Jahleel Kamara is already well into accumulating an impressive list of credits in film and television guaranteed to help him build toward an even more successful career. The history of child performers in the industry isn’t always a glorious one, but any seasoned observer of these worlds are capable of readily spotting the signs of eventual disaster. There’s none of that here. It is all the more remarkable because we’re talking about a six-year-old boy. Children are capricious, but a six-year-old’s capriciousness is a far different thing than, let’s say, a 12 year old’s. Jahleel Kamara, however, sparkles with a…
Author: Cleopatra Patel
Angela Hench hasn’t allowed her day job as a nanny in the Greater Detroit area to throw a wet blanket over her dreams. The spectacularly talented opera singer seized upon the bold idea of revisiting Montserrat Caballé’s famed collaboration with rock vocal giant Freddie Mercury for the unexpected 1987 hit “Barcelona”. The composition and recording of the original took place under a very specific context so covering the song, in some ways, seems odd. Markel and Hench aren’t submitting their performance for impending Olympic consideration as Mercury and Montserrat Caballé did for the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain, though the…
Those who have been keeping up with DICI need no introduction, but for those who may not know, allow me to make it brief: after dropping a self-titled debut album in early 2021, DICI has gone through quite the metamorphosis. Shifting from a high school senior stuck in lockdown to an up-and-coming rap star with over 100,000 TikTok followers in less than two years should give you an idea of the sort of confidence and creative hunger within DICI. Seventeen singles and over five million views on YouTube later, here we are. So what’s a young artist to do when…
You cannot claim Byron Lee Scott lacks ambition. “I Come from Earth”, the title song of Harmony Dreamers’ album, introduces newcomers to his songwriting with a real dazzler. There’s an expanding roll call of musicians from various nations and walks of life enlisted to make these songs come alive and the drumming popping throughout the opener testifies to the inspired fire making these songs fly. There are plenty of other examples, however. Scott and his fellow singers/musicians move from one style to the next without missing a beat. “Pass It On” is one of the many songs written and recorded…
People love to hype up new musical acts with the promise that “You’ve never heard anything like this!” The descriptor “game-changer” used to actually mean something, and games used to get changed — unfortunately, hyperbole is the enemy of progress, so true game-changers are falling by the wayside. Thankfully, The Nylon Admirals aren’t spring chickens and their can-do approach to recording experimental pop-electronica might just be the thing that does finally change the game — and if not, it’ll certainly help contemporary music at least beat a few levels. Handbags, the second release from The Nylon Admirals following their debut…
I’d totally forgotten about this guy. Before rock came into the picture for me and even after, the Minneapolis pop sound popularized by Prince, largely, but other acts such as Morris Day and the Time or Shelia E. rated as high with me as any rock band. It was a raw and sensuous aural experience full of playful musicality and full of attitude. It wasn’t rock, but it was just as good and came with the snap of excellent pop that leave you feeling slightly ashamed for liking it. It was a scene driven by talent, first and foremost, rather…
The Al Ur Pal Project has a pair of singles out right now that has been getting the attention of critics across the underground, and it’s easy to see why when giving either one of them a spin this September. Although driven by so much more than the main melody, “My Honey (His Drips)” is perhaps the more defined of the couple on the strength of its charming lead vocal, but even in the opposing “My Honey (Her Drips),” there’s no debating the strength of the instrumental prowess in both tracks. All in all, this is about exhibitionism – and…
The Fat Nasty Joy comes Joy comes in the mornin’ Now let’s begin Serotonin Girl let’s get into debaucherous sin Collide Raise up you glass Forget the pain Drink in your drugs Man let’s get insane Tonight I’m praying the lack of sobriety Softens the harshest blows My head needs a healing After the hangover takes a hold I need the light (need the light) Been baptized in the darkest waters I need the light (need the light) It’s a beautiful vibration Ladies and gentlemen do the fat nasty Ladies and gentlemen do the fat nasty I want to feel…
There’s been a serious lack of upbeat pop coming through the underground in the past year, and although his is subtextually angst-ridden in spots, there’s a lot more positivity to be enjoyed within Marc Bosserman’s new single “She Makes Beauty” than there is among any other tracks out at the moment. Where a lot of other players in this artist’s scene have been relying on an element of contrast to make a driving point to their audience, Bosserman’s sound is utterly straightforward in this performance, which despite being a little less trendy than what his peers are doing works out…
Gene O’s “COOL” lives up to its relatively simple billing, but it’s harder than it looks. Bringing off a mix quasi-Latin rhythms with the classic R&B horn section could end up crashing without fanfare into the mountainside. Gene O, however, obviously began the recording process for this single with a clear idea of what he wanted to accomplish with this song and, as such, there aren’t any audible missteps. It sounds like his new single emerged from his head fully born rather than written and labored over before Gene O committed it to a recording. The conversational nature of the…
Despite two years off from the pandemic, there’s still a sense of recovery for those looking for companionship. We were all forced to remain at a distance (literally) from those familiar and not to us, and it made the yearning for connections incredibly palpable and frustrating for many. Wondrous, the latest song by The Mark, the Netherlands based rock group, almost acts as a perfect time capsule to those sentiments. Don’t let the rocking rhythms and bombastic drums fool you, this song is almost subversive in how it aims squarely at the heart and the innate longing we all have.…
Miko Reed’s “Back to That Day” and its accompanying video are delectable slices of musical and visual goodness that you’ll keep coming back to. The talented singer, songwriter, and musician first explored music in the setting of her father’s church before expanding her range of influences over the coming years. Diversifying into styles such as soul, funk, jazz, and R&B has broadened her appeal, and this new single bears out that fact for listeners. Reed obtained Bachelor’s Degrees in Performing & Visual Arts from Cal State University San Marcos. She focused on graphic design, video production, fine art, and, naturally,…
Dark Below is a hard-hitting heavy rock band that brings intense energy in their music and live performances while providing rhythmic songs that people can sing along to. Formed in Columbia, MO, the band signed with Nashville based JPS Productions in 2014. The current lineup has been together since 2016 and includes Josh Campbell (Guitar/Vocals), Josh Grove (Bass/Backing Vocals), and Quin Koldan (Drums). New single “Tense” was produced by Jason Schrick and award-winning producer Malcolm Springer (Matchbox 20, Collective Soul, Fear Factory). After years of preparation, the band is ready to vault to the national scene and beyond. The song features driving riffs and thunderous percussion backing…
Cover Song Contest from Masterpiece Sound Studios Detroit gives musicians a shot at a $25K grand prize, and a Detroit concert spot In Partnership with Sony Music Publishing Calling all musically talented artists! We’re looking for singers, musicians, producers, and re-mixers who are game to makeover a classic Motown Hit! Legendary Motown songwriter and record producer Sylvia Moy’s Masterpiece Sound Studios (Masterpiece) has launched a Cover Song Contest in partnership with Sony Music Publishing (SMP). It’s a competition open to any amateur individual or independent singer, musician, singing group, or band, from any of the 50 United States, the District…
Big drums, bigger guitars, and an anthemic lead singer; they’re all the essential parts of almost every rock song, but what makes them different in the single “O’Dream” from singer/songwriter Clay Joule is the passion with which they’re being presented and, more specifically, the cause they’re united behind. When a track is composed from the heart and particularly considering issues bigger than interpersonal relationships, the audience can feel the kinship between artist and narrative, and this element is one of the most powerful we experience in “O’Dream.” Instead of making a generic pop single in support of Ukraine, or even…