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Paula Jivén releases an appealing music video for her “Say That” single
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Paula Jivén is a rising 18-year-old singer-songwriter from Gothenburg, Sweden. Not too long ago, she released an appealing music video for her “Say That” single, which tells an intriguing tale about a lonely young woman who realizes she needs to accept her world and reality. Apparently, sometimes, she forgets how to breathe and finds difficulty thinking substantial thoughts. Later, she tells herself, “Maybe all that I can do is just wait and see what becomes of me.”
“‘Say That’ is a song that I wrote at a special time of my life. I had just turned 16, I was in LA on a songwriting trip working with people that I admire and doing meetings in crazy record-label buildings. I was getting to do things I had been dreaming about for so long! But something was still not sitting right with me. I think this was the first time I really experienced the downsides of materialism, and it was overwhelming me in the weirdest way. I felt like although I had so much, I was still missing something, the way all humans do, I guess.
We never seem to get enough. And when you think you have it all, it’s still not enough, you can’t really talk about it! And that’s where the title comes in. It was something taking up a lot of my mind space, but I couldn’t really find a way to talk about it without feeling like I was coming off as ungrateful. Writing about it felt like a healthy way to unpack all of these thoughts in a healthy environment. It helped me realize that it’s a privilege to have these problems, but it’s still ok to feel like sh*t.” – Paula Jivén explained
Paula Jivén makes spellbindingly original pop music, each song sparked from her radiant imagination. She’s already cultivated a truly singular voice as an artist, one that defies all expectations in favor of following her most playful and daring instincts. Newly signed to Universal Music Sweden, Jivén is set to deliver a debut EP, entitled, “The Duality In Me,” this summer. The anticipated project reveals her supreme gifts as a storyteller and the tremendous power of her captivating voice.
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Shane Garcia releases an appealing neo-soul tune, entitled, “Bestest Friend”
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Shane Garcia is a 25-year-old American singer-songwriter from New York City and Westchester County. Not too long ago, she released an appealing neo-soul tune, entitled, “Bestest Friend,” dedicated to Shane Garcia’s younger self. The tune is about the love and care that someone can give to themselves. After coming out at the age of 14, it was a difficult period for Shane to find self-love and confidence.
“‘Bestest Friend’ was written at a time in my life when I was letting go of co-dependent relationships that no longer served me. And I had to evaluate why my relationships and friendships were consistently unstable. I realized I had to look within and create a solid foundation with myself and be my own best friend. A big part of that realization was that I had a wounded inner child who I neglected to listen to.The song is grown me singing to my younger self about the love and care they can give themselves without external validation from others. Also, it’s about integrating the two parts of me and being my own ‘bestest friend,’ as I would have said as a kid. I’m telling myself the advice I wish I had gotten, to be kind and gentle with the process of learning to love yourself as is. And that ‘being alone’ isn’t such a bad thing when you learn to honor your own company.” – Shane Garcia explained
Shane Garcia’s music brings a breath of honesty and tackles issues of gender, sexuality, mental health, and deep self-discovery. Shane’s cultural background comes from Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. The queer, indie-soul artist emerged on the scene in 2018 with “Strange,” an emotionally charged breakup track that premiered on Soundcloud. “Strange” garnered attention, putting Shane on the map within the New York music scene.
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Tune into Da Hot Spot - our new music podcast |
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Tarra releases an appealing music video for her “I’m Not Me When I’m With You” single
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Tarra is an up-and-coming 18-year-old singer-songwriter from Mumbai, India. Not too long ago, she released an appealing music video for her “I’m Not Me When I’m With You” single, which tells an intriguing tale about a young woman who has a secret crush on someone who she talks to on the regular. Apparently, she loses confidence, turns insecure, and starts saying stupid things whenever she is around this individual. Later, she admits, “They say it like it’s easy, ‘Just be yourself.’ But right now, I don’t even know myself.”
“We all have a certain someone that we get all nervous and jittery around. When they’re close, you can’t even think straight, and you start behaving in all sorts of ways. This song is about THAT feeling. The feeling of having a crush. I am an anxious person. Not too long ago, there was a boy I liked. Whenever he spoke to me, I would start freaking out internally. I would tell myself to be cool, calm, and collected. But as soon as I was near him, all of that went out of the window. I would lose grip of myself, becoming all jumpy and panicky and acting in ways that I otherwise never would.” – Tarra explained
Tarra is inspired by international songwriters like Taylor Swift and Julia Michaels. She found her calling in English pop music a few years ago when she accidentally wrote a song at the age of 13. Since then, she has fallen head-over-heels in love with songwriting – playing with words and lyrics. Tarra has always been shy in real life, so her music is how she expresses herself. “Conveying a feeling or message with my words is important to me,” she stated. In 2018, Tarra performed in Melbourne, Australia, for an audience of 2000+ people from 27 different countries and nationalities.
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Editor's Pick |
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What we've been listening to this week |
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Kenneth Cash releases an appealing music video for his “Patience” single
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Kenneth Cash is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter from Brooklyn, New York. Not too long ago, he released an appealing music video for his “Patience” single, which tells an intriguing tale about a young guy who reflects on what it means to hit your limit of patience in a relationship.
“It’s a vicious situation, one that leads to resentment and forces you to ask, ‘what’s wrong with me?’ It just made me realize there’s a fine line between being patient and enabling damaging behavior.”The original version that I thought I’d be releasing stayed in my notes for about two years. The song was simple and had no changes in the beat for the entirety of the track, but I had some of my most powerful vocals on top of it. So I made a live version for the song, adding beat switches and little background sounds to make it feel like it was live. I’m happy with what I’ve got. All it took was a little bit of patience.” – Kenneth Cash explained
A self-proclaimed expressionist, Kenneth Cash is also an unwitting perfectionist. “Patience” is a testament to his artistry; it was entirely produced, recorded, written, and mixed by Cash himself. Also, “Patience” showcases Cash’s ability to turn everyday emotional nuance into R&B hits.
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Ruth Koleva and Diggs Duke release an appealing music video for their “Beyond Borders” single
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Ruth Koleva is a New York City-based singer-songwriter from Bulgarian. Diggs Duke is a singer-songwriter and composer from the U.S. Not too long ago, they released an appealing music video for their “Beyond Borders” single via Wicked Wax.
“‘Beyond Borders’ is a project, which we started a few years ago with Diggs Duke. We wanted to tell the story of how we could connect and feel close, even if we are far away apart. We started recording the song in the US and Amsterdam and ended up finishing it in a small Mexican village. And we filmed the video in Sofia, Bulgaria. It’s truly a song about the universal language of music and how art does not see any borders.” – Ruth Koleva explained
‘Beyond Borders’ contains a relatable narrative, ear-pleasing vocals, and tuneful melodies. The hazy, warm tune possesses moody instrumentation flavored with a warm and soulful Adult Contemporary vibration. Furthermore, “Beyond Borders” serves as a tasty appetizer to what listeners can expect to hear from Ruth Koleva and Diggs Duke in the near future as they continue to release new music.
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Ana E. La Muñeca releases a lovely debut single, entitled, “Notice”
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Ana E. La Muñeca (born Anahi Garcia-Rodriguez ) is a Puerto Rican/Mexican-American singer-songwriter. Not too long ago, she released a lovely debut single, entitled, “Notice,” which contains a relatable narrative, ear-pleasing vocals, and tuneful melodies that will resonate well with fans of Reyanna Maria, Gen Bello, and Arewa. The atmospheric tune serves as a tasty appetizer to what listeners can expect to hear from Ana E. La Muñeca in the near future as she continues to release new music.
“Whenever I sing this song, I get an immediate boost of confidence. And that’s what I want everybody to feel when they listen to it. I want people to feel empowered when they need to tell someone to step back, they’re overstepping boundaries.” – Ana E. La Muñeca explained
Ana E. La Muñeca’s passion for music derives from her desire to connect with people and help others through difficult times. Her struggles with anxiety and self-love are insecurities she continues to overcome. And she hopes to use her music as a way to help people from all walks of life feel inspired, confident, and included.
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Katie Tupper releases an appealing music video for her “How Can I Get Your Love?” single
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Katie Tupper is a singer-songwriter from Saskatoon, Canada. Not too long ago, she released a music video for her “How Can I Get Your Love?” single. The song speaks of all the possible partners we miss out on from sheer cluelessness and centers around a single passion. Not even the luckiest alive have avoided losing someone who felt like they should have been the someone, and Katie Tupper expertly and devastatingly digs right into wounds that never truly heal.
“‘How Can I Get Your Love?’ is about coming back to your hometown and wanting things to be exactly as you left them. And the desperation for those memories once you realize that is not true. I wrote about moments in previous relationships where you fully lay yourself out on the line, almost to a desperate extent because you feel you need to. It feels like vulnerability and bravery in confessing an old love. But it really is more of seeking comfort in the familiar and begging those around you to create that for you.” – Katie Tupper explained
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Dafne Adriana releases a compelling neo-soul tune, entitled, “What I Wanna Do For You”
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Dafne Adriana is a talented singer-songwriter from the Netherlands. Not too long ago, she released a compelling neo-soul tune, entitled, “What I Wanna Do For You,” which tells an intriguing tale about a young woman who is trying to persuade her significant other to stick around. Apparently, their romantic situation is in jeopardy but she isn’t taking no for an answer. The inspiration behind the single derived from Dafne Adriana’s love for nostalgic R&B music that she grew up listening to in her teenage years.
‘What I Wanna Do For You’ contains a relationship-based narrative, ear-pleasing vocals, and tuneful melodies that will resonate well with fans of Destiny’s Child, Snoh Aalegra, and H.E.R. The likable tune possesses groovy instrumentation flavored with neo-soul, contemporary R&B, and modern pop elements. Also, “What I Wanna Do For You” serves as a tasty appetizer to what listeners can expect to hear on Dafne Adriana’s upcoming debut EP.
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Elphi releases a rhythmic electro-pop tune, entitled, “Get Passed You”
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Elphi is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter from the UK. Not too long ago, she released a rhythmic electro-pop tune, entitled, “Get Passed You,” which tells a heartfelt tale about a young woman who is wholeheartedly struggling to get over her ex-partner. Apparently, she still has feelings for her ex and doesn’t believe their once-budding relationship is over. Later, she tells her ex, “You promised that you would dance with me, sipping whiskey down on the sunset bay. I guess there must have been more than one thing you lied about that day.”
“‘Get Passed You’ brings an energetic, dancehall spin to a blue narrative, leaving you feeling reflective but making you want to move. I wanted to set up the themes of messing with time, space, and illusion, which run throughout the rest of the tracks.” – Elphi stated
Not too long ago, Elphi debuted her mixtape at Camden Assembly, which was a dream come true. This year, she plays the 02 Academy Islington in London.
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Three Black Boys book series |
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"Thomson's ear for street-slang vernacular is effective in bringing his characters to life and creates a chillingly real backdrop." - Kirkus Discoveries Review |
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“Three Black Boys: Tomorrow After Supper” by Zangba Thomson
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The location is South-side Jamaica, a rough and tough neighborhood in Queens, New York, and home to Babita Harris, an uninsured single parent who falls ill after returning home from vacation. She is taken to a hospital, where Salome McBryant diagnoses her with having black fever disease, which has done a significant amount of damage to her liver. With a couple of months to live, Babita's only hope of survival is a costly liver transplant. But with no health insurance, the chance of surgery is slim. What she needs is a quarter of a million dollars in cash. And that's when Barnes, her only son, along with his best friends, Demus and Baker, spring into dangerous action to get the money. Though their road is paved with good intentions, the brothers in arms are in for a few surprises and a whole lot of heat in this supernatural thriller which tells two remarkable tales of crime and redemption.
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"'Three Black Boys: The Hotep Brother Manuscript' has elements that reminded me of the movie, 'The Mummy Returns." - Night Reader Reviews |
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"Three Black Boys: The Hotep Brother Manuscript" by Zangba Thomson
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Barnes, Demus, and Baker are back with another actioned-packed adventure. This time, they travel to Monomotapa, Alkebulan, where the king and queen were recently slain by Ego, a familiar nemesis whom the three Black boys thought they had destroyed in the afterlife. But they were deeply mistaken. Now, Ego has in his possession The Hotep Brother Manuscript, a sacred book filled with spiritual laws and enchanting spells, which he uses to turn the Monomotapan military into Egomaniacs. By his side is Deadra, a divine entity, and their goal is to rule Monomotapa and discontinue all shipments of gold to Planet Black, the home of the deities. Currently, the black planet is vulnerable, protected by a thin layer of gold that is quickly depleting. With the threat of an incoming meteoroid shower looming, there’s no telling what might happen to Planet Black if a large shipment of gold doesn’t arrive there soon.
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Bong At Home video series |
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