FEATURE: Let’s NOT Talk About Sex: The Dating Life of the Modern Musician

FEATURE:

 

Let’s NOT Talk About Sex:

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty 

The Dating Life of the Modern Musician

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IN a piece tomorrow…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I will look at the idea of net neutrality: there are plans to ban it and, with that, it would take power from independent musicians and eliminate free-speech. I am concerned there are higher-ups who are trying to take powers and expression way from people. It is a subject that will rage on and will reach its peak next month – protests will be held on 7th to stop the FCC killing the Internet as we know it. I will talk about the effect this will have on musicians – and the ramifications of possible changes – but it got me thinking about the safety and rights of musicians. I wanted to raise a subject, now, that has been put to the front of my mind the last couple of days. I know many female musicians and quite a few of them are single. The demands of the industry means the day is spent working (at a regular job) or promoting your sounds: the nights, often involve social media time and more promotion. If the weekends, to most, offer a chance to run into the wild and neglect the need to obsesses over work we hate: for musicians; there is no such relief and downtime. I am in that boat, too. I spend most of my available time, away from work, writing.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Sat at a laptop – with a wall for a view – is, perhaps, not the best way to spend my time on Earth but the rewards I get (seeing musicians get their work to new audiences) provides satisfaction. At the end of it all; I have the desire to make this thing a full-time career and give up the daily drudge. The female artists I know have this desire and hunger – there are men who fall into this argument, too. We all need to relax and kick back: dating and love is a good way of doing that. Even if you’re in an industry as hectic and demanding as music; you need to think about relationships and yourself – it cannot always be about work and stress. The modern way of working means artists/music creatives have to rely on the Internet to find love. There is an array of dating websites that cover all tastes and demands. Whether you pay for a subscription – or have a free trial – it means you have access to thousands of available singletons. I think men are at risk of this but it mainly applies to women: the dangers of the Internet and the type of ‘catch’ you will find there. It seems odd mentioning it on a music blog but I feel musicians are among the busiest around. Their lives are packed and it can often be hard to schedule any time for sex – let alone love or anything long-term.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

It might seem sexist saying females are more vulnerable but is the opposite: it is men who create the danger and have raised alarm.  I have heard stories, over the past few weeks, of female musicians taking to dating sites in the hope of finding a companion – the horror stories and testimonies that have come back go beyond the comical or peculiar. I know one or two women who, after trial-and-error and a marathon, have found someone who isn’t a complete degenerate. There are, however, so many who are either being bombarded by lurid comments and innuendo; sent explicit pictures and asked to perform pornographic acts – all before they have even met or spoken to one another! Maybe this is the way the modern world is changing: the Internet means there are more people out there; more ways people can get in touch; fewer barriers and vast opportunities to commit crimes and behave appallingly. The fact the Internet creates great access around the world is a bittersweet blessing/curse – it can be great for music and promotion but not so reliable when it comes to human relationships! I am not talking about some harmless misunderstandings and ill-advised comments: there are actual offences and perversities committed! That may not seem shocking or unusual in this age. That, in itself, says a lot about our generation and the way they abuse technology/others. I was affected by a recent story – she will remain anonymous – where a female musician set up a date with a man and came away having to report a crime.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

The details were not disclosed but it left her shocked, appalled and scarred. That is something nobody wants to see and it makes me wonder how many women are at-risk and vulnerable. I mention this in the context of musicians because they have so little time free – the Internet can be the easiest option and a way of connecting with others. Even if the interaction (online) is agreeable and pleasant; that does not mean the person you will meet during that date acts the same way. I guess that is the risk with any blind dates but one can find a lot more seediness and unseemly men on the Internet than via the conventional blind date channels. I have heard similar stories from someone who is a successful beauty blogger – she has been on a string of dates and, with each man, has found things that have turned her stomach (not so much to turn her head!). Maybe this is a problem consistent with other industry but it seems creatives, musicians especially, are falling prey to some horrible deplorable characters. Maybe songwriters/musicians go for a particular type but I am concerned the industry itself is becoming less sociable. My proposed solutions are a little contradictory: having a bespoke, and safe, dating website; making sure there are more social outlets for musicians who are busy with work. If one has to go down the Internet route – the cost of endless dating and commuting means electronic contact is more practical – that does not mean they have to subject themselves to a torrent of smut, creepiness and, at times, assault.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I have mentioned a couple of women but, when talking about their experiences, there has been actual abuse and criminality. I cannot guarantee that any new dating website will keep the creeps out; nor will it guarantee those who join are dependable and decent – there needs to be something done that protects women. I know there has been some specialised music dating websites. I do not think any of them are that successful or discussed. Certainly, from my experience, websites like Match.com, Plenty of Fish and eHarmony UK are the big boys. If you have the need - and feel like you need something more highbrow – then you can join websites where they are more thorough with their schematics and algorithms. All of these sites have their pitfalls and traps – Tinder, actually, seems to be the worst of them. I cannot say whether there is a psychological correlation between the type of man that frequents Tinder – and those who go on to make women feel uncomfortable. If there was a website that was reserved to musical personnel – D.J.s, musicians and D.J.s; producers, directors and the like – then that would erase so many potential misfits; mean there was a common thread and the users would instantly have more in common with one another. The name is not easy to get – one feels the word ‘strings’ would have to come in; No-Strings-Attached might suggest something casual and sex-based – but that would come in time. We need something that provides this safe haven and is properly invigilated. Moderators and ‘Internet police’ can keep an eye on comments and make sure there is more thorough vetting when people subscribe. It should be charged but not so artists/musicians are priced-out and feel pinched.

PHOTO CREDIT: ZoneCreative

One could, quite easily, create an online portal/website that was a community for music-lovers and musicians. It need not be anything as defined as a dating website: a lot of artists, who are single, are looking for friendship and company as much as love. There is that option where one could easily communicate with someone who shares the same passions – those passions are kept pure (until appropriate) in an environment that is warm and friendly. Anyone caught contravening and contradicting the codes of the site would be swiftly and permanently ejected. I have been speculating and playing with the idea of a music website for a few years now – maybe that is an incorporation I could make! What we do need (myself included) is a site where the artist/creative can go and chat if they want to; they can agree to meet for a chat; they can organise a date – without fear of discrimination, attack or abuse. That might sound simple but, in reality, most of the dating sites around will feature the worse elements. The new site – whatever it will be named – would be a lot firmer with regards those who perpetrate false morals; provide greater surveillance and ensure any women (or man) who is being spoken to in degrading terms would be protected. I, for one, would welcome a dating/friendship site that was reserved for people like me; where I could get quality and familiarity – getting that convenience and conviviality into the bargain!

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Whilst is paramount we purify Internet dating and make sure female musicians – and anyone who uses them – do not feel threatened and unsafe; there is a school of thought that argues getting out into the ‘real world’ is a better option. I have said how many artists/writers do not have a bag of time to go out meeting potential mates. If we were to combine music/work into a more sociable environment then that, one would hope, gets rid of the issue?! I know there are gigs and bars but they can often be crowded and reserved for those who want to watch artists – rather than chat and flirt. Coffee shops are an option but is there something especially for a musician? Whether it is as extensive as creating bars/cafes that tailor to the dating/work-life demands of musicians/artists, I am not sure. It would be good to turn existing venues/spaces into places those harried and stressed can go and relax. Maybe having a dating/socialising night would be a solution. There would be music but the atmosphere would be curating to promote fun and a degree of peace–keeping the sworded types out of the door and making the environment sociable and secure. There are dating nights and special events for people to meet others but so much of the time people have to use the Internet for their dating needs. There is, as I have outlaid, ways of making a site that erases (most of) the dangers and is a spot where similarly-minded folks can chat (and more).

PHOTO CREDIT: CheapMadness

How does one replicate that for the real-world streets?! One need only walk through a city like London and realise how busy and sociable it is. A lot of this ‘socialising’ can involve a lot of alcohol and the liaisons born from this can be rather brief and forgettable – where one picks up their underwear with a sore head and regrets everything. The focus is not on sex and instant gratification: ensuring musicians/artists can find love/companions that last a long time. Not only will that strip away the degradation experienced when navigating the likes of Tinder: it means they have stressed relieved and get to experience love. I am seeing too many people – mainly females, to be honest – who are meeting dodgy men and bemoaning the lack of quality out there. Their time is precious and the strike-rate on dating sites is not always that high. I would welcome a new website but feel one could easily utilise somewhere like a café and host dating nights. Maybe it does not need to have that pretence: organise a sociable gig/gathering and singles, if they choose, can go there and mingle in a space they feel comfortable in. The Internet provides a place where those shyer and more nervous can project confidence and not have to feel intimidated. I know many balk at the concept of chatting to the opposite sex in intimate terms. The Internet prevents instant nerves but, in the long-run, it makes bonding a lot harder.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

I agree modern dating and socialising is expensive; we do not all have time of an evening to go out and meet people – or go to bars in the hope somewhere, someone will be spark a fuse. The problem with relying on the traditional dating sites is there are too many bad experiences. Some of these might be amusing but, when you put them all together, what effect is this having on confidence and emotional well-being? A man/woman might be lovely and attractive but, given the way others treat them, be fooled into thinking they are the problem. The immeasurable psychological impact means many will stop dating and trying to find someone. That can then lead to severe emotional issues and depression – they might never feel safe and confident meeting anyone. Music demands attention and passion but there are so many out there who have passion and time left to give to someone else. Creating nights/spaces where people can dance, chat and meet – like a club/pub but better music/people there – would be a good idea. With so many venues closing; one wonders how people are spending their nights. Maybe the cost of licenses is an issue: maybe people are going out less because they find it cheaper staying in. I know there are artists, musicians and talent out there who are being hurt by Internet dating and want to connect with a nice, decent human being. I am concerned the Internet is not protecting people and, for those women who are victims of predators and the perverse, the penalties are either non-existent or not strict enough.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Let’s create – either a dating website or bespoke nights/locations – where we can feel comfortable in and, one hopes, discover people a lot nicer and more attractive (than what lurks on dating sites). If we can do that, and allow musicians a better and more sociable balance, that will not only impact on their wellbeing and happiness – it will result in better music and an industry where those looking for love are not frustrated and depressed to the extent of serious emotional damage. It is another concern that needs addressing but it can be done. In it 2017 and single people should not have to feel bad about their status: they should not, if they choose to change it, have to struggle so hard to avoid catfishes. The world is getting darker and more stressful: the need for love and togetherness is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Dating and love is not reserved to a particular class or human…

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

IT is something we all deserve!

FEATURE: And Dream of Sheep: Why Sleep Deprivation and Pressure is Damaging Musicians’ Health

FEATURE:

 

And Dream of Sheep:

Why Sleep Deprivation and Pressure is Damaging Musicians’ Health

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ONE of the growing problems I am discovering…

ALL PHOTO/IMAGE CREDITS (unless stated): Getty

in the music industry is the poor emotional health of artists. I have discussed mental-health in depth, but this is a lot less complex – how so many musicians are not getting a lot sleep and, because of that, it is impacting on their career. Not only does a lack of sleep cause discoordination, fatigue and depression – it creates physical issues and can affect health in the long-term. I will bring in an interesting argument/article that theorises the benefits of insomnia; how it can promote creativity and is beneficial to musicians. To me, where I will bring in some supportive pieces, there is too much pressure from the music industry. I will bring in ‘periphery’ concerns such as high rent prices and competition but, from a health perceptive, it is troubling seeing so many musicians unable to sleep adequately. One of the biggest contributors to the problem is the amount of stress a modern musician faces. The need to get gigs and earn a crust means (musicians) have to work longer hours and are unable to switch off. Music has, over recent years, become a digital-heavy industry; one where artists can control their environment through laptops and technology. Social media is a useful tool for artists: the fact they are spending so much time on it is having a detrimental effect. To maintain a career in music – without considering success and growth – the sheer determination and work ethic is driving many to extraordinary lengths. I have spoken to a number of musicians and there is a direct connection between their sleep problems and the hours they have to pull.

Social media is a great way of getting music out there. It gets sounds to the people readily and quickly but so much of it is tied to popularity and marketing, Musicians cannot put a song out there and see it grow – able to sit back and have other people do all the work. You can say that has always been the way with music but the growth of competition, combined with the digitisation of music, means so many of us are unable to extricate ourselves from technology. I will go on but, to bring some black-and-white science to the fore; here is an interesting article that shows the extent of the problem.

“The National Institutes of Health estimates that roughly 30% of the general population suffers from sleep disruption. According to the American Psychological Association, most healthy adults do best with 16 hours of wakefulness and an average of eight hours of sleep per night. However, individual needs can vary from requiring as little as six to up to 10 hours of sleep per night. Sleep requirements do not decline with age, though the ability to sleep soundly may.

Sleep experts cite stress as the number one cause of acute sleep problems. You’re worried about an upcoming gig, which causes you not to be able to sleep, and pretty soon you are also worried about not getting enough sleep. In this way, anxiety and insomnia exacerbate each other. Yoga, meditation, and other mind-body relaxation techniques can often help you cope.

 Travel, especially when you cross time zones, can upset your biological (circadian) rhythms. Compound that with being in a strange place, and you have a recipe for exhaustion. Environmental factors like a room that’s too cold or hot, noisy, or bright, may be beyond your control on the road.

Inadequate sleep will reduce your musical abilities, overall wellbeing, and quality of life. Numerous studies have proven that inadequate sleep can cause reduced cognitive functions, such as those needed for effective concentration and decision making. It can affect your irritability, patience, and ability to get along with others”.

A little later, when bringing in a competing article, there are some interesting arguments that state a certain rationing of sleep can be beneficial for a creative brain. I worry success and survival is tied to numbers and scoreboards. There was, years ago, far fewer new musicians operating away from the mainstream. There was not the same problem we have now with artists having to sacrifice health and happiness in order to make a go of their chosen careers – by the same token; we are in a position when anyone can come into music and that, in turn, provides a huge and bountiful market for the public. Take a case-study of Musician A. She/he will release a new song and put it out to the world. It does not end there…over the course of days/weeks; Musician A monitors how it is doing and ensures the song gets out to radio stations and promoters. It is not over then. After that; they have to make sure the song gets on playlists and is shared on social media. Visibility is so much a part of the musician’s career. Many feel, if they take time off from social media and connecting with the digital world; their music will suffer and they will be overlooked. I am in the same position: writing endlessly in the hope someone, somewhere will see my work and give me an opportunity. Competition so stiff and vast, every artist around feels insecurity and is expected to work themselves half to death. Is that pressure coming from the artist or the industry?

It is a subjective debate and it is not easy to answer. I feel there is more weight on the latter’s scales. Of the artists I have spoken to; they always come to the same conclusion: if I do not concrete my whole being to music, I will risk losing fans/following. That is paraphrasing, but the general gist is obvious: artists are sacrificing their free-time and health in order to maintain a music career. It is hard to say exactly how damaging the issue of insomnia and physiological strain is putting on the individual. It will vary person-to-person but it is clear something constructive needs to happen. I will move on to the cost of living, anxieties and relationships – before then; I found an interesting piece that explained why early rising can benefit the creative drive:

YOU HAVE LIMITED FOCUS.

We’ve all been there. You’ve just gotten home from work, maybe you still need to make dinner for yourself and all you want to do is sit on the couch and flip through your favorite TV shows or dig into some Netflix. You’re not alone. This is absolutely how everyone else feels after a long day at work too. Most work days, about 5 hours in- I am mentally fried. Later that night I go home and try to work on some memorization or sing through some music and it feels almost impossible to focus or retain information at that point. We only have a few good hours of focus in us per day. Make sure you’re using them wisely! Get up a couple hours before you have to go to work, and start hashing out some art! It’s the best way to truly make progress. Don’t wait until the day is over and you have nothing left to give. Put your passion first.

YOU WILL FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE "STOLEN HOURS" WITHOUT DISTRACTION.

When do you receive the most phone calls and texts? Generally after you and everyone else gets home from work. If everyone else is still sleeping or getting ready for work, chances are, you are going to get way fewer distractions. Hearing your phone buzzing or getting endless messages and e-mails can disrupt your practice in no time. Getting up earlier gives you the feeling that you have stolen some extra hours just for yourself.  Jump into your day with music FIRST.  There will be plenty of time to watch cute cat videos on your phone later.

YOU WILL FEEL LESS GUILTY.

I don’t know about you, but I tend to let a lot of guilt creep up when I feel like I don’t give much focused attention to my art. I feel like it’s slipping away from me. I feel like I should be getting more done, or be further along in my studies. This is all part of the emotional roller coaster that we artists get to ride for our entire life!  Weeeee!  If I have already gotten events created, pictures posted, blogs written, songs practiced, and created posters for my next gig by the time I get to work, I come home feeling WAY less guilty. I don’t have to be a zombie attempting to practice after work AND be really sad about it too. Boom goes the dynamite.

YOU WILL WAKE UP WITH A PURPOSE.

If you have a solid reason WHY you need to be getting up in the morning, you’ll absolutely do it. I know that I wake up every morning wanting to get ready to make more music. You can either make art now, or make excuses later on. Period.

YOU WILL GET WAY MORE DONE.

It is truly amazing how much you can get done even if you wake up only 1 hour earlier than you did before. Maybe it’s the proximity to my coffee pot, or maybe it’s just that my brain is so fresh, but I can get about two or three times as much done BEFORE work, as I do after a long day.

YOU WILL HAVE GOTTEN THE PRODUCTIVITY BALL ROLLING.

Life is a series of tasks.  If you hop out of bed in the morning and you get straight to doing the work you were born to do, that creates a ripple affect in entire your day.  You will be more present at work and you will have more energy to manage the rest of the items on your daily to-do list. Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion. So start your day strong and create all the inertia that you can.

Some of the above is true and, by putting in an extra bit of work at the start of the day means there is time near the end to get to sleep early – decompress sooner than usual. The flaw with that debate is you are not gaining any more sleep-time. Perhaps there is the tactical psychology behind the reasoning – the consistency and quality of sleep is improved if you can detach in the evening hours – but I worry these points are a rather subjective and flawed viewpoint. Another article, from The Guardian a few years back, brought actor/musician Matt Berry together with Glass Animals’ frontman, Dave Bayley:

"When you're sleep-deprived I imagine it's quite similar to having taken certain drugs," says Bayley, who has a degree in neuroscience. "The logical side of your brain is slowly withering away because there's not enough energy to power it, and all these crazy ideas start happening that your brain would normally suppress. I find the brain a mystical beast. It's so bizarre and interesting."

IN THIS PHOTO: Glass Animals' Dave Bayley

Berry had a similar experience in his studio, which has neither windows nor clocks. "It was kind of dreamlike. Sometimes I'd go back the next day and think: 'Wow. Some of it doesn't sound like me.' There are things I wouldn't have done during the day – lots of things coming in and out of focus."

 Some studies have suggested a correlation between creativity and sleep disturbance, known as "creative insomnia", although this has been disputed. There is, however, plenty of anecdotal evidence from musicians. Artists such as Chris Martin, Moby, Tricky and King Krule have all talked about finding sleepless nights inspiring as well as tormenting.

Unusually, Berry set out to make music that might help other people alleviate their insomnia. He abandoned plans to theme it around childhood or being underwater because he didn't want to trigger unpleasant memories in certain listeners. "I tried to make it interesting but I've left it as blank as I can," he says. "I've used basic elements such as water and air. Other than that, it's whatever images you can conjure up from it. I'm not trying to push anything on you".

There are remedies, programmes and treatments that have been suggested for musical insomniacs – is that more a case of medicating rather than addressing? I have respect for Berry and Bayley’s experiences but they are in a privileged position. Most artists do not have the same opportunities and success as they do. The issue of sleep and an exhaustive schedule is not common to every new musician starting out. There are those who can balance the demands of the industry without sacrificing their well-being and sleep habits. The artists I am familiar with have to balance a full-time job with their music: working, essentially, two jobs in order to fund their passions. Many could claim musicians make the choice and do not have to follow their paths – that would be somewhat glib and unhelpful. I mentioned how rent prices are causing issues. We all know most of the labels and opportunities are based in London. Rent prices are much steeper in the capital than they are other parts of the country. Recent studies suggest things are levelling out but, at the moment, it is barely feasible for a musician to reside in the capital. I have seen many filled with ambition – looking to rent there – and have either found life too expensive or not been able to find a flat to begin with! Many who live outside London, where rent prices are cheaper, have the added stress of commuting and the costs associated with that.

I am looking for prices in London and the average room in a decent-ish London pad can be anywhere from £600 - £700 a month (or more; the flat pictured would cost WAY more than that per month!). Put together travel, food and utilities and the average musician does not have enough money to socialise. Cutting loose and detaching from the work environment is a great way to promote better sleep and mental-health. There is that desire to be close to London in order to be visible and local. So many musicians are overlooked if they are not within touching distance of the capital – the sight of the media and venues does not extend as far as it should! All of these elements, combined, is seeing musicians build their hopes up and dream; have those dreams eroded and return to a more ‘modest’ – and less desirable – existence. It is a vicious circle and stress that is making the issue around sleep even worse. The pressure of finance and living conditions exacerbates the issue; reduced sleep means the energy levels sap; the creative flow is limited and that can add to depression and anxiety – causing real problems and dangers. Maybe all of these issues are too weighty to deal with and cure; perhaps it is impossible to deal with every concern and create a perfect environment for a musician.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

The modern music industry provides a chance for everyone to come in and get their work out to the people. The flip-side is the level of commitment needed from a musician; the amount of time the individual needs to spend on their work – and the effect it is having on their sleep/health. The less time they have for social activities (less money in their pocket) then the unhappier they will become. Of all the artists I have heard from; there is the feeling any ‘wasted hours’ – chilling or sleeping – will be detrimental to their success. We need to, therefore, break out of the head-space that puts this much pressure on the artist. Behind the digital screens and social media sites; there are few bodies and safeguards looking after the artist – whether they are rested enough and have adequate support. Many are lying awake wondering if they are good enough; if they have done enough and are worthy. I know medicines, exercise and designated time for socialisation is a good way of combating sleep issues but it is the pressures of success and physiological considerations that are hardest to treat. There is this perceived ideology social media success and streaming figures are the mark of success and popularity. The dwindling venues scene – so many great spots closing – and raising rent prices is putting fiduciary stress on the artist. Put all that together with growing mental-health concerns and it is putting so much pressure on musicians. I know it is not a simple fix but we need to realise how damaging a lack of sleep can be; how a pressurised music scene is creating more problems than productivity. There are benefits to a lack of sleep – it can lead to greater productivity – and rebalancing your sleeping habits means transposed priorities (getting more work done earlier in the day means you have time free in the evening) is a nice solution. I worry too many artists are burning out and sacrificing something as fundamental as a good night’s sleep to balance the demands of a music career. If we were able to create an industry where a musician felt less pressured and overworked; that would ease their minds and promote greater mental-health. It is a side of music we need to tackle and get to the roots of. If we do, and can prevent musicians giving up so much of their time and life; then that will create an environment where we place…

BALANCE over obsession.

FEATURE: The Growing Rise in Sexism and Sexual Harassment Claims: Is It Only Limited to the Film Industry?!

FEATURE:

 

The Growing Rise in Sexism and Sexual Harassment Claims:

IN THIS PHOTO: Sarah Silverman/PHOTO CREDIT: Ramona Rosales/August   

Is It Only Limited to the Film Industry?!

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A simple answer to that question…

PHOTO CREDIT: Bustle/Getty

would be "no!". Although there have been numerous allegations made against figures in T.V. and film – we can naively sit back and say the music world will not be affected. I am going a bit off-piste and addressing the wider world of entertainment. I will, soon, bring in a couple of articles/interviews that look at the problems arising – and the figures who are fighting against sexual assault and sexism. I guess that is part of the problem: the women coming forward are victims of sexism and male machismo as much as anything. We cannot say this is a new phenomenon or something that has cropped up the past few years – a lot of the allegations are from years ago. The reason why I have sourced a photo (as the thumbnail) from The Guardian is because of the interview they conducted with Sarah Silverman – a comedian who has never been shy of making her voice heard and tackling wrongdoing. She does not specifically allude to controversies around people like Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein: she looks at sexism and unequal rights/values affecting U.S. society; how more needs to be done to redress the ill – and how she, and her female peers, are an important part of the fight (and I really like the photo, too – hopefully, a lawsuit is not forthcoming!). Whilst figures such as Silverman – I shall come back to her in a bit – are providing inspiration and fuel: the likes of Morrissey are not helping things one iota! It seems, on the subject of sexism and sexual assault; women are adding sense and rationale: a lot of male interjection is either an unhelpful or insignificant maxim.

IN THIS PHOTO: Morrissey/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

In the BBC article - it concerned an interview Morrissey conducted with the German newspaper, Der Spiegel - when asked about the allegations concerning Kevin Spacey – actor Anthony Rapp claims Spacey took advantage of him when he (Rapp) was fourteen – the former Smiths man stated:

"I don't know about you, but I was never in situations like this in my youth…I was always aware of what could happen. When you are in somebody's bedroom, you have to be aware of where that can lead to".

Morrissey is a musical genius, no doubt, but a bagpipe of bullsh*t when it comes to serious debate and controversial topics – he seems to put his foot in it and make everything worse! Moz, when talking about the allegations directed at Harvey Weinstein (and the assaults perpetrated), had this to say:

"Afterwards, they feel embarrassed or disliked. And then they turn it around and say: 'I was attacked, I was surprised'.

"But if everything went well, and if it had given them a great career, they would not talk about it."

"I hate rape... But in many cases, one looks at the circumstances and thinks that the person who is considered a victim is merely disappointed."

The interview also saw Morrissey talk about the ‘tradition’ of musicians having sex with their groupies – something that was seen as commonplace (although he was, obviously, not involved with that as part of The Smiths).

IN THIS PHOTO: Sarah Silverman/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I will come to cover-girl Sarah Silverman – and her interview with The Guardian – as she has a very healthy and mature approach to the likes of Harvey Weinstein and what we can do to stem the issue. I think a lot of the allegations coming out concern events that happened a number of years ago – does this mean there are far fewer cases of sexual abuse and molestation in the entertainment industry today?! It seems, with high-profile cases in the U.S., the seedy log of sh*t that has been festered for years is in no danger of subsiding. It may seem, from the outside, like a few privileged creatives not knowing any better – doing things they consider normal and, only now, realising that it was inappropriate. Jeffrey Tambor, star of Amazon’s hit show, Transparent, has left the show after claims were made of misconduct and sexual assault – he took the decision to leave; fearing the claims would see him sacked. From comedians, actors and producers; we are seeing new revelations and accusations come to light. I wanted to write this piece and discuss two things: why the issues are not reserved to film/T.V. – and will be a problem in music – and why men need to do more to counteract the issue. It seems the male chromosomes have been rather cowardly and shy. It is not a battle-of-the-sexes, here: men are causing the issue and, even if a high-profile figure is not culpable and under suspicion, they should feel the need and duty to attack their peers!

IN THIS PHOTO: Jeffrey Tambor/PHOTO CREDIT: January Images/Rex/Shutterstock 

Silence does not exculpate them: it does show a culture of fear and acceptance is creeping in. Is it okay to say nothing and assume, as some do, these allegations are either exaggerated or concerned with a practice that was concerned normal back then?! Even though the likes of Tambor and Spacey have expressed regret and repulsion – the fact they were found out after being accused means there is a deep-down problem that needs eradicating. People knew better back then: it is not acceptable to say things were different and they knew no better. That does not wash with racism, domestic assault and bigotry: it is definitely not the case when it comes to sexual inappropriateness and assault. Whilst more claims are coming to light – and stars from across the entertainment world are being outed and facing heavy penalty – I am not hearing a lot of male input! Where are the contemporaries offering condemnation and disgust?! Actors like Matt Damon have been accused of aiding and shielding figures like Harvey Weinstein – the Borne actor remaining quiet when he knew, full well, what was happening at the time. Most of the aggrieved and emotional proclamations coming from the news are from women: the vast majority, in fact! If I were in a position of influence and discovered someone in my field has committed such crimes; I would be out there and offer nothing but judgement at the accused.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kevin Spacey

It is positive seeing women coming forward and revealing these men for who they are – the fact they felt they could not come forward before suggests there is a lot of fear; maybe they would not be believed?! I think the music industry is in a volatile position at the moment – in the sense, I know there are incidents like this (Weinstein, Spacey etc.) that are not being reported. We know there is a massive amount of sexism in the music industry and, hand-in-hand with that, there are men who feel they can get away with assaulting female artists – because they are in a position of ‘respect’ and authority. Maybe there are different dynamics in the music industry – compared to the relationships one finds on sets and in studios. For an actress; she would work very closely with a director/producer – often taking directing that involved physical contact and intimacy – and that, in turn, leads to that director/producer taking things too far – assuming that is allowed and consensual. Male actors would, obviously, find themselves in close proximity to a female co-star. The fact this expressive and untamed approach to human contact continued off-set is the result of ego and ignorance – their cachet means they can get away with it and the woman wants it. Perhaps there are a few claims that are slightly overwrought and misunderstood – where do we draw the line and how do we define what is inappropriate and acceptable?

PHOTO CREDIT: Irina Munteanu 

Obviously, laying on top of someone and forcing yourself on them is degrading and immoral; pinching a woman’s bottom and making lurid advances is despicable and illegal. Is, therefore, something like a misplaced hand on the knee or an innocent sexual comment less serious? Are we talking about semantics and should we be a little more open-minded and tolerant when it comes to relatively ‘minor’ incidents? I feel every accusation/claim is not equal but every one of them is important and warranted. Bringing this back to music and I have witnessed, first-hand, directors (for music videos) advance on female artists and make suggestions few would argue are connected to the process of making a video. I have read new stories where female Pop artists have been assaulted and raped by producers and colleagues. We are all sage and observant enough to realise a woman’s need for sexual expression and liberation is not an open invitation for men to assault and abuse them. Even if a Popstar (other genres are available!) deliberately and provocatively exposes flesh in order to shift a few units – they are not asking to be touched, assaulted and taken advantage of! I am part of the camp who feels we need to look at sexuality in music and whether videos/photoshoots, in some cases, are sending bad messages to young and impressionable listeners – young girls thinking the way to get ahead in the world is showing their breasts and showing as much skin as they can.

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

As I said, just now: artists like Beyoncé and Katy Perry – a distinction in intentions and severity – are showing spirit and confidence in their body; promoting their femininity and trying to inspire young women – they are strong and passionate figures who will not be cowed and seen as second-class citizens. I have been watching unfolding events (in the media) and seeing various stars admitting indiscretion and wrongdoing. I know there are equivalent issues in music but, right now, there are very few cases coming into the spotlight. The working dynamic and logarithms of the music world are not comparable to those of acting – artists/bands tend to work alone and have relatively little contact (physical) with a producer/director. Even though there are fewer opportunities for latent abuse of power – and blatant sexual assault – that does not mean the issue is moot. Far from it, in fact! I have written extensively on sexual imbalance and sexism in the music industry. From the male-dominated major festival headliners to the sweaty studios; the high positions and management roles in record labels – it is a veritable sausage-factory! I am seeing changes where more women are being recognised and studios are opening their doors/minds to female involvement – it is a minor change that does not go far enough. As we are seeing more and more cases of sexual assault in the entertainment issue; I wonder whether music should be more aware of the skeletons in its closest. I have heard/read about incidents where female artists have been assaulted by a male peer/producer.

IMAGE CREDIT: Pinterest

There have been even more cases whereby a female artist has been touched inappropriately or subjected to vile abuse and sexism – not only from those within the industry but fans/those who attend their gigs. If many male figures in film/T.V. are standing silently by as their associates collude and squirm – should music, A) unearth and expose sexual assaults present within its walls and, B) ensure its men – those not guilty of these offences – provide stern and unwavering finger-pointing at those who are in the wrong? I would say so and, the more we overlook and do not act, the more that will fester and fart. I will come back to this in a bit – because I want to draw a very striking line through each sector of the entertainment industry; drill down to the nub of my discourse – but, as promised, a look at the recent Sarah Silverman interview. In a candid and intriguing interview; Silverman was asked to give her views on the Weinstein accusations. The Guardian’s Sophie Heawood revealed more:

"The Harvey Weinstein scandal broke a fortnight before we met, and has been growing ever since, with daily news of further rapes and assaults across the industry. I point out that this has been a horrible two weeks for women in Hollywood. “No,” replies Silverman, still smiling. “It’s probably been the best two weeks for women in Hollywood ever. It’s a better two weeks than the silence of the past. I mean it’s finally exposing it. The enabled fucking monsters are gonna think twice now. And that’s what it’s all about,” she says. “Be scared,” she adds, addressing the exploiters. She asks me what today’s latest developments are, because, “It’s crazy, working on the show I can only catch up on the news at night so I end up sitting on the side of my bathtub, just scrolling.”

Rather than wholeheartedly scorn and attack Weinstein: Silverman suggested it was not so much a case of exonerating these men but understanding why they commit these acts in the first place. Weinstein is, as she says, a ‘monster’; but one who felt he could get away with assaulting females in his industry without ramifications. As Silverman revealed:

IN THIS PHOTO: Sarah Silverman/PHOTO CREDIT: Ramona Rosales/August

“I’m not trying to have empathy for Harvey Weinstein, he’s clearly a monster, but monsters are made. Listen, we spent the past 60 years, especially Jews, trying to figure out the pathology of a Hitler. So to understand someone’s pathology is not a waste of time.” She has wanted to join in with #metoo, “but I didn’t want to pull away from it because so many maniacs from the far right jump on me when I say my stuff. It’s not that I need to be heard on this – I just would want to add my voice – but I wondered if maybe that would be unhelpful.”

Silverman, herself, had exposure – maybe that is the wrong choice of words! – to workplace sexism and inappropriateness…

“The first penis she ever saw belonged to her boss when she was an 18-year-old waitress in her native New Hampshire. He called her into his office “and I was literally shaking, thinking I was in trouble, but he was just asking me benign questions – until I saw that he was fully jerking off in front of me. And I just said…” her voice fades to a whimper: ‘I have to clean the popcorn machine,’ and I left and I never told anyone. For years. But of course those guys know who to pick on. They don’t pick on me now.”

IN THIS PHOTO: Grimes (who has been the subject of sexism and unwanted sexual advances)/PHOTO CREDIT: Teen Vogue

The point of sourcing this interview – and a couple of photos – was not to make my journalism more credible and stronger by proximity: I wanted to bring in a very strong and brave voice; a guide for women who have experienced the same problems. Maybe Morrissey’s bell-ended approach to sexuality and morals are, unsurprisingly misinformed and inexperienced – not a man who has been in a position to refuse or pursue many women – but he has acid a face-full of dirt to the argument. I am either seeing men commit great (in the pejorative sense) acts of repugnance; sit dormant and feel obliged to report such transgressions – those affiliated with these perpetrators turn a blind eye and, in some occurrences, feel nothing wrong has happened. Music is not an industry that can wash its hands and get through airport security without a thorough cavity search. There are more tumours, crooked teeth and festering boils on the body of the industry than there is anywhere else – the film industry and music world would give a pretty close battle when it comes to sexism and who is the greatest (again: regarding pejoratives) offender. I would argue music is a far more pitiful climate regarding sexism and abuse – in the sense many women do not feel they would be listened to and believed; a lot of incidents are being silenced and smothered. I know, from music videos and photo-shoots, there is inappropriate touching (from men); producers caught out and putting their hands where they have no business; male music gig-goers inappropriate in theory conduct; male musicians taking things too far and assuming a smile or affectionate word gives them carte blanch to do as they please.

PHOTO CREDIT: Alberto Oritz/Flicker

It is not only sexual assault but sexism, that concerns me: I am seeing incidents of sexism occur in every corner of the industry. Every week, when I get a slew of interview requests, you can guarantee the majority of them concern male artists. I know full well there are as many female artists as men but they are not being provided attention and publicity. I get sick of the raft of male artists but cannot refuse – or I would not have any work to do! Not only are many (of the male examples) samey, dull and unengaging: I have to circumvent P.R. companies and approach THEIR female artists myself! The fact I actively have to search for female artists shows there is rampant sexism throughout the music industry. It is not the case the men are better or more popular – far from it – but it is seen as normal to put them first and provide less attention to their female clients/artists. How interlinked is this ignorance to the presumption (among men in the industry who commit acts of sexual abuse) to the feeling women are inferior and unworthy?! There is not a lot I can do – the fact I am being bombarded with requests for male artists annoys me now – but, whilst the entertainment sector is seeing a rise in sexual abuse allegations, music needs to be accountable and take things more seriously. We all know it is a hugely sexist industry but there is very little being done by those (men) in power. Those in prominent positions need to get off their arses and assuming the music industry will not suffer the same problems as those we have seen in film and T.V. – allegations and incidents will come to light; it is only a matter of time. If we have learnt anything from recent events – and taken to heart words by the likes of Sarah Silverman – then it is clear, now more than ever, that…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

CHANGES need to be made!

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?" Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part V)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: The Seamonsters  

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part V)

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THIS is the final piece of the pie that…

IN THIS PHOTO: Aristophanes/PHOTO CREDIT: Puzzleman Leung

celebrates the female artists primed for big things in 2018. So far, I have collated artists from all over the world. This final instalment is British-heavy but there are musicians from South African, Tawain and the U.S. – Canada and Australia is in there, too! If that wasn’t enough; I have spanned genres and mixed together a playlist that every music-loving human should approve of!

It is a feature that showcases the strong female talent there is in music; the artists who will be better-known in 2018 – we will all become more aware of the sensational music they are producing…

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Liz Lokre

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Soul

Official: https://www.lizlokre.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/LizLokre/

Lauran Hibberd

Location: Isle of Wight, U.K.

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

Official: http://www.lauranhibberd.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/lauran.hibberd/

Sian Cross

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative; Pop; Folk

Official: https://www.siancross.co.uk/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/siancrossmusic/

Me for Queen

Location: Porto, Portugal

Genre: Soul-Folk

Official: http://www.meforqueen.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/meforqueenmusic/

Siobhan Wilson

Location: Glasgow, U.K.

Genre: Alterative-Folk

Official: https://www.siobhan-wilson.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/siobhanwilsonmusic/

Tilda Allie

PHOTO CREDIT: @Sam Shaw 

Location: Brighton, U.K.

Genres: Electropop; Jazz, Soul

Official: https://soundcloud.com/tildaallie

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/TildaAllie/

The Seamonsters

Location: Sheffield, U.K.

Genre: Indie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cmonstersmusic

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/TheSeamonsters/

Dalal

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.dalal-music.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/dalalmusic

Ina Reni

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://inareninow.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ina.reni/

Lucie Barât

Location: Brighton, U.K.

Genres: Synth; Pop; Garage; Beat Poetry

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lucie_Barat

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/LucieBaratMusic/

Delaire

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Electro-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Delairemusic

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/delairemusic/

Starling

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Official: http://www.starlingsworld.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/starlingsworld/

ILL

Location: Manchester, U.K.

Genre: Post-Punk

Official: http://www.weareill.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/weareill/

Emily Magpie

Location: Bristol, U.K.

Genres: Folk; Dream-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmilySpetch

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyMagpie1/

Anna Straker

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anna_Straker

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/strakeranna/

ZoZo

 PHOTO CREDIT: Timothy Ward

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Mystical-Synth; Pop

Official: https://www.zozoofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/zozoofficial/

Ella Grace

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Folk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ellagracedenton?lang=en

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/EllaGraceMusic/

Gurr

Location: Berlin, Germany

Genres: Punk; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gurrband

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Gurrband/

Aristophanes

PHOTO CREDIT: Puzzleman Leung

Location: Taipei, Taiwan

Genre: Space-Disco

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aristophanesTW

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/aristophanesmusic/

s a r a s a r a

Location: Europe

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://sarasaramusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/sarasaramusic/

Elliphant

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Genres: Pop; Electro

Official: http://elliphant.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/elliphantmusic/

Caiti Baker

 PHOTO CREDIT: Rush Photography

Location: Australia

Genre: Soul; Rhythm and Blues and Beats

Official: http://caitibaker.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/caitibakermusic/

Tusks

 PHOTO CREDIT: Harvey Pearson 

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Electronic; Experimental; Ambient; Indie; Pop

Official: http://www.tusks.eu/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/tusks/

FIELDED

Location: Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Genre: Future-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DangerousPusssy

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/FieldedSpeaks/

Skott

Location: U.K./Europe

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/skottmusic

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/skottmusic/

Janie Bay

Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Genre: Folk-Pop

Official: http://www.janiebay.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/janiebay/

FEATURE: There’s Steel in the Blood: Fifty Years of BBC Radio Sheffield and the City’s Rich Music Scene

FEATURE:

 

There’s Steel in the Blood:

 PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Radio Sheffield 

Fifty Years of BBC Radio Sheffield and the City’s Rich Music Scene

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ONE might look at a city like Sheffield and associate it…

with the steel-making industry and manual labour. There is that ostensive working-class mentality and ideal we have. Sheffield, as it is a Yorkshire city, is quite ordinary and predictable, right?! That might have been the impression of the area long ago by there is more than quality steel and an awesome accent to Sheffield. Two things that strike me about the city is the music and sense of community. I shall come to the latter later, but, right now, the reason behind this piece. BBC Radio Sheffield has marked its fiftieth anniversary with a rather special video. Common People is, perhaps, the most famous song from a Sheffield band – the mighty and peerless Pulp. I have been looking on the BBC website and, when it comes to the project and its make-up; they assess it in these terms:

“To mark the occasion of their 50th birthday, BBC Radio Sheffield has remade a South Yorkshire anthem - Pulp's Common People. A community choir, made up of singers from across the region, recorded a specially arranged version of the 1990's classic.

BBC Radio Sheffield presenters including Toby Foster and Paulette Edwards were joined by around 300 members of the public to film their own version of the music video.

 PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Radio Sheffield

Katrina Bunker, Managing Editor of BBC Radio Sheffield, says the film is all about bringing people together and capturing a sense of local pride: "It was really important to us that this film focused on local people, and that it reflected the unique spirit and attitude that we share in this part of the world.

"Pulp are a Sheffield band and the song Common People was one we felt people around here identify with. And the fact that so many people - hundreds of them, helped us make the film shows the whole idea really captured people's imagination.

"Now we get to share the joy and sense of community captured in the film with the many thousands of people who will watch it online.

Making the film

Filming took place at various locations across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire including Barnsley Town Hall, Doncaster Market, a sweet shop in Rotherham and a Sheffield supertram. Lots of local people were keen to get involved in the project including the Lord Mayor of Barnsley, former MP, Jeff Ennis and a knife maker from Portland Works in Sheffield, Michael May.

The finale to the video was a large crowd scene filmed at the iconic Leadmill nightclub in Sheffield city centre - the place where coincidentally the band Pulp played their very first gig in 1980.

The finale features hundreds of BBC Radio Sheffield listeners from all walks of life from an 8 week old baby to a group of scouts and cubs to a retired bus driver and a 7 year old British bulldog called Horace who almost steals the show.

About BBC Radio Sheffield

On November 15 1967, BBC Radio Sheffield made its first broadcast to listeners across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. They were the second BBC local radio station to launch following BBC Radio Leicester on Wednesday 8 November.

  PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Radio Sheffield

Katrina says: "BBC Radio Sheffield is the people's radio station. We've been reflecting local life in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire since 1967 and have been with communities through many highs and lows over the years.

"Ultimately this film is a celebration of localness. We, along with our audiences, are proud of where we live."

It seems axiomatic to say Sheffield – and Yorkshire – is defined by its character, pride and community. There is more of a sense of belonging and comfort living somewhere like Sheffield. I remember the days of Pulp and when they ruled the scene. Albums like His ‘n’ Hers (1994) and Different Class (1995) were released in the same year as the best two albums by another northern working-class band of heroes, Oasis.

Their ascension to the top of the Britpop tree was cemented with the incredible one-two, Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Maybe Pulp took a few albums to reach the same heights but many could claim they have had a more acclaimed, focused and consistent career – not falling apart after their sophomore album and limping to extinction. Pulp were the, to me, leaders of Britpop in the sense they were outside the circle. It is not a surprise their popular smash has been taken to heart and endures. It looks at the working-class and a life one does not hear about in music anymore. Maybe BBC Radio Sheffield is the definition of a radio station that preserves the values laid down by bands like Pulp. You can watch the video via BBC Radio Sheffield’s page - and see why the song has captivated the locals of the city.

IN THIS PHOTO: FloodHounds/PHOTO CREDIT: Mal Whichelow

I feel Sheffield is among many northern cities that do not get the recognition it warrants. The fine work done on Sheffield’s best radio station makes sure local acts get a voice but one need only look at the history books to realise what a cannon the city has produced. FloodHounds are a modern band working out of Sheffield who follows acts like The Hosts, Baba Naga and Anytown; Lonely Boy; Gilmore Trail and Blood Sport. Throw into the list Liberty Ship, The Seamonsters and Matic Mouth and there is enough to get your chops around! Black Mamba Fever, Solanas’ Son and The Hot Soles; Vultures and Deadset Dream could all got into the music and make a fantastic playlist of new Sheffield bands.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Seamonsters

Dig deeper and you will unearth a bustling scene that is promising wonderful things. I wonder why there is such a hesitation for the mainstream media to shine a light on the Sheffield music economy. It is not like there is an absence of venues for other artists to play in – cut their teeth in Sheffield and get a taste of what it is all about! Joe Cocker and Robert Palmer both played the legendary stage at The Boardwalk. The Grapes has played host to the likes of Arctic Monkeys – more on them later! – whilst The Casbah, The Leadmill and New Barrack Tavern give ambitious musicians a wealth of possibilities. Those are just a few venues one could frequent if they travel to Sheffield.

If one looks back at historic Sheffield acts, they are really in for a treat. The Human League and Def Leppard; Reverend and the Makers, ABC; Bring Me the Horizon, Heaven 17 and Moloko; Slow Club and Cabaret Voltaire. It is a packed and vibrant area of the U.K. that has provided some of the strongest bands from all of music. Maybe a lot of those acts have ended but, as I have shown, there is a new breed willing to take their place. It seems Arctic Monkeys are among a rare breed of Sheffield bands courting mainstream attention and fame. The boys might not all base themselves in the city but they have not forgotten where they came from. I have compiled two lists below: one of the new class of Sheffield acts putting their names on the map; the other puts together the classic and legendary music we associate with the city. I am glad there is such an active scene but hope, in 2018, the popular press realises places like Sheffield are being overlooked. It seems anywhere north of London is seen as ‘international’ or alien. That naivety is causing a split between the North and the South. I hear so many great groups from Manchester and Leeds; fantastic acts from Glasgow and Liverpool – that could challenge the finest London has to offer! Dispense with the divisions and judgement and realise what a heritage and fertile foundation there is in the city.

IN THIS PHOTO: Arctic Monkeys/PHOTO CREDIT: Press

The reimagined video for Common People proves there is humour, togetherness and fortitude in Sheffield. BBC Radio Sheffield has been on air fifty years – let’s hope it lasts decades longer! I know the station prides itself on eclecticism and mixing its national and local outlook – not neglecting an artist because of where they come from or the genre they play. That is an attitude that is reflected in the people of the city. Make sure you tune into BBC Radio Sheffield and the great work they do on a daily basis. It is one of the finest BBC stations and has remained that way for five decades. Long may that remain: continuing to provide incredible music and exceptional entertainment. More than that; have a listen and investigation of the music coming from Sheffield. We all know the artists who have come before but many of us are unaware of the wonderful newbies that are making Sheffield an essential point of study. An incredible people and rich boiling pot where fine music and quality sounds bounce off every wall in the city. Here’s to the artists there and a bedrock station that shows there is plenty of life and wonder in the Yorkshire city. Sheffield will always be a vital fountain of music and quality radio. The sooner we remember that, the stronger…

IN THIS PHOTO: Sheffield's The Leadmill

THE music industry will be!

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?" Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part IV)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

 IN THIS PHOTO: Dagny/PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Vivaas Kise  

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part IV)

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I may have to do a final piece that rounds up…

IN THIS PHOTO: Bonzai

all the best and most talented females in new music – those who will make waves in 2018. I have been looking around music and sourced talent from Europe, North America and beyond. The final instalment will dig deeper and take acts from Australia and Africa; get to grips with the freshest musicians who will define next year. This selection offers some great artists who cover a range of genres.

Get your ears invested in some stunning female artists already doing great work – who will carry that into 2018 and make their mark on the music scene.

PHOTOS (unless stated otherwise): Getty

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Annie Hart

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genre: Indie

Official: http://www.anniehart.nyc/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/anniehartforsure/

RIDER

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Dream-Pop

Official: http://www.sapienrecords.com/rider

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/RiderMusicPage/

Bonzai

Location: Dublin, E.I.R.E.

Genres: Indie; Alternative; R&B

Official: http://www.bonzaibonzaibonzai.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/bonzaibonzaibonzai/

Brooke Bentham

Location: New Cross, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Official: https://www.brookebentham.co.uk/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/brookebentham/

Sasha Brown

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: https://sashabrownmusicofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/sashabrownmusicofficial/

Dagny

Location: Tromsø, Norway

Genre: Alt-Pop

Official: http://www.dagnymusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/dagnymusic/

Emily Mac

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Blues-Rock

Official: http://www.emilymacmusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/emilymacmusic/

Sereda

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/allysereda

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Seredaofficial/

Ghost Caravan

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jason Cee

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genres: Orchestral; Electronic; Soul

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ghostcaravan

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ghostcaravan/

Alice Avery

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Rock

Official: http://www.thealiceavery.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/thealiceavery/

Eivør 

PHOTO CREDIT: Annfrid Nejst Hansen

Location: Syðrugøta, Faroe Islands

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://www.eivor.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/eivormusic

Shenna

Location: Woodbridge, U.S.A.

Genres: Indie-Pop; R&B

Official: https://www.shennamusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ShennaMusic/

Gitta de Ridder

PHOTO CREDIT: Martin Abtman Photography

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

Official: https://www.gittaderidder.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/gittaderidder/

Iskwé

 PHOTO CREDIT: Lisa MacIntosh

Location: Canada

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://www.iskwe.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/iskweMUSIC/

Katherine Gazda

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katherinegazda

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/KatGazda/

 

LIA LIA

Location: Berlin, Germany

Genre: Pop

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/liavslia

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/liavslia/

Mahalia

Location: Leicester, U.K.

Genre: Acoustic-Soul

Official: http://mahaliamusic.co.uk/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/mahaliamusic/

Sera EKE

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Electronic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/seraeke

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/seraekemusic/

NINA

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Synth-Wave

Official: http://www.ninasounduk.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/NinaSoundUK/

Joelle James

Location: California, U.S.A.

Genres: R&B; Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoelleJames

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JoelleJamesMusic/

Nat Reed

 PHOTO CREDIT: Ariff Danial

Location: Boston, U.S.A.

Genre: Pop

Official: https://natreedmusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/natreeed/

Bee

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Indie; Folk; Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/musicbybee

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/musicbybee/

Camilla North

Location: Bergen, Norway

Genres: Singer-Songwriter; Pop; EDM.

Official: http://www.camillanorth.no/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/camillanorththeartist/

Nina Schofield

 PHOTO CREDIT: Lauren Marsh Photography

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative; Electro-Pop

Official: http://ninaschofield.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ninaschofieldmusic/

FEATURE: Raise It Up! Why Music Needs Florence + the Machine Right Now

FEATURE:

 

Raise It Up!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Why Music Needs Florence + the Machine Right Now

___________

THIS was the news story that got me…

PHOTO CREDIT: HANDOUT

quite excited about a few days ago.! The article/news in questions comes from NME - and it seems like Florence + the Machine are returning. I say ‘returning’ but, to be honest, Florence Welch has not left us – simply getting on with life and living as normally as possible. NME have their faults, but they are good at presenting these interesting little news stories. Here are some lines I will borrow from them:

“Florence + The Machine look set to return next year, having been announced to headline Melt Festival 2018.

Having dropped their acclaimed third album ‘How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful’ in 2015 before stepping in to headline Glastonbury in place of Foo Fighters, Florence Welch and co’s last major shows were at festivals in 2016 – including British Summer Time where she was supported by Kendrick Lamar”.

The dates are set up and it seems Welch will have a busy 2018! There have been whispers of new music but, with touring and festivals starting to form, you know there has to be something coming very soon – otherwise, it would seem odd to book an act promoting their latest album. That previous record, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, was released back in 2015 and scored big reviews.

The third album by Welch explored vulnerability and a difficult time for the star. It was a simpler beast (then her previous two albums) and was a stripped-back and soulful recording. The powerful vocals and drama were there but, unlike 2011’s Ceremonials, there was more calm and contemplation. The sensitive lyrics and commanding songwriting was a step forward from her older work – critics noting how she had assimilated new layers and gaining fresh confidence. If the first two albums were bombastic and declarations of liberation, growth and love: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful was the more mature songwriting addressing new concerns and problems. I have written about another act faced with pressure and spotlight: the incredible London Grammar. The success Ceremonials gained – and the acclaim her debut album, Lungs, accrued – meant Welch was in-demand and a popular artist. Relentless promotion and touring meant her face was all over the place; everyone wanted a piece of her – balancing that with everyday life and the demands that come with it. Welch spoke with D.J. Zane Lowe back in 2015 and explained how, prior to writing the album, she had a sort of nervous breakdown. Oddly, it was a conversation with Taylor Swift that gave Welch some perspective and gravity. There is another star that has faced turbulence and an endless workload – the conversation and companionship was invaluable to Welch.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

When putting the bones for her third album together; the stresses and complexities of her life were laid bare. Listening to it now and one can hear how personal and meaningful the music is. Welch has always mixed fantasy and personal emotion together but, on How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful; things were much more direct and less oblique – the title seems like the heroine looking down at the big world – or the expanse of the ocean – and feeling helpless. In a recent interview with The Telegraph – couldn’t read the entire thing as it asked me to register (not a chance!) – Welch discusses her anxieties and battles with alcohol. She started the interview by explaining how nervous she gets and the need to cry is always there – although, she is not sure why. Her home, as was explained, is a small Georgian cottage with browns, greens and yellows; artworks and antiques; books packed onto shelves – not what one might expect from a mainstream star in her young-prime. I have followed her career since the beginnings and seeing her enter a new phase of her life – on the third album – was a brave mood. Rather than flirt with death and stand distant to issues: Welch embraced the need to detach from water-based songs and ground her feet onto the floor. Many would take a sharp breath were they presented with an album that differed from Lungs and Ceremonials – two big and bold records that had plenty of escapism and relief.

PHOTO CREDIT: Samir Hussein/Getty

Not that How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is a heavy and pathos-ridden experience: it is an album that explores maturity and new challenges in life. Welch, now, is only thirty-one and, since her 2009 debut, has taken in a lot. It is not just the flame-haired goddess who shoulders the entire spotlight – her players and musicians are there with her, too. It is, however, all about Florence Welch and her life. One of the reasons the announcement of new material – what shape that will take, we are not sure – is so thrilling is the fact Welch has managed to record and make sense of her troubles. I can empathise with her anxieties and revelations. She is very honest in interviews and, listening to her speak, she is a very normal and relatable woman. I have included two rather revealing interviews; both are in a ‘showbiz’ setting and there is nowhere to hide. One wonders how Welch camouflages and evolves in a more intimate setting – sitting with a newspaper in her home; safe in her own surroundings. I watch her speak and can see the flicker in her eyes. There are nerves but there is that need to be honest and not hide anything away. The palpable emotion in her voice contrast between heart-breaking and merry-making. Welch is a woman who has sensitivity and fragility: music is a way for her to channel this and project a more confident persona.

There are so many new artists out there but few have the same sense of allure, intrigue and beguile as Welch. Many have compared her to Kate Bush and, in musical terms, there is an aspect of that. I guess we can draw comparisons between them when it comes to conversation and personality. Bush is less troubled – and has not faced alcohol demons and as much stress – but times are different now. Back when Bush starts (1977/1978); there wasn’t the openness of the Internet and the same sort of mainstream/media expectations. Bush is an artist who records in her home-studio and is comfortable in her own skin – that was not always the way; she would have felt the same problems and pressures. Florence Welch is someone who was flung into the limelight and struck a special chord. I can see the comparisons between Bush and Welch. In terms of that bond with nature and the mystical; the intelligent bent and original lyrics – tackling love and self-assessment with great wisdom than their peers. Maybe Welch’s voice is more strident and fulsome – Bush only really started to add that sheer boom to her voice a few albums in – but there are similarities hard to avoid. Both project a curious and sensual figure; both are down-to-Earth and honest; you feel their hearts beat every second they are singing. There is something immersive and entrancing about Florence Welch that makes me think of Kate Bush.

If Lungs was Florence + the Machine’s Never for Ever then Ceremonials might be – in terms of scope and subject, rather than quality – their Hounds of Love. How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful has elements of The Dreaming and The Sensual World. Roughly, you can join dots and lines between the records and see how Welch has progressed as a songwriter. One wonders how her fourth album will sound. You can dispose of the Kate Bush links as, on this record, there is going to be more revelation and honesty than ever – has a Kate Bush album ever been that raw?! I am not sure what subjects Welch is exploring but I would imagine her troubles with anxiety and alcohol will be there. Maybe there will be a slight return to the fantasy and flight of Lungs. Welch has said she is keen to disassociate from water-based themes and the same arcs – not wanting to repeat herself and be that same person. There are few personalities and figures like Florence Welch in modern music. I have seen a few new songwriters I am interested in but rarely do they leap off the page and get into the heart. Maybe that is the sign of the modern age: music is more digital; it allows less time and chance to connect as human beings. Welch is someone who gets under the skin and you feel real affection for.

PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Ryan Anderson

She is a human being who has had to overcome dark days and obstacles: her new music will assess where she is in life and try and move forward. I think Welch has also experienced a break-up fairly recently. Broken relationships have been part of her music since the start but, taking on board everything that has been happening in her life; a dislocated and fractious relationship added extra strain and weight. There are so few like her in music: those humans that can attract you with their incredible music but compel you to investigate who they are as people. Maybe the glare and hound from the press contributed to Welch’s anxieties. Touring demands hardly helped and the fact she was unable to detach from work meant the post-Ceremonials period would have a profound effect on her follow-up record. It has been a couple of years since her third album and, in that time, there has been a lot of touring and press. Maybe the songwriter has afforded herself some time off but one imagines there has been that constant pressure, personal and commercial, to get a new record out. It seems like Welch’s home is a relaxing and personal space where she can dive into books and feel relaxed among the antiques, rural décor and captivating colours of home.

The world outside her home is less predictable and safe. The woman of ‘Florence + the Machine’ is different from ‘Florence Welch’. I worry the young woman might find herself thrust heavily back into the heat of the media very soon. With a new album; the announcement comes and the inevitable barrage of interviews starts. I feel the spoon-feeding nature of modern music means from now and the album’s release will find Welch busy and unable to rest. Rather than release a record, put it out there and tour it; artists are expected to do teaser videos and make announcements; release endless singles and ensure the record is almost bled dry by the time it comes out. It is designed to get streams and downloads; to get ahead of the competition and succeed. It is a lot of pressure on the artist and I feel that kind of stress is something Florence Welch can do without. What is positive is the fact she has a new album coming out – where she can discuss her experiences and show the music world what it is missing. Every Florence + the Machine record is a wonderful and tantalising thing. Whether the fourth record will return to the grace and foundations of Lungs or continue where How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful left off – it is going to be hard to tell. Whatever form this record takes it is going to be a huge and much-needed thing. I know Welch has had to deal with a lot of anxiety the past couple of years and it is a transformative time for her. She has tried the partying and drink; she has done the celebrity thing. These, as she has said, are temporary things and phases: the focus needed to record music and continue to grow is what’s important. This will come to the fore in the new record. It is a time where we need to support the finest and most promising songwriters around and, in Florence + the Machine, we have one of the…

PHOTO CREDIT: Claire Morris/NME

FINEST acts in music.

FEATURE: Turn Up the Volume! The Brilliant New Breed of British Female Radio D.J.s

FEATURE:

 

Turn Up the Volume!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Goldierocks

The Brilliant New Breed of British Female Radio D.J.s

___________

THERE are many I have had to omit from this list…

IN THIS PHOTO: Tasty Lopez

but there is a wealth of terrific female radio talent out there. I feel, when it comes to D.J.s, there is less exposure of and spotlight on female talent. Maybe that is different in clubs and the music world but, if one looks at the major/mainstream radio stations; the majority of their members are male. I hope that changes because, as you will see from this list, their voices are incredible, essential and much-needed!

I have picked sixteen female D.J.s from the best independent and nationwide radio stations around…

PHOTOS (unless otherwise credited): Getty/Press

_____________

Arielle Free

Stations: Hoxton Radio; Pyro Radio

Bio:

"With her down to earth nature, Scottish TV Presenter and Radio DJ Arielle Free is one of the industry’s rising stars presenting Thursday’s 4pm – 6pm on Hoton Radio.

A face of the ITV family, she can currently be seen waking up the nation each weekend on ‘Scrambled.’

As a self confessed music geek, in 2015 Arielle was selected by Ministry of Sound to re-launch their radio station, taking the coveted drive time slot broadcasting live to a global audience Monday to Friday.

With her passion for new music and music festivals, Arielle seeds most of her summers hot footing it around the UK’ biggest festivals including live hosting at Glastonbury and Bestival to name but a few.

For two years Arielle was lead anchor on 4Music fronting shows “Would you rather…?”, “Feelgood Friday” and “Boxplus Live.”

Official: http://hoxtonradio.com/presenter/arielle-free/

Follow: https://twitter.com/ariellefree

Emma Conybeare

 PHOTO CREDIT: Adrian Lee

Station: Capital XTRA

On-air: Weekdays, 2-6 A.M.

Official: http://www.capitalxtra.com/radio/shows-presenters/emma-conybeare/

Follow: https://twitter.com/EmmaCB_

Goldierocks

Stations: Bestival FM; selector-radio.com

Bio:

"Goldierocks, AKA Sam Hall, is an international DJ and broadcaster with a celebrity following that includes Kate Moss, The Rolling Stones, Richard Branson, Larry Page, Giorgio Armani, Gordan Ramsay, Madonna and The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge (she's performed exclusively for them all).

Her weekly, award winning global new music radio show 'The Selector', which she’s presented for 8 years now, is legendary to those in the know. Broadcast in over 44 countries on FM, to over 4 million listeners a week; transmitted in China, Mexico, South Africa, Cuba, India, Spain, Malaysia, Russia & more. The Sunday Times has described it as "the most cutting-edge British music show out there." She also conceived the idea and now presents the specialist spin-off dance show ‘Selector After Dark’ also broadcast worldwide".

Official: http://www.goldierocks.co.uk/

 Follow: https://twitter.com/Goldierocks

Tasty Lopez

Station: Soho Radio

Bio:

"Hailing from sunny Sydney, Australia, this spicy little mama has been spinning tunes, busting vocals and making beats since she was a teen. Starting in the rock’n’roll scene with her all-girl line-up Creepers, she moved onto making big bad girl electronic beats with her duo Twincest. Then moving into production, DJ’ing and other collaborations, including taking part in Karen O’s ‘Stop the Virgens’ Opera at the Sydney Opera House.

Since relocating to London this year, she has been working as a feature vocalist with international and local artists, being played on Triple J Radio, FBI Radio and BBC Radio 1 program Diplo & Friends. She has also been cooking up some exciting production and co-writing with new artists".

Official: https://www.sohoradiolondon.com/presenters/tasty-lopez/

Follow: https://twitter.com/TASTYL0PEZ

Becca Dudley

PHOTO CREDIT: Motel Rocks

Stations: Hoxton Radio; Beats1

Bio:

"Monday’s 4pm – 6pm playing the best in reggae, dancehall, bashment, trap and rounding up the hottest gigs in London.

25 year old, Essex born Becca graduated from The London College of Fashion with a degree in Fashion Styling and Photography. On leaving she combined her passion for fashion with working as both an editor and stylist for FIASCO magazine, interviewing (amongst others) the legendary dub reggae artist Lee Scratch Perry.

In 2012 Becca was signed up as one of the new faces of MTV UK fronting daily news – 4 years on and she is their leading presenter. She currently hosts over 7 shows across MTV including her very own music show, Live Lockdown as well as covering worldwide music events with World Stage.

Alongside TV Becca has a passion for radio, she is a regular DJ for Apple Music’s international station Beats 1 and also presents her own specialist reggae and dancehall show on Hoxton Radio. She has launched her own brand DEADLY and will be putting on events in London with international reggae artist Protoje. As if that’s not enough you can also find Becca dj-ing reggae, dancehall and hip hop at major venues across London and the UK, spinning at festivals such as Glastonbury and supporting some of the worlds biggest reggae and dancehall artists".

Official: http://hoxtonradio.com/presenter/becca-dudley/

Follow: https://twitter.com/beccadudley

Moxie

PHOTO CREDIT: Vicky Grout

Station: NTS Radio

Bio:

WEDNESDAY
3PM-5PM LDN

FORTNIGHTLY

"Part of the NTS family since day dot, Moxie has held her bi-weekly Wednesday show since the stations first broadcasts. Inviting esteemed guests for interviews & mixes and breaking new, unreleased music, she’s got your Wednesday afternoons covered... Tune in to hear anything from soulful house and disco to rolling techno".

Official: https://www.nts.live/shows/moxie

Follow: https://twitter.com/DJMoxie

Elspeth Pierce

Station: Hoxton Radio

Bio:

"Elspeth Pierce hosts the Hoxton Fashion Show, Wednesdays 10am – 12pm and Elspeth Selects new music show Tuesdays 4pm – 5pm.

Style expert Elspeth has her finger firmly on the fashion pulse. She has presented all the off-court action at The Wimbledon Championships for Vogue magazine online, styled and presented live fashion events from The Clothes Show to Britain’s Next Top Model and hosted live radio shows from London Fashion Week. She is also in the thick of the action when it comes to sport having recently interviewed the New Zealand All Blacks and fronted premier league football show Betsafe Football.

As a fashion stylist and presenter, Elspeth started her career at ITV This Morning, styling models and celebs for the live shows. From there she landed a role as freelance fashion writer for Reveal Magazine and as fashion blogger to shopping centres countrywide".

Official: http://hoxtonradio.com/presenter/elspeth-pierce/

Follow: https://twitter.com/elspethpierce

Siggy Smalls

 PHOTO CREDIT: Lefteris S Primos

Stations: SISTER; Pyro Radio

Bio:

"Sometimes you can find her in front of the camera when she isn't modelling Siggy Smalls is either travelling up and down the UK from DJing at highstreet stores to some of Londons hottest bars and warehouses.Depending on the venue she can adapt to any style of music by reading the crowd or being on brand...and she isnt shy to switch up her sounds.. Picking up her headphones going back only 2014.. sounds mixing on radio and then moving to the open world siggy has put in the work for someone who has only been doing this for 3 years..Spinning tunes in the Rainforest in Costa Rica to the Nevada Dessert to the High Streets it's clear Siggy likes to spread her musical wings and play to whom desires! Music is clearly her passion and with her unique style she blends the sounds with her own style.. and last year was a life changing year for her when she was asked to DJ at one of the worlds biggest festival Burning Man with 80,000 people attending!"

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/siggy_smalls

Follow: https://twitter.com/sigourney_s?lang=en

Lucid Stannard

Station: Balamii

Bio:

"Lucid Stannard is a London based DJ known for her tune selection; sewing together disco, afro, world, house and funk.

Resident of Lucy's Disco, Lucid has been spreading her wings rapidly throughout London and as far as Berlin and Croatia. Since playing at secret garden party last year, she has played for a number of well known brands and parties, including Baby G, Gottwood, Festival Number 6, Futureboogie and Percolate. Playing an array of genres from funk, jazz, disco, house, afrobeat and everything in between, it is no wonder so many people tune in to her radio shows on Balamii and Netil Radio".

Official: https://twitter.com/Balamii

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lucidstannard

Carly Wilford

PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Goodman

Stations: SISTER; Dash Radio

Bio:

"Pioneering brand new tastemaker radio platform SISTER, Carly Wilford is a ground breaking presenter and DJ with boundless energy, unstoppable character and endless drive. Down to earth, warm and honest, she gets to the heart of the artists she interviews and is not afraid to push boundaries. Creator of online hub I Am Music, she uncovers the stars of tomorrow and helps them to break the tough and ever changing industry".

Official: https://carlywilford.com/

Follow: https://twitter.com/CarlyWilford

B. Traits

Station: BBC Radio 1

Bio:

"B.Traits is a producer, DJ and radio presenter, bridging underground music from techno to jungle to house.

BBC Radio 1 Friday nights from 1 - 4am
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lsv7b

Eclecticism. Evolution. Education. 

Three intertwining principles that form the foundation of the career of Brianna Price. A journey that has seen her relocate from British Columbia, Canada to London, England; break the UK singles chart with her rave/bass hybrid track ‘Fever’; become an established and respected radio broadcaster for BBC Radio 1 through which she vehemently champions cutting edge underground electronic music; cement her reputation as a trusted selector at countless leading music events; and most recently become an advocate for drug education within her adopted home. Underpinning all these achievements is Brianna’s passion for sounds from across the musical spectrum, and her now well documented rampant eclecticism".

Official: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lsv7b

Follow: https://twitter.com/BTraits

Kate Lawler

Station: Virgin (London)

On-air: Weekdays, 1-4 P.M.

Official: http://virginradio.co.uk/kate-lawler

Follow: https://twitter.com/katelawler

Clara Amfo

Station: BBC Radio 1

On-air: Weekedays, 10 A.M.-12:45 P.M.

Official: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b039rx03

Follow: https://twitter.com/claraamfo

Harpz Kaur

Station: BBC Asian Network

Bio:

"Harpz currently presents the Weekend Breakfast Show on the BBC Asian Network (Saturday & Sunday’s 6am-10am). Alongside this she is a regular cover presenter for the Asian Network Breakfast Show.

Harpz is a qualified Journalist, and became a finalist at the Asian Media Awards 2014 under the “Outstanding Young Journalist Of The Year” category. She has worked with some big, household brands in the commercial industry such as BBC Radio 4, Capital FM, Metro Radio & 2BR where she acted as a News Anchor.

As well as keeping herself occupied in Radio, Harpz began her own Youtube Channel “DJ Harpz TV” – where she created a platform for her listeners to get to know her on a more visual basis. She used this channel to speak with artists within the music industry, which gave her the recognition she needed.

Before all of this, from a young age, Harpz had a goal that she wanted to achieve through her music and media expertise and set off on a journey that would consistently take her to new heights.

After persistence, commitment and determination, Harpz got her break-through and was given a slot on her local Radio Station – Fever FM. Harpz fan base grew bigger and bigger due to the success of her hard work through her shows and reaped the rewards after being offered the drive time slot, which took place every Saturday between 6pm -8pm – “The Strictly Bhangra Show”. After 4 years of commitment at the station, Harpz took on the role of being an admin at the station as well as presenting the Breakfast show twice a week".

Official: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09f2njd

Follow: https://twitter.com/HarpreetUK

Toni Coe

Station: Platform B

Official: http://www.platformb.org.uk/

Follow: https://twitter.com/BigToneGrlBoss

Sian Anderson

PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Blaow

Station: BBC 1Xtra

Bio:

“SIAN ANDERSON IS A 25 YEAR-OLD MEDIA POWERHOUSE AND GRIME AMBASSADOR. ALONGSIDE RUNNING SIGHTRACKED WHICH IS HER OWN MARKETING AND PR COMPANY. SIAN ALSO HOLDS DOWN A SPECIALIST PRESENTER AND DJ SLOT ON BBC RADIO 1XTRA, RUNS YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAMME ONE TRUE CALLING WITH JULIE ADENUGA, AND IS A FREELANCE JOURNALIST FOR A HANDFUL OF WELL-RESPECTED PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING THE FADER, I-D MAGAZINE, RED BULL AND NOISEY (VICE)”.

Official: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04dc11l

Follow: https://twitter.com/SianAnderson

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?” Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part III)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

 IN THIS PHOTO: Taliwhoah

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part III)

___________

AFTER this feature goes out; there is one more…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kimbra

instalment of fine female songwriters left. The point of the feature is to oxidise and celebrate the fantastic female musicians that are primed for big things in 2018. I have scoured my mind and posts and brought together, what I think, is an essential guide to the coming year. Among the feature are acts from the U.K., U.S. and Canada. There is talent from E.I.R.E. and Australia; Sweden and Malta are in there.

The final part of this rundown will continue to blend international magic and mystery. I am excited putting together these artists: names that are going to be big and celebrated next year. Ensure you check them all out and add them to your regular rotation – a fantastic listening experience and a wonderful way to spend the evening!

_____________

Tallia Storm

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: R&B; Soul

Official: http://www.talliastorm.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/TalliaStorm/

Pillow Queens

Location: Dublin, E.I.R.E.

Genres: Alternative; Rock; Punk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pillowqueeens

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/pillowqueens/

The Aces

Location: Utah, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Rock

Official: http://theacesofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/acesmusic/

NADINE

 PHOTO CREDIT: CK Goldiing

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

Official: https://www.nadinemusic.org/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/nadinemusicofficial/

Andi

Location: Caledon East, Canada

Genres: Alternative; Pop; Soul; Jazz; R&B; Electronic

Official: https://andimusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/officialandimusic/

Sarah Close

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative; R&B; Electro-Pop

Official: http://sarahclose.co.uk/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/SAZCLOSE/

The Tuts

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: 3-Tone; Indie; Alternative

Official: http://thetuts.co.uk/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/thetutsband/

Ashe

Location: San Diego, U.S.A.

Genre: Vibes

Official: http://www.ashemusic.us/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ashemusicofficial/

Hero Fisher

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Soul; Alternative

Official: http://www.herofisher.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/herofisher/

Sara Diamond

Location: Montreal, Canada

Genres: Pop; Soul

Official: https://www.iamsaradiamond.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/iamsaradiamond/

Jack River

Location: Forster, Australia

Genre: Acid-Pop

Official: http://jackrivermusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/jackrivermusic/

The Franklys

Location: London/Lidköping/Milton Keynes/Guildford

Genres: Rock; Garage

Official: http://www.thefranklys.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/thefranklys/

 

Lial

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Alternative

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lialmusic

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/lialmusic/

Gretta Ray

 PHOTO CREDIT: Liam Pethick - Photographer

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genres: Alternative; Indie

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gretta-ray

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/grettaraymusic/

 

Taliwhoah

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: R&B

Official: http://www.taliwhoah.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Taliwhoah/

Cryptic Street

 PHOTO CREDIT: Matthew Attard Photography

Location: Malta

Genres: Alternative-Rock, Post-Punk

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/cryptic-street

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/crypticstreet/

Kimbra

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Electro; Alternative; R&B

Official: http://www.kimbramusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/kimbramusic/

Chess Galea

Location: London/Surrey, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Soul

Official: http://www.chessgalea.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/chessofficial/

Pale Honey

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Genre: Indie-Rock

Official: http://www.palehoney.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/palehoney/

MALKA

Location: Glasgow, U.K.

Genre: Alt-Pop

Official: http://www.malkamusic.co.uk/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/malkamakesmusic/

Ailbhe Reddy

PHOTO CREDIT: @charlottelachaussee

Location: Dublin, U.K.

Genres: Indie-Folk; Rock

Official: http://www.ailbhereddy.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/AilbheReddy/

Julia Carlucci

PHOTO CREDIT: Merik Williams Photography

Location: Ontario, Canada

Genres: Pop; R&; Neo-Soul

Official: http://juliacarlucci.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/juliacarluccimusic/

FEATURE: 'The 1980s Revival': Why Revisiting the Decade Is a Good Thing for Music

FEATURE:

 

'The 1980s Revival'

IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna/PHOTO CREDIT: Photoshot   

Why Revisiting the Decade Is a Good Thing for Music

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WHEN I last highlighted the 1980s…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

earlier in the year; I lept to its defence. There is this perceived – and incorrect – notion the decade was a melee of over-layered hair and tragic clothing. I have said before how dangerous it is defining a decade in such simple terms. Yes, there was a poverty of style during the time but many assume the music industry reflected that poor taste – all synthetic, sickly and mass-produced. I get tired seeing the ‘best of the 1980s’ collections and the songs that appear on them. I have nothing against Mel and Kim, Kim Wilde and Spandau Ballet but, when one sees their ilk prolifically feature on these compilations, it provides a false impression of the '80s. Those sort of artists – and the bad fashions – were only a small part of the decade. If one wants a better impression of the 1980s; type into Google ‘the best albums of the 1980s’. The list you will get big provides a much clear insight into the stunning sounds and ground-breaking  artists of the time...

IN THIS PHOTO: Talking Heads/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

From Talking Heads – they started in the 1970s but released stunning work in the '80s – and Michael Jackson; Madonna and Pixies; The Smiths and Tears for Fears – some of the world’s best records were created during this time. Maybe the Pop charts and commercial core had more than its fair amount of cheese but can we really say things are better now?! What makes the music of the 1980s superior is the quality of the Pop music; the sense of fun and timelessness we encountered. What I am finding is so many new artists, un-ironically, is that revisit of the big Pop sounds that defined that period. A lot of the inspiration is coming from artists like Madonna, Bananarama and Cyndi Lauper – the former is especially influential. Madonna is someone I have featured before, too, and her legacy cannot be overlooked – how she progressed from the innocent and ingénue Pop teenager to the innovative and boundary-pushing legend has compelled many.

IN THIS PHOTO: Bananarama/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

You can quibble about the quality of some of the 1980s’ popular artists but stars like Madonna are in a league of their own. She showed what quality and depth was possible; how you didn’t need to conform to the worst traits of the time – compromise originality for fitting into the rigid and plastic Pop charts. A lot of modern artists are creating the sort of Disco-Pop mashes Madonna was penning on her first few albums. Prince is another artists who enjoyed great success in the decade: the two artists, between them, have changed the face of music. Even some of the lesser-celebrated artists of the 1980s – ABC; The Human League and Tears for Fears – are making an impact on modern music. That romance and ability to uplift and motivate; the production sound and the simplicity – it seems to go against a music scene where advancement and evolution are taking the joy out of things. There are a few artists who know how to pen a rousing and spirited number: that is far fewer/rarer than once was. There is a seriousness and mentality that means it is difficult discovering music that makes you smile and gets the body moving.

IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna/ PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

I have mentioned an artist like Madonna because her music, especially albums such as Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer, contained songs that have survived the test of time. Not only is there the aspect of the songs themselves – brilliantly written and performed – but everything tied to Madonna. There is the theatre and controversy; the celebrity and look – a complete artist with her unique sense of purpose. There are few big fashion movements and clearly identifiable musicians in the modern scene – few that catch the eye and compel you to dig deeper. For all the missteps and terrible attire of the 1980s: there was so much sensational music coming out we are talking about today. If we associate the decade with naffness and over-produced Pop syrup then, of course, there will be stigma and reticence. We need to get out of the prejudicial and cliché mindset that suggests the 1980s was a minor thing.

IN THIS PHOTO: Pixies/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

I have alluded to the great Pop that arrived but, having mentioned acts like Pixies and Talking Heads, there was a rise of incredible Alternative sounds. I have lost count (of the number of bands) who sprinkle aspects of these two acts into their own music. Talking Heads, especially, are proving popular for many contemporary artists. Even though the U.S. band formed in 1975; their 1980s output like Remain in Light (1980) hold incredible potency for new musicians. Whether overtly referencing the songs – or integrating the complexities and colours into their interpretation – it is fascinating to see. The Smiths, too, have always provided new artists guidance and I am discovering so many new artists employ various strands of their back catalogue. I guess there is something potent and timeless when we think of The Smiths. The same can be said for the head-rush, mind-alternating music of Talking Heads. If we discount a lot of the sweeter, sickly Pop of the decade; we cannot undermine some of the female/female-led artists of the time. I have mentioned Bananarama but The Bangles are another source of fluidity.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Bangles/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

Some may quibble whether songs like Walk Like an Egyptian and Eternal Flame represent their more credible side. Their 1984 album, All Over the Place, featured a fantastic version of Going Down to Liverpool – originally recorded by Katrina and the Waves in 1983. 1986’s Different Light provided Manic Monday (written by Prince) and was a more commercial effort. Subsequent albums failed to match the consistency of All Over the Place – ironic, given the title! - but it is clear, in a short space of time, the U.S. band made a huge impact on the music industry. Their incredible harmonies and timeless songs were not only a product of the 1980s: many modern artists, in their own way, are taking the mantle from The Bangles and bringing their sounds into their music.

IN THIS PHOTO: Sade/ PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

If anything; I feel the 1980s revival is not going far enough. I have mentioned a few artists but listen to albums by Sade (Diamond Life) and Soul II Soul (Club Classics Vol. One) and there are lessons and inspirations to be found. The modern Soul/Dance scene has seen stronger days: I feel artists like Sade and Soul II Soul, if mixed affectionately, can provide a kick and spirit to the genres. It is debatable whether we have seen any artists as explosive as Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. Both, between them, have made a startling impact on music. Maybe the tight copyright laws mean sampling is not as easy as Beastie Boys made it look – many off-put by legalities and permissions needed to use other artists’ music. Members of Public Enemy are still operational - but the days of the U.S. Hip-Hop band have already ended.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

I realise quite a few decades are coming back in – and never really went away – but the 1980s is one that raises eyebrows! That misconception regarding quality and fashion often distorts waters and creates a false impression. You only need listen to the wave of Pop/Electro/Dance acts coming through and keep your ears open – you can hear the influence of the 1980s coming through. I am noticing more and more artists combining the early career of Madonna with the best Pop of the decade. There are bands taking shades of Pixies, Talking Heads and The Smiths and providing their own take. I hope more artists realise how strong and inspiring the 1980s is – and getting over the viewpoint it is a weak and tragic time. It was a fantastic time for music and one that still resonates with musicians. In a music scene where predictability and commercialism are putting many off; the 1980s’ preservers are making sure music still has a…

IN THIS PHOTO: Beastie Boys/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

REAL dose of colour and spirit!

FEATURE: The Dutch Auction and the Icelandic Queen: Why Björk’s Utopia Will Define 2017

FEATURE:

 

The Dutch Auction and the Icelandic Queen:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Why Björk’s Utopia Will Define 2017

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THIS year’s music, so far, has produced some great albums…

IN THIS PHOTO: The sleeve for Björk's album, Utopia/PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda/One Little Indian

but few explosions and surprises. Thank f*ck Björk Guðmundsdótti is here to provide a sensual dose of magic, mystery and quality – the legend will release her new album, Utopia, on 24th November. The title of this piece – the ‘Dutch auction’ part might miff – refers to the way we celebrate and adore an artist like Björk and throw our hand up as soon as something from her comes out; hoping to get ahead of the crowd and win a prize – a Dutch auction starts at a high price and, the first bidder who puts their hand up wins the prize. It might be tenuous but I was pleased with my wordplay! Of the fourteen tracks that will appear on Utopia: eight of them see the Icelandic star conjoin with other writers. Aside from Saint; the remainder are penned alongside Arca. This might sound like the artist being more collaborative but it is, in truth, how she has always done things – bringing other voices to help lift her music and add a new perspective. Björk’s ninth album is hotly-tipped and ALREADY gaining nominations for ‘album of the year’ – without hearing it; I have a feeling it will be my first choice come the end of the year. As the weather gets colder and grottier; we are going to be afforded an album of immense warmth and colour.

The Gate, the lead-off single, has turned heads and proved, since 2015’s Vulnicura, Björk has lost none of her ability to surprise and amaze. The quality up to its usual standard but the song is a more love-filled and simple track – relying on the purity of the vocal and lyrical expression: less to do with compositional and technological pioneering. I will talk about, among other things, her recent interview with Mary Anne Hobbs and the way Björk pushes technology – but I wanted to look forward to Utopia, if I may. If Utopia seems like a long wait for an album – it is only two years! – let it be known Björk started work on it straight after her previous record. If Vulnicura, in the creator’s mind, was a hell-like divorce: Utopia, as the title suggests, is the reverse. This new record is about love and finding new joy after a painful break-up. Someone who has undergone a rancorous and stressful split would naturally take time to reflect and rest. That is not the case with the intrepid Björk: she picked up the pen (or some electronic equivalent) and poured those hot and frightening emotions onto the screen/page. Rather than wallow in the depths of recrimination and accusation; what we find is a woman moving on and keen to explore the limits of new love.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

It is very Björk to announce the release of an album with a hand-written note. That is the way the world knew about Utopia. She posted the missive on social media and, just like that, mouths were salivating. The fourteen-track record is the longest of Björk’s career and signifies someone unwilling to distil her fraught and evolving status – brevity and accessibility can wait for the next album! When speaking with Dazed earlier in the year; the subject of Iceland and geographic surroundings were brought into play:

“For Björk, who grew up amid Iceland’s gnarly volcanic terrain, it’s perhaps unsurprising that her own vision of utopia is one that puts humanity in harmony with nature. “I’ve been talking about environmentalism for the last 20 years, about green energy and solar power and how technology is what’s going to help us collaborate with nature in a non-violent, amicable, collaborative way,” she says. “I talk about it a lot with my friend Anohni – she started the Future Feminism group. There’s this old argument that civilisation treats nature the same as man treats women – you have to oppress it and dominate in order to progress. I just don’t agree with that. There is another way…Emphasising these links to the natural world are the tranquil sounds of birdsong that appear between tracks.

  PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

While some of these are field recordings made by Björk herself, others were collected by musician David Toop on the 1980 release Hekura. It’s a subtle way of linking Björk’s past to her present: she describes Toop’s recordings as one of her favourite albums, while the nature of the sounds – captured in Venezuela in the 1970s – connects to her co-producer Arca’s home country”.

It was a revealing and eye-catching shoot – I have stolen/credited shots from that interview here – that laid out the objectives and facts regarding the album:

“Björk may be searching for utopia in an unstable world, but at the same time, it seems like she’s having more fun than she ever has right now. I’m not surprised when she describes her new record as a ‘dating album’. “It’s like my Tinder album,” she says slyly. “It is definitely about that search – and about being in love. Spending time with a person you enjoy on every level is obviously utopia, you know? I mean, it’s real. It’s when the dream becomes real.”

On the subject of love, one moment on the album sticks out. While Björk says her lyrics shouldn’t be read as 100 per cent biographical, one song, “Features Creatures”, describes the feeling of seeing someone with the same beard and the same accent as a lover. Is she talking about anyone specific? “Yeah,” she says sheepishly, holding back a smile that’s creeping across her face. She doesn’t want to say any more. “I mean, I’ve thought about what I would say here – I set myself up with the last album being a heartbreak album, so everyone’s gonna be like, ‘Are you married?’ with this one. But… it’s too fragile still. I think, if I could, I’d just say this is my dating album. Let’s just leave it there.”

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Björk has been on the block long enough to know how to transition from the perils of unpredictable love and create an album that vibrates and amazes – whereas so many songwriters are keen to turn the knife into the stomach and see their sacrificial blood seep all over the microphone. The ghastly imagery is something music listeners do not need for a steady meal. Björk has had her heart kicked in the nuts but that does not mean she is ready to scratch the eyes from kittens and start huffing paint. Instead, she has rallied her soul and channelled it into, what could be, her defining album. Björk does not make bad albums – Hell; she doesn’t even make average ones! – so one can imagine the critical reaction and assessments. It is the promotion and publicity surrounding Utopia that has amazed me. Gone are the days one would see our Björk don a swan outfit and court a storm of publicity and controversy. What was always fascinating and enduring about Björk was her intelligence, perspective and outlook on the world. I will bring in a recent interview where she is in rude and fantastic form – joking and providing an illuminating insight into her creative process.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Utopia is going to stand out from the rest, not only because of the nebulous talent of Björk, but the timelessness. We require a record that brings some light and amazement to an intrudingly black and unsure world; one that reaches into the ventricles and pulls our veins in directions akin to a puppet show – letting the blood flow happily and the head spin in all sort of directions! Arca’s input is an interesting one but, as Björk said, quite natural. In Acra; Björk discovered a huge musician and kindred soul: someone who was on the same page and did not need too much direction. Utopia is non-narrative and the embrace of love and rediscovery: it is not about hatred and feeling burned. I shall not quote and source the entire interview (Björk conducted) with The Guardian - lest I be accused of creative impotency – but there were periods and paragraphs that stood out. Conducted in a Reykjavík hotel – where Björk turned up feeling a little scruffy and grungy – it saw the heroine reveal the background, process and D.N.A. of the album. Early on; she reflects on the period between Vulnicura and the seeds of Utopia:

“We did the final gigs for Vulnicura in Carnegie Hall,” she remembers, “and they were so tragic. Everybody who ever had a broken heart ever was there, and they were all telling me their stories. It was really sweet and, genuine, you know? And with the performances, I was like: ‘This has to be discreet, and treated with grace.’ But after the first one, I almost felt guilty. Because the whole room was crying and I was not. Me and Alejandro [Ghersi, AKA electronic artist Arca, who worked on Vulnicura] were guiltily drinking champagne in the back going: ‘Next time we’re going to have fun, OK?’ I wanted this album to go towards the light. You indulge in the grief to a certain point, but then you have to be a little bit Pollyanna.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

That sense of numbness and guilt is not what one would expect from a musician who was at the core and foundation of the turbulence. Speaking of the frightening times we live in – and juxtaposing that with a frame of positivity – Björk explained the need to inject hope into her new music:

“Another idea of utopia came about because, in these scary Trumpian times, she wanted to show that optimism is a choice. “He got elected when I was two years into the album,” she says, “and I felt like, OK, it’s really important now to be intentional. If you feel this world is not heading the right way, you have to be DIY and make a little fortress, over here to the left.”

Björk talked about talked about the way she connects inner-emotions and notations; how her love life has been and whether she has been active in the dating scene. On the first point, she revealed this:

“I don’t know that I got all this from one listen, though the sense of wildlife, physical space and bliss was very strong. My notes say things like “epic, full of nature”, “rattle (monkey sounds)”, “flutes gorgeous, beats tough, transcendent”. I did get the idea of a new place, of women supporting women, of rejecting old systems (in Tabula Rasa, she sings: “break the chains of the fuck-ups of our fathers”). There’s also – excitingly – strong hints of a new lover (Blissing Me: “I fall in love with his song”). And the feeling of the end of a difficult relationship, of moving forward (Sue Me). Though I may well be being too literal. Björk laughs when I quote lyrics at her, and ask her about her love life”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

When it came to the posing of love and prolificacy in the dating scene:

“Oh for me, that word is so ridiculous!” she says. “In Iceland, especially in my teenage years, we didn’t date. You just went out and you got plastered and you woke up the next morning with someone and… And you married them! I definitely don’t date, like go to a restaurant all dressed up..In a recent interview, Björk called Utopia “my Tinder album”. “Yes, because I thought that was hilarious, but obviously I would never be able to be on Tinder.” What she’s talking about, really, is fresh experiences with new people: the excitement and sexiness and clumsiness of those encounters. “People trying things out, and rejection, both ways. We all have chapters, and then when you start new chapters, it’s like: ‘I’m walking down the same streets I’m always walking down, I’m wearing the same clothes, but it feels like I’m on Mars.’ In the best possible sense, but also in a scary sense. I missed being this emotional explorer, I enjoy it.”

The reason I have so eloquently – and semi-legally – cribbed from these interviews is because they show how prolific, captivating and compelling Björk is – and the fact I will never get a chance to interview her! I would urge people to investigate the interview conducted between Björk and Mary Anne Hobbs - that clearly shows mutual affection and trust. It is a candid and imaginative discussion that reveals a lot of things we did not know about Björk.

IN THIS PHOTO: Mary Anne Hobbs/PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Lewis

That should – if you read the full interviews; the others conducted around this time; the one she gave to Hobbs on BBC Radio 6 Music – all the information and revelation you require! So, then; why is Utopia going to be the album to rule 2017?! It might seem flippant saying “Because Björk made it, dumb-ass!” so, if you need further rationale; you need only look/listen to how she discusses the record to know how much it means. Few artists afford the media adequate time and attention, Maybe that is because they do not possess the cachet of Björk – and people don’t want to waste a lot of time with someone not worth it – but it is the fact few have anything that interesting to say. Every Björk interview is a transformative experience: it seems Utopia is an aptly-named album that finds the middle-aged artist entering a new phase of life and embrace a positive aesthetic. So many of her peers either bury the bones of disabled love or pen an album filled with acid, toxicity and regret. That is not the case with Björk. Utopia will offer guidance to a flaccid scene that finds love-related records take a negative spin. I mentioned how Björk has reinvented the wheel and pushed boundaries regarding recording and promotion. For Utopia; she is allowing purchasers the chance to pay via ‘cryptocurrency’ – a novel and modern way of buying material – but, looking back; she has always been an innovator.

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

Pro Tools have been a backbone of her material and popularised long ago – other artists have followed suit - but Björk was one of the first proponents. Sibelius, a piece of software, was used around the recording of Vespertine. It was used for creating string arrangement and allowed Björk to have an orchestra contained within her laptop. Melodyne is the ruination of Pop records but, for Björk, it was used for pitch-correlation and adjustment – used to enhance and alter a piece of music to spectacular effect. Virtual reality was embraced when promoting Biophillia – although Björk’s dream of a series of 3-D videos came to nothing; it was an idea that intrigued many. I am not sure what techniques and technology-pushing feats we will see in Utopia but, the fact the announcement of the album was done via a primate hand-written note; perhaps Björk is returning to a more rustic and simplistic format – in a way, against the tide of digital suffocating, producing another masterful left-turn! I cannot wait to see the arrival of Utopia because it will be one of the most talked-about albums of recent years. The fact Björk has undergone such an emotional change has seen the timid caterpillar emerge the luminous and radiating butterfly! All of this – the heartache, redemption; the new lease and inspiration – will formulate and conspire on 24th of this month. The quality will be sky-high but it is the story and history of the record that will tip it over the edge. No other album this year has the same flesh and fingerprints as Utopia. I am pumped and prepared for the earthquake-orgasm that is about to befall the world. Not only will the sonic and lyrical elements cause floods and storms: the emotions and infusions from Björk will take her career to new heights. I truly believe, when Utopia hits, it has the potential, its own and real way, to change…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

THE fabric of modern music.

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?” Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part II)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: Janice 

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part II)

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THE remaining two parts of this feature…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kirbanu/PHOTO CREDIT: Ulli Kiefner

will bring more artists in from Europe and Australia – and concentrate on other parts of the U.K. (aside from London). Today, as I look deeper into the music world and fantastic female talent out there; I am amazed finding such a rich vein of variation and quality. It is sad there are so few being given the same oxygen as men: I guess features like this are small steps in the right direction...

Let’s hope next year is defined by greater exposure and attention (for women). I have been scouring the annals and archives to bring you a collection of female artists, I think, will make some big movements in 2018...

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SIIGHTS

Location: London, U.K. 

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: https://www.siightsofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/siights/

Latasha Alcindor

Location: Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Genres: Hip-Hop; Fusion

Official: https://www.latashaalcindor.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ucancallmela/

Phoebe Ryan

Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.phoeberyanofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/PhoebeRyanMusic/

Emma McGann

Location: Coventry, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.emmamcgann.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaMcGannMusic/

Jessica Rotter

PHOTO CREDIT: @reiten

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Country; Folk; Pop

Official: http://jessicarotter.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaRotter/

Lots Holloway

Location: Cornwall, U.K.

Genre: Alternative

Official: https://www.musicglue.com/lots-holloway

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/lotshollowayofficial/

Kirbanu

Location: Heidelberg, Germany

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://kirbanumusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/kirbanu/

FiFi Rong

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Hybrid-Electronica

Official: http://fifirong.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/fifirongmusic/

Mïrändä

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Art-Pop; Electronica; Dream-Pop; Experimental-Pop

Official: http://www.whoismiranda.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/MirandasMusicPage/

Bella McKendree

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative Pop/Soul/Folk

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/bellamckendree/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bellamckendree

Facing West

Location: Denver, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Indie; Singer-Songwriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/facingwestmusic

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/FacingWestMusic/

Macy Todd

Location: Atlanta, U.S.A.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: https://www.macytodd.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/macytoddmusic/

Michelle O Faith

PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Lord-Walker

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelleofaith1

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/michelleofaithofficial/

NATHASSIA

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Electronic; Alternative-Pop

Official: http://www.nathassia.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/NathassiaDevine/

Frida Sundemo

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.fridasundemo.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/fridasundemo/

Jena Rose

Location: Plano, U.S.A.

Genre: Indie-Pop

Official: https://jenarosemusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JenaRoseMusic/

Robyn Cage

Location: Salt Lake City, U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/robyncagemusic/

Official: http://www.robyncage.com/

Bee Bakare

Location: Bath, U.K.

Genres: Soul; Singer-Songwriter; R&B

Official: https://www.beebakare.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Beebakaremusic/

Peaness

Location: Chester, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeanessBand

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/peanessband/

Emmi

 PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Connor 

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://emmi.world/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/emmimusic/

Janice

PHOTO CREDIT: Nicolina Knapp

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Genres: R&B; Soul

Official: http://www.janicethis.com/home/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JaniceThis/

Gabriella Cohen

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jared O'Sullivan 

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Pop

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gabriellacohen

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/gabriellacohenmusic/

FEATURE: Propogandaland: Is Modernity and Technology the Way Forward for Music?!

FEATURE:

  

Propogandaland:

IMAGE CREDIT: Bolshoye Gore Malenkoi Zhenshchiny by Georgii & Vladimir Stenberg, 1929/Collection Susan Pack  

 Is Modernity and Technology the Way Forward for Music?!

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MANY might irk at the proliferation of this…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

topic on my pages! The clash between modern-thinking and progressive creation/traditional and analogue recordings is something I have seen coming to the fore a lot lately.  This is the second consecutive article that brings in Kate Bush – can you tell I am trying to secure an interview with her?! I will talk about nostalgia and musical past; bring some academic studies into the fray – that argue for and against the digitisation of music – but I want to bring Bush into the argument (I shall leave her be in the coming weeks!). To me, like Björk and Kate Bush symbolise what music should be. Björk is someone who has pushed boundaries and embraced technologies but at her core is the tradition and foundations of music. She is an artist who embraces digital means but does not rely on. It may seem like Björk symbolises the Internet culture and those enamoured of music’s digital growth. I feel the opposite when thinking of her: there is something of the older-day and nostalgic when one thinks of her. Maybe it is the way her music creates nostalgia and memories; the physicality and beauty projected from the speakers. If she modifies technology and is keen to explore the limits of the modern day – her music still reminds me of a time when artists were not reliant on big studios and gadgets. Many modern artists are recording in a D.I.Y. way. They have iPads and other tablets where they can create a song and stream it to the world. That is not, necessarily, a way to bypass the studio – cost and economy have forced them to take a more self-sufficient route. I mentioned Kate Bush (again) because, as recently as 2011, she was expounding the virtues of tape and analogue sounds. She, like most out there, cannot eke out a living relying solely on tape and older technologies – in a hyper-digital and computerised industry; she would not be able to get her records out to people. We are told music needs to be shared on social media and streaming is the way forward.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Whilst I agree social media and these services are invaluable promoting music; I argue recording in a digital and modern way is the way we should be going. I am seeing a lot of artists, aside from Bush, expound the benefits and purity of tape. We see modern stars and shots from the studio; these glossy and fulsome sounds coming from our laptops. There is a double-link of intangibility right there. We rarely sit alone and listen to a record player or stereo: most of us are connected to phones and have their minds strapped to laptops. As I write this, I am on a laptop and listening to music through headphones. I wonder whether we are connected to music the same way we were, say, a decade ago?! Before I expand on my argument; I want to bring an article from 2009 - that reacted to the rise of technology and the Internet in music – claiming digitisation was not the worst thing that could happen to music:

“Chart-topping artists and superstars rarely sell more than half a million CDs in large markets such as the UK and Germany. To return to generating a good level of sales from each piece of music and to take account of the changed pattern of media use by consumers, developing additional revenue streams is vital to success. No record label can afford the luxury of passing up contributions to sales from Apple's iTunes, Nokia’s Comes with Music or Amazon’s MP3 Shop. “The major music labels have largely ignored the internet trend and are now having to hand over parts of the value-added chain to the new players if they are to succeed in still cutting themselves a slice of the digital cake,” said Peterson.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

For more than a decade the industry has needed the structural preconditions for more fragmented music marketing (in the form of downloads, live concert streaming, ringtones, video game music or merchandising) to be put in place. The changes required were new business models for subscription services and licences to internet portals, new contracts with artists to cover the full scope of the digital value-added chain, and—not least—innovations by new market players.

Price war on music downloads leading to erosion of margins

The new sources of revenue are likely to lead to an upward trend in music market sales

after 2010 for the first time since the mid-1990s, although the traditional market players will have to share a significant part of those sales with the new download platforms.

Despite the positive prospects, the change process in the music industry is far from being completed. Necessary innovations in how it approaches its customers, continued and increasing fragmentation, and new market players will maintain the pressure on business models and prices. There are still open questions during this experimentation phase – for example, whether the trend towards even cheaper music will continue, or if charges for hits from well-known artists will increase in future. At present, new players are forcing themselves into the market, using combative pricing to position themselves as price leaders and secure significant market share as quickly as possible. If this strategy wins, margins will melt away for all market players.

IMAGE CREDIT: Pinterest

Media industry still faced with digital turnaround

The print media are currently undergoing a similar structural change, as are TV providers and the cinema sector. “The example of the music industry shows that critical competitive advantage can only be achieved with consistent alignment to the new needs in relation to media use, together with intimate knowledge of customers and rapid positioning of new ideas on the market,” said Peterson. “Just as the music industry served for a long time as a warning of how a media sector can be steamrollered by digitalisation, now it is demonstrating that digital turnaround with fresh growth in sales is possible.”

The strategic principles determining whether and how traditional media groups can profit from this digital change process are being set down right now. The music industry demonstrates that only groups with structures capable of adapting can make a profit from the dynamism of the internet”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I am a hypocrite in the sense most of my musical tastes and time comes from the Internet. I stream artists and look at videos on YouTube. When one looks at a YouTube video they are invariable witness to a parade of grating and obnoxious adverts that are hard to shift – often promoting technology and the latest piece of must-have kit. I wonder whether there is too much influence coming from technology companies and streaming sites. There are benefits to the streaming sites – which I shall look at – but I wonder whether we are being told digitisation is the way music can progress. The headline for this article – and the photos that score it – seems like I am accusing the music industry of being Soviet and communist. They are not, as I know to be true, forcing anyone to put their music out a certain way. We do not have Stalin-like figureheads banning warm and traditional forms of music. The industry is an open and receptacle one that welcomes innovation as much as heritage and legacy. Combining the two would seem the idea solution, right?!

PHOTO CREDIT: Eternity in an Instant via Getty

One cannot write and release in 2017 and negate the Internet and technology. That, in itself, might compel ethical conundrums and issues but there are plenty of advantages available to musicians. They can release music quicker and get it to a bigger audience. No longer do they need to rely on the record companies to get their music on the radio – that was the way it happened before the Internet. Unlike previous decades; unsigned artists have the same chances and exposure as some of the mainstream’s best. That parity and equal platform is exciting and inspiring. I do wonder whether the listener is losing out the more electronic music becomes. I revert back to Kate Bush who, in an interview with a Canadian radio station, said she prefers the warmth of tape and analogue. She has said it many times and had another point: one does not get the same listening experience listening through a laptop. When we used to rely on record players and tapes/analogue; you got a real feel and sense of connection to the artist.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Now, this far down the line, are we sacrificing the potential of music? Its humanity and physicality is being switched with instant appeal and gratification. We are a consumer society that wants takeaway food, fast; we desire our good delivered in a one-day window; we crave the limitless T.V. channels and the expedience of technology. How many of us, in reality, sit down and think about what we are buying/watching?! Often, things go in one ear and swiftly exist the other. We absorb and experience things at the rate a hummingbird flaps their wings – losing out on the true nature and potential of music. I can listen to a song from, say, Madonna from the 1980s, through a C.D., and match that against a song off of Spotify, fed through my laptop. Even if the songs have equal quality and appeal – the effect I get from the former is much stronger and resonant than the latter. Whilst music can only develop and survive through technology – given the exponential growth and population explosion – I wonder whether the need to provide and sustain is compromising quality and nuance. How many of us hear a song now and feel we’ll cherish it decades down the line? The artists might have the promise of durability but is it the way we are digesting their sounds resulting in scepticism? Certainty, I am someone who hears a lot of music and there are few that remain in the brain that long.

PHOTO CREDIT: Spotify

It is not their fault: the saturation and wave of music we are exposed to is challenging. Are we being forced to listen to music in a manner that means we are always looking for something new? That might sound cynical but many of us jump to the next artist and rarely stick with something. In a sense; we are always looking for something shiny and fresh – streaming sites are creating a market where attention spans are short and the imagination is curtailed. I will continue my point but want to bring in an article from this year - that examines the connection between digitisation and capitalism: how music’s economy and D.N.A. is being directed by the rise of technology. There are some interesting thoughts that captured my attention:

“One striking feature of culture in modern capitalist societies is that the main ways in which people gain access to cultural experiences are subject to frequent, radical and disorienting shifts. This has been very apparent in recent changes in musical consumption. Over the last 20 years, there has been a marked change in dominant ways of experiencing recorded music. In the mid-1990s, most music consumers in wealthier parts of the planet would buy CDs or cassettes from specialist or general record shops, and play them back via electronic devices in the home and car, and in some cases via mobile devices such as the Sony Discman or Walkman; radio and television provided important further exposure for musical recordings. There was a shift in the early twenty-first century to the personal computer and mobile digital playback devices such as Apple’s iPod as the prevalent ways of consuming music. More recently there has been a further change. A new ecology of musical consumption is emerging, based on subscription audio streaming services and Internet-connected mobile phones. While only a minority of music consumers currently consume music in this way, even in the relatively wealthy Global North, this configuration is slowly reviving the ailing music industries, and looks set to be the future of recorded musical consumption in many places – until the next transformation comes along”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush (who has said she prefers the warmth of analogue tapes)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Is the obsessional we have with technology and easy access denigrating music’s fabric and the way it affects us I feel people are yearning for nostalgia and older music is not, necessarily, to do with quality and a lack of real depth. We are implicitly and worryingly being fed this notion streaming and modern ways is where music is stronger. By that; the consumer is not able to bond with a musician the same way they once were. Maybe that is invariable and unavoidable. The study examines the see-change since the turn of the millennium; how music has altered radically given the impact of digital methods:

“The digitalisation of music after 2000 seems to have pushed more and more academics to turn their attention to the question of change in the music industries. Copyright and intellectual property have rightly been treated as major issues, with some addressing music as part of broader accounts of problems concerning copyright in the digital era (e.g., Vaidhyanathan, 2001Vaidhyanathan, S. (2001). Copyrights and copywrongs: The rise of intellectual property and how it threatens creativity. New York, NY: New York University Press. [Google Scholar]), and some devoting their attention to the particular struggles that have taken place concerning copyright in the wake of digitalisation of music (David, 2010David, M. (2010). Peer to peer and the music industry: The criminalization of sharing. London: Sage. [Google Scholar]; Hesmondhalgh, 2009Hesmondhalgh, D. (2009). The digitalisation of music. In A. C. Pratt& P. Jeffcut (Eds.), Creativity, innovation and the cultural economy(pp. 57–73). London: Routledge. [Google Scholar])”.

Is it a coincidence I am more drawn and comforted by older music than the new breed? Maybe there are too many artists out there – meaning any long-term relationship is unlikely – but I feel there is an intrinsic relation between digital means and the way music makes us feel. Nowadays; modern artists have one eye on streaming figures and getting those viewing-figures at their peak. Are they thinking about the way people see their sounds and take them to heart?! If our mainstream best are more concern with popularity and numbers: do they have any realisation in regards the short-term nature of their impact and (the fact) their songs will dissipate before long?! It is so hard for modern artists to remain in the consciousness given the way music is ‘evolving’? What have been the biggest changes we have seen this century?

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

“In the twenty-first century, consumers remain subject to regular and radical changes in the prevalent ways in how music is experienced, but new technologies have untethered listening from the home. Today, instead of CE corporations, it is mainly IT companies and to some extent telecoms companies that shape musical experience. The power of these companies derives from, and in turn contributes to, an interlinked set of economic, social and cultural changes in modern capitalist societies. Seeking new markets, businesses have moved the key frontier of commodification and consumption beyond the homes and cars of the era analysed by Williams (though of course these continue to be key markets), via his concept of ‘mobile privatisation’, to what we might call networked mobile personalisation. By reducing the pooling of resources and sharing of products among families and communities, this encourages greater purchasing and stronger individual affiliation. It permits burgeoning networked interactions between individuals that can potentially take place anytime, anywhere, and be monitored. No doubt this shift answers to desires for personalisation, mobility and connection, deriving from a new sense of individualism and even atomisation in modern societies. It is deeply shaped by advertising, marketing and the promotional industries. And it is a source of disorientation, expense and huge social waste.

What is more, these changes in how music is consumed may be having negative effects on the role that music plays in people’s lives (see essays by Marshall and Toynbee in Marshall & Laing, 2014Marshall, L. & Laing, D. (Eds.). (2014). Popular music matters: Essays in honour of Simon Frith. Aldershot: Ashgate. [Google Scholar]). Many music fans report a sense of loss regarding music’s power. Some would say this is merely nostalgia, but the ubiquity of music, its constant presence as background, heard in a rather distracted way, seems to be connected to a loss of its cultural and emotional force. It is hard to say how much this derives from sociocultural and political changes as they affect what musicians produce, and how much from the new formation of musical experience itself, including which music comes to be circulated widely. It may well be both”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

The study I have quoted raises valid concerns/points but there is a band of artists keen to take music back to its truer times. It is no coincidence so many artists are recording to tape and ignoring the ultra-hyper-new shine of the studio. I will write a separate piece on the 1980s but I am discovering so many new acts reverting to that sound and incorporating the decade into their music. I feel the reason for this is not to push music forward but hint at the past and how good it used to be. Again; that is not an indication regarding quality and the short-term impact of modern music: it is a way of bringing in the simplicity and analogue joys and fusing them with the new and exciting digital times.

I feel a lot of modern artists are investigating past music – and sampling older songs – because the mere mention and suggestion of them take their memories and minds back. I listen to older music because it hits me in a different way. Algorithms and statistics are defining the business attitude of modern music. I yearn for a time when music concerned the way it made you feel and what you would take from it. Listening to music on a cassettes/vinyl was like stepping into the song and embracing every aspect and component of it. I worry we are only getting a limited sense of connection and quality from modern music. The fact we have opened the floodgates, and offered this unguarded market where everyone can make music, means the battle between quality and quantity is always hard. I think the real issue lies with the dependence and need to embrace the advancements of the modern day. The rebellious and disassociated artists – who feel their music is being led by business and popularity rather than longevity  - are reverting to older means of recording and methods like tape. I feel something as simple as recording to analogue makes a huge impression.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

I could listen to a modern song recorded on analogue and hear it on C.D. Compare that to the same song recorded in a modern studio – and heard through a laptop – and there is a marked difference. Something as simple as that could be the difference between a song remaining in the mind for years – or is racing out of the brain minutes after it has ended. My greatest hope – sticking with my themes of revolution and propaganda - is seeing a clan of musicians go against convention and not putting their music on streaming services. That might seem suicidal but what would be the result if artists stuck with physical forms and recorded their music on analogue? They could perform modern genres/sounds but would rely on older technologies/formats to get their music out there. I am worried that is the only way new music will have the same durability and meaning as that which has gone before. There are things that need tackling but I feel we are too far down the rabbit-hole to really go back. Generations to come will experience music in a very quick and damaging way. They will be bombarded with artists on Spotify/YouTube and abandon listening to music through hardware. With that will go artwork and all the components that made classic music what is was. If artists are not worried about art-work and getting the sound right; taking time to craft something memorable and inspiring – will the artists we hear today be remembered and celebrated in decades to come?! Maybe musicians from the 1960s and 1970s will still be more popular than current favourites.

IMAGE CREDIT: Prodanny Appetit by Georgii & Vladimir Stenberg, 1928 (USSR, Russia, Nikolai Okhlopkov, 1927)/Collection Susan Pack

Maybe the reverse will be true: we will forget about the better days and rely entirely on streamed and digital music. This is a debate with two sides and no easy answers. I feel the business aspect of music is detrimental and corrosive. There is too much focus on cracking markets, breaking records and producing something quickly – rather than a piece of work that will compel listeners years from now. Comrades of the music world! The way we will match the brilliance and memorability of our pasts then we need to ignore the mindset that suggests all that is digital is gold! Too many musicians rely on it and are producing music to satisfy marketing minds – rather than amaze the listeners. This needs to change because, if we carry on down this road, music will lose its magic and potential. I am not sure whether there is a way to make quick and effective changes but making small steps is the way to cure the issue. I miss the days of cassettes and find analogue a much richer and warmer sound – the likes of Kate Bush are not wrong! We can still hear analogue music – and those classic artists – but, when they take up more of our time than modern artists; does that signal real issues for the music industry?! I would like to see a greater promotion of traditional recording/release and a relinquishing of this eternal and hardcore grip of the digital. The quality is there (and artists have that promise) but living in this digital-focused and technology-obsessed world means…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

PEOPLE like me will always prefer the music of the past.

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?" Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part I)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: Liv Dawson 

 Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part I)

___________

I guess, if you are a Beyoncé fan, the question…

IN THIS PHOTO: ADI/PHOTO CREDIT: Kristin DeLeo Chalmers 

posed in the headline would be rather obvious – and complete with an exclamatory chorus. The past few weeks have seen a lot of female figures (from the world of entertainment) come forward and document their experience of harassment and assault. That might sound like a depressing way to launch a feature of female artists but I find there are issues in music that will rear their ugly heads – an industry that is no less safe and dependable as acting/T.V. What worries me is how, already, female artists are being overlooked and passed by.

This might not be new to many people’s ears but it is something we need to challenge and rectify. I am always keen to support female artists because, to me, they are more interesting, deep and original. I will do the second part of this feature - and a coupel more - but I have seen a few great artists, I feel, will be big propositions in 2018.

Here is the first instalment of names worth following in the coming year…

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Wyvern Lingo

PHOTO CREDIT: Ruthless Imagery

Location: Bray, E.I.R.E

Genres: Alternative/RnB/Pop

Official Website: http://www.wyvernlingo.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/wyvernlingo/

Stefflon Don

Location: London, U.K.

Genres:  Rap; Alternative; Hip-Hop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stefflondon?lang=en

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/stefflondon.official/

ADI

Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

Genres: Futurebeats

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/adiulmansky

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/AdiUlmanskyOfficial/

Lola Coca

Location: London, U.K.

Genres:  Hip-Hop; Pop

Official: https://www.lolacoca.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Lolacocamusic/

Snoh Aalegra

Location: Stockholm, Sweden; Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Soul; Cinematic-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/snohaalegra

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Snohofficial/

Avante Black

Location: U.K.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

Official: https://www.musicglue.com/avante-black/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/avanteblackband/

Miya Follick

 PHOTO CREDIT: Maya Fuh

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/miyafolick

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/MiyaFolickMusic/

Koko Clay

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Future-Soul

Twitter: https://twitter.com/darealkokoclay?lang=en

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Kokoclaymusic/

Billie Eilish

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: http://www.billieeilish.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/billieeilish/

Harper

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Official: http://www.harpertheartist.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/HarperTheArtist/

 

Elena Ramona

Location: Surrey, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Soul; Alternative; Dance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elenaramonamusic/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmVSlZvqOYKf3qp0bA8b8Bw

Tash Sultana

PHOTO CREDIT: @samgehrkephotography

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Alternative

Official: https://www.tashsultana.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/tashsultanamusic/

Liv Dawson

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.livdawson.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/LivDawsonMusic/

Princess Nokia

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Hip-Hop; Alternative

Official: http://www.princessnokia.org/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/princessnokia92/

Emma Blackery

Location: Essex, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/emmablackery

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaBlackery/

Jorja Smith

Location: Walsall, U.K.

Genres: Singer-Songwriter; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jorjasmith

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/jorjasmithmusic/

Cardi B

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genre: Hip-Hop

Official: http://iamcardib.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/IamCardiB/

Rews

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Rock; Alternative

Official: https://www.rewsmusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/wearerewsmusic/

FEATURE: We’re in Fashion! The Role of Image and Fashion in Music

FEATURE:

 

We’re in Fashion!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest 

The Role of Image and Fashion in Music

___________

PERHAPS it is less prevalent now but, traditionally, there…

has always been a link between fashion and music. Yesterday, on BBC Radio 6 Music, it was their ‘T-Shirt Day’. The point behind it was to celebrate the noble and community-driven spirit of the band T-shirt. Of course, it is not all about bands: plenty of solo artists find their faces/images embossed onto a T-shirt. I wonder whether we still associate music and fashion the same way as we did years ago. Most artists have merchandise and, if they are savvy, will print out T-shirts/clothing for fans and gig-goers. It is a great way for artists to accrue revenue and subsidise their expenses. I know a few acts who have their own look: whether that is a clothing choice or make-up; a brand that is unique to them. I was fascinated by T-Shirt Day as it meant listeners came forward; sharing their snaps of all (band) T-shirts and memories attached to it – a song from that artist was played in return. I have an old Jeff Buckley T-shirt and, although it is faded beyond recognition, it is a treasured item. I have a Queens of the Stone Age T-shirt that I plan on wearing for their gig at the O2 in a couple of weeks. I will come back to the idea of a band/artist T-shirt but, for now, a look back at previous decades and how fashion has evolved. With every important movement comes a new brand and look. I am fascinated by artists like Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley who had a very particular style and aesthetic.

In the 1950s and 1960s; Greasers and Teddy Boys could be found perambulating the streets. Early Rock and Roll pioneers, like Presley, inspired young listeners to adopt the same looks and mannerisms as their hero. Whilst legends like Holly and Presley did not, as such, spearhead a fashion revolt in these decades – they were incredibly influential musicians whose looks and styles resonated with those who sought a new identity and persona. I wonder whether, those who are adopted into clothing/image clans and tribes, feel outsiders and isolated?!

IN THIS PHOTO: Teddy Boys

Certainty, there was a popularity and wave that drew people in: becoming part of a sub-culture that strayed from the conventional and normal. The American, hip-swivelling cool was appropriated by slick-haired guys and impeccably turned-out girls – frequenting milkshake bars and diners. That might seem like a cliché image of the 1950s but one can draw a line between the blare of jukeboxes and diners and the musical stars of the time. By the 1960s, when U.S. Rock and Roll took hold; tastes and fashions assimilated the music – more and more people mimicking the same kind of styles prevalent in the music industry. Teddy Boys were a distinctly British phenomenon. It was typified by young men dressed like Edwardian dandies – decked in Saville Row garments that were almost re-introduced after the Second World War. It was a rebellious statement and iconic look that was inspired by the American Rock and Roll of the 1950s.

IN THIS PHOTO: Teddy Girls

Teddy Girls wore drape jackets and pencil skirts; long plaits and straw boater hats – there were other configurations and options, but that gives an impression of what to expect. One can trace Teddy Girls/Boys to the early-1950s, in London, which spread across the U.K. Maybe that epoch of British/world music was seen as a little vintage and bygone – quite ‘square’ and unhip – but it showed how inspirational music was. To create a fashion culture from music seems like a straightforward concept. If an artist/genre captures the imagination, then the fashions one associates with the artists would, in turn, feed into the consciousness. As the 1960s progressed; phenomena like Psychedelic music and the Summer of Love changed tastes. Peace, pacification and togetherness saw the striped jackets, innocence and gelled hair (in boys) replaced with something a little less organised and uniform. I associate the 1950s/early-1960s with a sense of order and smartness. Although some of the music was rebellious and raucous; the fashions had a dignity and suave that evolved into something less tactful in the space of a few years. Music during the early-1960s saw bands like The Beatles – their initial period of music carried on U.S. Rock and Roll and was less experimental – influence fashions. Their mop-top hair and fashion compelled a generation being brought to life by their extraordinary sounds.

IN THIS PHOTO: Getty

Many had not heard music as striking and original at that time. The guys were pushing Rock and Pop to new heights, and so, seeing the band rise to prominence meant many were copying the fashion and looks of The Fab Four. It wasn’t long until flower-power and psychedelia played a much more dominant role in fashion choices. As The Beatles moved into their more experimental phase – from 1966’s Revolver onwards – and artists like Jimi Hendrix brought a sense of acid and trip to music; eyes were opened to the bright colours, flowers in hair and looser morals. Maybe that shift in innocence was the most prominent trait of the 1950s-1960s transition. From the prim and neat fashion of the 1950s/early-1960s, by the middle of the decade; the popular music at the time was, as you’d expect, guiding fashion decisions. I am a fan of the Flower Power boom and the rather uncouth, unwashed look. The flowers-in-the-hair seems ludicrously juxtaposed against today’s climate but, back then, the world was facing the same sort of issues we have now. Artists reflected the need for peace and calm with songs that embraced togetherness and nature; the beauty of the world and togetherness. Perhaps the Antifolk movement that followed was a reaction to the somewhat tame sentiments coming from music. The biggest change in fashion can be seen between the 1960s psychedelia and colours to the rebellious and intense look of Punk.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Whether you trace the explosion in fashion/a look to The Clash, Sex Pistols or Ramones: Punk of the early-1970s fostered a generation who were keen to mimic and idolise their heroes. It is interesting seeing certain genres propel their own fashion. You get a certain style with Soul and Disco but, when it comes to Punk, there is a very definite projection. From the ringed noses and lips to the spiked hair (often coloured) and leathers. This get-up can be seen as a natural extension of the Rockers – who clashed with the Mods in the 1960s and 1970s. By 1964; clashes between them intensified and, by the early-1970s, the movements had quietened. The groups were seen as troublemakers but, aside from the conflicts, the two tribes had their own look and fashions. The Rockers were greased and rode motorcycles; influenced by icons like Marlon Brando – a tough aesthetic that reflected the Rock sounds of the time. Mods rode scooters and were clean-cut and suited – inspired by Blues, Soul and Beat music (bands like The Who and Small Faces were their leaders). Punk eradicated the suaveness and prim fashion of Mods and upped the Rockers rawness. Bands like Sex Pistols acted as rebels and dissatisfied youths who were rallying against the nation and Government. If the Mods preferred the 1960s fineness; the Rockers, the classic Rock and Roll a decade before – Punk was in the moment and reacting to the divisions in the country.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Many see it as a purely British movement but Punk transcended around the globe. Perhaps less troublesome than Rockers and Mods before them: Punks still mirrored the unruliness and rabble of the music they lionised. Frontmen like Johnny Rotten and Joe Strummer articulated the inner-pains and angers of their generation. It was unsurprising such a powerful and vital movement should see its acolytes adopt its garb and colours. Punk clothing and elements are still popular in some areas. There are plenty of modern Punk bands but many dress in a ‘Punk style’ as part of their everyday attire. That cannot be said of Disco and Mods – although, the latter has been modernised and streamlined, to an extent. It is interesting looking at the connectivity between music and fashion. Whilst Mod-influenced music has continued; there are 1950s-influenced artists – fashions from that period have not survived to the present time. Music that has endured – Punk and Rock – have found their modern-day fans/artists updated trends and keeping the spirit alive. Not that we have such a wave of Punk bands and the eye-catching fashions of the time – but there are those who still look up to Sex Pistols and the finest Punk pioneers when it comes to forging their identity and personality. It is not about fads and fitting in: musicians in each genre vocalise stress and misunderstandings many of their fans stigmatise. If a Punk artist talks about dissatisfaction or pain; if they verbalise something few feel confident addressing – that is much more powerful than fitting in with the fashions and tastes of the time. I think that is why the Punk look has survived. It represents non-conformity and being outside the circle – at a time like today; many feel isolated and alone.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

We can skip over some of the 1980s fashions – quite tragic in a lot of ways. Although the music of the 1980s was terrific: the bright clothing, huge hair and Primark-lite clothing has, luckily, become extinct. I am planning a piece on the 1980s and how the sounds of the time are proving popular with a lot of new artists. It is possible to return to the decade without degrading that by dressing like a 1980s star. That said; many young listeners looked at artists from Madonna and Spandau Ballet and were captivated by how they looked. The New Romantic era saw acts like Duran Duran and ABC – maybe outside the nucleus but still playing a similar style – proffer their version of Goth, perhaps. There was a more romantic – and less moody – sense but, in the big coats and outrageous hair; one can draw a line between Goth styles and the New Romantic wave. Maybe it was a little too dandy and wimpy. One cannot imagine someone dressing like Spandau Ballet and surviving a trip through the London Underground! Although those styles/fashions were a reaction to the limits of the period – the music endured but the fashion did not – it showed how influenced people were by musicians. Into the 1990s and, I guess, the biggest fashion asset was Grunge. Britpop did have its own look but not as defined and popular as Grunge. That is, to me, one of the last and great coming-togethers. You can talk about Acid House, Rave and Alternative Rock genres as having their own D.N.A.: Grunge was a different beast. Like Punk and its ragged clothing and attitude-laden swagger: Grunge was a more introverted, though no less angered, form of music.

IN THIS PHOTO: Duan Duran/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

The artists during the late 1980s-early-1990s had intensity and vitriol but it seemed, in terms of lyrics, they were more introverted and depressed. Punk was about uprising and protest: Grunge was more concerned with alienation and youthful disenfranchisement. Baggier trousers and fewer tattoos; leaders like Kurt Cobain spread-heading a look that was taken to heart by legions of teenage fans. One can argue whether the fashion of Grunge was as important as the music but the two went hand-in-hand. There are few Grunge fans who would have detached from the perceived fashions of the time. Longer hair and looser clothing; maybe hair dyed black and band T-shirts adorned. There would have been variations but one knows the sort of look a Grunge fan would have sported. That movement lasted until, I guess, the mid-1990s and I wonder whether any movement has taken its place. I started by looking at T-Shirt Day on BBC Radio 6 Music because most of the inclusions were from older acts. Merchandise is important now but one wonders whether it is a commercial endeavour rather than part of a genre’s tapestry. Many artists make more money from T-shirts/clothing than they do albums: others are the other way around. I have a few band T-shirts and would proudly wear them. In the arenas, small venues and concerts; these T-shirts are a symbol of belonging and unity. How far they spread outside the venues is debatable. There are so many genres and styles out there: none really have that universal appeal that leads to its own look and movement.

IN THIS PHOTO: Nirvana/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Sure; we still have Punk bands and Metal gods; Rave artists and 1980s Pop bands – those compelled by the decade. Looking back at band/music T-shirts is remembering times when fashion was as woven into music as anything; when a genre’s completeness and membership was about the music AND fashion. That does not really happen now. I guess merchandise is as close as we get to fashion in music nowadays. Ever since the 1940s and 1950s; music-lovers have followed their idols and dressed the same way – stunned and hooked by the power of the genre. Maybe there are too many sounds out there and no real way of focusing on a single movement. That lack of tribalism and community is a problem in music. I am not saying something as common and simple as a T-shirt/look but we associate Punk and Psychedelia with clothing as much as the music itself. Nostalgia can be found celebrating bands/artists and the T-shirts we proudly sported back then. There is something bittersweet about dusting those T-shirts off but allows one to reflect on the past – when certain genres had their uniform and created a sense of belonging and safety. I feel music would be a lot stronger and compelling if we could revert to decades past and rediscover that spark. I love how fashion and music interconnect and play off one another. Character and personality help preserve music and ensure its fabrics and spirit remains for future generations. If we were able to find a way of igniting that spark; crystallising a genre’s brilliance with its own look; starting a revolution of looks and sound, then, hey…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

WHO knows what could happen?!

FEATURE: The Last of the Great Northern Lovers: Why There Needs to Be a Revolution in Music

FEATURE:

 

The Last of the Great Northern Lovers:

 IMAGE CREDIT: @lightupgoldII

Why There Needs to Be a Revolution in Music

________

THERE are a lot of different issues and areas of discussion…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kevin Spacey/PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage

popping up right now. We cannot help but see the ongoing stories concerning the likes of Kevin Spacey – high-profile actors/creatives who have been accused of sexual assault. More names are being singled out and it seems, following the Harvey Weinstein furore; there are people finding the courage to come forward and tell their stories. I have written about music and why there needs to be an explosion of change and progression. I am not saying we need to have people policing the industry and cleansing it: I see a lot of murkiness and poison in other areas of entertainment and it seems music needs to react and show it is can learn from those lessons. Although film and T.V. are not being tarnished too heavily by these accusations and unfoldings; one wonders what will happen going forward. Music is not a space that should be canonised and assumes clean and beyond reproach. It is the same as any other sector of entertainment: people will be committing crimes and abusing trust. I worry there is an institutionalised sense of ignorance whereby eyes are turned blind and people feel the need to bury their experiences under the rug – through fear they’d be marginalised and ignored. All of this is a background that fuels a desire; that kick-starts a need to make a positive change. I have bandied around ideas surrounding a music charity: a universal cause and commitment that will draw together people from music – and other areas of the arts – and send a positive message to the people. The charity – I have dabbled and toyed with names – would join everyone together in a creative and productive cause. I feel music is not being utilised and substantiated in an effective and progressive way. By that; there are few large-scale charities that represent a number of different causes and people. Mental-health is a big concern in music: I am seeing so many scarred and affected by its daily jab and haunt. There are those struggling, financially, who come from poorer backgrounds; musicians and creatives with disabilities and illnesses. It is not only those within music that could benefit and profit from an umbrella charity.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

There would be a social media component whereby a site would exist that would house all the charity but provide other options and access. There would be helplines for those who suffer abuse and discriminations; forums that raise issues around sexism and racism – not only in music but general society – and other ills. The hub would be a website that would have a few different sides. I have talked about creating a music website whereby one would have their music needs all in one place. You would be able to converse and connect with musicians around the world. There would be the option to listen to all digital stations available; get all your music needs in one space. I worry sites like YouTube and Spotify have a lot of great music but never organise it in an effective way. I often stumble on songs I had forgotten about or struggle to locate the song I want. This site – as I said; name to be confirmed – would make that easy and draw everything together. That is one of the most important points of any music site: housing what has come before and is around of the moment; making it simple for people to access to. In addition; one can learn how to play instruments and get software/programmes that simulate instruments. There would be links to music educational facilities and chances to collaborate with producers/artists online; a special site where you can bond with fellow music lovers and attend gigs together – share tips and find the best new acts around. A ‘music map’ would compartmentalise all the bands/artists from every town in the world. You can find artists quicker and break it down by town/city; country or genre. It would save a lot of time and make searching a lot easier. Many might be familiar with this kind of thing: I have raised this prospect before and want to make a site that goes a lot further than what is out there.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay/Unsplash

This is not for business reasons or financial gain: there is a lot of confusion, separation and anger right now. I know music will continue as normal and the actual business of recording and releasing is most important. I am worried problems, issues and concerns are going unnoticed; those who want to discover great new music – and preserve that which has come before – are not having their voices listened to. So much of today’s music is driven by business and commercialism: maybe that was always the case but, the larger the industry comes, the greater the need for regulation and order. I am split between the need to provide an ethical platform and open pulpit – where subjects like sexual abuse, mental ill health and discrimination can be tackled – and organise music of the past (so the full spectrum can be discovered and enjoyed) and present (so underground acts and the mainstream can be organised into one site; easier to find those hidden gems, too) into a single place. Social media is great when it comes to sharing bands/artists; albums/songs and news without much thought and effort. I worry music is one side of social media but there is nothing that specifically distinguished and highlights music away from everything else – Twitter and Facebook are open platforms where anyone, anywhere can put what they want on there. Sounds Like Friday Night is a new, live music show that collates performances, comedy and chat into one show. It is presented by Greg James and Dotty (BBC radio) and has been met with mixed reviews. The idea is admirable but I wonder whether it is a natural replacement for shows like Top of the Pops. There are not many music shows on T.V. – Jools Holland’s long-running series is quite niche – so it was as admiral effort to put down.

IN THIS PHOTO: Greg James and Dotty

Whilst its chemistry and construct might not be the breakthrough many had hoped: it is a sign people are lusting after a music show and a return to older days. I am caught in a blizzard of nostalgia at the moment and have been rediscovering sounds that soundtracked by childhood. It is great revisiting the past and it makes me realise the importance of bringing these artists to the new generation. How this site would take shape I am not too sure – what it will be called, and how large it would be, has yet to be seen. I worry we are spending too much time on the Internet but I guess that is the way things are going. The point of my initiative is to get people more involved with other aspects of music – not only the songs/artists themselves but engage in worthy causes and charities; proactively get out into the world and help those less fortunate. I guess the site/idea is a reaction to the problems swirling and how many I see suffering – my social media feeds are filled with updates of emotional stress and loss. Music has the power to make real change and impact the world in a very potent and transformative way. More than anything; I want to utilise what is already out there in the world and put it in a separate environment for those interested. Social media is great when it comes to sharing music but I feel, from a personal perspective, it can be quite destructive and isolating. Music is a sacred and inspirational side of the arts that has created some of the finest work the world has ever seen. I worry – as I have speculated in other pieces – there will be controversy and accusations levelled at some of its stars and figures. We are in a very dark and turbulent time right now so it is vital we find a way of providing love and positivity – tackling any issues and ensuring we learn from it.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I guess ‘love’ is the biggest message from all of this. I feel music is doing what it should do: providing entertainment and pleasure to the people. If we leave it at that then we are ignoring the depths and potential of music. It has the power and strength to change lives and make real changes in the world. I am discussing ideas with web developers and hope to have something formulated but I have been troubled by news coming from the acting world – wondering if it will hit music and, if so, how hard. I am concerned the music business today is too focused on business and streaming figures: that is getting in the way with the joys of music and all it can do in the world. Maybe that is a natural side-effect of a modern and technological world. I am seeing so many problems form and divisions remain. Whether that is sexism or sex; racism and discrimination – there is a lot of work to be done and practices that need reversing. The rise of mental-health issues and struggles is causing much concern. I am troubled by young people’s lack of understanding when it comes to the past. It is not the case with everyone (of a certain age) but I am troubled by the notion certain acts and albums will be forgotten in time. Feeding music and letting its fine and powerful animal do damage through the world is demanded and necessary. Maybe I am a dreamer – and the practicality and pragmatism of the notion will overwhelm the desire – but I feel this is the time we need to put our hearts and minds together and create a distinct movement – whether it is physical or electronic. Oh…and when it comes to the first part of this feature’s title – and whether it has any deeper meaning – I can reveal…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

IT just sounded like a bit of fun (and a possible album title)!

FEATURE: New York’s Finest: The Best Artists from the Empire State

FEATURE:

 

New York’s Finest:

PHOTO CREDIT: W magazine

The Best Artists from the Empire State

________

THE state of New York was dealt a blow…

after the terrorist attacks claimed lives and rocked the people. It was a scar for a proud and strong part of the world: they will not be cowed and are rebuilding and carrying on as normal. I have always had an affection of the musicians of New York so, as we head into the final days of this year, I have been looking at the New York-based artists, I feel, will be making a big mark in 2018.

It is always hard to say which musicians will fail and which will rise – music is an ever-changing and unpredictable mistress. I am confident, mind, these artists will make a case for New York; show what the city (and state) is all about – and show what a variety of stunning musicians there are there.

________

Eddi Front

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EDDIFRONTOFFICIAL/

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/eddifront

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDQM0EApz2Q6AZLegouK3Dg

Eartheater

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Official: http://www.eartheater.solar/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexdrewchin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Eartheater-106267762383/

Zuli

BandCamp: https://zuli.bandcamp.com/releases

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zuli_jr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zulidude/

Ex Reyes

PHOTO CREDIT: Leslye Davis

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC76I2Yigv4IjFkd-jdV5vWw

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EX_REYES?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExReyesAlways/

Baby Shakes

BandCamp: https://babyshakesny.bandcamp.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebabyshakes

Official: http://baby-shakes.squarespace.com/

Breanna Barbara

BandCamp: https://breannabarbara.bandcamp.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Breanna_Barbara

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breannabarbaramusic

>

Josh Michaels

Official: http://www.joshmichaelsmusic.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialJoshMichaels/

Casey Hopkins

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/caseyhopkinsduo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCaseyHopkinsTrio/

Vagabon

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Official: https://vagabonvagabon.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vagabonvagabon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vagabonjour/

Patio

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/patio-681033922

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pati0band?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patioband/

WALL

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1wwIWCS55JD5X6PlR9aBMT

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wearewall?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearewall/

 

Dakota Jones

BandCamp: https://dakotajonesband.bandcamp.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dakotajonesband?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DakotaJonesBand/

FEATURE: The Best Singles of 2017 (So Far)

FEATURE:

 IN THIS PHOTO: Morrissey 

The Best Singles of 2017 (So Far)

________

I brought together my favourite albums of this year…

IN THIS PHOTO: Camila Cabello/PHOTO CREDIT: Cibelle Levi for L’Oréal Paris

in a piece yesterday afternoon. Today; I could not help reflect on the singles that have stayed in my head the longest – those that have made the biggest impression. In this collection are songs from Lorde, Baxter Dury and The Hempolics: an eclectic and genre-hopping rundown that forms the soundtrack of my 2017. This year has been a huge one for music. It has provided more unexpected treats than any I can remember; always capturing the imagination and senses – out of it all has been a river of marvellous music that has thrilled and struck music lovers.

Here is my list of the best tracks of this year (so far)…

________

Beth Ditto – Savior Faire

Album: Fake Sugar

I was not a fan of the song to start with but, over time, it has wormed its way into my consciousness. Fake Sugar is an album that departs from The Gossip’s material and sees Ditto establish her own sound. Glittering, lush guitar strings and a striking vocal lead makes it one of the biggest songs of the year.

The Hempolics – Boss Clock Me Style

Album: Kiss, Cuddle & Torture Volume 1

This is unlikely to shift from the position of My Favourite Single of 2017 because its infectiousness and sweet-leaf soothe get into the bones with alacrity. The chorus is a classic slice of gold: Reggae vibes with some seriously captivating vocals. It is Urban Reggae with a dash of Soul: just what we need after such a hard year.

Baxter Dury – Miami

Album: Prince of Tears

Any child of Ian Dury would have a weight on their shoulders: Baxter is not a man who would allow that pressure to guide his career. Miami is a perfect example of where his music is at. The established songwriter created a slithering, street-ready strut that provided the first glimpse of the album, Prince of Tears. Its lyrics mix weird and humorous; the vocals constantly shaping and curious – the overall effect is a perfect track for those who prefer their music raw, cheeky and utterly brilliant.

Robert Plant – Bones of Saints

Album: Carry Fire

No Robert Plant single is ever going to disappoint: Carry Fire’s hottest track is a classic slice from the former Led Zeppelin lead. It rumbles and gravels as the hero provides an assortment of mystical and mystical visions. The song takes us to otherworldly realms and clean bones – battles waged and spirits lifted to the skies.

Jordan Rakei – Goodbyes

Album: Wallflower

It is those harmonies that do it for me! The chorus is impossibly gorgeous, swooning and chocolate-smooth. It is like being trapped in a cobweb of the angels: fighting against the layers and weaves of vocal Heaven and sumptuous allure. Jordan Rakei’s Goodbyes shows he is among the finest young songwriters of the moment. Similar beautiful moments can be found on Wallflowers: none that scale the same dizzying heights as Goodbyes.

Wolf Alice – Beautifully Unconventional

Album: Visions of a Life

Visions of a Life will challenge the contenders for the best albums of this year. Among the eclectic and electric songs are some insane and menacing slams; more contemplative and emotive numbers – Beautifully Unconventional strays between the two camps. The London band has created one of this year’s best albums for sure. Their energy and kinetic charge; the incredible songwriting and diversity – all of this funnelled into the exceptional single, Beautifully Unconventional.

Morrissey – Spent the Day in Bed

Album: Low in High School

The album is not out yet but Low in High School’s lead-off single is classical Morrissey! Its lyrics look at the hero wiling the hours in bed as the workers slave and battle the public transport network. It may not be as literal as that: more, a survey of self-care and the need to disassociate and detach from propaganda, fear and the sheep-herd. It is a huge song whose chorus will remain in the head for weeks. It remains to be seen whether Low in High School will equal Morrissey’s best albums. On the evidence of its introductory single; it seems dedicated fans might have a new favourite.

Amp Fiddler (ft. J. Dilla, T3 and Neco Redd) – Return of the Ghetto Fly

I am not normally a fan of collaborations – where a song gets multiple names stuffed into it. I can make an exception for something as smooth, seductive and fabulous as Return of the Ghetto Fly. Amp Fiddler and his cohorts craft one of the year’s finest tracks. I am not sure the exact origins of the lyrics but, on a base level, can connect with its themes, tones and timbre. A hugely memorable song that should soundtrack everyone’s 2017.

Album: Single Release

Lorde – Green Light

Album: Melodrama

There were some nerves around the release of Melodrama: an album that followed 2013’s Pure Heroine. The New Zealand-born artist defied odds and expectations with Green Light. It is a song that – as Lorde told Pitchfork when probed – “…is really about those moments kind of immediately after your life changes and about all the silly little things that you gravitate towards. I say, 'She thinks you love the beach, you're such a liar.' What the fuck, she thinks you like the beach?! You don't like the beach! It's those little stupid things”. Whatever the origins: it is a sensational and endlessly impressive cut from an artist growing stronger and more peerless by the album.

Camila Cabello (ft. Young Thug) – Havana

Album: The Hurting. The Healing. The Loving

This might, traditionally, prove more popular with those who prefer their music mainstream and commercial. To me; it is a song that has accessibility and cross-boundary appeal. It is a song I have bonded with and can appreciate. Its themes of romance and yearning are never common and predictable: always stemming from a unique hard documenting a very particular origin and passion. I expect big things from Cabello as she makes her stamp on modern music.

Princess Nokia – G.O.A.T.

Album: Single Release  

Despite her name and contradictory nature: there is nothing outdated and regal about Princess Nokia! She is a modern artist who is as fresh and of-the-moment as they come. Although there are no pretences and graces with her: the music does have a lot of depth – more than one might expect from a new star on the R&B/Rap scene. Her compelling mixture of sounds and vocal nuances make a song like G.O.A.T. more than an acronym. It is a confident, brain-troubling song that, by the second listen, will have you singing along.

Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights

Julien Baker’s Turn Out the Lights is one of the most impressive albums of this year. It documents everything from sexuality to mental illness. It is a frank and open work from a songwriter who has tackled prejudice and anxieties through the years. Above it all is a one-of-a-kind songwriter who pours her life and soul onto the page. Her latest album’s title-track has candour and emotional elements but never pushes the listener away. It is a typically assured and stirring track from Baker.

Album: Turn Out the Lights

FEATURE: The Best Albums of 2017 (So Far)

FEATURE:

IN THIS PHOTO: Robert Plant/PHOTO CREDIT: The Guardian

The Best Albums of 2017 (So Far) 

________

IT is almost the end of the year - so it is a good time…

IN THIS PHOTO: Lucy Rose/PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Lewis Photography

to look at the albums that have come before. Everyone has their opinions regarding the biggest and best of 2017. I have brought together my choices and the albums, I feel, have defined this year. There is a mixture of male/female; various genres and nationalities thrown in – from mainstream Pop queens to poetic Indie; through Punk blasts and Hip-Hop.

It is a compelling and interesting blend that, I hope, people will agree with. It is evident this year has been very productive and assured – producing some incredible records from musicians at the top of their game!

________

Benjamin Clementine – I Tell a Fly

“But what’s particularly impressive is that it’s not a theme addressed simply in the lyrics, but evoked by a constantly shifting, discomfiting musical backdrop, in which polite piano and harpsichord motifs are disrupted by jarring bursts of throbbing, whining synthesiser and layers of Clementine’s own bizarrely operatic background vocal keening and muttering” - Independent

Release Date: 15th September  

Label: Universal Music Publ. K.K

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/user/indebanvan/playlist/0AbX0DppkiQHUPAlPmp9Tz

Wolf Alice – Visions of a Life

Release Date: 29th September

Label: Dirty Hit

“In some ways, Wolf Alice’s second album is an extension of their 2015 debut, ‘My Love Is Cool’. That excellent record was restless, too, flitting from hypnotic, electronic folk to teeth-baring rock” – NME

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4igFAe5sMPXBZRHj66tP8c

 

Lucy Rose – Something’s Changing

Release Date: 7th July

Label: COMMUNION

“Something’s Changing is a culmination of much-welcomed growth for Rose. She has the ability to make listeners feel: when she’s struggling to find comfort in her own skin, finding joy in life and questioning her path. Her most recent body of work shows Rose finding her sense of self, but makes it relatable to listeners. It’s that connection that solidifies Rose’s career on the folk world” – Paste Music

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1W9INKEeQf3OjBnSJSvSS3

Robert Plant – Carry Fire

Release Date: 13th October

Labels: Nonesuch Records/Warners

“Lyrically, Plant, like the best artists of his generation, takes a meditative position throughout, wistfully looking back as aging and mortality haunt the back of his mind. "And now the carnival is over," he sings on "Dance With You Tonight." "Someone turned out the light." It's a recurring theme on Carry Fire, even if Plant doesn't explicitly state it. The haunting loops that drift through many of the songs serve as a reminder of life's cyclical nature. "The seasons turn, and once again our world will change," he sings on "A Way With Words," driving home the point.

Plant occasionally carries his deep growl into higher registers here, but his "Whole Lotta Love" days are behind him. And he seems just fine with that. Carry Fire takes the same musical foundations Zeppelin leaned on all those years ago, mainly blues and the Eastern flavors heard on "Kashmir," and positions them into more natural and seasoned settings. Plant, in turn, sounds right at home” - Ultimate Classic Rock

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4f7U9Rycl2d3KMLoiEZtve

Baxter Dury – Prince of Tears

Release Date: 27th October

Label: Heavenly Recordings

“It all adds up to a short, sharp blast of an album. Pretty much every punch lands. Dury is alternately very funny, oddly disturbing and genuinely touching, which is a lot of ground to cover in under half an hour. The shadow of his father still lurks around, but then, anyone who choses to deliver beautifully observed vignettes in a London-accented sprechgesang voice is going to find themselves working in Ian Dury’s shade, regardless of who their dad was. And on Prince of Tears, the songs are so good, the author’s parentage scarcely seems to matter” – The Guardian

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/3qb5B25qWfVjvWzFVmci0f

St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION

Release Date: 13th October

Label: Loma Vista Recordings

“The sense with MASSEDUCTION is that Annie Clark puts all of herself into her creations. It was easy before to associate this with a face. It was enough that a video clip of her telling whoever watching that she loves them could go viral. But slowly we’ve associated St. Vincent with all of the complexity that is Annie Clark, turning her into one of the most complex, challenging, and fascinating figures in contemporary music. It’s not her goal to show that she’s worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as the great masters. But it’s her willingness to follow whims, to push herself, and to take her audiences along for the ride that does it for her” – Consequence of Sound

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4RoOGpdrgfiIUyv0kLaC4e

Queens of the Stone Age – Villains

Release Date: 25th August

Label: Matador

“Yet there's no lack of crushing guitars. The single "The Evil Has Landed" squalls over brutally clipped beats, suggesting latter-day Led Zep if they'd wrapped their head around New Wave. "Head Like a Haunted House" goes further, a galloping assault pitched between Devo and the Buzzcocks, with theremin sounds wailing like a supercomputer meltdown in a trashy '50s sci-fi film. Headbangers may be put off that QOTSA is now targeting feet and asses; too bad for them” – Rolling Stone

Steam: https://open.spotify.com/album/6JdX9MGiEMypqYLMKyIE8a

Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

Release Date: 14th April

Label: Top Dawg Entertainment

“He bobs in and out of this perspective, but the repeated pledges to loyalty and martyrdom evoke the life and mind of a young gang member who carries his neighborhood flag because no one’s proved to him that he shouldn’t. These choices, Lamar suggests, aren’t pre-determined or innate, but in constant dialogue with and in reaction to their surrounding circumstances. They aren’t above or beneath anyone who can hear his voice. Success and failure choose their subjects at their whim; we’re as grateful as Kendrick for his fate” – Pitchfork

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4eLPsYPBmXABThSJ821sqY

Laura Marling – Semper Femina

Release Date: 10th March

Label: Kobalt Music Group

“Ms. Marling doesn’t cast herself as heroine or victim, angel or avenger. She does something trickier, and perhaps braver. Cleareyed, calmly determined and invitingly tuneful, she captures each situation in all its ambiguity” - NY Times

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/25vCo942umSnfQJl6MIOnn

Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps

Release Date: 14th September

Label: Dead Oceans

“That’s not to say that she throws the proverbial sink at the record, though. The strings on the quietly devastating ‘Funeral’ roll away subtly in the background, just as they do on standout ‘Scott Street’. ‘Motion Sickness’ and ‘Chelsea’ are both nuanced and intelligent in their use of electric guitar, and when she experiments a little - see the downtempo electronic flourishes on ‘Georgia’, as well as its programmed percussion track - it tends to come off. ‘Stranger in the Alps’ is as accomplished a solo debut as you’ll hear all year - a quietly devastating listen worthy of Phoebe Bridgers’ obvious influences” – DIY

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/0AkAmg94XyiHODJaiGHh9O

Sampha – Process

Release Date: 3rd February  

Label: Young Turks

“The samples on Reverse Faults are melded into an insistent, slightly groggy pulse that’s both compelling and unsettling. Nothing feels in thrall to current trends in R&B, either sonically or emotionally: Sisay may have been a constant, quiet presence on other people’s records last year, but Process doesn’t sound much like any of them. Instead, it’s a weighty, powerful album with an identity entirely of its own. And while clearly not constructed with commercial ambition at the forefront of its mind, it’s certainly good enough to make an unlikely star of the man behind it” – The Guardian

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2gUSWVHCOerKhJHZRwhVtN

Lorde – Melodrama

Release Date: 16th June

Labels: Lava; Republic

“It’s a rudely excellent album, introspective without ever being indulgent, OTT in all the right ways, honest and brave, full of brilliant songs with lyrics to chew over for months. The message might be that Lorde considers herself wild and flawed and bruised (“I’ll love you till you call the cops on me,” she sings, on the deliciously bitter ‘Writer In The Dark’), but we all do sometimes. That’s the neatest trick the album pulls off – universal connection, in spite of the squad and the praise and the superstardom and the pressure. Humanity intact. Artistry assured. Brilliance confirmed”- NME

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2B87zXm9bOWvAJdkJBTpzF

FEATURE: Albums to Watch Out for in November

FEATURE:

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sam Smith 

Albums to Watch Out for in November

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OCTOBER has been a really productive and…

IN THIS PHOTO: Grace VanderWaal

top-notch month for new music! Great albums from the likes of Baxter Dury and St. Vincent have amazed critics and stunned listeners. We are in the final throes of October but, before we head into November, it is worth looking back and remembering all the sturdy and awesome albums we have been lucky enough to witness.

Now, as November is moving into view; there are so many fascinating L.P.s arriving in the coming four weeks. Morrissey’s Low in High School must be the most-anticipated record of the year; Stereophonics, Sam Smith and Taylor Swift release new material – some of the mainstream’s biggest rubbing shoulders with Moz. In addition; Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Kid Rock are unleashing their latest albums – what more could you ask for?!

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Stereophonics – Scream Above the Sounds

Release Date: 3rd

Labels: Stylus Records/Parlophone

Follow: https://twitter.com/stereophonics

Grace VanderWaal – Just the Beginning

Release Date: 3rd

Labels: Columbia/Syco

Follow: https://twitter.com/GraceVanderWaal

Sam Smith – The Thrill of It All

Release Date: 3rd

Label: Capitol Records

Follow: https://twitter.com/samsmithworld

Kid Rock – Sweet Southern Sugar

Release Date: 3rd   

Labels: Top Dog Records, Inc./BMG Rights Management (US) LLC

Follow: https://twitter.com/KidRock

Evanescence – Synthesis

Release Date: 10th

Label: Sony Music

Follow: https://twitter.com/evanescence

Taylor Swift – Reputation

Release Date: 10th

Label: Big Machine

Follow: https://twitter.com/taylorswift13

Sleigh Bells – Kid Kruschev

Release Date: 10th

Label: Lucky Number

Follow: https://twitter.com/sleighbells

Barenaked Ladies – Fake Nudes

Release Date: 17th

Label: Universal Music LLC

Follow: https://twitter.com/barenakedladies

Mavis Staples – If All I Was Was Black

Release Date: 17th

Label: Anti-Records

Follow: https://twitter.com/mavisstaples

Charlotte Gainsbourg – Rest

Release Date: 17th

Label: Because Music

Follow: https://twitter.com/cgainsbourg

Morrissey – Low in High School

Release Date: 17th

Label: BGM Rights Management

Follow: https://twitter.com/officialmoz

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Who Built the Moon?

Release Date: 24th

Label: Caroline International

Follow: https://twitter.com/NoelGallagher

Simeon Walker – Mono

Release Date: 24th

Label: (Self-released)

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/simeonwalkermusic