Liza Owen can be considered an artist who has been blessed all across the board when it comes to having superstar qualities. Beautiful, naturally stylish and possessing a voice that rings off with the utmost of soul and power, it's almost a no-brainer to think that she will reign supreme in the world of music.
The British-born stunner of Cambodian heritage who is constantly evolving in terms of sound, has not only established a global audience but also caught the attention of the one and only Kanye West. Whilst spending time in Los Angeles, Ye quickly put her in the booth, resulting in a recorded track with himself and Tyga.
Melbourne band Batz are good...intensely good. With a sound that stirs together indie, surf and punk, just to name a few, they are a representation of everything that is utterly great about rock.
Consisting of Christina Aubry, Joshua Aubry, Dali Platt, Jim Stirton and Jakob Kagan, the band shared a batch of tunes throughout 2015 including the lively garage/punk cut 'Take It', 'Follow Me' and the lustrous surf rock-fused song 'Sid & Nancy'. Batz returned in 2016 with the late night rocker ‘3 AM Pony’, which can be considered the soundtrack of the dreg. Even though the song may spring visuals of drunken staggering, hedonistic excursions and grimy nocturnal adventures, Batz managed to make the song sound uber sexy and intriguing.
Sure the Swedish can boast about their gorgeous people and mastery of minimal design, but the one thing that is truly undeniable is the knack for churning out good pop records which seems to be embedded in the DNA of their musicians. Örebro band The Happy Hippo Family are a part of the current generation of Swedes creating indie pop tidal waves with a live show that is just as equally thrilling and dynamic.
The Oxford dictionary defines the word metamorphosis as "a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means". Athens-raised singer and actress Sarah Anna Psalti aka Sarah P. has surely undergone a personal transformation since her introduction as the front vocalist of the electronic outfit Keep Shelly in Athens. Whilst it could be said that the band consisting of herself and RΠЯ helped to establish the Athenian imprint in electronica of today on a global scale, releasing a slew of mini-albums as well as their acclaimed 2013 debut LP 'At Home', that was then. Although her announcement to leave the group in 2014 sparked great wonder amongst KSiA fans, this was indeed a part of the transformation process.
True musical virtuosity is a combination of vivid songwriting combined with instrumentation and production that allows emotions to simply and uncontrollably run free. Melbourne band Husky are masters of mood, using a gentle warmth of folk and alternative to form what could be called sonic art at its purist.
Consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Husky Gawenda and keyboardist/vocalist Gideon Preiss,
Keep Shelly in Athens are one of the most important bands to emerge from Greece in the past five years. Founded by producer RΠЯ in 2010, KSiA gained an international following with their atmospheric melting pot of downtempo, pop, indie, experimental electronica and more which ultimately morphed into their distinct dreamy sound. Although an air of mystique brewed around the band from day one, with only the singer even being fully displayed in imagery and RΠЯ remaining slightly illusive, the impact of the music has remained at the forefront causing music lovers and critics alike to be engulfed in their tidal wave of sublime rhythms.
If there were one band to place all of your chips on, in terms of being the next big thing, it would be safe to place your bet on The Sherlocks. Comprised of two pairs of brothers, Kiaran and Brandon Crook, as well as Josh and Andy Davidson, the Sheffield band is not only burning down stages with a slew of electric performances, but their debut single 'Live For The Moment' landed in the Official UK Singles Charts and upon first listen, it's easy to understand why. The energetic and massive sounding indie track proved that the four could rock with the best, as if they were born to play. Having sold out hundreds of venues across the UK, their latest single 'Heart Of Gold' is another weighty piece of indie magic that shines with brilliant instrumentation and catchy lyricism. With support from BBC Radio 1, The Sherlocks a band that will rock the industry...hard.
Leo Abrahams is the musician’s musician. The guitarist, pianist, producer, arranger and composer has not only worked with some of top tier acts in the music business, but has released cutting edge solo albums that are more like sonic paintings, creative and vivid.
Having played piano and guitar from the time of a youth, Abrahams was a member of various bands as a teenager, later attending London’s Royal Academy of Music. Initially concentrating on a career as a classical composer, he was presented with an opportunity to play with Imogen Heap, and from there it was off to the races.
One doesn't often associate stage diving and super-hyper performances with the sounds of deep and melodic house. However Berlin-based duo Nod One's Head isn't your average house group. In fact, house only represents a portion of their overall sound. Whilst the chilled, soulful bits are present in various songs, there are also the elements of tech, Hip-Hop, indie and pop vividly reflected, making the duo comprised of Charlotte Bühler and Moritz Bommert, one of the most interesting and exciting groups emerging out of the Berlin music scene.
Ellie James has a bright future, the kind of luminous beam that typically transfers into certified stardom. This assessment would appear to be a mere understatement, considering that the Welsh singer, songwriter and guitarist, who records under the moniker of Ellie Makes Music, has already been awarded the title of Artist of the Week on BBC Radio Wales, not to mention has garnished airplay on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6. With an organic sound that combines folk, pop and alternative, the sincerity of her music maintains a certain value built for the long haul rather than the 'hot act of the minute'.
