Earlier this month I shared the 10 rising pop acts I felt could be the breakthrough stars of the year ahead, and invited This Must Be Pop readers to tell me which they thought, and hoped, would have the greatest success in 2018. And now, the results are in! The act you think will be huge this… Continue reading Future Pop: Stars of 2018 – the winners announced
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3 things to love about Eurosonic and 1 thing that HAS to change
Earlier this month I headed over to Groningen, a small city in the Netherlands, for one of Europe’s biggest showcase festivals. Taking place in mid-January, Eurosonic Noorderslag is the first gig of the year for most of the artists and attendees, which means it sets the tone for the year ahead. It’s a chance for… Continue reading 3 things to love about Eurosonic and 1 thing that HAS to change
5 acts every pop fan needs to see at Eurosonic 2017
Next week I’m off to the Netherlands for Eurosonic Noorderslag, one of the biggest festivals for new and emerging artists in Europe. Last year I got the chance to see exciting new pop acts such as Aurora, Dua Lipa and Astrid S, so I’ve been busy reviewing the very large line-up to decide who I… Continue reading 5 acts every pop fan needs to see at Eurosonic 2017
Music Vid Fest: The future of the music video
Yesterday I attended the second annual Music Vid Fest at the BFI Southbank, held ahead of today’s UK Music Video Awards. It’s a day of panels and keynote speeches on the subject of music videos, featuring some of the top directors, commissioners and others from the industry. Although I’m not involved in video production day-to-day… Continue reading Music Vid Fest: The future of the music video
50 Pop music facts to blow your mind
I can’t list any prime ministers before Margaret Thatcher or tell you the difference between a tortoise and a turtle. I’ve never read War and Peace or seen an Alfred Hitchcock film. I don’t know how to drive a car or cook anything even vaguely impressive. But don’t worry, I haven’t wasted my life. I’ve… Continue reading 50 Pop music facts to blow your mind
2015: The year of the solo star
I was filling in the voting form for the Popjustice Readers’ Poll a few weeks ago and I came to a category that stumped me: Worst attempt at a solo career. It wasn’t just that I couldn’t think of anyone who had launched a bad solo career, but I struggled to think of any former… Continue reading 2015: The year of the solo star
Momentum Music Fund: What you need to know
A few weeks ago I got a really cool opportunity, to be part of the judging panel for the PRS for Music Foundation’s Momentum Music Fund. PRSF offer several different funds for artists at various levels. The Momentum Fund is for those who already have a buzz about them and a growing fanbase, but need… Continue reading Momentum Music Fund: What you need to know
Rising Star: The next big TV talent show?
Following the huge success of Dutch talent show format The Voice in America, US TV networks looked overseas to try and find the next crossover hit. A natural choice was Rising Star, an Israeli show originally named HaKokhav HaBa (“The Next Star”). The US version is broadcast by ABC, which has no recent track record… Continue reading Rising Star: The next big TV talent show?
Eurovision 2014 Cheat Sheet
I watched all this year’s entries and picked out the five you need to know about before the big day (or week, since some of these probably won’t make it past the semi-finals!)… France: Twin Twin – Moustache [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWJFfnHNOWI] Here is a French Eurovision entry which showcases the quirky electro-pop that France should be better… Continue reading Eurovision 2014 Cheat Sheet
Live Review: The Big Reunion (series 2) at Hammersmith Apollo
Last night I went to see the bands from the new series of The Big Reunion perform live together for the first time. I attended the same event last year, with the acts from the first series, and I can’t say that the new show was anywhere near as exciting, but it was still a… Continue reading Live Review: The Big Reunion (series 2) at Hammersmith Apollo