, his music is a reflection of his travels, experiences and sonic expressions – keep an eye out for some amazing new music coming from Mustafa later this year
Elvic Congolo is known for making ‘Congo-Funk’ but his upcoming single ‘Our Story’ is a more heartfelt tale of how love can fall apart.
Elvic himself explains “Our Story”: When I hear “Our story”, I picture a beautiful relationship between two people. Their relationship was fantastic, they were in paradise. Unfortunately, their love couldn’t conquer the obstacles coming their way and it did not last”.
The song is a strong but gentle reminder that we often find happiness by remembering what we have in common with other people, not what divides us.
Rodrigo Leao may not be a name you are familiar with but in his native Portugal he is one of the giants of the music scene. His latest project is set to change that, with the first release from his new album introducing an artist who is both innovative, daring and spiritual.
The second single on the new album, the title track, O Método, is currently on Scala Radio‘s playlist and picking up plays on a daily basis. Striking a chord with presenters the track gained high praise from a number of shows including Sam Hughes who called the track “Hypnotic & comforting… quite gorgeous” .
Speaking on the track and the time spent writing it, Rodrigo Leao said: “O Método was one of the last pieces I wrote for this new album. It is a piece full of happiness and tranquility, perhaps because it was written in a place that is very special for me: Avis, in the Alentejo region, in southern Portugal. I spend a lot of time there with my family and my closest friends, so it is not surprising that it is a happy and quiet piece. Initially I wrote it as a theme for piano and string quartet. But it changed once Federico Albanese, our co-producer of this album, listened to the melody. He suggested that we transform the arrangements into a more rhythmic and enveloping piece”
Hailing from the small village of Vittangi in the northernmost part of Sweden, is Yajna. A singer, sportsperson, and businesswoman, who has tried her hand at many careers, but always gone back to her ultimate passion – music.
Having grown up surrounded by music, her mother being a composer and organist in the local church, Yajna starting writing songs of her own from a young age, as well as becoming a star soloist for the local choir. However, in her teenage years, her talents saw her embark on a snowboarding career, going as far as to start her own company INACTION.
But in 2018, Yajna finally decided to follow her heart, to become a music artist. Her debut single, Natten Lång, was a storm of success across Swedish radio, but London was the place she found her true sound. It was there she recorded her recent trilogy, The Rising Phoenix, an epic and dreamy mix of soul and RnB.
The trilogy features singles ‘You Are Beatiful‘, ‘Femenomenal‘, and title-track ‘The Rising Phoenix‘. The songs take you on a journey through Yajna‘s life, from the ashes of her lowest moments, to her emergence from the fire. Ultimately, wishing to spread a message of hope, love and power.
2019 has been a great year for innovative songwriters and inspiring lyrics. Songwriting Spotlist’s have put together a Top 3 Artists to watch out for in 2020 specifically relating to artistry in songwriting.
PRIME SINISTER
Album artwork for the upcoming album ‘Patient Zero’ by Prime Sinister
Prime Sinister is an innovative hip-hop artist from West London, who is combining the styles and sounds from rap and grime music that inspired him throughout his childhood with his own creative method of lyrical rhyming. Prime Sinister is breaking new ground with his own rap style creation: ‘syllablism’, which can be defined simply as the consecutive use of rhyming syllable patterns. The lyrical style constructs a symmetrical sequence, taking on a life of its own it encapsulates perfectly the themes of a new world that run throughout the album. Prime Sinister’s ‘syllablism’ is demonstrated in new single ‘Prime Time’. Speaking about the meaning and lyrics of ‘Prime Time’ he says: ‘Prime Time’ is the fifth track on the album. It’s produced by Muckaniks, who’s someone I’ve wanted to work with for years. I love his production work, especially on ‘Face The World’ by Rye Shabby, so I told him I needed a beat like that, as opposed to a beat like ‘Revvin’ by Ocean Wisdom and Dizzee Rascal, which is one of his more grime-sounding beats. There are multiple stories told in the song, but I mostly used my imagination. If there was a part that I felt particularly resonated with me, it would be this section in the second verse: “He spewed a bluish green, fluid like his truant schemes, clueless, he, moved upon the cupids that the jewelers clean/ So like the jewellers plea to drool upon the ghoulish sea of rudeness, he would use his prudish cruelness to imbue and please/ He’s on a looting spree of fruitlessness and prudency, shooting me, and brewing my pursuers into bluish tea’.
Singer, songwriter and musician Amahla taps into an era before her time to create contemporary soul music. After releasing her debut single ‘Old Soul’ in June 2018 Amahla was awarded the PRS Lynsey De Paul Prize for outstanding emerging female songwriters, and the MOBO Awards/Help Musicians fund for her exceptional voice. In February 2019 Amahla’s released her EP ‘Consider This’ which explores issues of Domestic Violence, Race, Class and inner city life to critical acclaim for its addressing of social issues, songwriting and vocal delivery. This summer Amahla wrote and featured on a soulful track with Drum and Bass duo Brookes Brothers. ‘In The Moment’ received support on Spotify’s New Music Friday UK and currently sits just below one million streams. Over the course of the year Amahla’s distinctive voice and songwriting has gained tremendous support from music press and tastemakers with impressive features and reviews from Clash Magazine, The Line of Best Fit, Complex UK, Bandcamp, Earmilk, and more. Amahla is unafraid to explore uncomfortable societal issues and puts classic songwriting at the core. Amahla’s goal: to be one of the best vocalists, songwriters and entertainers of her generation.
Get ready for Valentines Day with this anti-valentines day track set to be released on the 14th of February by up and coming American pop starlet Kelsey. Lyrically, the track Nobody alludes to the haunting experience of being lost to the memory of a loved one and feeling like a stranger to someone you once knew so well. It is a ghost story, speaking of the power that haunting memories of a lost lover can have. Kelsey has always been inspired by music from a young age and has expressed how the music that could instantly take hold of her mood and emotions were the songs that stuck with her the most. The captivating words of such songs are what motivates Kelsey with her songwriting today. So far Kelsey hasn’t got any music released, but for a teaser into the behind the scenes and what to expect from Kelsey can be seen in a short documentary released on YouTube:
Gavin Luke is a pianist and composer, whose works caused a viral explosion on social media. In 2016, he totaled over 25 million plays on Spotify, after releasing four albums and two singles. Followed by further releases in 2017 and 2018, his music has now been heard several billion times on YouTube. The writer has split his time between composing his own pieces and composing music for visual media since 2010.
In Search of Home, Gavin’s latest track, was recorded in a very particular way. His piano’s own felt, used to soften the sound, was too thick to create desired effect. So, Gavin bought his own, thinner custom felt, which was placed between the hammers and the keys to create a softer, more intimate and delicate sound. This was said to reflect “a longing or a sense of wanting to belong, to feel loved, or to feel at peace”.
Kelsey is the up-and-coming pop singer from New Jersey that is bound to grab the attention of listeners with her captivating and intimate lyrics. Kelsey has always been inspired by music from a young age and has expressed how the music that could instantly take hold of her mood and emotions were the songs that stuck with her the most. The captivating words of such songs are what motivates Kelsey with her songwriting today.
Leading up the release of her debut track ‘Nobody’, Kelsey has posted pictures on her Instagram @kelseyvibesss of her sat down on the floor, handwriting ideas for lyrics and captioning the post with teasers of the lyrics for the track. Opening her world up to fans for them to see everything that goes into the songwriting process is something that Kelsey is passionate about, she has done this also by releasing part of a documentary about her music-making on YouTube. You can watch part 1 of the documentary now for a sneak-peak and insight into what Kelsey is all about!
Lyrically, the track Nobodyalludes to the haunting experience of being lost to the memory of a loved one and feeling like a stranger to someone you once knew so well. It is a ghost story, speaking of the power that haunting memories of a lost lover can have.
