Browsing Tag

Pop Singer Songwriter

Georgia Jones digs through ‘Ruins’ in her melancholically cold debut pop track

Posted on 24 August 2022

Contrasting the warm climate that she hails from, the 23-year-old Australian singer-songwriter, Georgia Jones, unleashed a sombrely cold serenade with her debut single, Ruins.

With a penchant for poetry and influences from Taylor Swift, Lorde, Bon Ivor and Billie Eilish, Georgia Jones found her signature somewhere in between her inspirational artists. From the bruisingly raw lyricism of Eilish, the tender melodicism of Bon Ivor and the stylishly melancholic edge of Lorde, Ruins serves as a candidly contemporary introduction to the artist, who frequently traverses fear as the prevalent theme in her music. Considering that there’s little else but fear in the atmosphere these days, you would struggle to find a more timely release.

As far as pop debuts go, Georgia Jones left nothing to be desired – apart from the sophomore single.

Ruins was officially released on August 12th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Evan de Roeper brought hopeless romanticism back in style with his pop single, Call My Name.

Posted on 23 August 2022

Evan de Roeper is the 21st-century dance-pop equivalent to Sinatra in his latest single, Call My Name. Whoever said that romance is dead clearly wasn’t one of the tens of thousands caught up in his hype. Just a week after the release, the smoothly affection-laden track has racked up over 32,000 streams and counting.

With his signature piano work behind the dancey short and sweet pop hit, it is all too easy to feel the sincerity behind the lyrics that yearn for a paramour – especially when the rap verses groove into the atmospheric production.

Here is what Evan de Roeper had to say about his latest release:

“Call My Name is the first single from my 4-track EP, Lavender, which documents the cycle of a relationship, told through the stages of a day. Call My Name is the ‘morning’ song, where you are waking up happy and generally optimistic about a future relationship. You are eager to find new love from someone who will call your name. Musically, it carries the euphoria of a Calvin Harris-Esque dance track.”

Call My Name was officially released on August 15th. Check it out for yourselves via Spotify & follow Evan de Roeper on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lucy Chan is soulfully cinematic in her latest single, Love Motion Picture

Posted on 22 August 2022

Lucy Chan shared a college fever dream in her latest soulfully cinematic pop track, Love Motion Picture, which runs with escapist references to 90s rom coms, hints of 80s synth pop and a modernist twist to the romanticism.

The 19-year-old singer-songwriter has been a hit with teen pop fans ever since her 2021 single, I Wonder, and her acclaim grows with every subsequent release. Taylor Swift would want to eat her heart out to the dreamy innocent melodicism of Love Motion Picture, We can’t wait to hear what the Australian artist resolvingly releases next.

Love Motion Picture is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Anna Wells became the UK’s brightest pop luminary with her self-actualized single, No More

Posted on 18 August 2022

Starting with the syncopated bluesy piano, Anna Wells’ latest progressive synth-pop single, No More, due for release on August 18th, 2022, instantly draws you in through the quirkiness that assures you that the Essex, UK-residing artist is autonomously electric enough to deserve your undivided attention.

The dance-worthy, marginally Avant-Garde beats and sporadically theatric vocals could sell the record alone; the empowered and self-actualized lyrics heighten the listening experience to the nth degree.

“I don’t need that kind of man in my life no more because I’m not so insecure anymore”, may just be the lyric of the year – if prizes go for those. It perfectly encapsulates theh human proclivity to martyr ourselves to misery through the subconscious belief we don’t deserve more. I officially love her.

Check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Madam Who? invited you to ‘Reclaim Your Power’ with her 90s nostalgic pop-rock debut LP

Posted on 16 August 2022

The Eastern Shore, MD, USA-residing pop rock singer-songwriter Madam Who’s debut album, Reclaim Your Power, will undoubtedly be a soul-saver for anyone it catches in a vulnerable or transformative time.

With the rock reverence of Joan Jett, the zaniness of The B52s and the urban edge of Lizzo, the LP starts with the powerful title single, before You Are Not Alone brings in the 70s rock vibes and Goddess in Our Midst brings a little neo-soul into the mix.

Undoubtedly, one of the sweetest spots on the LP has to be Strange & Beautiful. The progressively enrapturing track hooks you in through an acoustic intro before building into an anthemic ballad which allows you to embrace your autonomy, idiosyncrasies and all.

Rarely do records hit the compassionate spot with the same efficacy as this LP. Madam Who? is a pop-rock diamond in the rough; there are few accolades she doesn’t deserve due to her overpowering sincerity and motivation to heal wounds that most women will experience in their lifetime.

Madam Who?’s notes on the album

“I wrote these songs as a form of therapy after I hit the most difficult time in my life – even more challenging than going through brain cancer. After being emotionally abused and abruptly discarded, I had to start my live over with little knowledge of who I was anymore. Before this destructive relationship, I pursued a music career, naturally, when it was over, I started writing again, with a focus on empowerment, not my life’s antagonists. The overall message is to be kind and love yourself.”

The Reclaim Your Power LP is now available to stream on Spotify.

Follow Madam Who? on Facebook & Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Denim Blue ventures into the unknown with his optimistic indie-pop lament, Brand New

Posted on 13 August 2022

Norway-hailing singer-songwriter Denim Blue mastered every genre he poured into his latest single, Brand New. His ability to pull you into the dissonance of heartbreak and make it a pleasurable trip is something no one will be quick to forget.

While the guitars exude the angular mesmerism of Interpol’s earlier work, the hooky melodies veer into a poppier territory, and vocally, the genre-fluid visionary transcends archetypes and tropes to deliver pure vulnerable expression. It gives you all the intimacy of bedroom pop, and none of the lo-fi muddiness that has become synonymous with it.

For anyone that resents the plastic feel-good summer tracks released by artists desperate for a brag-worthy chart position, Brand New has all the makings of a realism-soaked playlist staple. The juxtaposition between optimism and soul-tearing sadness is undoubtedly one of the sweetest things I’ve heard this year. That is until the release of his EP, Vacation Blues, on August 26th.

In his own words, here is what Denim Blue said about his release

“Brand New is a bittersweet song; happy and pleasant, yet sad and reminiscent of the past. I wanted it to be perplexing; like the emotions that come to fruition when reminded of the past. I created a soundscape of summer, bright and melodic, with a sadder yet playful undertone in the lyrics, which are about struggling to let go – even if it is for the better. I recorded it about two years ago and kept returning to it with a good feeling. I hope others will get a good feeling from it too.”

Brand New is now available to stream on Spotify.

Connect with Denim Blue on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Leeza traverses affectionate fear in her stormy synth pop serenade, Stars

Posted on 10 August 2022

Like swathes of pop fans, we have been caught up in the hype amassing around LA-based singer-songwriter Leeza’s latest single, Stars. A month on from the July release, the smoothly interstellar single has racked up almost 45k streams on Spotify alone.

With the honesty in the lyricism acting as the centre of gravity in this future-pop-meets-old-school-pop-serenade, it’s impossible not to succumb to the romanticism as the track explores our tendency to long for comfort after someone has knocked our emotions out of orbit.

Her commanding vocals over the seductively moody synth lines proved to be a stylish recipe for pop magnetism. It is far from just titularly beyond earth’s atmosphere. Leeza is a conduit of connection who deserves to be lauded for her ability to translate our deepest fears and desires into melodic bliss.

In her own words, here is what Leeza had to say about her latest single

“Stars is a song about finding new love, and all the scary things that come with it that make you want to distance yourself from the person. Regardless of those fears, you realise that you are already in too deep anyway, and just need to give in, fall and see where it takes you, hopefully to the stars!”

With her debut EP, which will also be produced by fellow Berklee alumni, Jordan Sweet, due for release this October, she is more than worth a spot on your radar.

Listen to Stars on Spotify & follow Leeza on Instagram and TikTok.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mist’riii – Sometimes: Acknowledging the Temporary State of Everything Has Never Been More Beautiful.

Posted on 3 August 2022

Nairobi-hailing indie-pop newcomer, Mist’riii has released the ballad to end all others with her beautifully scored feat of expression, Sometimes.

It’s not often that I’m caught off guard, but that’s exactly where Sometimes succeeds. It resonates like a brand-new visceral experience that you desperately want to share with the rest of the world because you KNOW the emotional magnetism transcends genre preferences. It’s a strikingly ornate, moving ballad that deserves to be in the OST for the next Hollywood romance blockbuster – in spite of the intimate indie feels.

In her own words, here is what Mist’riii had to say about her latest release,

“Sometimes, we don’t want someone from our past back; we acknowledge that it is over, but from time to time, we can’t help but wonder if they ever think about us. Not sure if it’s the ego at play in such instances, or just nostalgia (or both lol) but I believe that it’s a sentiment that anyone who has ever lost someone (whether it’s an ex lover or friend) can relate to.”

Sometimes is now available to stream on SoundCloud, where the independently released track has already racked up over 17k streams.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shanaya gave us the 80s pop anthem to ‘Dance the Night Away’ to

Posted on 3 August 2022

Fleetwood Mac meets ABBA in the up-and-coming pop artist, Shanaya’s debut single, Dance the Night Away, which borrows a few of the iconic 80s tones before turning them into textures which form the artist’s sonic signature.

The orchestral sweeps, popping beats and Shanaya’s yearning for something more vocals pull you right into the essence of the single, which pays ode to those who are worth painting the town red with. A somewhat archetypal concept, yet, there’s a sense of mysticism to Shanaya, which won’t be getting old any time soon.

This upbeat originated debut is a sure sign of even bigger things to come from the rising artist.

Dance the Night Away is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Angie Hakeem clutches the sands of time in her cinematic pop ballad, Too Soon to Die

Posted on 11 July 2022

Too Soon to Die is the latest classically cut pop single from Ohio’s sincerest singer-songwriter Angie Hakeem, who stretched her glassily dynamic vocals back through the decades to remind us of how sweet our perspectives on love and life used to be.

The real beauty within Too Soon to Die is the lyrical ambiguity that allows you to implant your own experiences with loss, grief, and fear of losing into the cinematic ballad. It certainly wouldn’t be out of place in the Disney music genre with its orchestral arrangement, swoon-worthy crescendos and vocal highs that tempt the floodgates to open.

Too Soon to Die will officially release on July 8th. You can stream it for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast