In The Spotlight

Ivy Alex – “Waterfalls”

Hailing from Saint Petersburg, Florida, this gifted singer, songwriter, pianist and composer chooses to use her music to tell wide-ranging stories, chronicling any and all topics like heartbreak, wisdom, love and passion. She got a degree in film scoring from Berklee College Of Music and created a style not bound by any specific genre. It fuses R&B with jazz, pop and soul, spawning a fresh new sound.

Her latest single takes the listener on an emotional journey through her prodigious virtuosity. Centered around her exquisite piano play, this Alicia Keys-reminiscent R&B jewel surpasses even itself in its artistry. With a sparkling orchestration accompanying her sultry, soul-infused and sumptuous vocals, this intricate melodic masterpiece is a poignant piece of harmonious heaven.

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In The Spotlight

Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal – “Love Song”

This five-piece band was formed by front man Josh Hoyer in 2012. By combining the sounds of Stax, Motown and New Orleans blues, they cross musical boundaries both in style and era. Ranging from raucous funk to smooth soul, they’ve taken their dazzling, authentic sound on the road with their electrifying live shows and opened for legends such as George Clinton, Charles Bradley and Booker T. Jones.

Written about and for bass-player Benjamin Kushner, who is battling stage 4 Lymphoma, their latest single is an empowering, vintage-dipped soul ballad. Inspired by the classic 60s soul sound, the mellow rhythm, smooth guitars, a touch of organ and stirring horns blend together into a lavish orchestral smooth groove and with the retro-grit of Josh’s vocals, this is an inspirational gem.

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In The Spotlight

BAD – “Refresher”

New York-based songwriters and producers Julia Brex and Jackson Hoffman have been creating Pop songs together for other artists for over 8 years. Searching for a place to indulge in their shared passion for classic Funk music, they combined those vintage flavors with some punchy Pop sensibilities and an impressive group of talented musicians into the exhilarating sound of BAD.

Their debut single is a funkalicious taster of their upcoming EP “GOOD” and blasts onto the music scene with verve. Sparkling with a multitude of sweet retro soaked orchestral pizzazz – from the highly infectious rhythm, via the sizzling synths, to the blazing brass – and with Julia’s soul-dipped, spirited vocal energy, this is a red-hot, invigorating Funk fiesta with some added oomph.

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In The Spotlight

Maya By Name – “Rose Petals”

Born in Buffalo, Maya Gabrielle Satterwhite or Maya By Name, is a singer, songwriter, director, model and actress who developed an infatuation for the stage at a young age. She started recording original music in 2014 and released her acoustic debut single “To You, From Me” a year later. She build her R&B, hip-hop and funk influenced sound and went on to open for R&B artist Tank in 2017.

Taken from her recently released, deeply personal project “She”, which encompasses lyrical accounts of her battle with depression and coping with several medical diagnoses, her latest single is an empowering R&B anthem. Built around an enchanting acoustic piano and a mellow rhythm, it’s her hypnotic, bewitching vocals which truly make this an inspirational piece of pure aural beauty.

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In The Spotlight

Rachel Mazer – “Open Heart”

This Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has worked with artists like The Suffers and Vulfpeck playing sax, bass and guitar, as well as singing backing vocals on Joey Dosik’s latest album “Inside Voice”. She’s launched her solo career with a Soul, Jazz and Pop infused hybrid and will be releasing her Kickstarter funded debut album “How Do We Get By” in February 2019.

Her sophomore solo single is an inspired amalgamation of invigorating beats, pounding bass and a dash of funk. A touch of jazz gets a pop make-over and mixed with some rock guitars and funkalicious horns it creates a catchy, foot-stompin’ chorus and with her soul-dripping, powerhouse vocals effortlessly surfing the rockin’ melodic flow, this is an imposing piece of groovy grandeur.

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In The Spotlight

Tamzene – “Last Song”

Hailing from Cromarty in the Scottish Highlands, this singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist learned to play the violin aged 8 and guitar aged 14. Her early influences included legends like Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin, later adding contemporaries such as Paloma Faith and Alicia Keys. Last year she went from busking to playing worldwide festivals and her debut single “Lullaby”.

Skillfully blending the cream of classic soul and R&B with a modern pop melody, her latest single is an uplifting and refreshing musical feast. Initially teasing with a mellow acoustic piano, the chorus is an exhilarating eruption of pure euphonic bliss. With a bracing beat, multi-vocal harmonies and her sensuous, yet commanding voice, this is a stunning, soul-doused piece of potent, pulsating pop.

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