New Jersey native Nader might be the breakthrough artist that the modern age of R&B needs. His sound is flexible, haunting, and most importantly, it’s unique. His new track “Games” is inspired from a past relationship Nader was involved in, where the female party was manipulative and controlling, constantly playing “games” with him while Nader was trying to take the relationship seriously. Without a doubt, the lullaby-like track is sure to tug at your heartstrings.
Indianapolis artist Magi is a diverse musician who draws influences from many different artists and sounds. After hearing Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool at the age of thirteen, Magi decided to begin to write songs. His featured track "Mercy" features a production style is very similar to that of Daft Punk, with an electronic beat layered with sprinkles of hip-hop and pop elements.
There will be plenty more to come from Magi in the future, so be sure to follow him on SoundCloud at LongLiveMagi to stay up to date with all of his new releases.
Northwest hip-hop duo KnowMads may have started out as rivals, but they have since joined forces to become one of the more exciting groups coming out of Seattle. As they attended rival high schools, the two would often engage in freestyle battles during football games, and soon decided to team up and create the duo KnowMads. Their third EP, 2012’s The Knewbook, hit number seven on the iTunes hip-hop charts, opening up opportunities for them to open for major artists, such as Macklemore and Chance The Rapper. The duo is now based in LA, and their featured song “101 (THE GOOD STUFF)” is an upbeat and happy track that will appear on their upcoming LP Knew School.
Swiss producer Askery has taken the charts by storm, hitting the top 10 on Beatport with his hit songs “Control,” “Float Alone,” and “Bombay.” His newest track “Castle” features singer/songwriter Jax, and everything about it is sensational. The dreamy guitar mixed with Jax’s voice seems to whisk the listener up and off into the majestic soundscape. This track has the potential to be a major anthem for the rest of the summer, and Askery’s sound is unique enough to prove that he is here to stay.
Michael Calfan, dubbed the master of “soul house,” has racked up over 15 million streams on Spotify, as well as over 4 million on SoundCloud. He’s had hits such as “Treasured Soul,” “Brothers,” and “Nobody Does It Better.” Now, Calfan is back with his fresh new song “Thorns,” featuring powerful vocals from Raphaella. The track was debuted on BBC Radio 1, and combines both uplifting and dark musical sounds, showcasing Calfan’s past sound, but also preparing the listener for his future tracks.
Michael Calfan is one of the most exciting artists emerging from the French music scene, so be sure to visit his website michaelcalfan.com for more.
Returning with his first true hip-hop album in years, Snoop Dogg’s CoolAid project is slated to be released on July 1st. The first single off of the album, “Kush Ups,” features Wiz Khalifa, and it serves as a perfect prelude to the joint High Road Tour the two will be going on this summer. The music video for “Kush Ups,” which was directed Dan Folger, premiered on Merry Jane, a media company dedicated to marijuana, and they are the company behind the promotion for "The High Road Summer 2016 Tour."
Singer/songwriter Sam Setton is a New York native with a passion for creating honest and raw music. The poppy R&B artist is a financial consultant by die, but his true heart lies in his music. His featured song, “Berlin,” is a song about the struggle of being in a toxic relationship.
For more on Sam Setton, visit his website samsetton.com, or follow him on SoundCloud and Instagram at @samsetton or Twitter at @settonsamuel.
R&B singer-songwriter Bryssa may be small in size, but she has a big voice. The St. Louis artist draws inspiration from the soulful sounds of both the old and the new. She lists everyone from Luther Vandross to Beyonce as her influencers, and it shows in her own unique sound. Early in her career, Bryssa wasn’t always comfortable standing behind a mic, but after plenty of encouragement and drive, she is now fully passionate about sharing her music with the world. Her featured song “Cloud IX” was a defining moment in her career, and she says that “the song truly defines me as an artist.”
Follow Bryssa on Instagram and Twitter at @bryssaofficial and Facebook and SoundCloud at BryssaMusic.
Florida rapper Broderick Batts has returned once again with his new single “Pink Empty Promises.” The Tampa native has been pursuing his career as a hip-hop and R&B artist ever since his junior year of high school, and he is right on track to stardom. Showcasing his skills in both rapping and singing, “Pink Empty Promises” is a perfect demonstration of Broderick’s ability to flow so smoothly and effortlessly over a chill and genre-bending beat. Connect with Broderick Batts of Facebook and SoundCloud at BroderickBatts, Twitter at @nappylennon, and Instagram at @broderickbattss
Hailing from New York, Xavier White started singing as early as seven years old. His latest EP, Cancer vs. Gemini, explores the subject of love in a relatable and sensual way. The R&B singer immerses his listeners in the project, and takes them on a journey that is perfect to accompany them on late night summer car rides. His featured track “Carnival,” which features production from Paul Couture, is a fresh anthem that blends together R&B and EDM into one truly refreshing track.
Follow Xavier White on SoundCloud, Twitter, and Instagram at @iamxavierwhite and Facebook at iamXmusic
Lily Elise is an alt-pop artist from the SF Bay Area. She has been featured on track with Dillon Francis, Frenship, and many more. Her latest EP, Oliver, tells the story of a failed relationship, and the singles have seen some major success on streaming charts. “I Don’t Know Why,” the third single off of Oliver, hit #14 on the Spotify Viral Charts. Lily Elise’s featured song, “Let Me Down,” is a sexy track where Elise wishes for a boy to quit leading her on and just cut things off with her. Follow Lily Elise on SoundCloud and Twitter at @LilyElise, YouTube at LilyEliseOfficial, and find her on Facebook at LilyEliseVocal.
After exchanging messages to each other through Instagram, Luca Masini and Reuben James began connecting and writing music together. In the summer of 2015, the two officially teamed up to create their duo KINGDM. The group has already received critical acclaim, garnering millions of plays online including plenty of radio airplay as well. Their featured track “Say It Again” is the duo’s third official song, and was premiered by Zane Lowe on his Beats 1 radio show. It’s a tropical track with plenty of radio appeal, and is sure to give a big boost to the promising duo’s already rising fanbase. Follow KINGDM on all social media platforms at @wearekingdm, and be sure to visit their official website, wearekingdm.com, for more content.
Last year when Florian Picasso, the great grandson of the world famous artist Pablo Picasso, released his hit song “Origami,” his sound caught the attention of many. His uptempo and dynamic tracks have helped to make him a rising star in the EDM scene. The video for his featured song “Final Call” was produced by Festival de Cannes nominees Fauns / Clubbing Vision, and tells the story of a boy who works in the Vietnam minefields. Watch the video here to see more, and for more information on Florian, follow him on SoundCloud and Facebook @FlorianPicasso
The next time you’re talking about the next big names to come out of California, be sure to include CharlesBryanLAX in your conversation. After taking a break from following his dream of becoming a musician, CharlesBryanLAX was shot in the head during a drive-by shooting. This moment inspired him to get back and grind harder than ever to reach his goal. While he lay recovering on his hospital bed, CharlesBryanLAX wrote the lyrics to his forthcoming mixtape Headphonez Famouz. His featured track, “Gone Head,” is the lead single off of the project, and is an ideal anthem for the summer. The official music video features an appearance from actress LaShanda Taylor.
Follow CharlesBryanLAX on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud at @CharlesBryanLAX
Larry Houston Jr., better known as Ribbon 4 Cure, is the world’s first non-profit recording artist. His goal: Raising money and curing illnesses through his music. In 2014, R4C finished up his first tour. Not only did he perform his music, but he led a movement through the Chicago Public Schools inspiring youth to end violence and resort to art. He also helped to raise nearly $20,000. Unfortunately, just a few weeks after the tour finished, R4C developed an illness known as Chorionic Hives. But R4C has stayed strong, and he dedicates his music proceeds to those who are suffering from illnesses just like him. Check out the R&B singer’s track 50K and show support for what he’s doing by following him on Twitter and Facebook (@Ribbon4Cure).
Back at it again with another great song, Pope has released the third song off of his #jointhefaith EP. This track, entitled “Dance The Night Away,” is an upbeat anthem featuring a hard-hitting piano and blaring trumpets. With only one more song to be released off of his four track EP, fans can’t wait to see what he releases next.
Visit ashleythepope.com for more on Pope and his music, and be sure to check out his social media accounts as well:
Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / SoundCloud: @ashleythepope
"The time has come to live our lives and let our dreams arise beyond the skies" sings Adria on her most recent single: "We Just Wanna." On “We Just Wanna,” singer and performer Adria provides her listeners with an explosive and empowering anthem. Along with her first single “Turn It Up,” Adria knows how to make a hit. Both songs are very unique in their own regards, bringing a new sound to the table that isn’t often heard in today’s mainstream.
Texas native Amar Fresh is only 24 years old, but he’s already beginning to make a name for himself in the music industry. His video for his most recent single and featured track “The Night Before I Die,” a hard-hitting and bass-heavy club song, has already amassed more than 20,000 views on YouTube.
Follow Amar Fresh on SoundCloud (@amarfreshofficial) and Twitter (@AmarFreshGOA)
Andrew Bitto, better known as Spectoral, is an Australian-based, independent singer-songwriter who produces his own downtempo beats with soulful and relatable lyrics. He has built his own studio in a spare bedroom, where all of his recording sessions take place. Spectoral has created a bit of a buzz for himself, and recently released his debut project, The Level Head EP, which is now available on all major music platforms. The featured song from The Level Head EP is “Sweet Deprivation,” which is a song that captures the emotions one may experience after a breakup.
Order a physical copy of The Level Head EP here: https://goo.gl/ATolJL
Dutch producer GANZ got his big break in 2014, when his remix of Flume and Hermitude’s “Hyperparadise” took off on SoundCloud. On May 13, GANZ dropped his GAO EP, which you can now listen to on all major music platforms. GAO is a project that is full of energy and contains sounds that give the listener a musical experience completely different than what they might be used to. Listen to the featured song “Frolyfe,” a collaboration with fellow Dutch singer Digitzz, who provides extraordinary vocals to track.
