In an interview with Mxdwn Magazine she spoke about her emotions during the writing process “I wrote this song a week after having someone I loved seemingly completely change their attitude to me overnight, and I went in the studio straight away with Paul Stanborough to produce the song. I think the initial anger, hurt and confusion I felt in those first few weeks really comes across in the final production”.

The London-based artist, who has been writing and performing music since the age of 12, released her debut single ‘Never Will’ on Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube, iTunes and Amazon in August 2023. She has named alt-pop artists such as Holly Humberstone and BLÜ EYES as strong influences in her writing.

‘Where’d You Go’ was produced by Paul Stanborough (Kylie Minogue, Natasha Bedingeld, Benedict Cork) and Morris thanked Stanborough for his “musical genius“ in her release day Instagram post.

Listen to the song here:

Collaborating with songwriters all over the globe, the artist has seen her work played on Radio 1, BBC Introducing, Love Island and has been featured on both New Music Friday UK Notable Releases. Through studying Music at Leeds College of Music and ICMP, Francesca’s passion for songwriting, specifically toplining, only grew stronger. She has a vast network of writers who she regularly works with and her versatility and creativity seemingly showers in to each writing session she attends.

The Brighton born, BRIT School alumna has announced two upcoming live UK dates in both Brighton and London with the first being a showcase at The Camden Club on the first of November. The Chalk Farm based venue has started a new evening of artist showcases which is free to attend. Joining the singer will be Amaya and The Echoes and Bonita Delaney.

On the sixteenth of November, Morris will join Shoegaze and Dreampop inspired artist Oliver Beardmore and Maida Rose on the Brighton leg of their tour at The Folklore Rooms. Tickets can be bought here.  The singer is definitely one to watch – with more live shows and music in the new year, there is plenty more on it’s way.

To see Francesca live, get tickets to the singer’s next show at The Camden Club here:

Sweet, warm, and hazy sounding, it makes sense that Mann wrote “In Plain Sight” on the hottest day of last year. In a recent interview with Dork Magazine, she said the song is about: “it’s crazy, out of all the people in the world, you manage to find someone so perfect for you, hidden in plain sight”. Listen to “In Plain Sight” below:

Mann’s acoustic fourth EP You Look Like You Can’t Swim is set to come out at the end of June. In an Instagram caption, the singer confessed, “I’ve never been so excited about a project and all these songs have been so exciting to watch come to life”. The singer seems to have found her home in the stripped-back quiet style as she told Dork the EP, “really made me realise how much I enjoy the folk side of my music and the harmonies and types of instruments that go along with it”.

Though her EP is not even available to the public yet, Mann is already looking forward. She revealed to Dork that she’s already got the name and “most of the tracks” for her debut album.

The ambitious 23-year-old has already cultivated quite a following, sold out shows in her hometown, and supported some of Gen Z’s favourite artists such as Dodie, Arlo Parks, Beabadoobee, and The Staves on tour. The British Music Embassy shined a spotlight on the singer by including her on the lineup for SXSW Online 2021. Her comforting single “Paper Mache World” from her 2020 EP Because I Wanted You to Know featured in the hit coming-of-age queer Netflix drama Heartstopper. Last year, she was nominated for the Ivor Novello Rising Star Award.

Showcasing her versatility, Mann teamed with the French-Korean singer-songwriter spill tab in January putting out the lively guitar-driven bedroom pop track “Borderline Insane”. Listen to “Borderline Insane” below:

On the 18^th May, Mann will be serenading a sold-out crowd at the Jazz Café in Camden, London. Just before the release of her fourth EP, she’ll be supporting English singer-songwriter Tom Grennan on four outdoor dates in forests around the country. She will also be performing at two festivals this summer: Kendal Calling in the Lake District and Tramlines in Sheffield. For tickets and more information see here.

For a complete list of Matilda Mann’s upcoming UK shows see below:

18/05/23 – Jazz Café – London
09/06 – Westonbirt Arboretum – Gloucestershire
10/06 – Cannock Chase Forest – Rugeley
15/06 – Thetford Forest – Thetford
16/06 – Delamere Forest – Northwich
21/07 – Tramlines – Sheffield
27/07 – Kendal Calling – Lake District

Something a little different (for me anyway) is coming. In October I’ll be playing an 8 date acoustic tour in the UK. Pre sale tickets will be available at 9am on April 19th. https://t.co/0LHwSIp985 pic.twitter.com/u07jPrDzn3

— Gary Numan (@numanofficial) April 14, 2023

Last night, a day after the tour announcement, Numan completed his 1000th show, completing a set of three nights at the Electric Ballroom, London, and is set to follow this colossal landmark event with a North American tour, starting on April 21st in Salt Lake City and concluding at Cruel World festival in Pasadena on May 20th. An appearance at Bearded Theory festival at the end of May will precede a break for the summer for Numan, which will then be followed by the acoustic tour in October, a tour which promises to be unique and wholly different for Numan’s devoted cult following, given his synth-pop and industrial rock background. The tour will commence on October 8th at Wylam Brewery in Newcastle and will end with two dates on October 16th and 17th at Hackney Church in London.

Gary Numan (real name Gary Webb) commenced his music career as frontman of new wave band Tubeway Army. The group released their self-titled debut album in 1978 but it wasn’t until the following year, upon the release of “Are Friends Electric?”, that Numan shot to prominence. The track, showcasing Numan’s adoration of synthesisers and science fiction (with its lyrical referencing of Philip K Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), was released in May and found its way to the number one spot of the UK Singles chart in June.

Numan’s Tubeway Army performing hit single “Are Friends Electric?” on Top of the Pops in 1979:

Following his initial success Numan disbanded Tubeway Army and embarked on a solo career, employing a new backing band in the process. Later on in 1979 Numan’s second, and perhaps most famous hit, “Cars”, was released, soon also reaching number one, and was soon followed by the release of Numan’s first solo studio album, The Pleasure Principle, which too reached number one on the UK Albums chart. He went on to have a remarkably prolific decade, releasing nine albums in as many years, and has released a total on nineteen studio albums to date, with the latest, Intruder, being released in May 2021.

The pre-sale for tour tickets starts at 9am on April 19th and you can get yours here.

See below for the tour dates:

08/10/2023 – Wylam Brewery – Newcastle
09/10 – St Luke’s – Glasgow
10/10 – Town Hall – Birmingham
11/10 – St George’s – Bristol
13/10 – St George’s Church – Brighton
15/10 – Cathedral – Manchester
16/10 – Hackney Church – London
17/10 – Hackney Church – London

(Photo credit: Alyssa Fried)

The charity single has been released to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust, with all proceeds from vinyl sales and an undisclosed portion of digital downloads going towards the charity.

In a press statement for the new single, Townshend said, “The pandemic years were terrible for charities; the Teenage Cancer Trust was created in order to take the money from a series of concerts at the Albert Hall every year and various other things and that had all dropped out.”

He continued, “So, the idea of doing this, which is it’s something that has sprung out of Lockdown about mental illness, but also for this particular charity. If you’ve got a scenario in which somebody in your family or a teenager has got cancer, they’re being treated, Lockdown hits, and you’re not allowed to go and visit them. There’s a poignancy to the whole thing about the song.”

The track was composed and produced by Townshend’s partner, Rachel Fuller.

Speaking on how the track came to be created, Fuller said, “We’d just moved house and Pete was as happy as Larry up in his studio, working every day, and I put my back out, I was just climbing the walls, I couldn’t do any creative work and obviously, we couldn’t go anywhere, and I really started to think about how unbelievably difficult this period of time was going to be for so many people. I wrote lyrics and then I sat at the piano and wrote the music, and then I thought, ‘Oh, I really would like to record it, because it’s really not a bad song at all’ — and my singing days are long over. So, I asked Pete to record the demo.”

On working with his partner Rachel, Townshend said, “I’ve helped Rachel make the demos for several of her theatrical projects. She’s a really a fast worker. It’s not that you say to me, ‘Let’s go into the studio for two weeks and work on this project.’ We do it two hours later, or an hour later, it’s done — so it’s easy to work with her.”

“Can’t Outrun the Truth” was recorded in Townshend’s home studio in September 2021. Townshend sings on the track as well as playing violin and lap steel guitar on it for his first solo effort in almost 30 years.

Read more about Teenage Cancer Trust’s incredible fundraising efforts here.

Stream “Can’t Outrun the Truth” here.

Biffy Clyro will play a special acoustic show for @RadioX on 18th January 2022 at Hackney Church, London. Tickets on sale this Friday – more info at https://t.co/SDhf2kcWWx pic.twitter.com/EhOwtz2YH1

— Biffy Clyro (@BiffyClyro) December 13, 2021

The show will be paired with a performance in Kingston the following day, at Banquet Records venue Pryzm. See here for full details on Biffy Clyro’s tour dates. Both shows will take place before the band embark on their long-awaited European tour after it was postponed to February of 2022 due to COVID-19. In a statement regarding the delays, the band said they, “can’t wait to get out and see you all as soon as it is safe for everyone to be together again”.

Regarding their new album, The Myth of The Happily Ever After, lead singer Simon Neil explains, “The liberation of doing anything that you had any control over last year was a thrill in itself, we couldn’t leave the house, we couldn’t go shopping, no one could see anyone they cared about – so the only freedom we had was in these ideas and these songs.”. The album came only 13 months after their previous LP A Celebration of Endings, in a very welcome surprise to fans. Recorded mostly before lockdown, Celebration didn’t quite reflect the ideas the band were going for. So, in an interview with NME, Neil explains how the pandemic sent them straight back to the drawing board for another stab at just what they wanted to be released in today’s day and age.

This isn’t the first time the band have taken a more stripped back approach to their performances, in November 2017 they embarked on a string of acoustic shows, ending the tour at London’s iconic Roundhouse for their own MTV Unplugged session. The show was then released in May the following year and clearly scratched an itch the fans may not have even been aware of. The album topped the UK Vinyl Albums Chart that week, with a few special appearances like a cover of The Beach Boys’ Classic “God Only Knows” and particularly niche Puzzles B-side “Different Kind of Love”.

See below an acoustic version of their 2013 single “Black Chandelier” Live from The Roundhouse.

The simple catchy loops and spacey sounds of Josie Man are perfectly suited to the TikTok generation of music consumers who have overseen the rise to fame of the likes of Doja Cat who’s simply, dreamy melodies and danceable rhythms can be heard on a loop without creating boredom and can be used to accompany a variety of dances or scenes.

There’s a certain zen like calm to Josie Man’s dreamlike sound and visual style which has made for a number of very engaging songs and videos being released this year, much of it throughout the UK’s lockdown period, which gives hope to fans that there may be more to come as we move in to lockdown number too.

It is a fortunate characteristic of the younger generation in the music industry to have grown up engrossed in the digital technology which is now being used by people of all ages in the absence of any physical interactions. A young artist like Josie Man seems as comfortable using her Youtube and Instagram platforms to interact with fans and express creativity as you imagine she might if you were to meet her in real life.

The video for her earlier release ‘Just Me,’ see’s Josie Man making good use of green screen technology to set her performance to a variety of escapist scenes like beaches and surf waves while she dances in men’s clothing and tackles yoga poses while being floated around the screen by some skilful post production editing.

While her videos and songs have previously shown Josie Man’s ability to provide the whole works, great songwriting, catchy tunes, and great visuals all delivered in an easy to consume digital format which the artists is clearly entirely comfortable with, the acoustic version of ‘Grow,’ shows the artist in a slightly different light. In contrast to the high energy and light intensive videos which decorate her Youtube channel and her regular Instagram posts which are always colourful and exiting, an acoustic reworking of one of her songs shows a more human side to this postmodern singer.

While listening to ‘Grow,’ acoustic, with just Josie Man’s sweet vocals and a gentle guitar accompaniment throughout the two and a half minute number, we are instantly transported to an intimate encounter. The artist is able to show off not only her remarkable talent, but share the deep feeling with which she composers her numbers. This is truly emotional complexity cloaked in a catchy exterior.

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I’ve got some exciting news for you all I’ll be doing a live acoustic performance on my YouTube this Friday 7pm from @metropolisstudios alongside @mastercarduk LINK IN MY BIO to watch the show  #StartSomethingPriceless

A post shared by Nao (@this_nao) on Oct 27, 2020 at 11:40am PDT

Opening with the funky ‘Fool To Love’ and following it up with ‘Bad Blood’ from her debut album, NAO then read some question from fans. During this time, she discussed her latest single ‘Woman’ featuring Lianne La Havas and confirmed that she will be sharing another song approximately three weeks from now called ‘Antidote’. However, she mentioned that she doesn’t have solid plans to put out a third album just yet – she is just enjoying making music and being with her new-born baby.

Other songs included ‘If You Ever’, ‘Another Lifetime’, and ‘Drive and Disconnect’ from 2018 album ‘Saturn’, which came out two years ago this week. Just a few hours before the live-stream, the singer asked fans via Instagram which songs they wanted to hear, and many favourites were played.

 

 

 

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Tonight 7pm GMT (30.10.20) at @metropolisstudios with @mastercarduk A post shared by Nao (@this_nao) on Oct 30, 2020 at 5:01am PDT

The performance was in collaboration with music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins, who help so many people with varying conditions. Through the event, viewers were encouraged to donate or show their support to the organisation. One of NAO’s iconic stage outfits – a vibrant blue kimono – was put up for auction, with the money going to Nordoff Robbins.

She also spoke about the hit that all artistic industries have taken throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and said that she hopes the government will realise the value of the arts and support them financially. Currently, the singer-songwriter is unsure when she will go on tour again, though she wants to get out on the road again next year if possible.

The full performance can be found below; with almost 3,000 people tuning in live, those who missed it can still catch up.

NAO has been creating music professionally and publicly as a singer, songwriter, and producer, since 2014, releasing her debut album ‘For All We Know’ in 2016, and sophomore, ‘Saturn’, in 2018. She has been nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist, Album of the Year at the Mercury Prize, and Best Contemporary Album at the Grammy Awards.

The artist hinted at the reworked track on his Instagram page, saying, “Just a heads up… something is dropping THIS FRIDAY!” With almost 20,000 followers, there was a lot of buzz amongst M-James’ fans, who were surprised yesterday evening with the news. At 5.15pm the artist held a TikTok livestream to chat to fans and announce the release live – an amazing total of 2.1 thousand viewers tuned in. He even shared a sneak peek of the track before he revealed the news to his Instagram followers along with a clip of the acoustic music video.

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‘BACK TO YOU – ACOUSTIC’ DROPPING TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!! ⁣ ⁣ You can listen to it from MIDNIGHT on all streaming platform and the video will be released on my YouTube channel tomorrow! ⁣ ⁣ I’m so excited for everyone to hear this x

A post shared by Morgan M-James (@morganmjames) on Oct 22, 2020 at 9:14am PDT

‘Back To You (Acoustic)’ takes a very different direction from the original; its powerful piano chords and atmospheric harmonies give the song a new meaning. Written about an on-off relationship, the song’s catchy chorus sees M-James singing “When I was seventeen I fell the hardest/In love with you, but now the worst part is/That now I don’t know what I’m meant to do/But I keep running back to you”.

After the single’s release, it was followed by its own cosy music video to bring the story to life, which has been well received and loved by fans. The visual shares the ups and downs of a relationship, and the temptation to return to someone after a break up. Directed by Ben Hughes and filmed by Ben Martyn Smith, the video features M-James and fellow TikTok star Molly Marsh.

Morgan M-James has been performing since his teen years, building his fanbase through busking, live shows, and YouTube videos. Recently, both he and his followers have found a new way to connect on TikTok, where he currently has close to half a million followers watching his weekly videos. The singer has already confirmed that he has new projects in the works, to be released in 2021.

This structure is reminiscent of the band’s self-titled debut album, however they explored a more electronic sound for their 2019 sophomore album ‘MDRN LV’. Previous singles from the upcoming album include ‘Winona Ryder’ and ‘Troublemaker‘, which are both indie tracks channeling The Beatles.

“If I Build A Home On The
Moon”. Tuesday 5pm GMT. pic.twitter.com/xQ3IptLf94

— Picture This (@picturethis) June 14, 2020

In promotion of the latest track, Picture This shared a drawing on their social media pages to let fans know that the song would arrive at 5pm on Tuesday 16th June. Along with the release came a sweet homemade music video of Hennessy in his house – on the moon. Fans are loving the song, even if it’s not very relatable, and the video has gained 15,000 views in 24 hours.

Once the song was out, all four Picture This members took part in an Instagram live-stream at 9pm last night (Tuesday 16th), in which followers asked questions and listened to performances of various songs. Some lucky fans even made it onto the band’s Instagram stories by posting a cover of ‘If I Build A Home On The Moon’.

Picture This band members are Ryan Hennessy (vocals), Owen Cardiff (guitar), Cliff Deane (bass), and Jimmy Rainsford (drums). The group became popular in 2015 when Hennessy uploaded a sample of the song ‘Take My Hand’ to Facebook and YouTube, receiving over 4 million views across all platforms. They went on to tour in multiple countries and release two albums - ‘Picture This’ and ‘MDRN LV’.

This year, the group were all set to play shows on tour around the UK and Ireland, however the dates have been rescheduled for next year. Find the full Ireland dates below.

25/06/2021 – Irish Independent Park – Cork
26/06 – Malahide Castle – Dublin
27/06 – Ormeau Park – Belfast

It’s with a heavy heart that we have to reschedule the summer shows until 2021. Under the advice of the government it’s the safest thing to do right now. Very sorry for any inconvenience but it’s the right thing to do, and we all need to keep safe during these crazy times! pic.twitter.com/IIScBawTBB

— Picture This (@picturethis) April 28, 2020

Crouch made his career as a professional footballer, and only retired last year at the age of 38. Posting on his Instagram a few days before the event, Bay joked around with a cardboard cut-out of Crouch, playing football as well as guitar. Fans can now watch back the episode, including Bay’s session, via BBC iPlayer.

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Two hours to go until Save Our Summer on BBC One! Come on @crouchy you’ve got this

A post shared by James Bay (@jamesbaymusic) on Jun 13, 2020 at 11:17am PDT

In the segment of the show dubbed ‘The Garden Sessions’, James Bay played his hit song ‘Hold Back The River’, which peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart upon its release in 2014. On this occasion, as on many, he sung over only his acoustic guitar; the crew filmed from a distance, taking amazing shots as cameras moved around the songwriter.

To introduce the artist, host Maya Jama said a few words: “Now, one thing I’m really, really missing this summer are festivals. We spoke about it last week, I mean, you’re missing festivals, you were gonna have your first time at Glastonbury – didn’t happen.” She gestures to Peter Crouch and Liam Gallagher as she says this. “So, to help give you just a little bit of that festival feeling, we’ve lined up some brilliant acts to headline our ‘Garden Sessions’. “

 

 

 

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Thanks @crouchy for having me on Save Our Summer last night. Watch it back via the link in my story x #PeterCrouchSOS

A post shared by James Bay (@jamesbaymusic) on Jun 14, 2020 at 2:24am PDT

With a gorgeous background of fairy lights and plants to set the mood, viewers who have been in isolation can allow their minds to escape, even if only for a few minutes. The singer has used his platform to uplift viewers over the past few months, covering songs of his own or of other artists he admires every week. He even goes as far as to teach followers how to play each song, so far covering the likes of Alicia Keys, Jimi Hendrix, and Oasis.