Month: April 2021

Back in the day international DJs would hear a new US record in a store and get excited thinking about busting these groundbreaking productions on their club systems to their music fans. Genres of music wasn’t important, it was the sound of the production that mattered. Think Herbie Hancock “Rockit” or Man Parrish ‎- Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don’t Stop), or Was Not Was “Walk The Dinosaur”, most definitely not disco but room filling tracks. The Original Mix of Busy Body is like those top tunes, it’s a fantastic production that defies genre and excites the ears of a DJ. Check it out and the Baby Weight Remix deserves equal attention with its bass-dropping beats. A great release for Billy Winn on Ferocious Music with his story about busy bodies nosing their way into things, too many things.

Cape Town-born, Brisbane-based MiCCY returns with her new single Long Run , featuring Sydney rapper Charbel, one part of Sydney collective BOOMCHILD.

Born from a post-gig session in Sydney, BOOMCHILD producers Finbar Stuart & Riley Hilder (Ms Thandi, Urthboy, Maina Doe) alongside James Baldwin on guitar, surround MiCCY’s effortless R&B vocals with wonky synths, metallic drums & super lush bass to craft an ode to sticking to your guns for the long run, and finding your ride or die people to go on that journey with.

“I’ve never really heard songs that are about longevity. I’m at the very beginning stages of this whole entire process of being an artist and I’m really in it for the long run. It’s essentially an ode to myself, like Micayla, you’ve gotta grind. This is what you’ve got to do. This is what you’re here for.”

The 21-year-old has crafted a sound with her collaborators, including DVNA, Bencio, JAIM and Sumatra, that draws in elements of jazz, funk & soul whilst sticking to her vocal inspirations amongst Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston & Victoria Monet to bring an effortless diva pop energy to her sound.

That music taste is one born from osmosis for MiCCY. Living across multiple cities growing up, from Cape Town to Aotearoa and now in Brisbane, the music her multi-generational musical family brought her up on has remained one consistent feature of MiCCY’s surroundings.

“When my mum was trying to get me to stop crying as a baby, she would put a tape of Michael Jackson on the TV and I would immediately stop crying!!! She would leave me there to do whatever she needed to do and I would be mesmerised, totally content and I’d stop crying.”

From contemporary R&B on her Mum’s side to more traditional gospel, soul & jazz on her Dad’s, those natural sensibilities are markedly present on Long Run, with her undying love for collaboration & connection taking those elements and modernising them.

Critically acclaimed in her home state as a two-time (2019, 2021) finalist at the Queensland Music Awards in the soul / R&B / funk category and as a 2020 finalist in the prestigious Carol Lloyd Womxn in Music Award, that love has spread across the country with adds to Spotify’s New Music Friday AU/NZ, RnB Connect,Pop ‘n’ Fresh & On Our Radar, alongside radio play on Triple j’s Home & Hosed, FBi, 4ZZZ and The Edge 96.1.

Melbourne’s Vaudeville Smash are back with their highly anticipated third album ‘The Neverending Glory’.

Recorded at Sing Sing Studios with legendary Nashville producer, Bobby Holland, this album explores the band’s love of funk, soul, yacht rock, 80s boogie and Italo disco.

With some seriously heavy grooves, infectious melodies, and quirky story telling, get ready to fly through the clouds on a Luck Dragon with Vaudeville Smash and The Neverending Glory.

“Your Love” is a collaboration between Italian DJ Laybe and Romanian DJ Erik B One.

Bursting with sweet flavours of pop, soul and groove – Melbourne’s Elle Murphy is storming into the music scene with a new single that will undoubtedly demand its place in your playlist.

Written about feeling anxious in romantic situations – Murphy’s debut single “Pressure” explores the inner tangle that weaves both intense desire and the want to take things slow. Influenced by the likes of Dua Lipa, BENEE and WAFIA, “Pressure” hosts a grooving bass line, a soft, sultry vocal and a beat ready to make you dance.


Self claimed as the “favourite song [she’s] written”, the soon-to-be pop icon has worked alongside established producers Alex Markwell (Mark Ronson, Silk City, Portugal the Man), Ben Oldland (KYE, JAYDEAN) to create this 18-month in the making masterpiece.

Global pop artist and musician, Greyson Chance, releases his latest single ‘Hell Boy’ along with the pre-order for his upcoming EP Trophies.

In April 2010, a video of Chance performing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at his middle-school talent show was uploaded to YouTube and went viral and caught the attention on Ellen DeGeneres.

Since then his music taste has shifted towards indie rock and alternative electronic pop. He released his ‘Somewhere Over My Head’ EP in 2016 followed by a number of singles since then.

At the end of August 2020, Greyson released ‘Bad To Myself where he opened up to his fans about his ongoing struggle with anorexia and how he was able to find the strength to begin healing.

Who doesn’t know the timeless classic of the 90s “You’re Not Alone” (original by Olive)? This song has shaped the youth of many! DJ and producer Alanito has teamed up with singer Dara and breathes life back into this song in the modern version of a deep house interpretation.

The end result is impressive. The first to hear the successful remake was none other than the songwriter of the original Robin Taylor-Firth and his verdict was “Good version (…) well done”.

Alanito and Dara want to remind everyone that we should show solidarity with one another and that no one is alone during these times. You’re not alone!

‘SoulRise Records’ proudly presents the new track ‘We’re Gonna Make It’ ! Put on your dancing shoes and shine on the dancefloor with this infectious groovy presented by the French DJ Bruno Kauffmann and the Amazing voice of D’Layna !
French Touch will never die !

New Zealand singer/songwriter Niko Walters announces a collaboration with rising RnB star Kiana Ledé on the smash single ‘Not My Neighbour’. Released originally in New Zealand, the bite-sized, RnB/Pop track has taken over the airwaves and the charts for the last 3 months, going PLATINUM and accumulating over four million streams in New Zealand alone, quickly becoming a laidback summer anthem!

‘Not My Neighbour’ began getting international attention early in the year, and Kiana Ledé caught wind of the single, jumping at the chance to put her indelible spin on the track, rewriting the 2nd verse and adding some new melodic flourishes that take it to another level.

This new version of the ‘Not My Neighbor’ will be released by powerhouse labels Republic Records (The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift) in the US, and Polydor (Florence + The Machine, James Blake, Ellie Goulding) in the UK.

Getting Kiana on the track was a no-brainer for Niko Walters. “Not My Neighbour is an unusual song that doesn’t really fit the style of everyone’s vocal and feel. Kiana has a super distinct way about her craft – from writing to singing to her overall style and energy. When she called me and played me the ideas for the song straight over the phone, they immediately hit hard and worked with the whole vibe of the song. It’s awesome and bizarre to have someone so talented, from a different country and culture, come in and put a fresh spin on something you’ve made”.

On working with Niko Walters from the other side of the world, Kiana delights that “it was joy to work with Niko on this song, I got to really tap into my alter-ego.” From the first words you hear coming from Kiana on the single, you can tell she had fun with this one.

About Niko Walters:

New Zealand artist Niko Walters has quietly been waiting for his moment. The younger brother of Matiu Walters (lead singer of New Zealand’s biggest band, SIX60), Niko is determined to carve out his own path in music, where ultimately, he wants to make “beautiful music over everything else”. Niko drip-fed his first songs in 2019, serving up a unique blend of RnB, Alternative-Pop that has managed to resonate with a fanbase early on, mainly due to his instantly identifiable vocal delivery. Following those releases, Niko went straight back into the studio to begin work on his debut album Escape, a collection of tracks that further taps into that self-prescribed “Escapism RnB”. Released in November 2020, the 8-track album took Niko Walters to another level in his home country, with critics praising that there is an “undeniable warmth and soul to his vocals which – offset by the sometimes spacious, sometimes gritty production that underpins the album – makes listening to Escape feel like nostalgia in the present”.
Niko Walters has his feet are firmly on the ground, now he’s beginning to hit his stride.

About Kiana Ledé:

Just who is Kiana Ledé? On the one hand, you know her as a fierce and fiery force in R&B responsible for bangers such as the platinum-certified “EX,” “Mad At Me” and “Chocolate” feat. Ari Lennox and has received over 1 billion streams globally and praise from Complex, Vibe, Billboard, ROLLACOASTER Magazine and more. But, who is she? “KIKI,” she answers. On her aptly titled full-length debut, she reveals every side of herself: the vulnerability, the vitality, the anger, the lust, the loyalty, the joy, the darkness, and the truth as evinced on song.

Long before all of this, the songstress “from South Phoenix with Black, Mexican, Native American, and White ancestry” grew up between divorced parents. She played classical instruments and competed in pageants-but popped wheelies on dirt bikes and got under the hood to fix a car or two. Eventually, an adventurous spirit carried her from Arizona to Los Angeles where she began a journey that comes full circle in 2020.

Kiana Ledé’s debut album KIKI notably bowed in the Top 5 of the Billboard Top R&B Albums Chart, Top 5 of the Apple Music R&B/Soul Albums Chart, Top 5 of the iTunes R&B/Soul Albums Chart and Top 10 of the Apple Music Overall Albums Chart. It has impressively gathered over 50 million streams in addition to receiving tastemaker praise from ELLE, Billboard, Highsnobiety, Vibe and many more.

‘Starstruck’ is the brand-new single from Years & Years, which is available now on Polydor Records, with the video premiering on Monday 12th April. It’s the first new Years & Years music since 2018’s much-loved second album ‘Palo Santo’, and follows hot on the heels of Olly Alexander’s leading role in Channel 4/HBO’s huge show, ‘It’s A Sin’; which has broken all records on All 4 since its premiere in January, with over 18 million views to date (the platform’s biggest ever instant box-set) and an incredible reception from fans and critics alike.

Olly Alexander’s superstar-status graces new heights on ‘Starstruck’, an irresistible, instant-classic Years & Years anthem about human connection (and the cosmos). ‘Starstruck’, says Olly, “came together one night at a studio in the countryside outside of London. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen so many stars, you get used to them not being there when you live in the city. Since we’ve all had to stop, all I’ve wanted to do is go out and dance. So I’ve been putting all that pent up energy into the music. ‘Starstruck’ is about the rush you get when you’re with somebody you’re really into, it’s about holding onto a good feeling and not letting it go. Like most of us I’ve spent the past year at home, and I wanted to create something super positive and fun for people (and myself) to bop along too. Whatever we’re doing or wherever we are in life, I think we all deserve three minutes of interstellar ecstasy.”

As Years & Years, Olly Alexander has become one of the world’s most trailblazing modern pop stars. Across two hugely successful albums to date, the singer, actor, and cultural vanguard has earned 5 Brit Award nominations, sold-out numerous global tours, and played triumphant homecoming shows at London’s O2 and Wembley Arena. Along the way, Olly has also become a fearless, once-in-a-generation voice on important discussions around mental health, and issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. This has been marked by a number of standout moments, ranging from Alexander’s defiant speech at Glastonbury in 2016 in the wake of events in Orlando to his BBC Documentary ‘Olly Alexander: Growing Up Gay’, plus the dizzyingly creative world around ‘Palo Santo’ (a record that arrived with an ambitious short film starring Judi Dench and Ben Whishaw). Ever since multi-platinum-selling debut album ‘Communion’ in 2015, Years & Years’ influence has been growing in plain sight; today, Olly’s impact in a show like ‘It’s A Sin’ resonates deeper still (following the show’s broadcast, the Terrence Higgins Trust reports that there has been a four-fold increase in HIV Testing Week stats from previous years).

Currently hard at work on more music to follow ‘Starstruck’, Years & Years push boundaries by challenging notions of identity and sexuality in a way that is new to pop music – and totally Olly Alexander’s own.