At this point, though there is still the anticipation for The Weeknd's forthcoming LP 'After Hours', which is out March 20th, even more excitement seems to have been generated by his acting in his previous videos. The Weeknd continues to highlight that side of himself in this new 'After Hours' short film. Directed by Anton Tammi, what you have here is the Toronto crooner pretending to be happy whilst in front of an audience, but as soon as he walks off stage the joy is rapidly transformed into sadness and a depressive state. Seemingly still battling demons, the real horror start once he's in an elevator with two other people. You'll just have to stay tuned for continued visuals. Have a look.
Swedish singer Luana Kiara jumped into the mainstream psyche with her feature on Tungevaag & Raaban's 'Bad Boy'. Making her solo debut with 2019's 'Trigger', she now returns with her latest hard-hitting offering 'Reminder'. A slow, crushing mix of dub and Hip-Hop, Luana Kiara delivers a feisty and fiery performance atop a thundering bass line and pounding drum knocks. The track is a glimpse of what the promising artist has in store for the near future.
Having already dropped a batch of impressive singles including 'Unholy' and 'Call You When I Get Home', South London artist Santino Le Saint now releases his latest project 'Rage of Angels'. Comprised of 10-tracks all written and produced by the musician and singer, sonically Le Saint weaves together his love of R&B and Hip-Hop, as well as sliding in metal-driven guitar elements.
Already supported by BBC 1xtra's Jamz Supernova East London-based vocalist Jerome Thomas dropped his project 'Mood Swings (Volume One)' back in 2019. A heavy dose of smokey soul, Thomas was compared to giants such as D'Angelo. He now steps up in 2020 with his new single 'I Don't Need'. Another handing of intergalactic soul packed with a swinging Hip-Hop drum backing, the glistening build-ups in the instrumentation compliments Thomas' sleek delivery.
Known as the collaborative team ExR, Etta Bond and Raf Riley reunite for their new single called 'Not Ur GF'. The song is a bubbling and summery pop meets R&B hybrid, with Bond placing an emphasis on her calling the shots, only contacting a guy when she wants to have sexual encounters and nothing more.
Brixton artist Santino Le Saint questions the goodness of his character whilst in a relationship in his latest single 'Unholy'. A slow and dark R&B offering, Le Saint sings " I want to be different for you, but I cannot change". An almost cry for help, the singer also rips a guitar solo in the rear of the track that bursts through the spacious production.
Moodbay is the dynamic band consisting of singer Anna Stephens and producer Alfie Cattell. Both also respective songwriters, the pair's sound, also known as moodpop, is a luscious blend of pop, R&B, club and electronica, erupting with flair and unstoppable grooves. The Manchester-based group's style is a result of their love of diverse music harking back to each of their earlier years. Raised in Darlington, Anna Stephens also lived in Paris, absorbing the wonders of the city, which would also play a factor in the development of her writing. Alfie Cattell, raised in Wales, grew up playing piano and would later become a skilled producer.
Stroud-raised, London-based singer Max Rad follows up his track 'Oh My Brother' with a new monster of a song titled 'Old Toy'. With the production encompassing a slow-burning, funky-driven soul feel to it, Rad delivers smokey vocals whilst crooning about being unable to forget about a past love.
The Weeknd has unveiled his latest video 'Blinding Lights' which is a continuation of the story line from 'Heartless'. Whilst behaving like a man who has completely gone mad, living life in the most reckless manner, the Toronto crooner drives around Los Angeles at high speeds and eventually finds himself in bad run in with gangsters. The Weeknd is definitely going into full on acting mode in these days, which in all fairness, he does quite a good job. The video is directed by Anton Tammi.
Omar is without a doubt the king of UK soul. With a career spanning over three decades, the appointed MBE has built a legacy that is permanently imprinted in music, not to mention has proven to be one of the most dynamic performers of our time.
