In The Spotlight

Wild Fire – “Flaunt”

Born with a twang in their blood, Kayla and Kelli Lutzwig are two award-winning teenage singing and songwriting sisters from Houston. They started vocal lessons aged 6 and play drums, piano, guitar and ukulele. Since launching as a country duo in 2016, they’ve wowed audiences with their Carrie Underwood and RaeLynn-inspired country-pop sound and recently became ambassadors for the GCMA.

Taken from their fresh EP “Been There”, their latest single flaunts their talents as both songwriters and performers with this lively, foot tappin’ tune. Starting with an easygoing beat and playful country guitar strums, it’s the sheer energy of their empowering vocals which draw you into the meteoric, boot stompin’ chorus, stuffing every note with vigorous and impassioned country-pop vitality.

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In The Spotlight

Diggin’ Dirt – “Superstar”

Having planted their roots back in 2011, this Californian septet has continued to grow, blossom and thrive ever since. After years of playing local gigs and a line-up change, they released their eclectic debut album “Full Season” in 2016. Influenced by funkateers such as Bootsy Collins and Sly & The Family Stone, they soak wide-ranging genres in their potent, high-energy funk/soul virtuosity.

Taken from their new album “Funkacillus Groovidophilus”, this single is unadulterated 70s funk on steroids. With a bustling bass line, vibrant rhythm and irrepressible horn section blasting the funkalicious melodic candy into your ears and Zach Alder’s commanding, vintage-dipped vocal power, dripping with soulful gravel, you can’t help but to start moving, hit that dancefloor and feel like a superstar.

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In The Spotlight

Natalie Lynn – “One”

Daughter to an artist dad and a professional singer mom, this Toronto-based Canadian singer and songwriter was raised on a steady diet of music and art. Always knowing she wanted to be a musician, she entered a 3 year Music Arts program while in college. Influenced by wide-ranging styles from Blink 182 to Fleetwood Mac, she spent the past 5 years performing and forging her own pop/rock sound.

Debuting with an invigorating, synth-heavy retro jam, her aptly named first single is doused in shades of the glorious eighties. A punchy beat and sizzling synths shine brightly colored neon lights over the mighty melody, while her Stevie Nicks-tinted vocals add an unmitigated intensity and a bit of grit to the vigorous, vintage-dipped rock tune and firmly establishes her as one to watch for the future.

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In The Spotlight

FATCAT – “No Gotdamn Sense”

Hailing from Freiburg, these eight German musicians have reinvented old-school soul and funk with powerful gusto. Enhanced with sprigs of disco and rock, they’ve blasted their vitalizing sound to excited audiences at over 300 gigs. They’ve played the Montreux Jazz Festival and opened for Jamie Cullum and the legendary Chaka Khan. In 2016 they released their debut album “Champagne Rush”.

Effortlessly moving from laidback keys and mellow vocals to the funkalicious surge of the titillating chorus, their new single purrs like a groovy kitten. Adding a phat rhythm, electric guitar strums and blazing brass to Kenny Joyner’s potent, yet velvety voice, it blends buttery soul with rousing funky flavors. Spawning a litter of emotions, these vitalizing grooves make total gotdamn sense to me.

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In The Spotlight

Olivia Brown – “I Gave You Up”

Born as Sheryl Cohen, this artist is a woman of bounteous talents. She graduated from Berklee College Of Music and, while studying there, she co-founded the Jazz/Brazilian group Brazz Jazz. Under her own name she started playing guitar and writing songs in the early 00s. She’s the senior director of A2IM and has been exploring electronic-based disco-pop under the moniker Olivia Brown since 2012.

By introducing a sprightly wah-wah guitar, groovy bass line and a punchy rhythm, her new single turns into a discolicious explosion of lustrous, multi-colored radiance. Brimming with an abundance of mirrorball sparkle, the infectious chorus blends dynamic 70s/80s pizzazz with lively Nu-Disco flair into an exhilarating dancefloor filler with added oomph, which you just don’t want to give up.

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In The Spotlight

Mark Pelli – “Lifetime”

Best known as guitarist and co-founder of the band Magic!, this Canadian multi-talent is so much more. He started taking piano lessons aged 6, added guitar aged 13, was producing albums at 16 and studied classical piano and jazz guitar at various universities. As a songwriter he wrote award-winning songs for rapper Classified and Chris Brown and co-wrote Magic!’s number 1 hit “Rude” in 2014.

His new solo single is a gorgeous fusion of diverse genres, creating an easygoing vibe which sounds like a bright, sunshiny day. Accompanying the mellow rhythm and warm guitar strums, the song is built on multi-vocal harmonic backing singers and his alluring, laidback voice, joining elements of classic soul and smooth, modern pop into a lush ballad filled with a lifetime of auditory charm.

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