Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. KONGOS are a South African/Greek band with a blues-rock sound, made up of four hairy brothers with the surname Kongos. Their single Come With Me Now has become a US hit after two years, and they’ve set their sights on the UK next, with the single… Continue reading Future Stars: KONGOS (Epic/Sony)
Future Stars: Laura Welsh (Outsiders/Universal)
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. I first became a fan of Laura Welsh when I discovered her lovely song 45 on Radio 2 back in 2012. I always thought she had potential to reach a younger audience too, and sure enough, since then she has signed to Universal and been re-positioned… Continue reading Future Stars: Laura Welsh (Outsiders/Universal)
Song of the Week: MAGIC! – Don’t Kill The Magic
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. MAGIC! are currently enjoying a huge breakthrough hit with their song Rude, but I’ve been listening to the follow-up single, released in their native Canada. Like Rude, Don’t Kill The Magic is quite mumsy and MOR, but you don’t have to be cool to write… Continue reading Song of the Week: MAGIC! – Don’t Kill The Magic
Future Hits: American Boys
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. This week’s Future Hits playlist features five singles by American male artists which I think will be big in the UK charts. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw0LjVTuPux9BDJtNFIIUYkVuBfipEN15] Tracklisting: Maroon 5 – Maps OneRepublic – Love Runs Out Porter Robinson ft. Urban Cone – Lionhearted will.i.am & Cody Wise… Continue reading Future Hits: American Boys
Future Stars: Shawn Mendes (Island Records)
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. I've featured plenty of artists here who became famous on YouTube, and even one who made his name on Instagram (though he is yet to have a hit). Could Canadian 15-year-old Shawn Mendes be the first worldwide music star from Vine? It's pretty impressive to win over… Continue reading Future Stars: Shawn Mendes (Island Records)
Future Stars: Courtney Barnett (Marathon Artists)
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. It's safe to say Australia is enjoying a musical golden era at the moment. This is the third week running I've featured an Aussie act in Future Pop, and nowadays I'm as likely to check the Australian charts and radio playlists for new music discoveries… Continue reading Future Stars: Courtney Barnett (Marathon Artists)
Top of the Poptastic: The best singles of June 2014
Here are my top 20 singles of June, compiled into a poptastic playlist for your enjoyment. I hope you discover some new favourites! [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw0LjVTuPux9sh114QxsuJBu3c2HjpUV-] Neon Jungle – Louder Leah McFall ft. will.i.am – Home The Vamps ft. Demi Lovato – Somebody To You The Griswolds – Beware The Dog The Saturdays – What Are You… Continue reading Top of the Poptastic: The best singles of June 2014
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?
Song of the Week: Foxes – Glorious
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. When I first wrote about Foxes, I would have loved to hear her album, but gradually over 2 and a half years, my interest was eradicated. Following Clarity’s huge success, it felt like the edges were being rounded off: the inventive, ethereal artist was… Continue reading Song of the Week: Foxes – Glorious
Future Hits: International Breakthrough
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. This week’s Future Hits playlist features five singles by international artists which I think could be their breakthrough hits in the UK. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw0LjVTuPux9ZJGrFqLaSF9GNl1PnkJNB] Tracklisting: Lilly Wood & The Prick and Robin Schulz – Prayer in C Alle Farben ft. Graham Candy – She Moves… Continue reading Future Hits: International Breakthrough