Browsing Tag

r&b

A&R Factory Present: Veronica King

Posted on 17 March 2017

A beautiful product of Panamanian-American heritage, singer-songwriter Veronica King rehashes classic, soulful R&B with a silken voice that conjures nostalgic vibes, prompts good times, and ignites familiarity. Her debut single, “Ice Cream Sundae”, captures the essence of a fun-loving, teenage love affair, while simultaneously evoking the sensuality of a mature, romantic relationship. The music video for “Ice Cream Sundae” takes the story of the song a step further from the point of view of a young man taking Veronica out on several romantic outings. The visuals combined with the lyrics demonstrate how he makes her laugh, smile, experience complete bliss while they are together, and, of course, “melt like an ice cream sundae” from his expressions of love.

“Ice Cream Sundae” was conceived when a producer from Jazmine Sullivan’s last album, Reality Show, connected with King and her writing team through social media. The instrumentation stirred their imaginations to the experience of falling in love. After some dedicated writing sessions, Kingand her team were motivated to push forward with this radio-ready ballad.

Heavily influenced by the musical genius of Stevie Wonder, Bob James, Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, and the late Aaliyah, Veronica King hones in on creating a unique and unforgettable sound that blends her eclectic, musical taste with Electronica and the sounds of today. Veronica is an explorer, thinker, dreamer – and her music dares to touch on love, both lost and found, passion, and life’s trying obstacles. In this way, Veronica Kingcelebrates positivity in all aspects of her life and allows her music to precede her and inspire others.

Veronica King as the Indie Queen of R&B. Stay tuned for Veronica King’s debut EP, which will be released this spring 2017.

http://veronicaking.com/

A&R Factory Present: Faiza

Posted on 25 February 2017

She’s proving herself to be the next diamond out of the 6.

Toronto based artist Faiza emerged on the music scene back in 2014, with the release of her debut self titled EP. As soon as we heard about her latest single and video, we couldn’t wait to share it with all of you.

Her new single “Body Babe” has fresh sound and is nothing short of a smash.The fun and raw party record displays women confidently expressing their sexual agency without shame, it offers a refreshing take on the idea of “friends with benefits” to the Nextflix and Chill world we now live in.

The music video is set in a loft-style room with hues of blue and party vibes that will keep you going all throughout. Her infectious voice layered on top of the catchy melody will drive you to get attached to her musicality as soon as you reach the chorus.

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A&R Factory Present: Roberto Horns

Posted on 6 February 2017

Using social media and streaming sites to his advantage for some time now, singer and producer Roberto Horns is on the cusp of his breakthrough moment.

The singer already released his first album, Die in Peace, in 2016. But he has now returned with yet another thought provoking but catchy song in the form of Porn.

It’s only natural for a singer who was birthed from the Internet to sing about something else the Internet has given us, but Porn is anything but a lewd and crude ode to Horns’ sordid browser history.

With the trumpets giving a real live music feeling to the song, Horns moans about his string of meaningless one-night stands as he wishes he had something more substantial.

A song like this needs a singer who oozes charisma and Horns definitely does that throughout. At one point he even begins to rap assuring the listener that despite his promiscuous nature, deep down he is a good guy.

It’s that same charisma and charm that will convince listeners to play this song over and again because at it’s core, it’s funny. And considering the state the world is currently in right now everyone could with a good laugh.

Words: @colouroffensive

A&R Factory Present: BROCK

Posted on 18 January 2017

Brock is an up-and-coming pop/singer-songwriter vocalist and producer from Mississippi. His debut single “Hide It” premiering Jan. 1st 2017 is the first of a string of songs he will be releasing in early 2017 accumulating in an EP. His rhythm-based and catchy style of production and singing gives his music a unique trademark.

This first track is a mixture of indie pop, acoustic, and R&B – three genres that have been influencing Brock since he began producing and songwriting at the age of 13. He likes to describe his sound as New Romantic – raw, unapologetic, and personal lyrics centered on relationships, love, and heartbreak with an upbeat, dance backbeat and rhythm.

Brock writes his lyrics from a personal space and hopes listeners will be able to relate to his story. Growing up in a family of “hobby” musicians, he had access to a drum kit and guitars at an early age giving him the opportunity to develop his skills as a multi-instrumentalist. Since then, he has been in a couple of locally successful indie bands and has spent the past two years developing his sound — working with numerous producers and songwriters in Los Angeles.

https://www.facebook.com/iambrockmusic

 

A&R Factory Present: Jose Otero

Posted on 7 January 2017

Jose Otero was born in Gran Canaria in 1990, Jose says “I was was a very active kid and lover of soul music because of the influence of my parents who loved jazz and soul. My vocal inspiration are Etta James, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Stevie wonder. ” Jose started singing when he was 16 and moved to London in 2012 to study music, since then he has reached the final of Open Mic U.K. coming 4th out of 12.000 applicants. He then got a production deal and the outcome was this powerful track “I told you”

Currently Jose is working as a songwriter in a music studio in central London for other singers and is also concentrating on his own material.

Jose is about to release his first ep and music video in February.

A&R Factory Present: JSPH

Posted on 7 December 2016

Nominated as 2016’s New Artist of The Year by CityBeat, eclectic artist JSPH’s soulful melodies were established in his gospel roots.  His craftsmanship has led him to push the sonic boundaries of pop and soul; evolving, yet respecting tradition.  This developed into a signature style that one may classify as progressive soul.  It creates a canvas that proudly wears its influences on its sleeves; such as, Prince, D’ Angello, James Blake, Toro y Moi, Sam Cooke, The Weeknd and Gallant.  His newest single “Breathe” was featured on Pharell’s OtherTone radio show on Beats 1 and is continuously streamed both in the US and abroad. 

Breathe is a record that’s a reminder to let go. It is my first release since the more darker and emotional EP “Rule.” I chose to have the artwork reflect the juxtaposition that occurs when the beat drops at around the 40 second mark. It transitions from a dark poetic intro into a modern soul anthem. The roses in the darkness are just a reminder that in a life full of potential fear, something beautiful can transpire if we focus on love, and breathe.

JSPH grew up in Northern Kentucky and recalls an inevitable passion to write and sing.  He would copy down the lyrics of songs as a child, study them, then perform them in front of family and classmates. While pursuing a law degree, he would sneak into the fine arts library every chance he had and recalls writing lyrics in his casebooks during class. Instead of raising his voice as an advocate in the courtroom after law school, JSPH decided to continue crafting his voice into a unique musical sound on the stage.

Teaming up with producer DJ Corbett, JSPH began to work on a trilogy of EP’s entitled “Rest”, “Rule” and “Abide”.   He released “Rest” in early 2015 and “Rule” shortly thereafter, and soon began to make waves in the music industry. These waves spread from Cincinnati to Los Angeles, landing him a publishing deal with Heyday Media.  “Forever,” the first single, was selected by director Anthony Diblassi and featured in the movie “Wuthering High School”, which aired on the Lifetime Channel. 

JSPH’s sound has put him in front of thousands as he’s performed in Chicago, NYC, Los Angeles and Cincinnati along with other cities in the US.  He was nominated as the 2016 “New Artist Of The Year” and “Best Soul/ R&B/Funk Artist” by CityBeat.  

JSPH is now recording “Abide”, the final part of his EP trilogy.

http://www.jsphnvls.com/

A&R Factory Present: Rachel Foxx

Posted on 25 October 2016

With a debut EP that reached over 200k listens, a string of acclaimed singles and an intrigued interest from both the UK and overseas, London based artist Rachel Foxx returns with her mesmerising new single ‘Make You Say’.

Rich in sultry vocals, infectious melodies and an unforgettable chorus, ‘Make You Say’ is a captivating and sensual track that effortlessly showcases the talent of the young singer.

“Make You Say is about having fun, living your life and never taking things too serious. I was in a good place when I wrote it, its just how I felt at the time.”

Based in Hackney, London, the talented singer draws inspiration from singers such as Sade and Aaliyah whilst delivering a very modern twist on the genre.

With her new EP ‘Blue Moon’ and visuals to be released in the upcoming months, Rachel Foxx continues to deliver authentic and enduring music that her listeners have became so accustomed too.

A&R Factory Present: ALSNDRA

Posted on 20 October 2016

As of recent years (and thanks to artists like Drake, the Weeknd and Alessia Cara to name a few,) Toronto’s music scene has become somewhat of a stage for the world to look to for rising, prominent musical talent.

Newcomer ALSNDRA (pronounced aleh-sahn-drah) proves worthy of the platform on her first and highly anticipated promotional release “WYWD” (what you wanna do) a catchy, infectious and unapologetically sexy song that easily tops the baby-makers’ playlist this year. A dangerous combination of sexy, sultry vibes and confident lyrics, ALSNDRA delivers artistry as necessary to the beat as foreplay is to sex.

ALSNDRA enlists the production talents of production duo Book & Bronze with a beat that is sure to please both mainstream r&b and mature music lovers alike.

“The music chooses you. The business of music tests you. The sacrifices you make to continue pursuing it will change you. And if you come out of it without ever making a single dollar and still smile when you wake up in the morning- you’ve made it,” says ALSNDRA. The Toronto born, Vaughan raised singer/songwriter explains: “not everybody is built to handle the ups and downs, the pressures of the industry.” ALSNDRA is not one of those people. Having began her professional career in 2010 as a top liner and vocalist for the Canadian pop/r&b girl group “QOH” (Queen of Hearts,) ALSNDRA has had her fair share of industry opportunity and experience.

In 2014, she began working closely with Toronto-bred singer/songwriter RCHNSY (Richie Hennessey,) formerly of the Juno /MMVA nominated Canadian Hip Hop group “Brassmunk.” Together, they began producing a catalogue of music that would eventually become ALSNDRA’s debut EP, entitled “My Way,”- an ode to her own personal experiences and struggles in life and throughout the creation of the project.

“The most special thing about this work is that its distinctively my story, created in my time, told my way,” ALSNDRA says when describing her catalogue and musical experience. With a sound influenced by the city in which ALSNDRA spends most of her time, ALSNDRA explores a unique perspective in the Urban/R&B and Alternative Pop genres. She has had the privilege of working with production from Toronto- bred producers like Gameboy, BVSTMODE, Agile, Pops, Book & Bronze, Tone Mason, Arthur Mcarthur, Sound smith, Driftnote and more. Additionally, New Jersey based producer Antmaestro, has also worked extensively with ALSNDRA on the debut project.

“My Way” is projected for release by early 2017, with promotional singles set for release prior.

A&R Factory Present: Aaron Taylor

Posted on 14 October 2016

Earlier this year, London-based singer-songwriter Aaron Taylor quietly and somewhat mysteriously, without too much fanfare, released his debut EP Still Life. The three songs contained on the EP caught the attention of a host of music bloggers, and one song, ” Lesson Learnt “, appeared on a major TV ad for Apple Watch.

Aaron has since been working on new material, and “Be Alright” is the first song to be taken from a brand-new EP titled Better Days, due for release this autumn.

On “Be Alright” Aaron develops further the intoxicating fusion of soul, funk, gospel and R&B he revealed on his debut. He wrote the song as a statement of support, “Sometimes you need to encourage and remind yourself things will be OK” he says. “’Be Alright’ is exactly that: an encouragement to ourselves and a reminder of a simple truth that we will all be fine in time. We may need to rebel, we may need to struggle, but we’ll be good.”

The song forms part of a wider story behind the full EP – more details to be revealed in due course.

A&R Factory Present: NAYAN

Posted on 18 September 2016

NAYAN means ‘Eyes’ in Hindi. NAYAN writes amelodic R&B, Rock/Pop stuff that everyone can relate with. His music has raw, innocent, fun, intimate and flirtatious lyrics infused with fresh, dramatic, happy and nostalgic melodies which are very easy to sing along to.

NAYAN says “I was born in India, where music as a profession was considered very unlikely. Not when you’re a teen living in a third world Country. But my heart was guided by my childhood heroes Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson and the Beatles. Growing up I traversed the globe with my family from Spain to the UK, finally arriving in the city of Angels… And I found a home in the city of my dreams among the stars that had been once so distant.”