NATALIYA - HONEST

First impressions are important for any artist, and this debut single from fresh new songstress Nataliya is a perfect example of how to enter into the industry properly. Her first track titled ‘Honest’ is an impactful and soulful pop record that will leave you wanting more. A catchy chorus wrapped up with smooth and mellow r&b rhythms layered over Nataliya’s soft vocal tones creates a song that is widely accessible and sure to be popular with many. It’s always great when you hear a new artist and immediately see a lot of promise and potential. For me this LA based singer is one of those special cases and although little is known about her right now, I cannot wait to hear more material from her in the future.  

SKOTT - MERMAID

I have been a huge fan of SKOTT ever since she debuted with her single Porcelain in 2016, a beautiful and fragile indie folk song that highlighted SKOTT’s now notorious vocal range. Since her debut and after releasing a handful of other songs throughout last year and earlier this year, SKOTT has had a permanent place on my one’s to watch list. She has remained extremely consistent in producing delightfully dark and mystical indie folk songs with a pop edge. For me, it is always an extra special treat when the Norwegian songstress releases a new single into the world and with her new track ‘Mermaid’ once again SKOTT surpasses expectations and continues to show off her vocal capabilities. The track features very atmospheric production and is arranged in a familiar way with explosive choruses and brooding verses layered over minimal electronic beats. The track also incorporates a recurring piano hook that is extremely catchy and adds yet another dimension to the song. 

The choruses within the song are where you find SKOTT’s voice truly shines as she showcases her ability to reach damn near inhuman falsetto notes. The track features less of a dark alternative/indie folk vibe than past releases and instead leans more towards an indie pop type sound. Overall, the mystical and dreamy musical style that SKOTT has mastered and become known for is well represented in this song and adds to her already very consistent and impressive discography. Her distinct and unconventional indie folk sound is growing in popularity and if you’re not a fan of SKOTT already, you should be after listening to this. 

RATIONALE - LOVING LIFE

Rationale is one act that has remained consistently impressive with his releases and his distinct  vocal abilities. I first discovered his stunning vocal talent in 2015 after hearing his song ‘Fast Lane’ which is a paradoxically slow burning gem with understated guitar twangs and soothing synthesisers. After a string of releases in the past two years he is back with another remarkable song. His unique voice is always a treat to hear and much like his previous releases this new single titled ‘Loving Life’ does not disappoint. The song, like many of his past releases, perfectly showcases Rationale’s powerful voice. Since his debut in 2015, he has proven his voice is extremely versatile and can fit into multiple genres from soulful R&B and Synth Pop to creating house oriented records like this new track. Ever since his debut, Rationale’s musical style always carries a heady synth pop rhythm with booming vocals layered on top. With this new track his vocal abilities continue to impress as his voice rises and falls into falsetto highs and soulful lows. 

The new track has an addictive summery vibe and a catchy chorus that will remain stuck in your head for days. For too long Rationale’s talent has been underrated but with a debut album just around the corner I’m certain he will not be kept under the radar for much longer. You can expect his self titled debut album to be released on the 6th of October this year and to celebrate you can catch him touring the biggest cities in the UK throughout October. 

BILLIE EILISH - COPYCAT

Billie Eilish is a young singer songwriter who is constantly growing in popularity and confidence. After hearing her first two singles Ocean Eyes and Six Feet Under last year I was not only amazed by her creative songwriting and distinct vocals but also shocked to learn that she is only 15 years old. This year she’s back with a handful of new songs that hint towards a first album in the near future and is a taster of her soon to be released EP ‘don’t smile at me’. After releasing the extremely catching and dark ‘Bellyache’ in March she has subsequently released singles ‘Bored’ and ‘Watch’ in June, all three perfectly being used to illustrate the musical style of the young Billie Eilish. For someone so young, Billie Eilish’s music oozes maturity and confidence, she already knows her place in the music industry and is already secure in the type of music she wants to continue producing. 

The newest addition to her growing collection of releases is called ‘copycat’ and was released on the 13th of this month. Once again, the menacing and twisted quality of her music shines through. The distorted bass and heavy percussion coupled with Billie’s clever songwriting and brooding melancholic voice (that has become her trademark at this point) creates a song that is dark and satisfying. The song gives us a glimpse of the music style and brand Billie is attempting to carve out for herself. Within the space of one year Billie Eilish has gone from promising singer songwriter to rising pop power house, there is no doubt that pretty soon she’s going to be big. I’ll be eagerly awaiting more new material from this talented young artist in the run up to the release of her ‘don’t smile at me’ EP.