In The Spotlight

Taylor Janzen – “New Mercies”

This young, inspirational singer and songwriter grew up just outside Winnipeg, Canada in a very religious family. Having had an emotionally tough upbringing, she turned to songwriting as an outlet. Released in June 2018, she wrote her debut single “Stations” about the isolation caused by psychological abuse. She wraps her honest lyricism in intricate pop melodies with vivid folk accents.

Exploring the remnants of her religious upbringing and her spiritual self, her latest single is a personal quest to find the route towards reuniting the two. The full orchestral support gives it a feverish energy and with the fiery percussion and the folky strings setting the scene, it’s her authentic, emotionally-laden vocal prowess which gives deeply intimate feelings an intensely positive vibe.

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In The Spotlight

d’Z – “Clean Slate”

Born as Hans-Peter de Zeeuw in Rotterdam, the life of this Dutch drummer and composer changed when he first sat down behind a drum kit aged nine. Having studied pop, jazz and world music and having explored a multitude of genres, he became a sought-after drummer. Inspired by Jazz-Funk legends such as Steely Dan, Brand New Heavies and Tower Of Power, he started composing his own music.

Taken from his debut EP “Connected” and enlisting the vocal talents of Adriana Romijn, his latest single fuses every funky note into a vitalizing musical spectacular. While the polished percussion, sleek strings and creamy keys effortlessly merge together to give the tune a jazzy orchestral smoothness, the bustling brass and the suave, multi-harmonic vocals fill it with vigorous Jazz-Funk zeal.

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In The Spotlight

Alexi Blue – “No Good love”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, this young, multi-talented artist is not just a skilled singer and songwriter, but also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar and drums. She kicked off her career by posting popular cover songs on YouTube, but evolved to creating artfully crafted original songs with poignant lyrics and catchy melodies. She released her debut solo R&B single “Royalty” in 2015.

Chronicling two stories about her past relationships, which became too stressful to continue, gives her latest single a lyrically intimate ambience, while the simple, acoustic piano adds an intrinsic warmth. Enriched with the beat of peppy handclaps and a driving rhythm, it’s her passionate, R&B-laced vocals which will make you feel only good love for this beautifully constructed pop tune.

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In The Spotlight

Emarosa – “Givin’ Up”

The line-up of this rock quartet from Lexington, Kentucky has seen many changes since forming as Corsets Are Cages in 2006, with lead guitarist ER White as the last remaining founding member. After a name-change, they released their debut EP “This Is Your Way Out” in 2007, followed by four albums and two further EP’s, changing their heavy-metal sound for a more classic rock groove along the way.

This first taster of their upcoming fifth album “Peach Club”, which is due to drop on the 8th of February 2019, certainly delivers on sheer rock deliciousness. The highly infectious melody, perky guitar strums and a vivacious rhythm blend together into a flavorful bowl of rock stew. Infused with some retro pungency, it cooks up a very danceable dish, full of zest, you just don’t want to give up.

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In The Spotlight

Caroline Grace – “Leave My Heart Alone”

Based in Los Angeles, this young singer and songwriter has already made quite a mark on the music scene. She started writing songs aged 14 and studied writing at the University Of Southern California. Joining forces with Grammy-nominated artist Poo Bear, she released her debut single “Show Me” in 2017. She’s now began her own independent record label, called Illuminate Creative Group.

Her brand new single is a tribute to the pop and dance tracks from the late 80s and early 90s. Kicking the song off with a groovy piano and silky violins instantly sets the mood, while the bouncy 90s dance beat gives it an electrifying rhythm. With sensuous R&B-infused vocals, singing about a lover who keeps popping back into your life, this is a rejuvenating, retro-flavored dance-floor filler.

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In The Spotlight

State Of Salazar – “Hold On Tonight”

This Swedish quintet was started by students from the Malmö Acadamy Of Music in 2010, based on a concept of lead singer and songwriter Marcus Nygren a year earlier, in order to play bombastic Rock music meant for big arenas. Spending time honing their vintage-styled Melodic-Rock sound first, it wasn’t until 2012 that their debut EP “Lost My Way” was released, earning them a tsunami of praise.

Taken from their upcoming album “Superhero”, to be released on December 7th, their latest single has an epic, cinematic, West-Coast AOR sound, time-traveled straight from the 80s. True to the sounds of bands like Survivor, Journey and Toto, they’ve wrapped their howling guitars and invigorating percussion in a neon-lit Rock coat, while the melodic power of the vocals make it pure rockalicious.

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