Welcome back to CelebMix’s New Music Round Up. January might be coming to an end but new music is appearing from every corner and we couldn’t be more excited.
First off, Craig David released his brand new album this week, the RnB heavy The Time Is Now. He’ll be hoping to emulate the success he achieved with his previous offering Following My Intuition.
On the singles front, DNCE made a welcome return this week and appeared to find the ‘A’ for their their new single ‘Dance’. Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey teamed up for their new track ‘The Middle’, and if that wasn’t enough they also premiered the music video during the GRAMMY Awards. Fifth Harmony’s Ally Brooke also teamed up with Topic for the thought provoking ‘Perfect’.
We also saw six new releases from potential Eurovision contestants. Asanda, Goldstone, Jaz Ellington, Liam Tamme, RAYA, and SuRie released new tracks this week, and are all competing for the chance to represent the UK in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
We also saw new releases from Lady Gaga, Marisa Maino, Betty Who, Jules Rendell featuring Riccy Mitchell, Jsky, Xenia Ghali, Miles Graham, SHUBA, ManyFew, Micke Moreno and Ashley J.
As usual, we want to share even more new tracks with you. Without further ado, here’s the best of the rest which you might have missed during the week.
Julia Michaels – ‘Heaven’
We’re a few weeks away from Fifty Shades Freed, the final installment of the Fifty Shades trilogy and in the run up to its release, we’re being treated to songs from the soundtrack. We’ve already heard Rita Ora and Liam Payne’s ‘For You’, as well as Hailee Steinfeld and BloodPop’s ‘Capital Letters’ but now it’s the turn of one of our faves, Julia Michaels. Delivering a super sultry offering, ‘Heaven’ is seductive and indeed rather heavenly. Julia has absolutely nailed the track, and we’re certain that it will fit perfectly within the vibe of the film.
Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton – ‘Say Something’
‘Say Something’ is the third offering to be taken from Justin Timberlake’s forthcoming album Man of the Woods, and sees him team up with country artist Chris Stapleton. Whilst the album teaser suggested that Justin would be going back to his Tennessee roots, so far, both ‘Filthy’ and ‘Supplies’ have been far removed from that concept. However, ‘Say Something’ is definitely more on the right track and we feel truly excited by it. Roll on the rest of Man of the Woods!
Art of Shades – ‘Undone’ ft. Sylo Nozra
‘Undone’ is the new single from Franco-Italian producer Art of Shades, which features Sylo Nozra. The track is taken from his forthcoming EP which is due for release in the Spring. Speaking about the track, he said: “‘Undone’ was made between Paris and Toronto, with the internet helping to bridge the gap made by physical distance. Throughout the process, Sylo and I became great friends, and are now both a part of the same Canadian squad – OTrip. I sent the beat to Sylo from Paris and, after hearing what he did on the vocals, wanted to finish the track over in Toronto. Since the beginning of the Art of Shades project, I’ve always been seeking features from all around the world and finally – last winter, that brought me to Toronto and then Los Angeles during the summer. I met some really incredible people during those trips that helped to fulfil my ideas. The relationship we now have is genuine, to say the least.”
J-Sol – ‘Sober’
RnB artist J-Sol is back with a vengeance for 2018. The singer has just released his new single ‘Sober’, which received its premiere on DJ Ace’s BBC 1Xtra. Speaking about the track, J-Sol said: “‘Sober’ is the perfect transition in to my new sound, I free-styled it in the studio with my producer and we laid it down pretty much on the fly. When I wrote the song, I rarely drank but since writing it, it’s almost like I’m now literally living it! I think a lot of people can relate to having that extra bit of confidence when they’ve had a drink or two down them!”
Jazz Mino – ‘Together In Electric Dreams’
Half Iranian pop sensation Jazz Mino is kicking off her 2018 with a vibrant cover of the 1984 classic, ‘Together In Electric Dreams’. Speaking about her dynamic reworking, Jazz said: “‘Together In Electric Dreams’ is a song I’ve always loved, it resonates with me and reminds me when I sing that, no matter where I am in the world, my friends and family are always in my heart and are a huge priority in my life.”
Elesa Marmo – Clear Blue EP
Clear Blue is the debut EP from Long Island indie pop artist Elesa Marmo. The four-track EP, produced and cowritten by VISTA’s Greg Almeida, channels a summery vibe which shows off her ability to deliver both electro-tinged pop and stripped back ballads. Speaking about the EP, Elesa said: “We started recording in July in Greg’s bedroom studio and the whole process was so much fun. I think recording has always been such a liberating feeling for me just getting to experiment and watch songs come to life. The whole experience was therapeutic as well just getting all the feelings I was having out. I’m excited for people to hear the songs and my only goal with songwriting has always been to write honest songs from my life that others can relate to. If they can feel an emotion from the songs then I’ve done my job. I’m excited to perform these songs live and get to see reactions from people.”
Deva Mahal – ‘It’s Down To You’
‘It’s Down To You’ is the latest track made available from Deva Mahal’s debut album, Run Deep. The soulful offering is truly captivating and highlights just some of the emotion we can expect from the album. Speaking about the album, Deva said: “Every experience in life leaves a mark. Evidence of its existence. Some experiences leave scars, deep grooves inside your very soul that never truly leave you. That is where Run Deep comes from. I never want to wade in the shallow places in life because it’s easier, safer or more comfortable. My music speaks a lot about pain and heartache, but I dive into those feelings, submerge myself in them so I can work through them and get to the other side.”
Ciaran Lavery – ‘To Chicago’
‘To Chicago’ is the first single to be taken from Irish singer Ciaran Lavery’s third album Sweet Decay. Whilst the album is set for release on April 13, lead single ‘To Chicago’ reminds us of Ciaran’s unique voice, giving us a taste of what to expect. Speaking to Billboard about the song, Ciaran said: “In its purest form, this is a romantic song. I wanted to write something unapologetically good, a message of love without conditions. I haven’t heard any recent songs about love that didn’t come without a trap door and I miss that the sentiment cannot exist just as it is.”
Naked Elephant – ‘Raspberry Kiss’
‘Raspberry Kiss’ is the new single from Las Vegas band Naked Elephant. Made up of frontman Josh Royse, Mikey Tucker (guitar/bass/vocal) and Taylor Hatty (guitar), the band show off a new side to their alluring sound through ‘Raspberry Kiss’. Speaking about the song, Josh said: “‘Raspberry Kiss’ is a unique flavour of music, which doesn’t necessarily fit the DNA of Naked Elephant, but we are super excited about it. The meaning of this song is so profound and at the core, it talks about our relationship with the universe. We are all learning from a cosmic source of esoteric knowledge that exists in our day-to-day lives…just by being…, and the Raspberry Kiss itself represents being blessed with a profound revelation that changes who we are. Just like when we formed as a band we felt kissed by something greater than ourselves.”
Born Stranger x Vivienne Chi – ‘Pain’
‘Pain’ is the new single from electronic pop duo Born Stranger, which sees them team up with singer-songwriter Vivienne Chi. Speaking about the track, Born Stranger vocalist Maddox said: “Pain is something we’ve all felt. There’s a certain romance to the pain of having your heart broken for the first time. It hurts but it’s exciting and all consuming. When you’ve felt it once it’ll never feel the same again, the more you feel it the more numb you become. This is a song for anyone who craves the reckless innocence of falling in love for the first time.”